Stearns, Samuel, 1747-1809. Medical notebook of Samuel Stearns, circa 1773. H MS b1.1, Countway Library of Medicine.

Consumption Nervous

A Nervous Atrophy or Phtisie is a wasting of the Body without any Remarkable Fever Cough or Difficulty of Breathing but is attended with want of Appetite a bad Digestion; whence the Whole Body grows languid, and is continually falling away At first the Body is edematous as it were Staffed with a Vapid Chyle. The Face looks pale and bloated and the Stomachs loaths every things but liquids The patient is obliged to keep his Bed sooner than the progress of the Decay of his Flesh seems to Require. the Colour of the Urine is uncertain but is generally very Red and small in Quantity. Sometimes it is Pale and Copious No Considerable Fever is discernable either by the Pulse, Heat or thirst, though the Urine is ever so Red. Violent Passions, spiritous liquors, unwholesome Air are the Cause of this Disease It is difficult to cure unless Proper Care is taken It Generally Carries the Patient off in a Dropsy Cure Chalybeates, Antiscorbutics, Cephalics and Bitters are proper Tinct. Sacc. Elix Aloes, Vin. alb. cum Bitters, Elix. Vit. Vin. Chalybeated. Spaw waters, Vin. amar s. Comm. drink Decoct. Absinth. Spt. C. C. Sal. Ammoniac. Empl. Stomach. to Umbillica

and Scrophulous

This is known by Glandulous Tumours in die Outward Part of the Body and from the Frequent Returns of Sore Eyes and the Itch. Some have Scrophulous Tubercles of the Lungs which are not apt to be inflamed and who live in a Consumptive Condition from their youth till their Old Age, and yet have a Constant Cough Day and Night and at all Seasons of the Year with a heaviness in the Breast and difficulty of Breathing, but without any Fever and yet without taking Cold, to which they are Obnoxious, they Expectorate plenty of Phlegm or Serous matter these may be cured by a good Air, in an Open Sunny place but frequently Changed together with a long use of Balsamics, Mercurials Mellepedes Chalybeates, Min. Waters and other Antiscrophulous Remedies a Milk Diet, Pectorals and Opiates are of Little Service unless when a Cold is newly caught A Decoct. Colts foot is good in the worst Cases.

Consumption from giving of suck

This is first known by a want of Appetite which is followed by a Decay of Strength and then by Hysteric disorders. When a Marasmus comes on 'tis Incurable

Let the Child be weaned as soon as the Appetite fails and let a Diet be used that is Nourishing and easy of Digestion, Exercise and taking the Air will be proper If there are Signs of Hectic Fever a Milk diet and Chalybeate waters is proper

Dr John Greens Medicine for a Common Consumption Rx. Rad. Solominis Sigile Rad. Consumption, Comfery Fol. Ros. Damask vel Red Rose buds White Weed Flowers Hypericum Oak è Jerusalem Colts foot Maple Lung Wort Borrage Brook liver Wort Noble liver Wort Meadow Plantain Red Stem'd Root & Seeds. Wild Cellindine Red Sage Poiny Roots Lac. Vacin. Qti x. Aq. Font Qts xv. Raine No xij Angle Worms lb. ss the sang. Bones & Entrails of a good sheep Destill 5 Qts in 24 hours

Rx Hypericum Cort. pin. alb. Flores White Weed Colts foot Sol. Seal Root Mel. & Sacch. alb. for Sweetning. this for Common Drink.

Scorbutic

This may be expected when there is a frequent Erruption of pimples like Herpes Miliaris, dispersed all over the Skin by a perpetual hawking up of Salt Phlegm especially in the Morning 'tis often attended with Ulcers and an Errosion of the Gums Give no Opiates unless the patient has caught a New Cold Mellis, Hydromel, Oxymell, gums and Balsams. The Balsamic pills are of great Service Pectorals should be blended with Antiscorbutics Such as water Cressas Brook lime, Tops of Firr, Ground Ivy, Roots of sharp pointed Dock and Male Piony these should be put into a Bagg and suspended in Beer or Ale for Common Drink A Milk Diet and Smoaking Tobacca are hurtfull in this ail

[same text as seq. 67]

Convulsions

The Membranes of the Brain are affected in the Epilepsy But in Convulsions the Membranes & Nerves of the Spinal Marrow are more Concerned nither are the Thumbs so contracted though the Limbs are much Convulsed. Cure Bleed if the pat. is plethoric. Rx. Decoct. Scorzonera Roots f. Constant Drink with Shaving of Harts horn or Whey or Selters Mineral Waters Pediluvia made of Wheat Bran Cham. in aq. Font. is proper at bed Time. and afterwards sweating should be promoted. If there is a Costiveness there must be Laxatives used & [Otly?] Glysters For a Male Child take from its Mothers Fore Finger three Drops of Blood and Disolve it in a tea spoonfull of Warm Water and Exhibit it and for a Female take the Blood from the fore finger of the Father. from Dr Heves of Providence Feb. 27th 1778.

Cordee

Bathe with warm Milk and with Emollient fomentations & with discutients Opiates are proper to Relieve the Spasms.

Cords Schirrhous of ye Penis

Ung. Merc. and Mercurial Cathartics.

Coryza or running of the Nose See Catarrh of the Nose

Laxatives Manna, Cassia, and Raisins are good in Cough, Spitting of Blood, Pleurisy, and Consumptions Arthritic Disorders Rheumatisms and Cutaineous foulnesses

Tamarinds Cream Tart. Essential Salts ob Nitrous Herbs, Sal. Polych. Stibiat. Nit. These are good in Burning Fevers and billious Constitutions and for those who live in hot Climates Because they restrain the Intestine Motion of the Sulphurous Parts of the Blood and Bile

Rhei and Aloes is good in Cachexy and all Cronic Diseases

Neutral Salts are good in the Hypochond. Belchings and Flatulencies

Mag. alb. should not be given only when there are Acids in the Stomach

Costiveness Ditto

Man. Cassia & Passalur Opperate by a Sweet Saline Stimulus

Tamarinds, Cream Tart. these Opperate with an Acid Salt which vellicates the Fibers

Aloes & Rhei These Opperate with a subtle Sulphurus earthy Salt

Nit. Borax. Sal Gem. Tart. Vit. these Opperate by a Neutral Salt.

Epsom Salt this Opperates by a bitterish calcarious Salt

Mag. Alb. This Opperates as a Calcarious Earth and being disolved by the Acids of the Prime Vie turns to a Stimulating neutral Salt. N. B. these Laxatives are good in Costiveness See under Coryza

& Wind in Children

Rx. Aq. Papav. errat. Fenicul. aa oz. ij. Occul. Canc dr. ij. Sapo. Venet. gr. vij Syr Ex alth. oz. js m. Magnesia alb. Ol. Anis. The Nurse must not feed upon any thing that is Sour or Acid