(seq. 329)

320

Materia Medica

Stimulants

be taken boiled in milk and 2 or 3 Ʒ [drams] of the ginger to be taken
in twenty four hours. I prefer it diffused in warm water and
in this manner with small doses of opium I have given ℥i [1 ounce] in the
twenty four hours.

Hermicrania. Opium is often a
verry excellent remidy especially when combined with the bark,
this often a disease of the gouty kind.

Sick Headache. Is I think a form of gout this frequently goes of in
(the form of gout) with diarrhea, vomiting, flushing of the soles
of the feet, and coldness. It is often removed by Laudanum in a
cup of strong coffee, it is common with delicate females.

Measles. Opium cannot be given with propriety, and I
think much mischief has been done by too liberal use of it in this
disease. Dr Sydenham gave it more freely than we can in common
cases, and I suppose the cases that came under his notice were less
inflamitory than those that came under our notice in this country.
Opiates are however necessary with us and I think the brown
mixture answers verry well, the following is the composition

Rx
Elixir Paregoric ℥i [1 ounce]
Extract Liquorice ℥ij [2 ounces]
Gum Arabic ℥ij [2 ounces]
from 50 to 150 gtt. [drops] Vin. Antim.

to be given in the quantity of a spoonfull
every four hours.

Small Pox. Of the use of opium in