Veterinary Medicines, Their Actions, Uses and Dose

by George Franklyn Korinek

PREPARATIONS

FLUIDEXTRACTUM ACONITI—FLUIDEXTRACT OF ACONITE

Made by maceration and percolation with alcohol and water and evaporation. Assayed so that each 100 c. c. contains 0.4 gm. aconitine.

Dose.—Horses and cattle, 5 to 20 m.; sheep and pigs. 2 to 5 m.; dogs, ¹⁄₁₀ to 1 m.

TINCTURA ACONITI—TINCTURE ACONITE

Made by maceration and percolation of aconite, 100; with alcohol and water to make 1000.

Dose.—Horses and cattle, 20 m. to 1 dr.; sheep and pigs, 10 to 20 m.; dogs, 2 to 10 m.

Fleming’s Tincture (non-official) (79 per cent).

Dose.—Horses and cattle, 8 to 20 m.; dogs, ¹⁄₂ to 2 m.

ACONITINA—ACONITINE

Not used to any extent in veterinary practice; is very unreliable and varying in strength. Aconitine often contains a considerable proportion of aconite and benzaconine, and so varies in activity, which is a great objection to the use of one of the most powerful drugs known.

Dose.—Horses and cattle, ¹⁄₃₀ to ¹⁄₅ gr.; dogs, ¹⁄₂₀₀ to ¹⁄₁₀₀ gr. subcutaneously.

Actions of aconite, its preparations and derivative are anodynes and sedatives, acting specially on the peripheral endings of the sensory nerves, on the heart and on respiration. Aconite kills by respiratory arrest.

Its physiological actions as a cardiac and respiratory sedative renders it a febrifuge; it is also diaphoretic and diuretic. It is prescribed in acute febrile conditions, and in the earlier stages of acute local inflammation. It is used topically to relieve pain.

General Actions.—Locally applied, in virtue of its action on sensory nerves, aconite produces first irritation, tingling and twitching and subsequently numbness and anesthesia. The tincture of aconite is rapidly absorbed and quickly passed into the tissues, as is shown by the blood of a poisoned dog five minutes after the drug has been administered, being transferred into the veins of another dog without producing the physiological action of the poison.

Toxic Effects.—One and one-half drachm of the tincture (equal to about one drachm of aconite root) is given as the minimum fatal dose for the horse, one-half drachm will occasionally cause very serious symptoms and where an idiosyncrasy exists as little as fifteen minims will cause toxic symptoms.

It causes great muscular weakness, dimness of sight; pupil at first may be dilated or contracted, but as the end approaches remains dilated; shallow irregular and labored respiration, a slow and small pulse, becoming rapid and imperceptible near the end. Gulping, frothy saliva, flatulence, belching, retching, nausea, etc. There is often a peculiar clicking sound made from the constant attempts at swallowing.

Coldness of surface, clammy sweat, anxious countenance, extreme weakness of the extremities, lowering of temperature 2 to 3 degrees, abolishment of sensation, reflexes and motility and finally death from paralysis of the heart and respiration, with or without convulsions, consciousness being preserved until near the end, when carbon dioxide narcosis sets in.

Uses.—It antagonizes the fever process, when properly used is a most valuable drug; it is indicated in all affections, characterized by high resisting pulse, dry, hot skin and elevated body temperature; is useful in acute throat affections as laryngitis, pharyngitis and perotiditis, in small doses often repeated. Indicated in acute inflammation of the organs of respiration. For pleurisy and perotiditis, at the outset, give aconite with opium. Aconite is indicated in simple fevers or in puerperal fever, inflammation of the brain; in acute or inflammatory rheumatism, in acute local inflammation, as arthritis or inflammation resulting from bruises, sprains, etc.

In lymphangitis, laminitis and enteritis, if called in first stages of enteritis give 20 ms. of aconite and repeat with 10 or 15 ms. every hour and between times gives fluid extract of belladonna 15 to 20 ms. every hour and externally woolen blankets wrung out of hot water and wrapped around the body.

In mammitis is also useful in large doses, combined with phytolacca; in spasmodic colic brought on by drinking cold water, give 30 to 60 ms. of the tincture of aconite with other colic mixture; in congestion of the bowels or liver, or in congestion of any part, small repeated doses are better than large ones. It is also advantageously used in lung disorders.