So THE JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY. 



bilitated condition of the patient at the time. Of course, it is possible that 

 the tablet used contained more than the quantity named, but this is highly 

 improbable. 



Untoward results have been reported from the hypodermic employment 

 of even a smaller dose of hyoscine. Thus O'Hara (Therapeutic Gazelle, 

 Vol. 2; cited by Wood: "Therapeutics/' 7th Ed., 1888, p. 237) relates a 

 rase in which the administration of 1-96 grain hypodermically was followed 

 by severe disturbance, lasting for twenty-eight hours, with total lack of 

 remembrance of occurrences that took place during the seven hours suc- 

 ceeding the injection. Root (Therapeutic Gazette, Vol. 2; cited by Wood, 

 he. cit.) records a case in which 1-300 grain administered by the mouth 

 gave rise to symptoms of violent poisoning, and even 1-1,200 grain oc- 

 casioned very .pronounced manifestations. Gnauck (Medical, News, xl., 323; 

 cited in the "National Dispensatory," 5th Ed.. 1894, p. 855) states that 

 even a very minute dose (1-600 grain) of hyoscine is capable of producing 

 its characteristic effects, and, subcutaneous! y, of acting twice as power- 

 fully as by the mouth. On the other band, Hutchinson (Alienist and 

 Neurologist, iii., 539; cited by Wood, he. cit.) reports that the ingestion of 

 one-quarter grain of very impure hyoscine was followed by quiet coma, with 

 entire muscular relaxation, lasting eleven hours. Further, according to 

 AVood, no case of fatal poisoning is on record. 



In explanation of the widely diverse results obtained from the use of 

 hyoscine, it. must be concluded that different preparations of the drug 

 vary greatly in activity; while some significance is to be attached also to 

 the matter of idiosyncrasy. The best antidote for. hyoscine is said to be 

 chloral ("National Dispensatory, p. 587); Hare (Therapeutics, 5th Ed., 

 ■1895. p. 209) recommends pilocarpine. 



STIMULATION OF THE GASTRIC MUCOUS MEMBRANE TO AID IN 

 THE ABSORPTION OF IMPORTANT DRUGS. 



By H. A. Hark, M. D. 



1 have already called attention in an earlier article to the importance 

 of studying the rapidity of absorption and elimination of drugs in con- 

 nection with their general physiological effects and their dosage. 



In certain states of profound vital depression the gastric mucosa does 

 not carry on its functions of absorption as it does in health, and as a re- 

 sult ,ve recognize, the fact that the use of a drug by the mouth will prob- 



*A paper presented to the Section on Medicine of the College of Physicians of Philadeluhia 

 March :s 1897. 



