American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy

emergencies; in narcotic poisoning, and as a stimulant in the recovery of
patients from shock. The 1/100 grain dose will produce the physiological
symptoms in a healthy patient. This dose seldom is exceeded, and from
1/200 to 1/150 grain usually is sufficient. The 1/50 of a grain is the
maximum dose.
Within recent years, the action of atropine given hypodermically for
controlling hemorrhage has gained so many advocates that it has now
become established as a most reliable remedy for that purpose. Doctor
Waugh was among the first to bring this use of it forward. His arguments
have been unanswerable until its position is now fairly established. He
clearly demonstrates its rational, reliable influence for this purpose.
From 1/50 to 1/100 grain is injected, and the doses repeated as needed. It
is exceedingly useful in uterine hemorrhages.
Doctor Paulding, writing in The Medical Council, relates some
experiments with the hypodermic injection of atropine in acute
alcoholism. There were eleven boys less than 12 years old playing in a
freight-yard, where some high wines in barrels were standing on open
cars. A barrel was tapped with a gimlet and through a straw all of the boys
drank freely of the spirits. Doctor Paulding was called to treat one of
them. He observed the extreme dilatation of the pupils. This is the
characteristic indication for atropine, determined its use, and he gave a
hypodermic of 1/200 grain. This one dose saved the boy's life. The other
ten boys died. The doctor reports two other cases where death seemed
imminent but which were saved by a single hypodermic injection of 1/100
grain of atropine.
Doctor Shadid dissolves 1/60 of a grain of atropine in 2 ounces of water
and gives one teaspoonful every ten minutes until there is relief, in
certain headaches which follow prolonged worry, excessive mental
exertion, with more or less exhaustion.
In acid stomach, where the hypersecretion of the acids is great, atropine,
an occasional dose as needed, has been found to exercise a good
influence.
Mild solutions of atropine dropped into the ear will relieve earache.
The use of cactus in subnormal temperatures has strong advocates, but its
Ellingwood’s American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy - Page 69