156 Dr. Buciianan on the Effects of the Inhalation of Ether. 



but suppose, that the nerves transmit tho impression, with tho rapidity of 

 thought, to the heart and brain. 



It is to this class of substances that ether belongs. They are readily 

 distinguished from all other medicines, by possessing the four following 

 diameters : — They do not act locally, like the substances of the first class, 

 but on parts at a distance. They act in the same way to whatever part 

 of the body they are applied. They are thus distinguished from the 

 substances of the second class. From the substances of the third class 

 they are distinguished, by acting on the nervous system, and the organs 

 most intimately connected with it — the brain, tho organs of sense, tho 

 heart, and the voluntary muscles. Lastly, they are all of them, with a 

 few exceptions, poisonous substances, if improperly administered. 



The substances belonging to this class are known by the name of 

 narcotics, or stupefiants, from their producing confusion of intellect, and 

 deadening sensibility. They were, at one time, supposed all to operate 

 in one way; first, as excitants, and then as sedatives. But a more 

 accurate knowledge of them has shown, that is impossible to refer their 

 multifarious effects to so simple a principle. There are, indeed, some of 

 them to which the name of narcotics is altogether inapplicable, for instead 

 of diminishing, they exalt the sensibility of the nerves. Such, for instance, 

 are the nux vomica, and the other substances containing the alcaloids, 

 strychnia, and brucia; for an animal, under the poisonous influence of 

 these substances, instead of being rendered insensible, feels a touch of the 

 finger like a shock of electricity. 



But the great majority of the substances in question really act on the 

 brain as stupefiants, but they affect other important organs too seriously 

 to permit us to derive any advantage from the stupor they induce. 

 Hellebore is the most powerful stupefiant we know, but it acts as a poison 

 to the system. Camphor, while it induces stupor, brings on frightful 

 convulsions of the muscular system, and prussic acid and fox-glove exert 

 a deleterious influence over the action of the heart. 



The section of the narcotics to which ether belongs, instead of exerting 

 a deleterious influence over the heart, have for their character, to excite 

 and sustain the action of the heart, while they produce upon the brain at 

 first exhilaration, and at length stupefaction. 



To this section belong, first, alcohol, the distilled spirits, the wines, 

 and other fermented liquors ; and second, ether, and some of the compound 

 substances, now named salts of ether, such as the nitrite and the chloride 

 of ether, more commonly called nitrous and muriatic ether. I say some 

 of these bodies, for the effects of all of them on the animal economy have 

 not been ascertained. 



It simplifies our subject very much to observe that alcohol is the active 

 ingredient in the first series of these bodies, and ether in the second ; 

 so that we have merely to consider and contrast the effects of those two 

 agents, alcohol and ether, on the animal economy. 



The effects of alcoholic liquids are too well known to require minute 



