(seq. 607)

600

Materia Medica

Emmenagogues

Polygala Seneka.(8) [footnote back 1 page] There is no medicine so
general in its operation as this; To Dr Hartshorn we owe its
introduction in Amenorrhagia, and my practice conferms the inestimable
value of it, the medicine is used in powder or decoction, the last is far
preferable and is made by boiling.

Rx
Rad. Polygala Seneka ℥i [1 ounce]
Aq. Font lbi [1 pound]

M and boil it to ⅓ if nauseous add orange
peel or cinnamon, the dose of the
decoction is ℥iv [4 ounces] in the course of the day, but when this is not sufficient to
operate I have given ℥ij [2 ounces] every hour, always taking care to reduce excessive
excitement by bloodletting, and to give tonics when too low. A case
of Mania occurred in my practice not long since attended with
suppression of the menses, in which every thing had been inefectually
used, from my theory of the vast domain of the Uterus over the
habit of body, I was induced to try the Polegala Seneka which
I gave in the usual way for 5 weeks with little amendment. I then
increased the dose to ℥i [1 ounce] every hour and in a day or two had the
satisfaction to find the menstrual discharge produced after an
absence of ten years, the medicine was now lessened but the
symptoms again increasing, was again given to the extent of
℥i [1 ounce] every hour, in a short time a membrane resembling verry