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

132

Materia Medica

Tonics

after dysentary it is of great use, this tree is a pure bitter, though the bark possesses it in a greater degree, in some respects it is superior to Cort Cinchona, and columbo as a bitter, but inferior as an antiseptic, quassia is used in intermittant, remittant, and continued fevers. Dr Monroe used it fevers and dropy. Dr Letsom preferred it to all other bitters in hysteria, Hypocondriasis, dyspepsia, and most nervous diseases; and assures us it seldom fails in his hands, but he was fond of long prescriptions, and used this medicine in combination with several, as the Sulphet of Zink. Sem. Card. It has been recommended in heriditary gout and disserves some credit. Combined with Columbo it is particularly adapted to dysentaries of long standing. Haller used it in calculous. Quassia Poligama. This is a tall and beautifull tree growing in the West Indies described by Mr Lindsay every part except the pulp is bitter, the bark is most so, this I am of opinion is incorrect, the wood is the most intence bitter. Dr Lindsay used it in remitting fever with success, he also employed it in dropsy and chlorosis, it has been used in a disease called by the Nosologists Pica with success. Pica or a depraved appetite in some women during

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.

252

Materia Medica

Tonics

I believe it is the most active ingredient in all the cancer powders of the efficacy of which I once had an opportunity of Judging in a case of cancer in in the Pennsylvania Hospital and certainly produced a cure, Plumpkins composition is as follows Rx brownFoot one handfull, dogs fennel three sprigs, crude sulphur and White Arsenic each three thimblefulls I have not the least doubt of this medicine, arsenic has been of great service in cancer. In syphilis I believe from my modus operandi of the medicine it certainly would be of service, it certainly does sometimes produce salivation, looseness of the teeth and all the effects which mercury does.

Flowers of Zinc. This preparation is employ'd in Epilepsy from 1 gr. to grs ij [1 to 2 grains] in twenty four hours = In this dose it is said to be of verry great advantage it has been used in the Pennsylvania Hospital with much efficacy, in combination with Cuprum Ammoniacum it may be exhibitted in larger doses than when alone, the flowers of Zink have been used in ulcers from gunshot wounds with the best effects.

Supersuphate of Zinc. Of this there are two kinds, this preparation has been used as an injection in Gonorrhea, it has also been used in Epilepsy and whooping cough. In the latter disease I have exhibitted

336

Materia Medica

Stimulants

of gout in the feet. I believe that more than half the cases of palpitation that are met with in practice are of the gouty nature. I have observed the pertussis is generally attended with fever and difficulty of breathing, and generally bleeding are verry necessary, here bark cannot be exhibitted, but I use the opium in the form of the brown mixture [pg 320] in the intervals between the puking by the Vit. Alb.

Pyrosis or Water Brash. Linneus asserts that this disease is common in Sweeden and brought on by fresh meats, it continues near the whole of a persons life. Cullen says that it is relieved by opium but this gives only a temporary relief. I think pyrosis is a form of dyspepsia. I once used opium in it, and found it to be a palliative, but this disease was cured only by the oil of Amber. I have given Kino and rubeg. ferri combined with great advantage but I attribute the effect principally to the former.

Cholic. There are many varieties, when the pulse indicates a febrile state of the intestines especially when costive, opium is improper, at least untill some evacuation by purging &c. Hysteric Colic and that proceeding from cold opium is usefull without any previous or particular evacuation, in Billious Colic there is often a super abundance of bile discharged and opium is verry usefull after this has taken place. Our medicine has been