154 DEPRESSANTS TO CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM 



if the drug is smoked and inhaled in man, or if the dose is very 

 large, in horses, although the usual effect from narcotic doses is to 

 slow the heart. The respirations may be accelerated somewhat if 

 the period of excitement is present but are slowed during the narcotic 

 stage. 



Cannabis is comparatively nontoxic to the domestic animals. 

 Winslow says, " A horse receiving % ounce of the solid extract be- 

 came drowsy. Sleep after a few hours passed into stupor, and 

 stupor into coma. The respirations became slow, the pulse slightly 

 accelerated, and the animal so anesthetic that amputation of the 

 penis was done on the following day without producing the slightest 

 pain or struggling. The animal had to be supported in slings and 

 only recovered after three days." 



Muir (1900) gave large doses intravenously to horses, as much 

 as 15 mils to a 575 pound pony and 45 mils to a 1050 pound horse. 

 Both animals were at first much excited and delirious, the first pass- 

 ing into sleep in a very few minutes, the second remaining excited 

 for twelve to twenty-four hours. Mnir concludes that 50 mils can 

 be given with safety intravenously to a horse. 



Hoare says, " In the dog 10 grains to 2 drams produce stupor 

 and paralysis of the hind limbs ; the narcotic condition may last for 

 two days and the animal recover." 



Therapeutics. Cannabis is Indicated for the Belief of Pain, 

 Spasm and Nervous Irritability. It is superior to opium or mor- 

 phine in equine practice and, although its action is not so rapid when 

 given per os as morphine hypodermically, it is more reliable than 

 either opium or morphine. It is especially superior to opium or 

 morphine for the relief of pain and spasm of the intestinal tract 

 because it does not tend to cause constipation. It is occasionally 

 employed to control the spasms of chorea, epilepsy, tetanus and 

 cough. 



As a Narcotic for Operations Upon the Horse. Many veteri- 

 narians are employing cannabis intravenously to produce a state of 

 narcosis sufficient for many operations upon the horse. The fiuid- 

 extract is given intravenously in from 5 to 10 mil doses, and nar- 

 cosis takes place quite promptly. 



Administration. Cannabis may be given per os in capsule, 

 with a syringe or in a drench with water. Water precipitates the 

 resin but does not appear to interfere with the action of the drug. 

 It may be administered intravenously as the fluid-extract. Some 

 clinicians filter it just before its intravenous administration, others 

 do not. Although it is claimed by some that there is danger of 

 embolism on account of a precipitation of the resin in the blood, 

 there are no reported bad effects from its use in this manner. 



It should not be used subcutaneously, since the resin is not ab- 

 sorbed rapidly from the subcutaneous tissues. 



