Dependability of sensitivity tests in primary culture.

Primary sensitivity tests were done on 90 specimens of infected urine, and the results were compared with those of secondary tests on pure cultures done by three diffusion methods. There was good correlation between the four methods. In a second study, the reliability of primary tests prepared in the clinical laboratory on specimens of pus was assessed, and the frequency with which a definitive result was obtained with different types of specimen was determined. Recommendations are made for the economic use of these tests.