MOTOR DEPRESSANTS. 145 



chlorate, and hydrobromate — are soluble in water and 

 are given in the same doses. 



Physiological Actions. — Antispasmodic, dia- 

 phoretic, anaphrodisiac, and nervous depressant. 

 In large doses paralyzing motility primarily, and 

 sensibility by central action on the spinal cord, and 

 frequently causing convulsions. Medium doses slow 

 the heart rate and cause impaired sensibility, en- 

 feebled muscular power, dilated pupils, and some dia- 

 phoresis. While gelsemium lowers the heart rate, it 

 is not an arterial depressant and should not be given 

 if the heart is weak. It does not irritate the gastro- 

 intestinal canal, and if given in small repeated doses 

 lowers bodily temperature ; the effect of a single me- 

 dium dose continuing for about three hours. It is 

 excreted chiefly by the kidneys and skin. 



Therapeutics. — In pneumonia and pleurisy, if 

 heart is not yet weakened ; in spasmodic cough ; in 

 remittent fever; in cerebro-spinal meningitis; in 

 vesicular irritability, incontinence of urine, and dys- 

 menorrhoea. 



Antagonists are morphine, digitalis, ammonia, 

 and alcohol, ranking in efficacy in the order named ; 

 but the application of heat to the body, artificial res- 

 piration, and emetics when possible, are of vital im- 

 portance to counteract the toxic effects of the drug. 



Pilocarpus — Jaborandi. 



T'le leaflets of Pilocarpus selloanus and of Pilocar- 

 pus jaborandi, Brazilian plants of the natural order 

 Rutacese, containing an amorphous liquid alkaloid, 

 10 



