^ovember11^  )       Pharmacologic  Superstitions.  -3- 
anti-nephritic  theory  of  the  effects  of  iron,  for  he  says  in  his  work 
on  renal  disease,  published  in  1870:  ''Preparations  of  iron  are  the 
best  aid  to  the  blood  forming  function.  But  iron  in  any  of  these 
preparations  cannot  generate  blood  corpuscles.  They  can  only  be 
formed  out  of  the  nutritious  elements  of  the  food/'"  In  another 
place,  "A  long  experience  of  these  and  other  forms  of  renal  disease 
where  the  object  of  the  treatment  is  similar  has,  however,  convinced 
me  that  a  soluble  ammonio-chloride  obtained  by  acidulating  liquor 
amonii  acetatis  with  dilute  acetic  acid,  and  then  adding  the  tincture 
of  the  perchloride,  is  the  most  efficacious  of  all  the  so-called  prep- 
arations of  steel."  I  cannot  assent  to  Dr.  Basham's  dictum  that 
the  solution  of  iron  and  ammonium  acetate  is  the  most  efficacious 
preparation,  for  while  there  is  no  doubt  as  to  its  chalybeate  power, 
its  acidity  and  astringency  make  it  peculiarly  liable  to  disturb  the 
digestive  tract. 
It  verges  on  sophistry  to  attempt  to  justify  the  use  of  Basham's 
mixture  in  nephritis  on  the  ground  of  its  adding  the  diuretic  effect 
of  the  ammonium  acetate  to  the  chalybeate  action  of  the  iron.  If  a 
saline  diuretic  be  deemed  desirable,  it  should  be  given  separately 
so  that  the  dose  of  one  or  the  other  may  be  increased  according 
to  the  requirements  of  the  individual  case.  It  is  manifestly  bad 
therapeutics  to  administer  a  diuretic  if  not  indicated  simply  for  the 
sake  of  obtaining  the  action  of  iron  on  the  blood. 
While  on  the  subject  of  iron,  I  feel  impelled  to  say  a  word  con- 
cerning the  misapprehension  as  to  the  effects  of  this  metal  on  the 
system.  It  is  not  in  any  proper  sense  a  "  general  tonic,"  whatever 
that  phrase  may  mean ;  it  has  one  specific  therapeutic  action,  namely, 
to  increase  the  hemoglobin  content  of  the  blood.  Outside  of  this 
and  the  local  effects  of  certain  salts,  there  is  no  known  physiologic 
action  of  iron  which  gives  any  ground  for  its  therapeutic  employ- 
ment. 
Ferric  Chloride. 
Also  I  cannot  resist  saying  a  word  about  the  use,  or  rather  abuse, 
of  ferric  chloride  as  a  hematinic.  It  would  seem  as  thought  large 
numbers  of  the  medical  profession  were  unaware  that  there  was  any 
other  soluble  salt  of  iron  known  to  chemistry,  unless  they  have 
recourse  to  the  advertised  proprietary  preparations.  The  pharma- 
copeia recognizes  a  soluble  citrate,  a  soluble  phosphate,  an  iron  and 
ammonium  citrate,  as  well  as  various  compound  salts  of  iron.  The 
chlorid  is  one  of  the  most  highly  astringent  preparations  of  iron 
