Hydrastis found of service in the treat ment of the night-sweats of a large num ber of cases of luemoptysis. The dose employed was 30 minims of the fluid ex tract. Cruse (Cincinnati Lancet-Clinic, Oct. 3, '91).
Hydrastine is a acting on the vasomotor system centrally. It is an uncertain and dangerous remedy. Its derivative, hydrastinine, has no action on the heart, and its action on the blood pressure is feeble. Its vasoconstrictive power is much greater and more perma nent than that of either hydrastine or ergot. Its action on the uterus is very slight. When a vigorous contraction of the uterus is desired, ergot is to be se lected. In the haemorrhages of puberty and the menopause, in those accompany ing lesions of the appendages, and in the uterine congestion of dysmenorrhcea hydra stinine is preferable. In the case of uterine fibroids and endometritis its action is only palliative. It is best to give frequent doses, continued for many days in succession. Its administration should be begun before the commence ment of the expected menorrhagia. Porak (Bull. de la Soc. de Med. Prat., Mar. IS, '92).
Hydrastine has no influence upon the physiological loss of blood during and immediately after labor; it has no influ ence upon the evolution of the uterus; it lessens the frequence and intensity of the pains, especially in multipar; it does not arrest puerperal hanorrhage; and it exerts no influence upon the ex pulsion of clots from the uterus. Luigi Borde (Bull. delle Scienze Mcdiche, Dec., '92).
Ten-drop doses of hydrastis Canadensis given in water every two or three hours is a sovereign preventive of epistaxis. Kohn (Med. Record, June 9, '94).
Hydrastinine given in eighty-six cases of uterine haemorrhage, the form em ployed being V,-grain pills, 1 of which was ordered three times a day. The treatment was well borne, but patients frequently complained of painful uterine contractions. The most constant and re markable effects were observed in hmm orrhage due to retro-uterine hnmatocele, an immediate arrest of hmmorrhage be ing obtained in all the five cases of this character. In functional menorrhagia considerable success was obtained; here 2 pills daily were ordered a day or two before the expected period, 3 being taken as soon as it commenced and continued until its cessation. In haemorrhage after abortion hydrastinine was usually effica cious, as also in cases due to lesions of the appendages. It was of far less bene fit in hmmorrhage due to chronic endo metritis, to commencing abortion, and to uterine fibromata, though in all these classes of cases it sometimes proved use ful. With haemorrhages due to malig
nant disease no effect at all could be traced. Kallmorgen (Lancet, June 16, .94).
Hydrastinine is distinctly more power ful than ergot; the arrest of haemorrhage is prompt. The alkaloid is a powerful ecbolic. H. C. Wood (University Med. Mag., Aug., '94).
In tuberculous hemorrhages hydrastis is the best pulmonary Inemostatic. Hremorrhages of dysentery have been completely suppressed with this drug after all other measures had failed.
Attention particularly called to the favorable and almost invariable effect that hydrastis exercises on hemorrhoids, whether internal or external. Strangu lated or irreducible haemorrhoids are re duced with greatest facility.
As an oxytocic, it is not so rapid in its action as quinine.
It is the preferable remedy in the haemorrhages of fibromyomas, and is the best means of combating the limor rhages of pregnancy at any stage, pro vided it is taken at sufficiently prolonged intervals—that is, 20 drops every three hours, or four times a day. Mariani (In dependance Med., Apr. 11, 'OS).
It is the main drug used to control hmmorrhage, Immoptysis, epistaxis, pur pura, hmematemesis, enterorrhagia, and hmmaturia, but especially metrorrhagia, except when it occurs in uterine cancer. The fluid extract is the best and most widely used, and hydrastinine hydro chlorate should alone be used. E. Tour flier (Jour. des Praticiens, May 11, 1901).
The rationale of the hmmostatic influ ence of hydrastis has been explained above; hence, when uterine contraction is desired, ergot is to be preferred, as hydrastis does not act on the muscular fibre of the organs, but on the vasocon strictors.
Small doses of to lI„ grain per pounds' weight of the ani mal—are sufficient to bring on uterine contraction. The action upon the uterus is different from that of ergot, in that it is of central origin. K. Serdzew ("Das Pharmakologische Verhaltniss des Hy drastins zum Blutgefassystem and zum Uterus," '90).
Power of hydrastine to cause uterine contraction denied. P. Barnum (Ther. Monats., No. 12, '91).
Abortion can be p•oduced—not only at term, but also in the middle of con ception—in rabbits, mice, and dogs by the use of hydrastine. P. Archangelski (iNIeditzinskoje Ohozrenije. p. 52. '91).
—In stomatitis and follicular pharyngitis the glycerite of hydrastis or the fluid extract will prove an active remedial agent.
Tnhealthy and sloughing sores, old ulcers, sloughing cancerous growths, and chancroids are favorably influenced when dressings of hydrastis are employed.