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REMEDIAL AGENTS. 87

bowels of their contents. Purgatives are more powerful in their
operation ; they excite a copious exhalation from the mucous
lining of the intestines, and augment the peristaltic action to a
great degree. Drastics are the more powerful and violent cathar-
tics, and produce a greater degree of irritation in the lining mem-
branes of the intestines, and occasionally act upon the nerves of
the stomach, so as to cause nausea and sometimes vomiting.
Drastics generally belong to the resino-extractive substances, and
act violently, on account of being sparingly soluble and adhering
to the mucous coat of the intestines.
Enemata are agents of this class which act on the lower part
of the intestinal tube by direct application ; they irritate the lining
membrane of the rectum, and by sympathy of continuity, their
influence is extended to the intestinal canal. Hence enemata
may be employed with advantage when cathartics cannot be given
by the mouth, as when deglutition is impracticable. What are
known as saline cathartics are employed in the treatment of febrile
and inflammatory affections, as they do not produce any excitant
action on the general system. There are also acrid cathartics^
which are not violent enough to cause inflammation. Others are
known as mercurial cathartics. The class known as laxatives
comprise such substances as certain articles of diet, as ripe and
dried fruits, such as tamarinds, peaches, raisins, figs, prunes, also
molasses, honey, cracked wheat, Indian meal and oatmeal, etc.,
etc. Other laxatives are castor oil, manna, sulphur, purging
cassia, etc., etc. Saline cathartics comprise such substances as
magnesia, carbonate and sulphate of magnesia (Epsom salts),
solution of citrate of magnesia, sulphate of sodium (Glauber's
salt), solution of manganese, phosphate of sodium, sulphate of
potassium, cream of tartar, soluble tartar, Rochelle salts. Mild.,
acrid cathartics comprise such substances as rhubarb, aloes, senna,
leptandra, elder. Drastic cathartics comprise such substances as
jalap, may apple, scammony, colocynth, gamboge, elaterium,
croton oil. Mercurial cathartics consist of calomel, blue mass,
mercury with chalk. Enemata consist of tepid water, flaxseed
tea or other demulcent infusion ; a combination of a teaspoonful
each of common salt, molasses and lard or olive oil, in two-thirds