Botanic Remedies 



245 



on the cord. Morphine is the most depressant, 

 and laudanine the most convulsant. Scaled rela- 

 tively as between the two extremes, the principal 

 alkaloids are active as follows : 



DEPRESSANT Morphine, papaverine, codeine, nar- 

 cotine, thebaine, laudanine CONVULSANT. (Read 

 backward and forward to understand.) 



Morphine is the principal and dominating alka- 

 loid, but differences exist between morphine and 

 opium. The table expresses the main differences: 



PHARMACOLOGY OF MORPHINE. A short stage of 

 excitement is followed by depression of the higher 

 cerebral centers, with gradual extinguishment of 

 the faculties and then sleep. There is lack of sensi- 

 bility to pain; then the medullary centers are de- 

 pressed, and, in toxic doses, death results from 

 paralysis of the respiratory center. 



The cardiac center is little influenced. There is 



