Salicinum
By Timothy F. Allen — The Encyclopedia of Pure Materia Medica
Salicin, C13H18O7.
An active principle (Glucoside?) obtained from different species of willow (Salix), spiræa, etc.
Moderately soluble (1 to 30) in water and alcohol.
Preparations , Triturations.
Authorities.
1 , Ranke, Prakt. Chem. Untersuchungen, etc., Erlangen, 1851, took 96 grams in three days, and at another time took 220 grams in three weeks; 2 , Busch, Hufel. J., 77, 2, 50, a woman took eight doses of 0.3 gram; 3 , John A. Erskine Stuart, Practitioner, 1877, p. 425.
HEAD
- Confusion of the head, 2.
EYE
EAR
- Persistent ringing in the ears (third day of first experiment), 1.
URINARY ORGANS
- This substance is excreted in the urine in the form of salicyl hydride, which sinks to the bottom of the urine as a fine crystalline cloud; it is easily detected by the perchloride of iron tests, 3.
SUPPLEMENT: SALICINUM. Authorities.
4 , S. Ringer, M.D., and J. S. Burg, Journ. of Anat. and Phys., vol. xi, 1877, p. 595, observations on a boy, aged ten years; for the first three days he took no medicine, on the fourth day we gave Salicin in two doses, each of 30 grains, and on the next day a dose of 60 grains; 5 , same, observations on a boy, aged nine years; his temperature was taken hourly in the rectum; for two days he took no medicine; on the next two days, he took Salicin in doses of 30 grains, at 10 and 11 A.M., 2, 3, 5, and 6 P.M.; the next day, same at 10 and 11 A.M., 12 M., 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 P.M.; 6 , Dr. Wheeler quotes a case, Hom. Times, vol. vi, p. 27 (Organon, vol. i, 1878, p. 302), Dr. Nankivell, took 10 grains one afternoon.
MIND
- Dulness, so that he did not seem very well to understand questions (third day), 5.
- Dulness and heaviness (in fifteen minutes), 4.
HEAD
EYE. [10.]
- Slight injection of conjunctiva, 4.
EAR
FACE
- Face flushed and dull (second day), 5.
- Flushing of the face (in twelve minutes), 4.
- Slight tremor of the lips on speaking (third day), 5.
STOMACH
- Vomited twice (third day), 5.
RESPIRATORY ORGANS
- Thick husky voice (third day), 5.
- Breathing rather labored (third day), 5.
- Grasping power weaker than before (third day), 5.
SUPERIOR EXTREMITIES. [20.]
- Slight spasmodic movements of the upper limbs (third day), 5.
- Trembling of hands when held out (third day), 5.
INFERIOR EXTREMITIES
- Slight jerks of the lower limbs when they are raised from the bed (third day), 5.
GENERALITIES
- Muscular twitches (in thirty-five minutes), 4.
- Much irritability of the muscles on percussion (third day), 5.
- Muscular weakness (in fifteen minutes), 4.
FEVER
- In the evening he had malaise and chilliness. He slept well at night, and awoke apparently well in the morning. By 10 A.M., he felt the malaise returning. There was headache, fugitive pains all over the body, with fever. At noon the temperature was over 101°. This continued all day. He slept well at night, and next day was well. About a month afterwards he brought on a less severe attack of the same kind with a similar dose, 6.
- On the fourth day, after taking three observations, at intervals of a quarter of an hour, we gave my mouth, 30 grains of Salicin dissolved in water, at 9.45, and another 30-grain dose at 10.50. The medicine produced a decided, though slight effect on the temperature. Thus throughout the day the temperature remained more stationary than on non-Salicin days. After the first dose, there occurred a fall of 0.2°. Fahr.; during the next hour it rose 0.4°. in spite of second dose, and the maximum temperature of the day was attained at 11.40. Then instead of rising after dinner and tea, as on the previous non-Salicin days, it slowly and continuously declined, so that at 8 P.M., it had fallen 0.4°, then the diurnal variation commenced, and amounted to 1.7°. Thus the effect of the Salicin on this day was to lower the temperature 0.2°, and to prevent the rise after dinner and tea. Next (fifth) day, after three observations, we gave in one dose 60 grains of Salicin dissolved in 2 ounces of water, at 9.40 A.M. The temperature from this time gradually fell, reaching its maximum fall of 0.8° at 11 A.M.; it then rose and had recovered itself at 12 M., and between 12 M. and 5 P.M., it rose 0.3°; the evening fall then began and amounted to 1.70°. There was no rise after dinner, and only 0.2° after tea. Thus, on this day, the effect was a fall of 0.8°, lasting about two hours, and no rise after food. The amount of diurnal variation was unaffected on both Salicin days, 4 . On the first day the temperature rose between 9 A.M. and 1 P.M. 0.9° Fahr., and then slowly fell; the diurnal variation apparently beginning about 6 P.M., and amounting to 2.9° Fahr. Next day, also with Salicin, the course of the temperature was very singular. It remained pretty stationary from 9 A.M. till 1 P.M., and then fell 1°, remaining about this point till 9 P.M., and again fell 1.6°; the diurnal variation amounting to 2.3°. Next day, the first on which Salicin was given, the temperature fell after the dose of 30 grains, 0.4° in one hour and a half, and remained depressed for about three hours, and then rose to its original height in spite of the continuance of the medicine. The evening fall began at 7.30 P.M., and the diurnal variation amounted to 1.9° Fahr. The only effect, therefore, of the Salicin, was very slight and temporary depression of the temperature, not maintained by the continuance of the medicine, and the diurnal fall was not quite so great as on the two previous days, though within the limits of the variation of health. Next day, when 3 drachms of Salicin, in divided doses, was given, the temperature was not even temporarily depressed; in fact; it rose 0.6° between 9 A.M. and 1 P.M., and then slowly fell 0.3° till 3.30 P.M. The evening fall began between 7 and 8 P.M., and the diurnal variation amounted to 1.5°. Next day, with very marked symptoms, though without Salicin, the temperature ran the same course; rising gradually from 9 A.M. till 1 P.M., and after 4 P.M. slowly falling till 12 P.M.; the daily variation amounting to only 0.9°. On these two days the only apparent effect was to lessen the diurnal range, with a very slight increase in the maximum temperature of the day; and, strange to say, these effects were marked most on the day following the large doses of Salicin. Next day, temperature pretty stationary, varying only 0.2° from 9 A.M. till 6 P.M., and then fell; the diurnal variation amounting to 1.8°, .