Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

28

Materia Alimentaria

Oil

worms in the alimentary canal, children seem to have an instinctive appetite for it and we should not deny it them. It is obtained from the sugar cane, maple, and from the animal Kingdom. Milk contains it, but there are no experiments to prove it in the blood. It is obtained from the urine of Diabetic patients, according to Dr Darwin forty pounds of urine has been discharged in twenty four hours by patients labouring under Diabetes from which was obtained forty five ℥ [ounces] of Sugar. Professor Mundenus mentions a case of Diabetes that lasted ninety seven days, in which forty pounds of urine was discharged every day, which reckoning 43 ℥ [ounces] of sugar in every two quarts according to Dr Darwin makes the quantity of sugar discharged by the above patient nearly two hundred and Seventy two pounds five ounces. Butter, Lard &c yield sugar though somewhat difficult, maple sugar is less soluble than the others. Oil. I do not hesitate in considering oil in its pure state, as nutritious both to men and other animals. Oil is strictly alimentary forming a considerable portion of the animal fluids, with which it forms an intimate union, the oily portion is frequently reabsorbed from the

64

Materia Medica

Astringents

Leucorrhea by the most oposite treatment such as bloodletting, milk diet &c. In others I have found the most powerfull astringents usefull. Diabetes. Astringents have been employ'd with evident advantage. Iron has been recommended in the cronic state of this disease. Allum is also usefull when it depends on relaxation of the urinary organs; but the same caution is necessary in their employment in this disease as in all others that I have spoken of, as it certainly does not always depend on debility of the kidneys, the disease is sometimes a translation of the gout, and the most decided cure I have ever seen was cured by bloodletting and the depleting plan. Gonorrhea. In which they were long employed by Dr Cullen who seems to not have a correct idea of this disease and especially of this remidy, in many instances they are highly serviceable, they have been employed in calculous affections by Dr Ham and others. They cannot be supposed to act by any power they possess of dissolving the stone. Dr Cullen supposed they acted by absorbing an acid in the stomach, in such cases, and further fixed air is a verry valuable remidy and we cannot suppose it to act in this manner, as it is its self an acid their operation here is verry difficult

92

Materia Medica

Astringents

repeated and increased, we may begin with five grs [grains] and increase it to ℈i [1 scruple] several times in the day, before we administer this remidy in morbid evacuations or hemorrhages we should attend to the cause whether it be an increased arterial action or debility. I shall now mention the different diseases in which it has been employed. Leucorrhea. It has been recommended in this disease, which is frequently connected with the Phytisis, I have used it with colombo with advantage it is of much importance to the pulse. Gonorrhea. Many authors have recommended it in this disease. I have used a simple solution, but prefer it mixed with a decoction of the oak bark. Dr Foroler has found it verry usefull in scorbutic hemorrhages. I have used it with success with galls. Diabetes. On the authority of Dr Mead it has been used in this disease, but it would be natural to doubt its efficacy in diabetes, there are however some facts which seem to show it may be usefull in some cases. Dr Wistar informed me he was successfull in a case that appeared to be desperate. Dr Dover had a verry high opinion of it other physicians have used it with success. Dr Darwin supposed it acted by exciting the absorbents of the urinary organs into their natural action, but I

151

Diaphoretics

little fever, low degree of heat, after giving Ʒfs [½ dram] three times a day for several days, moisture commenced the became much easier and continued to mend.

Gout. In gout much has been disputed about their use, the truth is Diaphoretics as auxiliaries are indispensable after purging. This is natures process and will succeed often.

Diabetes. This disease has been attributed to two causes, Viz. a derangment in the secretory organs, and a depraved or vitiated state of the asimilatory organs, my own opinion is that it is owing to a morbid state of the stomach and chylopoetic viscera and this I think is evinced in the gastric distress, proceeding, 1st Particularly in Debauchers, 2d Disorder of the stomach always

153

Diaphoretics

attend it, 3d A diet of animal food alone will produce it, 4thly Dissections show us no morbid state which may not be sympathetic, and considerable derangement in the chylopoetic viscera. The disease has also been divided into two kinds Viz. Diabetes Melitus, when the urine has the color, smell, and taste of honey, and Diabetes Insipidus when the urine is pale and tasteless; this distinction is quite unnecessary as both of them are managed upon the same general principle, with a strict attention to the system, when the surface is dry and parched, or cold and scaly, Antimonials, and Dovers Powders, are necessary, the last is particularly efficacious, to produce an increased discharge