Materia medica and therapeutics : for physicians and students / by John B. Biddle.

  • Biddle, John B. (John Barclay), 1815-1879.
Date:
1886
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Materia medica and therapeutics : for physicians and students / by John B. Biddle. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    eliminated from the blood, chiefly in the urine, but also by the mucous membranes generally. If administered in too large doses, or to persons of irritable stomach, it produces subacute gastro-enteritis; and when continued for a long time it will produce gastro-enteric symptoms—headache, giddiness and other evidences of cerebro-spinal disturbance—marasmus— sometimes discoloration of the skin—occasionally salivation— and frequently a wasting of the maimnce mid testicles. This train of symptoms is termed iodism. In excessive doses it may act as an irritant poison, and has even produced death; but such a result is rare. Enormous quantities have been taken with very slight effects. The antidote is starch. The absorption of iodine is shown by its presence in the blood and various secretions. Medicinal Uses.—Iodine has been used with success in some cases of vomiting of pregnancy; a few drops of the tincture may be given for this purpose. It is a most valuable resolvent remedy in chronic visceral and glandular enlargements, indura- tions, thickening of membranes, tumours, etc. It is employed chiefly in bronchocele and scrofiUa ; also as an alterative in the late secondary and in the tertiary manifestations of syphilis where the iodides are not tolerated, and in other chronic affec- tions. It is highly recommended by the Germans in the treat- ment of typhoid fever, reducing the temperature and restraining diarrhoea; the compound solution or tincture may be given, largely diluted. Iodine is highly recommended by many observers in malarial fevers,* and, while it is admitted that it cannot compete with quinine in these diseases, it is said that, generally, it promptly arrests the attack. The compound tinc- ture should be given in doses of n^x-xv thrice daily (Dr. Anderson, quoted by Ringer). Its vapour has been inhaled with benefit in chronic bronchitis and phthisis. It is a valuable topical remedy, and is applied in the form of tincture, with the greatest advantage, to enlarged glands (especially when scrofu- * Drs. Atkinson and Woods, of Baltimore, however (Am. J. Med. Sc., April, 1883, p. 63-77), obtained no effect from iodine in two-thirds of their cases of malarial fevers. When a cure was effected, it was slow, and the patient was very liable to relapses.