(seq. 163)

154

Materia Medica

Tonics

no bitters are stimulants this is an exception to the rule, it is
probably well suited with the Cinchona. Pringle used it in
the lower stage of malignant fevers, when accompanied with
stupor, low pulse &c, he sometimes gave it in wine but found
it best in substance, the dose was from ℈ij [2 scruples] to Ʒi [1 dram] Mr_ Who has
written an essay on the Plague of Moscow says that he gave it
when the patient was weak and in the last stage with much
advantage. Dr Hillary used it in the yellow
fever but not before the third day or untill the pulse began to
sink, in the sound stage the serpentaria is hurtfull, in cases
where the bark is improper from its tonic power. Dr_ a physician
living on the Hudson informed me that in 1749 and 1753 a
malignant fever raig’d in Bristol with pain in the side
sometimes with carbuncles and full pulse; yet it would not bear
venesection, one patient sunk so much from four ounces of blood
being taken that he scarcely recovered, he used the serpentaria
in the fever with great success, the tincture is a valuable
preparation

Rx
Rad. Serp. ℥iij [3 ounces]
Spt. Vin. Rect. lbij [2 pounds]

Digest and strain dose
from Ʒij [2 drams] to ℥fs [½ ounce]. Dr Sydenham used it with great efficacy in
Intermittants especially combined with bark.