CEREBRO-SPINAL DISORDERS.—Bella donna and atropine have been found use ful in the treatment of epidemic cerebro spinal meningitis, the basilar meningitis of children, and the various acute forms of myelitis, ete. In cerebro-spinal men ingitis, in which, so long as conscious ness exists if there is great pain, the addition of opium or morphine to the belladonna or atropine increases its efficacy.
NEURALGIA.—The ointment or plaster of belladonna is a useful application in neuralgia of various forms (mammary, intercostal, cervico-dorsal, etc.). A few drops of aconite used to moisten the sur face of a belladonna plaster before ap plying will in most cases increase its efficiency. (See ATROPINE.) —Belladonna has also been recommended in a variety of disorders other than the foregoing, prominent among which are cystitis, hysteria, migraine, and angina pectoris.
In acute cystitis the first indication in treatment is to allay tenesmus and pain. The following suppository should be used every four hours: 3 Morphine muriate, Cocaine hydrochlorate, of each. grain.
Extract of belladonna, grain.
Cocoa-butter, 46 grains.
In hysteria in children belladonna, in doses of grain of the extract, is useful, especially for the visceral pains. Simon (Med. and Surg. Reporter, May 5, '94).
In women the topical application may be in the vagina, as it combats the cys titis of the neck. Lutaud (Jour. de Med., July 22, '94).
In order to obtain the desired effect from belladonna, very small doses should be given at frequent intervals. When given in this manner in fevers, or hyp odermically in cholera infantum and pernicious intermittents, it has proved a most valuable remedy. As a stimu lant to the respiratory nerve-centres it has a place in pneumonia, and in enu resis it gives excellent results, if the doses are increased until a toxic effect is obtained. To augment peristalsis, it should be used in suspected fareal or mechanical obstruction of the bowel.
In the so-called spurious hydrocephalus it is beneficial in maintaining cerebral vitality. I have many times by its use
averted coma in typhoid fever after Cheyne-Stokes respiration was present. Larrabee (Pediatrics, Sept. 1, '96).
In angina pectoris Massy extols bella donna or its alkaloid, but Huchard de nies any good effects and adds: "It dis turbs the mechanism of the heart and contracts the arteries," which seems most tenable, being in line with the known physiological action of the drug. CUTANEOUS DISORDERS.—Belladonna is useful in certain affections of the skin, in the cutaneous neuroses, prurigo, herpes zoster, erythema, and eczema. Sufficiently large doses to maintain a mild physiological action must be used. Hyperidrosis and unilateral sweating are arrested by the internal or by the local application of the belladonna prep arations.
[The use of atropine in relieving the sweats of phthisis has been referred to under ATROPINE.—ED.] In doses of from to ', grain of the extract, belladonna is the best remedy in chronic urticaria, which appears to be due to an acute (edema of the con nective tissue of the skin as the result of active vasomotor dilatation. Liegeois (Revue Med. de l'Est, Nov. 15, '90).
For the pruritus of lichen, fractional doses of tincture of belladonna; give 1 to 4 drops, three times a day. If an urticarial element exists, quinine with ergotine may be used where belladonna fails. Broeq (Caz. des Hop., Feb. 20, '92).
In a case of pemphigus, in a boy aged 15 years, 3 drops of tincture of bella donna, three times a day were given: at the end of a week increased to 4 drops. Decided improvement now set in. and for about a week no new' vesicles formed. A few new blisters then ap peared. and the belladonna was increased up to 6 drops three times daily. One of the best-known actions of belladonna is its power of controlling perspiration.
and in doing this it put the lad's feet in the same condition in this regard in summer as in winter. Montgomery (Med. News, Nov. 16, '95).