INTRAVENOUS SPECIALTIES

To the Editor:—There is a salesman here in Salt Lake City making extravagant claims about the medicines advertised in the enclosed pamphlet. Would you kindly advise me as to your opinion of it?

W. C. Schulte, M.D., Salt Lake City.

To the Editor:—I am interested in knowing the attitude of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry regarding the products of the Intravenous Products Company of America, 121 Madison Avenue, New York City. If the Council has already reported, please refer me to the appropriate number of The Journal. If it has not, please give me any information available.

H. B. Gessner, M.D., New Orleans.

Answer.—The Intravenous Products Company of America has not requested the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry to examine any of its intravenous specialties, nor have they been discussed in The Journal or examined in the American Medical Association Chemical Laboratory. The firm’s list of specialties bears a striking resemblance to those of other “intravenous specialty” firms. Endoarsan, like Venarsen of the Intravenous Products Company of Denver, is stated to contain a cacodylate (dimethylarsenate) along with mercury and iodid. Venarsen was reported on unfavorably by the Council (The Journal, May 22, 1915, p. 1780), the inferior efficacy of sodium cacodylate was discussed (The Journal, March 25, 1916, p. 978) and the worthlessness of sodium cacodylate as a spirocheticide confirmed by H. N. Cole (The Journal, Dec. 30, 1916, p. 2012), William G. Ward (The Journal, Feb. 3, 1917, p. 390), and R. L. Sutton (The Journal, Feb. 17, 1917, p. 566). Endosal, like Venosal of the Intravenous Products Company of Denver, is said to contain salicylate and a colchicum preparation (the latter is also said to contain iodids). Venosal was found unacceptable for New and Non­official Remedies by the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry. Like other “intravenous” firms, this company advertises the intravenous administration of drugs such as sodium iodid and hexa­methylen­amin. The objections to and the dangers of indiscriminate administration of drugs intravenously was recently emphasized in a report of the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry “Some of Loeser’s Intravenous Solutions” (The Journal, April 16, 1921, p. 1120).—(Query from The Journal A. M. A., Dec. 10, 1921.)