Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-19

Adrenalin, the Drug of the Hour
Within the past few months the
daily papers have been publishing
news items with reference to the
drug adrenalin and its remarkable
life-restoring properties. Adrenalin
has been hailed as the raiser OF the
dead. 1t has. been endowed with
most mysterious and wonderful
properties. In fact, the publicity
has been so strong and so widely
distributed that people today must
think of this new" drug as a sort
of preternatural substance, perhaps
something like the famed alchem-
lists philosophers stone or elixir of
life.
The truth of the matter is first
that adrenalin is not the new drug
that people generally believe it to
be. Its prominence in the days
news is due to the fact that certain
physicians have lately experienced
considerable success with it's use in
reviyifying the dead, especially in
bringing to life babies that were ap-
parently born dead. But the prop
critics of adrenalin have been known
for at least 80 years and applied for
at least 20.
Adrcnalin was first discovered in
the suprarcnal glands by the French
chemist and Psychologist Nulpian in
1906. The suprarenal gland is q
ductleSs gland, whose exact function
in the human and animal body has
only been partly understood within
the past few years. 1t secretes a
substance known as adrenalin, epine-
phrine or Suprarenine. which pos
sesSes most fascinating properties
1t is great energizer or Stimuant
serving to contract the arteries and
increase the blood pressure. For
example If the brain is informed OF
some great danger threatening the
body. or If 1T registers great fear,
the impulse is transferred by means
of the wonderfully swift and sure
carrier nerves to the suprarenal
glands and they are called upon to-
discharge their substance into the
blood current to energiZe and slim
ulate the muscles into powerful ac-
ton. Anger also results in activa-
ton of these glands and this is why
the doctors tell us that anger is bad
for a person with high blood pres
sure, for anger serves to accelerate
the secretion of adrenalin which has
the power of further increasing the
blood pressure. This also explains
the extraordinary strength OF the
insane.
Adrenalin was first prepared from
the suprarenal glands of animals,
such as bullocks and sheep, and the
fact that it will increase the blood
pressure was first observed in 1894.
1t was not, however, until 1900 that
the distinguished Japanese physician
and chemist. who recently died in
New York City, DR.. Jokichi Taxa
mine, succeeded in isolating the &C
tive principle of the suprarenal
glands. This feat made it possible
to study the physiological effects of
the substance, and it's real clinical
history starts with ID. Takamine's
preparation of the crystalline sub
stance adrenalin. These crystals are
white, and dissolve with difficulty in
water. Adrenalin solution has q
bitter taste and is slightly, alkaline.
1t is found in three chemical forms,
and it is important that it be manu-
featured in the proper form. as not
all have the same physiological &C
tivity.
The most recent use for adrenalin,
wherein it is injected into the mus
cles of the heart, is perhaps the
most startling of all the wonderful
applications of this marvellous drug.
1t is claimed that the dead heart,
especially in the case of the new
born babe, is so stimulated by the