Aureomycin in Trachoma.

DEAR SiRs-I think the paper published by A. J. Boase in the October, 1950, issue of the British Journal of Ophthalmology, regarding the treatment of trachoma by means of aureomycin, might give unwarranted hopes to those practising in heavily infected areas like ours. Boase has completely disregarded the secondary bacterial infection which is always the cause of severe clinical signs in trachoma. This secondary bacterial infection responds magically to the proper antibiotic or sulpha drugs whether locally or generally given. O-ur experience in this country, following the same steps as Dr. Boase's, is that aureomycin, locally or generally, is an effective antibiotic against secondary infection in trachoma, but not against the trachomatous virus. All our cases were controlled by Gram-stained smears from the conjunctiva for bacterial invasion, along with Giemsa-stained scrapes for inclusion bodies.