Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

386

Materia Medica

Stimulants

raises the spirits and afterwards throws the person into a gentle sleep. Musk has been recommended in various diseases by Pringle in gout of the stomach, this practice has the testimony of various authors in its favour, and Cullen says he has relieved many patients by the use of musk in Tetanus, we might suppose it would be usefull and Dr Heberden has advantageously employ’d it in combination in this disease. Dr Owen of England relates a case of a young lady who was affected with a violent spasmodic disorder in which her head was drawn to her breast, after the failure of every other remidy she was cured by taking Ʒfs [½ dram] of Musk every four hours, he says as soon as the first dose was in her stomach the spasms began to abate, it is considered by the Chinise a valuable remidy for the hydraphobia they use it thus Rx Musk XVI grs. [16 grains] Cinnabar ℈i [1 scruple] M. fit. give this at one dose and if does not induce sleep in 3 hours repeat the dose, it has also been recommended in asthma Pertussis, Colica Pictonum, Subsultus Tendinum &c, accompanying low nervous fevers it has been found serviceable. Dr Cullen says it not only relieves these symptoms but it relieves the fever themselves. Mead gave it in Jail fever, it has also been used in Confluent Small Pox, Gangrene &c. It is frequently adulterated but its smell and

438

Materia Medica

Sialagogues

of acrimony has no taste or smell and is totally innert upon the human body except by its weight, it is said to have been for years in bones and flesh without producing any effect, but we must doubt these facts. I believe however under certain circumstances mercury is absorbed when taken into the stomach, it passes rapidly through the alimentary canal unalter'd and without producing any effect, in order to render mercury usefull it is requisite its form be changed and the mode of accomplishing it are various. Dr Cullen has confined them to four heads Viz Evaporation, calcination, trituration and union with acids, by agitating for some time pure mercury with water, the water becomes dark and finally black, and a preparation is furnished which possesses considerable power and might be usefull this water kills earth and tape worms in my opinion the oxide is formed by agitation, it has been denied that mercury is at all soluble in water, but it certainly communicates some of its properties to it. I think that in some degree it is soluble in it. In speaking of the different modes of exciting salivation, I must not forget that of exposing the subject to the fumes of cinnabar, by throwing it upon live coals, the fumes are apply’d to old venerial sores particularly those seated in the mouth and fauces, by inhaling the fumes, this is a most powerfull method of exciting salivation, sometimes producing

444

Materia Medica

Sialagogues

not think so highly of it. I have frequently employ’d it and am of opinion in one respect it is preferable to calomel, it is more manageable when children are affected with the venerial disease by their nurses or parents. I have employ’d it with more advantage than any other medicine. I rubbed it down with Gum Arabic and sugar and to prevent its purging I added laudanum. I begin with small doses exhibitted in milk increase gradually and continue sometime, it is more certain with such patients than calomel.

The Mercurias Cinerious of Dr Blacks has been much used, it is made by dissolving mercury in nitric acid and precipitating by means of ammoniac. I have never employ’d it but its reputation in Europe is great. Dr Saunders preparation is made by pouring on the precipitation above mentioned some spirits of Wine and setting it on fire, lately the Hydragyrum Phosphoratum Has been much praised and is said to be usefull in healing ulcers in a few days particularly when they are seated above the pudenda, it is very active and must be used with great caution for it excites vomiting in the dose of 1 grs [grain]. I have not not employ’d it, but it has been recommended to be exhibitted thus,

Rx Phosphate of Mercury grs iv [4 grains] Pulv Cinnab grs Xij [12 grains] M. fit. dose grs viij [8 grains],

borate of mercury is not used in this country. A mercurial soap has been employ’d