358 VEGETABLE DRUGS 



chloride are most suitable for hypodermic use. The first salt is more 

 soluble^ but the latter two are less irritating. ■ 



At a temperature of 45° C. (113° F.) 



Quinine bisulphate is soluble in 8.8 parts of water. 



Quinine hydrobromide is soluble in 45.02 parts of water. 



Quinine liydrochloride is soluble in 21.4 parts of water. 



This temperature may be used for subcutaneous injection, but the 

 salts should be thoroughly dissolved and one grain of tartaric acid should 

 be added to each five grains of quinine bisulphate, in order that precipi- 

 tation may not occur in the tissues. The dose by the subcutaneous method 

 is one-third less than by the mouth. 



The sulphates of quinidine, cinchonine and cinchonidine are similar 

 in action to quinine, and their relative antipyretic effect is said to be: 

 quinine, 100; quinidine, 90; cinchonidine, 70; cinchonine, 40. The cin- 

 chona compounds are indicated for tonic and stomachic purposes. 



Uses External. — Quinine and urea hydrochloride has recently come 

 into extensive use as a local anesthetic. In 1 per cent, solution it forms 

 a satisfactory substitute for cocaine and its allies and it has three advan- 

 tages over cocaine. It is non-toxic, it majr be boiled in solution, and its 

 anesthetic effect is often prolonged for hours or days, lessening pain and 

 spasm after operation and aiding dressing of wounds. Anesthesia comes 

 on within 5 to 30 minutes after injection into the tissues. In 25 per 

 cent, solution it is used to anesthetize mucous membrane, but is not so 

 satisfactory as cocaine for this purpose. It has been used in a great 

 variety of operations, including those within the belly. The line of 

 incision on the belly wall is anesthetized and after the belly is opened 

 the parietal peritoneum must be injected. Not much pain is caused by 

 handling the viscera unless the mesenteric attachments are pulled upon. 



Uses Internal. — It is impossible to draw definite deductions as to the 

 therapeutic indications for quinine founded on physiological experiments, 

 since these are only suggestive and not conclusive. For the sake of con- 

 venience, we may classify the uses of quinine under the following heads: 



1. Tonic Action. — Quinine sharpens the appetite but retards ab- 

 sorption, irritates the stomach and inhibits pepsin action in ordinary 

 doses. It is chiefly a tonic by increasing the number of red corpuscles 

 and stimulating the nervous system generally. It is in those cases of 

 anorexia and atonic dyspepsia secondary to exhaustion, overwork, anemia, 

 or following acute diseases, that the drug is indicated. Here, combina- 

 tion with iron is often of service, and the tincture of the chloride is a 

 good preparation because it contains sufiicient free muriatic acid to dis- 

 solve any of the salts of quinine. The compound tincture of cinchona is 

 a prime, bitter tonic for dogs ; or quinine may be given in a pill with 

 reduced iron and arsenic as a tonic. Chorea in the human patient has 

 been treated successfully with quinine, but this remedy has failed in dogs. 

 Nevertheless, the alkaloid is an excellent tonic in canine distemper with 

 its accompanying anemia, but it should be combined with iron and arsenic. 

 Quinine is a good tonic for purpura in horses. 



2. Antiseptic and Antipyretic Effect. — Quinine possesses much less 

 antipyretic power than phenacetin, antipyrin and acetanilid. It is there- 



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