Treatment of Poisoning by Lobelia.— The treatment of poisoning by lobelia consists in washing out the stomach by means of the stomach-siphon. Solutions of tannic or gallic acid may be given fol lowed by the hypodermic injections of stimulants: alcohol, ether, ammonia, and strychnine. The recumbent position should be maintained, and warmth ap plied to the extremities. Opium given in full doses will relieve the pain; and later in moderate doses will control the vomit ing.
Therapeutics.—Lobelia is chiefly used as an antispasmodic for the relief of asthma of the gastric or bronchial form. If the asthma is due to, or associated with, cardiac disease, lobelia should not be used. The drug should be taken in doses of 1/2 to 1 drachm of the tincture at the beginning- of the attack, or in 10 drop doses every quarter of an hour until nausea appears or relief is obtained. A feeble heart contra-indicates its use. Children are more tolerant of the drug than adults. Other spasmodic affections have been treated with lobelia,—pertus sis, chorea, epilepsy, convulsions, and tetanus,—but other remedies equally efficacious and less dangerous are to be preferred.
In bronchial cough with scanty expec toration and bronchial spasm, it is some times useful as a depressing expectorant.
Habitual constipation due to intestinal atony and deficient secretion is often re lieved by 10-minim doses of the tincture, given at bed-time. Its value is enhanced by combining it with cascara sagrada. Lobelia in infusion (1 ounce to the pint) is useful as a lotion in the treatment of the dermatitis due to poison-ivy (lams toxicodendron). Lobelia should not be employed as an emetic, as it produces too much nausea and depression. When so used it has caused death. Lobeline has been used in the treatment of spasmodic asthma. Nunes claims that it is free from nauseant or irritant properties and can be used hypodermically in doses of 1/, to 5/, grain for children and 1 to 0-rains for adults. Nunes claims a cure in eight cases of tetanus by the use of lobeline.