Handbook of materia medica, pharmacy, and therapeutics, including the physiological action of drugs, the special therapeutics of disease, official and practical pharmacy, and minute directions for prescription writing / by Sam'l O.L. Potter.

  • Potter, Samuel O. L. (Samuel Otway Lewis), 1846-1914.
Date:
1894
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Handbook of materia medica, pharmacy, and therapeutics, including the physiological action of drugs, the special therapeutics of disease, official and practical pharmacy, and minute directions for prescription writing / by Sam'l O.L. Potter. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

    86/846 (page 84)
    The primary stimulation which the drug produces upon the vagus centre in the medulla slows the heart-rate at first; but its depressant action upon the motor cardiac centres and the vagus end-organs in the heart, is soon manifested; and finally the vagus centre shares in the increasing paralysis, which affects the vaso-motor centre as well as the cardiac nervous apparatus. The heart-rate becomes very rapid near the end, from paralysis of the vagus ends in its structure. Its taste is bitter, acrid and pungent. Soon after the ingestion of even a small quantity, a sensation of numbness and a persistent tingling are felt in the tongue and lips. Full medicinal doses cause asense of con- striction in the fauces, irritation of the gastro-intestinal mucous membrane with increased secretion ; sometimes nausea and vomiting, and severe pains in the joints and muscles; always more or less salivation, diaphoresis and diuresis; reduced respiratory power, cardiac rate and force; lowered arterial tension and temperature. A lethal dose produces great muscular weakness, dim sight, dilated (sometimes contracted) pupils ; shallow, irregular, and labored respiration, slow and weak pulse, cold surface, clammy sweat, great anxiety, numbness and tingling in the extremities, lowered body-temperature (2° to 3°), abolished sensation, impaired reflexes and motility, and finally death from paralysis of the heart and respiration, with or without convulsions, con- sciousness being preserved until near the end, when CO^ narcosis sets in. In two recorded cases, oedema of the entire body resulted from Aconite- poisoning by eating the leaves of the growing plant. Aconite is rapidly diffused and slowly excreted, the effects of a full medicinal dose continuing for three or four .hours. Applied externally, it paralyzes the sensory nerves of the part, producing its characteristic numbness and tingling. Aniagonisis. Caffeine, Atropine, Morphine, Ether, Ammonia and Amyl Nitrite antagonize its effects on tlie heart and respiration. Digitalis counteracts its heart action and the relax- ation of cardiac inhibition. In Aconite poisoning, the stomach should be evacuated, warmth applied to the extremities, stimulants administered, artificial respiration if neces- sary, and the recumbent posture strictly maintained. Caffeine may be administered hypo- dermically and per orem. Therapeutics. Aconite antagonizes the fever process, and rightly used is therefore one of the most valuable drugs we possess. It has well been called the “ therapeutic lancet,” and is certainly responsible to a great extent for the disuse of venesection. Its power over the circulation, respiration and transpiration renders it of the greatest value in all affections characterized by high, resisting pulse, dry hot skin, and elevated body-temperature. It is especially useful in acute throat affections, the early stage of acute inflammations of* the respiratory organs, catarrhal croup, acute pleuritis and peritonitis before the stage of effusion, simple and eruptive fevers.