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COCAINE 321 



per cent, is irritathig to the eye, A 4 ui- 2 per cent., or even a miicli 

 weaker solutio»j will ordinarily produce anesthesia when introduced un- 

 der the skin. In the horse, subcataneous injection of a 5 or 10 per cent, 

 solution niijuy be made to the amount of 2 drams of the former, or 1 drain 

 of the lajfter solution (cocaine, gr. 6), but hinders wound healing and 

 ■may produce necrosis, s'iiftce cocaine is a protoplasmic poison. Largei' ' 

 dosesL may induce testlessness, excitement, etc., which, although not in- 

 dicative of danger may interfere with operative procedures. When 

 la'rger quantities are desirable, 2l/2 drams of a 4 per cent, solution, or 

 '5 drams of a 2 per cent, solution, may be employed (equivalent. to 6 grs. 

 of the alkaloid), or Schleich's solution may be vitilized. It is unwise to 

 inject more than 10 grains of cocaine into horses, or more than gr.ii into 

 large 'dogs, or more than gr. % ii'to small dogs, while a safe maximum 

 hit the oat is gr. I/4. The fatal dose ^or dogs is said to be 5 to 8 gr., 

 awi^ ffft liorses 2 to 3 drams (Wooldridge). 



SSovocaine is usually preferred to cocaine in both human and veteri- 

 tnaiy practice (see p. 323). 



It is commonly used in ^ to 2 per cent, solutions and almost any 

 "amount may be given subcutaneously in 1 per cent, solution without any 

 fear of toxic action. 



The writer would recommend generally the employment of a normal 

 salt solution (4 grains sodium chloride to 1 dram of water), containing 

 from % to 2 per cent, of novocaine or cocaine. These weaker solutions 

 will usually cause complete and safe local anesthesia. The solutions 

 sJwuid always be warm — at body temperature — and not over twenty-four 

 (hours old, as acid develops which interferes with the anesthetic action. 

 Tliey are most conveniently made by solution of cocaine tablets in salt 

 solution at the time of operation. It is commonly advisable to add 5 

 to 10 drops of 1/1,000 adrenalin solution (see p. 449) to each ounce or 

 two of novocaine or cocaine solution. 



Ritter has secured most satisfactory general anesthesia in dogs 

 by injecting intravenously 10 mils of a 1 per cent, solution of cocaine 

 for small animals; and 5 mils of a 3 to 5 per cent, solution in normal 

 salt solution for large dogs. The anesthesia came on in 2 to 5 minutes 

 and lasted 1 5 to 30 or more minutes. Moreover there were no untoward 

 results and operations on any part of the body could be painlessly donf 

 without any struggling on the part of the patient. 



Both novocaine and cocaine have been used with success for work 

 con a limb by injection into a vein between the sit« <oi operation and 

 Ibody. A tourniquet is first applied about the limb pTOximaJly to thi; 

 jpaint of injection. 



Local applications to raucous membranes may be reapplied, onc^ o^> 

 twice, at intervals of five minutes, to secure perfect anesthesia. A 

 larger quantity of cocaine than recommended above for hypodermatic use, 

 should not be employed. Cocaine, as already stated, produces a primary 

 astringent action and, when properly diluted and applied in the first 

 stage of inflammation, it may prove a valuable abortive and sedative 

 agent. 



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