TOPICAL USES OF SEVERAL ANTIBIOTICS 321 Directions: Dissolve the benzoic acid in hot Ringer's solution, add this to pectin and neomycin sulfate (or tyrothricin), triturating until pectin is completely hydrated. Neomycin sulfate ....... 0. $ gin. Tyrothricin ........... 0.05 gm. Bentonire .............. 25.0 gm .................... Petrolatum ............ 50.0 gm .................... Water ................. 24. $ ml .................... 24.95 ml. Directions: Levigate the bentonire with the petrolatum, add the anti- biotic (dissolved or suspended in water), slowly, until all ingredients are homogeneously mixed. In a recent report by a group of pharmaceutical investigators (69), it was stated that if neomycin is employed in a bentonitejelly, "some doubt existed as to the suitability of the bentonire jelly. When its capacity to release neomycin was tested, no zone of inhibition was produced, indicating no release of the antibiotic." SUMMARY Bacitracin, neomycin and tyrothricin are used mainly for topical and other local applications, and are also used orally. When used as mentioned, these antibiotics-have extremely low inci- dences of sensitization and drug resistance, and are virtually nontoxic con- sequently their evaluation in the cosmetic and allied fields is warranted. The status of some of the vehicles or bases that have been employed with them is reviewed. Some new vehicle formulas similar to those which have been employed for other chemical agents or drugs, such as the sulfonamides, are suggested as possibly being adaptable for use with these antibiotics. REFERENCES (1) Lubowe, I. I., "The Treatment of the Pyogenic Dermatoses with a Bacitracin-Ne•mycin Ointment," Arm. Practitioner, 4, 625 (1953). H " ' (2) Most, ., Recent Advances in the Therapy of the More Common Protozoan and Helminthic Infections of Man," Bull. N.Y. ,'Icad. Med., 25, 717 (1949). (3) Meleney, F. L., and Johnson, B. A., "Bacitracin," •lm. •. Med., 7, 794 (1949). (4) Eggers, H., "Clinical Ophthalmic Experience with Bacitracin," rlm. •. Ophthalmology, 34, 1706 (1951). (5) Chandler, C. A., "Antibiotic Therapy," Yale •. Biol. and Med., 25, 369 (1953). (6) Philip, A. J., "Bacitracin-Polymyxin B Sulfate Lotion," Arntibiot. and Chemoth., 4, 763 (1954). (7) Madden, J. F., "Management of the Pyodermas," Minnesota Med., 33, 462 (1950). (8) Miller, J. L., Slatkin, M. H., and Johnson, B. A., "Local Use of Bacitracin," •. Investi- gative Dermatol., 10, 179 (1948). (9) Kile, R. L., Rockwell, E., and Schwarz, J., "Topical Use of Polymyxin-Bacitracin Oint- ment in Dermatology," Arrch. DermatoL and $yphilol., 68, 296 (1953). (10) Derzavis, J. L., Rice, J. S., and Leland, L. S., "Topical Bacitracin Therapy of Pyogenic Dermatoses: Clinical Report," •. Arm. Med. Arssoc., 141, 191 (1949). (11) Meleney, F. L., and Johnson, B. A., "Bacitracin Therapy: The First Hundred Cases of Surgical Infections Treated Locally with the Antibiotic," Ibid., 133, 675 (1947). (12) Miller, J. L., Van Velsor, H., and Johnson, B. A., "Tyrotrace in Topical Therapy," Arrch. Dermatol. and $yphilol., 68, 303 (1953). (13) Braley, A. E., as cited by Meleney in reference (3). (14) Miller, J. L., Slatkin, M. H., and Johnson, B. A., "Evaluation of Bacitracin in Local Treatment of Pyogenic Infections," Arrch. Dermatol. and Syphilol., 60, 106 (1949).

322 JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY OF COSMETIC CHEMISTS (15) Gastineau, F. M., and Florestano, H. J., "Clinical Experience with 'Polycin,' A Poly- myxin-Bacitracin Ointment," Ibid., 66, 70 (1952). (16) Eagle, H., Newman, E. T., Grief, R., Burkholder, T. M., and Goodman, S., "The Blood Levels and Renal Clearance in Rabbits and Man of an Antibiotic Derived from B. sub- tilis (Bacitracin)," y. Clin. Invest., 26, 919 (1947). (17) Livingood, C. S., "Pyogenic Cutaneous Infections in Children. Their Modern Manage- ment," Texas State •. Med., 47, 469 (1951). (18) Pulaski, E. J., "Current Therapeutics. LXVI Neomycin," Practitioner, 170, 669 (1953). (19) Neomycin Brochure, Res. Div., S. B. Penick & Co., New York, N.Y. (1954). (20) Baron, A. L., "Handbook of Antibiotics," New York, Reinhold Publishing Corp. (1950). (21) Waksman, S. A., "Neomycin. Nature, Formation, Isolation, and Practical Applica- tion," New Brunswick, Rutgers University Press (1953). (22) Waksman, S. A., and Lechevalier, H. A., "Neomycin, A New Antibiotic Active Against Streptomycin-Resistant Bacteria," Science, 109, 305 (1949). (23) Swart, E. A., Hutchison, D., and Waksman, S. A., "Neomycin, Recovery and Puri- fication,"/irch. Biochem., 24, 92 (1949). (24) Leach, B. E., De Vries, W. H., Nelson, H. A., Jackson, W. G., and Evans, J. S., "The Isolation and Characterization of Neomycin," y./im. Chem. Soc., 73, 2797 (1951). (25) Dutcher, J. D., Hosansky, N., Donin, M. N., and Wintersteiner, O., "Neomycin B and C, and Some of Their Degradation Products," y./im. Chem. Soc., 73, 1384 (1951). (26) Swart, E. A., Waksman, S. A., and Hutchison, D., "The Isolation and Purification of Neomycin," y. Clin. Invest., 28, 1045 (1949). (27) Waksman, S. A., Lechevalier, H. A., and Harris, D. A., "Neomycin.' Production and Antibiotic Properties," Ibid., 28, 934 (1949). (28) Baker, W. B., "Aspects of Several Antibiotics," Drug and Cosmetic Ind., 75, 764 (1954) 76, 46 (1955) 76, 178 (1955). (29) Livingood, C. S., Nilasena, S., King, W. C., Stevenson, R. A., and Mullins, J. F., "Pyo- genic Infections Treated with Neomycin," y./im. Med./issoc., 148, 334 (1952). (30) Waksman, S. A., Hutchison, D., and Katz, E., "Neomycin Activity Upon Mycobac- terium Tuberculosis and Other Mycobacteria,"/im. Rev. Tuberc., 60, 78 (1949). (31) Warth, P. T., Chandler, C. A., and Bliss, E. A., "Antibacterial Action of Neomycin and Furadroxyl In 1/itro and In 1/ivo," Bull. yohns Hopkins Hosp., 86, 169 (1950). (32) Hobby, G. L., Lenert, T. F., and Dougherty, N., "The Evaluation of Neomycin and Other Antimicrobial Agents of Bacterial and Fungal Origin, and Substances from Higher Plants,"/inn. N.Y./icad. Sci., 52, 775 (1949). (33) Abraham, E. P., "New Antibiotics Chloramphenicol, Aureomycin, Terramycin and Neomycin," y. Pharm. and Pharmacol., 3, 257 (1951). (34) Waisbren, B. A., and Spink, W. W., "Comparative Action of Aureomycin, Chloromyce- tin, Neomycin, Q-19, and Polymyxin B Against Gram Negative Bacilli," Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., 74, 35 (1950). (35) Forbes, M. A., Jr., "A Clinical Evaluation of Neomycin in Different Bases," Southern Med. y., 45, 235 (1952). (36) Kile, R. L., Welsh, A. L., and McAfee, G. D., "Topical Use of Neomycin Preliminary Reports,"/irch. Dermatol. and Syphilol., 62, 911 (1950). (37) As cited by Forbes in reference (35). (38) Sulzberger, M. B., and Baer, R. L., "Year Book Dermatology and Syphilology," Chi- cago, The Year Book Publishers, Inc. (1953-1954), p. 13. (39) Kile, R. L., Rockwell, E. M., and Schwarz, J., "Use of Neomycin in Dermatology," y./im. Med./is•oc., 148, 339 (1952). (40) Falk, M. S., and Allende, M. F., "The Use of Neomycin in Dermatology: Preliminary Report," Permanente Foundation M. Bull., 9, 75 (1951). (41) Herrell, W. E., "Current Trends in Antibiotic Therapy," y. Iowa Med. Soc., 42, 287 (1952). (42) Kimberly, L. W., "The Treatment of Pyogenic Skin Infections with Topical Neomycin," Ibid., 42, 221 (1952). (43) Osborne, E. D., "The Treatment of Skin Infection," N.Y. State y. Med., 54, 506 (1954). (44) Livingood, C. S., Head, C. E., Sutter, R. M., and Engley, F. B., "Comparative Effects of Neomycin and Other Antibiotics on Pyogenic Bacteria,"/itch. Dermatol. and SyphiloL, 69, 43 (1954). (45) Poth, E. J., "Modern Concepts of Intestinal Antisepsis,"/im. Surg., 18, 572 (1952). (46) Klingman, A.M., "Are Fungus Infections Increasing as a Result of Antibiotic Therapy ?," y./im. Med./issoc., 149, 979 (1953). (47) Poth, E. J., Fromm, S. M., Martin, R. G., and Hsiang, C. M., "Neomycin: An Adjunct in Abdominal Surgery," Southern Med. y., 44, 226 (1951).