Candy Medication :: CHAPTER III. THE USES OF SWEET TABLETS.

CHAPTER III. 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?

Clyx.com