Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

144

Materia Medica

Tonics

or great wakefulness, to induce sleep, the tonic power of the porter depends on the hop. It is peculiarly adapted to the low state of Typhus fever. I believe porter imparts more real and durable strength than wine in smaller quantities. I believe it amongst the most proper remidies in chlorosis. I have used a tincture prepared as follows

Hops Ʒ iij [3 drams] Alkohol ℥ viij [8 ounces]

Dose gtt 60 [60 drops] which is equal to 20 gtt [20 drops] of Laud. Liq., this tincture is particularly good for such patients as are affected with giddiness, stupor, head ache &c from taking Laudanum.

Faba St.Ignatii. Or Saint Ignatius Bean, this is a tree producing a gourd like fruit, the seed is an intense bitter, with a narcotic quality, this union of narcotic is very frequent. It has never been used in America that I know of except by Dr Duffield, Ʒfs [½ dram] given to a dog produced a flow of saliva, and convulsions and death in less than half an hour. It should be used with great caution. In the Madrid Pharmicopia it is recommended in intermittant fevers. Dr Lind grs ij [2 grains] in ℥ ij [2 ounces] of water and says it cured two quartans, but failed in twice that number. Valuntine cured a case of epilepsy by the use of a few grains of it.

Nux Vomica. Bergius thought this a species of faba,