Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

10

Introduction

Experience

and insufficiency of Linneus arrangements, though his classes may have some resemblance, his class Pentaria is an exception, in this class he places Chinchona, Strammonicum, Jalap, Ipecacuanha, and Potatoe, all which possess very different virtues. In his class Herinaria he has Rice, Pine Apple, Garlic, Squills, and Alloes. In the 13th Class Some of the most excellent plants with hellebore, Chocolate, and Gamboge, these are sufficient to prove the unnatural arrangement of Linneus. Dr Rush has divided the system into particular or minor systems and is proposed to class them as they operate on each of those. In some such method I think a division might be made of more lasting duration, but I fear the time has not yet arived for a complete arangement on this plan it would be easy to shun the objections such a system would be liable to. I reject the idea of one medicine being confined in its operation to one system alone. Opium for instance operates on several, this is evident from its carrying a more evident secretion of bile, and in the yellow fever brings back lost pain, in the viscus, it acts on the lungs increasing the secretion of

12

Introduction

Experience

mucus though contrary to common beliefs. It often pukes and purges and this more frequently than is supposed, it acts on the semenal vessels increasing the semenel secretion, it acts on the brain and nerves, causing a dilation of the pupil, bringing on delirium and dimness of sight this is a common effect, it increases thirst. Does it operate on the glandular and lymphatic system? I answer it does it most certainly increases absorption. I believe it is one of the general and diffusive stimulants, it acts on the nervous system producing tinnatus aurium, Perglysis [paralysis], Sneezing and excretion from the nose, on the skin it causes heat, Erysipelas, and even abscesses. On what particular system can it be said to operate? Certainly it has specific or exclusive action on no one. Digitalis from its lowering the pulse which I believe it does more than any other medicine is supposed to act exclusively on the sanguiferous system but its action is not so limited, acting with the salivary glands producing Pyalism and in the kidneys producing diuretic and on the brain producing intoxication like opium, its effects are analogous to those of opium. Stramonium Acts on most systems on the brain

32

Materia Alimentaria

Gums

When powdered it resembles the farinacia, it is not a simple body but a compound of sugar and oil in different proportions, the Plumb, Cherry, Almond and also some of the bulbous roots contain mucilage similar to gum Arabic. Those trees which afford gum have generally astringent bark, though this is not always the case, it is acid in some plants, cultivation deprives plants of their astringency in some instances. Gums contain more carbone and less oxygen than sugar. Dr Gistanner says that animal mucilage contains little nourishment, but this is to support a favorite theory rather than truth, as he supposed it to depend on deficiency of oxygen, but according to this theory Opium ought to be the most nutritious article as it contains a great quantity of oxygen. Dr Young my former pupil made a number of experiments of Rabbits, confining some of them fourteen days to a diet of Gum Arabic, the did not gain flesh but looked healthy. To prove the nutritious qualities of gum Arabic Dr Gistanner relates the case of a child with Catarrhus visco, it discharged great quantities of mucilaginous fluid somewhat resembling gelly. The Dr in the first place

44

Materia Alimentaria

Milk

the following case occurred under my own observation. I gave to a woman two grains of Opium it had little or no effect on her, in two hours after she suckeled the child and it immediately went to sleep and laid composed for twenty four hours, fluid diet greatly increases the secretion of milk. Some women are subject to costiveness during lactation. I knew two women who dread Lactation on this account being quite free from it both before and after. The milk of Bitches fed on vegitables may be coagulated with vinigar, but is more alkaline. If on meat it is not coagulable. Since the days of Dr Cullen the Pathology of the fluid I think has been too much neglected. I am convinced that the nature of aliments very much alters the nature of our fluids for instance the phosphoric acid is very much increased by a meat diet, milk is the proper food for infants, it must by coagulated before it can be digested we are therefore not to consider the pukeing of young children an unhealthy sign. Other milk is nutritious to the infant besides that of its mother. I know a person who is remarkably healthy aged twenty eight years and who was rais'd on cows milk. Dr Cullen supposed

66

Materia Medica

Astringents

of explanation as I have seen them produce good effects even when they seem not to produce or exert any tonic power, they have been used in wounds and received the title of Vulneraries by some old authors, they are serviceable in old ulcers, Cortex Sinchoric, or bark given internally have the effect of disposing them to heal, they are used externally with the same good effect we may suppose they act by stimulating the parts into a more healthy action, to secrete good puss, and absorb the more fluid or watery parts. Dr Darwin says they produce costiveness as a general effect. I can positively assert they do not, on the contrary I have known them to excite intestinal evacuation. I can scarcely employ them as tonics, without combining Opium with them. Galls, Columbo, and Allum, very often purge. I shall now proceed to speak of the particular astringents, they have been divided by Dr Cullen into vegitable and mineral, the mineral astringents of Dr Cullen I shall transfer to my class of Tonics. Nature has been bountifull in bestowing a portion of astringency on all vegitables, even the roots and leaves of strawberry contain it, the astringent principle resides in greatest abundance in the bark of vegitables according to their botanical affinity, to this