The Ethereal Tincture of the Perchloride of Iron.

Related entries: Bright's disease: ElTh-links

I desire to again call the attention of our readers to the use of this important tincture in the treatment of chronic Bright's disease. This agent, official in the German pharmacopeia, was brought to my attention some years ago in a German exchange, where it was advised as valuable in overcoming the excretion of albumen in these cases, and being impressed with the results as reported, and having five or six cases of albuminuria on hand at that time, I ordered some of it prepared, and gave it a very thorough trial, with the result that since that time I have used no other preparation of iron in these cases.

It is remarkable how quickly it overcomes the debility which is present, and increases the red blood corpuscles. The patient remarks the improvement, in the general sense of well being, from the very first and almost universally attributes it to those "green drops." It is pleasanter to take them than the ordinary tincture of the chloride, and it is more efficient.

It is given in five drop doses, diluted with considerable water, every three or four hours. In some patients ten drop doses three times a day will work better. The impression upon the quantity of albumen present is not immediate, but when the improvement appears, it is uniform and continuous, but slow. In no case have any unpleasant results been observed. To obtain the best results the tincture should be prepared strictly as directed in the G. P. with the utmost care, and should be kept in a dark place. It is most active when newly prepared. It should have a light green tint.

Ellingwood's Therapeutist, Vol. 2, 1908, was edited by Finley Ellingwood M.D.