New Antagonists Excite an Old Histamine Prospector

Abstract

IN 1972 Black and his associates¹ introduced burimamide, the first histamine H₂*-receptor antagonist. Ever since, gastroenterologists have been excited by the prospect that this substance might provide the universal inhibitor of gastric secretion that they have sought, for so long, to control gastric secretion in patients with peptic-ulcer disease. The recent development of metiamide, a more potent member of the same family of drugs, by the same workers,² has further heightened expectations — and justifiably so. Preliminary studies are encouraging.³ But we should step back to put these developments into perspective, at least as I see them from . . .