ATROPINE SULPHATE 365 



ATROPiNiE Sulphas. Atropine Sulphate. (CnH23Nb3)2 HaSO^. 

 (U. S. & B. P.) 



Derivation. — Atropine is dissolved in sulphuric acid 

 and treated with ether, when the insoluble sulphate settles 

 out. 



Properties. — A white, indistinctly crystalline powder, 

 without odor; having a very bitter, nauseating taste, and 

 permanent in the air. Soluble in 0.4 parts of water, 6.2 

 parts of alcohol, 2,270 parts of ether, or 694 parts of chloro- 

 form. At 187° C. (309° F.) the salt melts, forming a brown- 

 ish-yellow liquid. When ignited, it chars, emits acrid vapor, 

 and is completely consumed. The salt is neutral to litmus 

 paper. 



Dose.—n., gr.i.-iss. (.06-.09) ; C, gr.i.-ii. (.06-. 12) ; Sh. k 

 Sw.,gr.^-3V (.004-.005) ; D., gr.-ri^^ (.0005-.002), average 

 dose, gr.^ (.0006). 



ACTION OP BELLADONNA AND ATROPINE. 



External. — Belladonna is ordinarily not absorbed from 

 the unbroken skin, but when applied to raw surfaces and 

 mucous membranes, or, to a less extent, when rubbed into 

 the skin with camphor (linimentum belladonnse), chloroform, 

 alcohol, etc., it depresses the sensory nerve endings and 

 produces a local anodyne action. Thus applied it also 

 depresses the peripheral motor nerve fibres, and is some- 

 times injected into spasmodically contracted muscles for 

 relief of spasm. The vessels are said to be first contracted 

 and then dilated by the local action of the drug, and the 

 secretions of the skin are diminished. 



Internal. — Digestive Tract. — The action of belladonna, if 

 any, on the secretory functions of the stomach and bowels 

 is unknown. Small doses of the drug depress the peripheral 

 terminations of the intestinal inhibitory nerve (splanchnic), 

 so that peristalsis is increased by the normal stimuli. It is 

 stated that both minute and large doses apparently lessen 

 intestinal peristalsis ; the former by primary stimulation of 



