POTENT WORM-DESTROYERS. 333 



to the family of palms, and its active constituent is areco- 

 line, a colorless oily fluid. Arecolme Jiydrobromatc, a salt 

 of this alkaloid, rQsemhXQS pelletierine, an alkaloid obtained 

 from the root-bark of the pomegranate, and is a local irri- 

 tant when applied to mucous membranes. In medium 

 doses it produces vomiting and diarrhoea, while small doses 

 slow the movements of the heart, render respiration diffi- 

 cult and have a paralyzing action on the brain. 



Some who have discussed areca nut in public print have 

 denounced it as unsafe and poisonous, while others have 

 claimed it to be perfectly safe and incapable of doing any 

 harm whatsoever. Both sides are at fault on this ques- 

 tion. For puppies four or five months of age and up- 

 wards, and matured dogs, areca nut is one of the safest of 

 vermifuges, but puppies much under this age do not always 

 bear it well. In fact the writer in his experiments with it 

 has killed puppies six and seven weeks old by only mod- 

 erate doses. And in these fatal cases evidently the drug 

 produced a profound impression on the heart, which caused 

 its failure. 



More than likely areca nut has often been given to quite 

 young puppies without harmful results ; still the danger 

 line can scarcely have been left before the fourth month, 

 and until then if it is used it should be in very small doses. 

 But once this doubtful period has passed there will be no 

 necessity for nice adjustment of doses, and excepting 

 where the puppies to be treated are small breeds and 

 toys, the health, strength and age are considerations of 

 first importance in estimating them. 



A distinction has been made between small breeds and 

 toys, but this is vague, and before going further the lines 

 must be drawn as closely as possible ; but instead of giv- 

 ing a list of the varieties included in these classes it will 

 be as well, besides favor convenience, to fix them by weight 



