(seq. 103)

94

Materia Medica

Astringents

would rather suppose it acts by astringent and tonic powers, it is
particularly usefull in old stages or cronic cases of this disease. Dr Mead
says in this hithertoo indescribable disease nothing more necessary
than to give the patient posset drink as much as his stomach
will bear twice a day. I have says tho Dr Followed this practice
fifty years and I never knew it fail. Darwin classes it with
the sorbentia in intermitting fevers. Dr Lind says that allum
combined with nutmeg is next to the peruvian Bark. Dr Chalmers
speaks highly of allum as a remidy in malignant fevers which
appeared in South Carolina. Dr Cullen used it but always found
it disagreeable to the stomach, it is difficult to account for
the operation of allum in Intermitting fevers probably it is
the same of the Peruvian Bark. Allum produces intestinal
absorption and thereby causes constipation though it sometimes purges.
I must now speak of its external application, it is used externally
and frequently with advantage as in gargles for the throat, Cullen
recommends it in Cynanche Tonsillaris to remove the sloughs
and correct the factor and Dr Darwin recommends it in
Tonsillitas, it has been used in opthalmics for some hundred years
and with great success in various forms as in solution, and cured.