Evening star., 1936-10-08

Preparation in the sugar research lab
oratory Of tlse Bureau of Standards Of
q potent sedative which promises to be a
notable remedy for American nerves"
is announced in the current issue OF the
bureaus Journal of Research.
The drug is double salt, calcium lac
tobionate te calcium bromide, in which the
element calcium is combined both with
the sugar lactose and with bromine. The
method of producing 1t is described by
Horace s. ISbell of the bureau stan.
The use of various bromide salts as
nerve sedatives is an established practice
in medicine and especially in psychiatry.
They curb states Of excitement and rest
lessness, bring about sleep. and act as
general mental depressants. They have
long been standard remedies in such
conditions as epilepsy.
The form usually employed is potas-
sium bromide. In spite OF its usefulness,
this salt has severe drawbacks. one OF
which Is that in amounts sumclent 10
have q sedative effect 1t causes q serious
rash. Long continued use also may nave
O permanent depressing effect on the
nervous system. Its dulling effect Is re-
flected in the term bromide for tire
some remark.
As long ago as 1887, Mr.. Isbell points
out in his report, physicians nave recog-
nized the superior qualities OF calcium
bromide salt. 1t produces the character
istic bromide effects more promptly than
other salts and induces sleep where they
fall. The 1887 edition of the National
Dispensatory spoke of it as peculiarly
appropriate for relieving the insomnia
caused by mental labor or excitement
and the exhausted and irritable states
of the nervous system accompanied by
headache, vertigo, insomnia and extreme
mental excitability.' It also was stated
that it cured epilepsy in very young
children when bromide OF potassium
failed"
But in spite of these advantages, cal
cium bromide never has been popular
with the medical profession. For one
thing, it had a strong tendency to lquefy
and was hard to keep in stock. Besides,
it had a pungent, bitter, disagreeable
taste. SO that it was difficult to induce
nervous patients to swallow it.
The compound prepared by Mr.. Isbell
is without these Objectionable qualities.
Its taste, in fact, is considerably more
agreeable than that of the widely used
sodium. potassium and ammonium bro
mides. Practically simultaneously with
Mr.. Isbells work similar salt was being
prepared by two Swiss chemists, ana IL
has been subjected to numerous clinical
tests described in European medical
Journals. These indicate, according to
the Bureau of Standards report, that
the compound is useful In the treatment
of epilepsy, hyperthyroidism, neuras-
thenia, nervous heart and similar ALL
ments. OF particular Importance, how
ever, is the fact that the sedative action
is much greater than one might anti
cfbate from its bromide content. Thus,
IL is possible to obtain good results with
out using sufficient bromide to cause
bromide rashes, and it is reported that
in cases which previously had been
treated with triple bromide and had de-
veloped rashes these cleared up when
calcium lactobionate calcium bromide
was used. These promising results
should stimulate clinical investigations
of the use of the compound in this
country"
The Journal OF Research stresses the
possible significance Of the drug In the
light of the probably increasing prev
aience of neurasthenia in the United
States-the vague, tired, jumpy feeling
which everybody experiences now ana
then. which is sometimes described as q
more prevalent American ailment than
the common cold. and which may De