VERATRUM 345 



The temperature is reduced several degrees by large doses of 

 veratrum. 



Toxicology. — The symptoms exhibited in veratrum poisoning are: 

 salivation, vomiting, or attempts at vomiting, purging, abdominal pain, 

 muscular weakness, difficulty in progression, loss of power and general 

 paralysis muscular tremors and spasms, and occasionally convulsions. 

 The pulse is unaltered in rate at first, but later becomes infrequent and 

 compressible and finally rapid, thread-like and running. The respiration 

 is shallow, the temperature reduced, the skin is cold and clammy; there 

 are semi-consciousness, loss of sight and death from asphyxia. 



Treatment should be pursued with the stomach tube and cardiac and 

 respiratory stimulants, as alcohol, strychnine and atropine; tannic acid 

 as a chemical antidote; opium to subdue pain; and demulcents to relieve 

 local irritation of the digestive tract. Warm water should be given the 

 smaller animals to wash out the stomach and to assist vomition, and 

 quietude should be enforced. In man, fatal poisoning is rare, since the 

 drug is spontaneously vomited. The same would probably apply to dogs. 

 Recovery has ensued in horses after ingestion of two ounces of veratrum 

 root. 



Adviinistration. — It is advisable to give small doses of the tincture 

 or fluid extract hourly. In the case of the smaller patients, the dose 

 should be preceded by the administration of a correspondingly small dose 

 of laudanum (TH,v-x) to prevent vomiting. 



Uses Internul. — The alkaloids of veratrum are difficult to obtain in 

 their purity, and are not much used in practice. 



The drug is applicable as a circulatory sedative at the outset of 

 sthenic diseases afflicting strong, plethoric animals. Veratrum viride 

 bleeds an animal into its own vessels by causing vascular dilatation. The 

 indications are similar to those applying to venesection, and are therefore 

 limited. In some cases of acute diseases, included within the limits 

 defined above, it may prove of service to cut short or even abort the 

 attack. Aconite is usually a safer and better drug to use, however. 



In this list may be placed sthenic pneumonia, cerebritis, laminitis, 

 puerperal fever, and, when veratrum is combined with opium to obviate 

 stimulation of peristaltic action, enteritis, peritonitis, and abdominal 

 wounds and injuries. Veratrone is a proprietary preparation very con- 

 venient for hypodermatic use in these diseases (H., .li; D., TTtv-x). 

 Veratrum is said to relieve pain, lower temperature and lessen the dura- 

 tion of acute rheumatic fever. 



Veratrum Album. 



Synonym. — Veratri albi rhizoma, white hellebore root, E. 



Habitat. — Europe (used on the continent). 



Constituents. — 1. Protoveratrine (CsjHsiNOn), an alkaloid acting like vera- 

 trine on the heart. 2. Jervine. 3. Rubijervine. 4. Pseudojervine and other alka- 

 loids. The Germans recommend it to be given as an emetic to swine, in milk, 

 gr.v-xx, (.8-1.3), and as an emetic to cattle, 3iv-vi, (16-24). Its use is, however, 

 attended with some danger in these doses. 



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