ANTIMONIUM. 



I0 5 



dislocations. Nauseating and emetic doses cause great weak- 

 ness of the voluntary movements, inability to stand, occasional 

 tremors, and aching of the muscles. It is still given as an 

 antispasmodic, to relax the cervix uteri in some classes of 

 difficult labour, and in combination with purgative medicines 

 to prevent or remove spasm of the bowel. 



4. REMOTE LOCAL ACTION AND USES. 



Antimony leaves the system by all the mucous surfaces, 

 the liver, kidneys, and skin ; so that it may cause inflammation, 

 salivation, and pustulation of the mouth, oesophagus, and 

 stomach when administered by the skin. In being excreted by 

 the stomach, it produces there, as we have seen, a remote emetic 

 effect. Its excretion in the bile constitutes it a hepatic stimu- 

 lant, sulphurated antimony, either as Plummer's pill or alone, 

 being much esteemed as a cholagogue, especially in gout and 

 loaded conditions of the liver. In passing through the kidneys, 

 it has a slight diuretic action. In doses of ^ to gr., it stimu- 

 lates the skin, acting as a diaphoretic, of service, as we shall 

 see, in feverish conditions. Its internal use occasionally de- 

 velops the characteristic pustular eruption, which suggests it as 

 a remedy for certain forms of chronic skin disease. Antimonial 

 wine is a familiar sedative expectorant, apparently from the 

 excretion of the drug by the respiratory surfaces, given with 

 great advantage in the first stage of acute bronchitis in strong 

 subjects, less frequently in acute pneumonia. 



5. USES OF THE COMBINED ACTIONS OF ANTIMONY. 



When the various effects of antimony thus detailed are 

 reviewed together, it is found to be a powerful general depres- 

 sant, oxygenation being impaired, nervo - muscular activity 

 reduced, the heart weakened, and the waste of the body in- 

 creased through all the channels of excretion, and by loss of 

 heat. When a full dose (1 to 3 gr.) is given, and vomiting 

 induced, this general depression may threaten to pass into 

 collapse, with pallor and coldness of the surface, ami marked 

 fall of the body temperature. On this account tartarated anti- 

 mony may sometimes be employed with benefit as an anti- 

 pyretic or febrifuge at the commencement of acute febrile, 

 attacks in sound robust subjects, more especially bronchitis, 

 where the attendant increase of the bronchial secretion will be 

 serviceable, and the possible emesis by no means contra-indi- 

 cated. Great caution must, however, be exercised in prescribing 

 this powerful depressant, and the best method of admin > 

 it is in very small doses in water every fifteen or thirty minutes. 



