138 DEPRESSANTS TO CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM 



Doses. Horse, grs. ij — ^v; 0.13 — 0.3. Dog. gr. % — v; 

 0.013—0.3. 



^Compound Morphine Powder (Tully Powder) contains 1.5 per 

 cent, of morphine sulphate, with camphor, licorice and chalk. 



Magendie's Solution of Morphine, Liquor Morphinw Hypoder- 

 maticusy N. F. It is of the strength of 1 — 30, in distilled water, 

 with the addition of a small amount of salicylic acid as a preserva- 

 tive. Five minims of the solution contain % grain of the sulphate, 

 or each mil contains about % grain. See prescriptions following 

 page 147. This preparation slowly weakens and acquires a brown 

 color. 



^Pantopon is said to contain the alkaloids of opium in the same 

 proportion in which they exist in opium itself. The dose is twice 

 that of morphine. 



*Pleistopon is a similar product with the narcotine removed. 



Opium and its alkaloids are incompatible with iron, mercury, 

 zinc and the alkalies. 



External and Local Action. Morphine and opium have no 

 local action. Their action to overcome pain is purely central and 

 since they must be absorbed and reach the centers before they can 

 cheek pain, they have no more power for this action when applied 

 locally than when given by mouth. Furthermore, pain is relieved 

 in distant parts of the body just as much as at the point of applica- 

 tion. Hence, the use of opium or its preparations as dusting pow- 

 ders, washes, suppositories, etc., is not only irrational but has the 

 additional disadvantage of being uncertain of absorption. 



Digestive System. The principal actions of opium and mor- 

 phine on the digestive tract are to diminish secretions and peris- 

 talsis, cause nausea and vomiting. I*^ausea and vomiting almost 

 invariably follow the use of morphine in any form in moderate or 

 large doses in the dog and cat, and since this action is very quickly 

 produced by subcutaneous injection it would appear to be of central 

 action. Eiegel found in dog and man that the secretion of the 

 gastric juice was first retarded but is subsequently increased beyond 

 the normal. The effects in the intestines vary with the doses used 

 and the species of animal. Small doses diminish peristalsis in all 

 animals, but large ones produce active or violent peristalsis and 

 frequent evacuation of the bowel in the dog and cat. The intestinal 

 secretions are somewhat diminished but the constipation which fol- 

 lows morphine and opium is largely due to the slow emptying of the 

 stomach, together with the slow passage of the intestinal contents 

 due to the lessened peristalsis. The total result of the diminished 

 peristalsis and secretions is that digestion is delayed, appetite ap- 

 peased and constipation almost always follows. 



* Unofficial. 



