Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

360

Materia Medica

Stimulants

The practice of employing this vegitable in decoction seems to have arisen in New England Dr May in an inaugural dissertation mentioned a case of tetanus which had been cured by decoction, from the analogy between tetanus and hydraphobia, I have prescribed it in the latter and the injections made some impressions on the disease. In strangulated hernia either the smoke or the injection sometimes allow the reduction by the laxis, it is necessary from the power that it exerts upon the system to be nice in the quantity, its use in hernia will be more amply discussed by the professor or Surgery to whom it more immediately belongs. It has been employ’d in cases of suspended animation from drowning, hanging &c. It is however pretty much neglected and in my opinion it is a verry doubtfull remidy. I have now closed the order of solano, the next is the umbelliffers, only one article of which I conceive necessary to lay before you.

Umbilliffero Hemlock. This is a plant found in various parts of Europe but is not I believe a native of this country, it is however verry common in some of the states. Some physicians have mistaken this for cow parsley, it is distinguished from the other umbelliferous plants by its large and spotted plants stalks or redish brick colour, the dark gray of its leaves and disagreeable odour, especially