MOTOE DEPEESSANTS. 147 



increased, but afterward decreased, arterial tension is 

 lowered, and bodily temperature falls from 1° to 4° F. 

 The elimination of urea is greatly increased, but the 

 amount of urine voided is not increased ; the respira- 

 tory power is lowered, and apnoea may occur from 

 accumulation of the increased mucous secretion. 

 Pilocarpus is rapidly diffused and is eliminated by 

 the skin and salivary glands, its effects continuing 

 for from three to six hours. It causes contractions 

 of the bladder, spleen, and uterus; hence must be 

 cautiously used in pregnant animals. 



Antagonists. — Morphine and strychnine counter- 

 act some of its effects, but atropine is the most com- 

 plete antagonist. 



Theeapbtjtics. — Pilocarpus assists in the absorp- 

 tion of pleuritic and other serous effusions, is used in 

 rheumatism, chronic eczema, and with other expecto- 

 rants in catarrhal pneumonia ; in inflammation of the 

 brain, meningitis, laminitis, azoturia, erysipelas, and 

 various dropsical affections ; in torpidity of the bow- 

 el, obstinate constipation, and colic — combined with 

 physostigmine ; in diabetes insipidus — to reduce the 

 quantity of the urine by throwing the eliminative 

 work upon the skin ; it also gives prompt relief in 

 parotitis. 



Physostigma — Calabar Bean. 



(Faba Calabarica.) 



The seeds of Physostigma venenosum, or ordeal 



plant, natural order Leguminosae, a woody creeper 



of Calabar, West Africa. It contains, besides albu- 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



