Hitherto it has been thought that only protozoan infections could be attacked chemotherapeutically. In the field of protozoan infections we do possess specific drugs, such as Germanin for Trypanosomal infections, Neostibosan for Kala-Azar, Plasmochin and Atabrine for malaria, and Salvarsan and its derivatives for spirochetal infections, especially syphilis.
Even moderately effective chemotherapy against coccal infections was heretofore unknown. Protozoa and spirochetes represent relatively well differentiated forms of life; and the more highly developed the infectious agent the more vulnerable to chemotherapeutic attack it appears to be. Morgenroth has made a beginning in the chemotherapy of pneumococcal infections, yet Optochin is effective only when directly applied to the infected area, as is the case with Vuzin—another hydrochinin derivative—in streptococcal infections. In the case of generalized infections, we have not seen clearly recognizable effects in our experimental animals with these preparations. Furthermore, the silver compounds recommended for the treatment of sepsis