On the actions and uses of citrate of caffein as a diuretic / by David J. Brakenridge.

  • Brakenridge, David J. (David James), 1839-1895.
Date:
1881
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the actions and uses of citrate of caffein as a diuretic / by David J. Brakenridge. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    been digitalis and caffein, which he has taken more or less con¬ stantly. It struck me that the citrate of caffein and digitalis gave him much more relief than could be accounted for by the mere increase in the quantity of the water, which was never very high. To satisfy myself I had the amounts of urea and urine measured during four periods. First, For three days while tincture of digitalis and citrate of caffein were still administered. Secondly, For three days after the administration of these drugs had been suspended. Thirdly, For three days during which citrate of caffein was again administered alone. Fourthly, For several days during which both caffein and digitalis were administered. During the first period, while both drugs were still given, the daily amounts of urine passed on each of the three days in their order were, 36 oz., 36 oz., and 34 oz. of urine, containing 380*16 grs., 382*69 grs., and 388*96 grs. of urea respectively. The amounts were remarkably steady. During the second period, when no drugs were given, the daily amounts of urine were, 34 oz., 24 oz., and 22 oz. of urine, containing 359 grs., 264 grs., and 280*72 grs. of urea respectively. We have thus a fall of 12 oz. in the amount of urine, and of over 100 grs. in the amount of urea passed daily. During the third period gr. iij. of citrate of caffein were admin¬ istered thrice daily. On the corresponding three days the amounts of urine passed were, 25 oz., 25 oz., and 42 oz., and the amounts of urea contained in each of these, 341 grs., 308 grs., 351*12 grs. Thus we have, without the aid of the digitalis, a rise of 70*4 grs. of urea, or to within 30 grs. of the amount passed while both digitalis and caffein were given together. During the fourth period, when digitalis was added in 7T[x. doses to the citrate of caffein, a very remarkable result followed. The amount of urea rose on the first day from 351*12 grs. to 406*52 grs., and on the second day to 619*52 grs., being an increase in the daily amount in two days of 268*4 grs. I will refer to this last effect of adding digitalis again. Case II.—P. M‘A., aged 45, suffering from mitral stenosis and general anasarca, was admitted into Ward 31, on February 26, 1881. On the first three days after his admission into the Infirmary all medicines which he had previously been taking were suspended, and no other drugs given. The total daily amount of urine passed during this period were, 22 oz., 20 oz., and 38 oz., the corresponding amounts of urea being 222*64 grs., 167*2 grs., and 83*6 grs. Here we had a steady fall in the daily quantity of urea passed, amounting in two days to 139 grs. Citrate of caffein was now given in gr. iij. doses three times daily. A mistake occurred on the first day, whereby the amount of urea was not taken, but on the