154 Botanic Drugs 



and may be harmful. But in the treatment of 

 septicemia digitalis is a valuable symptomatic 

 remedy. 



Undue slowness of the pulse contraindicates digi- 

 talis. Forcible apex-beat and throbbing arteries 

 also contraindicate heart stimulants. 



Degenerated arterial coats do not contraindicate the 

 use of digitalis, as was formerly taught, for thera- 

 peutic doses of digitalis rarely raise blood-pressure. 

 There is no occasion to combine nitrites with digi- 

 talis in these cases. 



Auricular fibrillation being the indication for digi- 

 talis, it is necessary that physicians recognize its 

 presence. It requires the study of a recent text- 

 book fully to understand the condition, but, briefly, 

 an irregularly irregular pulse is a leading symptom 

 of auricular fibrillation. It is more pronounced 

 when the pulse is fast. In mitral stenosis a pre- 

 systolic bruit disappearing indicates the onset of 

 auricular fibrillation; a diastolic bruit persists. 

 There is the ventricular form of venous pulse, best 

 shown with the polygraph. Clinically, when auric- 

 ular fibrillation exists, digitalis rapidly reduces the 

 pulse rate except in cardiosclerosis and pyrexia. 



ADMINISTRATION. In general, large doses pro- 

 duce prompt results with certain disadvantages. 

 So soon as these disadvantages nausea, vomiting, 

 headache, diarrhea, etc. appear, cut down the 

 dose. But, if a patient really needs digitalis, get 

 him under its influence, and then maintain with 

 moderate dosage. Or drop out the drug for a few 

 days and then resume. As much as 2 fluidrachms 

 of digitalis tincture has been given in one day to 

 impress initially a serious case, but this is to be 



