SULPHUR CHEMOTHERAPY
Louis Bory, MEDICAL PROGRESS, 1938, no 13, 26 March, page 454

General magazine, comprehensive on sulphur chemotherapy, which consists of or dominates all the others.

I. – The author commences by a chapter of chemical physio-patbologic of sulphur where he clarifies the following conclusions, in which concern the general indication of sulphur chemotherapy.

1º The first chemotherapy has to be diet; the diet has to assure a sufficient quantity of active assimilated sulphur.

2º Sulphur is utilised in all nutritional disorders, especially when there is an attack on the organs rich in sulphur (liver, skin, articulations).

3º Sulphur is a useful anti-infectious agent , as underlined today, the sulphorchryso therapy and the sulphonamide therapy.

4º It is an anti-toxin, like nucleus of sulpho-conjugation, an employer in the toxaemia and its intolerances.

M. Bory recalls later the :

II. – SULPHUR CHEMOTHERAPY AGENTS

Briefly, it consists of :

1º Minerale sulphur, and the author insists on the general properties of sulphur in nature or colloidal (anti-parasite, internal antiseptic, laxative, anti-toxic, anti-catarrhal, anti-rheumatism) on a large utilisation of sulphur from mineral water, on the current use of hypo-sulphides and its sulphates.

2º Organic sulphur, most recently used and in which we actually tend to add a sulphuric group to chemotherapy products. The Sulphur brings a synergetic action or a general protector contribution to the product which is added. It is noted that parental body injections of a thiol group or disulfides, are pyretogenous and generally painfull. Finally, the distinction between non-oxydised sulphur and oxydised sulphur are false,as far the anti-parasite actions and anti-infection actions are concerned, from the given product.

In this way, it has been particularly drawn to use :

1º Golden sulpharic salts for the treatment of tuberculosis and rheumatism.

2º The self-made products active in the streptococcus, which we actually use against the coccoid infections in general.

3º The sulphuric oils.

 4º Thiofene, introduced in therapeutics by the author. The soluble carboxyl thiofene and injectable through the subcutaneous and intravenous, is the simplest from, which is the most active and the most practical for sulphur used by the main tracts. It does not provoke any local or general incidents. The author has studied its action in serious infections, Bouillaud’s illness, tuberculosis, the recommendation at the critical stage of general or lung infections, articulations by intravenous (0.10 in 2 cmc of water, one to two times a day). Thiofene in capsules for bones seemed to be reserved for the subacute or chronic cases (0.05 or more, 3 times a day) and when the intestinal disfection indicates appearance.

5º The living sulphur , fabricated by the organisms : such as the glutathione, insulin, the opiotherapeutical products, cysteine, sulphuric water.

III – APPLICATIONS OF SULPHUR CHEMOTHERAPY

The indications of sulphur chemotherapy can be classified under three big groups

1º Sulphur chemotherapy for nutritional problems

a) General Nutrition :

Conditions increase the need for sulphur for the organism : feverish illnesses, nitrogenous diets, growth, etc. Next is the sulphuric medication, preferably under the form of thiopene and the hypo-sulphates, that is used in athrepsies, consumptions, iron convalescence. In diabetes sulphur appears to have a real utility in the colloidal form, or under the form particularly brought by hydrologic treatment. New studies are yet to be done in this domain.

b) Local Nutrition

Pulmonary – The sulphuric mineral waters are particularly used for chronic rhino-bronchitis.

Cutaneous – Sulphur is indicated in the intolerant reactions or in sensitivity, in the seborrhoic states or acne, in the para-keratosis, certain vesiculaire-bubble infections.

Articulation – Sulphur is a capital element of articulatory balance and sulphur chemotherapy is effective in most part of the osteoarthritis. It regulates the metabolism of sulphur by the presence of other metabolisms.

 2º ANTI-TOXIC SULPHUR CHEMOTHERAPY

The anti-toxic action of the liver depends on its reserve in glutathion. The anti-toxic supply of sulphur is used in the sharp saturnine intoxication, mercury treatment, bismuth medication, treatments by arseno-benzenes, the intolerance states or sensitivity treated by soda hypo-sulphates or magnesium.

 3º ANTI-INFECTIOUS SULPHUR CHEMOTHERAPY

Sulphur is used as an anti-parasite in external applications, as an intestinal antiseptic and as an anti-helminitic. The anti-microbe action is well known and has been largely confirmed by the general use of sulpharic products, in which we know the favourable action in the coccus.

In conclusion, the author has underlined the sensitivity of another virus, only coccus, from sulphuric medication

- Invisible Neutrophic virus of shingles and herpes

- Unknown virus of the Bouillaud illness

- Treponema from syphilis (in the sense that the sulphur has provided a point in the treatment of syphilis)

- It seems that the question of therapeutic sulphur of tuberculosis under the hydro-mineral form or chemotherapy has to be retaken and that for a cure, the anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy has to contain sulphur.