Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

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Materia Medica

Stimulants

its use is evident. Frank gave it in verry large doses without effect, if has ever yielded to this remidy it must have been in verry large doses of from thirty to forty grains pr day, the cases which Linneus cured by musk were spontaneous or symptoms of hysteria. Dr Rush mentions hydraphobia as a kind of hysteria. I cured a case like those of Linneus by bleeding and small doses of assafoetida. Mr K. tells us that Haller cured a man with Hydraphobia to be bitten by two vipers which moderated the symptoms. In chorea Sancta Vita opium has been found usefull. Sydenham tells us he succeeded with it. Crump says that in one violent case large doses of opium moderated the disease but that it returned again and the patient fell victim to it. Dr Cullen gave opium and bitters, tonics are proper in this disease, but I cured one case of it in a pregnant woman by bleeding.

Epilepsy. This disease verry often depends on verry different causes. It has been said to be produced by large hemorrhages but these cases are verry rare, if Epilepsy depends on mere debility it would be a much more common disease, as in the low stage of typhus extreme old age &c. Dr Brown says it is never connected with a plethoric state of the system but is always the

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cannot say that it produced any effectual cure yet it moderated the symptoms, in one case in particular where the disease depended on an affection of the uterus it was of great service.

In Chorea Sancti Viti, It has likewise been employ’d, this verry often proceeds from unknown causes in this vallerian is said to be usefull. Dr Fordyce advises in Hemicrania Ʒi [1 dram] of the Pulv. Val. three or four times a day and to continue this for some time, I have employ’d it in this disease with great advantage in some cases where bark and Arsenic did no good were cured by valerian, I found it to improve the bark verry much when added to that medicine In Putrid Fevers, It has been found usefull as Virginia Snake Root. It has been employ’d at the Hospital in Vienna, externally apply’d experiments have proved it to be antiseptic, it is usefull in Costiveness it has been much praised as an anthelmintic, of this virtue of the vallerian I shall speak more fully under the head of anthelmintic, but will now mention one case of Epilepsy depending upon worms. I gave Calomel, Bled, Purged, but all to no effect, one morning I was told by the mother of the patient that she suspected the disorder to be owing to worms, I then gave X grs [10 grains] of the vallerian two or three times a day the boy voided a quantity

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Chorea St. Viti. * This disease has been referred to a loss of Tone and consequent Spasm and accordingly was treated with tonics and antispasmodics. Dr Hamilton was the first to desert that practice. The time necessary to perform a cure varies 3, 4, to 6 months. I once cured a patient by the continuance of cathartics for 6 months, he is now 16 years of age and has not had a return, those who were not cured had the symptoms completely removed while under the operation of a cathartic. No.1

** Typhus. He formerly treated it with nauseating doses of antimonials, but finding it not to succeed he resorted to purgatives with the happiest effects, giving Calomel & Jalap to evacuate largely, thus morbid matter which is always found pent up in the canal and of a highly irritating nature is evacuated.

The following is an excellent formula in chorea. No.1 Rx Rubig Ferri ℈ij [2 scruples] Precep Sulp Antim ℈i [1 scruple] Soccot Alloes Ʒi [1 dram] Syrup Q.S [sufficient quantity]

M. 24 pills of which take two every night. (Townsend)