Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-10-06
.4HTIPYRfN.
A Drug That is Dangerous In mex
perieDced Hands.


A Drug That Is Dangerous In mex
perieDced Hands.
Tall Mall Gazette.
The fact Is that, with the exception of
professional chemists, nobody, or almost
nobody, knows either the nature or the
genesis of antpyrin. Even the initiated
find il rather difficult to explain TO the
profane, to whom il must suffice to
know that, substantially, antipyrin, like
aniline, benzine and phenol, is a deriva,
tive of coal tar, from which so many
things heterogeneous and contradictory
| are now extracted.
Heaven forbid that the writer Of these
notes should calumniate antipyrin or
desire to do the least wrong TO that
incstlmable specific for intense and re-
calcitrant nerve disorders. Whatever
one may think, do or say, it is beyond
doubt that by some unexplained soGcery
antipyrin possesses the precious virtue
OF alternating aud even SURPRISING
| 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
febrilc case 1t is able in 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
mighty strung, overworked and fertile in
eXasperated nerves, to earn the reputa-
ton Of veritable gift from heaven.
But excess is a fault in everything,
and antipyrin is no exception. IL is to
pc feared that in their blind admiration
Of it the ilconsiderate crowd have got
10 the point of abusing the application
Of the drug. The time has come 10
sound the alarm Let it not be forgot
ten that antipyrin, in spite Of its advant.
ages and services, is an undoubted
| poison-even a violent poison.
| The accidents attributed to il 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 inter
Ventlon Of medical man with express
| prescriptions and doses according to rule
and formula. What then must be the
consequences of the daily use, by guess
work, without authorization, which le-
gions Of persons suffering from nervous
| pains make of antipyrin? To suppress
paln-that is to say, the consciousness
~ disorder or diseases not TO suppress
the malldy.
On the contrary, it may be the Gre
alton of dangerous illusion, lulling
distrust and paralyzing defensive action
An invalid is so ready to believe himself
cured ana free from the trouble of taking
precautions when he has ceased to feel
| tIbn tPI1tb 10 hat n,t; In-
vices to match its good qualities, and
that its beneiiccnt effects themselves arc
not without peril. 1t is by supplying
the nervous system, and, in particular
the yaso-motor neryes-the springs Of
the clrculatory system, the nerves which
govern the construction and dilation Of
the blood vessels-that antipyrin eXer-
ciscs its soothing influence.
There follows necessarily slowing Of
the circulation, more or less of an an,
proach to stagnation, of the blood
which becomes thicker and tends t.
coagulate. There follows All abate
ment in the elimination of those ashes Of
life which are to the animal organism
what household refuse is to great city
As proof one may point out that an
tipyrin dimishes sensibly the kidney
secretion, and that it has been employed
to stop hemorrhages. In infectious anG
parasitic maladics like influenza the
capital necessity, while pursuing ant
killing the poisoner, is to eliminate the
poison with all haste, for the action o.
microbes is double.
Not only do they live at the expense
of the, tissues in which they have lodged
but they distil subtitle viruses, which
accumulate in the caverns made by
these infinitely little gnawcrs ant
cause frightful ravagcs. 1t is no
by applying anesthetics to the nervous
system, by diminishing the rate OF thu
excretions, by augmenting the viscous
ness of the vital fluids, transformed by
the contact of antipyrin into pitchS
syrups, that this congestion causing
drug can give to the human organism
the lash necessary to cause the election
of the rascally microbian handiwork.
1t is true that antipyrin dcadens pain
and lulls eXasperated nerves, but NOR
phine does the same, perhaps more
surely, and we know where morphine
leads. One should no more play witt
morphine than fire. That is the mora
we wish to point out.