Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

338

Materia Medica

Stimulants

strongly recommended in Colica Pictonum, which is sometimes though not always the effect of lead, it may be employ’d both externally and internally. Stall says that opium alone has often proved purgative, in Colica Pictonum he used it with great success it should be combined with purgatives and may be employed in verry large doses. Stall gave 13 grains French weight, and a french Physician 69 grains without producing sleep.

Strangulated Hernia. The use of opium is approved of here by Richester and Van Sweeten, bleeding in my opinion is the most proper practice, but I refer you to the Professor on Surgery. In mania opium has been employ’d with seeming success also in Melancholia. Dr Young gave it in the former. Dr Cullen employ’d it and found it sometimes to moderate and sometimes to increase the disease, he says some cases depends on an organic affection of the brain, and such it is hurtfull, but in recent cases he says it may be often advantageous, the system requires large doses, but after emetics Cullen says it operates more easily, there are many cases of mania in which X grs. [10 grains] of tartar is a medium dose, it is also said that opium makes it operate more easily. I have not often derived much advantage from opium in mania though I have frequently exhibitted it, there are many cases of mania proceeding from distress &c. When