Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

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