Table 4: Medicines commonly prescribed in the early 1900s
|
| Class of drugs |
Drug, reasons drug was prescribed |
|
| Bitter tonics/stimulants |
Quinine sulfate — to stimulate appetite; a "specific" for malaria; for amebic dysentery, reducing
fever and hyperthyroidism |
| Nux vomica (1.25% strychnine) — stimulant for shock; to improve muscle tone, increase
appetite, ("tonic" effect), and stimulate weak bladder and as an antidote for narcotic overdose |
| Cocaine muriate — stimulant; local anaesthetic; used to relieve coryza, vomiting and hiccough |
|
| Analgesics |
Morphine sulfate — to relieve pain; as a hypnotic; for gall stones and kidney colic; general
anesthetic with scopolamine/atropine; diarrhea control; cough suppressant; to relieve asthma |
| Ethyl ether — anticonvulsant; antiasthmatic; anti-anginal but also given internally to lessen gas in the stomach (colic) |
| Chloroform — anticonvulsant; internally as an antidiarrheal; anticolic; and in liniment for local pain |
|
| Cardiotonics |
Caffeine citrate — heart stimulant |
| Digitalis (foxglove) — atrial fibrillation/flutter; "weak heart;" shock and cardiovascular collapse |
|
| Diuretics/purgatives |
Calomel (mercury chloride) — laxative; antisyphilitic; antihelminthic |
| Cascara sagrada — laxative |
|
| Miscellaneous |
Ipecac — small dose, expectorant; larger dose, emetic |
| Pilocarpine — principally to produce sweating for waste elimination; for edema in nephritis;
glaucoma; hair tonic; for eczema, scleroderma, urticaria and dizziness due to labyrinthitis; stimulation of lung secretions |
| Belladonna (deadly nightshade) — contains atropine and used to treat asthma attacks, gastric ulcer, hiccoughs and biliary colic; cardiac stimulant
|
