Volume 1

The extra pharmacopœia of Martindale and Westcott.

  • William Martindale
Date:
1920-1921
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The extra pharmacopœia of Martindale and Westcott. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    11/1212
    found that a Cocaine Hydrochloride solution, with added Sodium Bicarbonate (which we had been informed was remarkably anaes¬ thetic) contains a portion of its Cocaine in the basic condition and the rest of it, probably, in a labile equilibrium state. This being the case, it became a question whether minute doses of divers alkaloidal bases could not be presented for therapeutic use in solu¬ tions (made as permanent as possible) to produce an effect equal to (far larger) ordinary therapeutic doses of these alkaloids. Various suitable solvents were tried and the solubilities of the alkaloids are indicated. We were fortunate in securing the interest of two independent authorities, who have submitted some of the solutions to trial in London Hospitals. The results are very interesting, showing, e.g., that such a minute amount as 1/160 grain of Morphine in this form, has efficacy. The utility of alkaloidal base preparations is evident from what we have said. To produce even a relatively transient effect with these preparations is a gain over the “ large ” doses of the salts hitherto employed. There may be a field for them as yet untried, in intravenous therapy, and the last, but not least, advantage both to medical practitioner and chemist is that these dilute solutions are entirely outside the provisions of the Dangerous Drugs Acts. Alkaloidal Periodides.-—It is known that according to methods of procedure, Alkaloidal Periodides of two distinct types can be made, i.e., Base In or Base HI + In. We prefer to call the first- mentioned true periodides, and, starting from our experimental work on Emetine Periodide (q.v.), we proceeded to prepare others, e.g., those of Cinchonodine, Cocaine, Codeine, Morphine, Papaverine, Quinidine, Quinine, Sparteine and Strychnine. Numerous similar analogous periodides could of course be produced, We provide details of experimental proof of the apparent com¬ position, arguing by analogy with the Periodide of Quinidine. It is of interest that all these periodides behave differently in their capability of withstanding physiological acid, and %>er contra of liberating the bases in presence of physiological alkali. As to the pharmacology of these compounds, little or nothing was known. The author therefore enlisted the services of a number of his assistants and determined the dosage of these periodides by the administration of carefully limited quantities. In this way use¬ ful knowledge was gained, independent of the pharmacologist and research workers on animals. There is considerable probability that combinations of this type may have therapeutic properties, and suggestions are made under each individual periodide. Antimonium.—Our Injectio Antimonii Oxidi Fortior was stated in our last edition to be badly tolerated by animals, by reason of its acidity. We have remodelled the preparation by neutralising the acidity, and have had further animal experiments conducted ; even now, it appears that it is too potent to be used in the undiluted form, but should be tolerated in a diluted form—care is needed.
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image
    No text description is available for this image