Gold has been of medicinal interest almost since its discovery. Unfortunately, most claims for its efficacy were unfounded and it was not until this century that genuinely useful preparations appeared. Compounds of gold are now widely used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and second generation drugs are appearing. In recent years, some compounds have also been found to be effective against particular types of tumours, but give severe toxicity problems. Some of the relevant biochemistry is beginning to be understood.
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