Semisynthetic antibiotics to treat virulent bacterial diseases such as staphylococcal pneumonia, are being investigated, a Louisiana State university school of medicine assistant professor said Friday.
These new compounds are capable of killing enzymes produced by staphylococcal pneumonia, one of the pneumonias which do not respond to traditional penicillin, said Dr. Mignon W. JumeL assistant professor of medicine.
Dr, Jumel was a speaker at a seminar on pulmonary diseases presented by the Louisiana Thoracic Society, medical section of the Louisiana Tuberculosis Association at the United States Veterans Administration hospital.
Other sponsors of the seminar included the Tuberculosis Association of Greater New Orleans, the Louisiana Academy of General Practice and the VA hospital. NUCLEUS ISOLATED
Dr. Jumel explained that en-zymes produced by staphylococ-cal pneumonia destroy ordinary penicillin.
Researchers have isolated the nucleus from which new penicillins can be manufactured, she said.
Study of semisynthetic antibiotics aimed at combating the more serious pneumonias started in England, she said.
Another seminar speaker told of the diagnostic importance of serological studies in fungus diseases.
Dr. John F. Busey of the VA hospital in Jackson, Miss., said serological tests—study of the liquid components of blood serum-can give clues which aid in diagnosis of systematic fungus.
This type of fungus is internal, often chronic in nature and frequently appears to be tuberculos-
is, he said. Dr. Busey said many victims of systematic fungus end up in tuberculosis sanitariums. DIFFICULT TO 'GROW
Real diagnosis of systematic fungus depends , on culturing (growing) a sample of the organism, Dr. Busey said. He added that it is difficult to "grow" such an organism. | Serological tests are not within j themselves conclusive in proving ' cases, Dr. Busey said, but they can be "suggestive," leading the doctor on to making additional efforts to culture the fungus organism,
Dr. Busey said histoplasmosis and blastomycosis are the two systematic fungus diseases most common in this area. Both are separate fungus growths, he said.
It is believed that soil and climate are connected with the frequency of these fungus diseases in this area and in other states bordering the Mississippi river, he explained. Dr. Busey said much work has been done in testing the connection of soil with
systematic fungus, but that little is known about it yet.
Improvements in treatment of cystic fibrosis, a hereditary disease in children for which there is no cure and the actual cause is not known, were discussed by Dr. Leroy Matthews of Cleveland, Ohio, assistant professor of pediatrics at Western Reserve university school of medicine.
200 ARE TEEATED
Dr. Matthews told the results of treatment of a test-group of 200 children who have cystic fibrosis,
|a condition in which the body's! organs produce abnormally thick! and sticky mucus.
This study group of children in j Cleveland sleep in mist-tents and; | inhale medicated mist from face mask nebulizers, he said. This liquefies the secretions so the mucus can be cleared more easily from the chest, he said.
The idea is to keep the chest clean so the victim will not get infections, he said.
The children are also on an intensive physical therapy routine includes postural are often given when needed. Dr. Matthews said.
During the program's five years, 82 per cent of the children have improved, he said. About 10 per cent are "the same," 5 per cent are in worse condition and only 3 per cent have died, Dr. Matthews said.
SPAN INCREASES Although cure of cystic fibrosis cannot be effected until the basic biochemical defect is discovered, Dr. Matthews said new treatment methods have moved the average age of death of the victims to early adulthood. Until 1950, average age, of life for a victim of cystic fibrosis was one year. By 1957, use of antibiotic therapy moved the average span of life up to five years, he said. Other seminar speakers included Dr. G. John Buddingh. head of the department of microbiology, LSU school of medicine; Dr. William F. Miller of Southwestern school of medicine in Dallas, Tex., and Dr. Roy White of Baton Rouge.
Dr. John J. Walsh, president of the Louisiana Thoracic Society, presided. Dr. Howard A. Buech-ner, also of the thoracic society, was program chairman. Dr. Clay A. Waggenspackj immediate past president of the thoracic society moderated afternoon discussions. PHOTO: DR. JOHN BUSEY (left), Jackson, Miss., and Dr. Leroy Mathews (right), Cleveland, Ohio, speakers at a seminar on pulmonary diseases presented by the Louisiana Thoracic Society, medical section of the Louisiana Tuberculosis Association, chat with Dr. John Bobear, New Orleans, assistant professor of medicine, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, and a counsellor to the American Thoracic Society. The seminar was held at the Veterans hospital.
