The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1909-08-26
bsAaIl h.AaAshl ksInsaI.l!

The headache, az our Rranumotn-
ers were wont to call It Is one Of the
commonest and most annoying Of
human Ills. And in this day, when
the soda fountain fills so many func-
llons- from that of lunch counter to
that OF the family doctor headache
remedies are almost as common as
the III they seek TO cure. Three
drugs which are used in such rene
dies have been known 10 medicine
for less than twenty-five years.
They are aceianilid, aniipyrin, and
phenacetin. Each Of them has the
property Of easing paini and one or
the other Of them is the active agent
IN most headache powders, pills. or
draughis. The Bureau Of chemis-
try in the Department Of Agriculture
ia connection with its duties in the
enforcement Of the pure food Law.
has been investigating The record Of
these three drugs in relation TO Pois-
oning. death and hAbitual use. The
result Of the investigation has just
been made public. Physicians, ii APP
pears, use these drugs much less
than formerly; but il is notorious
that their use by the general public
is increasing every day. The Blu
reau sent a list Of questions 10 92S
physicians. and received replies from
400 Of them. These practitioners
reported si4 cases Of poisoning from
these drugs 10 their experience, Is
deaths and $50 cases 81 habi,ual
use. In medical literature the Bu-
reau fouad reported. In iveniy-three
years. SIS cases Of poisoning. 20
deaths and 80 cases Of habitual use.
Granting that the SIS physicians Who
i'd no, reply had no cases 10 report.
the question N y probably be asked.
II Gas physicians have observed 50
many cases Of poisoning, death. and
habilusl use, "how many Of such
eases have in all probability been
observed by the $4,000 physicians
scattered throughout The United
S,aies7" In more than one-haif the
cases Of poisoning. the drug vas TAX
en- by direciion Of physician. II
physicians cannot be sure TO avoi
| III effects in using these drugs, What
chance has the unskilled person IN
escaping the danger1 These three
drugs "are poisons IN the true sense
Of The void" ind their use in any
form without medical advice is mex
cusablc rashness.
This report Of The Bureau is a
practical Illustration Of what should
be an axiom in the mind ~ every
sensible person. Do not Try 10 d.
agnose your own ailments. Do moi
prescribe for yourself. And, above
all. beware OF remedies which prom
Use. or indeed seem to perform, mir
aculous cures. Pain Is a danger
signal set by nature 20 warn US that
there is something wrong within.
For a man TO seek ss rid himself Of
pain by the use Of such remedies al
the three under consideration. anc
TO congratulate himself on bis sue
cess, Is as foolish as Il would be fol
an engineer. confronted by the rec
lamp of danger. 10 smash Il with
rock, and 90 ahead in conhdenc'
that the road was clear because th'
danger signal had ceased TO shine
The doctor. trained in the knowledg'
Of physical causes and the effects o
drugs. may very properly use sucl
means to remove the danger sigma
after he has noted its wafninR ans
taken steps 10 remove the cause
The sufferer vino prescribes for him
self buys immunity from pain in
dear market. And no longer ha
J the excuse of ignorance. The Pur