Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-01-27
TAR PRODUCTS.
REMEDIES THAT HAVE BECOME IA
voRirs MEDICINES.

parsnx she Past Ten ysars Many New
Drugs Have neen brought into Service
For Diseases and Complaints which.
Though Common. Were Hard 20 Treat.
Only few years ago coal tar was
boxed upon as q .'waste product" At
The present day. however. II is no longer
treated as such, for through the almost
peaseless activity Of the German chem
lsts enough new remedies have already
been obtained from coal tar to fill good
sized pharmacopmia-
About the first one OF these products
10 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 II had new name, was an Older
drug than antipyrine, having been
known for several years as acetanilid,
name derived from the substances from
which II was made. II 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
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
and apparently deservedly 80. II has
been used with excellent results In the
treatment of influenza. the hyperesthe-
sia or soreness Of In 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 $50 times sweeter than sugar. The
medicinal properties of this drug are an
tiseptic and sweetening. As a substi-
tute for sugar 1t is used In the dietary
Of gout. diabetes and all diseases In
which saccharine foods are contraindi-
Gated. It has also been used to disguise
the taste Of medicines for children. To
give one an idea of the sweetening power
Of saccharin IL is only necessary to say
that one grain Of the drug will sweeten
an ordinary cup Of coffee. II sugar were
used mt least half ounce or 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 contains
Just two letters more than the entire al
phabet. Observation-Disclosures
Is the ..jawbreaker" by which it isknowr
technically.
The value OF eulphonal as hypnotit
seems to DO pretty well established. i
has been used with marked success In
the treatment Of sleeplessness caused b,
fatigue and worry. II is also said TO b,
Of equal service In cases of acute mania
lmbecility, melancholia, dementia, epi
lcpsy, hallucinations and acute alcohol
Ism. Ono observer stated that in ever,
rase treated "the slumber was accom-
panied by no disturbances OF circulation
or respiration and lasted from two Z
i've hours or longer" From IS to
trains are usually given as dose. Eve
In very largo doses the digestive func
! tions are not disordered, and there are n
iisagreeablc after effects beyond sligh
hrowsiness and a feeling of lassitude th
. next day.
In colnbinaticn with hyoscine hydro
bromate, sulphonal is said TO form a yer
good treatment for the insomnia an
, testlessness OF opium habitnes. When
coal tar product is introduced, 1t can q
most be taken for granted that one OF th
, four medicinal properties Is claimed fo
! Ii. The four properties are antipyretis
|. snslgesic, antiseptic and hypnotic.
:, Trional, which halls from Elberfelt
, Germany, is brought forward as a cand
! date for therapeutic favor. 1t possess
! the last named property. Brie of Bon
has found trional of value in treating II
somnia or hysteria and neurasthenia
cases of great obstinacy and which ha
!, failed to respond to any other treatmen
!. IN maniacal excitement and paralyt
= mania, he reports excellent results In
!, per cent Of the cases treated.
! Salophen, although not distinctly
! "coai tar derivative, is partly so. as OF
Of its component parts. carbolic acid.
derived from coal tar. II is said to be
II valuable remedy In the treatment Of a
= ticnlar rheumatism. The dose Is fro
10 is to 90 grains three or four times da
b. The very latest In the long line Of &C
y tar products is gallanol. II Is prepar
h by boiling tannin with aniline. 1t is
troduced as substitute for pyrogal
acid. having the advantage OF being nc
n toxic and nonirritant. In the treatme
n- Of skin affections 1t has been used wi
10 success.
" Cazeneuve, the introducer Of the drt
reports great success in treating psor
sis by painting the spots with gailar
N suspended in chloroform and covert
at them with a solution Of gutta purcha
II shloroform, called traumaticin. IN
10 York World.