(seq. 599)

592

Materia Medica

Emmenagogues. That set of Medicines employ'd
with a view to bring on Catamenia when they have never
appeared, and to restore them when suspended, are called
Emmenagogues or Menagogues, it has been disputed whether such medicines
exist, but independent of all argument, my own experience has
proved to me that they are not an inconsiderable class producing
that effect, there are it is none which at all times specifically act
upon the Uterus, but there are many that frequently produce that
effect upon that organ. I have not time to consider this peculiar
function, said to be peculiar to the females of the Human family, but
this is not the case since there are some animals that menstruate, tho
not at so regular periods as the females of the Human race, this
is an interesting subject in a Physological point of view, but I
must pass it over for the reasons I just mentioned. In treating of
Emmenagogues and the employment it is necessary to keep in view
that by the retention of the menses we mean we understand a
stopping or irregular appearance after having flow’d at the
regular period. It is by no means certain that retention is the effect
of debility or atony; for I have known the periodical flow to
appear in languid and debilitated girls, and retention occur in