Introduction - Uppsala Monitoring Centre

1907 Synthesis of arsphenamine (Salvarsan) in Germany by Alfred
Bertheim (Williams, 2009).
1908 Sulfanilamide synthesized.
Toxic effects of Aspirin: After 10 gr. Aspirin + Exalgin 1½ gr. thirty
minutes later lips, throat and nose swell, speech impaired, pupils
unduly dilated, pulse 110, bulli on the nape of neck, violent sneezing
and lacrimation (Ewing-Hunter, 1908).
The UK Pharmacy and Poison Act. Revised schedule of poisons and
listed sellers of non-medical poisons. Purchasers of opiates had to
be known by the seller and an entry made in the Poisons Register
(RPSGB).
Paul Ehrlich and his co-worker Sahachiro Hata found that the 606th
compound that they tried was effective against syphilis and they
named it Salvarsan (compound 606). This was arsphenamine (i.e.
made from arsenic). It was used in more than 20,000 patients prior to
marketing compared with the median number in 1987–89 of 1528
with 95% confidence limits of 1194–1748 and a range from 43 to
15,962 (Williams, 2009; Rawlins & Jefferys, 1993). It was marketed
in 1910 and Neosalvarsen was marketed in 1912. The price of a
single injection of Salvarsen in 1911 was 10 shillings (2008 value by
the retail price index was £37.95 or $ 70.38; by average earnings
£198 or $368). This meant that only the rich could have afforded it,
whilst the poor would have had ung. hydrarg./ liq. arsenicalis or
sodium arsenate.
The US Department of Agriculture (Bureau of Chemistry) undertook
a survey of US physicians to ascertain their views on ‘The harmful
effects of acetanilide, antipyrin and Phenacetin’. The purpose of the
study was to ‘collect information relative to the poisonous nature of
acetanilide, antipyrin and Phenacetin’. They wrote to the physicians
throughout the US and asked the following questions:
1. To what extent do you use these drugs in your practice?
2. What dose do you ordinarily prescribe for adults?
3. Do you prescribe them more or less frequently than formerly?
Why?
4. What is your opinion with regard to the relative safety of these
three drugs?
5. Have you observed instances of acute or chronic poisoning or
cyanosis caused by these drugs? How many of each?
6. In what form was the drug administered?
7. About what dates did the poisoning occur?