Penicillin resistance in staphylococci isolated in a casualty department.

The results of a series of antibiotic resistance tests on 118 strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from patients attending a casualty department are recorded. Forty-six per cent. of the strains were resistant to penicillin, 12% to streptomycin, 7.5% to tetracycline, and small numbers to the other antibiotics. It is suggested that tetracycline should be used in those infections which are sufficiently severe to merit antibiotic treatment.