Comparison of the Cases Treated with Penicillin and the Controls

Summary Early treatment with penicillin in adults reduces the incidence of “severe” electrocardiographic changes with a statistical probability. Penicillin also shows a constant tendency to reduce the incidence of myocarditis throughout. although this has not been statistically confirmed. In childrern , it has not been possiihlc t o demonstrate statistically significant difference as a result of early penicillin treatment in spite of the large series. There is, however, a general tendency toward a decrease in the incidence of myocarditis. When the penicillin treatment is begun later a higher incidence of myocarditis in adults and children is found as compared with early treatment although the difference does not come up to a statistically significant value.