434 VEGETABLE DEUGS 



pupils and a constant lapping with the tongue. In man, an 

 amount of cocaine exceeding gr.f should not be employed 

 under the skin, or upon mucous membranes, and death has 

 occurred in susceptible patients from even smaller doses. 

 The most powerful action follows the use of cocaine in very 

 vascular parts, as about the face. One-half a grain of cocaine 

 given subcutaneously to a girl of eleven years old, was fol- 

 lowed by a fatal result in 40 seconds, and the writer has seen 

 violent convulsions produced by the instillation of a few 

 drops of a 2 per cent, solution into the eye of a man. On 

 the other hand, spontaneous recovery has obtained in the 

 human subject after the ingestion of 22 grs. of the alkaloid. 

 In the horse, a toxic dose of cocaine (5i.) causes restless- 

 ness and excitement, muscular twitching and trembling, 

 rhythmical movements of head (as nodding and weaving), 

 dilated pupils and salivation, culminating within an hour 

 in a state of acute mania and intense excitement. These 

 symptoms • are followed by gradual recovery after the lapse 

 of a few hours. Three grains of cocaine given under the 

 skin, will sometimes induce nervous excitement in susceptible 

 horses. The treatment of dangerous forms of cocaine poison- 

 ing, with respiratory and heart failure, consists in the use 

 of opium and rapidly acting stimulants, as morphine sul- 

 phate under the skin, nitroglycerin upon the tongue, and 

 strychnine, atropine and brandy subcutaneously. 



Uses External. — Cocaine and its synthetic chemical 

 substitutes are the most valuable agents we possess to cause 

 complete local anaesthesia for surgical purposes.* The opera- 

 tions most suitable for the hypodermatic application of 

 cocaine are included in the following: 

 Removal of tumors. Opening of abscess. • 



DocUing and pricking the tail. Injuries and operations upon the 

 Tarsal tenotomy. eyeballs and eyelids. 



Firing. Operations about the feet in horses. 



Neurectomy. Operations upon mucous membranes. 



Laparotomy in bitches. 



The alkaloid may also be employed to dilate the pupil 

 for examination of the eye, and to detect lameness. In a 

 case of doubtful foot lameness in the horse, injection of 



* Cocaine in surgery can often be combined most advantageously 

 with adrenalin. (See p. 639.) 



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