1. An increased flow of the salivary secretion. (_Vide_ p. 282.) 2. Vomiting. 3. Delirium, with hallucinations. Impairment of volition; apparent loss of sensation. 4. Convulsions; paralysis. 5. Breathing difficult and gasping,--gradually ceasing. 6. Death; pupils of the eye are seen to be dilated. Aconitina has thus a powerful action on the brain, and on the nerves generally. The flow of saliva seems partly to arise from a paralysis of the fauces. The animal makes ineffectual attempts to swallow, and breathes spasmodically. By a small dose the anæsthesia would probably be produced, without the other effects. On examination of the body after death the lungs are found to be healthy, but shrunken and bloodless; the trachea contains much frothy mucus, which may possibly have flowed into it on account of the palsy of the glottis; the cavities of the heart are full; the mucous membrane of the stomach pale. It seems then that the immediate cause of death is paralytic syncope,--a loss of power in the heart. As the mucous coat of the stomach evinces no trace of congestion, it is probable that the vomiting is not caused by irritation, but by a sedative or deranging action on the function of the Vagus nerve. (_Vide_ pp. 242, 245.) DIGITALIS. Class II. Div. III. Ord. II. SEDANTIA SPECIFICA. Class IV. Ord. VI. DIURETICA. This important medicine has already been prominently noticed as one of the agents that exert a special sedative and deranging power over the functions of the Vagus nerve. It will only be necessary now to sum up shortly the details of its action. It does not depress nervous force generally. It has no action on the brain, except as connected with the Vagus nerve. Neither does it affect the spinal cord, or the nerves of sensation or motion. Its most obvious action in small doses is to depress the force of the heart. It sometimes quickens the pulse, but always weakens it, and reduces its rate in the end. It therefore supplies us with a ready means of weakening the heart, whenever we desire to do this. In cases of hypertrophy, where the heart is too strong,--or in aortic aneurism, or active hemorrhage, where a forcible beat would be dangerous,--Digitalis may be used for this purpose. But it is especially useful in dropsies; for by its action on the heart, it diminishes congestion of the venous system, and by thus removing the pressure from the veins, it favours the absorption of the fluids effused. It should, however, be avoided in cases where there is very serious cardiac obstruction, or where the heart is habitually weak, and there is a natural liability to syncope. For the tendency of the medicine is to cause death by producing syncope.