The mineral acids and salts of certain metals, especially of mercury, lead, and copper, are powerful physiological poisons. Patent medicines are frequently labeled "Pure vegetable compounds." This statement may be true, but it is deceptive because they are equally as poisonous as the, coal-tar products which have become so popular. They are life-destroying in their final effects upon the human body.

Uses of mercury and mercurial salts

Mercury

The metal mercury or quicksilver is used very extensively as a medicine, chiefly in compounds of mercurial salts. All salts of mercury are extremely poisonous. Calomel (mercuric chlorid) is a standard allopathic medicine. Mercuric bichlorid or corrosive sublimate is more destructive to protoplasm, and is used as a germicide or disinfectant. The poisonous action of mercurial salts is probably due to the combination of mercury with the protoplasm of the body-cells. When mercurial compounds are taken in poisonous doses, the antidote is the white of egg with which the mercury combines in the stomach, thus sparing the human protoplasm. The mercurial salts, when given in small doses, produce very remarkable physiological disturbances, notably loosening of the teeth. Mercurial compounds are used as a last resort in medicine. Because of their violent physiological action, these drugs are generally administered in cases of incurable diseases.

Potassium Iodid

Potassium iodid has a very destructive effect upon the natural functions of the body, and for this reason it has been associated with mercury in the treatment of syphilis, the usual method being to alternate between potassium iodid and mercurial salts.

Lead And Copper

The salts of lead and copper, like those of mercury, are poisonous. However, these salts are not extensively used in medicines. The mineral acids, such as sulfuric, are recognized poisons, but their destructive effects upon the living tissue are so apparent and so painful that they have never gained favor with physicians.

Effect of salts

Purgatives And Cathartics

The popular term "salts" includes sodium sulfate (Glauber's salt), and magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts). These salts cause a large amount of watery mucus to be excreted from the mucous membrane of the intestines, the physiological purpose of which is to wash the offending substances from the body, thus producing a laxative effect. Were the large doses usually taken of these salts absorbed into the blood, death would ensue within a few hours.

Why laxatives cause loss of vitality.

The number of products that are used for the purpose of relieving constipation is almost unlimited. Any poison which reacts directly upon the mucous membrane of the alimentary canal has a laxative effect.

Laxative drugs do not act on the body - the body acts on the drug because it abhors a poison, and, in throwing out the drug, the food residues of the digestive tract are also thrown out, regardless of whether digestion is complete or not. The rapid loss of vitality and weight while taking physic is caused by this fact.

In this lesson I have examined only a few of the many thousand drugs in general use. I have omitted many drugs and compounds whose properties and uses would form interesting information, but the purpose of this book is to impart a knowledge of foods, not a knowledge of drugs. This lesson, however, is for the purpose of giving the reader some authentic information about the standard drugs and medicines, so that he may form his own conclusions in regard to the efficacy of drugs in curing disease. If the reader will secure at a public library a copy of the "National Standard Dispensatory," the book used by practising druggists, and scan through its two thousand pages, he can form some idea of the limitless number of things, and the complex, uncertain, and unscientific methods used in the prescribing and in the dispensing of drugs. «

Object of this lesson.

Diagnosis may be a source of danger

Importance of Correct Diagnosis and Correct Treatment