Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-07
CHAT ABOUT DRUGS.
A FEW OF THE MEDICINES THAT
PATIENTS HAVE TO SWALLOW.
What Physician Has to Say-Appli-
cations of the Most Important Drugs.
Watching for tho Leading Symptoms.
A Professional Secret.

cations OF the Most Important Drugs.
Watching for tho Leading Symptoms.
A Professional Secret.
'sWhat arc some of the most important
drugs and their applications!' said a leading
physician as he repeated the reporters inter-
rogatory. "Why, you viii be surprised" he
said, ''when l make the statement that not
over dozen of the hundred and odd drugs
upon the shelves Of any city prescription
store are in general use among the profession
or considered important in combating disease.
No need for astonishment, it is fact; and
my experience from day to day, based upon
observations in an extended practice, leads
me to the conclusion that there is only one
ug-quinine-which can be relied on to
produce uniform results. Quinine approaches
specific more closely than any other remedy
known to medical practice All other drugs
vary, and at times TO an alarming extent, in
the results produced by their administration,
but Guinine is very nearly infallible in the
treatment of that class Of disease popularity
termed rlalarial, and about one-half the NOR
tality Of the world may be traced to those
diseases In fact in all cases of blood poison
ing this drug is the favorite. In the valley
of the Loire, in France; along certain por-
tions of the Thames river, in England; the
Roman Campagnd and the Pontine marshes,
in Italy, the coast of the Gulf Of Mexico, ana
the nnangrove swamps of the tropical regions,
where malaria is endemic, the continued use
OF quinine is an absolute necessity, and from
these regions no dire results have ever been
recorded against it, Is there quinine habit
l have never met but one case. The effect Of
the drug is not speedy enough to have its use
deteriorate into habit.
Next to quinine iodide and bromide of
potassium lay tribute on the profession, al
though their action at times is sadly erratic.
The former with iron constitutes the basis Of
blood purifiers SO called, although such
thing as blood purifier, in the popular &C.
ceptation Of the term, is unknown in medi-
rine. 1t exists only on the cure all placards
of the patent medicine compounder, and in
the materis medica of the quack. Iodide of
potassium acts as an absorbent in the blood,
and its efficacy remover of impurities is
brought about in that way.
"Bromide Of potassium and with it choral
are used principally in the treatment of ner-
vous diseases. They lessen the flow Of blood
to the brain, moderate nervous activity, and
calm exciting emotions, producing state of
mental rest. Thus they are used largely in
the treatment of the insane, and in cases of
mental exhaustion Digitalis is probably en-
titled to the next place from its Importance
as a heart tonic. We appeal to it in cases
of weakness Of the heart, and in most cases
of diseases affecting that organ, although its
use does not cover every species of heart dis
ease Bisnuth and pepsin are the remedies
the profession considers the most efffcacious
in the treatment Of the internal organs of
digestion. The former is used in disturbances
of the stomach and bowels, while the latter
is supposed to supply the lack Of acid, which
is one Of the instruments by which food is
disested in the stomach. In surgery car
bolic acid and iodoform are the principal
drugs used. The acid acts as a disinfectant,
the other has important properties in heal
ing.
Drugs" the doctor continued, land their
administration is the least arduous part of a
physicians business; the great field that exer
cises skill! and acknowledges ability in the
profession and out of it lies in the determn-
ing of disease or the study Of its symptoms.
Here is where the physician pauses. We only
know disease by its symptoms, and when we
are called to the bedside Of the sick person
our energies are bent to discover the most
prominent existing symptoms, and, knowing
these, the great traditions of the science and
our own experiences point out the remedies
that are applicable And here let me say
that there is scarcely such thing as wrong
treatment, SO often heard assailing members
of the profession when they fail to effect
speedy cure AS l have said, we always
treat the leading symptoms first. This is the
invariable and only rule that can guide us,
but frequently the drugs that have done most
eficacious work before in combating exactly
the same symptoms appear perfectly useless
in the present case; this is owing, of course,
to the existence of the latent symptoms
which will determine the nature of the dis
ease and for which we are compelled to wait
unless dismissed in the meantime as incom-
petent In tie opinion of the patient or his
friends, and new man called"
''Do many people consult you, doctor,
whose ills are imaginaryf Intercepted the
scribe The doctor smiled and relighted his
cigar.
I'm answering your inquiry" he said, cit
will be necessary for me to unload profes-
sional secret, but guess it has leaked out be-
fore this. Many of our Office consultations
are with people who are laboring under the
apprehension that they are about to become
invalids. Why, a case of that character left
my Office not an hour ago. He is railroad
engineer, and thought his kidneys were
affected, an idea produced, suppose, by an
occasional pain in the muscles of the back
caused by the continued position which those
men are compelled to assume. gave him a
prescription and told him he would be ell
| right, although he didn't need it any more
than you or l. I'll guarantee, though, that
that prescription, which will fill a large
bottle. will not hurt hirn, for it's nothing but
little syrup and water, with sufficient sarsa-
parilla added to color it. Why did l give it
to him! Because if told him that he needed
no medicine he would in all probability go to
some other physician who knew his business
and get the worth Of his money, as he would
term IT. BY giving him that prescription
have saved him another fee. / used to tell
such people when l first began practice that
they needed no medicine, but l found that
my honest advice was attributed TO ignorance
on my part of their hypothetical disease.
Strange, isn't it. but it is a fact, that the
majority of persons who visit physician
want something for their money, and gerer-
ally the more medicine they can get and, as
consequence, the larger their druggists bill
becomes the better you please them"
The Kings Head.
The kings head was first used as one Of the
hall marks on English silver in 11S4. The