32 
Cocaine  and  its  8alts. 
Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
Jan.,  1885. 
effect  on  warm-blooded  animals  (which  are,  however,  apparently  less 
affected  by  it  than  are  cold-blooded  creatures),  by  causing  a  cessation 
of  respiration  ;  it  would  therefore  appear  that  cocaine  is  a  poison, 
though  its  toxic  qualities  appear  to  be  very  mild  and  its  action  not 
cumulative. 
Schroff,  who  made  the  first  experiments  with  cocaine  in  1862,  observed 
that  doses  of  0*05  gram  administered  internally  to  rabbits  caused  con- 
siderable variation  of  the  pulse  and  in  the  breathing,  as  also  temporary 
mydriasis ;  the  same  dose  administered  subcutaneously  caused  death  in 
convulsions  of  an  epileptic  nature,  mydriasis  in  a  strong  degree  being 
also  observable,  which,  however,  disappeared  at  once  after  death.  In 
the  case  of  froo^s  a  dose  of  0*001  gram  produced  complete  immova- 
bility (preceded  by  a  prior  appearance  of  excitement) ;  a  dose  of  0*002 
gram  proved  fatal  to  frogs. 
According  to  Froumiiller,  who  made  experiments  in  1863,  with  a 
view  of  testing  the  narcotic  effects  of  cocaine,  a  dose  of  0*03-0*33 
gram,  internally  aduiinistered,  seemed  to  have  no  important  eflPect  upon 
human  beings;  in  some  cases  sleep  resulted,  pulse  and  breathing  at 
first  somewhat  accelerated,  but  afterwards  became  slower  than  under 
normal  conditions. 
In  a  case  of  attempted  suicide  a  dose  of  1*5  gram  seemed  to  have 
no  seriously  injurious  effect ;  the  fatal  dose,  therefore,  for  human  beings 
would  appear  to  be  very  considerable. 
As  far  as  experiments  with  the  infusion  of  coca  leaves  have  hitherto 
gone  they  would  appear  to  show  that  the  coca  leaves  contain  from  0*02 
to  0*2  per  cent,  of  cocaine;  0*05  gram  of  cocaine  hydrochlorate  seems 
to  be  the  suitable  dose  for  human  beings. 
The  effects  of  subcutaneous  injection  of  a  solution  of  cocaine,  on 
human  beings  appear  to  be,  first,  a  feeling  of  warmth,  then  insensi- 
bility to  feeling  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  part  in  which  the  injection 
has  taken  place,  and,  finally,  a  reddening  of  the  skin.  After  a  lapse 
of  thirty  minutes  matters  appear  to  resume  their  normal  condition. 
Cocaine  placed  on  the  tongue  seems  in  some  cases  to  deaden  the 
action  of  the  nerves.  Dr.  Th.  Aschenbrandt  states  that  he  has  found 
cocaine  to  have  an  excellent  effect  upon  the  human  frame  exhausted  by 
diarrhoea.  During  the  last  few  months  Professor  E.  V.  Fleischl,  of 
Vienna,  has  affirmed  that  cocaine  in  the  form  of  a  subcutaneous  injec- 
tion is  undoubtedly  a  valuable  adjunct  in  preventing  and  curing  the 
