Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

New Zealand Medical Services in Middle East and Italy

Results of Treatment:

Results of Treatment:

(i)

Compound Fracture of the Femur: Five cases were treated with penicillin and a control series of five cases not so treated was available for comparison. Four of the five cases reacted excellently, one only partially. There was early healing of the wound, less toxaemia, and almost complete absence of fever. A comparison between the temperature charts of the two series was impressive.

(ii)

One case of fracture of the tarsus healed well.

(iii)

Infected Haemothorax: It was considered that penicillin was effective to a high degree, but infection recurred after intramuscular injections were stopped.

(iv)

Secondary Suture of Wound: The large majority were very successful, with little difference between those with and without instillation by tube following suture.

Skin grafts and burns also did very well. The general results of the experiments were very satisfactory and encouraged the continued and more universal use of penicillin. Supplies, however, were scarce and it was some time before the treatment could be extensively adopted.

The healing of wounds sutured at 2 General Hospital was observed to be very satisfactory after the patients had been evacuated to Bari. In March nine cases of fracture of the femur were admitted with splints and wounds untouched since primary treatment at the CCS. It was possible to proceed with suture of many of these on the fifth day after wounding and with penicillin treatment they did very well.