Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

378

Materia Medica

Stimulants

cordial and stimulating medicine, from the nature of camphor I am surprised at its having been so seldom used in Intermittants which have a tendency to run into Typhus in doses from 18 to 20 grs. [grains], however it is not much employ’d alone, yet the febrifuge forms of the Peruvian Bark have increased by combining camphor with it in proportion ℈i [1 scruple] of Camphor to ℥ifs [1½ ounces] of Bark. Dr Collin of vienna preferr'd it to all the substances in Gangreni Senilis, he gives it internally and spreads it with a feather dissolved in Gum Arabic. In Gangrini Humidia, He covers the part with a stratum of camphor. Dr Cullen does not advise it when there is a full and hard pulse he seems to attribute its benificial effects to its antiseptic quality. I think however it is owing to its stimulating qualities, camphor would perhaps been usefull in gangrene accompanying occurring in Typhus. Camphor has been advised to be given internally in cases of obstinate ulcers, and it has been much praised in confluent small pox. Dr Haller gave about 20 grs pr diem [grains per day] in confluent small pox. Rosentine tells if the skin is anointed with it, it will keep the disease from that part. Mr Houghland thought it usefull in the cronic cough of measles, the putrid Measles as they are called do not exist in what Mr Watson calls Scarlatina Agenosa. Camphor has been employ’d in both general

480

Materia Medica

Emetics

operation by the number of articles exciting it which she has presented to us, vomiting is not confined to man alone, but is natural to birds and other animals, cats and dogs vomit verry freely. Birds are unable to digest the hair and feathers which they sometimes swallow & therefore vomit, fish also vomit and verry frequently, but there is one animal that cannot be made to vomit I mean the horse, under the largest dose of emetics we may give that animal we can only produce a copious flow of saliva, his inability to vomit proceeds from the great strength of the cardia which is stronger and more muscular than the stomach itself. Physiologists have not been uniform in their opinions respecting the state of the stomach while under the operation of emetics, some suppose that the stomach itself is inert this opinion is I think erroneous, but I do not agree with others who go to an oposite extreme. Rosentine has published a verry excellent work upon this subject, the truth however is that the stomach does act and also the diaphragm and abdominal muscles with some force, of the General Effects of Emetics, Some emminent Physicians thought that vomiting might be usefull to a person in health. Dr Cullen was of this opinion but did not think it should be frequently repeated. I think however when a person is in perfect

550

Materia Medica

Cathartics

Sulphur. This is found native the product of volcanoes in Italy &c, there are numerous preparations in use but none are so usefull as the flor. Sulp. the doses of which is from 1, 2, 3, 4 Ʒ [drams]. Is the most mild and certain cathartic I know, its action being somewhat similar to alloes and is admirably adapted to cure habitual costiveness, opening the bowels without producing flatulence or leaving any disagreeable effect behind, it has been used by the Physicians of Germany in Dysentary; in colic attended with flatulence as in that preceding gout & rheumatism I have used with advantage. In cutaneous eruptions of all kinds both given internally and apply’d externally. Rosentein was in the habits of using it in expelled eruptions. In cronic it is certainly usefull by determining to the skin thus diverting the action, it has also been used with much advantage in catarrhs,* (footnote back 1 page) coughs, asthma, hooping cough, and Phthisis Pulmonalis, and from its great virtue in the last it obtained the name of anima pulmonum, but whether it deserves to rank so high or not I cannot say, but from its known power of exciting the cappilaries to a moderate diaphoresis I can readily immagine it may proove usefull. In intermittants it has long been used with great success in order to prevent the accession of the fit in the following formula.

Rx Flor. Sulp. Sublim Ʒij [2 drams] Proof Spirit ℥ifs [1½ ounce] M and drink Just