Open AccessA preliminary report on the treatment of human trypanosomiasis and yaws with metallic antimony
Publication year - 1913
Publication title -
proceedings of the royal society of london. series b, containing papers of a biological character
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2053-9185
pISSN - 0950-1193
DOI - 10.1098/rspb.1913.0017
Subject(s) - irritation , antimony , medicine , surgery , chemistry , immunology , inorganic chemistry
The use of precipitated metallic antimony, in a state of finest division, was devised by Plimmer for the treatment of trypanosomiasis, and the results of his and other experiments with this substance have been published. After a long series of experiments on subcutaneous and intramuscular injections of this form of antimony suspended in water, oily media, egg yolk, etc., all of which caused great irritation, he found that it was possible to inject it intravenously with safety, and without causing any irritation of the tissues. A large number of animals were cured of trypanosomiasis by this means, and in May, 1910, Major W. B. Fry gave a dose intravenously to a late case of Kala Azar, thus demonstrating that it could also be used safely in this manner on human beings. Captain R. J. C. Thompson, R. A. M. C., gave this preparation by intravenous injection to the cases first admitted to the Yei Sleeping Sickness Camp between January and March, 1911. Eighty-one injections were given to 38 cases, but pressure of administrative work prevented these cases being fully treated and investigated, and they were all transferred to atoxyl treatment. Captain Thompson states that from a clinical standpoint some of these cases showed great improvement.