Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

110

Materia Medica

Astringents

I have used it with great advantage in a case of obstinate gleet. The Sach. Sat. is verry generally used as an injection in gonorrhea and I think often with manifest injury in Phyladelphia by being used too strong, it is to be preferred to the vinegar of litharge, it is used with the

sulphate of zinc grs vi [6 grains] Sach. Sat. X grs [10 grains] in Aqua Font x ℥ [10 ounces].

Tetanus. Mr John Huter recommends the patient to be placed in an ice house while taking the Sach. Sat. I should not be willing to try it but cannot say it would do them harm. Modus operandi. I cannot say much of the medicine but I am persuaded it does not produce all its good effects by lowering the pulse, first because it is more usefull in hemorrhagy than venesection which reduces the pulse much more, secondly it is more efficacious than Digitalis the this reduces the pulse more than Sach. Sat. thirdly in fluor albus when bloodletting would prove injurious Sach. Sat. proves a valuable remidy. To what this property is owing or on what this property depends we are unable to say, it probably may be owing to its astringency, we know that astringents are usefull in many cases of hemorrhage, Sach. Sat. appears to be usefull both in the active and passive hemorrhage, I think

194

Materia Medica

Tonics

James the first the frequency of crooked legs introduced the use of boots.

Cancers. The bark has been used in cancers, I do not think it has ever affected a cure. Though as Dr Cullen has supposed it has certainly done service in altering or amending the nature of the discharge. Dr A of London has a high opinion of it as a remidy in this disease combined with hemlock and sublimate of Mercury, upon the whole though I cannot think the bark has cured the genuine cancer, yet with many respectable writers I believe it has been of service combined with other medicines. I am next to consider its use in convulsive diseases.

Epilepsy. Sometimes depends on an organic affection of the brain for which there is no remidy, where it is connected with a plethor or a turgessence of the blood vessels of the brain, bark would be improper, here bleeding is of use, and the blood generally discovers signs of inflamation. Dr Cullen says it can only be usefull depending on a mobility of the system, but he prefers the Mineral tonics, Vit. Alba. Cup. Ammon. &c, he found most benifit from large doses given immediately before the paroxysm Werchoffs found it of much advantage.

Tetanus.

290

Materia Medica

Stimulants

some measure to resemble tetanus, some authors have doubted whether opium produces exhilarating effect, but to me it is verry obvious it does. Dr Ramsy wishing one night to study and feeling sleepy took a dose of Laudanum which made him lively untill the approach of morning, when he began to feel sleepy he took ninety drops of the same which again caused hilliarity and in a short time caused him to leap and dance, and finally a mist appeared to be before his eyes and he became drousy again. I have often used it myself and am convinced of the veracity of the assertion, its effects are similar to those of the best wine, on infants its effects are similar to those of adults. I have seen infants at the breast in a pleasing state of intoxication by it when it was exhibitted in the smallest portions. It is much used among the Eastern Nations to inspire them with courage, and to heighten their immagination and its effects are so well known by them that they would laugh at a Physician if he doubted whether it produced these states of the mind, they take it in Battle, and upon the occurrance of misfortune, so prevalent amongst mankind, which together with a want of fortitude induce the use of this article, and the immoderate

326

Materia Medica

Stimulants

we be able to manage the disease in warm climates. In my own practice I have always used it in some form or other and never knew one case where it proved injurious. Indeed I do not think we can manage the disease without it. I know it has been said to be injurious from the astringent quality, but this is idle theory. Of lately I have used it with Epicac. but not quite in the shape of Dovers powders, this powder however is an excellent remidy, both in acute and cronic dysentary, in injections opium may be given liberally every two hours or more with barley water, mutton, broth &c in combination with Kino it is an excellent medicine.

Cholera. In cholera opium is an invaluable remidy some writers assert that it is first necessary to wash out the stomach by some diluent drinks. Opium should be administered with a liberal hand, in incipient cases we should give six or eight grains in twenty four hours, or even in half that time, but if we use synapisms a smaller quantity of opium will be sufficient.

Tetanus. I can say nothing from my own experience, writers differ essentially on this head, some of them have offered important arguments on this subject, others quite the contrary. Bergius says that it is an invaluable remidy, and an anonymous writer

328

Materia Medica

Stimulants

on the disease of the West Indies informs us that he gave twenty grains of opium in twenty four hours without any effect, this is the largest dose I ever knew but it neither mitigated the spasm nor indicated sleep, Dr G_. gave to a black man fifteen hundred grains in Seventeen days, it appeared to produce only a little costiveness, the value of these cures are great, since it shows to what extent we may carry the use of opium, and I pay much regard to his opinion because he lived in the west Indies where tetanus is so frequent.

Hydraphobia. Is in some respects allied to tetanus, few cures have been effected though some are found recorded in order to form correct Ideas of the medicines which are proper here, it may be usefull to inquire into its nature and this more properly belongs to the Professor of the Practice of Physick, yet I cannot omit to offer a few ideas of my own on the subject. At the commencement of hydraphobia it is probably a violent sphenic [sthenic] disease its causes are highly stimulating. If this be a sthenic disease Dr Booerhaves opinion of it was correct, he thought it should be treated as the highest grade of inflamation = by drawing blood untill the patient fainted. Miget says he found opium unadvisable but he gave musk. Linneus thinks