Evening star., 1944-05-05
Penici|Iin Supply Here
Soon 10 Be Ample for
Most Civilian Needs

The supply of penicillin here, to
be distributed among nine hospitals
in this area, will soon be sufficient
for most civilian needs. it appeared
today, in the light of an announce
ment yesterday by DR.. John N. Nc
Donnell, director of the Office of
Penicillin Distribution.
Hospitals selected as depots should
begin receiving their first shipments
of the drug about the middle of next
week, the War Production Board
said today. WPB chose 1000 hospi-
tails throughout the country as de-
positories for penicillin, and by
Wednesday more than 100 of them
already had sent in orders for a sup
ply, it was reported.
just how much penicillin will be
allocated to the washington area
hospitals was not certain, but DR..
Mcdonnell said the quantity would
be based on the size of each insti-
tuition, population and area Of the
community and proximity to other
depots.
Supply Is Increasing.
Dr.. Mcdonnell said the supply Is
growing but that it is by no means
plentiful" sF#@
The hospitals selected in this
area are Emergency, Doctors, Gal
linger, Garfield, Georgetown, George
Washington, Providence and Sibley,
In Washington, and the Alexandria
General Hospital.
Maryland hospitals on the list
include Annapolis Emergency, Cam
bridge-Maryland, Memorial in Cum
berland, Memorial in Easton, Fred
erick City, Washington County in
Hagerstown, Peninsula General in
Salisbury and the following in Bal
timore: Bon Seoours, Church Home
and Infirmary, Franklin Square,
Hospital for Women, Johns Hop
kins, Maryland General, Mercy,
Provident Hospital and Free Dis
pensary, st. Agnes, st. Joseph's,
Sinai, South Baltimore General,
Union Memorial, University and
West Baltimore General.
In most instances, the institutions
here will set up boards of physi-
clans to pass on applications for
use Of the drug, at least until the
supply becomes great enough for
unlimited use.
At Gallinger Hospital the drug has
been available for some time in re-
stricted quantities for use in con-
nection with the experimental pro-
gram conducted by DR.. Chester s.
Keefer of Boston, medical adviser
for civilian distribution. Reports on
the efficacy Of penicillin in treat
ments of various kinds have been
submitted by the hospital to DR..
Keefer.
Instructions Drawn Up.
AS result of these experiments,
DR.. Keefer has been able to draw UP
. sheet of instructions which will
accompany each shipment, listing
diseases for which the drug will be
most effective and those for which
1t would be useless. Report sheets
will also be sent to all the hospitals
under the new program, and these
will be submitted to Boston for con-
tinued study.
DR.. Daniel Seckinger, acting super
mtendent Of Gallinger, said the drug
has been most effective in the treat
ment OF meningitis, gonorrhea and
other bacterial infections. It is now
being tried with some success in the
treatment of syphilis, he said.
The practice has been, DR.. Seek
inger pointed out, to try sulfa drugs
first and to use penicillin only when
these fail. Aside from conserving
the drug, he pointed out, this meth
Cd has the added laboratory value |
OF indicating what penicillin will do
when other fjr1Ips fail