Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

142

Materia Medica

Tonics

this is considerably bitter and pretty pure, containing a considerable quantity of mucilage and some astringency it has been used in consumption. Bergius recommends it boiled in milk, my own experiments of it amounts to nothing.

Humulas Lupulas. Or common hop, is a simple and pure bitter, the flower is odorous its principal use is in malt liquors preventing their becoming acessant. Ray informs us that since the introduction of hop in bear there have been four cases of calculi in London there must be some fallacy in this opinion. Dr Sydenham mentions the ill effects of malt liquors in generating calculi, the hop says Dr Darwin may contribute to gravel in the kidneys as the intemperate ale drinkers are the most subject to gravel. I am disposed to favor this opinion from experience, I know it will bring on paroxysms of fever of gravel &c. A single glass of Porter will bring on Paroxysms of nephritis in myself. Dr Dobson ascribed this effect to fixed air, it ought to be placed among the first of the bitter tonics. Linneus ascribed a narcotic quality to the hops, I am disposed to believe there is some foundation for this opinion. Dr Wells has recommended the hop pillow in cases of mania

456

Materia Medica

Sialagogues

and often a discharge of worms, here it is frequently called worm fever in the advanced stage the patient is blind, the pupils are dilated, the stools pass involuntary, and the patient dies convulsed, this disease is often connected with scrophula, it is most frequent in the early stages of life, most from 2 to 5, next from 5 to 10. I have had almost 25 cases of the kind under my care, and the proportions of males and females were nearly the same. I have often observed a tendency in girls to this disease about the age of Puberty, when the menses first begins to flow, a variety of remidies have been proposed in this disease as blisters, bark &c, but mercury was first used by Dr Dobson and likewise by Dr Percival who rubbed it in, since then the practice has been verry general, there are a variety of opinions among physicians respecting its propriety, it frequently fails. I have frequently employ’d bleeding and blistering in the commencement of the disease, but never made a cure by mercury alone. Dr Percival says that a cure may be effected without a salivation, one of the first effects upon children is to induce a profuse running at the nose, it is said also to occasion perspiration of the head, this if the head be kept warm it often does much good, in giving mercury, we are directed to prevent laxity or the medicine will pass off, but we

496

Materia Medica

Emetics

take up the matter contained in the bubo. Emetics have also been employ’d in the bite of venimous reptiles and are verry usefull here.

Incarcerated Hernia. I have had no experience of their effects, they probably act by exciting nausea, and thus relieve the spasm. They are not commonly used as anthelmintics but worms are often discharged by small doses. In Syngultus or Hiccough emetics have been found usefull.

Particular Emetics. All the emetics are taken from the vegitable or mineral kingdom. Dr Duncans division of emetics is as follows, 1st Incitantia, as Turbith Mineral, Tartar Emetic &c. 2nd Evacuantia. As Ipecacuanha, Squills &c. 3rd Califacientia. As Horse Radish, Mustard seed &c. 4th Narcotica. As Tobacco, Foxglove &c, But these do not act as emetics by their Narcotic powers. I am not satisfied with Dr Duncans arangement he has a class of Incitantia but they are all incitants, he has one also of Evacuantia, but all emetics are evacuants. Professor Dobson has made the following arrangement. 1st Relaxantia, 2nd Resolventia, 3rd Colida, Warm Emetics, 4th Drastica, Drastic Emetics. In my own view of the subject I shall not follow any of their arangements, But divide them into vegitable and mineral. First of the vegitable emetics.

Nicotiana. Dr Cullen does not approve of

587

Carbonic Acid. Was I believe first introduced into practice by Dr Dobson and since used with much advantage by Drs Dawson & Thompson he first took the hint from observing that urinary calculi when immersed into malt liquors were dissolved by it. Percival & Falconer now understanding the fact under took a series of experiments to prove whether the fix’d air was the solvent power and they succeeded completely. The Waters of Pyrmont & Spa possess the solvent power and the urine becomes so impregnated that it also has the power of dissolving calculi. Of the use of carbonic acid in calculi I know nothing from experience, tho in gravel or affections of the kidneys I have used it in the shape of Seltzer water with great advantage, and when that cannot be procured as is often the case, I have substituted the saline effervessing draught; in the exhibition of which my practice has been to give the substances separate thereby producing the chemical action in the stomach:

Soda. This has also been recommended as a solvent for the calculi, the form of exhibitting the medicine is to expose the soda to heat to drive off the water of chrystalization, the following is the formula.

Rx Sulp. Soda Ʒi [1 dram] Muc G. Arab q.s [sufficient quantity]

M into pills to be taken in the course of the day.