Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

12

Introduction

Experience

mucus though contrary to common beliefs. It often pukes and purges and this more frequently than is supposed, it acts on the semenal vessels increasing the semenel secretion, it acts on the brain and nerves, causing a dilation of the pupil, bringing on delirium and dimness of sight this is a common effect, it increases thirst. Does it operate on the glandular and lymphatic system? I answer it does it most certainly increases absorption. I believe it is one of the general and diffusive stimulants, it acts on the nervous system producing tinnatus aurium, Perglysis [paralysis], Sneezing and excretion from the nose, on the skin it causes heat, Erysipelas, and even abscesses. On what particular system can it be said to operate? Certainly it has specific or exclusive action on no one. Digitalis from its lowering the pulse which I believe it does more than any other medicine is supposed to act exclusively on the sanguiferous system but its action is not so limited, acting with the salivary glands producing Pyalism and in the kidneys producing diuretic and on the brain producing intoxication like opium, its effects are analogous to those of opium. Stramonium Acts on most systems on the brain

42

Materia Alimentaria

Milk

part is less in women, when living on vegitables. Milk. In what manner is the milk secreted, from its resemblance to chyle it has been supposed to pass immediately from the Lacteals to the mamma, and not to be secreted from the general mass of blood. I have already given my opinion, the odour and taste of food is certainly communicated to the milk they are sometimes both evident from the milk of cows, Bergius says that matter coulors the milk, it certainly does the serum of the blood, fat about the joints, and sometimes the perspirable matter. Purges given to the nurse have a similar effect upon the child, this is generally the case if retained long enough. Dr Cooper informed me that a child sucking the milk of its mother under a Ptyalism was completely salivated, the Dr observes he cannot be certain whether this effect was produced by the milk or by perspiration. Dr Hammilton says he has detected the globules of mercury in the milk of women under Ptyalism by a slow evaporation. I have myself been salivated by being exposed to the fresh fumes of mercury from a patient under Ptyalism. Dr Hoffman relates several cases of children, being intoxicated from sucking drunken women,

468

Materia Medica

Sialagogues

dog supposed to be really mad he is salivated & no hydraphobia ensues, but here verry probable the dog was not really mad, another is bitten by a dog actually mad, he uses mercury and escapes the disorder and here mercury has the credit of preventing the disease. Hydraphobia does not always follow the bite of a mad animal, though doubtless it may have been prevented by mercury. I believe that if salivation could be induced at the time the disease would have commenced it would verry probably prevent its accession, the interval between the time of the bight and the occurrance of the disease, is generally about 30 or 40 days, the question is at what time the ptyalism should be induced, it has been a common practice to give the mercury immediately after the bite of the animal has been inflicted, the salivation commenced a few days after, and continued a short time, and was suffered to subside before a return of the symptoms. I think we should not attempt to bring on a salivation untill a few days before the shortest period at which the symptoms may be expected to appear. Mercury has been employ’d as a remidy in the bite of Poisonous animals, but with not much effect.

Yaws. Or Phrambesia of Nosological Writers. Mercury has been employ’d. Physicians differ respecting its use,