7 dangerous old medicines
Modern medicine has the widest arsenal of remedies that can relieve people of the most terrible ailments. However, not so long ago, at the end of the 19th century, the capabilities of doctors were much more modest. At that time, substances were used as drugs that not only had a therapeutic effect, but also posed an immediate threat to the health, and sometimes the life of patients.
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Cocaine
In the last decades of the 19th century, cocaine was considered a harmless food additive. For example, the Coca-Cola Company included it in their drinks and they were consumed by people of all ages. Moreover, doctors prescribed cocaine powders to patients suffering from toothache, and the famous Dr. Freud claimed that this substance was an excellent remedy for depression. Over time, it became clear that taking drugs containing cocaine caused indigestion, sleep disturbances and hallucinations. When drugs were discontinued, patients fell into severe depression. A study of the side effects of cocaine drugs led to the fact that in 1920 the US authorities banned the use of this substance.
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Arsenic
In Chinese medicine, arsenic preparations have been known since ancient times, but in European countries they began to treat them only at the end of the 18th century. Doctors knew about the poisonous properties of the substance, but still included it in medicines for diabetes, arthritis, malaria and syphilis. In Victorian Europe, cosmetics containing arsenic were very popular. When making them, no one cared about the exact dosages, which often led to poisoning. The sad outcome of one of these cases is described in the novel Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert.
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Mercury
Mercury chloride (calomel) was one of the most common drug ingredients until the middle of the 19th century. Calomel tablets were used as a choleretic, laxative, and antibacterial agent. In addition, the substance was added to ointments for the treatment of inflamed wounds. It is known that the first American President, Abraham Lincoln, was prescribed mercury drugs to fight depression. However, the treatment had to be canceled, as it badly affected the patient's nervous system, causing bouts of uncontrollable rage.
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Methamphetamine
At the beginning of the 20th century, the sedative drug Norodin gained popularity in European countries. Its main component was methamphetamine - as it turned out later, one of the most dangerous drugs. Gradually it was discovered that taking the drug caused insomnia, anorexia and cardiac disorders, and withdrawal from it led to depression. The drug was banned after suicide increased among patients who took it.
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Barbiturates
"Nembutal" was the name of a popular drug that included pentobarbital. In the 1930s, it was widely advertised as a sedative for children. Many parents have used the medicine at the slightest sign of anxiety, anxiety, and simply excessive restlessness of their babies. It is clear that the uncontrolled use of a hazardous substance often led to the most sad consequences.
Morphine
Almost a hundred years earlier, in 1849, the American Charlotte N. Winslow introduced some miraculous syrup, which, according to her, could calm down even the most nervous kids. The drug actually relieved anxiety in children and improved their sleep. The effect was explained simply: the product included a solid dose of morphine. Parents, who had no idea about the dangers of the drug, often overdose, which annually caused the death of several children. In 1911, the drug was banned by the American Medical Association.
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Radium water
The discovery of radioactivity at the end of the 19th century revolutionized science. Scientists quickly noticed that radiation has an effect on living organisms, but there was still no understanding of its danger to human health. Meanwhile, everything that was associated with radioactivity became extremely fashionable. Medicines with additives of radium were considered a panacea, they were used for any disease. Radioactive elements have been added to food, cosmetics and hygiene products (eg, toothpaste). Radium drinking water was sold everywhere, which was consumed by everyone, young and old. The mass excitement subsided only when suspicions about the adverse effects of radiation on the human body began to grow stronger.
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Some of the dangerous drugs of the past are still in use today. For example, barbiturates are found in some sedatives and anticonvulsants, arsenic compounds (sodium arsenate and potassium arsenite) are present in anti-inflammatory drugs, and morphine is used for pain relief. When using such funds, the dosage is strictly observed, and the patients are under constant medical supervision. OTC sale of dangerous medicines is prohibited in Russia.
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Maria Kulkes Medical journalist About the author
Education: First Moscow State Medical University named after I. M. Sechenov, specialty "General Medicine".
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