Alcohol: A Dangerous and Unnecessary Medicine, How and Why: What Medical Writers SayAllen, Martha Meir
Science
Alcohol: A Dangerous and Unnecessary Medicine, How and Why: What Medical Writers Say
Allen, Martha Meir
Alcohol -- Physiological effect; Temperance
"Gum resins and essential oils were found to be insoluble in
this menstruum, and hence such drugs have been given in the form
of pill, powder or mixture. Such tinctures are those of
assafoetida, benzoin, cannabis indica, cantharides, castor,
cubebs, lavender, myrrh, pyrethrum, sumbul, tolu and ginger. Out
of 62 tinctures it was found that 46 made good preparations, and
16 did not.
"These were employed for several years. But for some time past,
somewhat more reliable preparations have been made for us which
contain _all_ the constituents of the alcoholic tinctures
without the alcohol. They are for the most part made by taking
standardized tinctures, mixing with them sugar of milk, and
distilling off the alcohol. The alcoholic extract remains behind
in a finely divided condition mingled with sugar of milk. This
is broken up, pulverized and compressed into tabloids of a
definite dose, which can be taken either in that form or rubbed
up and dissolved or suspended in gum water.
"The following have been made up in this form: aconite,
belladonna, camph. co., cannabis indica, capsicum, cinchon. co.,
and cinchon. simpl., digitalis, gelseminum, hyosciamus, nux
vomica, opium, strophanthus, ginger and Warburg. Other tinctures
will be gradually added to this list.
"As external liniments those commonly used are the linimentum
terebinthinae and the linimentum terebinthinae aceticum, which do
not contain alcohol. A strong solution of iodine is made with
iodide of potassium.
"The spiritus ammoniae aromaticus is made without the spirit, the
aromatic oils being emulsionized by means of rubbing up with
fine sand, but most of these subsequently rise to the surface.
The spiritus etheris nitrosi is impossible without alcohol, but
nitrite of amyl, and nitrites of potash or soda can be
substituted. The spiritus chloroformi is replaced by aqua
chloroformi, or as a sweetening agent by solution of saccharin.
Thus a favorite expectorant mixture contains carbonate of
ammonia five grains, acetum ipecac, ten minims, and solution of
saccharin in each dose.
"As a special stimulant a subcutaneous injection of a drachm of
pure ether has been given in a few cases; in others digitalis,
or caffeine or ammonia in some form, such as the carbonate
dissolved in a cup of hot coffee; or hot solution of Liebig's
extract, or rectal injections of hot water."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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