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bondage is tightened symptoms of chronic intoxication
come on. The temporary prostration and nausea grow worse (that is, if the drug is withheld), the appetite fails, diarrhoea may set in, fits of semi-consciousness appear with no subsequent recollection of that which has passed; insomnia sets in. As the habit progresses more permanent signs of deterioration show themselves and eventually it causes dementia if the victim survives long enough. Cocaine is supposed to check the use of morphine and is frequently taken as a substitute when the latter drug is not obtainable, and eventually is preferred to morphine by some.
It
is said that the depression, which follows the excitement of morphine, is attended with a rise of blood-pressure, that is, the blood vessels tighten. Cocaine in large doses at first causes the opposite effect, viz., to dilate the blood vessels and reduce the blood pressure. Hence the patient sinking under the loss of morphine, who injects cocaine finds at first a great relief. The effect of a large dose, which comes on in about five minutes is, however, very transient, lasting not more than half an hour. As the dilatation passes off the comfort goes with it, and the patient has either to repeat the dose or to suffer the miseries of the withdrawal of two drugs instead of one.
"Sensitive as many patients are to anall
doses of cocaine and its salts, yet by habit the doses may be enormously increased, as in the case
of