In 1951 , it was light on drugs but also evidence . |
mind ” the PBS rules , which involved writing the patient ’ s name and address clearly , as well as the medicine ’ s chemical name .
“ If you desire that the product of
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antidote to barbiturate poisoning . Overall , just four medicines on the 1951 PBS needed authority approval — the relatively novel antibiotics chloramphenicol , strepto- |
“ A lot of the drugs were potentially toxic , but there were no other options .”
Options for treating amoebiasis — an intestinal infection caused
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options included ampoules of tryparsamide , another arsenical that was initially developed to treat trypanosomiasis .
Despite containing 25 % arsenic
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Rachel Fieldhouse MODERN medicine is a scientific
wonder , and one reason why there are now nearly a thousand different medicines available to doctors through the PBS to treat the ailments of both mind and body .
These medicines range from the
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a particular maker be supplied , his name ( or his brand ) should be written after the chemical name ,” the schedule adds .
Gendered but polite — clearly these were the days before Medicare nudge letters .
The doctors prescribing arsenicals — which was indicated for syph-
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mycin , dihydrostreptomycin and Aureomycin , the originator brand of chlortetracycline .
It is not clear whether this was because of the cost of the drugs , the cost
Overall , just four medicines needed authority approval .
by Entamoeba histolytica , which is endemic in Australia — included emetine bismuth iodide , chiniofon and acetarsol . The latter contained arsenic .
Some 20 years earlier , a
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and causing ocular side effects — such as optic atrophy , neuritis , visual field constriction and toxic amblyopia — tryparsamide was used up until the 1960s , when high levels of bacterial resistance rendered it ineffective .
This history is a salient demonstration of the medical leaps forward that have occurred within the lifetime
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humble statin costing a few dollars , to |
ilis and the tropical infection yaws |
of making a |
case series in |
of some Australian GPs . |
modulator therapies for cystic fibrosis |
— may have left patients better off |
phone call back , or whether doctors |
the American Journal of the Medical |
But even though safer alterna- |
costing hundreds of thousands . |
than those prescribing 5mg ampoules |
were more trusted by officials . |
Sciences had reported that signs of |
tives have superseded many medi- |
Back in 1951 , however , it was a |
of picrotoxin . |
So was there an evidenced-based |
toxicity — such as “ fever , skin erup- |
cines , Professor Hogan says their use |
little different . |
Picrotoxin is poisonous in doses |
rationale for a PBS listing back then ? |
tion and adenitis ” — could appear |
in the past was not necessarily “ good |
There were just 200 medications |
as low as 20mg and can lead to sys- |
“ There was no formal evaluation |
within seven days of treatment at a |
or bad ” |
on the list , arsenicals and picrotoxins |
temic effects if swallowed , inhaled or |
of the benefit of the medications . |
cumulative dose of 5g . |
“ There used to be a saying that the |
included . |
absorbed through skin lesions . |
They were selected because they |
But it took until 1982 for the sys- |
dose makes the poison , because a lot |
According to historical papers |
Its use is now limited to research , |
were useful ,” says Associate Profes- |
temic use of acetarsol to end because |
of the things used as tonics would be |
recently released by the federal |
pesticides and illicit horse doping . |
sor Chris Hogan , a GP and curator |
of the risks . |
fatal if the dose was exceeded . |
Department of Health and Aged Care , |
But in the 1950s it was used by |
of the RACGP John North Museum |
For Australian patients in the |
“ The safety margins of modern |
doctors were asked to “ kindly bear in |
doctors as a CNS stimulant and |
Collection . |
1950s with neurosyphilis , treatment |
times are a real luxury .” |