DANGEROUS DRUG REACTIONS

Abstract

To the Editor:— Too little emphasis has been given to the possibility that a drug may have, besides its direct action, an indirect or latent and potential effect. Thus, cinchophen appears to cause liver injury only in sensitive individuals, in contradistinction to hydrazine, which produces liver damage in all subjects. The recent work of Watkins ( Proc. Staff Meet., Mayo Clin. 8: 713 [Nov. 22] 1933) and of Madison and Squier (The Journal, March 10, p. 755) indicates quite definitely that compounds such as amidopyrine and various barbituric acid derivatives can cause granulocytopenia; but unlike the action of benzene, which consistently attacks bone marrow, the condition is produced in only a small percentage of cases. There has been a growing tendency to look on this latent toxic action of drugs as allergic. In a recent article ( Am. J. M. Sc. 187: 155 [Jan.] 1934) I proposed the theory that drugs which