The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-02-22
DANGER In ANTiPYRiN.
A Fashionable Poison As Yet Only Under
stood Hy Professional Chemists

A Fashionabie Poison As Yet Only Under
stood Hy Professional Chemists
The fact is that with the exception
OF professional chemists nobody, or al
most nobody, knows either the nature
or the genesis of antipyrin. Even the
initiated find it rather difficult to ex-
plain to the profane, to whom it might
suffice to know that substantially anti
pyrln, like aniline, benZine and phenol,
Is derivate of coal tar, from which so
many things heterogeneous and contra
dictory are now extracted 1t is beyond
doubt that by some unexplained sorcery
antlpyrin possesses the precious virtue
of alternating and even suppressing
pain instantaneously With opium of
which the handling is so ticklish, it is
incontesta bly, one OF the quickest and
most powerful soothers. We know also
that in the most diverse febrile case
1t Is able in the bargain to lower the
temperature of the patient with GER
talnty and regularity almost miracu-
lous. Nothing more is needed, especi-
ally in an epoch like the present high
ly strung, overworked and fertile in
ton of veritable gift from Heaven.
But excess is a fault of everything, and
antipyrin is no exception. 1t is to be
feared that in their blind ad mira ton of
it the inconsiderate 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.
The accidents attri buted to it during
the seven or eight years that it has
been known as remedy are too numer-
Gus 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 accord
ing to rule and formula What, then,
must be the consequences of the daily
use, by guess work, without authorize
ton, which legions of persons suffering
from nervous pains make of antipyrin
to suppress pain-that is to say, the
consciousness of disorder or diseases
not to suppress the malady. On the
contrary, it may be the creation of a
dangerous illusion, lulling distrust and
paralyzing defensive action. An inva-
lid is SO ready to believe himself cured
and free from the trouble of taking pre-
cautions when he has ceased to feel
pain The truth is that antipyrin has
vices to match its good qualities, and
that its beneficial effects themselves
are not without peril 1t is by stupefy
ing the system and. in particular, the
vaso-motor nerves-the springs of the
circulatory system, the nerves which
govern the construc ton and dilation of
the blood vessels-that antipyrin exer-
cises its soothing influence.
There follows necessarily slowing
of the circulation, more or less of an
approach to stagnation. of the blood,
which becomes thicker and tends to
ment in the elimination of those ashes
of life which are to the animal organ
ism what household refuse is to a great
city. As a proof, one may point out
that antipyrin diminishes sensibly the
kidney secretion and that it has been
employed to stop hemorrhages. In in
fictitious and parasitic maladies like in
fiuenza, while pursuing and killing the
prisoners, the capital necessity is
to eliminate the poison with all haste,
for the action of microbes is double
Not only do they live at the expense Of
the tissues in which they have lodged,
but they distill subtle viruses, which
accumulate in the caverns made by
these infinitely little gnawers and cause
frightful ravages. 1t is not by apply
ing anBsthetics to the nervous system,
by diminishing the rate of the excre-
lions, by augmenting the viciousness of |
the vital fluids, trans formed by the con-
tact of antipyrin into sirups, that this
ongestion-causing drug can give to the
human organism the lash necessary to
cause the election of the rascally mi |
crobian handiwork.
1t is true that antipyrin deadens pains |
and lulls exasperated nerves. but NOR
phine does the same, perhaps more |
surely, and we know where morphine |
leads. One should no more play with |
morphine than with fire. Pail Mall |
Gazette.