The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1945-07-26
Your Health
Vincent's Angina
Affects Mouth,
Cause Disputed

By HERMAN NJ. BUNDEsEN. NJ. D
VINCENT'S infection or, a. u
"a also called, vineent's angina 70
a disorder affecting the gums and
mouth. There 10 still . great deal
Of dispute as to exactly what pro-
duces the disorder, and what may
be the best method Of treatment
Some believe II to be . disorder due
10 a deficiency Of certain vitamins'
particularly those Of the Boom
plex, such a. niacin and ribonavin'
The lack Of the vitamin allows
thu tissues Of the mouth To be at
tackled b, terms such ~ staphy-
loeoesi " a are normally present
In IN. NOV tn. Others believe the
condition 10 due 10 . combined In
lection with two germs, one known
As the spirillum Of Vincent and the
other. the fusifsrm bacillus. There
4. also some dispute a. to whether
IN. disease Is catching and whether
n might not be produced BY me-
ehanical or chemical irritation OF
the mouth tissues.
Various Trsatmsnts
Various forms of treatment Tor
the disorder such as preparations
that furnish oxygen, the use Of
Misunderstanding drugs ~ well
"A those containing chronic acid
have been employed with good re-
suit.
Recently, Doctor Carlos F.
Schuessler and his eo-workers OF
the Dental Corps Of the Army have
treated a number Of patients suf-
fering from Vincent's infection
with penicillin. Patients were Sc
lected who had the disease in .
severe form, and who had not had
any previous treatment. No treat
ment was used other than the PEN
icillin until the sores and inhAna-
nation in the mouth cleared up.
The patients ranged In age from
IS to 81 years Of age and with few
exceptions were cigarette smokers.
Two Way Approach
The treatment with penicillin
was carried out in two ways. The
first group Of patients was treated
by injections Of penicillin given
into the bullock muscles ut three
hour intervals, FIVE to eight times
a day. The second group was
treated by applying the penicillin
solution, or penicillin in q powder,
directly to the mouth. The solution
was applied three times daily, and
held in the mouth two minutes fol-
lowing treatment. The powder was
applied to the sores with IN atom
izer five times daily, at three-houf
intervals.
Still another group was treated
with sprays Of q dilute solution Of
penicillin. In all cases, the treat
ment was continued until the
germs present in the mouth were
OF the FORMAL vtrlcty.
Check Effectiveness
In order 10 check the effective
ness Of the penicillin, other pa
tients were treated with hydrogen,
peroxide wash, and chronic acid,
and niacin. In the patients treated
with the solution Of penicillin, fail
ures occurred in only one out OF rs
to 80 patients. On the other hand,
in those treated In other ways,
failures varied from one out Of
every ten patients TO one out Of
every four patients.
The penicillin method Of treat
mefit Is safe, easily carried out,
and causes no reactions. 1t clears
up the infection quickly. The local
application Of penicillin solution
seems more satisfactory than does
treatment by injection Of the solu-
ton into Q vein. Thus again, PEN
icillin has proved itself valuable
substance in the treatment of q
common and, sometimes, serious
mouth infection.