Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

128

Materia Medica

Tonics

months, when he was perfectly cured, perhaps it may be said that Iron was the chief agent, but it is certain that neither would have acted so well alone. I have long been in the habit of giving gentian in powder. And I think it little inferior to colombo, the dose has generally been from ℈fs [½ scruple] to Ʒi [1 dram].

Gentiana Centaurium. This is the centaury so much valued by the British physicians, it found in some of the United States, in New Jersey the stalks and leaves are employed the blossoms are insipid, it is destitute of smell. Alcohol and water extract its virtue. Professor Murray prefers it to the Gentiana Lutea. Dr Cullen remarks as an antseptic it is not inferior to the other species, both have been used in Jaundice, which sometimes depends on the torpor of the Alimentary Canal. And in such cases I have no doubt may be used with success. America possesses several species not known in the Old World which would be worth attending to, in the glades of Pennsylvania I have seen a low kind of Centaury with narrow leaves, which I know to be a pure and valuable bitter, the plant usually named the Centaury is not the Gent. Cent. but the Cheronia Angularis. Frasera Verticiltata.

582

Materia Medica

Antilithics. The antient [ancient] term for this class of medicines was Lythontryptics or Stone Breakers, but they do not appear to produce any effect upon the stone after it is formed unless by a verry continued use of them, they rather appear to produce their effects by acting on the system, many of the bitters are antilithics, but particularly Gentian, Quassia &c, of which I have spoken before, the infusion of Quassia has been found extremely usefull and I believe all the bitters employd in practice may be advantageously employ’d in calculous, not only the bitters but the pure astringents have likewise been employ’d, many kinds of gentian leaves have been found usefull, also common tea, and this I assert from this glaring fact that in China where this article is so much used calculous is hardly known. I think those articles that combine the bitter and astringent principles are verry powerfull antilithics.

Uva Ursi. This is a Native of Europe and America it is found about 2 miles from Philadelphia. It is of no consequence to argue whether this article was or was not employ’d by Galen it is sufficient to know that it was employ’d along time ago, the leaves when chew’d have a bitter and styptic taste and increase the flow of Saliva, the infusion or decoction throws down a black colour