STIMULANTS, agents which temporarily increase the vital activities, either in particular organs and functions or in the whole physical organism. They are among the most valuable and important of medicines, and perhaps are more often the direct means of saving life than any others. But as they are powerful, their in jurious effects, when misapplied, have been even more prejudicial to mankind than their best use has been beneficial. In fact it may be said that the abuse of this class of medicines, under the names of cardiacs, cordials, alexipharmics, etc., caused more deaths during the dark ages of medicine than did sword and pestilence united. The dreadful mortality of smallpox and fevers during the Middle Ages, and even as far down as the earlier parts of the 19th century, was mainly owing to the administra tion of stimulants, the tendency of which was to increase the violence of the dis ease, although they were intended merely to expel noxious and poisonous humors. But by a more cautious use of these articles they are the means of preserving life. Stimulants are either simple and direct in their operation, as the external application of heat in all forms, dry and moist, by friction, etc.; the applica
tion to the stomach of hot liquors, spices, cam phor, hartshorn, warm and aromatic gums and oils, as mint, cardamon, cajeput, ginger, asa fetida, red pepper, spirits of turpentine, etc.; or they act first as stimulants, but produce af terward effects of a different character, as is the case with wine, brandy and spirits of all sorts; opium, ammonia, ethers, etc., all of which are highly stimulant at first, and in small quantity, but afterward, and when taken in larger doses, produce exhaustion, debility, sleep and death. The first class are upon the whole the safer, and should always be used in preference to the last when they can be had, in cases of suspended animation from cold, drowning, suffocation, etc.; while the others are more valuable for their secondary and re mote effects, by means of which they ease pain, and relieve spasm and other affections: and for these purposes they should be used freely, as they can do no hurt while the violence of the disease persists. But they should never be resorted to unless pain is urgent, or debility become so great as to endanger life.