Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

68

Materia Medica

Astringents

I object as it would require a previous knowledge of Botany. I conceive it much better to arrange them according to their degree of astringency. This I shall attempt and proceed from the weaker to the stronger. I shall commence the history of vegitable astringents by with the Quercus or Oak Bark. The bark of many oaks have long been employed in tanning where they seem to exert an astringent principle, though not in the same manner as I before remarked on the living animal fibres. The oak bark was employed by Dr Cullen in intermittant fever, and slight tumefaction of the mucous membrane of the fauces in doses of ℥fs [½ ounce] every three hours or oftener. It has been used in Europe instead of the Chincosra and it is said by some authors with evident advantage, toasted acorns have been taken with advantage in diarrhea and dysentaries but they possess little strength, powdered acorns taken in small beer are used in Germany as a cure for Erysipelas, here they act principally on the perspirable vessels, this seems to be a disease depending on contagious matter similar to yellow fever, and plague, and is often a verry severe disease, in London it is treated as a putrid disease by stimulants. In Scotland as inflamitory. I have seen more cases of Erysipelas

131

Diaphoretics

the patient sinks into coma and lethargy; and this Course there it has prevaild among the Students from the Southern states in a new and mitigated form, commencing with a chill and fever, pain in the side and breast, difficulty breathing, expectoration of blood, great gastric distress, vomiting of bile to an enormous degree, pulse full but soft and quick, this form resembles verry much billious plurasy deceiving the practitioner for a day or two, the symptoms of a well remarked Typhus occurs. The pneumonia becomes agrivated and the patient sinks into coma, the tongue and fauces dark brown colour, dry and hard to the touch, though this symptom is not uniform, (sometimes the tongue continues natural through the disease,) more advanced it assumes the form of Typhus Gravior, skin parched or hot, or moist and cold, at this time it is insensible to the most powerfull Stimuli and if reaction is not

282

Materia Medica

Stimulants

sedative operation of opium, and induced him to teach this doctrine, for he previously taught you a contrary one from which he gradually slid after his pupil, we have still something to say before we conclude our remarks on the effects of opium on the late real system, while it increases the force and frequency of the pulse it actually does increase the heat of the body. Martius says however that he applied the thermometer and it indicated no uncommon degree of heat. But every person that observes with attention must be persuaded that the heat of the body (Martius says however he applied the thermometer) is actually increased by it. Dr Cullen in his experiments found this to be universally among its effects, and every writer observed a digness of the tongue and fauces, a flushing of the face and burnings of the palms of the hands, which are all indications of the presence of a stimulus and when increased heat of the body invites notice, the high coloured skin, heat &c, which follows the use of opium and Teneitus Aurium is also a general effect. It would seem in general unless the opium was taken in large doses the respiration is less affected than might be supposed. Dr Crump says unless they were large he perceived no alteration in his breathing, its effects upon its natural

438

Materia Medica

Sialagogues

of acrimony has no taste or smell and is totally innert upon the human body except by its weight, it is said to have been for years in bones and flesh without producing any effect, but we must doubt these facts. I believe however under certain circumstances mercury is absorbed when taken into the stomach, it passes rapidly through the alimentary canal unalter'd and without producing any effect, in order to render mercury usefull it is requisite its form be changed and the mode of accomplishing it are various. Dr Cullen has confined them to four heads Viz Evaporation, calcination, trituration and union with acids, by agitating for some time pure mercury with water, the water becomes dark and finally black, and a preparation is furnished which possesses considerable power and might be usefull this water kills earth and tape worms in my opinion the oxide is formed by agitation, it has been denied that mercury is at all soluble in water, but it certainly communicates some of its properties to it. I think that in some degree it is soluble in it. In speaking of the different modes of exciting salivation, I must not forget that of exposing the subject to the fumes of cinnabar, by throwing it upon live coals, the fumes are apply’d to old venerial sores particularly those seated in the mouth and fauces, by inhaling the fumes, this is a most powerfull method of exciting salivation, sometimes producing

572

Materia Medica

Diuretics

when it nauseates, or even pukes, it is often combined with other substances, and for this purpose Dr Cullen employed a Neutral Salt, Tissot** [footnote back 1 page] added Nitre to it, Calomel* [footnote back 1 page] is often added to it and I believe improves it much if the mouth can be effected. I have employ’d it in combination with the turbith Mineral, once or twice in the 24 hours, this does not so much good if it pukes, the squill is said by Dr Warner to produce salivation, I did not believe it untill I gave it in one case where it produced a distressing salivation like Mercury.

Polygala Senaka. Or Rattle Snake Root. This is a Native of the United States and when first tasted appears farinaceous, afterwards it is acid then communicates a pungent taste constricts the mouth and and fauces and evinces a stimulating quality, it is Cathartic, Diuretic and brings on a flow of Saliva it has even produced a salivation this was noticed by one of Linneus' pupils and I have seen it in one patient in Hydrathorax it is now several years since it was noticed as a powerfull medicine. Mr Tennant gave it in decoction and in powder to two patients who had been bitten by a rattle Snake, the dose of the powder is Ʒfs [½ dram] and in decoction 3 table spoonfuls, these were large doses, he found it always a Diuretic, but never observed any other effect