Arizona silver belt., 1893-12-16
COAL TAR PRODUCTS.
REMEDIES THAT HAVE BECOME "A
 VoRlTE MEDICINES.


 Drugs Have Been Brought Into Service For Diseases and Complaints Which, Though Common, Were Hard to Treat.
 Only few years ago coal tar was ooked upon us a waste product" :" At the present day, however, 1t is no longer treated as such, for through the almost ,easeless activity of the German chem Ists enough new remedies have already been obtained from coal tar to fill n good sized pharmacopnia.
 About the first one of these products oo attract any considerable attention was antipyrine, which made its appearance some 10 years ago and became popular ly known during the epidemic of la grippe of several years ago. This was soon followed by antifebrin, which, al- though it had new name, was an older drug than antipyrine, having been known for several years as acetanilid, name derived from the substances from which it was made. It 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 | class which has met with much success l and apparently deservedly so. It has been used with excellent results in the treatment of influenza, the hyper,esthe- sia or soreness of la grippe and rheuma- tism, 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 very satisfac- tory nature.
 One of the most interesting of the coal tar derivatives is saccharin, substance that is 2S0 times sweeter than sugar The medicinal properties of this drug are an- tiseptic and sweetening As substi- ute for sugar it is used in the dietary | of gout, diabetes and all diseases in which saccharine foods are coutraindi- cated 1t has also been used to disguise the taste of me dTSles for children. To give one an idea of the sweetening power of saceharin it is only necessary to say that one grain of the drug will sweeten an ordinary cup of coffee. If sugar were used at least half ounce or table spoonful, would be necessary.
 In the treatment of mental disease sul- phonal is considered a very valuable agent. The drug could hardly have achieved success had it been introduced under it's chemical name, which contains just two letters more than tue entire al. phabet. Diethylsulphondimethylnethan is the jawbreaker" by which itislmown technically.
 The value of sulphonal as a hypnotic seems to be pretty well established. Il has been used with marked success in the treatment of sleeplessness caused by fatigue and worry. It is also said to bl of equal service in cases of acute mania imhecility, melancholia, 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 tC five hours or longer" From 10 to 8, grains arc usually given as dose. Ever in very large doses tho digestive func tions arc not disordered, and there are nc disagreeable after effects beyond 8 sligh drowsiness and feeling of lassitude tho next day.
 In combination with hyoscine hydro bromate, sulphonal is said to form very good treatment for the insomnia anj restlessness of opium habitues. When coal tar product is introduced, it can al most be taken for granted that one of th, four medicinal properties is claimed fo it. The four properties are antipyretic analgesic, antiseptic and hypnotic.
 Trional, which halls from Elberfeld Germany, is brought forward as a candi date for therapeutic favor. 1t possesse the last named property, Erie of Boni has found trional of value in treating in somnia or hysteria and neurasthenia il cases of great obstinacy and which ha' failed to respond to any other treatment In maniacal excitement and paralyti mania. he reports excellent results in Q per cent of the cases treated.
 Salophen, although not distinctly "coal tar derivative," is partly so, as on of its component parts, carbolic acid, i derived from coal tar. It is said to be valuable remedy in the treatment of ar ticular rheumatism. The dose is fror 15 to 20 grains three or four times day
 The very latest in the long line of coa tar products is gallanol, It is prepare by boiling tannin with aniline. It is ir ] troduced as a substitute for pyrogalli acid, having the advantage of being nor toxic and nonirritant In the treatmen of skin affections it has been used wit success.
 Cazeneuve, the introducer of the drug , reports great success in treating psoris sis by painting the spots with gallanC suspended in chloroform and coverin them with solution of gutta purcha i , | chloroforn. called traumaticin. -N Ne