Sulfathiazole is an

organosulfur compound Organosulfur compounds are organic compounds that contain sulfur. They are often associated with foul odors, but many of the sweetest compounds known are organosulfur derivatives, e.g., saccharin. Nature abounds with organosulfur compounds—sulfu ...

used as a short-acting sulfa drug. Formerly, it was a common oral and topical

antimicrobial An antimicrobial is an agent that kills microorganisms or stops their growth. Antimicrobial medicines can be grouped according to the microorganisms they act primarily against. For example, antibiotics are used against bacteria, and antifungals ar ...

, until less toxic alternatives were discovered. Sulfathiazole exists in various forms ( polymorphs). The imine

tautomer Tautomers () are structural isomers (constitutional isomers) of chemical compounds that readily interconvert. The chemical reaction interconverting the two is called tautomerization. This conversion commonly results from the relocation of a hydr ...

is dominant, at least in the solid state. In this tautomer, the proton resides on the ring nitrogen.

Cultural references

* In the 1955 short story,

Captive Audience Captive audience may refer to: Law * Captive audience meeting, a mandatory meeting used by employers to oppose unionization * A legal concept in: ** '' Rowan v. United States Post Office Department'', 1970, in which the United States Supreme Co ...

by Philip K. Dick, Flannery recommends the use of sulfathiazole in lieu of the unavailable

Penicillin Penicillins (P, PCN or PEN) are a group of β-lactam antibiotics originally obtained from ''Penicillium'' moulds, principally '' P. chrysogenum'' and '' P. rubens''. Most penicillins in clinical use are synthesised by P. chrysogenum using ...

for a ten year old boy's suppurating arm wound he received from "toxic crystalline poisoning". * 1960 Otto Preminger's movie

Exodus Exodus or the Exodus may refer to: Religion * Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible * The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan Historical events * Ex ...

, American nurse Kitty Fremont tells Dr. Odenheimer that sulfathiazole is the treatment for

impetigo Impetigo is a bacterial infection that involves the superficial skin. The most common presentation is yellowish crusts on the face, arms, or legs. Less commonly there may be large blisters which affect the groin or armpits. The lesions may be pa ...

. Dr. Odenheimer tells her that sulfathiazole is not available on the ship; soaking of the lesions and exposure to sunlight "is also a cure." * 1963: Sulfathiazole is mentioned in

Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American writer known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels. In a career spanning over 50 years, he published fourteen novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and ...

's novel ''

Cat's Cradle Cat's cradle is a game involving the creation of various string figures between the fingers, either individually or by passing a loop of string back and forth between two or more players. The true origin of the name is debated, though the fi ...

'' and New Dictionary, and several of his short stories. * 1964:

Thomas Heggen Thomas Heggen (December 23, 1918 – May 19, 1949) was an American author best known for his 1946 novel '' Mister Roberts'' and its adaptations to stage and screen. Heggen became an Oklahoman in 1935, when in the depths of the Depression h ...

's novel '' Mister Roberts'' mentions the use of sulfathiazole to treat

gonorrhea Gonorrhea, colloquially known as the clap, is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the bacterium '' Neisseria gonorrhoeae''. Infection may involve the genitals, mouth, or rectum. Infected men may experience pain or burning with ...

. * 1978:

John Irving John Winslow Irving (born John Wallace Blunt Jr.; March 2, 1942) is an American-Canadian novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. Irving achieved critical and popular acclaim after the international success of ''The World According to G ...

's novel ''

The World According to Garp ''The World According to Garp'' is John Irving's fourth novel, about a man, born out of wedlock to a feminist leader, who grows up to be a writer. Published in 1978, the book was a bestseller for several years. It was a finalist for the Nation ...

'' in chapter 1 where Garp's mother witnesses it being dispensed to

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

soldiers. * 1988: The movie Dead Heat mentions the chemical as a drug used with reanimation of dead bodies. * 2003: F. Spencer Chapman D.S.O. in his WWII memoir, ''The Jungle is Neutral'', refers to his personal use of sulphathiazole (M.&B.) in the jungles of Malaya during May 1942. He credits the use of the drug with preventing fever and pneumonia becoming fatal in arduous conditions during the guerilla actions undertaken by the Malayan Communist Party against the Japanese occupying forces.

References

2-Thiazolyl compounds Sulfonamide antibiotics {{dermatologic-drug-stub