THERAPEUTIC AGENTS DEFINED 5 



NARCOTICS. Agents which lessen the sensibility to pain and cause 

 sleep. A narcotic will abolish pain, while an anodyne will frequently 

 merely overcome wakefulness. Examples: Opium, cannabis indica, 

 belladonna, humulus, etc. 



HYPNOTICS. Agents which induce sleep and will often abolish pain 

 and cause neither deliriant nor narcotic effects. Examples: Chloral, sul- 

 phonal, trional, the bromides, etc. 



ANALGESICS. Agents which relieve pain by their effect upon the sen- 

 sory centers; the term is synonymous with anodynes. The general ano- 

 dynes, which taken internally, affect the whole organism; local anodynes 

 affect the part to which they are applied. Examples: Opium, belladonna, 

 hyoscyamus, aconite, antipyrine, acetanilid, aspirin, chloral hydrate, etc. 



ANAESTHETICS. Agents which suspend consciousness and temporarily 

 destroy sensation. The local anaesthetics affect only the part to which 

 they are applied. Examples: Ether, chloroform, nitrous oxide, etc. 

 Local anaesthetics : Cocaine, carbolic acid, ether spray, etc. 



MOTOR EXCITANTS. Agents which increase the functional activity 

 of the spinal cord and the motor apparatus, invigorating the action of the 

 heart and lungs. Examples: Nux vomica, strychnine, etc. 



MOTOR DEPRESSANTS have an opposite effect to the motor excitants, 

 lowering the functional activity of the spinal cord and motor apparatus. 

 Examples: Alcohol, opium, aconite, conium, belladonna, etc. 



ANTISPASMODICS. Agents acting on the nervous system in various 

 ways. They prevent or allay irregular action or spasm of voluntary and 

 involuntary muscles. This is accomplished frequently by a sedative in- 

 fluence upon the nerve centers, while a few others exert their influence 

 by stimulating the nerve centers employed to relieve spasms. Examples: 

 Alcohol, ether, valerian, camphor, asafretida, musk, the bromides, 

 hydrocyanic acid, etc. 



TONICS. Agents which increase the vigor and tone of the system by 

 improving the appetite, favoring digestion and assimilation, and adding 

 strength to the circulatory system. Examples: Gentian, columbo, 

 quinine, etc. 



ANTIPERIODICS. Agents which prevent or check the return of diseases 

 which recur periodically, possibly by a toxic action upon the microbes 

 in the blood, which are supposed to cause the disease; but little is known 

 of their mode of action. The typical antiperiodic, quinine, has, however, 

 a decided effect upon the heart and brain, as well as other parts of the 

 nervous system. 



CARDIAC STIMULANTS, as the name implies, are agents which increase 

 the heart's action, the force and frequency of the pulse. Examples: Ether, 

 alcohol, atropine, sparteine, nitroglycerine, etc. 



CARDIAC SEDATIVES allay and control palpitation and overaction of 

 the heart. Examples: Aconite, veratrum viride, digitalis, antimony, etc. 



