Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-01-19
COSTLY DRUGS.
Some OF the Expensive Medicines of
the Modern PharmacOpeia.

says the New York Sun. At recent
OF the American Public Health
Association in Brooklyn one msnufactur.
ing chemist, f. Merrick, exhibited case
of bottles. about enough to fill an ordi-
nary barrel, the total value of
which was over $50, 600. The most costly
drug in the case was labeled "Hom-
atropine hydro bromate cryst." 1t was
all in one bottle containing six pounds,
and was valued at $l2 600, or at the rate
of 81, 100 pound. This drug is an aka
loid, artificially prepared from atropine.
Its effects are similar to those of afro.
pine, but not 30 lasting. 1t is prepara-
ton of belladonns, and is chiefly used in
treatment of the eyes, and always in
minute quantities. 1t expands the pupil
of the eye.
Among the expensive drugs is aconi.
tine alkaloid, an amophous powder from
anconitum napellus, produced from
monkshood or wolfbane. II is used in
febrile diseases and neuralgia. A bottle
of this containing about three pounds is
valued at $489.50. A bottle of anemonin
containing 81 ounces, about the size of
a pony of beer, is valued at $191. AS.
There are thirteen different preparations
of caffeine in small bottles at from
SIG to $28 bottle. This medicine has
lately been applied successfully in
Bright's disease. A small bottle of
chelidonine alkaloid, containing three
ounces, made from tetterwort, used in
skin diseases and scrofula and dropsy,
is valued at $SS. Cocaine, which has
the power when applied to any part of the
body, to render that part insensible to
pain or touch during a short time,
is rather an expensive drug. A
bottle containing about four pounds
was valued at $420 A bottle
o. cantharidin cystals, the old-time blister
in q new form. was valued at $143.
Codeine phosphate is a preparation OF
morphine used to produce sleep. A
fifteen-ounce bottle of it is valued OF $135.
A five.ounce bottle of cotoin, called
"true cotoin," cost about $40 an ounce.
Dlgitalln Germaine, powder used to
decrease the action of the heart, costs
about $40 pound. Elaterin crystals,
prepared from the South American
Indian arrow, a poison used as medicine
in lockjaw and hydrophobia, costs $45
an ounce.
An ounce of hyoscine hydrobromate
crystal costs $1,16666, and nine and q
half ounces of hyoscyanine alkaloid cost
81, ,406. These are preparations OF
henbane, and are considered excellent
hvpnotics. They are similar in general
effect to atropine, but not followed by
such dangerous symptoms.
Among the other costly drugs in this
collection were angaricin, Az ounces,
$43.75; colocynthin, 519 ounces, STA rs |;
conline hydrochlorate, AZ ounces, $9S 43 /;
cyclamin, 81 ounces, $54 O4; digltoxin,
ounces, $9l.15; heliotropin. 6 ounces,
$61 %; hydrastin hydrochlorate, 81
ounces. $94 so; papaverine alkaloid, a
vegetable pepsin or digestive juice.
found in the melon tree in tropical Amer
ica,. about $l2O a pound; papayolin.
used as a solvent for the dipAtheritic
membrane, l3 ounces, $3.50 5S.
There are various preparations from
the Calabar bean that are very costly.
They are used in diseases of the eve and
lockjaw. One preparation is called
physostigmine alkaloid, and four ounces
of it cost $437 80. Physostigmine hydro.
chlorate cry. tails in bottle about the
size of Coney island glass of beer,
containing five and one.qusr srter ounces,
cost $50314. A small bottle o
physostigmine salicylate crystals, con-
tanning three ounces, cost $1,81O.O5.
There is preparation from the leaves
of taboraudi pilocerpus psnnatifolius,
called pilocarpine nitrate crystal, used in
consumption. A bottle of this, contain
ing paund 6 ounces, is valued at
1878 IS. A preparation from quassia or
bitter wood (Picrena excelsus), is used
for dyspepsia and diarrhea, and also for
worms. A small bottle of this contain.
ing 10 ounces is valued at $218 rs.