MOTOR EXCITANTS. 93 



ounce of distilled water. Open joint, one of the most 

 satisfactory treatments — equal parts of dried alum 

 and iodoform. Uterine hemorrhages, post-partum 

 hemorrhage — douche of alum eight ounces to one gal- 

 lon water, and ergot and tincture of opium inter- 

 nally. Diarrhoea and dysentery — alum with tincture 

 of opium ; but lead salts and vegetable astringents are 

 more effectual. Alum has been given with some 

 success in hsematuria and polyuria. As a very good 

 emetic for the dog, 3 i. in warm water. Pipe-clay 

 or argyl, and fuller's earth, both preparations of alu- 

 minum silicate, are mild astringents, and are used as 

 dusting powders for simple wounds, harness galls, etc. 



MOTOR EXCITANTS. 



Nux Vomica. 



Source and Composition. — The seeds of strych- 

 nos nux vomica, an East Indian tree, belonging to 

 the natural order Loganiaceee. It contains two alka- 

 loids, strychnine and brucine, the former being the 

 more important, which are combined with igasuric 

 acid in the plant. They are also found in lesser quan- 

 tity in other plants of this order. Brucine, although 

 corresponding physiologically as well as therapeuti- 

 cally with strychnine, is only one-twelfth as strong, 

 while strychnine is fully fifty times more active than 

 the powdered nux vomica. Nux vomica is some- 

 times known as Quaker button. 



Chief Preparations. — Extractum Nucis Vom- 



