Sulfa Drugs: the Rise and Fall of Sulfanilamide

[@PatKellyTeaches]

A few corrections and clarifications: * At the end I tease that penicillin *replaced* sulfonamides, which as you could tell from my description of current uses of sulfa drugs, isn’t true. Sulfa drugs are still in use and have other uses that they didn’t know in the 1930s. When I was writing that line, I should’ve said “…replaced it as the most **popular** antibacterial” * Remember from the last video in the antibiotics series we defined an antibiotic as an antibacterial produced by another microbe. I didn’t define it again in this video since I thought it would be repetitive, but clearly, sulfanilamide is an antibacterial, but not produced by a microbe, so it’s not an antibiotic. * Bayer has different pronunciations depending on your country of origin. The proper German is more like “buy-err”. American English speakers can pronounce it like I did * There should be a hyphen between Interessen and gemeinschaft when I spell out what IGF stands for. Most of my sources had it as one word. * I’ve been pronouncing Pyogenes “pie-ohh-jeans” my whole life, but it turns out most people say “pie-ahh-jen-us”

[@fjs1111]

Very interesting Patrick! I always enjoy pharma history among other technologies.

[@QIKUGAMES-QIKU]

Good video thx 😊 But don't you hate trying to learn something and knowing the monopoly story has to come with it.. Fkng Globalists 😢

[@QIKUGAMES-QIKU]

Pyogenes should have either a U for 2nd e OR The Latin style spelling with the j . TODAY NOTHING IS NORMAL

[@TravisMorien]

Another correction: pyogenes is pronounced "pie o'gen knees", not "pyo genes".

[@PatKellyTeaches]

@@TravisMorien mhmm, that one is in there, under the fold

[@georgehogenson1895]

In 1957 when I was 9 years old I developed an extremely severe form of tonsillitis that was threatening to block my airway. I lived in Rochester Minnesota, so I was under the care of the Mayo Clinic and the doctors there gave me one of the sulfa drugs to try and reduce the infection sufficiently to operate. Unfortunately there is a rare genetic intolorance to sulfas that leads to a delightful reaction called Stevens/Johnson disease which, if not caught fast enough causes reactions in the skin and mucus membranes that basically leaves you looking like a burn victim-if it doesn’t kill you first. I spent about a week wrapped in wet dressings being wheeled around the Mayo Clinic on a cart while the worked the problem, and luckily ended up with virtually no damage to my skin, but it was a close call. Sulfas may have been something of a miracle drug, but they could kill you under certain circumstances.

[@DavidGarcia-kw4sf]

That happened to me as well when I was 10. Very painful reaction but I made it through in one piece.

[@georgehogenson1895]

Interesting. It is rare but devastating if not treated properly. Back in the 1950s, the mortality rate was as high as 50%. I am very happy to hear that you made it through in one piece. @@DavidGarcia-kw4sf

[@wisecoconut5]

Oh! I am the lucky one. I too had a tonsilectomy (almost too late) and was given sulfa drugs but I had a more typical allergic reaction. Fun times, fun times!

[@msamour]

Holy excrements! I get that too. I get severe burns when I take this drug. I never knew there is a name to this condition. My doctor lied to me. That evil woman!

[@circeciernova1712]

SJS/TEN is no laughing matter! Glad you're still here to talk about it. Mine wasn't from sulfa drugs, but still very nasty.

[@carwashadamcooper1538]

Sulfa saved my grandfather's life when he was a teenager. He got the tip of his finger cut off and developed blood poisoning, almost died. After cutting off more and more of the finger in an attempt to get ahead of the infection, he was about to lose his whole arm with still no guarantee of surviving when a new doctor at the hospital decided to try sulfa on him. Needless to say, it saved his life and arm too.

[@DB-pm2vy]

After the war about 1947 I had tonsillitis and was given a sulphonamide which cured me. We called them M&B tablets because they were made locally by May and Baker and were pink. Now I’m in my 80s my rheumatologist tried sulpha meds for my RA. On full dose they messed with my bloods and were stopped. Now fancy biologics have given me vasculitis so really no meds are completely safe 🤷‍♀️

[@itsthem5699]

brutal

[@January.Junimo]

Saved your life in the long run, too

[@Bobby-dl6ih]

I just discovered your channel and watched a bunch of your videos. Congrats on finally breaking through the algorithm! Amazing video quality and content for how few views are on here. When you release that penicillin video, work with someone who knows how to make the algorithm push videos off of the titles and thumbnails. You deserve to get all the attention possible from that.

[@cheese_priest]

As someone allergic to sulfa drugs it was really interesting to learn more about them!

[@LordMekanicus]

My wife if highly allergic to sulfa. So much so that should she get stung by a bee, has 20 minutes. Similar to I, who gets zapped by a hornet, has 20 minutes. However, in my case anyway, if I pop two gelcaps of Benadryl and two pills of famotadine or rantadine, I live, but she dies.... Weird.

[@richardbeckenbaugh1805]

They’re using a cocktail of sulfa drugs to treat antibiotic resistant tuberculosis. It turns out that the drugs were not used against tuberculosis and still are effective against it. By boosting the immune system and giving a patient the sulfa drugs, the patients own immune response is capable of wiping out the disease. In a few years they will reevaluate whether this treatment is still effective.

[@sherrieludwig508]

I have a different problem. I am allergic to cillins (penicillin, et al,), cyclines (tetracyline, etc.) and mycins (erythromycin, etc.) . Nearly all of them. So, last infection my GP reached into the past and gave me a sulfa drug, which fortunately worked.

[@jessicatatum7769]

Same!

[@davidtoups4684]

@@sherrieludwig508 I'm allergic to Penicillin and sulfa, but I have no problem with mycins! Strange how that works

[@KatharineOsborne]

I take sulfasalazine to control my Crohn’s, and one of the side effects was increased heart palpitations. My doctors were stumped (I had all kinds of heart tests to figure out what was going on but my heart was fine). I did some of my own reading and found that sulfasalazine can cause folic acid deficiency, so I started taking a folic acid supplement in addition to the folic acid in my multivitamins. And that cleared up the issue. But thanks to this video, I understand why it causes a folic acid deficiency. And I did not know it had anti bacterial properties. Cool!

[@shotgunmasterQL]

Oh, that's interesting 🤔 I also take similar medication to UC and even though my bloodwork has been mostly just perfectly normal, my folic acid levels were unusually low for me (just barely in the "normal", don't remember what the range was exactly, but I think the range was something like 200-600 in whatever units it's reported in bloodwork, and mine was something like 260), and I had already been kinda tired for a long while. My B12 levels were great. So I thought my deficiency was only down to basically most foods that are the best sources of folic acid being bad or hard on my guts (whole grain = too much fiber and some fibers like rye are very tough, greens that have a lot of folic acid = not easy for the guts to break down like pea, except for spinach and zucchini), so I would have been mostly avoiding them. But it would also explain things of the sulfa based medicine also inhibits folic acid intake. I have since then supplemented for folic acid, and I have even had luck just taking the form (folic acid vs folate ?) that your body has to metabolize from the supplement. Apparently some people's bodies can't do that, so it's not recommended for everyone.

[@kathleennorton2228]

Is the medical field aware of your personal discovery?

[@nateo200]

Yeah I took a variation of them for Crohns years ago and it made me feel like crap. Of course immunosuppressants aren’t much better but whatever

[@claratenzs]

I have Crohn’s too but I’ll allergic to sulfa drugs.

[@user-Bobby201]

there is a cure for crohns and colitis. get a book called patient heal thyself. stay off sulfa drugs if you can

[@LuthaisRonso]

I can't take sulfa drugs because I'm severely allergic to them. I had an anaphylactic reaction, hived up, and my body stopped regulating its temperature when I had my tonsils out when I was four. It ended up so bad I forgot how to talk and had to relearn again. This video is so informative and so glad to have found this channel.

[@creekbird_homestead]

Same here. Allergies on everything medical says “sulfa drugs”

[@Nilboggen]

I am also severely allergic to sulfa drugs.

[@ladysunza]

Me too

[@Wised1000]

Note that all antibiotics can cause anaphylaxis and a variety of side effects. Sulfa is no worse or better than other antibiotics in that respect.

[@patrickhopkins4468]

Same here. Also dropped my blood glucose to 50 within 20 minutes of taking sulfa

[@kirstenberg6960]

I am anaphylactic allergic to sulpha drugs. Found out first hand when they tried it as the second antibiotic to defeat a persistent sinus infection. Only after I had a reaction did I find out my grandmother was allergic to sulfa based drugs as well. So they’re not for everyone. Really fascinating video though. Thank you for sharing.

[@SoulDelSol]

I'm allergic too

[@somekindofdude1130]

Sorry to disappoint but most drugs cause alergies to some people

[@monicajohnston8364]

​@somekindofdude1130 True, but sulfa allergy is extremely common (somewhere between 3 and 10% of adults are allergic to sulfa) and the reaction can be quite serious, up to an including death. Also, sulfa drugs are very commonly prescribed for a variety of conditions...UTI, acne, pneumonia...so the average person's chance of one day being given sulfa are high.

[@lethabrooks9112]

Im severely allergic to it as well. My brother is the opposite as he is allergic to penicillin.

[@buddyclem7328]

Same here. Sulfa drugs also include sulfonylureas, a class of diabetes medication. There is also an agricultural pesticide that's chemically related, but I don't remember the name of it.

[@chaebeomsheen5875]

Hello. This is a wonderful video with great production value. You should have more subscribers and views. But as a medical student I think it might be worth mentioning a few things. 1. Sulfa Antibiotics are still widely used today. Because they control the metabolism of folate as mentioned in 14:20, they have a synergistic action with Trimethoprim, which also modulates folate metabolism, but at a different step. Currently marketed under the brand Bactrim the Trimethoprim/Sulfamethazole hybrid is still widely used today, especially as a second-line drug in UTI (Urinary Tract Infections) and infections in immunosuppressed patients (like HIV patients) 2. While unrelated to the folate metabolism, it turned out sulfa drugs can be used for a lot more than antibiotics. Thiazide, a diuretic (and thus a antihypertensive) is a widely used sulfa drug that regulates the activities of ion channels in the kidney. In another example, Sulfonylureas, which are also sulfa drugs are used as an oral glucose controlling agent in DM (though these are not widely used today - they have a too high risk of hypoglycemia). 3. I'm pretty sure you were talking about sulfasalazine when you were talking about sulfa drugs used in UC (Ulcerative Colitis). I'm really not sure is sulfa is the active component here-they belong to the 5-ASA family (5-Aminosalicylate) family and I'm pretty sure that 5-ASA is the principal active component. Sulfa might have a auxillary action, though-there is not yet clear consensus on how 5-ASA Drugs really work. Overall, wonderful video. We don't learn a lot about the history of drugs in medical school, and I've always found the history of pharmacologic research-especially their unlikely origins from dye companies-a highly fascinating topic.

[@chaebeomsheen5875]

So I've just opened up my lecture notes again and found that Acetamidazole, Furosemide and Thiazide were all historically derived from sulfa drugs. Pretty wierd that almost all diuretics used today with notable exceptions in potassium sparing diuretics were derived from this one molecule.

[@PatKellyTeaches]

This is a great addendum, thank you for going through your notes and lending your expertise to our comments section. This community rules 😎

[@RobustFilms1]

As a senior medical student; I second all of these comments and agree - if we learned a little but about the history of the medications we prescribe, I think it would lend an important lens and help us understand the importance and unique features of each of the drugs we work with on a daily basis.@@PatKellyTeaches

[@itsgonnabeanaurfromme]

Very nice addendum. But for practical purposes I should also add that sulfonylureas aren't real sulfa drugs in terms of structure and use. Patients with a sulfa allergy have a minimal risk with sulfonylureas (but they should be avoided if possible with g6pd deficiency).

[@chaebeomsheen5875]

@@itsgonnabeanaurfromme Thank you for your comment. I should clarify that when I used the term "sulfa" drugs I was speaking from a purely chemical perspective and not in terms of cross-reactivity. The fact is that sulfa-allergies are not very common in my countries' population (and sulfonylureas are used very rarely), so my pharmacology professor didn't go to deeply into this matter. I was inspired by your comment to search the current literature. The most recent review article that PubMed pointed me to was "Sulfonamide Hypersensitivity: Fact and Fiction. " by Khan DA et al. Most of the drugs I mentioned in my comment have nearly no evidence of cross reactivity despite being derived from sulfa chemcials. (see Table I) From a practical perspective, drugs you should avoid (due to cross reactivity) seem to be the following (see Table II) -Bactrim (containing Sulfamethoxazole) -Sulfasalazine -Others (that I didn't mention and don't know that much about)

[@thesparkypilot]

Ah! I am allergic to sulfa drugs so I had to watch this! Great to see a video about this kind of medication.

[@anthonyhayes1267]

I'm learning from this comment section that my allergy is more common than I thought

[@wesleywalker4709]

So very interesting. My Great-Grand mother always said she was "allergic to sulfa drugs" when asked about allergies to medications. She was born in 1903. By the time I was at the doctor's with her - it was the 1990s and I'd never heard of them since nobody was using them in modern medicine. Great video!

[@mayloomis9638]

I was prescribed one in 1996 for an infection. That's how I found out I was allergic.

[@morrigan908]

Plenty of uses in modern medicine. Just because you haven't heard of something doesn't mean it's obsolete.

[@johnnarogers5636]

I got it in like 2006 or 07, found out I was allergic then. My parents were stumped by my full body rash despite me otherwise feeling entirely fine

[@Hello_Grendel]

I got a prescription for a sulfa drug a few weeks ago.

[@Nilboggen]

Also, allergic today its mostly prescribed specifically for ear infections.

[@chiron14pl]

In WWII my father sustained an open shrapnel wound; the medic poured sulfa powder on the open wound as he was evacuated to a hospital ship. Many doses of that and maybe penicillin once he got back to US saved his life.

[@terrybarrett2368]

Not penicillin not discovered until just prior to WWII

[@Sashazur]

@@terrybarrett2368Penicillin was discovered in 1928 and had entered mass production by 1944 when WW2 was still going on. So it’s certainly possible he was treated with it.

[@mikeishome69]

@@terrybarrett2368 So then how wasn't it penicillin? Penicillin was discovered in 1928. WW2 was literally a peak penicillin production time due to a joint effort by Britain and the US in the 40s, by 1943 there was more than enough penicillin for the entirety of the allied armed forces (PMC5403050). The United States took over ALL penicillin production when they entered WW2 for use on... SOLDIERS! It was likely penicillin.

[@CC-us7gb]

Penicillin was used widely during WWII.

[@stonykark]

Training for medics back then was.. limited, haha. “Just dump some of this powder on it” is a very WW2-era treatment. Today, they don’t even stock aspirin or Tylenol in first aid kits anymore due to possible interactions, inappropriate applications making things like bleeds much worse, and accidental overdose. But hey, it definitely saved a few lives so it’s not all that bad!

[@DanTheMan-gj8dy]

It’s an absolute crime how underrated your videos are. When I first found your channel I was shocked you didn’t have more subscribers. The quality of your videos and the information provided is extraordinary. Amazingly informative and interesting video as always!

[@PatKellyTeaches]

I appreciate the kind words.

[@DanTheMan-gj8dy]

@@PatKellyTeaches Of course! I look forward to seeing you make more great content and grow your channel!

[@DannyGruesome]

Underrated and unrated are not the same

[@DanTheMan-gj8dy]

@@DannyGruesome What are you on my guy? He is underrated lol.

[@chrisrageNJ]

​@@DannyGruesomedon't be a dick, this isn't a politics channel

[@pzgreni282]

Thanks for a great video! Many in the English-speaking world think penicillin was the the first systemic antibacterial drug. Without sulfonamides, many more injured soldiers on both sides would have died prior to penicillin's arrival late in WW2 . Professor Domagk received a Nobel prize for his development of sulfonamides.

[@kyleanderson1941]

Most Males on my Father's Side (Serbian-Canadians) are allergic to penicillin as well as all by-products and had to wear bracelets when we were under 18, but I haven't since then and I'm now 32 turning 33 soon, since I turned 18 I've been to the doctor quite a few times for heavy metal poisoning and from working In an old sketchy Enclosed unvented warehouse that never let me open the shop door for fresh air in the back of a large Dehydrated Vegetable Factory that badly needed renovations and up to date regulations because they weren't a well known company so they had no standards or quality control and took all the big Factories throw away rotting potatoes/onions/cobbed corn that were black and had diseases from growing in the same fields every year, and the new young dumb farmers are supposed to rotate crops every year, and when they don't diseases and mold infections spread all over the fields in days, causing them to turn into nothing but black and highly deteriorated mush to the point that you can't even tell if they are potatoes, onions, or corn and those are very different looking and smelling veggies so if you can't tell an onion is an onion.... that's extremely bad but they don't care as their main buyers are from countries with no HASAP, FDC, or Edible Food Standards either. In the end when they package it all you see is white, tan, or light yellow flakes and powder, and then it's shipped to East Africa, Pakistan, and India. Anyways I got really sick during the winter of 2018, the stuff coming in was deteriorating so bad it was steaming heavily (large piles of vegetables create their own heat source so it's not rare to see that), however when I was about 15 yards (50ish feet) away from the pile I couldn't even see it AT ALL and that was with the super bright fog lights on they told us we needed to see through the steam, but it wasn't just steam it was actually 90% Methane that I use to complain about but eventually I became smell blind to most of it, so after i seen my doctor I went to work with an expensive portable oilfield Dangerous Gas Detection Radar that looked like a fancy walkie talkie, which I had borrowed from a friend and as soon as I got on shift I went to the warehouse where I spent 6-7 hours every work day in, and Holy shit that thing went off like a intruder alarm and wouldnt stop. It detected multiple Dangerous Gases at severe levels and it verbally told me to "Get To Safety Now!!!" every few seconds and it didn't stop ringing until I went to a spot that had a safe PPM level. I was always lightheaded n felt like garbage for years. I got even sicker when I slipped and fell right face first on a mushy pile and my bandana wasn't pulled up all the time regrettably, because it was already hard to breathe all the time, and it got everywhere on me including in my mouth, all around my eyes and ears, I didn't swallow n rushed to the bathroom which was also disgusting as this disgusting factory experiences Sewer Backups monthly from all the Tampons in the Women's bathroom and I never seen anybody piss or shxt and wash after, I got bugged about washing my hands actually by some of the dumb illiterate ppl in that town. Rinsing my mouth with soap, cuz that was all there was did nothing and within 20 mins I was on the verge of passing out and went to the hospital 30 minutes away and was puking, shaking, the works. Like 3rd day Opiate Withdrawal and Crazy Methane Sickness mixed with extreme Food Poisining... and like I said at the beginning I already had Heavy Metal Poisoning and had recently been prescribed Amoxicillin when i swallowed 2 of my old mid 90s Metal Fillings in my sleep after being broken n loosened in a huge outta control street brawl involving 2 groups of 20+ people each. It was a terrible month I'm and outta hospital and I really thought I was gunna die. A Specialists Note and a 30 minute Phone Call directly to my bosses and supervisors telling them that the Methane levels in that plant were killing me and they should put me in a different position and open all of that warehouses doors no matter the weather... but instead they fired me, so I couldn't use my benefits for upcoming medical procedures... so I couldn't have them done and I Still have problems from it to this day. But the Amoxicillin didn't make me sick or have allergies and I'm allergic to penicillin and all by-products.. Have i beat the allergy? Or is Amoxicillin safe for Penicillin allergies??? It did give me the immediate runs within 5 mins like I was eating ex-lax 3x a day hahaha 😅

[@nilo70]

I’m 71 year old man and I just found you . The way you walk you’re audience through the information step by interesting step to arrive with an understanding of the results is perfect. Cheers From Your Newest Subscriber in California 😊

[@bobw222]

I was told by a doctor and two different dentists that the reason my teeth were so bad and discolored as a child was because my mother had been given Sulfa drugs while she was nursing me. Wonder if there are any actual studies that show this happening.

[@jeffreyhughes8185]

Could have been tetracycline

[@nateo200]

Hmm I wonder if I have the same issue

[@fess3932]

It was tetracycline not sulfa-drugs they were talking about. Tetracyclines chelate hard tissues and mess up your teeth if you take them as a child.

[@nikkid4890]

Definitely sounds like tetracycline!

[@cellgrrl]

That can also happen in utero with high levels of fluoride in the water. It can even exist naturally in some regions.

[@msamour]

I am deathly allergic to Sulfa drugs. I had never been prescribed any until my late 30's. I became really sick, and ended up in the hospital. I get every single side effects, except the last one. I don't want the last side effect.

[@ashokkumar-se5sl]

IT MAKES RESISTANT IN A DECADE. THANX TO DR. FOR OVER PRESCRIPTION 😊😅😅😅😅

[@mattmarzula]

​@@ashokkumar-se5slthat doesn't make sense as you'd have to prescribe it to everyone.

[@gc31]

So not allergic, but very sensitive to adverse effects. That’s not an allergy

[@ImCarolB]

This was interesting to me as I had an allergic reaction to a sulfa drug when I had amoebic dysentery in India in the late 1970s. Since then, I notice that if I have South Asian doctors, they always notice that and ask where and why I took this medication.

[@OgdenM]

At least you're only allergic to sulfa drugs. I'm allergic to Sulfa and 2 of the other most use antibiotic families. (And I mean families, like I'm allergic to Penicillin and anything remotely related to it, even a 2nd cousin that like only 2% of people that are allergic to penicillin are allergic to.. its annoying.) Happily, it's only either a rash or very mild breathing issues that are treated by benedryl so eeeh, no death threatening events.

[@ImCarolB]

@@l3176l Oh dear!

[@ImCarolB]

@@OgdenM My reaction is a very painful and ugly rash that begins at the feet and hands and works up to the middle.

[@grovermartin6874]

Chaebeoms... There is another comment in this thread from someone who had a fierce reaction to Bactrim that may interest you.

[@TheEudaemonicPlague]

Some of the stories I read as a kid were set in WW II, and "sulpha" being poured into wounds was commonly mentioned. Until this video, though, I had no idea of why it fell out of use...it was one of the drugs often referred to as a "wonder drug". The truth is, it saved many soldiers' lives in WW II. Nice to know it's still used for a few things.

[@samiamrg7]

I remember the Harry Turtledove “World War” books where a guy gets his gonorrhea treayed with sulpha, lol.

[@cellgrrl]

The issue with its lack of popularity today is because it is very cheap substance and thus they don't generate much profit for the drug companies. These days they can prescribe to you other antibiotics which cost a lot more to you and puts more cash into their bank accounts.

[@josephahner3031]

@@cellgrrlThat's not the main reason. Sulfa allergies are pretty common, and if you have a certain rare genetic condition it will almost definitely kill you.

[@jasonchristopher2977]

@@josephahner3031 Yes the drug makers care less about profit and more about us the end users dying. Oh wait. Let's take a look at phaa and history. Well they do care more about profit. After kung flu so many record braking profits, alot of deaths. Like Sacklers who was fined pocket change for addicting and killing so many still today for their Non Addictive, Non habit forming Oxy. Sick that they get away with This. Vioxx was another. They knew after trials it caused many heart attacks, issues but paid their way to profit. Same with ford and the pinto. A few bucks could've saved the car but after lawyers and bean counters did math they figured it's cheaper 2 pay in court then pay to fix car. It's always about $$. Why did the original men who found insulin sold patent for 1 dollar cause of all the good it'd do, now it's a grand for a vial a month. Volvo came out with 3 point seat belt we all have today. Didn't patent cause of all lives it saves. It's always about $$. The same who make the dope that kills alsoake the narcan. And invest in rehabs. So they making bank no matter if u need it, addicted, OD, or get help. All about $$. Yes there's other things but mostly, $$$$$$.

[@alexburke1899]

@@josephahner3031yeah there’s plenty of real conspiracies right out in the open like insurance companies denying lifesaving drugs and care or the rapidly rising costs of Medicare; but many conspiracy minded people would rather worry about nonexistent conspiracies and invent new ones that don’t even make any sense lol.

[@theturkeychild]

I had known that dyes were inextricably tied to the discovery of antibiotics but I never knew that dyes and medicines stayed linked for so much longer afterwards. Really cool! I heard once that TNT was another product that was discovered in the course of dye research and that it sat on the shelf for a while before anybody figured out it had another use

[@PatKellyTeaches]

That's what I love about these stories! Every part of science has remnants and holdovers from the story that made it

[@meatybtz]

There are dyes which are still used as pharmaceuticals today. Chemicals are chemicals and if they react in certain ways can be used for various purposes. As long as they are not toxic to the body or their metabolites are also not toxic, then it can be used in a clinical setting. We use a certain blue dye to this day in emergency medicine because of it's electron chain swapping it puts your red blood cells into their ideal oxidized state for carrying oxygen which drastically increases your blood's carrying capacity. In emergency settings it is administered to help keep a patient alive. We are giant protein and chemo-synthesizing factories. I am constantly amazed at the complexity of chemistry that our bodies are capable of.

[@droolingfangirl]

Thanks for the hint. I tracked this down from the Wikipedia page for tnt “TNT was first prepared in 1863 by German chemist Julius Wilbrand and originally used as a yellow dye. Its potential as an explosive was not recognized for three decades, mainly because it was too difficult to detonate because it was less sensitive than alternatives. “

[@droolingfangirl]

@@meatybtz methylene blue? Or something else?

[@meatybtz]

@@droolingfangirl correct. Though it's uses far exceed simple clinical. It's uptake by cells makes it good for use in laboratory work to dye cells for examination. It's also used in industries. It's use across such a broad range from industrial to laboratory to clinical just makes it a poster child for dyes used for many things. Most of us wouldn't think an inexpensive blue die to be so.. useful.

[@skiller189x4]

In 1985 I was given Sulfa by U.S. Army doctors to treat Prostatitis, or infection of the prostrate. I ended up with a 105 plus fever and red rash outbreak from head to toe. It was terrible. I subsequently saw an Air Force urologist who proscribed vibramycin and that did the trick. For the next 30 years I wore a red dog tag along with my Army dog tags, which read “Allergic to Sulfa Drugs.” To this day, I make sure that annotation is on all my medical records!

[@massivereader]

IIRC there was a sensitivity issue with sulfa drugs as as well. While they still worked as a bacteriostat, about one out of ten people who took them experienced a systemic allergic reaction, much like some people have an aspirin allergy.

[@javaskull88]

Yes, some years ago I ended up in the ER with anaphylaxis from prescription sulfa antibiotics.

[@samiraperi467]

I'm one in ten then. Was hospitalized and in a private room because my rash could've been measles even though I had been vaccinated.

[@buddyclem7328]

I'm allergic to both.

[@clairevinson4332]

I am totally one of those who took sulphonamide once and was fine, but when I took it a second time I experienced a systemic anaphylactic reaction. No more sulpha for me ever again.

[@massivereader]

That's how the immune system typically works: it takes ten days or so for the body to begin producing enough specific antigen markers for a novel allergen to generate a systemic anaphylactic reaction. The reaction typically also becomes more severe with a quicker onset each time you are exposed. With me it's Walnuts and Pecans.Last time I ended up in the ER with a tube down my throat.

[@prophettoloss]

This video gives information at exactly the right rate for me. It is dense, but not too dense. keep up the great work

[@erinrising2799]

watching this while allergic to Sulfa drugs...it's cool it saved all those people and just singled me out

[@chefpat5838]

Same friend, same.

[@quacks2much]

Yeah, I got anaphylactic shock from Sulfa. I lost much of my sight. There was a huge purple light floating in the air. Anything that was lit by the sun disappeared, such as buildings. My legs shook so bad, I thought I was the coward of the county. As I was taking my cat scan, my left arm became totally paralyzed. When I regained myself, I got the worst left-sided headache ever. For about 2 weeks, I had bright flashes of light out of the corner of my left eye. My doctor insisted I had a "silent migraine." My doctor was incompetent. He never corrected his mistake. I found out it was anaphylactic shock after seeing my actual medical records a couple of years later. Another doctor told me on another occasion my X-rays showed I had emphysema, a non-smoker, and to call 911 if I had problems before my next doctor's appointment. I got to the pulmonologist and he asked my why I was there. He said, my lung X-rays were perfectly fine and there was nothing wrong with my lungs.

[@BADD1ONE]

My father went into anaphylaxis sock after receiving a flu shot. Coma for 3 days. After receiving the covid vax he has heart issues he never had. He did have emphysema for over a decade.

[@KaraZiasapiens]

My early childhood was plagued with step throat and ear infections, and when I was 8, I had a tonsillectomy. I also recall that, at about that same age, I had an allergic reaction to a sulfa medication. I'd have to ask my father, but based on what I just learned in this video, I'm willing to bet that this allergy led to the surgery.

[@Amy_the_Lizard]

I was also plagued by strep throat when I was little - 12 separate cases during kindergarten alone, with periods of recovery and negative strep tests in between cases to confirm that I wasn't simply a carrier. I got cycled through just about every oral antibiotic given to children my size, and luckily the only one I turned out to be allergic to was augmentin, and it was only a mild allergy - nothing that required surgery. (Though they did wind up removing my tonsils out of concern that the bacteria were colonizing them, which seemed to help a little since the next year I only had 6 or 7 cases of strep throat...)

[@altontacoma]

Interesting history, thank you! I am allergic to sulfa antibiotics so I am glad there are alternatives.

[@JR-kk6ce]

I once was prescribed sulfa pills for an infection. About a week before I finished the pills, I started to get terrible joint pain, especially in my shoulder joints. I was 34 at the time. The mere act of moving my arm from side to side was excruciating. I stopped the pills and the pain gradually went away. NEVER AGAIN will I take Sulfa.

[@The_Viscount]

This was a nice history lesson. As a history educator, I want to thank you for this. I actually work at Historic Fort Snelling, home to Minnesota's first hospital. We have an exhibit space containing a timeline of medical implements from 1820 to 1946. In that time, we went from blood letting and balancing humors to the core of modern, western medicine with surgery, antiseptics, and antibiotics. Considering many medical practices in the 1820's would have been familiar to ancient Greece, it's incredible just how fast things changed between 1820 and 1920.

[@AshesAshes44]

I remember reading the All Creatures Great and Small series about a British veterinarian around the time of ww2 (?). The miracle of sulfa meds was world changing, even for livestock

[@myview5840]

The TV show was brilliant at the time, as a family we would all sit and watch it. Happy times

[@AshesAshes44]

@myview5840 You're so fortunate to have had them to watch! I've only found an episode or two over the years. The books were so lovely, like a warm hug , and fascinating look at a very different way of life for a small-town desert kid

[@littlespinycactus]

Top job, Sir. This topic isn't my usual fodder- the vid was a random YT recommendation- and I don't know what prompted me to view it, but I'm glad I did. It was absolutely riveting!

[@GoodGnewsGary]

I just found this channel. As an NP student this content has done more to boost my understanding of pharmaceuticals than any recent assigned texts. Thank you!

[@SuperibyP]

As a practicing pharmacist, i was aware of the general history, but this was a really excellent breakdown and tineline of the discovery and marketing of sulfa drugs, nicely done!

[@annalisette5897]

I believe the highly toxic phenothiazine drugs were also invented from aniline dyes. I never understood how researchers thought to use dyes as medicines. Amazing!

[@WilliamSpoehr]

According to deKruief's "Microbe Hunts" it got started because some dyes atr live stains while others kill the micrmicrobe. Ehrlich realized the lethal stains must interfere with the germs chemical processes and started looking for a compound that would bind to one specific germ but not human cells. That, of course, was Salvarsin.

[@laurachristianson1688]

Odd my experience was opposite of others….I had severe allergic reactions to nearly every penicillin based medication so when I had a very bad sinus infection I was prescribed a sulfa drug…worked wonders. Fortunately since that time in my life I have not had to take any sort of internal medication for infection since I have had none, indeed my immune system seems to be rather supercharged even into my sixties.

[@danktankdragkings7117]

I'm mildly allergic to sulfa drugs. I get only half the antibiotics. But eh I was hoping to learn why human bodies hate it but I'm still glad to learn the history of it.

[@johnnarogers5636]

Same, I got a rash from it when I was a kid, scared the shit out of my parents (I remember them thinking I had measels or mumps or was reacting to the shower gel before the pediatrician realized what was going on)

[@eVVigilance]

Thanks for the interesting video. I was treated in the 80s with Sulfa drugs and they turned me purple. Terrified my poor mother, as I was a young child. No other ill effects, but ever since I have had to list Sulfa drugs as an allergy. Neat to finally learn more about them.

[@rosequill7925]

This was super interested to watch because I'm allergic to Sulfa, but since I was given it as a toddler I never actually knew what it was. It's just something I've had to say when I'm asked what I'm allergic to.

[@didzisveinbergs571]

Outstanding content, and one of those rare cases where you stumble upon someone you know will be super popular in a few years. Keep it up.

[@enthusiast5893]

Hey, amazing videos. I found out about your channel from Medlife Crisis I think. I am truly shocked to see amount of attention your videos get. Quality of video itself and information presented is remarkable. Please keep on doing what you like and I am certain that you will succeed. Thank you.

[@enthusiast5893]

I am sorry, it was Knowing Better, not Medlife Crisis.

[@PatKellyTeaches]

That means a lot, thank you! Good to hear you're also a fan of KB and Medlife Crisis. Both of them are great guys

[@Starry_Night_Sky7455]

​@@enthusiast5893Now you know better that it wasn't Medlife Crisis. 😅 Well that was my really pathetic lol! Anyways, I luv Medlife Crisis. I will check out Knowing Better.

[@Zarathrustraspeaking]

OK im on a second video of yours, i watch a shit ton of videos waaaay to many and you are the only one to garner this, your videos are of the highest quality and bad ass keep up the great work. Gregg

[@littlespinycactus]

Top job, Sir. This topicisn't my usual fodder- the vid was a random YT recommendation- and I don't know what prompred me to view, but I'm so glad I did. It was absolutely riveting!

[@thirdrail9295]

Excellent. Thank you for your explanation of the drugs, history and development.

[@lissakaye610]

So my partner has SJS/TENS. These are absolutely deadly for him. He has had 4 TENS reactions and thankfully has lived through them, it is terrifying.

[@ni-dirus]

I was born in the late nineties and a few years ago was given a sulfa drug for a UTI and developed blood pressure and blood sugar problems while taking it -- I felt like I was dying, and as soon as I discontinued the sulfa I felt immensely better. I knew through work (medical laboratory, I don't specialize in medicines but I work alongside nurses and doctors and pharmacists) that some people are sensitive to sulfa drugs and just never expected to be one of them. Very cool to find a history of sulfa video!

[@leandervr]

Great video as per usual. Every aspect of your videos have the production value of a channel literally a 100 times bigger.

[@PatKellyTeaches]

I appreciate it. More videos coming soon

[@Barbarra63297]

When I was 5 I got very sick with a temp of 104 that went up to 105 and lasted ten days, was delirious for a few days also. The doctor came to our house every day for those 10 days and gave me Sulfanilamide which unfortunately I had a bad reaction to. We never did know what I had but I lived through it and the only minor damage was tiny pitting in my baby teeth. I would say I am very lucky to be 70 years old.

[@ioxmedia]

I really hope you are successful on KZbin, it's clear you put a lot of time and effort into your videos, keep up the good work!

[@PatKellyTeaches]

I appreciate the kind words. Next full length video will be about penicillin!

[@ioxmedia]

Howard Florey worked at my University :D @@PatKellyTeaches

[@MyKharli]

I love clear, informative and concise posts .

[@mikki_s1100]

This is the first video I’ve watched from you and now I’ve subscribed! Great video, I love learning about medical history, and this was very informative and easy to understand while still being entertaining!

[@83jbbentley]

A budding channel with extreme potential…subbed I’m reading Emperor of Maladies and it’s fascinating the dyes.

[@PatKellyTeaches]

It's an excellent book! Glad you liked the vid

[@thinkfact]

You make amazing content. Well-researched and well edited! Keep up the great work, you got a subscriber out of me!

[@PatKellyTeaches]

Hey it's Thinkfact! Thanks for the kind words dude. I appreciate it. More videos coming soon -- penicillin later this month

[@AustiuNoMatterWho]

it's so fascinating to read all the different personal stories me over here just learning about them because of Dr. Stone

[@lauramitrea]

I really enjoyed this video - it's adding a bit of colour to my recent obsession with the Weimar Republic, showing how ahead of the curve the germans were before everything went sideways. They were even ahead of the curve on being terrible big pharma caputalists!

[@PatKellyTeaches]

Weimar Republic: Masters of GDP. German Dye Production, that is.

[@zaraanderson3838]

Lol. Bit of colour

[@StephenGillie]

@@PatKellyTeaches That part boggled my mind. Makes Erdogan look like a financial wizard by comparison.

[@WinstonSmithGPT]

I assume you’ve read “I am a Camera” and “Before the Deluge.”

[@johnham8824]

alex jones has been taking about the same thing for 25 yrs, the usa is on the exact same road

[@greencat133]

i enjoyed this entirely too much. decent production value, now ive gotta watch all your other videos

[@susiefairfield7218]

Thank you Am allergic of Sulfa..makes me break out in hives..always wondered about it

[@misstekhead]

I was prescribed Bactrim which is a sulfa antibiotic for acne when I was 14 in the late 1990s. After barely 2 days I had to be rushed to the hospital. I had a dangerously high fever, puking, dry heaving, joint pain, hives, and my entire body turned red. I could barely breathe. When I visited my family’s primary care physician who prescribed the medicine, his reaction was one of just a silly, “Oops!” No apology. Not even the slightest sign of remorse or regret. You can bet my family quickly dropped him and my father warned others of his ineptitude. His HMO was covered through work and it turned out many of his co-workers also had problems with this particular doctor.

[@PotooBurd]

This is so informative!!! Fantastic reporting; I love this kind of content!🌻🌼🐝

[@Teresa-L.2024]

I am allergic to Sulfa drugs. I was given sulfa antibiotics and a few minutes after taking the first dose my hands and feet started itching. This worsened rapidly and spread up to my knees and elbows. The itching turned to stinging and felt like I was burning from acid. The consulting nurse told my husband to go buy Benedryl and give me a high dose. She said it might be an SJ reaction. I spent several hours in a freezing cold bath of water to try and numb the pain. Eventually the pain and rash subsided but it took several days to feel normal. I should probably have been sent to the ER. Luckily I survived with a few blisters, but I never want to experience that again. Now I'm limited on what drugs I can take for RA as some are sulfa based. I think I dodged a bullet on a full SJ reaction because I only took one dose of sulfa.

[@amandamccallum6796]

Great video! Would love to see one on Ciprofloxacin and people being "floxed". I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Ciprofloxacin is now black listed for people with my condition.

[@brianbuch1]

Thank you so much for these videos. I'm surprised the algorithm hadn't put these in front of me earlier. I've signed up on Patreon.

[@az_o]

this is an amazing video and im looking forward to watching the rest of your uploads - you definitely deserve more subscribers!

[@PatKellyTeaches]

I appreciate the kind words. Next full length video will be about penicillin!

[@Thedegu]

just found this channel blown away by the quality. I cannot believe you're only at 22k (20k when I first came here) keep up the great work, I'm recommending you to everyone I know!

[@geraldmartin9792]

Another fast paced, interesting history of medicine. Subscribe, people, you won't regret watching. No medical background, and to repeat myself this is interesting stuff, fast, and informative! Thanks again, Patrick.

[@PatKellyTeaches]

That’s the goal! Not everyone has a medical background, but everyone has a body. And I hope I can make it relatable by making people empathize with the folks dealing with this stuff back then 🙌

[@chrisrageNJ]

​@@PatKellyTeachesstick with the pace you're at, slower videos get boring. Great work, I found you through the algorithm, but I subscribed and I'm about to watch more of your videos

[@jackrosen1]

Just discovered you, absolutely insane you aren't more popular! Super high quality videos.

[@hossenfeffer8383]

Really pleased I found your channel! Excellent work, extremely valuable. This probably sounds goofy, but I am so hopeful for a minute when I see the Internet used for a great common good. Wishing you many, many more subscribers.🇨🇦

[@jinxedfates]

im legit mad its taken me so long to find this channel, medical history is fascinating. you make a great presenter!

[@Stupidfoxboi]

Great video as always! You are awesome man!

[@PatKellyTeaches]

I appreciate that!

[@Dayvit78]

I love when youtube recommends a new channel to me that actually matches my interests and presentation style (proper research with sources and a dash of comedy). My only question is why does it take youtube more than 300 recommendations to send one good one like yours? Anyway, subbed and upvoted! Thank you!

[@PatKellyTeaches]

If you want to support my work and make sure these videos keep coming out, consider supporting me on Patreon. www.patreon.com/corporis

[@lourias]

Cliff hanger! No video, yet? Wow. This was my first time watching one of your videos.

[@PatKellyTeaches]

@@lourias Welcome to the channel! Yes, this whole antibiotic series is written with a transition into the next one. Penicillin video coming soon, but as you can imagine, it’s a long one to research!

[@shainazion4073]

​@@PatKellyTeachesThank you!! I subscribed! Really informative.

[@peterheinzo515]

your channel will make it big. awesome that i discovered it so early.

[@Lilithksheh7723]

5:00 aniline has also been used as a rocket propellant.

[@teambridgebsc691]

Great story, well presented, very interesting and educational.

[@SmallAngryNerd]

Its pretty crazy how deadly strep throat was. I got it almost yearly as a kid, and less than 100 years ago i probably wouldve just died.

[@TheEarthwormArmy]

Ive taken sulfa drugs in the modern day. I had a really bad foot infection that had proven to be antibiotic resistant, so the doctor gave me some very strong antibiotics that were sulfer based. Gave me really bad heartburn and revoltingly bad breath.

[@alnicospeaker]

Very interesting, how would bacteria possibly develop 'resistance' against this folate blocking mechanism?

[@mc_ogorki]

Finding this channel was the best thing that ever happened to me on KZbin

[@PatKellyTeaches]

This comment rules, thank you

[@danieledomanico2145]

Another interesting topic is how Sulfasalazine became a drug for treating rheumatoid arthritis!

[@stephenmacartney]

Excellent video, expertly delivered. Definitely subscribing!

[@tamarapeterson1844]

Sulpha drugs almost killed my grandma, my Mom and then me. They make my brain swell.

[@radioaktiv2531]

I synthesised Prontosil in the laboratory earlier this year. I have some in a sample vial that sits on my desk. Absolutely fascinating series of compounds the sulfanilamides.

[@lwilso9152]

My mom is allergic to modern day Sulfa drugs, the reaction made a bunch of her hair fall out

[@mohamedkabawa8239]

I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS!! IM SO GLAD THAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU WERE BORN

[@Joural0401]

Fun fact, the only allergy I have on record is to sulfa drugs

[@MKdross]

I just discovered your channel and I am compelled to say that I absolutely love your content! Super high quality, long-form deep dives into somewhat obscure but extremely interesting subjects are the best and you do it very well! Thank you for sharing all the awesome knowledge!

[@AnarchoCatBoyEthan]

hungry for sulfa now, or maybe old school bayer heroin. I love this old school drug stuff, especially insane about that anti freeze elixir. I once found an old bottle of cough medicine with that old timey writing on it and it had morphine in it. Very cool! Anyway super informative video I really appreciate that, subscribed.

[@chrisrageNJ]

Judging by your comments, I bet you chugged that bottle, bc I certainly would have...

[@carelesstoyou]

Keep going ! Your doing amazing and I’m thankful that I found you your work is getting the recognition you deserve! 😊

[@Jefuslives]

It's ridiculous that the first thought was "we can get rich" and not "we can save lives"

[@eedobee]

Yeah healthcare workers should be expected to work for free and all innovations should be free. Grow up dude.

[@DannyGruesome]

​@@eedobeelol they arent healthcare workers they were scientists. Make it sound like he was referring to nurses

[@chrisrageNJ]

I can't buy food with altruism, dude. Money is a great motivator- look at America during the Cold War vs. Russia. Soviet workers did the bare minimum while the promise of upwards mobility made Americans hard and smart workers

[@marcmckenzie5110]

@Patrick Kelley, this is the kind of video that makes me love KZbin. Crisp, well researched and written, and well presented - on a topic I’ve always been curious about. Well done! 👍🏼

[@robertpinto6515]

In 1963, I was serving in the Army while in Korea. I became ill the same week Kennedy was shot, and eventually put on sulfa drugs. Since I was born with Thalessemia, a form of anemia, I was not tro be given sulfa, but military drs didn't feel it was necessary to find out why my hemoglubin was so low. Sulfa tends to attack bone marrow, and that is why it is counterindicated with Thalessemia, and the end result was a a nightmare of illness, starting with my Prostate, and at age 26, I was disabled permanently. From that point on, with further inept Drs help, I am convinced that doctors are extremely dangerous, and staying away for them since has gotten me to age 86!! Beware!

[@trailingupwards]

I used to get strep throat and ear infections all the time. Now I never get sick, but I have ulcerative colotos.

[@WobblesandBean]

I'm highly allergic to sulfa drugs, and so is my pet duck. Sucks to be us I guess 😅

[@childofcascadia]

@WobblesandBean Just curious, but how did you find out your duck was allergic? Is that a common allergy in ducks?

[@rubberknees]

Another great episode, thank you.😊

[@Angelina-xj5zd]

I'm allergic to sulfa drugs.

[@jdre1976]

I found out the hard way that I was allergic to Sulfa when I was 12. I was prescribed Sulfa and went on vacation with hopes that the medication would kick in and I'd feel better. Instead, I just felt worse over time, and I continued to take the meds as prescribed until I ended up with a hit fever and rash. Long story short, after a trip to the emergency room it was determined that I was going into shock and a shot of adrenaline was administered. It was determined that I was allergic to the sulfa. Prescribed a new medication and sent home. After a couple days I started to experience severe blistering over my entire body. This lasted for weeks as I was lucky enough to experience Stevens Johnsons syndrome. The entire top layer of my skin, blistered, and then dried up and shed as dead skin. Peeling of large pieces of skin was a crazy sight to see. I survived obviously, but that experience scared me. I loath Sulfa. J

[@MasonKelsey]

In 1947, when I had my appendix removed, which burst on the operating table, as I was later told, I was given sulfanilamide plus the new drug, penicillium. This was at the Advent Hospital in Winter Park/Orlando. I recovered after a week in the hospital.

[@Indiskret1]

One of the best new channel recommendations on YT ever. Never heard of your channel before but spot on with my interests. Instant subscription and thanks for the very well made and interesting video.

[@captainbeard3323]

I love your way of constructing a video essay, absolutely subbed

[@PatKellyTeaches]

I appreciate that, thank you! It's all about telling a story

[@captainbeard3323]

@@PatKellyTeaches you are officially on my sleep playlist, I cannot thank you enough

[@ephremcortvrint2376]

First time here and after a quick scroll of your content I subscribed. Looking forward to more.

[@PatKellyTeaches]

I appreciate that. Penicillin video coming out later this month

[@zetectic7968]

This is the first video of yours to pop up in my suggestions. A very interesting watch and clearly explained 👍 I shall watch some more 😀

[@PatKellyTeaches]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bicivelo]

Luckily KZbins algorithm pointed your channel to me. Excellent quality and content! Like and subscribed!😊