Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

532

Materia Medica

Cathartics

and less heating, with calomel it forms a most excellent purge, to an adult we may give ℈i [1 scruple] of Rhoi and 6 or 8 of calomel, to this purge I am verry much attached, it corrects verry considerably the factor of the feces, it is a bitter and therefore a tonic in some measure and does not debilitate the stomach, some writers say that it is not an astringent,* [footnote back 1 page] but it is evident so to the taste and best chemical tests; Some writers say it operates upon the liver and recommend it in Jaundice,** [footnote back 1 page] others speak of its anthelmintic powers, but it is not more of an anthelmintic than the cantherides, it is unquestionably absorbed into the circulation, and appears in the urine, perspiration, and serum of the blood.

Butternut. This grows verry plentifully in the United States and is a verry good cathartic, it is an extract from the inner bark that is employ’d for the purpose, when well prepared it is of a deep brownish color and sweetish taste and is one of the best cathartics that can be employ’d the dose is about 12 grs [grains] and sometimes from a ℈i [1 scruple] to Ʒfs [½ dram] which on the other hand I have known grs 5 [5 grains] to purge, it is not disposed to puke, this extract has been accused of producing disagreeable effects. I have discovered somewhat of an anodoyne quality in it, it is verry usefull in Dysentary, a decoction of it is given in the Yellow Water of the horse which