DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM 93 



stovain, propaesin, dipropsesin, subcutin, zycloform, 

 orthoform, nirvanin, acoin, holocain, antipyrine, men- 

 thol and ether; also morphine and hydrocyanic acid. 

 For the purposes of general therapeutics, division of the neu- 

 rotics simply into stimulants and sedatives is most desirable. 

 Both classes of drugs operate by producing a specific change in the 

 nerve albumins, consisting especially in the formation of double 

 combinations, as morphine albuminate, strychnine albuminate 

 and bromide albuminate. Some of these combinations are less 

 susceptible to stimuli (morphine albuminate) than the original 

 nerve albumin. In some instances, changes in the composition 

 and in the distribution of the blood also participate in the action. 



1. STIMULANTS TO THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. EXCITANTS 

 Synonyms: Analeptics, stimulants, euphorics, exHlarants, tetanies, 

 spasmodics, epinants, hyperkinetics, epileptifacients, antiparalytics; exciting, 

 stimulating, restorative, invigorating medicines. 



Uses. — The nerve stimulants are employed in the treatment of 

 the various disease conditions of the nervous and muscular systems 

 which are inaugurated with general or local weakness or paralysis 

 of these systems or of individual parts : brain, spinal cord, periph- 

 eral and sympathetic nerves; also the skeletal muscles, heart, 

 intestinal musculature, etc. The most important of these dis- 

 eases are: 



1. Psychic depression in the course of severe febrile conditions, 

 e.g., influenza and contagious pneumonia of the horse, canine dis- 

 temper, catarrhal fever of cattle, swine erysipelas, fowl cholera and 

 septic and pyaemic conditions. 



2. General weakness in the course of acute and chronic dis- 

 eases, e.g., parturient paresis of cattle, anaemia, leukaemia, after 

 difficult parturition, following overexertion, after internal and 

 external hemorrhages, and in fall of body temperature. 



3. Heart weakness in the course of infectious diseases, e.g., 

 contagious pneumonia and malignant aphthous fever. 



4. Brain diseases in the stage of depression: acute inflam- 

 mation of the brain, chronic hydrocephalus, cerebral anaemia, 

 vertigo, syncope, cerebral apoplexy and cerebral paralysis. 



