Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

422

Materia Medica

Stimulants

fond of it as an antispasmodic. It has been used in Epilepsy and some other nervous affections as Chorea and Mania, with advantage in the spasmodic asthma of children, it has often been extremely usefull, it would be well for you to read, Dr Millers observations on this subject and those of Dr Rush on cynanche trachealis. Dr Miller gave it by the mouth and injection and found no medicine more usefull, he did not however confide entirely to this medicine. Dr Kuhn of Lancaster used it in injection and was not verry nice to the quantity and threw up about Ʒi [1 dram] in six ℥ [ounces] of water. I have also employ’d this medicine but not alone, there is another disease the Cynanche Maligna Trachealis in which it has been employ’d, here the excretions must be kept up and the squill combined with ammoniac is usefull, but the combination of Assafoetida with the oxymel of Squill is better. Dr Johnson of Worcester used it here he gave the bark, and between the doses gave a large spoonfull of the infusion of assafoetida, this is different from the croup of this country, the patient has at first the symptoms of scarlatina anguinosa and is often fatal. Assafoetida has been employ’d in common spasmodic asthma, all the foetid gums enter the circulation and act as expectorants, but none are better than this, it is said they prevent and remove the effects of opium. Dr Monroe gave it for this purpose along with

450

Materia Medica

Sialagogues

Cynanche Trachealis calomel has frequently been used, and when given early almost always prevents a fatal termination of the disease. I frequently combine with it Ipecacuanha, some physicians use calomel here to salivate, but it is impossable to salivate a child under two years of age. I employ it as a cathartic and emetic. The Corosive Sublimate is also employ’d in Hives by the Maryland Physicians. Dr Archer introduced this practice and he resorts to it after the failure from senica, and in advanced cases where there is no time to spare for the seneka to act, he gave from ij to iij grs. [grains] in ℥X [10 ounces] of Water. Dr Archer says the seneka's action is considerably facilitated by the application of mercury. I have not yet attended to this practice. I have witnessed two cases of adults one of which was the most violent kind I ever knew, this was cured by calomel and Seneka. In some kinds of Scrophula mercury has been used with advantage, Dr Tucker employed it in Scrophulous Consumption, I believe that scrophula is frequently owing to a venerel Taint and for that reason I use mercury but this remidy is proper even when the disease does not originate from the venerial. I have seen such tumors yield to calomel and the mercurial ointment. I employ the Red Precipitate externally in this disease.

Fever. The use of mercury and fever is quite an ancient practice, it was

490

Materia Medica

Emetics

in whooping cough emetics have often been found usefull. Dysentary Here I prefer the antimonial emetics, they have been used in Diarrhea but more of this herafter, in Diabetes emetics would be often usefull medicines, Dovers powders have often cured it. Dropsy I have not try'd them here, but I think in some forms of this disease they might be usefull, their puking does not diminish their diuretic effect, the squill often succeeds best when it is given so largely as to excite vomiting, of this however we shall speak more freely when treating of diuretics. The Kermes Mineral, has been used with great advantage in Hydrothorax. In Jaundice emetics have often been found usefull particularly when it appears to depend upon calculous cocretions of the billiary ducts, they seem then to act with the most advantage. In Phthisis Pulmonalis, emetics have been found usefull when the patient is in a warm bath, in Cynanche Trachealis, We employ bleeding, blistering, synapisms, and emetics, the latter in particular are indispensable, I use Ipecacuana and calomel, this is preferable to the antimonial emetics, the latter produces too much weakness, in Cynanche Maligna or Scarlatina Anginosa, They are likewise indispensable remidies, Asthma Turbith Minneral or Ipecac and calomel are verry

508

Materia Medica

Emetics

In warm climates particularly it is the best medicine that can be employ’d. I do not suppose it to have any specific action. Dr Cullen was of opinion that it acted as a purgative and others say it is most powerfull when it acts so, particularly Sir George Baker, these opinions are however incorrect, it is thought by Dr Morely to determine to the skin and produce its effects in this manner. I do not believe it acts by purging since the opium I combined with it would prevent that effect, nor do I think it acts by determining to the skin, because those patients who were sweated were not more benefitted than those who were not.

Cynanche Trachealis. In this disease I have successfully employ’d the combination of Ipecacuanha and calomel, in the "colica Hepatica" it has often been found usefull by some of the French Writers. I have already spoken of its effects in diminishing the powers of opium, when I treated of Dover's powders. A girl that swallow'd a large dose of opium was saved by taking continued doses of Ipecacuanha without inducing much vomiting. It is therefore an excellent remidy in such cases by its emetic quality and also by its power of diminishing the powers of the opium, you will always find that grs ij [2 grains]* [footnote back 1 page] with the same of Ipecacuanha will not produce as great an effect as grs I [1 grain] of opium alone. Dover's powders seldom produce sound sleep,

512

Materia Medica

Emetic

of Spain, Portugal, Sicily, and Africa, it grows near the sea on that account is called Maratima. The bulb is Emetic, Diuretic, & Expectorant, as an emetic it is not much used, and is not a verry good diuretic, being so uncertain, But is an excellent expectorant. Dr Lewis has shown that it loses ⅘ of its weight by being kept, this loss is however only its water, and 4 grains of the dry squill is equal to twenty of the fresh.

Mustard & Horse Radish. An infusion of Mustard is used to stop vomiting, but both the powder and infusion when strong enough are emetic, it is verry usefull when too much Laudanum has been taken.

Mineral Emetics. Many of the emetics are preparations of copper but the most valuable is the Sulphate of Copper. Or Blue Vitriol. Dr Cullen says he has not employ’d this, but it is used as a nauseating medicine. It is verry highly recommended by Dr Simmons in Pulmonary Consumption, he gave it in the morning in the following manner, the patients take half a pint of water and then takes the blue Vitriol this is thrown up immediately he then swallows another half pint which will also be thrown up, he has varied the dose from 2 to 20 grs [grains]. Of late the Blue Vitriol has been employ’d in the Southern States in Cynanche Trachealis. And is almost