Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

79

Doctr Barton speaks of the use of Uva Ursi in Phthis Pulmonalis in almost unqualified terms as a palliative, not as a curative for his Theory is that Phthis cannot be cured, he recommends it principally for checking colliquative Swets. It is strongly recommended by several physicians in Europe and they declare it will cure the disease.

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Materia Medica

Tonics

this is found principally in the mountainous parts of Germany, Professor Bergius says it is Emetic, Diuretic, Diaphoretic, Errhine, and Emmenagogue, it is used in Germany to dissolve coagulated blood. Dr Cullen of Vienna used the flowers in Spasmodic paralytic diseases from ℥i to ℥ij [1 to 2 ounces] a day he speaks of its efficacy in intermittant fevers. Dr Haen says he does not know of a medicine more entitled to the name of a specific than this, he says it is preferable to all others in Dysentaries and malignant fevers, he used it likewise in Phthisis, Collequative sweats &c, ℥fs [½ ounce] every two hours. Dr Monroe gave it with good effect in several cases of intermittant fevers it has been used in Scorbutic diseases. Authors inform us when it cures paralysis it excites much uneasiness; if we believe all that is said of this medicine we should rank it with the most valuable. It has been used but little in Britain, and never that I know of in America, however it is a medicine deserving attention.

Eupatorium Perfoliatum. I have not spoken of this before in any of my lectures. It grows in wet situations, in New England it is called thorough stern, in Virginia Cross Wort and in what the Indians call Ague Weed, the leaves are evidently bitter

Uva Ursi is recommended in this disease by several physicians in Europe & they have declared it will cure the disease, but I think the manner in which it acts is by checking the collequetive Sweats and palliating the symptoms

Scrophula. The decoction of the common alder is said by Dr Barton to cure this disease at the same time washing the ulcers if there are any with the decoction

1984-85 /M/1

Countway Library of Medicine B MS b 52.1 Rare Books Department