*Ignatia,—St. Ignatius' Bean.

*Ignatia,—St. Ignatius' Bean.

Source and Composition. The seeds of Strychnos Ignatii, or Ignatia Amara, a tree of the order Loganiaceae found in the Philippine Islands. They contain the same ingredients as Nux Vomica, though having a much larger proportion of Strychnine, about 1 per cent., against ⅓ or ½ per cent.

*Tinctura Ignatii, Tincture of Ignatia,—Dose, ♏︎ij-x.

Physiological Action. Ignatia closely resembles Nux Vomica in action, a poisonous dose producing similar exaltation of the spinal functions, muscular writhing and tetanic spasms, resulting in death by asphyxia. It especially exalts the susceptibility of the sensory nerves, and those of special sense, for a time; the exaltation being succeeded by an opposite condition, manifested by numbness and torpor, with great mental depression. It causes a feeling of constriction about the throat, and a sensation of intense anguish at the pit of the stomach.

Therapeutics. Ignatia is warmly recommended for—

Hysteria, to control the general hyperaesthesia, insomnia, clavus hystericus, mental excitement or depression, aphonia, diseased appetite, convulsive crying or laughing, etc. (Phillips and Piffard).

Cerebro-spinal Irritability is diminished by small doses, though excited by large ones. Ignatia is the best controller of functional phenomena of the crebro-spinal axis (Piffard).

Globus Hystericus, may often be removed by Ignatia given in small doses.

A Compend of Materia Medica, Therapeutics, and Prescription Writing, 1902, by Sam'l O. L. Potter, M.D., M.R.C.P.L.