130 Botanic Drugs 



sufficient to produce some of its cerebral effects, 

 upon which he laid the emphasis. Johnson re- 

 garded it as having a "digitalis action." Wilcox 

 claimed that its "digitalis action" is unimportant 

 and noted only in small doses, but that in large 

 doses it depresses the heart and vaso-motor system, 

 diminished reflex activity, and depresses respira- 

 tion. Many authorities regard it as a sedative and 

 heart depressant, and some regard it as emmena- 

 gogue. The Homeopathic authorities claim that its 

 toxic symptoms are marked by general relaxation, 

 prostration, weak heart action, and pronounced 

 cerebral disturbance. Potter largely agreed with 

 this and thought it has a feeble ergot-like action. 



As a matter of fact, the physiologic action has 

 not been accurately determined. A reason for this 

 consists in the fact that the green and dried drug 

 acts quite differently, an undetermined volatile con- 

 stituent having a fleeting action not at all regular. 

 In my experience, preparations of the dried drug 

 are notoriously unreliable. 



THERAPEUTICS. What I have to say is based 

 wholly upon preparations of the recent green drug. 



Large doses (10 minims or more fl.) produce a 

 general relaxation and depression, with headache 

 and sometimes diaphoresis. In my hospital service 

 I met many cases of chorea and hysteria and em- 

 ployed the drug therein in full dosage. There was 

 improvement in some cases; but the general results 

 were so irregular and erratic that I wholly aban- 

 doned the use of the drug in large doses. The 

 headache it produces is most disagreeable and it 

 often persists. Certainly in the bromides and 

 gelsemium we have relaxing agents more depend- 



