250 PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERV 



penetrate when applied to a part. When applied directly 

 to a nerve trunk it almost completely destroys the sensi- 

 bility of the tissues supplied by it. But the action in this 

 connection is somewhat uncertain because the liquid may 

 not come into contact with all of the fibers of the trunk. 

 A nerve trunk may, however^ be entirely rendered insensi- 

 ble by bring-ing the drug into contact with all of its 

 anatomical elements. Cocaine afifects both the nerve end- 

 ing and the nerve trunk, it need only come into contact with 

 them. 



Cocaine, when absorbed in sufficient quantities, pro- 

 duces constitutional disturbances of serious import. In- 

 stead of anesthesia, it pirovokes a state of excitability and 

 sensitiveness that is entirely opposite to the action desired. 

 The patient becomes excited, refuses to remain quiet, 

 breaks out with a slight perspiration, assumes a wild-looking 

 appearance, and will violently resent the infliction of the 

 slightest pain. If trotted out to the halter the head is held 

 high, the action reckless, the eyes staring, and the animal 

 is found diffi'cult to control. When large doses are ad- 

 ministered these symptoms are followed by a delirious, 

 semi-comatose state^ during which the animal will push 

 forward in the stall or fall down and fight wildly with all 

 four legs. Death occurs from arrest of the heart. 



Five grains of cocaine hydrochlorate is sufficient to 

 cause the state of excitement in a sensitive animal, but it 

 often requires upwards of fifty grains to produce death in 

 any horse. A horse that received twenty-four grains at a 

 single dose (hypodermically) became delirious and semi- 

 comatose, but exhibited no signs of the ordeal after forty- 

 eight hours. Another horse (a four-year-old thorough- 

 bred) received forty grains, in two doses one-half hour 

 apart, and showed no unusual inconvenience after two days. 

 McEvers reports the death of a coach horse that received 



