104 Botanic Drugs 



ideas, emotional instability, and finally delirium 

 due to direct excitation rather than to weakened 

 inhibition. Tremor and coma may be produced 

 and temperature be raised. 



The respiration is stimulated by therapeutic 

 doses, and fails under large doses, sometimes thus 

 causing death. 



Peripheral effect is twice as active with hyos- 

 cyamine (laevorotary) as with atropine (racemic). 

 The narcotic effect is marked in hyoscine over that 

 of atropine (Peebles). Respiration is best stimu- 

 lated by atropine. 



THERAPEUTICS. Of this group of plant drugs 

 belladonna is valuable for effects depending on 

 paralysis of nerve-endings, to control night-sweats, 

 etc. Both belladonna and stramonium are effective 

 as antispasmodicsto control spasmodic asthma. 

 Belladonna the better controls intestinal spasm. 

 Atropine and members of its series are used in 

 ocular conditions. Atropine is preferred for re- 

 spiratory stimulation. Hyoscyamus and its alka- 

 loids are superior in its role, that of central action 

 and hypnosis. See "Hyoscyamus" and "Stra- 

 monium." 



In small doses belladonna has been used, some- 

 times with effect, in congestion of the cerebrum, 

 especially in cases marked by delirium. In pharyn- 

 gitis and laryngitis small doses are often effective. 

 It cooperates well with aconite in these cases. 



In the ordinary medicinal doses belladonna acts 

 well in night sweats, in asthma, in whooping cough 

 with copious secretion, in intestinal spasm and to 

 reduce the griping of purgatives, in the spasm of 

 calculus irritation, in enuresis, in mercurial saliva- 



