Discrediting the Eclectic Alkaloidal, Resinoidal Concentrations.

In the fall of the year 1835, I produced for the first time some resin of Podophyllum, Macrotys, Iris, and Aletris, also the dried Hydro-alcoholic extracts of Leptandra and Hydrastis. In obtaining the resin of Podophyllum, I made a saturated tincture of the root, which was placed into an equal quantity of water, and the alcohol distilled off; the resin remained at the bottom of the vessel, and had the appearance of a burnt substance, which led me to imagine that it had probably become injured by the mode adopted for its collection.

As the action of the concentrated principles of our remedies is now undergoing investigation, I would refer to my communication named in the commencement of this, for a list of articles worthy of immediate notice, and will mention several which I have made and used as particularly deserving the confidence of physicians: dried hydro-alcoholic extracts of Baptisia Tinctoria, Euphorbia, Ipecac, Hydrastis Can., Phytolacca Dec., Cornus Sericea, Rumex crispus, and Apocynum Cannabinum.—Eclectic Medical Journal, 1849, pp. 66 and 68.

We think the value of Leptandrin in dysentery has been thoroughly proved by the experience of the profession in Cincinnati. As a cholagogue remedy of very little purgative power, well calculated to change the morbid diathesis, it is entitled to a high rank.—Eclectic Medical Journal, 1849, P. 394.

Which have of late been introduced to the notice of the profession. In answer to such inquiries, we will here say, that we have given several of these preparations a pretty fair trial, and some of them we now hold in high estimation, particularly the leptandrin, podophyllin, and the macrotin.

Justice requires me to state that Dr. John King, now Professor in the Eclectic Medical Institute at Memphis, had previously obtained several of these medicinal principles in a form somewhat less refined, and had successfully employed them in his practice, and had published some notices of them in the Medical Reformer. But these facts had attracted but little notice, and were wholly unknown to me till after several of my articles had acquired a considerable notoriety.

It is often asked with respect to Podophyllin, Leptandrin, and other analogous preparations, am I the discoverer of these? I answer, I am so, in the same sense that Fulton invented the steamboat and Morse the electric telegraph. The power of steam and its application to machinery was known before the time of Fulton, and it had even been applied to the propelling of a boat; but he carried these inventions one step further and first made them of practical utility in navigation.

The process of procuring these is in theory very simple. It is, in general, to obtain a saturated alcoholic tincture of the root. To this add a large quantity of water, and distill off the alcohol. The watery menstruum holds in solution the gum, mucilage, extractive and most of the coloring matter, while the resinoid substance subsides, and is collected, washed, and dried. Still the process requires in many points no little skill and pharmaceutical experience for its success.

Like the pure resins, they are neutral in their chemical character, i. e., neither alkaline nor acid, so that they are not disposed to combine directly either with acids or alkalies, except with the latter in the same manner as oils do, forming saponaceous compounds. They are, like resins, softened by heat, and when cold and dry, (unless combined with an oil, as many are), break with a vitreous fracture. Still they are not properly resins, for they are not perfectly liquefied by heat alone, nor are they fully soluble in essential oils, as the pure resins are.

The most important class of these new agents is the Resinoids. We call them Resinoids; that is, as the word imports, "resembling resins."

The names by which I have designated these resinoids is found fault with. Some contend that they should be denominated the Resin of Podophyllum, of Macrotys, or Iris, etc., while others claim for them no higher appellation than that of extracts, but both denying their right to the termination of in or ine. Well, what is a name but an abbreviation to avoid the prolixity of a description of that which we wish to designate?

In records of abstract science it may be well enough to designate a thing by a description of its character, but when that thing becomes one of commerce and daily use, convenience requires that it be indicated by a single word, or at least, by the fewest practicable. Now I claim to have as good a right to give names to things as any one else, especially if they are my own offspring. But I have not acted without authority. Professor Wood, author of the U. S. Dispensatory, who is no mean authority, speaking of the bitter substance obtained from the root of the Podophyllum by Wm. Hodgson, jun., says: "Should this be found to be the purgative principle of the plant," (for this was not then ascertained, and indeed as obtained by Mr. H. its purgative property was nearly destroyed), "it would be entitled to the name of Podophyllin." Turner, in his Elements of Chemistry, mentions many articles perfectly analogous to these which he designates by the termination ine, added to the generic names of the articles from which they are obtained, as Haematoxyline, Gentianine, Populine, Liriodendrine, etc. ²⁹ For the sake of perspicuity, I propose this as the mode, in part, of naming the proximate principles of vegetables, viz.: that the names of the alkaloids uniformly terminate in a, after the analogy of the alkalies and alkaline earths, soda, potassa, magnesia, etc. Thus we should have Quinia, Morphia, Strichnia, Veratria, etc. But that the names of the resinous principles or resinoids should be made to terminate in in, after the analogy of the generic substance resin or rosin, and accordingly we should write Podophyllin, Macrotin, Jalapin, etc. This rule I have adopted in naming the new medicinal principles which had not before received a settled designation.—Eclectic Medical Journal, 1850, p. 299.

²⁹ With respect to the final e in these names, good authorities differ, some adding, and others omitting it.

Nearly allied to the resinoids are those medicinal principles which are extracted from certain vegetables by sulphuric ether, and are presented in the form of fixed oils. Of these I have prepared only those of Lobelia, Capsicum, and male fern. The first probably holds in solution the alkaloid Lobelina, and the second the resinoid Capsicin, but I have never made an analysis of them. These are powerful agents. The Oil of Lobelia is valuable in Tetanus and some other extreme cases, as it is easy to introduce enough upon the tongue to relax the whole system speedily, but it should not be used pure as a common emetic, as there is too much danger of producing local inflammation of the stomach, by the action of so concentrated a medicine.—E. M. Journal, 1850, pp. 302, 303.

This mode of exhibiting medicines is now the hobby of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy.—Eclectic Medical Journal, 1850, pp. 297-20, 303.

They are obtained from the roots of Podophyllum peltatum, Cimicifuga racemosa, Sanguinaria Canadensis, Leptandra Virginica, Iris versicolor, and certain other roots, which are little used by regular practitioners.

³⁰ For the history of this firm, and the bitterness of the controversy, see Eclectic Medical Journal, 1850, pp. 342 to 344, and p. 384. The firm afterward became the very worthy house, H. H. Hill,& Co., Race and Fifth Streets, Cincinnati. They were long a factor in American plant products, but are out of business, with no direct successor.

CONCENTRATED MEDICINES.—Two years ago the idea (could it have been conceived of) that the huge doses of medicine then given, by our practitioners generally, could and would be reduced to doses of from one to three, or even five grains, would have appeared as chimerical as the idea, twenty years ago, that one man could stand in the city of Boston and converse with his friend in New Orleans almost as readily as if they stood side by side. But time and experience have fully demonstrated the fact.

Those medicines, exhibited in almost Homeopathic doses, not less mildly, efficiently, and safely, than the crude articles from which they were prepared; and the smallness of the dose divests the reformed practice of everything that was cumbersome, inconvenient, and disagreeable, and renders it as acceptable to the patient as the Homeopathic practice, so far as regards the dose.

We can not but regard this improvement in our materia medica as the brightest feature in the great and glorious work of medical reform.

Our Allopathic friends have, for a long time, been engaged in the preparation of concentrated medicines, and their agents have done much, very much, toward rendering their practice acceptable and popular; but how different their articles from ours. They extract proximate principles, many of which are most deadly in their character. From extract from the poppy they extract their morphine, from the strychnos (nux vomica) they extract their strychnine, two grains of which will kill; from cinchona they extract their quinine, etc.

Now, our agents are reduced to a concentrated form without breaking up the relations existing between the proximate principles. For example, we reduce lobelia to so concentrated a form, that from three to five or ten drops upon loaf sugar, or dropped into water, are sufficient to produce emesis; still, this article is not lobelina, one of the proximate principles of lobelia, and is as safe as lobelia herb or seed. Again, we reduce leptandra to so concentrated a form, that a dose of from one to three or five grains will produce catharsis, yet this is not leptandrin, one of the proximate principles of leptandra. And so on, with our other remedial agents.

Now, we do regard this process one of the most valuable improvements of these days of improvements, and we bid Drs. Hill, Crutcher & Co. God-speed in this good work!

With this great improvement in our materia medica, we feel more than ever inclined to the belief, that the Physio-Medical Practice will soon, very soon, become the most popular and successful practice of medicine. . . . In the meantime let practitioners beware of impositions, for it would mean that every fellow, who can raise three dimes, is embarking in the business of Concentrating Medicines, not so much with the view of improving the character of medicines, as to get the dimes. Some there are who have engaged in the business who are ignorant of the first principles of chemistry and pharmacy.—Physo-Medical Recorder, Vol. XVIII, 1850, pp. 167, 168.

We can not but regard this improvement in our materia medica as the brightest feature in the great and glorious work of medical reform.

In the meantime let practitioners beware of impositions, for it would mean that every fellow, who can raise three dimes, is embarking in the business of Concentrating Medicines, not so much with the view of improving the character of medicines, as to get the dimes. Some there are who have engaged in the business who are ignorant of the first principles of chemistry and pharmacy.

³¹ Dr. Calvin Newton, not R. S. Newton.
³² R. S. Newton, M. D.