Bromol, or tribromphenol, like the preceding, is a synthetic product, had by the action of bromine on an aqueous solution of carbolic (phenic) acid; it is precipitated as silky crystals that are in soluble in water, but readily soluble in alcohol, chloroform, ether, glycerin, and fats.
The bromates can hardly properly be considered in connection with bromine and the bromides, since their therapeu tic relations are markedly those that ob tain to their base, hydrobromic acid excepted. The proportions of bromine are comparatively small as compared with bromides, though it must be ad mitted that their action as salts is, in considerable measure, different from that of their alkaloidal derivatives.
Preparations and Doses. — Bromine, external use only.
Bromide of ammonium, 10 to 60 grains.
Bromide of arsenic (Clemens's solu tion), 1 to 5 minims.
Bromide of barium, to 1 grain. Bromide of cadmium, to grain. Bromide of calcium, 30 to 90 grains. Bromide of camphor (monobromated camphor; camphor monobromide), 2 to 10 grains. See CAMPHOR.
Bromide of ethyl (inhalation only).
See BROMIDE OF ETHYL.
Bromide of gold, to grain. See GOLD.
Bromide of iron, 3 to 10 grains. See IRON.
Bromide of lithium, 20 to 150 grains. Bromide of mercury, to 1 grain. See MERCURY.
Bromide of nickel, 2 to 10 grains. See NICKEL.
Bromide of potassium, 10 to 120 grains.
Bromide of silver, to 1 grain. See SILVER.
Bromide of sodium, 20 to 150 grains. Bromide of strontium, 30 to 150 grains.
Bromide of zinc, 1 to 3 grains. Sec ZINC.
Bromal, 1 to 2 grains. Bromalhydrate, to 5 grains. Bromalin, 10 to 120 grains. Bromamide, 10 to 15 grains. Bromoform, anaesthetic and antispas modic, 1 to 7 drops according to age. Bromol, to grain. Bromohydric acid, dilute, 2 to 120 minims. See HYDROBROMIC ACID. Bromohydrate of caffeine, 1 to 6 grains. See COFFEE.
Bromohydrate of conine, 1/30 to grain. See CoNum.
Bromohydrate of quinine, 1 to 20 grains. See QUININE.
Bromohydrate of scopolamine, to grain. See SCOPOLAMINE.
Bromohydrate of strychnine, to gfain. See STRYCHNINE.
Untoward Effects and Physiological Action.—Bromine, per se, cannot be ad ministered internally because of its poi sonous and powerfully corrosive prop erties. When brought in contact with
organic matters it rapidly oxidizes and destroys them; hence its chief use is as a disinfectant (1 to 500); it also, some times, for like reason, finds employment as a topical application in hospital gangrene, phagedenic ulcers, sloughing chancroids, and like morbidities.
The common bromine salts are in a general way identical in action, the chief difference being intensity and palata bility, which, of course, are determined by the amount of bromine each contains, and the character of its base. Potassium bromide is, perhaps, the salt best known and most generally employed, and a general description of its physiological properties may be considered as typical of the ammonium, calcium, lithium, sodium, and strontium salts.
Originally potassium bromide was in troduced as an alterative and resolvent, and substitute for the iodide salt, and in small doses it often answers these purposes. But no sooner was its seda tive action on the nervous system made apparent than its earlier uses were lost sight of, and to a degree that has prac tically buried all other properties in oblivion. It depresses the brain and spinal cord in medium doses, rendering the same markedly anaemic if pushed or exhibited in larger doses. If the doses are still further increased and continued, anaesthesia of mucous membranes of eye, throat, and nose is observed, which, doubtless, extends to the entire digestive and intestinal tract, though the evi dences thereof are not markedly ap parent in the rectum. Bromides di minish sexual desire, and, when pushed to the extreme of bromism, may destroy the same, or at least place in abeyance for a considerable period; at the same time the contractility of muscular fibre is diminished, and capillary circulation retarded. First of all the sensory col umns of the spinal cord are depressed by bromides, next the sensory nerves; next the brain and motor columns of the cord; finally the motor nerves. While small doses do not seem to appreciably disturb the heart's action, larger ones depress, and, pushed to ultimate toxicity, death occurs with arrest in diastole.