Observations and experiments on the use of opium, bromide of potassium, and cannabis indica in insanity, especially in regard to the effects of the two latter given separately / by T. S. Clouston, M.D.

  • Clouston, T. S. (Thomas Smith), 1840-1915.
Date:
[1871], [©1871]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations and experiments on the use of opium, bromide of potassium, and cannabis indica in insanity, especially in regard to the effects of the two latter given separately / by T. S. Clouston, M.D. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    4/42 (page 2)
    cines on maniacally excited patients. They consist of two parts : the first, experiments inade chiefly on incurable patients in whom simple brain excitement existed; the second, clinical observations on the eflfects of the same medicines on recent and curable cases of excite- ment. The experiments were undertaken to show, first, the effects of single doses, and second, the efi'ects of long continued courses of the medicines. I The action of the bromide of potassium in cases of maniacal excitement especially deserves careful study. It acts differently in many respects from most of the vegetable narcotics. Given along with at least one of them, it seems to intensify and prolong its effect on the nervous system, without at the same time affecting injuriously tlie digestion and the nutrition of the body. The investigation of this point will be one special object of this paper. The action of opium on disordered function of the cerebrum is better known than that of any other drug, though very much remains to be accurately ascertained. So much confusion exists as to its physiological action on a healthy subject, and its therapeutic action on a diseased one, so little is really known as to the tolerance of the remedy in certain disorders of the brain, there has been such a ten- dency to apply Dr. Anstie^s theory as to the identity of narcosis and brain paralysis, where it is quite inapplicable, that any carefully recorded facts bearing on any part of this subject must be of value. Then the action on the healthy brain of a pure stimulant, such as whisky, has been carefully studied, but observations on the tolerance of large doses of such a stimulant in disordered brain functions are much needed. Any effect which food has in such cases we are ac- customed to regard, and I beheve truly, as beyond question directly towards health. To compare the effects of these various drugs witii the effects of a highly concentrated food, therefore, on a given number of eases of brain disorder, can scarcely fail to be instructive. Efects of single doses.—To ascertain the effects of single doses I at first selected eight patients (four men and four women), all labour- ing under great excitement, and from two hours and a half to three hours after breakfast, after taking their pulse and temperature and noting their mental state, I gave to each of them the dose of the drug or stimulant I was experimenting with. They were then sent out in the open air, from which they had been taken in, except the day was very cold, and in that case they were kept in the house, and in an hour I again took their pulse and temperature, and noted their mental state. Their condition during the afternoon was also observed. The next day I gave another drug, and this was continued till all had been gone over, when I began again, repeating the ex- periment four times, with most of the substances used, and twice with the others. I gave these patients in this way drachm doses of tincture of opium, drachm and two drachm doses of bromide of