Drugs

Stomach ills and Sulfa Drugs Some Hope—And a Warning

JN the April, 1943, issue of the “PIM” we published an article by “RS,” a resident of French Oceania, concerning the treatment of stomach maladies (par ticularly stomach ulcers, which are one of the prevalent ills of the tropics ) with Sulfanilamide. This created a great deal of interest among sufferers generally,

and we asked “RS” to supply further

Clciciiis.

should be borne in mind, however, that all this is unmedical and maybe unethical — and, in Australia at least, it ** impossible to walk into a chemist’s shop and huy a bottle °f Sulfanilamide as one would a bottle of aspirin A doc tor’s certificate is necessary. As against that, a few years ago Atebrin {for the treatment of malaria) was looked upon in much the same light, and many and weird were the stories told of its effect on certain people. Later, one could buy

it by the bushel—providing one had sufficient money to pay for it.

Sufferers, however, would be wise, even if they have the means of procuring them, not to experiment with the Sulfa drugs except at the advice of a physician.

In many cases there may be no ill effects; but YOU may be the unlucky one.

Here are further details supplied by “RS” '. — 1 GATHER that the sulfa drugs are not so well known in your part of the Pacific as they seem to be here; there appears to be some confusion, too, over the name. Sulfanilamide was the first put on the market; later came other arrangements and formulae of different names, but all with the “sulfa” prefix.

Now, I am not qualified to prescribe for anyone but myself; but I was for tunate in coming into contact with a pharmicist who recommended to me the following doses of Sulfanilamide, or Sulfathazole (which gives less reaction than the former): three tablets a day, half a tablet taken every two hours, or one tablet at four-hour intervals, for two days; then two tablets, spaced as above, for a further two days; and, finally, one tablet a day for two days. (Six days in all for the full course.) The best effect seems to be obtained by taking the largest dose first and gradually diminishing it— unlike some of the old medicines which started with a small dose and worked upwards. Some manufacturers recom mend an occasional dose of bicarbonate of soda, as the drug has a tendency to deplete the alkali balance in the stomach.

They also give a warning that it may be dangerous unless taken under medical, dental or veterinary supervision.

It may not be generally known that the violent fevers of elephantiasis yield to a few doses of Sulfanilamide. Every suf ferer from this horrible disease dreads the terrific fevers that lay them prostrate for a few days to a week; but it has now been discovered that two tablets of this wonder-drug will settle any such fever.

If the stomach will not tolerate the medicine, a teaspoon of sugar will hold it down.

I was lately discussing the subject with the local doctor. He claimed that this drug was potent in practically all fevers —so why not in the case of malaria?

Literature on the subject should be obtainable from Parke Davis; there is also a book on the subject called “Sulfa Drugs—Their Use and Abuse”—a review of which I saw lately in a magazine.

Dieting, with Sulfanilamide, is un necessary—with the exception of one item that is tapu—banana. Bananas are fit only for pigs’ food, anyway, and should be shunned like the plague by all stomach sufferers.