The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-06-28

ably surpasses it, but caffeine is
used so much like a food that we
hardly think Of it as a drug.
This increasing popularity of
aspirin is not easy to explain. |
know people who use it as a sleep
ing tablet and others who consider
1t pepper-upper. OF course, it is
constantly taken for colds, head
aches, rheumatism, and muscular
aching and then also on general
principles.
| have letter which expresses
the general state of opinion as
follows: won't you write an ar
ticle on aspirin? Many of US when
we feel tired and nervous take
one or two tablets with a coke or
just water. Seems to fill the bill,
but we would like to know whether
there is any reason we should not
do So"
Aspirin Usually Harmless
To answer the last question
first, | do not know of any reason
why aspirin should not be taken
in any quantity. The only excep-
ton to this is that there are
people who are definitely allergic
to it, and it produces very severe
symptoms in them. But they go
into the allergic state on very
small amounts and almost imme-
diately after the aspirin has been
swallowed.
| had one terrifying experience
with man to whom | gave some
capsules containing two grains
each of aspirin. He took one
capsule as soon as he had got
home and within five minutes his
throat and tongue had swollen so
that he nearly died of suffocation.
worked with him all night and
the experience taught me that
there is such a thing as sensitivity
to aspirin. But, as was said, the
reaction occurs when very small
doses are absorbed. and one can
assume that if person IS able to
take five grains of aspirin with
out harm, he will be able to take
almost any amount.
One of my friends who strongly
believes in the use Of aspirin in
arthritis gives as much as a hun
bred or two hundred grains a day
for period Of several weeks with
out untoward symptoms. So | be-
leve we may assume that for
practical purposes it is harmless.
Action of Aspirin
Now as to it's actions. 1t was
introduced into medicine as a sub
stitute for salicylic acid and
sodium salicylate in rheumatism.
Those preparations upset the
stomach when given in large
doses. 1t was claimed for aspirin
that it would not do this. Chemi-
cally it is acetyl-salicylic fcid.
The salicylates are indicated pri-
marily in acute infammatory
rheumatism. They reduce fever
Of any kind and have a selective
action in stopping joint pains.
But they also relieve pain in
general anywhere Of any type, so
aspirin is properly put into head
ache capsules, cold tablets, etc.
That is about as far as the SCI
ence of pharmacology will go in
recommendations for aspirin. As
TO its use as a sleep producer or
nerve quieter there is no scientific
evidence, but it is so generally
used in this way and seems to get
results so often that the ultra
scientific can hardly afford to scott
at such claims. Such popularity
must have some foundation.
Of course, when my correspond
ent speaks Of combining it with a
coke and other things he is COM
plicating the problem. Any form
Of caffeine beverage land this in
cludes most Of our soft drinks)
helps TO dissipate that let down
feeling. Besides caffeine is what
is called synergistic with aspirin
and when taken1n combination
each augments the others action.
If you look at the label on any of
the popular cold remedies you will
find in most cases that aspirin and
caffeine are both present.