426 VEGETABLE DKUGS 



nausea. Absorption and poisoning may follow its external 

 application in the smaller animals. The drug may be em- 

 ployed for four purposes, as follows : 



1. .As a local sedative. 



2. As a parasiticide. 



3. As a motor depressant. 



4. As a cathartic. 



External. — 1. Tobacco is an efficient sedative in decoc- 

 tion (1-40), for relieving pruritus ani and vulvae. It must be 

 remembered that absorption and poisoning may occur when 

 larger amounts are used externally than can be administered 

 with safety by the mouth. 



2. The latter remark applies also to the use of tobacco 

 decoctions in killing parasites on the skin, such as th« 

 acari of mange and scab, together With lice and fleas. 

 There are other agents which are as efficient and less dan- 

 gerous (creolin). A decoction can be made by boiling 

 tobacco (2.5) with water (130), salt (5), and wood ashes (10), 

 for three hours, as recommended by Ostertag. 



Internal. — 3. Tobacco has been employed as a motor 

 depressant in spasmodic disorders, such as asthma, tetanus 

 (given by the rectum or under the skin), and strychnine 

 poisoning, but it is inferior to, and more dangerous than, 

 other drugs. 



4. The Germans prescribe tobacco to stimulate peri- 

 stalsis in ruminants, in doses of 2 ounces, with one-half 

 pound of common salt and one pound of Glauber's salts for 

 cattle ; and for sheep, ^ ounce, with 2 ounces of salt and 3 

 ounces of Glauber's salts. Tobacco was given formerly in 

 colic and intestinal obstruction, but this use is obsolete. 

 The decoction (1-2 per cent.) may be injected into the 

 rectum of horses, in non-toxic quantities, to kill oxyurides 

 and ascarides, and to excite peristalsis and relieve spasm 

 in colic. 



Tobacco smoke is sometimes used in the same manner 

 to destroy worms in the lower bowels. 



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