Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

46

Materia Alimentaria

Milk

the ninth month the most proper for weaning children. Dr Haller on the contrary says long nursing makes healthy children. Louis the 14th was at the breast 20 months and was healthy and long lived. This is also confirmed by the indians of our country. Dr Cullen thought long nursing predisposed to rickets this is not the case as this disease is seldom seen among our Indian children who are nursed two and three years. Dr Cullen says children ought to use vegitable diet by the 5th month. Milk is verry nutritious hence it may be used in some cases of great Ematiation I believe it proper in diseased states of the fluids. I say this without giving my believe of the Putrifaction of the fluids. It is injurious in scrophula as this is a disease of lymphatics and is verry common among our children Indians. Milk has been recommended in Phthisic it was a favorite remedy with Dr Sydenham in this disease and since his time has been used indiscriminately in every case, this disease is often founded in Phlogistic diathesis, and the arterial system and often requires the use of bleeding and other debilitating remedies, in such cases it must appear evident

102

Materia Medica

Astringents

and Anasarcous legs which have a tendency to mortification, is the most efficacious remidy. I prefer a blister to lead as in the case of external inflamation as Erysipelas. It It is employed in burns but should not be applied to a large surface at once, it is used in combination with mercury with advantage in Scrophulous Ulcers of young people but is improper in old people. I shall proceed to speak of its internal use first in epilepsy. Dr Rush and myself have both used it in this disease with advantage, it has been recommended in Chorea a disease nearly allied to Epilepsy with success it is recommended in several as mania, purtusses &c. I have no experience of it in those diseases of it is highly spoken of in intermittans Sach. Sat. is verry effectual in lowering the pulse it was given in a case where the puse [pulse] was 109 and in six or eight minutes it was reduced to 96 strokes a phasycian in this state has used it combined with a poisonous plant, the kalmia latifolia, for two years in inflamitory fever without success I am almost afraid to tell you it was successful, but an excess of timidity in a phasycian is worse than boldness, it has proved usefull in consumption when combined with opium in the course of the last five years I have employed the Sach.

123

Diaphoretics

thus immitating nature. In the commencement the pale dry constricted surface indicate their use, to hasten the termination of the paroxysm and produce a speedy termination after the pyrexia has come on. In the intermission their use is to impart tone to the capillaries and thus break the tone of associated action up on which they depend. These two indications are best answered by giving diffusible Stimulants as Opium Vol. Alkali &.

Alder. The common Black Alder of our Country growing along almost every branch in the United States, this article is both Tonic and astringent, and is strongly recommended by Dr Barton for the cure of Scrophula, he uses it in decoction, and at the same time washes the ulcers if there are any with the same.

126

Materia Medica

Tonics

to cinchona in intermittant fevers. Dr Cullen speaks in the highest terms of it and assures it never failed when he combined it with gall and tormentil. Elix. Stom. Which is so much used in Britain and America is made by mixing Cort. bit. Aurant. and Rad. gentian. Linneus found gentian usefull in calculous, this I am inclined to believe from what I have said of it in gout, Gisner cured intermittants with the juice, Lentill used it with Sal. Absynth, clove, and ash bark. It is particularly recommended in Schrophula, Plentz cured a girl by giving half a scruple a day, and from the effect of bark in this disease, I have no doubt but gentian may be used with advantage. It has been extolled in histeria and nervous diseases. I believe it has virtues as an anthelmintic, but what are common to all bitters, Professor Murray supposes it operates by giving tone to the system. Perhaps it acts by purging or a quality deleterious to worms. I have lately used it with advantage in cases of obstinate gleet. I believe when properly given it will seldom fail. I have lately had a case of long standing, which had been under the care of several physicians. I gave the patient grs v. [5 grains] Rubeg. fer. and grs. viij [8 grains] of Rad. gentian twice a day, and continued three

136

Materia Medica

Tonics

in many parts of this state, and plentifully in New Jersey, it is a strong bitter and discovers no (astringency) acrimony it strikes a black colour with the Sulp. ferri, water and Alkohol extract its virtues, it is used in infusion or the expressed juice in dose of Ʒi [1 dram] it pukes and purges, according to some authors it has been serviceable in keeping of Paroxysms of the gout, it has been used in Nephritis Podagra, it was thought usefull in Scrophula and diseases of the skin, in New Jersey it is used with success in rheumatism.

Centaurium Benedictum. This is a native of Spain, it is a simple and pure bitter, it leaves have a penetrating bitterness when tasted, though not verry durable, water extracts its virtues, J Bertrin used it in ulcers but I cannot believe it of much service, it has done good in remitting fevers, and infusion is used to excite vomiting, and assist other emetics which it does verry well it is an antiseptic.

Columbo. The London Colledge have of late adapted the name of Columba instead of Columbo, this is a native of Asia &c. We are not acquainted with its botanical history, it is a most important medicine being perhaps the strongest and purest bitter, it gives out its virtue best to spiritous