CANTHARIS. 



NOTE. — Powerful vesication is seldom deemed advisable by our physi- 

 cians as local stimulation by heat or mustard is usually found sufficient. The 

 formation of large blisters or blebs is deprecated, as inducing depression 

 and local pain and general irritation, usually out of all proportion to the 

 benefit derived. The abstraction of the serum from the blood, which con- 

 tains almost as much albumin as the blood itself, amounts to but little less, 

 than actual blood letting. Extreme blistering, even by physicians addicted 

 to most heroic measures, is largely relegated to the past. 



When counter irritation, derivation, or local stimulation seems to be 

 needed, we have recourse to local heat, dry or moist, always short of burn- 

 ing, mustard, capsicum, and other agents named in other chapters for their 

 revulsive action, as croton oil, and other oils, thapsia, chloroform, ether 

 and ammonia, confined, and dry cupping. — Bllinguiood's Materia Medica, 

 Therapeutics and Pharmacognosyt' 



Cantharis in very small doses exercises a stimulating influence upon 

 the genito-urinary organs, and especially upon the mucous membranes of 

 the bladder and urethra. In these small doses it is promptly corrective 

 when there is burning, stinging pain, strangury or tenesmus of the bladder, 

 but its long-continued use, even in medium doses, may produce strangury, 

 albuminaria or hematuria... 



The most dangerous effects of this drug have sometimes been produced 

 by its administration in large dojies for the purpose of producing an aphro- 

 disiac result. No less than poisonous doses can possibly produce sexual 

 excitement. — Fyfe's Specific Diagnosis and Medication. 



The indications for Cantharis, as given by Fyfe and Watkins, are 

 as follows: 



INDICATIONS. — Atony of urinary apparatus, especially the bladder; 

 burning, stinging pain, strangury and tenesmus of the neck of the bladder; 

 dysentery, when there is a discharge of mucus streaked with blood, looking 

 like scrapings of the intestines; intense sexual desire; gonorrhea, when the 

 discharge is purulent and bloody; menses too dark, too early and too pro- 

 fuse. — Fyfe's Specific Diagnosis and Medication. 



CANTHARIS: Vesical irritation, partial paralysis of the sphincter 

 vesicae, teasing desire to urinate, dribbling of urine. Three to ten drops of 

 the specific medicine every two hours. — Watkins' Compendium of the Practice 

 of Medicine. 



The Specific Medicine label carries the following directions and 

 uses : 



Cantharis. — A stimulant to the urinary apparatus, especially the 

 bladder. Dose — Sp. Med. Cantharis, gtt. iii to x in water, as often as 

 required Poisonous in overdoses. 



Poison. Treament — Avoid oils. Administer emetics first of all. 

 Freely give demulcents and stimulants. Employ artificial heat exter- 

 nally. 



PRICES OF SPECIFIC MEDICINE CANTHARIS. 



^-tb package 65c. each. By mail, 87c 



j4-ft package $1.25 each. Not mailable. 



i-lb package $2.50 each. Not mailable. 



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