THE USES OF SWEET TABLETS.
IT MAY seem strange that modern pharmacy which boasts of so many
elegant and palatable preparations suitable for adults, has thus far
done so little to render medicine more acceptable to children; and yet
attractiveness and palatability are even more important for the little
ones than for the grown-ups. Syrups have hitherto been our chief aids
in making medicines more pleasant for children. Unfortunately, however,
many a child has had its palate offended by liquid medicines to such
a degree that it abhors spoon-medicine of any kind, and will struggle
even against the most palatable. When one witnesses the struggling
of the average child against the average medicine, one cannot but
wonder whether at times the struggle does not do more harm than the
medicine can do good, and wish that we had other means of administering
medicines to the little ones. As all children love candy, this would
seem the form most desirable for them. For one who has not used candy
medication there is a revelation in store in the positive enjoyment
and eagerness with which children take these sweet tablets. And many
a petted child that has grown up into a sensitive woman, who believes
she cannot swallow a pill, also cannot and will not take medicine. It
so happens that just these are often excessively fond of candy and
will take candy medicine. Another use for candy medication is in the
treatment of the insane, who frequently will not take medicine, but may
take it in candy form.
It may be of interest to see how many indications may be met, confining
oneself entirely to the list of candy medicaments:
1. For effect upon the alimentary tract:
_Absorbent:_
Charcoal.
_Antacid:_
Chalk.
Magnesia.
Sodium Bicarbonate.
_Emetics:_
Apomorphine.
Tartar Emetic.
Emetine.
_Antiemetics:_
Cocaine.
Anaesthesine.
Morphine.
Bismuth Subnitrate or subcarbonate.
Chalk.
Cerium Oxalate.
_Antidiarrheal:_
Bismuth Subnitrate or Subcarbonate.
Tannalbin.
Morphine.
Chalk.
_Cathartics:_
Calomel.
Mercury with Chalk.
Phenolphthalein.
Elaterin.
Resin of Podophyllum.
Resin of Jalap.
Senna.
Sulphur.
_Antispasmodic:_
Atropine.
_Intestinal Antiseptic:_
Magnesium salicylate.
Mercurials.
Lactic acid ferment.
_Anthelmintic:_
Santonin.
2. For effect upon the respiratory system:
_Expectorants:_
Apomorphine.
Emetine.
Terpin hydrate.
Sajodin.
_Antitussic:_
Heroine.
Morphine.
Sabromin.
_Antispasmodic:_
Atropine.
3. For effect upon the circulatory system:
_Circulatory Stimulants:_
Digitalis.
Strophanthin.
Atropine.
Strychnine.
Caffeine.
_Circulatory Depressant:_
Aconitine.
_Vaso-Dilator:_
Nitroglycerin.
4. For effect upon genito-urinary system:
_Diuretic:_
Diuretin.
Caffeine.
_Urinary Antiseptic:_
Hexamethylenamine.
5. For effect upon skin:
_Diaphoretic:_
Pilocarpine.
Dover's Powder.
_Anhydrotic:_
Atropine.
6. For effect upon nervous system:
_Depressants:_
Morphine.
Hyoscine.
Sabromin.
Sulphonmethane.
Adalin.
_Stimulants:_
Atropine.
Cocaine.
Strychnine.
Caffeine.
7. Antipyretics:
Acetphenetidin.
Antipyrin.
Acetylamidosalol (Salophen).
Aconitine.
Aristochin.
8. Hematinics:
Iron,
Reduced Iron,
Iron carbonate, saccharated.
Arsenic.
9. Tonics:
Iron, quinine, strychnine.
10. Specifics:
_In Malaria:_
Aristochin.
Saloquinine.
Arsenic.
_In Syphilis:_
Mercurials.
Sajodin.
_In Rheumatic Fever:_
Acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin).
Acetylamidosalol (Salophen).
Magnesium salicylate.
_In Myxedema:_
Thyroid.
Of course, a large variety of combinations of these could be elaborated.
It, therefore, seems established that we have, in candy medication,
a method of fairly extensive applicability; an almost complete
therapeutic armamentarium of the greatest possible value in the
treatment of children. For the tiny infant this method is, of course,
unsuitable as well as unnecessary. As soon, however, as the youngster
commences to know what candy is, it is ready for candy medication. It
is particularly during the ages of from three to ten that this form of
administration is indicated.
Several objections have been raised against this method. Perhaps the
most serious one lies in the danger of poisoning, from the fact that
children enjoy these tablets so much that they are likely to eat a
large number of them at one time, should the mother be careless enough
to leave them within reach. The only way to prevent such an occurrence
is not to prescribe more tablets than would constitute a safe dose
should all of them be taken at one time. It is better to have the
patient get a new supply daily than to have a single case of death or
serious disturbance occur from this source.
Another objection that has been raised is that the dose of some of the
medicines is very small. In the case of such remedies as sulphur and
chalk the author admits that the dose is perhaps too small to be of
practical importance. In the case of most other medicaments, however,
the smallness of dose is of advantage rather than of disadvantage,
in that it necessitates administration at short intervals. If the
administration of small doses frequently repeated until the desired
effect is obtained is a good principle in practice, it is particularly
so in pediatrics. For are not all the vital processes of the child much
more rapid than those of the adult; are not its bowel movements, its
urinations more frequent, does it not need nourishment more often? Then
why not medicine?