ACONITUM NAPELLUS. 
21 
rally, and often successfully employed in Germany, and the Northern 
parts of Europe, particularly as a remedy for obstinate rheumatism, 
glandular swelling, venereal nodes, spina ventosa, anchylosis, con- 
vulsive disorders, intermittent fevers, &c. The Aconitum Napellus, 
when administered with due caution ; * acts as a penetra!in«; stimulus, 
exciting perspiration, and sometimes the urinary discharge ; f the 
diaphoretic operation of the aconite is considerably promoted by the 
addition of antimonials. 
Preparations and Doses. The wolfsbane^ is usually given 
in the form of extract, or expressed juice inspissated, or the leaves 
dried and reduced to powder ; in prescribing either of these pre- 
parations, we may begin by giving one or two grains, two or three 
times in the day, gradually increasing the dose according to its 
effects ; Odhelius never prescribed less than two grains of the ex- 
tract for a dose, which he repeated tive or six times in twenty-four 
hours ; Dr. Stoll gave it in such extraordinary large quantities, that 
we must suppose that the virtues of his extract were very much im- 
paired, either by long keeping or in the preparation. In moderate 
doses, the use of this medicine may be continued for several weeks, 
or even months, with decided good effects. In preparing the extract, 
Orfila recommends evaporating the expressed juice in a water bath, 
as preferable to the common mode, having proved, that it is incom- 
parably more active and certain in its operation than when prepared 
by any other process. 
Kaempf uses the following tincture, in doses of from five to ten 
minims, increasing the dose gradually to forty. 
R Aconit: Sicat 3) 
Spt. Vini. R^vj degere per dies septem. 
Off. The Leaves. 
Off. Pp. Ext. Aconite. L. 
Suce. Spiss. Aconiti Napelli. Ed. 
* The preparations of the aconite are of very uncertain powers, varying in strength 
according to the heat employed in their preparation (i. e. the extract and powder,) hence 
in beginning with a fresh parcel of either of these preparations, we should go back to 
the smallest dose, and proceed with the same caution as at first. 
t Bergius describes its virtues to be " Pcllens, sudorifera, dinretica, sjibvertiginosa." 
