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Biomedical subjects

B F Massell

Publications and source records attributed to B F Massell.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1988

Penicillin and the marked decrease in morbidity and mortality from rheumatic fever in the United States.

There has been a marked decline in mortality due to rheumatic fever in the United States. We present evidence for the important role of penicillin in changing the severity of rheumatic carditis, beginning about 1946. Since that year, mortality due to rheumatic carditis has rapidly decreased to zero at the hospital we studied (House of the Good Samaritan, Boston), the rate of loss of all murmurs in patients at the study hospital accelerated simultaneously and exceeded 40 percent by 1970, and the rates of decline in national mortality due to rheumatic carditis accelerated fourfold with the advent of antibiotics. These data, together with reports of recent outbreaks of rheumatic fever, emphasize the importance of continued efforts to diagnose and treat Group A streptococcal pharyngitis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Prophylaxis of streptococcal infections and rheumatic fever: a comparison of orally administered clindamycin and penicillin.

Orally administered clindamycin and penicillin were compared for effectiveness in preventing streptococcal infections in 202 randomly assigned patients with previous rheumatic fever (RF). Among 143 patients aged 21 years or younger observed for 537 patient-years, the number of streptococcal infections (and number per patient-year) was 23 (0.084) in the penicillin group and 12 (0.045) in the clindamycin group. Excluding uncooperative patients, the rate of streptococcal infection remained less, though not statistically significant, in the clindamycin group than in the penicillin group. Two RF recurrences occurred in the penicillin group, and no recurrence occurred in the clindamycin group. Clindamycin was well tolerated except for possible mild gastrointestinal symptoms in six patients. Clindamycin can be substituted for penicillin for RF prophylaxis when there is allergy to penicillin or concern about the development of penicillin-resistant mouth organisms.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1976

Part I: abnormal patterns and physiological variations in magnetocardiograms.

Magnetocardiograms (MCGs) of six subjects with representative cardiac abnormalities and of one well-studied normal subject are compared with the 12-lead ECGs and VCGs of these subjects. The MCGs are recordings of the component of the magnetic vector which is normal to the skin, measured across the chest on a 5 cm X 5 am grid; an example is also presented of a sequence of instantaneous MCG maps. The heart abnormalities include myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, intraventricular conduction disturbances, and ventricular hypertrophy. The various MCG maps of the normal subject show MCG changes as a result of changes in body morphology (loss of weight), changes in the subject's position during recording, and changes as a result of exercise. They are presented as a basis for understanding some of the variability of MCG maps.

Angina Pectoris↗
PubMed1968

Secondary and apparent primary antibody responses after group A streptococcal vaccination of 21 children.

A partially purified M protein, extracted from a mouse-virulent strain of type 3, group A streptococcus, was administered subcutaneously in gradually increasing amounts at weekly intervals to 21 children in a Family Program. Seven children with type 3 bactericidal antibody in prevaccination sera showed a secondary response. Of 14 children with no detectable type 3 bactericidal antibody prior to vaccination, 13 developed definite type 3 antibody during or soon after vaccination. This response appeared to be of the primary variety in at least some of the 13 children because (i) the total incidence of antibody response (20 of 21) was greater than can be accounted for by the documented incidence of clinical and subclinical type 3 infections among children of our Family Program during a period of 14 years, (ii) the response in the 13 children with no detectable antibody prior to vaccination was more delayed than in those showing a definite secondary response, and (iii) on the average, the amount of vaccine needed for a response in these 13 children was 15 to 28 times greater than that required for the secondary response. Local skin reactions were variable among the vaccinated children. Systemic reactions were infrequent and not severe. The giving of multiple injections of partially purified M protein did not seem to cause cutaneous hypersensitivity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1967

Preferential inhibition of penicillinase induction by oxytetracycline and its effect on the penicillin susceptibility of staphylococci.

Exposure of penicillinase-producing staphylococci to a combination of penicillin and oxytetracycline resulted in a synergistic inhibitory activity of the antibiotics on the bacteria. Oxytetracycline was employed in concentrations having little or no effect on bacterial growth. It was found that the synergistic antibacterial effect was caused by the preferential inhibition of penicillinase induction by oxytetracycline, rendering the staphylococci more susceptible to penicillin.

Drug Synergism↗