The Action of Medicines in the System / Or, on the mode in which therapeutic agents introduced into the stomach produce their peculiar effects on the animal economy

by Frederick William Headland

Now, though there are possibly some exceptions, yet in most cases Acids act as simple Restoratives; but Alkalies certainly operate as Catalytics in some disorders, and have thus to be included in both divisions of Hæmatic medicines.

Ord. III. Alkalies.

(Potash, Soda, Ammonia, Lime, Magnesia;—their Carbonates, and neutral Acetates, Citrates, and Tartrates.)

We have to consider the alkalies now as Restoratives—treating of those cases only in which they are used to restore a wanting material to the blood or fluids of the body.

That they pass into the blood, is proved by their solubility, and their appearance in the secretions; and that they are natural to it we know, because they are all found in it.

Wöhler has demonstrated the curious fact that the neutral salts of the alkalies with vegetable acids undergo oxidation in the blood, being transformed into carbonates. (I have just said that it seems likely that certain conditions of the system may determine this oxidation, even in the case of the free acids.) Thus it may be easily shown how the neutral (bibasic) tartrate of potash may, with the addition of ten atoms of oxygen, produce two equivalents of bicarbonate of potash, together with four of carbonic acid and four of water.

2 KO, C₈H₄O₁₀ + 10 O=2 KO + 8 CO₂ + 4 HO.
_________
=2(KO, 2 CO₂) + (4 CO₂ + 4 HO.)

Again, one equivalent of the neutral acetate of potash, with eight of Oxygen, will make one equivalent of the bicarbonate, two of free carbonic acid, and three of water.

KO, C₄H₃O₃ + 8 O=KO + 4 CO₂ + 3 HO.
________
=KO, 2 CO₂ + (2 CO₂ + 3 HO.)

This carbonate, easily decomposed by any acid, is equivalent to a free alkali. Thus these salts fulfil a double function. They may supply the respiratory process, as has already been explained. They also act on the blood, and on the secretions, as alkalies.