Made by the action of sulphuric acid on strychnine.
PROPERTIES.--Colorless or white, prismatic crystals, odorless and having
an intensely bitter taste. Efflorescent in dry air. Soluble in water and
alcohol. Almost soluble in ether.
DOSE.--Horses, ¹⁄₂ to 1¹⁄₂ gr.; cattle, 1 to 3 gr.; sheep, ¹⁄₄ to ¹⁄₂
gr.; dogs, ¹⁄₁₂₀ to ¹⁄₄₀ gr. The small doses are to be used when
strychnine is given subcutaneously.
ACTIONS.--Nerve tonic, stomach tonic, stimulates respiration, secretion,
appetite and digestion; it increases peristalsis, stimulates both the
motor and inhibitory apparatus of the heart, and raises arterial tension
by stimulating the vaso-motor centers, thus contracting the arterioles,
though full doses relax the arterioles and thus lower blood pressure.
Strychnine exalts all functions of the spinal cord, reflex, motor,
vaso-motor and sensory, the latter being the least affected; it does not
affect the brain directly.
TOXICOLOGY.--Large doses cause trembling and twitching of the voluntary
and involuntary muscles with violent clonic spasms, lasting one or two
minutes, gradually getting more frequent and severe in form involving
the glottis, diaphragm and other muscles of respiration; causes death
usually from asphyxia. Very large doses may paralyze the cord as from a
blow, and cause almost instant death.
USES.--Nux vomica or strychnine is indicated in any condition in which
there is a paralysis or depressed state of the nerves or nervous system;
atonic dyspepsia, broken wind, relaxed condition of the bowels due to
lack of tone, in small doses.
In weak condition of the heart give with small doses of digitalis; it
stimulates sexual organs. Give it in convalescence from debilitating
diseases, also as an aid to recovery during their progress; in collapse
and for narcotic poisoning strychnine hypodermically in paralysis,
whether of limbs, intestines or bladder.
In diarrhoea, due to lack of tone of muscular coat of the bowels
combined with astringents; for anaemia, strychnine combined with iron
and quinine; nervous coughs use strychnine with sedatives; also in
incontinuence of urine and chorea, in dogs after distemper.
ANTIDOTE FOR STRYCHNINE POISONING.--Tannic acid or vegetables containing
it should be freely administered, for the tannate of strychnine which is
formed is very insoluble; an emetic or the stomach pump must be used
promptly. The tetanic spasms are best controlled by chloral hydrate or
very large doses of potassium bromide (2 dr. to ¹⁄₂ oz. for man) or 4 to
8 ounces for the horse as antidote for strychnine poisoning. Inhalations
of ether are also recommended. Chloral hydrate may be used per rectum or
intravenously. Inhalations of amyl nitrate are also of value. The
administration of melted lard seems to exert peculiar antidotal
properties to strychnine poisoning. As an emetic for dogs apomorphinae
hydrochloras ¹⁄₂₀ to ¹⁄₅ grain, given hypodermically, is the best and
may have to be pushed as emetics act tardily in poisoning by this drug.