V arieties. 
\m  Jour  Pharm. 
June, 1878 
In  order  to  bring  about  this  desired  reform  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  our  pay- 
as  well  as  our  rank  be  increased  ;  for  it  is  absurd  to  suppose  that  good  and  capable 
men  in  civil  life  will  come  forward  to  compete  for  a  position  in  the  army,  where,  in 
nine  cases  out  of  ten,  owing  to  the  inferior  rank,  they  will  be  compelled  to  surrender 
all  manhood  and  self-respect  and  receive  the  pitiful  sum  of  $30  per  month  for  a 
service  for  which,  in  civil  life,  they  would  receive  double  that  amount,  and  at  the 
same  time  be  free  and  independent  men,  the  value  of  which  is  not  to  be  estimated 
in  dollars  and  cents.  A  Hospital  Steward. 
April  4th,  1878.   
VARIETIES. 
Alkaloids  of  Opium,  their  Action. — The  well-determined  opium  alkaloids  now 
number  sixteen.  The  effect  of  any  one  differs  from  the  rest  or  from  that  of  opium 
itself.  Dr.  Isaac  Ott  ("Jour.  Nervous  and  Mental  Diseases,"  Jan.,  1878),  reports  a 
large  number  of  experiments  which,  added  to  our  previous  knowledge,  enable  him 
to  draw  the  following  conclusions  : 
1.  Cryptopia  is  narcotic  5  excites  and  then  depresses  reflex  action  by  an  effect  on 
the  spinal  cord,  reduces  power  of  motor  nerves,  abolishes  sensation  by  an  action  on 
the  spinal  sensory  ganglia  and  lowers  the  heart  beat  by  an  action  on  its  muscular 
structure.  2.  Thebaina  is  a  spinal  convulsivant,  has  no  action  on  motor  or  sensory 
nerves  or  striated  muscle.  It  reduces  the  heart  beat  by  an  action  on  that  organ,  and 
increases  blood  pressure  by  stimulating  the  cerebral  vaso-motor  centers.  3.  Codeia 
is  a  narcotic  and  spinal  convulsivant,  produces  a  veratroid  contraction  of  striated 
muscle  and  depresses  the  heart-beat  by  an  action  on  the  cardiac  muscle  4.  Chlor- 
ocodiae  is  a  tetanic  agent.  5.  Apocodeia  produces  vomiting,  coma  and  death. 
6.  Narceina  is  soporific  to  cold  blooded  animals,  but  not  to  man,  and  is  a  spinal 
convulsivant ;  it  does  not  destroy  the  motor  nerves,  as  they  act  on  thrusting  a  probe 
down  the  spine  ;  it  produces  veratroid  contraction  of  the  muscle,  and  reduces  the 
heart  beat  by  stimulation  of  the  peripheral  end  of  the  pneumo-gastric.  7.  Papa- 
verina  is  narcotic  and  convulsivant,  the  convulsions  being  partly  spinal  and  partly 
peripheral,  the  latter,  it  is  highly  probable,  from  an  action  on  the  muscle  ;  it  dimin- 
ishes the  heart's  contractions  by  peripheral  action  on  the  cardio-inhibitory  apparatus  j 
it  also  causes  veratroid  contraction  of  the  muscle.  8.  Narcotina  is  non-narcotic 
and  a  spinal  convulsivant,  produces  veratroid  contraction  of  striated  muscle  and  is  a 
very  active  agent  to  decrease  the  beats  of  the  heart  by  an  action  on  cardiac  muscle. 
9.  Cotarnina  is  soporific,  and  paralyzes,  like  curare,  the  motor  nerves.  10.  Hydro- 
cotarnina  is  narcotic  and  convulsivant.  n.  Hydrochlorate  of  cotarnamic  acid  is 
a  convulsivant,  and  paralyzes  the  pneumo-gastric.  12.  Laudanosina  and  laudanina 
are  tetanic  agents.  13.  Morphia  is  a  narcotic  and  spinal  convulsivant ;  it  produces 
veratroid  contraction  of  muscle  and  reduces  the  heart-beat.  14.  Oxymorphia  has  an 
action  like  morphia,  only  weaker.  15.  Apomorphia  is  an  emetic,  excites  and 
reduces  spinal  reflex  excitability,  and  diminishes  the  number  of  cardiac  contractions. 
16.  Meconin  is  narcotic  to  cold-blooded  animals,  but  not  in  doses  of  two  grains  by 
the  stomach  in  man  ;  it  causes  hyperassthesia  and  paralysis  of  voluntary  motion  with. 
