Salicin.
Related entry: Gaultheria - Salicylic acid - Sodium salicylate - Salol - Aspirin
Formula—C13H18O7.
Description—A crystalline body, occurring in white or colorless, shiny, silky needles, or in crystalline powder having a bitter taste but odorless. It is soluble in water which contains an equal part of alcohol, at sixty degrees Fahrenheit. Dose, from two to ten grains.
Specific Symptomatology—Periodicity, when general debility is present, accompanied with severe pain. Periodicity in fevers, with prostration. Intermittent or remittent fevers, accompanied by rheumatic manifestations. It is a sedative to fevers, where intermittency or rheumatism are present. Some physicians use it indiscriminately in fevers.
Therapy—Physicians who are in the habit of prescribing this remedy and have had experience with it, claim for it a wider field than is exercised by other remedies of this class. They claim that it will control fever, even when malaria is not present. While some class it with quinine, they claim that it has a much milder, and less irritating effect than quinine, which is exercised with equal positiveness. It is especially advantageous where there is periodical neuralgia with feebleness, cold skin, and feebleness of the circulation. In sciatica, lumbago and in the various forms of rheumatic neuralgia, or myalgia, it is a valuable remedy. As a restorative tonic, during convalescence from prostrating disease, it has been favorably used, and is highly spoken of. There is no doubt that the remedy better known will be found to be an important one. It should have more extended investigation. While not in common use, this agent is a reliable one, and important and deserves further investigation.
The American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy, 1919, was written by Finley Ellingwood, M.D.
It was scanned by Michael Moore for the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine.
