Page 559 - My FlipBook

SULPHONAL. 557

Medical Properties and Physiological Action.—The conclusions
drawn by Mathes are as follows: i. Sulfonal is a useful hypnotic
agent, though it is not always efficacious. 2. It has the advan-
tage over other agents of having no odor or taste, and no influ-
ence on the essential organs of life. 3. The worst of its
disagreeable effects are insignificant. 4. The dose depends upon
the individual susceptibility, and is therefore variable. Gener-
ally a gramme is sufficient to cause sleep without accessory mani-
When produced the dose should
festations. these are be
diminished. On account of its slow action, it should be given
at least an hour before the time for sleep. 5. When the in-
somnia is due to irritating cough or to pains not clearly neuralgic,
the use of sulfonal is contra-indicated. In most true neuralgias,
on the contrary, it may be used with benefit. Sulphonal should
be used 2 or 3 hours before the patient retires.
It is a valuable remedy for persistent neuralgia in doses of gr.
x-xxx ; it may be administered in hot liquids such as tea, in the
form of tablets of five and fifteen grains.
Dose.—Grs. X to grs. xxx ; but variable, depending upon the
individual susceptibility.
Although sulphonal is probably one of the safest, as it is one of
the most efficacious among the recent hypnotics, the series of
cases published by Bresslaur, of Vienna, show clearly that it has
certain dangers. Out of seventy-seven feeble lunatic patients
who were treated with this drug, no less than seven showed seri-
ous symptoms, and in five of these there was a fatal termination
;
but it should be stated that the patients had been taking the drug
for a considerable time in good doses, and had borne it well until
symptoms of disturbance appeared, such as great constipation,
dark-brown urine, slow but in some cases rapid but feeble pulse,
discolored patches resembling purpura on the limbs, and great
prostration. In the cases which ended fatally, the cause of death
was heart-failure, with cedema of the lungs. A number of fatal
cases of acute and chronic poisoning from sulphonal are recorded.
Sulphonal should not be used continuously for more than a few
days.
Dental Uses.—Dr. Chase recommends sulphonal very highly