Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

326

Materia Medica

Stimulants

we be able to manage the disease in warm climates. In my own practice I have always used it in some form or other and never knew one case where it proved injurious. Indeed I do not think we can manage the disease without it. I know it has been said to be injurious from the astringent quality, but this is idle theory. Of lately I have used it with Epicac. but not quite in the shape of Dovers powders, this powder however is an excellent remidy, both in acute and cronic dysentary, in injections opium may be given liberally every two hours or more with barley water, mutton, broth &c in combination with Kino it is an excellent medicine.

Cholera. In cholera opium is an invaluable remidy some writers assert that it is first necessary to wash out the stomach by some diluent drinks. Opium should be administered with a liberal hand, in incipient cases we should give six or eight grains in twenty four hours, or even in half that time, but if we use synapisms a smaller quantity of opium will be sufficient.

Tetanus. I can say nothing from my own experience, writers differ essentially on this head, some of them have offered important arguments on this subject, others quite the contrary. Bergius says that it is an invaluable remidy, and an anonymous writer