ETHEE 293 



8piritu» Mtheris Compositus. Compound Spirit of Ether. 

 (U. S. & B. P.) 

 Synonym. — Hoffman's anodyne. Ether, 325; alcohol, 650; ethereal 

 oil, 25. (U. S. P.) 



Dose. — Same as for ether. 



Action External. — Ether evaporates rapidly from the 

 skin, and abstracts so much heat in the process that the 

 superficial parts are cooled, benumbed, and even frozen. 

 This action is taken advantage of in spraying ether from an 

 atomizer upon the skin (with or without cocaine injection) 

 to cause local ansesthesia in minor surgical operations, as 

 opening abscesses. .The spray should not be applied more 

 than a few minutes, or freezing, damage to the tissues, and 

 retardation of the healing process will ensue. If ether is 

 applied with friction, or if evaporation from the skin is 

 prevented by bandaging, it will act as a rubefacient. 



Action Inte7'nal. — Digestive Organs. — Ether is an ir- 

 i-itant to the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, and 

 should be given only when considerably diluted with water. 

 Ether stimulates secretion, motion, and increases local blood 

 supply of the stomach. Ether, in concentration, resembles 

 alcohol and -ammonia in stimulating the heart reflexly, by 

 its irritant action upon the alimentary canal, before it has 

 time to be absorbed. It relieves pain and spasm in the di- 

 gestive tract by coordinating or restoring nervous control 

 over the stomach and bowels. 



Circulation. — Ether is reflexly a stimulant to the heart 

 and vasomotor centres through peripheral irritation of its 

 vapor, as in the case of alcohol. Some authorities allow no 

 direct stimulating action (Cushny). In poisonous doses, or 

 after prolonged inhalation, the circulation becomes depressed 

 and weak. 



Nervous System. — Ether is chiefly depressant to nerve 

 centres. Its apparent primary stimulation of the central 

 nervous system is somewhat doubtful and many experi- 

 menters deny that it directly stimulates the nerve centres at 

 all. Ether depresses and abolishes the functions of all the 

 great nerve centres in the following order, and with the fol- 

 lowing results : 



1. The cerebru.m (with loss of consciousness). 



2. Sensory spinal tract (loss of sensation). 



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