SPECIFICS FOR THE ALIMENTARY TRACT 



Purgatives are more active than laxatives. They produce 

 more abundant and somewhat liquid stools. The difference between 

 these two groups is only in degree of action, as laxatives in large 

 doses may be purgative and small doses of purgatives laxative. 

 Usually placed in this group are: 



Aloes Castor Oil 



Rhubarb Calomel 



Senna Blue Mass 



Drastics. These produce severe action and in overdoses act as 

 irritants, causing symptoms of acute enteritis. 



Croton Oil Podophyllum 



Colocynth Jalap 



Scammony Bryonia 



HydragOgues. These cause abundant, watery stools and are 

 attended by but little irritation. The salines are the chief mem- 

 bers of the group as, 



Magnesium Sulphate Potassium and Sodium Tartrate 



Sodium Sulphate Sodium Phosphate 



Magnesium Citrate Sodium Bitartrate 



Aside from these a few of the drastics serve as hydragogues, in 

 suitable doses, elaterium, jalap, bryonia. 



For convenience of study, purgatives or cathartics will be 

 grouped according to Bastedo with a few minor modifications. 



A. Irritants. 



(a) Some very weak laxatives. 



Sulphur 

 Liquid paraffin Bile Salts 



(b) Fixed oils and their products (soap aiid glycerin). 



Olive oil Castor oil 



Castile soap Linseed oil 



Glycerin 



(c) Anthracene derivatives or Simple purgatives. 



Aloes Cascara Sagrada Frangula 



Senna Rhubarb 



Phenolphthalein 



(d) Cathartic mercurials. 



Calomel Blue mass, etc. 



