Abstract
As one of the treating methods of tuberculous meningitis, streptomycin infusion into the subarachnoidal space of the base of brain was performed on rabbits and the author studied the effects particularly of their surviving days.
Results
1) Lethal dose is 0.003g/kg.
2) No significant effect is seen on body temperature, pulse- and repiration-rate, and blood sedimentation rate.
3) In regard to the blood picture, leucocytes decrease from 2 to 6 hours after the infusion and it recovers to the normal limit after 24 hours. Furthermore, the speed of this change and recovery is in proportion to the concentration of the infused streptomycin.
4) The blood coagulation time shortens from 2 to 6 hours after the infusion, and returns to normal after about 24 hours.
5) The function of reticuloendothelial system increases.
6) Histopathologically streptomycin infusion does not produce any change in the meninges locally, however, acute but slight inflammation is noticed in the interstitium of the internal organs including the brain. It seems that the most of this inflammation disappears, however, about one week after the discontinuance of streptomycin infusion.
