MOTOR DEPRESSANTS. 147 



increased, but afterward decreased, arterial tension is 

 lowered, and bodily temperature falls from 1° to 4° F. 

 The elimination of urea is greatly increased, but the 

 amount of urine voided is not increased ; the respira- 

 tory power is lowered, and apnoea may occur from 

 accumulation of the increased mucous secretion. 

 Pilocarpus is rapidly diffused and is eliminated by 

 the skin and saliv'arj- glands, its effects continuing 

 for from three to six hours. It causes contractions 

 of the bladder, spleen, and uterus; hence must be 

 cautiously used in pregnant animals. 



Antagonists. — Morphine and strychnine counter- 

 act some of its effects, but atropine is the most com- 

 plete antagonist. 



Therapeutics. — Pilocarpus assists in the absorp- 

 tion of pleuritic and other serous effusions, is used in 

 rheumatism, chronic eczema, and with other expecto- 

 rants in catarrhal pneumonia; in inflammation of the 

 brain, meningitis, laminitis, azoturia, erysipelas, and 

 various dropsical affections ; in torpidity of the bow- 

 el, obstinate constipation, and colic — combined with 

 physostigmine ; in diabetes insipidus — to reduce the 

 quantity of the urine by throwing the eliminative 

 work upon the skin ; it also gives prompt relief in 

 parotitis. 



Physostigma— Calabar Bean. 



(Faba Calabarica.) 



The seeds of Physostigma venenosum, or ordeal 

 plant, natural order Leguminosse, a woody creeper 

 of Calabar, West Africa. It contains, besides albu- 



