Grattage in the treatment of trachoma.

THE treatment of trachoma with aureomycin is still far from satisfactory, in spite of favourable reports from such authorities as Braley and Sanders (1949), Boase (1950), Duke-Elder, Ainslie, and Boase (1950), and Tanaka (1951). The drug had been given a fair trial here, but the results have been uncertain in pannus as well as in the lid condition. Similarly disappointing results were reported by Van Tien (1951), Andrade (1951), Sakon, Kohn, and Raphael (1951), Shah (1951), and Sarkies (1951). Mere amelioration of symptoms cannot be taken as a criterion except in acute cases, which are usually encountered after experimental inoculation, or in cases complicated by some secondary infection. Since trachoma alone is a chronic disease, the lid condition as well as the pannus has been given due consideration. Good results were obtained by Kamel (1951) and by Sakon, Kohn, and Raphael (1951) with sulphacetamide, though their results with aureomycin were disappointing. Present Investigations Better results were noted when these drugs were supplemented with grattage, as shown by the statistics given below. Two groups of cases were studied: