The herald., 1893-09-18
,OAL TAR PRODUCTS.
REMEDIES THAT HAVE BECOME FA-
voRlTE MEDICINES.

During the Past Ton Years Many New
Drugs Have Been Brought Into Service
For Diseases and Complaints which,
Though Common. We're Hard to Treat.
Only few years ago coal tar was
looked upon as q ''waste product" At
the present day, however, it is no longer
treated as such, for through the almost
ceaseless activity Of the German chem
lists enough new remedies have already
been obtained from coal tar to fill good
sized pharmacopnia.
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
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, a
name derived from tho 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 depressing
reflect 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
and apparently deservedly so. 1t has
been used with excellent results in the
treatment of influenza, the hyperesthe-
sia or soreness Of Ia 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. ro
One of the most interesting of the coal
tar derivatives is saccharin, substance
that is 2S0times sweoter than sugar The
medicinal properties of this drug are an
tiseptic and sweetening. AS substi-
tute for sugar it is used in the dietary
(. of gout, diabetes and all diseases in
which saccharine foods are contraindi-
Gated. 1t has also been used to disguise
l.
give one an idea of the sweetening power
of saccharin 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 sui
phonal is considered very valuable
ageht. The drug could hardly have
achieved success had it been introduced
under its chemical name, which contains
just two letters more than the entire al
phabet. Diethylsulphondime
is the ''jawbreaker" by which itislnown
technically.
The value Of sulphonal as hypnotic
seems to be pretty well established. 1t
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, melancholia, dementia, epi-
lepsy, hallucinations 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 10 to 80
grains are usually given as dose, Even
in very large doses the digestive func-
tions are not disordered, and there are no
disagreeable after effects beyond slight
drowsiness and feeling of lassitude the
next day.
In combination with hyoscine hydro
bromate, sulphonal is said to form very
<>.,1 fxsr, &.a-r f@-.
restlessness Of opium habitues. When
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 candi-
date for therapeutic favor. It possesses
the last named property. Brie of Bonn
has found trional Of value in treating in
somnia or hysteria and neurasthenia in
cases Of great obstinacy 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
'scoal tar derivatives is partly so, as one
of its component parts, carbolic acid, is
derived from coal tar. tits said to be a
valuable remedy in the treatment of ar
ticular rheumatism. The dose is from
Is to 90 grains three or four times 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
troduced as a substitute for pyrogallic
acid, having the advantage of being nom
toxic 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 psoria-
sis by painting the spots with gallanol
suspended in chloroform and covering
them with a solution of gutta purcha in
chloroform, called traumaticin. New
York World.