Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-01
FASHIONABLE POISON.
The Evil Effects From the Careless
Taking Of Antipyrine.
1T Is LIKE PLAYING WITH FIRE.
Words of Warning to Those Who Have
Severe Pains to Soothe.
HOW THE NERVOUS SYSTEM is LULLED

! 1t is with medicines as with the cut OF
dresses, the form of hats, the shade of rib
bons, and the style of ornaments; they are
| influenced by fashion, of which they un-
| dergo, without anyone knowing exactly
why, all the capricious vicissitudes. This
is the case with antipyrin, for which at the
present time there is positive rage, says a
writer in the Pail Mall Budget With
out warning it has risen to the rank of a
prime necessity. No longer are the in
structions of the faculty thought necessary.
At the least headache or neuralgia attack,
even in simple cases of what used to be
called the vapors, the admirers of the drug
enter the nearest chemists and obtain a
dose as one would enter an hotel and call
for refreshments.
And yet if, of hundred persons taken at
hazard from the most fervent, one suddenly
asked the nature of the medicine by means
of which the credulous crowd has unex-
pectedly put itself into commup: cation
with the unknown-if one inquired whence
it proceeds aud what 1t rhymes with-at
least 80 would be unable to answer. The
fact is that, with the exception OF profess
sional chemists, nobody, or almost nobody,
knows either the nature or the genesis Of
difficult to explain to the profane, to whom
it must suffice to know that substantially
antipyrin, like aniline, benzlne and pheno!,
is a derivative of coal tar, from which so
many things heterogeneous and contra
dictory are now extracted.
Has a Virtue of suppressing Pain.
Heaven forbid that the writer Of these
notes should calumniate. antipyrin or desire
to do the least wrong to that inestimable
specific for intense and recalcitrant nerve
disorders! Whatever one may think, do or
say, it is beyond doubt that by some unex-
plained sorcery antipyrin possesses the
precious virtue of alternating and even sup
pressing pain instantaneously.
With opium, Of which the handling is
SO ticklish, it is incontestably one of
the quickest and most powerful
soothers We know also that in
the most diverse tebrile cases it is able into
the bargain to lower the temperature of the
patient with a certainty and regularity
almost miraculous. Nothing more is needed,
especially in an epoch like the present,
highly-strupg. overworked and fertile in
exasperated nerves, to earn the reputation
of veritable gift from heaven.
But excess is fault in everything, and
antipyrin is no exception. 1t is to be feared
that in their blind admiration of it the in
considerate crowd have got to the point of
abusing the application of the drug. The
time has come to sound the alarm. Let it
not be forgotten that antipyrin, in spite of
its advantages and services, is an undoubted
poison; even a violent poison.
Accidents Too Numerous to Count.
The accidents attributed to it during the
seven or eight years that it has been known
as remedy are too numerous to count;
and it should be noted that the cases that
come to light are usually those in which
there has been the Intervention of medical
man with express prescriptions and doses
according to rule and formula What, then,
must be the consequences of the daily use,
by guesswork, without authorization, which
legions of persons from nervous pains make
of antipyrin? To suppress pain-that is to
say, the consciousness of disorder or disease
lis not to suppress the malady.
On the contrary, it may be the creation of
a dangerous illusion, lulling distrust and
paralyzing defensive action. An invalid is
SO ready to believe himself cured and free
from the trouble of taking precautions when
he has ceased to feel pain. The truth is that