VILOCARPINE 339 



efl'ect is desired. Therefore the hydrochloride or nitrate is employed 

 subcutaneously. If prescribed in combination with eserine, the sulphate 

 of both alkaloids may be used, or eserine sulphate and pilocarpine hydro- 

 chloride may be injected separately. 



Toxicology. — Symptoms appear in five or ten minutes after the sub- 

 cutaneous injection of pilocarpine, and in fifteen to twenty minutes after 

 the injection of jaborandi. Salivation alone occurs after small doses, but 

 with toxic quantities there are present salivation, accompanied by more 

 or less sweating, contracted pupils, intestinal colic, purging an-d perhaps 

 vomiting, a slow, weak pulse, and dyspnea. Muscular tremors are ob- 

 served sometimes in man, and convulsions in frogs, but spasmodic move- 

 ments are uncommon in the domestic animals. Dogs have been killed by 

 gr. % of pilocarpine. The administration of an amount larger than 5 

 grs. of the alkaloid to horses, subcutaneoush', is attended with danger. 

 Cattle withstand as much as 18 grains of pilocarpine subcutaneously with- 

 out a fatal result. Atropine is the physiological antagonist of pilocarpine 

 in relation to the heart, secretions, pupils, and, in large doses, probably to 

 the intestines. On the other hand nilocarpine is not nearly so efficient an 

 antidote to atropine as atropine is to pilocarpine. Enormous amounts of 

 pilocarpine are required to antagonize small doses of atropine. 



So that it has not proved very useful in atropine poisoning and as 

 an antidote an amount should be given at least i times that of the atro- 

 pine taken. 



Atropine should be given along with strychnine, caffeine and artifi- 

 cial respiration, in jaborandi or pilocarpine poisoning. 



Uses External. — The fluidextract of pilocarpus, 1 part, is often used 

 with tincture of cantharides, 1/^ part, and alcohol 2 parts, for the cure 

 of alopecia; or as follows. 



Fluidextracti pilocarpi 



I Tincturae cantharidis aa 3ss 



Glycerini 



Petrolati liquidi - -aa oi- 



M. 



S. Apply externally. 



Pilocarpine stimulates the skin in its elimination, and is sometimes 

 of service in chronic eczema, psoriasis, prurigo and chronic urticaria. 



Uses Internal. — The chief value of pilocarpine in veterinary medi- 

 cine consists in its use as a purgative to stimulate peristaltic action, and, 

 to a certain extent, secretion — in combination with physostigmine — in 

 obstinate constipation of horses, and in impaction of the rumen and oma- 

 sum, and in acute gastritis of cattle (pilocarpine, gr.iii, with eserine sul- 

 phate gr.i, subcutaneously). It is also given in colic, and in obstructions 

 from twist and intussusception, with physostigmine. Pilocarpine has been 

 recommended in pneumonia and bronchitis as an expectorant but its ten- 

 dency to pulmonarj' edema and heart weakness would contraindicate its 

 use in these disorders. The alkaloid is a good substitute for eserine for 

 application to the eye (in ^2 t" 1 pe'' cent, solution), and is less painful. 

 Jaborandi is employed to remove waste matters from the blood and sys- 



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