Acts predominantly upon the cerebro-spinal nervous system, producing an exalted activity in the arterial circulation, paralyzing the arterial capillaries, and, as a result, giving congestions and inflammations of various parts, especially of the brain, spinal cord, serous and mucous membranes, muscles, and joints. According to Dr. Bartholow , Aconite affects the sensory nerves before the motor. It paralyzes first the end organs, next the nerve trunks, and finally the centers of sensation in the cord. It also impairs the reflex function of the spinal cord ; but this effect is secondary to the sensory paralysis. It causes an arrest of motility through its action on the motor centers of the cord, and subsequently on the nerve trunks. Applied directly to the heart, Aconite lessens the number and force of its beats, and finally arrests its action in the diastole. It also lowers the arterial pressure. It is, therefore, a direct cardiac poison, affecting all the structures of the heart, the ganglia, nerves, and muscular substance. Aconite also paralyzes the muscles of respiration, through its action upon the peripheral fibers of the pneumogastric. From a therapeutic standpoint, however, all these features of the physiological effects of Aconite are of secondary importance, as compared with its power to produce and remove congestions and inflammations of the various organs and tissues of the body, though its use in functional and organic cardiac disease, and in affections of both the sensory and motor nerve centers, giving rise to neuralgic and paralytic states, has proved it to be of incalculable service in such conditions. Aconite also causes an increase of elimination by the skin and kidneys, the solids being excreted in proportion with the fluids. The leading expression of Aconite is a feverish, nervous restlessness, which characterizes its entire action. Characteristic symptoms.