CHAPTER XV 



chemical remedies 



Chemiotherapy 



Ancient origin of chemical therapeutic agents — "Sterilization" of the 

 infected animal — Protozoal diseases : example of quinine — Association 

 of chemical research with animal experiment. 



The arsenical bodies and " 606 " or Saharsan. 



Progress in the treatment of sleeping-sickness and syphilis — Observations 

 on immunity in Protozoal diseases. 



Strains resistant to drugs— Strains resistant to sera — The future of chemio- 

 therapy. 



Chemical therapeutics is old as the world. It fills our 

 pharmacopoeias, still further enriched by organic chemistry. 

 But all over it furnishes only symptomatic remedies : one 

 induces sleep, another stimulates the heart, others deaden pain. 

 The drugs which really cure are easily counted, few exist 

 besides quinine and mercury. 



Chemical therapeutics of to-day is engaged in searching 

 for other examples of the order of quinine and mercury, drugs 

 capable of destroying pathogenic microbes without injuring the 

 cells of the body. In theory and practice it is chemistry 

 applied to therapeutics. 



Such remedies should resemble more or less the antiseptics 

 and should have as function sterilization. When the antiseptic 

 properties of corrosive sublimate became known, R. Koch 

 tried to inject it into anthrax-infected guinea-pigs to destroy 

 the bacteria, but the animals died. This simple experiment 

 puts the problem well before us with all its difficulties. 

 Corrosive sublimate cannot be employed to " sterilize " a 



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