Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-09-01
Health Talks by DR.. Brady
Trcn.mcnt worsc NINA. m. n,..

y correspondent writes:
nave taken quite a lot OF migraine--six
!" eiSht tablets daily of mErainc Nh
Please write me tho effect of il. cons,,n, nso
have been taking these at This r,,a TO-
Se'er"i months. They have dcadcncd the min
Tor which they were taken, hui annc.r IN
nave Drought on a peculiar condition which
worries me.
considerable weight. My fnger mills ma ,I
nav" blue color. Can migraine nroduc. thosa
results or might they be caused by the main
Tor wh'ch uhcy were taken? What effect docs
nieraine No. have on tho heart OF l.. r,
without knowing exactly wbo, "mirr,i,o
No. l" c"ntainS--thcrc are many dinero,t ,,,x
lures S"h as miSrainc tablets capsu,,s no,v
GERS or ril!s-it Is practically certain that
the pain killer portion is one Of the conI
tar derivatives usually present in so-coIIcd
'e '""it'S' headache remedies. grip
remedies. and cold" acknowledgements,
arf'antide sometimes disguised under tho
chemical name of overwhelmingly or pbep
ac"tn 'aiso called phcntetidin onti
PHI'"' ihe"c coni-tar derivatives have the pc
caiiar power OF interfering with the oxygen
carrying function OF the blood coll. nh =,
producing cyanosis. which is the blucncss or
""*kln'ss OF the surface. particularly notice
able in the lips and the finger nails
When drug works such havoc with tho
brood, the safety limit has been passed and
disaster impends as this unfortunate CORES
pondcnt may not live to realize if tho bohi,
Is continued longer.
The drug whether acetanilide. phcnacetin or
antipyrin tand there are several other less
popular coal-tar derivatives with about tho
same eHecD certainly deadens pain and All
other sensations IL you take enough of II
But at the same time II seriously impairs tho
vital oxygen carrying power Of the blood and
wrakcns the heart There have been scores
OF deaths from these coal-tar pain killers in
Il Few or which cases the coroner's verdict has
plainly placed the responsibility on the poison
but In most OF them the facts were never
made known to the public
That the laity should be permitted 10 rur-
chase and abuse such posons without any
restriction whatever Is Unfortunate con-
dltion. Morphine liz less dangerous in effect
Than acetaniide though perhaps more likely
10 induce habituntion. 1t is n shame tina, any
person should he allowed to market remedies
ihden with such poison. and to exploit
his remedies as harmless" for indiscriminatc
use. when death turks in them
d" not condemn the use OF acctanilde or
any OF IN" other drugs mentioned. under prop
or supervision. as any powerful drug should he
used am deserving only the indiscriminatc
use of these dangerous drugs by people who
know nothing OF their action. While IL is a
common thing for some drug rists to lend their
personal influence to the false assurances OF
the makers OF such remedies. to the harm
l"ssnrss' OF tho stun, the Intelligent layman
ought to understand that druggists are not
instructed in the effects OF medicines and arc
therefore not competent to inform peopIc
whether a given medicine is advisable or
whether IL may he safely employed
aurstionS md Answers
Aromatic syrup OF rhuba rb-Somc time ago
] noticed in your column your recommends
ton to substitute aromatic syrup OF rhubarb
for castor oil for children. asked the drug
Eis for this and he gave aromatic tincturc
of rhubarb. Is it tho same. any what is the
dose for child Of two years? CMrs. T..
II. 30
Answcr--Thc dose of aromatic syrup OF rhu-
barb is the same as you would give of castor
oil for the sam" effects. save that the
tic syrup Of rhubarb works without alternating
the child's affections.