Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

42

Materia Alimentaria

Milk

part is less in women, when living on vegitables. Milk. In what manner is the milk secreted, from its resemblance to chyle it has been supposed to pass immediately from the Lacteals to the mamma, and not to be secreted from the general mass of blood. I have already given my opinion, the odour and taste of food is certainly communicated to the milk they are sometimes both evident from the milk of cows, Bergius says that matter coulors the milk, it certainly does the serum of the blood, fat about the joints, and sometimes the perspirable matter. Purges given to the nurse have a similar effect upon the child, this is generally the case if retained long enough. Dr Cooper informed me that a child sucking the milk of its mother under a Ptyalism was completely salivated, the Dr observes he cannot be certain whether this effect was produced by the milk or by perspiration. Dr Hammilton says he has detected the globules of mercury in the milk of women under Ptyalism by a slow evaporation. I have myself been salivated by being exposed to the fresh fumes of mercury from a patient under Ptyalism. Dr Hoffman relates several cases of children, being intoxicated from sucking drunken women,

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

144

Materia Medica

Tonics

or great wakefulness, to induce sleep, the tonic power of the porter depends on the hop. It is peculiarly adapted to the low state of Typhus fever. I believe porter imparts more real and durable strength than wine in smaller quantities. I believe it amongst the most proper remidies in chlorosis. I have used a tincture prepared as follows

Hops Ʒ iij [3 drams] Alkohol ℥ viij [8 ounces]

Dose gtt 60 [60 drops] which is equal to 20 gtt [20 drops] of Laud. Liq., this tincture is particularly good for such patients as are affected with giddiness, stupor, head ache &c from taking Laudanum.

Faba St.Ignatii. Or Saint Ignatius Bean, this is a tree producing a gourd like fruit, the seed is an intense bitter, with a narcotic quality, this union of narcotic is very frequent. It has never been used in America that I know of except by Dr Duffield, Ʒfs [½ dram] given to a dog produced a flow of saliva, and convulsions and death in less than half an hour. It should be used with great caution. In the Madrid Pharmicopia it is recommended in intermittant fevers. Dr Lind grs ij [2 grains] in ℥ ij [2 ounces] of water and says it cured two quartans, but failed in twice that number. Valuntine cured a case of epilepsy by the use of a few grains of it.

Nux Vomica. Bergius thought this a species of faba,

148

Materia Medica

Tonics

Cullen used it with advantage in cutaneous affections of the Leprous kind.

Tanacetum. Or Tansey, this is a powerfull bitter, the less so than chamomile. Dr Black used it in gout, with him it proved diuretic and laxative, Gardiner considered it rather an innocent than a usefull medicine, Hoffman thought it an excellent anthelmintic, and from my own experience I am inclined to think it may be of service.

Anthemis Nobilis. Or chamomile have long been celebrated as a stomachic, it was employed in the 17th Century, before the discovery of the bark in intermittant fevers. Morton thought it as usefull as the bark, if given in substance, in the other forms they prove cathartic. Hoffman cured intermittant fevers by it. Berjius and Pitcairn both used it and the latter thought it an antidote to a flatulent colic; this I cannot believe, it may be usefull by its cathartic quality. Dr Cullen and Pringle supposed it relieved the tenesmus by means of an antispasmodic power. Cullen found it rather injurious in Diarrhea, he used it in intermittants. It has somewhat of an emetic quality, a simple aqueous infusion is frequently as an assistant in emetics, the bitter to most people is less disagreeable than any other.

156

Materia Medica

Tonics

Amygdala Amara. Or Bitter Almond nut is a pure bitter, Professor Bergius used it with Sal. Tart in intermittant fevers to prevent a recurrence of the Paroxysms, it possesses a quality that is poisonous to some animals as the fox, cat &c.

Citrus Aurantium. Or Citron Orange, the root is an excellent bitter and with this it contains a considerable quantity of aromatic oil it has long been employ'd in the cure of intermittant fevers and some respectable French Writers say with advantage but as Dr Cullen says it is so rarely employ'd except with other bitters that we are prevented from observing its peculiar qualities. Urieth Foard used it in five cases of quartan fever with success in one the paroxysm was prevented after the first dose, in the other after the second, he gave Ʒi [1 dram] every three hours combined with gentian and chamamile flowers, it formed an agreeable tincture, the flowers have been used in Epilepsy, &c, but experience has not confirmed their utility, a decoction of leaves have been recommended in Epilepsy with chocolate also in Colica Pictonum. De Haen found it of no use in this disease, it may be used in some convulsions as Colica &c.

Arnica Montana. Or Leopards Bane,