(seq. 249)

240

Materia Medica

Tonics

care to have another brush and some water handy, to wash
it off when the patient complains of pain, and when the pain
ceases renew the application &c. Lunar Caustic has been used
to hasten the cicatrization of ulcers, and for this purpose
it has been found superior to every other remidy. Lunar Caustic
has been supposed to be the most powerfull antiseptic known,
in 1200 times its weight in water it will preserve meat many
years.

Dropsy.
Lunar Caustic has been highly
recommended in this disease but I have never employ’d it.

Epilepsy. This disease depends on two oposite causes
in some cases tonics are injurious in others beneficial, it
frequently happens that medicines loose their reputation by
sometimes prooving injurious in those diseases in which they have
been most extolled, the cort. peruv. does not always cure
intermittants, Digitalis does not always act as a diuretic,
if dependence could be placed on some facts we should
have no hesitation in saying that this medicine is sometimes
taken up by the lacteals and carried into the circulation. Dr_
gave to a patient lunar caustic untill it changed the colour of
his skin, it sometimes induce diarrhea at others I have