Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

230

Materia Medica

Tonics

from this circumstance we may account for their health, they also wash their bodies two or three times a week, and thus the disease is prevented = copper exerts its deleterious effects on animals as well as man = as dogs, horses &c. But not so evidently on birds they prefer it to pure water which may be proved by placing two pans in a yard where there are fowls, in one pan shall be pure water in the other an impregnation of copper and they will give the preference to the latter, this substance has never been used in a pure metallic state as a medicine, but I have reason to believe it might be employ’d with considerable advantage, the introduction of copper into practice is of verry antient [ancient] date as far back as the time of Hypocrates.

Acetate of Copper or Verdigris. This is formed by the use of vegitable acids and copper, it is both an astringent and escharotic it has proved usefull when given internally this is more commonly used in malignant ulcers externally, it is used internally with great advantage in such cases of venerial Ulcers as where the bones are affected. By some authors it has been recommended in gleet. Bells formula is grs iij to ℥ij [3 grains to 2 ounces] Ol. Olivar. well rubbed together and used as an injection = I have never used it for I think it too

486

Materia Medica

Emetics

to the exhibition of bark, in the intervals between the paroxysms has been a verry common practice and perhaps too much so, bark may generally be given without preparations of any kind, but when any evacuations are necessary purges are preferable to emetics, the latter are however sometimes necessary for the cure of fever, in some climates they may be given more freely than in some others, in hot more than in cold climates. The maxim of Hypocrates was emetics in Summer and cathartics in Winter, it is a disputable point among the Physicians whether emetics are proper when there is a determination of blood to the brain, Sydenham advises bleeding before emetics when this is the case, this even might be made a general rule. It is probably that emetics are not so dangerous when there is a determination of blood to the brain as has been supposed, the vomiting at sea never kills although it is generally verry violent. Some physicians disregard the opinion of Sydenham so much as to give emetics in Epilepsy just before the expected paroxysm. I have given them myself with great advantage. Dr Fothergill says the Epilepsy is symptomatic of the state of the stomach and therefore he considers emetic medicines proper on those occasions. Emetic medicines have been recommended in Hydrocephalic Fevers, and also in Cephalic Ones.

538

Materia Medica

Cathartics

be combined with calomel,

Rx Podaph. Pelt. X or Xij grs [10 or 12 grains] Calomel iv or vi grs. [4 or 6 grains]

M. this is a dose for an adult. I have sometimes combined it with Crem Tart, but this combination induces griping, it is an article much adapted to the intermittant and remittants of our country to prepare the system for the exhibition of the bark. I have been informed by Physicians that they have cured intermittant fevers by it alone. I have recommended it to some who did not succeed with it because it was taken up in the spring when it should have been taken up in the autumn when the fruit is esculent and ripe and the leaves yellow and perfectly withered, the flowers of this plant is of a cream white, the fruit when ripe is yellow and the root grows horizontally, the whole of the root is used.

Hellebore. The helleborus Niger spontaneously grows on the mountains in Germany, but not in the United States the root of it is cathartic in the dose of from grs X to Ʒfs [10 grains to ½ dram] for an adult the purgative quality seems to reside in the resinous parts, this is a more powerfull cathartic than many I have yet mentioned, but still it is not verry violent the antients [ancients] thought it well adapted to cases of Melancholy from Atrabites and other diseases of the mind, and this practice is still pursued by some Physicians of our time, it is the article so much spoken of by Hypocrates and Galen.

578

Materia Medica

Diuretics

been used to advantage in several cases of Dropsy, it is often Diuretic and increase the effect of the fox glove.

Cynara. Or Artichoke. The root of this is much employ’d in England as a Diuretic, and it is praised by Dr Cullen. Dr Wilson of England has lately published a treatise on it. I have not used it myself therefore can say nothing from experience.

Helliborus Niger. I have already spoken of it under another head, but it is also an excellent Diuretic. Dr Turner says they have often done good in Dropsies.

Gamboge. This is often used as a purge in Dropsies, and it also stimulates the kidneys.

Siliquosa. The whole of the plants are given as Diuretics in Dropsies.

Alliaciae. All of these are Diuretics and they appear in the urine.

Coniferae. These are also recommended and used as Diuretics,

from the Animal Kingdom we obtain two Diuretics, the first is Cantharides these have been used as Diuretics both in substance and in tincture. Hypocrates employ’d in substance, the Tincture is made by macerating together

Ʒij [2 drams] Canth. Cocchinel Ʒfs [½ dram] Spt. Vin. Rect. lbi [1 pound].

Dr Chalmers employ’d cantharides to great

626

Materia Medica

Blisters. I regret exceedingly that I must pass over this so hastily, for few subjects deserve more your attention, they evince in a verry striking manner the power of medicine over the constitution. The history of cantharides as an external application deserves notice, but the limits of our time will not permit us to enter particularly on it, it is sufficient to state that blisters were employ’d in antient [ancient] times among the Greeks and Romans, they were used by Hypocrates but the fly that they employ’d was not the same as ours, tho of the same species. I presume it is hardly necessary for me to mention the method of making Blisters of Cantharides. Sometimes the ointment and cantharides are mixed together before spreading them, but the most common way is spreading basilicon on leather then strew on the powder of cantharides, sometimes the flies are put into a bag of muslin and apply'd to the skin which must be previously wetted, this acts verry well and is convenient, as it may be employ’d repeatedly, in speaking of the diseases in which blisters may be employ’d for the reasons above given, I must be brief and not methodical.

Pneumonia. Their employment is known and unversally agreed to by all Physicians, but they are seldom used in the