30  Approved  Proprietary  Preparations.  {A™^uaryPimm' 
Action,  Uses  and  Dosage. — See  heroin  hydrochloride.  Manufac- 
tured by  Farbenfabriken,  vorm.  Friedr.  Bayer  &  Co.,  Elberfeld, 
Germany  (Continental  Color  and  Chemical  Co.,  New  York).  U.  S. 
trade- mark. 
HEROIN  HYDROCHLORIDE.  DIACETYL- MORPHIN  HYDROCHLORIDE. 
Actions  and  Uses. — When  given  in  small  doses,  heroin  hydro- 
chloride has  apparently  no  effect  on  any  of  the  vital  functions  except 
respiration,  which  it  renders  slower,  the  volume  of  the  individual 
respirations  being  increased,  but  usually  not  sufficiently  to  compen- 
sate the  slowing,  the  result  being  a  diminution  in  the  total  amount 
of  air  respired.  In  large  doses  it  may  produce  dizziness,  nausea  and 
occasionally  constipation,  and,  in  poisonous  amounts,  twitching  of 
the  extremities,  great  exhaustion,  and  dimness  of  vision  may  be 
added.  The  temperature  becomes  subnormal  and  the  pulse  rapid 
and  thready.  The  habit  is  readily  formed  and  leads  to  the  most 
deplorable  results.  It  is  said  not  to  produce  costiveness.  (This  is 
not  true,  according  to  some  observers.)  It  is  readily  absorbed  from 
all  mucous  membranes.  It  lessens  irritability  of  the  respiratory 
center,  thus  allaying  cough,  but  does  not  depress  the  respiration  as 
much  as  morphine.  On  withdrawing  the  drug  from  habitues,  there 
is  said  to  be  a  tendency  to  respiratory  failure  which  may  be 
dangerous.  Heroin  and  its  hydrochloride  are  recommended  chiefly 
for  the  treatment  of  diseases  of  the  air  passages  attended  with 
cough,  difficult  breathing  and  spasm,  such  as  the  different  forms  of 
bronchitis,  pneumonia,  consumption,  asthma,  whooping  cough, 
laryngitis  and  certain  forms  of  hay  fever.  It  has  also  been  recom- 
mended as  an  analgesic,  in  the  place  of  morphine  in  various  painful 
affections.  Toxic  symptoms  should  be  treated  by  the  administra- 
tion of  caffeine  hypodermically  and  of  hot  coffee  by  the  stomach. 
To  avoid  respiratory  failure  in  the  treatment  of  heroin  addiction,  it 
has  been  suggested  to  substitute  morphine  for  the  heroin  and 
then  treat  the  patient  for  morphine  additions.  Dosage. — 0-0025 
to  0-005  gramme  (J_  to  -fa  grain)  to  adults  3  to  4  times  a 
day,  the  maximum  dose  being  O-OI  gramme  -J-  grain.  To  chil- 
dren it  may  be  given  in  doses  varying  from  0-0002  to  ocoi 
gramme  {fa-§  to  fa  grain),  according  to  the  age.  Hypodermically 
it  may  be  administered  in  the  form  of  a  2  per  cent,  solution 
in  the  same  doses.    It  has  been  applied  locally  to  the  throat,  to  the 
