Introduction - Uppsala Monitoring Centre

mentioned being for quinine (singing in the ears) and for salicylates
(tinnitus, air-hunger, delirium, vomiting and acetonuria). Important
drug adverse effects are mentioned as ‘intoxications’ so for causes of
jaundice we have chemical poisons: phosphorus, toluene-diamin,
mercury, arsenic, chloroform and ether. For secondary anaemia:
poisoning - we have lead, mercury and arsenic. For toxic purpura
there is quinine, antipyrin, copaiba, mercury, etc. Albuminuria may be
caused by arsenic and excess morphia. Causes of peripheral neuritis
include; alcohol, arsenic and bisulphide of carbon.
Aplastic anaemia is under ‘pernicious anaemia’ as a ‘few cases
with no bone marrow reaction’ and, of course, there is no mention of
Vitamin B 12 . There is no mention of agranulocytosis. The ordinary
treatment of syphilis is Hutchinson’s pill (Hydrarg. c. Cretâ gr. i and
Pulv. Ipecac.Co. gr. i one or two thrice daily), but if treatment is more
urgent inunction of blue ointment (4G daily) or hypodermic injection
of corrosive sublimate gr ⅛ or calomel gr. i-ii injected intramuscularly
once a week, but there is no mention of adverse reactions. Under
another heading Salvarsen and Neosalvarsen are mentioned as
giving good results. Drug treatment for miliary TB is ‘purely
symptomatic’ and for ordinary pulmonary TB Tuberculin is
recommended, but serum treatment was not successful. Great
emphasis is given to vaccine treatment for tetanus, anthrax,
actinomycosis, Malta fever, septicaemia, erysipelas; and anti-sera,
which was used for typhoid, diphtheria, scarlet fever, erysipelas,
lobar pneumonia, anthrax, dysentery, plague, croup, and acute
endocarditis. Treatment for rheumatic fever is salicylate of sodium or
Salicin gr.xx every two hours and only if salicylates disagree other
salicyl compounds, e.g. Aspirin, may be used. ‘Tonics’ play a large
part in treatment, especially arsenic, iron and strychnine. Although
Galen’s humours have lost most of their influence, emesis, purging
and venesection still play a part in some diseases:
Emesis: in collapse of the lung and bronchopneumonia.
Purges: in hepatic engorgement, high blood pressure, chronic
bronchitis with cardiac dilatation, chronic haemoptysis, acute and
chronic Bright’s disease, mumps, glandular fever, yellow fever, gout,
acute tonsillitis, worms, hepatic cirrhosis, infantile paralysis, simple
meningitis, cerebral haemorrhage, Meniere’s disease, migraine and
Trichina spiralis infestation.
Venesection: in chronic bronchitis with cardiac dilatation, lobar
pneumonia, meningeal haemorrhage, simple meningitis and cerebral
haemorrhage (Jack, 1916).