Severe Dermatitis Medicamentosa Following the Administration of Sulfanilamide

The initial clinical and experimental report of the use of sulfanilamide (para-amino-benzene-sulfonamide) in this country was by Long and Bliss.1Subsequent reports have shown its worth in the treatment of hemolytic streptococcus infection,2meningococcic infection3and gonococcic infection,4and one report has been concerned with its apparent efficacy in the treatment of severe gas bacillus infection.5 Certain toxic manifestations have been recognized since early in its use. These are dizziness, lassitude, general malaise, cyanosis, sulfhemoglobinemia and fever. Harvey and Janeway6reported three cases of acute hemolytic anemia that developed during the administration of the drug, and all three experienced prompt recovery following blood transfusions. Schwentker and his associates3mention the fact that a morbilliform rash occasionally occurs in patients when sulfanilamide is used in the treatment of streptococcic infections. Hageman7states that such a rash appeared in about one half of his cases that