INFUSUM DIGITALIS--INFUSION OF DIGITALIS Composed of digitalis 15 parts, alcohol 100 parts, cinnamon water 150 parts, boiling water 500 parts, cold water to make 1000 parts. By maceration. DOSE.--Horses and cattle, 2 to 4 oz.; sheep and pigs, ¹⁄₂ to 1 oz.; dogs, 1 to 4 dr. There are several substitutes for digitalis found in commerce. ACTIONS.--A cardiac and vascular tonic and stimulant, a motor excitant, paralyzant, anaphrodisiac, it is an indirect diuretic and an emetic, irritates the mucous membrane. The heart is slowed but the force is increased; digitalis stimulates the cardiac motor ganglia, the inhibitory apparatus and the vaso-motor centers, contracting the arterioles and thereby greatly raising the arterial tension; large doses exhaust and paralyze the heart. Its diuretic action is very complex, one of the active principles, digitalin, increases the arterial pressure by contracting the blood vessels of the body, while the large renal arteries are dilated by two of its active principles, digitoxin and digitalein. On this account digitalis is an ideal diuretic. USES.--It is used as a cardiac stimulant in full doses, followed by small ones; used in heart and cardiac debility from any cause, irregularity of the heart due to debility; used in dropsical conditions, combined with acetate or nitrate of potash; it is useful in congestion of organs, useful in the first stages of pneumonia and scarlatina; as a diuretic over the region of the kidneys this can be used two or three times daily; when internal remedies fail to increase the action of the kidneys this is very effectual. Useful in palpitation of the heart due to overexertion. Digitalis is occasionally employed with good results as a poultice of the leaves, applied over the loins to promote diuresis, or in local inflammation, to contract blood vessels. FERRUM REDUCTUM--REDUCED IRON DERIVATION.--Hydrogen gas is passed over freshly made and carefully washed ferric oxide in a hot and closed tube. PROPERTIES.--A very fine grayish-black, lustreless powder, without odor or taste; permanent in dry air; insoluble in water or alcohol. DOSE.--Horses, 1 to 2 dr.; cattle, 2 to 4 dr.; sheep and pigs, 20 to 30 gr.; dogs, 1 to 5 gr. FERRI SULPHAS--FERROUS SULPHATE--COPPERAS--GREEN VITRIOL DERIVATION.--Iron wire is dissolved by boiling in dilute sulphuric acid. PROPERTIES.--Large, pale bluish-green, monoclinic prisms, without odor and having a saline styptic taste; efflorescent in dry air. On exposure to moist air the crystals rapidly absorb oxygen and become coated with brownish-yellow, basic ferric sulphate; soluble in water, insoluble in alcohol. DOSE.--Same as reduced iron. FERRI SULPHAS EXSICCATUS--DRIED FERROUS SULPHATE DERIVATION.--Allow ferrous sulphate, 100 parts, to effloresce at a temperature of 104° F., then heat on a water bath until the product weighs 65.