The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-11-10
TRYING THE NEW ANEsrHET1c.
a Subtle Substance that Affects Only One
Set of Nerves.

Set of Nerves.
Philadelphia Press.
Some remarkable experiments have been made
during the past few days by the Philadelphia
surgeons with the new an8sthetic, hydroehlo-
rate of cocaine, that has caused such sensation
among physicians The result of the use of the
drug it is said is in its favor, and it is eonsid
cred superior to chloroform or ether in most OPP
erations on the eye. Dr. Collier of Vienna,
discovered its value some time last fall but the
first sample did not come to this country until
few weeks ago, and then only to the amount
of about eight grains. The cocaine was soon
cornered, and the quoted price was Sc, 900 a
pound. There is none left nov. Within year
when there are facilities for its manufacture, it
is expected that it will sell for about 80 cents
a grain. 1t is used i'll per cent solution and
one grain is sufficient for good many opera
tions.
The plant from which the anesthetie or
more properly speaking the analgesiac, is made
is grown in South America. Botanists call it
the coco erythroXylum. 1t is a small shrub
that has no connection, as its name might sug-
gest, with the cocoanut or any tree of that spe-
cies 1t is much used by native South Amer-
cans as nerve stimulant. When the inhabi-
tants of the parts where it grows wish to work
necessarily they chew the leaves of the shrub
and while the effects last, they are not both
cred with any feelings of hunger or thirst AS
administered medicine, it is dissolved in mix
ture of hydrochoric acid and an alkah, that be
ing the form most favorable for its use.
The effect of the drug on the eye is to produce
insensbility to pain. A drop is put on the eye
ball. and within short time the surgeon is
able to perform, without hurting the patient
what would otherwise be the most agonizing
operation. The patient, however, does
not lose the sense Of touch in the
eve He can feel the fingers and the
instruments of the physicians but there is 70
pain whatever. The insensiblry to suffering
and the senshility to touch in the same part is
explained by the fact that, in the human system
the nerves which carry the pain to the brain are
distinct from those which transmit the sensation
Of touch The cocaine benumbs the former
while its effect on the latter is only slightly per
ceptible.
The new drug will be Of assistance to oculists
in more directions. Since its introduction into
America another use has been found for it, Ere
Quently in diagnosing affections of the eye it is
necessary to apply some lotion that will enlarge
the pupil so that it can be more easily examined.
The drugs previously in use for this purpose had
the disadvantage that when once applied the eX-
pansion of the pupil would continue for q week.
causing great Inconvenience to the patient. The
enlargement ohliterateS the appreciation of dis
tance. When cocaine is applied however, it is
said that the expansion only lasts few hours
Before operating with its assistance, DR..
Shakespeare, the opthalmic surgeon to the Phila-
delpha Hospital, tried its effects on himself, on
the resident physician in charge of til g
eye wards on one Of tho surgeons and on a
nurse The results were good. After that
various operations were gone through without
giving pain to the patients. In one case the
pupil of the eye was grasped and the eye specu-
lem was introduced without any exclamation
from the person undergoing the operation. In
another the patient could not open his eye with
out experiencing great agony from the light.
The cocaine however, relieved him entirely in
eighteen minutes. The effect lasts usually about
half an hour AT clinic, Dr. Shakespeare per
formed the operations of preliminary iridectomy
on a woman The patient sat in n chair and the
eye was grasped with n forccps ami several
punctures were made. The severance of the
iris however, caused lively pain.
DIR. Shakespeare says that the cocaine viii be
invaluable in cases of operations for strablsmus,
where it is an advantage for the patient to be
conscious. With its use the eye can be properly
adjusted; the patient having his sight expert
matter until it has been fixed to the correct de
gree. 1t will be useful, too, he says, to give
comfort to persons suffering pain from the OK
posture or irritation of the nerves of the eye and
preliminary to the application Of causte or other
painful drugs
DIR. r j. Lewis has also experimental with the
cocaine in ophthalmic and other cases, 1t pro
duced local aniesthesia in several different places
When applied prior to the brushing of ulcers in
the mouth and throat with nitric acid, it be
numbed the part so that no pain was felt. 1t
also had the property of removing temporarily
the senses of taste and smell. TO do this it is
applied TO the tongue and inside Of the mouth
and the upper part of the nose. Short operations
have been pain!essly performed on the fingers
after they have been immersed for short time
in tba solution