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Headache Powders

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Oct 27, 1910

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 87, No. 43.

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Headache Powders

By Eulalia S. Richards

EULALIA S. RICHARDS, M. D.
The woman who is suffering from a severe headache seldom pauses to consider its cause; she thinks only of the cure. And the cure which she most often decides upon is somebody's headache powders. If asked to state her reason for the decision, she would most likely say, “O, they are so easy to take, and so prompt and effective!” What she probably does not know is that they are as dangerous as they are effective. Any medicine which can cure a severe headache in ten minutes, or in an hour for that matter, is a dangerous drug. It relieves the pain only by temporarily silencing or paralyzing the nerves which are conveying the message of pain.
The majority of advertised headache powders contain one or more of the following drugs: acetanilid, phenacetin, or caffein. The following statements concerning acetanilid are taken from a standard work on materia medica:—
“This substance depresses the heart. It is not known how it does this; but what little evidence there is appears to show that it has a directly paralyzing action on the cardiac (heart) muscle. . . . Acetanilid occasionally produces in man collapse, cyanosis, very slow respiration, a feeble pulse, vomiting, profuse sweating, and profound prostration. Death has occurred after a dose of five grains.”
Of phenacetin the same author says: “This drug sometimes produces severe vomiting, sweating, feeble and rapid pulse, and collapse.” However, as a rule, phenacetin is considered a safer drug than acetanilid, since it does not so markedly depress the heart.
The usual dose of acetanilid, as prescribed by physicians, is from two to five grains. The drug is recognized as one which sometimes produces serious results, hence it is prescribed with due caution, the patient being under observation. But the manufacturers of headache powders apparently see no need of exercising care in the distribution of these dangerous drugs.
One well-known powder consists of six grains of acetanilid, a larger dose than a qualified physician would prescribe. And yet these powders are certified to be “free from any injurious substance.” The dose is stated to be “one powder, repeated in two hours, if necessary; half a powder for children of twelve years: not adapted for children under twelve years.”
Another renowned headache remedy is “guaranteed to be an instant and absolute cure for neuralgia, headache, brain fag, nerve pains.” Analysis shows the composition of the powder to be— Acetanilid .......... 1.16 grains Phenacetin .......... 1.16 grains Caffein ............. .38 grains
The directions are to “take one powder, repeat in an hour if necessary, then every two or three hours until a cure is effected.” Yet it is guaranteed to be an instant cure.
“— Harmless Headache Powders” are described as a “simple and effective cure for all headaches.” Such a powder contains— Acetanilid .......... 5.02 grains Cocoa ............... 4.02 grains Sodium bicarbonate... 1.01 grains
A widely advertised headache wafer contains— Oritanilid .......... 3.28 grains Phenacetin .......... 3.28 grains Caffein citrate ..... 1.64 grains
Yet it is recommended as a “safe and certain cure for headache, toothache, and neuralgia.” Directions for taking the wafers are given, but it is not stated whether the dose is one or more.
That the taking of headache cures is often followed by serious results is shown by the frequency with which one sees in the daily papers such paragraphs as follow:—
“She was a sufferer from recurrent headaches, and about a year ago she began using headache powders. They allayed her suffering until the dangerous acetanilid in the powders affected her heart. She died to-day.”
“Miss —, eighteen years old, is dead after having taken two headache pills. The young woman went home suffering from a headache. She took two pills and retired. Soon she grew restless, and then became pallid. The doctor was called, but she died just before midnight. The pills were found to have caused depression of the youngwoman's heart, and the heart action could not be stimulated.”
“After three hours of unconsciousness following the taking of a headache tablet, the Rev. —, pastor of the Methodist Church, died at six o'clock Saturday morning at his residence. Saturday morning he told Mrs. — that he was ill, and arose and took a headache tablet. Ten minutes later he had relapsed into unconsciousness, from which he did not rally.”
When will people learn that self-medication is an unwise and dangerous procedure? It is also quite as unwise and dangerous to follow the suggestions of every friend or neighbor who may chance to give medical advice.
In the case of headache it is far better to search for the cause of the difficulty, and, if possible, remove it. If unable to discover the cause oneself, it is best to consult some one who is qualified to do so; for only by removing the cause can the trouble be cured. The headache may be temporarily relieved by the taking of headache powders; but it comes again and again, and usually with increasing severity, if the cause is not removed.
The causes of headache are legion. They include constipation, indigestion, congestion of the brain, anemia, eye-strain, loss of sleep, impure air, and the use of tea, coffee, tobacco, and other harmful drugs. But it is not our purpose in this article to consider either the causes or the cure of headache. We merely desire to emphasize the danger of promiscuous drugging for the relief of headache. A safe rule is this: Never swallow any medicine of whose contents you are ignorant, unless that medicine be prescribed for you by a qualified physician.
Some people make the mistake of taking medicine which has been prescribed by a physician for some friend or relative. It should be remembered that medicine which is beneficial to one person may be decidedly harmful to another.
Wahroonga, New South Wales.