48 GENERAL ACTION OF DRUGS 



DRUGS ACTING ON THE SEXUAL ORGANS. 

 (A) Influencing Chiefly the Male Generative Organs. 



The mechanism concerned with the sexual functions is presided over 

 by cerebral and spinal lumbar centres. Agents may immediately excite 

 the spinal centres or cause local irritation of sensory nerves in various 

 parts of the body — more particularly in the neighborhood of the genital 

 organs — and thus reflexly stimulate the lumbar centres. 



The cerebral centres are mainly affected by visual, nasal or oral im- 

 pressions, and also reflexly by irritation of sensory nerve-endings, more 

 especially those situated in the sexual organs. 



(1) Aphrodisiacs are drugs exciting sexual desire (and increasing 

 sexual power in the male). They include: 



DIRECT APHRODISIACS. 



Strychnine, Phosphorus, Alcohol (act on centres). 



Cantharides (local irritant). 



Yohimbine (causes congestion of the sexual organs). 



INDIRECT APHRODISIACS. 



In debility: Iron, Strychnine, Arsenic (full diet). 



(2) Anaphrodisiacs are drugs lessening sexual desire. They are: 

 Opium, Bromides, Purgatives, Nauseants, (bleeding), (spare diet). 



Uses. — Aphrodisiacs may sometimes be useful in impotence and loss 

 of sexual desire. Irritants, as cantharides, may cause inflammation of 

 the urinary tract. Loss of sexual desire and power should usually be 

 treated by improving the general nutrition with tonics arid good feeding 

 and by regulating the use of the sexual organs, unless the trouble is due 

 to organic disease. Drugs diminishing sexual appetite may be useful in 

 quieting the centres and rendering them less sensitive to sources of local 

 irritation. It is, however, more sensible to remove the cause of irritation, 

 as smegma preputii, acid urine, urinary calculi, intestinal parasites, 

 scybala, fissure of the rectum, hemorrhoids, etc. Anaphrodisiacs may be 

 employed to subdue excessive sexual excitement and nervousness 

 (hysteria) sometimes accompanying "heat" in the female. 



(B) Influencing the Female Sexual Organs. 



(1) Emmenagangues are drugs which favor the occurrence of "heat" 

 (ovulation) in the female when it is irregular or abnormally absent. We 

 are at present ignorant of their exact mode of action. Some act directly, 

 perhaps, by stimulating the centres or sexual organs. 



DIRECT EMMENAGOGUES. 



Savin, Rue, Cantharides (irritants). 

 Ergot. 



INDIRECT EMMENAGOGUES. 



Purgatives (AJoes). 



In debility: Iron, Arsenic, Strychnine, Full diet. 

 Uses. — The irritant emmenagogues are usually ineffectual in medic- 

 inal doses, while they may cause inflammation of the urinary tract and 



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