The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1893-10-14
TAR PRODUCTS.
REMEDIES THAT HAVE BECOME FA-
VORETE MEDICINES.

Turing the 1aSC Ken 1eaTS many Nc"
Drugs Have Been Brought Into Service
For Diseases and Complaints Which,
Though Common, Were Hard to Treat.
Only a few years ago coal tar was
looked upon as a waste product" At
the present day, however, it is 40 longer
treated as such, for through the almost
ceaseless activity of the German chem
its enough new remedies have already
been obtained from coal tar to fill a good
sized pharmacOpuia.
About the first one of these products
to attract any considerable attention was
antipyrine, which made it's appearance
some 10 years ago and became popular
~ known during the epidemic of la
grippe Of several years ago. This was
soon followed by antifebrin, which, al
though it had a new name, was an older
drug than antipyrine, having been
known for several years as a~cetanilid, a
name derived from the substances from
which it was made. 1t is prepared by
the action of acetic acid on aniline oil.
The acetanilid is now used by many
doctors in preference to antipyrine. The
principal features in its favor are small
ness of dose, less danger of a depressing
effect on the heart and cheapness. The
price Of acetanilid is hardly one-tenth
that Of ~antipyrine.
Phenacetine is another drug of this
lass which has met with much success
end apparently deservedly so. 1t has
been used with excellent results in the
treatment of influenza, the hyperasthe-
8j2 or soreness of la grippe and rheuma-
t55m, both muscular and articular.
The drug is often combined with salol
and quinine in the treatment of the above
mentioned affections, and the results re-
ported are invariably of a very satisfac-
cory nature.
One Of the most interesting Of the coal
fer derivatives is saccharin, a substance
that is $50 times sweeter than sugar. The
medicinal properties Of this drug are an
tiSeptic and sWeetening. AS a subSti-
tUte for sugar it is used in the dietary
Of govt, diabetes and all diseases in
which saccharine foods are contraindi-
Gated. 1t has also been used to disguise
the taste of medicines for children. To
give one anidea Of the s~weetening power
Of %saccharin it is only necessary to say
that one grain of the drug will sweete1
an ordinary cup of coffee. If sugar were
used at least a half ounce or a table
spoonful, would be necessary.
In the treatment of mental disease sui
phOnal is considered a very valuable
agent. The drug could hardly have
achieved success had it been introduced
under its chemical name, which contain
just two letters more han the entire al
phabet. Observation-Disclosures
is the "jawbreaker' by which, it isknown
technically.
The value of sulphonal as a hypnotic
seems to be pretty we'll established. It
has been used with marked success in
the treatment of sleeplessness caused by
fatigue and worry. 1t is also said to be
Of equal service in cases of acute mania.
imbecility, m~elanchOlia, dementia. cpl
lepsy, Authorizations and acute alcohol
ism. One observer stated that in every
case treated 'the slumber was accom-
panied by no disturbances Of circulation
or respiration and lasted from two to
five hours or longer" From Is to y
grains are usually given as a dose. Even
III very large doses the digestive func-
tons are not d~isOrdered, and there are no
disagreeable after effects beyond a slight
drowsiness and a feeling of lassitude the
next day.
In combination with hyoscine HYDRO
hrOmate, sulphOnal is said to form a very
good treatment for the insomnia and
restlesSness of opium habitues. When a
coal tar product is introduced, it can al |
most be taken for granted that one of the
Four medicinal properties is claimed for
It. The -four properties are antipyretic, |
analgesic, antiseptic and hypnotic.
TriOnal, which halls from Elberfeld, |
Germany, is brought forward as a canCi-
date for therapeutic favor. 1t possesses
the last named property. Brie of Bonn
has found triOnal of value in treating in
somnia or hysteria and n~eurasthenia in
cases Of great O~bstinacy and which had
failed to respond to any other treatment. |
in maniacal excitement and paralytic
mania, he reports excellent results in 90
Per cent of the cases treated.
Salophen, although not distinctly a
'Coal ar~derivative," is partly so, as n
OF It's component parts, carbolic acid, is
derived from coal tar. 1t is said to be a
valuable remedy in the treatment of ar
ticular rheumatism. The dose is from
Is to 20 grains three or four times a day.
The very latest in the long line of coal
tar products is gallanol. 1t is prepared
by boiling tannin with ~aniline. 1t is in
tToduced as a substitute for ~pyrogallic
acid. having the advantage of being non
toIic and nOnirritant. In the treatment
OF skin affections it has been used with
success.
Cazeneuve, the %introducer of the drug,
reports great success in treating psor a.
Sis by painting the spots with gallanol
suspended il chloroform and covering
them with a solution of gutta purcha in
chlorofOrm, called traumaticin. New
York World.
When Nature