CURARE 533 



by the kidneys. In virtue of its increasing both intestinal 

 secretion and peristalsis, it is serviceable in torpidity and 

 obstruction of the bowels, and may even relieve volvulus 

 and invagination. In these gastro-intestinal cases it is 

 conjoined with physostigmine, which stimulates muscular 

 contractions more powerfully than pilocarpine. 



DOSES, etc. Of the fresh leaves, horses or cattle take 39 

 to 3i v - ; sheep, pigs, or large dogs, 3 SS - to 3^> gi yen as an 

 infusion. But pilocarpine nitrate or hydrochloride is more 

 certain and effective, and is prescribed, hypodermically or 

 intratracheally, to horses and cattle in doses of grs. ij. to 

 grs. vi. ; to dogs, gr. T ^ to gr. J ; to cats, gr. ^ to gr. ^L, 

 dissolved in water, 1 grain of the salt to 20 minims of water 

 containing a drop or two of alcohol. As a myotic a few 

 drops of a two per cent, solution may be used. 



CURARE 



CURARA. Wourara. Wourali. Urari. The South Ameri- 

 can arrow poison. An extract from one or more species 

 of Strychnos, mixed with some mucilaginous juice, and 

 owing its activity to an alkaloid, curarine (C 10 H 15 N 3 ). 

 (Not official.) 



Curare is a black-brown substance, with a very bitter taste, 

 and imperfectly soluble in water. It appears to vary some- 

 what in composition, and two varieties have been described. 



The drug, and its twenty-times more active alkaloid 

 curarine, by whatever channel they enter the body, paralyse 

 the peripheral endings of motor nerves. The nerves of the 

 voluntary muscles of the limbs are first affected, then those 

 of the trunk and head, until the only movement is that of 

 respiration. Later and with larger doses this becomes 

 enfeebled and finally fails. Intelligence and consciousness 

 remain unimpaired. Horses are poisoned by 32 to 48 grains, 

 dogs by gr. ^ to gr. 3J of curare given subcutaneously. 

 Experimental investigations demonstrate that the poison 

 affects simply the nerve terminals in the muscles, the effect 

 being similar to fatigue ; that paralysis is removed when the 

 drug is washed out of the muscle ; that it acts less powerfully 



