150 VETERINARY MATERIA MEDICA. 



lieve pain and to prevent photophobia. Chronic 

 dropsical conditions of articulations and bursse of 

 tendons of the horse, after removing the fluid by the 

 aspirator — the cavity is injected with a one-per-cent. 

 solution of physostigmine, and ice or refrigerant lo- 

 tions applied for several days to combat the resulting 

 inflammation (Stottmeister). 



Caution. — Preparations of Calabar bean should 

 never be used in pregnant animals, as the drug stim- 

 ulates the muscular fibre of the uterus, thus some- 

 times causing abortion or miscarriage. 



AcoNiTUM — Aconite. 



(Syn. — Wolfsbane, Monl?:shood, Blue Rocket.) 



The tuberous root of Aconitum napellus, natural 

 order Ranunculaceae, a perennial plant found in moun- 

 tainous regions, and containing about .03 per cent, of 

 an active alkaloid known as aconitine, in combina- 

 tion with aconitic acid. Other varieties of aconite 

 are said to contain several other principles, concern- 

 ing which there is much division of opinion — viz. : 

 napelline, aconine, pseudaconitine, lyctonine, etc. 

 But it is generally conceded that Aconitum ferox, 

 from Nepaul, contains pseudaconitine, which is much 

 more active than aconitine. Also that a Japanese 

 variety contains an alkaloid known as japaconitine, 

 which is said to be even stronger yet than pseudacon- 

 itine. 



Preparations. — Exfractum Aconiti, extract of 

 aconite. Dose: H., gr. i.-v. ; D., gr. -J-J. 



