Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

600

Materia Medica

Emmenagogues

Polygala Seneka.(8) [footnote back 1 page] There is no medicine so general in its operation as this; To Dr Hartshorn we owe its introduction in Amenorrhagia, and my practice conferms the inestimable value of it, the medicine is used in powder or decoction, the last is far preferable and is made by boiling.

Rx Rad. Polygala Seneka ℥i [1 ounce] Aq. Font lbi [1 pound]

M and boil it to ⅓ if nauseous add orange peel or cinnamon, the dose of the decoction is ℥iv [4 ounces] in the course of the day, but when this is not sufficient to operate I have given ℥ij [2 ounces] every hour, always taking care to reduce excessive excitement by bloodletting, and to give tonics when too low. A case of Mania occurred in my practice not long since attended with suppression of the menses, in which every thing had been inefectually used, from my theory of the vast domain of the Uterus over the habit of body, I was induced to try the Polegala Seneka which I gave in the usual way for 5 weeks with little amendment. I then increased the dose to ℥i [1 ounce] every hour and in a day or two had the satisfaction to find the menstrual discharge produced after an absence of ten years, the medicine was now lessened but the symptoms again increasing, was again given to the extent of ℥i [1 ounce] every hour, in a short time a membrane resembling verry