The second report of the indigenous drugs committee.

Date:
1909
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The second report of the indigenous drugs committee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Lieutenants Hyde Hills and Brooke Churchill, R.A.M.C., ex- perimented on a few European soldiers and came to the conclusion that the effects in the dose used were somewhat “drastic.” Major D. W. Sutherland, I.M.S., M.D., from his experiments at the Medical College, Lahore, caihe to the conclusion that “ P. Einodi is a useful cholagogue purgative, and about equal in value to the pharmacopoeila resin.’ (2) Alstonia scholaris (tincture used).—Captain W. M. Anderson, I.M.S., Civil Surgeon, Kurram, administered the drug to sepoys and concluded that it ‘ ‘ appears to be of use in mild cases, but not in severe cases.” Further that in severe cases, quinine in 10 grain doses brought down the fever within 48 hours, whereas in these same cases dr. i doses of the Tinct. Alstonise produced no effect. He also tried it in two cases of diarrhoea, but without obtaining any conclusive evidence of real value. Trials at Seoni, Central Provinces, by Hospital Assistant S. A. Ali, were also unfavourable as regards its success as a febrifuge. Dr. F. X. de Attaides, Superintendent of Jail, Katha, reports that the tincture of the drug was successful in three cases of ordinary malarial fever, but the ‘ ‘ taste of the drug was objected to ’ ’ and occasionally it caused nausea and vomiting. It had “ no pro- nounced efficacy.” Lieutenant-Colonel H. A. Haines, M.D., R.A.M.C., Ambala, reports briefly that the drug was found “very useful after ague.” On the whole, the few reports received about this drug do not appear to be encouraging. (3) Picrorhiza Kurroa (tincture used).—Captain W. M. Anderson, I.M.S., considers that it is of “very little use as an antiperiodic and very inferior to quinine.” Dr. F. X. de Attaides, Super- intendent of Jail, Katha, states that in two cases of fever the results were “not satisfactory.” Lieutenant-Colonel Haines, M.D., R.A.M.C., states that he finds it “ a very useful drug,” but as he gives no particulars for what conditions or under what circumstances the drug is useful, it is not possible to assess the value of the opinion given. Captain A. W. Greig, I.M.S., Superintendent of Central Jail, Mandalay, reports on this drug (and also several others of the above list) in such terms as the following “ . . . tried Picrorhiza Kurroa and found (it) to possess the properties ascribed to it.” A report and opinion like this, it is perhaps needless to remark, is useless to this Committee or to anybody else. It does not advance our knowledge of the properties of the drug one iota ; and advance in knowledge of drugs is what we should aim at. (4) Adhatoda Vasica (tincture used).—Not very much addition, we are afraid, has been made to the knowledge we previously were in pos- session of about this drug. What there is only goes to confirm the opi- nion that in suitable cases it proves to be a useful addition to our list of expectorant drugs. Major Sutherland is of opinion that it is a gooi expectorant and useful in bronchitis.” Captain Anderson fonn it only “ temporary benefit in relieving the dyspneeal attacks in asthma. Lieutenant-Colonel Haines, R.A.M.C., did not consider that its uti i y