Handbook of materia medica, pharmacy, and therapeutics, including the physiological action of drugs, the special therapeutics of disease, official and practical pharmacy, and minute directions for prescription writing / by Sam'l O.L. Potter.

Samuel Otway Lewis Potter

Date:: 1894

Credit: Handbook of materia medica, pharmacy, and therapeutics, including the physiological action of drugs, the special therapeutics of disease, official and practical pharmacy, and minute directions for prescription writing / by Sam'l O.L. Potter. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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$Caffeine, Cocaine, Theine, Cannabis, Chloroform, Ether, Tobacco, etc. Renal Siimulants, as the diuretic group. Slotnachic Stimulants, as the Aromatics, Volatile Oils, Vegetable Hitters, Mineial Acids, Nux Vomica, Mustard, Capsicum, etc. Hepatic Stimulants, as Nitro-muriatic and Nitric acids, and the cholagogue purgatives Podophyllum, Jalap, Lep- tandra, Euonymin, Iridin, etc. Intestinal Stimulants, as Mercurials, Elaterium,’Colo- cyntb. Jalap, Scammony, Podophyllum, etc., which affect the glandular apparatus,—and Belladonna, Physostigma, Nux Vomica, Rhubarb, Senna, Aloes, Frangula, Cascara, etc., which chiefly affect the muscular fibres and the intestinal nerves. Cutaneous Stimiilants, as the diaphoretic group, and the rubefacients Mustard, Capsicum, Turpentine, Ammonia’ etc. All stimulation reacts into depression, and most of the agents which stimulate the nerve centres at first, soon depress and finally paralyze them. The action, in many cases, is one of progressive stimulation at first, and progressive paralysis afterwards, affecting the’ centres in the inverse order of their development, the highest or latest developed being affected first, the lowest or oldest last. These laws are well exemplified in the action of Alcohol upon the nervous system. [See the article Alcohol in Part L] Sedatives {Sedo, I allay),—are‘agents which exert a soothing influ- ence on the system by lessening functional activity, depressing motility and diminishing pain. General Sedatives include the narcotics and anaesthetics. Local Sedatives include Aco- nite, Opium, Ice, etc. Pulmonary Sedatives, as Plydrocyanic Acid, Veratrine and the nauseants and emetics. Spinal Sedatives, as Physostigma, Gelsemium, Potassium Bro- mide. Stomachic Sedatives include Arsenic, Bismuth, Silver Nitrate, Sodium Bicar- bonate. Vascular Sedatives, as Digitalis, Tobacco, Aconite, Veratrum, and the emetics. Nervous Sedatives, among which are Potassium Bromide, Tobacco, Lobelia, and the group of spinal depressants. Agents Acting Chiefly on the Nervous System. Motor-Excitants are agents which increase the functional activity of the spinal cord and the motor apparatus, producing disturbances of motility, heightened reflex excitability, and tetanic convulsions when given in large doses, their ultimate effect being motor paralysis from over- stimulation. The most important members of this class are Nux Vomica and Ignatia, with their alkaloids Strychnine and Brucine, also Thebaine, the tetanizing alkaloid of Opium. It also includes Morphine and Atropine, which, though at first sedative, when given in large doses produce convulsions. The respiratory centre in the medulla is stimulated by Strych- nine, Atropine, Ammonia, and small doses of Alcohol, Ether and Chloroform. The motor convolutions in the brain are stimulated by Alcohol in moderate doses, as also for a brief period by Ether and Chloroform. The end-organs of the motor nerves are stimulated by the local use of Electricity, Strych- nine and friction ; and are irritated by the internal administration of Aconitine, Nicotine, Camphor, Pilocarpine and Pyridine. Other members of this class are embraced in the following list:— Nux Vomica. Ignatia. Strychnine. Brucine. Thebaine. Morphine.* Atropine.* Alcohol.f Ether.f Chloroform.f Ammonia. Absinthe. Buxine. Calabarine. Ergot. Ustilago. Gossypium Picrotoxin. Aconitine. Nicotine. Camphor. Digitalis. Convallaria. Cimicifuga. Pilocarpine. Pyridine. Rhus Toxicodendron. Electricity. ^ Motor-Depressants lower the functional activity of the spinal cord and motor apparatus, and in large doses paralyze them. Some act indi- •[ In small doses.$