Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume I.djvu/608

572 ANTISPASMODICS cles, or a single muscle, or some particular fibres only of a muscle ; and various names are applied to spasms of the different muscles or sets of muscles. The conditions giving rise to spasm are various, and affect one or more parts of the nervous circuit, which may be con- ceived to consist of an afferent or sensitive fibre conveying sensitive impressions to a nervous centre, the latter transforming them into motor impulses, which, passing out by an efferent or motor fibre to a muscle, stimulates it to con- traction. When these contractions take place irregularly, or in a degree disproportionate to the stimuli giving rise to them, or when they arise from stimuli which should not normally occasion them, and more especially when they take place unconsciously or involuntarily, they become spasms. They often arise from organic disease of the nervous centres, as in inflamma- tion of the brain or spinal cord, or their mem- branes, from tumors and haemorrhages, as pos- sibly in chorea or St. Vitus's dance. A poi- soning of the centres by abnormal constituents of the blood, as in Bright's disease, also gives rise to them. The nervous centres, especially the spinal cord and medulla oblongata, and the sensitive nerves, may become too sensitive, as in tetanus or lockjaw, poisoning by strychnia, and epilepsy. Other forms' of spasm are due to special local irritations, as colic to improper food, uterine colic to the introduction of fluids into the uterus for therapeutic purposes, asth- ma to certain states of the atmosphere, cramps of the feet and legs to cold or constrained posi- tions. In treating these various affections, va- rious drugs may be used, which so far deserve the name of antispasmodics. Heat often re- lieves many spasms, as colic, cramps of the legs and feet, and the general convulsions of children from intestinal irritation, and may be applied in the form of hot baths or hot fomen- tations. Abnormal excitability of the spinal cord and medulla oblongata is diminished by bromide of potassium, which does excellent ser- vice in epilepsy, and sometimes by belladonna. The newly discovered hydrate of chloral has also the same property. Opium relieves the intense pains of uterine or other colic, and re- laxes spasmodically contracted intestinal or uterine fibres. Ether and chloroform, inhaled, not only diminish but nearly destroy the activ- ity of the nervous centres ; they control all the voluntary muscles, and are the most powerful antispasmodics which can be used in any form of spasmodic disease. Unfortunately, their ef- fect is often temporary. It is possible that the pTiysostigma (Calabar bean) and woorara (South American arrow poison) may be practically used in some convulsive diseases. In organic diseases of the brain and cord, the disease rather than the symptom deserves attention. The substances to which the name antispas- modics in the narrowest sense is applied are used either in the treatment of colic, of some children's diseases, in many hysterical affec- tions, and some others. They are the " volatile ANTIUM oils," such as mint, lavender, &c., derived chiefly from the tribe of plants called labiates ; cajeput oil, from the myrtacea ; dill, anise, fennel, &c., from the umbelliferce from which tribe also are derived the foetid gum resins, such as asafoetida, galbanum, ammoniac, &c. These, with valerian, myrrh, and camphor, de- rived from the vegetable kingdom ; musk and castoreum, from the animal kingdom ; cyanide of iron and the oxides of bismuth and zinc, from the mineral kingdom, are among the most valuable antispasmodics. In the treatment of hysteria, moral, tonic, hygienic, and sometimes surgical measures are of far greater importance than antispasmodics, which at the most can only temporarily relieve symptoms. Spasmodic affections may be complicated with inflamma- tion, and in that case they require most careful and somewhat different treatment. They may also occur in debilitated constitutions, or in persons of full habit ; and here again the treat- ment differs. Thus the medicines classed un- der the head of antispasmodics are of small importance in comparison with a correct diag- nosis and an appropriate mode of treatment in each special form of spasmodic affection. ANTI-SLAVERY. See SLAVKBY. AJVTISTHENES, an Athenian philosopher, the founder of the sect of the Cynics, flourished about 380 B. C. He was a pupil of Gor- gias, and afterward one of the most faithful disciples of Socrates, remaining with him through all his sufferings, and being present at his death. He began to teach his new doc- trines in the Cynosarges, a gymnasium near the temple of Hercules, set apart for the instruction of the sons of Athenians by foreign wives; Antisthenes himself was the son of an Athenian citizen and a Thracian (or according to some authorities a Phrygian) woman. From this gymnasium the followers who soon surrounded him probably took their name of Cynics. He taught that the highest virtue consisted in self-denial, independence of outward forms, social usages, and the comforts and luxuries of civilization, and in despising riches, honors, and human knowledge. His principal disciple was Diogenes. His works, of which only trifling fragments remain, were of a polemic character, bitterly assailing many of his contemporaries. AflTITAURUS. See TACBUS. ANTITRINITARIANS. See UNITABIANISM. AM II M. an ancient city of Latium, built on a rocky promontory which projects into the Mediterranean, 32 m. S. of Rome. One legend ascribed its foundation to a son of Ulysses and Circe, another to Ascanius. No authentic record shows even by what people it was founded. In the time of Tarquinius Superbus, who annexed it to the Latin league, it was in- habited by a mixed race who practised piracy and carried on a limited legitimate commerce. They favored the Volscians, and were only kept among the cities subject to Rome by strong garrisons and bodies of Roman colonists,