TANNIC ACID.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5457, 5 August 1929, Page 1

TANNIC ACID.

A TREATMENT FOR BURNS. PAINLESS AND SAFE REMEDY. Prominence was recently given by the London “Times” to a contribution from its medical correspondent referring to an inquiry in Britain to accertain the views of the staffs of hospitals about the treatment of burns by tannic acid. “The consensus of opinion seems to be that the tannic acid treatment has not only revolutionised practice but has greatly reduced the death-rate,” he wrote." Be fore the treatment was introduced it was recognised that the day following a burn was fraught with great danger on account' of ‘shock’; most of the deaths took place on this day or the day following. Recent work on shock, notably that of Dale, of the National Institute, of Medical Research, has afforded a conception of the condition differing entirely from that formerly held. The. shock which follows burning is due to the absorption through the skin of decomposition products, histamine-like substances, which are produced by the injury itself. To prevent this absorption is, therefore, to prevent shock. The treatment by tannic acid, which was introduced in America in the first instance, achieves this object. Tannic forms a chemical compound with the decomposition pr ducts, and so ‘minds’ them. They cannot be absorbed. The consequence is that no shock occurs and that the patient remains well. Further, the tannic acid produces a firm coating over the burns which serves as its protection end ‘dressing.’ There is no painful disturbance of the injured area and there is little or no pain. When the burn has healed the coating drops off. There would appear to be no doubT that this treatment has robbed cases of severe burning of half their danger . The treatment is painless, safe, and simple.”