350 VEGETABLE DRUGS 



Toxicology. — The following toxic phenomena are exhibited by ani- 

 mals: vomiting, loss of muscular power and paralysis, increased, fol- 

 lowed by diminished reflex activity, failure of heart and respiration, and 

 post mortem evidences of congestion and inflammation of the lungs and 

 intestines. Three ounces of ipecac have killed a horse, and two grains 

 of emetine have proved fatal to a dog, or 1/6 gr. daily for 3 days under 

 the skin. Emetine has a cumulative effect. When given continuously by 

 subcutaneous injection there are signs of gastro-intestinal irritation, 

 nephritis and edema, hemoptysis, neuritis, paralysis, coma and heart 

 failure after a certain amount is administered (27 grs., man). 



Uses. — The indications for the therapeutic employment of ipecac 

 may be described under the following heads: 



1. Emetic and anti-emetic. 



2. Expectorant. 



3. Diaphoretic. 



4. In dysentery and chronic diarrhea. 



1. Powdered ipecac is a good agent for dogs, cats and pigs, given in 

 luke-warm water, in repeated doses if necessary, to empty an overloaded 

 stomach. Also in acute bronchitis and laryngitis of dogs and cats, when 

 the patient is endangered by accumulation of secretion, ipecac, by the 

 forcible expulsion attending vomiting, removes secretion from the upper 

 respiratory tract and clears out the stomach of any secretion which may 

 have been swallowed. Ipecac is efficacious in stopping vomiting in cases 

 of acute catarrh of the stomach in dogs, and is given as the wine with 

 tincture of aconite, one drop each in a dram of ice water at half hour 

 intervals. The drug is also of service in reflex vomiting, and that due to 

 an atonic or depressed condition of the stomach. Therapeutically, ipecac 

 should only be of value in the latter disorder, but it nevertheless is often 

 efficient in the vomiting of irritable dyspepsia, as noted above. 



2. Ipecac is prescribed in the first stage of acute bronchitis, when 

 the secretion is scanty, and again in bronchitis of long standing, to stimu- 

 late the bronchial mucous membrane. It may be given to dogs and cats 

 in repeated expectorant doses of the wine or syrup, with other expecto- 

 rants, diaphoretics and diuretics, as syrup of squill and spirit of nitrous 

 ether, or as Dover's powder, to all animals. 



Acute bronchitis in dogs. 

 I* 



Syrupi ipecacuanhae 3iii. 



Syrupi scillas gil. 



Tincturae opii camphoratae ad giv. 



M. 



Sig. Teaspoonful every 3 hours. 



3. Ipecac is a feeble diaphoretic, and inferior to sweet spirit of 

 nitre, aconite, alcohol or external heat, for general sudorific purposes. 

 The combination of opium and ipecac, in Dover's powder, is an appro- 

 priate mixture to relieve pain and cause diaphoresis in acute rheumatism, 

 and may cut short attacks of acute inflammation of the respiratory tract. 



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