Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

328

Materia Medica

Stimulants

on the disease of the West Indies informs us that he gave twenty grains of opium in twenty four hours without any effect, this is the largest dose I ever knew but it neither mitigated the spasm nor indicated sleep, Dr G_. gave to a black man fifteen hundred grains in Seventeen days, it appeared to produce only a little costiveness, the value of these cures are great, since it shows to what extent we may carry the use of opium, and I pay much regard to his opinion because he lived in the west Indies where tetanus is so frequent.

Hydraphobia. Is in some respects allied to tetanus, few cures have been effected though some are found recorded in order to form correct Ideas of the medicines which are proper here, it may be usefull to inquire into its nature and this more properly belongs to the Professor of the Practice of Physick, yet I cannot omit to offer a few ideas of my own on the subject. At the commencement of hydraphobia it is probably a violent sphenic [sthenic] disease its causes are highly stimulating. If this be a sthenic disease Dr Booerhaves opinion of it was correct, he thought it should be treated as the highest grade of inflamation = by drawing blood untill the patient fainted. Miget says he found opium unadvisable but he gave musk. Linneus thinks

630

Materia Medica

Blisters

advantage particularly in Gouty deafness.

Amaurosis. Or Gutta Serena. They are verry advantageously apply'd to the forehead. In scrophulous affections of the Lymphatic glands of the neck, they are verry usefull and should be renew’d upon drying up, they are apply'd to the part effected & I apprehend they act by exciting the action of the absorbents, they are proper in Scrophulous affections of the Eye brows. I shall say nothing of the use of blisters in fevers, but refer you to the professor of the practice of Physick on that subject.

Dysentary. They are apply'd to the Umbilicus [navel] and over the stomach and sometimes they produce a stool sooner than any cathartic Medicine we can employ.

Diarrhea. When gentle medicines have fail’d they are frequently advantageously employ'd, they are apply'd to the ancles and abdomen.

Hepatetis. Or inflamation of the liver, blisters are usefull, but of this I have spoken when treating of mercury.

Lucorrhea. In this disease I have seen them verry usefull. I attended a few years ago a female who was affected with this complaint, astringents were employ'd without effect. I then laid a large