EDFORD LA. 1.rTRA, New York.
NUX VOIVIICA.—Nux vomica (poison nut, Quaker button, semen strychni) is the seed of Strychnos aux-romica, a tree (nat. ord., Logaitiacece) growing in the East Indies, Cochin China, and neighbor ing countries. All parts of the tree are bitter and poisonous. The seeds are disk shaped, about an inch in diameter, cov ered with silky hairs, of a greenish-gray color, and grayish white internally. They .1 t trv tolq;11 and are reduced to •1 r ith difficulty. They are without r, but art, very bitter to the taste.
1., s,t(ls contain the alkaloids strych ut , to ' per cent.), and brucine ( ; to 1 ptr cent.) in combination with .ed.,tir:c (strychnine) acid, and also the loganin, a yellow coloring mat tt r, concrete oil. g,um, starch, wax, and tarthy phosphates. The powdered drug \ arks in alkaloidal strength, and in the prcparations it is necessary to hire them standardized to insure uni formity of physiological and therapeutic t Get.
Brucine, one of the alkaloids found in Strychnos ter-rontica, and also in Strych n_s 1 gnatii, occurs as a light, white, crystalline powder, soluble in S50 parts .1 water, and more soluble in alcohol (1 parts) and in chloroform. It is with difficulty separated from strychnine, in many samples of which it is present as an impurity. In effect it is one-twelfth as powerful as strychnine, and one-third as quick. The dose is 1/,,, to 1/2 grain; maximum daily dose is 3 grains.
Strychnine will be considered alone, in its proper place; although it is the representative alkaloid of nux yomica, it has, however, its own peculiar field of usefulness.
Ignatia may claim our attention here rn account of its close resemblance to nux vomica, not only as to its alkaloidal constituents, but al.so on account of the similarity of its physiological action and therapeutic uses. Ignatia (bean of St. Ignatius) is the seed of the Strychnos 1 gnatii, a tree indigenous to the Philip pine Islands, where the seeds were used as a medicine by the natives. The Jesuit misionaries named it in honor of the founder of their order. The seeds of ignat'a yield a larger proportion )f strychnine, brueine, and igasuric acid than can be obtained from nux vomica. Tincture of ig.natia may be given in doses of 1 to 15 minims ha all diseases in which mix vomiea is indicated.
Preparations and Doses.—Nux vomica (powdered nut), 1 to 4 grains.
Extractum nucis vomicre, 1j., to 1 oTain.
Extract= nucis vomic fluidmn, 1 to 4 minims.
Tinctura nucis vomic, 5 to 15 grains.
Physiological Action. — The physio logical action of nux vomica is that of its principal alkaloid, strychnine, and will be reviewed at length when the lat ter is considered (see STR-vcitx-TxtE).
Poisoning by Nux Vomica.—In 10 to 20 minutes after the poison is ingested the first symptoms usually appear. Gen eral uneasiness and restlessness are fol lowed by a feeling of suffocation. The muscles twitch and the head and limbs begin to jerk. Later, violent tetanic C011
vulsions come on, which soon involve the whole body. The face is drawn into a grin (risus sardonicus), the lower jaw be comes fixed, the neck rigid, the pupils dilated, the reflexes heightened, then paroxysmal attacks of tonic contraction occur, at intervals varying from five min utes to half an hour, especially of the extensor muscles of the body, produc ing opisthotonos. The eyeballs become prominent; the respiration is impeded, from tetanic spasm of the respiratory muscles; and the face becomes livid. The paroxysm may hist from a half-min nte to several minutes, when it subsides and is followed by a period of relaxation during which the patient is bathed in perspiration and is utterly prostrated. The paroxysm returns in a few- minutes, being. precipitated by the slightest cause --a breath of wind, a slight noise, an effort to move, or an attempt at beina fed. The paroxy.sin increases in fve quency and violence, the pulse becomes feeble and rapid, and death results ally after fotir or five hours from asphyxia or collapse, the mind remaining clear to the last. The fatal dose is generally stated to be 30 grains of the poNs-dered mit, the weight of one seed, 3 grains of the solid extract, or 3 grains of nine; but '/,G grain of strychnine has proved fatal in a child and V, grain in an adult.
Treatment of Poisoning by Nur Vont ica.—The immediate use of emetics and of the stomach-pump. if the lock-jaw permit it, is indicated. The use of roform may overcome the lock-jaw and benefit the patient in other respects.
Animal charcoal and tannic acid may be given ad libitum, followed by an emetic.
Thirst may be relieved by strong tea. The catheter should be used when re quired. Absolute quiet, so far as pos sible, should be maintained. Bromides in large doses, chloral, amyl-nitrite, curare, morphine, and atropine may prove efficient antidotes. The antidotes may be given by the rectum; artificial respiration is sometimes indicated.
Case of a woman who died in twu hours after taking 6 drachms of the tincture of mix vomica, representing ai, grain of strychnine. The pupils were widely dilated, and unconsciousness eame on three times. Apornorphine failed to produce vomiting. The exhibition of chloroform to arrest convulsion gave rise to dangerous symptoms. H. D. Hale Writ. Med. Jour., July, '99).
Therapeutics. — Nux vomica may be employed as a simple, bitter tonic; as a special tonic in diseases of the nervous system; or as a respiratory, cardiac, or ocular stimulant. Care should be cised when giving nux vomica or its prep arations to children, as a small dose in fluences them profoundly.
The only contra-indieations to nux vomica in children are those in which there is marked reflex excitability of the nervous system. Comby (I,a MOd. 'Mod., Mar. 2S, '96).