In a severe epidemic of infantile diarrhea in 1945 and subsequently, bacteriologic cultures of the nasopharynx and the catheterized urine showed a predominance of gram-negative organisms of the colon group.The response of seriously ill infants with parenteral diarrhea to streptomycin was dramatic, presumably because of the specific action of the drug against the gram-negative organisms. Streptomycin was used both orally and intramuscularly in the later stages of the disease.Suggestions are offered for fluid and electrolyte replacement by means of an oral amigen mixture, which permits the introduction of potassium, calcium, and nitrogen as well as sodium and chloride by mouth shortly after admission.The use of streptomycin and the oral amigen mixture, as an adjunct to the customary routine employed in previous years, effectively shortened the hospital stay, decreased the amount of intravenous therapy, and reduced the mortality. During the eight month period of observation no deaths were encountered which could be attributed to diarrhea.
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