_Avena sativa_ should always be given in appreciable doses of the tincture. Fifteen drops three or four times a day, well diluted, will usually meet the case. It may be given in doses of from five to sixty drops in rare instances. It should, however, never be given in larger quantities than twenty minims unless the patient is thoroughly accustomed to the remedy, and has found the usual dose insufficient. Otherwise there is danger of getting the physiological effect of the drug, which is _pain at the base of the brain_. When this symptom makes its appearance the medicine should be discontinued for a day or two, and then given in reduced doses. There seems to be no danger whatever of forming the habit of taking this drug, as it can be suddenly abandoned at any time without evil consequences, even when given in large quantities. In one case it was prescribed by the writer in sixty-drop doses, night and morning, _for one year_, and then abruptly stopped, nothing being substituted therefore, without bad effects.
Whenever a quick action is desired, and in all cases where _Avena_ is given to overcome the morphine habit, it should be prepared in hot water. It is also a good plan to prescribe it in this fashion wherever indigestion complicates the case.
The writer has employed this drug in his private practice for a number of years with the most gratifying results. He has very rarely found it to fail when indicated, and on account of his high opinion of the remedy he has taken great pleasure in thus bringing it prominently to the attention of the medical profession.
PREPARATION.--The fresh bark is pounded to a pulp and macerated in two parts by weight of alcohol.
(The following synopsis of _Azadirachta Ind._, is contributed by P. C. Majumdar, M. D., of Calcutta, India):
_Azadirachta Indica._ Syn.: Sanskrit, Nimba; Bengala and Hindi, Nim. Belongs to the natural order Meliaeæ. It is a large tree. Bark is used for making tinctures from which provings were instituted. The leaves, bark, wood, roots and fruits, in short, every part of this tree, is intensely bitter. According to Ayurveda (Hindu System of Medicine) the different parts of this tree possess different medicinal properties. Bhava Misra, Charak, Susratha and several other Sanskrit authors agree that its bark, though very disagreeable in taste, is generally used with success in cases of lassitude, thirst, cough, fever, loss of appetite, helmenthiasis, boils, bilious derangements, catarrh, vomiting, cutaneous diseases, hiccough, gonorrhoea, etc.; its leaves are used in some forms of ophthalmic disease, helmenthiasis and disorders brought on by deranged bile or use of poisonous things. A decoction of fresh leaves is used as a favorite wash to cure old ulcers of long standing. It removes within a short time the sloughs and promotes the healing. The fruit is purgative, demulcent, and is used in some forms of cutaneous affections. A kind of oil is produced from the seed of ripe fruits, and this oil is said to cure lepra, eczema and some other obstinate skin diseases.