DRUGS ACTING ON THE URINARY ORGANS 47 



Uses. — Benzoic acid is sometimes of benefit in acidifying and disin- 

 fecting an alkaline -decomposing urine of pyelitis or cystitis. Recently 

 urotropin has been used more successfully for these purposes. The alka- 

 lies are thought to be useful in alkalizing the blood in certain disorders 

 (rheumatismj hemoglobinemia, etc.), and the urine of carnivora, to prevent 

 the precipitation of uric acid in the urine or to aid its solution when 

 already precipitated. 



Drugs Influencing the Composition of Urine. 



Speaking generally, drugs act on the glomerules to eliminate water 

 and salts. Drugs influence the tubules to secrete organic substances and 

 water. Whether the glomerular fluid is chiefly an osmotic filtration or a 

 true secretion is a moot point. 



The composition of the urine is also altered by most drugs eliminated 

 in it, leading to changes in color, odor, reaction and the appearance of 

 blood pigment, etc. 



Thus blood appears in the urine after toxic dose^s of turpentine, 

 cantharides and salicylic acid; and blood pigment, in poisoning by potas- 

 sium chlorate, acetanilid, nitrites, glycerin and mushrooms (muscarin) ; 

 and occasionally by overdoses of mineral acids, naphtol, naphtalin and 

 arsenic. Rhubarb and senna impart their coloring matter (chrysarobin) 

 to urine, which makes acid urine brown, but alkaline urine a deep blood 

 or purplish red. Carbolic acid, creosote, naphtalin and other tar-prod- 

 ucts, together with gaultheria and uva ursi (due to contained arbutin), 

 stain the urine a greenish-brown or blackish hue. Santonin dyes an alka- 

 line urine cherry or purple-red, while an acid urine is turned yellow or 

 greenish. Logwood gives its color to acid urine, while an alkaline urine 

 is rendered red or violet. Poisonous doses of sulphonal and trional give 

 rise to a claret-colored urine, owing to hematoporphyrin. Gamboge and 

 carrots bestow their colors on the urine. Turpentine is said to give urine 

 the odor of violets, but large doses impart the peculiar odor of the oil 

 itself. Cubebs, copaiba, eucalyptus, valerian, musk, asafetida, sandal 

 wood oil, asparagus and turpentine (large doses) communicate their 

 special odor to the urine. 



Urinary Antiseptics. 

 Certain drugs are sometimes given with the purpose of killing bac- 

 teria in the urine in purulent pyelitis and cystitis. Among these are : 

 Urotropin Salol 



Benzoic acid Buchu 



Boric acid Copaiba 



Methylene blue Cubebs 



Salicylic acid Volatile oils 



Urinary Sedatives. 

 The foregoing list, in preventing decomposition, and: 

 Hyoscyamus Opium 



Belladonna Alkalies (with an acid urine) 



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