TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOUS MENINGITIS WITH ISONICOTINIC ACID HYDRAZIDES

Prior to the advent of chemotherapy, tuberculous meningitis was almost invariably fatal. The status of the disease has been altered considerably by the use of streptomycin administered intramuscularly and intraspinally. By means of this antibiotic regimen combined frequently with other tuberculostatic agents, remarkable results have been achieved that yield a high rate of remissions. After prolonged observation, however, the end-results were discouraging, since there were few long-term survivors. Smith¹ reported only six five-year survivors among 81 patients with meningeal tuberculosis treated with streptomycin. One of us (E. A.) observed a series of 120 patients with tuberculous meningitis who were treated with streptomycin among whom there were only six six-year survivors.

The recent discovery of the antituberculous activity of the isonicotinic acid hydrazides has stimulated many investigations on the value of these agents in the therapy of the various forms of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis. This paper is based on