594 The Philippine Journal of Science 



CONCLUSIONS 



1. Antimony in the form of tartar emetic, vinum antimonii, 

 and Castellani's yaws formula, as we have employed it, ap- 

 pears to be of no real therapeutic value as a means of treating 

 leprosy. 



2. Tartar emetic appears to improve some of the ulcerations 

 so commonly found in leprosy but, because of its irritating prop- 

 erties and the fact that it promotes wasting, the use of this 

 drug instead of the more-efficient and less-harmful drugs avail- 

 able is not justifiable. 



3. These preparations should be used cautiously in lepers, 

 especially those in the more-advanced stages of the disease. 

 The intravenous medication has, in our experience, proved in- 

 jurious to the kidneys, which in the majority of these cases 

 showed considerable damage. It also accelerates pulmonary 

 tuberculosis. The Castellani formula tends to excite lepra re- 

 action and is irritating to the stomach. 



ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 



We are indebted to Dr. H. W. Wade, chief pathologist and 

 acting chief physician, Culion Leper Colony, at whose sugges- 

 tion this work was initiated, for valuable help given us in the 

 preparation of this paper. We also wish to express our thanks 

 to Dr. C. B. Lara, supervising physician of Clinic 2, for call- 

 ing our attention to the use of tartar emetic in lepra fever in 

 his clinic and for help in gathering data on the cases so treated. 



