The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 2 of 2Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry (American Medical Association)
Science
The Propaganda for Reform in Proprietary Medicines, Vol. 2 of 2
Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry (American Medical Association)
Patent medicines
Sp. gr at 25C./25C. 1.1087
Alcohol (per cent, by volume) 11.35
Gm. per 100 c.c.
Calcium phosphate [Ca₃(PO₄)₂]* 0.397
Iron phosphate (FePO₄.4H₂O)* 0.068
Chlorid (as hydrochloric acid) 0.407
Sodium sulphate (Na₂SO₄.10H₂O) 0.043
Quinin sulphate (U. S. P.) 0.041
Sodium phosphate (Na₂HPO₄.12H₂O) 0.065
Invert sugar 26.824
Water, cochineal and flavor, to make 100 c.c.
* It should be understood that the calcium and iron salts are held in
solution by the hydrochloric acid.
The dose of Wheeler’s Tissue Phosphates recommended by the manufacturer
is a tablespoonful or about 15 c.c. (1/2 oz.). The total calcium in a
dose of the preparation is equivalent to about one-sixth of an average
dose of the official calcium chlorid, and the total phosphate to each
dose is equivalent to about one-fourth of a dose of the official
diluted phosphoric acid. Each prescribed dose of the preparation
contains about 0.01 gm. (2/13 grain) of iron phosphate or about one
twenty-fifth of the average dose, and to obtain a Pharmacopeial dose of
iron phosphate the patient would be obliged to take three-fourths of
the contents of an entire bottle--or 12 ounces--of the preparation. If
it be assumed that all of the chlorid present is in the form of free
hydrochloric acid, each dose of the preparation contains the equivalent
of about two-thirds of one Pharmacopeial dose of diluted hydrochloric
acid. Each dose of the preparation contains about 0.0062 gm. (1/10
grain) of quinin sulphate, or about one-sixteenth of the average tonic
dose. In other words, to obtain the amount of quinin sulphate given in
the U. S. Pharmacopeia as the tonic dose, the patient would be required
to swallow 7-1/2 fluidounces of the proprietary preparation, or the
contents of nearly half a bottle. The fallacy of prescribing Wheeler’s
Tissue Phosphates either for its quinin or its iron content is apparent.
Wheeler’s Tissue Phosphates is, then, a mildly bitter flavored syrup
which contains nearly 12 per cent. of alcohol, small quantities each of
calcium phosphate and hydrochloric acid and insignificant amounts of
iron and quinin salts. In other words, essentially it is a sweetened
solution of small quantities of calcium phosphate in very dilute
hydrochlorid acid together with 12 per cent. of alcohol.
Bearing in mind the analysis of the preparation, how ludicrous some of
the claims appear:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account