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Signs in the Iris:

   Antikamnia produces in the upper part of the iris a greyish white veil which looks like a thin coat of whitewash. (Color plate, figs, d and f.) Antifebrin, antipyrin and phenacetin produce a pigmentation proceeding from the sympathetic wreath outward, in color ranging from gray to light yellow.

   Creosote and guaiacol, which are used extensively as germ killers in tuberculosis and other germ diseases, produce a greyish or ashen veil over the entire iris. (Color plate, Figs, a and b.) In Europe the utter uselessness of these agents and their destructive effects have been fully recognized and they have been practically abandoned. In this country, however, these poisons are still widely used. The same holds true of antitoxin and tuberculin. These serums also have been practically abandoned by the most advanced European physicians, while here they are rather gaining in popularity with the medical profession.

   Even "harmless" germ killers, if such there be, will never prove a cure for tuberculosis, because the tubercular bacillus is the product of the disease, not its cause. It grows in morbid and decayed lung tissue only.

   The only way to prevent the growth and multiplication of the dreaded bacilli or their microzyma is to remove from the system the morbid and scrofulous soil in which they thrive. Elimination, not "germ killing", is the cure. Every germ killer is a protoplasmic poison, and that which weakens and kills the protoplasm of bacteria and parasites also weakens and kills the protoplasm of the normal cells of the human body.

   During the last thirty years coal tar preparations have become very popular as pain-killers and hypnotics. Antipyrin, antifebrin, phenacetin, antikamnia, triasol and dozens of other preparations are obtained by the distillation of coal tar. All of these agents are highly poisonous and have a depressing and paralyzing effect on the brain, heart and respiratory centers. The use of these agents in the form of doctor's prescriptions, headache powders, nerve soothers, and hypnotics accounts for the increase in heart disease and insanity much more than does the "strenuous life". The stimulating and soothing effect of many of the popular soft drinks, such as coca cola and bromo seltzer, is due to poisonous stimulants, hypnotics or narcotics.

   A few years ago Dr. Wiley, the government chemist, exhibited at the St. Louis exposition a flag of the United States which had been colored by anilin dyes extracted from canned goods. His investigations and laboratory experiments proved that most of the foods sold in grocery stores were adulterated not only with cheap ingredients, but also with poisonous coloring materials and antiseptics, most of which were found to be coal tar preparations.

   In our modern artificial life people absorb poisons in many ways which they never suspect.

   Ten years ago a patient called me up on the telephone and asked me to come to her house immediately. On arriving there I was asked to examine a woman who was sitting in a chair before us. The upper part of the iris in both eyes was covered with a greyish veil looking somewhat like whitewash. (Color plate, Fig. f, page 116.)

   I said to Mrs. A., who had summoned me, that the woman must be suffering from coal tar poisoning, probably antikamnia or creosote, and that this must be severe enough to affect her mind. Mrs. A. answered that this was correct--that the patient was mentally unbalanced and also deaf and dumb. Then she explained that the woman had been doing her cleaning and laundry work, but of late had shown signs of mental aberration, and that during the last few days the condition had become acute. A doctor was called to examine the patient. His diagnosis was "insanity from worry over business matters". The friends of the patient had told him that Bessie had lost $1,400.00 by loaning it to dishonest acquaintances. From this the doctor concluded that worry over money matters was the cause of her insanity. He recommended that she be committed to an insane asylum.

   Mrs. A. called on the people with whom Bessie had lived and while searching her room they found a number of empty antikamnia boxes. Then both Mrs. A. and her landlady remembered that Bessie had been in the habit of taking medicine for her headaches and neuralgia. This explained the source of the coal tar sign in the iris.

   With the aid of Mrs. A. the patient was placed under our care and treatment. For several months she was at times violently insane. Then she began to improve and after passing through the regular healing crises her mind cleared up to such an extent that in the fifth month we entrusted her with the care of our baby. Speech and hearing, however, while somewhat improved, remain to this day very defective. Ever since her recovery under the natural treatment she has been able to make her own living as domestic servant in private families.

   Worry over money matters might have unbalanced her mind but surely would not have caused loss of speech and hearing. This could be caused only by some poisonous paralyzing agent. In this case also the diagnosis from the eye proved more reliable than the testimony of the expert alienist. If she had been committed to an insane asylum it would have been for life.

Allopathic Uses:

   1. Powerful antipyretics acting within one hour.

   2. General nervous sedatives, anodyns and hypnotics, "giving complete and prompt relief in nervous headache, neuralgia, ataxia pains, gout, rheumatism, dysmenorrhea, etc."

Accidental Poisoning:

   1. Patent fever remedies, and headache powders.

   2. Antikamnia and other proprietary anodyns.

Toxicology:

   1. Reduction of blood alkalinity and red corpuscles. (This decrease in the oxygen carrying power of the blood accounts for the antipyretic action.)

   2. Depression of all vital functions with a special tendency to cardiac failure (due to anilin).

Symptoms of Coal Tar Poisoning:

   1. Undue readiness to fatigue.

   2. Despondency and loss of memory.

   3. Renal irritation.

   4. Nervousness, neuarasthenia, paralysis, insanity.

Elimination of Drug in Healing Crises:

   1. Excessive perspiration and erythematous eruptions.

   2. Catarrhal discharges.

   3. Excessive urination.

   4. Nervous and mental disturbances.

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