Antituberculous Effects of Certain Surface‐active Polyoxyethylene Ethers

We have previously reported (Cornforth, Hart, Rees, and These observations introduced a new type of anti- tuberculous agent. Furthermore, since the thera- peutically active products failed to inhibit the multiplication of tubercle bacilli in vitro, it was suggested that they might in some way modify the host's response to a tuberculous infection The antituberculous properties of Triton A20 have been confirmed by Solotorovsky and Gregory (1952), who also reported a synergistic action with dihydrostreptomycin in a mouse infection. In addition to suppressing acute tuberculosis in mice, these agents can produce appreciable re- gression and healing of an established infection in the guinea-pig The present paper supplies necessary details of the earlier work and describes further developments. Some of the results were briefly communicated by Cornforth, Hart, Nicholls, and Rees (1953).