Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

432

Materia Medica

Errhines

at present than they were formerly, snuff of the tobacco and indian turnip is said to be usefull in amaurosis, candour obliges one to declare that the use of tobacco does not appear unfavorable to longevity, numerous instances have been collected of persons who have arrived to an old age, and who had long been in the habit of chewing and snuffing, snuffing should be avoided by all those who wish to shine as public speakers as it is injurious to the voice.

Assarabacca. This is a most powerfull errhine and common about the hills of Pennsylvania and is called crowfoot and wild ginger, this is the basis of the Pulvis Stimulantorius of the London and Edinburgh Colledges. Dr Cullen says that grs iij [3 grains] of it is a dose and that four grains make a good snuff.

Squill. The common squill is a considerable errhine.

Poke root. The powder of the root of the common poke of this Country is also an errhine, the assarabaca, squill, and poke root should have been mentioned before tobacco.

Digitalis or Foxglove. The pulv. leaves of the foxglove are considerably errhine, and when apply'd to the nose occasion a discharge. I shall now speak of the more acrid and powerfull of this class of medicines.

Euphorbium Officinale. Dr Cullen says the more acrid the errhine of which this is one, are apt even in moderate doses to inflame the

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