Carbolic acid was given in solution, 8 grains to 8 ounces, 1 tablespoonful four times daily, and he went so far as to give 20 grains to 8 ounces in the same way. Externally, he applied carbolic acid as an ointment or a lotion. It was used by fifty-three lepers from three to eighteen months, but had no effect on the disease.
Creasote was used in 1838 by the late Dr. Hjort, and later by Danielssen, without any good effect. Prof. Langerhans of Madeira, told Dr. Danielssen that he had seen several lepers on Teneriffe, whom Dr. Perez, at his suggestion, treated with creasote in increasing doses, with good effect, and he therefore asked Dr. Danielssen to try it once more. Consequently, creasote in pills (0.025 gr. in each pill) was administered to five tuberous lepers, in an early stage of the disease. They took the pills for six months without any effect on their leprosy. Two of them took the pills for fifteen months, and as many as 20 pills a day. The pills did neither good nor harm; their influence on leprosy was nil.
In the early years of the Lungegaard’s hospital (1849-50) glacial phosphoric acid was largely used without benefit.
Phosphorus was given in doses of 2 to 3 milligrammes daily. After some months it was given up because it caused indisposition and destroyed the appetite, while the leprosy remained unaltered.
Arsenic has been used by many physicians in the treatment of leprosy. Dr. Danielssen tried it in the form of Fowler’s solution, and the so-called Asiatic pills, in gradually increasing doses, but the prolonged use of arsenic, instead of doing good, made the patients worse, causing gastro-enteritis and emaciation. The emaciation caused diminution in the size of the tubers, which has been regarded by many physicians as an improvement; but this is a fallacy, for, when the patient regains his former good condition, the nodules regain their former size.
Ichthyol was tried internally in the form of pills, 10 centigrammes thrice daily, increased up to 2 grammes daily; but no benefit was observed, although it was continued for almost a year.
From Dr. Englemann, in Kreuznach, Dr. Danielssen got a sample of Kreuznach salt, and directions how to use it. The bath was prepared thus: 3 lbs. of common salt, 4 lbs. of Kreuznach salt, 264 litres of water. Temperature 35°C. After the lapse of a week the Kreuznach salt was increased to 6 lbs., after a fortnight to 12 lbs., and after three weeks to 16 lbs. The patient remained from one-and-a-half to two hours in the bath, and no other medicine was taken. Forty-six baths were used by five lepers, four tuberous, and one anæsthetic. At the same time, a young man with a recent eruption of leprosy was sent to Kreuznach to take the baths under Dr. Englemann’s directions. After a year Dr. Danielssen saw him again, when no improvement was to be observed, and the same was the result in the cases treated here.
Mercury in its different combinations has been tried internally and externally, but instead of producing any good effect it has rather made the condition of the patient worse.
Iodine has been used as iodide of potassium, and externally as tincture of iodine and iodine ointment. At the beginning of his studies in leprosy Dr. Danielssen had great confidence in iodine, but he soon learned what a very dangerous remedy it was in this disease. Even small doses of iodine produce new eruptions of leprous tubers or patches, and Dr. Danielssen therefore ultimately used it as a test in cases of apparent cure. When a patient was considered cured, he gave him iodide of potassium, and if no new eruption developed, the cure was considered complete.
Some years ago Dr. Unna, of Hamburg, claimed to have cured three lepers, and Dr. Danielssen, using Unna’s method, cured one. The treatment is the following: Internally, pills of ichthyol in increasing doses; externally, the rubbing of arms and legs morning and evening with an ointment of 10 per cent. pyrogallic acid in lanolin, and the breast, back, neck, and cheeks, with 10 per cent. chrysarobin in lanolin; the covering of the forehead and chin with a plaster consisting of chrysarobin, salicylic acid, and creasote, which is changed every second or third day. This treatment was continued from December 16th, till January 11th; then followed a few days of plain baths, and then the same treatment again. In the Lungegaard’s hospital Dr. Unna’s treatment was tried by thirteen lepers, five nodular, four anæsthetic, and four mixed. The results of the treatment were not so satisfactory as in Dr. Unnas hands, and there was certainly no question of a cure.