224 
REVIEWS. 
compound with the aconita; but to be of any service it must be used 
promptly. Endeavours must be made to ward off the mortally sedative 
effects of the drug by the use of diffusible stimulants ; and it may be recol- 
lected that congestion of the lungs, which is often the immediate cause of 
death, may be much relieved by bleeding from the jugular. 
“ Aconite is a most prompt and effectual sedative and antiphlogistic in 
febrile attacks and acute local inflammations. In these cases it speedily 
moderates the action of the heart, and hence reduces the quantity of arterial 
blood which passes in a given time to any part. It thus acts much in the 
same way as bloodletting, but, besides being safer and more manageable, it 
is less apt to induce such extensive and continued depression of the vital 
energies. Aconite somewhat resembles opium in its sedative effects, and in 
its relieving pain and spasm; but acts less prominently on the brain, and 
more decidedly on the sympathetic or organic system of nerves ; while its 
sedative action is not preceded by any obvious excitation. Though some- 
what like digitalis, it differs from it in being anodyne and antisp^smodic, 
whilst its sedative action is induced more speedily and certainly, and without 
any risk of cumulative effect. 
c ‘Mr. "Balfour, Y.S., Kirkcaldy, has employed aconite for upwards of 
three years, and informs me that he finds it the most certain and successful 
sedative he has ever used. He has found it most useful in pneumonia, 
pleurisy, and bronchitis, both in horses and cattle, in many cases of in- 
fluenza, and also in weed. It has been successfully employed at the 
Edinburgh Veterinary College, by Mr. Balfour, V.S., and by many other 
private practitioners, both in England and Scotland, for the cure of pleuro- 
pneumonia among cattle. In such cases, especially when of an acutely 
inflammatory type, it is far more effectual than tartar emetic, calomel, and 
opium, or any other sedative ; and, when given sufficiently often, is quite 
equal to bloodletting in its power of reducing the pulse, relieving the 
respiration, and removing fever ; while it is greatly preferable to it, inas- 
much as it reduces the inflammation without leaving any weakness or 
tendency to typhoid fever. In rheumatism it usually relieves both the con- 
stitutional fever and the local inflammation, and is believed to prevent the 
malady from extending to the heart and its membranes. Moiroud and 
others speak highly of its utility in obstinate dropsies, and Stahl of its value 
in the removal of worms ; but its efficacy in such cases is doubtful. From 
its action on the superficial sensory nerves, it is often useful as a local 
anodyne in neuralgic or rheumatic affections, painful wounds, or swellings of 
a chronic and non-inflammatory kind ; aud in such cases not only allays 
pain, like opium, but also often removes its cause. Its uses, both as an 
internal and an external remedy, are capable of being greatly extended. 
“ Doses , Sfc . — Aconite is not usually employed in the crude state either of 
root or leaves. The extract, unless very carefully prepared from an alco- 
holic solution, or from the expressed juice, is apt to be of defective or irre- 
gular strength. The tincture is the simplest and best preparation. Professor 
Fleming directs it to be thus prepared : — 
“ ‘ Take of root of aconitum napellus, carefully dried and finely powdered, 
sixteen ounces troy ; rectified spirit, sixteen fluid ounces ; macerate for four 
days; then pack into a percolator, add rectified spirit until twenty-four 
ounces of tincture are obtained. It is beautifully transparent, of the colour 
of sherry wine, and the taste is slightly bitter/ 
“ The dose of the tincture for horses is about iqx ; for cattle, from Tqx to 
tqxx; and for dogs, from iqj to rqij. It should be given in diluted spirit, 
at least every second hour.” 
“ Actions and its uses . — The action of tartar emetic differs much in the 
different domesticated animals. Bogs, pigs, and men, are greatly more 
