A guide to therapeutics / by Robert Farquharson.

  • Farquharson, Robert, 1836-1918.
Date:
1886
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A guide to therapeutics / by Robert Farquharson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    90/416
    Constitutional Action. Salicylic acid is an anti- septic and antipyretic, rapidly reducing temperature in fever- ish conditions, although in a state of health the drug seems to be without influence on the body heat. Some headache, giddiness, and ringing in the ears have been observed, but the cardiac and respiratory functions are not sensibly affected. The secretion of saliva is increased. In poisonous doses, slow- ing of the breathing and con- vulsive attacks, from diminu- tion of excitability of the vagus, have been observed. Nausea, burning in the throat, vomit- ing, and stomach irritation have occasionally been noticed to follow the use of the acid ; and albuminuria with almost total suppression of urine, and occasionally hsematuria, are more rarely noted among its effects ; the most usual action, however, on the kidneys bemg diuretic, with slight increase of urea and uric acid. The real danger of the drug, how- ever, consists in its depressing Salicylic acid is now uni- versally allowed to be a most efficient remedy in acute rheu- matism, very rapidly reducing temperature, relieving pain, and, m fact, cutting short the disease. By shortenmg the duration of the joint inflam- mation, it naturally limits the tendency to cardiac compHca- tion ; but it seems to have no influence over developed pericarditis or in averting or arresting conditions of hyper- pyrexia. In an ordinary case of acute articular rheumatism we may count upon cutting short the disease m two or three days, the pain going first and then the fever. It is well to continue the drug for 10 or 15 days after the apparent cure, in order to prevent re- lapses, which are specially liable to occur, and the anasmia so often following other modes of treatment is not met with mider this. It is of less ser- vice in chronic rheumatism or gout, it is useless m ague, and although in typhoid fever the temperature may go down,