306 VEGETABLE DRUGS 



vessels, iris (?), spleen, uterus, and bladder. In the case of some of 

 these organs, it has not been decided whether the muscles themselves, or 

 the motor nerve terminations, are affected. 



Respiration. — The respiration is not disturbed by medicinal doses. 

 Toxic quantities at first quicken, and then retard the respiratory move- 

 ments, and death occurs from asphyxia, before cessation of the heart, 

 owing to paralysis of the medullary respiratory centre. The acceleration 

 of breathing is due to the stimulation of the respiratory centre and of the 

 pulmonary vagal endings. 



Secretions. — Secretion is generally increased, through stimulation of 

 the secretory nerve endings and glandular tissue, including that of the 

 salivary, gastric, intestinal, sudoriparous and lachrymal glands. In this 

 respect eserine is antagonistic to atropine. 



Eye. — Physostigmine is a myotic, applied locally or administered in- 

 ternally. Intraocular tension is diminished and there is spasm of 

 accommodation. In all probability contraction of the pupil is brought 

 about by stimulation of the oculomotor nerve endings (because absent in 

 degeneration of the third nerve). Eserine is thus directly antagonistic 

 to atropine in its effect upon the eye, but they resemble each other in 

 that they both exert a local action and do not affect the irides of birds. 

 Enormous doses of physostigmine paralyze the oculomotor nerves and 

 dilate the pupil. 



Elimination. — Eserine is rapidly absorbed and eliminated, mainly by 

 the urine, but also in the other secretions. 



Toxicology. — Physostigma has been called "ordeal bean," because, 

 native Africans suspected of crime are given the crude drug. Vomiting 

 it, they are proved innocent and survive the ordeal. Retaining it, they 

 die, and so are properly and primitively punished. Animals poisoned 

 by Calabar bean exhibit muscular tremors which continue throughout the 

 toxic period, and are often so violent as to simulate convulsions. Soon 

 there is loss of muscular power and the animal falls or lies down. The 

 respiration becomes rapid, labored, and stertorous ; the pulse is increased 

 in frequency by large toxic doses, and the temperature slightly elevated. 

 There are salivation and sweating. The pupil is sometimes contracted 

 and, when enormous lethal doses have been injected, dilated. Vomiting 

 occurs in animals capable of the act, and loud peristaltic noises are heard, 

 followed by the expulsion of feces, mucus and flatus, with colicky pains 

 and tenesmus. Reflex action is diminished or abolished, but sensation is 

 preserved until late in the toxic period. The muscles are completely 

 relaxed and powerless, notwithstanding the tremors which afflict them. 

 The breathing becomes weak and irregular, and death occurs from res- 

 piratory failure. 



In experiments of Winslow and Muir conducted independently and 

 at different times the following cases may be of interest : 



A healthy gelding, weighing 1,050 lbs., was strapped upon the dissecting 

 table and given three grains of eserine sulphate intrajugularly. Within a few 

 minutes slight muscular tremors appeared in the neck; the pulse rose to 120, the 



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