Abstract
The results of clinical investigation of systemic side-effects of streptomycin in 995 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis are reported.Over 30 different subjective symptoms, in one form or another, were observed in 81.5 per cent of the patients but the most frequent complaints were stiffness of the face, numbness around the mouth, general lassitude, heaviness of the head, headache and tinnitus. Loss of hearing acuity, however, was seen in only 5.5 per cent.
Most of these side-effects were transitory in nature, appearing generally at the initial injection.
The occurred within several hours after the injcection, disappeared inside of 24 hours and repeatedly appeared after each subsequent injection.
The frequency of side-effects with different preparations increased in the order. of combined streptomycin, dihydrostreptomycin and streptomycin. The incidence of the above-mentioned side-effects was greater with twice a week injections than with daily injections of these preparations. Persistent side-effects were very few as the incidence of only 7.9 per cent shows.
