BELLADONNA AND ATROPINE 179 



or central origin, but is excellent in cases of local spasm of smooth 

 muscle excited by peripheral irritation. 



a. To relax spa.sm of the intestines. It is very useful in the 

 various form of colic to overcome pain and allov\? the passage of the 

 intestinal contents. It is frequently prescribed along v?ith purgatives 

 to lessen griping caused by them. It has been regarded as a good 

 adjuvant to morphine in spasm of the intestinal muscles and was con- 

 sidered as a guard against the action of morphine. Hovfever, more 

 recent investigation has shown that it should be used with caution in 

 combination with morphine, since the combination checks the secre- 

 tions, paralyzes the bowels and may bring on a fatal termination by 

 stoppage of the bowels. 



I For action upon the bowel it is usually prescribed in one of the 

 crude forms of the drug, the object being to produce a strong local 

 action^ along the intestinal wall, with a slow absorption, since the 

 alkaloids are absorbed too rapidly and may be absorbed from the 

 stomach of some animals. 



b. To relax spasm of involuntary muscles of other organs. It is 

 often of service in spasmodic contraction of the ureters due to cal- 

 culi, given either internally or hypodermically. In spasmodic 

 attacks of asthma due to contraction of the bronchial muscles, it is 

 the best agent at our command since it relieves the bronchial spasm by 

 paralyzing the motor ends of the vagi, lessens secretions, lowers the 

 sensitiveness of the mucous membranes to reflexes, and stimulates the 

 respiratory center. It is also useful for spasmodic attacks of cough- 

 ing for the same reason. 



c. Heaves. Belladonna or one of the group will give temporary 

 relief from the dyspnea of heaves and is frequently used by horse 

 dealers for this purpose. Eaitsits found that these plants do not 

 merely reduce the number of respirations but also abolish the double 

 period and the forced character of the respirations, so that they may 

 appear normal, even in advanced cases. The effect is produced in 

 15 minutes and lasts about a day, but after the effect has worn off the 

 dyspnea becomes more intense than previously. During the first 

 hours after the administration the buccal mucosa is dry, the pupils 

 dilate and do not respond to light, and the pulse is accelerated. Sub- 

 cutaneous dose of atropine (0.03 — 0.05) produces the same effect but 

 this comes on in a very few minutes, and only lasts from one to three 

 hours. 



2. To check excessive secretions, especially of saliva in mercur- 

 ialism or other cases of salivation where it is used internally ; in cases 

 of excessive sweating; of bronchial and nasal mucous in bronchitis or 

 coryza, especially in the free running stage. Results promptly fol- 

 low its. use in these conditions but since these are merely symptoms, 

 the source or cause should be found and treated if possible. It is one 

 of the best agents we have for checking the secretion of milk from an 



