Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

316

Materia Medica

Stimulants

Dr Cullens direction respecting the use of this powder are of so much utility that I am induced to read them to you the powder he says is to be given in the morning when the ordinary sleep or time of it is over, sleeping is not compatable with it, but is commonly favourable to sweating, for security against cold the patient is to be laid in woolen, make the powder into a bolus and swallow it in a wafer as the powder is apt to be thrown up by vomiting, no lunch should be taken untill the sweat breaks out when warm tea should be taken in small and moderate doses is the sweat should not continue to the feet, warm bricks or bottles filled with warm water should be apply'd in order to make it universal. Consult Dr Cullen on this head the exhibition of Dovers powders I omit the ostridated tartar and substitute loaf sugar and Gum Arabic. I also make nitre one of the ingredients but I vary the formula in different ways. In short I am convinced with Dr Cullen that Dovers powders when exhibitted in the manner he describes an invaluable medicine, some Physicians condemn the use of opium in rheumatism. Sydenham did not use it before the third day, Blackmore