American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy

On the ground of these experiments the author formulated the following
conclusions: Strychnine suppresses the toxic action of alcohol; it enables
persons to ingest large quantities of alcohol for a long time without
appreciable injurious effects on the organs. The increased doses of
alcohol which may be given with impunity, if associated with strychnine,
have a limit—i.e., as soon as the quantity of strychnine necessary to
counteract the effects of the alcohol commences to give rise to toxic
symptoms. Strychnine is applicable as an antidote in all forms of
alcoholism.
Portugalow, of Samaria, reported in 1891 that lie cured 4-5 cases of
dipsomania with hypodermic injections of strychnine nitrate. He knew of
reliable and specific remedies for two affections only: strychnine for the
various forms of alcoholism and quinine for malarial fever.
He prescribed a solution of the nitrate, two grains to the ounce of distilled
water, for subcutaneous injection. He gave one or two injections daily of
from four to eight minims of the solution. Usually ten to sixteen
injections sufficed for a complete cure. This agent has now become of first
importance in the cure of this condition.
Baines investigated the action of the nitrate of strychnine in surgical
shock. In thirty cases lie injected the remedy hypodermically in onethirtieth
grain (loses for from two to six days previous to the operation,
where its general influence was not contraindicated by irritation of the
nerve centers. On the day preceding the operation it was injected every
three hours. It was injected before beginning the operation every two
hours, and for two or three days afterward. In sonic of the cases be
claimed an entire absence of shock. In all others the shock was very mild,
and in no case was it severe, and con. valescence was short and
satisfactory. In all cases there was no collapse from the anesthesia lies
and but little reduction of the force and strength of the heart and no
respiratory failure.
Hare advises one-twentieth of a grain of the sulphate of strychnia at the
time of the operation, just preceding and subsequently every half hour,
treating the conditions induces by the agent symptomatically. We believe
it to better to begin earlier, in order to have the system previously braced
and not be obliged to administer the agent to toxicity just at the time.
It is a direct antidote to chloral and is used to great advantage in the
earlier stages of opium poisoning, poisoning or asphyxia from gas
Ellingwood’s American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy - Page 426