Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

14

Introduction

Arangements

dilating the pupil, on the pulse and it is diuretic, sudorific and syalogogue. I do not however deny there are many medicines which operate more particularly on one part of the body than another. Thus mercury both when used internally and externally seem almost uniformly to affect the salivary glands, but is certainly a universal stimulant. There is some power in elective attraction which determines their operation more to one part than another, the animal body is a unit composed of many links, no medicine can affect one link without affecting the whole chain. Dr Lewis's arangements was alphabetical, the following is Dr Darwins 1st Neutrentia, 2d Incitantia, 3d Cocernentia, 4th Invertentia, 5th Sorbentia, 6th Revertentia, 7th Torpentia. To this arangement I have several objections, his Riverentia is certainly hypothetical. In some respects the system of Dr Cullen is a good one, I shall sometimes follow and sometimes dissent from him. Materia Medica may be divided into Materia Alimentaria and Materia Medica properly so called. I shall adopt this division and proceed to speak of the first it may be divided into such as offer much and such as offer little nourishment

286

Materia Medica

Stimulants

affecting the sanguiferous system and in this case it generally acts as a stimulant. I know a gentleman it always purged, but if at any time he was affected with Diarrhea opium would stop it. Opium is a carminative. Physicians entertain different opinions with respect to its diuretic effect, some have given it in dropsy, but I shall speak freely on this subject in treating of diuretics. Donald Monroe Mason gave it in dropsy, Hunnis observed its diuretic effects, when giving it to venerial patients, Dr Haller did not think it diuretic = I have sometimes seen it act thus not always, I think it rather increases the effect of henbane, digitalis &c. It is often said to act as a sialogogue. Dr McKinnis says he has known it produce and increase a flow of saliva, there are however other medicines (mercury) that produce this effect, it has rarely acted as a sialogogue except in Syphilis, opium increases the perspiration but without lessening the pulse this effect of it is generally accompanied with itching of the skin, which often continues for two or three days, and which may be removed by drinking warm wine whey, this medicine often occasions a milliary eruption on the body. Dr Haller informs us the smell of it is perceptable

434

Materia Medica

Errhines Sialagogues

nose to a considerable degree. Mr Ware in Gutta Serena gave such a dose of the Euphorbium as to produce Hemorrhagy. I have employ’d it in cataplasms as a rubefacient. Mr Boyle has known it to cure two cataracts by giving it in snuff, he may have been deceived but this is not improbable it would act as a stimulus to the sympathetics.

White Hellebore. Is an extremely powerfull stimulant.

Helenium Autumnale. This is a native of the United States. In Virginia it is known by the name of sneeze weed, it has yellow flowers and comes forth in autumn. Apply’d to the nose it produces greater effects than the same quantity of snuff, it would make a good Medical Snuff.

White Vitriol. A solution of Vit. Alba snuffed up the nose is said to act as an errhine, but I have never used it, in my opinion these medicines have been too much neglected they have been found usefull in Incipient cases of catarrh, in tooth ache &c. Sneezing is often a favorable symptom in some diseases when produced by nature.

Sialogogues. By this term we mean such medicines as produce a discharge from the Salivary glands, they are divided into external and internal sialogogues, the external sialogogues are such substances as when applied to the mouth stimulate the glands and induce them to discharge, the internal are