Page 109 - My FlipBook

REMEDIAL AGENTS.
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mouth is irritated, the effect extending along the ducts to the
salivary glands, so that not only is the quantity of fluid exhaled
from the mucous membrane increased, but salivation results. In
this way depletion follows their employment, and more or less
revulsive effect ensues, which may prove beneficial to distant
parts affected by disease. Sialagogues may also prove useful in
cases of paralysis of the tongue, etc., by their directly excitant
properties ; also in local palsy of the tongue. Thev are occa-
sionally employed as masticatories in odontalgia, and in such af-
fections of the head as may indicate the use of substances which
excite irritation in and increased discharge from the lining mem-
brane of the nasal cavities. Included in this class are pyrethrum,
horse radish, calamus, ginger, tobacco, calomel, corrosive subli-
mate, blue mass, iodide of mercury, etc.
STYPTICS.
Styptics which belong to the class of Jstringents are medicinal
agents capable of arresting hemorrhage when employed exter-
nally. They are divided, according to their action, into chemical
and mechanical^ the chemical styptics coagulating the blood ex-
uding from the part, and at the same time stimulating the tissues
to contraction ; whilst the mechanical, as lint, felt, spider's web,
plaster of Paris, etc., detain the blood in their meshes, or absorb
it until it coagulates, and thus arrest the hemorrhage. Among
the Astringents which may be classed as Styptics and local astrin-
gents are tannic acid, persulphate of iron solution, powdered
subsulphate of iron, alum, nitrate of silver, powdered galls, sul-
phuric acid, matico, gallic acid, perchloride of iron, catechu, oak-
bark rhatany, etc. ; and as mechanical styptics, collodion, matico,
spider's web.
By contraction of the blood vessels internally : digitalis and
ergot ; also for checking excessive discharges : acetate of lead,
carbonate of lead, subacetate of lead, lime water, the application
of cold as ice, and of heat, as hot water, etc.
VESICANTS.
Vesicants, which belong to the class of Epispastics^ are medic-
inal agents capable of producing a serous exudation beneath the