216 Botanic Drugs 



augmentation, as do the involuntary muscles gen- 

 erally; but the later ganglionic paralysis blocks all 

 tonic impulses from the central nervous system to 

 the involuntary muscles. Plain muscle also loses 

 tone. 



Nicotine and lobeline have a powerful stimulating 

 action on the central nervous system, injection 

 causing muscular twitching, hurried respiration and 

 vomiting; this quickly followed by depression. It 

 is the ganglion cells that are first stimulated; and 

 the later coma and convulsions are partly the result 

 of asphyxia. 



The pupil is influenced, usually being first con- 

 tracted and then dilated. 



The toxic action of lobelia so closely parallels 

 what is said regarding the nicotine alkaloids that it 

 needs little separate consideration. There have been 

 many fatalities from lobelia. 



The question of tolerance to nicotine and lobeline 

 was worked out by Edmunds. See Jour, of Phar. 

 and Exp. Ther., June, 1909. He proved that no true 

 tolerance was gained to either alkaloid. On the 

 contrary, sensitization occurred in some of the ani- 

 mals used. Tolerance in man is a very variable 

 factor. No one definitely knows how or why it is 

 established in the case of the tobacco-user, though 

 it is probable the adrenal function is a factor. 



THERAPEUTICS. Permit some preliminary consid- 

 erations. While I believe every word to be true 

 that was stated under the pharmacology, and while 

 I have personally known lobelia to induce most 

 distressing and even dangerous symptoms, yet it 

 seldom does, as a matter of fact, act as an energetic 

 poison. Of course I am speaking of the whole drug, 



