Rxpharms - Generic Medications Online

Drug Medical Information

SUITABLE ITEMS FOR MEDICINE CHESTS

Items that should be in any first-class family medicine chest may include a laxative or cathartic. Under certain circumstances any laxative or cathartic may be exceedingly dangerous, most conspicuously in appendicitis. Appendicitis is at first just an infected spot on a little organ which extends from the large bowel and which, apparently, has no serious function in the human body. If this infection develops, as a boil develops from a pimple, it is in danger of bursting and spreading throughout the body. Therefore, no laxative or cathartic should ever be taken when the abdomen is exceedingly painful.
The most common laxatives used include liquid petrolatum, or mineral oil, which is a mechanical lubricant without possibility of serious harm. Other common preparations much used include, of course, the old-fashioned castor oil, Seidlitz powders, psyllium seed, sodium phosphate, aromatic cascara, mineral oil mixed with agar, methyl cellulose, and phenolphthalein.
The next most commonly used preparations in a family medicine chest, aside from the cosmetics, are pain relievers. Most of these are used for headaches, although sometimes they are used for what are called "neuritis" and "neuralgia," for other pains of unknown origin, and for toothache, as well as to produce sleep. Most headache powders bought under patent trade-marks contain phenacetin or acetanilid. Aspirin is the safest pain reliever.
Other drugs much used to produce sleep are derivatives of barbituric acid, of which some of the best examples are veronal, trional, and combinations of barbituric acids with other drugs.
The family medicine chest is better off without preparations of this character, as the possibilities for harm are sufficiently great to suggest that these preparations be not used except with medical advice.
The widely-publicized milk of magnesia and sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, are two preparations which can safely be kept in the family medicine chest and which are frequently advised by physicians for alkaline purposes.
Some families keep paregoric as a useful preparation in case of cramps that affect women at periodic intervals.
Most modern women prefer to keep their cosmetics in their own boudoirs, but the man of the house is likely to put his into the family medicine cabinet. They should include, in most instances, a razor, which should be kept in its box and not permitted to lie around loose, also some shaving soap or cream, some face lotion, which may be either witch hazel or a special lotion which he prefers.
The most commonly used general pain reliever is acetylsacylic acid, commonly called aspirin. So far as is known, aspirin is relatively harmless, except for a few people who are especially sensitive to it. Such people cannot take even small doses.
Among the strongest of medicinal preparations are the narcotics and anesthetics. Narcotics should never be used by anyone without a physician's prescription and, indeed, no drug that has to be administered with a hypodermic syringe should find a place in the average family medicine chest.
There are some people with diabetes who have been taught by their doctors to inject themselves with insulin. Even these people should keep their syringe outfit separate from the materials in the family medicine chest.
There are all sorts of antiseptics available for use on the skin, in first aid, and also for gargling and for washing various portions of the body. The most widely known skin antiseptic is tincture of iodine. Antiseptic mouthwashes and gargles are available for the destruction of germs in the mouth and throat. If the antiseptic is applied directly on a swab, so that the material is held in direct contact with the localized infection, it is more likely to be effective.
*112/318/5*