112 
ON  OXALATE  OF  IRON. 
so  easily  borne  by  persons  whose  idiosyncrasy  debars  the  use  of 
other  salts  of  the  metal,  will,  I  have  no  doubt,  render  it  a  very 
popular  and  useful  remedy  with  the  medical  profession. 
The  usual  dose,  according  to  Dr.  Schseffer,  is  from  two  to 
three  grains. 
As  it  is  not  soluble  to  any  considerable  extent  either  in  water, 
alcohol,  syrup  or  glycerin,  I  should  think  that  the  best  mode  of 
administration  would  be  in  the  form  of  pill.  As  much  as  five 
grains  can  be  made  into  a  pill  of  convenient  size,  but  for  those 
who  may  have  an  aversion  to  medicine  in  this  form,  it  may  be 
prescribed  in  powder,  accompanied  by  directions  that  it  be  mixed 
with  sugar  and  water,  syrup  of  orange,  molasses,  or  any  other 
palatable  and  convenient  vehicle. 
Dr.  Schseffer  says,  "since  the  first  use  of  oxalate  of  iron,  it 
has  been  ascertained  that  in  cases  of  excessive  irritability,  when 
ordinary  preparations  of  iron  could  not  be  tolerated,  the  oxalate 
was  taken  with  the  greatest  benefit."  (American  Journal  of 
Pharmacy,  January,  1868). 
After  reading  the  above,  I  felt  desirous  of  seeing  the  oxalate 
of  iron  tried  in  some  case  in  which  the  other  chalybeate  prepara- 
tions could  not  be  taken  on  account  of  constitutional  peculiarity, 
and  knowing  a  medical  friend  whose  health  has  been  extremely 
delicate  for  some  time,  and  whose  ansemic  condition  imperatively 
demanded  the  use  of  iron,  and  being  also  aware  that  he  had 
tried  to  take  almost  every  preparation  of  the  metal  in  the  Phar- 
macopoeia, but  could  not  find  one  that  he  could  tolerate,  even  in 
the  minutest  dose  ;  in  fact  his  constitutional  susceptibility  being 
so  great  that  he  could  not  bear  two  drops  of  the  Tr.  Chi.  Iron, 
without  experiencing  the  most  intense  headache,  excited  circula- 
tion, &c,  I  therefore  called  his  attention  to  the  oxalate  and  in- 
duced him  to  try  it,  which  he  did,  by  commencing  with  one  grain 
doses,  continued  for  several  days,  when  he  increased  the  dose  to 
two  grains,  and  is  now  taking  three  grains  three  times  a  day, 
after  meals,  which  has  produced  strongly  marked  tonic  effects, 
unattended  by  the  slightest  unpleasant  symptom.  This  would 
seem  to  corroborate  the  statement  of  Dr.  Schseffer. 
Dr.  Schaeffer  has  made  two  analyses  of  this  salt,  and  says  that 
it  is  "without  water  of  crystallization."  (American  Journal 
Pharmacy,  January,  1868). 
