MOSCHUS MOSCHIFEKUS. 



Musk is stimulant and antispasmodic. Aetius is the first 

 writer who mentions it as a medicine, but it did not come 

 into general use till the beginning of the sixteenth century. 

 In moderate doses it operates on the nerves of the stomach, 

 causing, when this organ is in an irritable state, nausea and a 

 sensation of heat at the epigastrium. If the dose be repeated 

 at short intervals, it acts as a general excitant and antispas- 

 modic, increasing the force and quickness of the circulation, 

 and exciting perspiration. It is taken into the blood, and the 

 odor of the drug becomes evident in the urine, the sweat, 

 and other excretions, and in post-mortem dissections of persons 

 under a course of musk, every cavity and tissue is found to 

 be penetrated by it. From the report of M. Jorg and a soci- 

 ety of experimentalists at Leipzig, the primary influence of 

 musk appears to be that of an excitant on the stomach, 

 causing increase of appetite, dryness of the gullet, and eruc- 

 tations ; the secondary, on the nervous centres, causing ver- 

 tigo, headache, nausea, drowsiness, and a general sensation 

 of heaviness and faintness. 



Musk has a remarkable power of resolving spasm and 

 increasing the energy of the brain and nerves. Hence it is 

 very efficaciously given in typhoid fevers, when low delirium, 

 subsultus tendinum, and hiccough supervene ; and in combi- 

 nation with ammonia to arrest the progress of gangrene. Its 

 beneficial effects in all spasmodic diseases are well established, 

 and Dr. Cullen says he can vouch for its powers in retrocedent 

 gout, which in many instances he had seen suddenly relieved 

 by large doses of musk. It checks the vomiting in cholera, 

 at the same time that it allays the termina of the intestines. 

 In epilepsy, more benefit has been derived from musk in com- 

 bination with calomel than from any other remedy, and 

 much of 'the disappointment which others have experienced 

 may be attributed either to the remedy not having been gen- 

 uine, or to the smallness of the dose. To obtain the full 

 benefit of musk in this disease, the dose must be much larger 

 than that which is usually given, it should be repeated 

 at shorter intervals, and its use be continued for a longer 

 period. 



It may be given in the form, of pill or emulsion. The me- 

 dium dose is ten grains, to be repeated every two or three 

 hours. In the cases of children, it may be given with great 

 advantage in the form of enema. 



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