434 VEGETABLE DRUGS 



stupor, intermittent paralysis, convulsions, suppression or 

 scanty secretion of bloody urine, and death within 12 or 15 

 hours. Lesions of gastro-enteritis and congestion of the 

 kidneys are found after death. 



Circulation. — The action of squill on the heart and 

 vessels is practically identical with that of digitalis. 



Respiration. — Clinical experience, rather than physio- 

 logical experiments, has shown that squill acts as an expect- 

 orant during its elimination from the bronchial mucous 

 membrane, thereby increasing secretion and vascularity. 



Kidneys. — Squill is eliminated mainly by the kidneys, 

 and in its excretion directly stimulates them and increases 

 the amount of urine. In toxic doses it produces acute 

 parenchymatous nephritis and urinary suppression. Squill 

 is a more powerful diuretic than digitalis. 



Uses Internal. — Squill is useful in ascites of dogs, result- 

 ing from valvular lesions or otherwise, to stimulate the 

 heart and cause diuresis. It may be given to advantage in 

 pill with digitalis, calomel, and extract of hyoscyamus — one 

 grain of each. Small doses of squill are often exhibited to 

 dogs in the second stage of acute bronchitis, and occasion- 

 ally to horses, as an expectorant ; and in large doses as an 

 emetic for dogs in the form of the simple or compound 

 syrup. The drug is indicated in bronchitis with scanty 

 secretion, or when exudation is excessive to improve the 

 tone of the bronchial mucous membrane. 



Class 2. — Decreasing the Force and Lrequency 

 of the Heart. 



AcoNiTUM. Aconite. 



Synonym. — Aconiti radix, B.P. ; racine d'aconit, Fr. ; 

 tubera aconiti, P. G. ; eisenhutknollen, G. The tuber of 

 Aconitum Napellus Linne (nat. ord. Ranunculacese). 



Habitat. — Northwestern North America, Europe and 

 Asia in mountainous regions, and cultivated in the United 

 States for its showy flowers. 



