(seq. 461)

454

Materia Medica

Sialagogues

is considered by some physicians as an important mode of practice.
Dr Clark of England found it verry usefull. I wish to impress
on your minds one rule, Viz. If the mercury does not produce good
effects in three or four days lay it asside as useless, or pernicious, for
it will probably undermine the strength of the patient and upon
the whole I think it a verry nice and difficult practice, and
I hope you will never follow it upon my recommendation
without recollecting the nicety and caution I have endeavored to
impress. Since using the Ipecac in dysentary I have not employ’d
the mercury so much as I formerly did, the calomel does not always
save the patient, and has many inconveniences, there is one
form of dysentary in which it is always combined with scurvey
in this mercury is always improper. I have given mercury to the extent
of 2 or 3 grs [grains] every 3 or 4 Hours, and always in combination with opium.
This is in immitation of Dr Clarks practice, but I have
gradually laid it aside. Mercury seems well adapted to some cases
of diarrhea particularly the chronic kind.

Hydrocephalus Internus. May be owing to a rupture of the Lymphatics of the
brain, it frequently commences with head ache, fever, and
lassitude, sometimes with squinting, costiveness, and vomiting, and