A Comparative Study of Sulfadiazine, Penicillin, and Penicillin Combined with Sulfadiazine in the Treatment of Lobar Pneumonia

¹ The Hektoen Institute for Medical Research of the Cook County Hospital and the Department of Medicine of the Cook County Hospital and Loyola University School of Medicine.

1) This statistical comparison readily demonstrates that penicillin is a much more superior drug than sulfadiazine in the treatment of pneumococcic pneumonia.

2) Sulfadiazine is an inferior therapeutic agent for the treatment of pneumonia as compared to the antibiotic, penicillin.

3) The evidence adduced in these series of investigations, demonstrate that in the group in which there was addition of sulfadiazine to the antibiotic therapy, there was a delayed clinical response, a greater incidence of complications, and a higher mortality.

4) The clinical use of sulfadiazine with penicillin indicates a possible antagonistic action in vivo rather than a synergistic effect.

5) There is little justification for the combined administration of the sulfonamides and penicillin in the treatment of pneumonia. Penicillin alone will accomplish the therapeutically desired goal if this is attainable.

6) There are very, very few pneumonia patients who cannot be treated with penicillin. They may require sulfonamide therapy.