ANHALONIUM LEWINII (MESCAL BUTTON). — The mescal button is ob tained from a plant which grows in a valley of the Rio Grande, in Mexico. The tops of the plant when dried consti tute the commercial form of Anhalonium Lewinii, first described by Lewin. They arc brownish in color, circular, and from one to one and a half inches in diameter. The button is hard and can be pulverized in the mortar with difficulty. In the mouth, however, under the action of the saliva, it swells and rapidly becomes soft, giving a nauseous and bitter taste, with a marked sensation of tingling in the fauces. An alkaloid (anhalonine) has been extracted from anhalonium. It is a glucoside, with an action somewhat like that of strychnine, and is very poisonous.
Dose. — The following preparations may be used: A tincture (10 per cent.). Dose, 1 to 2 teaspoonfuls. An extract of leaves (100 per cent.). Dose, 7 '/, to 15 minims. Powdered leaves, 7 V, to 15 grains. The tincture and extract should be made according to the processes pre scribed in the United States Pharma copoeia for such prdparations.
Physiological Action. — Lewin found anhalonium to be an intensely poisonous drug, and that a few drops of a decoc tion used by him in the frog sufficed to produce almost instantly very marked changes, chiefly consisting in the appear ance of skrinking of the body, so that the batrachian seemed to pass into a mummified condition. Simultaneously with these appearances, the animal raised itself upon its fore-extremities and re mained standing in this position like an ordinary quadruped, or crawled about. After fifteen minutes this spastic condi tion passed off and he rapidly returned to his normal condition. When larger amounts were given, death occurred in tetanic rigidity. It would seem that the symptoms produced by it arc closely allied to those of strychnia, for Lewin noted that even after the spinal cord was severed peripheral irritation caused tetanus. On pigeons it was found that the drug produced convulsive vomiting in a few' moments when given hypoder mically. The bird spread its wings,
crouched down to the ground, and if disturbed would twitch convulsively. Later the head was drawn sharply back, the mouth opened widely, and general convulsions asserted themselves. When death occurred the heart was always found in diastole. In rabbits the symp toms were those of strychnia poison. The taste of the liquid preparations is some what disagreeable, unless it be disguised by a suitable vehicle, such as a mixture of fluid extract of licorice and elixir of yerba santa. The powdered drug is best administered in wafer-paper, cachets, or capsules. (Lewin.) It seems to produce an effect in the human subject resembling that of Indian hemp: visions ranging from flashes of color to beautiful landscapes, figures, etc. It depresses the muscular system without having, however, produced intoxication. as would be the case with alcohol. An halonium is not hypnotic and sometimes induces wakefulness.
The principal feature of the visions is the color-effect. The power of the drug seemed to be mainly due to the develop ment of these entrancing visions. Pren tiss and Morgan (Ther. Gaz., Sept. 15, '95).
Personal experience in the use of the drug. The principal phenomena were extraordinary color-visions, and also brilliant form-illusions. After-effects of the drug quite unpleasant, producing nausea and headache for several hours afterward. Symptoms produced resem bling the visual phenomena of ophthal• mic migraine, suggesting that possibly the drug might be found useful in this affection. S. Weir Mitchell (Jour. Nerv ous and Mental Dis., Sept., '90).
The important effect of the alkaloid of the mescal plant in therapeutic doses would appear to be: 1. A direct stimula tion of the intracardiac ganglia. 2. Au initial slowing of the heart. 3. An ele vation of arterial tension. 4. A direct stimulation of the brain-centres and motor-centres of the cord, as shown by the increase in reflex excitability. Dixon (Brit. Med. Jour., Oct. 8, '98).