In my practice they accompany the maid from her virgin couch to her lying-in chamber, assuaging the perplexities of maidenhood and easing the trials of maternity with most gratifying results. I earnestly hope that the proprietors of this valuable remedial agent will keep it up to its present standard of purity and excellence.
Dr. Walter M. Fleming, A.M., M.D., New York City, writes:
... With all the experience of more than a quarter of a century, in the treatment of winter cough, and all its complications of laryngeal, bronchial and pulmonary irritability, dyspnea, asthmatic spasms, and finally whooping cough—usually the most persistent and tenacious of all these membranous maladies—I find no one remedy more strongly indicated, or which yields more prompt and satisfactory results than Antikamnia and heroin tablets, composed of Antikamnia 5 grains and heroin hydrochloride 1⁄12 grain.... Result: a prompt and efficient expectorant, at once relaxing the harsh and rasping cough, releasing the tenacious, sticky and gelatinous mucus which is soon readily expectorated, while the soothing influence of the Antikamnia is at once manifested, greatly to the comfort and contentment of the patient.
... Independent of the fact of the direct applicability of this remedy to the various membranous maladies of the lungs, bronchi, fauces and nose, it proves also, an invariable remedy in all febrile cases where anodyne is required. This, together with its analgesic and antipyretic merits, eminently qualify this combination for a responsive agent in the treatment of nearly all the numerous febrile attacks characterized by pain, nervousness, insomnia and their accompanying symptoms.
“Antikamnia and Quinin”
If there is any virtue in the particular combination known as “Antikamnia,” a physician prescribing the tablets supposed to contain combinations of “Antikamnia” and some other drugs should have some guarantee that they contain those remedies. Take, for example, the tablets advertised and sold as “Antikamnia and quinin.” It might reasonably be supposed that the tablets contained the combination known as “Antikamnia”; this, however, seems not to be the case. Previous analyses, as published[105] by us, have shown that antikamnia contains approximately 20 per cent. of sodium bicarbonate, yet two chemists, working separately, have been unable to find this ingredient in the tablets advertised and sold as “Antikamnia and quinin.” Are we to understand, therefore, that the manufacturers do not consider the bicarbonate of sodium of importance in their preparation, Antikamnia; or are they guilty of misrepresentation and of misleading physicians in omitting this constituent from their product Antikamnia when that is combined with the bisulphate of quinin? The above statement regarding the omission of bicarbonate of sodium from the quinin combination may be verified by any physician who desires to make a few simple chemical tests—carbonic acid is not given off when the tablets are treated with dilute acids, as would be the case if sodium bicarbonate were present. Further, while the ordinary Antikamnia contains no constituent not soluble either in water or in chloroform, and while quinin bisulphate is readily soluble in water, the tablets said to contain Antikamnia and quinin bisulphate, when treated successively with water and with chloroform, leave a residue of more than 18 per cent.
One of the chemists who analyzed the preparation for us, in commenting on this in a letter, says: “The matter which is insoluble in water, alcohol or in chloroform, i. e., the substance which is neither ‘Antikamnia’ nor quinin bisulphate, amounts to more than 18 per cent. in ‘Antikamnia and quinin bisulphate tablets.’ The tablets weigh close to five grains and are said to contain 2.5 grains each of Antikamnia and quinin bisulphate. How is this possible when each tablet contains almost one grain of foreign substance (chiefly starch)?”
Further comment is superfluous. We have presented facts to our readers and leave, them to draw their own conclusions.—(From The Journal A. M. A., July 1, 1905.)