On the action of apomorphine and apocodeine : with reference to their value as expectorants in the treatment of chronic bronchitis / by William Murrell.

  • Murrell, William, 1853-1912.
Date:
1891
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the action of apomorphine and apocodeine : with reference to their value as expectorants in the treatment of chronic bronchitis / by William Murrell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    \'2 •i4th he was ordered 10 minims of a 1 per cent, solution three times a day; on October 1st the dose was increased to 20 minims tliree times a day ; on October 9tli to 26 minims; and on October 29th to half a drachm. He expectorated very freely indeed, especially after the larger doses, but there was no complaint of nausea or vomiting. In the case of another pa- tient, aged 71, the dose was gradually increased from 10 minims to half a drachm three times a day, and again it answered well as an expectorant, and produced no disagree- able symptoms. This patient in six weeks took 28 grains of apocodeine. In one case, and one only, the apocodeine pro- duced nausea and vomiting. The patient was a boy, aged 17, an artist's model, who suffered from neurotic asthma. From April 23rd to June 25th he was on apomorphine, the dose being gradually increased from 15 to 50 minims three times a day. During this period he took nearly a drachm of the hy- drochlorate of apomorphine, not only without the production of any unpleasant symptom, but with marked relief to hia attacks of dyspncea. On July 16th he was ordered 5 minims of the 1 per cent, solution of apocodeine three times a day, the dose being week by week increased by 5 minims at a dose. There was no complaint until, on October 1st, the patient was ordered 20 minims three times a day. He then stated that it made him feel sick, and that he was unable to keep it down. He took twelve doses, and usually vomited about two hours after each dose. On October 8th the dose was reduced to 15 minims three times a day, which he took without difficulty. On October 15th the dose was again increased to 20 minims three times a day, and this he took for a fortnight without suffering from vomiting, although he admitted that he usually felt sick after each dose. He took in all 24 grains of apoco- deine. The hydrochlorate of apocodeine acts as a powerful expec- torant when given in the form of pill. From 3 to 4 grains may be administered daily with perfect safety. These observations on apocodeine are admittedly incom- filete, but the supply of material at my command was imited.