APOMOEPHINE 371 



PREPARATION. 



Injectio Apomarphivce Hypodermica. (B. P.) 

 One per cent. 

 Dose.— iTiv-x (.3-.6). 



Action Internal. — Small doses (gv.^o-^o) cause vomiting 

 in dogs, while larger doses produce salivation and trembling 

 in addition to vomition. Very large quantities (gr.4-5) occa- 

 sion first great excitement; the dog howls, runs and jamps 

 about, the pupils are dilated and the slightest noise excites 

 great alarm. Then the animal weakens in the hind legs, 

 becomes paraplegic, falls and goes into convulsions. The 

 breathing, at the beginning rapid, becomes weak and slow. 

 Death ensues from respiratory failure. 



Nervous System. — The drug primarily stimulates the 

 brain and induces delirium and excitement, but secondarily 

 causes cerebral paralysis. The origin of the convulsions is 

 not ascertained. Apomorphine is a direct local paralyzant 

 to the muscles, acting upon their substance or upon the 

 motor nerve endings. 



Circulation. — Medicinal doses do not alter the force, but 

 may increase the rate and tension of the pulse by stimula- 

 tion of the cardiac accelerator nerves and vasomotor centres. 

 Toxic doses paralyze the heart muscle and lower blood 

 pressure. 



Respiration. — The respiratory movements are at first 

 markedly increased by large doses of apomorphine. The 

 reason for this is uncertain. Lethal doses depress and 

 paralyze the respiratory centre. The breathing then be- 

 comes feeble and infrequent. The agent causes a copious 

 outpouring of a watery fluid from the blood vessels of the 

 respiratory mucous membrane, and is, therefore, an expec- 

 torant. 



Vomiting Centre.— This is stimulated by therapeutic 

 doses of apomorphine, but paralyzed by^ toxic doses, so that 

 vomiting may not occur in poisoning. Apomorphine does 

 not act locally upon the stomach. 



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