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Progress in the Treatment of Leprosy
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN PHARMACEUTICAL ASSOCIATION
STUDENT BRANCHES ••••• from page 43 An educational tour to Detroit was sponsored in November by the Howard College Branch for junior and senior pharmacy students and their wives. As guests of Parke, Davis & Co., the group was shown the company's facilities for the development of new drugs and the methods used for manufacturing drugs on a large scale. Recently elected to office in the University of Nebraska Branch are: Leland C. Lucke, president; Louise Mues, secretary; treasurer.
and Robert Waters,
Officers recently installed in the University of Pittsburgh Branch are: Dominic Parlavecchio, president; Bernard. Ivanschultz, 1st vice-president; Daniel Davies, 2nd vice-president; Margaret Madarasz, secretary; and Gabriella Roba, treasurer. A business meeting was held November 9. The University of Iowa Branch held its regular meeting on November 15. Dr. McKee. of the Bacteriology Department, spoke on influenza research. An executive board meeting was held October 19. Fall meetings of the University of Buffalo Branch were held October 12 and November 9. Dr. Edward M. Bridge, professor of pharmacology at the college, discussed "Radioisotopes and Their Medical and Pharmaceutical Applications" at the
October 12 meeting. The November 9 meeting featured Mr. Fred McNabb of Eli Lilly and Company, discussing "Opportunities for Pharmacy Graduates in Industry." A panel discussion on needed revisions in the pharmacy curriculum will be featured at the December 14 meeting. Dr. Philip A. Boyer, Lederle Laboratories Division, American Cyanamide Company, was guest speaker at the November 8 meeting of the George Washington University Branch. Dr. Boyer lectured on "Aureomycin." Philadelphia College of PharIllacy and Science Branch held its second meeting of the
year, December 5, with pharmacy students from Temple University as guests. Dr. Martin Barr, faculty member at the University and first lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps, U. S. Army, gave an informative talk on the history of the Medical Corps. The November meeting of the University of Utah Branch was held November 15. A discussion session was conducted by Dr. Broadbent, chairman of the Committee for Student Deferment, who answered questions concerning the status of students in the service. New officers of the Howard University Branch who will serve during the 1950-51 term are: Rebecca Davis, president; Carroll B. Lee, vicepresident; Phyllis L. Campbell, secretary; and Charles C. Smith, Jr. , treasurer.
PROGRESS IN THE TREATMENT OF LEPROSY by PAUL T. ERICKSON, M.D.
The most important single therapeutic advance for leprosy occurred with the introduction of the sulfone drugs for the treatment of this disease in 1941. At the present time, the sulfones have largely replaced chaulmoogra oil except in locations where the sulfones are not readily available and in the milder types of the disease. The sulfones, aided by the antibiotics, together with certain general measures for improving the resistance of the patient and caring for complications, have materialJy altered the outlook for the leprosy patient and the curability of the disease. Sulfone therapy is most effective on the specific skin and mucous membrane lesions. Nerve and eye complications are more resistant. Definite improvement is noted in lesions of the skin and mucous membranes in from six to twelve months. Although clinical improvement is progressive, sus-
* u. S. Public Health Service, Lexington, Ky. Abstracted from a paper presented before the New York Academ.l' of Sciences Conference on Leprosy, November 10-11, 1950. The full paper will appear shortly in a monograph on "Leprosy" in the Anna13 of The New York Academy of Sciences. 44
*
tained, and followed by a reduction of leprosy bacilli in the lesions, a complete disappearance of the bacilli usually requires extended treatment. Arrest of the disease is obtained, but relapse may occur unless administration of the sulfones is continued in reduced dosage. Dihydrostreptomycin treatment closely parallels that of the sulfones. Because of neurotoxic effects, such treatment cannot be continued sufficiently long to determine its ability to effect an arrest of the disease. It produces definite beneficial effects, however, and short courses of treatment are recommended as an adjunct to the sulfones in certain leprous conditions. Combined or alternating use of the sulfones and dihydrostreptomycin or of two or more sulfones is the treatment of choice. Among the experimental drugs used, aureomycin, para-amino salicylic acid, and tibione have shown early beneficial effects on leprous lesions. Tibione is considered to be the most promising drug outside the sulfone series for further clinical trial. Limited experience with cortisone has shown that it might be of value for the control of lepra reactions.
Vol. XII, No.1
STUDENT BRANCHES ••••• from page 43 An educational tour to Detroit was sponsored in November by the Howard College Branch for junior and senior pharmacy students and their wives. As guests of Parke, Davis & Co., the group was shown the company's facilities for the development of new drugs and the methods used for manufacturing drugs on a large scale. Recently elected to office in the University of Nebraska Branch are: Leland C. Lucke, president; Louise Mues, secretary; treasurer.
and Robert Waters,
Officers recently installed in the University of Pittsburgh Branch are: Dominic Parlavecchio, president; Bernard. Ivanschultz, 1st vice-president; Daniel Davies, 2nd vice-president; Margaret Madarasz, secretary; and Gabriella Roba, treasurer. A business meeting was held November 9. The University of Iowa Branch held its regular meeting on November 15. Dr. McKee. of the Bacteriology Department, spoke on influenza research. An executive board meeting was held October 19. Fall meetings of the University of Buffalo Branch were held October 12 and November 9. Dr. Edward M. Bridge, professor of pharmacology at the college, discussed "Radioisotopes and Their Medical and Pharmaceutical Applications" at the
October 12 meeting. The November 9 meeting featured Mr. Fred McNabb of Eli Lilly and Company, discussing "Opportunities for Pharmacy Graduates in Industry." A panel discussion on needed revisions in the pharmacy curriculum will be featured at the December 14 meeting. Dr. Philip A. Boyer, Lederle Laboratories Division, American Cyanamide Company, was guest speaker at the November 8 meeting of the George Washington University Branch. Dr. Boyer lectured on "Aureomycin." Philadelphia College of PharIllacy and Science Branch held its second meeting of the
year, December 5, with pharmacy students from Temple University as guests. Dr. Martin Barr, faculty member at the University and first lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps, U. S. Army, gave an informative talk on the history of the Medical Corps. The November meeting of the University of Utah Branch was held November 15. A discussion session was conducted by Dr. Broadbent, chairman of the Committee for Student Deferment, who answered questions concerning the status of students in the service. New officers of the Howard University Branch who will serve during the 1950-51 term are: Rebecca Davis, president; Carroll B. Lee, vicepresident; Phyllis L. Campbell, secretary; and Charles C. Smith, Jr. , treasurer.
PROGRESS IN THE TREATMENT OF LEPROSY by PAUL T. ERICKSON, M.D.
The most important single therapeutic advance for leprosy occurred with the introduction of the sulfone drugs for the treatment of this disease in 1941. At the present time, the sulfones have largely replaced chaulmoogra oil except in locations where the sulfones are not readily available and in the milder types of the disease. The sulfones, aided by the antibiotics, together with certain general measures for improving the resistance of the patient and caring for complications, have materialJy altered the outlook for the leprosy patient and the curability of the disease. Sulfone therapy is most effective on the specific skin and mucous membrane lesions. Nerve and eye complications are more resistant. Definite improvement is noted in lesions of the skin and mucous membranes in from six to twelve months. Although clinical improvement is progressive, sus-
* u. S. Public Health Service, Lexington, Ky. Abstracted from a paper presented before the New York Academ.l' of Sciences Conference on Leprosy, November 10-11, 1950. The full paper will appear shortly in a monograph on "Leprosy" in the Anna13 of The New York Academy of Sciences. 44
*
tained, and followed by a reduction of leprosy bacilli in the lesions, a complete disappearance of the bacilli usually requires extended treatment. Arrest of the disease is obtained, but relapse may occur unless administration of the sulfones is continued in reduced dosage. Dihydrostreptomycin treatment closely parallels that of the sulfones. Because of neurotoxic effects, such treatment cannot be continued sufficiently long to determine its ability to effect an arrest of the disease. It produces definite beneficial effects, however, and short courses of treatment are recommended as an adjunct to the sulfones in certain leprous conditions. Combined or alternating use of the sulfones and dihydrostreptomycin or of two or more sulfones is the treatment of choice. Among the experimental drugs used, aureomycin, para-amino salicylic acid, and tibione have shown early beneficial effects on leprous lesions. Tibione is considered to be the most promising drug outside the sulfone series for further clinical trial. Limited experience with cortisone has shown that it might be of value for the control of lepra reactions.
Vol. XII, No.1