Botanic Remedies 217 



not of the energetic alkaloid. One reason for this 

 is that full doses are nearly always promptly emetic 

 in action. Most cases of dangerous toxic action 

 are due to delayed emesis. Another reason is the 

 notorious variation in alkaloidal strength of the 

 drug, whether from the plant containing little 

 lobeline, or heat or other destructive agencies dis- 

 integrating the alkaloid, is hard to say. At all 

 events, many specimens of the crude drug and its 

 preparations are quite inactive. Then, too, lobelia 

 is not always readily absorbed; indeed, sometimes 

 quite large doses seem to be less readily absorbed 

 than are small ones. There are many people who 

 will have more violent emesis from a few relatively 

 small doses than they will from one large one, the 

 latter seeming to set up a violent irritation almost 

 purely local; but the drug may, later, be absorbed 

 from the intestinal tract and give rise to dangerous 

 symptoms. 



I have often wondered why Cytisus laburnum has 

 not largely displaced lobelia. The seed carries a 

 rather definite and constant content of cytisine, 

 which has the same action as lobeline. Cytisine is 

 easily obtained pure in colorless crystals readily 

 soluble in water. There is no uncertainty in the 

 action of laburnum; a full dose of it is invariably 

 toxic, as it is always absorbed. Yet I can find no 

 recorded instances of fatal poisoning from it. Caf- 

 feine is an almost certain antidote to it. Baptisia, 

 q. v., is active from essentially the same alkaloid, 

 yet it is not considered a dangerous drug. Cytisine 

 may be given in doses of 1-8 to 1 grain, it is said. 

 If lobelia was as definite and constant in action as is 

 laburnum there would be less confusion concerning it. 



