Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

135

Diaphoretics

in the brain effusions of lymph of a pus like nature, and taking all the symptoms into consideration it appears to be Typhus combined with Erysipelatous Inflamation. "Treatment". The Practitioners seem generally to have adopted two modes of practice, "first" the profuse use of direct stimulants, and the "Second" The sweating plan. I have tried both and have now no hessitation in deciding in favor of the latter, and in fact nearly all agree to it now. Among the most active means to procure diaphoresis none are so efficacious as the Dovers Powders, Wine Whey, fomentations, and hot Toddy. I have always affected a cure where I could induce perspiration, when any topical affection supervene blisters to the parts will remove it, in the last stage the free exhibition of Vol. Alkali is the "Anchor of Hope" 10 grains

143

Diaphoretics

half a century ago it has been emphatically called by Richter a rheumatism or catarrh of the intestines, and he used a preparation of Dovers powders. I think we have purged too much in this disease, one of the use of Purgatives being to increase secretions of mucus already too copiously effused from the follicles of the intestines. I have tried with the greatest advantage in combination of

Rx Ipecac ℈ i [1 scruple] Opium grs V [5 grains]

M. and made into ten pills of which give one every two hours. When the irritation has been verry great I administer anodoyne enemeta composed of such a portion of the ingredients as to 4 or 5 tablespoonfull of Laud with starch in the 24 hours.

Cholera Morbus & Infantum. I have used Diaphoretics with great advantage. In cholera Infantum it may

147

Diaphoretics

Chronic Dysentary. Charactarised by small and mucus like evacuations, great weakness, Indigestion, eyes week, complexion sallow, skin dry and cold, pulse feeble. I have succeeded in affecting a cure (after every thing else had fail'd even powerfull astringents) with Dovers Powders alone, the disease is often kept up by a vitiated secretion from the liver, here small doses of calomel should be combined, as in fact the secretion from the surface is always in an inverse proportion to that of the intestines, every complaint of this nature must be managed by due attention to the surface. Flannel worne next the skin, and Blisters apply'd over the abdomen will sometimes relieve them.

153

Diaphoretics

attend it, 3d A diet of animal food alone will produce it, 4thly Dissections show us no morbid state which may not be sympathetic, and considerable derangement in the chylopoetic viscera. The disease has also been divided into two kinds Viz. Diabetes Melitus, when the urine has the color, smell, and taste of honey, and Diabetes Insipidus when the urine is pale and tasteless; this distinction is quite unnecessary as both of them are managed upon the same general principle, with a strict attention to the system, when the surface is dry and parched, or cold and scaly, Antimonials, and Dovers Powders, are necessary, the last is particularly efficacious, to produce an increased discharge

173

Diaphoretics

and preparations of antimony, combined in this manner it is the most safe, certain, and powerfull diaphoretic we have. A combination of Laudanum and Antimonial Wine has been proposed and is verry good but far inferior to the former. The usual form in which opium is employ'd is in the form of the celebrated Dover's Powders, the following is the formula.

Rx Opium Purificat Ʒ i [1 dram] Ipecacuanha Pulv Ʒ i [1 dram] Sulp. Pottassae Ʒ viij [8 drams]

M And give for a dose 10 or 12 grains every two or three hours. Opium has also been combined with many other articles, but at all times with the Same view "to determine to the skin."