[Treatment of tonsillitis with dequalinium chloride]

44 children with acute tonsillitis were treated without the usual penicillin therapy. 22 children received lozenges containing Dequalinium chloride, 22 children received void lozenges under conditions of a double blind study. The results show that the treatment with Dequalinium chloride did not influence conditions caused by haemolytic streptococci -- verified by bacteriological examinations of pharyngeal smears -- inspite of its efficiency in vitro. Also general symptoms like fever, leukocytosis and rapid erythrocyte sedimentation rate were not influenced by Pequalinium chloride. Local symptoms like sore throat, tonsillar redness and exsudation were influenced beneficially. It can therefore be assumed that in cases of acute tonsillitis penicillin therapy is not necessary except in cases of streptococci infections. These should be excluded by pharyngeal smear. The medium of Liebermeister and Braveny is a very simple indicator to differentiate between tonsillitis caused by streptococci and tonsillitis of other origin.