Treating gonorrhea

The records of 1,381 patients with gonorrhea were examined by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to determine the efficacy of their treatment schedules. Urethritis, cervicitis and pharyngitis were treated with 4.8 million u. of aqueous procaine penicillin G intramuscularly, without probenecid. Cure rates were 98 percent in urethritis, 97 percent in pharyngitis and 98 percent in cervicitis. Patients allergic to penicillin were treated with tetracycline orally or spectinomycin intramuscularly. In patients with proctitis, a 98 percent cure rate was achieved with one intramuscular injection of procaine penicillin G, followed by ampicillin orally for four days.