534 DIGITALIS 



on the vaso-motor system of rabbits and cats than of dogs ; 

 applied to the conjunctiva it dilates the pupil of birds 

 (the iris having striated muscle), but not of mammals 

 (iris unstriated) ; while the reverse obtains in the case of 

 atropine. Although the blood becomes charged with car- 

 bonic acid, the motor nerves are so paralysed that asphyxial 

 convulsions do not occur. The heart continues to beat after 

 the breathing ceases, but the poison is quickly eliminated by 

 the kidneys, and artificial respiration persisted with accord- 

 ingly prevents death, even when lethal doses have been 

 given. The rapid excretion of the poison, unchanged by 

 the kidneys, is strikingly illustrated by the fact that the urine 

 of a frog, poisoned by curare, injected subcutaneousjy into 

 a second frog, paralyses it, and its urine will even paralyse a 

 third (Brunton). 



It is allied to hemlock and conine, and to methyl- 

 strychnine, methyl-brucine, and methyl- thebaine. Some 

 of its effects are antagonised by strychnine. It has been 

 given in chorea and epilepsy ; but in neither of these has its 

 efficacy been established. In tetanus, Wiedmann, employ- 

 ing acid solution of curare, which had previously been tested 

 on rabbits, injected a quantity equal to 3iJ ss - f the drug 

 into the facial subcutaneous tissue, and in twelve hours the 

 horse was able to eat. Injections into the neck were equally 

 satisfactory. 



The doses for horses and cattle are from gr. ss. to gr. j. ; 

 for dogs, gr. ^ to gr. -*-. It acts much more powerfully 

 when injected intravenously, hypodermically, or intratrache- 

 ally, than when swallowed. Any considerable amount of 

 food in the stomach retards and minimises its effect when 

 given by the mouth. 



DIGITALIS 



FOXGLOVE. The dried leaves of Digitalis purpurea. Col- 

 lected from plants commencing to flower (B.P.). Nat. 

 Ord. Scrophulariaceae. 



Digitalis grows wild in this country, and in many parts of 

 the Continent, on gravelly, sandy soils, in young plantations, 

 on hedge sides, and hill pastures. Other species have 



