NUX VOMICA. 55 



only, as is already known, in intermittent fever, but in cases of 

 apoplexy. In their first direct action, the muscular fibre has a 

 peculiar mobility imparted to it ; the sensitive system is morbidly 

 exalted to a series of intoxication, accompanied by fearfulness 

 and horror ; convulsions ensue. The irritability exhausts itself 

 during the continued action on the muscular fibre, first in the 

 animal, then in the vital functions. On passing into the indirect 

 secondary action, there occurs a diminution of irritability, first 

 in the vital functions (general perspiration), then in the animal, 

 and lastly, in the natural functions. In the latter especially, 

 this secondary action lasts several days. During the secondary 

 action there is diminution of sensibility. Whether in the 



primary direct action the tonicity of the muscles is diminished, 

 to be proportionally increased in the secondary action, cannot 

 be accurately determined.* This much, however, is certain, 

 that the contractility of the fibre is as much diminished in the 

 secondary action as it was increased in the direct action. If 

 this be true, Nux Vomica produces attacks similar to hysterical 

 and hypochondriacal paroxysms, and this explains why it is so 

 often useful in these complaints. Its tendency to excite, in its 

 primary direct action, the contractility of the muscles and cause 

 convulsions, and then again, in its secondary action, to diminish 

 to an excessive degree the contractility of the muscles, shows 

 such a resemblance to epilepsy, that from this very circumstance 

 we must have inferred that it would heal this disease, had not 

 experience already demonstrated it; as it excites, besides vertigo, 

 anxiety, and febrile rigor, a kind of delirium, consisting in 



* Since Hahnemann wrote, many experiments have been made to determine the 

 seat of and action of Nux Vomica. Dr. Marshall Hall (Led. on the Nervous Sys- 

 tem) says : " Hence, then, the seat of the operation of Nux Vomica is the seat of the 

 reflex functions." Dr. Stannius {Brit. For. Med. Rev., vol. v. p. 221) says : " The 

 increased susceptibility to external impr sions, produced by Strychnia, also de- 

 pends on the primary action of this substance on the spinal marrow." The same 

 physiologist concludes, from his experiments on frogs, M that the centripetal nerves 

 receive from the spinal cord an increase of their excitability, and that thus charged 

 they react upon the medulla, and occasion the peculiar convulsions." 



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