ACTION OF PILOCARPUS AND PILOCARPINE 419 



may contract the pupil, but jaborandi, or the fluid extract, 

 are less likely to do so on account of the opposing • alkaloid 

 (jaborine), which tends to dilate the pupil. 



Summary. — Pilocarpine possesses two important actions. 

 1. To increase secretions (stomach, intestines, salivary glands, 

 sudoriparous, lachrymal and mammary glands, kidneys, 

 bronchial and nasal mucous membranes, aud ear). 2. To 

 stimulate the involuntary muscles ( stomach, intestines, 

 heart, uterus, bladder, spleen, vessels and iris ). Both 

 actions are peripheral and are probably exerted on the 

 gland cells and muscle fibres, as well as on the efferent 

 nerve terminations. 



Administrotioi}. — Pilocarpine is given usually when an 

 immediate effect is desired. Therefore the hydrochlorate 

 or nitrate are employed subcutaneously. If prescribed in 

 combination with eserine, the sulphate of both alkaloids 

 may be used, or eserine sulphate and pilocarpine hydro- 

 chlorate may be injected separately. 



Toxicology. — Symptoms appear in five or ten minutes 

 after the subcutaneous injection of pilocarpine, and in fifteen 

 to twenty minutes after the injection of jaborandi. Saliva- 

 tion alone occurs after small doses, but with toxic quantities 

 there are present salivation, accompanied by more or less 

 sweating, intestinal colic, purging and perhaps vomiting, a 

 slow, weak pulse, and dyspnoea. Muscular tremors are 

 observed sometimes in man, and convulsions in frogs, but 

 spasmodic movements are uncommon in the domestic ani- 

 mals. Dogs have been killed by gr.J of pilocarpine. The 

 administration of an amount larger than 5 grs. of the alkal- 

 oid to horses, subcutaneously, is attended with danger. 

 Atropine is the physiological antagonist of pilocarpine in 

 relation to the heart, secretions, pupils, and, in large doses, 

 probably to the intestines. 



Atropine should be given along with alcoholic stimu- 

 lants, or ammonia, in jaborandi or pilocarpine poisoning. 



Uses Internal. — The chief value of pilocarpine in veteri- 

 nary medicine consists in its use as a purgative to stimulate 



