Nicotinum

An alkaloid obtained from Nicotiana tabacum, Linn.

Formula, C10H14N2.

Preparation , Solutions in distilled water (or alcohol).

Authorities.

1 , Falk and Wachenfeld, De Nicotine, 1848 (from Husemann, Pflanzenstoffe), experiments on themselves and on others with 2 to 3 milligrams dissolved in water; 2 , Wertheim, Zeit. d. K. K. Ges. zu Wien, 1851, general effects; 3 , Schroff, provings on Dworzak and Heinreich with 0.001 to 0.002 gram, and even 4 or 5 milligrams, Lehrb. d. Pharm.; 4 , Reil, Mat. Med. d. rein. Arzn., 1857, p. 235, effects of a solution of 1 drop in 100 drops of alcohol, doses increasing from 1 to 15 drops (the original provings in Journ. f. Pharm., 2, p. 195, not accessible).

MIND

• Delirium, with frightful visions, 2.
• Inability to fix the attention upon any subject (second day), 3.
• Inability to think or fix the thoughts, 4.

HEAD

• Vertigo, 1, 2.
• Peculiar vertigo, 4.
• Headache, 1, 4.
• Decided headache, 3.
• Violent headache (second day), 3.
• A high degree of dulness of the head, heaviness, dizziness, and stupefaction, 3. [10.]
• Dulness and heaviness of the head, persistent, 3.

EYE

• Sensation as though the eyelids were too heavy, 4.
• Lachrymation, 4.
• Dilatation of the pupils, 2.
• Dilated pupils, 4.
• Indistinct vision, with great sensitiveness of the eye to light, 3.
• Weak vision, 4.

EAR, NOSE, FACE, AND MOUTH

• Indistinct hearing, with a sensation as though the ears were filled with cotton, 3.
• The expired air had the odor of alcohol, noticed not only by the provers themselves but by the bystanders, 3.
• Face pale, features drawn, 3. [20.]
• Sensation of an aura in the upper jaw, 3.
• Sharp burning sensation on the tongue, 3.
• Increased secretion of saliva, 3.
• Scraping-burning taste, especially low down in the throat, causing hiccough and hawking, 4.

THROAT AND STOMACH

• Dryness of the throat, 3.
• Sensation of scraping in the throat, 3.
• Constant scraping in the throat, 2.
• Sensation as though a sharp brush had been drawn through the œsophagus to the stomach, 3.
• Sensation of dysphagia, 4.
• Loss of appetite, 4. [30.]
• Loss of appetite (second day), 3.
• Great aversion to tobacco-smoking ; one, a smoker, endeavored to mitigate his troubles by a pipe of tobacco, but was utterly unable to take more than a few whiffs; the other, not a smoker, became affected to an excessively disagreeable extent by going near any one smoking, 3.
• Frequent eructations, 1.
• Eructations with vomiting that afforded some relief, 3.
• Hiccough, 4.
• Nausea, 1.
• Nausea, and inclination to vomit and actual vomiting, with some relief, 3.
• A disagreeable sensation extending from the stomach upward and downward, with eructations, 3.
• Sensation of emptiness and faintness in the stomach and intestinal canal, persistent, 3.

ABDOMEN AND RECTUM

• Abdomen distended, 3. [40.]
• Disagreeable sensation through the whole intestinal canal, 3.
• Excessive desire for stool, relieved by emission of flatus and urine, 3.
• Stool retarded, 4.

URINARY ORGANS

• Urgent desire to urinate; urine copious, 3.
• Secretion of urine decidedly increased, 3.

RESPIRATORY ORGANS, CHEST, AND PULSE

• Respiration rapid and difficult, 3.
• Very difficult respiration, 3.
• Oppression of the chest, 1.
• Oppression of the chest, compelling deep respiration, 4.
• Oppression of the chest; sensation as though a foreign body were behind the sternum, 3. [50.]
• Pulse increased in frequency in direct proportion to the dose, 3.
• Pulse and respiration very irregular, sometimes becoming very rapid, sometimes sinking, 4.
• Constant sinking of the pulse, 2.

EXTREMITIES AND GENERALITIES

• Formication, beginning in the tips of the fingers, extending to the wrists and afterwards to the elbows, 3.
• Weakness of the lower extremities, especially on going upstairs, 4.
• Peculiar clonic spasms that gradually increased for forty minutes; the extremities began to tremble; the trembling extended at last over the whole body, which became violently shaken; the respiratory muscles mostly affected; respiration difficult and impeded, every respiratory effort consisting of a series of short jerks in quick succession; expiration was accomplished in the same manner as inspiration, 3.
• Great general excitement, 3.
• Great uneasiness, 4.
• Great weakness, persistent, 3.
• Great weakness (second day), 3. [60.]
• Weakness, 1.
• Unusual sensation of weakness and exhaustion, so that he could scarcely hold up his head, 3.
• Unusual muscular weakness, 3.
• Excessive weakness while walking, gait unsteady, 3.
• Trembling, 1, 2, 4.
• Exhaustion, 2.
• Paroxysms of faintness, beginning with a vanishing of the senses and ending with loss of consciousness, 3.

SKIN, SLEEP, AND FEVER

• Skin dry, 3.
• Persistent sleepiness, 3.
• Sleepiness (second day), 3. [70.]
• Sleepiness, 1, 3.
• Night restless, sleepless, during which he was hot and excited, 3.
• Extremities icy cold, 3.
• Coldness of the extremities, 3.
• Coldness beginning in the tips of the toes and fingers and extending towards the trunk, 3.
• Shaking chill, 3.
• Sensation of warmth commencing in the stomach, rapidly extending over the chest and to the head, and like a steaming into the tips of the fingers and toes, not, however, followed by perspiration, 3.

CONDITIONS

• Aggravation.
• ( Ascending stairs ), Weakness of lower extremities.
• ( Walking ), Excessive weakness.