152 VETERINARY MATERIA MEDlCA. 



a slight diarrhoea. In the horse — movements as of 

 deghitition ; in the dog — nausea and sometimes vom- 

 iting. Always more or less salivation, diaphoresis, 

 and diuresis; reduced respiratory power, due to de- 

 pression of respiratory centre, as well as the reduced 

 circulation; decreased heart rate and force; lowered 

 arterial tension and temperature. Toxic doses pro- 

 duce great muscular weakness, impairment of vision, 

 pupils sometimes dilated, occasionally contracted; 

 shallow, irregular, and labored respiration; a slow, 

 weak pulse ; coldness and numbness of body and ex- 

 tremities; clammy sweat; abolishment of reflexes, 

 sensation, and motility. The temperature is low- 

 ered from 2° to 3° F., and death takes place from 

 paralysis of heart and respiration, with or without 

 convulsions, consciousness being preserved until 

 near the end, when CO2 poisoning sets in. Post- 

 mortem examination shows shrunken lungs, contain- 

 ing but little blood ; trachea and bronchi containing 

 much frothy mucus; right side of heart greatly dis- 

 tended with blood, while left side is almost empty; 

 ecchymotic spots found in lungs, pleura, and endo- 

 cardium; digestive organs do not appear seriously 

 affected. 



Aconite acts chiefly upon the peripheral ends of the 

 sensory nerves, but paralyzes both motor as well as 

 sensory nerves, the latter being affected first and from 

 the periphery inward, while the motor nerves are 

 affected from the centres outward. While not affect- 

 ing the brain, it relaxes the cardiac inhibitory appa- 

 ratus, paralyzes the heart muscle and its contained 



