an oldie but goodie

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For all us ancient ones, how about remembering an oldie - aramine IV drip!

Was watching an oldie TV channel and Dragnet, Squad 51 (can't remember the real name, but it was with firemen/paramedics Gage & Desoto) and then Emergency came on. Some snakebite pt had bottomed out and was in the ER. All nurse Dixie McCall was doing was taking a manual blood pressure, handing the docs meds (that docs administered) and making phone calls.

No specific directions; just "an aramine drip".

I got the biggest kick watching the nurses walking around in their white uniform dresses and their white heeled shoes (beige pantyhose) and wearing their caps. (I am an antique nurse who loves nursing caps!).

So for you all you nurses out there, what are some of the obscure and oft forgotten meds that we all used to use at some time can you name???

Aramine precipitated this thread, but I also offer that oldie, aldomet. Any others???

Specializes in retired LTC.

Other old-time drugs were tolinase & diabenase, for diabetes. Haven't seen (or even heard of them) in ages. I also remember persantine for seniors. I know it was an oldie, but my Dad was on it not so very super long ago. I remember doing a double-take when I read the bottle.

I think I homogenized two shows together. Dixie McCall used to answer the intercom for the rescue squad's Gage & Desoto. So now I have to figure out what was the other show - it was medically oriented. I'll get it figured out.

There was an oldie drug that I, myself, took way back for charley horse/leg cramps. My Dad took it also. Called quinam, it's off the market now. Was quinine based. I know quinine was used for malaria prophylaxis and caused major sideffects for those of Middle Europe descent (Greece & Italy - remember Cpl Klinger on M*A*S*H ). I believe they have other drugs for Restless Leg Syndrome but, no thanks, I'll just walk off my cramps.

I love watching the old medical shows to watch the nurses answer phones, make calls to xray and handle charts & paperwork. Tough job!!! I like catching the old meds.

Keep the oldies coming if you remember some. Thanks!

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

quinine: muscle cramps, malaria

Bretyllium: arrythmia

Dalmane: sleeper

quinaglute: arrythmia

Alcohol drips for alcoholics

When used to hand lido drips on ALL MI's....and we wondered why they had heart block....LOL

Dextran/Rheomacrodex for AF/Fem pop bypasses

Streptokinase

Isuprel for bragycardia in the AMI/STEMI

EVERYONE was on Persantine

Amphotericin B

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
Is it true that women who were in preterm labor often had alcohol IV drips to stop labor?
Yes....Or a pitcher of 7&7's it was always the non drinkers too.
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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

butazolidin and old NSAID

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Specializes in ICU.

Procardia was the sublingual med we all used, mentioned earlier. We still use Primaxin. I was wondering when someone would mention

bretyllium! We rarely used it, even when it was in all the crash carts. The main oldies I remember have to do with decubitus care; Dakin's solution, betadine and sugar. We have a doctor who is now back to using betadine soaks for decubitus ulcers.

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Specializes in ICU.

Paragoric for crying babies.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
quinine: muscle cramps, malaria

Bretyllium: arrythmia

Dalmane: sleeper

quinaglute: arrythmia

Alcohol drips for alcoholics

When used to hand lido drips on ALL MI's....and we wondered why they had heart block....LOL

Dextran/Rheomacrodex for AF/Fem pop bypasses

Streptokinase

Isuprel for bragycardia in the AMI/STEMI

EVERYONE was on Persantine

Amphotericin B

Which we referred to as 'Ampho-terrible'

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Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
I think I homogenized two shows together. Dixie McCall used to answer the intercom for the rescue squad's Gage & Desoto. So now I have to figure out what was the other show - it was medically oriented. I'll get it figured out.

When Emergency! came out in syndication, I think they changed the name to Emergency One for the syndicated shows because the original series was still on the air. I guess the FCC figured the public was too stupid to differentiate between the reruns in the afternoon and the original series during prime time.

So it could be that's what your remembering as far as the names go.

Emergency was about Station 51 (fire and rescue/paramedics) *and* Rampart General Hospital both, all in the same series.

(And I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who was addicted to this show back in the day! I recently recorded and watched all the old episodes on my DVR... so interesting to see what is the same and what is different. Remember the "five compressions and two breaths" version of CPR?)

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Specializes in Oncology.
quinine: muscle cramps, malaria

Bretyllium: arrythmia

Dalmane: sleeper

quinaglute: arrythmia

Alcohol drips for alcoholics

When used to hand lido drips on ALL MI's....and we wondered why they had heart block....LOL

Dextran/Rheomacrodex for AF/Fem pop bypasses

Streptokinase

Isuprel for bragycardia in the AMI/STEMI

EVERYONE was on Persantine

Amphotericin B

We still have half my unit on ampho at any given time.

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we still use Dakins solution for huge wounds

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Paraldehyde for alcohol withdrawal (would melt plastic syringes!) and chloral hydrate (Noctec) for sleep. Chloral hydrate was used in old movies to pour into someones's drink "slipping them a Mickey Finn".

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
Paraldehyde for alcohol withdrawal (would melt plastic syringes!) and chloral hydrate (Noctec) for sleep. Chloral hydrate was used in old movies to pour into someones's drink "slipping them a Mickey Finn".

Chloral hydrate is an excellent drug and I wish it were used more. Paraldehyde- oh geez. It smelled soooo bad!

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