American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy

In puerperal convulsions the mass of evidence in favor of veratrum is
overwhelming. One old physician reported in the Medical Record (1888)
an experience in the treatment of an average of eight cases per year for
twenty-eight years, without the loss of a patient, with veratrum alone.
Another treated twenty-three cases with veratrum, with recovery in all. In
these cases full doses are given, closely watching the effects on the
stomach, if given per os, and always watching its effects upon the heart. A
dose of five drops can be repeated every half hour for three or four doses.
At times five drops have been given every half hour for four or five hours.
This important influence is exercised through its power to control blood
pressure-reducing arterial tension. It is best used hypodermically.
In many severe cases with active cerebral engorgement as much as
fifteen drops have been given hypodermically and repeated after a time.
Three drops of the tincture of veratrum twice daily, gradually increasing
the dose to twelve drops, then gradually reducing, may be given with care
in a desperate case of exophthalmic goiter with tachycardia. This agent
at such a time is important. It will usually control the rapidity of the
pulse in a satisfactory manner while it materially assists in antidoting
the toxins, and thus conduces to the action of other indicated remedies.
In its influence upon exalted activity of the heart, veratrum is of service
in palpitation from temporarily increased functional power of the
heart—the irritable heart of otherwise strong, vigorous men—the violent
action induced by the use of tobacco in some cases inducing high
arterial pressure and the palpitation of hypertrophy without valvular
incompetence. It is likewise valuable in aneurism, restraining
hyperactivity by reducing the vasomotor tonus. In these cases a dose of
from three to four drops four times each day will do better than the small
and frequently repeated dose.
VERBASCUM. Verbascum thapsus.
Synonym—Mullein.
CONSTITUENTS—
Mucilage, volatile oil, fat, sugar.
PREPARATIONS—
Specific Verbascum. Dose, from five to sixty minims.
Ellingwood’s American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy - Page 456