Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

120

Materia Medica

Tonics

any thing of what we call a Phlogistic diathesis, he used them in putrid fevers with success, they promote perspiration, and sometimes prove cathartic. Dr Cullen did not perceive that they had any determination to the uterus. Tonics are seldom used in affections of the uterus, unless combined with steel, they may be usefull in Chlorosis Febris abla of Dr Sydenham, some authors consder them anthelmintic they are more usefull in the destruction of some worms than some others, these are more usefull in diseases from Lumbrico. Read in his experiments did not think them of much service as anthelmintics. Dr Cullen found them usefull in foul ulcers and checking gangrene, but in both cases they may do harm if incautiously applied while there is much inflamation. Dr Haller has hinted that all bitters possess a nercotic [narcotic] quality and Dr Cullen believes they do, the pure bitters they do not possess this power, and it is accident when it does occur. This may be more frequent than is supposed, many authors have recorded the narcotic power of Peruvian Bark, such as stricture about the heart anxiety about the scorbiclus cordis, vomiting & But this I believe to be owing to adulteration, which especially happens in the Peruvian Bark to prove that they are not deleterious

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Diaphoretics

half a century ago it has been emphatically called by Richter a rheumatism or catarrh of the intestines, and he used a preparation of Dovers powders. I think we have purged too much in this disease, one of the use of Purgatives being to increase secretions of mucus already too copiously effused from the follicles of the intestines. I have tried with the greatest advantage in combination of

Rx Ipecac ℈ i [1 scruple] Opium grs V [5 grains]

M. and made into ten pills of which give one every two hours. When the irritation has been verry great I administer anodoyne enemeta composed of such a portion of the ingredients as to 4 or 5 tablespoonfull of Laud with starch in the 24 hours.

Cholera Morbus & Infantum. I have used Diaphoretics with great advantage. In cholera Infantum it may

145

Diaphoretics

be justly Styled the Opprobrium Medicine, much which proceeds from the too liberal use of cathartics; my practice has been after a verry lenient cathartic to administer an anodyne diaphoretic and the Cretaceous Mixture, after which I administer as a tonic to the Intestines an infusion of the black berry root, the manner of preparing the infusion is as follows.

Rx Manipulus Aq. Bullien lbi [1 pound]

Put them in a teapot and let them simmer by the fire to ⅔ and then give a desert spoonfull every two or three hours, after a little time the bowels will become so constipated as to require a gentle laxative; This medicine though so little known to Practitioners Is I believe by far the best tonic we have in such cases, it is also peculiarly adapted to the Diarrhea of Old People.

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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.

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Materia Medica

Tonics

he says a tertian was prevented after the second paroxysm, and it was neither followed by Jaundice or Dropsy, but if it was permitted to run longer, one or the other of those diseases were sure to ensue, and in proportion to the number of fits was the violence of the disease, but I believe when the fever will permit the barks to be given in the first instance, neither of the above diseases will follow. This last question involves us in another of almost equal importance — Whether the bark may be administered without any previous preparation, which may fit the body to receive it with great advantage. Dr Cullen observes that bark in small doses is not apt to disturb the natural functions and if the presence of bile or indigestible substances in the stomach do not demand them, the bark may be given in urgent cases without previous evacuations, but otherwise it would be better to prepare the stomach for the quantity of bark that is necessary, by a gentle Emetic or Cathartic. I would remark the most simple intermittants are frequently of an inflamitory type arising from stimulus, Marsh Miasmata &c. And in such cases it would be verry improper to administer the bark without previous depletion or bleeding, Emetics, Cathartics &c. If given before it will be rejected