584 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
vincial.” He speaks of tlie laxity of medical 
men in going on in prescribing a nostrum 
•with blind faith in its occult powers, and 
without caring to ascertain what it is they 
are giving their patients; then of the anar¬ 
chy that exists in the multifarious compounds 
under this name administered to the sick : 
one containing obviously prussic acid, an¬ 
other five times as much morphia as a third 
with no prussic acid, but belladonna and In¬ 
dian hemp and chloroform. 
I hold that the question of chlorodyne is 
the question of all secret nostrums. I have 
for years protested against the secret formula) 
of chlorodyne, but the medical journals, hav¬ 
ing a direct interest in advertising it, would 
not insert my notes. The “ Provincial” thinks 
there is a contradiction in the following 
phrases:—I have “ tried all three specimens 
pretty extensively” (Brown’s, Towle’s, and 
Freeman’s), “but the profession, if guided 
honestly, should discountenance secret for¬ 
mula).” One has no time to make a chloro¬ 
dyne for himself. I find it in almost all 
families; nor do I believe Piccadilly is in Ire¬ 
land, as he declares. In fact, I have tried 
the two forms of chlorodyne, the formulae of 
which are published (Towle’s and Freeman’s), 
and have discountenanced the one with a 
secret formula, though advertised and re¬ 
commended by medical editors. 
Chloroform and chlorodyne, I regret to 
say, are mere trade or party questions in jour¬ 
nals. Nitrous oxide also begins to be a most 
valuable agent for removing pain; only one 
side is heard; but nitrous oxide was peremp¬ 
torily condemned at once in favour of bi¬ 
chloride of methylene and ether spray, and 
so the occult powers of that chlorodyne which 
was advertised most were held in favour. It 
is a fight like that of Hercules, I know, in 
the stable of classic note, to clear away the 
corruptions of party or trade questions. I 
would only hope that when I said if the pro¬ 
fession were guided honestly, it should dis¬ 
countenance secret formulas, I used no contra¬ 
diction in terms. The ‘ Pharmaceutical Jour- 
nal’ is doing immense good in striving to 
elucidate the fount of the real composition of 
these heterogeneous compounds. I think 
the bedside test of what chlorodyne accom¬ 
plishes for the sick is of quite as great value 
as eager laboratory speculations, not over¬ 
wise, that chlorodyne is nothing but treacle 
and a solution of morphia; or, again, treacle 
and belladonna. We want, in fact, one steady 
recognized formula like Towle’s. It is only- 
very shallow practitioners that cannot see 
the vast difference, especially in such affec¬ 
tions as dysmenorrhoea spasm, between such 
a compound and a simple solution of mor¬ 
phia; or, again, between Freeman’s for¬ 
mula and treacle-and-belladonna. Some 
patients are intensely sensitive to one or 
other of these active agents, and thus come 
to be a sort of measure or test of that special 
formula. I know one lady who is made ten 
times worse of her ailments by Brown’s 
chlorodyne, but one of the other two invari¬ 
ably acts like a charm in curing her. 
I am, etc., 
Charles Kidd, M.D. 
SacJcville Street, Piccadilly. 
February 6 tfi, 1870. 
P.G.F. —(1.) Yes. (2.) No; only those 
who have passed the “ Major Examination.” 
W. F. J. (Clerkenw-ell).— Benzole in Bis - 
pensing. A licence, which may bo obtained 
without any cost from the Board of Works, 
would remove the difficulty complained of. 
A. F. S. (St. Austell).—Messrs. Jackson 
and Townson, 87, Bishopsgate Street, 
Within. 
F. G. (Louth).—A knowledge of both sys¬ 
tems is expected. 
P. B. —We presume the intention of 
the prescriber is that the chlorine should be 
retained, and therefore the hydrochloric acid 
should be added last. 
N. M. (Haddenham), “ Inquirer ” (Leeds), 
and J. Worrel, should forward particulars 
of the cases mentioned to the Registrar, 17, 
Bloomsbury Square. 
H. II. B. (Cardigan) wishes to have a 
formula for “ Inseparable Lime Juice and 
Glycerine.” 
“ Preliminary .” — No; the information 
will be found on the cover of the Journal. 
W. L. G. (St. Austell).—The “ Major Ex¬ 
amination ” is now necessary. 
W. L. (Bristol).—Included in the second 
part of the schedule: see page 442 of our last 
number. 
P. H. —See page 442, as above. 
“ Solicitus ” (Bracknell).—No. 
F. O. C . (Chard).—Yes ; if it gives off in¬ 
flammable vapour at less than 100° Fahr. 
Instructions from Members and Associates respecting the transmission of the Journal 
should he sent to Elias Bremridge, Secretary, 17, Bloomsbury Square, W.C., before the 
25th of the month. 
Advertisements (not later than the 23rd) to Messrs. Churchill, New Burlington 
Street, London, W. 
