Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

216

Materia Medica

Tonic

a gleet of however long standing = the carbonate of Iron in this disease is the most efficacious.

Amenorrhea. Or Suppression of the menses, this depends upon two causes, first upon a considerable tone of the vessels attended with increased fever and frequency of the pulse, pain in the head, back and loins, with wild starting eyes every time the menses ought to appear = and secondly upon debility of the system generally or a debility of the ovary vessels, the last is the most frequent, cases, of the menses in the first species, Iron would do much harm and increase the complaint particularly in some cases of Febris Alba. For here bleeding, and purging, ought to be employ'd = but in the second species or that depending on debility, the preparations of Iron are of manifest service, and should never be omitted; when combined with savin the Iron proves more usefull = the preparations of Iron in a metallic or oxid state are the most useful.

Hemorrhage. These as I have already observed are of two kinds active and passive, in the former the preparations of this mineral is always injurious, but in the latter they are always serviceable, the use of Iron in Hemorrhagies is of Antient [ancient] date, Pliny the naturalist

600

Materia Medica

Emmenagogues

Polygala Seneka.(8) [footnote back 1 page] There is no medicine so general in its operation as this; To Dr Hartshorn we owe its introduction in Amenorrhagia, and my practice conferms the inestimable value of it, the medicine is used in powder or decoction, the last is far preferable and is made by boiling.

Rx Rad. Polygala Seneka ℥i [1 ounce] Aq. Font lbi [1 pound]

M and boil it to ⅓ if nauseous add orange peel or cinnamon, the dose of the decoction is ℥iv [4 ounces] in the course of the day, but when this is not sufficient to operate I have given ℥ij [2 ounces] every hour, always taking care to reduce excessive excitement by bloodletting, and to give tonics when too low. A case of Mania occurred in my practice not long since attended with suppression of the menses, in which every thing had been inefectually used, from my theory of the vast domain of the Uterus over the habit of body, I was induced to try the Polegala Seneka which I gave in the usual way for 5 weeks with little amendment. I then increased the dose to ℥i [1 ounce] every hour and in a day or two had the satisfaction to find the menstrual discharge produced after an absence of ten years, the medicine was now lessened but the symptoms again increasing, was again given to the extent of ℥i [1 ounce] every hour, in a short time a membrane resembling verry

602

Materia Medica

Emmenagogues

much in appearance the decidua was discharged with the entire relief of the patient who has continued to menstruate regularly ever since. Another case also occurred in the Alms House, I gave the medicine and with the same happy effect. Amenorrhagia is most certainly a concomitant of Mania in females, which must be removed before the disease can be cured and will seldom fail, in fact there is scarcely a disease among females which is not directly or indirectly connected with the uterus. We often see Amenorrhagia producing Phthisis Pulmonalis and it has been my constant practice when called to a female patient to say "have you menstruated regularly". The uterus next to the stomach affects the general system more than any other organ and it was from a knowledge of this fact that the celebrated Van Helmont was induced to say "Propter solum uterum mulier est id quod est". From all the circumstances it appears to me that the Seneka may do good in all affections of the uterus particularly also where this preternatural membrane exists, which I assert to be a true production of the exhalent arteries, where it is necessary to produce a specific action upon that organ. Sneka is next to the Mercurials in promoting secretion, but I contend for a specific

606

Materia Medica

Emmenagogues

it is supposed to exert a specific action, from which I think it may be usefull in Amenorrhea. It composed the basis of the celebrated Pulvis Parturiens of that state; It produces its effects almost instantly as from 5 to 15 minutes. If obstruction arises from rigidity of the Uterus, V.S. should preceed its exhibition, the following is the formula

Rx Ergot Ʒfs [½ dram] Aq. Font ℥iv [4 ounces]

M. give 1 table spoonsfull every 10 or 15 minutes. When blood is drawn it should be from a large orafice and drawn to the extent of XX ℥ [20 ounces], otherwise it may do harm, with these precautions it has been previously delivered. From its great power of constricting the Uterus it has been used with great success in Uterine Hemorrhage attended with a predisposition to flooding with a relaxed state of the parts, where the hemorrhage arises from excessive action it is not influenced by the medicine as the Uterus is in its greatest state of constriction, however all agree that it has a specific action on the Uterus tho some deny its emmenagogue properties.

Mentha Pulegium. Or Penny Royal. This is a warm Pungent Aromatic plant, it increases the secretion of the skin, and is esteemed an antyhysteric and emmenagogue, the

610

Materia Medica

Emmenagogues

as will be evinced by its sensible qualities, it is also a sudorific, and has cured the disease induced by the bite of the Rattle Snake, the great Dr Booerhave had so high an opinion of it that he said he could not say too much in its favour.

Opium. This has been used in several instances as an emmenagogue, But more especially when the disorder is attended with hysteria, in some cases where the menses merely appear but in insufficient quantities I give Dover's Powders. Menstruation sometimes takes place with pain, slow and in small quantities, this is called Dysmenorrhea, and is generally produced by high arterial action, disposing to spasm and rigidity of the Uterus, here I use opium and Ipecac. to promote a diaphoresis, also the following

Rx Gum Opii grs ii or iij [2 or 3 grains] Gum Camphor grs X [10 grains]

M a pill given it once. The extract of henbane and hemlock have been advised & I think the Strammonium deserves a trial, where my favourite medicine has fail’d I have derived much benefit from an anodyne injection of Ʒi [1 dram] of Laudanum perhaps I [it] might be better thrown into the vagina. But you must expect disappointments in the cure of Amenorhea, as it is sometimes induced by diseased ovaria, where there is but little hope of success.