San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-12-07
VERY COSTLY DRUGS.
Some of the Expensive Medicines
of the Modern PharmaCo-
nCnia.

ppia.
From the New York Sun.
Some medicines are very expensive
At a recent exhibition of the Ameri.
can Public Health association in
Brooklyn one manufacturing chemist,
T.. Merck, exhibited a case of bottles
about enough to fill an ordinary bar
rel, the total value of which was over
$4,000. The most costly drug in the
case was labelled "HOm-atropine n.y.
drobromate cryst." 1t is all in one
bottle, containing 6 pounds, and was
valued at $4,000, or at the rate of
$2l0O a pound. This drug is an aka
loid, artlficially prepared from afro
pine. Its effects are similar to those
of atropine, but not so lasting. 1t is
preparation of belladona, and is
chiefly used in treatment of the eyes,
and always in minute quantities. 1t
expands the pupil of the eye.
This substance is a striking Illus
tration of the application of chemis-
try to well known medicines. The
physician does not deal so much with
substances in their crude form as
with the quintessences or active prin-
ciples. By this means all superfiuous
matter is removed and only that part
which is needed to be used in the
healing art is given TO the patient.
Thus, not only have the roots, herbs,
flowers, seeds, barks, juices, ores, and
earJhs of ancient medicines been
forced to give up their essen tial and
active parts to the retort or crucible
of the chemist and to reappear freed
from dross or inert matter, reduced in
quantity, but vastly magnified in in
tensity of action, but entirely new
com binations of elements have been
devised by chemical science and
formed by chemical art; and wholly
new and previously unthought of
modes of action in the human organ
ism have been achieved by some of
these new formations. AS the heal
ing art has become specialized, and
no one physician claims to be able to
treat all ailments, so the use of spe-
cial drugs for special treatment has
become necessary, so that it is diff
cult to find even druggist who is
familiar with every one of the drugs
now in the market. The United
States Pharmacop9ia is huge book
with the contents of which but few
are thoroughly familiar. Yet to
get list of drugs in actual use it will
be necessary to study also the Ger
man Pharmacoppia and the British !
In the exhibition |
referred to one house showed $50 ar
5icles only out of 5000 produced in the
Among the expensive drugs is aeon
tine alkaloid, an amorphOus powder |
from aconitum napellus, produced |
from monkshood or wolf5bane. 1t is |
used in febrile diseases and neuralgia. |
A bottle of this containing about three
pounds is valued at 1880. A bottle /
If anemonin containing 3 3-4 ounces,
ibount the size of pony beer, is val
led at $19l.45. There are thirteen
liffrent preparations of caffeine in
small bottles at from SIC to S2S bottle. |
This medicine has lately been ap-
Piled successfully in Brights disease. |
A small bottle o. chelidonine aka
old containing 3 ounces, made from
used in skin diseases and |
,crofula and dropsy is valued at $SS.
Cocaine, which has the power when |
applied TO any part of the body to
lender that part insensible to pain or
5ouch during short time, Is rather |
IN expensive drug. A bottle contain |
ng about pounds was valued at |
1920. A,bottle of cantharldin crystals, |
jhe old-time blister in a new form,
was valued at SAB. Codeine phos-
Dhate is preparation of morphine
Used to produce sleep. A 15-ounce |
bottle of it is valued at S135. A B. |
ounce bottle of "crotion," costs about |
so an ounce. DIgitalin Germaine,
q powder used to decrease the action |
Of the heart, costs about $40 pound. |
Elaterin crystals prepared from the
south American Indian arrow, a poi |
son used as medicine in lockjaw |
and hydrophobia, costs S45 an ounce.
An ounce of Hyoscine hydrobro-
mate crystals coats $ll6666, and 8 1-2 |
ounces of hyOscyamine alkalold costs
Sl4O6. These are preparations of |
hen bane, and are considered excel
lent hypnotics. They are similar in
general effect to atropine, but not |
followed by such dangerous symp-
toms.
Among the other costly drugs in
this collection, were angaricin, IL |
ounces S43.75, colocynthin, SIP
ounces, $ll4.75; conline hydrochlorate,
1 l-2 ounces, $9S.49; cyclamin, IA
ounces, S54.04; digitoxin, 1-2 ounces,
SS7 40; gentisin, IL ounces, SOL 10;
hellotropln, 6 ounces, S6l25; hydras-
tine, hydrOchloIate, 1-2 ounces,
$3.50; papaverine alkaloid, a vege-
table pSpsin or digestive juice, found
IN the melon tree in tropical America,
about $40 pound papayolin, used |