THE USE OF CERIUM OXALATE FOR THE RELIEF OF VOMITING :AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF SOME SALTS OF CERIUM, LANTHANUM, PRASEODYMIUM, NEODYMIUM AND THORIUM.

1. INTRODUCTION.  The widely prevalent therapeutic use of cerium oxalate, the many years that it has held a conspicuous position in our pharmacopeia, and the disagreement among medical practitioners as to its therapeutic usefulness, seem to justify the series of investigations that provide the subject of this paper. Diversity of opinion regarding the therapeutic value of cerium oxalate has existed ever since the first introduction of the drug in 1854 by Simpson¹ before the Medico-Chirurgical Society of Edinburgh, and yet a review of the literature has failed to reveal any efforts to solve this mooted question by experimental methods.Following the lead of Simpson, Lee,² Jones³ and Sommer,⁴ many subsequent observers recorded their endorsement of the use of cerium oxalate for the relief of all sorts of gastrointestinal disturbances. Nevertheless, many others have been absolutely unable to achieve any alleviation of the