Evening star., 1939-03-02
Of Stors, Men
And Atoms
Notebook Of Science Progress
In Field, Laboratory
And Study

= sSsSl sSSSsSSSsy
And Study
By Thomas r. Henry.
It Is extremely unlikely that there will
ever be another "elixir Of sulfanilamide"
tragedy.
No new drug now can be released to
the public-including physicians in gen.
eral-until 1t has first been approved by
the Federal food and drug administra-
ton. True this does not apply to sales
within State, but is very nearly as
effective since few manufacturers would
be willing to make the necessary invest
ment in an article that was limited to
restricted area.
About a year ago drug was intro
duced from England that seemed likely
to rival sulfanilamide itself as a near
specific for very important class of
human ailments. This was sulfapyridine,
close chemical relative, which seemed
to be particularly effective against pneu-
monia and staphylococcic Infections
the very class of maladies in the treat
ment of which the value of sulfanilamide
was questionable.
1t has received a great deal of pub
lcity. Sensational results have been at
tributed to 1t in the treatment of pneu-
monia, still one of the major foes of the
human race. Had it been introduced
two years ago by this time it would
have been on sale across the counters of
nearly every drugstore. Today it can
not even be prescribed by the general
practitioner, with a few exceptions made
for test purposes. Its dangers, as we'll
as its virtues, must be determined before
it can be given indiscriminately to hu-
man beings.
And both the dangers and the virtues
still are quite controversial. A few out
standing physicians have been allowed
to experiment with it. They have always
been open to consultation. 1t is doubtful
If single life has been lost because
of the restriction and some may very
we'll have been saved. Within year or
so the possible i'll effects of the drug
can be eValuated.
The preliminary report of the Ameri-
can Medical Associations Council and
Pharmacy and Chemistry, prepared by
DR.. Perrin H. Long of Johns Hopkins
University, is favorable but conservative.
Reported results Of the effects of the
drug IN pneumococcic, severe staphylo-
cocclc and Friedlander's bacillus infec-
tons seem to warrant its use under
carefully controlled conditions, he con-
clnHpS II ic tl,,
as sulfanllamide in treatment of strepto-
coccus, gonococcus or minigococcus in
fections. 1t is irregularly absorbed but
slowly eXcreted.
The toxic effects Of the drug are as
severe and frequent AS those witnessed
in sulfanilamide treatment. In certain
cases 1t may be expected to be more toxic.
In the same journal appear the re-
ports of group of ST. Louis physicians
who tried the drug on % infants, in
cluding IA who had pneumonia. The re-
suits were in general the same as those
obtained with adults. A group of Phila-
delphla physicians report that they Sc
cured marked lowering of the pneu-
monia death rate from eight to four in
hundred of typed cases.
Much less optimism is expressed BY
Drs. j. G. M. Bullowa, Norman Plummer
and Maxwell Finland of New York, who
report:
During the present year sulfapyridine
has been introduced into the treatment
OF pneumonia in England and the drug
is now having number of clinical trials
IN this country. The earliest clinical re-
ports and subsequent ones from Eng
land were made without proper controls
and the data presented were grossly in
adequate for any evaluation. Those who
have spent many years in the study of
pneumonia will testify to the difficulties
in assessing the value of any agent ia
this disease before large number of
cases have been accumulated, each prop
erly studied with respect to etiology,
bacteremia and the clinical factors af-
fecting death rates. The untoward effects
and possible dangers of the remedy must
also be assessed. Sulfapyridine must still
be considered as an experimental drug.
while there is no reason to suspect
its purity, standards have not yet been
published for determining the identity
and purity of the product and the phar-
Theological and clinical data are insult
ficient. In the light of evidence now
available. the general use of sulfapyri-
dine does not seem warranted at present.
Under the new law passed by Con-
greSS in 1888, new drug may not be
released for interstate sale until it has
been licensed. Manufacturers of new
products, however, may obtain permis-
sion for properly qualified workers to
investigate the preparation. The Food
and Drug Administration has great
responsibility. 1t has not released sulfa-
pyridine for general sale and for this
action it deserves commentator. The
law gives opportunity for the first time
for drug to be tried first in hospitals
which have facilities for observing all
its manifestations. Most likely sulfa-
pyridine will be released, but it is wise
to. withhold it from general distribu-
tion until observations now under way
are completed"
Opposes Suggestion to