SKIN AND MUCOUS MEMBRANES 159 



9. Ergot, hydrastis, cocaine and adrenalin. (The latter con- 

 tracts the vessels of the conjunctiva and iris.) 



10. Cold in the form of ice or cold applications. 



Antiphlogistics. — A series of medicaments which it was formerly custom- 

 ary to use in inflammatory conditions of all kinds were classified in the old 

 therapeutics under the name of antiphlogistics, or remedies which combat 

 infiammation (refrigerants, temperants). In this group were included the 

 astringents, bleeding and other methods of local bloodletting, hydrotherapy 

 (Priessnitz), cold, mercury and potassium nitrate. Inflammations due to 

 infection are now treated with antiseptics (carbohc acid, iodoform, camphor, 

 alcohol, salicylic acid, calomel). Astringents with antiseptic action are also 

 employed (silver nitrate, copper sulphate, lead acetate, alum, tannin, cold). 

 Moreover, infiammation is not a disease but, Uke fever, is to be regarded as 

 a reactive natural healing process which in itself does not need to be combated. 



Drugs which have an action opposed to the antiphlogistics were formerly 

 classified as calefacients, i.e., heating agents. They are indicated in abnormal 

 sinking of the body temperature (freezing, loss of blood, last stages of poison- 

 ing and infectious diseases). In addition to the external and internal employ- 

 ment of heat (warm bandages, warm drinks), the calefacients also include 

 caffeine, which rapidly increases the temperature from 0.5 to 1° C. Small 

 doses of alcohol exert a similar effect. 



Anticatarrhalics. — All of the drugs used in the treatment of catarrhs were 

 formerly classified as anticatarrhalics. The group included particularly the 

 astringents, expectorants, antiseptics and resorbents (alkalies). 



Antidyscratics. — The terms antidyscratics, alterants and metasyncritics 

 wereused in the older therapeutics todesignate a series of so-called blood-purify- 

 ing medicines which were employed empirically in the treatment of different 

 dyscrasias and cachexias. The group was further subdivided into antiscrofu- 

 lous, anticarcinomatous, antisyphilitic, antiscorbutic, antarthritic, anti- 

 rheumatic. Arsenic, mercury, iodine, phosphorus, sulphur, antimony, the 

 alkalies and the so-called "wood-drinks" for man (sarsaparilla, sassafras) 

 were regarded as alterative drugs. The action which is really obtained from 

 these drugs is partly specifically antiseptic (mercury, iodine), partly resorbent 

 (arsenic) and partly diuretic or diaphoretic (alkalies, hot water). 



