Botanic Remedies 83 



cases of sthenic character; but such reliable stand- 

 ardized tinctures are now made that I have wholly 

 abandoned the use of the alkaloid. 



ADONIS 



PHEASANTS* EYE, FALSE HELLEBORE, adonis ver- 

 nalis. Not official in the U. S., but is in Austria, 

 Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, and Switzer- 

 land. Consequently the drug must be assigned a 

 degree of importance. The National Formulary 

 lists it. 



Certain acrid properties in the fresh plant are 

 reputed to produce abortion; they disappear on 

 drying. 



PHARMACOLOGY. Adonis is a member of the 

 digitalis group, partaking of the general properties 

 of digitalis itself; but it is more prompt in action, 

 slowing and strengthening the beats and raising 

 arterial blood-pressure. In consequence it is diu- 

 retic. It is rapidly eliminated. In toxic doses it 

 causes paralysis of the cardiac motor nerves. 



THERAPEUTICS. Similar to digitalis, but not, in 

 general, so reliable. It is a good substitute when 

 digitalis disagrees or has become cumulative. Also, 

 in severe cases, it may be given with digitalis until 

 after the system comes under the slower-acting 

 digitalis. It is a prompt remedy in dyspnea and 

 cardiac dropsy. In my experience, it is too potent 

 a drug to use in functional derangements of the 

 heart, raising blood-pressure rapidly and causing 

 much discomfort. Never give to children or per- 

 sons with high or normal blood-pressure. 



It is administered in 1- to 2-drop doses of the fl. 

 every 2 to 4 hours. 



