490 BELLADONNA AND ATROPINE 



mouth ; inappetence, impaired digestion, gas abundantly 

 evolved from the stomach and intestines. The pulse 

 about 90, was small, hard, and scarcely perceptible ; 

 breathing was short, quick, and accompanied by flapping 

 of the nostrils ; sensibility slightly diminished, but no 

 drowsiness. Some of the cases exhibited abdominal pain ; 

 others imperfect power in the hind extremities ; others 

 terminated fatally in thirty to fifty hours after receiving the 

 first dose ; but in most the symptoms gradually subsided, 

 and in thirty-six to forty-eight hours the animals were 

 perfectly well. Two to three ounces of the dried root 

 acted on horses in a similar manner, and six ounces usually 

 proved fatal. 



With atropine sulphate, subcutaneously injected, Harley 

 and Mavor made an extended series of experiments on 

 a healthy six-year-old horse and a weakly two-year-old 

 thoroughbred. One-twelfth of a grain dissolved in water 

 caused in about half an hour acceleration of the pulse 

 from 32 to 42 beats ; half an hour later a further rise of 

 ten beats was noted. The tongue and mouth were dry, 

 and the temperature increased. The pupils began dilating 

 after thirty-five minutes, and reached their maximum in 

 an hour, when the iris was scarcely visible. The symptoms 

 gradually receded, and in two to three hours had dis- 

 appeared. 



One-sixth of a grain caused restlessness and dryness 

 of the mouth, and in thirty-five minutes an increase of 

 34 beats in the pulse, which was full, soft, and compressible, 

 and only fell to its original number after six hours ; the 

 dilated pupils returned to their normal state after three 

 hours ; the secretions were unaffected. 



One-fourth of a grain in twelve minutes increased the 

 pulsations from 38 to 56, producing also slight irregularity ; 

 the pupils gradually dilated, and in an hour reached their 

 fullest expansion. These effects on the pulse and pupil, 

 with dryness of the mouth and lips, continued unabated dur- 

 ing three hours. For eighteen hours the animal remained 

 dull and quiet. 



Half a grain in twelve minutes fully dilated the pupils ; 

 the pulse rose to 68 ; the mouth, tongue, and lips became 



