Concerning the influence of antipyretics on the acuity of hearing

Abstract

In connection with an extensive pharmacological and psychological study of antipyretic drugs, the effect of same was tried on the acuity of hearing. Experiments were performed on normal human subjects, and in a few cases on persons suffering with mild deafness. The tests were made, by means of a watch, in a quiet room, with the subject in a sitting position; and all necessary controls were carried out for the elimination of error. In every experiment the normal limit of hearing was first determined; the drug to be studied was then administered by mouth; and the acuity was afterwards tested at definite intervals of time. Only therapeutic doses of the drugs were administered. The following substances were studied: acetanilid, acetphenetidin, antipyrin, pyramidon, lactophenin, salol, aspirin, quinin, sodium salicylate, and “melubrin.” After studying the effects of individual drugs, certain combinations were administered. The following were among the combinations studied: acetanilid plus sodium bicarbonate, acetphenetidin plus salol, acetanilid plus salol, acetanilid plus acetphenetidin, antipyrin plus aspirin, and antipyrin plus salol.

The results obtained were both interesting and unexpected. It was found that some drugs decrease the acuity of hearing while others increase it. Furthermore, it was found that certain combinations of antipyretics produce synergistic effects not explainable by the simple arithmetical sum of the effects produced by the components individually. Among the agents found to decrease the acuity of hearing were acetanilid, salol, and aspirin. Among those found to increase the hearing were antipyrin, pyramidon, and small doses of quinin. Among the most remarkable combinations studied were those of acetanilid plus sodium bicarbonate and acetanilid plus salol. It was established that whereas acetanilid given alone decreases the acuity of hearing, and ordinary doses of sodium bicarbonate given alone produce no change; a combination of the two produced a definite improvement in the acuity of auditory perception.