ACTION OF INORGANIC SALTS 31 



Iron has been called " a general tonic" and given in a host of conditions 

 without any particular reason except that it would "build up" the system. 

 It does, to be sure, have some action on the blood-making organs and as 

 far as hemoglobin construction is concerned, where iron is lacking, it is 

 beneficial. We have it thus indicated in the several types of anemias. 

 In the form of Basham's mixture it has been given in cases of chronic 

 nephritis, although pharmacologists agree that it has no direct action on 

 the kidneys. Ferric hydroxide enters into the official arsenic antidote 

 and is very beneficial in this connection. Iron salts are also used as power- 

 ful astringents and styptics. The subsulphate is most commonly em- 

 ployed. Forscheimer mentions the use of iron in more than thirty-five 

 disorders, of which the following are a few: Addison's disease, amyloid 

 kidney, anemia, bronchial asthma, cerebrospinal meningitis, convales- 

 cence from pneumonia, chlorosis, hay-fever, hookworm disease, nephritis, 

 occupation paresis, rachitis, chronic rhinitis, acute tonsillitis. 



Arsenic. Arsenic and its preparations are well-known in the inorganic 

 materia medica. Salts of arsenic have been used for centuries as cura- 

 tive agents. Metallic arsenic itself is not used, but in its stead the 

 trioxide AsoOa, arsenate, iodide, and several liquors containing these 

 salts. 



As to physiological action, arsenic belongs to drugs that affect general 

 metabolic processes. Arsenic is a protoplasmic poison capable of de- 

 stroying all forms of life. Its extreme toxicity renders it unfit for use as a 

 bactericide. On the blood-making organs, arsenic has a pronounced but as 

 yet not understood effect. In small doses hyperemia of the bone marrow 

 is produced, which brings about a stimulation of the leucoblastic cells 

 concerned in the formation of white corpuscles. Small doses of arsenic 

 also diminish the catabolic processes, thus bringing about an increase in 

 body weight. Given repeatedly it shows a marked action on the skin, 

 producing a thickening of the epithelium and a keratosis not unlike that 

 seen in the regular callous. In many cases of malnutrition it is 

 indicated. 



In organic combination, arsenic is used as an antizymotic. It has 

 been used successfully in certain types of malarial infection. In try- 

 panosomiasis and syphilis it has been particularly useful. Forscheimer 

 mentions arsenic as being indicated in the following diseases: Addison's 

 disease, bronchial asthma, chronic malaria^ epilepsy, goiter, hay-fever, 

 neuralgia, leukemia, neurasthenia, neuralgic headache, pernicious anemia, 

 syphilis, diabetes mellitus, Hodgkin's disease, scarlet fever, tetanus, 

 pellagra, arthritis. 



Mercury. Metallic mercury in a fine state of subdivision, as well as 

 many of its salts, forms one of the most important series of inorganic reme- 

 dial agents we know anything about. The United States Pharmacopoeia 

 recognizes thirteen official preparations to be used both internally and 



