Colonial North America: Countway Library of Medicine

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Materia Medica

Cathartics

Magnesia. This is an earth and was used so long ago as the time of Count Desaline of Rome, but to the illustrious Dr Black we are indebted for its introduction into general use, in its fixed state it is a carbonate of Magnesia, and from this fact it was given with a view to produce a chimical decomposition and hence was exhibitted in acidities of the stomach, when given it should always be calcined to prevent the flatulence arising from its operation without calcination, in this form it is infinitely the best purgative we possess for the bowel complaints of children, combined with equal parts of sulphur it is a verry valuable cathartic, also to neutralize the acidity of the stomach in children at which time its secondary operation is to purge thereby remove the griping generally attendant upon acidity. When exhibited for this purpose the following is the best formula. Viz.

Rx Pulv. Rad. Rhoi grs VI [6 grains] Magnesia calcinat grs XX [20 grains] Oleum Anis gtt iv [4 drops] Laud Lig gtt ii [2 drops] Loaf Sugar Ʒi [1 dram] Aq. Font. ℥i [1 ounce]

M. Give one table spoonfull every two or three hours, in this way it operates verry mildly, and certainly.