566 
Antifebrin,  a  New  Antipyretic. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Nov.,  1886 
pyemic  fever  in  consequence  of  cystitis  and  decubitus  1,  septicaemia  1, 
creeping  pneumonia  1. 
The  drug  was  given  in  individual  doses  of  *25  to  1  gram,  stirred 
up  in  water,  or  in  wafers,  or  mixed  with  wine.  The  maximum  dose 
hitherto  given  has  been  2  grams  in  24  hours.  The  appropriate  dose 
varies  with  the  nature  of  the  illness;  but  the  authors  lay  down  the 
rule  that  the  dose  required  to  produce  the  equivalent  effect  is  about 
one  quarter  the  corresponding  dose  of  antipyrine.  They  also  find 
that  distinct  apyrexia  is  easier  attained  by  single  large  doses  than  by 
repeated  smaller  ones.  They  then  give  some  examples  of  the  action 
of  antifebrin. 
From  these  it  is  seen  that  its  action  is  already  marked  at  the  end  of 
one  hour,  reaches  its  maximum  after  about  four  hours,  and  is  over  in 
from  three  to  ten  hours,  according  to  the  dose  given.  The  tempera- 
ture is  lowered  for  six  to  eight  hours  by  a  dose  which  can  reduce  high 
temperature  to  the  normal  or  under.  A  reduction  of  the  temperature 
to  the  normal  was  accompanied  by  reddening  of  the  skin  and  a  fair 
amount  of  sweating.  Its  re-ascent  was  not  accompanied  by  shivering, 
though  in  some  cases,  as  with  antipyrin,  the  patients  had  a  sensation 
of  cold.  The  fall  in  temperature  is  accompanied  by  a  considerable 
diminution  in  the  pulse  rate,  and  by  an  increase  in  tension.  The  di- 
gestive tract  tolerates  antifebrin  well,  there  being  neither  vomiting  or 
nausea,  nor  diarrhoea.  In  some  instances,  daring  the  afebrile  period,  along 
with  a  quite  unusual  thirst  a  marked  increaee  of  diuresis  occurred. 
None  of  the  patients  had  any  complaint  to  make  of  the  medicine. 
The  only  symptom  which  caused  any  anxiety  was  a  notable  cyanosis  in 
the  face  and  extremities  of  some  of  the  patients,  which  set  in  with 
apyrexia,  and  reached  different  degrees,  but  disappeared  without  any 
unpleasant  effect,  so  that  the  observers  ceased  to  trouble  about  it.  In 
some  instances  the  patients  went  off  into  a  quiet  sleep  during  the 
afebrile  period. 
The  recommendations  of  this  antipyretic  are,  then,  its  efficiency  in 
comparatively  small  doses,  the  absence  of  troublesome  symptoms  on 
the  part  of  the  stomach,  the  slight  amount  of  transpiration,  and  lastly 
its  cheapness.  It  may  be  obtained  from  Kalle  &  Co.,  purified,  at  30 
marks  per  kilogram.  Experimenters  are  advised  as  to  the  necessity 
of  using  the  purified  material. 
The  authors,  in  conclusion,  call  attention  to  this  being  the  first  in- 
different body  which  has  been  found  to  possess  antipyretic  properties, 
