Introduction - Uppsala Monitoring Centre

Antidiuretic effect
1776 urine insensible,
1763 stoppage of
urine), 1785 (increased
secretion)
1786 (increased urine)
x
x
Fever x 5-10%
Headache 47 BC, 1763, 1774,
1785, 1786, 1793
x x x x x >10%
Backache 5-10%
Relaxation of joints 130 BC, 1652, 1763,
1789
Tremor 1657, 1785, 1793 x x x x
x
Uncoordinated
movements
Abortion 1763
1652 x x x
Cardiac arrest 1788 palpitations x
Stupor/coma 147AD, 580 x x x x x
Death
130 BC, 77AD, 78AD,
1533, 1586, 1619,
1652, 1657, 1678,
1763, 1789
x x x
A = ‘Reactions with Drug Therapy’ by Harry L. Alexander who also gives papular eruption,
scarlatiniform eruption, exfoliative dermatitis, erythematous eruption and angio-oedema.
Prior to 130 BC I have found no mention of adverse effects. From then until 1800
the events were described graphically, but did not describe the physiological
changes, which are implied by modern terminology.
There are some noticeable absences before 1881: no skin problems, no
oedema, no fever or backache, although they are supposed to have an incidence of
5–10%. The delays in recognition of some adverse events until post-1800 are
understandable in that the means to diagnose them were not developed or that the
terminology of some of the mental symptoms could be included under ‘dysphoria’