SALICYLIC ACID 359 



fore not used for this purpose nearly so much as formerly. It acts u.^ e 

 favorably with a falling than a rising temperature, and should be given 

 two or three hours before the probable time of maximum temperature. 

 Quinine is employed in many acute diseases, such as influenza, bronchitis 

 and pneumonia of horses. In full doses, at the outset of colds or inflam- 

 matory diseases of the respiratory tract, quinine may prove abortifacient. 

 Later in these diseases the drug may be given as an antipyretic (without 

 much benefit probably), but in the convalescent stages quinine, in small 

 doses, becomes of great worth as a tonic. Some experiments involving 

 the injection of putrid material into the blood of dogs, appeared to indi- 

 cate that quinine had a restraining influence on the resulting septic state, 

 and, in some cases, saved life, but its use as an internal antiseptic rests 

 on little but tradition. 



Puerperal fever and erysipelatous inflammation yield somewhat to 

 quinine, and the drug should be tried in these infections. The alkaloid 

 does not lower the temperature or prove destructive to the micrococci of 

 pyemia. A vast number of cases of rheumatic fever have been treated 

 with quinine in human practice, but the results are inferior to those 

 obtained by salicylates. In subacute and chronic muscular rheumatism 

 quinine is sometimes useful. It has been injected into the affected muscles 

 in this disorder, in horses, with favorable results. 



The alkaloids of cinchona may be used as antipyretics in all acute 

 diseases with the exception of meningitis, cerebritis, gastritis, nephritis 

 and cystitis, where they produce too much irritation. They are also 

 contra-indicated in epilepsy and middle-ear disease. 



3. Specific Properties. — One mil of a ] per cent, solution of bi- 

 muriate of quinine and urea to the pound, live weight, has been injected 

 intra-abdominally in cattle as a treatment for tick fever. 



Quinine stands preeminent in the treatment of malaria, as it is the 

 only drug which can be relied upon to kill malarial organisms. While 

 periodicity in the febrile attacks is characteristic of malaria, an absolute 

 diagnosis can be made only by the discovery of Laveran's plasmodium in 

 the red blood corpuscles. Malaria but rarely, if ever, affects the lower 

 animals in this country, although exceedingly common among human 

 beings. Cases are said to occur not infrequently among horses and cattle 

 in India. A single full antipyretic dose of quinine, if given from twelve 

 to six hours before an expected malarial attack, will usually prevent it. A 

 single large dose should be given once daily for several days thereafter. 

 When the disease is severe, treatment may be pursued by the hypodermic 

 method. A purge of aloes and calomel should be exhibited prior to the 

 administration of quinine in the treatment of malaria. 



Class 2. — Salicylic Acid, Salicin, Salol, Oil of Gaultheria and 



Methyl Salicylate. 



AciDUM Saucylicum. Salicylic Acid. C,H„03. (U. S. & B. P.) 

 Synonym. — Acid salicylique, Fr. ; sallcylsaure, G. 



An organic acid, existing naturally in combination in various plants, but 

 chiefly prepared synthetically from carbolic acid. 



Derivation. — Made by passing carbonic dioxide through sodium carbolate at a 



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