594 IMPORTANT POISONS AND THEIR TREATMENT 



Before leaving this group of poisons^ I must refer to another remedy which, 

 on account of its extensive use in therapy, often gives rise to toxicosis. This 

 drug is ANTiPYRiN. Antipyrin, at one time the favorite and most extensively 

 employed antipyretic and antineuralgic, is also a poison which may cause severe 

 symptoms of intoxication; in particular, dermatoses of all kinds, the hemor- 

 rhagic diathesis, and many cases of so-called hemorrhagic scarlatina which 

 are not due to the intensity of the disease, but to the intensity of the therapy 

 employed. There can be no doubt that antipyrin, besides producing exan- 

 thematous eruptions, also produces enanthemas of the most varied kinds. In 

 persons who show an idiosyncrasy to antipyrin — and such individuals are not 

 rare — even small doses may produce a variety of eruptions. It is true that 

 no serious phenomena have as yet been noted among the symptoms of antipyrin 

 toxicosis ; nevertheless, the therapeutic employment of this remedy necessitates 

 care, all the more so as its continued use may give rise to the symptoms of 

 chronic antipyrin toxicosis. This is as yet but little known, and has been but 

 little studied, the condition running its course with dyspepsia and gastric and 

 intestinal catarrh. 



The group of camphors and terpins, ethereal oils, balsams and resins, we 

 shall mention but briefly. In the main but slight importance is to be attached 

 to them. Only Japanese camphor, commonly called simply camphoe, and 

 employed internally as the oil of camphor, is of importance to the physician. 

 There is no doubt that the introduction of large quantities of camphor into 

 the organism causes extreme cerebral irritation, delirium, spasms and convul- 

 sions, even albuminuria and severe renal irritation, and for this reason it is 

 not to be indiscriminately used. But also by the subcutaneous employment 

 of the oil of camphor — at least in certain affections, such as enteric fever — 

 local abscesses may be produced, even with the most cautious asepsis. I do 

 not deny the favorable effect of camphorated oil in cardiac collapse, but the 

 experience of recent years shows that particular care is necessary in the em- 

 ployment of even this oil ! 



Some remedies which are in common use, such as balsam of copaiba and 

 GAMBOGE, belong to this group, and if indiscreetly employed may give rise to 

 toxic symptoms. Toxic nephritis and toxic enteritis may be produced by 

 these agents, and for this reason they are by no means to be looked upon as 

 indifferent substances. They are enumerated here only that I may recom- 

 mend care in their medicinal employment. 



The next group of agents with which we shall concern ourselves is that 

 of the alkaloids. After prussic acid, this group contains the most violent poi- 

 sons for the human organism, poisons which, even in minimal doses, may occa- 

 sion the severest symptoms. Chemically, the alkaloids are basic bodies which 

 contain a pyridin nucleus, and combine with acids. Their action is inde- 

 pendent of the nature of the acid, but depends upon the nature of the free 

 base, and, therefore, upon the nature of the alkaloid. All these agents are 

 characterized by the fact that they have only slight local action; they there- 

 lore rarely give rise to gastritis and enteritis, but they act intensely, even in 

 smalJ doses, upon the heart and the brain, paralyzing the respiratory center, 

 and in this way rapidly cause death. 



