Reactions to Intrathecal Streptomycin

In 1946 Cairns, Duthie, and Smith 1 reported the occurrence of serious toxic reactions to intrathecal streptomycin in a group of patients under treatment for meningitis. They observed four such reactions among the seven patients studied. The symptoms occurred from a few minutes up to nine hours after intrathecal injection. Two cases terminated fatally at a time when death was not expected by those in attendance. Both fatalities followed intrathecal doses of 100 mg. of streptomycin. Two other reactions classified as very severe occurred after doses of 80 mg. and 2.5 mg. respectively. The symptoms observed consisted of coma with disturbances of temperature, pulse, and respiration. Respiratory failure was the mode of death in the two patients who died. Valergakis, Hays and Sutherland 2 have recently reported two patients with similar reactions to the intracisternal administration of streptomycin. One of these reactions was fatal. Because of a dearth of such