Atropine stimulates respiration; morphine is a powerful respiratory depressant. Atropine dilates the pupil; morphine contracts it. Atropine increases bodily heat, and frequently reddens the surface of the skin; morphine produces pallor of the skin and lowers temperature.

Both drugs lessen peristaltic action of the bowels in moderate doses. Atropine reinforces the functional activity of the kidneys; morphine lessens it. On the other hand, atropine checks the secretion from the skin, while morphine increases it.

The remaining secretions are diminished by both drugs, but in different ways.

Atropine acts rather as a cerebral excitant, producing delirium, hallucinations, and disturbed sleep; morphine is more of a cerebral depressant, the period of mental excitation being comparatively brief, while sleep is longer and more profound.

In many respects these drugs are mutually synergistic. Both relieve pain, though morphine is much the more powerful anodyne. Both cause incoordination of muscular movements and mental confusion.

Although in many respects antagonistic, they are frequently combined when an anodyne action is desired. As has been forcibly suggested, their reciprocal influence, when administered together, modifies in a remarkable manner their physiological effects.

Therapeutics. - The many uses for which belladonna has been employed would render it a difficult, perhaps useless, task to enumerate them. As in the case of opium, there are certain general and important actions in disease which the physican can utilize in daily practice, a succinct mention of which is appended:

1. Belladonna is serviceable in relaxing spasms of invol-

Untary Muscles, as in asthma, spasmodic colic, lead colic, spasmodic dysmenorrhea, laryngismus stridulus, etc.

2. In diminishing secretion, as in acute coryza, bronchitis, night-sweats of phthisis, and to check the secretion of milk, mercurial ptyalism, etc.

3. In relieving pain, either combined with opium or morphine, or alone, particularly where it can be applied locally, as in lumbago, neuralgia, pleurodynia, etc.

4. Belladonna is used to stimulate the circulatory system in cases of a weak heart and low arterial tension, as in fevers, etc.

5. For its peculiar action upon the eye in ophthalmologi-cal practice, to dilate the pupil, prevent adhesion, remove congestion, relieve pain, and afford rest.

While, as has been said, it is impossible to discuss in detail the manifold uses of belladonna, its more important therapeutic services may be here mentioned:

Externally and Locally. - Belladonna ointment is useful in the treatment of boils, carbuncles, chronic inflammatory conditions about the articulations, chronic synovitis of the knee-joint, its efficiency in the latter condition being enhanced by combining it with mercurial ointment. Orchitis is greatly relieved by covering the testicle with belladonna ointment. Suppositories containing extract of belladonna are beneficial .in the treatment of hemorrhoids, and in anal fissure.

Eczema and excessive sweating of certain areas of the skin, such as the palms and soles, are benefited by a local application of the tincture or the dried and powdered extract mixed with some inert desiccant powder like powdered talcum.

Belladonna plaster is one of the most useful applications in cases of acute or chronic muscular rheumatic pains, and in forms of neuralgia. In its power to arrest the secretion of milk the drug is perhaps without an equal.

Internally. - Belladonna is combined with opium to relieve the pain of gastralgia and enteralgia, while its combination with strychnine and iron is useful in anemic neuralgia.

Nocturnal incontinence of urine in children, when resulting from supersensitiveness of the mucous membrane of the bladder, derives signal benefit from the drug.

Belladonna combined with strychnine stimulates the respiration and checks the sweating in phthisis. A similar union with some laxative drug makes an exceedingly useful pill in habitual constipation, while the obstinate constipation due to lead-poisoning is greatly relieved by belladonna.

This drug, as well as the other mydriatic narcotics, is one of the most reliable remedies we possess to relieve the symptoms of spasmodic asthma. It is highly recommended also by many physicians in typhoid fever to support the circulation and relieve many distressing symptions of the disease. In scarlatina, too, it is thought to be a useful remedy. It is useful in whooping-cough.

Cardiac pain and distress due to over-action of the heart are alleviated by the application of belladonna plaster over the cardiac region or by the internal use of the drug.

Intestinal, hepatic, and renal colic, cystitis, prostatitis, spermatorrhea, exophthalmic goiter, cerebral and spinal hyperemia, sea-sickness, facial erysipelas, and menorrhagia have all apparently been favorably influenced by belladonna.

Atropine subcutaneously injected is a powerful antidote to chloroform-, physostigma-, morphine-, aconite-, and jaborandi-poisoning, as well as that contracted from muscarine or phallin containing mushrooms.

Administration. - The crude drug, leaves, and root are seldom if ever used. Owing to its action in diminishing secretion, it is better to time the internal adminstration of belladonna so as to interfere as little as possible with the process of digestion.

Atropine is more certain in its action than any of the preparations of the crude drug. In all cases it is best to administer atropine by the intensive method. A granule containing gr. 1/100 be given to an adult, best in solution, every twenty to thirty minutes, according to the urgency of the case, until the first evidence of action is manifest. This is almost invariably dryness of the mouth; only exceptionally do any of the classic symptoms precede this. When this dryness is felt it is time to stop the drug. Children are peculiarly insusceptible to this drug, sometimes tolerating as large doses of the tincture as adults.

When atropine is used hypodermically in cases of sciatica or neuralgia, the injection should be made deeply in close proximity to the affected nerve-trunk.

The part of the body to which a belladonna plaster is to be applied should be first thoroughly cleansed and dried, the exact area to be covered being specifically designated by the physician. Caution should be exercised in the application, lest too large a space be covered by the plaster, and dangerous symptoms supervene from absorption of its more active constituents, a result which may also occur from too prolonged contact, from three to five days being usually sufficient. Should it be desirable to continue the influence of the drug, the application of fresh plaster from time to time will produce better results than too long use of a single one.