,illustration3 ,,medicinal ,,dynameter ,,and ,,scale ,,of ,,equivalents4 ,engraved for the ,second ,american ,edition of ,paris's ,pharmacologia4 ,,explanation4 ,this ,instrument will shew on bare inspection1 the quantity of active matter contained in any given weight or measure 7according as it is solid or liquid7 of any ,officinal compound1 and the dose of any preparation which will be equivalent in strength to any given quantity of any other of the same class4 ,the active principles1 or ,medicinal ,bases1 are distinguished by capital letters1 placed in coloured squares2 and each ,officinal ,preparation is marked by a line corresponding in colour with that of its active ingredient4 ,if we require the quantity of active matter in any given dose of an ,officinal ,preparation1 we have only to bring such preparation to the number in question and the figure opposite the active ingredient answers the question1 while those opposite to the other compounds of the same class denote the equivalent quantities4 ,unless otherwise expressed1 the figures denote ,grains for the solids1 and ,minim for the liquids4 ,,pharmacologia4 ,,fourth ,,american1 ,,from ,,the ,,seventh ,,london ,,edition4 ,,by ,j4 ,a4 ,,paris1 ,m4,d4 ,f4,r4,s4 ,f4,l4,s4 ,,fellow ,,of ,,the ,,royal ,,college ,,of ,,physicians ,,of ,,london1 ,,etc41 ,,etc41 ,,etc4 ,quis ,pharmacopo dabit leges1 ignarus ipse agendorum8--,vis profecto dici potest1 quantum hc ignorantia rei medic inferat detrimentum4 ,,gaub3 ,,method3 ,,concinn3 ,,formul4 ,,with ,,notes ,,and ,,additions1 ,,by ,,john ,b4 ,,beck1 ,m4,d4 ,,professor ,,of ,,materia ,,medica ,,and ,,medical ,,jurisprudence ,,in ,,the ,,university ,,of ,,the ,,state ,,of ,,new-,,york1 ,,corresponding ,,member ,,of ,,the ,,medical ,,society ,,of ,,london1 ,c41 ,c4 ,,new-,,york3 ,w4 ,e4 ,,dean1 ,,printer4 ,,collins ,,and ,,hannay1 ,,collins ,,and ,,co41 ,,and ,,white1 ,,gallaher ,,and ,,white4 #ahca4 ,entered according to the ,act of ,congress1 in the year ,one ,thousand ,eight ,hundred and ,thirty-one1 by ,w4 ,e4 ,dean1 in the ,clerk's ,office of the ,southern ,district of ,new-,york4 ,,to ,,william ,,george ,,maton1 ,m4,d4 ,f4,r4,s4 ,,fellow ,,of ,,the ,,royal ,,college ,,of ,,physicians1 ,,vice-,,president ,,of ,,the ,,linn,,an ,,society1 c41 c41 c4 ,,my ,,dear ,,sir1 ,there is not an individual in the whole circle of the profession1 to whom ,i could with greater satisfaction1 or with so much propriety1 dedicate this work1 as to yourself4 ,ardent and zealous in the advancement of our science1 you must deeply deplore the prejudices that retard its progress2--eminently enlightened in ,natural ,history1 you can justly appreciate the importance of its applications to ,medicine2 while your well known earnestness in upholding the dignity1 and in encouraging the legitimate exercise of our profession1 marks you as the most proper patron of a work1 the aim of which is to extinguish the false lights of empiricism1 and to substitute a steady beacon on the solid and permanent basis of truth and science3 at the same time1 the extensive practice which your talents and urbanity so justly command in this metropolis1 must long since have taught you the full extent of that empiricism which it has been my endeavour to expose1 and the practical mischief of that ignorance which it has been my object to enlighten4 ,nor let me omit to mention the claims of that friendship which has for many years subsisted between us2 be assured that ,i am gratefully sensible of those personal obligations which so fully justify this public avowal of them2 confidently trusting that you will not measure the gratitude which your kindness has inspired1 by the merits of the offering by which it is acknowledged1 but rather by the truth and sincerity of the ,dedication1 by which ,i am enabled to express ,my respect for your talents2 esteem for your virtues2 and wishes for your happiness2 ,,john ,,ayrton ,,paris4 ,dover-street1 ,april1 #ahbi4 ,,to ,,the ,,students ,,of ,,the ,,college ,,of ,,physicians ,,and ,,surgeons ,,in ,,the ,,city ,,of ,,new-,,york1 ,,the ,,present ,,edition ,,of ,,this ,,work ,,is ,,respectfully ,,dedicated1 ,,by ,,their ,,friend ,,and ,,instructor1 ,,the ,,editor4 ,,contents ,,preface4 ,,historical ,,introduction4 ,,pharmacologia4 ,,on ,,the ,,operations ,,of ,,medicinal ,,bodies1 ,,and ,,on ,,the ,,classifications ,,founded ,,on ,,them4 ,,on ,,the ,,theory ,,and ,,art ,,of ,,prescribing4 ,a ,,collection ,,of ,,formul ,,intended ,,to ,,illustrate ,,the ,,foregoing ,,precepts1 and to furnish the inexperienced ,prescriber ,,with ,a ,,series ,,of ,,useful ,,and ,,instructive ,,lessons4 ,a ,,synopsis ,,of ,,the ,principles of ,combination1 ,,as ,,investigated ,,in ,,the ,,preceding ,,pages1 ,,arranged ,,in ,a ,,tabular ,,form ,,so ,,as ,,to ,,afford ,,the ,,student ,,an ,,easy ,,reference ,,to ,,the ,,key ,,letters4 ,,of ,,the ,,medicinal ,,dynameter4 ,,pharmacologia4 ,,index4 ,,index ,,to ,,the ,,patent ,,medicines1 ,,and ,,nostrums1 ,,described ,,in ,,this ,,work4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,preface4 ,the ,public are already in possession of many pharmaceutical compendiums and epitomes of plausible pretensions1 composed with the view of directing the practice of the junior1 and of relieving the occasional embarrassments of the more experienced practitioner4 ,nothing is farther from my intention than to disparage their several merits1 or to question their claims to professional utility2 but in truth and justice it must be confessed that1 as far as these works relate to the art of composing scientific prescriptions1 their authors have not escaped the too common error of supposing that the reader is already grounded in the first principles of the science2 or1 to borrow the figurative illustration of a popular writer1 that while they are in the ship of science1 they forget the disciple cannot arrive without a boat4 ,i am not acquainted with any book that is calculated to furnish such assistance1 or which professes to teach the ,,grammar1 and ground-work of this important branch of medical knowledge4 ,numerous are the works which present us with the detail1 but no one with the philosophy of the subject4 ,we have copious catalogues of formal recipes1 and many of unexceptionable propriety1 but the compilers do not venture to discuss the principles upon which they were constructed1 nor do they explain the part which each ingredient is supposed to perform in the general scheme of the formula2 they cannot therefore lead to any useful generalization1 and the young practitioner1 without a beacon that can direct his course in safety1 is abandoned to the alternative of two great evils--a feeble and servile routine1 on one hand1 or a wild and lawless empiricism1 on the other4 ,the present volume is an attempt to supply this deficiency3 and while ,i am anxious to #8catch the ideas which lead from ignorance to knowledge1' it is not without hope that ,i may also be able to suggest the means by which our already acquired knowledge may be more widely and usefully extended2 and1 by offering a collective and arranged view of the objects and resources of medicinal combination1 to establish its practice upon the basis of science1 and thereby to render its future career of improvement progressive with that of the other branches of medicine2 or1 to follow up the figurative illustration already introduced1 to furnish a boat1 which may not only convey the disciple to the ship1 but which may also assist in piloting the ship herself from her shallow and treacherous moorings4 ,that the design however of the present work may not be mistaken1 it is essential to remark that it is elementary only in reference to the art of prescribing1 for it is presumed that the student is already acquainted with the common manipulations of pharmacy1 and with the first principles of chemistry4 ,when any allusions are made to the processes of the ,pharmacopia1 they are to be understood as being only supplementary1 or as explanatory of their nature1 in reference to the application or medicinal powers of the substance in question4 ,the term ,,pharmacologia1 as applied to the present work1 may therefore be considered as contradistinctive to that of ,,pharmacop,,ia2 for while the latter denotes the processes for preparing1 the former comprehends the scientific methods of administering medicinal bodies1 and explains the objects and theory of their operation4 ,the articles of the ,materia ,medica have been arranged in alphabetical order1 not only as being that best calculated for reference1 but one which1 in an elementary work at least1 is less likely to mislead1 than any arrangement founded on their medicinal powers2 for in consequence of the difficulty of discriminating in every case between the primary and secondary effects of a medicine1 substances very dissimilar in their nature1 have been enlisted into the same artificial group1 and when several of such bodies have1 from a reliance upon their unity of action1 been associated together in a medicinal mixture1 it has often happened that1 like the armed men of ,cadmus1 they have opposed and destroyed each other4 ,the object and application of the black marginal letters1 to which the name of ,key ,letters has been given1 are fully explained in the ,first ,part of the work1 and it is hoped1 that the scheme possesses a more substantial claim to notice than that of mere novelty3 it will be perceived that in the enumeration of the officinal formul these letters are also occasionally introduced1 to express the manner in which the particular substance1 under the head of which it stands1 operates in the combination4 ,if any apology be necessary for the introduction of the medicinal formul1 it may be offered in the words of ,quintillian1 who very justly observes1 8,in omnibus fere minus valent prcepta quam exempla20 or in the language of ,seneca2 8,longum est iter per prcepta1 breve et efficax per exempla40 ,under the history of each article1 ,i have endeavoured to concentrate all that is required to be known for its efficacious administration1 such as1 #a4 ,its sensible qualities4 #b4 ,its chemical composition1 or the constituents in which its medicinal activity resides4 #c4 ,its relative solubility in different menstrua1 and the proportions in which it should be mixed1 or combined with different bodies1 in order to produce suspension1 or saturation4 #d4 ,the ,incompatible ,substances2 that is to say1 those substances which are capable of destroying its properties1 or of rendering its flavour or aspect unpleasant or disgusting4 #e4 ,the most eligible forms in which it can be exhibited4 #f4 ,its specific doses4 #g4 ,its ,medicinal ,uses1 and ,effects4 #h4 ,its ,preparations1 ,officinal as well as ,extemporaneous4 #i4 ,its ,adulterations4 ,that such information is indispensible for the elegant and successful exhibition of a remedy1 must be sufficiently apparent2 the injurious changes and modifications which substances undergo when they are improperly combined by the ignorant practitioner1 are not as some have supposed imaginary1 the mere deliramenta doctrin1 or the whimsical suggestions of theoretical refinement1 but they are really such as to render their powers unavailing1 or to impart a dangerous violence to their operation4 8,unda dabit flammas et dabit ignis aquas40 ,in the history of the different medicinal preparations1 the pharmacopia of the ,london ,college is the standard to which ,i have always referred1 although it will be perceived that ,i have frequently availed myself of the resources with which the pharmacopias of ,edinburgh and ,dublin abound4 ,to a knowledge of the numerous adulterations to which each article is so shamefully exposed1 too much importance can be scarcely attached2 and under this palpable source of medicinal fallacy and failure1 may be fairly included those secret and illegitimate deviations from the acknowledged modes of preparation1 as laid down in the pharmacopia1 whether practised as expedients to obtain a lucrative notoriety1 or from a conceit of their being improvements upon the ordinary processes2 for instance1 we have lately heard of a wholesale chemist who professes to supply a syrup of roses of very superior beauty1 and who1 for this purpose1 substitutes the petals of the red 7rosa gallica7 for those of the damask rose 7rosa centifolia72 we need not be told1 that a preparation of a more exquisite colour may be thus afforded1 but allow me to ask if this underhanded substitution be not a manifest act of injustice to the medical practitioner1 who1 instead of a laxative syrup1 receives one which is marked by the opposite character of astringency4 ,these observations will not apply1 of course1 to those articles which are avowedly prepared by a new process2 for in that case the practitioner is enabled to make his election1 and either to adopt or refuse them at his discretion4 ,thus has ,mr4 ,barry applied his ingenious patent apparatus for boiling in vacuo1 to the purpose of making ,extracts2 we might almost say a priori1 that the results must be more active than those obtained in the ordinary way1 but they must pass the ordeal of experience before they can be admitted into practice4 ,as a brief notice of the most notorious ,quack ,medicines may be acceptable1 the formul for their preparation have been appended in notes1 each being placed at the foot of the particular article which constitutes its prominent ingredient2 indeed it is essential that the practitioner should be acquainted with their composition1 for although he would refuse to superintend the operation of a boasted panacea1 it is but too probable that he may be called upon to counteract its baleful influence4 ,the ,historical ,introduction1 comprehending the substance of the lectures delivered before the ,royal ,college of ,physicians of ,london1 from the recently established chair of ,materia ,medica1 has been prefixed to the work1 at the desire of several of the auditors2 and ,i confess my readiness to comply with this request1 as it enabled me at once to obviate any misconception or unjust representation of those remarks which ,i felt it my bounden duty to offer to the ,college4 ,it will be observed that the work itself is divided into two separate and very distinct parts1 the ,first comprehending the principles of the art of combination1--the ,second1 the medicinal history1 and chemical habitudes of the bodies which are the subjects of such combination4 ,these comprise every legitimate source of instruction1 and to the young and industrious student1 they are at once the ,,loom and the ,,raw ,,material4 ,let him therefore abandon those flimsy and ill-adapted textures1 that are kept ready fabricated for the service of ignorance and indolence1 and by actuating the machinery himself1 weave the materials with which he is here presented into the forms and objects that may best fulfil his intentions1 and meet the various exigencies of each particular occasion4 ,j4 ,a4 ,p4 ,dover-street1 ,january1 #ahbj4 ,,historical ,,introduction4 ,,comprehending ,,the ,,substance ,,of ,,several ,,lectures ,,delivered ,,by ,,the ,,author ,,before ,,the ,,royal ,,college ,,of ,,physicians1 ,,from ,,the ,,chair ,,of ,,materia ,,medica1 ,in the ,years #ahai-bj and #ba4 8,it has been very justly observed that there is a certain maturity of the human mind acquired from generation to generation1 in the ,,mass1 as there is in the different stages of life in the ,,individual man2--,what is history when thus philosophically studied1 but the faithful record of this progress8 pointing out for our instruction the various causes which have retarded or accelerated it in different ages and countries40 ,historical ,introduction1 p4 #d4 ,,historical ,,introduction4 ,,an ,,analytical ,,inquiry ,,into ,,the ,,more ,,remarkable ,,causes ,,which ,,have1 ,,in ,,different ,,ages ,,and ,,countries1 ,,operated ,,in ,,producing ,,the ,,revolutions ,,that ,,characterise ,,the ,,history ,,of ,,medicinal ,,substances4 8,historia quoquo modo scripta delectat40 ,before ,i proceed to discuss the particular views which ,i am prepared to submit to the ,college1 on the important but obscure subject of medicinal combination1 ,i propose to take a sweeping and rapid sketch of the different moral and physical causes which have operated in producing the extraordinary vicissitudes1 so eminently characteristic of the history of ,materia ,medica4 ,such an introduction is naturally suggested by the first glance at the extensive and motly assemblage of substances with which our cabinets#a are overwhelmed4 ,it is impossible to cast our eyes over such multiplied groups1 without being forcibly struck with the palpable absurdity of some--the total want of activity in many--and the uncertain and precarious reputation of all--or1 without feeling an eager curiosity to enquire1 from the combination of what causes it can have happened1 that substances1 at one period in the highest esteem1 and of generally acknowledged utility1 have fallen into total neglect and disrepute2--why others1 of humble pretensions and little significance1 have maintained their ground for so many centuries2 and on what account1 materials of no energy whatever1 have received the indisputable sanction and unqualified support of the best and wisest practitioners of the age4 ,that such fluctuations in opinion and versatility in practice should have produced1 even in the most candid and learned observers1 an unfavourable impression with regard to the general efficacy of medicines1 can hardly excite our astonishment1 much less our indignation2 nor can we be surprised to find1 that another portion of mankind has at once arraigned ,physic as a fallacious art1 or derided it as a composition of error and fraud4#b ,they ask--and it must be confessed that they ask with reason--what pledge can be afforded them1 that the boasted remedies of the present day will not1 like their predecessors1 fall into disrepute1 and in their turn serve only as humiliating memorials of the credulity and infatuation of the physicians who commended and prescribed them8 ,there is surely no question connected with our subject which can be more interesting and important1 no one which requires a more cool and dispassionate inquiry1 and certainly not any which can be more appropriate for a lecture1 introductory to the history of ,materia ,medica4 ,i shall therefore proceed to examine with some attention the revolutions which have thus taken place in the opinions and belief of mankind1 with regard to the efficacy and powers of different medicinal agents2 such an inquiry1 by referring them to causes capable of a philosophical investigation1 is calculated to remove many of the unjust prejudices which have been excited1 to quiet the doubts and alarms which have been so industriously propagated1 and1 at the same time1 to obviate the recurrence of several sources of error and disappointment4 ,this moral view of events1 without any regard to chronological minuti1 may be denominated the ,,philosophy ,,of ,,history1 and should be carefully distinguished from that technical and barren erudition1 which consists in a mere knowledge of names and dates1 and which is perused by the medical student with as much apathy1 and as little profit1 as the monk counts his bead-roll4 ,it has been very justly observed1 that there is a certain maturity of the human mind1 acquired from generation to generation1 in the mass1 as there is in the different stages of life1 in the individual man2 what is history1 when thus philosophically studied1 but the faithful record of this progress8 pointing out for our instruction the various causes which have retarded or accelerated it in different ages and countries4 ,in tracing the history of the ,materia ,medica to its earliest periods1 we shall find that its progress towards its present advanced state1 has been very slow and unequal1 very unlike the steady and successive improvement which has attended other branches of natural knowledge2 we shall perceive even that its advancement has been continually arrested1 and often entirely subverted1 by the caprices1 prejudices1 superstitions1 and knavery of mankind2 unlike too the other branches of science1 it is incapable of successful generalization2 in the progress of the history of remedies1 when are we able to produce a discovery or improvement1 which has been the result of that happy combination of ,observation1 ,analogy1 and ,experiment1#c which has so eminently rewarded the labours of modern science8 ,thus1 ,,observation led ,newton to discover that the refractive power of transparent substances was1 in general1 in the ratio of their density1 but that1 of substances of equal density1 those which possessed the refractive power in a higher degree were inflammable4#d ,,analogy induced him to conclude that1 on this account1 water must contain an inflammable principle1 and ,,experiment enabled ,cavendish and ,lavoisier to demonstrate the surprising truth of ,newton's induction1 in their immortal discovery of the chemical composition of that fluid4 ,the history of ,astronomy furnishes another illustration equally beautiful and instructive1--,the ,astronomer observed certain oscillations in the motions of ,saturn and ,jupiter2 by ,analogy he conjectured that this phenomenon was produced by the influence of a planet still more remote3 a supposition which was happily confirmed by a telescopic experiment1 in the discovery of ,uranus1 by ,herschel4 ,but it is clear that such principles of research1 and combination of methods1 can rarely be applied in the investigation of remedies1 for every problem which involves the phenomena of life is unavoidably embarrassed by circumstances1 so complicated in their nature1 and fluctuating in their operation1 as to set at defiance every attempt to appreciate their influence2 thus an observation or experiment upon the effects of a medicine is liable to a thousand fallacies1 unless it be carefully repeated under the various circumstances of health and disease1 in different climates1 and on different constitutions4 ,we all know how very differently opium1 or mercury1 will act upon different individuals1 or even upon the same individual1 at different times1 or under different circumstances2 the effect of a stimulant upon the living body is not in the ratio of the intensity of its impulse1 but in proportion to the degree of excitement1 or vital susceptibility of the individual1 to whom it is applied4 ,this is illustrated in a clear and familiar manner1 by the very different sensations of heat which the same temperature will produce under different circumstances4 ,in the road over the ,andes1 at about half way between the foot and the summit1 there is a cottage in which the ascending and descending travellers meet2 the former1 who have just quitted the sultry vallies at the base1 are so relaxed1 that the sudden diminution of temperature produces in them the feeling of intense cold1 whilst the latter1 who have left the frozen summits of the mountain1 are overcome by the distressing sensation of extreme heat4 ,but we need not climb the ,andes for an illustration2 if we plunge one hand into a basin of hot1 and the other into one of cold water1 and then mix the contents of each vessel1 and replace both hands in the mixture1 we shall experience the sensation of heat and cold1 from one and the same medium2 the hand1 that had been previously in the hot1 will feel cold1 whilst that which had been immersed in the cold water1 will experience a sensation of heat4 ,upon the same principle1 ardent spirits will produce very opposite effects upon different constitutions and temperaments1 and we are thus enabled to reconcile the conflicting testimonies respecting the powers of opium in the cure of fever3 aliments1 also1 which under ordinary circumstances would occasion but little effect1 may in certain conditions of the system1 act as powerful stimulants2 a fact which is well exemplified by the history of persons who have been enclosed in coal mines for several days without food1 from the accidental falling in of the surrounding strata1 when they have been as much intoxicated by a basin of broth1 as a person1 in common circumstances1 would have been by two or more bottles of wine4#e ,many instances will suggest themselves to the practitioner in farther illustration of these views1 and ,i shall have occasion to recur to the subject at a future period4 ,to such causes we must attribute the barren labours of the ancient empirics1 who saw without discerning1 administered without discriminating1 and concluded without reasoning2 nor should we be surprised at the very imperfect state of the materia medica1 as far as it depends upon what is commonly called experience1 complicated as this subject is by its numberless relations with ,physiology1 ,pathology1 and ,chemistry4 ,john ,ray attempted to enumerate the virtues of plants from experience1 and the system serves only to commemorate his failure4 ,vogel likewise professed to assign to substances1 those powers which had been learnt from accumulated experience2 and he speaks of roasted toad#f as a specific for the pains of gout1 and asserts that a person may secure himself for the whole year from angina by eating a roasted swallow6 ,such must ever be the case1 when medicines derive their origin from false experience1 and their reputation from blind credulity4 ,,analogy has undoubtedly been a powerful instrument in the improvement1 extension1 and correction of the materia medica1 but it has been chiefly confined to modern times2 for in the earlier ages1 ,chemistry had not so far unfolded the composition of bodies1 as to furnish any just idea of their relations to each other1 nor had the science of ,botany taught us the value and importance of the natural affinities which exist in the vegetable kingdom4 ,with respect to the fallacies to which such analogies are exposed1 ,i shall hereafter speak at some length1 and examine the pretensions of those ultra chemists of the present day who have upon every occasion arraigned1 at their self-constituted tribunal1 the propriety of our medicinal combinations1 and the validity of our national pharmacopias4 ,in addition to the obstacles already enumerated1 the progress of our knowledge respecting the virtues of medicines has met with others of a moral character1 which have deprived us in a great degree of another obvious method of research1 and rendered our dependance upon testimony uncertain1 and often entirely fallacious4 ,the human understanding1 as ,lord ,bacon justly remarks1 is not a mere faculty of apprehension1 but is affected1 more or less1 by the will and the passions2 what man wishes to be true1 that he too easily believes to be so1 and ,i conceive that physic has1 of all the sciences1 the least pretensions to proclaim itself independent of the empire of the passions4 ,in our researches to discover and fix the period when remedies were first applied for the alleviation of bodily suffering1 we are soon lost in conjecture1 or involved in fable2 we are unable to reach the period in any country1 when the inhabitants were destitute of medical resources1 and we find among the most uncultivated tribes1 that medicine is cherished as a blessing and practised as an art1 as by the inhabitants of ,new ,holland and ,new ,zealand1 by those of ,lapland and ,greenland1 of ,north ,america1 and of the interior of ,africa4 ,the personal feelings of the sufferer1 and the anxiety of those about him1 must1 in the rudest state of society1 have incited a spirit of industry and research to procure alleviation1 the modification of heat and cold1 of moisture and dryness1 and the regulation and change of diet and habit1 must have intuitively suggested themselves for the relief of pain2#g and when these resources failed1 charms1 amulets1 and incantations1#h were the natural expedients of the barbarian1 ever more inclined to indulge the delusive hope of superstition1 than to listen to the voice of sober reason4 ,traces of amulets may be discovered in very early history4 ,the learned ,dr4 ,warburton is evidently mistaken1 when he assigns the origin of these magical instruments to the age of the ,ptolemies1 which was not more than #cjj years before ,christ2 this is at once refuted by the testimony of ,galen1 who tells us that the ,egyptian king1 ,nechepsus1 who lived #fcj years before the ,christian era1 had written1 that a green jasper cut into the form of a dragon surrounded with rays1 if applied externally1 would strengthen the stomach and organs of digestion4#i ,we have moreover the authority of the ,scriptures in support of this opinion2 for what were the ear-rings which ,jacob buried under the oak of ,sechem1 as related in ,genesis1 but amulets8 and we are informed by ,josephus1 in his ,antiquities of the ,jews1#aj that ,solomon discovered a plant efficacious in the cure of ,epilepsy1 and that he employed the aid of a charm or spell for the purpose of assisting its virtues2 the root of the herb was concealed in a ring1 which was applied to the nostrils of the ,demoniac1 and ,josephus remarks that he himself saw a ,jewish ,priest practise the art of ,solomon with complete success in the presence of ,vespasian1 his sons1 and the tribunes of the ,roman army4#aa ,nor were such means confined to dark and barbarous ages2 ,theophrastus pronounced ,pericles to be insane1 because he discovered that he wore an amulet about his neck2 and1 in the declining ra of the ,roman empire1 we find that this superstitious custom was so general1 that the ,emperor ,caracalla was induced to make a public edict ordaining that no man should wear any superstitious amulets about his person4 ,in the progress of civilization1 various fortuitous incidents1#ab and even errors in the choice and preparation of aliments1 must have gradually unfolded the remedial powers of many natural substances2 these were recorded1 and the authentic history of medicine may date its commencement from the period when such records began4 ,the ,chaldeans and ,babylonians1 we are told by ,herodotus1 carried their sick to the public roads and markets1 that travellers might converse with them1 and communicate any remedies which had been successfully used in similar cases2 this custom continued during many ages in ,assyria2 and ,strabo states that it prevailed also amongst the ancient ,lusitanians1 or ,portuguese3 in this manner1 however1 the results of experience descended only by oral tradition2 it was in the temple of ,esculapius in ,greece that medical information was first recorded2 diseases and cures were there registered on durable tablets of marble2 the priests#ac and priestesses1 who were the guardians of the temple1 prepared the remedies and directed their application1 and thus commenced the profession of ,physic4 ,with respect to the actual nature of these remedies1 it is useless to inquire2 the lapse of ages1 loss of records1 change of language1 and ambiguity of description1 have rendered every learned research unsatisfactory2 indeed we are in doubt with regard to many of the medicines which even ,hippocrates employed4 ,it is however clearly shewn by the earliest records1 that the ancients were in the possession of many powerful remedies2 thus ,melampus of ,argos1 the most ancient ,greek physician with whom we are acquainted1 is said to have cured one of the ,argonauts of sterility1 by administering the rust of iron in wine for ten days2 and the same physician used hellebore as a purge1 on the daughters of king ,prtus1 who were afflicted with melancholy4 ,venesection was also a remedy of very early origin2 for ,podalirius1 on his return from the ,trojan war1 cured the daughter of ,damethus1 who had fallen from a height1 by bleeding her in both arms4 ,opium1 or a preparation of the poppy1 was certainly known in the earliest ages2 it was probably opium that ,helen mixed with wine1 and gave to the guests of ,menelaus1 under the expressive name of nepenthe1#ad to drive away their cares1 and increase their hilarity2 and this conjecture receives much support from the fact1 that the nepenthe of ,homer was obtained from the ,egyptian ,thebes2#ae and if we may credit the opinion of ,dr4 ,darwin1 the ,cuman ,sibyll never sat on the portending tripod without first swallowing a few drops of the juice of the ,cherry-laurel4#af 8,at ,phbi nondum patiens1 immanis in antro ,bacchatur ,vates1 magnum si pectore possit ,excussisse deum3 tanto magis ille fatigat ,os rabidum1 fera corda domans1 fingitque premendo40 ,,neid1 l4 vi4 #gh4 ,there is reason to believe that the ,pagan priesthood were under the influence of some powerful narcotic during the display of their oracular powers1 but the effects produced would seem to resemble rather those of ,opium1 or perhaps of ,stramonium1 than of the ,prussic acid4 ,monardes tells us that the priests of the ,american ,indians1 whenever they were consulted by the chief gentlemen1 or casiques as they are called1 took certain leaves of the ,tobacco1 and cast them into the fire1 and then received the smoke1 which they thus produced1 in their mouths1 in consequence of which they fell down upon the ground2 and that after having remained for some time in a stupor1 they recovered1 and delivered the answers which they pretended to have received1 during their supposed intercourse with the world of spirits4 ,the sedative powers of the ,lactuca ,sativa1 or ,lettuce1#ag were known also in the earliest times2 among the fables of antiquity1 we read that after the death of ,adonis1 ,venus threw herself on a bed of lettuces1 to lull her grief1 and repress her desires4 ,the sea onion or ,squill1 was administered in cases of dropsy by the ,egyptians1 under the mystic title of the ,eye of ,typhon4 ,the practices of incision and scarification were employed in the camp of the ,greeks before ,troy1 and the application of spirit to wounds was also understood1 for we find the experienced ,nestor applying a cataplasm1 composed of cheese1 onion1 and meal1 mixed up with the wine of ,pramnos1 to the wounds of ,machaon4#ah ,the revolutions and vicissitudes which remedies have undergone1 in medical as well as popular opinion1 from the ignorance of some ages1 the learning of others1 the superstitions of the weak1 and the designs of the crafty1 afford ample subject for philosophical reflection2 some of these revolutions ,i shall proceed to investigate1 classing them under the prominent causes which have produced them1 viz4 ,superstition--,credulity--,scepticism-- ,false ,theory--,devotion to ,authority1 and ,established ,routine--,the assigning to ,art that which was the effect of unassisted ,nature--,the assigning to peculiar substances ,properties1 deduced from ,experiments made on inferior ,animals--,ambiguity of ,nomenclature--,the progress of ,botanical ,science--,the application1 and misapplication of ,chemical ,philosophy--,the ,influence of ,climate and ,season on ,diseases1 as well as on the properties1 and operations of their ,remedies--,the ignorant ,preparation1 or fraudulent ,adulteration of ,medicines--,the unseasonable collection of those remedies which are of vegetable origin1--and1 the obscurity which has attended the operation of compound medicines4 ,,superstition4 ,a belief in the interposition of supernatural powers in the direction of earthly events1 has prevailed in every age and country1 in an inverse ratio with its state of civilization1 or in the exact proportion to its want of knowledge4 8,in the opinion of the ignorant multitude10 says ,lord ,bacon1 8witches and impostors have always held a competition with physicians40 ,galen also complains of this circumstance1 and observes that his patients were more obedient to the oracle in the temple of ,esculapius1 or to their own dreams1 than they were to his prescriptions4 ,the same popular imbecility is evidently allegorized in the mythology of the ancient poets1 when they made both ,,esculapius and ,,circe the children of ,,apollo2 in truth1 there is an unaccountable propensity in the human mind1 unless subjected to a very long course of discipline1 to indulge in the belief of what is improbable and supernatural2 and this is perhaps more conspicuous with respect to physic than to any other affair of common life1 both because the nature of diseases and the art of curing them are more obscure1 and because disease necessarily awakens fear1 and fear and ignorance are the natural parents of superstition2 every disease therefore1 the origin and cause of which did not immediately strike the senses1 has in all ages been attributed by the ignorant to the wrath of heaven1 to the resentment of some invisible demon1 or to some malignant aspect of the stars2#ai and hence the introduction of a rabble of superstitious remedies1 not a few of which were rather intended as expiations at the shrines of these offended spirits1 than as natural agents possessing medicinal powers4 ,the introduction of precious stones into the materia medica1 arose from an ,arabian superstition of this kind2 indeed ,de ,boot1 who has written extensively upon the subject1 does not pretend to account for the virtues of gems1 upon any philosophical principle1 but from their being the residence of spirits1 and he adds that such substances1 from their beauty1 splendour and value1 are well adapted as receptacles for good spirits6#bj ,every substance whose origin is involved in mystery1#ba has at different times been eagerly applied to the purposes of medicine3 not long since1 one of those showers which are now known to consist of the excrement of insects1 fell in the north of ,italy2 the inhabitants regarded it as ,manna1 or some supernatural panacea1 and they swallowed it with such avidity1 that it was only by extreme address1 that a small quantity was obtained for a chemical examination4 ,a propensity to attribute every ordinary and natural effect to some extraordinary and unnatural cause1 is one of the striking peculiarities of medical superstition2 it seeks also explanations from the most preposterous agents1 when obvious and natural ones are in readiness to solve the problem4 ,soranus1 for instance1 who was cotemporary with ,galen1 and wrote the life of ,hippocrates6#bb tells us that honey proved an easy remedy for the aphth of children1 but instead of at once referring the fact to the medical qualities of the honey1 he very gravely explains it1 from its having been taken from bees that hived near the tomb of ,hippocrates6 ,and even those salutary virtues which many herbs possess1 were1 in these times of superstitious delusion1 attributed rather to the planet under whose ascendancy they were collected or prepared1 than to any natural and intrinsic properties in the plants themselves2 indeed such was the supposed importance of planetary influence1#bc that it was usual to prefix to receipts a symbol of the planet under whose reign the ingredients were to be collected1 and it is not perhaps generally known1 that the character which we at this day place at the head of our prescriptions1 and which is understood1 and supposed to mean ,recipe1 is a relict of the astrological symbol of ,jupiter1 as may be seen in many of the older works on pharmacy1 although it is at present so disguised by the addition of the down stroke1 which converts it into the letter 1 that were it not for its cloven foot1 we might be led to question the fact of its superstitious origin4 ,illustration ,a knowledge of this ancient and popular belief in ,sideral influence1 will enable us to explain many superstitions in ,physic2 the custom1 for instance1 of administering cathartic medicines at stated periods and seasons1 originated in an impression of their being more active at particular stages of the moon1 or at certain conjunctions of the planets3 a remnant of this superstition still exists to a considerable extent in ,germany2 and the practice of bleeding at #8spring and fall1' so long observed in this country1 owed its existence to a similar belief4 ,it was in consequence of the same superstition1 that the metals were first distinguished by the names and signs of the planets2 and as the latter were supposed to hold dominion over time1 so were astrologers led to believe that some1 more than others1 had an influence on certain days of the week2 and1 moreover1 that they could impart to the corresponding metals considerable efficacy upon the particular days which were devoted to them2#bd from the same belief1 some bodies were only prepared on certain days in the year2 the celebrated earth of ,lemnos was1 as ,galen describes1 periodically dug with great ceremony1 and it continued for many ages to be highly esteemed for its virtues2 even at this day1 the pit in which the clay is found is annually opened1 with solemn rites by the priests1 on the sixth day of ,august1 six hours after sun rising1 when a quantity is taken out1 washed1 dried1 and then sealed with the ,grand ,signior's seal1 and sent to ,constantinople4 ,formerly it was death to open the pit1 or to seal the earth1 on any other day in the year4 ,in the botanical history of the middle ages1 as more especially developed in ,macer's ,herbal1 there was not a plant of medicinal use1 that was not placed under the dominion of some planet1 and must neither be gathered nor applied but with observances that savoured of the most absurd superstition1 and which we find were preserved as late as the seventeenth century1 by the astrological herbalists1 ,turner1 ,culpepper1 and ,lovel4 ,it is not the least extraordinary feature in the history of medical superstition1 that it should so frequently involve in its trammels persons who1 on every other occasion1 would resent with indignation any attempt to talk them out of their reason1 and still more so1 to persuade them out of their senses2 and yet we have continual proofs of its extensive influence over powerful and cultivated minds2 in ancient times we may adduce the wise ,cicero1 and the no less philosophical ,aurelius1 while in modern days we need only recall to our recollection the number of persons of superior rank and intelligence1 who were actually persuaded to submit to the magnetising operations of ,miss ,prescott1 and some of them were even induced to believe that a beneficial influence had been produced by the spells of this modern ,circe4 ,lord ,bacon1 with all his philosophy1 betrayed a disposition to believe in the virtue of charms and amulets2 and ,boyle#be seriously recommends the thigh bone of an executed criminal1 as a powerful remedy in dysentery4 ,amongst the remedies of ,sir ,theodore ,mayerne1 known to commentators as the ,doctor ,caius of ,shakspeare1 who was physician to three ,english ,sovereigns1 and who1 by his personal authority1 put an end to the distinctions of chemical and galenical practitioners in ,england1 we shall find the secundines of a woman in her first labour with a male child2 the bowels of a mole1 cut open alive2 mummy made of the lungs of a man who had died a violent death2 with a variety of remedies1 equally absurd1 and alike disgusting4 ,it merits notice1 that the medicinal celebrity of a substance has not unfrequently survived the tradition of its superstitious origin1 in the same manner that many of our popular customs and rites have continued1 through a series of years1 to exact a respectful observance1 although the circumstances which gave origin to them have been obscured and lost in the gloom of unrecorded ages4 ,does not the fond parent still suspend the coral toy around the neck of her infant1 without being in the least aware of the superstitious belief#bf from which the custom originated8 while the chorus of derry down is re-echoed by those who never heard of the ,druids1 much less of the choral hymns with which their groves resounded1 at the time of their gathering the misletoe2 and how many a medical practitioner continues to administer this sacred plant1 7,viscus ,quercinus7 for the cure of his epileptic patients1 without the least suspicion that it owes its reputation to the same mysterious source of superstition and imposture8 ,nor is this the only faint vestige of druidism which can be adduced4 ,mr4 ,lightfoot states1 with much plausibility1 that in the highlands of ,scotland1 evidence still exists in proof of the high esteem in which those ancient ,magi held the ,quicken tree1 or ,mountain ,ash1 7,sorbus ,aucuparia7 for it is more frequently than any other1 found planted in the neighbourhood of druidical circles of stones2 and it is a curious fact1 that it should be still believed that a small part of this tree1 carried about a person1 is a charm against all bodily evils1--the dairy-maid drives the cattle with a switch of the ,roan tree1 for so it is called in the highlands2 and in one part of ,scotland1 the sheep and lambs are1 on the first of ,may1 ever made to pass through a hoop of ,roan wood4 ,it is also necessary to state1 that many of the practices which superstition has at different times suggested1 have not been alike absurd2 nay1 some of them have even possessed1 by accident1 natural powers of considerable efficacy1 whilst others1 although1 ridiculous in themselves1 have actually led to results and discoveries of great practical importance4 ,the most remarkable instance of this kind upon record is that of the ,sympathetic powder of ,sir ,kenelm ,digby1#bg ,knight of ,montpellier4 ,whenever any wound had been inflicted1 this powder was applied to the weapon that had inflicted it1 which was1 moreover1 covered with ointment1 and dressed two or three times a-day4#bh ,the wound itself in the mean time was directed to be brought together1 and carefully bound up with clean linen rags1 but1 ,,above ,,all1 ,,to ,,be ,,let ,,alone for seven days2 at the end of which period the bandages were removed1 when the wound was generally found perfectly united4 ,the triumph of the cure was decreed to the mysterious agency of the sympathetic powder which had been so assiduously applied to the weapon2 whereas1 it is hardly necessary to observe1 that the promptness of the cure depended upon the total exclusion of air from the wound1 and upon the sanative operations of nature not having received any disturbance from the officious interference of art2 the result1 beyond all doubt1 furnished the first hint1 which led surgeons to the improved practice of healing wounds by what is technically called the first intention4 ,the rust of the spear of ,telephus1 mentioned in ,homer as a cure for the wounds which that weapon inflicted1 was probably ,verdegris1 and led to the discovery of its use as a surgical application4 ,soon after the introduction of ,gunpowder1 cold water was very generally employed throughout ,italy1 as a dressing to gun-shot wounds2 not however from any theory connected with the influence of diminished temperature or of moisture1 but from a belief in a supernatural agency imparted to it by certain mysterious and magical ceremonies1 which were duly performed immediately previous to its application3 the continuance of the practice1 however1 threw some light upon the surgical treatment of these wounds1 and led to a more rational management of them4 ,the inoculation of the small-pox in ,india1 ,turkey1 and ,wales1 observes ,sir ,gilbert ,blane1 was practised on a superstitious principle1 long before it was introduced as a rational practice into this country4 ,the superstition consisted in buying it--for the efficacy of the operation1 in giving safety1 was supposed to depend upon a piece of money being left by the person who took it for insertion4 ,the members of the ,national ,vaccine ,establishment1 during the period ,i had a seat at the board1 received from ,mr4 ,dubois1 a ,missionary in ,india1 a very interesting account of the services1 derived from superstitious influence1 in propagating the practice of vaccination through that uncivilized part of the globe4 ,it appears from this document1 that the greatest obstacle which vaccination encountered was a belief that the natural small-pox was a dispensation of a mischievous deity among them1 whom they called ,,mah-,,ry ,,umma1 or rather1 that this disease was an incarnation of the dire ,goddess herself1 into the person who was infected with it2 the fear of irritating her1 and of exposing themselves to her resentment1 necessarily rendered the natives of the ,east decidedly averse to vaccination1 until a superstitious impression1 equally powerful with respect to the new practice1 was happily effected2 this was no other than a belief1 that the ,goddess ,,mah-,,ry ,,umma had spontaneously chosen this new and milder mode of manifesting herself to her votaries1 and that she might be worshipped with equal respect under this new shape4 ,,hydromancy is another superstition which has incidentally led to the discovery of the medicinal virtues of many mineral waters2 a belief in the divining nature of certain springs and fountains is1 perhaps1 the most ancient and universal of all superstitions4 ,the ,castalian fountain1 and many others amongst the ,grecians1 were supposed to be of a prophetic nature2 by dipping a fair mirror into a well1 the ,patrans of ,greece received1 as they imagined1 some notice of ensuing sickness or health4 ,at this very day1 the sick and lame are attracted to various hallowed springs2 and to this practice1 which has been observed for so many ages and in such different countries1 we are no doubt indebted for a knowledge of the sanative powers of many mineral waters4 ,there can be no doubt1 moreover1 but that in many cases1 by affording encouragement and confidence to a dejected patient1 and serenity to his mind1 whether by the aid of reason or the influence of superstition1 much benefit may arise2 for the salutary and curative efforts of nature1 in such a state of mind1 must be much more likely to succeed2 equally evident is it1 that the most powerful effects may be induced by the administration of remedies which1 from their disgusting nature1 are calculated to excite strong and painful sensations of the mind4#bi ,celsus mentions1 with confidence1 several medicines of this kind for the cure of ,epilepsy1 as the warm blood of a recently slain ,gladiator1 or a certain portion of human1 or horse flesh6 and we find that remedies of this description were actually exhibited1 and with success1 by ,kaw ,boerhaave1 in the cure of ,epileptics in the poor-house at ,haerlem4 ,the powerful influence of confidence in the cure and prevention of disease1 was well understood by the sages of antiquity2 the ,romans1 in times of pestilence1 elected a dictator with great solemnity1 for the sole purpose of driving a nail into the wall of the temple of ,jupiter--the effect was generally instantaneous--and while they thus imagined that they propitiated an offended deity1 they in truth did but diminish the susceptibility to disease1 by appeasing their own fears4 ,nor are there wanting in modern times1 striking examples of the progress of an epidemic disease having been suddenly arrested by some exhilarating impression made upon the mass of the population4 ,in the celebrated siege of ,breda1 in #afbe1 by ,spinola1 the garrison suffered extreme distress from the ravages of ,scurvy1 and the ,prince of ,orange being unable to relieve the place1 sent in1 by a confidential messenger1 a preparation which was directed to be added to a very large quantity of water1 and to be given as a specific for the epidemic2 the remedy was administered1 and the garrison recovered its health1 when it was afterwards acknowledged1 that the substance in question was no other than a little colouring matter4 ,amongst the numerous instances which have been cited to shew the power of faith over disease1 or of the mind over the body1 the cures performed by ,royal ,touch#cj have been generally selected2 but it would appear1 upon the authority of ,wiseman1 that the cures which were thus effected1 were in reality produced by a very different cause2 for he states1 that part of the duty of the ,royal ,physicians and ,serjeant ,surgeons was to select such patients1 afflicted with scrofula1 as evinced a tendency towards recovery1 and that they took especial care to choose those who approached the age of puberty2 in short1 those only were produced whom nature had shewn a disposition to cure2 and as the touch of the king1 like the sympathetic powder of ,digby1 secured the patient from the mischievous importunities of art1 so were the efforts of nature left free and uncontrolled1 and the cure of the disease was not retarded or opposed by the operation of adverse remedies4 ,the wonderful cures of ,valentine ,greatracks1 performed in #afff1 which were witnessed by cotemporary prelates1 members of parliament1 and fellows of the royal society1 amongst whom was the celebrated ,mr4 ,boyle1 would probably upon investigation admit of a similar explanation2 it deserves1 however1 to be noticed1 that in all records of extraordinary cures performed by mysterious agents1 there is a great desire to conceal the remedies and other curative means1 which were simultaneously administered with them2 thus ,oribasius commends in high terms a necklace of ,pony root1 for the cure of ,epilepsy2 but we learn that he always took care to accompany its use with copious evacuations1 although he assigns to them no share of credit in the cure4 ,in later times we have a good specimen of this deception presented to us in a work on ,scrofula1 by ,mr4 ,morley1 written1 as we are informed1 for the sole purpose of restoring the much injured character and use of the ,vervain2 in which the author directs the root of this plant to be tied with a yard of whited satin ribband1 around the neck1 where it is to remain until the patient is cured2 but mark1--during this interval he calls to his aid the most active medicines in the materia medica6 ,the advantages which ,i have stated to have occasionally arisen from superstitious influence1 must be understood as being generally accidental2 indeed1 in the history of superstitious practices1 we do not find that their application was exclusively commended in cases likely to be influenced by the powers of faith or of the imagination1 but1 on the contrary1 that they were as frequently directed in affections that were entirely placed beyond the control of the mind4 ,homer tells us1 for instance1 that the bleeding of ,ulysses was stopped by a charm3#ca and ,cato the censor has favoured us with an incantation for the reduction of a dislocated limb4 ,in certain instances1 however1 we are certainly bound to admit that the pagan priesthood1 with their characteristic cunning1 were careful to perform their superstitious incantations1 in such cases only as were likely to receive the sanative assistance of ,nature1 so that they might attribute the fortunate results of her efforts1 to the potent influence of their own arts4 ,the extraordinary success which is related to have attended various superstitious ceremonials will thus find a plausible explanation3 the miraculous gift1 attributed by ,herodotus to the ,priestesses of ,helen1 is one amongst many others of this kind that might be adduced2 the ,grecian historian relates1 that when the heads of ugly infants were adjusted on the altar of this temple1 the individuals so treated acquired comeliness1 and even beauty1 as they advanced in growth3 but is not such a change the ordinary and unassisted result of natural developement8 ,those large and prominent outlines which impart an unpleasing physiognomy to the infant1 when proportioned and matured by growth1 will generally assume features of intelligence in the adult face4 ,i shall conclude these observations1 by remarking that1 in the history of religious ceremonials1 we sometimes discover that they were intended to preserve useful customs or to conceal important truths2 which1 had they not been thus embalmed by superstition1 could never have been perpetuated for the use and advantage of posterity4 ,i shall illustrate this assertion by one or two examples4 ,whenever the ancients proposed to build a town1 or to pitch a camp1 a sacrifice was offered to the gods1 and the ,soothsayer declared1 from the appearance of the entrails1 whether they were propitious or not to the design4 ,what was this but a physiological inquiry into the salubrity of the situation1 and the purity of the waters that supplied it8 for we well know that in unwholesome districts1 especially when swampy1 the cattle will uniformly present an appearance of disease in the viscera1 which an experienced eye can readily detect2 and when we reflect upon the age and climate in which these ceremonies were performed1 we cannot but believe that their introduction was suggested by principles of wise and useful policy4 ,in the same manner1 ,bathing1 which at one period of the world1 was essentially necessary1 to prevent the diffusion of ,leprosy1 and other infectious diseases1 was wisely converted into an act of religion1 and the priests persuaded the people that they could only obtain absolution on washing away their sins by frequent ablutions2 but since the use of linen shirts has become general1 and every one has provided for the cleanliness of his own person1 the frequent bath ceases to be so essential1 and therefore no evil has arisen from the change of religious belief respecting its connection with the welfare and purity of the soul4 ,among the religious impurities and rules of purification of the ,hindoos1 we shall be able to discern the same principle although distorted by the grossest superstition4 ,the ancient custom of erecting 8,acerr0 or ,altars1 near the bed of the deceased1 in order that his friends might daily burn ,incense until his burial1 was long practised by the ,romans4 ,the ,chinese observe a similar custom2 they place upon the altar thus erected an image of the dead person1 to which every one who approaches it bows four times1 and offers oblations and perfumes4 ,can there be any difficulty in recognising1 in this tribute to the dead1 a wise provision for the preservation of the living8 ,the original intention was1 beyond doubt1 to overcome any offensive smell1 and to obviate the dangers that might arise from the emanations of the corpse4 ,these instances are sufficient to shew the justness of my position3 if time and space would allow1 many others of a striking and interesting character might be adduced4#cb ,,credulity4 ,although it is nearly allied to ,superstition1 yet it differs very widely from it4 ,credulity is an unbounded belief in what is possible1 although destitute of proof and perhaps of probability2 but ,superstition is a belief in what is wholly repugnant to the laws of the physical and moral world4 ,thus1 if we believe that an inert plant possesses any remedial power1 we are credulous2 but if we were to fancy that1 by carrying it about with us1 we should become invulnerable1 we should in that case be superstitious4 ,credulity is a far greater source of error than ,superstition2 for the latter must be always more limited in its influence1 and can exist only1 to any considerable extent1 in the most ignorant portion of society2 whereas the former diffuses itself through the minds of all classes1 by which the rank and dignity of science are degraded1 its valuable labours confounded with the vain pretensions of empiricism1 and ignorance is enabled to claim for itself the prescriptive right of delivering oracles1 amidst all the triumphs of truth1 and the progress of philosophy4 ,this is very lamentable2 and yet1 if it were even possible to remove the film that thus obscures the public discernment1 ,i question whether the adoption of such a plan would not be outvoted by the majority of our own profession4 ,in ,chili1 says ,zimmerman1 the physicians blow around the beds of their patients to drive away diseases2 and as the people in that country believe that physic consists wholly in this wind1 their doctors would take it very ill of any person who should attempt to make the method of cure more difficult--they think they know enough1 when they know how to blow4 ,but this mental imbecility is not characteristic of any age or country4 ,england has1 indeed1 by a late continental writer1#cc been accused of possessing a larger share of credulity than its neighbours1 and it has been emphatically called 8,the ,paradise of ,quacks10 but with as little truth as candour4 ,if we refer to the works of tius1 written more than #acjj years ago1 we shall discover the existence of a similar infirmity with regard to physic4 ,this author has collected a multitude of receipts1 particularly those that had been celebrated1 or used as ,nostrums1#cd many of which he mentions with no other view than to expose their folly1 and to inform us at what an extravagant price they were purchased4 ,we accordingly learn from him that the collyrium of ,danaus was sold at ,constantinople for #abj numismata1 and the cholical antidote of ,nicostratus for two talents2 in short1 we shall find an unbounded credulity with respect to the powers of inert medicines1 from the elixir and alkahest of ,paracelsus and ,van-,helmont1 to the tar water of bishop ,berkeley1 the metallic tractors of ,perkins1 the animal magnetism of ,miss ,prescott1 and may ,i not add1 with equal justice1 to the nitro-muriatic acid bath of ,dr4 ,scott8 ,the description of ,thessalus1 the ,roman empiric in the reign of ,nero1 as drawn by ,galen1 applies with equal fidelity and force to the medical ,charlatan of the present day2 and1 if we examine the writings of ,scribonius ,largus1 we shall obtain ample evidence that the same ungenerous selfishness of keeping medicines secret1 prevailed in ancient no less than in modern times2 while we have only to read the sacred orations of ,aristides to be satisfied1 that the flagrant conduct of the ,asclepiades1 from which he so severely suffered1#ce was the very prototype of the cruel and remorseless frauds1 so wickedly practised by the unprincipled ,quack ,doctors and advertising 8,medical ,boards10 of our own times3 and ,i challenge the apologist of ancient purity to produce a more glaring instance of empirical effrontery and success1 in the annals of the nineteenth century1 than that of the sacred impostor described in the ,alexander of ,lucian1 who established himself in the deserted temple of ,esculapius1 and entrapped in his snares some of the most eminent of the ,roman senators4 ,,scepticism4 ,credulity has been justly defined1 ,belief without ,reason4 ,scepticism is its opposite1 ,reason without ,belief and is the natural and invariable consequence of credulity3 for it may be generally observed1 that men who believe without reason1 are succeeded by others whom no reasoning can convince2 a fact which has occasioned many extraordinary and violent revolutions in the ,materia ,medica1 and a knowledge of it will enable us to explain the otherwise unaccountable rise and fall of many useless1 as well as important articles4 ,it will also suggest to the reflecting practitioner1 a caution of great moment1 to avoid the dangerous fault imputed to ,galen by ,dioscorides1 of ascribing too many and too great virtues to one and the same medicine4 ,by bestowing unworthy and extravagant praise upon a remedy1 we in reality do but detract from its reputation1#cf and run the risk of banishing it from practice2 for when the sober practitioner discovers by experience that a medicine falls so far short of the efficacy ascribed to it1 he abandons its use in disgust1 and is even unwilling to concede to it that degree of merit to which in truth and justice it may be entitled2 the inflated eulogiums bestowed upon the operation of ,digitalis in pulmonary diseases1 excited1 for a time1 a very unfair impression against its use2 and the injudicious manner in which the antisyphilitic powers of ,nitric ,acid have been aggrandised1 had very nearly exploded a valuable auxiliary from modern practice4 ,it is well known with what avidity the public embraced the expectations given by ,sterk of ,vienna in #agfj1 with respect to the efficacy of ,hemlock2 every body1 says ,dr4 ,fothergill1 made the extract1 and every body prescribed it1 but finding that it would not perform the wonders ascribed to it1 and that a multitude of discordant diseases refused to yield1 as it was asserted they would1 to its narcotic powers1 practitioners fell into the opposite extreme of absurdity1 and declaring that it could do nothing at all1 dismissed it at once as inert and useless4 ,can we not then predict the fate of the ,cubebs1 which has been lately restored to notice with such extravagant praise and unqualified approbation8 ,may the sanguine advocates for the virtues of the ,colchicum derive a useful lesson of practical caution from these precepts3 it would be a matter of regret that a remedy which1 under skilful management1 certainly possesses considerable virtue1 should again fall into obscurity and neglect from the disgust excited by the extravagant zeal of its supporters4 ,there are1 moreover1 those who cherish a spirit of scepticism1 from an idea that it denotes the exercise of a superior intellect2 it must be admitted1 that at that period in the history of ,europe1 when reason first began to throw off the yoke of authority1 it required superiority of understanding as well as intrepidity of conduct1 to resist the powers of that superstition which had so long held it in captivity2 but in the present age1 observes ,mr4 ,dugald ,stewart1 8unlimited scepticism is as much the child of imbecility as implicit credulity40 8,he who at the end of the eighteenth century10 says ,rousseau1 8has brought himself to abandon all his early principles1 without discrimination1 would probably have been a bigot in the days of the league40 ,,false ,,theories1 ,,and ,,absurd ,,conceits4 ,he who is governed by preconceived opinions1 may be compared to a spectator who views the surrounding objects through coloured glasses1 each assuming a tinge similar to that of the glass employed2 thus have crowds of inert and insignificant drugs been indebted to an ephemeral popularity1 from the prevalence of a false theory2 the celebrated hypothesis of ,galen respecting the virtues and operation of medicines1 may serve as an example2 it is a web of philosophical fiction1 which was never surpassed in absurdity4 ,he conceives that the properties of all medicines are derived from what he calls their elementary or cardinal qualities1 ,,heat1 ,,cold1 ,,moisture1 and ,,dryness4 ,each of these qualities is again sub-divided into four degrees1 and a plant or medicine1 according to his notion1 is cold or hot1 in the first1 second1 third1 or fourth gradation2 if the disease be hot1 or cold in any of these four stages1 a medicine possessed of a contrary quality1 and in the same proportionate degree of elementary heat or cold1 must be prescribed4 ,saltness1 bitterness1 and acridness depend1 in his idea1 upon the relative degrees of heat and dryness in different bodies4 ,it will be easily seen how a belief in such an hypothesis must have multiplied the list of inert articles in the materia medica1 and have corrupted the practice of physic4 ,the variety of seeds derived its origin from this source1 and until lately1 medical writers1 in the true jargon of ,galen1 spoke of the four greater and lesser hot and cold seeds2 and in the ,london ,dispensatory of #agba1 we find the powders of hot and cold precious stones1 and those of the hot and cold compound powders of pearl4 ,several of the ancient combinations of opium1 with various aromatics1 are also indebted to ,galen for their origin1 and to the blind influence of his authority for their existence and lasting reputation4 ,galen asserted that opium was cold in the fourth degree1 and must therefore require some corresponding hot medicine to moderate its frigidity4#cg ,,the ,,methodic ,,sect1 which was founded by the ,roman physician ,themison1#ch a disciple of ,asclepiades1 as they conceived all diseases to depend upon overbracing1 or on relaxation1 so did they class all medicines under the head of relaxing and bracing remedies2 and although this theory has been long since banished from the schools1 yet it continues at this day to exert a secret influence on medical practice1 and to preserve from neglect some unimportant medicines4 ,the general belief in the relaxing effect of the warm1 and the equally strengthening influence of the cold bath1 may be traced to conclusions deduced from the operations of hot and cold water upon parchment and other inert bodies4#ci ,,the ,,stahlians1 under the impression of their ideal system1 introduced ,archal remedies1 and many of a superstitious and inert kind2 whilst1 as they on all occasions trusted to the constant attention and wisdom of nature1 so did they zealously oppose the use of some of the most efficacious instruments of art1 as the ,peruvian bark2 and few physicians were so reserved in the use of general remedies1 as bleeding1 vomiting1 and the like2 their practice was therefore imbecile1 and it has been aptly enough denominated1 8a meditation upon death40 ,they were however vigilant in observation and acute in discernment1 and we are indebted to them for some faithful and minute descriptions4 ,,the ,,mechanical ,,theory1 which recognised 8lentor and morbid viscidity of the blood10 as the principal cause of all diseases1 introduced attenuant and diluent medicines1 or substances endued with some mechanical force2 thus ,fourcroy explained the operation of mercury by its specific gravity1#dj and the advocates of this doctrine favoured the general introduction of the preparations of iron1 especially in schirrus of the spleen or liver1 upon the same hypothetical principle2 for1 say they1 whatever is most forcible in removing the obstruction1 must be the most proper instrument of cure2 such is ,steel1 which1 besides the attenuating power with which it is furnished1 has still a greater force in this case from the gravity of its particles1 which1 being seven times specifically heavier than any vegetable1 acts in proportion with a stronger impulse1 and therefore is a more powerful deobstruent4 ,this may be taken as a specimen of the style in which these mechanical physicians reasoned and practised4 ,,the ,,chemists1 as they acknowledged no source of disease but the presence of some hostile acid or alkali1 or some deranged condition in the chemical composition of the fluid or solid parts1 so they conceived all remedies must act by producing chemical changes in the body4 ,we find ,tournefort busily engaged in testing every vegetable juice1 in order to discover in it some traces of an acid or alkaline ingredient1 which might confer upon it medicinal activity4 ,the fatal errors into which such an hypothesis was liable to betray the practitioner1 receive an awful illustration in the history of the memorable fever that raged at ,leyden in the year #afii1 and which consigned two thirds of the population of that city to an untimely grave2 an event which1 in a great measure1 depended upon the ,professor ,sylvius de la ,boe1 who having just embraced the chemical doctrines of ,van ,helmont1 assigned the origin of the distemper to a prevailing acid1 and declared that its cure could alone be effected by the copious administration of absorbent and testaceous medicines2 an extravagance into which ,van ,helmont1 himself1 would hardly have been betrayed3--but thus it is in ,philosophy1 as in ,politics1 that the partisans of a popular leader are always more sanguine1 and less reasonable1 than their master2 they are not only ready to delude the world1 but most anxious to deceive themselves1 and while they warmly defend their favourite system from the attacks of those that may assail it1 they willingly close their own eyes1 and conceal from themselves the different points that are untenable2 or1 to borrow the figurative language of a ,french writer1 they are like the pious children of ,noah1#da who went backwards1 that they might not see the nakedness which they approached for the purpose of covering4 ,unlike the mechanical physicians1 the chemists explain the beneficial operation of iron by supposing that it increases the proportion of red globules in the blood1 on the erroneous#db hypothesis that iron constitutes the principal element of these bodies4 ,thus has iron1 from its acknowledged powers1 been enlisted into the service of every prevailing hypothesis2 and it is not a little singular1 as a late writer has justly observed1 that theories however different1 and even adverse1 do nevertheless often coincide in matters of practice1 as well with each other as with long established empirical usages1 each bending as it were1 and conforming1 in order to do homage to truth and experience4 ,and yet iron1 whose medicinal virtues have been so generally allowed1 has not escaped those vicissitudes in reputation which almost every valuable remedy has been doomed to suffer3 at one period the ancients imagined that wounds inflicted by iron instruments1 were never disposed to heal1 for which reason ,porsenna1 after the expulsion of the ,tarquins1 actually stipulated with the ,romans that they should not use iron1 except in agriculture2 and ,avicenna was so alarmed at the idea of its internal use as a remedy1 when given in substance1 that he seriously advised the exhibition of a magnet#dc after it to prevent any direful consequences4 ,the fame even of ,peruvian bark has been occasionally obscured by the clouds of false theory some condemned its use altogether1 8because it did not evacuate the morbific matter10 others1 8because it bred obstructions in the viscera10 others again1 8because it only bound up the spirits1 and stopped the paroxysms for a time1 and favoured the translation of the peccant matter into the more noble parts40 ,thus we learn from ,morton1#dd that ,oliver ,cromwell fell a victim to an intermittent fever1 because the ,physicians were too timid to make a trial of the bark4 ,it was sold first by the ,jesuits for its weight in silver2#de and ,condamine relates that in #afij1 about thirty years afterwards1 several thousand pounds of it lay at ,piura and ,payta for want of a purchaser4 ,nor has ,sugar escaped the venom of fanciful hypothesis4 ,dr4 ,willis raised a popular outcry against its domestic use1 declaring that 8it contained within its particles a secret acid--a dangerous sharpness1--which caused scurvys1 consumptions1 and other dreadful diseases40#df ,although ,i profess to offer merely a few illustrations of those doctrines1 whose perverted applications have influenced the history of the ,materia ,medica1 ,i cannot pass over in silence that of ,john ,brown1 8the child of genius and misfortune40 ,as he generalized diseases1 and brought all within the compass of two grand classes1 those of increased and diminished excitement1 so did he abridge our remedies1 maintaining1 that every agent which could operate on the human body was a ,stimulant1 having an identity of action1 and differing only in the degree of its force2 so that1 according to his views1 the lancet and the brandy bottle were but the opposite extremes of one and the same class3 the mischievous tendency of such a doctrine is too obvious to require a comment4 ,but the most absurd and preposterous hypothesis that has disgraced the annals of medicine1 and bestowed medicinal reputation upon substances of no intrinsic worth1 is that of the ,,doctrine ,,of ,,signatures1 as it has been called1 which is no less than a belief that every natural substance which possesses any medicinal virtue1 indicates by an obvious and well-marked external character1 the disease for which it is a remedy1 or the object for which it should be employed6#dg ,this extraordinary monster of the fancy has been principally adopted and cherished by ,paracelsus1 ,baptista ,porta1 and ,crollius1 although traces of its existence may be certainly discovered in very ancient authors4 ,the root of the ,mandrake1 from its supposed resemblance to the human form1 was esteemed as a remedy for ,sterility3 thus did ,rachael demand from her sister the ,mandrakes 7,dudaim7 which ,reuben had gathered in the field2 impressed1 as it would appear1 with a belief in the efficacy of that plant against barrenness4#dh ,there would moreover appear in this case to have been some idea of additional virtue arising from the person who gathered it1 for great stress was laid upon this circumstance1 8my son's ,mandrakes30 such a notion is by no means uncommon in the history of charms4 ,the supposed virtues of the ,lapis tites1 or ,eagle stone1#di described by ,dioscorides1 tius and ,pliny1 who assert that if tied to the arm it will prevent abortion1 and if fixed to the thigh forward delivery1 were1 as we learn from ancient authority1 solely suggested by the manner in which the nodule contained within the stone moves and rattles1 whenever it is shaken4 8tites lapis agitatus1 sonitum edit1 velut ex altero lapide prgnans40 ,the conceit however did not assume the importance of a theory until the end of the fourteenth century1 at which period we find several authors engaged in the support of its truth1 and it will not be unamusing to offer a specimen of their sophistry2 they affirm1 that since man is the lord of the creation1 all other creatures are designed for his use1 and therefore1 that their beneficial qualities and excellencies must be expressed by such characters as can be seen and understood by every one2 and as man discovers his reason by speech1 and brutes their sensations by various sounds1 motions1 and gestures1 so the vast variety and diversity of figures1 colours1 and consistencies1 observable in inanimate creatures1 is certainly designed for some wise purpose4 ,it must be1 in order to manifest these peculiar qualities and excellencies1 which could not be so effectually done in any other way1 not even by speech1 since no language is universal4 ,thus1 the lungs of a fox must be a specific for asthma1 because that animal is remarkable for its strong powers of respiration4 ,turmerick has a brilliant yellow colour1 which indicates that it has the power of curing the jaundice2 by the same rule1 ,poppies must relieve diseases of the head2 ,agaricus those of the bladder2 ,cassia fistula the affections of the intestines1 and ,aristolochia the disorders of the uterus3 the polished surface and stony hardness which so eminently characterise the seeds of the ,lithospermum ,officinale 7,common ,gromwell7 were deemed a certain indication of their efficacy in calculous and gravelly disorders2 for a similar reason the roots of the ,saxifraga ,granulata 7,white ,saxifrage7 gained reputation in the cure of the same disease2 and the ,euphrasia 7,eye-bright7 acquired fame1 as an application in complaints of the eye1 because it exhibits a black spot in its corolla resembling the pupil4 ,in the curious work of ,chrysostom ,magnenus1 we meet with a whimsical account of the ,signature of ,tobacco4 8,in the first place10 says he1 8the manner in which the flowers adhere to the head of the plant indicates the ,infundibulum ,cerebri1 and ,pituitary ,gland4 ,in the next place1 the three membranes of which its leaves are composed announce their value to the stomach which has three membranes40#ej ,the blood-stone1 the ,heliotropium of the ancients1 from the occasional small specks or points of a blood red colour exhibited on its green surface1 is even at this day employed in many parts of ,england and ,scotland1 to stop a bleeding from the nose2 and nettle-tea continues a popular remedy for the cure of ,urticaria4 ,it is also asserted that some substances bear the ,,signatures of the humours1 as the petals of the red rose that of the blood1 and the roots of rhubarb and the flowers of saffron1 that of the bile4#ea ,i apprehend that ,john of ,gaddesden1 in the fourteenth century1 celebrated by ,chaucer1 must have been directed by some remote analogy of this kind1 when he ordered the son of ,edward the ,first1 who was dangerously ill with the small-pox1 to be wrapped in scarlet cloth1 as well as all those who attended upon him1 or came into his presence1 and even the bed and room in which he was laid were covered with the same drapery2 and so completely did it answer1 say the credulous historians of that day1 that the ,prince was cured without having so much as a single mark left upon him4 ,in enumerating the conceits of ,physic1 as relating to the ,materia ,medica1 we must not pass over the idea1 so prevalent at one period1 that all poisonous substances possess a powerful and mutual elective attraction for each other2 and that consequently1 if a substance of this kind were suspended around the neck1 it would1 by intercepting and absorbing every noxious particle1 preserve the body from the virulence of contagious matter4 ,angelus ,sala1 accordingly1 gives us a formula for what he terms his ,magnes ,arsenicalis1 which he asserts will not only defend the body from the influence of poison1 but will1 from its powers of attraction1 draw out the venom from an infected person4 ,in the celebrated plague of ,london1 we are informed that amulets of arsenic were upon this principle suspended over the region of the heart1 as a preservative against infection4 ,there is yet to be mentioned another absurd conceit which long existed respecting the subject of ,antidotes1--a belief that every natural poison carried within itself its own antidote2 thus we learn from the writings of ,dioscorides1 ,galen1 and ,pliny1 that the virus of the ,cantharis ,vesicatoria existed in the body of the fly1 and that the head1 feet1 and wings1 contained its antidote2 for the same potent reason were the hairs of the rabid dog esteemed the true specific for ,hydrophobia4#eb ,,devotion ,,to ,,authority1 ,,and ,,established ,,routine4 ,this has always been the means of opposing the progress of reason--the advancement of natural truths--and the prosecution of new discoveries2 whilst1 with effects no less baneful1 has it perpetuated many of the stupendous errors which have been already enumerated1 as well as others no less weighty1 and which are reserved for future discussion4 ,to give general currency to an hypothetical opinion1 or medicinal reputation to an inert substance1 requires only the talismanic aid of a few great names2 when once established upon such a basis1 ingenuity1 argument1 and even experiment1 may open their ineffectual batteries4 ,the laconic sentiment of the ,roman ,satirist is ever opposed to our remonstrance--8,marcus dixit8--ita est40 8,did ,marcus say 'twas fact8 then fact it is1 ,no proof so valid as a word of his40 ,a physician cannot err1 in the opinion of the public1 if he implicitly obeys the dogmas of authority2 in the most barbarous ages of ancient ,egypt1 he was punished or rewarded according to the extent of his success1 but to escape the former1 it was only necessary to shew that an orthodox plan of cure had been followed1 such as was prescribed in the acknowledged writings of ,hermes4 ,it is an instinct in our nature to follow the track pointed out by a few leaders2 we are gregarious animals1 in a moral as well as a physical sense1 and we are addicted to routine1 because it is always easier to follow the opinions of others than to reason and judge for ourselves4 8,the mass of mankind10 as ,dr4 ,paley observes1 8act more from habit than reflection40 ,what1 but such a temper could have upheld the preposterous system of ,galen for more than thirteen centuries2 and have enabled it to give universal laws in medicine to ,europe--,africa--and part of ,asia8#ec ,what1 but authority1 could have inspired a general belief1 that the sooty washings of rosin#ed would act as an universal remedy8 ,what1 but a blind devotion to authority1 or an insuperable attachment to established custom and routine1 could have so long preserved from oblivion the absurd medicines which abound in our earlier dispensatories8 for example1 the 8,decoctum ad ,ictericos10 of the ,edinburgh ,college1 which never had any other foundation than the doctrine of signatures1 in favour of the ,curcuma and ,chelidonium ,majus2#ee and it is only within a few years1 that the ,theriaca ,andromachi1 in its ancient absurd form1 has been dismissed from the ,british ,pharmocopia4#ef ,the ,,codex-,,medicamentarius of ,paris1 recently edited1 still cherishes this many-headed#eg monster of pharmacy1 in all its pristine deformity1 under the appropriate title of 8,electuarium ,opiatum ,polupharmacum40 ,it is1 however1 evidently indebted for this unexpected rescue from oblivion to a cause very remote from that which may be at first imagined2 not from any belief in its powers or reliance upon its efficacy1 but from a disinclination to oppose the torrent of popular prejudice1 and to reject what has been established by authority and sanctioned by time4 ,for the same reason1 and in violation of their better judgment1 the editors have retained the absurd formula of ,diest for the preparation of an extract of opium2 which1 after directing various successive operations1 concludes by ordering the decoction to be boiled incessantly for six months1 supplying the waste of water at intervals6 ,many of the compound formul in this new ,,codex1 it is frankly allowed1 possess an unnecessary and unmeaning1 if not an injurious complexity2 and yet1 such force has habit1 and so paramount are the verba magistri1 that the editors are satisfied in distinguishing the more important ingredients by printing them in ,italics1 leaving the rest to be supplied at the whim and caprice of the dispenser1 and thus are the grand objects and use of a national ,pharmacopia defeated1 which should above all things insure uniformity in the strength and composition of its officinal preparations4 ,the same devotion to authority which induces us to retain an accustomed remedy for pertinacity1 will always oppose the introduction of a novel practice with asperity1 unless indeed it be supported by authority of still greater weight and consideration4 ,the history of various articles of diet and medicine will prove in a striking manner1 how greatly their reputation and fate have depended upon authority4 ,it was not until many years after ,ipecacuan had been imported into ,europe1 that ,helvetius1 under the patronage of ,louis ,,xiv4 succeeded in introducing it into practice3 and to the eulogy of ,katharine1 queen of ,charles ,,ii4 we are indebted for the general introduction of ,tea into ,england4#eh ,that most extraordinary plant1#ei ,tobacco1 notwithstanding its powers of fascination1 has suffered romantic vicissitudes in its fame and character2 it has been successively opposed1 and commended by physicians--condemned1 and eulogised by priests and kings--and proscribed1 and protected by governments2 whilst at length this once insignificant production of a little island1 or an obscure district1 has succeeded in diffusing itself through every climate1 and in subjecting the inhabitants of every country to its dominion4 ,the ,arab cultivates it in the burning desert--,the ,laplander and ,esquimaux risk their lives to procure a refreshment so delicious in their wintry solitude--the ,seaman1 grant him but this luxury1 and he will endure with cheerfulness every other privation1 and defy the fury of the raging elements2 and in the higher walks of civilized society1 at the shrine of fashion1 in the palace1 and in the cottage1 the fascinating influence of this singular plant commands an equal tribute of devotion and attachment4 ,the history of the ,potatoe is perhaps not less extraordinary1 and is strikingly illustrative of the omnipotent influence of authority2 the introduction of this valuable plant received1 for more than two centuries1 an unexampled opposition from vulgar prejudice1 which all the philosophy of the age was unable to dissipate1 until ,louis the ,x,vth wore a bunch of the flowers of the potatoe in the midst of his court1 on a day of festivity2 the people then for the first time obsequiously acknowledged its utility1 and ventured to express their astonishment at the apathy which had so long prevailed with regard to its general cultivation2 that which authority thus established1 time and experience have fully ratified1 and scientific research has extended the numerous resources which this plant is so wonderfully calculated to furnish2 thus1 its stalk1 considered as a textile plant1 produces in ,austria a cottony flax--in ,sweden1 sugar is extracted from its root--by combustion its different parts yield a very considerable quantity of potass1--its apples1 when ripe1 ferment and yield vinegar by exposure1 or spirit by distillation--its tubercles made into a pulp1 are a substitute for soap in bleaching1--cooked by steam1 the potatoe is the most wholesome and nutritious1 and1 at the same time1 the most economical of all vegetable aliments4#fj--;by different manipulations it furnishes two kinds of flour1 a gruel1 and a parenchyma1 which in times of scarcity may be made into bread1 or applied to increase the bulk of bread made from grain1--to the invalid it furnishes both aliment and medicine2 its starch is not in the least inferior to the ,indian arrow root1 and ,dr4 ,latham has lately shown that an extract may be prepared from its leaves and flowers1 which possesses valuable properties as an anodyne remedy4#fa ,the history of the warm bath#fb presents us with another curious instance of the vicissitudes to which the reputation of our valuable resources are so universally exposed2 that which for so many ages was esteemed the greatest luxury in health1#fc and the most efficacious remedy in disease1 fell into total disrepute in the reign of ,augustus1 for no other reason than because ,antonius ,musa had cured the ,emperor of a dangerous malady by the use of the cold bath4 ,the most frigid water that could be procured was1 in consequence1 recommended on every occasion3 thus ,horace1 in his epistle to ,vala1 exclaims-- 8----,caput ac stomachum supponere fontibus audent4 ,clusinis1 gabiosque petunt1 et frigida rura40--,epist4 xv4 ,lib4 #a4 ,this practice1 however1 was doomed but to an ephemeral popularity1 for although it had restored the ,emperor to health1 it shortly afterwards killed his nephew and son in law1 ,marcellus2 an event which at once deprived the remedy of its credit1 and the physician of his popularity4 ,the history of the ,peruvian ,bark would furnish a very curious illustration of the overbearing influence of authority in giving celebrity to a medicine1 or in depriving it of that reputation to which its virtues entitle it4 ,this heroic remedy was first brought to ,spain in the year #afcb1 and we learn from ,villerobel that it remained for seven years in that country before any trial was made of its powers1 a certain ecclesiastic of ,alcala being the first person in ,spain to whom it was administered in the year #afci2 but even at this period its use was limited1 and it would have sunk into oblivion but for the supreme power of the ,roman church1 by whose auspices it was enabled to gain a temporary triumph over the passions and prejudices which opposed its introduction2 ,innocent the ,tenth1 at the intercession of ,cardinal de ,lugo1 who was formerly a ,spanish ,jesuit1 ordered that the nature and effects of it should be duly examined1 and upon being reported as both innocent and salutary1 it immediately rose into public notice2#fd its career1 however1 was suddenly stopped by its having unfortunately failed in the autumn of #afeb to cure ,leopold1 ,archduke of ,austria1 of a ,quartan ,intermittent2 this disappointment kindled the resentment of the prince's principal physician1 ,chifletius1 who published a violent philippic against the virtues of ,peruvian ,bark1 which so fomented the prejudices against its use1 that it had nearly fallen into total neglect and disrepute4 ,thus there exists a fashion in medicine1 as in the other affairs of life1 regulated by the caprice and supported by the authority of a few leading practitioners1 which has been frequently the occasion of dismissing from practice valuable medicines1 and of substituting others less certain in their effects and more questionable in their nature4 ,as years and fashions revolve1 so have these neglected remedies1 each in its turn1 risen again into favour and notice1 whilst old receipts1 like old almanacks1 are abandoned until the period may arrive1 that will once more adapt them to the spirit and fashion of the times4 ,thus it happens that most of our 8,new ,discoveries0 in the ,materia ,medica have turned out to be no more than the revival and adaptation of ancient practices4 ,in the last century1 the root of the ,aspidium ,filix1 the ,male ,fern1 was retailed as a secret nostrum by ,madame ,nouffleur1 a ,french empiric1 for the cure of tape worm2 the secret was purchased for a considerable sum of money by ,louis ,,xv4 and the physicians then discovered that the same remedy had been administered in that complaint by ,galen4#fe ,the history of popular medicines for the cure of ,gout1 will also furnish us with ample matter for the illustration of this subject4 ,the celebrated ,duke of ,portland's ,powder was no other than the ,diacentaureon of ,clius ,aurelianus1 or the ,antidotos ex duobus ,centaure generibus of tius1#ff the receipt for which a friend of his ,grace brought from ,switzerland2 into which country it had been probably introduced by the early medical writers1 who had transcribed its virtues from the ,greek volumes soon after their arrival into the western parts of ,europe4 ,the active ingredient of a no less celebrated remedy for the same disease1 the ,eau ,medicinale1#fg has been discovered to be the ,colchicum ,autumnale or ,meadow ,saffron2 upon investigating the properties of this medicine1 it was observed that similar effects in the cure of the gout were ascribed to a certain plant1 called ,hermodactyllus#fh by ,oribasius and tius1 but more particularly by ,alexander of ,tralles1#fi a physician of ,asia ,minor in the fourth century2 an inquiry was accordingly instituted after this unknown plant1 and upon procuring a specimen of it from ,constantinople1 it was actually found to be a species of ,colchicum4 ,the use of ,prussic acid in the cure of ,phthisis1 which has been lately proposed by ,dr4 ,majendie1 and introduced into the ,codex ,medicamentarius of ,paris1 is little else than the revival of the ,dutch practice in this complaint2 for ,linnus informs us1 in the fourth volume of his 8,amnitates ,academic10 that distilled ,laurel water was frequently used in ,holland for the cure of pulmonary consumption4 ,the celebrated fever powder of ,dr4 ,james was evidently not his original composition1 but an ,italian nostrum invented by a person of the name of ,lisle1 a receipt for the preparation of which is to be found at length in ,colborne's ,complete ,english ,dispensatory for the year #agef4 ,the various secret preparations of ,opium1 which have been extolled as the invention of modern times1 may be recognized in the works of ancient authors2 for instance1 ,wedelius in his ,opiologia describes an acetic solution2 and the ,magisterium of ,ludovicus1 as noticed by ,etmuller1 was a preparation made by dissolving ,opium in vinegar1 and precipitating with ,salt of ,tartar2#gj ,van ,helmont recommends a preparation1 similar to the black drop1 under the title of ,laudanum ,cydoniatum3 then again we have ,langelott's ,laudanum1 and ,le ,mort's 8,extract out of ,rain water10 preparations which owe their mildness to the abstraction of the resinous element of opium4 ,the works of ,glauber contain accounts of many discoveries that have been claimed by the chemists of our own day2 he recommends the use of muriatic acid in sea scurvy1 and describes an apparatus for its preparation exactly similar to that which has been extolled as the invention of ,wolff2 he also notices the production of ,pyro-acetic ,acid1 under the title of 8,vinegar of ,wood10 so that the fact of the identity of this acid and ,vinegar1 so lately announced by ,vauquelin as a ,new ,discovery1 was evidently known to ,glauber nearly two centuries ago4 ,we have within the last few years heard much of the efficacy of ,henbane fumigations in the tooth-ache1 an application which may be easily shewn to be the revival only of a very ancient practice4#ga ,but while we might thus proceed to annul many other claims for originality1 we ought not to close our eyes to the fallacies to which such investigations are peculiarly exposed4 ,nothing is more easy than to invest the doubtful sentence of an obscure author with an interpretation best adapted for the support of a favourite theory1 and instances might be adduced where the medical antiquarian#gb has by violence and distortion forced the most contradictory passages into his service2 treating1 in short1 the oracles of ,physic just as ,lord ,peter treated his father's will in the ,tale of a ,tub1--determined to discover the word 8,shoulder ,knots10 he picks it out1 letter by letter1 and is even at last obliged to substitute ,c for ,k in the orthography4 ,nor has ,fashion confined her baneful interference to the selection of remedies2 she has ventured even to decide upon the nature of ,diseases1 and to change and modify their appellations according to the whim and caprice by which she is governed4 ,the ,princess1 afterwards ,queen ,anne1 was subject to ,hypochondriacal attacks1 which her ,physicians pronounced to be ,spleen1 ,vapours1 or ,hyp1 and recommended ,rawleigh's ,confection1 and ,pearl ,cordial1 for its cure3 this circumstance was sufficient to render both the ,disease and ,remedy fashionable2 no other complaint was ever heard of in the precincts of the court but that of the ,vapours1 nor any medicine esteemed but that of ,rawleigh4 ,some years afterwards1 in consequence of ,dr4 ,whytt's publication on 8,nervous diseases10 a lady of ,fashion was pronounced to be ,nervous--the term became general1 and the disease fashionable2 and ,spleen1 ,vapours1 and ,hyp were consigned to oblivion3 the reign of ,nervous ,diseases1 however1 did not long continue1 for a popular work appeared on ,biliary ,concretions1 and all the world became bilious4 ,we have not patience to pursue the history of these follies2 a transient glance at the ephemeral productions of the last twenty years would furnish a sad display of the versatility of medical opinions1 and of the instability of the practice which has been founded upon them3 and they will no doubt furnish the future historian with strong and forcible illustrations4 ,,the ,,assigning ,,to ,,art ,,that ,,which ,,was ,,the ,,effect ,,of ,,unassisted ,,nature1 ,,or ,,the ,,consequence ,,of ,,incidental ,,changes ,,of ,,habit1 ,,diet1 c4 ,our inability upon all occasions to appreciate the efforts of nature in the cure of disease1 must always render our notions1 with respect to the powers of art1 liable to numerous errors and multiplied deceptions4 ,nothing is more natural1 and at the same time more erroneous1 than to attribute the cure of a disease to the last medicine that had been employed2 the advocates of amulets and charms#gc have even been thus enabled to appeal to the testimony of what they call experience1 in justification of their superstitions2 and cases which1 in truth and justice1 ought to be considered most lucky escapes1 have been triumphantly pronounced as skilful cures2 and thus have medicines and practitioners alike acquired unmerited praise1 or unjust censure4 ,upon ,mrs4 ,stephens offering her remedy for the stone to ,parliament1#gd a committee of professional men was nominated to ascertain its efficacy2 a patient with stone was selected1 and he took the remedy2 his sufferings were soon relieved1 and upon examining the bladder in the usual way1 no stone could be felt1 it was therefore agreed that the patient had been cured1 and that the stone had been dissolved2 some time afterwards this patient died1 and on being opened1 a large stone was found in a pouch1 formed by a part of the bladder1 and which communicated with it4 ,when the yellow fever raged in ,america1 the practitioners trusted exclusively to the copious use of mercury2 at first1 this plan was deemed so universally efficacious1 that in the enthusiasm of the moment1 it was triumphantly proclaimed that death never took place after the mercury had evinced its effect upon the system3 all this was very true1 but it furnished no proof of the efficacy of that metal1 since the disease1 in its aggravated form1 was so rapid in its career1 that it swept away its victims long before the system could be brought under mercurial influence1 while in its milder shape it passed off equally well without any assistance from art4 ,let us then1 before we decree the honours of a cure to a favourite medicine1 carefully and candidly ascertain the exact circumstances under which it was exhibited1 or we shall rapidly accumulate examples of the fallacies to which our art is exposed2 what has been more common than to attribute to the efficacy of a mineral water1 those fortunate changes of constitution that have entirely or in great measure1 arisen from salubrity of situation1 hilarity of mind1 exercise of body1 and regularity of habits1 which have incidentally accompanied its potation4 ,thus1 the celebrated ,john ,wesley1 while he commemorates the triumph of #8,sulphur and ,supplication' over his bodily infirmity1 forgets to appreciate the resuscitating influence of four months repose from his apostolic labours2 and such is the disposition of the human mind to place confidence in the operation of mysterious agents1 that we find him more disposed to attribute his cure to a brown paper plaister of egg and brimstone1 than to ,dr4 ,fothergill's salutary prescription of country air1 rest1 asses milk1 and horse exercise4#ge ,the ancient physicians duly appreciated the influence of such agents2 their temples1 like our watering places1 were the resort of those whom medicine could not cure1 and we are expressly told by ,plutarch that these temples1 especially that of ,esculapius1 were erected on elevated spots1 with the most congenial aspects2 a circumstance which1 when aided by the invigorating effects of hope1 by the diversions which the patient experienced in his journey1 and perhaps by the exercise to which he had been unaccustomed1 certainly performed many cures4 ,it follows then that in the recommendation of a watering place1 something more than the composition of a mineral spring is to direct our choice1--the chemist will tell us1 that the springs of ,hampstead and ,islington rival those of ,tunbridge and ,malvern1 that the waters of ,bagnigge ,wells1 as a chalybeate purgative1 might supersede those of ,cheltenham and ,scarborough1 and that an invalid would frequent the spring in the vicinity of the ,dog and ,duck1 in ,st4 ,george's ,fields1 with as much advantage as the celebrated ,spa at ,leamington2 but the physician is well aware that by the adoption of such advice1 he would deprive his patient of those most powerful auxiliaries to which ,i have alluded1 and above all1 lose the advantages of the 8,medicina ,mentis40 ,on the other hand1 the recommendation of change of air and habits will rarely inspire confidence1 unless it be associated with some medicinal treatment2 a truth which it is more easy and satisfactory to elucidate and enforce by examples than by precept--let the following story by ,voltaire serve as an illustration4--8,ogul1 a voluptuary who could be managed but with difficulty by his physician1 on finding himself extremely ill from indolence and intemperance1 requested advice3--#8,eat a ,basilisk1 stewed in rose-water1' replied the physician4 ,in vain did the slaves search for a ,basilisk1 until they met with ,zadig1 who1 approaching ,ogul1 exclaimed1 #8,behold that which thou desirest2' #8but1 my ,lord1' continued he1 #8it is not to be eaten2 all its virtues must enter through thy pores1 ,i have therefore enclosed it in a little ball1 blown up1 and covered with a fine skin2 thou must strike this ball with all thy might1 and ,i must strike it back again1 for a considerable time1 and by observing this regimen1 and taking no other drink than rose-water for a few days1 thou wilt see1 and acknowledge the effect of my art4' ,the first day ,ogul was out of breath1 and thought he should have died from fatigue2 the second he was less fatigued1 and slept better3 in eight days he recovered all his strength2 ,zadig then said to him1 #8,there is no such thing in nature as a ,basilisk6 but thou hast taken exercise and been temperate1 and hast therefore recovered thy health6' ,but the medical practitioner may perhaps receive more satisfaction from a modern illustration2 if so1 the following anecdote1 related by ,sydenham1 may not be unacceptable4 ,this great physician having long attended a gentleman of fortune with little or no advantage1 frankly avowed his inability to render him any farther service1 adding at the same time1 that there was a physician of the name of ,robinson1 at ,inverness1 who had distinguished himself by the performance of many remarkable cures of the same complaint as that under which his patient laboured1 and expressing a conviction that1 if he applied to him1 he would come back cured4 ,this was too encouraging a proposal to be rejected2 the gentleman received from ,sydenham a statement of his case1 with the necessary letter of introduction1 and proceeded without delay to the place in question4 ,on arriving at ,inverness1 and anxiously enquiring for the residence of ,dr4 ,robinson1 he found to his utter dismay and disappointment1 that there was no physician of that name1 nor ever had been in the memory of any person there4 ,the gentleman returned1 vowing eternal hostility to the peace of ,sydenham2 and on his arrival at home1 instantly expressed his indignation at having been sent on a journey of so many hundred miles for no purpose4 8,well10 replies ,sydenham1 8are you better in health80--8,yes1 ,i am now quite well1 but no thanks to you10--8,no10 says ,sydenham1 8but you may thank ,dr4 ,robinson for curing you4 ,i wished to send you a journey with some object of interest in view2 ,i knew it would be of service to you2 in going you had ,dr4 ,robinson and his wonderful cures in contemplation2 and in returning1 you were equally engaged in thinking of scolding me40 ,,ambiguity ,,of ,,nomenclature4 ,it has been already stated that we are to a great degree ignorant of the ,simples used by the ancient ,physicians2 we are often quite unable to determine what the plants are of which ,dioscorides treats4 ,it does not appear that out of the #gjj plants of which his ,materia ,medica consists1 that more than #djj are correctly ascertained2 and yet no labour has been spared to clear the subject of its difficulties2 ,cullen even laments that so much pains should have been bestowed upon so barren an occasion4#gf ,the early history of botany presents us with such a chaos of nomenclature1 that it must have been impossible for the herbarist and physician to have communicated their mutual lights2 every one was occupied with disputes upon words and names1 and every useful inquiry was suspended1 from an inability to decide what plant each author intended2 thus1 for instance1 the ,herba ,britannica of ,dioscorides and ,pliny1 so celebrated for the cure of the soldiers of ,julius ,csar on the ,rhine1 of a disease called #8,scelotyrbe'1 and supposed to resemble our sea scurvy1 remains quite unknown1 notwithstanding the labours of our most intelligent commentators4#gg ,it seems also very doubtful whether the plant which we denominate ,hemlock was the poison usually administered at the ,athenian executions1#gh and which deprived ,socrates and ,phocion of life4 ,pliny informs us that the word ,cicuta1 amongst the ancients1 was not indicative of any particular species of plant1 but of vegetable poisons in general2 this is a circumstance to which ,i am particularly anxious to fix your attention2 it is by no means uncommon to find a word which is used to express general characters1 subsequently become the name of a specific substance in which such characters are predominant2 and we shall find that some important anomalies in nomenclature may be thus explained4 ,the term #81' from which the word ,arsenic is derived1 was an ancient epithet1 applied to those natural substances which possessed strong and acrimonious properties1 and as the poisonous quality of arsenic was found to be remarkably powerful1 the term was especially applied to ,orpiment1 the form in which this metal more usually occurred4 ,so the term ,verbena 7quasi ,hebena7 originally denoted all those herbs that were held sacred on account of their being employed in the rites of sacrifice1 as we learn from the poets2#gi but as one herb was usually adopted upon these occasions1 the word ,verbena came to denote that particular herb only1 and it is transmitted to us to this day under the same title1 viz4 ,verbena1 or ,vervain1 and indeed until lately it enjoyed the medical reputation which its sacred origin conferred upon it1 for it was worn suspended around the neck as an amulet4 ,vitriol1 in the original application of the word1 denoted any crystalline body with a certain degree of transparency 7,vitrum72 it is hardly necessary to observe that the term is now appropriated to a particular species3 in the same manner1 ,bark1 which is a general term1 is applied to express one genus1 and by way of eminence1 it has the article1 ,the1 prefixed1 as ,the ,bark3 the same observation will apply to the word ,opium1 which in its primitive sense signifies any juice 7 ,succus7 while it now only denotes one species1 viz4 that of the ,poppy4 ,so again1 ,elaterium was used by ,hippocrates1 to signify various internal applications1 especially purgatives of a violent and drastic nature 7from the word #81' agito1 moveo1 stimulo71 but by succeeding authors it was exclusively applied to denote the active matter which subsides from the juice of the wild cucumber4 ,the word ,fecula1 again1 originally meant to imply any substance which was derived by spontaneous subsidence from a liquid1 7from fx1 the grounds or settlement of any liquor72 afterwards it was applied to ,starch1 which is deposited in this manner by agitating the flour of wheat in water2 and lastly1 it has been applied to a peculiar vegetable principle1 which like starch#hj is insoluble in cold1 but completely soluble in boiling water1 with which it forms a gelatinous solution2 this indefinite meaning of the word fecula has created numerous mistakes in pharmaceutic chemistry2 ,elaterium1 for instance1 is said to be a fecula1 and in the original sense of the word it is properly so called1 inasmuch as it is procured from a vegetable juice by spontaneous subsidence1 but in the limited and modern acceptation of the term1 it conveys an erroneous idea2 for instead of the active principle of the juice residing in fecula1 it is a peculiar proximate principle1 sui generis1 to which ,i have ventured to bestow the name of ,elatin4 ,for the same reason1 much doubt and obscurity involve the meaning of the word ,extract1 because it is applied generally to any substance obtained by the evaporation of a vegetable solution1 and specifically to a peculiar proximate principle1 possessed of certain characters1 by which it is distinguished from every other elementary body--,see ,extracta4 ,on the other hand1 we find that many words which were originally only used to denote particular substances1 have1 at length1 become subservient to the expression of ,general ,characters2 thus the term ,alkali1 in its originally sense1 signified that particular residuum which was alone obtained by lixiviating the ashes of the plant named ,kali1 but the word is now so generalized that it denotes any body possessed of a certain number of definite properties4 ,another source of botanical ambiguity and error is the circumstance of certain plants having acquired the names of others very different in their nature1 but which were supposed to possess a similarity in external character2 thus our ,,potatoe1#ha 7,solanum ,tuberosum7 when it was first imported into ,england by the colonists in the reign of ,queen ,elizabeth1 gained its appellation from its supposed resemblance to an esculent vegetable at that time in common use1 under the name of the ,sweet ,potatoe 7,convolvulus ,battatas17 and which1 like ,eringo ,root1 had the reputation of being able to restore decayed vigour1 thus ,falstaff-- 8,let the sky rain ,potatoes1 hail kissing ,comfits1 and snow ,eringoes40 ,merry ,wives of ,windsor1 ,act #e1 ,scene #e4 ,a similar instance is presented to us in the culinary vegetable well known under the name of the ,,jerusalem ,,artichoke1 which derived its appellation in consequence of its flavour having been considered like that of the common artichoke2 it is hardly necessary to observe that it has no botanic relation whatever to such a plant1 it being an ,heliotrope 7,heliotropium ,tuberosum71 the epithet ,jerusalem is a curious corruption of the ,italian term ,gira-,sole1 that is1 turn-sun1 in ,english1 or ,heliotrope in ,greek4 ,this instance of verbal corruption is not solitary in medical botany2 ,,castor ,,oil will suggest itself as another example2 this oil1 from its supposed efficacy in curing and assuaging the unnatural heat of the body1 and in soothing the passions1 was called by the ,french ,agnus ,castus1 whence the inhabitants of ,st4 ,kitt's in the ,west ,indies1 who were formerly blended with the ,french in that ,island1 called it ,castor oil4 ,in some cases again1 a plant has received a modern name1 compounded of two ancient ones2 it appears from ,pliny that the ,assarum was not uncommonly confounded with the ,baccharis2 an ,english name was accordingly bestowed upon it1 which is a curious compromise of the question1 for it is a compound of both1 viz4 ,assara-bacca4 ,in some instances the most alarming mistakes have occurred from substances of a very different nature having been mentioned under similar names1 ,arsenic for instance1 has actually been inhaled1#hb together with the vapours of ,frankincense1 ,myrrh1 and those of other gums1 during a paroxysm of ,asthma6 a practice which arose from the practitioner having confounded the ,gum ,juniper1 or ,vernix of the ,arabians1 which was prescribed for fumigations under the name of ,sandarach1 with the of ,aristotle1 and which was a sulpheret of ,arsenic4 ,the gum which we know at the present day under the name of ,sanguis ,draconis1 or ,dragon's blood1 was called by the ancient ,greeks 1 a term which has been incorrectly transferred to a ,sulphuret of ,mercury1 for no other reason than because this mineral has the same red colour as the gum4 ,the advanced state of ,,botanical ,,science will now prevent the recurrence of those doubts and difficulties which have formerly embarrassed the history of vegetable remedies1 by furnishing a strictly philosophical language1 independent of all theory1 and founded upon natural structure1 and therefore necessarily beyond the controul of opinion2 while the advancement of chemical knowledge1 by enabling us better to distinguish and identify the different substances we employ1 will also materially assist in preventing the confusion which has formerly oppressed us4 ,at the same time1 ,i am unwilling to join in the commendations so liberally bestowed upon our chemical nomenclature2 nay1 ,i am disposed to consider it as a matter of regret that the names of our medicinal compounds should have any relation to their chemical composition1 for in the present unsettled state of this science1 such a language must necessarily convey theory instead of truth1 and opinions rather than facts2 in short1 it places us at the mercy and disposal of every new hypothesis1 which may lay our boasted fabric in ruins1 and in its place raise another superstructure1 equally frail in its materials and ephemeral in its duration3 thus ,,corrosive ,,sublimate was a muriate of ,mercury1 or an oxy-muriate1 until ,sir ,h4 ,davy established his new theory of chlorine1 and then it became a bi-chloride2 at some future period1 ,chlorine will be found to be a compound1 and then it must have another name2 for the same reason the term ,,calomel1#hc is surely to be preferred to sub-muriate1 or ,chloride4 ,,tartarized ,,antimony1 again1 has been called by our nomenclatural reformers the ,tartrate of ,antimony and ,potass2 but is it a triple compound8 ,gay ,lussac thinks not1 and considers it as a combination1 in which ,cream of ,tartar acts the part of a simple acid4 ,again1--we have only to revert to the nomenclature of the ,salts in our ,materia ,medica to discover the actual change in meaning which the same word has undergone in a very few years4 ,it was originally understood that the term ,sub1 when prefixed to the generic name of a ,salt1 indicated the presence of certain qualities depending upon an excess of base2 but now1 forsooth1 the term has reference only to atomic composition1 without any regard to qualities4#hd ,that salt alone being acknowledged as a true ,sub-salt1 in which there is less than one atom of acid to each atom of base2 thus our 8,sub-carbonate of ,soda10 is no longer considered a ,sub-salt1 for the reason above stated2 and notwithstanding the predominance of its alkaline characters1 it is known to chemists by the appellation of ,carbonate of soda4 ,it is far from my intention to question the propriety of these changes1 ,i only maintain that1 amidst such chemical doubts1 the ,pharmaceutist is the last person who should become arbiter2 let him await the issue in unobtrusive silence1 and take care that the language of ,pharmacy partakes of the same neutrality4 ,such was the feeling of the ,committee appointed by the ,college for the revision of the late ,london ,pharmacopia1 and it sufficiently explains why the nomenclature of the alkaline salts has been left unchanged in the present edition of that work4 ,the ,french1 in their new ,codex1 are absurdly extravagant in their application of chemical nomenclature2 thus1 the sub-carbonate of potass is called by them sub-deuto-carbonas potassii4 ,the first part of this quadruple name indicates the comparative quantity of acid in the salt1 the second that of oxygen contained in the base1 the thud announces the acid1 and the fourth the basis of the base6 ,,the ,,progress ,,of ,,botanical ,,science4 ,it has been just stated1 that we have derived from botanical science a philosophical language which enables us to describe the structure and habits of any plant1 with a luminous brevity and an unerring perspicuity2 but we are moreover indebted to botany for another service no less important to the successful investigation of the ,materia ,medica1--that of throwing into well defined groups1 those plants which possess obvious natural affinities1 and which will be found at the same time to present certain medicinal analogies2 indeed1 as a general rule1 we may admit the axiom1 8,qu genere conveniunt1 virtute conveniunt40#he ,the ,umbellifer which grow on dry ground are aromatic1 whilst the aquatic species are among the most deadly poisons4 ,the ,cruciform plants are aromatic and acrid in their nature1 containing essential oils1 7hence the peculiar smell of cabbage-water1 c47 which are obtainable by distillation2 and ,linnus asserts that 8among all the ,leguminous or ,papilionaceous tribe there is no deleterious plant to be found30 this however is not exactly true4 ,some of the individuals in these natural orders1 although very nearly related1 do nevertheless possess various1 and even opposite qualities2 in the leguminous tribe above mentioned1 which is as consistent as any one we possess1 we have the ,cytisus ,laburnum1 the seeds of which are violently emetic1 and those of ,lathyrus ,sativus1 which have been supposed at ,florence to soften the bones and cause death4 ,in the subdivision of a genus there is often a remarkable difference in the properties of the species2 there are1 for instance1 ,solanums1 ,lettuces1 ,cucumbers1 and ,mushrooms1 both esculent and poisonous4 ,the ,digitalis or ,foxglove1 and the ,verbascum1 or common ,mullein of our fields1 are included in the same ,natural family1 and yet the one is as active1 as the other is mild in its effects2 the plants of the natural family of ,contort abound with a highly acrid milky juice1 but ,dr4 ,afzelius met with a shrub of this order at ,sierra ,leone1 the milk of whose fruit was so sweet1 as well as copious1 as to be used instead of cream for tea2 this is certainly what no one could have guessed from analogy4 ,the same individual will vary from culture or other circumstances1 as much as any two plants which have no botanic affinity2 the ,chamomile1 ,anthemis ,nobilis1 with which we are well acquainted1 may have its whole disk changed by cultivation1 to ligulate white florets1 destitute of medicinal properties4 ,but1 what is more embarrassing1 the different parts of the same plant have often very different powers2 a fact which is beautifully exemplified in the ,podophyllum ,peltatum1 or ,may ,apple1 the leaves of which are poisonous1 the root powerfully cathartic1 and the fruit agreeably esculent2 so the leaves of the ,jatropa ,manihot are employed as a common esculent1 while its root secretes a most virulent poison2 but we need not seek further for an example than the fruit of the ,lemon1 the juice of which is acid1 its seeds bitter1 and its rind aromatic2 in some instances it happens that the energy of a plant is concentrated in one particular part1 and that all the rest is absolutely inert2 thus1 the root of the ,convolvulus ,scammonia1 is the only portion of that plant which possesses any medicinal quality2#hf and the tree which yields the drastic ,camboge1 presents at the same time an esculent fruit1 which is eaten by the natives with as much impunity as the orange2 yet1 notwithstanding all these difficulties1 botany is capable of furnishing us with analogies which will lead to important conclusions with respect to the medicinal properties of different vegetables4 ,the system of ,linnus1 although in a great degree artificial1 corresponds in a surprising manner with the natural properties of plants2 thus a plant whose calyx is a double valved glume1 with three stamina1 two pistils1 and one naked seed1 bears seeds of a farinaceous and nutritious quality2 a flower with twelve1 or more stamina1 all of which are inserted in the internal side of the calyx1 will furnish a wholesome fruit2 whereas a plant whose flower has five stamina1 one pistil1 one petal1 and whose fruit is of the berry kind1 may at once be pronounced as poisonous4 ,it is also in a great degree true that the sensible qualities of plants1 such as colour1 taste1 and smell1 have an intimate relation to their properties1 and may often lead by analogy to an indication of their powers2 we have an example of this in the dark and gloomy aspect of the ,lurid1 which is indicative of their narcotic and very dangerous qualities1 as ,datura1 ,hyoscyamus1 ,atropa1 and ,nicotiana4 ,colour is certainly in many cases a test of activity2 the deepest coloured flowers of the ,digitalis1 for example1 are the most active1 and when the leaves of powerful plants lose their green hue1 we may conclude that a corresponding deterioration has taken place with respect to their virtues2 but ,linnus ascribed too much importance to such an indication1 and his aphorisms are unsupported by facts2 for instance1 he says 8,color pallidus insipidum1 viridis crudum1 luteus amarum1 ruber acidum1 albus dulce1 niger ingratum1 indicat40#hg ,a peculiar heavy odour1 which is well known1 but is with difficulty defined1 is a sure indication of narcotic properties4 ,bitterness1 when not extreme1 denotes a tonic quality1 which will stimulate the stomach and intestines1 and promote the process of digestion4 ,when the bitterness is more intense and pungent1#hh as in ,aloes1 ,colocynth1 c4 we may infer that such substances will produce a more active effect upon the prim vi1 and that catharsis will follow their administration4 ,botanical1 like human physiognomy1 may frequently afford an insight into character1 but it is very often a fallacious index4 ,with regard to the indications of ,smell and ,taste1 it may be observed that in the examination of an unknown substance we instinctively apply to these senses for information respecting its properties4 ,it is certainly reasonable to suppose1 that those bodies which produce upon the organs of taste a sensible1 astringent1 or pungent effect1 may occasion an impression1 corresponding in degree upon the stomach or intestines1 which are but an extension of the same structure4 ,but what numerous exceptions are there to such a law8 nay1 some of the most poisonous substances affect in a very slight degree the organs of taste1 especially those that belong to the mineral kingdom1 as ,arsenious ,acid1 ,oxyd of ,antimony1 ,calomel1 c42 yet some of these are1 perhaps1 but apparent exceptions1 depending upon the degree of solubility which they possess1 in consequence of which their energies are not developed until they have traversed a considerable portion of mucous surface4 ,nor ought it to be forgotten1 that cultivation and artificial habits may have blunted the natural susceptibility of our organs1 and in some instances changed and depraved their functions3 certain qualities for instance are so strongly connected with each other by the chain of association1 that by presenting only one to the mind1 the other links follow in succession4#hi ,it has been remarked1 that persons in social life1 are more affected by vegetable odours1 while the ,savage smells better the putrid and ftid exhalations of animal bodies3#ij thus the people of ,kamskatcha1 did not smell the perfume of a vegetable ,essence 7,aqua ,meliss17 but they discovered by their olfactory sense1 a rotten fish1 or a stranded whale at a considerable distance4#ia ,there is no sense more under the dominion of imagination1 or more liable to be perverted by education1 than those of taste and smell2 we are also liable to form unjust prejudices from the indications of colour2 for particular colours1 from the influence of hidden associations1 are not unfrequently the exciting cause of agreeable or unpleasant impressions4 ,i have met with a person who regards green food1 if it be of an animal nature1 with unconquerable aversion and disgust1 indeed an idea of unwholesomeness has not unfrequently been attached to this colour1 without the least foundation of truth2 the bones of the ,gar fish1 or ,sea ,needle1 7,esox ,helone17 have been deemed unwholesome from the circumstance of their turning green on being boiled1 although not a single instance can be adduced in which that fish ever occasioned any harm4 ,i have met with persons who have been made violently sick from eating the green part of the oyster2#ib an effect which can have no other cause than that of unjust prejudice2 these examples are sufficient to shew1 with what caution such indications respecting the medicinal qualities of bodies are to be received4 ,,the ,,application ,,and ,,misapplication ,,of ,,chemical ,,science4 ,amongst the researches of different authors1 who1 animated with a sacred zeal for ancient learning1 have endeavoured to establish the antiquity of chemical science1 we find many conclusions deduced from an ingenious interpretation of the mythological fables#ic which are supposed to have been transmitted by the ,egyptians2 who1 previous to the invention of letters1 adopted this method of perpetuating their discoveries in natural philosophy4 ,thus1 wherever ,homer studiously describes the stolen embraces of ,mars and ,venus1 they recognise some chemical secret1 some combination of iron with copper1 shadowed in the glowing ornaments of fiction4 ,lord ,bacon#id conceived that the union of spirit and matter was allegorised in the fable of ,proserpine being seized by ,pluto as she was gathering flowers2 an allusion1 says ,dr4 ,darwin1 which is rendered more curiously exact by the late discovery1 that pure air1 7oxygen7 is given out by vegetables1 and that in this state it is greedily absorbed by inflammable bodies4 ,the same ingenious ,poet supposes that the fable of ,jupiter and ,juno1 by whose union the vernal showers were said to be produced1 was meant to pourtray the production of water by the combination of its two elements2 an opinion which1 says he1 is strongly supported by the fact that1 in the ancient mythology1 the purer air or ther1 was always represented by ,jupiter1 and the inferior by ,juno4 ,were the elegant author of the ,botanic ,garden now living1 he would1 no doubt1 with a taste and delicacy peculiarly his own1 avail himself of the singular discovery of ,mr4 ,smithson1 who has detected in the juice of the mulberry two distinct species of colouring matter2--the mingled blood of the unfortunate ,pyramus and ,thisbe3 8,signa tene cdis3 pullosque et luctibus aptos ,semper habe fetus1 gemina monumenta cruoris40 ,ovid4 ,metamorph4 ,lib4 iv4 #afj4 ,sir ,william ,drummond1 the learned apologist of ,egyptian science1 conceives that the laws of latent heat were even known to the philosophers of that ancient nation1 and that caloric in such a state1 was symbolically represented by ,,vulcan1 while free or sensible caloric was as clearly described in the character of ,,vesta4 ,those who maintain the antiquity of chemistry1 and suppose that the fabulous conceptions of the ancients were but a mysterious veil ingeniously thrown by philosophy between nature and the lower order of people1 consider that the alchemical secret is metaphorically concealed in the fable of the ,,golden ,,fleece of the ,argonauts1 and reject the more probable solution of this story by ,strabo1 who says that the ,iberians1 near neighbours of the ,colchians1 used to receive the gold1 brought down from the high lands by the torrents1 into sieves and sheep skins1 and that from thence arose the fable of the golden fleece4 ,dionysius1 of ,mytilene1 offers a different explanation of the fable1 and supposes it to allude to a book written on skins1 and containing an account of the process of making gold according to the art of alchemy4 ,notwithstanding the confidence with which modern philosophers have claimed the discovery1 the experimental mode of investigation was undoubtedly known and pursued by the ancients1 who appear1 says ,mr4 ,leslie1#ie to have concealed their notions respecting it1 under the veil of allegory4 ,proteus signified the mutable and changing forms of material objects1 and the inquisitive philosopher was counselled by the ,poets#if to watch their slippery demon when slumbering on the shore1 to bind him1 and compel the reluctant captive to reveal his secrets4 ,this1 adds ,mr4 ,leslie1 gives a lively picture of the cautious1 but intrepid advances of the skilful experimenter2--he tries to press nature into a corner1--he endeavours to separate the different principles of action1--he seeks to concentrate the predominant agent1 and labours to exclude1 as much as possible1 every disturbing influence4 ,but with whatever ingenuity and success the antiquity of chemical knowledge may be advocated1 as it relates to the various arts of life1 yet it must be allowed that not the most remote trace of its application to physic can be discovered in the medical writers of ,greece or ,rome4 ,the operation of distillation#ig is not even mentioned by ,hippocrates or ,galen2 and the waters of different plants1 as described by some later authors1 are to be understood1 as we are informed by ,gesner1 merely as simple decoctions1 and not as the products of any chemical process2 while the ,essences of ,dioscorides1 ,galen1 ,oribasius1 and others1 were only the extracts produced by the evaporation of such infusions4 ,upon the downfall of the ,roman ,empire1 all the sciences1 the arts1 and literature1 were overwhelmed in the general wreck1 and the early ,mahometans1 in the first paroxysms of their fanaticism1 endeavoured to destroy every record of the former progress of the human mind2 consigning to destruction1 by the conflagration of the ,alexandrian library1 no less than seven hundred thousand volumes1 which comprised the most valuable works of science and literature4#ih ,it is not a little extraordinary that this same people were destined at a more advanced period1 to rekindle the light of letters1#ii which they had taken such pains to extinguish1 and to become the inventors and cultivators of a new science1 boundless in its views1 and inexhaustible in its applications4 ,the medical profession too was more particularly selected as an object of reward and encouragement2 and we may say1 with much truth1 that our ,materia ,medica is more indebted to the zeal and industry of the ,arabians1 than to the learning of the ,greeks1 or to the refinement of the ,romans4 ,from this source we have acquired the milder purges of ,manna1 ,cassia1 ,senna1 ,rhubarb1 and many plants and oriental aromatics1 amongst1 which we may notice ,musk1 ,nutmeg1 ,mace1 and ,cloves2 the introduction of which into medicine was greatly facilitated by the situation of ,bagdat1 and its connection with ,india2 and although ,archigenes and ,aretus had long before applied ,blisters1 yet it is to the ,arabian physicians that we are indebted for a practical acquaintance with their value1 for in general1 the ,greeks and ,romans prescribed acrid ,sinapisms for such a purpose4 ,we are also indebted to the ,arabians for our knowledge respecting ,camphor1 as its name imports1 for the original word was ,cafur or ,canfur4#ajj ,they are also the first upon record1 who speak of sugar1 and sugar-candy1 extracted from the sugar-cane1 which they call honey of cane2 and they ushered into practice ,syrups1 ,juleps1 and ,conserves4 ,at the same time1 it is but just to allow1 that from the disgusting ostentation of this people1 and their strong attachment to the marvellous1 many absurd medicines have been introduced4 ,gold1 ,silver1 ,bezoars1 and precious stones were received into their materia medica1 and surprising virtues were attributed to them4 ,amongst a people thus disposed to magnificence1 and from the very spirit of their religion credulous and romantic1 it is not a matter of surprise that their first researches into the nature of bodies should have raised a hope1 and excited a belief1 that the baser metals might be converted into gold4 ,they conceived that gold was the metallic element1 in a state of perfect purity1 and that all the other metals differed from it in proportion only to the extent of their individual contamination1 and hence the origin of the epithet base1 as applied to such metals2 this hypothesis explains the origin of alchemy2 but1 in every history1 we are informed that the earlier alchemists expected1 by the same means that they hoped to convert the baser metals into gold1 to produce a universal remedy1 calculated to prolong indefinitely the span of human existence4 ,it is difficult to imagine what connection could exist in their ideas between the 8,philosopher's ,stone10 which was to transmute metals1 and a remedy which could arrest the progress of bodily infirmity3 upon searching into the writings of these times1 it clearly appears that this conceit originated with the alchemists from the application of false analogies1 and that the error was subsequently diffused and exaggerated by a misconstruction of alchemical metaphors4#aja ,an example of reasoning by false analogy is presented to us by ,paracelsus1 in his work de vita longa1 wherein1 speaking of anatomy1 he exclaims3 8,sicut antimonium finit aurum1 sic1 eadem ratione et forma1 corpus humanum purum reddit40 ,the processes of alchemy were always veiled in the most enigmatic and obscure language2 the earliest alchemist whose name has reached posterity1 is ,geber1 an ,arabian prince of the seventh century1 whose language was so proverbially obscure1 that ,dr4 ,johnson supposes the word gibberish or geberish to have been derived from this circumstance2 sometimes the processes of alchemy were expressed by a figurative and metaphorical style of description2 thus ,geber exclaims1 8,bring me the six lepers that ,i may cleanse them20 by which he implied the conversion of the six metals1#ajb the only ones then known1 into gold4 ,from the works of later alchemists it also appears that they constantly represented gold as a sound1 healthy1 and durable man1 the imperfect metals as diseased men1 and the means or processes by which the latter were to be transmuted into the former1 they designated by the name of medicines2 and hence1 those who were anxious to dive into the secrets of these magicians1 or ,adepts1 as they termed themselves1 without possessing a key to their language1 supposed that these descriptions were to be understood in a literal sense1 and that the imperfect metals might be changed into gold1 and the bodies of sick persons into healthy ones1 by one and the same chemical preparation4 ,the hieroglyphical style of writing adopted by the earlier alchemists1 was in a great degree supported by the prevailing idea that the elements were under the dominion of spiritual beings1 who might be submitted to human power2 and ,sir ,humphry ,davy has observed that the notions of fairies1 and of genii1 which have been depicted with so much vividness of fancy and liveliness of description in ,,the ,,thousand ,,and ,,one ,,nights1 seem to have been connected with the pursuit of the science of transmutation1 and the production of the elixir of life4 ,that the ,arabian ,nights' ,entertainment admits of a mystic interpretation1 is an opinion which ,i have long entertained4 ,how strikingly is the effect of fermented spirit1 in banishing the pressure of the melancholy which occurs in solitude1 depicted in the story of ,sinbad when he encountered the withered and decrepid hag1 on the uninhabited island--but1 to return from this digression to the subject of medical chemistry4 ,it was not in fact until several years had elapsed in the delusive researches of alchemy1 that the application of chemical knowledge became instrumental in the advancement of the medical art4 ,,rhases and ,,avicenna1 who were the celebrated physicians of the age1 are the first who introduced pharmaceutical preparations into their works1 or made any improvement in the mode of conducting pharmaceutical processes4 ,avicenna describes1 particularly1 the method of conducting ,distillation2 he mentions also1 for the first time1 the three ,mineral ,acids1 and distinguishes between the vegetable and mineral ,alkalies2 he speaks likewise of the ,distilled ,water of ,roses1 of ,sublimed ,arsenic1 and of ,corrosive ,sublimate4 ,in the year #abbf1 ,,roger ,,bacon1 a native of ,ilchester in ,somersetshire1 and a ,franciscan monk of ,westminster ,abbey1 laid the foundations of chemical science in ,europe2 his discoveries were so extraordinary that he was excommunicated by the ,pope1 and imprisoned ten years for supposed dealings with the devil2 it appears that he was a believer in an universal ,elixir1 for he proposed one to ,pope ,clement the ,tenth1 which he extolled highly1 as the invention of ,petro de ,maharncourt4 ,this wonderful man was succeeded at the end of the same century by ,arnoldus de ,villa ,nova1 a ,frenchman1 or as others assert1 a ,spaniard1 who deserves to be noticed on this occasion1 as being the first to recommend the distilled spirit of wine1 impregnated with certain herbs1 as a valuable remedy2 from which we may date the introduction of ,tinctures into medical practice2 for1 although ,thaddus1 a ,florentine1 who died in #abgj1 at the age of eighty1 bestows great commendation upon the virtues of ,spirit of ,wine1 yet he never used it as a solvent for active vegetable matter4 ,it was not however until the end of the thirteenth century1 that ,chemistry can be said to have added any considerable power to the arm of ,physic4 ,,basil ,,valentine1 a ,german ,benedictine monk1 led the way to the internal administration of metallic medicine1 by a variety of experiments on the nature of ,antimony1 and in his 8,currus ,triumphalis ,antimonii10 a work written in high ,dutch1 he has described a number of the combinations of that metal4 ,if however we may credit a vague tradition1 he was extremely unfortunate in his first experiments upon his brother monks1 all of whom he injured if not killed2 those who have keen ears for etymological sounds will instantly recognise1 in this circumstance1 the origin of the word ,antimony1-- 4 ,it appears that the ancients were ignorant of the internal use and administration of the metals1 with the exception of iron1 although they frequently used them in external applications4 ,hippocrates recommends ,lead in several parts of his works1 as an epulotic application1 and for other external purposes4 ,litharge of ,gold and ,cerusse also entered the composition of several powders extolled by that ancient physician as possessing great efficacy in defluxions of the eyes4 ,oribasius and tius added 8,lithargyrium0 to several plaisters1 and the composition of the 8,snow-like plaister10 from ,minium1 was long preserved amongst their most valuable secrets4 ,whether antimony is the ,stimmi or ,stibium of the ancients has been a matter of conjecture2 for ,pliny1 in speaking of its preparation observes1 8,ante omnia urendi modus necessarius1 ne ,plumbum fiat40 ,this plumbum however was evidently the revived metal of ,antimony1 with which the ancients were unacquainted1 and therefore mistook it for ,lead2 besides1 the word ,plumbum1 like many others which ,i have before mentioned1 was used as a general term2 thus1 according to ,pliny1 ,tin was called ,plumbum album2 and ,agricola calls ,lead ,plumbum nigrum4#ajc ,the question however is unimportant1 for this ,stibium was never used but as an external ,astringent1 especially for the purpose of contracting the eye-lids1 and thereby of making the eyes appear very large1 which has been considered from the most remote antiquity1 as a feature of great beauty2 thus the epithet is constantly applied by ,homer to ,juno4 ,this practice appears also to have been followed by the ,jews1 for ,jezebel is said to have painted her eye-brows to make the eyes appear big2#ajd the expression also shews that the drug employed was the ,stimmi4 4 ,to ,,basil ,,valentine we are moreover indebted for the discovery of the ,volatile ,alkali1 and of its preparation from ,sal ,ammoniac2 he also first used mineral acids as solvents1 and noticed the production of ,ether from ,alcohol2 he seems also to have understood the virtues of sulphate of iron1 for he says1 when internally administered1 it is tonic and comforting to a weak stomach1 and that externally applied1 it is astringent and styptic3 he moreover recommended a fixed alkali made from vine twigs cut in the beginning of ,march1 for the cure of gout and gravel4 ,in the year #adic1 was born near ,zurich in ,switzerland1 ,,paracelsus1 or as he termed himself1 ,philippus1 ,theophrastus1 ,bombastus1 ,paracelsus de ,hohenheim1 a man who was destined to produce a greater revolution in the ,materia ,medica1 and a greater change in medical opinions and practice1 than any person who had appeared since the days of ,galen4 ,he travelled all over the ,continent of ,europe to obtain knowledge in ,chemistry and ,physic1 and was a great admirer of ,basil ,valentine1 declaring that ,antimony was not to be equalled for medicinal virtue1 by any other substance in nature3 this opinion however does not deserve our respect1 for it was not founded upon observation and experiment1 but on a fanciful analogy1 derived from a property which this metal possesses of refining gold1 as ,i have before related4 ,he also used ,mercury without reserve1 and appears to have been the first who ventured to administer it internally1#aje for although ,avicenna asserts that it was not so poisonous as the ancients had imagined1 yet he does not attribute to it any virtues2 he merely says1 8,argentum quidem vivum1 plurimi qui bibunt1 non lduntur eo40 ,its effects1 when applied externally1 were well known to ,theodoric the friar1 afterwards ,bishop of ,cervia1 in the twelfth century1 who describes the salivation which mercurial frictions will produce4 ,paracelsus1 moreover1 employed ,lead internally in fevers1--8,saturnus purgat febres0 was one of his most favourite maxims4 ,he also gives us directions for the preparation of ,red ,precipitate with ,mercury and ,aqua fortis4 ,paracelsus1 thus armed with opium1 mercury1 and antimony1 remedies of no trifling importance1 travelled in all directions and performed many extraordinary cures1 amongst which was that of the famous printer ,frobenius of ,basil1 a circumstance which immediately brought him acquainted with ,erasmus1#ajf and made him known to the magistracy of ,basil1 who elected him professor of chemistry in the year #aebg1 which was the first professorship that was established in ,europe for the promotion and dissemination of chemical science4 ,but notwithstanding this testimony of his success1 if we may credit ,libavius1 he often1 like our modern quacks1 left his patients more diseased than he found them2 and it is acknowledged by his own disciple ,oporinus1 that when he was sent for to any town1 for the purpose of administering his remedies1 he was rarely suffered to protract his visit1 on account of the general resentment of the inhabitants4 ,while seated in his chair1 he burnt with great solemnity the writings of ,galen and ,avicenna1 and declared to his audience that if ,god would not impart the secrets of physic1 it was not only allowable but even justifiable to consult the devil4 ,his cotemporary physicians he treated with the most sottish vanity and illiberal insolence2 in the preface to his work entitled 8,paragranum10 he tells them 8that the very down of his bald pate had more knowledge than all their writers1 the buckles of his shoes more learning than ,galen and ,avicenna1 and his beard more experience than all their ,universities40 ,with such a temper it could not be supposed that he would long retain his chair1 in fact he quitted it in consequence of a quarrel with the magistrates1 after which he continued to ramble about the country1 generally intoxicated1 and seldom changing his clothes1 or even going to bed2 and although he boasted of possessing a ,panacea which was capable of curing all diseases in an instant1 and even of prolonging life to an indefinite length1 yet this drunkard and prince of empirics died after a few hours illness1 in the forty-eighth year of his age1 at ,salzburg in ,bavaria1 with a bottle of his immortal ,catholicon in his pocket4 ,in contemplating the career of this extraordinary man1 it is difficult to say whether disgust or astonishment is the most predominant feeling2 his insolence and unparalleled conceit1 his insincerity1 and brutal singularities1 and his habits of immorality and debauchery1 are beyond all censure2 whilst the important services he has rendered mankind1 by opposing the bigotry of the schools and introducing powerful remedies into practice1 cannot be recorded without feelings of gratitude and respect3 but in whatever estimation ,paracelsus may be held1 there can be no doubt but that his fame produced a very considerable influence on the character of the age1 by exciting the envy of some1 the emulation of others1 and the industry of all4#ajg ,about a century after ,paracelsus1 ,,van ,,helmont took the lead in physic2 he was a man of most indefatigable industry1 and spent fifty years in torturing by every chemical experiment he could devise1 the various objects in the animal1 vegetable1 and mineral kingdoms4 ,he was the first physician who applied alum in uterine hemorrhage1 and he acquired a great reputation from the success of the practice4 ,,sylvius ,,de ,,la ,,boe1 and ,,otho ,,tachenius1 followed in the track of ,van ,helmont4 ,a prejudice in favour of chemical remedies having been thus introduced1 the merited success which attended their operation1 and the zeal and perseverance which distinguished the votaries of that science1 soon kindled a more general enthusiasm in its favour4 ,it is impossible to reduce into miniature the historical features of these chemical times1 so as to bring them within the compass of a lecture3 ,i must therefore rest satisfied with delineating a few of the more prominent outlines4 ,the ,galenists1 who were in possession of the schools1 and whose reasonings were fettered by the strongest predilection for their own doctrines1 instantly took the alarm2 and the celebrated contest ensued between the ,galenical and ,chemical sects1 which has given such a controversial tone to the writers of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries4 ,as this revolt from orthodox authority was in a great degree attributed to the mischievous introduction and unmerited success of ,antimonial remedies1 so were the preparations of this metal denounced with all the virulence of party spirit2#ajh and upon this occasion1 in order to support their ground and oppress and persecute their adversaries1 the ,galenists actually solicited the assistance of secular power2 the ,supreme ,council of ,paris accordingly proscribed its use by an edict in #aeff1 and ,besnier was expelled the faculty of medicine in #afji1 for having administered it to a patient4 ,in #afcg1 ,antimonial wine was by public authority received into the number of purgatives2 and in #afej1 a new arrt rescinded that of #aeff1 and again restored ,antimony to public favour and general reputation2 and before we conclude our remarks upon the revolutionary history of this extraordinary metal1 it deserves to be remarked1 that this very same government that had with such great virulence1 and so little justice1 persecuted every practitioner who had shewn any predilection for its use1 in the year #agbj actually purchased the secret of an antimonial preparation called ,panacea ,glauberiana1 and which has been since known by the title of ,kermes ,mineral1 from a surgeon of the name of ,la ,legerie1 who had acquired the secret from a pupil of ,glauber4 ,before this period the invention of ,calomel had taken place2 this preparation is first mentioned1 although very obscurely1 by ,oswald ,crollius1 in his ,basilica ,chemica1 in #afjh1 and in the same year ,beguin described it most fully and clearly under the title of ,draco ,mitigatus1 in his ,tirocinium ,chemicum1 which he published in ,paris4 ,chemistry1 at this period#aji took possession of the schools1 and whilst it was gradually grafted into the theory of medicine1 it soon became the only guide to its practice1 the absurdity of which has been already dwelt upon4 ,in tracing the march of chemical improvement during the last century1 we cannot but be struck with the new and powerful remedies which it has introduced1 and the many unimportant and feeble articles which it has dismissed from medical practice4 ,in the present century1 the rapid progress of ,chemistry has outstripped the anticipations of its most sanguine votaries2 and even in the department of vegetable analysis1 a correctness has been attained1 the very attempt at which had been abandoned by the most illustrious chemists of the former age as hopeless and chimerical2 let us for instance only compare the results obtained by the ,academicians of ,paris1 and published by ,geoffroy1 in their analyses of several hundred plants by the operation of heat1 with the elegant and satisfactory researches in this branch of science lately conducted in the same country2 whilst the former failed in establishing any distinction between the most inert and the most poisonous plants1 the latter have succeeded in detecting1 separating1 and concentrating several of their most subtile constituents4 ,opium has been at length compelled to confess its secret source of action1 and ,ipecacuan to yield its emetic element in a state of perfect purity4 ,our ,pharmacopias and ,dispensatories#aaj have cautiously kept pace with the scientific progress of the age2 and in tracing them from their origin to the present time#aaa it is gratifying to observe the gradual influence of knowledge in reducing the number of their articles--simplifying the composition of their formul--and improving the processes for their preparation4#aab ,chemistry has also been the means of establishing the identity of many bodies which were long considered as specifically different2 thus an extensive list of animal substances has been discarded1 since it is known that they owe their properties to one and the same common principle1 as to gelatine1 albumen1 carbonate of lime1 c42 so again the fixed alkaline salt produced by the incineration of different vegetables1 has been found to be potass1 from whatever plant it may have been obtained1 with the exception of sea plants1 and perhaps some of the ,tetradynamia1 the former of which yield ,soda and the latter ,ammonia4 ,previous to the ,pharmacopia of #agde1 every vegetable was supposed to yield a salt essentially different1 and therefore a number of alkaline preparations were recommended1 each bearing the name of the particular plant from which it had been procured1 as salt of ,wormwood--salt of ,broom1--,salt of ,bean-,stalks1 c4 ,but1 from the very nature and object of a ,pharmacopia1 it cannot be supposed to proceed pari passu with the march of chemical science1 indeed it would be dangerous that it should1 for a chemical theory must receive the seal and stamp of experience before it can become current3 a ,pharmacopia however is always an object of abuse1 because it is a national work of authority1 which is quite a sufficient reason why the ignorant and conceited should question its title to respect1 and its claim to utility4 8,plures audivi10 says ,huxham1 8totas blaterantes ,pharmacopias1 qui tamen ne intellexerint quidem quid vel ipse pulsus significabat40 ,it is very evident1 that the greater number of these attacks has not been levelled with any view to elicit truth or to advance science1 but to excite public attention1 and to provoke unfair discussion for individual and unworthy advantage2 their obscure and presumptuous authors vainly hope1 that they may gain for their ephemeral writings some share of importance1 and for themselves some degree of reputation1 if they can only obtain notoriety by provoking a discussion with the ,college or with some of its responsible members1 though such a combat should be sure to terminate in their defeat4 ,like the ,scythian ,abaris1 who upon being wounded by ,apollo1 plucked the arrow from his side1 and heedless of the pain and disgrace of his wound1 exclaimed in triumph that the weapon would in future enable him to deliver ,oracles4 ,it is not to such persons that the observations which are contained in this work are addressed1 for with them ,i am most anxious to avoid a contest1 in which1 as a worthy ,fellow of our ,college expresses it1 8,victory itself must be disgraceful40 ,when1 however1 we are assailed upon every occasion by a gentleman whose talents entitle him to respect1 and whose public situation commands notice1 ,i apprehend that a humble individual like myself1 may1 in the conscientious discharge of a public duty1 deliver his sentiments from the chair to which he has been called by his professional brethren1 without any risk of compromising the dignity of the ,college1 or of drawing upon himself the charge of an unnecessary and injudicious interference4 ,the attack to which ,i chiefly allude1 is contained in an historical preface by ,mr4 ,professor ,brande1 to the ,supplement of the ,fourth and ,fifth ,editions of the ,encyclopdia ,britannica2 in which1 speaking of the writings of ,,boerhaave1 he says1 8,the observations which he has made upon the usefulness of ,chemistry1 and of its necessity to the medical practitioner1 may be well enforced at the present day2 for1 except in the schools of ,london and ,edinburgh1 ,chemistry1 as a branch of education1 is either entirely neglected1 or1 what is perhaps worse1 superficially and imperfectly taught2 this is especially the case in the ,english ,universities1 and the ,london ,pharmacopia is a record of the want of chemical knowledge1 where it is most imperiously required40 ,the learned ,professor of ,oxford1 ,dr4 ,kidd1 naturally anxious to repel a charge which he considered individually unfair1 and to vindicate his ,university from an aspersion which he felt to be generally unjust1 published an animated1 but at the same time1 a cool and candid defence1 to which ,i have much pleasure in referring you4 ,with respect to the ,sister ,university1 my own ,alma ,mater1 ,i feel that ,i should be the most ungrateful of her sons1 were ,i1 upon this occasion1 to omit expressing similar sentiments with respect to the course of chemistry1 and that of its collateral branches1 which are annually delivered in the crouded schools at ,cambridge4 ,is ,mr4 ,brande acquainted with the discipline of our ,university8--,is he aware that the chemical chair has been successively filled by ,,bishop ,,watson--,,milner--,,wollaston#aac--;an d the late lamented ,mr4 ,,tennant8--8,master ,builders in the ,science40 ,to say that such men have been the lecturers1 is surely a sufficient testimony to shew that the science of chemistry heretofore could not 8have been neglected1 or what perhaps is still worse1 imperfectly taught20 and the zeal and ability displayed by the present ,professor1 ought to have shielded him from any such attack4 ,is ,mr4 ,brande aware that the eloquent appeal of ,,bishop ,,watson from the chair at ,cambridge1#aad on the general importance and utility of chemistry1 gave the first impulse to that public taste for this science which so eminently distinguishes our ,augustan age1 and which has been the means of founding and supporting the ,royal1 and other ,public ,institutions in this ,metropolis1 as well as in the other towns of the ,british ,empire8 ,i need make no farther remark upon this part of ,mr4 ,brande's assertion2 the sequel1 judging from the construction of the sentence1 is evidently intended to be understood as a consequence1 viz4 and therefore 8the ,london ,pharmacopia is a record of the want of chemical knowledge where it is most imperiously required10 because ,oxford and ,cambridge ,physicians were its ,editors4 ,is not this the obvious construction8 ,it appears from ,mr4 ,brande's laconic answer to ,dr4 ,young1 published in 8,the ,journal of ,science and the ,arts10 that his objections are those of ,mr4 ,phillips1 contained in his experimental examination of the ,pharmacopia2 a work which1 ,i confess1 appears to me to furnish a testimony of the experimental tact1 subtile ingenuity1 and caustic style of criticism1 which its author so eminently possesses1 rather than a proof of any fatal or material inaccuracy in the ,pharmacopia2 and ,i may urge this with greater force and propriety1 when it is considered that1 at the time of its publication1 ,i was not a ,fellow of the ,college1 and therefore had no voice upon the subject of its composition1 and consequently must be personally disinterested in its reputation4 ,i cannot conclude these observations upon ,mr4 ,brande's attack1 without expressing a deep feeling of regret1 that a gentleman1 whose deserved rank in society1 and whose talents and acquirements must entitle him to our respect1 should have condescended to countenance and encourage that vile and wretched taste of depreciating the value and importance of our most venerable institutions1 and of bringing into contempt those acknowledged authorities which must always meet with the approbation of the best1 and the sanction and support of the wisest portion of mankind4 ,and ,i shall here protest against the prevailing fashion of examining and deciding upon the pretensions of every medicinal compound to our confidence1 by a mere chemical investigation of its composition1 and of rejecting1 as fallacious1 every medical testimony which may appear contradictory to the results of the ,laboratory2 there is no subject in science to which the maxim of ,cicero more strictly applies1 than to the present case2 let the ,ultra ,chemist therefore cherish it in his remembrance1 and profit by its application--8,,pr,,stat ,,natur ,,voce ,,doceri1 ,,quam ,,ingenio ,,suo ,,sapere40 ,has not experience fully established the value of many medicinal combinations1 which1 at the time of their adoption could not receive the sanction of any chemical law8 ,we well remember the opposition1 which on this ground was for a long time offered to the introduction of the ,anti-hectic ,mixture of ,dr4 ,griffith1--the ,mistura ,ferri ,composita of the present ,pharmacopia1 and yet subsequent inquiry has confirmed upon scientific principles the justness of our former practical conclusion2 for it has been shewn that the chemical decompositions which constituted the objection to its use1 are in fact the causes of its utility 7see ,mist4 ,ferri172 the explanation1 moreover1 has thrown additional light upon the theory of other preparations2 so true is the observation of the celebrated ,morveau1 that 8,we never profit more than by these unexpected results of ,experiments1 which contradict our ,analogies and preconceived ,theories40 ,whenever a medicine is found by experience to be effectual1 the practitioner should listen with great circumspection to any chemical advice for its correction or improvement4 ,from a mistaken notion of this kind the ,extractum ,colocynthidis compositum1 with a view of making it chemically compatible with ,calomel1 has been deprived of the ,soap which formerly entered into its composition1 in consequence of which its solubility in the stomach is considerably modified1 its activity is therefore impaired1 and its mildness diminished4#aae ,on the other hand1 substances may be medically inconsistent1 which are chemically compatible1 as ,i shall have frequent opportunities of exemplifying4 ,the stomach has a chemical code of its own1 by which the usual affinities of bodies are frequently modified1 often suspended1 and sometimes entirely subverted2 this truth is illustrated in a very striking manner by the interesting experiments of ,m4 ,drouard1 who found that ,copper1 swallowed in its metallic state1 was not rendered poisonous by meeting with oils1 or fatty bodies2 nor even with ,vinegar1 in the digestive organs4 ,other bodies1 on the contrary1 seem to possess the same habitudes in the stomach as in the laboratory1 and are alike influenced in both situations by the chemical action of various bodies1 many examples of which are to be found under the consideration of the influence which solubility exerts upon the medicinal activity of substances2 so again1 acidity in the stomach is neutralized by ,alkalies1 and if a ,carbonate be employed for that purpose1 we have a copious disengagement of ,carbonic acid gas1 which has been frequently very distressing to the patient2 lastly1 many bodies taken into the stomach undergo decompositions and changes in transitu1 independent of any play of chemical affinities from the hidden powers of digestion1 some of which we are enabled to appreciate1 and they will accordingly form a subject of investigation in the course of the present work4 ,the powers of the stomach would seem to consist in decomposing the ,ingesta1 and reducing them into simpler forms1 rather than in complicating them1 by favouring new combinations4 ,but every rational physician must feel in its full force1 the absurdity of expecting to account for the phnomena of life upon principles deduced from the analogies of inert matter1 and we therefore find that the most intelligent physiologists of modern times have been anxious to discourage the attempt1 and to deprecate its folly4 ,sir ,gilbert ,blane1 in his luminous work on ,,medical ,,logic1 when speaking of the different theories of digestion1 tells us that ,dr4 ,william ,hunter1 whose peculiar sagacity and precision of mind detected at a glance the hollowness of such delusive hypotheses1 and saw the danger which theorists run in trusting themselves on such slippery ground1 expressed himself in his public lectures1 with that solidity of judgment combined with facetiousness of expression1 which rendered him unparalleled as a public teacher4 8,gentlemen10 said he1 8,physiologists will have it that the stomach is a mill--others1 that it is a fermenting-vat--others again1 that it is a stew-pan1--but in my view of the matter1 it is neither a mill1 a fermenting-vat1 nor a stew-pan--but a ,,stomach1 ,gentlemen1 a ,,stomach40 ,what can illustrate in a more familiar and striking manner the singular powers of ,gastric ,chemistry1 than the fact of the shortness of time in which the aliment becomes acid in depraved digestion8 ,a series of changes is thus produced in a few hours1 which would require in the laboratory as many weeks1#aaf while in acute affections of the alimentary canal the functions of the stomach are nearly suspended1 and hence under such circumstances1 whatever is introduced into this organ remains unchanged1 even the nutritious mucilages are not digested4 ,from what has been said1 it is very evident that the mere chemist can have no pretensions to the art of composing or discriminating remedies2 whenever he arraigns the scientific propriety of our ,prescriptions1 in direct contradiction to the deductions of true medical experience1--whenever he forsakes his laboratory for the bed-side1 he forfeits all his claims to our respect1 and his title to our confidence4 ,it is amusing to see the ridiculous errors into which the chemist falls1 when he turns physician2 as soon as ,seguin found that ,peruvian bark contained a peculiar principle that precipitated ,tannin1 he immediately concluded that this could not be any other than ,gelatine1 and upon the faith of this blunder1 the ,french1 ,italian1 and ,german physicians1#aag gave their patients nothing but ,clarified ,glue1 in intermittent fevers6--,but ,i desist--not however without expressing a hope1 in which ,i am sure my medical brethren will concur1 that1 should ,mr4 ,brande again condescend to favour us with a commentary upon ,boerhaave1 he will select that passage in his work1 where1 alluding to the application of ,chemistry to ,physic1 he emphatically exclaims1 8,,egregia ,,illius ,,ancilla ,,est1 ,,non ,,alia ,,pejor ,,domina40 ,,the ,,influence ,,of ,,soil1 ,,culture1 ,,climate1 ,,and ,,season4 ,the facts hitherto collected upon this subject are so scanty and unsatisfactory1 that ,i introduce its consideration in this place1 rather with a wish to excite farther enquiry1 than with any hope of imparting much additional information4 ,there can be little doubt1 but that ,soil1 ,culture1 ,climate1 and ,season1#aah may very materially influence the active properties of a medicinal plant2 while the two latter of these causes may as essentially change the type and character of a disease1 and modify the vital susceptibility of the patient2 the natives of the south of ,europe1 for instance1 do not bear bleeding1 and other modes of depletion1 so well as those of the north4 ,this must be admitted to its full extent1 or it will be extremely difficult to explain the contradictory and even opposite opinions1 and to reconcile the conflicting testimonies of the physicians of different countries1 with respect to the efficacy of the same remedy1 in similar diseases4 ,,the ,,influence ,,of ,,soil may be exemplified by many well known facts2 thus1 strongly smelling plants lose their odour in a sandy soil1 and do not again recover it by transplantation into a richer one2 a fact upon which ,rozier founded his proposal for the improvement of ,rape oil2 so again1 no management could induce the ,ricotia gyptiaca to flower1 until ,linnus suggested the expediency of mixing clay with the earth in the pot2 ,assaftida is one of those plants that vary much according to station and soil1 not only in the shape of the leaves1 but in the peculiar nauseous quality of the juice which impregnates them1 and ,dr4 ,woodville states that it is frequently so modified that the leaves are eaten by goats2 ,gmelin informs us1 on the authority of ,steller1 that the effects of the ,rhododendron have been found to vary materially according to the 8solum natale20 for example1 that produced in a certain spot has proved uniformly narcotic1 that in another1 cathartic1 while a sense of suffocation has been the only symptom occasioned by a third4 ,rhubarb1 as grown in ,england1 will differ greatly in its purgative qualities1 according to the soil in which it may have been cultivated2 that produced in a dry gravel being more efficacious than that which is reared in a clayey one4 ,dr4 ,carter1 in his account of the 8,principal ,hospitals of ,france1 ,italy1 and ,switzerland10 tells us that at ,nice1 the ,digitalis is commonly given in doses of a scruple in powder1 or in that of half an ounce of the infusion made according to the ,london ,pharmacopia1 every hour1 and without any sensible effect2 this fact he explains by stating that the ,digitalis1 in the neighbourhood of ,nice1 is much smaller1 and is probably less powerful than the same plant as it grows in ,england4 ,,climate also produces a powerful impression upon vegetable and animal life4 ,it is probable that in southern countries some vegetables enjoy more energetic properties than in northern climes4 ,the history of opium immediately countenances such an opinion2 thus ,egypt produces a stronger opium than any of the countries on the north side of the ,mediterranean1--,france1 than ,england or ,germany2--and ,languedoc1 than the northern parts of ,france2--while ,smyrna1 ,natolia1 ,aleppo1 and ,apulia1 furnish a juice far more narcotic than ,languedoc3 so again1 ,senna by transplantation from ,arabia into the south of ,france 7,provence7 assumes a marked change in its physiognomy and virtues1 its leaves are more obtuse1 and its taste less bitter and nauseous than the pointed leaved variety1 while its effects will be found to be less purgative4 ,cruciform plants degenerate within the tropics1 but acquire increased energies1 as ,antiscorbutics1 in cold regions2 the ,menth have not so penetrating an essential oil in the south of ,europe as in ,england and in the north of ,france4 ,the relative proportions of gluten vary in the wheat of different countries1 and as in the south of ,europe1 its quantity greatly predominates over the other principles1 we at once discover the cause that gives such excellence to the ,maccaroni of ,italy4 ,many species of plants secrete juices in warmer regions1 which are unknown in their conomy1 in colder climates2 thus the ,ash yields ,manna in ,calabria1 but loses that faculty as it advances towards the north4 ,the influence of climate1 in its relations to moisture and dryness1 upon vegetable productions1 is also worthy of investigation2 in wet and cold seasons1 our herbage is far less nutritive to cattle1 and we accordingly find that they are constantly grazing1 in order to compensate by quantity1 for what is deficient in quality1 whereas in dry seasons1 a larger proportion of their time is consumed in rumination2 the same causes1 however1 that diminish the nutritive powers of plants1 frequently increase the energy of those principles upon which their medicinal value depends3 it is obvious that many herbs are more rank and virulent in wet and gloomy seasons3 this would appear to be a wise and provident law1 in order to apportion the natural condiment of the vegetable1 to the deteriorated state of its nutritive elements1 when the digestive organs must require more than the ordinary stimulus for the due exercise of their functions4 ,it is hardly necessary to observe that plants1 which in temperate climates are merely shrubs1 have been developed into trees1 by the hot and humid plains of ,africa and ,asia2 while in the arid deserts of ,nubia or in the frigid plains of ,siberia1 vegetable life is confined to stunted shrubs and humble mosses3 cold also suppresses the colour of flowers1 and indeed even that of the leaves1 as is witnessed in the ,cyclamen1 ,amaranthus1 and ,ranunculus of ,lapland and ,siberia4 ,but climate not only modifies the powers of a remedy by influencing its structure and composition1 but it renders it more or less active1 by increasing or diminishing the susceptibility of the body to its impression2 can a more striking proof of this fact be adduced than the well known effects of perfumes at ,rome8 ,the inhabitants are unable to sustain the strong scent of flowers in that climate1 without experiencing a sensation highly oppressive1 and which in some cases is even succeeded by syncope1#aai and thus realising the well known line of the poet1 8,die of a ,rose1 in aromatic pain40 ,as ,i have been favoured with some very interesting observations upon this subject by ,dr4 ,richard ,harrison1 who resided for a considerable time in ,italy1 and was thus enabled to institute a satisfactory inquiry into this curious subject1 ,i feel no hesitation in introducing a quotation from his letter to my readers4--8,you ask me what experience ,i have had on the subject of climate1 as affecting the powers and operation of remedies2 ,i have no difficulty in asserting that ,narcotics act with greater force even in smaller doses at ,naples1 where ,i had the advantages of much experience1 than in ,england4 ,i might adduce as an example the ,extract of ,hyoscyamus1 which1 when given to the extent of three grains thrice a day1 produced in two patients a temporary amaurosis1 which disappeared and again recurred on the alternate suspension and administration of this medicine2 and it deserves particular notice that these very patients had been in the habit of taking similar doses of the same remedy in ,england1 without any unpleasant result4 ,now that this depended upon an increased susceptibility of the patient1 in the warmer climate1 rather than an increased power in the remedy1 is unquestionable1 since the extract which was administered in ,italy had been procured from ,london2 indeed a high state of nervous irritation is the prevalent disorder of ,naples4 ,i treated several cases of ,epilepsy in ,italy with the nitrate of silver1 and with complete success1 while in ,england ,i certainly have not met with the same successful results4 ,during my residence at ,naples1 ,i spent some time in the island of ,ischia1 so celebrated all over the continent for its baths2 many of the patients who were then trying their efficacy1 had been attacked by ,paralysis1 ,apoplexy1 and almost every degree of loss of mental and muscular power1 and among them ,i certainly witnessed what with propriety might be denominated a genuine case of ,nervous ,apoplexy4 ,these complaints ,i was generally able to trace to the abuse of ,mercury1 whence we may1 ,i think1 very fairly conclude that this metal is more active in its effects in that1 than in our own country4 ,before ,i quit this subject1 ,i ought to mention that the doses of medicines1 as seen in the prescriptions and works of ,english ,physicians1 excite universal astonishment among the faculty of ,italy4 ,in fact1 as ,i have just stated1 the human constitution in this part of the continent is certainly more susceptible of nervous impression than in ,england3 it is perfectly true that flowers or perfumes in a chamber1 will frequently produce syncope in persons apparently strong and healthy1 and the fact is so universally admitted1 that the ,italians avoid them with the greatest caution40 ,on the other hand1 it appears equally evident that some remedies succeed in cold climates which produce little or no benefit in warmer latitudes4 ,soon after the publication of the first edition of my ,pharmacologia1 ,i received a letter from ,dr4 ,halliday of ,moscow1 upon the subject of the 8,eau ,medicinale10 and as it offers a striking proof of the efficacy of the ,rhododendron ,chrysanthum in curing the rheumatism of the ,north1 whilst in this country the plant has been repeatedly tried without any signal proof of success1 ,i shall here subjoin an extract from the letter of my correspondent3 8,in reading your account of the #8,eau ,medicinale1' ,i perceive that1 upon the authority of ,mr4 ,james ,moore1 you state it to be a preparation of the ,white ,hellebore2 may ,i be allowed to suggest the probability of its being made from the leaves of the ,rhododendron ,chrysanthum8 for so far as ,i can learn1 the effects of the ,french medicine are precisely those which are experienced from an infusion of the above plant1 which the ,siberians and ,russians regard as an infallible specific in the cure of chronic rheumatism and gout1 and from which ,i myself1 as well as other physicians in ,russia1 have witnessed the most desirable and decided effects1 whenever we had it in our power to administer the remedy with confidence and courage4 ,we have seldom given it in any other form or dose than that adopted by the ,siberians themselves1 which is to infuse in a warm place1 generally near a furnace and during the night1 two drachms of the fresh leaves in about twelve ounces of boiling water1 taking care that the liquid never boils4 ,this dose is to be taken in the morning upon an empty stomach1 and during its nauseating operation1 which generally commences within a quarter of an hour after it has been swallowed1 neither solids nor liquids of any description are allowed2 after an interval of three or four hours1 ,i have seen the patient obtain a copious and black ftid stool1 and get up free from pain4 ,should it happen that the patient does not recover from the first dose1 another is administered on the succeeding day1 and ,i have known it to be taken for three days in succession1 when the severest fits of gout have been removed4#abj ,is it not then probable that some cunning ,frenchman has availed himself of this ,siberian specific1 and concentrated it in such a form1 as to defy all the learned to find it out80 ,dr4 ,halliday adds1 8,the ,siberians denominate the leaves of this plant1 when infused in water1 ,intoxicating ,tea2 and a weaker infusion is in daily use1 especially for treating their neighbours1 just as the ,europeans do with tea from ,china40 ,before we quit the consideration of ,climate1 as being capable of influencing the activity of a remedy1 the important fact should not be overlooked1 that in ,india1 and other colonies of similar temperature1 ,mercurial ,medicines1 in order to produce their beneficial effects1 require to be administered to an extent which would prove destructive to the inhabitants of this island4 ,but of all the circumstances that produce the greatest change in the aspect as well as in the virtues of the vegetable creation1 is ,,cultivation1 which may either destroy the medicinal properties of a plant1 or raise in it new and most valuable qualities3 cultivation converts single into double flowers1 by developing the stamens into petals1 a change which in many cases destroys their efficacy1 as in the camomile1 ,anthemis ,nobilis2 for1 since all the virtues of this flower reside in the disc florets1 it is of course greatly deteriorated by being converted into the double-flowered variety2 by the operation of grafting extraordinary changes may also be produced2 ,olivier1 in his travels1 informs us that a soft ,mastiche1 having all the qualities of that resin1 except its consistence1 which is that of turpentine1 is procured by engrafting the ,lentisk on the ,chian ,turpentine tree4 ,buffon states that our wheat is a factitious production raised to its present condition by the art of agriculture4 ,m4 ,virey#aba observes1 that by suppressing the growth of one part of a plant we may respectively give rise to an increased developement in others2 thus are some vegetables rendered eunuchs1 or are deprived of seeds by obliteration1 and only propagate themselves by slips2 such a condition is frequently produced by culture1 continued through a long succession of generations2 this is the case with the ,banana1 ,sugar ,cane1 and other fruits that have carefully been made to deviate for a long series of years from their original types1 and having been continually transplanted by slips1 suckers1 or roots1 at length only propagate themselves in this way1 whereby the roots1 as those of the common potatoe1 become inordinately developed1 drawing to themselves the succulence and nutrition originally possessed by the berries4 ,it seems probable that we may thus have lost many vegetable species2 the ,tuberes of ,pliny1 for example1 are supposed by ,mr4 ,andrew ,knight to have been intermediate productions1 formed during the advancement of the ,almond to the ,peach1 or in other words that they were swollen almonds or imperfect peaches2 if this conjecture be admitted1 it will explain the fact stated by ,columella1 that the peach possessed deleterious qualities when it was first introduced from ,persia into the ,roman ,empire4 ,if there be any who feel sceptical upon the subject of such metamorphoses1 let him visit the fairy bowers of ,horticulture1 and he will there perceive that her magic wand has not only converted the tough1 coriaceous covering of the ,almond into the soft and melting flesh of the ,peach1 but that by her spells1 the sour ,sloe has ripened into the delicious ,plum1 and the austere ,crab of our woods into the ,golden ,pippin2 that this again has been made to sport in endless variety1 emulating in beauty of form and colour1 in exuberance of fertility and in richness of flavour1 the rarer productions of warmer regions1 and more propitious climates6 ,in our culinary vegetables the same progressive amelioration and advancement may be traced2 thus has the acrid and disagreeable ,apium graveolens been changed into delicious ,celery1 and the common ,colewort1 by culture continued through many ages1 appears under the improved and more useful forms of ,cabbage1 ,savoy1 and ,cauliflower4 ,it has been already observed that the alimentary and medicinal virtues are frequently in opposition to each other1 and that while cultivation improves the former1 it equally diminishes the latter2 ,i shall have occasion to offer some additional facts upon this curious subject1 under the consideration of ,bitter ,extractive2 see ,note on this ,extract1 in the article 8,tonics40 ,,the ,,ignorant ,,preparation ,,and ,,fraudulent ,,adulteration ,,of ,,medicines4 ,the circumstances comprehended under this head certainly deserve to be ranked amongst the more powerful causes1 which have operated in affecting the reputation of many medicinal substances4 ,the ,peruvian ,bark fell into total discredit in the year #aggi1 from its inability to cure the ague2 and it was afterwards discovered to have been adulterated with bark of an inferior species2 indeed ,sydenham speaks of the adulteration of this substance before the year #afgh2 he tells us that he had never used to exceed two drachms of ,cinchona in the cure of any intermittent1 but that of late the drug was so inert1 rotten1 and adulterated1 it became necessary to increase its dose to one1 two1 or three ounces4 ,the subject is copious and full of importance1 and ,i have taken considerable pains to collect very fully1 the various modes in which our remedies are thus deprived of their most valuable properties1 and to suggest the best tests by which such frauds may be discovered4 ,very few practitioners have an idea of the alarming extent to which this nefarious practice is carried1 or of the systematic manner in which it is conducted3 there can be no doubt but that the sophistication of medicines has been practised in degree in all ages1#abb but the refinements of chemistry have enabled the manufacturers of the present day1 not only to execute these frauds with greater address1 but unfortunately1 at the same time1 to vend them with less chance of detection4 ,it will be scarcely credited1 when ,i affirm that many hundred persons are supported in this metropolis by the art of adulterating drugs1 besides a number of women and children who find ample employment and excellent profit in counterfeiting ,cochineal with coloured dough1 ,isinglass with pieces of bladder and the dried skin of soles1 and by filling up with powdered ,sassafras the holes which are bored in spice and nutmegs1 for the purpose of plundering their essential oils4 ,,the ,,unseasonable ,,collection ,,of ,,vegetable ,,remedies4 ,vegetable physiology has demonstrated1 that during the progress of vegetation most remarkable changes occur in succession1 in the chemical composition1 as well as in the sensible qualities of a plant2 time will not allow me to be prodigal of examples1 take therefore one which is familiar and striking1--the aromatic and spicy qualities of the unexpanded flowers of the ,caryophyllus ,aromaticus 7,cloves7 are well known to every body1 but if the flower-bud be fully developed it loses these properties altogether1 and the fruit of the tree is not in the least degree aromatic2 so the berries of ,pimento1 when they come to full maturity1 lose their aromatic warmth and acquire a flavour very analogous to that of ,juniper4 ,the ,colchicum autumnale may be cited as another example in which the medicinal properties of the vegetable are entirely changed during the natural progress of its developement4 ,see also ,inspissated ,juices1 under the article ,extract4 ,,the ,,obscurity ,,which ,,has ,,attended ,,the ,,operation ,,of ,,compound ,,medicines4 ,it is evident that the fallacies to which our observations and experience are liable with respect to the efficacy of certain bodies1 as remedies1 must be necessarily multiplied when such bodies are exhibited in a state of complicated combination1 since it must be always difficult1 and often impossible1 to ascertain to which ingredient the effects produced ought to be attributed4 ,how many frivolous substances have from this cause alone gained a share of credit1 which belonged exclusively to the medicines with which they happened to be accidentally administered8#abc ,numerous are the examples which ,i might adduce in proof of this assertion2 the history of ,bezoar#abd would in itself furnish a mass of striking evidence1 indeed the reputation of this absurd substance was maintained much longer than it otherwise would have been1 by its exhibition having been frequently accompanied with that of more active articles4 ,monardes1 for instance1 extols the efficacy of the ,bezoar as a vermifuge1 but he states that it should be mixed with the seeds of ,wormwood4 ,besides1 in the exuberance of mixture1 certain re-actions and important changes are mutually produced1 by which the identity of the original ingredients is destroyed2 but this subject will be introduced for discussion in the first part of the ,pharmacologia4 ,the practice of mixing together different medicinal substances1 so as to form one remedy1 may boast of very ancient origin1 for most of the prescriptions which have descended from the ,greek physicians are of this description2 the uncertain and vague results of such a practice appear also to have been early felt1 and often condemned1 and even ,erasistratus declaimed with great warmth against the complicated medicines which were administered in his time2 the greater number of these compositions present a mass of incongruous materials1 put together without any apparent order or intention2 indeed it would almost appear as if they regarded a medical formula as a problem in ,permutation1 the only object of which was to discover and assign the number of changes that can be made in any given number of things1 all different from each other4 ,at the same time it must in justice be allowed1 that some of the earlier physicians entertained just notions with regard to the use and abuse of combination1 although their knowledge of the subject was of course extremely limited and imperfect4 ,,oribasius#abe recommends in high terms certain combinations of ,evacuant and ,roborant medicines1 and the remarks of ,,alexander ,,trallianus on a remedy which he exhibited in paralysis1 serve to shew that he was well acquainted with the fact1 that certain substances lose their efficacy when they stimulate the bowels to excess1 for he cautions us against adding a greater proportion of ,scammony to it2 many1 he observes1 think that by so doing1 they increase the force of the medicine1 whereas in fact they make it useless1 by carrying it immediately through the bowels1 instead of suffering it to remain and be conveyed to the remote parts4 ,in modern ,europe1 the same attachment to luxuriancy of composition has been transmitted to our own times3 there are several prescriptions of ,huxham extant1 which contain more than four hundred ingredients4 ,i have already observed that all extravagant systems tend1 in the course of time1 to introduce practices of an opposite kind2 this truth finds another powerful illustration in the history of medicinal combination1 and it becomes a serious question1 which it will be my duty to discuss1 whether the disgust so justly excited by the poly-pharmacy of our predecessors1 may not have induced the physician of the present day to carry his ideas of simplicity too far1 so as to neglect and lose the advantages which in many cases beyond all doubt may be obtained by scientific combinations4 8,to those10 says ,sir ,a4 ,crichton1 8who think that the ,science of ,medicine is improved by an affected simplicity in prescribing1 ,i would remark1 that modern pharmacopias are shorn so much of old and approved receipts1#abf on account of their being extraordinary compounds1 so as to be almost useless in some cases40 ,in the year #agii1 ,dr4 ,,fordyce1 in a valuable paper published in the second volume of the ,transactions of the ,medical ,society1 investigated this subject with much perspicuity and success3 unfortunately1 however1 this memoir terminates with the investigation of similar remedies1 that is to say1 of those which produce upon the body similar effects1 and he is entirely silent upon the advantages which may be obtained by the combination of those medicines which possess different1 or even opposite qualities2 it must be also remembered that at the time this memoir was composed by its eminent author1 ,chemistry had scarcely extended its illuminating rays into the recesses of physic4 ,under such circumstances1 ,i am induced to undertake the arduous task of inquiring into the several relations in which each article of a compound formula may be advantageously situated with respect to the others2 and ,i am farther encouraged in this investigation1 by a conviction of its practical importance1 as well as by feeling that it has hitherto never received the share of attention which it merits4 8,i think10 says ,dr4 ,powell1 8it may be asserted1 without fear of contradiction1 that no medicine compounded of five or six simple articles1 has hitherto had its powers examined in a rational manner40 ,if this attempt should be the means of directing the attention of future practitioners to the subject1 and thereby of rendering the ,art of ,composition more efficient1 by placing it upon the permanent basis of science1 ,i shall feel that ,i have profitably devoted my time and attention to the most useful of all medical subjects4 8,res est maximi momenti in arte medendi1 cum1 ,formula in se considerata1 possit esse profecto mortis vel vit sententia40 ,,pharmacologia4 ,,on ,,the ,,operations ,,of ,,medicinal ,,bodies1 ,,and ,,on ,,the ,,classifications ,,founded ,,on ,,them4 8,medicos tandem tdet et pudet1 diutius garrire de ,remediis1 ,specificis1 et ,alexipharmicis1 et cteris1 nisi eorum naturam et modum quo prosint1 quodammodo ostendere et explanare possint40 ,,conspect4 ,,med4 ,,theor4 ,,pharmacologia4 ,,on ,,the ,,operations ,,of ,,medicinal ,,bodies1 ,,and ,,on ,,the ,,classifications ,,founded ,,on ,,them4 ,medicinal ,substances are those bodies1 which1 by due administration1 are capable of producing certain changes in the condition of the living system1 whereby its morbid actions may be entirely removed1 or advantageously controlled4 ,in adopting this definition we intentionally exclude those alimentary substances which are more immediately subservient to the support of life1 and to the repair of that diurnal waste1 which the exercise of its functions so inevitably occasions4 ,it has been generally supposed1 that substances whose application does not produce any sensible action upon the healthy system1 cannot possess medicinal energy2 and1 on the contrary1 that those bodies which occasion an apparent effect in health1 must necessarily prove active in the cure or palliation of disease4 ,under certain limitations we may perhaps venture to assent to this general proposition2 but it cannot be too forcibly or too frequently impressed upon the mind of the medical practitioner1 that ,medicines are frequently but relative agents1 producing their effects in reference only to the state of the living frame2 we must therefore concur with ,sir ,gilbert ,blane in stating1 that the virtues of ,medicines cannot be fairly essayed1 nor beneficially ascertained1 by trying their effects on sound subjects1 because that particular morbid condition does not exist which they may be exclusively calculated to remove2#abg thus in certain states of debility1 ,tonics may excite the system when languid1 by their sympathetic influence upon the prim vi1 while in a robust condition of the body1 the effects of the same agents may be wholly inappreciable4 ,the ,,modus ,,operandi of remedies1 or the general principle upon which they effect salutary changes in the morbid states of the body1 is involved in considerable obscurity1 and has given rise to much ingenious speculation and scientific controversy4 ,it would seem that the immediate impression of a remedy may depend upon mechanical1 chemical1 or vital agencies2 and that the sanative impulse thus occasioned may either be ,absolute1 or ,relative2--,primary1 or ,secondary2--,local1 or ,general2--,direct1 or ,sympathetic2--,permanent1 or ,transient2--thus certain purgatives will occasion intestinal excretions in every condition of the body1 and may therefore be justly considered as absolute agents2 while diuretics1 since they generally require for their success1 a certain state of the living system1 may with equal truth be denominated relative in their operation4 ,that the obvious effect of a remedy may either depend upon its ,primary1 or upon its ,secondary and incidental operation1 will at once be apparent by inspecting the diagram which exhibits the classification of diuretic medicines2 the same scheme will also shew that remedies may be local or general in their effects1 and may excite an action in distant organs1 either by entering the circulating mass1 and being thus brought into contact with their textures2--by occasioning an impulse conveyed through the nervous system1--or by exciting a local impression upon the stomach and prim vi1 and thus arousing their energies through the mysterious medium of sympathetic#abh communication4 ,that certain bodies are capable of evading the assimilating functions1 and of entering1 unchanged1 into the circulating current1 either through the branches of the thoracic duct1 or of the vena portarum1 is a fact which admits of chemical demonstration2 many of the alkaline salts are thus conveyed to the kidneys1 and being excreted from the blood by its vessels1 are to be easily detected in the urine by appropriate reagents2 ,i have made many experiments upon this subject1 and am prepared to state some results which may perhaps explain the occasional value of such bodies as medicines4 ,some essential oils1 particular bitter principles1#abi and certain colouring matter1#acj seem also capable of passing the barriers of digestion1 and of circulating to the remote parts of the body2 ,mercury1 and several of the other metals1 would likewise appear1 under certain circumstances1 to possess a similar privilege1 and the former to be able moreover to facilitate the absorption of other bodies with which it may be associated1 as ,i shall hereafter more fully exemplify4 ,in some instances1 the medicinal body undergoes a partial decomposition by the digestive organs1 in transitu1 by which some of its constituents escape into the circulation1 while the others are completely digested1 and converted into chyle2 this occurs with saline compounds into which vegetable acids enter as constituents4 ,see ,potass ,acetas4 ,it is also stated in the history of ,diluents1 that there is reason to believe that ,water may under particular circumstances suffer decomposition1 and transfer its elements for the formation of new compounds1 furnishing oxygen to some1 and hydrogen to others4 ,there is likewise reason to suppose1 that in particular conditions of the digestive functions1 a remedy may be at once rendered inert by its entire decomposition4#aca ,that an impression made upon the stomach by a medicinal agent1 should be the means of exciting an action in the distant parts of the machine1 will not appear extraordinary when we consider how universal a sympathy and control this central organ exercises over every function of the body2 imbued with exquisite and diversified sensibilities1--subjected to the first and coarsest impressions of our various ingesta1--stretched occasionally to an enormous extent by the unrestricted indulgence of appetite1--disturbed by the passions1--exhausted by volition1 and debilitated by intense thinking2 in short1 assailed by numerous foes from without1 and harassed by various revolutions from within1 can we feel surprised that the aberrations of this viscus should give origin to the greater number of maladies with which we are afflicted1 or that those medicinal applications should be effective that are directed for their cure1 through the medium of its sympathies8 ,a dose of ,ipecacuan1 by exciting the stomach1 will abate both the force and velocity of the heart in its vital motion1 and affect the whole series of blood vessels1 from their origin to their most minute ramifications1 as is evinced by the pallor of the skin under its operation1 as well as by its efficacy in arresting hemorrhage2 so the brain1 when disordered by vertigo1 frequently derives instantaneous relief from the administration of a tea-spoonful of ther in a glass of water4 ,the stomach however is not in every case the medium of sympathy2 a substance may excite a powerful impression upon a distant part1 by the instrumentality of the nerves1 without any concurrence of the stomach2 thus1 the ,belladonna1 by coming in contact with the ,tunica ,conjunctiva of the eye1 will occasion immediate dilatation of the ,iris1 although no other part of the system is in the slightest degree affected4 ,but there is yet another mode by which remedies may be made to exert a sanative effect upon particular organs of the body1 through the medium of what ,mr4 ,hunter called contiguous sympathy1 and whose existence appears to depend upon the mere proximity and contiguity of parts1 without any relation to the distribution of the nerves2 thus it is1 that relief is afforded to a deep-seated inflammation1 by scarifying the nearest external surface2 while we know from long experience that the thoracic or abdominal viscera1 when similarly affected1 receive corresponding relief from the same topical use of bleeding1 blistering1 or fomenting4 ,with respect to the ,modus ,operandi of medicines the following classification may be established4 ,,the ,,particular ,,organs ,,of ,,the ,,body ,,may ,,be ,,excited ,,into ,,action1 ,,through ,,four ,,distinct ,,and ,,different ,,modes ,,of ,,communication4 ,i4 ,by the actual contact of the appropriate remedy4 #a4 ,conveyed by absorption1 ,,without ,,decomposition4 ,internally4a4 through the branches of the ,thoracic duct4 b4 through the branches of the ,vena ,portarum4#acb ,externally4c4 through the branches of divided blood-vessels4 d4 through the branches of ,lymphatics4#acc #b4 ,conveyed by absorption1 ,,with ,,decomposition1 by which one or more of its constituents are developed1 and pass into the circulating current4 ,,ii4 ,by an impulse conveyed through the instrumentality of the nerves4 ,,iii4 ,by the sympathetic control exerted by the stomach on distant parts4 ,,iv4 ,by the operation of contiguous sympathy1 or of that which is excited by the mere proximity and continuity of parts4 ,and it is important to observe1 that these are frequently antagonist operations1 and consequently1 that remedies1 although they should occasion the same apparent effects1 unless they act through the same medium1 are not ,,similar agents1 but on the contrary1 are generally medicinally incompatible with each other2 for an illustration of this truth1 the practitioner may refer to the observations which ,i have offered under the history of diuretics4 ,the difficulty of justly appreciating these phenomena1 in every instance1 has furnished a powerful objection against the validity of any classification of medicinal substances which is founded on their supposed modes of operation2 and it must be acknowledged that1 if we are unable to assign to remedies their primary action1 or to distinguish this from their more obvious1 though perhaps secondary effects1 we shall frequently be compelled to place similar medicines under opposite heads1 and to include those of very dissimilar characters under the same artificial division2 an error which has contributed more generally to embarrass and misguide our practice than any other therapeutical fallacy1 and it was the conviction of this truth which induced me to introduce the present chapter1 and to impress the importance of its subject upon the attention of my practical readers4 ,it is probable that1 in philosophical strictness1 no two medicines in our ,materia ,medica are perfectly similar1 although they recede from each other by such insensible shades of gradation that we may with practical advantage admit their parallelism2 at the same time1 it must be ever kept in remembrance1 that those ,medicines only are practically similar1 whose operations have been found by experience to continue similar under every condition of the human body2 and which1 moreover1 owe such similarity to modes of operation which are compatible with each other1 and consonant with the general indications of cure4 ,the importance of admitting this proposition will be frequently illustrated in the sequel2 and it may be observed in this place1 that every classification in which it is not recognised as a leading principle1 must be as imperfect in its execution1 as it will be unjust and erroneous in its views4 ,before ,i proceed to any farther discussion upon the present subject1 it will be necessary to offer a synoptical view of an arrangement of medicinal bodies founded upon the basis of their operations1 in order that ,i may be better enabled to illustrate the observations which it is my intention to introduce3 for this purpose ,i shall present the reader with three different classifications of this kind2 the first being that proposed by ,dr4 ,cullen1#acd and which is now admitted to rest on principles nearly altogether false1 but the investigation of which will afford many useful lessons of practical importance2 the second classification is by ,dr4 ,young2#ace and the third is that proposed by ,dr4 ,murray1#acf which1 from its simplicity and strict conformity with the views ,i intend to offer1 will be adopted as being the most eligible for the occasion4 ,,cullen',s ,,arrangement ,,of ,,the ,,materia ,,medica4 ,medicamenta agunt in ,,solida4 ,,simplicia4 ,astringentia4 ,tonica4 ,emollientia4 ,erodentia4 ,,viva4 ,stimulantia4 ,sedantia4 ,narcotica4 ,refrigerantia4 ,antispasmodica4 ,,fluida4 ,,immutantia4 ,fluiditatem4 ,attenuantia4 ,inspissantia4 ,misturam4 ,acrimoniam ,corrigentia4 ,in ,genere4 ,demulcentia4 ,in ,specie4 ,ant-acida4 ,ant-alkalina4 ,antiseptica4 ,,evacuantia4 ,errhina4 ,sialogoga4 ,expectorantia4 ,emetica4 ,cathartica4 ,diuretica4 ,diaphoretica4 ,menagoga4 ,,classification ,,of ,,the ,,materia ,,medica ,,by ,,dr4 ,,young4 ,i4 ,,chemical ,,agents4 #a4 ,caustics4 #b4 ,antiseptics4 #c4 ,antidotes4 #d4 ,demulcents4 #e4 ,diluents4 ,,ii4 ,,vital ,,agents4 ,a4 ,,supporting ,,strength4 #a4 ,nutrients4 ,b4 ,,causing ,,action4 ,,partial ,,transient4#a4 ,expergefacients4 #b4 ,excitants4 #c4 ,calefacients4 #d4 ,sudorifics4 #e4 ,errhines4 #f4 ,sialogogues4 #g4 ,expectorants4 #h4 ,stomachics4 #i4 ,emetics4 #aj4 ,cathartics4 #aa4 ,chologogues4 #ab4 ,hydrogogues4 #ac4 ,simply ,propellents4 #ad4 ,anthelmintics4 #ae4 ,diuretics4 #af4 ,carminatives4 #ag4 ,emmenagogues4 #ah4 ,epispastics4 #ai4 ,suppuratories4 #bj4 ,sorbefacients4 #ba4 ,astringents4 ,,permanent4 ,tonics4 ,c4 ,,diminishing ,,action ,,or ,,sensation4 ,primarily #a4 ,narcotics4 #b4 ,sedatives4 #c4 ,nauseants4 #d4 ,diaphoretics4 ,secondarily ,exhaurients4 ,,iii4 ,,insensible ,,agents4 ,specifics4 ,,classification ,,of ,,remedies ,,by ,,dr4 ,,murray4 ,a4 ,,general ,,stimulants4 a4 ,diffusible4 ,narcotics4 ,antispasmodics4 b4 ,permanent4 ,tonics4 ,astringents4 ,b4 ,,local ,,stimulants4 ,emetics4 ,cathartics4 ,emmenagogues4 ,diuretics4 ,diaphoretics4 ,expectorants4 ,sialogogues4 ,errhines4 ,epispastics4 ,c4 ,,chemical ,,remedies4 ,refrigerants4 ,antacids4 ,lithontriptics4 ,escharotics4 ,d4 ,,mechanical ,,remedies4 ,anthelmintics4 ,demulcents4 ,diluents4 ,emollients4 ,with respect to the classification of ,dr4 ,cullen1 we may commence our objections by stating1 that the very basis upon which it rests is a mere gratuitous assumption1 viz4 that certain medicines act on the fluids of the body4 ,with the exception of a very few substances1 it is now generally admitted that medicines produce their effects by acting on the living materials of which our organs are composed1 and not by modifying the specific gravity1 or chemical composition1 of the fluids which they may happen to evacuate4 ,the origin of this latter opinion is to be traced to the exploded notions of the humoral pathologists1 and to the exclusive doctrine of the earlier chemists2 for as the former recognised a depraved condition of the fluids as the source of every disease1 so did the latter imagine that every remedy operated by producing a chemical change upon its composition2 and the remedial value of a medicinal substance was estimated by its effects upon inert matter4 ,thus were experiments made with different substances upon the blood1 and other fluids of the body1 in order to deduce1 from the results1 the nature and extent of their powers as agents upon the living frame2 for instance1 the spirit and salt of hartshorn1 as they were found to render the blood more fluid1 when added to it1 out of the body1 were indiscriminately administered in almost every complaint1 with a view to dissolve that 8lentor of the fluids0 which was regarded as the more general source of disease4 ,for similar reasons1 a tribe of medicines were introduced into practice under the title of ,antiseptics1 for the prevention of a process which very probably never takes place in the living body3 the powers of these supposed agents were1 as usual1 inferred from their effects in resisting and preventing the putrefaction of dead matter4 ,nor is the distinction assumed by ,dr4 ,cullen1 between the action of remedies on the ,simple and ,living solids less hypothetical4 ,tonics and astringents may certainly exert a beneficial effect upon the animal fibre1 but not by any immediate action on its materials1 but through the agency of its living principle4--8,medicamentum non agit in cadaver40 ,the classification of ,dr4 ,young1 although it presents many points of interest and value1 is not altogether free from objection2 his classes in some instances are perhaps unnecessarily sub-divided1 without a sufficient regard to the primary and secondary operations of the substances which they include4 ,the arrangement of ,murray has been adopted in the present inquiry1 not as being less objectionable1 in a general point of view1 but as one which from its simplicity1 is better calculated1 as a frame-work1 if ,i may so express myself1 for the display of those particular facts1 the knowledge of which ,i consider essential for the successful administration of medicinal agents1 and for the full comprehension of those practical doctrines which it is the exclusive object of this work to inculcate4 ,dr4 ,murray observes that1 in this arrangement1 he places in the first division those substances which exert a ,,general ,,stimulant operation on the system4 ,of this there are two sub-divisions1 the ,,diffusible and the ,,permanent2 the former including the class of ,narcotics1 with which may be associated1 as not very remote in their operation1 the class of ,antispasmodics2 the latter comprising two classes1 viz4 ,tonics and ,astringents4 ,through these there is a gradual transition from the most highly diffusible stimulant1 to those most slow and durable in their action4 ,a second division comprehends ,,local ,,stimulants1 those1 the action of which is determined to particular parts of the system4 ,such are the classes of ,emetics1 ,cathartics1 ,emmenagogues1 ,diuretics1 ,diaphoretics1 ,expectorants1 and ,sialogogues2 with which may be associated the classes of ,errhines and of ,epispastics1 founded on direct local application4 ,the remaining classes include substances which do not operate according to laws peculiar to the living system4 ,to one division may be referred those1 whose effects depend on the ,,chemical changes they produce in the fluids or solids2 the classes which may be established on this principle are ,refrigerants1 ,antacids1 ,lithonthriptics1 and ,escharotics4 ,to another division belong those1 the operation of which is purely ,,mechanical1 as ,anthelmintics1 ,demulcents1 ,diluents1 ,emollients1 and certain ,laxatives4 ,under the above classes1 says ,dr4 ,murray1#acg may be comprehended all those substances which are capable of producing salutary changes in the human system1 and which are used as remedies4 ,i have stated my reasons for adopting this as a general basis of classification1 although ,i shall deviate very considerably in the subordinate divisions of the plan1 in the hope of establishing some distinctions that may tend to practical utility4 #a4 ,,general ,,stimulants4 ,the four classes comprehended under this first division1 are ,,narcotics1 ,,antispasmodics1 ,,tonics1 and ,,astringents4 ,although these remedies differ very essentially in the degree and permanence of their action1 as well as in the character of their apparent effects1 yet1 as it is conceived that their primary operation is stimulant1 they are considered as possessing sufficient general similitude to sanction their arrangement under one comprehensive division4 ,,narcotics4 ,synon3 ,sedatives4 ,anodynes4 ,hypnotics4 ,soporifics4 ,substances which1 in a moderate dose1 occasion a temporary increase of the actions of the nervous and vascular systems1 but which is followed by a greater depression of the vital powers than is commensurate with the degree of previous excitement1 and which is generally followed by sleep4 ,the relative intensity of these primary and secondary effects varies in the different narcotics1#ach and even in the same narcotic in different doses2 in some cases1 especially if the quantity administered be considerable1 the symptoms of diminished sense and action follow so immediately1 that the previous stage of increased action is very obscure1 or not in the least perceptible1 while in other cases1 the operation of the substance is more particularly directed towards the heart and arteries1 and syncope succeeds its exhibition4 ,these facts have led many physiologists to deny the stimulant nature of these bodies1 and to consider their primary operation as one of a depressing kind1 whence they have bestowed upon them the name of ,,sedatives2 in referring to the classification of ,cullen and ,young1 we shall find that the arrangement of these substances has been directed in strict conformity with such a view of the subject2 but it may be asked1 how the increased excitement and exhilaration which so obviously follow the use of these bodies1 in small doses1 can be reconciled with that theory which considers them as absolutely and primarily sedative8 ,in order to combat an argument so fatal to his hypothesis1 ,dr4 ,cullen summons to his aid the potent intercession of his tutelar deity1 the ,vis ,medicatrix1 a power which he supposes to preside over our living body1 and with anxious vigilance1 to resist the invasion of every thing that is noxious1 or hostile to its health and well being2 with such assistance it was not difficult to explain any paradox in physiology1 and the anomalies attending the agency of narcotic medicines were accordingly1 in the school of ,cullen1 easily reconciled with the views of a favourite theory4 ,he supposed that whenever a sedative was applied in a moderate dose1 the ,vis ,medicatrix took the alarm1 and excited all the powers of the system1 in order to throw off the noxious application1 and that thus indirectly arose those peculiar symptoms of increased action2 but when the dose was more considerable1 he contended that the preserving power of the system was silenced1 and unable to offer any salutary resistance1 and consequently that universal depression immediately followed2 but there is no direct evidence in support of the existence of such a power1 and still less of its influence upon such occasions2 it is far more philosophical to refer the operation of narcotics to a peculiar stimulating power1 remarkable for the extreme rapidity with which it exhausts the energy of the nervous system4 ,no one will deny the stimulating powers of alcohol1 and yet a very large draught of this liquor will occasion extreme exhaustion without the occurrence of any signs of previous excitement2 nor will any one be disposed to question the depressing influence of opium1 and yet small doses have enkindled excitement and sustained the powers of life1 under circumstances of extreme and alarming exhaustion4#aci ,from the celerity with which narcotics produce their effects1 it is reasonable to suppose that they act upon the nervous system through the sympathetic relations of the stomach1 although in some instances it is highly probable that these bodies are actually absorbed into the circulation2 ,i am inclined to think that this occurs with opium1 as death is accelerated in cases of persons poisoned by it1 by the adoption of those measures which are best calculated to promote its absorption3 7see ,opium47 ,a still more striking proof is furnished by the fact of opium1 when externally applied to ulcers1 producing all its constitutional effects1 such as costiveness1 head-ache1 nausea1 c4 ,whether the effects of spirituous potations are to be attributed to the introduction of alcohol into the blood1 or to the sympathies existing between the stomach and brain1 is still a question of doubt4 ,dr4 ,cooke#adj relates a case1 on the authority of ,sir ,a4 ,carlisle1 of a person who was brought dead into the ,westminster ,hospital1 in consequence of having drank a quart of gin for a wager1 and that upon examination1 a considerable quantity of a limpid fluid was found within the lateral ventricles of the brain1 distinctly impregnated with gin4 ,i very well remember the case1 for it occurred during the period that ,i held the situation of ,physician to that hospital1 but it is very doubtful whether such an absorption occurs under ordinary circumstances4 ,we well know the facility with which certain odorous bodies enter the circulation1 and are developed in distant organs2 it is therefore very possible that the apparent odour of the gin1 which has been sometimes recognized in the secretions1 may depend upon the presence of the flavouring ingredients1 independent of the alcohol8 ,at one period1 substances supposed to possess narcotic virtues were placed about the bed to obviate watchfulness2 the plant ,anethum1 or ,dill1 was very commonly suspended over the head for such a purpose1 while in modern times the ,hop has been introduced into the pillow4 ,in concluding the history of ,narcotics1 it may be observed1 that there is1 perhaps1 no class of medicinal bodies1 the individuals of which are less disposed to bend and conform to an artificial arrangement2 each would seem to have its own particular mode of operation1 and to affect sensibility in its own peculiar manner2 and hence the practitioner will often find that1 after the failure of one narcotic1 the administration of another will induce sleep4 ,,antispasmodics4 ,substances which have the power of allaying the inordinate action of muscular structures1 and of assuaging pain1 without occasioning that state of insensibility which characterises the operation of narcotics4 ,there are certain medicinal bodies which would appear to exert a specific control over spasmodic action1 from whatever cause it may have originated1 such are ,assaftida1 ,galbanum1 ,musk1 ,castor1 ,ammonia1 ,valerian1 c4 ,to such remedies the term antispasmodic more exclusively belongs1 but in a more general view of the subject we must admit that this class branches1 by indefinable gradations1 into narcotics and tonics2 for since spasm may be connected with the most opposite states of the body1 it is very evident that many of the individuals included in the class of antispasmodics1 can only be relative agents3 spasm1 for instance1 may arise from excessive irritability1 as from teething1 wounds1 worms1 c4 in which case a narcotic would prove beneficial2 or it may depend upon a state of general debility1 the proper remedy for which would be the administration of an ,aromatic ,stimulant1 or the assiduous exhibition of some permanent tonic4 ,,tonics4 ,substances1 whose continued administration gives strength and vigour to the body4 ,it is very justly admitted1 that a state of permanent tension in the fibres of the body is necessary for the existence of life1 and that any undue departure from such a condition is followed by debility4 ,thus1 ,sir ,gilbert ,blane observes1 that no muscle1 whether voluntary or involuntary1 can act unless its fibres are previously in such a state1 that if divided they would shrink by their own resiliency1 leaving an interval between the cut extremities2 the same may be said of the vascular system in all its ramifications1 in order to give play to their contraction in grasping and propelling their contained fluids4 ,it appears that there are certain medicinal bodies that have the power of affecting this state of tension1 and when their effects contribute to its restoration1 they are properly denominated ,tonics4 ,we are not1 however1 to consider them as producing such a change by any mechanical operation upon the matter of which the fibre is composed1 but by a direct action upon its living principle2 it seems probable that certain poisons may thus produce sudden death by their agency on the vital principle1 by which the tension of the heart and whole arterial system is immediately relaxed4 ,in this point of view1 ,tonics1 like the other remedies which we have described1 may be relative or absolute in their operation4 ,venesection1 purgation1 or whatever will1 under certain conditions of the body1 occasion a salutary change in its vital powers1 may produce a corresponding alteration in the tension of its fibres1 and consequently fall under the denomination of a tonic remedy3 but independent of the state of the body1 there would seem to be certain substances that act as specific stimuli upon the living fibre1 and are in certain cases indispensable for the maintenance of its healthy tone2 such are vegetable bitters1 which produce a powerful effect upon the digestive organs1 and by nervous sympathy1 upon the rest of the system4 ,bitter ,extractive1#ada seems to be as essential to the digestion of herbivorous1 as salt is to that of carnivorous animals2 it acts as a natural stimulant1 for it has been shewn by a variety of experiments that it passes through the body without suffering any diminution in its quantity1 or change in its nature4 ,no cattle will thrive upon grasses which do not contain a portion of this vegetable principle2 this fact has been most satisfactorily proved by the late researches of ,mr4 ,sinclair1 gardener to the ,duke of ,bedford1 which are recorded in that magnificent work1 the 8,,hortus ,,gramineus ,,woburnensis40 ,they shew1 that if sheep are fed on ,yellow ,turnips1 which contain little or no bitter principle1 they instinctively seek for1 and greedily devour any provender which may contain it1 and if they cannot so obtain it they become diseased and die4 ,we are ourselves conscious of the invigorating effects of slight bitters upon our stomach2 and their presence in malt liquors not only tends to diminish the noxious effects of such potations1 by counteracting the indirect debility which they are liable to occasion1 but even to render them1 when taken in moderation1 promoters of digestion4 ,the custom of infusing bitter herbs in vinous drinks is very ancient and universal2 the ,poculum ,absinthiatum was regarded in remote ages as a wholesome beverage1 and the ,wormwood was supposed to act as an antidote against drunkenness4 ,the ,swiss peasant cheers himself amidst the frigid solitude of his glaciers1 with a spirit distilled from ,gentian1 the extreme bitterness of which is relished with a glee that is quite unintelligible to a more cultivated taste4 ,with regard to the natural use of ,bitter ,extractive1 it may be laid down as a truth1 that it stimulates the stomach1--corrects putrefying and unwholesome nutriment1--promotes tardy digestion1--increases the nutritive powers of those vegetable substances to which it is united1--and furnishes a natural remedy for the deranged functions of the stomach in particular1 and through the sympathetic medium of that organ1 for the atony of remote parts in general2 and ,i shall hereafter shew1 that in its medicinal applications it certainly imparts additional activity to many remedies1 while it renders the stomach and system more susceptible of their salutary energies4 ,as an essential ingredient in the provender of herbivorous animals1 it may ,i think be admitted as a fact1 that its importance is in an inverse ratio with the nutritive powers#adb of the food1 and we accordingly find1 in conformity with that universal scheme of self-adjustment and compensation1 which influences all the operations of nature1 that cultivation1 which extends the nutritive powers of vegetable bodies1 generally diminishes their bitterness in the same proportion2 the natural history of the ,potatoe offers a good illustration of this fact1 for the roots of this useful plant which have been so greatly improved by culture1 are in their wild state both small and bitter4#adc ,gummy matter1 which seems to result from the first change of the sap1 is undoubtedly rendered more digestible and nutritive by the presence of a bitter2 pure gum is not very much disposed to yield to the assimilative functions2 8it frequently passes through the bowels10 says ,dr4 ,chapman1#add 8very little changed1 as ,i have witnessed a thousand times40 ,we see therefore the value of the bitter principle1 in the economy of the ,lichen ,islandicus1 which is intended as the food of animals in northern latitudes2 we are told that boiled linseed constituted the sole diet of the people of ,zealand during a scarcity of long continuance1 on which occasion1 symptoms of great debility occurred1 attended with those of dyspepsia2 so again ,professor ,fritze1 in his ,medical ,annals1 states that vegetable mucilage1 when used as a principal article of diet1 relaxes the organs of digestion1 and produces a viscid slimy mucus1 and a morbid action in the prim vi1 an effect which analogy shews might be obviated by the addition of bitter extractive4 ,for the same reason animals that feed in marshy lands1 on food containing but little nourishment1 are best defended from the diseases they are liable to contract in such situations by the ingestion of bitter plants4#ade ,upon these occasions nature is very kind1 for the particular situation that engenders endemic diseases is generally congenial to the growth of the plants that operate as antidotes to them4 ,i have offered these views upon the subject of ,bitter ,extractive1 from a conviction that they will essentially contribute to the establishing of just and philosophical notions1 respecting the necessity and modus operandi of many vegetable tonics4 ,as the action of tonics is gradual1 so their operation is not followed by that exhaustion consequent upon the use of diffusible stimulants4 ,the substances which compose the class of tonics are derived from the vegetable and mineral kingdoms2 those of the former are generally bitter1 and produce their effects by a primary action on the stomach1 and are not absorbed into the circulation1 as experiments upon ,bitter ,extractive have most fully demonstrated2 those derived from the mineral kingdom1 comprehending several of the metals1 appear in some instances to pass into the circulation1 although several of them1 like the vegetable tonics1 act primarily on the prim vi2 ,i apprehend this observation applies to the nitrate of silver1 which certainly possesses considerable powers as a tonic in certain cases of dyspepsia1 for which it may perhaps be indebted to the bitterness which distinguishes it4 ,,aromatics4 ,substances of a fragrant smell1#adf which produce upon the organs of taste a peculiar sensation of warmth and pungency1 and occasion1 when swallowed1 a corresponding impulse upon the stomach1 which is rapidly communicated to the remote parts of the body4 ,the vegetable bodies which constitute the class of aromatic stimulants are very intimately related with that of tonics2 indeed in the most efficient vegetables of the latter kind1 the two qualities are generally blended1 and the transition from these to the more pure bitters and aromatics is so imperceptible1 that it is extremely difficult to arrange them in different classes2 ,dr4 ,murray has accordingly in his classification not attempted to separate substances which are so intimately connected4 ,aromatic ,stimulants1 however1 in a practical point of view1 must be distinguished from tonics1 as the former are valuable for the rapidity1 the latter1 for the permanency of their effects4 ,their characteristic properties appear to depend chiefly1 if not entirely1 on an essential oil which1 when extracted from the vegetable1 exhibits all its aromatic power in a very concentrated form4 ,medicines of this kind1 when administered for the purpose of dispelling wind from the alimentary canal1 have been termed ,carminatives4#adg ,they would seem to act by imparting energy to the distended and weakened muscular coat of the stomach1 by which the accumulated gas is propelled through the upper orifice2 for this viscus1 like the bladder1 when greatly distended1 becomes unable to relieve itself1 partly in consequence of the exhausted state of the over-stretched fibres of its muscular coat1 and partly perhaps from a contraction of the ,cardia1 or upper orifice2 for it has been already stated that a loss of power1 and spasmodic action1 are often the simultaneous results of debility4 ,,astringents4 ,substances which1 when applied to the human body1 corrugate and condense its fibres1 and at the same time1 exert a tonic influence through the medium of its living principle4 ,astringency in any substance may be at once recognised by the organs of taste2 its power in corrugating the papill of the tongue1 and in imparting a sensation of harshness and roughness to the palate1 being too peculiar to be mistaken2 this is a fortunate circumstance1 for there does not exist any one chemical test by which we can invariably detect the property of astringency1 since it is found to reside in many different classes of substances3 thus1 acids1 especially the stronger mineral ones1 are powerfully astringent2 so are many of the metallic salts1 as those of iron1 zinc1 copper1 and lead2 and some of the earths1 when combined with acids1 of which alum is a striking example4 ,the vegetable kingdom1 however1 furnishes the greater number of astringent remedies2 and chemistry has shewn that this property uniformly depends upon a peculiar proximate principle1 characterized by its power of forming an insoluble compound with animal gelatine2 to this principle the name of ,,tannin has been given4 ,as tannin generally exists in union with gallic acid1 and as the latter body is known by its property of striking an inky blackness with the salts of iron1 solutions of this metal were long1 but erroneously1 regarded as the proper test of vegetable astringency2 the fallacy of this is at once shewn by the habitudes of ,catechu1 one of the strongest of our astringents1 but which1 nevertheless1 will not yield the smallest degree of blackness to the solutions of iron1 because it contains only tannin1 the true principle of astringency1 without a trace of its usual associate the gallic acid4 ,from the power which these substances possess of astringing1 and condensing the animal solids1 their medicinal properties are supposed to arise1 and we may perhaps1 in this instance1 admit such a mechanical explanation2 but astringents possess also some power over the living principle of the matter which they astringe1 for they are capable of acting as permanent stimulants1 of curing intermitting fever1 and of obviating states of general debility4 ,astringents would seem to moderate the morbidly increased secretions of distant parts1 and to restrain hemorrhage1 by their corrugating influence upon the prim vi1#adh which is extended by sympathetic action to the vascular fibre2 it is not difficult for any person to conceive the possibility of such a sympathy1 who has ever experienced the thrilling and singular feeling which is produced over the whole body1 by the acerb taste of the sloe-juice4 ,as however the primary operation of these bodies1 by their actual contact with the animal fibre1 must be much more powerful than that which can result from the mere sympathy of parts1 we find that the efficacy of astringents is principally displayed in the cure of diarrha1 or serous evacuations from the intestinal canal2 their operation1 in checking profuse fluor albus1 gleet1 and the inordinate secretions of other distant organs1 is much less striking and unequivocal1 and it is a question whether in many of such cases the benefit arising from their use may not depend upon their tonic powers4 ,as the morbid excess of different evacuations may arise from various and opposite states of the living system1 so may the individuals of the other classes become astringents2 and we are bound to admit upon this1 as we have on other occasions1 the existence of absolute and relative remedies4 ,narcotics1 at the head of which stands opium1 will frequently assume the character of astringents1 by diminishing the irritability upon which increased discharges depend4 ,in ,diarrha1 an astringent1 properly so called1 diminishes the flow of those acrid fluids into the intestines1 by which their peristaltic motions are prternaturally increased1 and it consequently represses the diarrha2 a narcotic1 under similar circumstances1 might not repress the flow of the acrid matter to which ,i have alluded1 but it would render the bowels less susceptible to its stimulus1 and would therefore produce the same apparent alleviation1 although by a very different mode of operation4 ,there is yet a third species of remedy1 which may operate in restraining a diarrha of this description2 not by stopping the flow of acrid matter1 nor by diminishing the irritability of the intestinal organs1 as in the instances above recited1 but1 simply1 by acting chemically upon the offending matter1 so as to disarm it of its acrid qualities2 such1 for instance1 is the nature of absorbent and testaceous medicines4 ,in the cure of hemorrhage1 if it be active1 that is to say1 connected with a state of strong tonic contractility of the blood-vessels1 a very different remedy will be required as an astringent1 than in cases of passive hemorrhage1 in which the vascular fibres are in a state of relaxation or collapse4 ,sir ,gilbert ,blane has offered some valuable remarks upon this subject1 with a view to settle the difference of opinion which has arisen respecting the treatment of flooding after child-birth4 7,medical ,logic1 ,edit4 #b;d4 p4 #ajj47 ,astringents are capable of being exclusively used as local applications1 and when they are so employed for the purpose of stopping hemorrhage1 they are termed ,,styptics4#adi ,with respect to these latter agents it must be confessed1 that great popular error still exists1 much of which has evidently arisen from deductions drawn from the effects of such remedies upon inferior animals2 thus have several substances gained the reputation of ,styptics1 from the result which may have followed their application to the wounded and bleeding vessels in the extremities of the horse and ass2 whereas the fact is1 that the blood-vessels of these animals possess an inherent power of contraction which does not exist in those of man1 and to which alone the cessation of the hemorrhage1 fallaciously attributed to the ,styptic1 is to be wholly attributed4 ,in many cases an application may owe its styptic qualities to its power of coagulating the blood around the orifice of the wound2 in this way the contact of heated metal will sometimes arrest the flow of blood from a cut surface4 ,,local ,,stimulants4 ,this ,second ,division comprehends those medicinal substances1 which have been generally classed under the head of ,,evacuants2 for1 as they stimulate particular organs1 so do they occasion by their local operation1 an increased secretion1 or evacuation from them4 ,,emetics4 ,substances which excite vomiting1 independent of any effect arising from the stimulus of quantity1 or of that occasioned by any nauseous taste or flavour4 ,before we can determine the modus operandi of emetics1 it will be necessary to take an accurate view of the phenomena and pathology of vomiting4 ,it is an important fact that any extraordinary stimulus applied to the stomach1 instead of increasing its motions1 as it would in other instances1 actually inverts them3 the wisdom of such a peculiar provision is manifest2 it is intended to prevent the protrusion of the food into the duodenum before it has undergone those necessary changes in the stomach1 by which it is prepared for the more elaborate process of chylification4 ,the act of vomiting1 however1 is not effected1 as ,dr4 ,haygarth formerly supposed1 by the sole influence of the stomach2 the brain is an important accessary3 ,dr4 ,majendie goes so far as to attribute the operation of vomiting1 exclusively1 to the agency of this latter organ upon the abdominal muscles1 and regards the stomach as a mere passive instrument in the act2#aej this doctrine was supported in an elaborate experimental memoir1 presented by this indefatigable physiologist to the ,royal ,institute of ,france in the year #ahab4 ,although we shall not be disposed to receive this theory in its full extent1 yet we cannot hesitate to admit that the influence of the nervous system is indispensably necessary for producing vomiting2 and we accordingly find that this act will not take place1 however forcibly the stomach may be goaded by emetics1 where the energy of the nervous system is suspended1 as in cases of profound intoxication1 or in violent wounds and contusions of the head2 while if the brain be only partially influenced1 as by incipient intoxication1 or by a less violent blow upon the head1 its irritability is increased instead of being paralysed1 and vomiting under such circumstances is excited by the slightest causes3 the fact of such opposite results being produced by the same impulse in different degrees of intensity1 is no less curious than instructive4 ,dr4 ,richard ,harrison1 in his ,gulstonian ,lecture before the ,college of ,physicians1 treated the subject of vomiting with much ingenuity1 and ,i am disposed to adopt the views which he offered4 ,he observed1 that although the experiments of ,majendie sufficiently testify the importance of the pressure of the abdominal muscles upon the stomach in the act of vomiting1 and which can only be explained by the influence of the brain and nervous system1 yet that he has attributed too much to their agency2 8it appears to me10 continued he1 8that vomiting may be explained in the following manner3--the irritation of the stomach makes a call upon the brain for the aid of the diaphragm and the abdominal muscles1 in order to expel its contents2 the diaphragm then becomes contracted and fixed1 the ribs drawn down1 and the abdominal muscles drawn inwards1 so that the stomach is pressed on all sides by voluntary muscles1 which1 together ,,with ,,its ,,own ,,contraction1 expel the contents40 ,now it must be obvious that where the brain1 from oppression or injury1 is unable to transmit its influence to these muscles1#aea and disregards the call of the stomach1 vomiting can only be excited with difficulty1 or it will be prevented altogether4 ,under such circumstances venesection may in some cases prove a powerful adjuvant1 by unloading the vessels of the brain1 and thus restoring to the nervous system its necessary excitability2 where its powers have been paralysed by the operation of a narcotic1 a copious draught of some vegetable acid1 or the affusion of cold water upon the surface of the body may impart efficiency to an emetic2 the operation of ,nightshade and some other narcotic poisons may be adduced in farther illustration of this subject2--an excessive dose of the ,atropa ,belladonna produces symptoms of alarming stupor1 and so difficult is it to evacuate the stomach under such circumstances1 that as much as fourteen grains of ,tartarized ,antimony have been administered without effect3 now if in such a case a copious draught of some vegetable acid be given1 the emetic will be more likely to succeed3 here then we perceive1 that the brain1 being paralysed by a narcotic poison1 is unable to lend its aid to the muscles requisite for the operation of vomiting1 until its energies are restored by the anti-narcotic powers of a vegetable acid4 ,the practical precaution which this view of the subject affords1 is extremely important1--not to allow the apparently inactive state of the stomach to induce us1 inconsiderately1 to augment the dose of an emetic3 for although the stomach1 for the reasons just stated1 may be unable to void its contents by vomiting1 it may nevertheless retain its sensibility1 and be therefore liable to inflammation3 ,dr4 ,harrison has reported a case of this kind1 where the practitioner1 in attempting to excite emesis in an epileptic patient1 by a very large dose of sulphate of zinc1 produced an inflammation in the viscus that terminated fatally4 ,vomiting may also be produced by the primary operation of certain agents upon the brain1 by which its energy is disturbed1 as by narcotics1 or by the motions of swinging1 whirling1 and sailing3 in such cases1 the series of actions necessary for the establishing of vomiting1 commences in the brain1 and is propagated by nervous sympathy to the stomach4 ,when an emetic is taken into the stomach1 an interval of twenty minutes or longer1 usually passes without any apparent effect2 an uneasy sensation1 which we term nausea1 is then felt1 and this continues to increase until vomiting begins2 here then we perceive are two distinct stages1 each of which is marked by its own proper symptoms2 the relative intensity and duration of which will be found to vary according to the nature of the exciting causes2 thus some ,emetics1 as ,sulphate of ,zinc1 act without occasioning much nausea1 while others1 as ,tobacco excite it to a degree which is far greater than is proportioned to their emetic power3 this is a fact of great importance in directing us in the selection of an ,emetic1 for we shall find that in some diseases it is a great object to avoid that state of system which invariably accompanies nausea1 while in others it affords the best mode of answering an important indication of cure4 ,nausea would seem to depend upon the exertions of the stomach and muscles1 not being proportioned to the effects of the brain1 in order to produce vomiting4 ,where this balance however is maintained1 as during the operation of an ordinary emetic1 the following are the symptoms which characterise the two stages2--while the nausea only is present1 the countenance is pale and shrunken1 the pulse feeble1 quick1 and irregular1 and there is a feeling of cold2 but as soon as vomiting commences1 the face becomes flushed1 the pulse quicker and stronger1 although it seldom returns to its natural standard1 until some time after the vomiting has ceased4 ,a degree of languor1 a disposition to sleep1 and a general moisture upon the skin1 are the circumstances which occur after the total cessation of the paroxysm4 ,the feeble state of the circulation1 as indicated by the pulse1 and the general coldness and languor experienced during a paroxysm of nausea1 are to be ascribed to those sympathetic relations by which the brain1 stomach1 and heart1 are reciprocally influenced4 ,the advantages to be obtained from the administration of an emetic in the cure of disease1 may either depend upon its primary1 or secondary operations1 that is to say1 upon the mere evacuation of the stomach1 or upon those changes which occur in distant parts from sympathy2 and the judicious practitioner1 in the selection of an emetic1 will always be guided by the nature of the indication which he intends to fulfil2 if his object be to evacuate the stomach quickly and completely1 he will avoid those emetics that are distinguished by their nauseating tendency1 as in cases of disease which depend on a disordered state of stomach1 connected with undue distention1 and the presence of acrid and indigestible matter2 if1 on the other hand1 his intention be to influence some remote organ through the sympathetic powers of the stomach1 an emetic of an opposite tendency may be better calculated to answer such indications3 in some cases1 he is to seek a beneficial result from the mechanical action of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles1 by whose pressure the gall-bladder and hepatic ducts are emptied of their contents1 and hence jaundice1 arising from the obstruction of biliary calculi1 has been suddenly removed by the concussion of an emetic3 a similar pressure upon the thoracic viscera may occasion expectoration1 and relieve the bronchial vessels in cases of asthma1 catarrh1 and croup4 ,vomiting1 when produced by the operation of a mild emetic1 does not appear to exhaust the excitability of the stomach1 but on the contrary to increase its tone2 for we generally find the process of digestion is carried on more vigorously afterwards2 although it is probable that1 by frequent repetition1 a different result would be obtained1 and we should find that its motion would become liable to inversion by slight stimuli3 we may therefore question the propriety of that practice which is so strenuously recommended by ,hippocrates1#aeb and other ancient physicians1 to administer emetics frequently to those in health1 in order to prevent the incursions of disease4 ,the benefits arising from the secondary effects of an emetic are numerous and extensive4 ,it has been observed that during nausea the force of the circulation is considerably abated1 hence the use of these remedies in hemorrhage2 and1 as the energy of absorption is generally in an inverse ratio to that of the circulation1#aec we frequently obtain from a nauseating dose of an emetic1 considerable assistance in the treatment of anasarca1 and other dropsical swellings4 ,those medicines that are liable to produce at once1 full vomiting1 without any previous stage of nausea1 are of course less calculated to fulfil such indications4 ,in the same manner we should select a nauseating emetic1 when our object is to promote the passage of a gall stone through the ductus communis1 for the nausea so excited will relax the duct1 while the mechanical concussion tends to push the obstructing matter forward4 ,on the other hand1 whenever our object is to evacuate the stomach1 and to prevent absorption1 we must take care to cut short the nauseating stage2 a precaution which is highly important in the treatment of a case of poisoning4 ,the state of the stomach produced by vomiting is very frequently extended1 by sympathy1 to the vessels of the skin2 in consequence of which1 a diaphoresis not unusually follows the operation4 ,in the different varieties of febrile disease1 this circumstance stamps additional value upon the class of ,emetics2 while1 at the same time1 that they eject any offensive matter which may be present in the stomach1 they thus control the accelerated circulation4 ,from the violent muscular exertions which take place in the act of vomiting1 the administration of an emetic may be very injurious in certain states of the body4 ,in consequence of the pressure applied to the descending aorta1 and the interrupted circulation through the lungs1 from impeded respiration1 the blood returns with difficulty from the head during a paroxysm of vomiting1 and in plethoric states of the body1 or in cases of determination of blood to the cerebral or pulmonary organs1 the act of vomiting cannot be considered as free from danger4 ,the concussion of an emetic may also produce mischief in the advanced stage of pregnancy1 and in hernia and prolapsus uteri2 while in extreme debility1 there is the danger of a syncope being produced1 from which the patient may never recover1 as ,i once witnessed in the last stage of ,phthisis1 where an emetic was imprudently given1 with the intention of dislodging the pus with which the lungs were embarrassed4 ,by violent and protracted retching1 a person will sometimes become jaundiced2 the stomach1 diaphragm1 and abdominal muscles1 are1 under such repeated efforts1 apt to be rendered1 to an eminent degree1 irritable2 so that at each effort of the former to discharge its contents1 the latter will frequently be thrown into strong spasmodic contractions1 and the liver together with the gall bladder will be suddenly caught1 and1 as it were1 squeezed in a powerful press2 in consequence of which the bile will regurgitate1 and be carried into the ,ven cav2 for ,haller has shewn with what facility a subtle injection1 when thrown into the hepatic duct1 will escape by the hepatic veins2 and upon which ,dr4 ,saunders observes1 8,i know this to be a fact1 for ,i have ascertained by experiment1 that water injected in the same direction1 will return by the veins in a full stream1 though very little force be used40 ,when a jaundice is thus produced it will gradually disappear without the aid of any medicine2 the kidneys are the principal means by which all unnecessary bodies are extracted from the circulating mass1 a portion of bile will therefore under such circumstances be eliminated in every discharge of urine4 ,the different emetics employed in practice are derived from the vegetable and mineral kingdoms1 some of which appear to produce their effects by an immediate impression upon the nerves of the stomach1 while others require to be absorbed into the circulation before they display their energies4 ,ipecacuanha would seem to act primarily on the stomach1 but ,tartarized ,antimony has been found1 by experiment1 to occasion vomiting1 when injected into the veins of an animal2 while the other mineral emetics1 viz4 the preparations of ,copper and ,zinc1 undoubtedly operate on the stomach1 and without inducing much nausea4 ,,cathartics3 ,medicines which quicken or increase the evacuation from the intestines1 or which1 when given in a certain dose1 occasion purging4 ,these remedies1 from a general difference in their modes of operation1 have been classed under two divisions--,,laxatives and ,,purgatives4 ,the former operate so mildly that they merely evacuate the contents of the intestines1 without occasioning any general excitement in the body1 or even stimulating the exhalant vessels of the canal2 the latter produce a considerable influx of fluids from these vessels1 and extend their stimulant effect to the system in general2 and where these effects are very violent1 the purgative is further distinguished by the epithet ,,drastic4 ,laxatives then may be said to empty the bowels simply1 and to carry off extraneous matter1 which is out of the course of the circulation2 but purgatives1 as they occasion a constitutional effect1 may be made subservient to very important purposes4 ,the effects of a purgative may depend upon three different modes of operation2 viz4 #a4 ,by stimulating the muscular fibres of the ,intestines1 whence their peristaltic motion is augmented1 and the contents of the bowels more quickly and completely discharged4 #b4 ,by stimulating the exhalent vessels1 terminating in the inner coat of the intestines1 and the mouths of the excretory ducts of the mucous glands2 by which an increased flow of serous fluids takes place from the former1 and a more copious discharge of mucus from the latter2 the effect of which is to render the fcal matter thinner and more abundant4 #c4 ,by stimulating the neighbouring viscera1 as the ,liver and ,pancreas1 so as to produce a more copious flow of their secretions into the intestines4 ,it appears that different purgatives have very different powers in relation to the several modes of operation above specified2 some medicines1 for example1 urge the bowels to evacuate their contents by an imperceptible action upon the muscular fibres1 and little or no increase of serous discharge attends the evacuation1 such are ,manna1 ,sulphur1 and ,magnesia2 there would seem1 moreover1 to be certain bodies that have the property of increasing the peristaltic motions by operating as mechanical stimulants upon the fibre2 it would not be difficult to derive many illustrations of this fact1 from the history of herbivorous quadrupeds1 and ,i have been disposed to consider the harsh and coarse texture which certain grasses assume in moist situations1 as a wise provision in ,nature to furnish an increased stimulus to the intestines of the animals who feed upon them1 at a time when their diminished nutritive qualities must render such a result desirable2 but the operation of a mechanical laxative may be demonstrated by a more familiar example2 the addition of bran to our bread1 constituting what is known by the name of ,brown bread1 induces laxative effects1 merely from the mechanical friction of the rough particles1 or scales of the bran1 upon the inner coats of the intestines1 for the wheat without the bran in bread is not particularly laxative4#aed ,other cathartics stimulate the fibres to a much greater degree1 and the effects are either confined to a part of the canal1 or communicated to the whole range of the intestines1 from the duodenum to the extremity of the rectum2 ,aloes will furnish a good example of the former1 and ,colocynth may be adduced as an instance of the latter mode of operation4 ,other cathartics1 again1 direct all their stimulus to the exhalant vessels1 and are accordingly distinguished by the force with which they produce serous evacuations2 and for which they were formerly denominated ,hydragogues1 such are ,saline ,purgatives1 and certain vegetable bodies to be hereafter described4 ,dr4 ,cullen has even supposed that some of these medicines may act solely in this way1 and without increasing directly the peristaltic motion2 there is1 however1 as ,dr4 ,murray very justly remarks1 no proof of such an hypothesis1 and it seems scarcely probable that any substance should act as a stimulant on these vessels1 without at the same time stimulating the mobile fibres of the intestines4 ,mercurial ,purgatives appear to possess1 in an eminent degree1 the power of exciting the functions of the liver1 and of thereby occasioning an influx of bile into the intestines4 ,from the indications which cathartics are capable of fulfilling1 their utility in many diseases must be apparent2 the extent of their importance and value were1 however1 never justly appreciated until the valuable publication of ,dr4 ,hamilton on this subject1 in which the author has pointed out with more precision than any preceding writers had done1 the therapeutic principles which should regulate their administration4 ,his practice has clearly proved that a state of bowels may exist in many diseases1 giving rise to a retention of feculent matter1 which will not be obviated by the occasional administration of a purgative1 but which requires a continuation of the alvine stimulant1 until the healthy action of the bowels is re-established4 ,since this view of the subject has been adopted1 numerous diseases have received alleviation from the use of purgatives that were formerly treated with a different class of remedies1 and which were not supposed to have any connection with the state of the alvine evacuations2 thus in fever1 the peristaltic motion of the intestines is diminished1 and their feculent contents are unduly retained1 and perhaps1 in part1 absorbed1 becoming of course a source of morbid irritation2 this fact has long been understood1 and the practice of administering cathartic medicines under such circumstances has been very generally adopted2 but until the publication of ,dr4 ,hamilton1 physicians were not aware of the necessity of carrying the plan to an extent beyond that of merely emptying the prim vi1 and they did not continue the free use of these remedies through the whole progress of the disease4 ,cathartics are essentially serviceable also in several diseases of the class ,,neuroses1 which are generally intimately connected with a morbid condition of the alimentary passages2 ,chorea and ,hysteria have been very successfully treated in this manner4 ,the diseases incident to puberty in both sexes are also best relieved by a course of purgative medicines1 and their effects in ,chlorosis have conferred upon many of them the specific title of ,,emmenagogues4 ,but the therapeutical utility of ,cathartics extends beyond the mere feculent evacuations which they may occasion4 ,in consequence of the stimulating action which some of them exert upon the exhalent vessels1 they abstract a considerable portion of fluid from the general current of the circulation1 and are1 on that account1 beneficial as ,anti-phlogistics4 ,for the same reason they may act as powerful promoters of absorption1 for there exists an established relation between the powers of exhalation and absorption1 so that when the action of one is increased1 that of the other is augmented4 ,certain ,purgatives1 as ,i have just stated1 exert their influence upon the neighbouring organs1 and are calculated not only to remove alvine sordes1 but to detach and eliminate foul congestions from the biliary ducts and pores4 ,with such facts before us1 it is impossible to concede to the opinion of ,dr4 ,hamilton1#aee that the different species of purgative medicines do not possess distinct powers over the different species of matter to be evacuated2 on the contrary1 there is reason for reviving the ancient theory1 too inconsiderately abandoned1 and which acknowledged these different distinctions in the operations of cathartic medicines1 under the appropriate names of ,hydragogues1 ,cholagogues1 c4 ,the importance of cathartic medicines having been shewn1 and the distinctions in their modes of operation established1 it only remains to say a few words upon the subject of their abuse4 ,all the remedies of this class1 but more especially those of considerable power1 require caution in their administration1 even in those diseases where they are indicated by peculiar symptoms1 especially if there be any tendency to inflammation1 or to extreme debility1 although this latter symptom is often rather apparent than real1 and is at once removed by the brisk operation upon the bowels2 during pregnancy and immediately after delivery1 and during the flow of the menses1 the prudent practitioner will use a discretionary caution in their exhibition4 ,the too frequent use of these medicines will induce marasmus1 and render the bowels so morbidly irritable1 that purging is easily excited by the ordinary stimulus of our aliments2 while in some habits the contrary obtains1 and the resource to which the valetudinarian flies for relief only increases the torpor of the intestines1 and confirms his costiveness4 ,the mode of adapting1 combining1 and administering ,cathartics1 will present subjects for our future consideration4 ,,emmenagogues3 ,medicines which are capable of producing the ,menstrual discharge4 ,as ,amenorrha1 or retention of the menses1 is generally the effect of a morbid state of the body1 it follows that remedies capable of acting as ,emmenagogues can only be relative agents1 unless indeed we are disposed to accede to the opinion so generally maintained in the writings of the older physicians1 but now generally discarded1 that certain substances exert a specific#aef action upon the uterus4 ,it may certainly be asserted without fear of contradiction1 that there are many substances which1 when received into the stomach1 have their stimulant operation more particularly determined to one part than to another2 alkalics1 for example1 to the kidneys2 cantharides to the bladder2 mercury to the salivary glands1 c4 ,reasoning therefore by analogy1 it was not unphilosophical to conclude1 that similar medicines might exist with respect to the uterus2 but experience has negatived the supposition1 there being no proof of any of the substances styled ,emmenagogues producing their effects by any specific influence upon the uterine system4 ,if the term ,emmenagogue be assumed conventionally1 according to this view of the subject1 it may be retained without any fear of error1 otherwise it would be wiser to remove the name from our classification4 ,the suppression of the catamenia usually depends upon a debilitated state of the body1 although it is sometimes the consequence of a plethoric diathesis2 in the former cases tonics1 in the latter1 venesection may display the powers of an emmenagogue2 upon which occasion1 ,i have frequently derived the greatest benefit by cupping the patient upon the loins4 ,where the disease occurs in young women1 about the age of puberty1 it is very generally connected with extreme debility of the system2 the preparations of iron1 bark1 and other invigorating medicines1 are accordingly the most likely to succeed in its cure4 ,whereas in full florid habits1 when the catamenia are suddenly suppressed1 ,laxatives1 ,diaphoretics1 or blood-letting1 afford the surest means of relief4 ,there are two other classes of medicine which may occasionally prove emmenagogue--,,acrid ,,purgatives1 which act upon the rectum1 and hence by contiguous sympathy upon the uterus1 as ,aloes1 c4 and ,,stimulating ,,diuretics1 as ,cantharides1 the ,turpentines1 c4 which are supposed to excite the womb1 sympathetically1 by their stimulus upon the bladder4 ,nor is the advantageous influence of mercury to be overlooked1 which1 in cases of morbid action in the secreting functions1 prove a ,herculean remedy4 ,,diuretics3 ,medicines which increase the urinary discharge4 ,this effect is produced by very different modes of operation2 and as some of them are mutually incompatible with each other1 it is essential that we should understand the modus operandi of each individual of which the class consists1 in order that we may direct its application with precision4 ,there is undoubtedly no tribe of medicinal agents more precarious in their nature and effects than that of ,diuretics2 this fact in a great measure depends upon the uncontrollable character of the organs upon which they act1 but it must at the same time be admitted1 that their failure frequently depends upon their modes of operation being directly incompatible with the state of the system at the time of their administration4 ,the following classification may perhaps serve to bring together the principal facts which are known upon the subject1 and at the same time to display them in an order which is calculated to demonstrate their practical bearings and relations4 ,,diuretics1 ,,arranged ,,according ,,to ,,their ,,supposed ,,modes ,,of ,,operation4 ,,cl3 ,i4--,,medicines ,,which ,,act ,,primarily ,,on ,,the ,,urinary ,,organs4 #a4 ,by stimulating the secreting vessels of the kidneys1 ,,by ,,contact4 a ,the medicines not undergoing any decomposition in transitu4 #a4 ,potassa4 #b4 ,potass ,nitras4 #c4 ,oleum ,terebinthin4 #d4 ,juniperus ,communis4 #e4 ,cantharides4 b ,the ,medicines undergoing decomposition in transitu4 #a4 ,potass ,acetas4 #b4 ,potass ,super-tartras4 #c4 ,scilla ,maritima4 #d4 ,colchicum ,autumnale4 #e4 ,copaifera ,officinalis4 #f4 ,spartii ,cacumina4 ,,cl3 ,,ii4--,,medicines ,,which ,,act ,,primarily ,,on ,,the ,,absorbents1 ,,and ,,secondarily ,,on ,,the ,,kidneys4 ,mercury4 ,,cl3 ,,iii4--,,medicines ,,which ,,act ,,primarily ,,on ,,the ,,stomach ,,and ,,prim ,,vi1 ,,and ,,secondarily ,,on ,,the ,,absorbents4 #a4 ,by diminishing arterial action1 and increasing that of ,absorption4 #a4 ,digitalis4 #b4 ,nicotiana4 #b4 ,by increasing the tone of the ,body in general1 and that of the absorbent system in particular4 ,bitter ,tonics1 c4 c4 #c4 ,by producing ,catharsis1 and thereby increasing the action of the ,exhalants directly1 and that of the ,absorbents indirectly4 #a4 ,elaterium4 #b4 ,jalap1 c4 c4 ,c4 #a4 ,,of ,,medicines ,,which ,,act ,,primarily ,,on ,,the ,,urinary ,,organs4 #a4 ,by stimulating the secreting vessels of the kidneys1 by actual contact4 a ,the substance not undergoing any decomposition in transitu4 ,it is easy to imagine that any substance which is capable of entering the current of the circulation1 and of stimulating the kidneys by a direct application to their secerning vessels1 may occasion a more copious urinary discharge2 in this manner the different saline#aeg preparations1 ,potass1 ,soda1 ,nitrate of ,potass1 c4 are brought to the kidneys in the course of the circulation1 and exciting the vessels to an increased action1 promote the secretion of a larger proportion of watery fluid from the blood1 in consequence of which1 the absorbents are indirectly stimulated in order to supply the deficiency1 and in this manner dropsical swellings are reduced4 ,water1 as a simple diluent1 will promote the action of the kidneys1 and it is very judiciously remarked by ,dr4 ,cullen1 that by withholding the use of fluids in dropsy1 you will diminish the quantity of fluids secreted1 and allow the secretories of the kidneys to fall into a state of inactivity and collapse4 ,this is a sufficient answer to those who defend the practice of enjoining an abstinence from all drinks in dropsy4 b4 ,the diuretic remedy undergoing decomposition ,,in ,,transitu4 ,the digestive organs appear to possess the power of readily decomposing all saline compounds into which vegetable acids enter as ingredients1 and of eliminating their alkaline base1 which1 being in the course of the circulation1 carried to the kidneys1 excites them into action1 and promotes the excretion of urine2 and it is probably in this way that the ,acetate1 ,citrate1 ,super-tartrate1 and other analogous combinations of ,potass and ,soda prove diuretic3 on the other hand1 it is equally evident that salts containing the mineral acids are not under the control of the decomposing powers of the chylo-poietic organs1 and consequently do not undergo any changes in transitu1 although some of these salts1 as ,i have just stated1 especially the more soluble ones1 are absorbed entire1 and prove diuretic4 ,sulphate of ,potass1 from its insolubility1 is not readily absorbed1 and its composition will not allow the developement of its base2 we perceive therefore that it has not any tendency to produce an influence upon the urinary secretion4 ,certain vegetable bodies likewise appear to occasion diuresis by a similar mode of operation1 and it is worthy of notice that these medicines generally contain a bitter principle1 which is probably separated by the analysing powers of the stomach2 as exemplified in ,scilla maritima2 ,colchicum autumnale2 ,lactuca ,virosa2 ,gratiola officinalis2 ,spartium ,scoparium 7,summitates72 ,juniperus communis2 ,copaifera ,officinalis 7,balsamum17 c4 ,the stimulant powers of a bitter vegetable principle upon the prim vi1 have already been fully noticed under the consideration of ,,tonics1 7page #gh71 and it is reasonable to suppose1 that an analogous principle1 if introduced into the circulation1 may exert a corresponding impulse upon the organs with which it comes into contact4 ,it particularly merits attention1 that the diuretic operation of any body that acts by being absorbed1 is at once suspended if catharsis follows its administration1 whether in consequence of the largeness of its dose1 its increased solubility1 or from the effect of its combination with some purgative2 for it is a law1 that the processes of assimilation1 and absorption from the duodenum1 are arrested1 or very imperfectly performed during any alvine excitement2 the different effects of the saline compounds of the alkalies with tartaric acid1 elucidate the truth of this law in a very striking manner--thus1 ,super-tartrate of ,potass1 or ,cream of ,tartar1 in well regulated doses1 acts1 as we all know1 upon the kidneys2 the tartaric acid being1 as ,i suppose in this case1 abstracted and assimilated by the digestive process1 and at the same time the alkaline base 7,potass7 eliminated1 and subsequently carried into the circulation2 but if we increase the solubility of the compound1 by reducing it to the state of a neutral tartrate 7soluble tartar71 or by combining it with ,boracic acid1 or some body that has a similar effect2 or what is equivalent to it1 if we so increase the dose#aeh of the cream of tartar1 that full catharsis follows its administration1 then diuresis will not ensue1 since no decomposition can take place under such circumstances1 nor can it be carried by absorption into the circulation4 ,nitre and those salts which are carried to the kidneys without previous decomposition in transitu1 are subject to the same law2 for1 if we combine them with purgatives1 their presence can no longer be recognised in the urine1 as ,i have ascertained by experiment4 ,oil of ,turpentine in doses of two fluid-drachms1 may so excite the urinary organs as to produce even bloody urine2 whereas a fluid-ounce will scarcely occasion any apparent influence upon those functions1 because the increased dose acts upon the bowels1 and consequently prevents its passage into the circulation4 ,sulphate of ,magnesia does not readily produce any diuresis1 because it operates upon the bowels1 but the experiments of ,vitet and ,bracy ,clarke have shewn1 that if this saline compound be administered to the horse whose bowels are not easily affected by purgatives1 it acts powerfully upon the kidneys2#aei and ,i will take occasion in this place to observe that1 on account of the inirritability of the bowels of the horse1 diuretic medicines are more certain in their operation1 than in the human subject2 a fact which1 in itself1 shews the importance of attending to the state of the bowels1 during a course of those diuretics which require to be absorbed before they can produce their specific effects4 ,equally necessary is it to attend to the state of the vessels of the skin1 for if during the administration of a ,diuretic1 these vessels be excited by external warmth1 its action may be diverted from the urinary organs to the exhalants on the surface1 and occasion diaphoresis2 but if the surface of the body be kept cool1 this diversion will not occur3 so greatly indeed does cooling the surface determine to the kidneys1 that the usual diaphoretic medicines may1 by an attention to this circumstance1 be converted into powerful diuretics4 ,c4 ,,ii4 ,,medicines ,,which ,,act ,primarily ,,on ,,the ,,absorbents1 ,,and ,secondarily ,,on ,,the ,,kidneys4 ,it has been shewn1 in the former division1 that by increasing the action of the kidneys1 we diminish the quantity of water in the blood1 and consequently occasion an extraordinary action of the absorbents to supply the deficiency1 whence dropsical accumulations disappear2 it remains to be stated that an operation1 which may be considered the converse of the one just described1 is not unfrequently established3 the absorbent vessels1 in this case1 are first roused to extraordinary action1 and the blood therefore becomes surcharged with serous matter1 in consequence of which the kidneys are stimulated1 and it is eliminated through the urinary passages3 so that in the former case the absorbent may be said to be called into action by the kidneys1 while in the latter1 the kidneys are obviously subservient to the increased energy of the absorbent system4 ,the preparations of ,mercury are perhaps the only medicinal bodies which we can strictly consider as specific stimulants to the absorbent system2 and of their power in directly acting upon these organs there are such ample proofs1 that it is unnecessary to adduce any additional evidence upon the subject4 ,in instances of increased absorption from the agency of other medicines1 the effect must be considered as rather arising from their secondary than primary operations2 the most important of which will constitute objects of inquiry in the succeeding divisions of the subject4 ,c4 ,,iii4 ,,medicines ,,which ,,act ,primarily ,,on ,,the ,,stomach ,,or ,,system1 ,,and ,secondarily ,,on ,,the ,,urinary ,,organs4 ,a ,diuretic effect is very frequently occasioned by substances which act on the stomach and prim vi1 producing a peculiar state of these organs1 which sympathetically affects the whole body1 and more particularly the absorbent system1 and the vessels concerned in the secretion of urine from the blood4 ,as this primary influence upon the stomach1 and the effects to which it gives rise in remote parts1 are very different in their character1 according to the nature of the remedy employed1 and the state of the system at the time of its administration2 the present attempt to investigate and generalize these relations1 and to adopt them as the basis of a classification1 may ultimately lead the practitioner to some distinctions of practical utility4 #a4 ,by diminishing ,arterial ,action1 and increasing that of ,absorption4 ,it would appear that the action of the vessels employed in the circulation of the blood1 and the energy of the absorbents are1 to a certain extent1 antagonist powers2 the experiments of ,majendie demonstrate that the absorption of a poisonous substance is retarded by a plethoric1 and accelerated by a depleted state of the sanguineous system2 the fact is practically established by numerous phenomena in pathology4 ,dr4 ,blackall has very satisfactorily shewn the existence which subsists between increased arterial action and diminished absorption4 ,hence it follows that remedies capable of controlling the circulation may affect the activity of absorption1 increase diuresis1 and cure dropsy2 in this manner the ,digitalis ,purpurea acts as a sorbefacient1 and it may be remarked that it seldom or never produces its diuretic effects1 without a concomitant reduction of the frequency of the pulse2 its power too appears only when it is administered in dropsy2 in a state of health it will reduce the pulse1 but not increase the discharge of urine4 ,tobacco has also somewhat analogous powers in promoting absorption1 and its operation is accompanied with a corresponding depression of vascular action4 ,venesection1 upon the same principle1 may occasion1 in certain cases of dropsy1 a discharge of the accumulated fluid4 #b4 ,by increasing the tone of the ,body in general1 and that of the ,absorbent ,system in particular4 ,that diminished absorption1 and the consequent accumulation of serous fluids in the cellular texture1 and different cavities1 frequently depends upon general debility is very obvious1 whence fevers1 whether of the intermittent1 or continued kind1 which have been long protracted1 are followed by dematous swellings4 ,in states of extreme debility the exhalant vessels would seem1 from their laxity1 to permit the thinner parts of the blood to pass too readily through them2 this is proved by the circumstance that palsied limbs1 in which such a laxity may be presumed to exist1 are frequently affected with dema1 and the truth of this explanation is still farther corroborated by the advantages which accrue on these occasions from the mechanical support of pressure from bandages4 ,in such cases1 those remedies which are capable of renovating the vigour of the body can alone prove of any signal service4 ,dr4 ,blackall presents us with an illustrative case of this nature1 on the authority of ,mr4 ,johnson of ,exeter1 in which the tonic powers of well fermented bread occasioned in the space of a few hours an effect so powerfully diuretic1 as to have cured sailors on board of the ,asia ,east ,indiaman1 who had been attacked with ,dropsy1 in consequence of the use of damaged ,rice4 ,thus then do ,diuretics1 in some cases1 ,,cure ,,by ,,evacuating1 while in others1 as in the instance above cited1 they ,,evacuate ,,by ,,curing4 ,a case has lately occurred in my own practice1 which not only affords a striking illustration of the present views1 but is well calculated to convey to the inexperienced practitioner a very instructive lesson of caution4 ,a man of the age of thirty-five1 of the most dissolute habits1 was attacked after a debauch of several days' continuance1 with inflammatory symptoms in the chest2 a very large quantity of blood was suddenly abstracted1 and the bleeding was repeated after the interval of a few hours4 ,the respiration became laborious1 and ,i was desired to visit the patient2 ,i found that little or no urine had been evacuated since the attack1 and that there were evident symptoms of effusion1 the legs were swollen1 and the difficulty of breathing was rapidly increasing4 ,under these circumstances ,i directed a large dose of ,ammonia with some stimulating diuretics1 which were to be repeated at short intervals4 ,on the following day the distressing symptoms had subsided1 a large quantity of urine had passed1 and the patient expressed himself greatly relieved2 unfortunately1 however1 in consequence of a slight increase of his distress in the evening1 an injudicious friend in attendance1 took more blood from the arm--the dropsical effusions rapidly increased1 and life was extinguished in the course of three days by confirmed ,hydrothorax4 #c4 ,by producing ,catharsis1 and thereby increasing the action of the ,exhalants directly1 and that of the absorbents indirectly4 ,it has been already stated1 under the consideration of ,cathartics1 that certain medicines of that class excite the exhalants of the alimentary canal1 and occasion a very copious discharge of serous matter3 by this operation the blood is deprived of a large portion of water1 and the absorbents are thus indirectly stimulated to supply the deficiency2 ,elaterium1 and some other hydragogue cathartics1 may be thus employed with extraordinary success for the cure of certain forms of ,dropsy1 where the vital powers of the patient can sustain the violence of the remedy2--in the whole circle of medicinal operations there is nothing more wonderful than this1 that an impression made on the internal surface of the prim vi1 by a few particles of matter1 should thus convey by magic as it were1 an impulse to the most remote extremities1 rousing their absorbents to action2 and1 in case of dema there1 awakening the sleeping energies of these vessels1 which like millions of pumps at work1 transmit the morbid fluid to the intestines and urinary passages1 effecting a detumescence of the hydropic limbs in the course of a few hours1 and thus affording a striking illustration of the sympathetic action of medicines1 and an instructive example of the operation of those of the sorbefacient class4#afj ,the observations which ,i have thus offered will lead the practitioner to select the particular diuretic which is best calculated to fulfil the indications of each individual case2 and they will at the same time point out those which cannot be administered in combination1 without a violation of the law of medicinal compatibility4 ,with respect to the general efficacy of these medicines it may be stated1 that where the disease originates from organic affections of the chylo-poietic viscera1 it will not be cured by the mere evacuation of the water by diuretics2 but that where it has taken place from diminished absorption1 these remedies may be reasonably expected to effect a cure4 ,,diaphoretics4 ,the term ,diaphoretic has been applied to those medicines which increase the natural exhalation of the skin1 and when they act so powerfully as to occasion sweating1 they have been commonly distinguished by the name of ,sudorifics1 but as no difference exists between these remedies1 but in the degree of force with which they act1 we may very properly comprehend the whole under the general title of ,diaphoretics3 the fluid effused is also in both cases similar1 but in the one it is discharged more slowly1 and is carried off by the conducting#afa power of the air1 in the insensible form of vapour1 while in the other case it is so copiously effused from the exhalant vessels1 as to appear in the liquid form4 ,as obstructed perspiration may depend upon very different1 and even opposite states of the system1 so may the most adverse medicines fall under the denomination of diaphoretic remedies4 ,in some affections1 a deficient diaphoresis may be associated with increased vascular action1 and in others1 with a slow languid circulation4 ,diaphoretics may be considered as operating1 either by directly stimulating the cutaneous capillaries2--by increasing the general action of the vascular system2--by relaxing the morbidly constricted mouths of the perspiratory vessels2--or1 lastly1 by producing at once both the latter of these effects4 ,in conformity with the plan adopted on other occasions1 ,i shall proceed to investigate the powers of this class of medicines1 according to their supposed modes of operation4 ,,diaphoretics ,occasion their effects-- ,i4 ,,by ,,stimulating ,,the ,,cutaneous ,,capillaries4 ,a4 ,by external application4 ,the ,stimulus of ,heat1 ,frictions1 c4 ,b4 ,by ,medicines which enter the circulation and stimulate the cutaneous vessels by contact4 ,mercurials--,sulphur4 ,c4 ,by ,medicines which act on the surface sympathetically1 through the medium of the ,stomach4 ,cold ,drinks1 c4 ,,ii4 ,,by ,,increasing ,,the ,,general ,,action ,,of ,,the ,,vascular ,,system4 ,violent ,exercise--,ammonia--,guaiacum--,alcohol --,warm ,bath4 ,,iii4 ,,by ,,relaxing ,,the ,,morbidly ,,constricted ,,mouths ,,of ,,the ,,perspiratory ,,vessels4 ,antimonials--,cold ,affusion--,venesection--,saline ,diaphoretics4 ,the action of the cutaneous vessels may be augmented by heat1 without necessarily increasing1 at the same time1 that of the heart and arteries2 hence it is that heat is1 of itself1 often sufficient to produce sweating1 while it generally accelerates the operation of a sudorific medicine4 ,to this general proposition1 however1 there are some very important exceptions2 and1 indeed1 in certain conditions of the cutaneous surface1 the stimulus of heat will be even found to impede1 rather than to promote1 diaphoresis2 thus in the hot stage of a continued fever1 there would seem to exist a peculiar constriction of the perspiratory vessels1 accompanied with extreme heat and dryness4 ,in such a state1 remedies of the third class must be applied1 or conjoined with those of the former4 ,the warm bath may be said to partake of all the qualities upon which our classification is founded2 it will stimulate the cutaneous capillaries1--increase vascular action1 generally1 and1 by its emollient powers1 relax the morbidly constricted mouths of the perspiratory vessels4 ,during the ardent heat of fever1 the external application of cold is the most efficient sudorific1 as the valuable reports of ,dr4 ,currie have very satisfactorily established4 ,although the external application of cold was not often employed in the hot stage of fever1 until within the last thirty years1 yet the administration of cold drinks appears to have been practised by the ancients1 as an expedient to produce perspiration4 ,galen1 and his immediate disciples1 as well as the physicians of the sixteenth century1 seem to have frequently administered cold water for the purpose of exciting sweat in fevers4#afb ,celsus also describes the beneficial effects which arise from copious draughts of cold water in ardent fevers1 8fereque post longam sitim et vigiliam1 post multam satietatem1 post infractum calorem1 plenus somnus venit1 per quem ingens sudor effunditur1 idque prsentissimum auxilium est40#afc ,cold water1 when introduced into the stomach in the hot stage of fever1 must produce its diaphoretic effect through the sympathetic relation which subsists between that organ and the skin4 ,nauseating doses of ,antimony1 and of other emetics1 occasion a relaxation of the surface from the same mode of operation1 and in this latter case1 if the force of the circulation be at the same time increased by tepid diluents1 the diaphoretic effect is more certain and considerable4 ,alcohol1 ,guaiacum1 and other powerful stimulants1 produce their effects by merely accelerating the circulation2 but in employing such remedies for the purpose of exciting sweat1 we must be careful to adapt them to the circumstances of the case1 and to the degree of action which prevails4 ,in all febrile diseases attended with much increased heat1 or connected with local inflammation1 diaphoretics of this description must be very cautiously administered1 for by accelerating the circulation they might counteract any benefit which they would otherwise confer by relaxing the vessels of the skin4 ,in the whole history of medical opinions there is scarcely a theory which has proved so fatal in its practical applications as that maintained by ,van ,helmont1 and his disciples1 viz4 that acute diseases were to be cured by expelling some morbific matter1 after its proper concoction--a theory which suggested the administration of the most stimulating sudorifics1 together with high temperature#afd in every grade of febrile exacerbation4 ,the fatal effects of such a practice during the seventeenth1 and early parts of the eighteenth centuries1 are incalculable1 and may be very satisfactorily contrasted with the beneficial results which have accrued1 in the same diseases1 in the present age1 from the use of diaphoretics of the refrigerant kind4 ,saline ,diaphoretics1 as they readily pass with the chyle1 may be supposed to enter the circulation1 and be thus brought to act1 directly1 on the cutaneous vessels2 at the same time it seems extremely probable that such remedies may also occasion an impression on the stomach1 which is sympathetically communicated to the vessels of the skin2 they have undoubtedly little or no influence on the general vascular system1 and neither augment the force nor the velocity of the circulating current4 ,it is not1 however1 in febrile affections alone that this class of remedies proves highly beneficial2 the very intimate sympathetic connection which subsists between the functions of the lungs and skins1 renders the use of such medicines particularly advantageous in the cure of the diseases incident to the former of these organs2 a fact upon which we shall hereafter offer some remarks under the history of ,expectorants4 ,so again1 in the treatment of bowel affections1 in consequence of the intimate relation which exists between the cutaneous capillaries and those of the internal organs1 gentle diaphoretics offer a valuable resource in their cure4 ,how frequently do ,diarrha1 ,enteritis1 c4 ensue from the sudden suppression of perspiration by cold8 ,from the influence which these medicines exert upon the extreme vessels of the skin1 they are also highly serviceable in various obstinate cutaneous affections1 as ,herpes1 ,lepra1 c4 ,as evacuating the serous part of the blood must necessarily have an indirect effect in promoting absorption1 ,sudorifics have been occasionally exhibited in ,dropsy1 especially in that form of the disease called ,anasarca4 ,it has been already observed that cases too frequently occur in which the discharge of urine cannot be increased by art2 upon such occasions practitioners have sometimes had recourse to a trial of ,sudorifics1#afe but from the great difficulty which generally exists in exciting sweating in such affections1 the indication has rarely been fulfilled4 ,where however a sudorific does succeed1 it is less liable to debilitate than the other alternative of a drastic purgative4 ,there is still another point of view in which the therapeutic importance of ,diaphoretics may be considered4 ,it is generally acknowledged that by cutaneous transpiration a portion of excrementitious matter is ejected from the system2 hence by the failure or imperfect performance of this function1 a deleterious fluid is retained which may give origin to disease2 to such a cause may perhaps be attributed the generation of ,calculi1 and other diseases of the urinary system1 as we shall have occasion to notice under the head of ,lithonthryptics4 ,the increased efficacy which these medicines derive from combination with each other1 will form a subject of interesting enquiry in the succeeding essay4 ,,expectorants4 ,medicines which are supposed to be capable of facilitating the excretion of mucus from the breast1 ex pectore1 that is1 from the trachea1 and cells and passages of the lungs4 ,if the term ,expectorant be intended to express a medicinal substance which has the power of promoting the expulsion of fluid from the lungs1 by some specific action on the parts concerned1 we can have no hesitation in at once rejecting the word1 and denying the existence of such remedies3 if1 however the term be received1 conventionally1 as comprehending all those substances which are capable1 according to the state of the system in each particular case1 of producing expectoration1 it will be extremely proper to recognise1 and practically useful to retain1 such a class of medicinal agents4 ,in order that their modus operandi may be correctly understood1 the following classification is submitted to the reader4 99 99 99 99 99 ,a ,,classification ,,of ,,expectorants1 ,according to their supposed ,modes of ,operation4 ,,cl3 ,i--,,medicines ,,which ,,increase ,,pulmonary ,,exhalation1 ,,and ,,thereby ,,dilute ,,the ,,mucus ,,in ,,the ,,follicles ,,of ,,the ,,lungs4 a4 ,by removing constriction of the ,pulmonary ,exhalant vessels4 ,blisters4 ,venesection4 ,nauseants4 b4 ,by stimulating these vessels by the actual contact of a medicinal substance4 ,allium4 ,scilla8 ,the different ,balsams4 ftid ,gums4 c4 ,by stimulating the top of the trachea1 and thereby increasing the action of the exhalant vessels of the lungs1 by a species of ,contiguous ,sympathy4 ,stimulating ,lozenges1 ,linctusses1 ,the ,inhalation of certain vapours1 c4 ,,cl3 ,,ii4--,,medicines ,,which ,,diminish ,,the ,,inordinate ,,flow ,,of ,,fluid ,,into ,,the ,,lungs1 ,,and ,,render ,,the ,,expectoration ,,of ,,the ,,remainder ,,more ,,easy4 a4 ,by removing the debility of the ,exhalants4 ,sulphate of ,zinc4 ,bitter ,tonics4 b4 ,by increasing the power of the ,absorbents4 ,digitalis4 ,nicotiana4 c4 ,by determining to the skin by gentle diaphoresis4 ,tartarized ,antimony4 d4 ,by exciting serous discharges from the bowels4 ,saline ,purgatives4 ,,cl3 ,,iii4--,,medicines ,,which ,,operate1 ,,mechanically1 ,,in ,,promoting ,,the ,,rejection ,,of ,,accumulated ,,mucus4 a4 ,by stimulating the muscles of ,respiration4 ,ammonia4 b4 ,by exciting vomiting1 and thereby compressing the thoracic viscera4 ,emetics4 ,i4 ,,of ,,medicines ,,which ,,increase ,,pulmonary ,,exhalation4 a4 ,by removing constriction of the ,pulmonary ,exhalant vessels4 ,there can be no doubt but that1 in certain states of disease1 the exhalants of the lungs1 like those of the skin1 are affected by a spasmodic constriction1 in consequence of which the usual quantity of fluid for the lubrication of these parts1 is not effused1 whence a train of morbid phenomena arise2 this appears to happen in ,pneumonia1 ,asthma1 and certain other diseases of the pulmonary organs4 ,in order to remove such a constriction1 remedies of the ,antispasmodic class may be exhibited with advantage2 nauseating doses of ,tartarized ,antimony1 or of ,ipecacuanha1 are likewise calculated to fulfil the same indication1 by an operation analogous to that by which ,diaphoresis is produced4 ,if the term might be allowed we should call such remedies ,pulmonary ,diaphoretics4 ,it is in this way that ,venesection1 ,blisters1 and other anti-phlogistic remedies1 may in certain states of the lungs restore a healthy excretion from these vessels4 b4 ,by stimulating the ,pulmonary ,exhalants1 by the actual contact of a medicinal substance4 ,there certainly appear to be substances which enter the circulation1 and are more peculiarly determined to the pulmonary vessels1 since their odour is to be distinctly recognised in the air that is expired4 ,garlic may be adduced as an example of this kind2 so penetrating is its odorous principle1 that if it be only applied to the soles of the feet it may be perceived in the breath4 ,such substances may stimulate the exhalant vessels through which they pass1 and by this stimulus the secretion may be increased1 and the mucus contained in the follicles diluted1 so as to be poured out in a less viscid form1 and consequently in a state to be more easily brought up by expectoration4 c4 ,by stimulating the top of the trachea1 and thereby increasing the activity of the ,exhalant vessels of the lungs1 by a species of contiguous sympathy4 ,the salutary operation of those various remedies1 which are allowed to pass slowly over the fauces1 sufficiently establish the fact which is here announced4 ,in this manner ,i apprehend that much benefit may arise from the use of a ,linctus1 and ,i am satisfied from experience that certain cases of hoarseness are to be frequently removed by such an application of stimulating syrups4 ,the inhalation of certain vapours will also enable us to make a more direct application to these parts2 as1 however1 it is my intention to dedicate a chapter to the consideration of this form of remedy1 it is unnecessary to dwell upon it in this place4 ,,ii4 ,,of ,,medicines ,,which ,,diminish ,,the ,,inordinate ,,flow ,,of ,,fluid ,,into ,,the ,,lungs4 a4 ,by removing the debility of the ,exhalants4 ,it not unfrequently occurs in persons either debilitated by age or disease1 that the exhalant vessels of the lungs lose their tone1 and pour out a larger quantity of fluid than is necessary for the lubrication of these organs2 this is particularly observable in the disease called humoral asthma1 and in the catarrh of old persons3 if this excess be restrained by strengthening the tone of the system generally1 or by astringing these vessels in particular1 the expectoration of the remainder will be rendered much more easy4 ,according to my experience1 sulphate of zinc displays considerable powers in moderating this effusion of fluid1 and it appears to produce this effect by increasing the tone of the exhalant vessels of the lungs2 several medicines also1 which are included in the former division of this classification1 may1 by stimulating these organs1 not only promote the exhalation when it is too scanty1 but repress it when it is too abundant4 b4 ,by increasing the power of the ,absorbents4 ,in some cases1 the mucous inundation may not depend upon any fault in the exhalants1 but upon a torpid state of the pulmonary absorbents3 our remedy for this evil is to be found amongst that class of medicines which have the power of promoting absorption1 as small doses of some mercurial preparation1 ,digitalis1 and perhaps ,nicotiana1 c4 c4 ,by determining to the skin by a gentle diaphoresis4 ,it is evident that an increase of the cutaneous exhalation is generally attended with a relative diminution in the other serous excretions of body2 this is so obvious with respect to our urinary discharge1 that every person must have noticed the variation of its quantity at different seasons of the year3 in like manner the exhalation from the lungs1 although less capable of becoming an object of observation1 is not less affected by the state of the cutaneous discharge2 hence medicines capable of promoting it1 are calculated to diminish the quantity of serous exhalation from the lungs2 and it is upon this principle1 that well regulated doses of the compound powder of ,ipecacuan1 frequently furnish the oppressed asthmatic with a valuable resource4 d4 ,by exciting serous discharges from the bowels4 ,upon the principle announced in the preceding section1 the operation of a saline cathartic may relieve the pulmonary organs when loaded with a preternatural accumulation of fluid1 and consequently assist expectoration4 ,on the contrary1 if the exhalation be deficient1 this class of remedies may increase pulmonary irritation1 and check expectoration1 a fact which coincides with the concurrent testimony of many able practitioners4 ,,iii4 ,,of ,,medicines ,,which ,,operate mechanically4 a4 ,by imparting vigour to the respiratory muscles1 engaged in the act of expectorating4 ,it must be admitted that1 to a certain extent1 expectoration is a voluntary operation1 connected with the action of a variety of muscles1 which in a state of extreme debility are not easily excited into action3 every practitioner must have noticed this fact during the treatment of the coughs of exhausted patients1 and have witnessed the distress necessarily arising from it2 in this condition1 the exhibition of a stimulant may so far renew the exhausted excitability of these organs1 as to enable them to undergo the necessary exertions4 b4 ,by compressing the thoracic viscera1 through the operation of an emetic4 ,the beneficial results which frequently attend the concussion of an emetic1 in cases of mucous accumulations in the lungs1 are too well known and understood to require much elucidation3 in the act of vomiting the thoracic viscera are violently compressed1 the neighbouring muscles are also called into strong action1 and both expiration and inspiration are thus rendered more forcible1 and the expulsion of mucus from the cavity of the lungs necessarily accomplished4 ,the safety and expediency of such a resource must1 however1 in each particular case be left to the discretion of the medical practitioner4 ,besides the remedies above enumerated1 there are some others which afford relief in certain coughs1 and have therefore in popular medicine1 been considered as ,expectorants2 but their operation1 if they exert any1 is to be explained upon principles altogether different from that of facilitating expectoration1 and will more properly fall under the head of ,demulcents4 ,atmospheric changes1 in relation to moisture and dryness1 deserve some notice before we conclude the history of expectorant agents3 the subject teems with curious and important facts1 and the advantages which the asthmatic patient derives from such changes merit farther investigation4 ,that the lungs are constantly giving off aqueous vapour is made evident by condensing the expired air on a cold surface of glass or metal2 and it is easy to imagine that when the atmosphere is saturated with moisture1 its power of conducting off this vapour will be proportionably diminished1 and that an accumulation of fluid may thus take place in the lungs2 on the other hand1 we may suppose the air to be so dry as to have an increased capacity for moisture1 and to carry off the expired vapour with preternatural avidity2 in either of these cases1 the excretions from the lungs will be materially influenced1 whether to the benefit or disadvantage of the patient will depend1 in each particular instance1 upon the nature of the disease under which he suffers4 ,i have known a person who could breathe with more freedom in the thick fogs of the metropolis than in the pure air of a mountainous region1 and it would not be difficult to adduce many examples in illustration of a diametrically opposite constitution of the pulmonary organs4 ,from the same cause we may frequently observe remarkable changes occur in the character of a cough1 at the breaking up of a frost2 in some cases the expectoration will be checked1 and in others promoted by a sudden change from a dry to a moist atmosphere4 ,can a more instructive illustration be offered of that important fact1 which ,i have been labouring in every page to impress upon the mind of the young practitioner1 that1 remedies are only relative agents8 ,in the course of considerable experience in the treatment of pulmonary complaints1 and in the influence of climate and seasons upon them1 ,i have repeatedly observed the rapid transition from moisture to dryness to occasion very remarkable effects upon the disease2 and ,i much question whether an attention to such a condition of the atmosphere does not deserve as much consideration in the election of a suitable place of residence for such invalids1 as the more obvious circumstance of temperature4 ,i have been long in the habit of recommending to persons confined in artificially warmed apartments1 to evaporate a certain portion of water1 whenever the external air has become excessively dry by the prevalence of the north-east winds1 which so frequently infest this island during the months of ,spring2 and the most marked advantage has attended the practice4 ,but in such cases the practitioner must ever be guided by the symptoms of each particular case2 it would be worse than useless to lay down any general precept for his guidance4 ,we cannot then be surprised that such a difference of opinion should exist amongst practitioners of equal eminence1 respecting the influence of a marine atmosphere2 some advocating its advantages to the pulmonary invalid1 and others maintaining with equal confidence the injurious tendency of such localities2 each party appeals to experience in justification of his opinion1 and with equal candour and justice2 but the cases from the results of which the medical inference has been drawn1 however parallel they may have appeared1 differed in those essential points to which we have alluded1 and upon which the question of climate would seem to turn4 ,there is another circumstance connected with the subject of atmospheric moisture which it is also essential to remember1--that the air gains a considerable increase in its power of conducting caloric1 by becoming saturated with aqueous vapour2 thus1 when a thaw takes place1 and the thermometer rises a few degrees above #cb1 the air1 instead of impressing us with the sensation of increased temperature1 actually appears much colder4 ,,sialogogues2 ,substances which increase the salivary#aff discharge4 ,this class comprehends two orders of medicines1 viz4 #ast4 ,those which increase the salivary excretion by external application to the secreting vessels1 by mastication1 as the following acrimonious and pungent substances1 ,anthemis ,pyrethrum2 ,colchearia ,armoracia2 ,daphne ,mezereum2 ,nicotiana ,tabacum1 c4 #bnd4 ,those whose internal exhibition affects these organs through the medium of the circulation1 of which ,mercury is the only true example2 for all the preparations of this metal1 when administered in certain quantities1 produce salivation4 ,the acrid ,sialogogues1 or ,masticatories1 by stimulating the excretory ducts1 and increasing the secretion of saliva1 sometimes relieve the pain of tooth-ache1 and are commonly resorted to for that purpose2 they are besides supposed capable of relieving other congestions1 or inflammatory dispositions1 in remote parts of the head1 by the derivation they occasion from the neighbouring vessels1 especially the branches of the external carotid4 ,mercury1 in its metallic state1#afg is perfectly inert1 and does not exert any influence whatever upon the living body3 this fact is sufficient1 if any serious refutation were necessary1 to overturn the theory which attributes its sialogogue property to the gravity of its particles1 by which 8it is disposed to retain the direct line in which it is propelled from the heart1 and is therefore more certainly determined to the vessels of the head40 ,it has been also supposed to act by diminishing the lentor of the blood1 and disposing it to pass more easily into the salivary glands1 so as to increase their secretion3 equally gratuitous and improbable are the chemical hypothesis which have been offered to explain this curious and singular property2 ,dr4 ,cullen endeavoured to solve the problem1 by supposing that 8,mercury has a particular disposition to unite with ammoniacal salts1 and that such salts are disposed to pass off by the salivary glands more copiously than by any other excretion40 ,dr4 ,murray1 however1 very justly remarks that mercury has not any peculiar tendency of this kind2 and that if it had1 these salts are not more abundant in the saliva1 than in some other secretions4 ,dr4 ,murray then proceeds to submit a theory which he considers better calculated to explain the phenomenon2 he observes1 that the urine appears more peculiarly designed to convey matter which has been received into the circulating mass1 but which is still excrementitious1 from the system4 ,to pass1 however1 with this fluid1 it is necessary that the matter conveyed should be soluble in it2 and when it is so1 we can discover it in the secretion by chemical tests4 ,if there is any property connected with it1 therefore1 which shall prevent this solubility1 it probably will prevent the substance from being secreted4 ,now1 the phosphoric acid1 abundant in urine1 must in this mode counteract the secretion of mercury in any form of preparation1 by forming with it a compound1 insoluble1 and to which the slight excess of acid cannot communicate solubility2 the mercury1 therefore1 existing in the circulating mass1 when brought in the course of the circulation to the secreting vessels of the kidneys1 will not pass through their whole course2 but if conveyed so far as to be combined with phosphoric acid1 will1 from this combination1 be incapable of being conveyed onwards1 and will therefore be retained in the composition of that part of the blood which does not enter into the secretion1 but returns into the circulation4 ,it must be discharged by some other emunctory2 a portion of it appears1 from some facts1 to pass off by the insensible perspiration2 but the tenuity of this secretion1 if the term may be employed1 must be unfavourable to this mode of discharge4 ,the salivary secretion is one by which it may be more easily transmitted2 and this transmission may even be facilitated by the affinity exerted to the ,oxide of ,mercury by the ,muriatic ,acid1 the ,soda1 and ,ammonia1 which are the chief saline ingredients in saliva2 for it deserves to be remarked that triple compounds of these substances are1 to a certain extent1 soluble in water2 and if the ,mercury is thus secreted1 it will of course stimulate the secreting vessels through which it passes1 and increase the discharge4 ,sir ,gilbert ,blane#afh has lately advanced another hypothesis to account for the effects of mercury as a sialogogue2 he considers the salivary glands as one of the outlets for the ramenta of the bones1 for by analysing the saliva we discover the principles of which they consist2 indeed the osseous matter not unfrequently concretes on the teeth1 and sometimes on the salivary ducts1 in the form of what is called ,tartar3 8does not this fact10 says ,sir ,gilbert ,blane1 8in some measure account for these glands being the parts upon which determination is made by the operation of mercury1 which consists in exciting an active absorption of solid parts1 as ,i have elsewhere observed80#afi ,but do not the kidneys1 and other excretory glands also furnish outlets1 through which the detritus of the body is eliminated4 ,how does it happen1 therefore1 that the kidneys are not as equally affected as the salivary glands by the action of mercury8 ,in the present state of our knowledge it will be more prudent to rest on the phenomenon as an ultimate fact1 than in attempting to ascend higher in the scale of causes1 to involve ourselves in impenetrable darkness4 ,during the prevalence of the theory which attributed to ,nitric acid all the antisyphilitic powers of mercury1 it was even maintained that this acid also excited ptyalism2 experience however has disproved the effects thus attributed to it1 and no one attempts to support its pretensions1 as a sialogogue1 except indeed as it may perchance1 by its acrid qualities1 influence the excretory ducts of the glands1 externally1 in the act of being swallowed4 ,it has very lately been stated by ,dr4 ,macleod1#agj that the ,hydro-cyanic acid occasionally produces soreness of the gums1 and a disposition to ptyalism2 this1 if true1 is a very remarkable fact1 and well deserves attentive consideration4 ,some theorists may1 perhaps1 be inclined to consider certain ,nauseating ,medicines as possessing sialogogue properties4 ,it cannot be denied that an increased discharge of saliva will take place during the operation of such remedies1 but it is very transient1 and can never be rendered available to any therapeutic object4 ,i shall however have occasion to refer to this fact hereafter1 and to the inference deduced from it by ,dr4 ,eberle1 in explanation of the effect of nauseating medicines in promoting the operation of ,mercury4 ,,errhines1 or ,,sternutatories3 ,substances which1 by direct application to the pituitary membrane1 occasion a discharge from the nostrils either of a mucous or serous fluid4 ,this class contains several different species1 whose operation varies in intensity1 as well as in duration4 ,errhines have been regarded as useful in consequence of the evacuation they occasion1 but in this respect their value has been greatly over-rated2 it has been stated1 that they diminish the quantity of fluid circulating in the neighbouring vessels1 and even extend their influence to all the branches of the external carotid2 and ,dr4 ,cullen says that he has1 apparently from this operation1 known head-ache1 pain of the ear1 and some cases of ophthalmia1 cured or relieved by the use of ,errhines4 ,there can be no doubt that local stimulants of this kind will frequently remove pain from the head and neighbouring parts1 but not merely by occasioning vascular depletion1 as ,dr4 ,cullen supposed1 but by a stimulant operation conveyed through the medium of nervous communication1 or contiguous sympathy4 ,dr4 ,cullen has moreover supposed1 that these substances may be useful in preventing apoplexy or palsy4 ,morgagni#aga however relates a case in which sneezing induced a fatal attack of this disease2 and ,van ,swieten#agb has satisfactorily shewn1 that continued paroxysms of sneezing tend to load the vessels of the head with blood2 for the violent contraction of the chest impedes1 for a time1 the passage of the blood through the lungs1 and therefore obstructs the return of the venous blood from the brain1 the vessels of which are in consequence greatly distended2 the face therefore reddens and becomes turgid1 the eyes are suffused with water1 and appear full and distended4 ,its occasional dangerous violence is said to have given origin to the benediction so universally bestowed on those who sneeze4#agc ,it has been a subject of popular inquiry1 how far the habitual use of ,snuff may prove beneficial or injurious2 and whether the habit1 when once fully established1 can be discontinued with impunity8 ,it may be remarked that ,snuff1 by habitual use1 soon ceases to produce the effect of an ,errhine1 for which reason its discontinuance cannot1 generally1 be regarded as likely to be attended with any danger2 in those cases1 however1 in which the discharge is perpetuated1 a contrary judgment should be pronounced1 for all artificial discharges become constitutional by long continuance1 and can therefore be seldom checked with impunity4 ,dr4 ,cullen states1 from experience1 that 8whenever the nasal discharge has been considerable1 the laying aside the custom of taking snuff has been productive of evil40 ,,epispastics4 ,vesicatories4 ,blisters4 ,external applications to the skin1 which produce a serous or puriform discharge1 by previously exciting a high state of inflammation4 ,when these agents act so mildly as merely to excite inflammation1 without occasioning the effusion of serum1 they are denominated ,,rubefacients4 ,various substances have at different times1 been proposed for the accomplishment of this object1--such as ,nitric ,acid1 ,boiling ,water1 ,strong ,acetic ,acid1 ,tartarized ,antimony1 c4 ,it is1 however1 generally admitted1 that no substance ever employed equals in efficacy1 or certainty1 the ,cantharis ,vesicatoria1 the common blistering1 or ,spanish fly2 and whose effects may serve to illustrate the modus operandi of this class of remedies4 ,by the application of a ,blister1 the extreme blood vessels are excited into increased action1 by which inflammation is occasioned1 and the exhalants made to pour out a thin serous fluid which separates the cuticle from the true skin1 and forms a vesicle or blister4 ,from this simple view of the subject it will appear evident1 that blisters may produce their salutary effects by several different modes of operation2 by a just estimate of which the practitioner will be enabled to reconcile the discordant opinions which have been delivered upon the subject1 and to employ these agents with greater satisfaction and advantage4 ,blisters may act-- #a4 ,,as ,,derivatives1 i4 e4 by producing a derivation of the circulation from the inflamed and engorged vessels of the neighbouring organs to the blistered surface4 ,this mode of operation was long overlooked by the physicians1 who ascribed all the beneficial effects of a blister to the evacuation which it produced1 while the humoral pathologist1 moreover1 considered the matter so discharged to be of a morbific nature4 ,that such agents owe their salutary tendency to causes independent of their powers as evacuants1 is at once rendered evident by the relief which they afford1 when used only as ,rubefacients4 #b4 ,,as ,,evacuants--by occasioning an effusion of ,fluids4 ,in this case the vesicated part may be considered in the light of a new excretory organ1 the formation of which requires the establishment of a new current or determination of blood2 so long as the discharge continues1 so long will there be an especial demand of blood in the blistered part1 and a consequent derivation of the circulation from the inflamed and engorged vessels of the neighbouring organs4#agd ,the nature of the fluid effused is at first serous1 but after some time it becomes purulent1 and this stage of its operation must be considered as1 by far1 the most beneficial2 hence the great advantages derived from a 8perpetual blister40 #c4 ,,as ,,general ,,stimulants1 by raising the vigour of the circulation4#age ,that ,blisters have such a tendency there exist too many proofs to allow us to doubt4 ,hence in fevers they frequently prove valuable auxiliaries1 but since the application of any stimulus1 in such diseases1 must be regulated by the degree of excitement1 it is evident that they can only be made with success in particular stages2 this simple fact will at once explain the cause of that want of unanimity in ,physicians with respect to the value of blisters in febrile diseases4 ,rush considered that there was one particular period1 in the course of a continued fever1 intermediate between its stage of high excitement and the appearance of a collapse1 in which blisters will generally produce unequivocal good effects1 and to this he gave the name of the ,blistering point4 #d4 ,,as ,,antispasmodics4--,relieving pain through the medium of ,contiguous ,sympathy4 ,this effect would frequently appear to be independent of the operations above enumerated2 a similar principle seems to exist with regard to the pain excited by blisters1 which may also be applied to the explanation of the advantages derived from them in several diseases4 ,it has long been remarked that1 by exciting one pain we may often relieve another1 and hence blisters afford relief in tooth-ache1 and other painful affections4 ,epilepsy and ,hysteria1 arising from irritation1 have been removed by such applications1 apparently from their exciting powers4 ,it remains for us to make a few observations upon the abuse of these remedies1 for1 notwithstanding the popular adage that 8,blisters are always safe things10 that 8if they do no good1 they can do no harm10 they will be found1 like all other potent applications1 capable of producing much mischief when directed by unskilful hands4 ,in stages of high vascular excitement in the pulmonary organs1 blisters have increased the irritation they were designed to allay1 and in some cases have promoted a tendency to effusion2 in the treatment of acute ,hydrocephalus the common practice of blistering the head appears very questionable1 and has too often1 ,i am well persuaded1 accelerated the fatal termination1 by increasing the disposition to serous effusion4 ,,issues 7,fonticuli7 and ,,setons 7,setacea#agf74 ,the effects of these processes bear a strong analogy to those which are produced by ,vesicatories2 they are1 however1 more permanent1 and are on that account better adapted to the relief of those chronic affections which would seem to require a remedy of long continued influence4 ,in pulmonary affections1 for instance1 a seton in the side is frequently attended with very considerable benefit4 ,the popular belief in humoral pathology1 which continues to influence the mass of mankind1 has perhaps assigned to these remedies a greater share of credit than that to which they are really entitled1 but it must still be acknowledged that when an ulcer having existed a great length of time1 is healed or dried up1 or any constitutional discharge is suddenly checked1 the health may become affected4 ,in such cases the establishing a discharge by means of an ,issue is undoubtedly a safe1 and often a beneficial operation4 ,,iii4 ,,of ,,chemical ,,remedies4 ,there is no principle in physiology better established than that which considers vitality as a power engaged in continual conflict with the physical1 chemical1 and mechanical laws1 to which every species of inanimate matter is invariably subject4 ,every phenomenon of the living body might be advanced in illustration and support of this general position4 ,the animal machine is constantly surrounded and assailed by agents1 whose elective attractions for the principles of which it consists1 are so numerous and energetic1 that its decomposition would inevitably and speedily result1 were not the adhesion of its molecules maintained by the conservative influence of a superior power4 ,the compositions and decompositions which manifest themselves in the elaborate operations of chylification1 sanguification1 and secretion1 are carried on by agencies totally distinct from those which govern the combinations of inert matter1 and must be investigated upon principles essentially different4 ,how then1 it may be asked1 can a medicinal substance be brought to act chemically upon the living body8 ,notwithstanding the general proposition1 that the animal processes to which we have alluded1 are governed by laws peculiar to life1 yet it must be admitted that such processes are occasionally influenced1#agg modified1 and controlled by powers strictly chemical in their operation2 although in some cases it will be seen that such effects afford only apparent exceptions to the general law3 for several of the remedies whose operations have been regarded as purely chemical1 exert their influence on parts which cannot be strictly considered under the control of the living principle2 of which ,antacids1 and certain ,antidotes and ,antiseptics1 to be hereafter explained1 may be considered as examples3 in like manner will cataplasms of acetic acid hasten the exfoliation of carious bone2 a practice which has lately been employed with much success in the ,infirmary at ,gloucester4 ,upon the same principle alkaline applications may be made to dissolve coagulated blood2 suppose1 for the sake of illustration1 that the bladder should become filled with coagulum through hemorrhage from the prostate gland1 and that the most serious consequences were to be apprehended from the distention2 in such an emergency1 a dilute and tepid solution of potass1 if injected through the catheter1 might prove eminently serviceable2 although such a practice would require the utmost skill for its safe direction1 since the removal of the plug1 thus afforded by ,nature to the bleeding vessel1 might be followed by an immediate return of active hemorrhage4 ,on the contrary1 other agents destroy the vitality of the organ before they can produce any change in the matter of which it is composed1 as the action of ,escharotics will clearly demonstrate4 ,,refrigerants4 ,substances which directly diminish the force of the circulation1 and reduce the heat of the body1 without occasioning any diminution of sensibility or nervous energy4 ,these remedies may be considered either as external and local1 or as internal and general4 ,in the first case1 there will not be much difficulty in substantiating their claims to be considered ,chemical ,agents1 but in the latter case1 the theory of their operation is unsatisfactory and obscure2 and even the facts which are adduced to establish the existence of such a class of remedies1 are of a very problematical character4 ,,topical ,,refrigerants4 ,in the case of external inflammation1 refrigeration may be produced by the application of cold substances1 such as water1 ice1 or certain saline solutions1 or by the abstraction of heat by means of evaporation1 which is very effectually accomplished by the use of lotions composed of spirit or ether4 ,by these methods we are capable of directly diminishing the activity of the vessels of the part2 thus1 in burns and scalds1 the pain is instantly relieved1 and the inflammation effectually reduced4 ,,internal ,,refrigerants4 ,there are certain saline substances which1 by undergoing a rapid solution1 and acquiring an increased capacity for caloric1 produce a diminution of temperature1 and if this takes place in the stomach1 the sensation of cold which it will produce is equivalent to a partial abstraction of stimulus2 which1 being extended by sympathy to the heart1 occasions a transient reduction in the force of the circulation1 and by this1 or by a similar sympathetic affection1 causes a sensation of cold over the whole body2 in this manner ,dr4 ,murray explains the refrigerant operation of nitre1 which after all is of a very doubtful nature4 ,we shall perhaps not feel much difficulty in accepting this theory1 and in allowing that general refrigerant effects may be temporarily produced1 by occasioning an impression of cold upon the stomach4 ,the theory which is proposed to explain the refrigerant operation of vegetable acids and certain other substances1 and which we have now to consider1 is derived from those chemical views respecting animal heat1 in which the consumption of oxygen in the act of respiration is considered the principal source4 ,dr4 ,murray1#agh who has given a luminous exposition of this theory1 says 8it is established by numerous experiments and observations1 that the quantity of oxygen consumed in the lungs is materially influenced by the nature of the ingesta received into the stomach4 ,when the food and drink are composed of substances which contain a small proportion of oxygen1 it is known that the consumption of oxygen in the lungs is increased1 and this even in a short time after the aliment has been received2 thus ,mr4 ,spalding1 the celebrated diver1 observed1 that whenever he used a diet of animal food1 or drank spirituous liquors1 he consumed in a much shorter time the oxygen of the atmospheric air in his diving-bell2 and therefore he had learned from experience to confine himself to a vegetable diet1 and to water for drink1 when following his profession40#agi ,during digestion too1 it was established by the experiments of ,lavoisier and ,seguin1 that a larger proportion of oxygen than usual is consumed4 ,but it is known1 that the animal temperature is derived from the consumption of oxygen gas by respiration2 and1 that an increase in that consumption will occasion a greater evolution of caloric in the system1 and consequently an increase of temperature in the body1 while a diminution in the consumption of oxygen will have an opposite effect4 ,if1 then1 when the temperature of the body is morbidly increased1 we introduce into the stomach substances containing a large proportion of oxygen1 especially in a loose state of combination1 we may succeed in reducing the general temperature4 ,this we accomplish in part by a vegetable diet1 but still more effectually by the free use of the ,acids4 ,the vegetable acids in particular1 which are found by experience to be the best refrigerants1 are readily acted upon by the digestive powers1 and assimilated with the food2 and as the large quantity of oxygen which they contain is already in a concrete state1 little sensible heat can be produced by the combination of that element with the other principles of the food4 ,the nutritious matter which is received into the blood1 containing thus a larger proportion of oxygen than usual1 will be disposed to abstract less of it from the air in the lungs1 and consequently less caloric will be evolved2 the temperature of the body will be reduced2 and this1 again operating as a reduction of stimulus1 will lessen the number and force of the contractions of the heart4 ,such is the philosophical web which chemical ingenuity has wove for us1--the device is beautiful1 but the fabric will be found too frail to endure the touch4 ,the experiments of ,dr4 ,crawford1 in proof of the chemical origin of animal heat1 are highly ingenious and plausible1 but it is now generally admitted that the temperature of animals depends upon the living principle#ahj which animates them1 and that although the absorption of oxygen1 in the act of respiration1 may directly contribute something to its production1 yet that its chief action is that of serving as a stimulus to the living power in generating it2 for1 as ,sir ,gilbert ,blane#aha remarks1 oxygen plays an interesting and active part as an exciting power throughout all nature1 both animate and inanimate4 ,if the heat of the body depended on respiration alone1 any one might1 by a voluntary effort of quick1 deep1 and prolonged respiration1 increase the temperature of his body at will2 the effect also of the emotions of the mind1 in generating both heat and cold1 adds ,sir ,gilbert1 is proof sufficient of temperature depending on a vital1 and not on a chemical cause4 ,,antacids3 ,remedies which obviate acidity in the stomach1 by combining with the acid1 and neutralizing it4 ,this is the most decided instance of chemical action which occurs in the history of medicinal operations4 ,we have an acid whose presence excites morbid symptoms in the prim vi1 and these are immediately removed by the administration of any one of those substances which are capable of forming a natural compound with the acid in question1 out of the body1 and the same proportions are required in both cases for saturation4 ,if a carbonated alkali be employed1 the same disengagement of carbonic acid takes place in the stomach as would occur in the laboratory1 and a new compound is produced1 whose operation varies according to the chemical nature of the substance employed2 thus1 the salt which magnesia forms with the acid in the stomach proves slightly purgative1 while that which lime produces under similar circumstances is distinguished by an opposite property4 ,,antilithics ,,and ,,lithonthryptics4 ,,antilithics#ahb are remedies which have the power of preventing the formation of those mechanical deposites from the urine1 which give origin to calculous concretions2 and may belong either to the class of ,vital1 or ,chemical ,agents4 ,,lithonthryptics#ahc are those medicines which1 by a chemical operation1 are capable of dissolving calculous concretions4 ,it has been already shewn1 while treating the subject of ,diuretics1 that certain substances1 when internally administered1 are capable of passing the barriers of digestion1 and of entering the circulation2 and that1 moreover1 these bodies may be again separated by the secretory vessels of the kidneys1 and be ejected from the body in the urine4 ,it cannot therefore be contended1 that the urinary calculus is placed beyond the sphere of direct medicinal influence1 nor can any argument1 founded upon the alleged incompatibility of chemical and vital action1 be fairly maintained in this case2 for the urinary calculus1 as well as the urine itself1#ahd may very justly be considered as extraneous to the living body4 ,the existence of such a class of remedies as that of ,lithonthryptics being thus established1 we have to consider the mode and possible extent of their operation in the different varieties of the disease1 which they are thus calculated to palliate or cure4 ,in entering upon this inquiry1 it is not my intention to prosecute the subject farther than may be necessary to explain the modus operandi of the remedies in question1 and in conformity with the object and plan of this work1 to establish some general principles that are to direct us in their election1 combination1 and administration2 for farther details the practitioner must consult the systematic treatises of ,prout#ahe and ,marcet1#ahf and the very able papers of ,mr4 ,brande1#ahg and ,dr4 ,wilson ,philip4#ahh ,the urine may be considered as one of the most heterogeneous of the animal fluids2#ahi and since a knowledge of its composition1 and that of the morbid changes of which it is susceptible1 must constitute the basis of all our knowledge respecting the formation and cure of calculous affections1 the following results of an elaborate analysis by ,berzelius1 are submitted with a view to elucidate our pathological researches4 ,animal ,principles4,water #iccjj ,urea #cjaj ,lithic ,acid #ajj ,pure ,lactic ,acid1 ,lactate of ,ammonia1 and ,animal matters not separable from these #agad ,mucus of the ,bladder #cb ,alkaline and ,earthy,sulphate of ,potass ,salts4 #cga ,sulphate of ,soda #caf ,phosphate of ,soda #bid ,phosphate of ,ammonia #afe ,muriate of ,soda #dde ,muriate of ,ammonia #aej ,earthy ,phosphates with a trace of ,fluate of ,lime #ajj ,silex #jc -------------- #ajjjjj -------------- ,besides the above ingredients1 which appear to be essential to healthy urine1 ,dr4 ,prout observes that in different diseases it may contain ,albumen1 ,fibrin1 and the red particles of the blood2 ,nitric acid2 various acids1 which are found to be modifications of the ,lithic2 ,oxalic acid2 ,benzoic acid2 ,carbonic acid2#aij ,xanthic ,oxide2 ,cystic ,oxide2 ,sugar2 ,bile2 and ,pus4 ,it will be necessary in this place to make a few observations upon the nature and habitudes of those principles1 which are more immediately active in the production of calculi-- #a4 ,urea is a principle peculiar to urine1 and must be regarded as a result of the action of the kidneys upon some of the constituents of the blood1 perhaps1 as ,dr4 ,prout suggests1 upon its albuminous matter4 ,for a long time it was regarded as the peculiar principle upon which the colour and other sensible qualities of the urine depended2 ,berzelius however has corrected this fallacy1 and considers that the ,lactic acid1 and its accompanying animal matters1 are the bodies which impart to this fluid the characteristic smell and colour which distinguish it4#aia #b4 ,lithic1 or ,uric#aib ,acid4 ,as this principle is not found in the blood1 but is constantly present in healthy urine1 it follows that it must be generated by the action of the kidneys4 ,m4 ,majendie#aic has lately endeavoured to prove that its secretion depends upon the ,azote received in alimentary substances1 and for the following reasons1 viz4 #a4 ,azote is a component part of ,lithic ,acid#aid--b4 ,those persons who use a large portion of animal food1 and fermented liquors1 are liable to calculous disorders--#c4 ,when animals are confined to food which contains no ,azote1 no ,lithic acid is formed--but of this anon4--,berzelius and other animal chemists have supposed that this acid exists in urine in a free state2 but ,dr4 ,prout1 whose arguments appear very satisfactory and decisive1 is of opinion that it is always in combination with ammonia 7,lithate of ,ammonia71 from which however it is very easily separated by the addition of any acid1 even the carbonic1 in the form of a red powder4 ,it moreover appears to be susceptible of several important modifications1 with which it behoves the pathologist to be acquainted2 the profession is greatly indebted to the ingenuity and industry of ,dr4 ,prout for some very essential additions to our knowledge1 respecting the habitudes of ,lithic acid with different bodies4 ,erythric ,acid4 ,when nitric acid diluted with about an equal bulk of water1 is poured upon pure lithic acid1 and a moderate heat is applied1 an effervescence takes place1 and the lithic acid is dissolved2 if we then concentrate this solution by a gentle evaporation1 we obtain transparent colourless crystals1 which have been found to constitute a peculiar acid1 to which ,m4 ,brugnatelli has given the name of ,erythric acid4 ,purpuric ,acid4 ,dr4 ,prout has discovered that if into a strong solution of the above crystals in water1 whilst boiling hot1 we carefully drop some pure ammonia1 the solution acquires a beautiful purple#aie colour1 and crystals of purpurate of ammonia speedily begin to form and subside4 ,if these crystals are treated by means of potass and sulphuric acid1 pure ,purpuric acid is obtained in the form of a yellowish1 or cream-coloured powder4 #c4 ,the ,phosphates4 ,as the ,phosphoric acid and its compounds perform an important part in the generation of calculi1 their origin#aif and history demand particular attention from the chemist4 ,the ,phosphoric acid frequently exists in the urine in a free state1 when it would appear to act1 like any other acid1 as a precipitant of the ,lithic acid2 this however is not the circumstance that renders its presence formidable2 it is to the abundance of its compounds that we are to look for mischief4 ,in healthy urine the phosphoric acid appears to exist in union with soda and ammonia1 and partly with lime and magnesia2 the latter salts being retained in solution by an excess of acid2 but the proportion of these bodies is liable to considerable variation4#aig ,having thus briefly noticed those particular points in the chemistry of the subject with which the therapeutic principles are more immediately connected1 we shall be better prepared to examine and appreciate the several plans of treatment which have been proposed for the prevention1 cure1 or palliation of calculous disorders2 and here the subject naturally divides itself into two parts2 the one comprehending the modus operandi of ,antilithics1 or those remedies which prevent or correct the calculous diathesis2 the other1 explaining the solvent action of ,lithonthryptics over concretions already formed4 ,the line of demarcation by which healthy and morbid urine are separated1 is so slight that it is difficult to define its limits2 nor would the circumstance appear to be materially important1 for the boundary is daily exceeded1 not only with impunity1 but even without our consciousness of the event2 and ,dr4 ,prout has accordingly denominated such occasional deviations1 the 8,sediments of ,health40 ,the same enlightened author considers that mechanical deposites from the urine1 although composed of the same general ingredients1 may1 in a pathological point of view1 be conveniently divided into three classes1 viz4 ,pulverulent or ,amorphous ,sediments2 #b4 ,crystalline ,sediments1 usually denominated gravel2 and #c4 ,solid ,concretions1 or calculi formed by the aggregation of these latter sediments4 ,the first of these may be passed over1 as unconnected with the present subject2 the latter however constitutes an essential object of research2 for a complete acquaintance with the chemical history of calculi can alone furnish the true indications of cure4 ,scheele1#aih with whom the inquiry originated1 conceived that every calculus consisted of a peculiar concrete acid1 soluble in alkaline lixivia1 and which ,morveau denominated the ,lithic ,acid2 but the subsequent researches of ,fourcroy1 ,vauquelin1 ,wollaston1 ,pearson1 ,henry1 ,brande1 ,marcet1 and ,prout1 have demonstrated the existence of several bodies in the composition of urinary calculi1 viz4 ,lithic ,acid2 ,phosphate of ,lime2 ,ammoniaco-magnesian ,phosphate2 ,oxalate of ,lime2 ,cystic ,oxide2#aii and ,xanthic ,oxide2#bjj to which may be added an animal cementing ingredient4 ,the varieties of calculi produced by the combination or intermixture of these ingredients1 are represented in the following ,tabular ,arrangement4 ,a ,,tabular ,,view ,,of ,,the ,,different ,,species ,,of ,,urinary ,,calculi4 ,,species ,,of ,,external ,,chemical ,,remarks4 ,,calculi4 ,,characters4 ,,composition4 #a4 ,,lithic or ,form1 a ,it consists ,it is the ,,uric4 flattened oval2 principally of prevailing ,specific ,lithic ,acid2 species2 but gravity1 when treated the surface generally with nitric sometimes exceeds #aejj2 acid1 a occurs finely ,colour1 beautiful pink tuberculated4 brownish or substance ,it frequently fawn-like2 results4 ,this constitutes the surface calculus is ,nuclei of the smooth1 texture slightly other species4 laminated4 soluble in water1 abundantly in the pure alkalies4 #b4 ,,mulberry4 ,colour1 ,it is ,oxalate of,this species dark-brown2 ,lime1 and is includes some texture1 decomposed in varieties which harder than the flame of a are remarkably that of the spirit lamp1 smooth and pale other species2 swelling out coloured1 ,sp4 grav4 into a white resembling a from #adbh to efflorescence1 hemp seed4 #aigf4 which is ,surface1 ,quick-lime4 studded with tubercles4 #c4 ,,bone ,,earth4 ,colour1 pale ,principally brown or gray2 ,phosphate of surface ,lime4 ,it is smooth and soluble in polished2 muriatic acid4 structure1 regularly laminated2 the lamin easily separating into concrete crusts4 #d4 ,,triple4 ,colour1 ,it is an ,this species generally ,ammoniaco- attains a brilliant magnesian larger size white2 phosphate1 than any of the surface generally mixed others4 uneven1 studded with phosphate with shining of lime2 pure crystals2 less alkalies compact than decompose it1 the preceding extricating its species2 ammonia4 between its lamin1 small cells occur1 filled with sparkling particles4 #e4 ,,fusible4 ,colour1 ,a compound of the,it is very greyish-white4 two foregoing fusible1 species4 melting into a vitreous globule4 #f4 ,,cystic4 ,very like the ,it consists of ,it is a rare ,triple ,cystic ,oxide2 species4 ,calculus1 but under the it is blow-pipe it unstratified yields a and more peculiarly compact1 and fetid odour4 ,it homogeneous4 is soluble in acids1 and in alkalies even if they are fully saturated with carbonic acid4 #g4 ,,alternating4,its section ,compound of exhibits several different species1 concentric alternating lamin4 with each other4 #h4 ,,compound4 ,no characteristic,the ingredients form4 are separable only by chemical analysis4 ,let us now inquire into the circumstances under which the several substances enumerated in the foregoing table1 are found to be deposited2 and first of the ,lithic acid ,diathesis4 ,it has been already stated1 that the lithic acid exists in the urine in combination with ammonia1 so as to be held in solution under ordinary circumstances2 if however any free acid be generated1 the lithic acid is immediately precipitated1 giving rise to the appearance so well known under the name of red gravel2 from this view of the subject the lithic acid deposite must be considered as arising1 not from the excess of that substance in the urine1 but from a decomposition of the compounds into which it enters by the agency of a free acid4 ,m4 ,majendie is therefore incorrect in attributing its appearance to the quantity of azote in the ingesta2 an opinion which has been very ably controverted by ,dr4 ,philip1 in a paper published in the sixth volume of the ,medical ,transactions4 ,it appears1 moreover1 that whatever tends to disturb the process of digestion1 by favouring the production of acid1 may be considered as the exciting cause of the lithic deposites2 especially where the cutaneous functions are imperfectly performed2 for ,dr4 ,philip is of opinion1 that the precipitating acid1 in a healthy state of the system1 is thrown off by the skin2 and he supposes that even when generated in excess1 it may be diverted to the surface of the body by merely increasing the insensible perspiration4 ,the medical treatment of the lithic diathesis is thus rendered simple and satisfactory2 and if the opinion of ,dr4 ,prout be true1 that at least two-thirds of the whole number of calculi originate from lithic acid1 the extreme importance of the subject is too apparent to require comment4 ,remedies1 medicinal and dietetic1 that are capable of correcting dyspeptic symptoms1 such as slight bitters1#bja will doubtless prove valuable resources2 while all those agents which have a tendency to correct and regulate the insensible perspiration1 will necessarily fall under the head of anti-lithic remedies4 ,mr4 ,copland ,hutchison1 in a paper which has been published in the ,transactions of the ,medico-,chirurgical ,society1 has shewn a comparative rarity of calculous disorders in ,british seamen4 ,can the quantity of muriate of soda taken with their food1 from its stimulating influence upon the cutaneous functions1 be considered as affording a plausible explanation of this fact8 ,the ,phosphatic ,diathesis seems to be accompanied with considerable derangement of the chylo-poietic viscera1 and ,dr4 ,prout very justly remarks1 what ,i have frequently observed1 that the stools are extremely unnatural2 as the phosphates are retained in solution by an excess of acid1 it would appear as if an alkaline principle was occasionally developed1 and it is not unreasonable to suppose that this may be sometimes derived from bilious regurgitations2#bjb in some cases1 the alkali is derived from the spontaneous decomposition of urine itself1 especially where the bladder has lost its governing power1#bjc as from some injury#bjd of the spine2 or from some local affection of the bladder or prostate gland2 wherever the urine undergoes an incipient process of decomposition1 ammonia will be generated1 and an ammoniaco-magnesian phosphate#bje be immediately precipitated3 hence in cases where the bladder is unable to discharge its contents1 this deposite is very apt to take place1 as in diseases in the prostate2 and this explains the reason why the triple phosphates are so frequently formed in elderly people1 who cannot wholly evacuate their bladder4 ,it will appear evident from these cursory observations1 that some varieties of ,calculi will be influenced by acids1 and others by alkalies1 and that the exhibition of such remedies will be liable to palliate1 or to aggravate the symptoms1 according to the character and composition of the offending calculus1 and according to the prevailing diathesis of the patient2 as a general rule to direct us in the chemico-medical treatment of these cases1 ,dr4 ,marcet states1 that 8,whenever the lithic acid predominates1 the alkalies#bjf are the appropriate remedies1 but that when the calcareous or magnesian salts prevail1 the acids are to be resorted to40 ,but if it be asked how we are to discover the nature of the calculous affection1 so as to direct the suitable remedy8 the reply is obvious--by an examination of the sediment deposited by the recent urine1 or by an analysis of the small fragments which are frequently voided with it2 the ,phosphates subside from the urine as a white1 lithic acid1 generally1 as a red deposit2 and since the phosphates are held in solution in the urine by an excess of acid1 it is evident that whenever such acidity is diminished by the hand of ,nature or art1 a white sabulous deposit will ensue2 hence1 says ,mr4 ,brande1 it occurs in the urine of persons who drink soda water1 or take magnesia2 the remedy of such a deposit1 when it takes place habitually1 is a course of acidulous medicines2 on the contrary1 since lithic acid is precipitated by the acids1 alkalies are naturally suggested for the prevention of that deposit4 ,in the compound calculi1 acids and alkalies may be equally injurious or beneficial1 for since these bodies are composed of a variety of ingredients1 the action of any one solvent must be partial1 and may convert the smooth calculus into a rough and highly irritating body1 or vice versa4 ,in the alternating calculi it may be judicious to exhibit these remedies alternately1 as the symptoms of the case and the deposit of the urine may indicate4 ,after all1 however1 the solvent powers of ,lithonthryptic remedies must be very limited1 and in advanced cases we can never expect to procure more than palliation4 ,with respect to the agency of these different remedies1 as ,antilithics1 ,i would observe1 that while experience bears us out in confiding in the production of certain chemical effects from their use1 we must not forget that much is to be effected by their judicious administration as vital agents3 and it will be hereafter my duty to point out the many advantages that may be obtained1 by combining in one formula1 medicines which individually belong to each class4 ,independent of any chemical effect1 alkaline substances are found by daily experience to allay the morbid irritability of the urinary organs in a manner not yet explained2 alkalies may also prove generally serviceable in these disorders1 by acting immediately upon the digestive organs1 for the disposition of forming calculi is always1 more or less1 accompanied with the indications of deranged digestion2 and it is probable that the first link of the series of actions1 which cause this disposition1 has its origin in the stomach4 ,the alkaline carbonates are found to answer as effectually as the pure alkalies1 and they have the advantage of being less liable to disagree with the stomach4 ,mr4 ,hatchett has proposed the carbonate of magnesia1 in doses of j to j1 as a valuable substitute for alkaline remedies in cases of lithic calculi2 but as its insolubility must render its absorption equivocal1 the beneficial operation of the substance must principally depend upon its neutralizing any excess of acid in the prim vi1 and in this way there can be no doubt of its lithonthryptic agency2 8but10 says ,dr4 ,marcet1 8such is the tendency which the public has to over-rate the utility of a new practice1 or to take a mistaken view of its proper application1 that there is every reason to believe that the use of magnesia has of late years become a frequent source of evil in calculous complaints40 ,lime-water has been also recommended for the purpose of fulfilling the same indications1 and as not being liable to produce that irritability of stomach which frequently attends the long continued use of the fixed alkalies2 besides which1 some chemists have maintained that it exerts a peculiar solvent power over the cementing animal matter of the concretion1 and thereby destroys its cohesion4#bjg ,where an acid is indicated1 the ,muriatic will in my judgment be found as convenient and effectual as any that can be administered4 ,mr4 ,brande proposes ,cream of ,tartar for this purpose2 upon this point ,i differ with him1 for this salt1 to say the least of it1 is questionable in its mode of operation2 for although its first impression upon the stomach is that of an acid1 the subsequent processes of digestion decompose it1 and eliminate its base1 which being absorbed acts upon the urinary organs as an alkali4 ,i have seen a white sabulous deposit1 consisting of the ,phosphates1 in the urine of persons after the constant use of ,imperial as a beverage1 which ,i am at a loss to explain upon any other principle4 ,sir ,gilbert ,blane has also very satisfactorily shewn1 that a fixed alkali produces the same effect upon the urinary organs whether it be exhibited alone1 or in combination with citric acid2 in this latter case the salt undoubtedly undergoes a decomposition in transitu1 as ,i have more fully explained under the consideration of ,diuretics1 7page #id47 ,during an alterative course of ,lithonthryptic remedies it may be beneficial to interpose occasionally a purgative medicine1 but we must not combine it with the lithonthryptic1 at least1 if we wish this latter medicine to reach the urinary passages2 for it is a law which ,i have already attempted to establish 7see page #id71 that ,catharsis suspends the process of alimentary absorption4 ,there remains to be considered another mode of applying a solvent1 and which would seem on the first view of the subject to be full of promise1--that of injecting the proposed menstruum into the bladder4 ,unfortunately1 however1 the irritable state of this organ will generally preclude the possibility of preserving the menstruum1 for a sufficient length of time1 in contact with the calculus to accomplish any material solution2 nor am ,i aware that any case1 in favour of such a practice1 stands recorded4 ,an ingenious and novel application of the powers of ,electro-chemistry has been lately#bjh proposed by ,m ,m4 ,prevost and ,dumas1 as capable of affording means for the solution of the calculus within the bladder2 the suggestion is highly plausible1 and ought not to be hastily rejected without trial4 ,could the functions of the part be protected against the influence of so powerful an agent1 it is evident that1 by a galvanic battery of sufficient intensity1 a calculus composed of alkaline or earthy salts might be transferred from the bladder by the simple introduction of a double sound1 communicating on one hand with the calculus1 and1 on the other1 with two vessels filled with water1 in which are plunged the opposite poles of a galvanic apparatus4#bji ,this arrangement would transfer the acid constituents into the vessel connected with the positive end1 and the bases into that of the negative end4 ,so far1 however1 as the experiments have hitherto been carried1 this degree of galvanic operation would seem to excite too much irritation in the bladder to be admissible2 but it still offers a resource of an apparently more practicable nature4 ,this consists in giving to the calculus a tendency to crumble from the slightest force2 such a friability1 in short1 as shall render it easily broken into pieces sufficiently small to be evacuated through the urethra1 especially by the aid of dilating that passage1 an operation upon which much has lately been said and written4 ,a fusible calculus from the human subject was submitted to the action of a pile1 consisting of #abj pairs of plates1 for twelve hours in succession4 ,the platinum wires1 constituting the poles1 were placed in contact with the calculus1 about six or eight lines distant from each other1 and the whole plunged in a vessel filled with pure water4 ,during the galvanic action1 the bases and phosphoric acid first arrived at their respective poles1 then re-entered into combination1 when the salt thus reformed was precipitated in the state of powder4 ,the calculus weighed #ib grains before the experiment1 and was reduced at its termination to #hj4 ,the process being continued1 at the end of sixteen hours it presented a mass of such friable texture as to be reduced into small crystalline particles by the slightest pressure2 the largest of which did not exceed the size of a lentil1 so that it might have easily passed through the urethra4 ,in order to ascertain how far this decomposition could be effected in the living body1 the ingenious experimentalists selected a dog of rather large size1 into whose bladder they introduced a fusible calculus attached to a sound1 and between two conductors of platinum2 the bladder was next distended by injecting tepid water1 and the apparatus subjected to galvanic influence4 ,after a little struggling1 the animal became calm1 and was subjected to the operation during an hour4 ,on removing the sound1 the calculus shewed unequivocal marks of decomposition4 ,the same process was repeated1 night and morning1 during six days1 when the friability of the calculus rendered it impossible to continue the experiment4 ,it had lost weight in the same proportion as in the preceding trial4 ,the bladder1 which was afterwards examined1 exhibited no appearance of injury or disease4#baj ,the authors assert that this organ does not suffer any inconvenience from this more moderate degree of galvanic action1 and suggest1 as a proof of the mildness of its influence1 that we should immerse the tongue in a vessel filled with water1 in which a calculus is undergoing decomposition1 and it will be found that the tongue1 which is far more sensible than the bladder1 will scarcely perceive the galvanic action1 even when decomposition is going on briskly4 ,the authors add1 that this process cannot offer any advantage for the removal of those calculi which consist wholly of ,uric acid1 or which contain a large proportion of it4#baa ,,antidotes4 ,synon3 ,alexipharmics4 ,alexiterials4 ,counter-poisons4 ,medicines which are capable of preventing the ill effects of a poison2 or1 of counteracting its fatal virulence4 ,there is perhaps no subject upon which the credulity of mankind has been so extravagantly exercised as on that of ,,poisons2 nor is there1 certainly1 any class of remedies whose history has suffered so many vicissitudes from the caprice of hypothesis1 as that of ,,antidotes4#bab ,it is not my intention1 on the present occasion1#bac to enumerate the many extraordinary virtues#bad which credulity has1 at different times1 assigned to such medicines2 nor shall ,i consume the time of the reader by attempting to expose the absurdity of those fearful powers with which ignorance1 terror1 and imposture1 have invested certain poisons1--a subtlety so extreme as to defeat the most skilful caution1 and a virulence so manageable as to be capable of the most accurate graduation2 so that while the former attribute was believed to ensure their deadly operation1 although exerted through the most secret and least suspicious medium1 as that of gloves1#bae tapers1 or letters1 the latter was said to enable the accomplished assassin to measure the allotted moments of his victim with the nicest precision1 and to occasion his death at any period that might best answer the objects of the assassination4#baf ,the abandonment of such notions may be considered as one among the many advantages which have arisen to medicine1 from the cultivation of physiology4 ,without farther introduction1 ,i shall proceed to the main object of this work1 and inquire how far a chemical agent may be capable of neutralizing1 or of decomposing1 a poisonous substance in the human body2 and endeavour to ascertain the degree of confidence to which it may in each particular case be entitled2 equally important is it to learn1 whether certain vital agents may not be serviceable in cases of poisoning1 either by promoting the elimination of the poison1 or by producing a state of the system best calculated to resist its deleterious operation4 ,it may be safely asserted that we possess very few true antidotes2 for although several of the mineral poisons may be neutralized or decomposed by various reagents1 yet their destructive action is generally so rapid1 that the mischief is effected before any chemical changes can avail2 and1 in other cases1 the substances resulting from the chemical action1 are as poisonous as the original ingredients1 as in the case of the decomposition of ,corrosive ,sublimate1 by the alkalies and earths1 when the precipitated oxide is as virulent as the original salt2 while1 under certain circumstances1 ,i suspect that the vital powers of the stomach are in direct opposition to those changes and decompositions which so readily1 and so uniformly1 take place in our laboratories4 ,to vital agents then1 the practitioner must principally look for succour2 but before we can establish any general rules for the treatment of poisoning1 it is essential to distinguish between the different modes in which poisonous substances produce their effects1 or at least to determine the parts of the living system through which they act2 for it will be found1 that each poison has its own modus operandi1 from which alone can be derived the particular indications of cure4 ,the hypotheses devised by the ancient physicians1 to account for the destructive powers of these substances1 were principally derived from mechanical notions respecting the supposed form of their particles1 which they imagined capable of lacerating and disuniting the animal fibres by the sharpness of their spicul2#bag it is however1 now satisfactorily established that the action of a poison in the human stomach is very rarely1 if ever1 mechanical2 sometimes chemical2 but for the most part vital in its operation4 ,each of the three kingdoms of ,nature furnishes a number of poisons1 the investigation of whose chemical properties and physiological actions1 and that of the symptoms to which their administration gives rise1 the lesions of structure which they occasion1 and of the medical treatment which they require1 constitutes an elaborate branch of science designated by the term ,,toxicology1 and of which ,i have more fully treated in my work on ,medical ,jurisprudence4 ,poisons differ materially from each other1 not only with respect to the modes in which they produce their effects in relation to the several vital organs1 but with respect to their application2 some of those1 for instance1 which1 if introduced into a wound1 are speedily fatal1 may be taken into the stomach with complete impunity1 as in the instance of the venom of the viper and other snakes1 which appears to exert no influence on the stomach2 others1 on the contrary1 display their deleterious action on the stomach alone1 such as caustic acids1 and alkalies1 corrosive sublimate1 and some chemical poisons2 while others1 again1 are equally destructive whether applied to the inner surface of the stomach1 or to the lower intestines1 in the form of clyster1 or even to the mucous membrane of the mouth or nose2 to the eye2 to the vagina and orifice of the uterus1 or to an abraded portion of the skin4 ,there is1 moreover1 a class of substances which may be termed ,aerial poisons1 for they may exist in the state of gas1 or be held dissolved in the atmosphere1 and be received by respiration1 or by the mucous membranes of the nose and throat2 the saliva may also thus become the medium for transferring various subtile poisons from the atmosphere to the animal body2 this is well illustrated by the fact of the transfer of metallic influence1 as related in the case of a gentleman in perfect health who became salivated in consequence of sitting for one hour by the side of a person who was in a state of mercurial ptyalism1 in order to give him a lesson in botany4 ,it also deserves notice1 that a poison acts with different degrees of force and celerity in different parts of the same tissue2 its absorption1 for instance1 would appear to be energetic in proportion to the number of veins1#bah although several apparent exceptions to this law might be adduced1 and it is evident that the plethoric state of the part with respect to its blood-vessels has a considerable share in modifying the effects2 this observation1 however1 has no relation to those poisons which operate on the system through the sympathetic communication of the nerves2 ,mr4 ,brodie1 for instance1 found that the poison of bitter almonds acted more speedily when applied to the tongue than when injected into the intestine1 though the latter presents a much better absorbing surface4 ,foder1 in the fourth volume of his ,medicine ,legale1 arranges poisons according to their action on the living system1 and which1 with a slight alteration in the order of the classes1 has been adopted by ,orfila1 and most other writers on ,toxicology4 ,poisons are thus reduced into six classes3 viz4 #a4 ,,corrosive or ,,escharotic1 as the ,preparations of ,mercury1 ,arsenic1 ,antimony1 ,copper1 ,tin1 ,zinc1 ,silver1 ,gold1 and ,bismuth2 the concentrated ,acids1 and caustic ,alkalies1 and ,earths2 ,cantharides2 glass and enamel powder2 diamond dust4#bai #b4 ,,astringent ,,poisons1 of which the preparations of ,lead constitute the only species4 #c4 ,,acrid or ,,rubefacient ,,poisons1 which1 with a few exceptions1 are furnished by the vegetable kingdom1 as certain drastic purgatives1 ,hellebore1 ,euphorbium1 c4 #d4 ,,narcotic ,,poisons1 ,opium1 ,henbane1 the ,cherry-laurel1 ,stramonium1 c4 #e4 ,,narcotico-,,acrid1 embracing such articles as produce the united effects of the two former1 and which constitute some of the most deadly poisons1 as the ,ticunas1 ,nux-vomica1 ,belladonna1 ,tobacco1 ,hemlock1 ,digitalis1 c4 #f4 ,,septic ,,poisons1 contagious miasmata1 putrid exhalations from animal matter1 ,sulphuretted ,hydrogen1 the venom of the viper1 c4 ,the value of this classification has been very justly stated to consist in its combining to a certain degree1 the advantages of a pathological arrangement with those of one founded on the basis of ,natural ,history2 for1 while it is strictly pathological1 it at the same time distributes the different poisons1 with some few and unimportant exceptions1 in an order corresponding with that of their natural history4 ,the ,first two classes1 for instance1 present us with substances of a mineral origin2 the ,third and ,fourth1 with those which are chiefly of a vegetable nature2 and the ,sixth1 with objects principally belonging to the animal kingdom4 ,the importance of acknowledging a division1 which has a reference to the organic and inorganic kingdoms of ,nature1 is considerable in a chemical point of view2 for in enumerating the various experiments to be instituted for the detection of poisons1 we are thus enabled to bring together a connected series of processes1 nearly allied to1 intimately connected with1 and in some respects mutually dependent upon1 each other4 ,at the same time it must be acknowledged1 that this classification has many defects and some fallacies4 ,in the first place1 it has little or no reference to the enlarged views of the modern physiologist1 respecting the 8modus operandi0 of ,poisons2 nor indeed is its construction susceptible of such modifications and improvements1 as can ever render its degree of perfection progressive with the advancement of science4 ,in the next place1 the classes are in many particulars ill defined1 and indistinctly1 if not erroneously1 divided4 ,how questionable1 for instance1 are the boundaries which separate ,corrosive from ,acrid poisons8 the respective species1 even1 of each class are1 in many cases1 less allied to each other1 than are the great divisions to which they are subordinate4 ,as an exemplification of this fact we have only to compare the physiological actions of ,arsenic and ,corrosive ,sublimate1 both of which are arranged under the class of ,corrosive ,poisons4 ,the former of these substances undoubtedly occasions death by being absorbed1 and thus acting as a vital agent2 the latter1 by its local action1 as a caustic on the textures with which it immediately comes into contact4 ,in the same manner1 if we examine the individual actions of the different species composing the class of 8,acrid ,poisons10 we shall discover the same want of uniformity2 thus1 the ,spurge ,flax1 and the ,iatropa ,curcas1 act by occasioning a local inflammation1 while the ,hellebore1 being rapidly absorbed1 exerts a fatal action on the nervous system1 and produces only a very slight inflammation4 ,the class of ,narcotic ,poisons is certainly more absolute in its definition1 and more uniform in its physiological affinities1 and therefore less objectionable than the divisions to which we have just alluded2 but the propriety of the class 8,narcotico-,acrid0 is by no means equally unexceptionable2 indeed ,orfila himself questions it1 8because the narcotic or sedative effects only follow the previous excitement40 ,some of the poisons of this division also are rapidly absorbed1 and act1 through the medium of the circulation1 on the nervous system1 without producing any local inflammation2 while others1 on the contrary1 merely act upon the extremities of the nerves1 with which they come in contact1 and1 without being absorbed1 occasion death by a species of sympathetic action4 ,these few objections1 and many more might be urged1 are sufficient to demonstrate the imperfection of the classification under consideration1 and which must render it wholly unavailable to the physician in the treatment of cases of poisoning1 who must derive his plan of cure from the physiological action of the substance against which he has to contend2 thus1 for instance1 ,arsenic and ,corrosive ,sublimate are both corrosive poisons1 but so materially do they differ from each other in their physiological actions that1 when swallowed1 they will require for the preservation of the individual1 a very different system of treatment4 ,for such reasons ,i have ventured to propose a new arrangement of ,poisons1 which may furnish the practitioner with a general theorem for the administration of ,antidotes4 ,a ,,synoptical ,,table ,,of ,,poisons1 ,,newly ,,arranged ,,according ,,to ,,the ,,different ,,primary ,,operations1 ,,by ,,which ,,they ,,produce ,,their ,,effects1 ,with a view to furnish a ,general ,theorem for the administration of ,antidotes4 ,,class ,i4 ,,poisons ,,which ,,act ,,primarily1 ,,through ,,the ,,medium ,,of ,,the ,,nerves1 ,,without ,,being ,,absorbed2 ,,or ,,exciting ,,local ,,inflammation4 ,order #a4 ,by which the functions of the ,nervous ,system are suspended1 or destroyed4 7,death by ,suffocation from paralysis of the ,respiratory muscles47 ,alcohol4 ,aconite4 ,oil of ,tobacco4 ,essential ,oil of ,almonds4#bbj ,camphor4#bbj ,opium8#bbj ,salts of ,lead8 ,croton ,tiglium4#bba ,order #b4 ,by which the heart is rendered insensible to the ,stimulus of the ,blood4 7,death by ,syncope47 ,infusion of ,tobacco4 ,upas ,antiar4 ,,class ,,ii4 ,,poisons ,,which1 ,,by ,,entering ,,the ,,circulation1 ,,act ,,through ,,that ,,medium1 ,,with ,,different ,,degrees ,,of ,,energy1 ,,on ,,the ,,heart1 ,,brain1 ,,and ,,alimentary ,,canal4 7,death in many forms47 ,arsenic4 ,emetic ,tartar4 ,muriate of ,baryta4 ,hellebore4 ,savine4 ,meadow ,saffron4 ,squill4 ,opium8#bba ,lettuce4 ,henbane4 ,prussic ,acid4 ,deadly ,nightshade4#bba ,hemlock4 ,camphor4#bba ,coculus ,indicus4 ,,class ,,iii4 ,,poisons ,,which1 ,,through ,,the ,,medium ,,of ,,the ,,circulation1 ,,expend ,,their ,,energies ,,upon ,,the ,,spinal ,,marrow1 ,,without ,,directly ,,involving ,,the ,,functions ,,of ,,the ,,brain4 7,death by ,tetanic ,convulsions47 ,nux ,vomica--and the whole tribe of ,strychnus4 ,,class ,,iv4 ,,poisons ,,which ,,produce ,a ,,direct ,,local ,,action ,,on ,,the ,,mucous ,,membrane ,,of ,,the ,,alimentary ,,canal4 7,death by ,gangrene47 ,corrosive ,sublimate4#bbj ,verdigris4 ,muriate and ,oxide of ,tin4 ,sulphate of ,zinc4 ,nitrate of ,silver4 ,concentrated ,acids4 ,caustic ,alkalies4 ,cantharides4 ,bryony4 ,elaterium4 ,euphorbium4 ,colocynth4 ,hedge ,hyssop4 ,ranunculi4 ,nitre4 ,the ,first ,class of our arrangement comprehends such poisons as operate1 through the medium of the nerves1 upon the organs immediately subservient to life2 in their application it is obvious that they cannot require to be introduced into the stomach2 they may convey their destructive influence by an application to any part duly supplied with nerves1 and whose extremities are exposed to their action4 ,it had been long admitted that a poison might occasion death1 by acting on the nerves of the stomach and intestines without being absorbed2 but to the experimental labours of ,mr4 ,brodie#bbb we are principally indebted for our present correct views of the subject4 ,the class admits of two important divisions1 into one comprehending those poisons which destroy the functions of the brain1 and into another1 including those which direct their influence upon the heart4 ,we shall offer a few observations upon the facts which have suggested such a division1 and upon the practical advantages which may attend its adoption4 ,it was observed by ,bicht1 and the observation has been fully confirmed by ,brodie1 that the influence of the brain is not directly necessary to the action of the heart2 and is immediately necessary to life1 only because the muscles of respiration owe their action to its influence4#bbc ,for when the functions of the brain are destroyed1 even when the head is removed1 the heart continues to contract for some time afterwards1 and then ceases only in consequence of the suspension of respiration1 which is under the direct influence of the brain4 ,assuming this as a fact1 it will appear evident that certain poisons may1 by affecting the brain1 so paralyse the muscles of respiration as to occasion death by suffocation1 and by such a mode of operation ,i imagine that those substances1 arranged in the former division of my first class1 prove mortal4 ,mr4 ,brodie accordingly found that1 by the administration of a large dose of alcohol to a rabbit1 the pupils of its eyes became dilated1 the extremities convulsed1 and the respiration laborious1 and that this latter function was gradually performed at longer and longer intervals1 and that it at length entirely ceased4 ,two minutes after the apparent death of the animal1 he opened the thorax1 and found the heart acting with moderate force and frequency1 circulating dark coloured blood2 he then introduced a tube into the trachea1 and produced artificial respiration by inflating the lungs1 and he found that by these means the action of the heart might be kept up to the natural standard1 as in an animal from whom the head is removed4 ,the same phenomena resulted from the injection of two drops of the ,essential ,oil of ,bitter ,almonds1 diffused in half an ounce of water1 into the rectum of a cat2 and from the application of the empyreumatic oil of ,tobacco to the tongue1 and rectum of cats and dogs4 ,now it is obvious that the functions of the brain are immediately disordered by the influence of these poisons on the tongue1 stomach1 and lower bowels of animals1 so instantaneously1 that it is impossible absorption should have already taken place4 ,although the general proposition seems to be established1 that the brain is not immediately necessary to the action of the heart1 yet it must not lead us to the conclusion that the heart is therefore incapable of being affected by violent impressions on the nervous system2 the fact is quite otherwise1 for although the brain may be removed1 and the circulation be nevertheless maintained by artificial respiration1 yet an injury of another kind inflicted on the brain1 may be followed by those immediately fatal consequences which decapitation itself would not produce2 thus is a blow on the head commonly followed by syncope1 and there are certain poisons that would seem to act in the same manner1 such is the ,infusion of ,tobacco1#bbd which suspends the action of the heart long before the animal ceases to respire1 and kills by producing syncope1 although in this latter case it has been questioned whether the spinal marrow may not be primarily affected1 which has been shewn by recent experiments to have an intimate relation with the action of the heart4 ,be this as it may1 it is sufficiently obvious1 that the second division of the first class is sanctioned by theory1 and confirmed by experiment4 ,we come now to speak of the ,second ,class1--of those ,poisons which enter the circulation1 and act through that medium on the heart1 brain1 and alimentary canal4 ,these organs1 however1 are affected in very different degrees by different poisons1 or even by the same poisons1 under different circumstances4 ,mr4 ,brodie has shewn that vegetable poison1 although when introduced into the alimentary canal affect life1 in consequence of the nervous sympathy which subsists between these surfaces and the common sensorium1 yet1 that the same poisons applied externally to a wound1 produce their effects exclusively through the medium of the circulation1 being conveyed to the brain only by mixing with the blood in its vessels1 and not by being conveyed through the lymphatics1 for a ligature upon the great blood-vessels prevents their producing deleterious effects2 whereas a ligature upon the thoracic duct1 or general canal through which all the absorbents pour their contents into the blood1 does not in the least retard or prevent the operation of the poison4 ,there are also several of the mineral poisons which1 whether introduced into the stomach1 or applied externally to a wound1 poison the animal in consequence of being carried into the circulation4 ,it had long been supposed that ,arsenic occasioned death by inflaming the stomach2 but ,mr4 ,brodie has very satisfactorily shewn that its influence arises from its absorption1 and that it must be regarded rather as a vital1 than as a chemical agent4 ,in the first place1 he has found the inflammation of the stomach1 in several cases1 so slight1 that on a superficial examination it might have been easily overlooked2 and1 in most of his experiments with ,arsenic1 death took place in too short a time to be considered as the result of inflammation2 and in the next place1 in whatever manner the poison is applied1 whether externally to a wound1 or internally to the membrane of the stomach1 the inflammation is confined to the stomach and intestines2 and1 indeed1 it is commonly more violent1 and even more immediate1 when applied to a wound1 than when internally administered2 and it also precedes any inflammation of the wound4 ,this important fact was proved by an experiment made by ,mr4 ,hunter and ,sir ,everard ,home1 and subsequently by the repeated investigations of ,mr4 ,brodie4 ,it has been just stated that after a poison has found its way into the circulation1 it expends its virulence upon some particular organs4 ,in some cases this is much more striking than in others4 ,the preparations of ,baryta1 and of ,tartarized ,antimony1 attack the heart1 and occasion death by syncope4 ,arsenic is less definite in its action1 it influences both the brain and the heart1 but with different degrees of force in different cases1 so that it is often difficult to ascertain which of these organs is the first to fail in its functions4 ,hydro-cyanic ,acid is absorbed1 and destroys life by its action upon the nervous system1 whose energies it would seem to extinguish without any ostensible injury to the respiration and circulation2 for in all those animals which were killed by it in the experiments of ,orfila1 ,brodie1 and others1 the heart was found acting regularly1 and circulating dark-coloured blood2 and in some cases1 this phenomenon was visible for many minutes after the animal was in other respects apparently dead4 ,some substances would seem to direct their powers to various parts of the alimentary canal2 and the appearance so produced might be mistaken for the effects of the local action of the poison1 had they not been clearly proved by experiment to have arisen from an application addressed through the medium of the circulation2 thus is inflammation of the prim vi induced by the contact of ,arsenic with an external surface of the body6 ,the ,third ,class of my arrangement includes those poisons which enter the circulation1 and1 through that medium1 expend their influence upon the spinal marrow1 without directly involving the functions of the brain4 ,m4 ,majendie1 in the year #ahji1 submitted to the first class of the ,french ,institute a series of experiments which had conducted him to the extraordinary result above stated4 ,he found that an entire class of vegetables 7the bitter ,strychnus7 possesses this singular property4 ,the ,fourth ,class comprehends all those substances which destroy life by a local action upon the alimentary canal1 not by any impression upon their nerves1 but by simply inducing a fatal lesion in the membranes4 ,through one or more of the above modes of operation all poisons may be said to produce their fatal effects4 ,in some cases a poisonous substance will be found to act in several different ways2 thus1 the ,nightshade is evidently absorbed1 carried into the circulation1 and is enabled1 through that medium to act upon the brain2 at the same time it exerts a local action upon the stomach1 although less violent than that occasioned by the acrid poisons2 it moreover would appear1 upon some occasions1 to act directly through the medium of the nerves1 like those substances which have been received in our first class1 or else1 how shall we explain the fact of the pupil of the eye becoming permanently dilated by the contact of the ,belladonna with the tunica conjunctiva8 ,it would appear therefore that this plant unites within itself all the three great modes of action1 upon which ,i have just attempted to establish a physiological arrangement of ,poisons4 ,so again1 ,corrosive ,sublimate1 although placed in the fourth division1 as being a substance which destroys by inflicting local mischief1 is nevertheless capable of being absorbed4 ,the embarrassments1 however1 which might be supposed to arise from this double mode of operation1 are of but trifling importance4 ,it is to the primary operation of a poison to which we are to direct our attention1 the subsequent effects are less important in as much as they are more capable of being controlled4 ,having thus offered a summary of our present views respecting the physiological action of ,poisons1 we are prepared to lay down a general plan of treatment1 which1 it will be seen1 can only be successful when conducted on principles strictly conformable with the just notions which the preceding experiments have so satisfactorily established4 ,where a poisonous substance has1 either through accident or design1 found its way into the alimentary canal1 three important indications are1 if possible1 to be fulfilled2 and under these heads ,i shall offer such observations as may serve to instruct the practitioner in the philosophy of the general treatment1 reserving the details to be observed in that of each poison1 for more particular notice in a subsequent part of the work1 where the history of these substances will be individually considered4 ,the indications to which ,i allude are the following1 viz4 #a4 ,the immediate ejectment of the poison from the body1 by the operation of vomiting and purging4 ,whatever may be the nature of the poison1 we should endeavour with all possible expedition1 to eject it from the body2 and upon the promptness with which this is effected1 the safety of the patient will generally depend2 for the dangerous effects of such substances advance in a very increasing ratio1 with the time they remain in contact with a living surface4 ,a question may arise1 whether in some cases it would not be judicious to attempt in the first instance the neutralization or decomposition of the poison2 where a mineral acid1 or a caustic alkali has been swallowed1 it would undoubtedly be right to neutralize1 and dilute it1 as soon as possible1 and then to excite vomiting1 which may be advantageously effected by thrusting the finger down the throat1 or by tickling the internal fauces with a feather3 where an emetic is at hand1 whatever may be its nature1 it should be promptly given1 but if circumstances will allow us the opportunity of selection1 ,antimony1 ,ipecacuanha1 c4 should be rejected1 and ,sulphate of ,zinc1 or ,sulphate of ,copper1 for several reasons1 be preferred2 in the first place they do not require much dilution#bbe for their action1 a circumstance of no small importance in the treatment of poisons that act by being absorbed2 in the next place1 they are extremely expeditious1 a dose of fifteen or twenty grains producing almost instantaneous vomiting1 without exciting that previous stage of nausea which so frequently characterises other emetics1 and which occasions a state of the vascular system highly favourable to the function of absorption1 7as ,i have so fully explained at page #hf1 c47 ,the practice of emptying the stomach by means of a syringe1 as proposed by ,boerhaave1 has lately been revived with all the confidence of a new invention4 ,there are cases of narcotic poisoning in which there can be no doubt it would furnish the practitioner with a valuable resource1 but ,i much fear that it will be found to be less successful than its more sanguine advocates have anticipated2 for where the stomach has so far lost its power as to be insensible to the stimulus of a potent emetic1 the chances of recovery are small2 the practice1 however1 in such cases ought never to be neglected1 for it cannot possibly do harm1 and may perhaps be beneficial4 ,after all has been ejected1 which the operations of art can effect1 we are to proceed1 without delay1 to the fulfilment of the second indication2 viz4 #b4 ,the ,decomposition of any remaining ,portion1 and the adoption of measures best calculated to obviate its absorption4 ,where the substance is in a solid form1 and acts by absorption1 we should be very cautious how we favour its solution2 while1 if it exists in a liquid state1 our object must be to render its active portion insoluble2 this problem involves a series of questions which are wholly chemical4 ,in order to prevent1 or retard1 the absorption of the active matter1 we must1 to a great degree1 depend upon the agency of vital adjuvants2 this latter indication however does not apply to ,corrosive ,sublimate and other substances which act upon the stomach locally1 and are not absorbed2 copious dilution also1 in such cases1 will frequently disarm the poison of its virulence1#bbf but it should be followed as quickly as possible by vomiting4 ,in cases where the poison requires to be absorbed1 before it can display its energies1 it would be generally unsafe to administer any solvent4 ,nothing therefore can be less true as an aphorism1 nor more dangerous as a precept1 than the unqualified assertion of ,boerhaave1 8,aqua omnia venena enervat1 qu cum aqua misceri possunt40 7,prlect4 in ,instit3 ,t4 vi4 p4 #bhi47 ,alkaline solutions and ,magnesia1 in cases of the ingestion of arsenic1 accelerate its fatal effects1 by promoting its solution1#bbg whereas ,lime1 or its ,carbonate1 has as an opposite tendency1#bbh in consequence of the insolubility of ,arsenite of ,lime2 so again1 ,orfila has shewn that the pernicious qualities of the ,muriate of ,baryta are counteracted by the administration of any soluble ,sulphate1 which renders the former substance insoluble4 ,in cases where ,verdegris has been swallowed1 the administration of vinegar greatly increases its virulence1 as ,m4 ,drouard has ascertained1 by converting the substance into a soluble acetate of copper4 ,this view of the subject will explain why the pure earth ,baryta is so slow1 and comparatively inert1 in its effects upon the system1 while its muriate is distinguished by the extreme rapidity and virulence with which it operates4 ,the propriety of administering vinegar1 lemonade1 and different acid potations1 in order to counteract the baneful effects of ,opium1 which has been so often questioned1 will thus also receive ample explanation2 it must appear that1 if any quantity of the substance of opium remain in the prim vi1 acid1 or mucilaginous drinks will1 by favouring its solution and absorption1 accelerate its fatal effects2#bbi but should it have been previously ejected from the stomach1 that then the anti-narcotic influence of a vegetable acid#bcj may remove the consecutive stupor and delirium1 and thus realize the expectations which ,virgil has so poetically raised4 8,media fert tristes succos tardumque saporem ,felicis ,mali3 quo non prsentius ullum 7,pocula si quando sv infecere noverc ,miscueruntque herbas1 et non innoxia verba7 ,auxilium venit1 ac membris agit atra venena40 8,nor be the ,citron1 ,media's boast unsung1 ,though harsh the juice1 and ling'ring on the tongue4 ,when the drug'd bowl mid witching curses brew'd ,wastes the pale youth by step-dame hate pursu'd1 ,its powerful aid unbinds the mutter'd spell ,and frees the victim from the draught of hell40 ,chardin1 in his travels through ,persia1 informs us that when a ,persian finds himself in a distressed situation1 he has recourse to a piece of opium as large as the thumb1 and that immediately afterwards he drinks a glassful of vinegar2 by which he is thrown into a fit of laughter1 terminating in convulsions and death4 ,with regard to the use of ,antidotes1 it has been already stated how little they are to be depended upon2 in certain cases1 however1 we are bound to acknowledge their power1 but they should be very rarely trusted1 unless subsequent to1 or in conjunction with1 the operation of an emetic2 in many cases the effects of this latter remedy may be promoted by the ingestion of liquids holding the particular antidote in solution1 a practice which offers the double advantage of accelerating the elimination of the poison1 and at the same time of decomposing any which may remain4 ,orfila has fully established the fact of ,albumen being a counter-poison to ,corrosive ,sublimate2 vomiting may therefore be very judiciously promoted in cases of such poisoning by water holding the white of egg in solution2 with equal effect1 where ,verdegris has been swallowed1 sugared water may be used as a diluent to encourage emesis2 and ,muriate of ,soda in solution will be found the most efficient antidote to ,nitrate of ,silver2 and ,sulphate of ,magnesia to ,acetate of ,lead4 ,where an emetic salt1 like ,tartarized ,antimony1 has been taken1 copious dilution with common water will in general so provoke vomiting1 as to render it its own antidote2 but it may be useful to remember1 that the ,infusion of ,galls1 and according to ,berthollet1 the ,decoctions of ,bark1 at the temperature of from #cj to #dj ,fah4 have the power of decomposing it2 while ,orfila considers milk the most efficient counter-poison to the ,sulphate of ,zinc4 ,having ejected from the stomach all the poisonous matter we can by vomiting1 and attempted to decompose what remains1 we are to pursue such measures as may be calculated to prevent the absorption of the poison into the circulation2 it has been already observed that on this account nauseating emetics should be avoided2 the reader is now requested to refer to our expos of the celebrated doctrine of ,majendie1 7page #hf1 note7 and he will see that ,venesection proves one of the most powerful means of exciting the function of absorption2 hence in poisoning by arsenic1 such an expedient should never be recommended1#bca while a particle of that substance remains in the body2 where ,corrosive ,sublimate has been swallowed1 the same precaution is unnecessary4 ,the last indication which remains to be fulfilled is-- #c4 ,to anticipate the occurrence of the ,consecutive ,phnomena1 and to combat them by appropriate treatment4 ,this is to be conducted on the general principles of ,therapeutics2 the treatment must necessarily vary in each particular case4 ,where the exhaustion of nervous energy is to be feared1 as after poisoning by ,prussic ,acid1 ammonia1 and other diffusible stimulants1 together with external warmth1 will furnish the best resource2 for the same reason ,venesection should be performed with great caution and judgment after a narcotic poison4 ,where1 on the other hand1 inflammatory action is to be anticipated1 it is unnecessary to detail the plan of treatment which may be adopted with the greatest chance of success4 ,in cases where the nervous system is stupified1 the symptoms may be combated by vegetable acids1 infusion of coffee1 c4 but where it is in a state of prternatural excitement1 recourse must be had to opiates4 ,,escharotics3#bcb ,substances whose application to the animal solids1 erodes1 or decomposes them4 ,the operation of these bodies may1 in general1 be considered chemical2 for having destroyed the life of the part to which they are applied1 they cause1 as if by a species of resulting affinity1 the elements of the animal matter to enter into a new state of combination2 this is well exemplified in the action of caustic potass1 where the nascent elements thus disengaged by the decomposition of the animal substance1 reunite in proportions to generate an oily matter1 which may be observed to form a film over the ulcerated surface1 while the excess of nitrogen and hydrogen constitute ammonia1 which is disengaged during the action of the caustic2 and may be rendered sensible by inverting over the surface1 a small jar moistened with muriatic acid1 when the fumes of ,muriate of ,ammonia become visible4#bcc ,their surgical value consists in their power to remove excrescencies1 to establish an ulcer1 or to convert an ulcerated surface into a simple sore4 ,,iv4 ,,of ,,mechanical ,,remedies4 ,this subdivision includes those classes of remedies1 whose operation depends entirely upon mechanical principles2 and we must agree with ,dr4 ,murray in considering them as the least important of all the articles which we have enumerated1 and which cannot therefore constitute objects of elaborate inquiry4 ,,anthelmintics3 ,remedies which expel worms#bcd from the intestinal canal4 ,it has been already stated1 7page #ij7 that certain bodies have the power of increasing the peristaltic motions of the intestinal canal1 by operating as mechanical stimulants upon its fibres2 in this manner the filings of tin and iron1 or the irritating down which covers the pods of the ,dolichos ,pruriens1 are supposed to act in dislodging and evacuating the worms from the intestines4 ,but there is a variety of remedies employed as vermifuges1 which must owe their effects to a very different mode of operation2 ,bitters for instance appear to prove an absolute poison#bce to these animals1 while they1 at the same time1 give an increased tone to the organs of digestion2 from whose debility the generation of worms would seem to arise4 ,other remedies1 again1 obviously depend upon their simple cathartic property1 for the powers which they possess in the evacuation of worms4 ,see ,terebinthin ,oleum--,cambogia4 ,in the cure of ,ascarides the local application of the remedy becomes necessary1 in the form of glyster1 and which acts both mechanically in washing out the gut1 and medicinally in proving obnoxious to the animals4 ,according to the experience of some of our best practitioners1 a strong decoction of the ,semina ,santonici proves most efficacious upon these occasions4 ,,demulcents3 ,medicines which are capable of shielding sensible surfaces from the action of acrid matter1 by involving it in a mild and viscid medium4 ,it cannot be denied that where these remedies admit of direct application1 considerable benefit may arise2 in the progress of a catarrh1 we have all experienced the relief that may be occasioned by lubricating the fauces with demulcents1 which1 by soothing the top of the trachea1 quiets1 by a kind of contiguous sympathy1 the whole pulmonary structure2 in certain states of intestinal irritation1 the same remedies have furnished considerable benefit1 and in ophthalmia1 relief has been obtained by the application of a demulcent to the inflamed conjunctiva1 by which it is defended from the irritation of the tears2 see also ,formula #fa2 but in parts beyond the reach of the first passages1 and to which no fluid can arrive but through the medium of the secretions1 it is very difficult to explain the principle upon which their beneficial operation can depend2 and it seems indeed highly probable that they act in such cases as simple diluents1 for the process of digestion must necessarily deprive them of their characteristic viscidity4 ,the administration of demulcent drinks in gonorrha is probably of no farther service in assuaging the ardor urin1 than an equivalent quantity of pure water2 although ,dr4 ,murray observes1 8it is sufficiently certain1 that many substances1 which undergo the process of digestion1 are afterwards separated in their entire state from the blood1 by particular secreting organs2 and there is1 continues he1 no gland which has this power more particularly than the kidneys2 substances received into the stomach and digested1 afterwards passing off in the urine with all their peculiar properties40 ,this is undoubtedly very true1 but mucilaginous substances rarely or never pass off in this manner2 if they evade the assimilative functions1 they pass through the alimentary canal1 and are thus eliminated4 ,i can state1 as the result of experiment1 that the urine undergoes no change except in the relative proportion of its water1 by the copious and repeated administration of mild mucilages4 ,dr4 ,saunders has very justly remarked that the long list of ,ptisans1 ,decoctions1 c4 usually prescribed upon these occasions1 generally owe their virtues to the watery diluent itself4 ,the pharmaceutical applications of this class of medicines constitute1 perhaps1 not the least part of their value1 by which we are enabled to introduce acrid substances into the stomach with safety and effect2 but such services will more properly fall under our notice in a future part of the work4 ,,diluents3 ,watery liquors1 which increase the fluidity of the blood1 and render several of the secreted and excreted fluids less viscid4 ,there are certainly few remedies whose operation is more simple1 obvious1 or important2 and yet there are scarcely any whose value has been more mistaken1 or whose application has been so frequently perverted through the suggestions of false theory2 water is the universal beverage of animals1 and the necessity of its supply is indicated by thirst1 a sensation which in excess1 is borne with less tranquillity even than that of hunger2 in certain morbid states of the body its presence is to be regarded as indicating the necessity of copious potation2 and yet how often has the prejudiced physician1 under such circumstances1 aggravated the pressure of disease1 by adding the sufferings of ,tantalus4 ,in febrile affections1 the irritation of thirst tends to keep up the disease1 and hence diluents1 besides the other beneficial effects which they may produce1 must be regarded as important remedies4 ,there are also diseases of the alimentary canal which may be removed by the same agents2 when water is conveyed into the intestines it will have a tendency1 by mixing with1 and diluting the biliary secretion1 to diminish its acrimony1 and thus to obviate a source of morbid irritation2 the dilution of the chyme and chyle may also have a salutary tendency1 and favour the absorption of the finer and more nutritive parts of the lacteals2 and by increasing the fluidity of the mass1 expedite the numerous combinations which it is destined to undergo4 ,the blood itself is also thus modified in its fluidity2 although it has been very truly observed that in healthy bodies1 or such as are without any obstruction of the excretions1 an unusual distension of the vessels cannot be produced1 or at least long subsist2 for it is evident that such an increased quantity of water in the blood will immediately pass off by one or other of the excretions2 this effect1 however1 in itself1 renders the operation of diluents of signal service in the treatment of the disease2 in consequence1 for instance1 of their disposition to pass off by urine1 they furnish valuable resources in diseases of the urinary organs1 allaying the pain of strangury1 and the irritation from an inflamed bladder4 ,from these observations1 the practitioner will be led to appreciate the value of diluents2 and many of the beneficial effects which are daily experienced from the copious potation of mineral waters1 are1 without doubt1 to be wholly attributed to simple dilution4 ,see ,aqua4 ,it is here necessary to say a few words upon the misapplication of this order of remedies4 ,dr4 ,davy found by experiment that when an animal is bled to death1 the last portions of blood that flow are of a much lower specific gravity than that which flows first1 in consequence of the former containing more water1 which it may be inferred was derived by the increased activity of the absorbents1 exerted chiefly on mucous and serous membranes4 ,since then venesection promotes and accelerates absorption1#bcf it is clear that1 in inflammatory diseases1 where we have recourse to blood-letting1 in order to diminish the volume of circulating fluids1 we ought not to suffer the patient to indulge in an unrestrained use of liquids1 which he eagerly demands to satisfy a thirst which1 in all probability1 is the natural consequence of increased absorption4 ,in such cases1 it is often better to take liquids in small divided doses1 which will have the effect of moderating the thirst1 without overloading the arterial system1 and bringing on that tension and plenitude which are liable to be produced by swallowing too large a proportion of liquids4 ,in the use of water upon such occasions1 it may moreover be observed1 that its temperature ought to be attended to2 as a general rule it may be laid down1 that in the cold stage it should be hot1 in the hot1 cold1 and in the sweating1 tepid4 ,with regard to the value of diluents1 as capable of promoting the operation of other remedies1 many observations of great practical importance might be adduced2 but this subject will be more properly elucidated when we come to consider the influence of solubility in modifying the activity of medicinal substances1 and which constitutes a very curious and interesting object of chemico-medical enquiry4 ,while speaking of ,diluents it may be cursorily noticed1 that water appears1 under certain circumstances of the body1 to suffer decomposition1 and to have its elements appropriated to new combinations4 ,count ,rumford has endeavoured to prove1 that the surprisingly small quantity of solid food which is sufficient for nourishment1 when converted into rich and palatable soup1 is owing to the culinary process having prepared the water for chemical decomposition1#bcg and that this is ultimately effected during the act of ,digestion4#bch ,it cannot be denied that the exorbitant potation of water has a tendency to produce fat1 but this may depend upon the vascular distention which is thus occasioned4 ,gin drinkers1 before they become materially injured by the habit1 grow extremely corpulent1 as may often be witnessed in unfortunate cyprians of the lower orders4 ,can the hydrogen of the spirit contribute to this effect8 ,,emollients3 ,substances whose application diminishes the force of cohesion in the particles of the solid matter of the human body1 and thereby renders them more lax and flexible4 ,according to this definition1 which we derive from ,dr4 ,cullen1 the primary operation of emollients would appear to be purely mechanical1 for they are insinuated into the matter of the solid fibre1 and either diminish its density1 or lessen the friction between its particles2 this explanation will undoubtedly apply to those emollients which consist of unctuous bodies1 and which are introduced into the animal fibre by friction2 but it is evident that the beneficial effects of ,cataplasms and ,fomentations cannot be so explained2 for in these instances1 none of the materials can be absorbed through the entire cuticle2 and yet the relaxation and consequent ease which such warm applications produce on inflamed surfaces is very considerable1 but it must be wholly attributed to the relaxing effects of warmth and moisture upon the extreme vessels of the surface1 propagated by contiguous sympathy to the deeper seated organs4 ,the operation of those substances which afford relief to excoriated surfaces by their bland qualities1 as mucilaginous lotions in erysipelatous affections1 is too obvious to require explanation4 ,having thus investigated the manner in which medicinal substances produce their effects upon the living system1 we shall be better prepared to appreciate the advantages which are to be derived from their combination with each other1 and to escape the too common error of uniting in one formula1 remedies which are rendered adverse by the incompatibility of their physiological actions4 ,,on ,,the ,,theory ,,and ,,art ,,of ,,prescribing4 8,to know 8,that which before us lies in daily life1 8,is the prime wisdom40 ,,milton4 ,,on ,,the ,,theory ,,and ,,art ,,of ,,prescribing4 ,,of ,,medicinal ,,combination4 8,variorum mixtura novas spe vires generet1 in simplicibus nequaquam reperiundas longe saluberrimas40 ,,gaubius4 ,it is a truth universally admitted1 that the arm of physic has derived much additional power and increased energy1 from the resources which are furnished by the mixture and combination of medicinal bodies4 ,i by no means intend to insinuate that the physician cannot frequently fulfil his most important indications by the administration of one simple remedy2 ,i only contend that1 in many cases1 by its scientific combination with other medicines1 it will not only act with greater certainty and less inconvenience1 but that its sphere of influence may be thus more widely extended1 and its powers so modified or changed1 as to give rise to a remedy of new powers4 ,such a theory is amply justified by the state of combination in which certain medicinal principles are found in our more efficient vegetable remedies1 while the medicinal practice founded upon it is thus1 as it were1 sanctioned by ,nature's own prescriptions2 enter but her laboratory1 and you will soon be satisfied1 that many of her potent remedies do not owe their valuable powers to any one specific ingredient1 but to the combined or modified energies of various1 and sometimes opposite principles4 ,this view of the subject opens an interesting and unexplored field#bci of medical and chemical research1 and ,i shall endeavour to avail myself of the novelties its investigation may present1 and of the hints it may suggest for the improvement of extemporaneous combination4 ,by contemplating the laws by which ,nature effects her wise purposes1 we may learn to emulate her processes1 and even in some cases to correct and assist her operations3#bdj such at least has been the happy result of our labours in the other departments of natural knowledge4 ,it is said for instance that by observing the means used by nature for preventing the diffusion of light in the eye-ball1 ,euler derived an important hint for the improvement of his telescope2 and more lately1 the structure of the crystalline humour of the eye has been successfully imitated in the invention of achromatic lenses4 ,on the other hand1 it is hardly necessary to observe to what extent these instruments of art are capable of improving and multiplying the powers of that natural organ1 to the contemplation of whose structure and functions1 we are1 as ,i have just stated1 so greatly indebted for their origin and perfection4 ,so shall ,i endeavour to shew1 in the progress of this work1 that the combinations of nature1 as exemplified in her more valuable remedies1 are capable1 if properly studied1 of suggesting many important hints for improving the arrangements of art2 while art in return may frequently supply the defects1 or extend the advantages of natural compounds4 ,,an ,,analysis ,,of ,,the ,,objects ,,to ,,be ,,obtained ,,by ,,mixing ,,and ,,combining ,,medicinal ,,substances4 ,the objects to be attained1 and the resources which are furnished1 by ,,medicinal ,,combination1 together with the different modes of its operation1 and the laws by which it is governed1 may with much practical advantage be arranged in the following order4 ,i4 ,,to ,,promote ,,the ,,action ,,of ,,the ,,basis1 ,,or ,,principal ,,medicine4 ,a4--,by combining together several different ,forms1 or ,preparations1 of the same substance4 ,the utility of such a combination is obvious1 whenever we desire the full and general effects of all the principles of a medicinal body in solution2 thus1 where the ,bark is required in the cure of an intermittent fever1 and the stomach will not allow the exhibition of the powder1 it will be eligible to conjoin in one formula1 the tincture1 decoction1 and extract1 as exemplified by ,formul #db1 #abf1 #abg4 ,the necessity of such a combination may be expressed by the following canon4 ,whenever the chemical nature of the medicinal substance will not admit of the full solution of all its active principles in any ,,one ,solvent1 and its exhibition in substance is at the same time impracticable4 ,for farther illustrations see ,form4 #b1 #be1 #cc1 #ch1 #gj1 #aji4 ,practitoners1 probably without having reasoned upon the theory1 have very generally adopted the practice1 of combining the different solutions of the same substance2 for in the prescriptions of practical physicians we commonly find1 that the decoction or infusion of a vegetable remedy is quickened by a certain portion of a corresponding tincture4 ,b4--,by combining the ,basis with ,substances which are of the ,,same ,,nature1 that is1 which are ,,individually capable of producing the same effect1 but with less energy than when in combination with each other4 ,dr4 ,,fordyce first established the existence of the singular and important law1 that a combination of similar#bda remedies will produce a more certain1 speedy1 and considerable effect than an equivalent dose of any single one2 a fact which does not appear to have been known to any ancient physician4 ,the earliest mention of it that ,i can find is by ,,valisnieri1 the favourite pupil of ,malpighi1 who filled the medical chair at ,padua in #agaa1 nearly ninety years before ,fordyce published his valuable memoir on the combination of medicines1 but he does not attempt any generalization#bdb of the subject2 he merely states1 as the result of careful experiments1 that twelve drachms of ,cassia ,pulp are about equivalent in purgative strength to four ounces of ,manna2 and yet1 says he1 if we give eight drachms of ,cassia ,pulp1 in combination with four drachms of ,manna1 we obtain double the effect6 ,how1 adds the professor1 can this possibly happen8 ,surely the very contrary ought to obtain1 since four drachms of ,cassia are much more than equivalent to an equal weight of ,manna2 the strength of the former being to that of the latter as #h to #c4 ,the truth of this law of medicinal combination must be continually felt by the practitioner in the ordinary routine of his practice1 viz4 ,,narcotics will better fulfil the intention of allaying irritation and pain1 when composed of several of such medicines in combination1 than when they consist of any single one1 even should the dose1 in this latter case1 be increased4 ,see ,formul #c1 #d1 #e4 ,,antispasmodics acquire increased efficacy by the application of the same principle4 ,form4 #bj1 #ba1 #bb1 #bc1 #bd1 #be4 ,,bitter ,,tonics are also thus exalted1 see ,form4 #ci1 #dj1 #da4 ,the beneficial effects1 however1 which arise from combinations of this kind will admit of a satisfactory explanation upon another principle2 we may1 for instance1 consider them as medicines1 differing from each other in their composition1 and producing by their union an assemblage of bitter1 astringent1 and aromatic principles4 ,,aromatic and ,,diffusible ,,stimulants4 ,there are perhaps no remedies which receive greater mutual benefit be intermixture with each other1 than the individuals which compose this class2 for they not only thus acquire increased force and efficacy1 but at the same time they lose much of their acrimony2 if1 for instance1 any one spice1 as the dried capsule of the ,capsicum1 be taken into the stomach1 it will excite a sense of heat and pain2 in like manner will a quantity of ,black ,pepper2 but if an equivalent quantity of these two stimulants be given in combination with each other1 no such sense of pain is produced1 but1 on the contrary1 a pleasant warmth is experienced1 and a genial glow felt over the whole body2 and if a greater number of spices be joined together1 the chance of pain and inflammation being produced is still farther diminished4 ,the truth of this law is also strikingly illustrated1 as ,dr4 ,fordyce has observed1 by that universal maxim in cookery1 never to employ one spice1 if more can be procured2 the object1 in this case1 being to make the stomach bear a large quantity of food without nausea4#bdc ,this same principle also finds an illustration of its importance1 as it regards the class of stimulants1 in the following preparations of our ,pharmacopia1 viz4 8,pulvis ,cinnamomi ,compositus2 ,infusum ,armoraci compositum2 ,infusum ,aurantii ,compositum2 ,spiritus ,lavendul compositus2 ,tinctura ,cinchon composita2 ,tinctura ,valeriana ,ammoniata2 and the ,confectio ,opii1 the elegant and scientific substitute for the celebrated ,mithridate or ,theriaca4 ,the practitioner is also referred to ,form4 #de1 #dg1 and to ,allii ,radix40 ,the local action of these stimulants would appear to be placed under the dominion of the same law1 and perhaps the origin of the custom1 so long observed1 of mixing together the varieties of snuff1 may thus receive a plausible and philosophical explanation2 certain it is that by such combination the harsh pungency of each ingredient will be diminished1 whilst the general potency of the application1 in exciting the nerves1 will be increased1 and rendered more grateful2 the same principle will direct the formation of safe and efficient plaisters and lotions2 the ,emplastrum ,cumini of the ,london1 and the ,emplastrum ,aromaticum of the ,dublin ,pharmacopia1 offer examples of its judicious application4 ,,astringents4 ,for illustrations see ,form4 #ea1 #eh4 ,,emetics are certainly more efficient when composed of ,ipecacuan united with ,tartarized ,antimony1 or ,sulphate of ,zinc1 than when they simply consist of any one of such substances in an equivalent dose4 ,see ,form4 #fc1 #fe4 ,,cathartics not only acquire a very great increase of power by combination with each other1 but they are at the same time rendered less irritating in their operation2 the ,extractum ,colocynthidis compositum affords an excellent example of a compound purgative mass being much more active and manageable1 and less liable to irritate1 than any one of its components separately taken4 ,additional examples of this fact are furnished by ,formul #gj1 #gf1 #gh1 #gi1 #ha1 #hh4 ,in many cases1 however1 the fact of purgatives thus accelerating and correcting each other's operation may be explained by considering them as substances endowed with different powers1 as already demonstrated1 7p4 #hh71 and which will be more fully considered in the third division of this ,essay4 ,,diuretics4 ,under this class of medicinal agents it may be observed that1 whenever a medicine is liable to produce effects different from those we desire1 its combination with similar remedies is particularly eligible1 by which the action of the basis may be directed and fixed2 thus the individuals which compose the class of ,diuretics are uncertain in their operation1 and disposed when exhibited singly to produce diaphoretic1 and other contrary effects2 it is1 therefore1 in such cases1 highly judicious to unite several of them in one ,formula1 by which we increase their powers1 and are more likely to ensure their operation4 ,formul #aja1 #ajc1 #ajh1 #aji1 #aaj1 #aaa1 #aae1 are constructed upon this principle4 ,,diaphoretics4 ,our maxim1 8,,vis ,,unita ,,fortior10 certainly applies with equal truth to this class of medicinal agents4 ,form4 #abb1 #abd4 ,,expectorants4 ,more is frequently to be gained by the co-operation of these remedies than can be obtained by the exhibition of them separately1 as in ,form4 #acd1 #ace4 ,,demulcents do not appear to obtain any other benefit from combination than1 occasionally1 a convenience and efficacy of application arising from a suitable degree of consistence and solubility4 ,see article 8,trochisci40 ,the operation of the law which has thus formed the first object of this inquiry1 will be found1 like every other1 to have a natural and well defined limit2 it is easy to perceive that by multiplying the number of ingredients too far1 we shall either so increase the quantity and bulk of the medicine as to render it nauseous and cumbersome1 or so reduce the dose of each constituent as to fritter away the force and energy of the combination4 ,the propriety of combining several stimulants1 of the diffusible class1 in one formula1 has been questioned on different grounds4 ,dr4 ,chapman1 in his work on ,therapeutics1 adduces some arguments on this point1 which1 although they fail in establishing his general position1 certainly suggest an important exception to the practice in question2 8by directing10 says he1 8stimulating remedies1 separately1 we shall economise our resources in many lingering diseases40 ,the justness of this statement must be admitted to its fullest extent1 and practitioners will1 on certain occasions1 do well to act in conformity with the views that suggested it2 for instance1 in the feeble forms of protracted fevers1 where the indications are to be met with the continued action of stimulants1 it will certainly be salutary to alternate the use of camphor1 ammonia1 and other remedies of a similar nature1 in preference to presenting them all at once in combination1 so that the system may not lose its susceptibility by the continued impression of the same stimulant2 the same motive should induce us1 on particular occasions1 to employ in succession different narcotics1 for each of them affects sensibility in its own peculiar manner4#bdd ,the nervous system1 as ,richerand has very justly observed1 may be compared to a soil1 rich in different juices1 and which requires the cultivator to plant the germs of a diversified vegetation to develope the whole of its fecundity2 to insure a perpetual return1 therefore1 it will be right to sow a succession of different seeds4 ,hoffman also has offered us some advice upon this subject2 he directs us in the treatment of chronic diseases to suspend the administration of remedies1 at intervals1 and afterwards to resume them1 lest the system should become habituated1 and ultimately insensible to their influence4 ,but there remains for our investigation a still more important precaution respecting this law of medicinal combination2--that1 in combining substances in the manner1 and for the object just related1 the practitioner should be well satisfied that their medicinal virtues are in reality practically ,,similar1 or he will fall into an error of the most fatal tendency2 it has been already shewn1 and ,i hope ,i shall not be considered tedious by again directing the reader's attention to the fact1 that medicines are not necessarily similar because they have been arranged in the same artificial division of remedies2 in order to establish a perfect similarity their operations must be found by experience to continue similar under every condition of the human body2 and that1 moreover1 they must owe such similarity to modes of operation which are compatible with each other1 and consonant with the general mode of cure2 we have only to refer to the history of ,diuretics 7page #ib7 for a full illustration of this important truth2 thus ,squill1 ,calomel1 and ,digitalis1 are each powerful ,diuretics1 but nevertheless they cannot be considered similar remedies1 since ,digitalis will entirely fail in its effects in the very cases that ,calomel and ,squill succeed2 and ,squill will prove inert when ,digitalis is capable of producing the most powerful influence2 this arises from their modes of operation being dissimilar1 and consequently requiring for their success such different states of the living system4 ,squill1 it will be seen1 acts primarily on the urinary organs1 by stimulating the secreting vessels of the kidneys2 ,mercury1 on the contrary1 acts primarily on the absorbents1 and secondarily on the kidneys2 whereas ,digitalis produces its effects by diminishing arterial action1 and increasing that of absorption4 ,dr4 ,blackall1 in his 8,observations upon the ,cure of ,dropsies10 has offered some remarks so valuable in themselves1 and so illustrative of this important subject1 that ,i shall take leave to quote the passage4 8,many physicians10 he observes1 8are fond of combining ,squill1 ,calomel1 and ,digitalis1 as a diuretic in dropsy2 a practice unsafe1 and not very decidedly possessing the merit even of being consistent4 ,digitalis greatly depresses the action of the heart and arteries1 and controls the circulation1 and it seems most unreasonable to believe that its curative powers can be independent of such an effect2 on the other hand1 ,mercury1 if it does not pass off quickly1 is always exciting fever1 and raising and hardening the pulse2 speaking from experience1 where the urine is coaguable1 and ,digitalis agrees1 both the others are1 often at least1 positively injurious4 ,on the contrary1 where the urine is foul1 and not coaguable1 and ,squills with ,calomel render service1 ,i have on that very account1 made less trial of ,digitalis1 and cannot therefore speak of it from much experience40 ,see ,form4 #ajc1 and the note thereon4 ,the individual medicines which compose the class of ,,diaphoretics vary no less in their primary operations1 as the synoptical arrangement at page #ii very fully exemplifies2 thus1 in the cure of intermittent fevers1 diaphoretics are useful both in the paroxysm1 and during the intermission2 in the first case they shorten its duration2 in the second they support the tone of the extreme vessels1 and prevent its recurrence2 but in these opposite states of disease a very different kind of diaphoretic is required--to fulfil the first indication1 a cooling and relaxing one is necessary2 to answer the second1 the stimulating diaphoretic is exacted2 the one may be said to solicit1 the other to extort1 perspiration4 ,so again ,,emmenagogues can only be considered relative agents1 since the suppression of the catamenia may depend upon1 or be connected with1 very different states of the system2 in some cases with a diminished1 and in others with an increased state of excitement2 for on many occasions the suppression of the menses is the effect1 and not the cause of disease2 ,boerhaave has very justly observed1 that it is a most dangerous error to ascribe all the diseases of young females to a retention of the catamenia1 which often do not appear because the patients are disordered from other causes4 ,if1 therefore1 we were to attempt a combination of the several medicines which have gained reputation as ,emmenagogues1 it is very obvious1 that we should bring together an assemblage of adverse and incompatible remedies2 nor would the physician be less inconsistent were he to combine ,,expectorants1 without a due regard to their modes of operation2 it is only necessary to observe their classification1 as presented at page #ajb1 to become satisfied how greatly the success of such remedies must depend upon their scientific adaptation to each particular case4 ,the class of ,,antispasmodics may likewise embrace remedies of the most opposite tendency1 for spasm may occur under the most opposite circumstances--in an extreme condition of weakness1 as in nervous affections1 and in an highly excited state1 as in cholic1 c42 it is hardly necessary1 therefore1 to point out the mischief that must arise from the fortuitous and indiscriminate admixture of the individual substances which are thus unavoidably arranged in the same artificial classification4 ,bark and ,steel are also too often considered as equivalent ,tonics2 in ,dropsy1 says ,dr4 ,blackall1 it is far otherwise1 the former being infinitely to be preferred after the dropsy of young persons1 of acute disease1 and of sound stamina2 the latter being suited to a vitiated rather than to a feeble habit1 and indicated more by a pale sallow complexion1 and a want of red colour in the blood1 as shewn by the paleness of the lips1 than by any other signs4 ,need we then adduce farther illustrations of the obvious but important fact1 that the terms employed to denote the different classes of remedies are frequently but relative ones1 expressive of effects which are produced only in reference to a particular state of the living body8 and as this necessarily varies in different states of health and disease1 it follows that medicines are convertible agents1 and that when we attempt to institute general rules respecting their administration1 without taking into consideration the constitution and circumstances of the patient upon whom they are to operate1 we shall generally be disappointed in the result4 ,we may say of medicines what ,van ,swieten said of diet1 8to assert that such1 or such a thing be wholesome1 without a knowledge of the condition of the person for whom it is intended1 is like a sailor pronouncing the wind to be fair without knowing to what port the vessel is bound40 ,boerhaave was so fully impressed with this truth that he exclaimed1 8nullum ego cognosco remedium1 nisi quod tempestivo usu fiat tale40 ,although medicines which produce the same ultimate effects by modes of operation obviously different1 cannot be considered ,,similar1 in the sense affixed to the term in the present section1 yet if these different modes of operation be not physiologically incompatible with each other1 the union of such remedies may not only be admissible1 but even useful2 and it will1 accordingly1 constitute an object of inquiry in a succeeding section4 7,,iii4 ,a47 ,c4--,by combining the ,basis with ,substances of a ,,different ,,nature1 and which do not exert any ,chemical influence upon it1 but are found1 by experience1 to be capable of rendering the ,stomach1 or ,system1 or any particular organ1 more susceptible of its action4 ,thus it is that the system is rendered more susceptible of the influence of ,mercury1 by combining it with ,antimony and ,opium4#bde ,where the stomach is insensible to impressions1 the exhibition of ,opium previous to1 or in combination with1 any active medicine1 often assists its operation2 this is remarkably striking in some states of mania1 when emetics will fail1 unless the stomach be previously influenced and prepared by a narcotic2 indeed1 in ordinary cases of inirritability of stomach1 the addition of a small quantity of opium will often render an emetic active4#bdf ,so again the system1 when it is in that particular condition which is indicated by a hot and dry skin1 is unsusceptible of the expectorant powers of ,squill1 unless it be in union with antimony or some powerful diaphoretic1 7,form4 #acd47 ,squill is by no means disposed to act upon the urinary organs1 when exhibited singly2 but calomel1 and some other mercurial preparations1#bdg when in conjunction with it1 appear to direct its influence to the kidneys1 and to render these organs more susceptible of its operation2 7#ajc1 #ajf47 ,upon the same principle1 ,antimonial ,wine quickens the operation of saline cathartics 7#fi72 ,opium increases the sudorific powers of ,antimony 7#abd72 and the purgative operation of ,jalap is promoted by ,ipecacuan 7#hd74 ,dr4 ,aikin asserts that fifteen grains of the former purgative when combined with two or three grains of the latter root1 will purge more than double that quantity of ,jalap when administered without such an adjunct4 ,sir ,john ,pringle speaks of the advantages which may be obtained by combining an alkali with a bitter infusion1 by which the diuretic effects of the former will be increased1 while the latter is calculated to remove any gastric debility1 and to impart a general tone to the body3 there is no doubt but that ,bitters1 from their invigorating influence upon the prim vi1 7see page #gh7 increase the effects of remedies whose operation is connected with changes in transitu1 or with absorption1 as in the exhibition of certain diuretics2#bdh they also frequently render the stomach and bowels more susceptible of bodies that act by impression1 as purgatives1 emetics1 c4 ,we may discover the operation of such a principle in some of the more active compounds presented to us by nature3 many herbs owe their efficacy to a cause of this kind4 ,elaterium1 as ,i have ascertained by experiment1 contains a purgative element1 sui generis1 7,elatin7 and a bitter principle1 which in itself is quite inert1 and yet its presence in the compound renders the alimentary canal more susceptible of the impression of the active ingredient1 and therefore increases its force4 ,see ,extract4 ,elaterii4 ,the history of ,senna will afford some interesting facts in farther elucidation of this subject2 the leaves of this plant1 like ,elaterium1 appear to contain an active principle1 in combination with a bitter1 which latter ingredient1 although destitute of purgative properties1 considerably increases those of the former2 for if this be removed1 as happens when ,senna is transplanted into the south of ,france1 the purgative principle is weakened1 but may be again restored by the artificial addition of some bitter extractive4 ,the fruit or pods of ,senna#bdi contain only the purgative principle1 and are therefore comparatively feeble1 unless the defect be compensated by art4 ,dr4 ,cullen has observed that a much smaller quantity of the leaves is required for a dose if they be infused in company with some bitter plant2 and it has been found that the watery infusion of ,rhubarb is rendered more purgative by the addition of ,calumba4 ,the experiments of ,seguin have established beyond all doubt that the active principle of vegetable astringents is a peculiar element1 to which the name of ,tannin has been given2 but the efficacy of this ingredient is undoubtedly enhanced by the presence of the gallic acid with which it is usually associated1 although this acid1 when separated from the native combination1 is incapable of producing the least astringent effect2 that peculiar flavour which we so commonly experience in unripe fruits1 and which we designate by the term acerbness1 is the result of a combination of the astringent principle with some vegetable acid4 ,the relative sweetness of sugar1 when in different degrees of purity1 depends upon the operation of the same law of combination2 pure sugar1 as ,dr4 ,mac ,culloch has very justly observed1 however paradoxical it may appear1 is not so sweet as that which is impure2 the sweetness of melasses1 compared with that of refined sugar1 is too well known to require more than a bare mention2 the vegetable extractive matter in this case1 increases the effect of the saccharine principle with which it is combined2 for the same reason grapes1 differing very materially in their proportion of saccharine matter1 may seem to the taste equally sweet1 and such in fact is the case on comparing the luscious grapes of ,spain1 with the ,chasselas of ,paris2 and yet the vinous produce is entirely different1 the result of the one being a sweet and luscious wine1 while that of the other is hard and dry1 because1 in truth1 these grapes contain very different proportions of sugar2 and however powerfully the extractive matter may modify the effects of this principle upon the palate and organs of taste1 it cannot alter the quantity of alcohol resulting from its fermentation4#bej ,crystallized sugar also appears less sweet to the taste than loaf sugar1 but this may depend upon the different state of aggregation1 and1 consequently1 the different degrees of solubility possessed by the sugar in these two forms4 ,in some cases1 the addition of certain bodies will induce the absorbents to admit and carry into the circulation remedies which1 in a more simple state1 they would reject as injurious2 this position is supported by the fact of mercury being more readily absorbed when in combination with animal matter1 see ,ung3 ,hydrarg3 and it is probable that iron1 in the form of a tanno-gallate1 will be more acceptable than when presented in a more purely mineral state3 see ,ferri ,sulphas4 ,does it not therefore appear from the preceding remarks1 that certain elements exist in the composition of vegetable remedies1 as furnished by nature1 which1 although individually inert1 confer additional strength and impulse upon the principle of activity with which they are associated4#bea ,the solutions of saline cathartics appear likewise to gain an accession of power and celerity of operation by impregnation with ,carbonic acid gas1 depending probably upon the intestines thus receiving a degree of distention favourable to the action of the salt1 7#ai1 #bc47 ,certain it is that the operation of emetics1 as well as that of glysters1 is materially increased by the stimulus of distention4 ,in enumerating the methods to be adopted for increasing the energies of a remedy1 by rendering the system more susceptible of its action1 it is right to know that1 under certain circumstances1 ,venesection deserves a distinguished rank amongst the ,,adjuvantia4 ,the fact is strikingly discovered in the exhibition of ,mercurial#beb ,preparations1 and some other alterative medicines4 ,whether the 8,vis ,conservatrix10 which ,nature1 when in a state of health and vigour1 opposes to the admission of poisonous substances into the circulation1 be overcome by blood-letting1 is a question which ,i shall leave others to decide2 but thus much reiterated practice has taught me1 that the system in a strong and healthy condition frequently is overcome the moment the stomach becomes deranged1 the circulation languid1 or the general tone of the system impaired4 ,i have frequently seen this during my ,hospital practice3 if a patient who has been using mercurial friction1 or taking the preparations of that metal without effect1 be transferred into a close and unhealthy ward1 his appetite soon fails1 the tongue becomes furred1 and the system instantly yields to the influence of the remedy4 ,nauseating doses of antimony#bec frequently repeated1 or the accidental supervention of any disease of debility1 will be attended with the same phenomena4 ,my practice has also afforded me an opportunity of appreciating the debilitating effects of despondency in a case of this description2 a patient had been taking mercurial medicines1 and using frictions for a considerable period1 without any apparent effect3 under these circumstances he was abruptly told that he would fall a victim to his disease2 the unhappy man experienced an unusual shock at this opinion1 and in a few hours became violently salivated4#bed ,,venesection1 moreover1 increases the effects of cathartic medicines4 ,i have often noticed this fact in contending with a plethoric diathesis2 whenever the bleeding preceded the purgative1 the effects of the latter have been uniformly more speedy and considerable2 in obstinate constipation the same fact has been observed1 and mild remedies have been known to act more powerfully1 when preceded by blood-letting1 than potent ones have when exhibited antecedent to it4 ,venesection has certainly an extraordinary power in awakening the susceptibility of the prim vi to remedial impressions2 in some diseases1 as in the ,cynanche ,trachealis1 or ,croup1 so great is the insensibility of the stomach1 that ,emetics frequently fail in their effects2 and ,dr4 ,hamilton has given as much as a hundred grains of ,calomel in the twenty-four hours3 in such cases previous venesection affords most extraordinary assistance4 ,dr4 ,fothergill also remarks that emetics are more beneficial after bleeding1 7,dissert4 ,med4 ,inaug4 de ,emet4 usu47 ,the effects of ,bark1 ,steel1 and other tonics1 are certainly influenced in the same manner2 whether in any case it may be prudent or judicious to have recourse to such a practice1 is a question not immediately connected with the present inquiry4 ,limited must have been the experience of that practitioner who has not frequently witnessed the utility of ,venesection in producing a state of system favourable to the operation of various remedies4 ,in acute diseases1 how frequently does an opiate succeed in allaying irritation after copious bleeding1 which could not be made to occasion any beneficial influence previous to that operation8 ,in ,pneumonia ,i have repeatedly seen such a plan of treatment act like a charm upon the patient4 ,,purgatives also awaken the susceptibility of the body to mercurial impressions1 and it is remarked by ,dr4 ,chapman that this practice affords a resource which rarely disappoints the practitioner4 ,this class of remedies moreover seems capable of exalting the efficacy1 and indeed of accelerating the benefit to be derived from many alteratives1 when administered previous to the exhibition of these latter substances2 the advantages of a course of ,steel medicines are undoubtedly increased by such means4 ,the febrifugous and antiseptic properties of diluted muriatic acid 7see ,form4 #ade47 are inconsiderable1 unless its exhibition be accompanied with cathartics4 ,i beg to refer the practitioner to some cases published by me in the ,medical and ,physical ,journal for ,december1 #ahji1 in further illustration of these views4 ,experience enables me also to state that ,diuretics are considerably assisted by similar means1 having many instances in my case book of the failure of these agents before1 and their successful operation after1 the exhibition of a cathartic4 ,dr4 ,darwin observes that 8,absorptions are always increased by ,inanition10 and in support of this position refers to the frequent advantage derived from evacuations in the cure of ulcers4 ,i have certainly seen obstinate sores in the leg cured by small and repeated bleedings4 ,dr4 ,chapman arrives at the same conclusion1 although by a different train of reasoning2 he states that the blood-vessels and absorbents#bee are to a certain extent 8antagonising powers30 instructed by this obvious fact1 we ought1 says he1 in the exhibition of diuretics to regulate the state of the system by interposing purgatives1 or even venesection1 as the state of the circulation may indicate4 ,,emetics also1 in certain conditions of the system1 would appear to render the stomach more sensible to the impression of other remedies2 ,dr4 ,eberle1 of ,philadelphia1#bef has remarked such an effect with respect to the administration of the ,peruvian ,bark4 ,,change ,,of ,,diet ,,and ,,of ,,habits may be also classed amongst the ,ajuvantia1 but the young practitioner must be warned that he is not to exercise his ,caduceus as ,sancho's ,doctor did his wand4 ,i have seen a young disciple of ,esculapius so vex his patient1 that his food became more nauseous to him than his medicine1 and ,i verily believe his ,physician was more irksome than his disease4 ,it was well observed by ,dr4 ,percival that the prejudices of the sick should never be contemned with wantonness1 or opposed with harshness2 for1 silenced by authority1 they will operate secretly and forcibly on the mind1 creating fear1 anxiety1 and watchfulness4 ,and with regard to diet it may be here stated1 that no function of the body is so materially influenced by mental impressions as that series of actions constituting what is termed ,digestion--the unexpected communication of any distressing event destroys the keenest appetite1#beg and converts the sensation of hunger into one of disgust at the bare idea of food3 a fact which did not escape the penetrating eye of our immortal ,shakespeare1 for he represents ,henry dismissing ,wolsey from his government with these words-- ---- ,read o'er this2 ,and after1 this3 and then to breakfast with what appetite you have4 ,if feelings of disgust are excited by the repast1 the stomach will never act with healthy energy on the ingesta2 and in cases of extreme aversion1 they are either returned1 or they pass through the alimentary canal almost unchanged3 on the other hand1 the gratification which attends a favourite meal is in itself a specific stimulus to the organs of digestion1 especially in weak and debilitated habits4 ,dr4 ,merriman has lately communicated to me a case which affords a striking illustration of the powerful influence of the mind upon these organs3 a lady of rank labouring under menorrhagia1 suffered with that irritable and unrelenting state of stomach which so commonly attends that disease1 and to such a degree that every kind of aliment and medicine was alike rejected3 after the total failure of the usual expedients to appease the stomach and procure relief1 she applied to ,miss ,prescott1 and was magnetised1 when she immediately1 to the astonishment of all her friends1 ate a beef steak1 and continued to repeat the meal every day for six weeks1 without the least inconvenience6 but the disease itself1 notwithstanding this treacherous amnesty of the stomach1 continued with unabated violence1 and shortly afterwards terminated her life4 ,the diet of a sick person ought never to combine too much nutriment in too small a space2#beh when so given it will even in health be followed by fermentation instead of digestion2 and although we may admit the expediency of that domestic maxim1 8a little and often10 yet this is to be received with limitation2 no one1 for instance1 who possesses any philosophical knowledge1 will adapt his practice to the notions of ,sir ,william ,temple1 who asserted that 8the stomach of a valetudinarian was like a school-boy1 always doing mischief when unemployed10 and that we should therefore not allow it any interval of repose3 to this ,i answer1 that the conversion of aliment into blood is effected by a series of elaborate processes1 several of which are only perfectly performed during the quiescence of the rest3 it would seem1 for instance1 that the process of chylification is incompatible with that by which the first changes are produced in the stomach2 this is evident from the well-known fact1 that our appetite for food ceases when the former process commences1 although the repast should1 at the time1 have been insufficient to satisfy the craving of nature2 whereas1 in diseases of imperfect1 or depraved digestion1 as in ,diabetes1 ,tabes ,mesenterica1 c4 we find that the appetite for food is never satisfied by the most nutritive meals4 ,it merits notice also1 that whenever the stomach be called into action during the assimilating stages of digestion1 the process will1 in weak persons1 be much disturbed1 if not entirely suspended4 ,these views have long since confirmed me in the propriety of treating mesenteric affections in a manner very different from that which is generally pursued2 and ,i may add that the result has been very satisfactory4 ,the plan to which ,i allude1 consists in enforcing longer intervals between each meal1 which should be scanty1 and in quantity short of what the appetite may require2 in this way are the unwilling absorbents induced to perform their duties with greater promptitude and activity2 but it is a practice which1 from the extreme anxiety of friends and relatives1 the feelings of craving and hunger expressed by the patient1 and the mistaken but universal prejudice respecting diet1 it is always painful to propose1 and generally impossible to enforce2 where1 however1 circumstances have given a full and unreserved controul1 the advantage of the plan has been most decisive4 ,there is still another remark which ,i am desirous of offering1 in this place1 on the subject of ,diet2 viz4--that in all cases of feeble or imperfect digestion1 the ,valetudinarian ought never to take his principal meal in a state of fatigue--and yet let me ask1 whether there is a habit more generally pursued1 or more tenaciously defended8 ,aye1 and defended too upon principle--the invalid merchant1 the banker1 the attorney1 the government clerk1 are all impressed with the same belief1 that after the sedentary occupations of the day1 to walk several miles to their villas1 or to fatigue themselves with exercise before their dinner1 or rather early supper1 will sharpen their tardy stomachs1 and invigorate their feeble organs of digestion4 ,the consequence is obvious1--instead of curing1 such a practice is calculated to perpetuate1 and even to aggravate the malady under which they suffer2 by calling upon the powers of digestion at a period1 when the body is in a state of exhaustion from fatigue4 ,often have ,i1 in the course of my practice in this town1 cured the ,dyspeptic invalid1 by merely inducing him to abandon so mischievous a habit4 ,,ii4 ,,to ,,correct ,,the ,,operation ,,of ,,the ,,basis1 ,,by ,,obviating ,,any ,,unpleasant ,,effects ,,it ,,might ,,be ,,likely ,,to ,,occasion1 ,,and ,,which ,,would ,,pervert ,,its ,,intended ,,action1 ,,and ,,defeat ,,the ,,objects ,,of ,,its ,,exhibition4 ,a4 ,by ,,mechanically separating1 or ,,chemically neutralizing1 the offending ,ingredient4 ,the scientific physician1 from his knowledge of the chemical composition of a medicine1 and of the principles upon which its different qualities depend1 is enabled to remove or render inert the element which imparts to it a deleterious operation2 thus it has been found that the peculiar principle in the ,spanish ,fly1 which so frequently irritates the urinary organs1 is soluble in boiling water2 ebullition in water therefore offers the means of depriving it of the power of thus acting upon the kidneys1 while it does not effect any alteration in its vesicatory properties4 ,it is upon the same principle that many vegetable substances of a very acrid nature1 become harmless by boiling1 or by chemical manipulation1 and some of them might even in times of scarcity and want1 be introduced as wholesome and nutritious articles of diet4 ,the experiments of ,westring shew that the bitterness of the ,lichen ,islandicus may be entirely removed by maceration in an alkaline ley1 and a tasteless1 but highly nutritious fecula be thus obtained2 in the same manner the sculus ,hippocastanum 7,horse ,chesnut7 may be deprived of its bitterness1 leaving a residuum which will afford a kind of bread2 and according to ,parmentier 7,recherches sur les vegetaux nourissans17 excellent starch may be also made from it4 ,dr4 ,darwin observes1 that if the roots of ,white ,bryony be rasped into cold water1 and agitated with it1 the acrid juice of the root along with the mucilage will be dissolved1 or swim in the water2 while a starch perfectly wholesome and nutritious will subside1 and may be advantageously used as food2 by a similar species of address the ,french prepare from the acrid ,arum the harmless1 but highly prized cosmetic1 called ,cyprus powder4 ,there are many substances which receive a much pleasanter mode of operation by having their solubilities increased or diminished2 thus the griping occasioned by several drastic purgatives is obviated by the addition of some alkali3 and the nauseating tendency of ,camboge1 which arises from its too easy solubility1 is prevented by incorporating it with some insoluble body2 as in the ,pilul ,cambogi ,comp3 but the farther consideration of this question will be resumed in the fourth section of the ,analysis4 7iv4 c47 ,numerous attempts have been made to correct the inconvenient effects of ,opium1 such as nausea1 head-ache1 and costiveness1 by removing the resinous element1 upon which such evils have been supposed to depend1 and we have accordingly been at different times presented with a variety of ,formul for the accomplishment of so desirable an object2 7see ,opium74 ,more recently1 opium has been discovered to possess two active principles1 viz4 ,morphia and ,narcotine1 which would appear from the researches of ,m4 ,majendie to exert very different powers upon the animal system2 the former imparting to opium its soporific1 the latter1 its exciting property2 whence it is proposed to remove this latter principle in order to render the operation of opium milder1 and at the same time to divest it of those objectionable properties which so greatly limit its medicinal utility4 ,see ,opium4 ,b4 ,by adding some substance capable of guarding the stomach1 or system1 against its deleterious effects4 ,the virtues of our most important remedies are frequently lost1 or much invalidated1 for want of proper attention to the circumstances comprehended in this section4 ,it may be almost admitted as an axiom that whenever an ,,alterative medicine acts with violence upon the prim vi1 its energies are uselessly expended1 and the object of its exhibition defeated4 ,so again1 ,diaphoretics1 ,diuretics1 and many other remedies1 suffer a diminution in their effects1 whenever they stimulate the stomach or bowels to excess4 ,guaiacum thus loses its anti-arthritic1 ,squill its diuretic1 and ,antimony and ,ipecacuan their diaphoretic1 virtues2 the action of these substances may therefore require correction1 and a medicine must be selected capable of fulfilling that intention4 ,opium has very extensive powers as a corrigent4 ,see ,form4 #eg1 #ajj1 #ajf1 #aaj4 ,dr4 ,mead combined alkaline salts1 when intended to act as diuretics1 with opium1 in order to prevent their action upon the bowels4 ,acetate of ,lead1 when administered in cases of hmopthysis1 or uterine hemorrhage1 should also be guarded by the addition of a small portion of the same narcotic4 ,dr4 ,sutton1 of ,greenwich1 has lately written a paper to shew1 that where we wish to limit the operation of an emetic to the stomach1 and to prevent its action on the bowels1 we should add five or six drops of laudanum to the emetic draught1 which in his experience has answered the purpose in question4#bei ,the griping and nauseating tendency of some remedies receives correction by the addition of ,aromatic stimulants1 or ,essential oils1 7#fi1 #ga1 #gh1 #hd1 #he1 #ib17 or by small portions of a corresponding tincture1 7#gj1 #gf47 ,it has been already stated1 that the griping from ,senna and resinous purgatives may be1 in a great degree1 obviated by the addition of alkalies2 it remains to be observed1 that the same remedies are also mitigated in severity1 by saline purgatives1 7#gg47 ,i learn from ,sir ,henry ,halford1 that in his practice he has found the addition of ,extract of ,hyoscyamus render the operation of the compound extract of ,colocynth much more mild1 and no less efficacious4 ,of the value of such a combination1 ,i am myself able to bear ample testimony4 ,alum is corrected in its tendency to disturb the bowels by the addition of ,nutmeg1 7,form4 #ec17 or some aromatic2 and the drastic operation of ,colocynth may be mitigated by trituration with ,camphor4 ,there are several substances which are deprived of their acrimonious qualities by trituration with mucilage1 milk1 barley-water1 c4 ,the tendency which mercurial preparations possess of affecting the bowels1 is1 with the exception of ,corrosive ,sublimate1 corrected by ,opium1 but the acrid operation of this latter salt is more securely guarded against by the decoction of ,guaiacum or ,mezereon1 or by the plentiful exhibition of mucilaginous drinks and broths4 ,in certain diseases of the uterus and vagina1 astringent lotions are indicated1 but it may happen1 as in the cauliflower excrescence1 or in the oozing tumour of the labium1 that such applications are too irritating2 in such cases the effect of the lotion is corrected by the addition of mucilage4 ,the enfeebling influence of ,digitalis1 ,tobacco1 and some other narcotics1 is successfully opposed by aromatics and stimulants4 ,it has already been stated that several attempts have been made to correct the operation of ,opium by the application of mechanical and chemical resources2 it would1 however1 appear that1 for obviating its effects upon the intestinal excretions1 the judicious addition of some purgative will offer the most effectual corrigent2 and1 according to my own experience1 the ,aloetic preparations are to be preferred upon such an occasion1 as in ,form4 #aa1 #ab1 #ac4 ,in some cases1 ,i have found that a combination of the watery infusion of ,opium with some bitter1 will secure the narcotic virtues without those consecutive effects upon the alimentary canal1 which we are always so desirous to obviate2 the ,decoctum ,aloes compositum also furnishes upon such an occasion a very appropriate adjunct4 ,let us remember that one of the effects of opium is to paralyse1 for a time1 the muscular fibres of the intestines3 now experience has taught us that the remedies above directed have a peculiar tendency to augment the peristaltic motions of the prim vi4 ,upon the same principle the addition of calomel will prevent the paralysing influence of this narcotic upon the biliary functions4 ,i have known several patients who could never take opium unless in such a form of combination4 ,in general1 a formula contains but one corrigent2 but circumstances may occur1 where two different ingredients are required to obviate two very different effects1 as in ,form4 #af1 in which the ,nitric acid is introduced for the purpose of counteracting the deleterious effects of the opium upon the nervous system1 while the ,aloetic preparation is calculated to obviate its particular tendency upon the alimentary canal4 ,sometimes the unpleasant or perverse operation of a medicine may be obviated by changing the form of its exhibition1 the period at which it is taken1 or the extent of its dose2 ,dr4 ,cullen1 for instance1 found that the nauseating operation of ,camboge might be obviated1 by repeating small doses at short intervals4 7#hi47 ,before quitting the present subject1 it deserves notice1 that there is frequently a chemical condition of the stomach that may interfere with the mild operation of a medicine1 and may therefore require consideration3 this is particularly exemplified in the action of those antimonial preparations which are liable to become emetic and drastic by the presence of an acid2 it is1 for this reason1 very eligible to guard such substances with antacid adjuncts4 ,see ,antimonii ,sulphuretum1 and ,form4 #abe1 #abh4 ,there is also1 upon some occasions1 an irritable state of the prim vi depending upon a deficient secretion of mucus1 which renders even small doses of any active medicine mischievous2 mucilaginous decoctions in such a case will offer the readiest corrigent2 see ,scammonia4 ,the vinous infusion of ,colchicum appears to act more violently when acid is present in the stomach2 small doses of ,magnesia may therefore precede1 and accompany its exhibition1 with advantage4 ,,iii4 ,,to ,,obtain ,,the ,,joint ,,operation ,,of ,,two ,,or ,,more ,,medicines4 ,a4 ,by uniting those substances which are calculated to produce the ,,same ,,ultimate ,,results1 although by totally different modes of operation4 ,it has been already stated1 7page #aeb71 that we may frequently combine substances together whose modes of operation are dissimilar1 with considerable advantage1 provided they be not physiologically incompatible with each other4 ,we may illustrate this subject by a reference to the operation of purgatives2 a series of medicinal substances may be produced1 each of which has the property of exciting catharsis1 but by a very different mode of action2 one for instance stimulates the muscular fibres of the intestines2 a second acts upon the exhalant vessels1 and mucous glands2 and a third exerts its influence upon the neighbouring organs1 so as to produce an increased flow of their secretions into the bowels2 but since such modes of action are quite compatible with each other1 they may be simultaneously established1 not only without any loss of efficacy1 but with the most decided advantage2 suppose1 for instance1 we administer a substance which1 either from its insolubility or peculiar nature1 acts exclusively upon the muscular fibres of the alimentary canal1 its peristaltic motions will be undoubtedly thus increased1 and the contents of the bowels evacuated1 but the operation will be slow1 and probably accompanied with considerable tormina2 now it is evident that if to such a remedy we add those which can produce an increased flow of serous fluids1 the effect will be both quicker and easier4 ,the infusion of ,senna is thus quickened and corrected by ,soluble ,tartar4 ,in the same manner various substances included in the class of diuretics1 which1 although different1 still if they be not adverse in their operation1 may be conjoined2 ,digitalis and ,potass are not similar1 nor are they incompatible1 for while the alkali1 through the medium of the circulation1 stimulates the secreting organs of the kidneys1 the foxglove may1 by its sympathetic action1 rouse the energy of the absorbents4 ,in the administration of diaphoretics we shall frequently derive additional force1 as well as certainty1 by combining those which act by relaxing the cutaneous emunctories1 with those which prove diaphoretic by imparting a general increase of momentum to the blood4 ,b4 ,by combining ,medicines which have entirely different powers1 and which are required to obviate different symptoms1 or to answer different indications4 ,arrangements constructed upon this principle constitute some of the most valuable remedies with which we are acquainted2 they are in general extemporaneous1 because their value depends upon their being varied and modified according to the symptoms and circumstances of each particular case4 ,the following general elucidation of the subject may serve to demonstrate the nature and importance of such combinations4 ,,purgatives with ,,antispasmodics4 ,the practice suggested by ,drs4 ,stoll and ,warren1 in the treatment of ,cholica ,pictonum1 affords a striking example of the expediency of combinations of this nature4 ,it is found in that disease1 as well as in others attended with spasmodic constriction of the intestinal canal1 that purgatives produce no effects unless the spasm be allayed by combining them with ,opium1 7see ,form4 #ga1 #ge1 #gf17 it is from such a cause that the purgative so popular with tailors and shoemakers1 and which consists of ,aloes with ,sagapenum or ,galbanum1 affords such prompt relief in the spasmodic cholic to which they are subject4 ,,purgatives with ,,tonics4 ,in the exhibition of cathartics how frequently it occurs in practice that the patient's strength will hardly allow the evacuation2 in such a case the addition of steel as a roborant 7,form4 #gb1 #ib1 #ic17 or even of ther1 or ammonia1 as a diffusible stimulant1 is strongly indicated3 the ,cheltenham waters offer a natural combination of this character4 ,so again in the cure of dropsy we have often two indications to fulfil--to evacuate the water1 and to support the strength of the patient2 hence the necessity of combining brisk and stimulating purges1 such as ,scammony1 ,jalap1 c4 with active tonics1 7#hc47 ,in the treatment of amenorrha the same medicinal arrangement is not unfrequently indicated4 ,,purgatives with ,,mercurial ,,alteratives4 ,in habitual costiveness1 where there appears to be a deficiency of bile1 a combination of ,pilula ,hydrargyri1 with certain ,aloetic compounds1 may prove serviceable2 for while the latter remedy will1 in the absence of bile1 supply to the intestines a congenial stimulus1 the former will tend to restore the bilious secretion by its influence upon the hepatic system4 ,see ,form4 #gi1 #ha4 ,,purgatives with ,,diaphoretics4 ,this combination of effects is often useful in practice1 but it is desirable that the latter should not be established until the operation of the purgative upon the bowels has subsided4 ,this is accomplished by certain doses of ,tartarized ,antimony in conjunction with some purgative4 ,the ,pulvis ,aloes ,compositus of our ,pharmacopia produces a somewhat similar effect4 ,,diaphoretics with ,,tonics4 ,how frequently is the practitioner desirous of determining to the skin1 and at the same time of supporting the strength of the general system8 in the progress of a continued fever we are repeatedly called upon to fulfil such indications4 ,dr4 ,bree#bfj also observes that 8in the exhibition of ,diaphoretics the addition of a bitter infusion1 or tincture1 is frequently proper2 for the stomach should be gently excited and strengthened during the use of a diaphoretic draught40 ,on the other hand1 ,tonics not unfrequently require the aid of a diaphoretic2 for instance1 in the cure of ,cynanche maligna1 the use of bark is indicated2 but if the skin be hot and dry1 it should be accompanied with a diaphoretic4 ,see ,form4 #abf4 ,,antispasmodics with ,,tonics1 or ,,narcotics4 ,under the history of ,antispasmodics1 7page #gh7 it is stated that there are certain bodies which seem to exert an absolute control over inordinate muscular action1 from whatever general cause it may have arisen2 in administering such remedies1 however1 the intelligent practitioner will not overlook the peculiar condition of the system in its relations to the disease2 where debility is present1 the ,antispasmodic will be usefully combined with a ,tonic2 and1 in certain morbid states of the nervous system1 with a ,narcotic4 ,,astringents with ,,diaphoretics4 ,dr4 ,fordyce has observed1 that combinations of this kind are often indicated in cases of ,diarrha1 where it is necessary to astringe the vessels of the intestines1 and at the same time to relax those of the skin2 such an indication1 he says1 may be fulfilled by exhibiting ,tormentil root1 or any other vegetable astringent1 with ,ipecacuan4 ,,astringents with ,,narcotics1 and ,,absorbents4 ,it has been already observed1 that in a ,diarrha1 depending upon the influx of acrid fluids into the intestines1 there are three modes of treatment by which the malady may be obviated1 viz4 by a narcotic1 diminishing the irritability of the intestines2 by an astringent1 restraining the serous excretion2 and by an absorbent1 neutralizing the acrid matter4 ,as the modes of action are not incompatible with each other1 they maybe simultaneously established with the greatest advantage4 ,see ,form4 #eb4 ,,astringents with ,,tonics4 ,a combination of certain medicines belonging to these two classes is frequently indicated2 in the treatment of passive hemorrhage1 we have to astringe the bleeding vessels1 and1 at the same time1 to cure the hemorrhagic diathesis by remedies which are capable of restoring the general tone of the system4 ,in the treatment of the chronic and humid coughs of old persons1 ,i have very frequently witnessed the beneficial union of the warm and stimulating influence of ,myrrh with the astringent effects of ,sulphate of ,zinc4 ,form4 #fi presents the combination which ,i have usually adopted with success on such occasions4 ,,diuretics with ,,tonics4 ,as ,dropsy is frequently associated with great debility1 the practitioner should combine his diuretics with some tonic medicine2 but in forming a judgment upon the case he must be guided by those precepts which have been laid down under the consideration of ,diuretics at page #ig4 ,see ,form4 #aad4 ,,diuretics with ,,aromatic ,,stimulants4 ,such a combination will be found advantageous in those cases where the powers of the system require to be excited by more prompt measures than those afforded by the agency of tonics4 ,ethereal preparations1 with ,squill and other stimulating diuretics1 are well calculated upon such occasions to afford valuable assistance4 ,form4 #aja-aaf4 ,,tonics with ,,diffusible ,,stimulants4 ,in the cure of dyspepsia1 we frequently require a remedy1 for the purpose of obviating debility1 that is more sudden in its action1 and prompt in its effects1 than that of a bitter tonic1 whose operation is almost imperceptible2 while the case may at the same time stand in need of that permanent increase of tone1 which the latter remedy can alone supply2 such an indication therefore must be fulfilled by combination4 ,form4 #dj1 #db4 ,,tonics with ,,purgatives4 ,in the exhibition of tonic medicines it is frequently essential to accompany their operation with purgation2 in intermittent fevers1 for instance1 when attended with a redundant secretion of bile1 or any obstruction of the viscera1 the bark must be given in combination with some laxative1 for which purpose ,boerhaave has recommended ,muriate of ,ammonia2 ,mead1 ,rhubarb2 whilst in many cases1 experience suggests the propriety of selecting some of the warmer cathartics1 especially the ,aletic3 and ,i shall take this opportunity to observe1 that notwithstanding the opinion so strongly expressed by ,sydenham1 that 8to add any thing to the bark argues either ignorance or craft10 the most respectable testimony may be adduced to demonstrate the great advantages which have arisen from the various combinations of this heroic remedy4 ,sir ,george ,baker has said that 8there is less of reason than of severity10 in the above remark of ,sydenham2 for that it was found in the cure of the intermittent fever1 which he describes1 that1 according to circumstances1 sometimes the ,virginian snake root1 and in other cases ,myrrh1 were added with propriety and advantage2 and1 according to the experience of several practitioners1 a drachm of the rust of iron1 and the same quantity of the powder of black pepper1 added to each ounce of bark1 were the means of subduing the most inveterate agues4 ,formula #dd presents a combination1 which we learn from ,dr4 ,petrie's letter to ,sir ,george ,baker1 constitutes a celebrated ,dutch remedy for an ague1 and which was tried with success in the hospital at ,lincoln1 in those obstinate intermittents which prevailed in the year #agha4 ,hillary speaks of an epidemic intermittent at ,barbadoes1 in which the bark was of no avail1 unless combined with saline remedies1 or some of the tonic bitters4 ,dr4 ,barton has stated that ,bark combined with ,mercury in a small proportion1 is one of the best remedies for removing the swelling of the spleen after an intermittent4 ,,expectorants with ,,diffusible ,,stimulants4 ,we have seen that expectorants may be usefully associated with tonics2 it sometimes occurs that these remedies require the addition of some diffusible stimulant4 ,in certain states of ,peripneumonia notha1 where the powers of life are ebbing1 and the lungs become inundated with viscid mucus1 ,i have experienced the value of a combination of some stimulating expectorant and ammonia4 ,,antacids with ,,tonics4 ,in the cure of cardialgia we have obviously two indications2 to neutralize the offending acid by some chemical agent1 and to correct the morbid state of the digestive functions by some appropriate remedy4 ,see ,form4 #aeb4 ,the same observation will apply in the treatment of certain cases of chlorosis1 where cardialgia is not unfrequently a very vexatious attendant1 and solicits the union of emmenagogues with antacids1 or absorbents1 as in ,form4 #ii4 ,,lithonthryptics with ,,narcotics4 ,as a palliative in calculous irritation1 the union of alkalies and opium proves a valuable resource4 ,henbane may likewise be advantageously combined with a ,lithonthryptic2 for1 be it remembered1 that few narcotics are more efficacious in allaying nephritic irritation4 7,form4 #aef47 ,we have also frequently two important indications to fulfil in the treatment of urinary concretions2 where the lithic acid diathesis prevails1 it will be necessary to neutralize any acidity in the first passages1 and at the same time to regulate the functions of the skin2 we have moreover to give tone to the digestive organs2 so that1 in such cases1 the art of medicinal combination is well calculated to extend our resources4 ,in the formation of these compounds we should rarely attempt to fulfil more than two indications1 although cases may occur in which it will be eligible to assail the disease with an engine of triple powers1 as exemplified by ,form4 #eb 4 ,in constructing1 however1 such complex arrangements the practitioner must of course take care that he does not fall into the error of ,,contraindication1 and combine substances which possess properties essentially different1 and which are at variance with1 or directly opposed to each other2 it is an error of the most serious description1 and unfortunately is one of too common occurrence in the lower walks of medical practice2 8crimine ab uno disce omnes40 ,i lately met with a country practitioner who1 upon being asked by a lady whom he attended1 the intention of three different draughts which he had sent her1 replied1 that one would warm1 the second cool her1 and that the third was calculated to moderate the too violent effects of either2 thus it is that discredit and contempt fall upon the use of medicines1 which ought only to attach to the ignorant pretenders1 or designing knaves who administer them4 ,having1 in the commencement of this inquiry1 stated that all the principles of combination1 capable of practical application in the construction of extemporaneous formul1 are exemplified in the composition of the various productions of ,nature1 ,i shall conclude the present section by shewing1 that many of our most valuable vegetables owe their useful properties to the joint operation of the several distinct and different ingredients which enter into their composition4 ,how many substances does ,nature produce in the vegetable kingdom1 in which the permanent tonic quality of bitterness exerts its influence in union with the transient stimulating powers of an aromatic principle8 indeed there is a series of vegetable remedies of this kind3 commencing with those that are simply bitter1 we gradually proceed through the different species1 each blending as we advance an increasing proportion of aroma1 until we arrive at those in which the aromatic quality greatly preponderates4 ,peruvian ,bark may be said to combine within itself the properties of bitterness1 astringency1 and aroma2 a fact which suggested the probability of our being able to produce an artificial compound that might emulate the effects of ,cinchona1 and to a certain extent the idea appears to have been realised2 for we are told by ,dr4 ,cullen1 that he frequently succeeded in the cure of an intermittent by a combination of ,oak ,bark and ,gentian1 when neither bitters nor astringents1 separately1 produced the least impression2 and ,i am informed by ,dr4 ,harrison1 that in the ,horncastle ,dispensary1 of which he was for many years physician1 he never employed any other remedy for curing the ague of ,lincolnshire than equal parts of ,bistorta 7astringent7 and ,calamus ,aromaticus 7bitter and aromatic71 neither of which plants1 individually1 ever produced the least benefit in such diseases4 ,berzelius attempted to produce a compound of this description by adding to the bark of the ,ash some ,tormentil root and ,ginger2 and he observes that it acted as an excellent tonic1 and that according to the experiments of his friends it seemed to cure quartan agues4#bfa ,in the aromatic barks and woods1 such as those of the ,canella1 ,orange-peel1 ,sassafras1 c4 the aromatic principle#bfb is combined with a bitter ingredient2 a union which proves of singular service in the formidable bowel complaints so common in tropical climates4 ,the great superiority of the hop1 as an ingredient in our malt liquors1 depends upon the fact of its containing within itself several distinct and independent elements of activity1 which the other bitter herbs that have at different times been employed as its substitute1 do not possess4 ,the philosophy of its operation may be adduced as a striking illustration of the present subject2 first1 then1 it contains a bitter principle1 which imparts to the beverage a tonic quality and an agreeable flavour2 while at the same time an aromatic ingredient adds a warm and stimulant property and modifies the bitterness2 the hop1 moreover1 contains an astringent ingredient 7,tannin and ,gallic ,acid71 the effects of which are to precipitate the vegetable mucilage1 and thus to remove from the beer the active principle of its fermentation2 every attempt therefore to substitute an ordinary bitter for that of the hop must necessarily fail1 unless a compound can be so artfully constructed as to contain in due proportions1 the principles of bitterness1 astringency1 and aroma4 ,quassia must therefore necessarily prove but a sorry substitute2 it will impart bitterness enough1 but it will not be modified by agreeable aroma2 and as it contains no astringent principle1 it will fail in precipitating the vegetable mucilage1 or gluten2 in consequence of which the beer so manufactured will be in a perpetual state of fermentation until it is entirely spoilt4#bfc ,rhubarb is another medical plant which may be brought forward in elucidation of the analogies subsisting between natural and artificial combinations2 in this case ,nature has presented us with a singular and most important union of medicinal powers1--that of an astringent1 with a cathartic property6 virtues1 which we might1 without the light of experience1 have pronounced to be incompatible with each other2 and yet we find that in this instance the property of astringency never interferes with1 or opposes the purgative force1 since the former does not display itself unless the substance be administered in small doses2 or1 when given in larger ones1 not until it has ceased to operate as a cathartic4 ,,iv4 ,,to ,,obtain ,a ,,new ,,and ,,active ,,remedy ,,not ,,afforded ,,by ,,any ,,single ,,substance4 ,a4 ,by combining medicines which excite different actions in the ,stomach and ,system1 in consequence of which ,,new1 or modified results1 are produced4 ,this constitutes by far the most obscure part of the subject of medicinal combination1 and must ever continue so until we become better acquainted with the laws which govern the action of medicinal substances upon the living system4 ,that the most valuable effects1 however1 are really produced by such arrangements1 we have the testimony of long experience1 and examples are furnished in the valuable and well-known operation of many officinal preparations2 thus the 8,pulvis ,ipecacuanh compositus0 contains as its active elements1 ,opium and ,ipecacuanha2 and yet1 in well regulated doses1 it neither possesses the narcotic operation of the former1 nor the nauseating effects of the latter2 they appear to be mutually lost1 and converted into a powerful diaphoretic3 so again1 the emetic operation of ,sulphuret of ,antimony1 and the specific influence of ,calomel1 are changed by combination with each other1 giving rise to a remedy eminently distinguished for its powers as an alterative4 ,dr4 ,bree observes that ,tincture of ,squills combined with ,extract of ,henbane1 and the ,nitric ,acid1 have been proved by much experience to be expectorant and sedative in a paroxysm of asthma1 although each article1 uncombined1 had been given without success4 ,see ,form4 #aci4 ,the efficacy of ,hemlock1 in quieting ,pulmonary irritation1 has been frequently adverted to in the course of this work2 ,i have to state1 in this place1 that its value1 on such occasions1 is generally enhanced by combination with ,ipecacuanha4 ,it is probable that many of our natural remedies owe their efficacy to the results of a similar species of combination4 ,in the fourth edition of this work it was stated that1 according to the assertion of ,dr4 ,chapman1 8,kino1 when administered in union with ,calumba1 constituted a pretty certain1 and powerful purgative20 since the publication of this fact1 ,i have investigated what1 if true1 would appear to be a most extraordinary anomaly in the philosophy of medicinal combination1 and ,i find that the statement of ,dr4 ,chapman#bfd is not borne out by experiment4 ,that we might arrive at a just conclusion upon this subject1 ,i requested the assistance of my friend ,dr4 ,john ,davy1 whose character for experimental accuracy1 and whose situation as ,superintendant of the ,medical ,division of the ,general ,military ,hospital at ,chatham1 seemed to point him out as a person peculiarly adapted for such an inquiry2 the result of his trials does not establish that of the experiments of ,dr4 ,chapman1 but on the contrary it seems to prove1 that neither ,kino nor ,calumba1 when taken separately1 has a constipating effect1 and that in the form of powder 7especially the ,calumba7 each has an aperient quality1 which is not increased by exhibiting the two medicines together in a state of mixture4 ,the trials from which these inferences are drawn were made on different individuals in tolerable health1 and they were repeated more than once2 in some cases they were given separately1 and in others1 mixed together1 in doses varying from a scruple to a drachm of each4 ,b4 ,by combining ,substances which have the property of acting chemically upon each other2 the result of which is the formation of ,,new ,,compounds1 or the decomposition of the original ,ingredients1 and the developement of their more ,,active ,,elements4 ,a4 ,the ,formation of ,new ,compounds4 ,it is not necessary to extend our researches beyond the range of the ,pharmacopi1#bfe to collect a variety of interesting and important examples1 in illustration of this division of our subject2 if we require a striking example of the agency of chemical combination in destroying the identity of the original constituents1 and of giving origin to a compound of new powers1 it may be exemplified by the well known instance of ,sulphate of ,potass1 a substance possessing but a weak affinity for water1 and exerting but little energy upon the animal conomy2 whereas the two ingredients of which it consists are distinguished for the extreme eagerness with which they unite with water1 and for the caustic activity which they display in their action upon animal matter4 ,under this head the class of metals will also present itself to our consideration1 all the individuals of which1 with the exception perhaps of iron1 are perfectly inert and harmless2 even arsenic1 lead1 copper1 and mercury1 which in certain states of combination constitute some of the most virulent of known substances1 exert no action upon the living system1 unless they be in union with some other body2 but when so united1 how valuable do they become1 and what various medicinal effects may they not be made to produce4 ,the ,acetic ,acid and ,ammonia become neutralized by combination with each other1 affording a compound of new virtues4 ,sulphate of ,zinc1 and ,acetate of ,lead1 when mixed together in solution1 decompose each other1 and the ,acetate of ,zinc which is formed1 affords a more valuable remedy than either of the former salts1 as an application in ophthalmia4 ,the 8,mistura ,ferri ,composita0 of our ,pharmacopia offers another example of the same chemical resource4 ,i also beg the reader to refer to the construction of ,formula #hb1 which presents an instance of a purgative draught being produced by combination1 in which the original properties of every element are entirely changed4 ,see also ,formula #hg1 the chemical actions of which are more complicated1 but no less instructive than the preceding one2 the ingredients of the formula are the ,carbonates of ,soda and ,magnesia1--,sulphate of ,iron1--,diluted ,sulphuric ,acid1 and ,water--and when mixed together1 the following decompositions would appear to take place2 the free ,sulphuric ,acid1 together with that which exists in the ,sulphate of ,iron1 being just sufficient to decompose the ,carbonates of ,soda and ,magnesia1 forms two neutral ,sulphates 7viz4 ,sulphates of ,soda and ,magnesia17 and thereby disengages a volume of ,carbonic ,acid gas1 which not only increases the purgative operation of the new saline compounds1 but1 by its excess1 holds in solution the ,carbonate of ,iron1 which is formed by the decomposition of the ,sulphate1 and which in that state displays an effect powerfully tonic4 ,before we quit the consideration of medicinal compounds as the results of chemical action1 it is expedient to remind the practitioner of the essential difference between ,mixture and ,combination1 a difference which affects the medicinal virtues no less than the chemical characters of bodies2 it is determined by ample experience1 that substances will produce effects upon the living system when presented in a state of simple mechanical mixture1 very different from those which the same medicines will occasion when they are combined by the agency of chemical affinity1 as is well exemplified in the comparative effects of alcohol as existing in ardent spirits1 and in wine 7see ,vinum72 or in the relative powers of ,mercury in the ,unguentum ,hydrargyri of the ,london ,college1 and the ,unguentum ,oxidi ,hydrargyri cinerei of the ,pharmacopia of ,edinburgh1 7see ,unguent4 ,hydrargyri72 the former of which is a true chemical compound1 whereas the latter is a simple mixture of its ingredients4 ,b4 ,the ,developement of ,active ,elements4 ,the accomplishment of such an effect is in many instances the sole object of a pharmaceutical process4 ,it is thus that we obtain pure ,citric acid from the juice of the ,lemon2 ,tartaric acid1 from ,cream of ,tartar2 ,benzoic acid1 from the resinous substance known by the name of ,gum ,benzoin2 upon the same principle1 the ,muriatic and ,nitric acids are elicited from the saline compounds in which they exist4 ,ammonia1 in its pungent form1 is developed from its inodorous ,muriate2 and the fixed alkalies are obtained in their caustic state1 from the comparatively mild carbonates in which they naturally exist4 ,but a more striking and instructive instance of the effect of chemical action1 in developing an active1 or useful principle1 cannot perhaps be selected than that of the well known stimulant ,plaister1 composed of ,muriate of ,ammonia1 ,soap1 and ,lead ,plaister1 in which the alkali of soap enters into combination with the muriatic acid1 when the ,ammonia1 upon which the virtues of the plaister solely depend1 is slowly disengaged in the form of gas1 producing a powerfully rubifacient and stimulant effect3 the 8,cataplasma ,fermenti10 or 8,yeast ,poultice10 is indebted for its antiseptic properties to a similar agency1 for they do not depend upon any virtue in the ingredients themselves1 but upon their decomposition1 and the consequent developement of an active element1 which is ,carbonic ,acid4 ,the practitioner unacquainted with the modus operandi of these combinations1 would inevitably fall into an error by which their efficacy must be lost2 he would hardly apply them as soon as they were formed1 nor would he be aware of the necessity of repeating them at short intervals4 ,the decomposition of ,calomel by lime water1 forming the well known 8black wash0 and that of corrosive sublimate in the same fluid1 constituting the 8aqua phagadenica10 furnish remedies which derive all their peculiar efficacy from the developement of the mercury in different states of oxidation4 ,the reader will find another1 and a very striking illustration of the same principle in the history of 8,alterative ,drops10 under the article 8,hydrargyri ,oxy-murias40 ,a substance separated by chemical precipitation is often a valuable remedy1 being in a much more subtle and impalpable form than any body can be rendered by mechanical triture and levigation2#bff for example1 the ,carbonate of ,lead1 7,cerussa71 when diffused in water1 is according to the experience of our best surgeons1 far less active as a topical application than the same substance when produced at once by precipitation from the ,sub-acetate of that metal4 ,in some cases1 also1 the substance obtained by precipitation is in a different state of oxidation from that which is prepared by a different process1 see ,mist4 ,ferri ,comp3 ,it is a question well worthy of consideration whether a more active preparation of the ,antimonial powder might not be formed by obtaining the oxide by the precipitation of ,tartarized ,antimony4 ,many interesting and important illustrations have been lately afforded by an extended knowledge of vegetable chemistry1 recent analyses having developed principles of extreme activity from several of our most esteemed plants2 thus have ,sertuerner and ,robiquet succeeded in separating a narcotic element from ,opium 7,morphia72 ,majendie1 and ,pelletier1 an emetic principle from ,ipecacuan1 7,emeta72 and the last mentioned chemist1 together with ,caventou1 a tonic one from ,peruvian ,bark1 7,cinchonia71 the properties and applications of which will be fully explained hereafter1 under the history of the different substances which contain them4 ,it is only here necessary to caution the practitioner against those fallacies into which the captivating theories of the chemist may seduce him2 and1 if the views which ,i have offered upon the subject of combination be correct1 it will follow as a corollary1 that the concentration of an active element must in many cases abridge its powers as a remedy2 for although the matter thus removed may individually be quite inert1 yet1 in combination1 it may subdivide the particles of the essential constituent1 or modify its solubility1 and give impulse and steadiness to its operation2 thus the vegetable alkali ,quina1 although it indisputably constitutes the active matter of bark1 will be found inefficacious when separated from it1 unless it be rendered soluble by the addition of sulphuric1 or some other acid4 ,c4 ,by combining substances1 between which no other chemical change is induced1 than a diminution1 or an increase1 in the ,,solubilities of the principles1 which are the repositories of their medicinal virtues4 ,the degree of solubility possessed by a medicinal substance may perhaps be regarded by some practitioners as a circumstance of but little or no importance2 it will however appear in many cases that it not only influences the activity of a remedy1 but1 like its dose1 goes far to determine its specific operation2 indeed1 where a medicine is not1 in itself1 very soluble1 the increase of its solubility by any chemical expedient1 is tantamount to an increase of its dose4 ,it is probably owing to the diversity which exists in the solubility of the active elements of certain purgatives1 that so great a diversity occurs in their operation2 it is1 for instance1 easy to conceive that a medicine may act more immediately and specially on the stomach1 small1 or large intestines1 according to the relative facility with which its principles of activity enter into solution2 that those which are dissolved before they pass the pylorus are quick and violent in their effects1 and liable to affect the stomach1 as is exemplified by the action of ,gamboge1 c4 whilst some resinous purgatives1 on the other hand1 as they contain principles less soluble1 seldom act until they have passed out of the stomach1 and often not until they have reached the colon4 ,colocynth has a wider range of operation1 since its principles of activity reside both in soluble and in insoluble elements4 ,aloes again1 being still further insoluble1 pass through the whole alimentary canal before they are sufficiently dissolved1 and act therefore more particularly upon the rectum1 by which they are liable to produce piles1 tenesmus1 and the various effects which so usually attend their operation4 ,the characteristic effects of ,rhubarb1 ,senna1 ,saline ,cathartics1 and indeed of all individual substances which compose the class of the purgative medicines1 will also admit of a satisfactory explanation from the application of these views4 ,it ought moreover to enable the practitioner1 by changing the solubilities of these substances1 to change their medicinal effects4 ,experience shews that this is the fact1 and that it may be effected either by the intervention of substances that act ,,chemically2 or1 by the addition of ,ingredients whose operation is entirely ,,mechanical2 thus by combining ,aloes with ,soap or an ,alkaline ,salt1 we quicken their operation1 and remove their tendency to irritate the rectum2 the ,compound ,decoction of ,aloes affords a combination of this kind4 ,gamboge1 whose too ready solubility it is an object to obviate1 should be intimately incorporated with some insoluble purgative1 as for instance ,aloes2 a formula of this nature was introduced by ,dr4 ,george ,fordyce1 and it has been since simplified and admitted into our ,pharmacopia1 under the title of 8,pilul ,cambogi ,composit40 ,tartrate of ,potash1 which1 on account of its comparative solubility1 has gained the name of ,soluble ,tartar1 acts with corresponding briskness upon the small intestines2 but by increasing its proportion of ,tartaric ,acid1 we convert it into a super-tartrate or 8,cream of ,tartar10 which is a substance characterized by a comparative degree of insolubility1 and a correspondent change is produced in the medicinal activity of the salt2 its purgative effects are considerably diminished1 whilst its diuretic powers are rendered more considerable4 ,we may even extend this experiment by adding to the ,cream of ,tartar1 ,boracic ,acid1 a substance capable of increasing to a certain extent its solubility1 when we shall again find that its purgative properties are strengthened in an equal proportion4 ,it has been observed that a mixture of different saline cathartics is more efficient than an equivalent dose of any single one1 a fact which is strikingly exemplified in the prompt and active operation of ,cheltenham ,salts1 in comparatively small doses1 as well as in that of sea water4 ,i submit whether this may not in some degree depend upon increased solubility2 for it is a law well known to the chemist1 that when water has ceased to act upon a salt1 in consequence of its having obtained the term of saturation1 the solution may still take up another salt of a different kind4 ,i apprehend that an advantageous application of this law might be frequently made in practice1 and the energies of a remedy thereby considerably extended4#bfg ,where the active principle of a cathartic is not sufficiently soluble1 it is apt to vex and irritate the bowels1 producing tormina instead of exciting a free and copious excretion2 hence the reason why the operation of resinous purgatives is so commonly attended with griping1 and why relief may be obtained by combining them with neutral salts4 ,thus also ,senna1 whose virtues reside in extractive matter1 is apt by decoction1 or long exposure to the air1 to act with griping1 in consequence of the extractive matter becoming by oxidation1 resinous and comparatively insoluble3 this effect is best counteracted by the addition of soluble ,tartar1 that will quicken its action1 or by an alkaline salt that will increase its solubility4 ,it appears then to be established as a pharmaceutical maxim1 that the intensity and even specific action of a purgative medicine may be modified or completely changed1 by changing the degree of solubility possessed by the principles in which its activity resides4 ,the application of this principle is highly important in practice1 directing us in the choice of the different purgatives1 according to the objects which we may wish to fulfil by them1 and pointing out safe and easy methods by which we may increase1 diminish1 retard1 or accelerate their operation2 it thus enables us to construct new and powerful combinations1 by imparting to established remedies fresh activity1 or by mitigating the acrimony and violence of arrangements in other respects efficacious and eligible4 ,in the exhibition of solid substances1 their mechanical state of division may be capable of modifying their operation1 from the influence which this condition must necessarily exert upon their solubilities1 although ,i am by no means disposed to assign to it the importance which ,gaubius has ventured to express1 8,sunt qu ruditer pulverata alvum1 subtilius vero urinas1 aut alios humores movent20 and ,ray1 speaking of the ,asarum 7,hist4 p4 #bjh7 has the following remark--8,quo tenuius est tritum1 eo magis urinas movere1 minus autem alvum ducere creditur20 and ,linnus#bfh observes that this same plant1 when exhibited in the state of very fine powder1 uniformly acts as an emetic1 but that when coarsely powdered it always passes the stomach1 and becomes cathartic4 ,m4 ,virey has made a similar observation with respect to ,hellebore1--8,l',hellebore pulveris fait vomiter2 concass il purge2 et en decoction prolonge1 il en devient sudorifique ou diuretique40 ,i have endeavoured under the article ,pulveres to establish some useful precepts upon this subject1 to which ,i beg to refer the reader4 ,the influence of solubility upon the medicinal energies and specific effects of remedies1 may be farther illustrated by a comparative examination of the virtues of the ,acetate and ,sub-acetate 7,goulard's ,extract7 of ,lead3 the former preserves its solubility and integrity under any degree of dilution1 while the latter1 when slightly diluted with the purest water1 in consequence of the carbonic acid diffused through it1 gives out a copious precipitate2 the acetate therefore is undoubtedly the more immediately active application as a preparation of lead1 but it is nevertheless perhaps less adapted to remove inflammation and abate irritation than the turbid mixture of the sub-acetate1 since the slow and gradual action which is ensured by the latter is more desirable than the instantaneous operation of the same remedy1 applied in a more soluble form3 the popular injection for gonorrha1 consisting of a mixed solution of ,sulphate of ,zinc and ,acetate of ,lead1 probably owes much of its value to the insoluble precipitate of ,sulphate of lead which necessarily takes place1 and which1 from becoming entangled in the mucus of the urethra1 produces a more permanent stimulus than what could have happened from a soluble salt3 7,form4 #fb7 thus again the ,sulphuret of ,antimony1 and some other preparations of that metal1 of slow solubility1 establish a more permanent influence than ,tartarized ,antimony1 and may be preferable to it in cases where immediate and active evacuations are not required4 ,of remedies composed of vegetable tonics1 the useful application of this principle is also apparent4 ,thus the addition of alkalies1 or lime-water1 to the infusions of ,gentian1 c4 or to the decoctions of ,bark1 by rendering their extractive and resinous principles more soluble1 increase their elegance1 and exalt their virtues1 7,form4 #ci1 #da17 although this law admits of an important exception to be hereafter explained4 ,a knowledge of this principle likewise offers many useful hints connected with the successful exhibition of active remedies2 it points out the medicines which require dilution in order to promote their operation1 and those whose too speedy and violent effects may be retarded and checked by an abstinence from all potation4 ,thus1 in the exhibition of ,diuretics likely to become cathartic or diaphoretic1 no liquid should be given for at least an hour after their administration2 the same caution applies with respect to the ,compound ,powder of ,ipecacuan1 which has a strong tendency to excite vomiting4 ,when the remedy has passed out of the stomach1 then the ingestion of fluids may1 and ought to be encouraged4 ,to ,sir ,francis ,milman the profession is highly indebted for hints concerning the importance of accompanying the exhibition of ,diuretics with plentiful dilution1#bfi the arguments he adduces elucidate in a very satisfactory manner the view which has been just taken of the ,,influence ,,of ,,solubility4 ,the influence of solubility#bgj in increasing the virulence of a poisonous substance1 has already been illustrated very fully 7page #ace17 and it has also been shewn under what circumstance it may be admissible4 ,when these active substances are administered as remedies1 in small doses1 the precept respecting their solubility is even more important1 for in such cases the smallness of the quantity places their operation more immediately under the control of various incidental agents2 destroy the solubility of a medicine1 and you will probably divest it of those properties which render it useful4 ,nitrate of ,silver1 by coming in contact with a ,muriatic ,salt1 is rendered quite inert1 and may be discovered unaltered in the fces of persons to whom it has been administered4 ,see ,argenti ,nitras4 ,under the article ,plumbi ,acetas the practitioner will also find that the conjunction of this substance with any sulphuric salt1 at once deprives it of its valuable properties as a remedy in ,hmopthysis4 ,some practitioners1 whose opinions ,i always receive with respect1 have considered these views respecting the influence of solubility as savouring too much of the refinement of theory1 and instances have been suggested which would appear to invalidate their pretensions2 upon examination1 however1 it will be found that such exceptions are but apparent1 and depend upon the solvent action of the gastric fluid4 ,thus the ,protoxide of ,iron would appear to be soluble in the fluids of the stomach1 and is consequently an active medicine1 whereas the ,peroxide of the same metal1 being insoluble under such circumstances1 requires to be combined with an acid1 as in the ,tinctura ,ferri ,muriatis1 to render it efficacious4 ,the same remark will probably apply to the oxides of antimony4 ,i shall conclude this section upon the influence of ,solubility1 by the relation of an anecdote which may tend to confirm the justness of the views ,i have offered1 more satisfactorily perhaps than any additional arguments derived from a scientific examination of chemical and medicinal facts2 in as much as it presents us with a practice1 the utility of which has been discovered by unassisted experience1 and must consequently be independent of theory4 ,the ,american ,indians1 whenever they undertake a long journey1 and are likely to be destitute of provisions1 employ ,tobacco for the purpose of counteracting the uneasy sensations of hunger1 and in its preparation for such a purpose they adopt an expedient for modifying its powers1 and protracting its effects1 which affords an instructive illustration of the influence of solubility2 it consists in combining the juice of ,tobacco1 with the pulverized shells of snails1 cockles1 and oysters2#bga the mass is dried1 and formed into pills1 of a convenient size to be held between the gum and lip1 which being gradually dissolved and swallowed1 fulfil the intention required4#bgb ,v4 ,,to ,,afford ,,an ,,eligible ,,form4 ,a4 ,by which the efficacy of the remedy is enhanced4 ,after the views which have been submitted in the progress of the present inquiry1 it is evident1 that the form in which a remedy is administered may exert some influence upon its medicinal effects2 for additional proofs of this fact1 and for more particular directions1 see ,decocta1 ,infusa1 ,tinctur1 ,mistur1 ,pilul1 ,pulveres1 c4 ,when a substance1 or a combination of substances1 requires the addition of some other one1 for the purpose of imparting a convenient1 agreeable1 or efficacious form1 a vehicle should always be selected1 whose effects will be likely to correspond with the intention of the other ingredients4 ,this precept may be exemplified by a reference to ,form4 #hj1 #acd1 and others1 the key-letters of which announce the modus operandi of their respective vehicles4 ,b4 ,by which its aspect or flavour is rendered more agreeable4 ,it should ever be the object of the practitioner to accommodate1 as far as he is able1 the form and flavour of his medicines to the taste and caprice of his patient1 provided always that he does not compromise their efficacy1 and which often appears to be nearly connected with those sensible qualities which render them disgusting and objectionable4 ,some medicines are more grateful to the stomach1 as well as more efficacious in their operation1 when exhibited in the state of effervescence4 ,to effect this we have only to introduce an alkaline carbonate into the formula1 and to direct a portion of some vegetable acid to be added just before it is swallowed4 ,we must1 however1 take care that the ingredients are of a nature not likely to be decomposed by the alkali1 in the first instance1 or by the neutral salt1 which is formed1 in the second4 ,see ,form4 #bg1 #hb1 #hf4 ,c4 ,by which it is ,,preserved from the spontaneous decomposition to which it is liable4 ,it is sometimes adviseable to add an ingredient for the purpose of preventing the sudden decomposition of a medicine2 thus is the ,compound ,tincture of ,cardamoms added to the ,compound ,decoction of ,aloes1 in order that the latter may be preserved a longer period without change4 ,the addition of sugar will prevent ointments from becoming rancid4 ,vegetable infusions1 that are susceptible of mouldiness1 are best preserved from such deterioration by some aromatic addition4 ,for the knowledge of this fact we are indebted to ,dr4 ,mac ,culloch1 who in a very interesting paper1 lately published in the ,edinburgh ,philosophical ,journal#bgc has observed1 that perfumes1 such as ,essential ,oils1 c4 will prevent the production and growth of those minute cryptogamous vegetables1 upon which the phenomenon of mouldiness depends4#bgd ,such are the objects which are to be attained by combining several substances in one ,formula1 and such the laws by which these compositions are to be regulated2 but unless a physician can satisfactorily trace the operation of each element in his prescription to the accomplishment of one or more of the objects which ,i have enumerated1 ,,simplicity should be regarded by him as the greatest desideratum4 ,i was once told by a practitioner in the country that the quantity1 or rather complexity of the medicines which he gave his patients1 for there never was any deficiency in the former1 was always increased in a ratio with the obscurity of their cases2 8if10 said he1 8,i fire a great profusion of shot1 it is very extraordinary if some do not hit the mark40 ,sir ,gilbert ,blane#bge has given us a similar anecdote2 8a practitioner being asked by his patient why he put so many ingredients into his prescription1 is said to have answered more facetiously than philosophically1 in order that the disease may take which it likes best40 ,a patient in the hands of such a practitioner has not a much better chance than the ,chinese ,mandarin who1 upon being attacked with any disorder1 calls in twelve or more physicians1 and swallows in one mixture all the potions which each separately prescribes6 ,let not the young practitioner however be so deceived2 he should remember that unless he be well acquainted with the mutual actions which bodies exert upon each other1 and upon the living system1 it may be laid down as an axiom1 that in proportion as he complicates a medicine1 he does but multiply the chances of its failure4 ,,superflua ,,nunquam ,,non ,,nocent3 let him cherish this maxim in his remembrance1 and in forming compounds1 always discard from them every element which has not its mode of action clearly defined1 and as thoroughly understood4 ,the perfection of a ,medicinal ,prescription may be defined by three words2 it should be ,,precise 7in its directions17 ,,concise 7in its construction17 ,,decisive 7in its operation47 ,it should carry upon its very face an air of energy and decision1 and speak intelligibly the indications which it is to fulfil4 ,it may be laid down as a position which is not in much danger of being controverted1 that where the intention of a medicinal compound is obscure1 its operation will be imbecile4 ,a ,medicinal ,formula has been divided into four constituent parts1 a division which will be found to admit of useful application to practice1 in as much as it was evidently suggested with a view of accomplishing the more prominent objects which have been related in the preceding pages2 or1 in the language of ,asclepiades1 of enabling the ,,basis to operate 8,,cito10 8,,tuto10 et 8,,jucunde40 ,quickly1 ,safely1 and ,pleasantly--thus ,i4 ,,the ,,basis1 or ,principal ,medicine4 7curare47 ,,ii4 ,,the ,,adjuvans2 that which assists and promotes its operation4 78,cito407 ,,iii4 ,,the ,,corrigens2 that which corrects its operation4 78,tuto407 ,,iv4 ,,the ,,constituens2 that which imparts an agreeable form4 78,jucunde407 ,these elements however are not all necessarily present in every scientific formula1 for many medicines do not require any addition to promote their operation1 and the mild and tractable nature of others renders the addition of any corrective unnecessary2 whilst many again are in themselves sufficiently manageable1 and do not therefore require the intermede of any vehicle or constituent4 ,it also frequently occurs that one element is capable of fulfilling two or more of the objects required2 the ,,adjuvans for instance1 may at the same time act as the ,,corrigens1 or ,,constituens2 thus the addition of ,soap to ,aloes1 or ,extract of ,jalap1 mitigates their acrimony1 and at the same time quickens their operation 7#hj47 ,so again ,neutral ,salts both quicken and correct the griping which attends the operation of resinous purgatives4 ,the disposition of the key letters placed opposite to the elements of the following ,formul1 will furnish the practitioner with a farther elucidation of these principles1 viz4 #gj1 #ga1 #gf1 #gg1 #aja1 #ajb1 #aje1 #ace1 c4 ,this coincidence1 if possible1 should be always attained1 for it simplifies the formula1 and by decreasing the bulk of the remedy1 renders it less nauseous and more elegant4#bgf ,this division also affords the best general rule for placing the ingredients of a formula in proper order1 for the order should correspond with that of the arrangement2 and those elements intended to act in unity should be marshalled together4 ,the chemical and mechanical nature however of a medicinal substance will occasionally offer exceptions to any general rule2 thus the volatile ingredients should be those last added1 and the constituent or vehicle should be placed next the particular element to which it is intended to impart convenience or efficacy of form1 or a capability of mixing with the other ingredients1 as may be seen in ,formul #fi1 #ga1 #abg1 #acf1 c4 ,this consideration induced the ,committee1 appointed to revise the late ,pharmacopia1 to alter the order of the ingredients in the 8,mistura ,ferri composita10 and to place the 8,spiritus ,myristic0 next in succession to the 8,potass ,sub-carbonas0 and ,myrrh4 ,if any substance require decoction or infusion1 a question then arises1 determinable only by a knowledge of its chemical composition1 whether the remaining ingredients should be added previous to1 during1 or subsequent to1 that operation2 ,formula #dj1 which is recommended by ,pringle as a remedy for ,typhus fever1 may serve to exemplify this principle4 ,the preparation of the ingredients is resolved into three distinct stages1 and it is easy to discover that by any other arrangement their several virtues could not be fully obtained1 and secured from change4 ,the ,cinchona1 for instance1 yields its full powers only by decoction1 a process which would necessarily impair those of ,serpentaria1 connected as they are with an essential oil2 whilst the addition of the acid at any other stage of the process than that directed1 would produce decompositions in the vegetable substances2 and it is evident that were the ,spirit of ,cinnamon added previously1 it would be entirely lost by vaporization4 ,so in making the ,compound ,decoction of ,sarsaparilla1 the ,sassafras should be added after the other ingredients have undergone boiling4 ,the ,decoctions of ,lichen ,islandicus and ,sarsaparilla constitute a popular remedy on the ,continent1 in certain forms of ,phthisis2 now it is evident that as the former plant loses its virtues by long coction1 and the latter requires a protracted ebullition for the extraction of its virtues1 they ought not to be included under the same general directions2 each decoction should be separately performed1 and the results subsequently mixed4 ,,compound ,,medicines have been divided into two ,classes1 viz4 ,i4 ,,officinal ,,preparations1 which are those ordered in the ,pharmacopias1 and kept ready prepared in the shops4 ,no uniform class of medicines however can answer the indications of every case1 and hence the necessity of ,,ii4 ,,magistral ,,or ,,extemporaneous ,,formul4 ,these are constructed by the practitioner at the moment1 and may be either arrangements altogether new1 or officinal preparations with additions1 or modifications4 ,too much importance cannot be assigned to the ,art which thus enables the physician to adopt and graduate a powerful remedy to each particular case by a prompt and accurate prescription2 without this knowledge1 the practitioner of the nineteenth century1 with all the collateral aid of modern science1 will be as helpless in the chamber of sickness as the physicians of ancient ,egypt1 who were obliged by the laws to follow with servile exactness the unvarying mandates of their medical code4 ,extemporaneous are also preferable to ,officinal ,formul1 whenever the powers of the compound are less liable to deterioration from being long kept2 for examples1 see ,mistura ,ferri composita2 ,infusum ,senn2 ,liquor ,hydrargyri ,oxymuriatis1 c4 ,,the ,,chemical ,,and ,,pharmaceutical ,,errors1 ,,which ,,may ,,be ,,committed ,,in ,,the ,,composition ,,of ,,extemporaneous ,,formul1 ,,are ,,referable ,,to ,,the ,,following ,,sources4 #a4--,substances are added together which are incapable of mixing1 or1 of forming ,compounds of uniform and suitable consistence4 ,this may be termed an error in the ,mechanism of the ,prescription1 and has been generally regarded as being more inconvenient than dangerous1 more fatal to the credit of the ,prescriber than to the case of the ,patient3 the observations however which are offered in this work1 especially under the article ,pilul1 must satisfy the practitioner that this error is more mischievous in its effects than has been usually supposed2 it is so palpable and self-evident in its nature1 that it will be unnecessary to illustrate it by more than one or two examples4 ,calomel1 for instance1 has been ordered in an aqueous vehicle1 and certain resinous tinctures have been directed in draughts1 without the necessary intervention of mucilage2 so again1 an intermixture of substances has been formerly ordered in powder that possess the perverse property of becoming liquid by triture 7see ,pulveres71 and bodies have been prescribed in the form of pills1 whose consistence#bgg renders it impossible that they should preserve the globular form2 or else they have been so hard and insoluble1 that they might be fired through a deal board4#bgh ,in the ,london ,pharmacopia of #ahji1 an error of this kind unfortunately passed without correction with regard to the ,formula for preparing the ,syrup of ,senna4 ,,ii4--,substances are added together which mutually decompose each other1 whence their original virtues are changed1 or destroyed4 ,this is a more serious1 but not a less frequent source of error2 it has been already shewn in this ,analysis 7,,iv4 ,b7 that the judicious and scientific application of chemical science has furnished new and endless resources to the physician1 by exalting the efficacy and correcting the acrimony of established remedies1 or by combining inert substances so as to create new and powerful medicines4 ,with equal truth and confidence it may be asserted1 that the abuse of these means not only destroys the virtues of the most valuable articles in the ,materia ,medica1 but that the mildest remedy may be thus converted into an instrument of torture1 and even of death4 ,in a lecture delivered at ,apothecaries' ,hall1 ,mr4 ,brande stated that he had seen a prescription in which the blue1 or mercurial pill1 was ordered in conjunction with nitric acid1 and that the patient was brought to 8death's door0 from the formation of nitrate of mercury in his stomach6 ,i have myself lately seen a ,recipe1 professing to afford a preparation similar to the 8,black ,drop10 and which directed a mixture of a ,tincture of ,opium1 made with rectified spirit1 with ,nitric ,acid2 in this case1 it may be very safely inferred that the author was not only ignorant of the chemical habitudes of these bodies1 but that he never performed the experiment in question1 or he would have learnt from dire experience1 that in consequence of the rapid evolution of nitric ether1 the contents of the phial will explode with violence1 to the imminent hazard of the operator's eye-sight4 ,during the course of my professional practice ,i have witnessed more than an ordinary share of consumptive cases1 and ,i can confidently state that in the treatment of ,hmopthysis1 the styptic properties of ,acetate of lead are entirely invalidated by combination with ,alum1#bgi or by its exhibition being accompanied with that of the acidulated infusion of roses1 or with small doses of sulphate of magnesia2 and yet1 ,i would ask1 whether this practice is not usual and general8 ,the practitioner however cannot be too often reminded that he is not to reject a remedy whose value has been ascertained by experience1 merely because it appears to be unchemical3 the popular and certainly useful pill1 consisting of calomel1 rhubarb and soap1 may be adduced as an example of this kind4 ,of the ,mistura ,ferri ,composita1 ,i will only say that it is a most valuable combination2 and whether it be the product of accident1 or the result of philosophical induction1 it equally deserves a distinguished place in our list of tonic remedies3 but it cannot be denied that many of our esteemed arrangements1 which are in apparent contradiction to all the laws of composition1 owe their efficacy to the operation of affinities altogether blind and fortuitous4 ,it has been observed that the practice of combining certain vegetable tonics with lime-water1 although very common1 is in cases where we are desirous to obtain their astringent effects1 of very doubtful propriety2 for the fact is1 that ,tannin forms with the alkalies and alkaline earths1 compounds that are not soluble in water1#bhj and which are therefore probably inefficacious4 ,it may perhaps be said that such an argument cannot avail1 because if the astringent matter be even introduced into the stomach in its purest form1 it will immediately form an insoluble compound on its contact with gelatine4#bha ,we know so little of the laws of gastric chemistry1 that it is difficult to learn what changes take place in the animal laboratory2 but it would seem probable that the powers of the stomach rather consist in decomposing the ingesta into simple forms1 than in complicating them by favoring new combinations2 besides which1 if such a compound were formed1 it would be subsequently decomposed in transitu2 for the experiments of ,sir ,h4 ,davy shew that vegetable astringent matter passes through the body unchanged4 7page #hb47 ,it is impossible to furnish any general rule that may enable the practitioner to avoid mixing together substances which are incompatible with each other2 a knowledge of their chemical habitudes must in every case direct him1 and these are enumerated in the second part of this work1 under the history of each medicinal substance4 ,the physician however will find it useful to retain in his remembrance the simple and beautiful law which has been so ably developed by the eminent author of the 8,,statique ,,chimique10 that whenever two salts in a state of solution are brought together1 which contain1 within themselves1 elements capable of producing a soluble and insoluble salt1 a decomposition must necessarily arise2#bhb he illustrates this law by the example of ,nitrate of ,silver and ,muriate of ,potass1 whose elements are capable of forming within themselves a soluble salt1 ,nitrate of ,potass1 and an insoluble salt1 ,muriate of ,silver4 ,it deserves also to be remembered1 that a table of chemical affinity will not upon all occasions prove to the medical practitioner an unerring pilot2 in those cases for instance1 where a super or sub ,salt is readily formed1 a substance less weakly attracted by another than a third1 will sometimes precipitate this third from its combination with the second1 thus in the production of ,nitric acid1 we decompose the ,nitrate of ,potass by virtue of the superior affinity of the ,sulphuric acid for its base1 the nitric acid is accordingly disengaged1 and a ,sulphate of ,potass remains in the retort2 now1 paradoxical as it may appear1 if nitric acid be poured upon the ,sulphate of ,potass1 a quantity of nitre will be reproduced1 in consequence of the saturation of a portion of the base1 in such a proportion as to enable the remaining atoms to form a ,bi-,sulphate of ,potass4 ,in the same manner the ,tartrate of ,potass 7,soluble ,tartar7 is1 contrary to the usual affinities1 decomposed by all sub-acid vegetables1 which neutralize a portion of the base1 and convert the salt into the ,bi-tartrate of ,potass 7,cream of ,tartar74 ,the same effect is even produced by ,carbonic acid4#bhc ,there are besides certain cases wherein ,triple ,salts are produced1 which afford apparent exceptions to the usual affinities of the bodies involved in the combination2 we have a very good illustration of this truth in the decomposition of the ,liquor ,ammoni ,acetatis by ,magnesia2 if the practitioner refers to a table of affinities1 he will perceive that ,acetic acid has a greater attraction for ,ammonia than for ,magnesia2 but if upon this assurance he were to administer these bodies together1 he1 or his patient1 would soon discover that ammonia is developed with considerable pungency2 now in this case the ,magnesia forms a triple ,acetate with one part of the ammonia1 and consequently sets the remainder at liberty4 ,a popular error exists with respect to the subject of chemical incompatibility1 against which it may be here advisable to caution the inexperienced prescriber1 viz4 that no important change is produced1 on the admixture of solutions1 unless precipitation is occasioned4 ,this however occurs only when the new compound produced is insoluble2 thus ,sulphuric acid may be added to ,lime water1 by which a ,sulphate of ,lime is formed1 but as its proportion is not too large for the water to dissolve1 no precipitate occurs2 so again1 a solution of ,nitrate of ,silver is not apparently disturbed by the addition of ,ammonia1 because the resulting ,ammoniuret is a soluble compound4 ,we should1 nevertheless1 commit a great error in supposing that1 for such a reason1 these bodies were not incompatible4 ,on the other hand1 the medicinal powers of a solution are not necessarily destroyed by the occurrence of a precipitate1 although such a result should always be regarded with suspicion4 ,,iii4--,the ,methods directed for the preparation of the ,ingredients are either inadequate to the accomplishment of the object1 or they change and destroy the efficacy of the ,substances4 ,the observations already offered upon ,formula #dj1 will sufficiently explain the nature of the various errors comprehended under this head3 so1 again1 if the virtues of a plant reside in essential oils1 which are easily volatilized1 or in extractive matter1 which readily becomes oxidized1 ,,decoction must necessarily destroy its efficacy2 a striking example of this fact is presented us in the history of the ,laurel and ,bitter ,almond3 the poisonous influence of the essential oil and distilled water of these vegetable substances is well known1 but their watery extracts are perfectly innocuous4 ,a still more familiar example is to be found in the onion1 or in garlic1 which by simple coction is deprived of all its acrimonious qualities4 ,on the other hand1 an error equally injurious would be committed1 by directing a simple infusion of a vegetable1 whose medicinal properties depended upon resino-mucilaginous principles4 ,orfila found that an extract of ,hemlock1 prepared by boiling the dried powder in water and evaporating the decoction1 was entirely destitute of activity4 ,see ,decocta1 ,infusa1 ,extracta4 ,an instance of the baneful effects which may arise from an erroneous method of preparation happened some time ago to fall under my immediate notice and care2 it was in preparing an infusion of the root of the ,veratrum with ,opium1 as directed by ,mr4 ,james ,moore1 when the dispenser ignorantly substituted a spirituous for a vinous menstruum4 ,a very common error may be here noticed1 which is that of prescribing a substance in such a form1 as not to be acted upon with any effect by the solvent2 as an example it may be stated1 that in preparing an infusion of ,juniper ,berries1 unless pains be taken by strong contusion to break the seed1 it will contain but little power as a medicine4 ,the unbruised seeds of ,mustard were commended by ,dr4 ,mead1#bhd in ,ascites1 and by ,bergius1 in ,intermittents2 ,dr4 ,cullen1 however1 has very properly observed that the seeds given in the above manner are never broken down or dissolved in the stomach1 but pass away entire by stool1 and cannot therefore occasion any beneficial result4 ,it is unnecessary to multiply examples in proof of the numerous errors into which a physician must unavoidably fall1 who presumes to compose prescriptions without a knowledge of the chemical habitudes of the different substances which he combines4 ,the file of every apothecary would furnish a volume of instances1 where the ingredients of the prescription are fighting together in the dark1 or at least are so adverse to each other1 as to constitute a most incongruous and chaotic mass4 8,obstabat aliis aliud3 quia corpore in uno ,frigida pugnabant calidis1 humentia siccis1 ,mollia cum duris1 sine pondere1 habentia pondus40 ,ovid4 ,metamorph4 lib4 #a4 #ai4 ,,the ,,doses ,,of ,,medicinal ,,substances are specific with respect to each1 and can therefore be only learnt from experience2 the young and eager practitioner1 however1 is too often betrayed into the error of supposing that the powers of a remedy always increase in an equal ratio with its dose1 whereas ,,the ,,dose ,,alone ,,very ,,often ,,determines ,,its ,,specific ,,action4 8,medicines10 says ,linnus1 8differ from poisons1 not in their nature1 but in their dose10 which is but a paraphrase of the well known aphorism of ,pliny1 8,ubi virus1 ibi virtus40#bhe--,so that food1 remedies1 and poisons1 may be said to branch into each other by indefinable gradations2--,five grains of ,camphor act as a mild sedative and slight diaphoretic1 but twenty grains induce nausea1 and act as a stimulant2 so again1 ,opium1 in too large doses1 instead of promoting1 prevents sleep1 and rather stimulates the bowels than acts as a narcotic4 ,two ounces of any neutral salt are apt to be emetic1 one ounce even of ,alum to be cathartic1 and two drachms to be refrigerant2 in like manner the preparations of ,antimony either vomit1 purge1 or sweat1 according to the quantity exhibited4 ,would it not appear that powerful doses rather produce a local than a general effect8 ,experience seems to prove in this respect1 that the effect of an internal application is similar to that of an external impression2 if violent1 it affects the part only to which it is applied1 as pinching does that of the skin1 whereas titillation1 which may be said to differ only from the former in degree1 acts upon the whole system1 and occasions itching and laughter1 and if long continued1 weakness1 sickness1 vomiting1 and convulsions2 in like manner ,digitalis1 if given in large doses1 acts immediately upon the stomach or bowels1 becoming emetic and cathartic1 but in smaller proportions it produces a ,,general effect1 increasing all the excretions1 especially that of urine2 so1 again1 large doses of the ,mercurial ,pill act upon the bowels1 and are eliminated from the body1 whereas the same remedy in small doses affects the system generally1 and excites a universal influence4 ,i am well satisfied that the regulation of the dose of a medicine is even more important than it is usually supposed to be4 ,substances perfectly inert and useless in one dose may prove in another active and valuable4 ,hence may be explained the great efficacy of many mineral waters1 whilst the ingredients which impart activity to them are found comparatively inert1 when they become the elements of an artificial combination2 and hence probably the failure of many alterative medicines1 when no other rational cause can be assigned for it4 ,we need not seek far for an example of the very different and opposite effects which the same substance can produce in different doses2 the operation of ,common ,salt is familiar to us all2 ,sir ,john ,pringle has shewn that in quantities such as we usually take with our food1 its action is highly septic1 softening and resolving all meat to which it is applied1 whereas in large quantities it usually preserves such substances from putrefaction1 and therefore1 when so taken1 instead of promoting1 destroys digestion4 ,it is moreover probable that medicinal1 like nutritive substances1 are more readily absorbed into the circulating system when presented in small quantities1 than when applied in more considerable proportions4 ,it is upon this principle that a large quantity of food1 taken seldom1 does not fatten so much as smaller quantities at shorter intervals1 as is exemplified in the universal good condition of cooks and their attendants4 ,it is not pressing the principle of analogy too far to suppose that the action of alteratives1 which require to be absorbed1 may be more effectually answered by similar management2 that is1 by exhibiting small doses at short intervals4 ,the operation of medicines is influenced by certain general circumstances1 which should be also kept in mind when we apportion their dose2 e4g4 ,,age--,,sex--,,temperament--,,strength ,,of ,,the ,,patient--,,habit--,,diet--,,profession --,,climate--,,duration ,,of ,,the ,,disease--,,state ,,of ,,the ,,stomach--,,idiosyncrasy--and ,,the ,,variable ,,activity ,,of ,,the ,,medicinal ,,substance4 ,women generally require smaller doses than men4 ,habit1 or the protracted use of a medicine1 generally diminishes its power1 although certain cathartics appear to offer an exception1 for when long continued1 their activity is proportionally increased1 as is well known to every person who is familiar with the operation of the ,cheltenham waters4 ,dr4 ,lamb has also stated with regard to the operation of ,lead1 8that the constitution1 so far from being reconciled to it by habit1 is rendered more and more sensible to its irritation by continuance40 ,emetics also frequently become more powerful by repetition2 ,cullen informs us that he knew a person so accustomed to excite vomiting in himself that the one twentieth part of a grain of tartarized antimony was sufficient to excite a convulsive action of the stomach2 in some cases such an effect may perhaps be referred to the operation of the mind2 for after the frequent use of an emetic1 the mere sight of it1 or even conversation relative to it1 has been found sufficient to excite nausea4 ,in apportioning the dose of a very active medicine1 it is of the greatest moment to determine the relative degrees of power between the system and the remedy1 and to know to what extent the latter is likely to be carried1 consonantly with the powers of life to resist it2 thus1 after a patient has been exhausted by protracted and severe suffering and watching1 a dose1 different to one at the commencement of the disease is requisite4 ,the importance of this precept is impressed upon my mind from having witnessed1 in the course of my practice1 several instances of the mischief which has arisen from a want of attention to it2 that disease materially influences the condition of the body1 and its susceptibility to remedial impressions1 has been already demonstrated4 ,emetics act very readily in febrile affections1 while in those of the ,neuroses#bhf they produce their effects with difficulty4 ,in the application of external remedies to diseased parts1 it especially behoves the ,surgeon to take into consideration the degree of vitality possessed by such parts1 and to graduate their strength accordingly4 ,mr4 ,henry ,earle#bhg has published a very interesting case in illustration of this principle4 ,the arm of a person became paralytic1 in consequence of an injury of the axillary plexus of nerves from a fracture of the collar bone2 upon keeping the limb for nearly half an hour in a tub of warm grains1 #8which were previously ascertained by the other hand not to be too hot1' the whole hand became blistered in a most alarming manner1 and sloughs formed at the extremities of the fingers1 and underneath the nails2 a considerable degree of inflammation subsequently spread in the course of the absorbents1 and matter formed in the axilla1 which was soon absorbed1 and the inflammation assuaged4 ,whence it follows1 that a limb deprived of its usual supply of nervous energy cannot sustain1 without injury1 an elevation of temperature which would not be in the least prejudicial to a healthy member4 ,mr4 ,earle supports this conclusion by the relation of another case1 in which the ulnar nerve had been divided1 for the cure of a painful affection of the arm2 the consequence of which operation was1 that the patient was incapable of washing in water at a temperature that was quite harmless to every duly vitalized part1 without suffering from vesication and sloughs4 ,before we quit the subject of ,,dose1 it may be necessary to observe1 that there are many remedies that do not act with greater violence in a large dose than in one comparatively small2 ,ipecacuan1 for instance1 is more certain in its operation1 but not more violent1 when given in a large quantity2 the same may be said of ,aloes1 and several other medicines4 ,,the ,,variable ,,activity ,,of ,a ,,medicine should also be appreciated1 and perhaps the practitioner would act cautiously if he were to reduce the dose1 should it be a very considerable one1 whenever a fresh parcel of the medicine is commenced1 especially of the powders of active vegetables liable to deterioration from being kept1 as those of ,digitalis1 c4 ,,the ,,time ,,of ,,the ,,day at which remedies should be administered deserves likewise some attention4 ,evacuating ,medicines ought to be exhibited late at night or early in the morning4 ,it would seem that during sleep the bowels are not so irritable1 and consequently not so easily acted upon1 which allows time for the full solution of the substance2 the same observation applies to ,alterative and other medicines which are liable to suffer from a vexatious irritability of the bowels2 it is on this account eligible to exhibit ,guaiacum1 ,pilul ,hydrargyri1 c4 when they are not intended to purge1 at bed time4 ,on the other hand1 where the effects of a remedy are likely to be lost by perspiration1 as is the case with ,diuretics1 many of which are by external heat changed into ,diaphoretics1 it may become a question with the judicious practitioner whether he cannot select some more favourable period for their exhibition4 ,in fevers it is of importance to consult in all respects the quiet and comfort of the patient2 ,dr4 ,hamilton therefore1 in his valuable work on ,purgatives1 very judiciously observes that1 on this account1 the exhibition of purgative medicines should be so timed1 that their effects may be expected during the day4 ,in some cases the time of administering a remedy must be regulated by the stage of the disease2 thus1 in fevers1 a dose of opium will either increase the heat of the body1 augment thirst and restlessness1 or occasion tranquillity and sleep1 according to the temperature of the body at the time of its administration2 for this reason ,dr4 ,currie advises us not to give the evening dose of ,opium in ,typhoid fevers1 till very late1 or about one or two o'clock in the morning1 when the heat is subsiding1 and moisture is coming on4 ,emetics administered for the cure of the slighter cases of ,pyrexia should be given in the evening1 as their operation leaves a tendency to sleep and diaphoresis1 which it is useful to promote4 ,remedies that require to be absorbed will probably be more efficient in the morning after sleep2 the old custom of giving medicines on a morning fasting1 is not quite so absurd as some modern practitioners have been led to suppose4 ,diaphoretics should be always given after the digestive process is ended1 for during the performance of this function the emunctories of the skin are less disposed to action4 ,,the ,,intervals ,,between ,,each ,,dose must be regulated by the nature of the remedy and that of the objects which it is intended to fulfil1 and whether it be desirable or not that the latter dose should support the effects of the preceding one1 or whether there be any fear of a reaction or collapse taking place after the effect of one dose has subsided1 unless immediately repeated2 thus the effects of diffusible stimulants1 such as ammonia and ther1 are very evanescent1 they should therefore be repeated at short intervals2 the same may be said of ,diaphoretics1 especially the lenient ones2 we ought not to allow the period between the doses to be so remote as to occasion any striking abatement in the impression3 so ,opium1 where its primary and stimulant operation is required1 as in diseases of debility1 such as fevers of the typhoid type1 should be given in small doses at short intervals1 so that it may enkindle and sustain a uniform and regular state of excitement3 but where the object is to mitigate pain1 allay irritation1 and produce sleep1 it ought to be exhibited in full doses1 at distant intervals4 ,there is a caution also which it is very necessary to impress upon the practitioner1 respecting the power which some medicines possess of accumulating#bhh in the system2 this is notorious with regard to ,lead and ,mercury1 and probably with the preparations of ,arsenic1 and some other metallic compounds4 ,dr4 ,withering has observed that the repetition of small doses of ,digitalis1 at short intervals1 till it produces a sensible effect1 is an unsafe practice1 since a dangerous accumulation will frequently take place before any signals of forbearance present themselves4 ,i have already alluded to the possibility of mercurial accumulation1 and its developement at a remote period4 ,,constitutional ,,peculiarities1 or ,,idiosyncrasies1 will sometimes render the operation of the mildest medicine poisonous1 8,virum novi10 says ,gaubius1 8qui cum fatuum lapidum cancrorum pulvisculum ingessit1 vix mitius afficitur quam alii ab ,arsenico40 ,i have seen a general ,erysipelas follow the application of a blister1 and tormina of the bowels1 no less severe than those produced by the ingestion of ,arsenic1 attend the operation of purgatives composed of ,senna6 ,in some constitutions ,antimony has been known to produce a ptyalism2 ,dr4 ,james assured ,sir ,george ,baker that he knew six instances of it1 although the patients thus affected had neither their teeth loosened1 nor their breath made offensive4 ,the peculiar susceptibility of certain individuals to the effects of particular plants is also very singular3 ,murray relates that unpleasant symptoms have been experienced by merely keeping ,aconite for some time in the hand1 or on the bosom4 ,i am acquainted with two persons in whom the odour of ,ipecacuan always produces a most distressing dyspna2 ,mr4 ,chevalier informs us1 that he once knew a lady who could not take ,powdered ,rhubarb1 without an erysipelatous efflorescence almost immediately shewing itself on the skin1 and yet she could take it in the form of ,infusion with perfect impunity4 ,there are some idiosyncrasies so singular and incredible1 that nothing but unimpeachable testimony could sanction our belief in their existence4 ,schenkius relates a case in which the general law of astringents and cathartics was always reversed4 ,donatus tells us of a boy whose jaws swelled1 whose face broke out in spots1 and whose lips frothed1 whenever he eat an egg4 ,the late ,pope ,pius ,,vii4 had such an antipathy to musk1 that on one occasion of presentation1 an individual of the company having been scented with that perfume1 his holiness was obliged to dismiss the party almost immediately4#bhi ,education1 and early habits certainly establish very extraordinary peculiarities in different countries with respect to various objects of diet and luxury3 what shall we say of the refinement of the ,ancients who regarded the flavour of the ,citron with disgust1 while the odour of putrid fish was deemed by them so exquisite1 that they carried it about in caskets of onyx as a favourite perfume6 ,custom makes the ,greenlander relish his train oil2 and ,dr4 ,heberden tells us1 that there is a town in ,north ,america1 where the spring-water is brackish1 and that1 when the inhabitants visit any other province1 they choose to put salt into their tea or punch1 in order1 as they say1 8to make it taste as it should do40#bij ,,climate4 ,several observations have already been offered upon the influence of ,climate in affecting the activity of our remedies4#bia ,with regard to its relations to ,dose1 ,i have only one remark to make to the ,english practitioner1 and that by the way of caution1 that he will not allow his own previous experience in hot climates1 or the persuasions of other tropical practitioners to induce him to administer such doses of ,mercury1 in ,england1 as may have been found salutary in ,india1 or in other ,colonies of similar temperature4 ,the popular scheme of ,gaubius for graduating the doses of medicine to different ages1 which was published in several of the former editions of this work1 is now omitted1 as being less easy of application than the following simple formula by ,dr4 ,young4 ,,rule4 ,for children under twelve years1 the doses of most ,medicines must be diminished in the proportion of the ,age1 to the ,age increased by #ab4 thus at two years to --viz4 #b #a ------------ -- #b #ab #g ,at #ba the full dose may be given4 ,every general rule however respecting the doses of medicines will have exceptions4 ,thus children will bear larger doses of ,calomel than even adults1 and many medicines which do not affect adults1 although exhibited in considerable quantities1 prove injurious even in small doses to children4#bib ,in concluding this part of the subject1 it is proper to impress upon the practitioner the importance of writing his prescriptions in legible characters1 and of avoiding all those abbreviations which are not generally understood1 or which are capable of misconstruction4#bic ,,on ,,the ,,particular ,,forms ,,of ,,remedies1 ,,and ,,the ,,general ,,principles ,,upon ,,which ,,their ,,construction ,,and ,,administration ,,are ,,to ,,be ,,regulated4 ,,solid ,,forms4 ,,pulveres4 ,powders4 ,the form of powder is in many cases the most efficient and eligible mode in which a medicinal substance can be exhibited1 more especially under the following circumstances4 #a4 ,simple ,powders4 #a4 ,whenever a remedy requires the combination of all1 or most of its principles1 to ensure its full effects1 as ,bark1 ,ipecacuan1 ,jalap1 c4 #b4 ,where medicinal bodies are insoluble1 and indisposed to undergo those essential changes1 in transitu1 which render them operative2 for it must be remembered that by minute division1 every particle is presented to the stomach in a state of activity1 being more immediately exposed to the solvent or decomposing powers of that organ4 #c4 ,where the mechanical condition of the substance is such as to occasion irritation#bid of the stomach1 as the ,sulphuretum ,antimonii1 or in external applications to produce an improper effect upon the skin1 as ,hydrargyri nitrico-oxydum4 ,the degree of fineness to which substances should be reduced by pulverization1 in order to obtain their utmost efficacy1 is a very important question4 ,the impalpable form appears to be extremely injurious to some bodies1 as to cinchona1 rhubarb1 guaiacum1 and to certain aromatics1 in consequence1 probably1 of an essential part of their substance being dissipated1 or chemically changed by the operation4 ,fabbroni1 for instance1 found by experiment that cinchona yielded a much larger proportion of soluble extractive1 when only coarsely powdered4 ,i think it may be laid down as a general rule1 that extreme pulverization assists the operation of all substances whose active principles are not easily soluble1 and of compound powders whose ingredients require1 for their activity1 an intermixture2 whilst it certainly injures1 if it does not destroy1 the virtues of such as contain as their active constituent1 a volatile principle which is easily dissipated1 or extractive matter which is readily oxidized4 #b4 ,compound ,powders4 ,the disintegration of a substance is much accelerated and extended by the addition of other materials2 hence the pharmaceutical aphorism of ,gaubius1 8,celerior atque facilior succedat composita1 quam simplex pulverisatio40 ,thus several refractory vegetable bodies1 as myrrh1 gamboge1 c4 are easily reduced by triturating them with sugar or a hard gum2 and some gum resins1 as assaftida or scammony1 by the addition of a few drops of almond oil4 ,upon the same principle the ,pharmacopia directs the trituration of aloes with clean white sand1 in the process for preparing ,vinum ,aloes1 to facilitate the pulverization and to prevent the particles of aloes1 when moistened by the liquid1 from running together into masses2 some dispensers very judiciously adopt the same mechanical expedient in making a tincture of myrrh2 so again1 in ordering a watery infusion of opium1 it will be judicious to advise the previous trituration of the opium with some hard and insoluble substance1 as directed in the ,pulvis ,cornu ,usti cum ,opio1 otherwise its particles will adhere with tenacity1 and the water be accordingly unable to exert a solvent operation upon its substance4#bie ,it is equally evident that in the construction of compound medicinal powders1 the addition of an inert ingredient1 which the mere chemist might condemn and discard as useless1 not unfrequently acts a very important part in the combination1 owing to its effects in dividing and comminuting the mere active constituents3 the sulphate of potass in ,dover's powder acts merely in dividing and mixing more intimately the particles of opium and ipecacuan3 the phosphate of lime appears to act in the same mechanical manner in the ,antimonial ,powder2 so again1 in the ,pulvis ,contrajerv compositus1 the prepared oyster shells may be a necessary ingredient3 in the ,pulvis ,jalap compositus of the ,edinburgh ,college1 the cream of tartar greatly increases the activity of the jalap1 by breaking down its substance and dividing its particles2 and ,van ,swieten observes that the operation of this resinous purgative is improved by bruising it with sugar1 and adding some aromatic4 ,the old combination of ,pulvis ,helvetii consisted of alum and dragon's blood1 and there can be no doubt but that the effect of this latter ingredient1 which has been often ridiculed1 was to retard the solution of alum in the stomach1 in consequence of which the preparation was likely to produce less inconvenience1 and could therefore be administered in larger doses2 the ,edinburgh college has substituted gum ,kino in their ,pulvis ,aluminis compositus1 which may have the same effect in modifying the solubility of the alum4 ,in rubbing together different substances1 it is necessary to remember that there are many saline bodies1 which in the dry state become moist and even liquid1 by triture with each other1 and that1 under such circumstances1 they are susceptible of mutual decomposition4 ,this change is effected by the action of water1 derived from the following sources4 #a4 ,from the water of crystallization4 ,this always operates when the proportion contained in the original ingredients is greater than that which the products can dispose of2 that is to say1 whenever the capacity of the new compound for water is less than that of the original ingredients4 ,by previously driving off this water by heat1 we shall of course avoid such a source of solution1 and no liquefaction can ensue4 ,thus1 if recently burnt quick-lime be triturated with calomel1 the resulting mixture will be white1 shewing that no decomposition can have arisen1 but add a few drops of water1 and it instantly assumes a dark aspect4 ,if crystallized sulphate of copper be triturated with ,acetate of lead1 the resulting mixture will assume a fine green colour1 but if the sulphate of copper be previously heated1 and its water of crystallization driven off1 no change of colour will be produced2 if1 for ,acetate of lead1 we substitute muriate of lime1 and the sulphate of copper be crystallized1 we shall obtain a result of a yellow colour1 but if the sulphate of copper be anhydrous1 the product will be colourless1 becoming however instantly yellow1 like the former1 on the addition of a drop of water2 and on a further addition of this fluid1 the yellow product in both instances will be rendered blue2 which proves that a chemical decomposition has taken place1 and a muriate of copper resulted2 for this salt is rendered yellow by a small1 and blue by a larger proportion of water4 ,the ,cuprum ,ammoniatum presents another illustration1 for the ingredients1 when rubbed together1 become extremely moist1 and undergo a chemical decomposition4 ,certain resinous bodies also1 as myrrh1 become liquid by triture with alkaline salts1 in which case the resin and alkali form a soluble compound1 which the water of crystallization1 thus set at liberty1 instantly dissolves4 #b4 ,from aqueous vapour in the atmosphere4 ,the water of the atmosphere does not act upon these occasions1 unless it be first attracted and absorbed by one of the triturated bodies2 e4 g4 if ,acetate of lead and recently burnt alum be triturated together1 no change will be produced2 but1 if the burnt alum be previously exposed for a short time to the atmosphere1 these bodies will1 in that case1 become liquid4 ,the physician1 without this chemical knowledge1 will be often betrayed into the most ridiculous blunders1 an instance of which very lately came to my knowledge in a prescription for the relief of cardialgia and constipation1 in the case of dyspepsia2 it directed sulphate of soda and carbonate of potass1 in the form of a powder1 but the fiat of the physician1 upon this occasion1 only served to excite the ridicule of the dispenser1 who soon discovered that the ingredients in his mortar dissolved into liquid4 ,during the exhibition of powders containing insoluble matter1 it is always important to maintain a regularity in the alvine excretions1 or an accumulation may take place attended with very distressing symptoms4 ,dr4 ,fothergill relates a case of this kind which succeeded the use of powdered bark2 and ,mr4 ,e4 ,brande has communicated a similar instance of mechanical obstruction1 produced by the habitual use of magnesia4 ,i could also add1 if it were necessary1 some striking facts of a similar tendency1 which occurred from eating bread that had been adulterated with pulverized felspar4 ,the precaution seems more particularly necessary in the case of children1 whose bowels are very impatient of extraneous and insoluble contents4#bif ,the dose of a powder ought not to exceed j2 and1 when taken1 should be diffused in water1 wine1 or any other convenient liquid2 resinous and metallic powders require a thick and consistent vehicle1 as syrup or honey1 since they subside from those which are more fluid4 ,,pilul4 ,pills4 ,these are masses of a consistence sufficient to preserve the globular form1 and yet not so hard as to be of too difficult solution in the stomach4 ,the subject offers some extremely interesting points of inquiry4 ,the following general rules will enable the practitioner to select those substances to which the form of pill is adapted1 and to reject those to which it is not suitable1 as well as to direct1 extemporaneously1 the most efficient mode of preparation4 ,i4 ,,the ,,selection ,,of ,,substances4 #a4 ,suitable ,substances are1 #a1 ,all remedies which operate in small doses1 as ,metallic ,salts2 and #b1 ,those which are designed to act slowly and gradually1 as certain ,alterative ,medicines1 or #c1 which are too easily soluble when exhibited in other forms1 as ,gamboge1 c4 #d1 ,substances which are not intended to act until they reach the larger intestines1 as in pills for habitual costiveness2 see ,aloes4 #e1 ,bodies whose specific gravities are too considerable to allow their suspension in aqueous vehicles4 ,efflorescent salts may also be exhibited in this form1 but they ought to be first deprived of their water of crystallization1 or the pills composed of them will crumble into powder as they dry4 #b4 ,unsuitable ,substances are1 #a1 ,those which operate only in large doses4 #b1 ,which deliquesce4 #c1 ,whose consistence is such as to require a very large proportion of dry powders to afford them a suitable tenacity1 as oils1 balsams1 c4 #d1 ,substances that are so extremely insoluble1 that when exhibited in a solid form they pass through the canal unaltered1 as certain extracts4 ,many remedies which are incompatible with each other in solution1 may be combined in pills1 unless indeed their medicinal powers are adverse or inconsistent1 or their divellent affinities sufficiently powerful to overcome their state of aggregation4 ,,ii4 ,,their ,,formation ,,into ,,masses4 ,this is a subject of far greater importance than is usually assigned to it1 as will be more fully explained in the sequel4 #a4 ,many substances1 as vegetable extracts1 may be formed into pills without any addition2 others1 as gum resins1 become sufficiently soft by being beaten1 or by the addition of a drop or two of spirit1 or liquor potass4 ,some dry substances react upon each other1 and produce1 without the addition of any foreign matter1 soft and appropriate masses4 ,the ,pilul ,ferri ,composit1 of our ,pharmacopia afford a very striking example of this peculiar change of consistence1 which the mutual reaction of the ingredients produces by simple triture4 ,the ,pilul ,aloes ,composit offer another instance2 for the extract of gentian1 upon being triturated with aloes1 produces a very soft mass1 so that the addition of a syrup1 as directed by the ,pharmacopia1 is quite unnecessary4 ,see ,form3 #ab4 #b4 ,many substances are1 in themselves1 so untractable1 that the addition of some matter foreign to the active ingredients1 is absolutely essential for imparting convenience of form4 ,it is generally considered that very little skill and judgment is required in the selection of such a substance1 provided it can fulfil the mechanical intention just alluded to--the fact however is1 that the medicinal power of the pill may be materially controlled1 modified1 or even subverted1 by the mode in which it is formed into a mass4 ,where the active element of a pill is likely to be improved by minute division1 a gummy or resinous constituent may be usefully selected3 under the history of ,aloes1 ,i have alluded to a popular pill1 known by the name of the dinner-pill1 in which case the mastiche divides the particles of the aloes1 and modifies the solubility of the mass4 ,the ,pilul ,opii of the former ,pharmacopia of ,london1 consisted of equal proportions of opium and extract of liquorice1 and the mass was so insoluble that its effects were extremely uncertain and precarious2 in the present edition1 soap has been very judiciously substituted2 but in certain cases where we wish to protract the influence of opium1 or that of any other active body1 so as not to obtain its full effects at once1 we may very advantageously modify its solubility by combining it with a gum resin or some substance which will have the effect of retarding its solution in the stomach4 ,the ,pilul ,styrace of the ,dublin college1 presents itself as an efficient example of this species of pharmaceutical address2 see also ,form4 #aj1 #aa1 #ab4 ,i am well acquainted with many formul whose utility has been sanctioned by experience1 and ,i have no hesitation in believing that their salutary mode of operation would receive a plausible explanation from this simple law of combination4 ,dr4 ,young has very justly stated in his ,medical ,literature1#big that the balsam of copaiba envelopes metallic salts1 so as to lessen their activity2 he says that the sub-carbonate of iron1 made into pills with copaiba1 was given for some weeks without any apparent effect2 and that a few hours after the same quantity had been given1 with gum only1 the fces were perfectly black4 ,i do not know a more striking and instructive proof of the influence of a glutinous or viscid constituent1 in wrapping up a metallic salt1 and defending the stomach from its action1 than is presented in the case published by the medical attendant ,mr4 ,marshall1 in consequence of the attempt of ,eliz4 ,fenning to poison the family of ,mr4 ,turner of ,chancery-lane by arsenic1 which she providentially administered in a heavy yeast dumpling4 ,soap is very frequently used for the formation of pill-masses1 and it is an excellent constituent for substances likely to be injured by meeting with an acid in the prim vi2 many resinous bodies may also be reduced to a proper consistence by soap1 although in prescribing it1 its levity should be attended to1 or otherwise the pills will be too bulky2 in general it will combine with an equal portion of any resinous powder1 as ,rhubarb1 ,jalap1 c42 it is of course ineligible where the substances are decomposed by alkalies1 as ,tartarized ,antimony2 this last precaution will also apply to aromatic confection as a vehicle1 on account of the carbonate of lime contained in it4 ,the ,conserve of ,roses has the advantage of retaining its consistency much longer than mucilage1 but as it contains an uncombined acid1 it is frequently inadmissible2 it could not for instance be with propriety employed with the precipitated sulphuret of antimony4 ,pills made with mucilage1 are apt to crumble when they are rolled out2 this is the case with the ,pilul ,hydrargyri submuriatis2 some extract therefore would be a more convenient constituent2 in this particular case1 however1 the addition of a few drops of spirit would supersede the necessity of any constituent4 ,castor oil1 in some cases1 especially with some of the harder purgative extracts1 will impart an eligible consistence4 ,crumb of bread1 furnishes a convenient vehicle for those salts which are ponderous1 active in very small doses1 or which are liable to be decomposed by other vehicles2 but an objection is attached even to this1 for it is liable to become so dry and hard when kept1 that pills made with it will frequently pass undissolved4 ,swediaur mentions this fact with reference to ,plenck's mercurial pill1 as well as to one of corrosive sublimate1 and he proposes for this reason to substitute starch2 the addition however of a small portion of sugar will prevent the bread from becoming thus indurated1 and with such a precaution it may be very safely employed4 ,for the purpose of forming active vegetable powders into pills1 such as ,digitalis1 ,conium1 c41 ,i am informed by ,mr4 ,hume of ,long ,acre1 that in his experience melasses or treacle is the best constituent that can be selected1 for it undergoes no decomposition by time1 but maintains a proper consistency1 and preserves the sensible qualities of the plant quite unimpaired for many years4 ,i have deposited in the cabinet of the ,college1 specimens of such pills1 of hemlock and foxglove1 which retain the characteristic odour of these vegetables1 notwithstanding they have been now made for several years4 ,honey has likewise the property of preserving vegetable substances2 seeds may be kept in it for any length of time1 some of which1 on being taken out1 washed1 and planted1 will even vegetate4 ,it has also been used for the preservation of animal matter2 the bodies of the ,spartan kings1 who fell at a distance in battle1 were thus preserved1 in order that they might be carried home4#bih ,water will on some occasions be found a convenient expedient2 powdered ,rhubarb or ,jalap may be thus made into masses without any increase of bulk1 but the pills will be apt1 if kept1 to become mouldy4 #c4 ,in the formation of pills the ingredients should be hastily rubbed together1 whenever they are liable to be injured by long exposure to the air2 thus in the formation of ,pilul ,hydrargyri submuriatis composit1 the compound is rendered less active by too long continued triture4 ,see ,pulveres4 #d4 ,in dividing pill-masses1 it is usual to add to them1 and envelope them in1 magnesia2 where calomel is present1 ,i have satisfied myself by experiment that a muriate of magnesia is formed under such circumstances1 and it is owing to this partial decomposition1 that the surface of the pill exhibits a greenish hue2 starch1 powder of liquorice1#bii or orrice root1 might perhaps under such circumstances be more judiciously preferred4 ,in ,germany1 the powder of ,lycopodium is generally used4 ,formerly1 the pill was covered with gold leaf1 which protected it from the influence of the stomach1 and frequently rendered it unavailing4 ,it has been observed that many of the pill-masses directed in our ,pharmacopias1 are liable to become so hard#cjj and dry by being kept1 that they are unfit for that division for which they were originally intended2 indeed ,dr4 ,powel considers it doubtful whether the greater number of articles had not better be kept in powder1 and their application to the formation of pills left to extemporaneous direction2 the necessity of this is farther apparent1 when we learn that it is a common practice for the dispenser to soften these masses by the application of a hot spatula1 or pestle1 which sometimes carbonizes1 and frequently decomposes them4 ,,iii4 ,,their ,,form ,,of ,,prescription4 ,in our extemporaneous directions1 it is necessary to apportion with accuracy the quantity of active materials which we may wish each pill to contain1 and since the proportion of the constituent can rarely be exactly defined1 the equable division of the whole mass1 into a given number of pills1 will be safer than defining the weight of each pill4 ,a pill1 the bulk of whose ingredient is vegetable matter1 ought not to exceed five grains in weight1 but where the substances which compose it are metallic and ponderous1 it may without inconvenience weigh six or even eight grains4 ,,trochisci4 ,troches1 or ,lozenges4 ,as these are regarded as objects rather of confectionary than of pharmacy1 the ,london and ,dublin ,colleges have not condescended to notice them2 the ,edinburgh ,pharmacopia1 however1 contains several formul for their preparation2 and as the form of lozenge offers a very commodious and efficacious method of administering certain remedies1 the theory of its operation deserves some notice in the present work4 ,it is principally useful in cases where it is an object that the remedy should pass gradually into the stomach1 in order to act as powerfully as possible upon the pharynx and top of the trachea1 as in certain demulcents or astringents2 for instance1 ,nitre1 when intended to operate in relaxed or inflamed states of the tonsils1 is best applied in this manner2 so is ,sulphate of ,zinc in chronic coughs1 attended with inordinate secretion4 ,in order to retard as long as possible the solution of the lozenge in the mouth1 it ought to be composed of several demulcent substances1 such as farinaceous matter1 sugar1 gum1 and isinglass2 for such a mixture will be found to answer the purpose better than any one of these articles taken by itself2 thus the farinaceous matter will prevent the sugar and the gum from being too soon dissolved2 the viscidity of the sugar and gum will prevent the farinaceous matter from being swallowed as soon as it would otherwise be2 and the isinglass will give a softness to the whole1 and thus prevent any sharp points from stimulating the membrane4 ,,suppositoria4 ,suppositories4 ,this form of preparation is very ancient1 and although it has of late years fallen into disuse1 it affords an efficacious mode of administering many powerful remedies1 and in some instances of producing effects which the same medicine would not command if given in any other form3 besides which1 it is found that after the stomach by long use has lost its susceptibility to the action of medicine1 such a substance will operate with fresh and unabated force if applied to the rectum4 ,there are two great indications which ,suppositories are calculated to fulfil1 viz4 #a1 ,the alleviation of pain and irritation1 especially when it arises from diseases of the bladder1 prostate gland1 uterus1 and other parts in the vicinity4 ,abortion may be thus frequently prevented4 ,to fulfil these intentions1 a mixture of opium with two parts of soap1 will be found eligible4 ,i can recommend such an application from a well grounded experience in its efficacy4 #b1 ,the production of ,catharsis4 ,in cases of ,apoplexy1 from the counter-irritation which these remedies are likely to occasion1 much advantage may arise2 and in the failure of more common measures1 they may be applied with certain success in the cure of ,ascarides2 see ,formula #adf4 ,where a very efficient ,suppository is required1 one or two grains of ,elaterium rubbed up with eight grains of hard soap1 will present us with a combination of great utility4 ,,electuaria4 ,electuaries4 ,this is an ancient form of prescription2 for although the term 8,electarium0 is first used by ,clius ,aurelianus1 yet the of ,hippocrates1 and the ,antidotus1 ,confectio1 ,mithridatium1 ,diascordium1 ,opiatum1 ,orvietanum1 ,philonium1 ,theriaca1 and ,requies of other authors1 were all ,electuaries4 ,they differ from ,conserves in this1 that the sugar in the latter preparations is in a greater proportion1 and is intended to preserve the ingredients2 whereas in the former1 it is merely intended to impart convenience of form2 see ,confectiones4 ,electuaries are in general1 extemporaneous preparations1 composed of dry powders1 formed into a proper consistence by the addition of syrup1 honey1 or mucilage2 when however the latter substance is employed1 the electuary very soon becomes dry and hard3 and when common syrup is used1 the compound is apt to candy1 and in a day or two to grow too hard for use2 this is owing to the crystallization of the sugar2 ,deyeux therefore states1 that the syrup should be previously exposed to the heat of a stove so long as it forms any crystals1 and that the residual liquor1 which from the presence of some vegetable acid has no tendency to crystallize1 may then be advantageously applied2--,melasses or ,treacle may in some cases be employed1 and from experiments which ,i have repeated with some care1 ,i am enabled to state that the peculiar flavour of this liquid is entirely removed by a simple operation1 which consists in diluting it with an equal weight of water1 and then boiling it with about one eighth part of powdered charcoal for half an hour1 when the liquor is to be strained1 and reduced by gentle evaporation to a proper consistence2#cja and moreover it appears1 that active vegetable powders retain their characteristic qualities when immersed in treacle1 longer than in any other excipient4 ,in selecting and prescribing this form of exhibition1 the following general rules should be observed4 ,i4 ,those substances which are nauseous1 deliquescent1 which require to be given in large doses1 or which are incapable of forming an intimate union with syrup1 as fixed oils1 balsams1 c4 should never be prescribed in the form of an electuary4 ,,ii4 ,the quantity of syrup directed must be regulated by the nature and specific gravities of the substances which enter into their composition1 viz4 #a4 ,dry ,vegetable ,powders require twice their weight of syrup1 or of honey4 #b4 ,gummy and ,resinous ,powders require an equal weight4 #c4 ,hard ,mineral ,substances should be formed into an electuary with some conserve1 as they are too ponderous to remain suspended in syrup4 ,it deserves also to be noticed1 that in consequence of the readiness with which metallic preparations undergo change1 it will be generally adviseable to keep the active ingredients in the form of powder1 and to add them to the syrup only just before they are required2 the ,electuary of the ,french ,pharmacopia1 which is commonly called 8,opiata ,mesenterica10 will furnish a good example1 8quantumvis molle fuerit recens1 progressu temporis1 ob ferrum quod ipsi inest1 mir indurescit40 ,,liquid ,,forms4 ,,mistur4 ,mixtures4 ,these preparations are generally extemporaneous1 in which different ingredients are mingled together in the liquid form1 or1 in which solid substances are diffused through liquid1 by the medium of mucilage or syrup3 for prescribing mixtures the following general rules may be laid down4 ,i4 ,substances which are capable of entering into chemical combination1 or of decomposing each other1 ought not to be mixed together1 unless it be with a view of obtaining the new products as a remedy4 ,,ii4 ,transparency is not a necessary condition1#cjb and hence insoluble powders may be advantageously introduced into mixtures1 if the following precautions be observed4 #a4 ,they must be divisible and mechanically miscible in the liquid4 #b4 ,they must not possess too great a specific gravity4 #c4 ,they must not render the liquid too mucilaginous or thick2 thus1 fj should seldom contain more than ss of a vegetable powder1 ij of an electuary1 and conserve2 or grs4 xv1 or j of an extract4 ,,iii4 ,the taste1 the smell1 and the general aspect of the mixture should be rendered as pleasant as possible2 thus milk covers the taste of bark1 of the tinctures of guaiacum and valerian1 and that of lime water2 and a light decoction of the liquorice root disguises a bitter taste more effectually than sugar4 ,the ,physician may also produce occasional changes in the appearance of his mixture1 in order to reconcile a delicate taste to its continuance2 he never ought however to alter the essential part of plans which he finds advantageous4 ,a ,,draught differs merely from a mixture in quantity2 it is usually taken at once1 and should not exceed fiss2 it should be always preferred when1 #a4 ,the remedy is to be taken in a precise dose4 #b4 ,whenever it is liable to spontaneous decomposition4 #c4 ,whenever the action of the atmosphere occasions change4 ,in apportioning the dose of mixtures1 the following proportions are admissible1 although not perfectly accurate4 ,a ,,table ,,spoon full 7,cochleare ,amplum7 fss4 ,,dessert ,,spoon 7,cochleare ,mediocre7 more than fij4 ,,tea ,,spoon 7,cochleare ,minimum7 fj4 ,a ,,wine ,,glass 7,cyathus7 although very variable1 may be estimated as containing fiss4 ,the custom of measuring the dose of a liquid by dropping it from the mouth of a phial is very erroneous2#cjc it will therefore be proper to dilute an active medicine that is to be so apportioned1 with at least a triple quantity of water1 that its real dose may not be essentially altered by any slight variation in the quantity4 ,the temperature at which a liquid medicine should be given may perhaps merit a few observations4 ,in general1 the ordinary degree of heat is that which will best answer the intention1 but in cases of dyspepsia1 the sense of weight and uneasiness1 which often follows a dose of medicine1 will be prevented by giving it in a tepid state4 ,this remark will apply to the administration of the ,decoction of ,sarsaparilla2 ,refrigerants should of course be given as cool as possible2 ,camomile ,infusion1 and other vegetable ,ptisans1 which are designed to promote the operation of an emetic1 will be more efficient when warm4 ,in delicate chlorotic females ,i have sometimes found chalybeate draughts not only more efficacious1 but less distressing to the stomach1 when exhibited in a tepid state4 ,,enemata4 ,clysters4#cjd 8,lavamenta40 ,this form of applying a medicine furnishes the practitioner with many valuable resources1 although the remedy has not escaped its due share of persecution4 ,paracelsus bestowed upon it the epithet 8turpissimum medicamentum10 and ,van ,helmont that of 8pudendum medicorum subsidium40 ,it is calculated to fulfil the following indications1 viz4 #a4 ,to promote the tardy operation of a ,cathartic1 or to evacuate the bowels1 where1 from delicacy of stomach1 medicines cannot be retained1 or from debility of body they cannot be safely administered4 ,in the administration of a remedy of this kind1 there are two essential circumstances1 independent of the strength of its ingredients1 which will modify its activity1 viz4 ,,impulse and ,,quantity1 by which we obtain the stimulus of distention2 warm water without any adjunct may thus be made the means of overcoming those unrelenting obstructions1 which had refused obedience to more common measures3 ,clysters1 however1 when most forcibly urged1 rarely reach beyond the sigmoid flexure of the colon1 and yet when the largest quantity of fluid which the bowels will admit is introduced with considerable impulse1 the local impression is so powerful that it is at once extended by the medium of sympathy1 through the whole of the alimentary canal1 and very thorough and copious discharges result4 #b4 ,to induce extreme relaxation3 ,which is best effected by an infusion of ,tobacco4 ,see ,tabaci ,folia4 #c4 ,to produce ,astringent and ,anodyne1 or ,carminative effects4 ,common starch1 with the addition of ,tincture of ,opium1 is the most common and convenient form for this purpose4 ,see also ,assaftida1 ,terebinthin ,oleum1 and ,formul #h1 #i1 #bi1 #cj4 ,in some cases the injection of cold water acts as a powerful astringent1 and from its impression upon the rectum1 will frequently afford instantaneous relief in the piles4 #d4 ,to destroy ,ascarides4 ,see ,form4 #afd4 #e4 ,to act as an emollient fomentation4 #f4 ,to convey nutriment4 ,in the administration of ,clysters1 for the fulfilment of any of the last five indications1 it is obvious1 that the stimulus of distention should be avoided1 as being incompatible with our object2 the quantity1 or bulk of the solution1 ought to be also carefully graduated2 to prevent1 for example1 the opiate clyster from being too soon returned1 ,dr4 ,cullen has remarked that it seldom should be made of more bulk than that of three or four ounces of liquid1 and this also of a very mild kind4 ,in administering a bitter decoction for the cure of ,ascarides1 the same precaution is necessary1 or the gut will suddenly contract and expel the clyster1 which always acts with more certainty when allowed to remain for some time4 ,the proportions of fluid vehicle necessary for the different stages of life1 under ordinary circumstances1 may be stated as follows3--,an infant at its birth1 or soon after1 requires about one fluid ounce2 a child between the age of one and five years1 from three to four fluid ounces2 a youth of ten or fifteen1 from six to eight fluid ounces2 and an adult may take twelve4 ,with regard to the dose of the active ingredient of a ,lavement1 it may be estimated as triple of that taken by the mouth4 ,,injectiones4 ,under this head may be comprehended the various medicinal preparations which are employed as local applications2--to the urethra for the cure of gonorrha1 and to the vagina for that of the different discharges to which females are liable4 ,with respect to the former of these it has been truly observed1 that 8among the whole class of remedies employed for surgical purposes1 there is scarcely one which has occasioned a greater diversity of opinion20 to enter however into an examination of this subject would be entirely foreign to the intention of the present work2 it is only necessary to state1 that for their preparation the same principles of combination1 and the same chemical precautions1 apply1 as have been already investigated under the head ,mistur4 ,in some cases the practitioner will find it useful to insure the entire solution of his active ingredient2 while in others1 the presence of a precipitate may enhance the efficacy of the application1 as illustrated by ,form4 #fb4 ,in the preparation of injections for the cure of female discharges1 it must be remembered that1 if they be of a vegetable nature1 their efficacy wholly depends upon the ,tannin which they contain1 and the prescriber must therefore take care not to invalidate the force of this principle by any incompatible additions4 ,and it deserves to be remembered1 that as ,tannin has the power of coagulating animal mucus1 and of forming with it an insoluble precipitate1 its administration1 as an injection1 is liable to occasion the evacuation of whitish or ash-coloured flakes1 which will come away from time to time1 and excite in the patient's mind1 says ,mr4 ,clarke1 the apprehension that she is voiding portions of the internal parts of the body1 unless her mind be prepared for the occurrence by a previous explanation1 and which the judicious practitioner will not neglect to afford4 ,in some cases it will be necessary to correct the irritating effect of the astringent by the addition of a demulcent1 as exemplified in ,form4 #fa4 ,in applying this form of remedy an ivory syringe should be always preferred to one of pewter1 whenever the solution is likely to be affected by the contact of a metal4 ,,inhalationes4 ,inhalations4 ,under this general title may be comprehended two distinct classes of volatilized substances1 viz4 ,dry ,fumes 7,suffitus71 and ,watery ,vapours 7,halitus74 ,before we enter upon the consideration of this particular form of remedy1 it may be necessary to state1 generally1 that it appears to be capable of affording a very expeditious and powerful mode of affecting the body by certain medicines4 ,if the power of a remedy be so greatly modified by circumstances affecting its solubility1 as we have already proved1 it cannot be a matter of surprise that the still farther diminution of its cohesion should occasion a corresponding influence upon its energies2 indeed it would appear that some few substances are entirely inert when applied under any other form1 see ,hydrargyrum1 in the after part of this work4 ,we are1 moreover enabled by these means1 to bring various bodies into immediate contact with organs1 which are inaccessible to such remedies in every other state of aggregation4 ,this observation applies more particularly to the lungs1 and the subject has lately occupied the attention of a worthy and skilful physician1 whose work#cje is well entitled to the serious consideration of the profession4 ,the practice of causing patients to inhale various volatilized substances appears to have been of very ancient date4 ,it has been already stated in this work 7p4 #ci7 that the fumes of ,orpiment were directed to be breathed by ,galen1 and that the practice has been adopted by practitioners of later date4#cjf ,few attempts of this kind however were made1 until the time of our countryman ,bennet1 the author of 8,theatrum ,tabidorum10 who arranges volatilized substances into the two classes which have been announced at the head of the present section1 viz4 ,suffitus1 and ,halitus4 ,the numerous trials which have been since made with the different gases must be in the remembrance of every reader1 but unfortunately1 the injudicious and empirical spirit with which these inquiries have hitherto been conducted1 has thrown such discredit upon the subject1 that the practitioner who should resume the investigation1 must be prepared to hear his understanding1 or his integrity1 questioned4 ,,suffitus4 ,fumes of ,burning ,substances4 ,the particular forms of pulmonary disease in which ,tar fumes appear to be most serviceable1 are of the chronic kind2 where an inflammatory diathesis prevails1 or any tendency to hmopthysis exists1 the practice cannot be said to be free from danger4 ,in treatment of hooping cough the inhalation of tar fumes have been also said to be beneficial4 ,for the mode of applying this remedy1 see ,pix ,liquida4 ,the practice of smoking the roots of ,stramonium1 ,tobacco1 c4 might with propriety be noticed under this head4 ,with the respect to the former of these remedies1 much has been said and written1 and asthmatic patients have occasionally expressed a belief in its palliative powers2 in my own practice however1 ,i have never met with any success that has inspired my confidence4 ,see ,stramonii ,herba4 ,,halitus4 ,aqueous ,vapours4 ,in certain catarrhal affections1 when accompanied with painful and difficult expectoration1 benefit may be occasionally obtained from the inhalation of the steam of hot water1 or of vinegar and water1 the acid in this case assisting the expectoration1 while the whole acts as an emollient and soothing application to the tender and inflamed vessels of the internal surface of the bronchial tubes4 ,the same practice is also highly serviceable in ,cynanche ,trachealis1 and ,tonsillaris4 ,in ,pneumonia1 after the violence of the arterial excitement has been reduced by depletory measures1 the inhalation of the steam of hot water1 or decoctions of emollient herbs1 will often contribute to the support of an easy expectoration4 ,it has been already stated under the history of ,expectorants 7page #ajf71 that in certain dry states of the air1 the evaporation of water in an artificially warmed apartment1 is frequently attended with considerable relief to the pulmonary patient4 ,in ,dyspna1 attended with a spasmodic condition of the pulmonary organs1 vapours impregnated with sulphuric ther have been recommended for inhalation4 ,dr4 ,pearson also states that the efficacy of such an application is materially enhanced by dissolving in it a portion of the extract of ,conium4 ,dr4 ,botcher of ,copenhagen1 has lately announced the utility of vapours of camphor1 in complaints affecting the cavities of the nose1 throat1 and chest4 ,he states that in the worst case of stoppage of the nose from catarrh1 a piece of camphor need only be kept for a few minutes before it1 to obtain great relief2 the same application has been known to produce good in ,cynanche ,tonsillaris4 ,in order to apply such inhalations we may employ the inhaler invented by ,dr4 ,mudge1 or if that instrument be not at hand1 the spout of a tea pot1 or a common basin with an inverted funnel1 will be found very convenient substitutes4 ,,remedies ,,of ,,external ,,application4 ,this class of medicinal agents formerly comprised a much wider range of forms than it at present contains2 such as numerous ,epithems2 ,vapours2 ,aromatic ,bags2 ,medicated ,quilts1 c4 ,the external remedies of the present day may be divided into two orders1 viz4 #a4 ,those whose effects are entirely local1 as exemplified in the application of certain refrigerating embrocations1 stimulating cataplasms1 and astringent unguents4 #b4 ,those which excite general effects1 or produce an influence upon parts remote from those to which the remedy is more immediately addressed1 as illustrated by the operation of mercurial liniments and unguents1 or by the general tonic effects of adhesive plaisters4 ,with respect to the former of these divisions it is unnecessary to multiply our remarks2 the objects which they embrace belong more particularly to the department of surgery1 and from the investigation of the different modes and forms of external application we shall hereafter derive very ample and instructive illustrations4 ,in considering the objects of the latter division1 a very interesting and important question immediately suggests itself for our consideration--,how far a medicinal substance1 when locally applied to the surface of the body1 may be capable of affecting the general system1 or some of its more remote parts8--the experienced practitioner will feel no hesitation in admitting numerous proofs of the existence of such agency2 and it would seem probable that topical applications may produce general effects by several distinct modes of operation1 viz4 #a4 ,by exciting an impression on the nervous system4 #b4 ,by modifying the cuticular discharge4 #c4 ,by being absorbed into the circulation4 ,in considering the different forms of external applications1 it will appear that1 for their extemporaneous construction1 preparation1 and application1 the same scientific knowledge1 practical skill1 and pathological acumen will be required1 as we have already stated to be so indispensably requisite to enable the physician to prescribe1 and the pharmaceutist to prepare the various remedies intended for internal administration2 although in regard to the former1 it may be stated generally that the prescriber will more frequently be called upon to exercise that species of knowledge and address which enables the practitioner to impart a convenient and efficient consistency to his remedy2 for an external application is far more dependent upon this circumstance for its efficacy1 than one intended for internal use4 ,,lotiones3 ,remedies of a liquid nature1 designed for external application4 ,under this generic term1 which strictly signifies a wash1 may be comprehended several species of medicines1 calculated for the fulfilment of different indications1 as ,,embrocationes1 ,,collyria1 ,,fomenta1 ,,linimenta1 c4 ,in some instances these applications are entirely local in their effects1 as where a morbid action of the skin is changed by a stimulating lotion1 as exemplified in the cure of ,psora by the decoction of ,hellebore1 or the relaxed vessels of the tunica conjunctiva of the eye1 by an astringent collyrium2 in other cases1 they operate upon parts not in contact with the remedy1 through the medium of sympathetic communication1 as where cholic and disorders of the bowels are abated by the application of warm fomentations to the surface of the abdomen1 or where paralytic affections are relieved by pumping cold water on the part affected4 ,,embrocationes4 ,these1 as the term#cjg denotes1 are compositions of spirit1 decoctions1 infusions1 or other liquids1 applied by sprinkling or rubbing them on an affected part4 ,,linimenta#cjh are understood to differ from embrocations in consistence1 the former being of an oily1 or mucilaginous density1 which increases their efficacy by imparting a certain emollient power1 in addition to their other virtues4 ,in popular language1 however1 liniment and embrocation are generally considered synonymous terms4 ,they constitute a valuable class of remedies1 and the observations which ,dr4 ,percival has offered on their utility well merit the attention of the medical practitioner4 8,volatile and antispasmodic liniments are highly useful remedies1 and it is to be lamented that external applications of this kind are not more frequently employed1 for there is just reason to apprehend that powerful effects might be expected from them in various diseases40 ,in chronic affections of the viscera1 such applications appear highly serviceable1 not only from the friction to which they give origin1 but from the influence of that species of sympathy which appears to depend upon the mere proximity and continuity of parts1 and which1 as ,sir ,gilbert ,blane has observed1 is particularly displayed 8in the containing on the contained parts1 as that of the integuments on the subjacent viscera40 ,,collyria#cji4--,liquid applications to the eyes4 ,the ,pharmacopia ,chirurgica contains several different formul for lotions of this kind1 some of which are simply astringent1 while others combine also the virtues of a stimulant4 ,,cataplasmata4#caj ,poultices1 or ,pultices4 ,external applications of a pulpy1 and somewhat coherent or tenacious consistence4 ,they are generally extemporaneous preparations1 and are calculated to answer several different indications1 viz4 #a4 ,as ,,stimulants1 e4 g4 ,cataplasma ,sinapis1 ,l4 ,d4 which generally inflames the surface to which it is applied so much as to raise blisters2 common salt also1 muriate of soda1 constitutes the active ingredient of a poultice which has lately been brought into considerable repute for the reduction of indolent strumous swellings and enlargements of the glands4#caa #b4 ,,antiseptics--,cataplasma ,fermenti1 ,l4 7see p4 #aei47 ,a powerfully antiseptic cataplasm may be also made by stirring finely powdered charcoal into a common linseed meal poultice4 ,a cataplasm of the boiled carrot1 beat into a pulp1 has been likewise found very effectual in sweetening foul ulcers4 #c4 ,,sedatives4 ,the most efficient of these are composed of ,conium1 ,digitalis1 or ,hyoscyamus1 and are eminently serviceable in cancerous and scrophulous sores of a highly irritable and painful nature1 to diminish their sensibility and correct the acrid discharges4 ,see ,form4 #ah4 #d4 ,,refrigerants4 ,in the formation of a cataplasm for this purpose we must avoid the introduction of substances that are slow conductors of caloric2 suppose for example our object is to apply the sub-acetate of lead in this form1 it will in such case be judicious to mix the linseed meal1 with oatmeal1 or crumb of bread2 for if the former substance be used singly1 it is liable1 from its tenacity1 to become hard and dry1 and in that state to augment the temperature which it was designed to diminish4 #e4 ,,emollients4--7,the modus operandi of these agents is explained at p4 #adb47 ,for which purpose the common farinaceous poultice is the most eligible1 made by soaking slices of bread in milk1 and simmering them together over a gentle fire until they are reduced to the proper consistence1 which ought to be such as to prevent its spreading farther than is designed1 and yet not so hard as to occasion any mechanical irritation2 the whole is then to be beat smooth with a spoon1 and applied as warm as the patient's feelings will readily admit4 ,some practitioners have doubted the propriety of milk as an ingredient in this composition1 and have preferred water as an excipient1 not only because the former is very liable to turn sour1 but because it does not possess greater powers as an emollient than water2 the observations of the editor of the ,pharmacopia ,chirurgica upon this question are judicious1 and worthy our notice2 8the objection10 he says1 8will certainly hold good whenever stale milk is made use of1 or if the same poultice be kept too long applied2 but if the milk be fresh1 and the poultice renewed night and morning1 we do not know any thing that occasionally gives such ease and comfort to the patient as this form of cataplasm4 ,if water be substituted for milk1 the poultice is seldom of sufficient tenacity2 it is true that this inconvenience may be remedied by the addition of a little linseed meal1 but in some instances the meal appears to fret and irritate the skin so much1 that patients undergo considerable uneasiness from this cause2 an objection to which the cataplasm of bread and milk is seldom subject1 especially if it be not applied too hot40 ,every substance1 whether liquid or solid1 may become an ingredient in this species of composition1 and although judicious and experienced surgeons have of late very considerably improved the form of their cataplasms1 yet the principles of medicinal combination1 which it has been the object of the present work to investigate and expound1 will suggest many important hints for the farther extension of their utility2 and although the direction of them is more frequently left to the nurse than to the medical practitioner1 yet in adapting them to each particular occasion some share of chemical address may be necessary2 we have already seen that attention must be paid to the selection of ingredients1 with respect to their powers of conducting heat1 and it is evident that care must be taken not to reduce into pulp1 by decoction1 substances that contain volatile principles2 while in the preparation of active liquids to be subsequently mixed with linseed meal1 it is equally evident that we must be directed by the chemical nature of their composition4 ,,emplastra4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,plasters4 ,these are solid and tenacious compounds1 adhesive at the ordinary heat of the human body2 they owe their consistence to different causes1 viz4 #a4 ,to a due admixture of wax or fatty matter1 and resin1 e4 g4 ,emplast3 ,cer1 c4 ,they may be said to differ only in consistence from liniments1 ointments1 and cerates2 ,deyeux#cab accordingly proposes to distinguish them by the appellation of ,solid ,ointments4 #b4 ,to the chemical combination of the semivitreous oxide of lead with oils or fat1 e4 g4 ,emplast3 ,plumbi4 #c4 ,to the chemical action of the component parts of the plaster on each other1 as ,emplast3 ,ammoniaci1 c4 ,plasters are generally kept in rolls1 wrapped in paper1 and when to be used they are melted and spread on leather2 in performing this operation the practitioner ought not to apply a heat above that of boiling water2 for if metallic oxides be present1 the fatty matter will1 at a higher temperature1 reduce them1 in consequence of the powerful affinity of oil for oxygen at an exalted temperature2 and if aromatic substances enter as ingredients they will thus suffer in their strength1 besides which the fat itself will undergo a very injurious change by a mismanaged application of heat1 and the plaster will be less adhesive4 ,they are employed as remedies to answer two general indications2 mechanically1 to afford support to muscular parts and to prevent the access of air2 and medicinally1 to operate as stimulants1 discutients1 rubefacients1 or anodyne applications4 ,that by affording an artificial support to the various parts of the body1 by the application of plasters1 we are capable in certain diseases of effecting much benefit1 is a truth to be explained upon the principles of physiology1 and is daily confirmed by the results of practice2 thus by giving support to the muscles of the back1 how frequently the stomach is steadied and strengthened8 ,diseases of the kidneys are in the same way very frequently relieved by tight bandages around the loins2 the existence of an intimate connexion between the external and internal parts is strikingly exemplified by the distressing effects which are often experienced in weak habits1 such as sickness1 giddiness1 and other uneasy sensations1 from a want of any usual compression1 as that of stays1 under-waistcoats1 c4 ,the support afforded to persons who have been tapped in ,ascites is another instance4 ,i have also lately met with a case in which a morbidly relaxed state of the bowels had harassed the patient for several years1 and set at defiance every astringent medicine2 upon the application1 however1 of a tight bandage around the abdomen1 the healthy action of the intestines has been completely restored4 ,sir ,gilbert ,blane has suggested the trial of mechanical compression of the head in the cure of ,hydrocephalus1 and several cases1 apparently favourable1 have been published4 ,dr4 ,thackrey of ,cambridge has related a very interesting history in support of the practice1 and judiciously recommends the substitution of straps of adhesive plaster for the bandages of cloth originally proposed by ,sir ,gilbert4 ,in reasoning upon this treatment1 it will be found strictly conformable with the soundest principles of physiology1 and with those views in particular1 for the illustration of which ,i have here directed the reader's attention to the subject4 ,where our object is simple support1 we should of course select a plaster which is the most adhesive and the least irritating4 ,many plasters which have gained great celebrity for their curative virtues will be found to owe all their powers to their adhesiveness1 such is the ,emplastrum ,oxidi ,ferri ,rubri of the ,edinburgh ,pharmacopia1 for it is impossible that the iron should communicate any tonic effect4 ,the same observation applies to many of those empirical plasters which have at different times acquired so great a share#cac of popular applause4 ,in the cure of sore legs#cad the importance of adhesive strapping is generally acknowledged1 and on such occasions nothing is superior to the ,emplastrum ,resin4 ,,formul ,,in ,,illustration ,,of ,,the ,,subject ,,of ,medicinal ,combination4 8,longum est iter per ,prcepta1 breve et efficax per ,exempla40 ,,seneca4 ,a ,,collection ,,of ,,formul ,,intended ,,to ,,illustrate ,,the ,,foregoing ,,precepts1 and to furnish the inexperienced ,prescriber ,,with ,a ,,series ,,of ,,useful ,,and ,,instructive ,,lessons4 ,,explanation ,,of ,,the ,,key ,,letters4 ,the ,modus ,operandi of the different elements of each formula is designated by a ,,key ,,letter1 or ,symbol1 which is printed in a different type1 7thus ,b7 and placed in the margin opposite to each4 ,this letter refers to a corresponding one in the ,synopsis1 and thereby shews the division containing an exposition of the principles upon which the operation of the ingredient is supposed to depend4 ,two or more ,,key ,,letters denote that the element against which they are so placed has several modes of operation1 whilst the order in which the letters succeed each other1 serves to shew the relative importance of them4 ,where any one of the letters is small1 i4 e4 not a capital1 it denotes that the operation which it is intended to express is only incidental to1 or subordinate in1 the general scheme of the combination4 ,when any number of elements are included within a vinculum or bracket1 it is intended to shew that they operate but as one substance1 or1 that the virtues of each are not independent of the other2 in this case the ,,key ,,letter within the bracket expresses upon what principle this unity depends1 whilst that on the exterior shews the action of such a combination upon the base1 or the part which it performs in the general scheme of the ,formula4 ,let us exemplify it by a reference to ,formula #gh which presents us with a ,purgative1 in conjunction with a ,stimulant4 ,the base is ,aloes1 which is succeeded by ,scammony1 and ,extract of ,rhubarb2 these substances appear by the bracket1 to act in unison1 a concurrence which the interior letter ,b shews to depend upon their being ,,similar ,,remedies2 the letter also on the exterior shews that its operation upon the base depends upon the same principle4 ,we next come to powdered ,capsicum1 and ,oil of ,cloves2 these ingredients are also shewn by a bracket to act in unity1 and the letter ,b in the interior1 denotes that it is in consequence of their possessing a similar mode of action1 whilst the letter ,g on the exterior1 announces that they act in the general scheme for the purpose of fulfilling a second indication2 at the same time the smaller letter e informs us that the combination likewise acts as a corrector of the base4#cae ,a ,,synopsis ,,of ,,the ,principles of ,combination1 ,,as ,,investigated ,,in ,,the ,,preceding ,,pages1 ,,arranged ,,in ,a ,,tabular ,,form ,,so ,,as ,,to ,,afford ,,the ,,student ,,an ,,easy ,,reference ,,to ,,the ,,key ,,letters4 ,a ,synopsis of the ,principles of ,medicinal ,combination4 ,,object ,i4 ,,to ,,promote ,,the ,,action ,,of ,,the ,,basis4 ,key ,letters4 ,a ,a4--,by combining the several different forms1 or preparations of the ,,same ,,substance4 ,b ,b4--,by combining the ,basis with ,substances which are of the ,,same ,,nature1 i4 e1 which are individually capable of producing the same effects1 but with less energy than when in combination with each other4 ,c ,c4--,by combining the ,basis with ,substances of a ,,different ,,nature1 and which do not exert any ,chemical influence upon it1 but are found by experience1 or inferred by analogy1 to be capable of rendering the stomach1 or system1 more susceptible of its action4 ,,object ,,ii4 ,,to ,,correct ,,the ,,operation ,,of ,,the ,,basis1 ,,by ,,obviating ,,any ,,unpleasant ,,effects ,,it ,,might ,,be ,,likely ,,to ,,occasion1 ,,and ,,which ,,would ,,pervert ,,its ,,intended ,,action1 ,,and ,,defeat ,,the ,,object ,,of ,,its ,,exhibition4 ,d ,a4--,by ,,chemically neutralizing1 or ,,mechanically separating1 the offending ingredient4 ,e ,b4--,by adding some substance calculated to guard the stomach1 or system against its deleterious effects4 ,,object ,,iii4 ,,to ,,obtain ,,the ,,joint ,,operation ,,of ,,two1 ,,or ,,more ,,medicines4 ,f ,a4--,by uniting those ,medicines which are calculated to produce the ,,same ,,ultimate ,,results1 but by modes of operation totally different4 ,g ,b4--,by combining ,medicines which have entirely different powers1 and which are required to obviate different symptoms1 or to answer different indications4 ,,object ,,iv4 ,,to ,,obtain ,a ,,new ,,and ,,active ,,remedy1 ,,not ,,afforded ,,by ,,any ,,single ,,substance4 ,h ,a4--,by combining ,medicines which excite different actions in the stomach and system1 in consequence of which ,,new1 or ,,modified ,,results are produced4 ,b4--,by combining substances which have the property of acting ,,chemically upon each other2 the results of which are-- ,i a4 ,the ,formation of ,new ,compounds4 ,k b4 ,the ,decomposition of the ,original ,ingredients1 and the developement of their more active elements4 ,c4--,by combining ,substances1 between which no other change is induced than a diminution1 or increase in the ,,solubility of the principles in which their ,medicinal virtues reside4 ,l a4 ,by the intervention of ,substances that act ,,chemically4 ,m b4 ,by the addition of ,ingredients whose operation is entirely ,,mechanical4 ,,object ,v4 ,,to ,,afford ,,an ,,eligible ,,form4 ,n a4 ,by which the ,,efficacy of the ,remedy is enhanced4 ,o b4 ,by which its ,,aspect or ,,flavour is rendered more agreeable1 or its mode of administration more convenient4 ,p c4 ,by which it is ,,preserved from the spontaneous decomposition to which it is liable4 ,,narcotics4 #a4 4 ,extract3 ,hyoscyami j4 ,camphor gr4 viij ,b4 ,spir3 ,rectificat3 ij ,n4 ,camphoram primum cum ,spiritu in pulverem tere1 deinde simul contunde et divide massam in ,pilulas xij1 quarum sumantur tres1 omni nocte4 #b4 4 ,extract3 ,conii j ,folior3 ,conii exsiccat3 et in pulverem tritorum1 q4 s4 ,a4 ut fiant ,pilul2 singulis grana duo pendentibus4 ,initio sumat ger pilulam unam pro dosi1 mane et nocte2 postea1 binas1 et deinde tres vel quatuor2 et denique augeatur dosis quantum possit4 ,stoerck4 #c4 4 ,opii puri gr4 iv ,extract3 ,hyoscyam3 et ,b4 ,b4 ,extract3 ,conii gr4 xv4 ,simul contunde1 et fiat massa in ,pilulas sex dividenda1 e quibus sumatur una omni nocte4 #d4 4 ,extract3 ,conii et ,extract3 ,hyoscyam3 7in vacuo pp37 gr4 iij ,b4 ,fiat ,pil4 bis quotidie sumenda4 #e4 4 ,tinct3 ,opii xv ,syrup3 ,papaveris fij ,a4 ,spir3 ,cinnamom3 fj ,o4 ,aqu pur fjss ,n4 ,fiat ,haustus1 invadente paroxysmo caloris in febribus intermittentibus sumendus4 ,lind4 #f4 ,opii puri1 et ,camphor3 ss ,f4 ,emplast3 ,lithargyri ij ,o4 ,sit scuto pectori4 ,bree4 #g4 4 ,mist3 ,camphor fj ,spir3 ,ether3 comp3 fss ,b4 ,tinct3 ,opii x ,f4 ,a4 ,syrup3 ,papav3 fji ,fiat ,haustus hora decubitus sumendus4 #h4 4 ,tinct3 ,opii fj ,infus3 ,lini fvj ,g4,n4 ,fiat ,enema4 #i4 4 ,opii puri gr4 ij ,mucilag3 ,acaci fss ,m4 ,n4,g4 ,lactis tepefacti fvj ,misce pro ,enemate4 ,hartman4 #aj4 4 ,opii puri gr4 j4 ,pil3 ,galb3 comp3 gr4 v4 ,m4,f4c4 ,fiat ,pilula1 h4 s4 sumenda4 #aa4 4 ,opii puri gr4 j4 ,pil3 ,aloes cum ,myrrha gr4 iv4 ,e4,m4 ,fiat ,pilula1 h4 s4 sumenda4 #ab4 4 ,opii puri gr4 ij4 ,extract3 ,aloes ,spicat3 gr4 x4 ,e4,m4 ut fiat ,massa in ,pil3 iij dividend3 e quibus sumatur una1 h4 s4 #ac4 4 ,opii puri gr4 j4 ,extract3 ,aloes ,spicat gr4 iij ,e4#a4,m4 ,extract3 ,gent3 gr4 v4 ,e4#b4 ,fiat ,massa in ,pil3 duas dividend3 et sint pro dosi4 #ad4 4 ,opii puri gr4 ij4 ,saponis duri ,hispan3 gr4 iv ,l4,n4 ,simul contunde1 donec corpus unum sit1 et fiat ,massa pro ,suppositorio4 #ae4 4 ,opii puri gr4 ij4 ,confect3 ,aromat3 ss ,g4,n4 ,fiat ,massa in ,pilulas viij dividenda1 e quibus capiatur una1 quarta quaque hora4 ,in ,typhus4 #af4 4 ,opii duri contriti gr4 iv4 ,aqu bullientis fijss ,d4 ,infunde1 prope ignem1 per horam1 et cola4 4 ,liquoris ,colati fj ,acid3 ,nitric3 dilut3 x ,e4#a4 ,tr ,aloes comp3 fj ,e4#b4 ,fiat ,haustus4 #ag4 4 ,conii foliorum exsiccat3 j ,coque ex aqu oiiss ad oij et cola4 ,panni lanei hocce decocto calido madefacti1 deinde expressi1 parti affect imponantur1 et spius renoventur4 ,collin4 ,in ,carcinomatous1 ,venereal1 and sordid ,ulcers4 #ah4 4 ,conii ,folior3 exsiccat3 ij4 ,medull panis vj ,n4,o4 ,aqu oiss ,coquantur simul1 ut fiat ,cataplasma4 #ai4 4 ,extract3 ,conii ,extract3 ,hyoscyam3 gr4 v4 ,b4 ,mucilag3 ,acaci fij ,n4 ,tere simul1 donec quam optime misceantur1 et deinde adde1 ,liquor3 ,ammon2 ,acetat3 ,g4 ,aqu pur fss ,syrup3 ,rhados fj ,o4 ,fiat ,haustus1 quarta quaque hora sumendus4 ,in ,pulmonary irritation4 ,j4 ,a4 ,p4 ,,antispasmodics4 #bj4 4 ,tinctur ,castorei fj theris3 ,sulphurici x ,b4 ,tinct3 ,opii vij ,g4 ,aqu ,cinnamomi fiss ,n4,o4 ,fiat ,haustus ter quotidie sumendus4 #ba4 4 ,moschi gr4 xv ,camphor gr4 v4 ,b4 ,spir3 rectificat3 ij ,l4 ,confect3 ,ros gall3 q4 s4 ,o4 ,camphoram primm cum ,spiritu tere1 et deinde1 secundum artem1 fiat bolus4 #bb4 4 ,moschi j ,acaci gummi contriti ss ,m4 ,tere optime simul1 et adde paulatim1 ,aqu ,ros fj ,o4 theris ,sulphuric3 fj ,b4 ,fiat ,haustus1 p4 r4 n1 sumendus4 #bc4 4 ,assaftid j ,aqu ,menth3 ,pip4 fjss ,l4 ,tere assaftidam cum ,aqu paulatim instillata1 donec quam optime misceantur1 et deinde adde ,tinct3 ,valerian3 ,ammoniat3 fij ,tinct3 ,castorei fiij ,b4 ,b4 theris ,sulphuric3 fj ,fiat ,mistura1 de qua sumatur ,cochleare unum amplum secundis horis4 ,signetur4--,anti-hysteric ,mixture4 #bd4 4 ,mist3 ,camphor fj ,spir3 ,ammoni ,ftid3 fss ,b4 ,fiat ,haustus1 urgenti flatu1 sumendus4 #be4 4 ,valerian ,radicis1 in pulverem redact3 j ,tinct3 ,valerian3 ,ammoniat3 ,a4 ,tinct3 ,castorei fj ,b4 ,b4 ,mist3 ,camphor fxij ,fiat ,haustus ter quotidie sumendus4 #bf4 4 ,tabaci ,foliorum j ,aqu ferventis fviij ,macera per horam in vase leviter clauso1 et cola4 ,fiat pro ,enemate4 #bg4 4 ,mass ,pil3 ,galb3 comp4 gr4 x4 ,divide in ,pilulas binas1 et sint pro dosi4 #bh4 4 ,tinct3 ,opii vj4 ,vini ,ipecacuanh fj ,h4 ,aqu pur fj ,n4 ,syrup3 ,simpl3 fiij ,o4 ,sod ,sub-carbonat3 gr4 xxiv4 ,g4 ,sumat ,infans sextam partem quartis vel sextis horis4 ,in ,tussi ,convulsiva4 ,r4 ,pearson4 #bi4 4 ,assaftid ij ,decoct3 ,aven fx ,n4,o4 ,misce pro enemate1 secundum artem4 ,in ,flatulent ,cholic4 ,bang4 #cj4 4 ,moschi gr4 xij ,sacch3 purificat3 ij ,m4 ,acaci ,gummi contriti j ,simul tritis admisceantur ,jusculi cujusvis tenuioris fiv1 ut fiat enema1 alternis vel tertiis horis injiciendum4 ,wall4 #ca4 4 ,cinchon lancifoli ,corticis contriti j4 ,valerian ,radicis ,pul3 iij ,g4 ,syrup3 ,aurantiorum q4s4 ,o4 ,ut fiat electuarium1 cujus devoret drachmam1 mane ac vesperi4 ,mead4 #cb4 4 ,tinct3 ,digitalis x--xv ,mist3 ,camphor fx ,f4 ,g4,o4 ,tinct3 ,calumb fi ,fiat ,haustus1 bis quotidie sumendus4 ,in ,palpitation of the ,heart1 accompanied with great nervous irritability4 ,,tonics4 #cc4 4 ,infus3 ,cascarill fiss ,tinct3 ,cascarill fij ,a4 ,tinct3 ,zingiberis fj ,g4 ,fiat ,haustus ter quotidie sumendus4 #cd4 4 ,ferri ,tartarizati gr4 x4 ,pulv3 ,calumb gr4 xv ,f4m4 ,fiat ,pulvis1 quarta quaque hora sumendus4 #ce4 4 ,infusi ,quassi fx ,tinct3 ,calumb fj ,b4 ,tinct3 ,ferri muriat3 x ,f4 ,fiat ,haustus1 quotidie1 hora meridiana sumendus4 #cf4 4 ,ferri ,ammoniati j ,extract3 ,gentian3 ,f4,m4 et ,extract3 ,aloe ss ,g4,m4 ,contunde simul1 et divide massam in ,pil4 xxx4 quarum sumat binas ter quotidie4 ,tonic and ,purgative4 #cg4 4 ,cinchon lancifoli contrit ss ,magnesi ,sulphatis vj ,g4 ,tere optime simul1 et divide in quatuor partes1 ex quibus sumatur una alternis horis inter paroxysmos4 ,in ,intermittents4 ,cleghorn4 #ch4 4 ,ferri ,sub-carbonatis gr4 v--x4 ,pulv3 ,valerian3 ss ,g4 ,syrup3 ,zingib3 q4 s4 ,e4,o4 ,fiat ,bolus4 #ci4 4 ,infusi ,gentian comp3 fj ,liquor3 ,potass ,sub-carb3 fss ,o4,l4,g4 ,tinct3 ,cascarill fj ,b4 ,fiat ,haustus4 #dj4 4 ,cinchon lancifoli ,cort3 contus3 ss ,coque ex aqu pur fxvj ad consumpt3 dimid3 adjectis sub finem coctionis1 ,serpentri radicis contus3 ij ,b4 ,stent per horam1 et ,colatur admisce1 ,spir3 ,cinnamomi comp3 fiss ,e4 ,acid3 ,sulphuric3 dilut3 fiss ,g4 ,sumantur fij sexta quaque hora4 ,pringle4 #da4caf 4 ,decoct3 ,cinchon fiiss ,infus3 ,gentian3 comp3 fj ,b4 ,b4 ,tinct3 ,cascarill fij ,liquor3 ,potass ,sub-carb3 fij ,g4#a4 ,fiat ,mistura1 de qua sumr3 ,cochl3 duo ampla bis de die4 #db4caf 4 ,decoct3 ,cinchon fvj ,tinct3 ,cinchon fss ,a4 ,confect3 ,aromat3 j ,b4 ,g4,e4 ,spir3 ,ammon3 ,aromat3 fj ,fiat ,mistura4 #dc4 4 ,ferri ,ammoniat3 gr4 v4 ,rhei ,rad3 ,contrit3 gr4 iij ,g4 ,fiat ,pulvis ex quolibet vehiculo idoneo quotidie sumendus4 #dd4 4 ,cinchon ,pulv3 subtiliss3 ,potass ,super-tart3 j ,g4#a4 ,caryophyll3 contrit3 ,no4 xxx ,g4#b4 ,misce1 et detur drachma cum semisse tertiis horis4 ,petrie4 ,,aromatic ,,stimulants4 #de4 4 ,sinapeos semin3 contus3 ,armoraci ,radicis concis ss ,b4 ,aqu ferventis oj ,n4,o4 ,macera per horam1 et cola4 4 ,colatur fvii ,spir3 ,ammon3 ,aromat4 fj ,b4 ,b4 ,spir3 ,piment fss ,fiat ,mistura2 de qua sumr3 ,cochl3 duo ampla ter quotidie4 ,in ,paralysis4 #df4 4 ,lactis ,vaccini oj ,sinap3 ,semin3 contus3 j ,coquantur simul1 donec pars caseosa in coagulum abierit1 deinde coletur serum1 et sumatur cyathus subinde4 ,disp3 ,fuld3 #dg4 4 ,mist3 ,camphor fj ,spir3 ,ether3 ,sulphuric3 fij ,tinct3 ,cardamom3 comp3 fss ,spir3 ,anisi fvj ,b4 ,b4 ,olei ,carui xij ,syrup3 ,zingib3 fij ,aqu ,menth ,pip3 fvss ,fiat ,mistura1 cujus sumantur ,cochlearia duo ampla1 urgenti flatu4 ,in ,flatulent ,cholic4 #dh4 4 ,ammoni ,sub-carb3 ss ,aqu ,menth3 ,pip3 fvij ,n4,b4 ,syrup3 ,aurant3 fss ,o4 ,sumatur octava pars in languoribus4 #di4 4 ,cantharid3 in pulverem trit3 gr4 j ,ammoni ,sub-carb3 ,b4 ,f4 ,confect3 ,aromat3 gr4 v4 ,syrup3 q4 s4 ,o4 ut fiat bolus1 quartis vel sextis horis sumendus1 cum haustu ,infusi ,armoraci compositi4 #ej4 4 ,olei ,terebinthin fij ,mellis ,despumat3 j ,o4 ,pulv3 ,rad3 ,glycyrrhiz1 q4 s4 ut fiat linctus3 de quo sumatur cochl3 parv3 nocte1 maneque1 cum haustu cujusvis potus tenuioris tepefacti4 ,,astringents4 #ea4 4 ,quercus ,cort3 contus3 ss ,aqu ferventis fxiij ,macera per horam1 et cola4 4 ,hujus ,colatur fiss ,pulv3 ,gallarum gr x4 ,b4 ,b4 ,tinct3 ,catechu fss ,tinct3 ,cardamom3 comp3 fss ,g4,e4,o4 ,syrup3 ,cort3 ,aurant3 fj ,o4 ,fiat ,haustus4 #eb4 4 ,mistur ,cret fiss ,tinct3 ,opii xv4 ,f4#a4 ,tinct3 ,catechu fj ,f4#b4 ,fiat ,haustus1 post singulas sedes liquidas sumendus4 ,in ,diarrha4 #ec4 4 ,aluminis ,contriti gr4 v4 ,myristic ,nucl3 ,contrit1 gr4 v4 ,e4 ,extract3 ,gentian3 q4 s1 ,f4,o4 ut fiat massa in ,pil3 ij dividend3 #ed4 4 ,lactis ,vaccini bullient3 oj4 ,aluminis ,contrit4 ij4 ,ebulliant simul ut fiat coagulum2 coletur serum1 et sumatur cyathus1 subinde4 #ee4 4 ,gallarum pulverisat3 j4 ,adipis prparat3 j ,o4 ,fiat ,unguentum1 parti affect applicand3 ,in ,hmorrhoidibus4 ,cullen4 #ef4 4 ,infus3 ,ros3 comp3 fiiiss ,alum3 contrit3 gr4 x4 ,b4 ,oxymel fiij ,b4,o4 ,sit pro ,gargarismate4 #eg4 4 ,plumbi ,acetat3 gr4 iij ,opii puri gr4 i4 ,b4 ,b4 ,extract3 ,conii gr4 x4 ,fiat ,massa in ,pilulas tres dividenda2 quarum sumatur una bis quotidie1 superbibendo haustum ex acido acetico comp3 #eh4 4 ,infus3 ,cuspari fj ,minct3 ,catechu fj ,b4 ,pulv3 ,ipecac3 gr4 x4 ,g4 ,fiat ,haustus4 #ei4 4 ,zinc3 ,sulphat3 gr4 x4 ,myrrh in pulv3 trii3 iss ,g4 ,confect3 ,ros3 q4 s1 ,n4,o4 ut fiant ,pilul xx1 e quibus sumantur bin bis quotidie4 #fj4 4 ,tinct3 ,ferri ,muriat3 x ,aqu pur fj4 ,n4 ,fiat ,haustus1 tertia quaque hora sumend3 ,in ,uterine ,hemorrhage4 #fa4 4 ,cort3 ,quercus contus3 vj ,aqu distillat3 fx ,coque per sextam partem hor1 et cola4 #fb4 4 ,colatur et ,infus3 ,lini fiv ,e4 ,sit pro injectione per vaginam4 ,in ,uterine ,discharges attended with an irritable state of the vagina4 ,,emetics4 #fc4 4 ,antimonii ,tartarizati gr4 i ,vini ,ipecac3 fij ,b4 ,aqu pur fiss ,n4 ,fiat ,haustus4 #fd4 4 ,antimonii ,tartarizati gr4 ij ,aqu distillat fiv ,n4 ,solve--,hujus danda sunt cochlearia duo mediocria1 singulis hor quadrantibus1 donec vomitus excitatus sit4 #fe4 4 ,pulv3 ,ipecac3 ss ,antimon3 ,tart3 gr4 i ,b4 ,b4 ,tinct3 ,scill fi ,aqu distillat3 fviiss ,n4 ,fiat ,mistura1 cujus sumat quamprimum cochlearia majora quatuor2 et cochlearia duo1 sexta quaque hor parte1 donec supervenerit vomitus4 #ff4 4 ,zinc3 ,sulph3 i ,confect3 ,ros3 canin3 q4 s1 ,o4 ut fiat bolus1 ex pauxillo ,infus3 ,anthemid3 ,o4 hauriendus4 ,post quamlibet vomitionem superbibantur cyathi aliquot infusi ejusdem tepidi4 #fg4 4 ,tabaci ,foliorum j ,aqu fontis1 q4 s1 ,n4 ,simul contunde1 ut fiat epithema1 regioni epigastric admovend3 #fh4 4 ,cupri ,sulphatis gr4 x4--j4 ,aqu distillat fij ,n4 ,fiat pro haustu emetico4 ,,cathartics4 #fi4 4 ,magnesi ,sulphatis et ,b4 ,sod ,sulphatis iij ,aqu ,menth ,viridis fvss ,n4,o4 ,vini ,antimon3 ,tart3 fj ,o4 ,fiat ,mistura1 de qua sumr4 ,cochl3 duo ampla ter quotidie4 #gj4 4 ,infusi ,senn fj ,tinct3 ,senn et ,b4 ,e4,b4 ,tinct3 ,jalap fj ,potass ,tart3 j ,f4,e4#b4 ,syrup3 ,senn fj ,a4,o4 ,fiat ,haustus1 summo mane sumendus4 #ga4 4 ,extract3 ,colocynth3 comp3 j ,opii puri gr4 iij ,g4 ,olei nucis ,moschat iv ,e4 ,fiat massa in pilulas xii dividend3 e quibus capiat duas1 omni hora1 donec bis dejecerit alvus4 #gb4 4 ,magnesi ,sulphat3 et ,b4 ,sod ,sulphat3 ss ,ferri ,sulphat3 gr4 v4 ,g4 ,mistur ,camphor fviiss ,l4,o4 ,fiat mistura1 de qua sumantur ,cochl3 duo ampla bis indies4 #gc4 4 ,jalap ,radicis contrit3 gr4 xv4 ,hydrarg3 ,sub-muriat3 gr4 v4 ,f4 ,confect3 ,ros3 canin3 q4 s4 ,n4,o4 ut fiat bolus4 #gd4 4 ,confect3 ,senn iss ,sulphur3 ,prcipitat3 ss ,g4 ,syrup3 ,ros4 q4 s4 ,n4,o4 ut fiat ,electuarium1 de quo1 ad nucis ,moschat magnitudinem1 capiatur1 ter vel quater quotidie1 donec alvus commode purgetur4 ,in ,hmorrhoids4 #ge4 4 ,olei ,ricini fss ,vitelli ,ovi1 q4 s4 ,o4 tere simul1 et adde ,syrup3 ,papaveris fij ,b4 ,g4 ,tinct3 ,opii v ,aqu distillat fj ,l4 ,fiat ,haustus tertiis vel quartis horis sumendus4 ,in ,cholic from ,lead4 #gf4 4 ,magnesi ,sulphatis vj ,infusi ,senn fiss ,f4,l4 ,tinct3 ,jalap3 fj ,e4,f4 ,tinct3 ,opii x ,f4 ,g4 ,tinct3 ,castorei fj ,fiat ,haustus1 ut supra1 dandus4 #gg4 4 ,infusi ,senn fij ,sod ,tartariz3 vj ,f4,e4 ,aqu ,cinnamomi fss ,e4,o4 ,fiat solutio1 duabus vicibus1 sumenda4 #gh4 4 ,alos ,spicat3 j ,scammone gr4 xij ,b4 ,f4 ,extract3 ,rhei ij ,bacc3 ,capsici pulv3 gr4 vj ,b4 ,g4e4 ,olei ,caryophyll3 v ,fiant ,pilul xvj1 e quibus sumantur bin1 hora decubitus1 p4 r4 n4 #gi4 4 ,pil4 ,hydrarg3 et ,aloes ,spicat3 j ,g4 ,fiat ,massa in ,pil3 vj dividend3 e quibus sumantur bin1 h4 s4 #hj4 4 ,pulv3 ,aloes comp3 j ,pulv3 ,antimon3 gr4 v4 ,c4 ,saponis duri gr4 x4 ,l4,n4,o4 ,decoct3 ,aloes comp3 q4 s4 ,o4a4 ,fiat ,massa in ,pilulas xx dividend3 e quibus capiantur bin ad alvum officii immemorem excitandam4 #ha4 4 ,extract3 ,colocynth3 comp3 gr4 xxiv ,pil3 ,aloes cum ,myrrha j ,f4 ,f4 ,hydrarg3 ,sub-muriat3 gr4 xv ,fiat ,massa in ,pil3 xx dividend3 e quibus sumr una vel altera1 p4 r4 n4 #hb4 4 ,sod ,sub-carbonat3 7cryst37 iiss ,potass ,super-tart3 iij ,k4 ,i4 ,aqu pur fviij ,stent in lagena bene obturata per triduum1 et deinde sit in promptu pro potu cathartico4 ,young4 ,medical ,literature1 ,edit4 #b1 p4 #dha4 #hc4 4 ,scammone gr4 v4 ,pulv3 ,rhei gr4 xv ,f4 ,ammoni ,sub-carbonat3 gr4 v ,g4,e4 ,fiat ,pulvis1 ex vehiculo aliquo idoneo sumendus4 #hd4 4 ,pulv3 ,jalap3 gr4 xv ,pulv3 ,ipecac3 gr4 v ,c4 ,olei ,cinnamom3 ij ,e4 ,fiat ,pulvis1 ut supra1 dandus4 #he4 4 ,pulv3 ,rhei gr4 xv4 ,potass ,super-sulphat3 gr4 x ,b4,o4 ,aqu ,cinnamomi fj ,o4e4 ,fiat ,haustus4 #hf4 4 ,sod ,tartarizat3 ij ,sod ,carbonat3 j ,aqu pur fiss ,i4,k4 ,o4 ,fiat ,haustus1 cum ,cochl3 uno amplo ,succi ,limonum ,in impetu effervescenti sumendus4 ,quotidie mane4 #hg4 4 ,sod ,carbonatis ij ,ferri ,sulphat3 gr4 iij ,magnesi ,sub-carb3 j ,i4,k4 ,aqu pur oss ,acidi ,sulphurici dilut3 fx ,infundatur primum lagen aqua1 deinde immittantur ,salina1 et denique ,acidum ,sulphuricum2 illico obturetur lagena1 et in loco frigido servetur4 ,,note4--,the decompositions which take place in this formula are described in the ,essay on the ,art of ,prescribing1 p4 #agj4 ,there is1 however1 a precaution respecting the proportion of ,sulphuric acid which it is essential to remember1 viz4--that it should never be added in excess2 for in that case the ,sulphate of ,iron would not undergo the necessary decomposition4 #hh4 4 ,hydrarg3 ,sub-muriat3 gr4 x ,pil3 ,cambogi comp3 ,f4 ,f4 et ,extract3 ,colocynth3 comp3 gr4 xv ,syrup3 ,zingib1 q4 s4 ,e4 ut fiant ,pilul xij1 e quibus sumantur bin1 hora decubitus1 vel summo mane1 ad alvum officii immemorem excitandam4 #hi4 4 ,cambogi ,contrit gr4 iij ,sacch3 purificat3 j ,m4,o4,e4 ,tere optime simul1 ut fiat ,pulvis1 tertia quaque hora sumendus1 donec alvus commode purgetur4 #ij4 4 ,foliorum ,senn iij ,sod ,sulphat3 j ,f4 ,aqu fervent3 oj ,l4,n4,o ,infunde1 et cola1 ut fiat ,enema4 #ia4 4 ,resin ,terebinthin fss ,vitelli ovi1 q4 s4 ,m4 ,infus3 ,lini fx ,n4,o4 ,tere ,resinam cum vitello ovi1 hisque1 inter terendum ,infusum ,lini paulatim adjice4 ,fiat ,enema4 #ib4 4 ,potass ,super-tart3 ij ,ferri ,tartarizat3 iij ,g4 ,zingib3 j ,e4 ,syrup3 ,simp3 q4 s4 ,o4 dosis ij ter die4 #ic4 4 ,confect3 ,senn ij ,ferri ,tartarizat3 ij ,g4 ,fiat ,electuarium1 ad nucis moschat magnitudinem sumendum4 ,,emmenagogues4 #id4 4 ,sabin ,foliorum exsiccat3 ,zingib3 rad3 contus3 ss ,e4 ,potass ,sulphatis ss ,g4,m4 ,m4 ,fiat ,pulvis bis die sumendus4 #ie4 4 ,myrrh pulv3 j ,ferri ,ammoniati gr4 vj ,g4 tere simul et adde ,syrup3 ,zingib3 q4 s4 ut fiat ,electuarium1 de quo sumatur ad myristic nuclei magnitudinem bis quotidie4 #if4 4 ,mist3 ,ferri comp3 fss ,aqu ,cinnamomi fj ,o4 ,ft4 ,haustus bis de die sumendus4 #ig4 4 ,tinct3 ,ferri ,muriatis ,tinct3 ,aloes comp3 fss ,g4#a4 ,tinct3 ,castorei fij ,g4#b4 ,m4 de qua sumatur cochl3 unum minimum ex cyatho ,infus3 ,anthemid3 ,flor3 ter quotidie4 ,emmenagogue and ,antispasmodic4 #ih4 4 ,pil3 ,aloes cum ,myrrha et ,pil3 ,galbani comp3 j ,b4 ,divide in ,pil3 xxiv1 e quibus sumantur bin bis quotidie4 #ii4 4 ,pill3 ,aloes cum ,myrrha et ,pil3 ,ferri comp3 j ,g4#a4 ,sod ,sub-,carbonatis j ,g4#b4l4 ,divide ,massam in ,pilulas xxx e quibus sumantur bin bis quotidie4 ,,diuretics4 #ajj4 4 ,scill ,radicis exsiccat3 gr4 iij ,pulveris ,opii gr4 ss ,c4,e4 ,cinnamomi ,corticis gr4 x ,e4,o4 ,fiat pulvis bis quotidie sumendus4 #aja4 4 ,potass ,sub-,carbonatis gr4 x ,infus3 ,gentian3 comp3 fiss ,c4,n4 ,spir3 ,etheris comp3 fss ,b ,g4,e4 ,tr ,cinnamomi fi ,fiat ,haustus4 ,diuretic and ,stimulant4 #ajb4 4 ,scill ,radicis exsiccat3 gr4 xij ,potass ,nitratis i ,f4 ,sacchari purificat3 ,b ,m4,e4 et ,cinnamomi cort3 contrit3 i4 fiat pulvis in sex partes quales dividend3 ,sumatur una bis indies4 #ajc4cag 4 ,scill ,rad3 exsiccat3 gr4 iv ,digitalis ,foliorum gr4 x ,b4 ,hydrargyri ,sub-muriat3 gr4 vj ,c4 ,myrrh ,pulv3 i simul tere et adde ,b4 ,g4 ,assaftid ss ,extract3 ,gentian4 q4 s4 ,c4 ,o4 ,fiat massa in ,pilulas xv dividend3 e quibus sumatur una1 nocte maneque4 #ajd4 4 ,mass ,pil4 ,scill i ,hydrarg3 ,sub-muriat3 gr4 v ,c4 ,fiat massa in ,pilulas xv dividenda1 quarum sumantur du singulis noctibus4 #aje4 4 ,sod ,carbonat3 exsiccat3 i ,saponis duri iv ,n4,b4 ,olei ,juniperi ,f4,e4 ,syrupi ,zingiberis q4 s4 ,e4,n4 ,fiat massa in ,pilulas xxx dividenda1 e quibus capiat tres1 indies1 contra calculos renum4 ,beddoes4 #ajf4 4 ,scill ,radicis exsiccat3 gr4 ij ,pilul ,hydrargyri gr4 v ,g4,c4 ,opii gr4 ss ,e4,c4 ,fiat ,pilula hora decubitus per tres vel quatuor noctes consequentes capienda4 #ajg4 4 ,potass ,sub-carbonat3 i ,succi ,limonum3 fss1 vel q4 s4 ,i4 ,k4 ,aqu ,cinnamomi fi ,aceti ,scill fiss ,b4 ,tinct3 ,opii v ,c4 ,syrupi ,aurantii fss ,o4 ,fiat ,haustus bis indies sumendus4 #ajh4 4 ,potass ,acetatis i ,oxymel2 ,colchici fij ,b4 tere simul cum aqu pur fi ,n4 ,spir3 ,juniperi comp3 fss ,b4,o4 ,fiat ,haustus1 ut supra dandus4 #aji4 4 ,baccarum ,juniperi contus3 ij ,semin3 ,anisi contus3 ij ,aqu3 ferventis oj ,macera per tres horas1 dein cola4 4 ,colatur fxij ,a4 ,spir3 ,junip3 comp3 fij ,tr ,scill fi ,b4 ,potass ,nitratis ij ,f4 ,fiat ,mistura1 de qua sumatur cyathus subinde4 #aaj4 4 ,infus3 ,digitalis fiv ,a4 ,tr ,digitalis fss ,potass ,acetat3 i ,b4 ,tinct3 ,opii v ,c4,e4 ,fiat ,mistura1 de qua sumatur coch3 unum amplum bis terve indes4 #aaa4 4 ,liquoris ,ammoni ,acetat3 fss ,potass ,acetatis i ,b4 ,aqu pur fj ,n4,o4 ,fiat ,haustus ter quotidie sumendus4 #aab4 4 ,potass ,supertartratis i ,pulveris ,scill exsiccat3 gr4 iij ,b4 ,pulveris ,zingiberis gr4 v ,e4 ,fiat pulvis1 sexta quaque hora capiendus4 #aac4 4 ,spartii cacum3 concis3 i ,aqu pur oj ,decoque ad octarium dimidium1 et cola4 4 ,colatur fi ,spir3 ,etheris ,nitrici x ,b4,e4 ,sumatur alternis horis4 #aad4 4 ,tinct3 ,ferri ,muriat3 xv ,infus3 ,quassi fi ,c4,n4 ,fiat ,haustus tertia quaque hora sumendus4 #aae4 4 ,potass ,nitratis i ,mistur ,ammoniaci fvj ,n4 ,spir3 ,juniperi comp3 fiss ,b4 ,b4,e4 ,aceti ,scill fvi ,fiat ,mistura de qua capiat cochl3 j amplum quartis horis4 #aaf4 4 ,tinctur ,lytt x ,spiritus theris ,nitrici fi ,f4 ,mistur ,camphor fxij ,e4,n4 ,syrup3 ,zingiberis fi ,e4,o4 ,fiat ,haustus ter in die sumendus4 a highly stimulating diuretic4 ,,diaphoretics4 #aag4 4 ,mistur ,camphor fjss ,liquor3 ,ammon3 ,acet3 fss ,f4 ,liquor3 ,antimonii ,tart3 xx ,h4 ,b4 ,tinct3 ,opii x ,fiat ,haustus4 #aah4 4 ,potass ,sulphureti gr4 xv ,saponis duri j ,e4,l4 ,balsam3 ,peru3 q4 s4 ,o4 ,ut ft3 ,pilul xxx2 sumat tres quarta quaqua hora ex cyatho ,infusi calidi ,juniperi baccarum4 ,in ,cutaneous ,affections4 #aai4 4 ,pulveris ,antimon3 ss ,opii ,pulv3 ss ,h4 ,hydrargyri ,sub-muriat3 gr4 v ,confect3 ,opii q4 s4 ,o4,b4 ,ut fiant ,pilul decem1 quarum capiat unam hora decubitus1 et repetatur p4 r4 n4 #abj4 4 ,pulveris ,ipecacuanh comp3 gr4 xv4 ,pulv3 ,trag3 comp3 ij ,n4 ,divide in partes quatuor quales1 quarum sumat unam omni hora4 #aba4 4 ,pulv3 ,ipecacuanh comp3 gr4 xv ,pulv3 ,antimon3 gr4 ij ,b4 ,ft3 pulvis1 hora decubitus sumend3 superbibendo ,haustulum tepidum4 #abb4 4 ,guaiaci gum-resin gr4 x ,pulv3 ,ipecacuanh comp3 gr4 v ,f4 ,confect3 ,ros q4 s ,o4 ,ut fiat ,bolus1 h4 s4 sumendus4 #abc4 4 ,potass ,carbonatis gr4 x ,mist3 ,camphor3 fj ,i4,k4 ,ft3 ,haust3 cum ,succi ,limonum ,cochleari uno amplo1 in impetu ipso effervescenti sumendus4 #abd4 4 ,guaiaci gum-resin gr4 x ,antimonii ,tart3 et ,h4 ,b4 ,opii puri gr4 j ,syrupi q4 s4 ,o4 ,fiat ,bolus bis quotidie sumendus4 #abe4 4 ,camphor et ,pulveris ,antimon3 gr4 iij ,h4 ,f4 ,opii puri gr4 j ,confect3 ,aromat3 q4 s ,n4 ,fiat ,bolus1 h4 s4 sumendus4 #abf4 4 ,liquor3 ,ammoni ,acetat3 fij ,decoct3 ,cinchon fx ,a4 ,g4 ,tinct3 ,cinchon fij ,confect3 ,aromat3 ss ,n4 ,ft4 ,haustus1 tertia vel quarta quaque hora sumendus4 #abg4 4 ,guaiaci gum-resin ij ,acaci gummi ij ,m4 ,simul bene tritis adde ,tr ,opii fss ,c4 ,pulv3 ,cinchon j ,tr ,cinchon fij ,a4 ,g4 ,decoct3 ,cinchon fviij ,fiat ,mistura cujus sumatur cyathus bis quotidie4 ,rheumatism4 #abh4 4 ,extracti ,aconiti ,antimonii ,sulphureti ,prcipitati gr4 j4 ,e4 ,b4 ,magnesi ,carbonatis ss ,tere simul ut fiat pulvis4 #abi4 4 ,pulv3 ,antimon3 gr4 iij4 ,potass ,sub-carbonatis gr4 v4 ,e4 ,anthemid4 ,flor4 exsiccat3 j ,n4 ,m4 ,fiat ,pulvis sexta quaque hora1 per biduum vel triduum sumendus4 #acj4 4 ,pulveris ,ipecacuanh gr4 ij ,h4 ,pulveris ,opii gr4 i4 ,potass ,nitratis gr4 xvj4 ,m4,f4 ,fiat ,pulvis hora somni sumendus4 ,,expectorants4 #aca4 4 ,assaftid ij trituratione solve in ,aqu ,menth vir3 fiij4 ,n4 addeque ,syrup3 ,tolu3 fj ,g4 ,fiat ,mistura1 de qua sumatur cochl3 unum amplum tertia quaque hora4 #acb4 4 ,myrrh gum-resin3 ss ,sacchari purificati ss4 ,m4 ,tere optime simul ut fiat ,pulvis1 partitis dosibus quotidie sumendus1 in vehiculo aliquo idoneo4 #acc4 4 ,myrrh gum-resin3 iss ,scill exsiccat3 ss ,b4 ,extract3 ,hyoscyami ij ,g4 ,aqu q4 s4 ut fiant ,pil4 xxx4 ,n4,o4 ,e quibus sumantur bin1 nocte maneque4 #acd4 4 ,scill exsiccat gr4 viij ,pulveris ,ipecacuanh gr4 v ,c4 ,camphor j ,g4 ,pulv3 ,antimon3 gr4 vj ,c4 ,sacch3 purificat3 j ,m4 ,tere in pulverem1 in quatuor partes quales dividendum4 ,pars una sumatur bis quotidie1 ex haustu decocti hordei4 #ace4 4 ,oxymel3 ,scill ,syrupi ,althe ,b4 ,f4 ,mucilag3 ,acaci fss1 misce1 et fiat linctus1 de quo lambat spe4 #acf4 4 ,mistur ,ammoniac3 et ,aqu ,cinnamomi fiss ,n4 ,syrupi ,tolut3 fss ,n4,o4 ,tinct3 ,castorei fij ,b4 ,g4 ,tinct3 ,opii v ,fiat ,mistura1 cujus sumatur ,cochl3 unum amplum subinde1 ac repetatur dosis p4 r4 n4 ,expectorant ,antispasmodic4 ,hooping ,cough1 c4 #acg4 4 ,mist3 ,amygdal3 fj ,vini ,ipecacuanh x ,g4 ,potass ,carbonatis gr4 x4 ,i4,k4 ,g4 ,sumatur cum ,succi ,limon3 fiij ,in impetu ipso effervescenti4 #ach4 4 ,pulveris ,myrrh gr4 xij ,pulv3 ,ipecacuanh gr4 vj ,f4 ,pulv3 ,potass ,nitrat3 ss ,e4 ,misce et divide in doses quales quatuor1 quarum sumat unam quartis horis4 #aci4 4 ,tinct3 ,scill x ,acid3 ,nitric3 dilut3 vj ,c4 ,extract3 ,hyoscyam3 gr4 iij ,g4 ,aqu pur fiss ,n4 ,fiat ,haustus tertiis horis sumend3 ,bree4 #adj4 4 ,acid3 ,nitric3 fj ,aqu pur fiv misce ,h4 dein tere cum ,ammoniaci j donec emulsio evadit ,dosis cochl3 j medioc3 ex liquore aliquo demulcenti4 ,,sialogogues4 #ada4 4 ,hydrarg3 ,oxyd3 rubri gr4 j4 ,opii tertiam grani partem ,c4 ,caryophyll3 olei j ,e4 ,fiat pilula1 h4 s1 per hebdomadam sumenda4 ,j4 ,hunter4 #adb4 4 ,hydrarg3 oxy-muriat3 ,ammoni muriat3 gr4 v ,l4 ,aqu distillat3 fss ,n4 ,glycyrrhiz rad3 contrit3 iv ,b4 ,o4 ,mellis ss ,cogantur in massam1 quam divide in pil3 xl1 e quibus sumatur una ter die4 #adc4 4 ,pyrethri rad3 contrit ,mastiches j ,m4,n4 ,fiant lege artis1 ad ignem1 masticatoria duo2 teneat ger spius in ore1 et manducet hujusmodi medicamentum1 exspuatque salivam4 ,hartman4 ,,refrigerants4 #add4 4 ,potass ,nitratis gr4 xv ,ft3 ,pulv3 ex cyatho ,aqu perfrigid1 illico post solutionem sumend3 #ade4 4 ,acidi ,muriatici fj ,decoct3 ,hordei oj ,n4 ,syrupi fij vel q4 s1 ,o4 ad acorem compescendum1 et gustum conciliandum4 ,sumatur quotidie1 instar potus1 et bibat quantum sitis exigat4 ,in ,typhus and other ,fevers4 #adf4 4 ,ammoni ,muriat3 ij ,acidi ,acetici dilut3 fij ,b4 ,spir3 ,camphor3 fss ,g4 ,misce ut fiat ,lotio4 #adg4 4 ,liquor3 ,plumbi ,sub-acetat3 fj ,acidi ,acetici dilut3 fij ,l4 ,spir3 tenuior fss ,g4 ,aqu destillat fviij ,n4 ,fiat lotio4 #adh4 4 ,liquor3 ,ammon3 ,acetat3 fvj ,spir3 ,rosmarini fij ,g4 ,aqu pur oj ,n4 ,sit pro ,epithemate1 capiti raso applicandum4 ,,antacids ,,and ,,absorbents4 #adi4 4 ,liquoris ,potass fij ,liquoris ,calcis fvj ,f4,n4 ,m4 ,cujus capiat ger1 acido infestante1 cochleare amplum unum1 vel alterum1 ex poculo jusculi bovini4 #aej4 4 ,magnesi ss ,aqu ,menth ,pip3 fiiss ,spir3 ,lav3 comp3 fss ,b4 ,g4 ,spir3 ,carui fiv ,syrup3 ,zingib3 fij ,sumatur cochleare unum mediocre1 p4 r4 n4 ,antacid and ,carminative4 #aea4 4 ,pulv3 ,cret co3 cum ,opio j ,pulv3 ,catechu ,extract3 gr4 xv ,g4 ,sit pulvis1 post singulas sedes liquidas sumendus4 ,in ,diarrha depending upon ,acidity4 #aeb4 4 ,ammoni ,sub-carb3 gr4 v4 ,extract3 ,rhei gr4 viij ,g4,n4 ,fiat massa in ,pil3 binas dividenda4 #aec4 4 ,magnesi ,sub-carbonat3 gr4 v ,sod ,sub-carb3 gr4 v ,b4 ,zingib3 rad3 contrit3 gr4 iv ,e4 ,glycyrrhiz rad3 contrit3 gr4 xv ,m4,o4 ,m4 et fiat pulvis1 contra cardialgiam4 ,,antilithics ,,and ,,lithonthryptics4 ,a4 ,in the ,lithic ,acid ,diathesis4 #aed4 4 ,sod ,sub-carb3 gr4 x ,infus3 ,quassi fj ,g4,c4 ,tinct3 ,calumb ,e4 ,fiat ,haustus bis quotidie sumendus4 #aee4 4 ,magnes3 ,sub-carbonat3 j ,infus3 ,calumb fj ,a4 ,g4,c4 ,tinct3 ,calumb fj ,fiat ,haustus4 #aef4 4 ,sod ,sub-carbonat3 gr4 x ,mist3 ,amygdal3 fj ,n4,o4 ,balsam3 ,copaib3 7ope mucilag3 mist37 fss ,g4#a4 ,tinct3 ,opii v ,g4#b4 ,fiat ,haustus1 urgenti dolore sumendus4 #aeg4 4 ,magnesi ,sub-carbonat3 gr4 x ,pulv3 ,ipecac3 gr4 j ,g4 ,sod ,sub-carbonat3 gr4 v4 ,f4 ,fiat ,pulvis1 ex vehiculo aliquo idoneo sumendus2 superbibendo cyathum ,infusi ,anthemid3 ,flor3 ,b4 ,in the ,phosphatic ,diathesis4 #aeh4 4 ,acid3 ,muriatic3 v ,decoct3 ,hordei comp3 fiss ,n4 ,fiat ,haustus ter quotidie sumendus4 #aei4 4 ,infus3 ,ros3 fiss ,magnes3 ,sulphat3 j ,g4 ,tinct3 ,calumb fij ,e4 ,fiat ,haustus4 ,,anthelmintics4 #afj4 4 ,stanni ,limat3 iij ,confect3 ,ros ,gall3 ss ,b4 ,n4 ,syrupi q4 s4 ut fiat ,elect3 ,capiat coch3 amplum1 quotidie mane1 et repetatur dosis ad tres vices1 et deinde capiat ger ,haustum aliquem purgantem4 #afa4 4 ,cambogi g4 viij ,hydrarg3 ,sub-muriat3 gr4 v ,f4 ,mucilag3 ,acaci q4 s4 ut fiat ,bolus mane sumendus4 ,contra ,tniam4 #afb4 4 ,sod ,muriatis ij ,coccinell3 ij ,m4,o4 ,fiat ,pulvis1 et detur drachma dimidia pro dosi1 tempore matutino4 #afc4 4 ,ferri ,sub-carbonat3 j ,sumatur ex vehiculo aliquo crasso1 singulis auroris4 #afd4 4 ,camphor 7,alcohole solut7 j ,ol3 ,oliv fij ,l4,n4 ,misce1 ,fiat ,enema4 ,injiciatur h4 s4 tertia quaque nocte1 ad tres vices3 dein repetatur alternis noctibus1 ad quartam usque vicem1 si opus fuerit4 ,contra ,ascarides4 #afe4 4 ,aloes ,spicat3 gr4 x ,saponis ,duri j ,l4,n4 ,fiat ,suppositorium post ,alvum exoneratam applicand4 ,,demulcents4 #aff4 4 ,olei ,amygdal3 fj ,acaci gummi iij ,m4,n4 tere simul1 et dein gradatim adde ,aqu destillat fvi ,o4 ,syrup3 ,rhados fss ,o4 ,fiat ,mistura1 de qua sumantur ,cochlearia duo ampla ter1 quaterve1 indies4 #afg4 4 ,olei ,amygdal3 fvj ,i4 ,liquoris ,potass ,l ,aqu ,ros fviiss4 ,n4 ,fiat ,mistura1 ut supra capienda4 #afh4 4 ,mistur3 ,amygdal3 fj ,potass ,carbonatis gr4 x4 ,i4,k4 ,syrupi ,rhados fj ,ft3 haust3 cum cochl3 ,succ3 ,limon3 in impetu effervescenti sumend3 ,demulcent ,febrifuge4 #afi4 4 ,pulv3 ,cetacei ,pulv3 ,trag3 comp3 ss ,b4 ,syrupi ,papaveris q4 s4 ,n4,o4 ,misceantur1 et fiat ,linctus4 ,dosis cochl3 minimum subinde4 #agj4 4 ,cetacei ij ,pulv3 ,trag3 comp3 j ,syrup3 ,papaveris ,b4 ,b4 ,syrup3 ,tolu3 fij ,confect3 ,ros3 vj ,potass ,nitratis ss ,g4 ,fiat ,electuarium1 de quo capiat ad nucis moschat magnitudinem4 #aga4 4 ,cetacei ij ,vitelli ovi dimidium ,syrupi fss4 ,b4 ,aqu ,cinnamomi fij ,aqu destillat fiv ,fiat ,mistura1 de qua capiat ger cochleare amplum frequenter4 #agb4 4 ,amyli iij ,aqu ferventis fiv4 ,l4 ,solve pro enemate1 et adde1 si opus fuerit1 ,tinct3 ,opii fss ,g4 #agc4 4 ,decoct3 ,lichenis oss ,sumatur quotidie1 cochleatim1 instar potus communis4 ,,supplementary ,,formul ,,for ,,certain ,,remedies ,,not ,,included ,,in ,,the ,,pharmacop,,ia4 #a4 4 ,acid3 ,hydro-cyanic3 dilut3 v ,mist3 ,amygd3 fiv ,o4 ,syrup3 ,tolutan3 fj ,fiat ,mistura1 de qua sumatur ,cochleare unum amplum tertia quaque hora4 #b4 4 ,acid3 ,hydro-cyanic3 dilut3 xij ,tinct3 ,digitalis fss ,f4 ,aqu ,cinnamom3 fvss ,o4 ,sumatur ,cochl3 unum amplum quartis horis4 #c4 4 ,acid3 ,hydro-cyanic3 dilut3 fj ,aqu ,ros fiss ,sit pro lotione contra ,impetigines utend3 #d4 4 ,morphi ,acetatis gr4 xij ,aqu destillat3 fj ,n4 ,acid3 ,acetic3 dilut3 v ,l4 ,spir3 ,rectificat3 fj ,p4 ,sumantur gutt x-xx1 ad dolorem leniendum1 et somnum conciliandum4 #e4 4 ,iodini ij ,spir3 ,rectificat fj ,solve et fiat ,tinctura4 4 ,tinctur ,iodini v4 ,aqu destillat3 fj ,n4 ,sumr3 gutt x ter quotidie4 #f4 4 ,quin ,sulphat3 gr4 ij ,acid3 ,sulphuric3 dilut3 ij ,l4 ,aqu destillat3 fj ,fiat ,haustus1 bis terve de die sumend3 ,,of ,,the ,,medicinal ,,dynameter4 ,this instrument is capable of showing1 on mere inspection1 the absolute as well as relative strengths of the different ,officinal ,preparations of the ,pharmacopia4 ,the active ,principles1 or ,medicinal ,bases1 are distinguished by ,,capital ,,letters1 placed in coloured compartments1 and each ,officinal preparation is marked by a line corresponding in colour with that of its active ingredient4 ,where a preparation contains two active ingredients it is distinguished by two coloured lines1 as may be seen in the ,pulvis ,ipecacuanh comp4 ,by this expedient the eye1 at once1 recognises the different classes of medicines2 all those1 for instance1 coloured red are ,opiates2 those blue1 ,mercurials2 green1 ,acetic acid2 c4 ,the introduction of colours1 moreover1 immediately indicates the basis to which any preparation refers1 and thus prevents the possibility of doubt or confusion4 ,if we wish to learn the actual quantity of active matter contained in any given proportion of a compound1 we have only to turn the scale until the name of such compound coincides with the number in question1 when the figure opposite to the basis solves the problem2 thus--how much opium is contained in #e grains of the ,pulvis ,ipecacuanh compositus8 ,by having brought this preparation to #e1 we shall see opposite to ,opium1 denoting that such a number of grains contains half a grain2 for1 unless it be otherwise expressed1 the figures denote grains for the solids1 and minims for the liquids4 ,and1 since the number opposite to the ,base denotes the absolute quantity of it contained in those several proportions of its ,officinal compounds1 which are expressed by the respective numbers opposite to each1 it follows that these latter must all be medicinally equivalent to each other2 thus we have seen that #e grains of ,pulvis ,ipecacuanh compositus contains grain of ,opium1 if we turn our eyes to the other ,opiate preparations we shall perceive that each has a different number opposite to it1 these figures show the number of grains of each which contains grain of opium1 and consequently those numbers must be all ,equivalents2 thus #b grains of ,pil4 ,saponis comp3 #e grains of the ,pulv3 ,corn3 ust3 cum ,opio1 #i minims of ,tinctura ,opii1 #aj grains of ,pulv3 ,kino comp3 #ah grains of ,confectio ,opii1 #bj grains of ,pulv3 ,cret comp3 cum ,opio1 and #abj minims1 or two fluid-drachms of ,tinctura ,camphor3 comp3 contain half a grain of ,opium1 and are consequently all equivalent to each other4 ,this system of ,equivalents will be found of much practical value to the practitioner1 by enabling him1 at once1 to substitute one preparation for another1 without the risk of altering the dose of its active ingredients4 ,suppose1 for example1 a patient had been taking #h fluid-drachms of ,mist3 ,ferri ,comp4 and that we wish to give the same quantity of ,protoxide of ,iron in the form of the ,pil3 ,ferri comp4 we have only to bring the mixture in question to #h1 and we shall see #ac grs4 are equivalent1 both these quantities of the respective preparations containing ds of a grain of protoxide1 or a little more than a grain of the ,proto-carbonate4 ,suppose again1 that we have an acetic acid of sp4 gr4 #a4jei1 and that we wish to produce1 by its dilution1 two fluid-drachms1 or any other quantity1 of acid having the strength of distilled vinegar1 the question is1 what are the proportions of water and strong acid to be employed4 ,we have only to bring the ,acidum ,aceticum of #a4jei1 to #abj1 i4 e4 to fij1 and the number opposite to the strong acid1 viz4 #af1 is its equivalent1 if therefore we take #af minims of it1 and dilute it with #ajd minims of water1 we obtain the mixture required4 ,those who are acquainted with the sliding rule of ,gunter1 or the chymical scale of ,dr4 ,wollaston1 will immediately perceive that the present circular scale is divided upon the same logometric principle1 and that the mechanical addition and subtraction of ratios here performed by juxta-position1 corresponds in effect to the multiplication and division of the numbers by which the ratios are expressed in common arithmetical notation4 ,it is not necessary that ,i should trouble the reader with the numerous difficulties and embarrassments which have opposed themselves to the practical success of this instrument4 ,they have1 after repeated failures1 been at length overcome1 except perhaps with regard to a slight central error1 which as it is found in the most accurate brass instruments1 could not be avoided where pasteboard alone had been employed4 ,the error1 however1 is not of the slightest practical moment1 not occasioning the difference of a hundredth part of a grain4 ,the proportions of active matter1 in the several preparations of each class1 have been1 in general1 derived from the best authorities1 although in many cases they have been deduced from experiments expressly instituted for the occasion4 ,,pharmacologia4 ,,comprehending ,,the ,,medicinal ,,history ,,and ,,chemical ,,habitudes ,,of ,,the ,,different ,,articles ,,that ,,constitute ,,the ,,materia ,,medica4 8,omnium ,simplicium ,pharmacorum vires nosse oportet cum qui aliquot compositum est facturus40 tius4 ,,pharmacologia4 ,,abietis#cah ,,resina4 ,l4 ,e4 ,d4 7,pinus ,abies1 ,resina concreta47 ,resin of the ,spruce ,fir4 ,olim1 ,thus--,frankincense4#cai ,,qualities4 ,form1 tears or small brittle masses3 ,odour1 very fragrant when burning4 ,it has all the chemical properties of a ,resin1 and is used only for external purposes3 see ,pix ,arida4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,empl3 ,aromatic3 ,d4 ,empl3 ,galban3 comp3 ,l4 ,empl3 ,opii ,l4 ,empl3 ,thuris4 ,d4 ,,absinthium4 7,artemisia ,absinthium7 ,common ,wormwood4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 strong and peculiar4 ,taste1 intensely bitter1 slightly pungent1 and very unpleasant1 as its name#cbj implies4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,extractive1 a small portion of resin1 and a green essential oil2 in the first of which its bitterness resides1 in the last1 a narcotic principle2 hence the watery extract is not possessed of the nauseous flavour of the plant but retains its bitterness almost entire2 the narcotic principle is therefore dissipated by decoction1 but its tonic and anthelmintic properties are not impaired by that process4 ,,medical ,,uses4 ,the whole plant is powerfully antiseptic2 and its bitterness renders it stomachic4 ,infused in ale it forms the beverage known by the name of ,purl4 ,its powers as a vermifuge has bestowed upon it the name of ,wormwood4 ,,dose1 j1 ij2 and of the infusion1 7made in the proportion of j of the plant to oj of water17 fi-fiss4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,precipitates are produced in the decoction or infusion by ,sulphate of ,iron1 ,acetate of ,lead1 and some other metallic salts4 ,tartarized ,antimony is not in the least affected by it4 ,,off3 ,,prep3 ,extract3 ,absinth3 ,d4 ,,acaci ,,gummi4 ,l4 7,acacia vera47 ,mimosa4 ,nilotica4 ,e4 ,d4 ,gum ,arabic4 ,,qualities4 ,it is dry1 semi-transparent1 brittle and insipid2 by exposure to the air it undergoes no other change than loss of colour4 ,specific ,gravity1 #aeae4 ,,solubility4 ,it is soluble in water in every proportion1 forming a viscid solution1 7mucilage74 ,one part dissolved in water affords a fluid of the consistence of syrup2 and in two parts1 a medium well calculated for the union of dry powders4 ,gum is also soluble in pure alkalies and lime water1 as well as in vegetable acids1 especially vinegar1 with which it forms a mucilage that may be used as a cement1 like the watery solution1 and with the additional advantage of not being susceptible of mouldiness4#cba ,it is insoluble in alcohol1 as well as in ther and oils4 ,by strong sulphuric acid the gum is decomposed1 and a considerable proportion of carbon deposited4#cbb ,for a farther history of its habitudes see ,mucilago ,acaci4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is demulcent and nutritious2 although it appears in certain states of the body to pass through the bowels without change4 ,when triturated with gum-resins it assists their mechanical division1 as in ,form3 #cj4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,mucilago ,acaci4 ,l4 ,e4 ,d4 ,emulsio ,mimos ,nilotic4 ,e4 ,emulsio ,arabica4 ,d4 ,mist4 ,corn4 ust4 ,l4 ,d4 7,o7 ,mist4 ,cret4 ,l4 ,d4 7,o7 ,mist4 ,moschi4 ,l4 7,o7 ,confect4 ,amygdal4 ,l4 7,o7 ,pulv4 ,cret4 co4 ,l4 7,o7 ,pulv4 ,tragacanth co4 ,l4 7,b7 ,trochisci ,carbonat4 ,calcis ,e4 7,o7 ,troch4 ,glycyrrh4 ,glab4 ,e4 7,o7 ,troch4 ,glycyrrh4 cum ,opio ,e4 7,o7 ,troch4 ,gummos4 ,e4 7,o74 ,,adulterations4 ,gum ,senegal is not unfrequently substituted for it1 but this may be distinguished by its clammy and tenacious nature2 whereas genuine gum arabic is dry and brittle2 the fraud is of no consequence in a medical point of view4 ,it is also occasionally mixed with the gum of plum and cherry trees2 this fraud however1 is to be easily detected1 for such gum has peculiar properties by which it may be chemically distinguished2 see ,mucilago ,tragacanth4 ,,acetica4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,preparations of ,vinegar4 ,these preparations consist of vegetable principles dissolved in vinegar4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,acetum ,aromaticum4 ,e4 ,acidum ,acetosum camphoratum4 ,e4 ,medicated vinegars were formerly much extolled2 the first ,london ,dispensatory contained no fewer than ten1 at present the number is reduced to two1 viz4 ,acetum ,colchici4 ,l4 ,acetum ,scill4 ,l4,e4,d4 which see4 ,,acetis ,,hydrargyri4 ,e4 ,acetas ,hydrargyri4 ,d4 ,acetate of ,mercury4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 small flaky crystals2 ,colour1 silvery white2 ,taste1 acrid4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,acetic ,acid1 and ,oxyd of ,mercury4 ,,solubility4 ,it is soluble in hot1 but very sparingly in cold water1 and quite insoluble in ,alcohol4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,it should be always given in pills1#cbc it is however seldom used4 ,,dose1 gr4 j4 ,as an external application1 a solution of it1 in the proportion of grs4 j4 to fi of rose water1 has been commended as a cosmetic4 ,,acetos ,,folia4 ,l4,e4 ,rumex ,acetosa4 ,common ,sorrel ,leaves4 ,,qualities4 ,taste1 grateful1 austere and acidulous4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,all its qualities depend upon the presence of ,super-oxalate of ,potass4 ,in ,france the plant is commonly cultivated for the use of the table4 ,,acetosella4 ,l4 ,oxalis ,acetosella4 ,wood ,sorrel4 ,the qualities of this plant1 like those of the preceding1 depend upon ,super-oxalate of ,potass4 ,,acetum4 ,l4 ,vinegar4 ,acidum ,acetosum1 ,e4 ,acetum ,vini4 ,d4 ,,qualities4 ,too well known to require description4#cbd ,,chymical ,,composition4 ,acetic acid largely diluted with water1 vegetable gluten1 mucilage1 sugar1 extractive matter1 and frequently malic and tartaric acids1 together with small proportions of sulphate of lime1 sulphate of potass1 and alcohol4 ,its composition however varies according to the fermented liquor from which it is obtained3#cbe e4 g4 wine yields a paler1 purer1 and stronger acid than fermented malt liquors or solutions of sugar1 hence the superiority of that prepared in ,france and ,italy4 ,vinegar is liable to spontaneous decomposition1 or to become mouldy1 and consequently for the purposes of pharmacy it should be distilled2 as however the change depends upon the presence of gluten1 it may if boiled be kept for a much longer time1 and if powdered animal#cbf charcoal be previously added1 it will become quite colourless like distilled vinegar1 and that without being impaired in strength1 whereas it always becomes much weaker by distillation4 ,it is a curious circumstance that this is the only vegetable acid1 except the ,prussic1 that rises in distillation in combination with water4 ,,adulterations4 ,sulphuric acid1 as it does not produce any turbid appearance in vinegar1 is generally the acid selected for sharpening it2 but it must be remembered1 that the maker is allowed by law1 to mix one thousandth of its weight of ,sulphuric acid#cbg with it2 so that the muriate of baryta when added to such vinegar may be expected to produce #a grain of insoluble sulphate in every fluid-ounce2 if a more considerable quantity of precipitate occurs1 we may infer that an excessive proportion of sulphuric acid is present2 although some allowance ought perhaps to be made for the presence of the sulphates of potass and lime1 which are always contained in vinegar4 ,of this vinegar #ajjj grains should saturate #adh grains of crystallized sub-carbonate of soda2 a fluid-ounce of the same1 #fh-c_/d grains4#cbh ,for the purpose of making the vinegar appear stronger1 acrid vegetables1 as grains of ,paradise1 berries of ,spurge ,flax1 ,capsicum1 ,pellitory of ,spain1 c4 are sometimes infused in it1 but by tasting it with attention1 the pungency of such substances may be easily detected4 ,for the other adulterations1 see ,acidum ,aceticum4 ,the purest vinegar which ,i have ever examined is that manufactured from malt1 by ,mr4 ,mackintosh of ,glasgow4 ,the strongest malt vinegar is termed proof vinegar1 and is called by the manufacturer ,no4 #bd2 it is estimated to contain #dgc per cent4 of real acetic acid4#cbi ,its strength in relation to the other forms of acetic acid1 will be seen by referring to the ,,medicinal ,,dynameter1 and to the table inserted under the article ,,acidum ,,aceticum ,,fortius4 ,in the former ,editions of this work it was stated1 that a ,vinegar had of late years appeared in the market produced from the distillation of wood1 7,pyroligneous ,acid47 ,this article has now come into very general use2 and the manufacturers have at length succeeded in divesting it of that empyreumatic flavour which had so long rendered it objectionable4 ,see ,acidum ,aceticum ,fortius e ,ligno destillatum4 ,,acetum ,,colchici4 ,l4 ,vinegar of ,meadow ,saffron4 ,vinegar appears to be a solvent of the acrid and medicinal principle which resides in the bulb of this plant4 ,,dose fss to fij4 in any bland fluid4 ,see ,colchici ,radix4 ,,acetum ,,scill4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,vinegar of ,squill4 ,this preparation is an acetic solution of the acrid matter of the ,squill1 upon which its medicinal efficacy depends4#ccj ,,dose fss to fij4 in cinnamon or mint water4 ,see ,scill ,radix4 ,,form4 #ajg1 #aad4 ,alkalies and their carbonates are chemically incompatible with these ,vinegars4 ,this preparation1 as well as the ,oxymel1 deposites when long kept a precipitate consisting of citrate of lime and tannin1 but its medicinal efficacy is not on that account impaired4 ,,acidum ,,aceticum ,,dilutum4 ,l4 ,acidum ,acetosum ,distillatum4 ,e4 ,acetum ,distillatum4 ,d4 ,common ,distilled ,vinegar4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 fainter and less agreeable than common vinegar 7,acetum73 ,taste1 less acid2 ,colour1 none4 ,,specific ,,gravity2 ,mr4 ,phillips states1 that when prepared according to the directions of the ,pharmacopia1 it varies from #ajjg to #ajji2 and that #ajjj grains of the latter require for their saturation1 #ade grains of crystallized sub-carbonate of soda4 ,i apprehend1 however1 that it will be found quite impossible to obtain a dilute acetic acid equal in strength or specific gravity1 to that last mentioned1 by the process of the ,london ,college2#cca it may even be doubted whether it can be produced of the specific gravity #ajjg4 ,the general run of distilled vinegar as found in the shop of the druggist1 varies from #ajje to #ajjf1 and contains from #bhj to #bhbf per cent4 of real acid2 when of the specific gravity of #ajji it would contain about #dgc per cent4 ,dr4 ,powell states 7,translation of the ,pharmacop3 of ,london1 #ahae7 that 8one fluid-ounce ought to dissolve at least thirteen grains of white marble20 or1 what is equivalent to it1 #cifg grains of crystallized ,sub-carbonate of ,soda2 acid of this strength corresponds very nearly with six degrees of the ,revenue ,acetometer1 the proportions being as follow1 #ajj grains of ,pharmacopia strength will saturate #hfh grains of crystallized ,sub-carbonate of ,soda2 #ajj grains of acid of #f of the ,acetometer will saturate #hgj grains of the salt4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,acetic ,acid more largely diluted than that in vinegar1 with very minute portions of uncombined mucilage and extractive4 ,,solvent ,,powers4 ,it is capable of dissolving all those vegetable principles which are soluble in water1 and in some cases1 as in ,squill1 ,colchicum1 and in several ,aromatics and ,narcotics1 its acid appears to extend its solvent powers2 at the same time it often modifies or diminishes the medicinal virtues of the substances1 as for instance those of ,narcotics2 this circumstance considerably limits its pharmaceutical application2 when however it is employed1 a portion of spirit should be always added1 in order to counteract the spontaneous decomposition to which it is liable1 and the acetic compound should be preserved in stopped bottles4 ,acetic acid does not dissolve true resins1 but it has some action on gum resins4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is refrigerant1 and may be advantageously administered in hemorrhage2 especially in cases where the acetate of lead has been given1 since the solubility of this latter substance is increased by it4 ,see ,form4 #eg2 externally1 it may be a convenient adjunct to lotions containing lead4 ,see ,form4 #adg4 ,in consequence of its chemical action upon osseous matter1 it has been much employed at the ,gloucester ,infirmary to hasten exfoliation of carious bone4 ,,adulterations4 ,sulphuric ,acid may be detected by a precipitate being produced on the addition of acetate of baryta3 this test however will not answer for its detection in common vinegar1 for the reason stated under that article4 ,see ,acetum4 ,sulphurous ,acid may be recognised by drawing a little of the vapour into the lungs4 ,the presence of ,nitric ,acid may be discovered by saturating the suspected sample with pure potass1 evaporating to dryness1 and then treating the product with a highly concentrated alcohol1 the acetate of potass will be thus dissolved1 but as it exerts no action on the ,nitrate it will be found in the residuum1 and may be recognised by its deflagration1 when thrown upon burning charcoal2#ccb ,copper may be detected by the acid assuming a blue colour1 when supersaturated with ammonia2 and ,lead1 by a solution of sulphuretted hydrogen1 producing a dark coloured precipitate4 ,tin however is the metal with which distilled vinegar is more usually contaminated1 for no vegetable acid will act upon lead while any tin is present in the mixture1 since the latter1 being more oxidable than the former1 is exclusively dissolved4 ,,acidum ,,aceticum ,,fortius4 ,l4 7,acidum ,aceticum47 7e ,ligno ,destillatum47 vulgo1 ,pyroligneous ,acid4 ,the acetic acid from wood has been very generally introduced to supersede the use of distilled vinegar for the purposes of ,medicine and the ,arts4#ccc ,it is at length found to be capable of such complete separation from all foreign matter as to afford a perfectly pure acetic acid1 invariable in its acidifying power1 and immutable in its chemical properties4 ,in justice to the skill and industry of ,messrs4 ,beaufoy and ,co4 of ,south ,lambeth1 ,i beg to state that ,i have examined various specimens of this acid from their manufactory1 and that ,i find it free from those impurities which have hitherto constituted an insuperable objection to its introduction into the ,materia ,medica4 ,the purified ,pyroligneous acid1 manufactured by this company1 and sold under the name of 8,improved ,distilled ,vinegar10 is perfectly free from any unpleasant taste1 as well as colour and sediment2 and it forms a limpid and colourless solution with ammonia4 ,the common distilled vinegar of the shops varies essentially in strength as well as purity1 differing in acidifying power from #cj to #dj per cent4 in value3 it is sometimes #g degrees1 and at others less than #e1 by the ,revenue ,acetometer2#ccd and hence has arisen the difficulty of procuring an uniform article for medical application1 a difficulty which the introduction of the pyroligneous acid seems calculated to overcome1 as it may be procured from the manufacturers of any degree of concentration1#cce from #f degrees of the ,acetometer1 or #bhbf per cent4 of real acetic acid to #acj degrees1 or #fadi per cent4 of acid2 and even of still higher strength if required2 their common1 or ,proof acid is about equivalent in strength to that of the best ,malt ,vinegar1 of which #ajj grains will saturate #ad grains of crystallized ,sub-carbonate of ,soda1 and consequently contains #dgc per cent4 of real acid1 and will require at least one half part of water to reduce it to the strength of the best common distilled vinegar4 ,it is found that acetic acid of #de per cent4 real acid1 or of #ie of acetometer strength1 dissolves ,camphor and the ,essential ,oils very readily4 ,the 8,,acidum ,,aceticum ,,fortius10 which is now introduced into the ,materia ,medica of the ,london ,college1 is directed to have a specific gravity of #ajdf4ccf ,it is exactly six times the strength of ,proof vinegar1 or the strong ,malt vinegar manufactured1 but it requires to be diluted with nine times its weight of water to reduce it to the strength of the ordinary samples of distilled vinegar4 ,mr4 ,phillips states1 that he has not met with acetic acid of greater specific gravity than #ajdc1ccg being five times the strength of vinegar of specific gravity #ajji4cch ,the strongest acid that can be procured is the ,glacial acid1 which exists in a crystallized state under #ej ,fah4 ,it contains #gi per cent4 of real acid1 and is consequently of the strength of #afge of the ,acetometer4 ,if this acid be kept perfectly still1 it may be reduced several degrees below its crystallizing point in a fluid state1 when the slightest agitation of the vessel instantly occasions it to solidify4 ,it will greatly facilitate our inquiries into the strength of different samples of acetic acid to know1 that the representative numbers of acetic acid and pure white marble coincide on the scale of equivalents2 it therefore follows that the weight of marble dissolved by a hundred grains of any acetic acid1 will at once represent the percentage of real acid in such a sample4 ,the ,impure ,pyroligneous acid1 as it first comes over1 contaminated with ,tar1 has1 it is said1 been very successfully employed as a lotion in ,lepra1 scrophulous ulcerations1 chronic inflammation of the eyes1 and edges of the eye-lids1 and for promoting digestion of irritative ulcers1 or those connected with carious bone4 ,it has also been injected into sinuses to produce healthy discharge and adhesive inflammation4#cci ,m4 ,monge discovered that this acid has the property of preventing the decomposition of animal substances2 it is sufficient to plunge meat for a few moments in this acid1 even slightly empyreumatic1 to preserve it as long as you please4 8,putrefaction10 it is said1 8not only stops but retrogrades40 ,to the empyreumatic oil a part of this effect has been ascribed1 and hence has been explained the agency of wood smoke in the preservation of tongues1 hams1 herrings1 c4 ,,acidum ,,acetosum ,,forte1 ,e4 ,acidum ,aceticum4 ,d4 ,radical ,vinegar4 ,the process for this preparation has not retained its place in the ,london ,pharmacopia1 as it is now universally superseded by the ,acetic acid distilled from wood4 ,since however it possesses peculiar chemical habitudes1 it claims some notice in this work4 ,the concentrated acid obtained from the decomposition of acetic salts1 by the action of sulphuric acid1 is pungent1 acrid1 and volatile1 and when heated with free access of air1 it takes fire very readily4 ,its solvent powers are much greater than those of distilled vinegar2 it is capable of dissolving camphor1 resins1 and essential oils#cdj copiously1 but they are precipitated by dilution2 it combines with alcohol1 and forms a species of ether2 with water it unites in any proportion1 heat being evolved by the mixture4 ,gold1 platinum1 glass1 and earthenware1 can alone retain this acid without being corroded4 ,it blisters the skin immediately4 ,i shall conclude this article by the introduction of a ,table1 which ,i have constructed with considerable care1 for the use of the practical ,chemist4 ,the accuracy of the results may be depended upon1 since it has been tested by several different modes of enquiry4 ,the ,medicinal ,dynameter will give the equivalents in any other denomination that may be required4 ,a ,,table ,,exhibiting ,,the ,,acetometer ,,strengths1 ,,specific ,,gravities1 ,,percentage ,,of ,,real ,,acid1 ,,equivalent ,,value1 ,,and ,,saturating ,,power1 ,,of ,,the ,,more ,,important ,,preparations ,,of ,,acetic ,,acid4 ,,acids4 ,grains of ,sub- carbonate of ,soda saturated ,percentage by #ajj ,acetometer,specific of real ,equivalentsgrains of strength4 ,gravity4 ,acid4 in ,minims4 acid4 ,acetum ,destillatum #ei #ajje #bhj #haj #heh ,d #f #ajjf #bhbf #hjc #hff ,d #g #ajjg #cdb #ffc #ajdh ,d #aj #ajji #dgc #dhj #ade ,acetum 7,proof7 #aj #ajad #dgc #dhj #ade ,acid ,acetic3 ,fort4 #ej #ajdc #bcfg #if #gbe ,acid ,acet3 ,fort4 ,p4 ,l4 #fj #ajdh #bhdc #hj #hg ,acid3 ,acet3 ,fort4 #ge #ajei #cedge #fd #ajhge ,acid3 ,acetic1 ,d4 ,acid3 ,acetos3 ,fort4 ,e4 #ade #ajgj #fhe #cca #bajbe ,acid3 ,acetic3 ,fort4 7,glacial47 #afg4e #ajfc #gi #bhf #bdbhge ,the reader will observe an anomaly with regard to the specific gravity of the acid of #ade of the acetometer1 when compared with the glacial acid4 ,the fact is1 that by diluting this latter preparation with a small portion of water we augment its specific gravity1 a circumstance peculiar to this acid4 ,,acidum ,,benzoicum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,benzoic ,acid4 ,vulgo1 ,flowers of ,benzoin1 or ,benjamin4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 small feathery crystals of a brilliant white colour1 which are not brittle1 but possess a kind of ductility and elasticity1 and1 on being rubbed in a mortar1 assume the consistence of paste4 ,odour4 ,as generally met with1 it possesses a peculiar aromatic smell1 but this depends upon the oily matter which adheres to it1 for ,mr4 ,guise informs us1 that on dissolving the benzoic acid in as little alcohol as possible1 filtering the solution1 and precipitating by water1 the acid will be obtained pure1 and void of smell1 the odorous oil remaining dissolved in the spirit4 ,taste1 rather acrid and sour2 ,specific ,gravity1 #ffg4 ,it is not altered by exposure to air4 ,,solubility4 ,four hundred parts of cold water dissolve but one1 although the same quantity of boiling water dissolves twenty parts1 nineteen of which separate on cooling2 in alcohol it is soluble in a much greater proportion4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is said to be stimulant and expectorant2 in certain cases of tracheal irritation1 a pill1 composed of two grains of ,benzoic acid1 and three of ,extract of ,poppy1 has been found serviceable4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,tinctura ,camphor ,composita1 ,l4,d4 ,tinct3 ,opii ,ammoniat3 ,e4 ,,impurities4 ,the crystals ought not to be discoloured2 they should dissolve without residuum in alcohol1 and when subjected to heat1 ought to be entirely volatilized4 ,although this acid is commonly procured from the resinous substance called ,benzoin1 yet it exists extensively in other vegetable1 and in some animal substances4 ,in the ,tonca bean 7,dipterix odorata7 it is frequently to be seen beautifully crystallized on its surface4 ,it exists also in vanello2 cinnamon2 cloves2 ambergris2 in the urine of children1 and sometimes in that of adults1 and always in that of quadrupeds living on grass and hay4 ,,acidum ,,citricum4 7,crystalli7 ,citric ,acid4 ,concrete ,acid of ,lemons4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 crystals which are right rhombic prisms1 white1 semi-transparent1 and persistent4 ,taste1 extremely acid1 almost caustic4 ,,solubility1 fj of cold water dissolves x1 but of boiling1 ij4 x of the crystals dissolved in a pint of water1 are about equivalent to one pint of lemon juice1 the solution however if kept is liable to spontaneous decomposition4 ,the following table of equivalents may be found of practical use2 the author is aware that they do not exactly agree with the proportions of ,dr4 ,haygarth1 but they are the results of careful and repeated experiments1 and as such they are submitted with confidence4 ,,equivalent ,,proportions ,,of ,,concrete ,,citric ,,acid ,,and ,,lemon ,,juice1 ,,necessary ,,for ,,the ,,neutralization ,,of ,,alkaline ,,salts4 ,citric ,acid4 ,lemon ,juice4 ,a ,scruple of ,alkalies4 grs4 x4 fiij ,carbonate of ,potass4 grs4 xv4 fiiij ,sub-,carbonate of ,potass4 grs4 xxv4 fvij ,sub-,carbonate of ,ammonia4 ,these alkaline citrates are decomposed by the oxalic1 tartaric1 and the stronger mineral acids1 and by the solutions of lime and barytes4 ,form4 #ajg1 #abc1 #acg1 #afh4 ,citric acid decomposes the following salts1 viz4 ,the ,alkaline1 ,earthy1 and ,metallic ,carbonates2 the ,alkaline and ,metallic ,acetates2 the ,sulphurets of ,earths and ,alkalies1 and ,alkaline ,soaps4 ,it is also incompatible with ,tartrate of ,potass1 which it converts into citrate and super-tartrate of potass4 ,it curdles the milk of most animals1 but it does not produce that effect on human milk1 whether applied hot or cold4 ,,adulterations4 ,tartaric ,acid1 with which it is sometimes mixed1 may be detected by adding to the solution an excess of ,potass1 which will instantly form with it an insoluble super-tartrate1 and precipitate in granular crystals1 or1 if a little of the suspected acid be saturated with potass1 and then boiled with a dilute solution of muriate of ,platinum1 if tartaric acid be present1 a black protoxide of ,platinum will be precipitated4 ,if we add the tartrate of potass for this purpose1 we may be deceived1 for the citric acid1 by neutralizing a portion of its base1 will convert the remainder into super-tartrate4 ,see ,potass ,tartras4 ,sulphuric ,acid is known by the acetate of lead producing a precipitate1 insoluble in nitric acid4 ,muriatic ,acid may be discovered in the same manner1 substituting only an acidulous solution of nitrate of silver for the acetate of lead4 ,the presence of ,oxalic ,acid may be inferred1 if the solution1 when added to that of sulphate of lime1 produce a precipitate4 ,malic acid has the power of precipitating silver1 mercury1 and lead1 from their solutions in nitric acid1 but no doubt or difficulty can arise from this circumstance1 for the fact of its forming a soluble salt with lime will prevent every chance of accidental intrusion1 and its price at once secures us against its fraudulent introduction2 it might moreover be easily detected by throwing the suspected precipitate upon burning coals1 when it would be decomposed4 ,where the presence of lime is suspected1 it may be known by dissolving some of the crystals in water1 saturating the solution with ammonia1 and then treating it with the oxalate of that alkali1 which1 if lime be present1 will immediately separate it in a palpable form4 ,the juices of many other fruits besides the lemon and lime1 will furnish the citric acid in abundance1 and may be obtained from them by a similar process2 e4 g4 ,,vaccinium ,,oxycoccus1 the ,cranberry2 ,,prunus ,,padus1 the ,bird's ,cherry2 ,,dulcamara ,,solanum1 the berry of the ,nightshade2 ,,cynosbatus1 vel ,,rosa ,,canina1 the hep or fruit of the ,wild ,briar4 ,there are many plants whose juices contain combinations of the ,citric and ,malic acids in considerable abundance1 such as ,,fragaria ,,vesca1 the ,wood ,strawberry1 and the common ,raspberry2 ,,ribes ,,rubrum the ,red ,gooseberry2 ,,vaccinium ,,myrtillus1 the ,bilberry2 ,,crat,,gus ,,aria1 the ,hawthorn2 ,,prunus ,,cerasus1 the ,black ,cherry1 c4 ,this fact is interesting1 since the juices of such fruits have been long known to possess the property of dissolving the tartareous incrustations on the teeth4 ,,acidum ,,hydro-,,cyanicum4 ,hydro-cyanic ,acid4 ,prussic ,acid4 ,this peculiar acid exists in a great variety of native combinations in the vegetable kingdom1#cda and imparts to them certain properties which have been long known1 and esteemed in medicine4 ,it is1 however1 only lately1 that it has been administered in its simple but diluted form4 ,as few practitioners will choose to prepare the acid1 it seems unnecessary in the present work to dwell upon the merits of the different processes which have been proposed for its preparation2 for a full account of them1 as well as for other details of importance1 the practitioner is advised to consult a work by ,dr4 ,granville1 entitled 8,an ,historical and ,practical ,treatise on the use of ,prussic ,acid4 ,second ,edition4 ,london1 #ahbj40 ,,qualities4 ,a colourless transparent liquid1 although it occasionally exhibits a yellow tinge2 ,odour like that of bitter almonds2 ,taste bitterish and peculiar3 these properties however are soon lost by exposure to air and light1 and the acid undergoes spontaneous decomposition4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,the true nature of ,prussic acid was not ascertained until #ahae1 when ,gay ,lussac presented to the ,royal ,institute of ,france1 a memoir which at once developed its real chemical constitution2 and it is now admitted to consist of a peculiar gaseous and highly inflammable compound of carbon and nitrogen1 to which the name ,cyanogene has been assigned1 and of hydrogen2 the latter body acting as the acidifying principle1 whence the term ,hydro-cyanic acid is well contrived to express its composition4 ,the medicinal1 or diluted acid1 however1 contains but a small proportion of this concentrated compound2 according to ,m4 ,majendie1 one part of the acid of ,gay ,lussac and eight parts and a half of water1 by weight1 or one part of acid with six times its volume of water1 constitute the preparation which should be used in medicine2 and which1 to avoid the possibility of mistake1 ought always to be prescribed as the ,acidum ,hydro-cyanicum dilutum1 and is1 in fact1 the ,prussic acid of ,scheele4 ,dr4 ,ure1 who has lately taken considerable pains upon this subject1 has constructed a table exhibiting the relations between the specific gravities1 and quantities of real acid1 in preparations of different strength2 from these experiments it would appear that an acid of specific gravity #jiif or #jiig is such as is usually prescribed in medicine4#cdb ,,medical ,,uses4 ,in a sufficient dose1 hydro-cyanic acid instantly destroys life by extinguishing the nervous energy of the body2#cdc but it has at the same time been observed that animals submitted to its action would often continue to breathe for several hours freely1 and to circulate their blood1 although no trace of sensibility or muscular contractility could be found after its application4 ,this remarkable property of extinguishing the general sensibility1 without any ostensible injury to respiration and circulation1 naturally led to a belief that the hydro-cyanic acid1 or prussic acid1 might be advantageously used in cases of excessive sensibility and irritation1 particularly when these two morbid states are likely to affect either the respiratory organs or the circulation generally4 ,this kind of analogical reasoning1 it is said1 induced ,professor ,brera1 ten years ago1 to administer it in cases of high pulmonary and other inflammations1 in doses of four drops twice a day2 when1 as we are told1 the violence of the disease was quickly subdued4 ,the remedy1 however1 does not appear to have excited much attention1 until after the first essay of ,dr4 ,majendie1 who deserves whatever credit may belong to its introduction4 ,seven years of trial have elapsed1 and the general sense of the medical profession with respect to its utility may now be collected4 ,as a palliative in certain spasmodic coughs1 there is reason for supposing that it may sometimes be useful1 but in that species of pulmonary irritation for which it was at first so greatly extolled1 ,i will venture to assert that it is far inferior in efficacy to well directed doses of ,conium4 ,but there is another class of diseases in which its exhibition is said to prove useful1 in dyspeptic affections attended with heartburn2 where it is supposed to be capable of reducing the morbid irritability of the stomach1 and thereby of enabling the juices of that organ to be more slowly secreted and of a more healthy character4 ,dr4 ,elliotson has published the result of his treatment of stomach complaints with this medicinal agent1 and would appear to appropriate to himself the merit of originating the practice1 a claim which ,mr4 ,thomson1 in the third edition of his ,dispensatory1 refuses to concede4#cdd ,as a local remedy1 prussic acid has also received no small share of commendation1 and it has been said that it is the only application that can be depended upon for allaying the cutaneous irritation so frequently attendant upon certain impetiginous affections4 ,it must1 however1 be confessed that this medicine is rapidly declining in popularity4#cde ,any prejudice raised against it1 upon the ground of its poisonous activity in large doses1 is too absurd to be believed2 the knife and the caustic are unquestionably powerful1 and may therefore become dangerous instruments2 but who ever blames the surgeon for employing a sharp knife or an active caustic1 seeing that both are to be directed by his eye1 and guided by his hand8 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,it may be conveniently administered in any liquid vehicle1 as distilled water1 camphor mixture1 or in some vegetable infusion4 ,see ,supplementary ,formul1 #a1 #b1 #c4 ,a question has lately arisen whether the effects of the prussic acid might not be more conveniently ensured by the administration of some vegetable#cdf in which it exists as a native ingredient2 a company of associated ,physicians1 ,surgeons1 and ,naturalists at ,florence1 have accordingly expressed their joint opinion1 that the essential oil of the ,prunus ,lauro ,cerasus is to be preferred in medical practice to all other preparations which contain the hydro-cyanic acid2 for1 say they1 unlike the distilled water of the plant1 and pure prussic acid1 it contains the same proportion of active matter1 and of the same power1 whether recently prepared or not2 whether made in one place or another2 or whether it has been exposed or not to the air1 light1 or heat4 ,they are also of opinion that olive oil forms the best vehicle for its exhibition in the proportion of one ounce to twelve drops of the essential oil4 ,other practitioners again prefer ,laurel ,water1 made by distilling two drachms of the fresh leaves chopped1 with four ounces of water1 recommitting the distilled water twice afterwards on the same quantity of fresh leaves1 and making ultimately four ounces of the menstruum1 of which from xxx to fj every six hours may be given until a sedative effect is produced4 ,see ,oleum ,amygdal ,amar4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,hydro-cyanic acid is decomposed by most of the oxydes usually employed in medicine1 particularly by those of ,mercury and ,antimony4 ,the alkalies do not appear to diminish its efficacy4 ,nitrate of ,silver1 and the salts of iron occasion precipitates2 nor ought the sulphurets1 the mineral acids1 or chlorine to enter with it into prescriptions4 ,,dose4 ,of the medicinal1 or diluted hydro-cyanic acid1 ij1-viij4 ,there is however considerable difficulty with regard to the strength of the dilute acid employed in medicine1 since the density is a criterion of greater nicety than can be conveniently used by the majority of practitioners2 in fact1 as ,dr4 ,ure has observed1 the liquid at #jiif1 contains about double the quantity of real acid1 which it does at #jiih4 ,dr4 ,ure has accordingly proposed another test of the strength of this powerful and dangerous medicine1 which is not only easier in use1 but more delicate in its indications2#cdg it is as follows4 ,to #ajj grains1 or any other convenient quantity of the prussic acid1 contained in a small phial1 add in succession1 small quantities of the peroxide of mercury1 7the common red precipitate of the shops7 in fine powder1 till it ceases to be dissolved on agitation4 ,the weight of the red precipitate taken up1 being divided by four1 gives a quotient representing the quantity of real prussic acid present4 ,by weighing out before hand1 on a piece of paper1 or a watch glass1 forty or fifty grains of the peroxide1 the residual weight of it shews at once the quantity expended4 ,the operation may always be completed in five minutes1 for the red precipitate dissolves as rapidly in the dilute prussic acid1 with the aid of slight agitation1 as sugar dissolves in water4 ,,adulterations4 ,if1 says ,dr4 ,ure1 the presence of muriatic acid be suspected1 then the specific gravity of the liquid compared with the gravity of the peroxide dissolved1 will shew how far the suspicion is well founded2 thus if #ajj grains of acid1 specific gravity #jiif1 dissolve more than #ab grains of the red precipitate1 we may be sure that the liquid has been contaminated with muriatic acid4 ,nitrate of ,silver1 in common cases1 so valuable a reagent for muriatic acid1 is unfortunately of little use here1 for it gives with prussic acid1 a flocculent white precipitate1 soluble in water of ammonia1 and insoluble in nitric acid1 which may easily be mistaken by common observers1 for the chloride of that metal4 ,but the difference in the volatility of prussiate and muriate of ammonia may be had recourse to with advantage2 the former exhaling at a very gentle heat1 the latter requiring a subliming temperature of about #cjj ,fah4 ,after adding ammonia in slight excess to the prussic acid1 if we evaporate to dryness at a heat of #bab1 we may infer from the residuary sal ammoniac1 the quantity of muriatic acid present4 ,,antidotes4 ,to counteract the poisonous effect of prussic acid1 ,orfila recommends1 after full vomiting has been excited1 the exhibition of three or four spoonsful of oil of turpentine1 in the infusion of coffee1 at intervals of half an hour4 ,m4 ,virey conceives that sulphate of iron in solution is the best antidote1 he having observed that the salt restored a cow that was nearly killed by the essential oil of bitter almonds4 ,when an overdose has been taken1 hot brandy and water1 and the ammoniated tincture of iron are recommended by ,mr4 ,thomson2 on the former ,i should rely with much greater confidence than upon the latter antidote1 or1 in other words1 it is from vital agents1 counteracting its sedative influence1 rather than from chemical substances1 changing its composition1 that we can expect any benefit upon such an occasion4 ,for the chemical processes by which the presence of this acid may be ascertained1 the reader may consult my work on ,medical ,jurisprudence1 vol4 #b1 p4 #djh4 ,,acidum ,,muriaticum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,muriatic ,acid4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a liquid of the specific gravity #aaf1 a fluid-ounce of which weighs about #ebg grains1 and according to ,dr4 ,powell ought1 when diluted1 to dissolve #bbj grains of limestone4 ,odour1 strong and pungent2 if exposed to the air it emits white fumes4 ,taste1 intensely sour and caustic2 it is however the weakest of the three mineral acids2 and no remarkable elevation of temperature is produced by dilution4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,the liquid acid is a solution of muriatic acid gas in water2 when of the specific gravity #aaf1 according to ,davy1 it contains #cbcb per cent of the gas1 which recent experiments have shewn to be a compound of ,chlorine 7,oxy-muriatic acid7 and hydrogen in equal volumes4 ,it has therefore received a name expressive of its composition1 and is called ,hydro-chloric#cdh acid4 ,we accordingly find that the former element is disengaged from muriatic acid by adding any substance capable of uniting with its hydrogen4 ,for the purpose of obtaining ,chlorine1 we may take three parts of common salt1 one of black oxide of manganese1 and rather less than three of strong sulphuric acid4#cdi ,accounts have been received from ,spain1 that in the midst of the dreadful contagion which reigned in that country1 the inhabitants always escaped in those houses where fumigations of chlorine had been used4 ,in our own country1 the ,penitentiary has lately undergone fumigation by this gas1 under the superintendance of ,mr4 ,faraday4#cej ,muriatic acid gas has also been strongly recommended for the same purpose2 it may be easily evolved by pouring sulphuric acid on common salt4 ,if nitric and muriatic acids be mixed1 a mutual decomposition takes place1 of which water1 chlorine1 and nitrous acid are the results2 this constitutes 8nitro-muriatic acid10 the ,aqua regia of the older chemists4 ,a bath acidulated with an acid of this kind has been recommended by ,dr4 ,scott1 as a powerful remedy for diseases of the liver in particular1 and as a substitute for mercury in general4 ,on the possible influence of this bath1 ,i would beg to make one observation1--that the extensive application of a dilute acid to the surface of the body1 is1 under certain circumstances1 capable of affecting the bowels4 ,i have witnessed such an effect from sponging with vinegar and water4 ,in this way the acidulated bath may occasionally produce benefit1 but it is extremely difficult to conceive how it can be indebted for its utility to any other mode of operation4 7,see ,journal of ,science and the ,arts1 ,no4 #b47 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,muriatic acid should be administered in some bland fluid1 as barley water1 gruel1 c4 7,formula #ade47 ,i have uniformly exhibited it with success in the most malignant cases of typhus and scarlatina1 during several years extensive practice in the ,westminster ,hospital4 ,see page #aeg4 ,we should be careful not to apportion its dose in a leaden or pewter spoon4 ,the antiseptic properties of this acid have been long known2 ,sir ,wm4 ,fordyce relates that a 8dry-salter0 acquired a large fortune from possessing a secret that had enabled him to send out provisions to ,india in a better state of preservation than any others of the trade2 his secret consisted in adding a small quantity of muriatic acid to the contents of each cask4 ,after a copious evacuation of the bowels1 it is in my experience the most efficacious remedy for preventing the generation of worms2 for which purpose the infusion of quassia1 stronger than that of the ,pharmacopia1 is the best vehicle4 ,,dose1 v-xx1 frequently repeated4 ,it may be here observed that where the permanent influence of an acid is required1 a mineral one should be always preferred1 as such bodies appear to be beyond the control of the digestive process1#cea and are incapable of being decomposed by it2 see ,form4 #aeh1 whereas on the contrary it seems probable that the organs of assimilation have command over those of a vegetable nature1 and generally decompose them4 ,dr4 ,marcet has very judiciously noticed this fact in his luminous work on the treatment of calculi1 and ,i have ventured to offer some farther observations upon this subject1 which may be of practical value1 under the consideration of ,lithonthryptics1 page #abc4 ,,adulterations4 ,sulphuric acid is detected by diluting the acid with six parts of distilled water1 and adding a few drops of the muriate of baryta1 which occasions a white precipitate if any be present4 ,iron1 by saturating a diluted portion with pure carbonate of soda1 and adding prussiate of potass1 which will indicate its presence by a blue precipitate2 or by a solution of ammonia1 which1 when added slightly in excess1 throws down the peroxide of iron of a reddish yellow colour4 ,copper1 by the production of a blue colour when supersaturated with ammonia4 ,the yellow tinge of the acid usually met with in commerce1 may depend either upon the presence of iron1 vegetable extractive1 or a small portion of chlorine4 ,this latter body may be recognised by the odour1 or by its power of dissolving gold leaf4 ,,acidum ,,nitricum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,nitric ,acid4 ,aqua ,fortis4 ,,qualities4 ,a limpid liquid of the specific gravity #aejj1 a fluid-ounce of which is equal to about #aa drachms1 #a scruple by weight1 and ought to decompose of pure limestone an ounce2 it emits white fumes of a suffocating odour4 ,taste1 extremely acid2 it is highly corrosive1 and tinges the skin indelibly yellow2 an effect which is considerably heightened by the subsequent application of an alkali1 so that these agents afford the means of detecting minute portions of animal matter1 and were ingeniously employed for such an object by ,mr4 ,hatchett4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,when of the specific gravity #aejj1 it contains #gdhie per cent4 of dry acid2 7whose ultimate elements are one portion of nitrogen and five of oxygen7 the compliment #beaje parts is water4 ,it is decomposed with violent action by all combustibles1 and when mixed with volatile oils1 it causes their inflammation4 ,it boils at #baj1 and when its specific gravity is below #ad1 it is strengthened1 when stronger than #ade it is weakened by ebullition4 ,,uses4 ,it is principally employed as a pharmaceutical agent2 viz4 for the preparation of ,argenti ,nitras2 ,liquor ,ferri ,alkalini2 ,hydrargyri ,nitri-co-oxydum2 ,spiritus ,etheris ,nitrici2 and ,unguentum ,hydrargyri ,nitratis4 ,as an escharotic it has been frequently employed for the destruction of tumours1 and is certainly of value where an immediate destruction of diseased parts is required4 ,the method of using the strong nitric acid in such cases is to smear all the sound parts in the immediate vicinity of the ulcer with ,ung3 ,resin3 ,nig3 and then to apply pledgets of lint firmly upon the ulcer for a few seconds1 by which the whole surface will be deadened1 and a deep slough remain1 underneath which healthy suppuration and granulations will ensue4#ceb ,,adulterations4 ,sulphuric acid may be detected by a precipitate being produced on the addition of nitrate of baryta2 in the application however of this test1 ,mr4 ,hume has shewn that unless this as well as the nitric acid be diluted1 a precipitate will occur1 although sulphuric acid should not be present2 a circumstance which depends upon the barytic salt yielding its water of solution to the acid under examination1 and becoming insoluble4 ,muriatic acid is discovered by nitrate of silver1 affording a precipitate at first white1 but becoming coloured by exposure to light2 the nitric acid ought to be perfectly colourless1 but to preserve it in such a state it must be closely stopped1 and kept in a dark place1 or it will soon be converted into nitrous acid4 ,,acidum ,,nitricum ,,dilutum4 ,l4 ,acidum ,nitrosum ,dilutum4 ,e4,d4 ,dilute ,nitric ,acid4 ,it is much to be regretted that the proportion of water directed for the dilution of the acid1 varies considerably in the different pharmacopias2 that prepared according to the ,edinburgh and ,dublin formul1 being in strength to that of the present ,pharmacopia of ,london1 as #d to #a3 specific gravity1 #ajhj2 each fluid-drachm contains nearly #h grains of the concentrated acid1 and saturates #ah grains of crystallized sub-carbonate of soda4 ,,dose x to xl4 ,the acid is a very powerful anti-phlogistic remedy2 it has been much extolled in diseases of the liver1 and in syphilis4 ,mr4 ,pearson however observes that we ought not to rely upon it in any form of lues venerea1 although it may be often serviceable in restraining the progress of the disease when an impaired constitution or other circumstances render the exhibition of mercury improper2 when sufficiently dilute1 it forms an excellent lotion for old indolent ulcers4 ,it proves also expectorant1 see ,form4 #aci1 #adj2 and it is occasionally used with success for the purpose of counteracting the consecutive effects of opium4 ,see ,form4 #af4 ,,acidum ,,nitrosum4 ,e4,d4 ,nitrous ,acid4 ,,qualities4 ,a liquid emitting fumes of a flame-red colour1 and of a very pungent and remarkable odour4 ,the acid is either blue1 green1 straw-coloured1 clear orange yellow1 according to the proportion of nitrous acid gas#cec with which it is charged4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,this acid is improperly denominated ,nitrous1 for it is nitric acid1 holding nitrous acid gas loosely combined2 by dilution this last constituent is disengaged1 and the acid1 after passing through a succession of different colours1 becomes pure nitric acid2 the application of a gentle heat effects the same changes4 ,,acidum ,,sulphuricum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,sulphuric ,acid4 ,oil of ,vitriol1 ,vitriolic ,acid4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a thick liquid of an oily consistence1 specific gravity #ahe2 a fluid-ounce weighs a fraction of a grain more than fourteen drachms4 ,colour1 none1 but it acquires a brown tinge from the smallest portion of carbonaceous matter2 mere exposure to the air is sufficient for this purpose1 in consequence of the acid disorganizing and carbonating the vegetable and animal matter suspended in the atmosphere2 it is therefore evident that bottles in which it is preserved ought not to have stoppers of cork1 but those of glass4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,like the other mineral acids1 it has never been obtained in an insulated state without water2 according to ,davy1 the composition of the strongest acid may be thus expressed3 sulphur #cj1 oxygen #de1 water #ag4 ,it has a very powerful affinity for water1 and produces when mixed with it a very considerable heat2 exposed to the atmosphere it imbibes at least seven times its own weight of water1 and so rapidly as to double its weight in a month2 when of the specific gravity #ahe1 it rises in vapour at about #eej1 and distils unaltered1 whereas weaker acids lose water by being boiled1 and are brought to that degree of concentration2 when diluted with #ab or #ac per cent4 of water1 an acid results of the specific gravity #aghj1 and in this state of dilution it boils at #dce1 and freezes sooner than water2 a knowledge of this curious fact suggests to the prudent chemist an important precaution2 ,mr4 ,parkes1 in his ,chemical ,essays1 vol4 ii4 relates the occurrence of a terrible accident which happened in consequence of this circumstance not having been attended to4--8,carboy after carboy burst by the expansion of the acid in the act of freezing1 and had not the packed carboys that remained been immediately immersed in tepid water1 not a single one would have escaped the general wreck40 ,,adulterations4 ,the ordinary acid of the shops contains in general #c or #d per cent4 of saline matter1 which consists of about two-thirds of sulphate of potass1 and one-third of sulphate of lead4 ,dr4 ,ure observes1 that even more is occasionally found1 in consequence of the employment of nitre to remove the brown colour given to the acid by carbonaceous matter2 the amount of adulteration1 he observes1 may be readily determined by evaporating a definite weight of the acid in a small capsule of platinum2 these impurities however in a medical point of view are immaterial1 since they are at once separated by dilution1 but in a commercial sense they deserve attention1 as their presence considerably increases the specific gravity of the acid4 ,dr4 ,ure is of opinion that genuine commercial acid should never exceed #ahdhe1 and that any density beyond this is the effect of saline combination4 ,journal of ,science and the ,arts1 ,no4 #g4 ,,acidum ,,sulphuricum ,,dilutum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,dilute ,sulphuric ,acid4 ,by the dilution of this acid two objects are accomplished1--it is purified1 and its dose is more easily apportioned2 but it is a circumstance of regret that the strength of this preparation should so materially vary in the different ,pharmacopias4 ,after the acid is diluted1 the sediment ought to be carefully removed1 and the water employed for the purpose should be distilled1 for although it be in its purest natural state1 it will nevertheless contain impregnations capable of affecting the acid4 ,,uses4 ,in addition to the antiseptic and refrigerant virtues which it possesses in common with the other mineral acids1 it has astringent properties that render it a most valuable medicine1 especially in weakness and relaxation of the digestive organs1 in colliquative sweats1 in internal hmorrhagy2 in ,epistaxis and ,hemopthysis it was ,sydenham's favourite remedy2 on the same account1 when sufficiently dilute1 it has been successfully used as a collyrium in the atonic stages of ophthalmia1 and as an injection in protracted gonorrha4 ,dose1 x to xl1 the quantity of strong sulphuric acid in any given quantity of the dilute may be found by the ,dynameter4 ,to prevent it from injuring the enamel of the teeth it may be sucked through a quill1 and the mouth should be carefully washed after each dose4 ,the ,infusum ,ros furnishes an elegant vehicle for its administration4 ,see ,form4 #dj4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,acidum ,sulphuricum ,aromaticum4#ced ,e4 ,infusum ,ros4 ,l4 ,,acidum ,,tartaricum4 ,l4 ,tartaric ,acid4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 ,crystals of considerable size1 whose primary form is an oblique rhombic prism2 they do not deliquesce when exposed to the air1 but melt at a heat a little exceeding #bab4 ,taste1 very acid and agreeable4 ,,solubility4 ,water at #fj dissolves about one-fifth of its weight1 and when boiling1 a much greater proportion4 ,the solution1 which1 if saturated1 has the specific gravity #abcj1 acquires1 when diluted1 like that of most vegetable acids1 a mouldy pellicle by keeping4 ,the saturating power of crystallized tartaric acid is almost exactly equal to that of crystallized citric acid1 the atomic weight of the former being #gf1 and that of the latter #ge4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,when uncombined with water1 as it exists in tartrate of potass1 it is composed of #e atoms of oxygen1 #c atoms of hydrogen1 and #d atoms of carbon4 ,the crystals consist of #a atom of acid and #a of water4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,alkalies1 ,earths1 and their carbonates2 the salts of lime and lead4 ,the solutions of the salts of potass are converted by it into bi-tartrate1 or super-tartrate4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is introduced into the ,pharmacopia as a cheap and efficient substitute for the citric acid4 ,it is also used in the preparation of ,sodaic powders1 ,seidlitz powders1 c4 ,,adulterations4 ,when carelessly prepared it will contain sulphuric acid1 to detect which1 let a portion be dissolved in distilled water1 and a solution of acetate of lead be added4 ,a precipitate will appear which1 if the acid be pure1 will be entirely redissolved by a few drops of acetic acid1 or pure nitric acid4 ,if any portion remain undissolved1 sulphuric acid is the cause4 ,muriate of ,baryta also1 when sulphuric acid is present1 but not otherwise1 gives a precipitate insoluble by an excess of muriatic acid4 ,,aconiti ,,folia4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,aconitum ,napellus4#cee7 ,aconite4 ,woolfsbane1 ,monkshood4 ,,qualities4 ,taste1 moderately bitter1 and acrid1 leaving in the mouth a painful sensation of heat and roughness1 followed by numbness in the gums and lips which continues for two or three hours4 ,odour1 faint and narcotic2 their peculiar properties are considerably deteriorated by drying4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,m4 ,brandes has ascertained that the narcotic principle of this plant is a peculiar alkali1 to which he has given the name ,aconita4#cef ,,solubility1 water and alcohol only imperfectly extract their virtues4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is narcotic1 and occasions1 in over-doses1 nausea1 vomiting1 vertigo1 hyper-catharsis1 cold sweats1 convulsions1 and death2 effects which entirely depend upon its action on the brain4 ,it was first administered in #agjb1 by ,sterk1 of ,vienna1 in chronic rheumatism1 gout1 schirrus1 and paralysis2 more lately it has been employed in scrofula1 cancer1 and intermittents1 and it is said with much effect4 ,on account of the variable strength of the leaves they can hardly be given with safety and effect2 the extract 7which see17 presents the more eligible form of exhibition4 ,the leaves are1 however1 sometimes given in the form of powder1 generally combined with some mercurial alterative1 or with antimonials1 camphor1 and other diaphoretics4 ,,dose gr4 i-x4 ,,officinal ,,prep3 ,extractum ,aconiti4 ,l4,e4 ,,adeps ,,pr,,parata4 ,l4 ,,adeps ,,sui ,,scrof1 vulgo ,axungia ,porcina4 ,e4 ,,adeps ,,suillus ,,pr,,paratus4 ,d4 ,prepared ,hog's ,lard4 ,fat4 ,axunge4#ceg ,,qualities4 ,consistence1 soft or nearly semifluid4 ,odour and ,taste1 none2 at #ig it melts4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it consists of two distinct bodies which appear to exist together in a state of mechanical mixture1 viz4 ,stearin1 7from tallow7 which is white1 brittle1 and in appearance somewhat resembling wax2 and ,elain 7from 1 oil7 very similar to vegetable oil in appearance1 and is liquid at #ei4 ,according to the experiments of ,braconnot1 the proportion of ,elain is to that of ,stearin1 in hog's lard1 as #fb3ch4 ,,solubility4 ,it is insoluble in water and alcohol2 with the alkalies it unites and forms soaps4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,extracts1 ,spirituous ,preparations1 ,tinctures1 and ,infusions1 are incapable of uniting perfectly with lard1 without some intermedium2 the following substances on the contrary are capable of contracting with it a most intimate union4 #a4 ,all dry powders1 whether of a vegetable or mineral nature4 #b4 ,fixed and ,volatile ,oils4 #c4 ,balsams4 #d4 ,camphor4 #e4 ,soaps4 ,it is principally employed in the formation of ointments1 plasters1 and liniments4 ,,rugo4 ,l4 ,d4 7,sub-acetas ,cupri ,impura47 ,,sub-,,acetis ,,cupri4 ,e4 ,verdigris4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a dry mass composed of minute crystals1 not deliquescent2 ,colour1 bluish green4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,several constituents enter into its composition1 viz4 ,acetate and sub-acetate of copper1 carbonate of copper1 and copper partly metallic and partly oxidized2 it contains also the stalks of grapes and other extraneous substances4 ,,solubility4 ,boiling water dissolves it in part1 and produces in it a chemical change1 by transforming one portion of the sub-acetate into the soluble acetate1 and another into an oxyd of copper1 which is precipitated2 with cold water this substance demeans itself differently1 the acetate is dissolved by it1 whilst that portion which is in the state of sub-salt remains suspended in the form of a fine green powder4 ,vinegar converts all the rugo into a soluble acetate1 this liquid therefore ought never to be employed for favouring vomiting in cases where an overdose has been swallowed1 for the reasons stated in the first part of this work1 p4 #acf4 ,sulphuric acid poured on powdered verdigris decomposes it with effervescence1 and vapours of acetic acid are disengaged4 ,it appears from the experiments and observations of ,duval and ,orfila1 that sugar exercises a chemical action on it1 by which its solubility is diminished1 and that on this account it acts as a specific against its poisonous effects4 ,,uses4 ,it is so uncertain and violent in its operation that it is rarely employed1 except externally1#ceh when it acts as a powerful detergent1 and mild escharotic2 and in the form of ointment1 is a valuable application for many cutaneous affections1 especially the aggravated kinds of ,tetter4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 rugo ,prparata1 ,d4 ,linimentum ruginis4 ,l4 ,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,there is a spurious article sold under the name of ,english ,verdigris1 which consists of sulphate of copper1 triturated with acetate of lead2 and to make the fraud still more complete1 the soft mass is mixed with the stalks of ,raisins4 ,,ther ,,sulphuricus ,,rectificatus4 ,l4 ,rectified ,sulphuric ther4 ,,qualities4 ,a colourless liquid of specific gravity #gci4 ,odour1 pungent and fragrant2 it is highly volatile1 and when perfectly free from alcohol it boils at #ih2 it is extremely inflammable1 a circumstance which should be remembered when it is poured from one vessel to another by candle light4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,when pure it consists of oxygen1 hydrogen1 and carbon2 the rectified ther however still contains some water and alcohol1 for ,lovitz obtained an ther of #fcb4 ,,solubility4 ,one part requires for its solution ten of water2 with alcohol and ammonia it unites in every proportion4 ,,solvent ,,powers4 ,it is one of the most powerful solvents known in vegetable chemistry1 as it dissolves balsams1 resins1 gum-resins1 wax1 camphor1 extractive1 c42 it takes up about a twentieth of its weight of sulphur1 but it exerts no solvent power upon the fixed alkalies4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in any liquid vehicle1 if in decoctions or infusions1 they should be previously cooled4 ,see ,formul #bj1 #bb1 #bc4 ,,medical ,,uses4 ,it is highly valuable as a diffusible stimulant1 narcotic1 and antispasmodic4 ,,dose1 fss to fij1 which1 in order to produce the full effect of the remedy1 must be repeated at short intervals4 ther1 independent of such virtues1 has another valuable property consequent upon its rapid evaporation1 that of producing cold and dryness2 it is therefore1 when externally applied and allowed to evaporate1 a most powerful refrigerant1 and has proved valuable in scalds or burns1 in facilitating the reduction of strangulated hernia1 and in diminishing excessive circulation in the brain2 if however it be so confined1 that its rapid evaporation is prevented1 a very opposite effect is produced1 and it proves stimulant1 rubefacient1 and even vesicatory4 ,with regard to the other property incidental to it1 that of producing dryness1 ,i am not aware that it has hitherto been applied to any pharmaceutical purpose2 the fact may be satisfactorily shewn by a very simple experiment1--by rincing a phial with ther1 to the interior of which drops of water obstinately adhere1 when by exposing it to a current of air1 it will be completely dry in a few minutes4 ,it may be noticed in this place that a mixture of sulphuric and muriatic thers evaporates instantaneously1 and produces a degree of cold considerably below #j of ,fahrenheit4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,spiritus ther3 ,sulph3 ,l4 ,spir3 th3 ,sulph3 comp3 ,l4 ,spir3 th3 ,aromat3 ,l4 ,,adulterations and ,,impurities4 ,its specific gravity affords the best indication of its purity2 ,sulphuric ,acid may be detected by a precipitation on the addition of a solution of baryta1 and by its reddening the colour of litmus2 ,alcohol1 by its forming with phosphorus a milky instead of a limpid solution4 ,m4 ,gay ,lussac has observed that when kept for a considerable time without disturbance1 it undergoes spontaneous decomposition1 and that acetic acid1 perhaps some alcohol1 and a particular oil1 are produced from it4 ,,alcohol4#cei ,l4,d4 ,alcohol4 ,ardent ,spirit4 ,,qualities4 ,a transparent1 and colourless liquid of the specific gravity #hae2 it has not hitherto been rendered solid by any diminution of temperature2 it boils at #agf1 and if water be added1 its boiling point is proportionably raised2 hence1 says ,dr4 ,henry1 the temperature at which it boils is not a bad test of its strength2 it is combustible1 and burns with a blue flame1 leaving no residue4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,alcohol1 in a state of complete purity1 consists of carbon1 hydrogen1 and oxygen1 in proportions not hitherto determined with accuracy2 this preparation however contains #g per cent4 of water2 ,lovitz and ,saussure succeeded in obtaining it at a specific gravity of #gia1 which may be considered as nearly pure4 ,alcohol unites chemically with water2 and caloric is evolved during this union2 the quantity of alcohol and water in mixtures of different specific gravities1 may be learned from ,mr4 ,gilpin's tables1 ,philosophical ,transactions1 #agid1 or ,nicholson's ,journal1 #dto4 vol4 #a4 ,the ,edinburgh ,pharmacopia has no process for the preparation of alcohol1 but it most incorrectly assigns the title to that which is the 8,rectified ,spirit0 of the other ,colleges4 ,,solvent ,,powers4 ,alcohol dissolves soap2 vegetable extract2 sugar2 oxalic1 camphoric1 tartaric1 gallic1 and benzoic acids2 volatile oils2 resins1 and balsams2 it combines also with sulphur1 and the pure fixed alkalies1 but not with their carbonates3 for its other habitudes1 and applications1 see ,spiritus ,rectificatus4 ,,allii ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,allium ,sativum4 ,garlic4#cfj ,,qualities4 ,this bulbous root has when recent a ftid smell1 and acrid taste1 which are extracted by watery infusion2 by decoction they are nearly lost2 by expression1 the root furnishes almost one-fourth of its weight of a limpid juice1 and by distillation1 an odorous1 acrid1 essential oil is procured1 in which the existence of sulphur may be detected4 ,garlic has a considerable analogy to squill and onion1 and like them1 exerts a diuretic1 diaphoretic1 expectorant1 and stimulant operation2 7see p4 #ajc74 ,it is a very common domestic remedy for the expulsion of tnia1 and it is undoubtedly of advantage in such cases2 it is usually administered in the form of a decoction1 with milk1 on an empty stomach2 it is however but rarely used in modern practice1 as it possesses no superiority over remedies less nauseous and objectionable2 the bruised root1 externally applied1 is highly stimulant1 and rubefacient4 ,sydenham speaks highly of the application of garlic to the soles of the feet1 as a powerful means of producing revulsion from the head4 ,,officinal ,,preparation4 ,syrupus ,allii4 ,d4#cfa ,,aloes ,,extractum4 ,aloes4 ,there are three species met with in the shops1 viz4 #a4 ,,al,e ,,spicata1 ,l4 ,socotorina1 ,d4 ,socrotrine ,aloes4 ,,perfoliata4 ,e4 ,cape ,aloes4 #b4 ,,al,e ,,vulgaris4#cfb ,l4 ,hepatica1 ,e4 ,d4 ,common or ,barbadoes ,aloes4 #c4 ,,al,e ,,cabalina4 ,fetid1 ,cabaline1 or ,horse ,employed only by ,farriers4 ,aloes4 ,,qualities4 ,the above varieties of aloe differ in their purity1 and likewise in their sensible qualities2 the ,socotrine is the purest1 it is in small pieces of a reddish brown colour2 the ,barbadoes is in large masses1 of a lighter colour1 and having an odour much stronger and less pleasant2 the ,cabaline is still more impure and less powerful4 ,all the kinds are characterized by an intensely bitter taste1 which1 in the ,socotrine1 is accompanied by an aromatic flavour4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,in this there appears to be some obscurity2 ,m4 ,braconnot 7,ann4 ,chim4 tom4 #fh47 conceives it to be a substance1 sui generis1 which he terms 8bitter resin10 while others regard it as composed of resin1 gum1 and extractive1 the proportions of which are supposed to vary in the different species1 but that their peculiar virtues reside in the extractive part4 ,,solubility4 ,it is to the slowness with which aloe undergoes solution in the prim vi1 that it is indebted for the medicinal properties which distinguish this substance2 by boiling water it is dissolved1 but on cooling a precipitation ensues1 and by long decoction it becomes quite inert2 weak acids dissolve it more abundantly than water1 but proof spirit is the most perfect solvent3 its solubility is increased by the addition of alkaline salts and soaps1 but by such a combination it undergoes a material change in its medicinal properties2 the bitterness is diminished1 its purgative effects impaired1 and it ceases to operate specifically upon the large intestines1 a fact so far valuable1 as it enables us in certain cases to obviate its irritating action upon the rectum4 ,,medicinal ,,use4 ,aloe is a bitter stimulating purgative1 emptying the large intestines1 without making the stools thin2 it likewise warms the habit1 quickens the circulation1 and promotes the uterine and hemorrhoidal fluxes4 ,,dose1 gr4 v4-xv4 ,no greater effect is produced by a large dose than from one comparatively moderate2 its tendency1 however1 to irritate the rectum renders it1 in many cases1 an objectionable remedy2#cfc and its sympathetic action on the uterus may occasionally produce mischief1 in irritable habits1 while in other states it may1 for reasons equally obvious1 prove beneficial4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,the form of pill should be preferred on account of its extreme bitterness1 as well as being1 for the reasons above mentioned1 the one most likely to fulfil the intention of its exhibition2 for in addition to what has been stated in a preceding part of this work1 on the important influence of solubility1 it may be here observed that since the aloe does not undergo solution in the stomach1 it is admirably adapted for the basis of remedies intended to obviate constitutional costiveness1 for in our endeavours to supply the deficiencies of nature by the resources of art1 we should at least attempt to imitate the modes of her operation2 the natural stimulus of the intestines1 the bile1 is poured into them below the stomach1 and whenever it regurgitates into that organ it produces disease2 so it happens with our cathartic medicines1 and unless we so modify their solubility that their operation cannot commence until after their passage through the stomach1 we shall find that we only increase the evil we are endeavouring to obviate1 and that1 in addition to the torpor of the intestinal canal1 we shall induce the stomach to participate in the disease1 or excite a morbid fretfulness of that organ which will be attended with the most distressing symptoms4#cfd ,see ,formul #ab1 #ac1 #gi1 #hj1 #ha4 ,aloes in combination with assaftida furnishes an eligible purgative in the dyspepsia of old persons2 it is also well calculated to obviate the costiveness so generally produced by ,opium1 7,form3 #aa1 #ab1 #ac47 ,see also p4 #afb4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,pulv3 ,aloes comp3 ,l4 ,pil3 ,ales cum ,myrrha4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,pil3 ,aloes comp3 ,pil3 ,ales cum ,assaftida4 ,e4 ,pil3 ,aloes cum ,colocynthide4 ,e4 ,pil3 ,cambogi comp3 7,b4,m47 ,l4 ,pil3 ,rhei4 comp3 7,f7 ,e4 ,pil4 ,scammon1 cum ,aloe4 ,d4 ,decoctum ,aloes comp3 ,l4 ,extractum ,aloes purificatum4 ,l4,d4 ,extractum ,colocynthidis comp3 ,l4,d4 7,f7 ,tinct3 ,ales ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct3 ,ales comp3 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct3 ,ales therea1 ,e4 ,tinct3 ,benzoin3 comp3 7,g7 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct3 ,rhei et ,aloes ,e4 ,vinum ,ales4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,it is frequently adulterated with common resin1 but the fraud more generally committed is that of mixing with1 or substituting the inferior species for the ,socotrine1 but the ,barbadoes ,aloes may1 independent of its want of aromatic flavour1 be distinguished from the ,socotrine by a simple test1 for the latter dissolves entirely in boiling water and alcohol1 whereas the former1 when treated in a similar manner1 leaves a considerable residue2 sometimes the ,horse ,aloes is made to appear so bright and pure1 as not to be easily distinguished by the eye even from the ,socotrine1 but its rank odour1 of which no art can divest it1 will readily betray the fraud4 ,,alumen4 7,super-sulphas ,alumin et ,potass47 ,sulphas ,alumin4 ,e4 ,alumen4 ,d4 ,alum4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 octohedral crystals1 whose sides are equilateral triangles2 they are slightly efflorescent4 ,taste1 sweet1 rough1 and acidulous4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is a triple1 or sometimes a quadruple salt1 with excess of acid1 consisting of sulphuric acid and alumina1 with potass1 or ammonia1 or frequently both of them2 the nature of the alkali however does not in the least appear to affect the properties of alum1 although it produces a crystallographic modification2 for where potass is present the summit of the crystal will exhibit a truncation4 ,dr4 ,ure has lately produced alum with soda1 and the combination differs from common alum only in its greater degree of solubility1 a property which at once recommends it to the attention of the pharmaceutist and physician4 ,,solubility4 ,a fluid-ounce of cold water dissolves #cj grains1 but if boiling four drachms2 it is insoluble in alcohol4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,alkalies and alkaline salts1 after neutralizing the excess of acid1 precipitate the alumine4 ,it is also decomposed by carbonate and muriate of ammonia1 carbonate of magnesia1 and tartrate of potass1 by lime-water1 acetate of lead1 and the salts of mercury1 as well as by many vegetable and animal substances1 especially galls and kino4 ,it is on this account very injudicious to combine alum with any vegetable astringent with a view to encrease its virtues2 thus the 8,pulvis ,sulphatis ,alumin compositus0 of the ,edinburgh college1 is less powerful than any of the ingredients of which it is composed2 and the addition of alum to the decoction of bark1 undoubtedly diminishes its efficacy as an astringent injection4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,alum is internally a powerful astringent1 in hmorrhages and inordinate fluxes1 and is externally useful for repellent and astringent lotions1 gargles1 and collyria4 ,dioscorides and ,hippocrates praised its effects as a lotion in various kinds of ulcers1 and particularly in sores of the mouth1 and in spongy1 swelled gums4 ,van-,helmont was the first person who employed alum in uterine hemorrhage1 and the success of the practice very considerably enhanced his reputation4 ,boerhaave's astringent powder for the ague consisted of ,alum and ,nutmeg with the addition of ,armenian bole4 ,,dose1 gr4 x4 ,in large doses it is liable to excite nausea1 and to act upon the bowels4 ,nutmeg or some aromatic should therefore be joined with it4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in solution1 or in substance made into pills with extract2 7,form3 #ec1 #ef17 it is sometimes given with advantage in the form of whey 7,alum-whey--,serum ,aluminosum7 made by boiling ij with a pint of milk1 and then straining1 the dose of which is a wine glass full2 7,form2 #ed47 ,by briskly agitating a drachm of alum with the white of an egg1 a coagulum is formed1 7,alum curd of ,riverius2 ,albumen4 ,aluminosum7 which is serviceable in some species of ophthalmia1 when applied between two pieces of thin linen rag4#cfe ,as alum is not decomposed by sulphate of lime1 hard water may be safely used for its solution4 ,it has the effect of retarding1 and in some instances of preventing1 the acetous fermentation in vegetables2 thus when added to common paste it prevents its becoming sour2 animal substances1 as glue1 are preserved by it in a similar manner4 ,it has also the property of clearing turbid water1 wine1 and spirituous liquors1 for which purpose it is extensively employed4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,liquor ,alum3 co4 ,l4 ,pulv3 ,alum3 co4 ,e4 ,,alumen ,,exsiccatum1 ,l4 ,ustum4 ,d4 ,dried ,alum4 ,by the action of heat alum undergoes watery fusion1 yields its water of crystallization1 and loses more than one third of its weight2 if the heat be too intense1 or long continued1 it is deprived of a great part of its acid4 ,it has been recommended in doses of a scruple1 in cholic1 when it has been said to operate gently upon the bowels1 and to relieve the pain3 ,i have myself experienced this good effect when the cholic has been produced by the action of lead3 ,dr4 ,grashuis1 a ,dutch ,physician1 first recommended its use in ,cholica ,pictonum4 ,the preparation however is principally used as an external application1 having a degree of escharotic power1 which renders it serviceable in venereal chancres1 as well as in other ulcers having weak and spongy granulations2 it is also very frequently employed to destroy fungous excrescencies1 but it should be remembered that1 as it owes such power to an excess of acid1 unless it be carefully prepared1 it must be inefficient4 ,it ought to redden syrup of violets4 ,,alumen ,,rupeum4 ,roche or ,rock ,alum4 ,this variety was originally brought from ,roccha1 formerly called ,edessa1 in ,syria1 in fragments of about the size of an almond1 covered with an efflorescence of a pale rose colour2 that however which is now sold under this name is common ,english alum1 artificially coloured4 ,it is unimportant4 ,,alumen ,,romanum4 ,roman ,alum is in irregular octohedral masses1 powdery on the surface2 it is the purest kind1 and contains no ammonia in its composition4 ,,ammoniacum4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,heracleum ,gummiferum47 ,ammoniac4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 masses composed of fragments1 of tears1 yellow on the surface1 and white within2 ,taste1 a nauseous sweet1 followed by a bitter flavour2 ,odour1 faint but not unpleasant4 ,specific gravity1 #abjj4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,gum-resin1 gluten1 and some volatile matter4 ,,solubility4 ,it is partly soluble in water1 vinegar1 alcohol1 ther1 and in the solutions of the alkalies2 when triturated with water a milky liquor is formed1 which is a solution of gum holding the resin in suspension1 and if the yolk of an egg be employed the mixture is more permanent2 water appears to be its proper solvent4 ,,uses4 ,stimulant1 antispasmodic1 and expectorant3 in large doses gently purgative and sometimes diuretic2 after the exhibition of smart purgatives1 in combination with rhubarb1 it proves valuable in mesenteric affections by correcting the viscid secretion of the intestines2 dissolved in nitric acid1 it is said to prove an excellent expectorant in cases where large accumulations of purulent or viscid matter exist with feeble and difficult expectoration4 ,see ,form3 #adj4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in solution1 see ,mist3 ,ammoniac3 it may also be given when dissolved in the ,liquor ammoni acetatis2 ij of the former may be dissolved in iij of the latter2 or it may be exhibited in pills with bitter extracts1 myrrh1 and other gum-resins2 if rubbed with camphor a mass is at once produced very suitable for pills2 vinegar renders it soft1 and adapts it for plasters4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to xxx4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,mist3 ,ammoniac3 ,l4,d4 ,pil3 ,scill co3 ,l4,e4 7,b7 ,emplast3 ,ammoniac3 ,l4 ,emplast3 ,gummos3 ,e4 ,emplast3 ,ammoniac3 cum ,hydrargyro4 ,l4 ,,adulterations4 ,two varieties are met with in the market1 that in tears1 gutt ammoniaci1 ought to be white1 clear1 and dry2 and that in lumps1 lapis ammoniaci1 which sells for one-third the price of the former1 being very impure1 is generally adulterated with common resin1 for which it may be purified by softening the mass in a bladder which is immersed in boiling water1 and straining it while fluid4 ,,ammoni ,,sub-,,carbonas4 ,l4 ,carbonas ,ammoni4 ,e4,d4 ,sub-carbonate of ,ammonia4 ,,qualities4 ,form3 white1 semi-transparent masses1 of a striated or crystalline aspect1 which1 on exposure to air effloresce2 ,odour1 pungent and peculiar2 ,taste1 acrid but cooling4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it will be found to vary materially in its composition according to the temperature employed for its preparation2 the quantity of alkali varying from #bj to #ej per cent4 ,mr4 ,phillips considers the ,sub-carbonate of ammonia to be a ,sesque-carbonate1 composed of #c atoms of carbonic acid1 #b atoms of ammonia1 and #b of water2 or that it is a definite compound of ,carbonate and ,bi-carbonate1 one atom of each1 with two atoms of water2 one hundred parts1 by experiment1 consist1 of #edb carb3 acid1 #bic ,ammonia1 and #afe water2 if we consider it as a ,sesque-carbonate1 its constitution1 according to ,dr4 ,wollaston's scale1 will be #eegb ,carbonic ,acid1 #bi ,ammonia1 #aebh water4 ,,solubility4 ,according to ,duncan it is soluble in twice its weight of cold water2 ,mr4 ,phillips states four times2 the mean of these will be found nearly correct4 ,its solubility however is increased by increase of temperature1 but when dissolved in boiling water it effervesces1 and undergoes a partial decomposition2 it is quite insoluble in alcohol1 and hence on the addition of spirit to a strong solution1 a dense coagulum is produced4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,it is decomposed by acids1 fixed alkalies1 and their sub-carbonates1 lime1 solution of muriate of lime1 magnesia1 alum1 super-tartrate of potass1 and all the acidulous salts1 sulphate of magnesia1 acetate1 sub-muriate1 and oxy-muriate of mercury1 acetate1 and sub-acetate of lead1 and the sulphates of iron and zinc4 ,if it be added to decoctions and infusions they must be previously cooled4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,since by exposure to air its virtues are impaired1 it ought not to be kept in powdered mixtures2 in the form of pill it is preserved much longer1 especially if it be combined with some vegetable extract4 ,,uses4 ,it is stimulant1 antispasmodic1 diaphoretic1 powerfully antacid1 exceeding in this respect the fixed alkalies1 and in large doses it is emetic4 ,it is highly useful as a stimulant in those gastric affections which supervene habits of irregularity and debauchery2 combined with opium it affords a powerful resource in protracted diarrha attended with debility of the alimentary canal3 and in cases of muscular atony so frequently witnessed1 as the sequela of chronic rheumatism1 ammonia1 in large doses1 offers the best remedy2 ,i have moreover witnessed the beneficial effects of this remedy in hoarseness depending upon relaxed states of the throat4 ,in typhus fever it has been particularly recommended by ,huxham1 ,pringle1 and many other physicians1 and some have considered it superior to any other stimulant upon such occasions4 ,it is also useful in syncope and hysteria1 in the form of smelling salts2#cff with respect to its application for making saline draughts1 see ,acid3 ,citricum3 ,,dose1 grs v to j3 to produce emesis ss4 ,see ,form4 #dh1 #di1 #hc1 #aeb4 ,officinal ,preparations4 ,liquor ,ammoni sub-carbonatis1 ,l4 ,liquor ,ammoni acetatis 7,i7 ,l4,e4,d4 ,liniment3 ,ammoni ,sub-carbonatis4 ,l4 ,cuprum ,ammoniatum1 7,i7 ,l4,e4,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,this salt ought to be entirely volatilized by heat2 if any thing remain it may be considered impure2 it ought also to be free from all fetor2 should this not be the case it may be corrected by subliming it in conjunction with powdered charcoal2 there is at present a large quantity of this impure article in the market1 which has been manufactured from the residue sold by the gas light companies4#cfg ,when long exposed to the air1 it becomes opaque and friable1 and the excess of ammonia1 upon which its odour depends1 escapes1 carbonic acid is absorbed1 and an inodorous bi-carbonate remains1 consisting of carbonic acid #eegj1 ,ammonia #baeb1 and water #bbgf1 or #b atoms of carbonic acid1 #a atom of ammonia1 and #b atoms of water4 ,,ammoni ,,murias4 ,l4,e4 ,sal ,ammoniacum4 ,d4 vulgo ,sal ,ammoniac4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 dense striated concavo-convex cakes which are persistent in the air1 or crystallized conical masses2 in this latter form it generally contains other salts1 especially muriate of lime1 which render it deliquescent4 ,taste1 bitter1 acrid1 and cool4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,in consequence of the present unsettled opinions respecting the nature of muriatic acid and ammonia1 and the changes which they undergo by combination with each other1 the composition of this salt is involved in some obscurity4 ,according to ,dr4 ,thomson1 it consists of equal volumes of muriatic acid gas and ammoniacal gas1 although he has subsequently observed that from the peculiar properties of the substance1 it may be a compound of ,chlorine and ,ammonium 7the hypothetical base of ammonia47 ,unlike all the other ammoniacal salts1 it does not undergo decomposition by heat4 ,,solubility1 fj of water at #ff dissolves about two drachms and a half2 at #bab it dissolves its own weight2 it is also soluble in #d parts of alcohol2 its solution in water is accompanied by considerable reduction of temperature4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,the sulphuric and nitric acids unite with the ammonia1 and disengage the muriatic acid1 whilst ammonia is disengaged by the action of potass and its carbonate1 carbonate of soda1 lime1 magnesia1 c4 which combine with its muriatic acid2 with oxy-muriate of mercury it combines and increases its solubility1 see ,hydrarg3 ,oxy-murias4 ,when united with acetate of lead1 it decomposes it1 and a muriate of lead is precipitated4 ,it is obvious also that nitrate of silver1 and all the metallic salts whose bases form insoluble compounds with muriatic acid1 are incompatible with it4 ,,uses4 ,rarely employed as an internal remedy1 externally it is employed in lotions1 either for the cold produced during its solution1 in which case it should be applied as soon as the salt is dissolved1 or for the stimulus of the salt1 on which principle it acts as a powerful discutient in indolent tumours 7,form4 #adf47 ,it is also an ingredient in a very useful plaster1 in which it undergoes chemical decomposition2 this plaster consists of ,soap j1 lead plaster1 ij1 liquified together1 to which1 when nearly cold1 are added of muriate of ammonia finely powdered ss4 ,the alkali of the soap enters into combination with the muriatic acid of the muriate of ammonia1 and forms thereby muriate of potass1 or soda1 and ammoniacal gas 7on which the virtue of the plaster depends7 is slowly but abundantly liberated1 acting as a powerful stimulant and rubefacient3 it should be applied immediately after it is formed1 and be renewed every twenty-four hours1 otherwise the intention is lost2 7,pharmacopia ,chirurgica47 ,i have often applied this plaster with evident advantage to the chest in pulmonary affections1 and ,i wish to recommend it to the attention of practitioners4 ,it is very useful also in that rheumatic affection of the muscles of the chest1 which is so frequently met with in persons in advanced life2 during the last winter ,i was consulted in two cases where the distress after exercise was so considerable as to resemble angina pectoris4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,ammoni ,sub-carbonas 7,i74 ,l4,e4,d4 ,liquor3 ,ammoni 7,k74 ,l4 ,aqua ,ammoni4 ,e4,d4 ,hydrarg3 prcip3 alb3 7,i74 ,l4 ,alcohol ,ammoniatum1 7,i74 ,e4,d4 ,ferrum ,ammoniat3 7,g74 ,l4,e4,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,this salt1 if pure1 may be entirely volatilized by a low heat2 the sulphate of ammonia however1 as it is also volatile1 cannot be discovered except by the muriate of baryta1 which will indicate its presence by a copious precipitate4 ,,amygdal ,,dulces4 ,varieties of 8,amygdalus ,communis40 ,,amygdal ,,amar4 ,sweet and ,bitter ,almonds4 ,,qualities4 ,the sweet almond is inodorous1 and has a sweet1 bland taste2 the bitter almond1#cfh when triturated with water1 has the odour of the peach1 and a pleasant bitter flavour4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,boullay has lately confirmed the analogy which ,proust had stated to exist between the emulsion of sweet almonds and human milk1 viz4 the former consists of sweet oil #ed1 albumen #bd1 sugar #f1 gum #c1 with traces of acetic acid2 the indigestible property of the almond depends upon its albuminous matter4 ,the bitter almond1 in addition to those constituents1 contains hydro-cyanic acid1 7,prussic acid17 in union with a peculiar volatile oil1 upon which its narcotic properties depend2 but this deleterious element is so modified by the natural state of combination in which it exists with sweet oil and albumen1 that they may be eaten without inconvenience4 ,the bitter almond has long been regarded as an antidote to drunkenness2 ,plutarch states it as a fact on the authority of his physician ,claudius4 ,other bitters were however supposed to possess similar powers in this respect1 hence the ,poculum ,absinthiatum to which we have before alluded4 ,see page #gi4 ,both sorts of almonds yield by expression a large quantity of fixed oil1 which is perfectly mild4 ,see ,oleum ,amygdal4 ,the water distilled from the bitter almond1 when strongly impregnated1 has been found to exert a deleterious action on the human body1 and to prove fatal to many animals4 ,,solubility4 ,by trituration with water a milky mixture is produced1 7an emulsion71 for which purpose the sweet almonds should be previously freed from their cuticle1 7blanched71 and this ought to be performed by infusing them in tepid water2 for when hot it separates a portion of their oil1 as is evident from their being thus rendered yellow1 and the emulsion is therefore more liable to ferment1 and be decomposed4 ij of almonds saturate about fvj of water2 since however this extemporaneous preparation is tedious and inconvenient1 the ,london ,pharmacopia very judiciously directs a confection to be ready prepared1 j of which1 when triturated with fj of water1 immediately forms an elegant emulsion4 ,see ,mistura ,amygdal4 ,almonds form a useful intermedium for suspending in water many substances which are of themselves not miscible with it1 as camphor1 and several of the gum-resins2 they also assist in the pulverization of refractory substances1 as ,ipecacuan1 c4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,confectio ,amygdalarum4 ,l4 ,emulsio ,camphor 7,m47 ,e4 ,emulsio ,acaci ,arab3 ,e4 ,d4 ,,amygdal ,,placenta4 ,almond ,cake is the substance left after the expression of the oil1 which when ground forms ,,almond ,,powder1 so generally used for washing the hands4#cfi ,,oil ,,of ,,bitter ,,almonds4 ,for obtaining this oil1 the expressed cake is submitted to distillation1 when a highly volatile1 pungent1 oil passes over4 ,see ,oleum ,amygdal ,amar4 ,,amylum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,starch4 7,triticum ,hybernum ,amylum4#cgj7 ,,qualities4 ,form1 white columnar masses2 ,odour and ,taste1 none4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,fecula is one of the proximate principles of vegetable matter1 and ,starch is the fecula of wheat4#cga ,,solubility4 ,it is soluble in boiling water1 forming with it a semi-transparent1 insipid1 inodorous1 and gelatinous paste1 very susceptible of mouldiness1 but which is retarded by the addition of alum2 it is insoluble1 but falls to powder in cold water2 nor is it dissolved by alcohol or ether2 although potass dissolves starch1 yet the solution of it is not disturbed by potass1 carbonate of potass1 nor ammonia1 but an alcoholic solution of potass produces a precipitate2 acetate of lead1 and infusion of galls occasion also precipitates4 ,starch is susceptible of several interesting and important changes2 thus1 if it be exposed to heat until its colour becomes yellow1 its properties are so far altered that it is no longer insoluble in cold water2 and according to the experiments of ,saussure1 if it be mixed with water1 a spontaneous decomposition takes place1 and a quantity of sugar is formed1 amounting in weight to one half of the starch employed1 in addition to which a peculiar gummy matter results1 and a substance intermediate between gum and starch1 to which the name of ,amidine has been given4 ,starch moreover is convertible into saccharine matter by the agency of sulphuric acid4 ,,uses4 ,being demulcent it is generally employed as a vehicle for the exhibition of opium in the form of enema4 ,the ordinary blue starch is coloured by a solution of smalt and alum1 and is unfit for medicinal use2 formerly it was tinged yellow with saffron or turmeric1 but this went out of fashion on the execution of the famous midwife ,mrs4 ,collier1 who was hanged in a ruff starched with that colour4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,mucilago ,amyli4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,pulvis ,tragacanth3 comp3 7,b7 ,l4 ,pil3 ,hydrargyri 7,m7 ,e4 ,troschisi ,gummos3 ,e4 ,it has been lately observed that ,iodine is a delicate test of the presence of starch2 if a drop or two of a solution of this substance in alcohol be added to an aqueous solution of starch1 a blue compound is formed which eventually precipitates4 ,iodine may therefore be employed for ascertaining the goodness of starch1 a test which is very important1 for much of what is sold under the name of starch1 does not possess its peculiar characters2 it ought however to be stated1 that the blue indication is prevented from taking place by a variety of different bodies1 as ,arsenious acid1 corrosive sublimate of mercury1 c4 c4 ,,anethi ,,semina4 ,l4 ,e4 7,anethum ,graveolens4 ,semina47 ,dill ,seed4 ,these seeds when dry have an aromatic sweetish odour1 and a warm pungent taste1 qualities residing in an essential oil1 which is extracted by distillation with water and by digestion with alcohol2 the bruised seeds yield their flavour to boiling water by simple infusion4 ,the seeds are but rarely used4 ,the distilled water is a valuable carminative for children4 ,,anisi ,,semina4 ,l4 ,e4 ,d4 7,pimpinella ,anisum4 ,semina47 ,anise ,seeds4 ,like the dill seeds1 warm and carminative2 water extracts very little of their flavour2 rectified spirit the whole4 ,it may be remarked in this place that the value of aniseed1 as well as all those seeds which yield essential oil by distillation1 may be estimated by their specific gravity1 the heaviest yielding the largest proportion of oil2 a chrondrometer employed by corn-chandlers might be very conveniently applied to such a purpose4#cgb ,the seeds imported from ,spain1 which are smaller than the others1 contain most oil1 and are to be preferred4 ,,anthemidis ,,flores4 ,l4 ,e4 7,anthemis ,nobilis47 ,chamomile ,flowers4 ,,qualities4 ,the ,odour of the flowers is strong and fragrant2 ,taste1 bitter and aromatic1 with a slight degree of warmth4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,the active principles are essential oil1 resin1 and bitter extractive4 ,,solubility4 ,both water and alcohol take up the active parts of the flowers2 hot water1 by infusion1 dissolves nearly one-fourth of their weight1 but boiling dissipates the essential oil1 on which account they should never form an ingredient in a decoction4 ,,uses4 ,the flowers given in substance are said to have cured intermittents2 they are however but rarely used2 externally they are applied in fomentations4 ,see ,infusum ,anthemidis4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,decoctum ,anthemidis nobilis4 ,e4,d4 ,infusum ,anthemidis4 ,l4#cgc ,there is a great variety in the quality and price of chamomile flowers2 those which are large and whitish are to be preferred as the freshest2 by keeping they become invalid1 and are deprived of their aromatic principle and essential oil4 ,they are always inferior in wet seasons4 ,the double flowered varieties are also less powerful than the single kind1 since the qualities reside in the disc florets4 ,,antimonii ,,sulphuretum4 ,l4 ,sulphuret of ,antimony4 ,,qualities4 ,this article appears in the market in conical loaves1 which are dark grey externally1 but internally possess a bladed structure and considerable brilliancy2 the ,edinburgh and ,dublin colleges direct this substance to be levigated with water1 and kept in the state of powder2 it should however never be purchased in that form1 as it is not unfrequently adulterated with sulphuret of lead1 whereas it cannot contain such admixture when its form is characteristically crystalline and bladed4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,antimony #ajj1 ,sulphur #ceegb4 ,from the time of ,basil ,valentine to the present1 this preparation has been known in the market by the name of ,antimony1 a name which it is evident can only with propriety be applied to the pure metal4 ,,solubility4 ,it is insoluble in water and alcohol2 since however it is slightly acted upon by vegetable acids1 cups were formerly made of it1 which imparted to wine that stood in them for some time1 an emetic quality4#cgd ,,uses4 ,it is principally employed for the preparation of the other antimonial combinations1 for which purpose it is more eligible than the metal itself1 as being less contaminated with metallic impurities4 ,its medicinal energies depend altogether upon the state of the stomach1 and must therefore be extremely uncertain2 when it meets with any acid in the stomach1 it acts with extreme violence1 a circumstance which requires precaution4 ,it was formerly much more employed as an ,alterative than at present4 ,stoll recommends its use in chronic rheumatism1 and advises its union with ,myrrh4 ,in the treatment of affections of the skin it has been long used1 both singly1 and in union with other substances1 such as ,conium1 ,dulcamara1 ,guaiacum1 c4 ,in ,scrophulous diseases1 connected with cutaneous eruptions1 or ulcerations1 it has been a favourite remedy with many practitioners1 and it forms the basis of several foreign ,nostrums4 ,in times of remote antiquity it was used by females as a black pigment for staining the eye-lashes1 a custom which continues to this day in the east4#cge ,it is at present given to horses mixed with their food1 to make their coats smooth1 and very large doses may be given to these animals without producing any deleterious effects4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,dr4 ,black constructed a table representing a view of all the preparations whose basis was antimony2 many of these however have fallen into disuse1 and the nomenclature of all is changed4 ,the following arrangement of the medicines prepared from the sulphuret of antimony1#cgf is presented to us by ,mr4 ,thomson1 in his ,london ,dispensatory4 #a4 ,,by ,,trituration1 ,sulphuretum ,antimonii ,prparatum4 ,e4,d4 #b4 ,,by ,,the ,,action ,,of ,,heat ,,with ,,phosphate ,,of ,,lime1 7oxidized7 ,pulvis ,antimonialis1 ,l4,d4 ,oxidum ,antimonii cum ,phosphate ,calcis4 ,e4 #c4 ,,by ,,the ,,action ,,of ,,alkalies1 7oxidized71 ,antimonii ,sulphuretum ,prcipitatum4 ,l4,e4 ,sulphur ,antimoniatum ,fuscum4 ,d4 #d4 ,,by ,,the ,,action ,,of ,,acids1 7oxidized17 ,antimonii ,oxydum4 ,l4 ,oxydum ,antimonii ,nitromuriaticum4 ,d4 ,antimonium ,tartarizatum4 ,l4 ,tartris ,antimonii1 olim ,tartarus ,emeticus4 ,e4 ,tartarum ,antimoniatum1 sive ,emeticum1 ,d4 ,vinum ,antimonii ,tartarizati4 ,l4 ,vinum ,tartaritis ,antimonii4 ,e4 ,,adulterations4 ,the importance of employing this article in a state of great purity1 for the preparation of so many active and valuable medicines1 is obvious4 ,it ought to be entirely volatilized by a read heat2 ,lead is discovered by its imparting to the antimony a foliated instead of a bladed texture1 and from not being vaporizable2 ,arsenic1 by the garlic odour emitted when thrown upon live coals2 or by the numerous tests mentioned under the history of that article2 ,manganese and ,iron1 from not being vaporizable1 and from other tests3 the most usual adulteration is black oxide of iron1 or the scori of that metal1 8,smithy dust40 ,,antimonii ,,sulphuretum ,,pr,,cipitatum4 ,l4 ,e4 ,sulphur ,antimoniatum ,fuscum4 ,d4 ,precipitated ,sulphuret of ,antimony4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a brilliant orange coloured powder2 ,taste1 slightly styptic1 but inodorous4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,very complicated attractions are exerted during the preparation of this substance2 the result of which is an hydro-sulphuret of ,oxide of ,antimony1 with excess of sulphur4 ,,solubility4 ,it is quite insoluble in water4 ,,uses4 ,according to the dose1 it is diaphoretic1 cathartic1 or emetic2 it is1 however1 less certain than many other preparations1 and1 unless in combination with mercury1 for cutaneous affections1 is not very often employed4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,all acids and acidulous salts increase its emetic properties2 when therefore acid is suspected to prevail in the prim vi1 it should be combined with soap1 magnesia1 7,form3 #abh17 or aromatic confection2 on the contrary1 the confection of roses1 and vehicles containing acids1 should be carefully avoided4 ,,form ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,pills4 ,,dose1 grs4 #a to v4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,pilul ,hydrargyri ,sub-,muriatis 7,h7 ,l4 ,,adulterations4 ,it is often sophisticated with chalk and other extraneous matter2 it ought not to effervesce with acids2 it should be entirely vaporizable by heat1 and its colour should be that of bright orange4 ,a spurious article is vended1 which consists of sulphur and sulphuret of antimony coloured with ,venetian red4 ,,antimonium ,,tartarizatum4 ,l4 ,tartris ,antimonii4 ,e4 ,tartarum ,antimoniatum4 ,d4 ,tartar ,emetic4#cgg ,,qualities4 ,form1 crystals whose primitive form is the regular tetrahedron1 although it assumes a variety of secondary forms4 ,colour1 white4 ,odour1 none4 ,taste1 slightly styptic and metallic2 on exposure to the air1 the crystals slightly effloresce and become opaque2 thrown upon burning coals1 they become black and afford metallic antimony4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,this is involved in much doubt and obscurity2 it is stated in the various dispensatories to be a triple salt1 consisting of tartaric acid1 oxide of antimony1#cgh and potass1 and which therefore1 says ,mr4 ,thomson1 on the principles of the reformed nomenclature1 ought to be termed a tartrate of antimony and potass4 ,the truth of these views1 however1 is extremely questionable4 ,i am inclined to believe with ,gay ,lussac1 that in the various metalline compounds1 of which super-tartrate of potass is an ingredient1 this latter substance acts the part of a simple acid2 an opinion which receives much support from the great solvent property of cream of tartar1 and from the striking fact that it is even capable of dissolving various oxides which are insoluble in tartaric acid1 of which the protoxide of antimony is an example4 ,according then to this view1 tartar emetic is a salt composed of bi-tartrate 7super-tartrate7 of potass1 which acts the part of an acid1 and protoxide of antimony3 from the experiments of ,mr4 ,phillips1 it would appear that #ajj parts of the bi-tartrate will dissolve #gj of the protoxide4 ,in this state of doubt it must be admitted that no name can be more appropriate than ,antimonium ,tartarizatum1 and the ,london ,college have therefore properly disregarded the suggestions which have been offered for changing its name4 ,,solubility4 ,much discrepancy of opinion exists upon this subject1 owing probably to the variations and incidental impurities to which the salt is liable4 ,dr4 ,duncan1 who selected very pure specimens for examination1 states that it is soluble in three times its weight of water at #bab1 and in fifteen at #fj4 ,this solution1 when the salt is pure1 is perfectly clear and transparent1 but if long kept1 unless a portion of spirit be added1 it undergoes decomposition2 a precipitate indeed sometimes takes place very rapidly1 but this is generally tartrate of lime1 an incidental impurity1 derived from the super-tartrate of potass4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,mineral ,acids1 ,alkalies1 and their ,carbonates1 most of the ,metals1 ,soaps1 ,hydro-,sulphurets1 and many infusions and decoctions of bitter and astringent ,vegetables1 e4 g4 fj4 of the decoction of yellow bark is capable of completely decomposing j of this salt1 and of rendering it inert4#cgi ,berthollet has accordingly recommended the immediate exhibition of this decoction when an overdose of the salt has been taken2 and ,orfila has given a very satisfactory case in which this antidote succeeded4 ,infusion and tincture of galls throw down curdled and inert precipitates of a dirty white colour1 inclining to yellow4 ,rhubarb is equally incompatible3 the extract of this substance therefore never ought to be employed in forming pills of tartar emetic3 but it deserves notice that this salt is not decomposed by the infusions of gentian or wormwood4 ,the ,alkaline ,sulphates1 provided they be perfectly neutral1 produce no disturbance in solutions of tartar emetic1 and therefore cannot be considered incompatible with them2 if there be any excess of acid1 as in alum1 bi-sulphate of potass1 c4 then its decomposition is effected1 and a white insoluble sulphate of antimony is precipitated4 ,it appears therefore that the famous 8,emeto-purgative0 of the ,french school1 consisting of sulphate of soda1 and tartarized antimony in solution1 is by no means the unchemical mixture which some have considered it to be1 and that it really produces its effects from the operation of its original ingredients1 and not from that of the compounds 7,sulphate of ,antimony1 ,tartrate of ,soda1 and ,sulphate of ,potass7 which have been erroneously supposed to result4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,solution is its best form1 see ,liquor ,antimonii ,tartarizati4 ,,dose4 ,it either vomits1 purges1 or sweats1 according to the quantity exhibited2 thus gr4 #a_/d will1 if the skin be kept warm1 promote a diaphoresis2 gr4 will procure some stools first1 and sweating afterwards2 and gr4 j will generally vomit and then purge1 and lastly sweat the patient2 in very minute doses1 as gr4 #a_/aj or #a_/ab combined with squill and ammoniacum1 it acts as an expectorant1 see ,formul #a1 #b1 #c1 #h1 #fj4 ,it is decidedly the most manageable1 and the least uncertain of all the antimonial preparations1 and the practitioner would probably have but little to regret1 were all the other combinations of this metal discarded from our pharmacopias4 ,some authors have considered this substance as possessing sedative powers1 independent of its nauseating and diaphoretic effects4 ,it undoubtedly acts upon the heart1 and controls the force of the circulation in fevers1 without occasioning any other sensible effect4 ,mr4 ,brodie1 after having given large doses of this salt to animals1 found that the heart beat very feebly1 and although artificial respiration was kept up1 it soon ceased to act altogether4 ,lenthois of ,montpellier advises small doses of it in incipient phthisis1 and it would on some occasions appear to diminish the febrile excitement4 ,the following is the form in which ,dr4 ,lenthois recommends it to be exhibited upon such occasions4 ,he directs a grain of ,tartarized ,antimony to be dissolved in eight table spoonsful of distilled water1 which are to be added to six or eight pints of water1 and to be taken as common drink4 ,tartar emetic1 when triturated with lard1 in the proportion of iss or ij to j of the latter1 forms a very powerful rubefacient1 occasioning a pustular eruption on the skin1 and proving very serviceable in deep-seated inflammation2 or the application may be made by dusting a piece of adhesive plaster with tartarized antimony1 taking care to leave a margin untouched that it may more firmly adhere4 ,dr4 ,jenner1 in a late ,essay on the influence of artificial eruptions on certain diseases1 recommends the following formula for such a purpose4--4 ,antimonii ,tartarizati 7in pulverem subtilem trit47 ij--,unguenti ,cetacei ix2--,sacchari albi#chj j2--,hydrargyri ,sulphureti ,rubri gr4 v4 ,m4 ut fiat ,unguentum4 ,the ,pustules which are produced by the inunction have been generally compared to variolous pustules1 they are1 however1 in general much smaller1 not so red at the base1 nor so tense and white when fully suppurated4 ,they are very painful4 ,in ,hooping cough1 frictions with this ointment upon the region of the stomach have been greatly extolled4 ,by this application1 says ,dr4 ,jenner1 we can not only create vesicles1 but we can do more1--we have at our command an application which will at the same time both vesicate and produce diseased action on the skin itself1 by deeply deranging its structure beneath the surface4 ,this is probably one cause why the sympathetic affection excited by the use of ,cantharides1 and those changes produced by ,tartar ,emetic are very different4 ,the eruption should be kept up for some time1 either by the re-application of small portions of the diluted tartaremetic ointment1 to the affected part1 or by other gently stimulating ointments4 ,should they become much irritated and very painful1 a soft bread and milk poultice will in general afford relief1 without interfering with the progress of the eruption4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 gr4 j4 is contained in fss of ,liquor ,antimonii ,tart3 ,l4 and ,vinum ,tartratis ,antimonii4 ,e4#cha ,,adulterations4 ,it should be always purchased in its crystalline form2 and a solution of it in distilled water ought to furnish a copious gold coloured precipitate with sulphuret of ammonia2 a precipitate soluble in nitric acid1 with acetate of lead2 and a white and extremely thick precipitate1 dissolving with facility in pure nitric acid1 with lime water4 ,if the crystals deliquesce1 the presence of other salts may be inferred4 ,m4 ,sexullas1 in a memoir of which there is a copious extract in the ,journal de ,pharmacie for #ahba1 has shewn that all the antimonial preparations used in medicine1 except carefully crystallized ,tartar ,emetic1 contain more or less arsenic1 which metal was originally combined with the antimony in the ore1 and has continued pertinaciously associated with it through all its modifications4 ,,aqua4 ,water4 ,water1 from its extensive powers as a solvent1 never occurs in a state of absolute purity1 although the nature and degree of its contamination must necessarily vary according to circumstances and situation4 ,it is generally found holding earthy matter in a state of mechanical suspension1 or saline and other bodies in chemical solution4 ,the usual varieties of common water are classed and defined by ,celsus2 and modern chemists have not found any reason to reject the arrangement4 8,aqua levissima pluvialis est2 deinde fontana1 tum ex flumine1 tum ex puteo2 posthc ex nive1 aut glacie2 gravior his ex lacu2 gravissima ex palude40 #a4 ,,rain ,,water4 ,aqua ,pluvialis1 when collected in the open fields1 is certainly the purest natural water1 and consequently of the least specific gravity2 the bodies which it holds in solution are1 carbonic acid1 a minute portion of carbonate of lime1 with traces of muriate of lime4 ,,dew is said to be water saturated with air4 ,rain water ought1 however1 to be boiled and strained whenever it is collected near large towns2 ,hippocrates gives this advice1 and ,m4 ,margraaf of ,berlin has shewn the wisdom of the precaution by a satisfactory series of experiments4 #b4 ,,spring ,,water4 ,aqua ,fontana1 in addition to the substances detected in rain water1 generally contains a small portion of muriate of soda1 and frequently other salts2 but the larger springs are purer than smaller ones1 and those which occur in primitive countries1 and in siliceous rocks1 or beds of gravel1 necessarily contain the least impregnation4 ,an important practical distinction has been founded upon the fact1 that the water of some springs dissolves soap1 whilst that of others decomposes1 and curdles it2 the former has been termed soft1 the latter hard water2 soft water is a more powerful solvent of all vegetable matters1 and is consequently to be preferred for domestic as well as medicinal purposes2 the brewer knows well from experience how much more readily and copiously soft water will dissolve the extractive matter of his malt4 ,horses by an instinctive sagacity always prefer soft water1 and when by necessity or inattention they are confined to that which is hard1 their coats become rough and ill-conditioned1 and they are frequently attacked with the gripes4 ,pigeons also refuse hard water when they have been accustomed to that which is soft4#chb #c4 ,,river ,,water4 ,aqua ex ,flumine1 being derived from the conflux of numerous springs and rain water1 generally possesses considerable purity2 that the proportion of its saline ingredients should be small1 is easily explained by the precipitation which must necessarily take place from the union of different solutions2 it is1 however1 liable to hold in suspension particles of earthy matter1 which impair its transparency1 and sometimes its salubrity2 this is particularly observed of the ,seine1 the ,ganges1 and the ,nile4#chc #d4 ,,well ,,water4 ,aqua ex ,puteo1 is essentially the same as spring water1 being derived from the same source2 it is1 however1 more liable to impurity from its stagnation1 or slow infiltration2#chd hence our old wells furnish much purer water than those which are more recent1 as the soluble particles are gradually washed away4 ,mr4 ,dalton observes that the more any spring is drawn from1 the softer the water becomes4 #e4 ,,snow ,,water4 ,aqua ex ,nive1 has been supposed#che to be unwholesome1 and in particular to produce bronchocele1 from the prevalence of that disease in the ,alps1 but it does not appear upon what principle its insalubrity can depend2 the prejudice however is a very ancient one1 for ,hippocrates observes that snow or ice water is unwholesome1 in consequence of its finer particles being evaporated and lost during its solution3 it appears to differ only from rain water in being destitute of air1 to which water is certainly indebted for its briskness1 and perhaps for many of its good effects upon animals and vegetables4 ,the same observations apply to ,ice ,water4 #f4 ,,lake ,,water4 ,aqua ex ,lacu1 is a collection of rain1 spring1 and river waters1 contaminated with various animal and vegetable bodies1 which from its stagnant nature have undergone putrefaction in it4 #g4 ,,marsh ,,water4 ,aqua ex ,palude being the most stagnant is the most impure of all water1 and is generally loaded with decomposing vegetable matter4 ,to what extent the impurities of water are capable of influencing its salubrity1 has been a subject of interesting inquiry from the age of ,hippocrates to the present day4 ,to many of these natural contaminations1 too much importance has been certainly attached2 it is an affected refinement to suppose that the presence of minute portions of such earthy and calcareous salts1 as generally occur in solution1 can impart any noxious quality to water2#chf whilst on the contrary1 animal and vegetable impurities1 or earthy bodies in a state of mechanical suspension1 cannot fail to prove injurious1 and must be regarded as the true 8,,scelera ,,aquarum40 ,guided by false analogies many have supposed that they recognised the origin of all calcareous diseases in the earthy impurities of water2 the researches however of chemistry have removed this delusion1 by demonstrating that the substances found in water never enter into the composition of urinary calculi4#chg ,metallic and other accidental contaminations are necessarily highly injurious1 and the water in which their presence is suspected1 should be submitted to the most careful examination4 ,for the purification and preservation of water numerous methods have been adopted2 the mechanical impurities may be removed by filtration1 which is performed through porous stones1 or alternate layers of sand or charcoal2 muddy water may be also cleared by adding a few grains of alum to each pint1#chh and in that proportion1 the water is not rendered in the least disagreeable3 when water has contracted a putrid smell1 it may be rendered sweet by agitating it with a small portion of magnesia1 or with black oxide of manganese1 in the proportion of #a parts to #bej parts of water4 ,dr4 ,black observes that nitrate of silver1 which is one of the most antiseptic substances known1 will preserve water from putrefaction for ever1 and that it may at any time be separated therefrom in a few minutes by adding a small lump of common salt2 this fact in itself is curious1 but the experiment is too hazardous to be recommended4 ,dr4 ,alston prefers lime1 as a preservative of the water1 and proposes to remove it by the addition of a carbonate of magnesia2 ,dr4 ,henry has however found that it is more economically precipitated by the introduction of a current of carbonic acid into the cask4 ,as that peculiar property of water which is termed hardness1 generally depends upon the presence of sulphate of lime1 the addition of an alkaline carbonate twenty-four hours previous to its being used1 will be found to restore it1 or if it should depend upon supercarbonate of lime1 long ebullition without any addition will be found sufficient for its cure4 ,water when kept for a long time in casks1 especially on long voyages1 is partially decomposed1 and a volume of carburetted hydrogen is evolved1#chi imparting to such water the peculiar smell and taste which characterise it2 this decomposition may in a great degree be obviated by charring the interior of the water casks2 it is1 however1 prevented in the ,navy by substituting iron tanks for wooden vessels4 ,in ,pharmacy it ought to be remembered that whenever common water is employed it should not be hard2 filtered rainwater maybe recommended as the most eligible on such occasions4 ,,aqua ,,destillata4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,distilled ,water4 ,,qualities4 ,taste1 vapid from the absence of air1 and slightly empyreumatic in consequence probably of the presence of a small quantity of extractive matter which has undergone partial decomposition2 a fluid-ounce weighs #ded grains4 ,,medicinal ,,use4 ,in extemporaneous prescriptions1 distilled water should be always ordered whenever the formula contains any of the following substances3--,acidum ,sulphuricum2 ,acidum ,citricum2 ,antimonium ,tartarizatum2 ,argenti ,nitras2 ,cuprum ,ammoniatum2 ,ferrum ,tartarizatum2 ,hydrargyri ,oxy-murias2 ,liquor ,ammoni2 ,liquor ,plumbi ,sub-,acetatis2 ,liquor ,potass2 ,plumbi ,acetas2 ,solutio ,muriatis ,baryt2 ,vinum ,ferri2 ,zinci ,sulphas2 ,ferri ,sulphas4 ,distilled water ought also to be employed in preparations where much water is evaporated1 as in the formation of extracts1 since the residual matter of common water will remain mixed with the product of the process1 and uselessly add to its bulk1 or even in some cases produce in it chemical changes2 unless however under such circumstances1 common water purified by filtration should be ordered1 as the air which it contains imparts to it a pleasant and sprightly flavour4 ,in making infusions or decoctions1 it is very important that the water should be free from those impurities which impart to it hardness1 and which render it a far less powerful solvent of vegetable matter1 nor indeed can resinous substances be mixed with such water1 even when assisted by a mucilaginous medium4 ,on which account1 in prescribing emulsions1 it may perhaps be prudent to direct the employment of distilled water4 ,,tests ,,of ,,its ,,purity4 ,its transparency ought not to be disturbed by the addition of nitrate of silver1 or muriate of baryta4 ,,aqua ,,marina4 ,sea ,water4 ,until the late able researches of ,dr4 ,murray1 we possessed but an imperfect knowledge of the composition of sea water2 it is not therefore surprising that the analysis performed by different chemists should be found to be so materially at variance2 the true cause of such discordance is now easily understood1 for it appears1 that in the examination of a mineral water or any compound saline solution1 the substances obtained from it are not necessarily the original ingredients1 but frequently the products of new combinations established by the operation of analysis1 and that consequently the nature of the result obtained may vary according to the modes in which such analysis has been conducted1 or even according to the degree of dilution in which the saline substances exist4#cij ,the elements of the salts contained in a pint of sea water are ,lime #bi1 ,magnesia #adh1 ,soda #ifc1 ,sulphuric ,acid #add1 ,muriatic ,acid #igg1 total #bbfa grains1 and supposing these elements to be combined in the modes which ,dr4 ,murray's views appear to establish1 the saline contents of a pint of sea water may be expressed as follows1 ,muriate of ,soda #aeic1 ,muriate of ,magnesia #cee1 ,muriate of ,lime #eg1 ,sulphate of ,soda #bef grains1 total #bbfa grains2 besides such saline contents1 it is contaminated with various animal and vegetable bodies1 in consequence of which it becomes1 when long kept1 highly offensive2 it ought also to be stated that ,dr4 ,wollaston has discovered the presence of a minute proportion of potass in sea water2 and ,dr4 ,marcet has more lately detected ammonia in combination with muriatic acid4 ,,medicinal ,,use4 ,as a cathartic1 a pint is the ordinary quantity1 which should be taken in the morning1 at two doses1 with an interval of half an hour between each2 this quantity contains half an ounce of purgative salt1 of which about three-fourths are muriate of soda1 but it is much more active than a similar portion of any artificial combination4 ,in procuring sea water for medicinal purposes1 there is a precaution1 the importance of which experience has suggested to me1 that it be not hastily drank on the beach1 before the particles of sand1 with which under such circumstances it is generally mixed1 are allowed to subside2 from the neglect of this precaution ,i have witnessed serious consequences4 ,the most important advantages of sea water are derived from its external use as a bath4 ,,aqu ,,destillat4 ,l4,d4 ,,aqu ,,stillatiti4 ,e4 ,distilled ,waters4 ,these are waters impregnated with the essential oils of vegetables1 and are principally designed as grateful vehicles for the exhibition of more active remedies2 ample directions for preparing them are given in the several ,pharmacopias1 and if they be rectified by redistillation they may be kept for several years2 the usual mode of preserving them is by adding spirit1 which has also the incidental advantage of preventing them from being frozen during the winter season4 ,some recommend a film of the essential oil to be diffused over the water's surface4 ,they may be extemporaneously prepared by adding to water what have been called ,essences1 which consist of essential oil and alcohol1 or by rubbing any essential oil with ten times its weight of sugar1 or1 what answers still better1 of magnesia3 when however they are so prepared they never retain their transparency4 ,the college1 in the present ,pharmacopia1 have directed the distillation off the essential oil1 as well as off the recent herb2 this alteration is one of practical convenience4 ,the properties of each water may be learnt by referring to the vegetable from which it is distilled4 ,,aqu ,,minerales4 ,mineral ,waters4 ,although all waters that flow from the earth1 are1 as they contain mineral bodies in solution1 strictly speaking1 mineral waters1 yet this term is conventionally applied to such only as are distinguished from spring1 lake1 river1 or other water1 by a peculiarity in colour1 taste1 smell1 or any obvious properties1 or by the medicinal effects which they produce1 or are known to be capable of producing4 ,to the medical practitioner the history of these waters is most interesting and instructive1 involving highly important subjects of chemical and physiological inquiry4 ,these waters are without doubt indebted for their medicinal virtues to the operation of the substances which they hold dissolved1 but this is so materially aided by the peculiar state of dilution in which they exist1 as well as by the mere bulk and temperature of the water itself1 as to render extremely doubtful the success of every attempt to concentrate their powers by evaporation4 ,to what extent dilution may modify the chemical condition of saline solutions has been satisfactorily demonstrated by the researches of ,dr4 ,murray 7see ,aqua ,marina71 and to what degree an increase in the solubility of any remedy may influence its medicinal properties has been considered at some length in the first part of this work1 7page #agb47 ,it is certain that1 in general1 soluble salts are capable of exerting a much more powerful effect upon the animal economy1 than those which are insoluble2 on which account1 the earthy muriates1 especially that of lime1 are amongst the most active ingredients of mineral waters4 ,although chemical analysis has frequently from its own imperfection failed in ascertaining their presence1 it seems probable that muriate of lime and sulphate of soda exist in all those springs that furnish1 by the usual methods of examination1 sulphate of lime and muriate of soda2 for the same reasons it is equally probable that iron1 which in certain waters has been supposed from the analysis to exist as a carbonate1 is in its native solution a true muriate2 this is undoubtedly the fact with respect to the ,bath waters4 ,is it then surprising1 that medical practitioners should hitherto have failed in their attempts to emulate1 by artificial arrangements1 the medical efficacy of active and mineral springs8 ,for the investigation of the true composition of mineral waters the researches of ,dr4 ,murray furnish a simple and elegant formula4 ,determine by precipitants the weight of the acids and bases1 suppose them united in such a manner that they shall form the most soluble salts1 and these salts will constitute the true saline constituents of the water under examination4 ,mineral ,waters admit of being divided into four classes1 viz4 #a4 ,,acidulous2 owing their properties chiefly to carbonic acid2 they are tonic and diuretic1 and in large doses produce a transient exhilaration2 the most celebrated are ,pyrmont1 ,seltzer1 ,spa1 ,carlsbad1 and ,scarborough4 #b4 ,,chalybeate2 containing iron in the form of sulphate1 carbonate1 or muriate2#cia they have a styptic1 inky taste3 ,hartfell near ,moffat1 ,peterhead1 ,tunbridge1 ,brighton1 ,cheltenham1 ,bath1 ,lemington ,priors1 ,castle ,horneck1 near ,penzance1 c4 #c4 ,,sulphureous ,,waters derive their character from sulphuretted hydrogen1 either uncombined1 or united with lime1 or an alkali3 ,engien1 ,aix la ,chapelle1 ,harrowgate1 ,moffat4 #d4 ,,saline2 mostly purgative1 and are advantageously employed in those hypochondriacal and visceral diseases that require continued1 and moderate relaxation of the bowels2 ,cheltenham1 ,leamington1 ,seidlitz1 and all brackish waters4 ,some springs1 as those of ,bath1 ,matlock1 and ,buxton1 owe their virtues rather to temperature than to any other cause1 and others1 as ,malvern1 to the diluent power of the water4 ,in the ,codex ,medicamentarius of ,paris1 formul are introduced for the preparation of several of the more distinguished mineral waters1 under the head 8,aqu ,minerales ,arte ,fact40#cib ,,argenti ,,nitras4 ,l4 ,nitras ,argenti4 ,e4,d4 ,fused ,nitrate of ,silver1 olim1 ,lunar ,caustic4 ,,qualities4 ,fused nitrate of silver is in small cylinders of a dark grey colour1 and presenting1 when broken across1 a crystalline structure4 ,odour1 none2 ,taste1 intensely bitter1 austere and metallic2 it tinges the skin indelibly black2 when perfectly free from copper1 it is not deliquescent4 ,,chemical ,,composition2 oxide of silver #gj1 nitric acid #cj1 or one atom of oxide and one atom of acid4 ,,solubility4 ,in an equal weight of water1 at #fj2 it is also soluble in alcohol4 ,the solution readily yields transparent colourless crystals1 the primary form of which is a right rhombic prism4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,fixed alkalies and alkaline earths1 the muriatic1 sulphuric1 and tartaric acids1 and all the salts which contain them2 ,soaps1 arsenic1 hydro-sulphurets1 astringent vegetable infusions1 undistilled waters4 ,the solutions of nitrate of silver are not disturbed by ammonia1 the ammoniuret being very soluble2 the carbonate of ammonia1 however1 produces a precipitation4 ,nitrate of silver tinges the skin and hair black1 and has been frequently employed for the latter purpose2#cid it likewise forms the basis of permanent ink4#cie ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,tonic1 antispasmodic1 and escharotic2 it is said to prove efficacious in epilepsy1 but during a trial for several years in the ,westminster hospital1 ,i never could discover its virtues2 many of the cases in which it has been supposed to have been successful1 probably derived advantage from the purgative medicines which were simultaneously administered4 ,it possesses a bitter taste1 and it has been said to act like vegetable bitters upon the digestive organs1 and to offer a resource in dyspeptic complaints4 ,it is principally useful as an external application1 and may be considered as the strongest and most manageable caustic that we possess2#cif whilst in solution it acts as a useful stimulant in indolent ulcers2 and being possessed of the power of coagulating animal matter1 it does not spread to any extent1 and is therefore extremely convenient where a large eschar is to be avoided4 ,a weak solution of this metallic salt has lately been strongly recommended by a ,french surgeon1 as a remedy for piles of long standing2 it also forms an excellent lotion to excite the weak granulations of fungous ulcers4 ,it is1 moreover1 said to be highly useful as an injection in cases of puriform discharges from the ear2 before we direct however such an application1 it is highly necessary that we should ascertain the tympanum to be entire1 or the liquid may escape into the internal ear1 and occasion very alarming irritation2 an event which unhappily occurred1 not long since1 in the case of a noble duke of high military renown4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,for internal use1 in pills made with crumb of bread1 with the addition of some sugar1 to prevent the mass from being too hard4 ,dose1 gr4 #a_/h1 gradually increased to gr4 j4 ,,adulterations4 ,copper may be always suspected when it deliquesces1 and is to be immediately detected by its solution assuming a blue colour1 when supersaturated with ammonia4 ,the sticks should be preserved in closely stopped phials1 and covered with soft and dry paper4 ,,antidote4 ,when this substance has been taken in excess1 muriate of soda is its true antidote2 indeed1 so completely does it decompose1 and separate it from water1 that if a saturated solution of nitrate of silver be filtered through common salt1 it may be afterwards drunk with impunity4 ,this circumstance alone1 would of necessity render nitrate of silver a very uncertain remedy2 and yet it is evident that the basis of this salt is occasionally absorbed1 for there are several cases upon record1 in which the oxyd of silver has been deposited in the rete mucosum1 and given a purple hue of a very singular appearance to the patient2 ,i have lately witnessed an instance of this kind in a lady who had taken large doses of the nitrate1 for the purpose of curing a dyspeptic complaint2 and several other similar cases stand recorded in different works4 ,,armoraci ,,radix4 ,l4,e4 7,cochlearia ,armoracia 7 ,raphanus ,rusticanus1 ,d4 ,horse#cig ,radish ,root4 ,,qualities4 ,taste1 hot and acrid2 ,odour1 pungent4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,all its virtues depend upon an essential oil4 ,,solubility4 ,both water and alcohol extract its active principles1 but they are dissipated by decoction4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,as a stimulant in paralysis it is often useful2 ,sydenham found it successful in dropsies which were consequent on intermittent fevers2 ,cullen recommends a syrup made with the infusion of horse radish1 to remove that species of hoarseness which depends upon local relaxation2 ,dr4 ,withering extols an infusion of this root in milk as a cosmetic both safe and effectual4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,alkaline ,carbonates2 ,oxy-muriate of ,mercury2 ,nitrate of ,silver2 the ,infusion of ,galls and of ,yellow ,cinchona ,bark1 produce precipitates with the infusion of this root4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in substance1 scraped or swallowed whole1 or in infusion4#cih ,,dose of the substance j1 of an infusion fij4 ,see ,infus ,armoraci comp4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,infusum ,armoraci comp3 ,l4 ,spiritus ,armoraci comp3 ,l4,d4 ,,arsenicum ,,album4 7,acidum ,arseniosum47 ,oxydum ,arsenici4 ,e4 ,arsenicum4 ,d4 ,white ,arsenic4 ,arsenious ,acid4 vulgo ,arsenic4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 shining semivitreous lumps1 breaking with a conchoidal fracture1 and when reduced to powder1 bearing some resemblance to white sugar2 ,taste1 acrid and corrosive1 but not in any degree corresponding with its virulence1 leaving an impression of sweetness4 ,specific gravity #cg2 it is volatilized at the temperature of #chc ,fah3 and by a strong heat is vitrified into a transparent glass capable of crystallizing in tetrahedra with truncated angles1 or rather in octohedra4 ,in the state of vapour it is quite inodorous1 although it is asserted in many chemical works of authority to yield a smell like that of garlic2 the fact is that the alliaceous or garlic-like smell is wholly confined to metallic arsenic in a state of vapour1 and whenever the arsenious acid seems to yield this odour1 we may infer that its decomposition has taken place2 this happens when it is projected upon ignited charcoal1 or when heated in contact with those metallic bodies which readily unite with oxygen1 as ,antimony and ,tin4 ,it is stated by ,orfila and other chemists1 that if it be projected upon heated copper the alliaceous odour is evolved4 ,this assertion is undoubtedly true1 but the fact requires to be explained with more precision1 or we may fall into an important error respecting it4 ,the phenomenon takes place only when the copper is in a state of ignition1 at which temperature its affinity for oxygen enables it to reduce the arsenious acid2 for ,i find by experiment that if a few grains of this substance be heated on a plate of copper1 by means of a spirit lamp or blow-pipe1 no odour is perceptible1 for the whole of the acid is dissipated before the copper can acquire a sufficiently exalted temperature to deoxidize it4 ,if the arsenious acid be heated on a plate of zinc1 the smell is not evolved until the metal is in the state of fusion2 if instead of these metals we employ in our experiments those of gold1 silver1 or platinum1 no alliaceous smell whatever is produced1 at any temperature4 ,it however deserves particular notice1 that the flame of the spirit lamp is itself capable of decomposing the oxyd1 in consequence of the operation of its hydrogen3 a fact which is very likely to betray the chemist into the fallacious belief that the oxyd does yield the odour in question4#cii ,it is probable that arsenical vapours which yield this peculiar odour are less noxious than those which are inodorous1 but ,i am not aware that the knowledge of this fact can be applied to any purpose of practical importance4#djj ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,this substance possesses many of the essential habitudes of an acid1 as for instance1 that of combining with the pure alkalies to saturation2 it is therefore very properly denominated ,arsenious ,acid4 ,it may be farther acidified by distilling it with nitrous acid1 and the compound which results is a white concrete substance termed ,arsenic ,acid2 from experiments on the quantity of oxygen absorbed by metallic arsenic1 during its conversion into these two compounds1 instituted by ,proust and ,davy1 it appears that the arsenious acid consists of about #be of oxygen and #ge of metal1 and the arsenic acid of #cc of oxygen and #fg of metal2 or1 the quantity of metal being the same1 that the oxygen in the latter compound is to that in the former nearly as three to two4 ,,solubility4 ,we have but lately been set right upon this point2 ,klaproth has shewn that it requires for its solution #djj parts of water at #fj and only #ac at #bab1 and moreover1 that if #ajj parts of water be boiled on the arsenious acid1 and suffered to cool1 it will retain three grains in solution1 and deposit the remainder in tetrahedral crystals2 this fact shews the importance of employing boiling water in every chemical examination of substances supposed to contain arsenic4 ,it is soluble in alcohol and oils1 the former taking up two per cent42 with lime water it produces a white precipitate of arsenite of lime1 which is soluble in an excess of arsenious acid2 with magnesia it forms a soluble arsenite1 which proves very virulent4 ,the poisonous effects of arsenious acid are so amply detailed in medical works1#dja that it would be superfluous to dwell upon them in this place2 it may however be interesting and useful to record an account of the pernicious influence of arsenical fumes upon organized beings1 as ,i have been enabled to ascertain in the copper smelting works1 and tin burning-houses of ,cornwall4 ,this influence is very apparent in the condition both of the animals and vegetables in the vicinity2 horses and cows commonly lose their hoofs1 and the latter are often to be seen in the neighbouring pastures crawling on their knees1 and not unfrequently suffering from a cancerous affection in their rumps1 whilst the milch cows1 in addition to these miseries1 are soon deprived of their milk2 the men employed in the works are more healthy than we could a priori have supposed possible2 the antidote upon which they all rely with confidence1 whenever they are infested with more than an ordinary portion of arsenical vapour1 is sweet oil1 and an annual sum is allowed by the proprietors in order that it may be constantly supplied2 this opinion is not solitary1 for ,tachenius relates that the poisonous effects1 such as convulsions1 gripes1 and bloody stools1 with which he was seized from exposure to the fumes of arsenic1 were relieved by milk and oil4 ,it deserves notice that the smelters are occasionally affected with a cancerous disease in the scrotum1 similar to that which infests chimney-sweepers1 and it is singular that ,stahl in describing the putrescent tendency in the bodies of those who die from this poison1 mentions in particular the gangrenous appearance of these parts4 ,it is a very extraordinary fact that previous to the establishment of the copper works in ,cornwall1 the marshes in their vicinity were continually exciting intermittent fever1 whereas since that period a case of ague has not occurred in the neighbourhood2 ,i have heard it remarked by the men in the works1 that the smoke kills all fevers4 ,the fact is here stated without any other comment than that the agricultural improvements which have taken place in the district1 are not sufficient to afford any clue to the explanation of the circumstance4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,much has been said upon this subject1 and the propriety and safety of its exhibition has been often questioned2 there can be no doubt but that the greatest circumspection is required in the practitioner who administers it1 and it ought not1 in my opinion1 to be employed until other remedies have failed2 that it is capable of accumulating in the system is very evident1 and this1 in certain habits1 may predispose the patient to serious diseases2 the form in which it is most manageable and least dangerous1 is that of solution4 ,see ,liquor ,arsenicalis4 ,some practitioners have exhibited it in substance1 made into pills1 by rubbing one grain with ten of sugar1 and then beating the mixture with a sufficient quantity of crumb of bread to form ten pills1 one of which is a dose4 ,the ,chinese and other oriental nations form the sulphuret of arsenic 7realgar7 into medical cups1 and use lemon juice1 after it has stood some hours in them1 by way of cathartic4 ,as an external application1 arsenic has long been extolled in the cure of cancers2 the caustic so extensively used under the sanction of the late ,mr4 ,justamond in cases of open cancer1 consisted of two parts of ,antimony1 and one of ,arsenious acid1 fluxed together in a crucible1 and afterwards levigated1 and reduced to the requisite degree of mildness by the addition of powdered ,opium4#djb ,but it deserves notice in this place1 that repeated experiments have proved that arsenic kills#djc more rapidly when applied externally to an abraded part1 than when internally administered4 ,see page #acb4 ,lionardo di ,capoa relates the case of a child killed by the violent vomiting and purging arising from a slight wound made in the head by a comb1 wet with oil1 in which ,arsenic had been infused for the purpose of killing vermin2 and we have numerous instances on record1 where the application of arsenical cerates and ointments has been followed by violent and dangerous symptoms4 ,we also learn from the different historians of the ,plague of ,london1 that the arsenical amulets which were worn1 as preservatives1 on that occasion1 were sometimes attended with deleterious consequences2 ,crato 7,epist4 #afh47 observed an ulcer of the breast produced by them4 ,vernascha1 violent pains and syncope4 ,amongst the foreign authors who have related cases of poisoning by the external application of ,arsenic we may mention ,desgranges 7,recueil ,period3 de la ,socit de ,med3 de ,paris1 ,t4 vi4 p4 #bb47 who records the history of a chambermaid1 poisoned by having rubbed her head with an arsenical ointment for the purpose of destroying vermin2 and ,roux 7,nouveaux ,elemens de ,med3 ,operat4 par4 ,j4 ,p4 ,roux17 who confessed to have killed a young girl of eighteen by an application of the 8,pate ,arsenicale0 to a cancerous breast4 ,to the ,empirics of our own times we are indebted for many fatal illustrations of the subject4 ,since the last edition of this work1 a ,lady applied to a well known ,quack1 distinguished for his impudent pretensions in the treatment of cancer1 and submitted to a caustic application to the breast4 ,in a short time paralysis ensued1 and the application was discovered to contain a large proportion of ,arsenic1 and that the disease1 for the cure of which it had been applied1 was not cancer4 ,a somewhat analogous case occurred under the care of a bold empiric in the neighbourhood of ,st4 ,george's ,fields1 who undertook to remove the deformity of bow legs in a dandy drawing-master6 by rasping the shin bones1 and applying arsenic to the surface of the wound2 in consequence of which1 in addition to extensive local mischief1 the unhappy dupe became paralytic4 ,it is also necessary to inform the practitioner that ,arsenious acid has been known to produce poisonous effects when applied to the unbroken skin2 a case of this nature is related by ,desgranges1 in the sixth volume of the ,recueil ,periodique de la ,soc3 de ,med3 another may be found in the #bb;d volume of the ,acta ,germanica 7#agcj72 and ,renault obtained similar results in his experiments on animals4 ,when the system is under the influence of arsenic1 the following symptoms will appear1 viz4 thickness1 redness1 and stiffness of the palpebr1 soreness of the gums1 ptyalism1 itching over the surface of the body1 restlessness1 cough1 pain in the stomach and bowels1 head-ache1 and ,i have also occasionally noticed paucity of urine1 and even stranguary1 a fact of which ,i find no mention in other authors4 ,strange as it may appear1 ,arsenic has been inhaled1 together with the vapours of frankincense1 myrrh1 and those of other gums during a paroxysm of asthma6 ,this extraordinary practice arose from the practitioner mistaking the gum juniper1 or ,vernix of the ,arabians1 which by their medical authors was prescribed in fumigations under the name of ,sandarach1 for the of ,aristotle1 which was a sulphured of arsenic4 ,,adulterations4 ,it is frequently sophisticated with chalk1 gypsum1 or sulphate of barytes2 the fraud is instantly detected by its not being entirely volatilized by heat1 or by any insoluble residuum occurring in preparing the ,liquor ,arsenicalis1 according to the directions of the pharmacopia4 ,to many the adulteration of so active a substance may seem unimportant1 but in consequence of its being thus rendered a medicine of variable activity1 it is one of the most dangerous frauds which can be committed2 a very unpleasant circumstance lately occurred from such a cause in one of our public institutions3 arsenic had been obtained from the shop of a respectable chemist1 who had not usually supplied the establishment1 for the purpose of preparing the arsenical solution3 the article happened to be less adulterated than that which had been previously employed2 the solution however was prepared in the usual way1 and the usual dose was continued1 when the patients were soon seized with violent pains in the bowels1 and the cause was not detected until by an examination of the bottle the usual sediment was not discovered4 ,,antidotes4 ,late researches have shewn that sulphuret of potass1 on which physicians have placed so much reliance1 merits no confidence4 ,the great indication to be fulfilled in all cases of poisoning is to excite vomiting1 and to administer liquids which are the least liable to act as solvents of the acrid matter1 on which account lime water presents itself as a very appropriate fluid4 ,the subject1 however1 is very fully considered in the first part of this work1 to which ,i am very desirous of directing the attention of the medical practitioner2 see ,antidotes4 ,methods of detecting the presence of ,arsenious ,acid4 #a4 ,by its reduction to a metallic state4 ,mix a portion of the suspected powder with three times its weight of black flux2#djd put the mixture into a thin glass tube1 hermetically closed#dje at one end1 about eight inches in length1 and one-fourth of an inch in diameter2 should any of the powder adhere to the sides of the tube1 it must be carefully brushed off with a feather1 so that the inner surface of its upper part may be perfectly clean and dry2 the closed end of the tube1 by way of security1 may be thinly coated with a mixture of pipe-clay and sand1#djf but this operation is not absolutely necessary2 the open extremity is to be loosely plugged with a piece of paper2 the coated end must be now heated on a chaffing dish of red hot coals1 when the arsenic1 if present1 will sublime1 and be found lining with a brilliant metallic crust the upper part of the tube2 a portion of this reduced metal1 if it be arsenic1 will1 when laid on heated iron1 exhale in dense fumes1 which are characterised by a strong smell of garlic4 ,mr4 ,phillips has lately stated that the tube may be sufficiently heated1 for the purpose of metallization1 by means of a spirit lamp4#djg ,it merits particular notice1 that in reducing by the above process the arsenious acid to the state of metal1 the presence of potass in the flux is very essential1 since it forms immediately an arsenite of potass1 and thereby fixes the arsenious acid1 and prevents it from being volatilized before the temperature is sufficiently high to enable the charcoal to decompose it2 an ignorance of this fact has not unfrequently proved a source of disappointment and fallacy4 ,another method of identifying white arsenic by metallization1 is to form at the moment of its reduction1 an alloy with copper1 which is easily effected in the following manner1--,mix the suspected powder with black flux1 as in the former experiment1 and place the mixture between two polished plates of copper1 bind them tight together by iron wire1 and expose them to a low read heat2 if the included substance contained arsenic1 a silvery white stain will be left on the surface of the copper1 which is an alloy of the two metals4 ,if in this1 as in the former experiment1 charcoal be employed without the addition of a fixed alkali1 the result may1 for the same reason1 prove unsatisfactory4 ,but1 with whatever care this experiment is conducted1 it is1 to say the least1 a clumsy and unsatisfactory test1 and ought never to be relied upon4 #b4 ,by the application of certain ,reagents1 or ,tests1 to its ,solutions4 ,a great and important question has arisen in medical jurisprudence1 whether any chemical proof of the presence of white arsenic1 short of its actual reduction to the state of metal1 can be depended upon1 or ought to be received as evidence in the courts of criminal law4 ,after a full experimental investigation of the subject1 and an impartial review of all the facts which bear upon the question1 ,i feel no hesitation in declaring it to be my conviction1 that white arsenic may be detected without any fear of fallacy1 by a proper application of certain tests1 and that the contrary opinion is entirely founded in error1 and unsupported by experiment1 as will more fully appear in the sequel4#djh 7,a7 ,fused ,nitrate of ,silver1 or ,lunar ,caustic--,for this test we are indebted to ,mr4 ,hume of ,london1 who first gave it to the public in the ,philosophical ,magazine for ,may #ahji1 vol4 xxxiii4 ,his method of applying it is as follows3 into a clean ,florence flask introduce two or three grains of the suspected powder1 to which add about eight ounces of rain or distilled water1 and heat the solution until it begins to boil1 then while it boils frequently shake the flask1 and add to the hot solution a grain or two of sub-carbonate of potass1 agitating the whole to make the mixture uniform4 ,pour into a wine glass about two table spoonsful of the solution1 and touch the surface of the fluid with a stick of lunar caustic4 ,if arsenic be present1 a beautiful yellow precipitate will instantly proceed from the point of contact1 and settle towards the bottom of the glass as a flocculent and copious precipitate4 ,by this test the #fjth part of a grain may be satisfactorily recognised in two ounces of water4 ,the presence of some alkali is essential to the success of the experiment1 since arsenious acid is unable1 by the operation of simple affinity1 to decompose the nitrate of silver4#dji ,the validity of this test has been questioned on the following grounds1 which shall be fairly examined in order4 ,,objection #a4 ,the alkaline phosphates are found to produce precipitates with silver1 analogous in colour and appearance to the arsenite of silver4 ,this is undoubtedly the case when the experiment is performed in the manner just stated1 but there are other reagents which will immediately distinguish these bodies1 as will be seen under the history of the ,ammoniuret of silver2 ,i have also shewn that there is a mode of so modifying the application of the silver test itself1 that no error or doubt can arise in the use of it from the presence of phosphoric salts4#daj ,my method consists in conducting the trial on writing paper1 instead of in glasses1 thus--drop the suspected fluid on a piece of white paper1 making with it a broad line2 along this line a stick of lunar caustic is to be slowly drawn several times successively1 when a streak is produced of a colour resembling that known by the name of ,indian ,yellow2 and this is equally produced by the presence of arsenic and that of an alkaline phosphate1 but the one from arsenic is rough1 curdy1 and flocculent1 as if effected by a crayon1 that from a phosphate homogeneous and uniform1 resembling a water-colour laid smoothly on with a brush2 but a most important and distinctive peculiarity soon succeeds1 for in less than two minutes the phosphoric yellow fades into a sad green1 and becomes gradually darker1 and ultimately quite black2 while1 on the other hand1 the arsenical yellow remains permanent1 or nearly so1 for some time1 when it becomes brown4 ,in performing this experiment the sun-shine should be avoided1 or the transitions of the colour will take place too rapidly4 ,it would be prudent also for the inexperienced operator to perform a similar experiment on a fluid known to contain arsenic1 and on another with a phosphoric salt1 as a standard of comparison4 ,in this way the nitrate of silver1 without the intervention of any other test1 is fully capable of removing every ambiguity1 and of furnishing a distinguishing mark of difference between the chemical action of arsenic and that of the phosphates4 ,mr4 ,hume states that he has repeated this experiment to his entire satisfaction1#daa and that1 in a late unfortunate case of poisoning1 he derived considerable information by its application4 ,the laborious author of the ,london ,dispensatory accepts it as an excellent test1 but observes that it is rendered more luminous by brushing the streak lightly over with liquid ammonia immediately after the application of the caustic1 when1 if the arsenic be present1 a bright queen's yellow is produced which remains permanent for nearly an hour2 but that when the lunar caustic produces a white-yellow before the ammonia is applied1 we may infer the presence of some alkaline phosphate1 rather than that of arsenic4 ,one of the great advantages of this test is the very small quantity that is required for examination2 it would be well therefore for the operator to perform the experiment in both ways on a separate paper4 ,,objection #b4 ,the ,muriates produce precipitates with silver so copious and flocculent as to overcome every indication which the presence of arsenic would otherwise afford4 ,dr4 ,marcet proposes to obviate this difficulty1 by adding to the fluid to be examined dilute nitric acid1 and then cautiously applying the nitrate of silver until the precipitation ceases2 in this way the muriatic acid will be entirely removed1 whilst the arsenic1 if it be present1 will remain in solution1 and may be rendered evident by the affusion of ammonia1 which will instantly produce the yellow precipitate in its characteristic form4 ,this mode however it must be confessed appears complicated1 and requires some chemical address for its accomplishment2 it should be also known that the yellow precipitate thus produced is not always permanent1 for it is soluble in the nitrate of ammonia formed during the process4 ,under these circumstances1 it is surely preferable to precipitate at once from the suspected fluid all the substances which nitrate of silver can effect1 and then to expose the mixed and ambiguous precipitate so obtained1 to a low heat in a glass tube1 when the arsenious acid will be immediately separated by sublimation4 ,in this way the presence of muriates may even in certain cases be serviceable1 especially if the quantity of arsenic be minute2 for by increasing the bulk of the precipitate we shall decrease the difficulty of its examination4 ,by this process1 also1 ,i should propose to meet the embarrassments which arise from the influence of various animal and vegetable substances1 as milk1 broth1 wine1 c4 so frequently present in the suspected liquid1 and which are known to alter the character of the arsenical indications4 ,in this case1 however1 we must not rely upon any single precipitant2 after having thrown down all that is precipitable by the silver test1 the supernatant liquid should be decanted1 slightly acidified by acetic acid1 and submitted to the action of ,sulphuretted ,hydrogen2 when1 should any precipitate occur1 it must be separated and added to the former4 ,dr4 ,christison has demonstrated the importance of this proceeding by shewing that the precipitates1 occasioned by the ,ammoniurets of silver and copper1 are soluble in certain vegetable infusions4#dab ,m4 ,orfila proposes to remove the difficulties and embarrassments1 occasioned by the colouring matter of different media1 by the application of ,chlorine1 so as to change the colour to a shade that will not offer any optical impediment to the characteristic indications of the different tests4 ,i am ready to admit that such a mode of proceeding may1 on certain occasions1 assist the accomplished chemist in his analysis1 but in the hands of a person less accustomed to chemical manipulation1 ,i hesitate not to declare that it is subject to fatal fallacies2#dac whereas1 by precipitating the whole1 and submitting the precipitate to the process of sublimation1 we shall avoid every source of error4 ,why then should we attempt to pursue our game through the windings of a labyrinth1 when a direct road lies before us1 by which we may at once drive it into the open plain8 ,mr4 ,phillips has recently proposed the addition of animal charcoal 7,ivory ,black7 for the purpose of destroying the colouring matter4 ,he found that by mixing this substance with the ,liquor ,arsenicalis1 that the colouring matter was so completely destroyed in a few minutes1 that the test of nitrate of silver1 or any other might be readily applied4 ,this experiment was repeated with ,port wine1 gravy soup1 and a strong infusion of onions1 and he succeeded in these cases in procuring a solution sufficiently colourless for the application of the most delicate reagents4 ,it might be supposed1 adds ,mr4 ,phillips1 that the ,phosphoric acid which the animal charcoal contains1 might have some share in the production of the yellow precipitate with silver2 he found1 however1 that water1 or wine1 which was merely digested on the animal charcoal1 produced no effect with the nitrate of silver1 except a slight precipitate of chloride2 and this even1 was prevented by lixiviation4 ,i have1 however1 a serious objection to offer to this proposal4 ,animal charcoal1 by some mode of operation not understood1 possesses the property of removing certain substances from their solution in water2 ,i have already noticed this effect with respect to ,lime water1 7see p4 #bdg1 note71 and ,i have lately found that it takes place with very dilute solutions of ,arsenic4#dad ,hence charcoal1 as we shall presently find1 may be employed for the purpose of detecting minute portions of arsenic4 ,,objection #c4 ,chromate of potass produces1 with ,nitrate of ,silver1 a yellow precipitate which1 when placed side by side with one produced by ,arsenious acid1 cannot be distinguished by colour or appearance from it4 ,this fact has lately been announced by ,dr4 ,porter of the ,university of ,south ,carolina4 7,silliman's ,journal1 iii1 #cee47 ,but as the presence of chromate of potass can never be suspected in any research after arsenic1 in cases of forensic interest1 the fact is of no importance to the physician4 ,where the ,arsenious acid is mixed with vegetable matter1 and it becomes difficult to separate it by filtration1 the whole may be evaporated to dryness1 taking great care that the heat applied for such a purpose never exceeds #bej ,fah3 or we shall lose the arsenic by volatilization4 ,the residue thus obtained may then be submitted to a higher temperature1 in a subliming vessel1 in order to procure the arsenious acid in its pure state4 ,should the arsenious acid have1 in the first instance1 been dissolved in oil1 ,dr4 ,ure proposes to boil the solution in distilled water1 and to separate the oil afterwards by the capillary action of wick threads4 ,if the arsenious acid be mixed with resinous bodies1 oil of turpentine may be employed as their solvent1 which will leave the arsenic untouched4 ,dr4 ,black directed the application of alcohol for this purpose1 but this is obviously improper1 since arsenious acid is soluble in that fluid4 ,it has been stated that1 in consequence of the inability of arsenious acid to decompose nitrate of silver by simple elective attraction1 the presence of an alkali becomes indispensable in the examination1 for which purpose ,dr4 ,marcet has suggested the superior advantages which will attend the use of ammonia1 in cases where the arsenic has not been previously combined with a fixed alkali1 since it does not1 when added singly1 decompose nitrate of silver2 a circumstance which in using the fixed alkalies is very liable to occasion fallacy4 ,this led ,mr4 ,hume to improve his original plan1 by forming at once a compound1 which he calls the ,ammoniaco-nitrate of silver1 but which may with more propriety be designated as an ,ammoniuret4#dae ,this is a triumph in the art of analysis2 for whilst it obviates the necessity of ascertaining the exact proportion of alkali required in each experiment1#daf it possesses the valuable property of not in the least disturbing the phosphate of soda4 7,b47 ,sulphate of ,copper4 ,like the preceding test1 this also requires1 for its success1 that the arsenious acid should be combined with some alkali1 in which case1 by the operation of double elective attraction1 an arsenite of copper is thrown down of a very striking and characteristic colour1 being that of the well-known pigment called ,scheele's green2 if arsenic be not present in the liquid so assayed1 and a fixed alkali has been employed1 the result will be a delicate sky-blue1 instead of the grass-green precipitate4 ,mr4 ,hume avails himself also of the peculiar property of ammonia to form a metallic salt1 and has employed it with copper3 he takes the sulphate or acetate of that metal1 and by the same process as that described for the preparation of an ammoniuret of silver1 forms another test4 ,in using this1 however1 care must be taken that it be not too highly concentrated1 for in that state it will not produce precipitation4 ,much controversy has taken place on the subject of sulphate of copper as a test for arsenic1 and it has been stated1 with more confidence than truth1 that a decoction of onions has the property of imparting to the copper precipitate1 which is produced by a fixed alkali1 a colour and appearance analogous to that which is occasioned by arsenic4 ,this opinion was boldly advanced and supported on a most important#dag trial at the ,lent assizes for ,cornwall in #ahag4 ,since this event an opportunity#dah has occurred which has enabled me to examine this alleged fact1 by a fair and appropriate series of experiments1 the result of which satisfactorily proved that the opinion was grounded on an optical fallacy1 arising from the blue precipitate assuming a green colour1 in consequence of having been viewed through a yellow medium4#dai ,the phosphoric salts may also1 under similar circumstances1 be mistaken for arsenic1 for the intense blue colour of the phosphate of copper will thus necessarily appear green4 ,this instance of optical fallacy is not solitary1 for corrosive sublimate has been said to possess the character of an alkali1 because it turns the syrup of violets green1 whereas this change is to be attributed solely to the combination of the yellow hue of the sublimate with the blue colour of the violet4 ,whenever therefore such a source of fallacy can be suspected1 the operator would do well to repeat his experiment on white paper1 in the manner ,i have before proposed1 and the results which are obtained in glasses should always be examined by day-light1 and viewed by reflected and not by transmitted light4 ,the presence of ,peroxide of ,iron in the ,cupreous salt will also impart a green colour to the precipitate produced by an alkali4 ,to obviate any fallacy which might arise from this circumstance1 ,mr4 ,phillips proposes to add some pure ,potass to the sulphate of copper2 if pure1 a fine blue precipitate will be thus obtained2 to this may be then added the suspected solution1 and if ,arsenious acid be present1 it will then convert this blue precipitate to a green one4 7,c47 ,sulphuretted ,hydrogen4 ,this is a very delicate test for arsenic1 producing with its solution a beautiful golden coloured liquor1 which after a short time lets fall a precipitate4 ,mr4 ,phillips1#dbj in reviewing the third edition of the present work1 has stated1 that no such precipitate occurs1 but ,i find that in close1 as well as in vessels exposed to the air1 it takes place by repose4 ,by this reagent1 so small a quantity as #ajjj1jjj may be detected in solution2 and it may be also stated in farther proof of the utility of this test1 that it is less affected than any other by the presence of animal or vegetable matter4 ,the method of preparing a solution of sulphuretted hydrogen gas is extremely simple4 ,put into an oil flask about two ounces of undiluted muriatic acid and an ounce and a half of powdered ,sulphuret of ,antimony2 fit a cork to the flask and pass through it the short leg of a small glass tube twice bent at right angles2 pass the longer leg of the tube into a phial containing distilled water1 and then by the heat of a spirit lamp applied to the flask1 sulphuretted hydrogen gas will be abundantly liberated1 and though much of it will escape1 yet a sufficient quantity will be dissolved by the water4 ,the annexed sketch represents the apparatus proposed by ,mr4 ,phillips1 and which will require but little practical skill1 either for its construction or use4 ,illustration ,but it is not always necessary to prepare a watery solution of ,sulphuretted ,hydrogen1 a stream of the gas1 introduced into the suspected liquor by means of the above apparatus1 will act with equal delicacy1 and possesses1 as ,dr4 ,christison has observed1 the advantage of not diluting it4 ,before applying this test1 it is necessary to add an acid1 if any alkali should exist along with the ,arsenic1 otherwise no precipitate will take place4 7,d47 ,alkaline ,hydro-sulphurets4 ,these bodies do not affect the arsenious solution1 unless a few drops of acetic acid be added4 ,to the ,hydro-sulphuret1 or perhaps more properly1 ,hydroguretted ,sulphuret1 of ,ammonia there is an insuperable objection1 since this fluid1 when diluted1 possesses the colour which we expect to produce by the action of ,sulphuretted ,hydrogen upon ,arsenious ,acid4 7,e47 ,charcoal ,powder4 ,this test was proposed by ,mr4 ,a4 ,thomson1 7,london ,dispensatory1 #bnd edition1 p4 #ec47 ,into the suspected solution stir a moderate quantity of charcoal powder1 allow it to settle1 then pour off the supernatant liquor1 and when the powder which remains is dry1 sprinkle some of it on a red hot poker1 when1 if the solution should contain ,arsenic1 the odour of ,garlic will be rendered sensible4 ,i have already offered some remarks upon the cause of this phenomenon 7page #cjd47 ,there are several other tests by which arsenic may be identified4 ,the process described in the ,dublin ,pharmacopia for the preparation of ,arsenias ,kali1 the arseniate1 or rather super-arseniate of potass1 which has been long known under the name of 8the arsenical salt of ,macquer10 has been strongly advised as a collateral proof2 it consists in decomposing the nitrate of potass#dba by the arsenious acid1 but since this problem requires that the suspected poison should be in a solid and palpable form1 it is impossible to examine its pretensions to our confidence1 without being reminded of the story so often told to us in our infancy1 of catching a bird by laying salt upon its tail4 ,it is necessary to observe in this place1 that the arseniate1 like the arsenite of potass1 or that of ammonia1 is obedient to the silver test1 but that instead of the yellow precipitate which is produced by the latter salt1 we obtain1 by the former1 a red or brick-coloured one4 ,if arsenious acid and quick-lime be heated together in a glass tube1 a sudden ignition is occasioned at a certain temperature1 when metallic arsenic will sublime1 and an arseniate of lime be formed4 ,in this case one portion of the arsenious acid is robbed of its oxygen to complete the acidification of the remainder4 ,in taking an impartial review of all the evidence which the investigation of this subject can furnish1 it must appear to the most fastidious1 that the silver and copper test above described are capable1 under proper management1 of furnishing striking and infallible indications1 and that in most cases they will be equally conclusive1 and in some even more satisfactory in their results1 than the metallic reproduction upon which such stress has been laid1 and for this obvious reason1 that unless the quantity of metal be considerable1#dbb its metallic splendour and appearance is often very ambiguous and questionable4 ,it has to my knowledge happened to a medical person1 by no means deficient in chemical address1 to ascribe to the presence of arsenic that which was no other than a film of very finely divided charcoal3 in this state of doubt the last resource was to ascertain whether it yielded1 or not1 upon being heated1 an alliaceous odour4 ,surely an unprejudiced judge would prefer the evidence of sight1 as furnished by the arsenical tests1 to that of smell1 as afforded in the last experiment4 ,no one will attempt to deny that it is the duty of the medical practitioner who is called upon to decide so important a question as the presence of arsenic1 to prosecute by experiment every point which admits the least doubt2 he should also remember that in a criminal case1 he has not only to satisfy his own conscience1 but that he is bound1 as far as he is able1 to convince the public mind of the accuracy and truth of his researches2 and he fails in his duty if he omits1 through any false principle of humanity1 to express the strong conviction which the success of his experiments must necessarily have produced in his mind4 ,let it however be remembered1 that the application of chemical reagents on solutions suspected to contain arsenic1 so far from throwing any obstacle in the way of the metallic reduction of that body1 are the very steps which should be adopted as preparatory to the 8experimentum crucis10 since the precipitates which are thus produced may be collected1 and easily decomposed1 as before stated4 ,those who for judicial purposes may require farther information upon these subjects are referred to the second volume of our work on 8,medical ,jurisprudence40 ,tit3 ,poisons4 ,,arsenici ,,oxydum ,,sublimatum4 ,l4 ,prepared ,oxide of ,arsenic4 ,the object of this process is to ensure a pure and uniform oxide2 it has been already stated that a more dangerous fraud can scarcely be committed than the adulteration of arsenic2 ,i am therefore not inclined to coincide with ,mr4 ,thomson1 and to regard 8the present process as superfluous10 and the committee of the college entertained a similar opinion4 ,,asari ,,folia4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,asarum ,europum4 ,asarabacca ,leaves4 ,,qualities4 ,the leaves1 when recent1 are nauseous1 bitter1 and acrimonious1 and prove violently purgative and emetic1 properties which are impaired by keeping4 ,,chemical ,,composition1 a peculiar acrid principle1 not well understood4 ,,solubility1 water by infusion extracts their sensible properties1 but they are lost by decoction4 ,,uses4 ,as an errhine1 ,dr4 ,cullen has remarked that they form the most useful species of this genus of local stimulants4 ,,dose1 gr4 iij4 to v4 repeated every night until the full effect is produced4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,pulvis ,asari compositus4 ,e4,d4 ,,asclepias ,,tuberosa4 ,pleurisy root4 ,radix4 ,the root of this plant1 which is very abundant in every part of the ,united ,states1 is the part used in medicine4 ,it has a bitter taste1 and its most soluble portions are fecula and a bitter extractive matter4 ,its best menstruum is boiling water4 ,its medicinal properties are expectorant and diaphoretic4 ,the diseases in which it has been found useful are catarrh1 bronchitis1 the passive stage of pneumonia1 and in rheumatism4 ,in substance it may be taken in doses from j to ss4 ,of the decoction1 made by boiling half an ounce of the root in water1 a tea cup full may be taken frequently during the day4 ,,assaf,,tida4#dbc ,l4,e4,d4 ,ferula ,assaftida4 ,gummi ,resina4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 small irregular masses1 adhering together1 of a variegated texture1 and containing many little shining tears of a whitish1 reddish1 or violet hue4 ,taste1 bitter and sub-acrid4 ,odour1 ftid and alliaceous1 but this latter property is very much impaired by age4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,gum 7or according to ,brugnatelli1 extractive7 #fj1 resin #cj1 and essential oil #aj parts4 ,,solubility4 ,it yields all its virtues to alcohol and ther2 if triturated with water it forms a milky mixture1 but which is not permanent1 unless some intermede be employed for the suspension of the gum-resin2 for this purpose egg may be added1 in the proportion of one yolk to a drachm of assaftida1 or a permanent mixture may be effected by carefully triturating the gum resin with double its weight of mucilage4 ,if vj of assaftida be triturated with ss of camphor1 a mass results of a proper consistence for a plaster2 if triturated with carbonate of ammonia1 it is easily reduced to powder1 but undergoes no other change4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition2 in mixture or in pills4 ,the ,indian physicians have an idea that on account of its stimulating powers1 it will1 if administered to a pregnant woman1 produce abortion4 ,,dose1 gr4 v4 to j4 ,form4 #bc1 #bi4 ,,medicinal ,,uses1 stimulant1 antispasmodic1 expectorant1 and anthelmintic2 in coughs1 attended with pulmonary weakness1 and a tendency to spasm1 it is very beneficial2 in cases of flatulent cholic1 it has1 in the form of enema1 acted like a charm2 in habitual costiveness it often proves an invigorating aperient1 and may be advantageously combined with resinous purgatives in torpor of the bowels connected with nervous symptoms4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,mist3 ,assaftid3 ,l4,d4 ,tinct3 ,assaftid3 ,l4,e4,d4 ,spir3 ,ammoni ftid3 7,b7 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct3 ,castori1 comp3 7,b7 ,e4 ,pil3 ,aloes cum ,assaftid3 7,g7 ,e4 ,pil3 ,galbani3 comp3 7,b7 ,l4 ,enema ,ftid3 ,d4 ,,impurities4 ,its characteristic odour should be powerful1 and when broken1 its fracture ought to exhibit a bluish-red appearance4 ,it ought not to be brittle4 ,,aurum4 7,auri ,murias47 ,muriate of ,gold4 ,gold was early used as a medicine4 ,it fell however into total disrepute until its use was a few years since revived in ,france4 ,although it has attracted some attention lately1 it can hardly be said to have reclaimed a permanent place in the materia medica4 ,the most striking effects which it produces on the system1 are an increase of urine and perspiration4 ,it has been recommended in glandular swellings1 gleets1 schirrus of the uterus1 scrofula1 and dropsy4 ,it is however as an antisyphilitic remedy that it has been principally celebrated4 ,according to ,dr4 ,chrestien of ,montpelier1 it would appear that gold was not merely adequate to the cure of syphilis in all its forms1 but that it possesses very great advantages over mercury--,it does not affect the gums1 nor does it in any way disturb the general health of the patient4 ,notwithstanding this warm recommendation of ,dr4 ,chrestien1 it is still doubtful whether gold is adequate to the cure of syphilis4 ,the best form in which the gold can be given is that of the muriate1 prepared according to the directions of the ,pharmacopia of the ,united ,states2 of this the dose is one fifteenth to one fourth of a grain1 in pills1 given every six1 eight1 or twelve hours4 ,,balsamum ,,peruvianum4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,myroxylon ,peruiferum74 ,peruvian ,balsam4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a viscid liquid of a reddish brown colour4 ,odour1 fragrant and aromatic4 ,taste1 hot and bitter4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,resin1 volatile oil1 and benzoic acid2 it is therefore a true balsam3 this term was formerly applied to every vegetable resin having a strong scent and the fluidity of treacle1 and which was supposed to possess many medicinal virtues2 it is now restricted to those resins which contain the benzoic acid in their composition1 of which there are only three1 viz4 the ,balsams of ,peru1 ,tolu1 and ,benzoin4 ,,solubility4 ,water when boiled upon it dissolves only a portion of benzoic acid2 ther is its most complete solvent2 alcohol dissolves it completely1 but the quantity of this menstruum must be considerable4 ,,properties1 stimulant and tonic1 on which account in certain chronic affections of the lungs1 it has been found a serviceable expectorant2 ,sydenham gave it in ,phthisis1 but wherever any inflammatory action is to be apprehended ,dr4 ,fothergill wisely cautions us against its use4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,diffused in water by means of mucilage1 or made into pills with any vegetable powder4 ,,dose1 gr4 v to j4 ,,adulterations4 ,a mixture of resin and some volatile oil with benzoin1 is often sold for ,peruvian ,balsam1 and the fraud is not easily detected1 and is probably of but little importance4 ,,balsamum ,,tolutanum4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,toluifera ,balsamum47 ,balsam of ,tolu4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a thick tenacious liquid becoming concrete by age1 in which state it is usually found in the shops4 ,taste1 warm and sweetish4 ,odour1 extremely fragrant1 resembling that of lemons4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,volatile oil1 resin1 and benzoic acid4 ,,solubility4 ,it is soluble in alcohol1 forming a tincture which is rendered milky by water1 but no precipitate falls4 ,when dissolved in the smallest quantity of a solution of potass1 its odour is changed into one that resembles clove pink4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it has been regarded as expectorant4 ,in turning to the classification of expectorants1 p4 #ajb1 it will be found to occupy a place in the second division of our first class1 for it may be considered as capable of stimulating the pulmonary exhalants2 whence its use in chronic coughs4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,it may be suspended in water by means of mucilage1 or yolk of egg1 but it is rarely employed except on account of its agreeable flavour2#dbd its virtues are similar to those of the balsam of ,peru4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,tinct3 ,benzoin4 comp3 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct3 ,toluiferi ,balsam3 ,e4,d4 ,syrup3 ,tolut3 ,l4 ,,belladonn#dbe ,,folia4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,atropa ,belladonna47 ,deadly ,nightshade4 ,,qualities4 ,the leaves are inodorous4 ,taste1 slightly nauseous1 sweetish1 and sub-acrid2 their peculiar properties are not lost by drying4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,vauquelin found that the leaves contained a substance analogous to albumen1 salts with a base of potass1 and a bitter principle on which its narcotic properties depended1 and more lately the presence of an alkaline element has been detected1 which has received the appellation of ,atropia1 the sulphate of which crystallizes very beautifully4 ,,solubility4 ,water is the most powerful solvent of its active matter4 ,,uses4 ,it is a powerful sedative and narcotic1 both as an internal medicine and as an external application2 in this latter form1 it alleviates local pains very effectually1 but is liable to affect the nervous system4 ,the recent leaves powdered1 and made into an ointment with an equal weight of lard will be found an efficient form for many purposes2 rubbed over the penis it prevents priapism and relieves chordee more effectually than any application which has been proposed4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,every part of the plant is poisonous1 and the berries from their beautiful appearance have often tempted the unwary2 the leaves however furnish the most convenient and powerful form of exhibition2 externally1 they may be used as a poultice1 internally1 one grain of the dry leaves powdered1 and gradually increased to #aj or #ab grains1 or the leaves may be infused in boiling water in the proportion of four grains to two fluid-ounces1 which may be given as a dose4 ,a little of this infusion dropped into the eye permanently dilates the pupil1 for which intention it has been successfully applied previous to an operation for the cataract4 ,the extract of this plant1 since its active principle is fixed1 ought to possess activity1 but as it occurs in commerce it is found to be very uncertain and variable1 a circumstance which entirely depends upon the manner in which it has been prepared4#dbf ,see ,extractum ,belladonn4 ,an overdose of belladonna produces the most distressing and alarming symptoms1 and so paralyzing is its influence1 that vomiting can be hardly excited by the strongest doses of tartarized antimony2 in such cases vinegar will be found the best antidote1 or the affusion of cold water over the surface of the body1 after the application of which1 emetics are more likely to perform their duty1 for physiological reasons explained in p4 #he4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,extract3 ,belladonn ,l4 ,succus spissatus ,atrop ,belladonn4 ,e4 ,,benzoinum4 ,l4,e4 ,benzoe4 ,d4 7,styrax ,benzoin7 vulgo1 ,benjamin4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 brittle masses1 composed of white and brownish1 or yellowish fragments2 ,odour1 fragrant2 ,taste1 scarcely perceptible4 ,when heated1 it exhales benzoic acid in the form of crystals4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,resin1 and a large proportion of benzoic acid4 ,,solubility4 ,it is readily dissolved by alcohol and ther1 and is again separated from them by water2 solutions of lime1 and the fixed alkalies separate the benzoic acid from it1 which can afterwards be recovered from such solutions by the addition of an acid4 ,,uses4 ,it is considered expectorant1 and was formerly used in asthma1 and other pulmonary affections2 it has however fallen into disuse1 and is now principally employed in perfumery1 and odoriferous fumigations4#dbg ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,acidum ,benzoicum ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct3 ,benzoini comp3#dbh ,l4,e4,d4 ,,impurities4 ,it is found in the market in various degrees of purity1 the best is yellowish1 studded with white spots3 the worst is full of dross1 and very dark or black4 ,,bismuthi ,,sub-,,nitras ,l4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a white1 inodorous1 tasteless powder4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,oxide of ,bismuth in combination with some water and a little nitric acid4 ,,solubility4 ,it is insoluble in water and dilute acids1 but is dissolved by the concentrated acids1 and is again precipitated by water4 ,the alkalies1 ,potass and ,soda1 also dissolve it1 but sparingly2 it is more soluble in ammonia4 ,,uses4 ,it was formerly employed as a cosmetic1 under the name of ,magistery of ,bismuth1 or that of ,pearl ,white2#dbi since1 however1 it becomes black from the operation of ,sulphuretted ,hydrogen and its compounds1#dcj much inconvenience attends its application4 ,its medicinal powers appear to have been first noticed by ,jacobi1#dca but the remedy attracted little or no attention until the publication of a paper upon the subject by ,odier#dcb of ,geneva4 ,the diseases in which its powers as a tonic have been more particularly displayed1 are ,gastrodynia1 ,pyrosis1 and ,dyspepsia attended with cholic4 ,dr4 ,marcet in a paper read in #ahja before the ,medico-chirurgical ,society of ,london1 says1 8,i have had frequent opportunities of trying the oxide of ,bismuth in spasmodic affections of the stomach in ,guy's ,hospital1 and those trials have fully confirmed the opinion which ,i formerly gave of the utility of this medicine40 ,the practitioner will receive a further confirmation of its value by referring to ,dr4 ,bradsley's ,medical ,reports3 and ,dr4 ,yeats has published in the ,royal ,institution ,journal#dcc a striking case illustrative of its efficacy4#dcd ,dose1 gr4 v to xv1 in the form of pills4 ,,bistort ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,polygonum ,bistorta47 ,bistort ,root4 ,,qualities4 ,this root has no odour1 but is highly astringent4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,its active principles are tannin and gallic acid4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it acts as an astringent1 and is accordingly used in hemorrhages and fluxes4 ,,dose of the root j-j2 of a decoction fj-fij4 ,combined with ,calamus it has been successfully administered for the cure of intermittent fevers4 ,see p4 #afg4 ,,calami ,,radix4 ,l4 ,acori ,calami ,radix4 ,e4 ,acorus4 ,d4 7,acorus ,calamus74 ,sweet ,flag ,root4 ,,qualities4 ,this root is full of joints1 crooked1 and flattened on the sides1 internally of a white colour1 and loose spongy texture4 ,odour1 fragrant and aromatic4 ,taste1 bitter and pungent1 qualities which are improved by exsiccation4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,the principles in which its qualities reside appear to be essential oil1 and bitter extractive2 the root likewise contains fecula1 which is copiously precipitated from its infusion by sub-acetate and acetate of lead4 ,watery infusion extracts all its virtues1 but decoction impairs them4 ,spirit is also an appropriate solvent1 and a resinous extract may be produced accordingly4 ,,uses4 ,it is not employed so frequently as it deserves2#dce it would be a useful addition to many of the compound infusions of vegetable stomachics4 ,,dose4 ,a cupful of the infusion made by adding vj of the dried root to fxij of boiling water4 ,it is so favourite a remedy with the native practitioners of ,india1 in the bowel complaints of children1 that there is a penalty incurred by any druggist who will not1 in the middle of the night1 open his door and sell it1 if demanded4 ,,calumb ,,radix4 ,l4 7,cocculus ,palmatus47 ,colomba1 ,radix4 ,e4,d4 ,calumba ,root4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 the dried root imported into this country is in transverse sections2 the bark is thick1 and easily detached2 the wood is spongy and yellowish2 the pieces are frequently perforated1 evidently by worms4 ,odour1 slightly aromatic4 ,taste1 bitter and somewhat acrid4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,cinchonia1 bitter resin1 volatile oil1 and starch1 in addition to which ,m4 ,planche has found a peculiar animal-like substance2 it appears also to contain ,malate and ,sulphate of ,lime4 ,,solubility4 ,boiling water takes up about one-third of its weight1 but proof spirit appears to be its most perfect menstruum4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,no change is occasioned in the infusion by the solutions of nitrate of silver1 sulphate of iron1 muriate of mercury1 or tartarized antimony2 but precipitates are produced by the infusion of galls1 and yellow ,cinchona bark1 by sub-acetate and acetate of lead1 oxy-muriate of mercury1 and lime-water4 ,the infusion very soon spoils4 ,,dose of the powdered root gr4 xv to ss2 of the infusion fiss to fij4 ,,uses4 ,it is one of the most valuable tonics and stomachics which we possess4 ,it seems to be superior to many others1 from not possessing astringent1 and stimulant powers1 on which account it is singularly eligible in certain pulmonary and mesenteric affections2 it may be given in combination with chalybeates1 aromatics1 saline purgatives1 or with rhubarb1 as circumstances may require4 7,form4 #cd1 #aee47 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,infus3 ,calumb4 ,l4 ,tinct3 ,calumb4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,it becomes worm-eaten by age1 and1 in that condition1 should be rejected4 ,those pieces which have the brightest colour1 and the greatest specific gravity1 are the best4 ,the root of white briony1 tinged yellow with the tincture of ,calumba1 has been fraudulently substituted for this root4 ,,cambogia4 ,l4 ,gamboge4 7,stalagmitis ,cambogioides4 7 ,gambogia4 ,e4,d4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 lumps of a solid consistence1 breaking with a vitreous fracture2 ,odour1 none2 ,colour1 deep yellow1 bordering on red1 and becoming1 when moistened1 a brilliant light yellow4 ,sp4 ,grav3 #abba4 ,taste1 slightly acrid1 but which is not experienced unless it be allowed to remain long in the mouth4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,one part of gum1 7,cerasin17 and four parts of a brittle resin2 but this knowledge throws no light on the nature of its cathartic property4 ,,solubility4 ,when triturated with water two-thirds of its substance are speedily dissolved1 and a turbid solution results2 alcohol dissolves nine-tenths1 and forms a yellow transparent tincture1 which is rendered turbid by the addition of water2 sulphuric ether dissolves six-tenths of the substance2 it is also soluble in alkaline solutions1 and the resulting compound is not rendered turbid by water1 but is instantly decomposed by acids1 and the precipitate so produced is of an extremely brilliant yellow colour1 and soluble in an excess of acid4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,no bodies appear to produce in gamboge such a chemical change as to destroy the chemical properties which distinguish it1 but by a mechanical admixture1 its solubility and consequently its operation1 may be materially modified4 ,dr4 ,cullen found that the inconvenience arising from its too rapid solubility1 and sudden impression upon the stomach1 might be obviated by diminishing the dose1 and repeating it at short intervals as directed in ,form3 #hi4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,no form is more judicious than that of pill4 ,its alkaline solution has been sometimes exhibited in dropsy1 when it is said to operate both on the bowels and kidneys4 ,,dose1 gr4 #b to gr4 #f4 ,,uses4 ,it is a powerful drastic cathartic1 and hydragogue1 very liable to excite vomiting1 and from this peculiar action upon the stomach it has been frequently employed with success in the expulsion of teni 7,form3 #afa47 and it accordingly enters as an ingredient into many of the empirical compositions which are sold for the cure of tape worms4#dcf ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,pil3 ,cambogi comp3 ,l4 ,there is considerable difference in the degree of purity in which this substance occurs in the market2 it should be estimated by its clearness and brilliancy4 ,,camphora4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,laurus ,camphora4#dcg7 ,camphor4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a white brittle substance1 unctuous to the touch1 but possessing at the same time a degree of ductility which prevents its being easily pulverised1 unless a few drops of spirit be previously added4 ,it is capable of affecting a crystalline form4#dch ,odour1 peculiar1 fragrant1 and penetrating4 ,taste1 bitter1 pungent1 and aromatic4 ,specific gravity1 #ihhg1 it therefore swims on water2 it is so volatile that during warm weather a considerable proportion will evaporate1 especially if at the same time the atmosphere be rather moist1 for the reason stated in page #age4 ,it is readily ignited1 and burns with a brilliant flame and much smoke2 it melts at #bhh1 and boils at #djj4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is a proximate vegetable principle1 resembling the essential oils in many of its habitudes1 and probably differs from them in composition only in containing a larger proportion of carbon4 ,,solubility4 ,water may be said to dissolve about a nine hundredth part of its weight1 or fj rather more than gr4 1 but its solvent power is considerably increased by the addition of carbonic acid gas2 camphor is also rendered more soluble by trituration with magnesia2 it is soluble in an equal weight of alcohol1 but it is again separated by the addition of water2 it is also dissolved by oils1 both fixed and volatile1#dci especially if their temperature be a little raised1 and by sulphuric and other thers1 but strong acetic acid may be said to be its most powerful solvent4 ,by repeatedly distilling it with nitric acid it is converted into ,camphoric acid1 an acid distinguished by peculiar properties1 and composing1 with alkalies and earths1 a class of salts called ,camphorates1 but which do not possess any medicinal value4 ,the alkalies do not produce any effect upon camphor4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,it is not affected by any substance with which we can combine it4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,it is preferable in the form of mixture1 since it is very liable in the solid state to excite nausea1 and1 from swimming on the contents of the stomach1 to occasion pain at its upper orifice4 ,if a larger dose be required than that which water can dissolve1 an additional proportion may be suspended by means of sugar1 almonds1 yelk of egg1 or mucilage1 for which purpose three times its weight of gum arabic is required4 ,if ,camphor be first dissolved by trituration in a very small portion of oil1 it readily mixes with mucilage of gum arabic1 and may then be conveniently blended with liquids4 ,it has also the property of uniting with gum-resins1 and of converting them into permanently soft1 and uniform masses2 hence they may sometimes be conveniently applied for diffusing it in water4 ,it may be formed into pill-masses by stiff mucilage1 ftid gums1 or by a confection4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,in moderate doses it exhilarates1 without raising the pulse1 and gives a tendency to diaphoresis2 and under certain conditions of the body1 when opium fails1 it will frequently promote sleep4 ,as its effects are transient1 its dose should be repeated at short intervals4 ,illustrative ,formul #a1 #f1 #ba1 #abe1 #acd1 #afd4 ,camphor is said to correct the bad effects of opium1 mezereon1 cantharides1 and the drastic purgatives1 and diuretics4 ,,dose1 gr4 ij to j4 ,in excessive doses it occasions anxiety1 vomiting1 syncope1 and delirium2 these violent effects are best counteracted by opium4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,mistura ,camphor4 ,l4,d4 ,emulsio ,camphorata4 ,e4 ,spiritus ,camphor1 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinctura ,camphor comp3 ,l4,e4,d4 ,acidum ,acetosum ,camphoratum4 ,e4,d4 ,linimentum ,camphor4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,liniment3 ,camphor comp3 ,l4 ,liniment3 ,saponis4 7,g7 ,l4,e4,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,it has been stated that pure camphor may be known by placing it upon hot bread1 when it will turn moist1 whereas an adulterated specimen becomes dry--but with what can it be adulterated8 ,,canell ,,cortex4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,canella ,bark1 7,canella ,alba ,cortex47 ,wild ,cinnamon4 ,,qualities4 ,form2 it occurs in quilled and flat pieces2 the former are of a whitish-yellow colour1 considerably thicker than cinnamon2 the latter1 which are probably the bark of the larger branches1 or of the stem of the tree1 are yellow on the outside1 and pale brown within4 ,odour1 resembling that of cloves4 ,taste1 warm1 pungent1 and slightly bitter4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,its virtues depend upon an essential oil1 and a bitter resin4 ,,solubility4 ,water extracts only the bitterness1 but proof spirits both the bitterness and aroma4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,as a warm stimulant to the stomach1 and as a corrigent to other medicines4 ,in ,america it is considered as a powerful antiscorbutic4 ,,dose of the powdered bark gr4 x to ss4 ,officinal ,preparations4 ,tinct4 ,gentian4 comp4 7,b4 ,g47 ,e4 ,vinum ,aloes1 7,g7 ,l4,d4 ,pulv4 ,aloes cum canella1 7,g7 ,d4 ,,cantharides4#ddj 7,cantharis ,vesicatoria47 ,blistering1 or ,spanish ,flies4 ,this beautiful insect of the beetle tribe is exceedingly abundant in the southern parts of ,europe1 and particularly in ,spain4 ,they are collected from the leaves of the different trees on which they delight to dwell1 in ,june and ,july1 and are afterwards destroyed1 as recommended by ,dioscorides1 by the fumes of strong vinegar1 and dried in the sun4 ,the chemical history of ,cantharides is still involved in some obscurity2 the blistering principle has been obtained by ,robiquet in a separate state1 when it assumes the form of small crystalline plates1 having a micaceous lustre1 not unlike spermaceti2 ,dr4 ,thomson has given to it the name of ,cantharidin2#dda when pure1 it is insoluble in water and in cold alcohol2 boiling alcohol1 however1 dissolves it1 but precipitates it again on being cooled4 ther and the oils dissolve it readily4 ,although not soluble in water it is rendered so by the presence of a yellow matter which exists in native combination with it4 ,a very minute portion of this substance dissolved in sweet oil1 and applied to the skin with a piece of paper1 produces vesication in five or six hours4 ,in addition to this active principle1 ,cantharides contain a green concrete oil2 a yellow fluid oil2 a peculiar black substance soluble in water and proof spirit1 but not in pure alcohol2 a saponaceous or yellow substance1 soluble both in water and alcohol2 ,uric acid2 ,acetic acid2 ,phosphate of ,magnesia1 and a parenchymatous substance4#ddb ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,cantharides1 when administered internally1 are powerfully stimulant and diuretic2#ddc and whether applied as a vesicatory to the skin1 or taken into the stomach1 they have a peculiar tendency to act upon the urinary organs1 and especially to irritate and inflame the neck of the bladder1 and occasion strangury4 ,on this account they have been very successfully employed both for the cure of incontinence of urine1 and suppression of this discharge1 from torpor or paralysis of the bladder2 they have also been used in gleet and leucorrha1 and in cases of seminal weakness and impotence4 ,in consulting the works of ,dioscorides1 ,galen1 and ,pliny1 we shall find they entertained a notion1 that the virus existed only in the body of the fly1 and that the head1 feet and wings1 contained its antidote6 ,hippocrates prescribed them internally in ,dropsy1 ,jaundice1 and ,amenorrha2 and yet in the end of the sixteenth century1 ,dr4 ,groenvelt was charged and sued#ddd for giving them inwardly1 in substance1 for the cure of the stone4 ,,dose1 in substance1 not exceeding gr4 i1 combined with opium or hyoscyamus4 ,see ,tinctura3 ,cantharid4 ,a strong decoction of the ,cantharides in ,oil of ,turpentine furnishes a most powerful ,epispastic1 and may be easily applied by means of dossils of lint4 ,as the general belief1 which exists with respect to the aphrodisiac powers of this substance1 may induce persons to try its efficacy in large doses1 either for goading the exertions of exhausted nature1 or for incensing the passions of females whose seduction is meditated1 it behoves the medical practitioner to become acquainted with the symptoms which it may produce1 and of which the following may be considered as the most prominent2--violent retching2 copious alvine evacuations1 frequently bloody2 very severe colics2 active inflammation of the stomach and intestines2 sometimes universal convulsions1 attended with a horror of liquids1 resembling that which occurs in hydrophobia2 furious delirium1 c4 ,but the affections of the urinary passages1 and organs of generation1 may be regarded 1 as the peculiar symptoms of poisoning by ,cantharides2 such as heat in the bladder1 bloody micturition1 horrible strangury1 painful and obstinate priapism1 satyriasis1 c4 ,the method of treatment to be pursued on such occasions will consist in copious bleeding1 warm bath1 local fomentations1 mild and mucilaginous drinks2 and opium1 especially in the form of clyster or suppository4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,tinct3 ,cantharid3 ,l4 ,emplast3 ,cantharid3 ,l4 ,ceratum ,cantharid3 ,l4 ,unguent3 ,infusi ,cantharid3 ,vesicat3 ,e4 ,unguent3 ,cantharid3 ,d4 ,the flies do not lose their virtues by being kept2 it is1 however1 curious that even those acrid insects are soon reduced to dust by others feeding upon them2 but since the inert parenchymatous portion is alone selected by them1 the residue is extremely active4#dde ,,capsici ,,bacc4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,berries of the ,capsicum4 7,capsicum ,annum47 ,,qualities4 ,form1 pods1 long1 pointed1 and pendulous2 ,colour1 when ripe1 a bright orange red4 ,odour1 aromatic and pungent4 ,taste1 extremely acrimonious and fiery4 ,,solubility4 ,its qualities are partially extracted by water1 but more completely by ther and spirit4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,cinchonia1 resin1 mucilage1 and an acrid principle said to be alkaline4#ddf ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,the infusions of capsicum are disturbed by ,infusion of ,galls2 ,nitrate of ,silver2 ,oxy-muriate of ,mercury2 ,acetate of ,lead2 the ,sulphates of ,iron1 ,copper and ,zinc2 ,ammonia1 ,carbonate of ,potass1 and ,alum1 but not by sulphuric1 nitric1 or muriatic acid4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is a most powerful stimulant to the stomach1 and is unaccompanied with any narcotic effect2 as a gargle in cynanche maligna1 and in relaxed states of the throat1 it furnishes a valuable remedy2 combined with purgatives1 it proves serviceable in dyspepsia1 7,form3 #gh17 it has lately been given with success in the advanced stages of acute rheumatism2 in various diseases attended with cold feet1 it has been recommended to wear socks dusted with ,cayenne ,pepper4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,it may be given1 made into pills with crumb of bread1 or in the form of tincture1 diluted with water2 for the purpose of a gargle1 a simple infusion in the proportion of gr4 j to fj of boiling water1 or fvi of the tincture to fviij of the ,infusum ,ros1 may be directed4 ,,dose1 of the substance1 gr4 vj to x1 of the tincture fj to fij in an aqueous vehicle4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,tinct3 ,capsici3 ,l4,d4#ddg ,cayenne ,pepper is an indiscriminate mixture of the powder of the dried pods of several species of capsicum1 but especially of the ,capsicum baccatum1 7,bird pepper47 ,,adulterations4 ,cayenne pepper is generally mixed with muriate of soda1 which disposes it to deliquesce4 ,red ,lead may be detected by digesting it in acetic acid1 and adding to the solution sulphuret of ammonia1 which will produce1 if any lead be present1 a dark coloured precipitate2 or the fraud may be discovered by boiling some of the suspected pepper in vinegar1 and after filtering the solution adding to it sulphate of soda1 when a white precipitate will be formed1 which1 after being dried and exposed to heat1 and mixed with a little charcoal1 will yield a metallic globule of lead4 ,,carbo ,,ligni4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,charcoal4 ,,qualities4 ,it is a black1 inodorous1 insipid1 brittle substance2 when newly prepared it possesses the property of absorbing very considerable quantities of the different gases2 it is also capable of destroying the smell and taste of a variety of vegetable and animal substances1 especially of mucilages1 oils1 and of matter in which extractive abounds2 and some medicines are said to be even deprived of their characteristic odour by remaining in contact with it1 as ,valerian1 ,galbanum1 ,balsam of ,peru1 and ,musk4 ,the use of charring the interior of water casks1 and of wrapping charcoal in cloths that have acquired a bad smell1 depends upon this property2 for the same reason it furnishes a very excellent tooth powder1#ddh for which purpose1 that which is obtained from the shell of the cocoa nut is to be preferred4 ,none of the fluid menstrua with which we are acquainted have any action whatever as solvents upon carbon4#ddi ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is antiseptic1 and has been administered internally1 to correct the putrid eructations which sometimes attend dyspepsia1 but in order to produce this effect it should be newly prepared1 or such as has been preserved from the access of air1 for it operates by absorbing the putrid gas1 as well as by checking the decomposition of the undigested element4#dej ,,dose1 grs4 x to j4 ,it has been lately asserted to possess powers as an antidote to arsenic2 if this be true1 its action can only be mechanical by absorbing like a sponge the arsenical solution1 and thereby defending the coats of the stomach from its virulence4#dea ,charcoal1 when mixed with boiled bread1 forms a very valuable poultice for foul and gangrenous sores4 ,in a state of impalpable powder1 it is said to be effectual as a styptic2 ,dr4 ,odier informs us that the celebrated powder of ,faynard1 for stopping hemorrhage1 was nothing more than the charcoal of beech-wood finely powdered4 ,charcoal is prepared for the purposes of medicine and the arts1 from a variety of substances1 viz4 ,,burnt ,,sponge4 ,spongia ,usta4 ,l4 ,consists of charcoal with portions of phosphate and carbonate of lime1 and sub-carbonate of soda2 it has been highly commended in bronchocele and scrophulous complaints1 in the form of an electuary1 or in that of a lozenge1 and it has been lately asserted that it owes its power to the presence of ,iodine4 ,,vegetable ,,thiops4 ,pulvis ,quercus marin4 ,from the fucus vesiculosus1 or bladder-wrack1 used as the preceding4 ,,ivory ,,black4 ,ebur ,ustum4 ,from ivory shavings burned2 used as a dentifrice and a pigment1 under the name of 8blue-black10 for its hue is bluish2 but bone-black is usually sold for it4 ,,lamp ,,black4 ,fuligo ,lampadum4 ,by burning resinous bodies1 as the refuse of pitch1 in furnaces of a peculiar construction4 ,,wood ,,soot4 ,fuligo ligni1 collected from chimnies under which wood is burnt4 ,it contains sulphate of ammonia1 which imparts to it its characteristic bitterness4 ,it has been considered antispasmodic1 and a tincture was formerly prepared of it4 ,,cardamomi ,,semina4 ,l4,d4 7 ,matonia#deb ,cardamomum47 ,amomum ,repens4 ,e4 ,cardamom ,seeds4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 aromatic and agreeable2 ,taste1 warm and pungent1 but unlike the peppers1 they do not immoderately heat the stomach4 ,,solubility4 ,water1 alcohol and ther extract their virtues2 the two latter most completely1 and the result is transparent1 whereas the watery infusion is turbid and mucilaginous4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,fecula1 mucilage1 and essential oil4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,they are carminative and stomachic1 and prove grateful adjuncts to bitter infusions2 they are principally employed to give warmth to other remedies4 ,,dose of the powder1 gr4 vj to j4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,extract3 ,colocynth3 comp3 7,e7 ,l4,d4 ,tinct4 ,cardamomi1 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct4 ,cardamom3 comp3 ,l4,d4 ,tinct3 ,cinnamomi1 co4 7,b7 ,l4,e4 ,tinct4 ,gentian1 co4 7,g7 ,l4 ,tinct4 ,rhei1 7,e7 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct4 ,rhei cum ,aloe1 7,g7 ,e4 ,tinct4 ,senn1 7,e7 ,l4,d4 ,spir4 ,ether4 ,aromat4 7,b7 ,l4 ,vinum ,aloes ,socot4 7,g7 ,e4 ,confect4 ,aromat4 7,b7 ,l4 ,pulv4 ,cinnamom4 co4 7,b7 ,l4,e4,d4 ,pil4 ,scillitic1 7,e7 ,e4 ,infus4 ,senn4 ,d4 7,e47 ,cardamom seeds should be kept within their husks1 or their virtues will soon be considerably impaired2 they are frequently mixed with grains of paradise1 which are much hotter and more spicy1 but less aromatic in their flavour4 ,,caric ,,fructus1 ,l4,d4 ,fici ,caric ,fructus1 ,e4 ,the preserved ,fruit of the ,fig4 ,,qualities of the dried fig are too well known to require description4 ,the fig consists almost entirely of mucilage and sugar4 ,,uses4 ,it has been already stated that the most ancient cataplasm on record was made of figs1 7#b ,kings1 chap4 xx4 #g47 they are employed medicinally in many demulcent decoctions1 as ,decoctum ,hordei comp3 ,l4,d4 ,they are gently aperient2 it is curious to learn that they constituted the chief part of the food of the ancient ,athlet4 ,,caryophylli4 ,l4 7,eugenia ,caryophyllata4 ,the unopened flowers dried47 ,caryophilli ,aromatici ,germen1 ,e4 ,caryophilli aromat4 ,calyx1 ,d4 ,cloves4 ,cloves are the unexpanded flowers1 or flower-buds1 of the clove tree1 which are first obtained when the tree is six years old2 they are gathered in ,october and ,november before they open1 and when they are still green2 and are dried in the sun1 after having been exposed to smoke at a heat of #abj1 till they assume a brown hue4 ,it is a curious fact that the flowers when fully developed are quite inodorous1 and that the real fruit is not in the least aromatic4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 that of a nail1 consisting of a globular head1 formed of the four petals of the corolla1 and four leaves of the calyx not yet expanded2 and a germen situated below nearly cylindrical1 and scarcely an inch in length4 ,odour1 strong1 fragrant1 and aromatic4 ,taste1 acrid1 aromatic and permanent4 ,benzoic acid has lately been discovered in them4 ,,solubility4 ,water extracts their odour1 but little of their taste2 alcohol and ether take up both completely4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,they are more stimulant than any of the other aromatics2 they are sometimes given alone1 but more generally as a corrigent to other medicines4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,infusum ,caryophyllorum4 ,l4 ,spir4 ,lavand4 co4 ,d4 7,b7 ,,frauds4 ,the ,dutch frequently mix the best cloves with those from which the oil has been drawn4 ,,caryophyllorum ,,oleum4 ,this essential oil1 in consequence of the resinous matter which it holds in solution1 has a specific gravity of #ajbj1 and consequently sinks in water4 ,when the oil has a hot fiery taste1 and a great depth of colour1 it is adulterated4 ,it is imported from the spice islands4 ,on account of its stimulant properties1 it is added to griping extracts1 or used as a local application in the tooth-ache4 ,vauquelin obtained from the leaves of the ,agathophyllum ravensara an essential oil1 in every respect similar to that of cloves2 and ,i am informed by ,dr4 ,davy that an oil exactly resembling in smell the oil of ,cloves is procured in ,ceylon from the leaf of the ,cinnamon tree2 but very little1 if any1 has ever been exported4 ,,cascarill ,,cortex4 ,l4,d4 ,croton ,eleutheria4 ,e4 7,croton ,cascarilla47 ,cascarilla ,bark4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 curled pieces1 or rolled up into short quills2 its fracture is smooth and close1 of a dark brown colour2 ,odour1 light and agreeable2 when burning1 it emits a smell resembling that of musk1 which at once distinguishes it from all other barks4 ,taste1 moderately bitter1 with some aromatic warmth4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,mucilage1 bitter extractive1 resin1 volatile oil1 and a large proportion of woody fibre2 neither ,cinchonia nor ,quina has hitherto been discovered in it4 ,,solubility4 ,its active constituents are partially extracted by alcohol and water1 and completely by proof spirit4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,carminative and tonic2 it is an excellent adjunct to cinchona1 rendering it by its aromatic qualities more agreeable to the stomach1 and increasing its powers4 ,it is valuable in dyspepsia and flatulent cholic1 in dysentery and diarrha1 and in the gangrenous thrush peculiar to children4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,it is most efficacious in substance2 it may however be given in the form of infusion1 or tincture4 ,decoction dissipates its aromatic principle2 the extract therefore merely acts as a simple bitter4 ,see ,infus4 ,cascarill4 ,,dose of the powder1 grs4 xij to ss4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,infus4 ,cascarill4 ,l4 ,tinct4 ,cascarill4 ,l4,d4 ,extract4 ,cascarill4 ,d4 ,,cassi ,,pulpa4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,cassia ,pulp4 7,cassia ,fistula1 ,lomentorum ,pulpa47 ,the fruit is a cylindrical pod scarcely an inch in diameter1 but a foot or more in length2 the exterior is a hard brown bark2 the interior is divided into numerous transverse cells1 each of which contains an oval seed imbedded in a soft black pulp4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 faint and rather sickly4 ,taste1 sweet and mucilaginous4 ,,solubility4 ,nearly the whole of the pulp is dissolved by water1 partially by alcohol and sulphuric ether4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,sugar1 gelatine1 glutine1 gum1 and a small portion of resin1 extractive1 and some colouring matter4 ,,uses4 ,it is gently laxative1 and is adapted for children and very delicate women1 but it should be always given in combination with manna or some other laxative1 or it is apt to induce nausea1 flatulence and griping4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,confectio ,cassi4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,confectio ,senn 7,b4,o47 ,l4,e4,d4#dec ,there are two kinds of this drug in the market2 that from the ,west ,indies1 the pods of which are generally large1 rough1 thick rinded1 and contain a nauseous pulp2 and that from the ,east ,indies1 which is to be preferred1 and which is distinguished by smaller and smoother pods1 and by their containing a much blacker pulp4 ,the pulp ought not to have a harsh flavour1 which arises from the fruit having been gathered before it was ripe1 nor ought it to be sour1 which it is very apt to become by keeping4 ,the heaviest pods1 and those in which the seeds do not rattle1 are to be preferred4 ,,castoreum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,castor4 7,castor ,fiber4 7,rossicus47 ,concretum sui generis47 ,this substance is secreted by the beaver1 in bags near the rectum4#ded ,,qualities4 ,odour1 strong and aromatic4 ,taste1 bitter1 sub-acrid1 and nauseous4 ,colour1 reddish brown4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,volatile oil1 resin1 mucilage1 extractive1 iron1 and small portions of the carbonate of potass1 lime and ammonia4 ,it contains also1 according to the analysis of ,laugier1 a small quantity of ,benzoic acid4 ,the ,canadian variety is also stated by ,laugier to contain benzoic acid both free and combined4 ,,solubility4 ,its active matter is dissolved by alcohol1 proof spirit1 and partially by water2 the tincture made with alcohol is the least nauseous1 and the most efficacious2 the spirit of ammonia is also an excellent menstruum1 and in many cases improves its virtues4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,it may be given in substance1 as a bolus1 or in the form of tincture1 but its exhibition in the form of extract or decoction is chemically incorrect4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to j1 and1 in clysters1 to j4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is antispasmodic1 and seems to act more particularly on the uterine system4 ,it certainly proves beneficial as an adjunct to antihysteric combinations2 it was highly esteemed by ,van ,swieten1 ,de ,haen1 and many other ,german practitioners4 ,baglivi states that it counteracts the narcotic powers of opium1 but this is not the case4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,tinct4 ,castorei4#dee ,l4,e4,d4 ,,adulter3 ,it is sometimes counterfeited by a mixture of dried blood1 gum ammoniacum1 and a little real castor1 stuffed into the scrotum of a goat2 the fraud is detected by comparing the smell and taste with those of real castor2 and by the deficiency of the subaceous follicles1 which are always attached to genuine specimens4 ,there are two kinds in the market1 the ,russian and ,canadian1 the former however1 which is the best1 has become extremely scarce2 it may be distinguished from the latter1 by being larger1 rounder1 heavier1 and less corrugated on the outside4 ,,catechu ,,extractum1 ,l4,e4,d4 7,acacia ,catechu1 ,extractum47 ,catechu2 olim ,terra ,japonica4#def ,japan ,earth4 ,,qualities4 ,there are two varieties of catechu in the market1 the one of a light yellowish1 the other of a chocolate colour2 they differ only in the latter having a more austere and bitter taste4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,tannin1 a peculiar extractive matter1 mucilage1 and earthy impurities4 ,,solubility4 ,it is almost totally dissolved both by water and spirit4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,its astringency is destroyed by alkaline salts2 and precipitates are produced by metallic salts1 especially by those of iron2 and with gelatine it forms an insoluble compound4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is a most valuable astringent4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in infusion1 tincture1 or powder4 7,form4 #ea1 #eb1 #eh1 #aea47 ,in the form of a lozenge1 from its gradual solution1 it may be very advantageously applied in relaxed states of the uvula and fauces2 ,i have found this remedy successful in cases where the sulphate of zinc was inefficient4 ,from its great astringency it also forms an excellent dentifrice1 especially when the gums are spongy2 for this purpose ,i have employed equal parts of powdered catechu1 and ,peruvian bark1 with one-fourth the quantity of the powder of myrrh4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to i4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,infus4 ,catechu1 ,tinct4 ,catechu1 ,l4,e4,d4 ,electuarium ,mimos ,catechu1 ,e4,d4 ,,centaurii ,,cacumina4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,chironia ,centaurium#deg ,cacumina47 ,the flowering tops of the common ,centaury4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 none2 ,taste1 intensely bitter4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,mucilage1 resin1 and bitter matter4 ,,solubility4 ,alcohol and water dissolve all its active matter4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,all its value depends upon its bitterness4 ,it entered into the composition of the once celebrated ,portland ,powder for the gout1 for an account of which see page #cb4 ,,dose1 of an infusion1 made in the proportion of j to oj of boiling water1 fij2 of the dry powder i4 ,,cera4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,wax4 ,it is admitted into the list of the ,materia ,medica under two forms1 viz4 #a4 ,,cera ,,flava4 ,yellow or ,unbleached ,wax4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 faintly honey-like2 it is brittle yet soft2 when chewed1 it does not1 if pure1 adhere to the teeth2 it melts at #adb1 and burns entirely away4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is the honey-comb of the bee melted with boiling water1 pressed through cloth bags1 and ultimately cast into round cakes for the market4 ,whether it be an animal product1 or a vegetable substance merely collected by the bee1 has been a question of dispute2 the former opinion is probably correct1 although wax is certainly produced as a secretion by many plants4 ,the yellow wax contains a portion of pollen which imparts its colour to it1 and increases its fusibility4 ,,solubility4 ,it is insoluble in water1 and in cold alcohol or ether1 but it is soluble in boiling alcohol and ether1 in fixed oils1 and in alkalies4 ,,uses4 ,it is chiefly employed in the composition of external applications4 ,,adulterations4 ,earth or peas-meal may be suspected when the cake is very brittle1 and the colour inclines to grey2 ,resin is detected by putting it in cold alcohol1 which will dissolve the resinous part without acting on the wax4 ,tallow is discovered by the greater softness and unctuosity of the cake1 and by its suffocating smell when melted2 when this latter substance is employed1 turmeric is added to disguise its paleness4 #b4 ,,cera ,,alba4 ,white1 ,bleached1 or ,virgin's ,wax4 ,,qualities4 ,this substance differs only from the former1 in being colourless1 harder1 heavier1 and less fusible4 ,,uses4 ,it is said to be demulcent1 and very useful in dysentery1 but it is rarely used4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,it may be formed into a mixture by melting it with one-third of its weight of soap1 and then gradually adding to it any mucilaginous liquid4 ,,adulterations4 ,white ,lead may be detected by melting the wax in water1 when the oxide will fall to the bottom of the vessel2 tallow may be suspected when the cake wants its usual translucency4 ,,cerata4 ,l4,e4 ,cerates4 ,these compositions are characterized by a degree of consistence1 intermediate between that of plasters1 and that of ointments4 ,as this consistence is obtained from the wax which they contain1 they very properly derive from that substance the generic appellation of ,cerates4 ,,ceratum ,,calamin4 ,l4 7,ceratum lapidis ,calaminaris4 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,ceratum epuloticum4 ,p4,l4 #agde74 ,ceratum ,carbonatis ,zinci ,impuri4 ,e4 ,unguentum ,calaminare4 ,d4--,these preparations have been long known under the name of ,turner's ,cerate2 they form the basis of many extemporaneous cerates1 in some of which nitric oxide of mercury1 in the proportion of j of the oxide to j of cerate1 and in others1 the liquor of sub-acetate of lead1 are introduced4 ,by the former combination we obtain a very useful application to indolent and ill-conditioned ulcers1 a valuable stimulant for inducing an action conducive to the regeneration of parts4 ,by the latter combination we derive a remedy highly extolled by our most experienced surgeons1 in the cure of burns and scalds4 ,,ceratum ,,cantharidis4 ,l4 ,the basis of this preparation is spermaceti cerate six parts1 to which is added1 of powdered flies one part3 as it is intended to promote a purulent discharge from a blistered surface1 it may be reduced in strength according to circumstances4 ,,ceratum ,,cetacei4 ,l4 7,ceratum ,spermatis ceti4 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,ceratum ,album1 ,p4,l4 #agde74 ,ceratum ,simplex4 ,e4 ,it furnishes a soft and cooling dressing1 and constitutes a convenient basis for more active combinations1 as in the following instance4 ,,ceratum ,,plumbi ,,acetatis4 ,l4 7,unguentum ,ceruss ,acetat1 ,p4,l4 #aghg47 ,this is cooling for burns1 excoriations1 and inflamed surfaces4 ,,ceratum ,,plumbi ,,compositum4 ,l4 7,cerat3 ,lithargyri acetati compositum4 ,p4,l4 #aghg47 ,this is 8,goulard's ,cerate0 and is applicable to the same cases as the former cerate2 the camphor which enters into its composition imparts a gently stimulating power to it2 it proves extremely serviceable in chronic opthalmia of the tarsus1 and for the increased secretion of tears1 which so frequently affects the eyes of persons advanced in years4 ,,ceratum ,,resin4 ,l4 7,ceratum resin flav1 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,ceratum citrinum4 #agde4 ,yellow ,basilicon74 ,unguent3 ,resinosum1 ,e4 ,unguent3 ,resin alb4 ,d4 ,it is stimulant1 digestive1 and cleansing1 and affords a very excellent application for foul and indolent ulcers4 ,,ceratum ,,sabin4 ,l4 ,savine ,cerate4 ,it is intended to keep up a purulent discharge from a blistered surface2 in practice however it is often found to fail from the difficulty of obtaining it good1 since the acrid principle of the plant is injured by long boiling1 and by being previously dried2 the ointment also loses its virtue by exposure to the air4 ,,ceratum ,,saponis4 ,l4 ,this preparation was much used and recommended by the late ,mr4 ,pott2 in preparing it the greatest possible caution is required2 the fire should never be too rapidly applied1 the stirring should be uniform and incessant1 and the heat should only be sufficient to keep the two compositions liquid at the time when they are united4 ,the original intention of the cerate was to afford1 when spread upon linen1 a mechanical support to fractured limbs1 and to keep the points of the bone in due apposition1 while in consequence of the acetate of lead which is formed in the first stage of the process for its preparation1 it possesses the virtues of a saturnine dressing4 ,as a mechanical agent it may prove at once effectual and dangerous1 for if it be applied before all inflammation and swelling have entirely disappeared1 the inflamed vessels may be completely strangulated by its unrelenting pressure1 and high erysipelatous inflammation1 and a rapid state of gangrene may be the result4 ,,ceratum ,,simplex4 ,a useful application to excoriations and sores4 ,besides the above cerates1 there are many magistral#deh preparations1 of great practical value1 and ,i must refer the surgical student for an account of them to that very useful little manual1 entitled 8,pharmacopia ,chirurgica40 ,,cetaceum4 ,l4 7,physeter ,macrocephalus1 ,concretum sui generis47 ,spermaceti4 ,e4,d4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 flakes1 which are unctuous1 friable1 and white4 ,odour and taste1 scarcely perceptible4 ,sp4 ,grav4 #idcc4 ,it melts at #aab4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is a peculiar modification of fatty matter4 ,,solubility4 ,it is insoluble in water and cold alcohol1 but soluble in hot alcohol1 ether1 and oil of turpentine1 but it concretes again as the fluids cool2 in the fixed oils it is completely soluble4 ,the alkaline carbonates do not affect it1 but it is partially dissolved in the pure alkalies1 and with hot ammonia it forms an emulsion which is not decomposed on cooling4 ,,uses4 ,it is demulcent and emollient1 but it possesses no advantages over the bland oils4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,it may be suspended in water by means of mucilage or yolk of egg4 7,formul #gf1 #gh1 #gi47 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,ceratum ,simplex4 ,e4 ,ceratum ,cetacei4 ,l4 ,unguent4 ,cetacei4 ,l4,d4 ,from exposure to hot air1 it becomes rancid2 but it may be again purified1 by being washed in a warm solution of potass4 ,,cinchona4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,bark4 ,peruvian ,bark4 ,jesuit's ,bark4 ,notwithstanding the labours of the ,spanish botanists1 the history of this important genus is still involved in considerable perplexity1 and owing to the mixture of the barks of several species1#dei and their importation into ,europe under one common name1 it is extremely difficult to reconcile the contradictory opinions which exist upon the subject1 nor indeed would such an investigation be consistent with the plan and objects of this work4 ,under the trivial name officinalis1 ,linnus confounded no less than four distinct species of cinchona1 and under the same denomination the ,british ,pharmacopias1 for a long period1 placed as varieties the three barks known in the shops2 this error indeed is still maintained in the ,dublin ,pharmacopias1 but the ,london and ,edinburgh colleges have at length adopted the arrangement of ,mutis1 a celebrated botanist1 who has resided in ,south ,america1 and held the official situation of ,director of the exportation of bark for nearly forty years4 ,,cinchon ,,cordifoli ,,cortex4 ,l4,e4 ,cortex ,peruvianus4 ,d4 ,heart-leaved ,cinchona ,bark1 commonly called ,yellow ,bark4 ,,cinchon ,,lancifoli ,,cortex4 ,l4,e4 ,cortex ,peruvianus4 ,d4 ,lance-leaved ,cinchona ,bark1 common ,quilled bark--,pale bark4 ,,cinchon ,,oblongifoli ,,cortex4 ,l4,e4 ,cortex ,peruvianus4 ,d4 ,oblong-leaved ,cinchona ,bark1 called ,red bark4 ,,qualities4 ,the odour and taste of these three species are essentially the same1 although they differ in intensity4 ,they are all bitter1 sub-astringent and aromatic1 but the flavour of the ,yellow bark is incomparably the most bitter1 although less austere and astringent1 whilst the red bark has a taste much less bitter1 but more austere and nauseous than either of the other species4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,few vegetable substances have been more frequently1 or more ably submitted to chemical analysis than the ,peruvian bark1 and yet but few results of any great practical utility had been obtained previous to the recent experiments of ,pelletier and ,caventou1 communicated to the ,academy of ,sciences at ,paris1 since the publication of the fourth edition of the present work4 ,dr4 ,maton#dfj had several years ago observed1 that an infusion of nutgalls produced a precipitate with the decoctions of ,bark2 a fact which necessarily produced considerable speculation4 ,seguin was induced to regard it as arising from the presence of gelatine1 7see p4 #ef17 an opinion which ,dr4 ,duncan proved to be erroneous1 and shewed that it depended upon a new proximate principle1 to which ,m4 ,gomez of ,lisbon had previously assigned the name of ,cinchonine4 ,besides which1 bark was considered as containing resin1 extractive1 gluten1 tannin1 a small portion of volatile oil1 and some salts with a base of lime2 one of which however had been only found in ,yellow bark1 and had been discovered to contain a peculiar vegetable acid1 denominated by ,vauquelin ,kinic1 a name which ,dr4 ,duncan very judiciously superseded by that of ,cinchonic acid4 ,in the ,red bark1 ,fourcroy detected also a portion of citric acid1 some muriate of ammonia1 and muriate of lime4 ,upon which of these principles the tonic and febrifuge virtues of bark depends1 has ever proved a fruitful source of controversy4 ,deschamps attributed them to ,cinchonate of ,lime1 and asserted that two doses of thirty-six grains each1 would cure any intermittent4 ,westering considered ,tannin as the active constituent2 while ,m4 ,seguin assigned all the virtues to the principle which precipitates gallic acid1 and which1 as it has been before stated1 he mistook for gelatine4 ,fabroni concluded from his experiments1 that the febrifuge power of the bark did not belong exclusively and essentially to the astringent1 bitter1 or to any other individual principle1 since the quantity of these would necessarily be increased by long boiling1 whereas the virtues of the bark are notoriously diminished by protracted ebullition4 ,this argument however will not go far1 when we consider the chemical changes which the liquid is known to suffer during that operation1 and by which a considerable portion of its matter is rendered insoluble4 ,such was the state of our knowledge respecting the composition of the ,cinchona1 when ,pelletier and ,caventou1 guided by analogy1 were led to infer the presence of an alkaline element of activity in its composition4 ,the merit1 belonging to the researches of these eminent chemists1 does not so much consist in the discovery of new elements1 as in the proofs which they have furnished of the well known principle1 ,cinchonine1 being a salifiable base1#dfa and in demonstrating the peculiar states of combination in which it exists in the different species of ,cinchona4 #a4 ,cinchona ,lancifolia4 ,their analysis of the ,pale ,bark1 furnished the following principles4 #a4 ,acidulous ,kinate of ,cinchonia4#dfb #b4 ,a green fatty matter4 #c4 ,red ,colouring matter1 slightly soluble4 #d4 ,ditto soluble4 7,tannin47 #e4 ,yellow colouring matter4 #f4 ,kinate of ,lime4 #g4 ,gum4 #h4 ,starch4 #i4 ,lignin4 ,cinchonia1 when obtained in an isolated form1#dfc is distinguished by the following characters and habitudes4 ,it is white1 transparent1 and crystallizes in the form of needles2 it has but little taste1 circumstance depending upon its comparative insolubility1 as it requires no less than #gjjj parts of cold water for its solution2 in boiling water it is soluble in #bejj times its weight1 but a considerable part separates1 on cooling4 ,in alcohol and the acids it is much more soluble1 and imparts to such menstrua the characteristic bitter of the bark2 it dissolves only in small quantities in the fixed and volatile oils1 or in sulphuric ether4 ,cinchonia restores the colour of litmus which has been reddened by an acid4 ,with acids it combines and forms neutral salts1 of which the solubility and crystalline form vary with the acid employed4 ,sulphate of ,cinchonia1 easily crystallizable and moderately soluble1 has been found to consist of ,cinchonia #ajj1 ,sulphuric acid #acjb4 ,nitrate of ,cinchonia1 uncrystallizable1 and sparingly soluble4 ,muriate of ,cinchonia1 crystallizes in very beautiful needles1 and is more soluble than the preceding salts4 ,oxalate of ,cinchonia1 nearly insoluble2 hence by pouring oxalic acid1 or oxalate of ammonia into solutions of any of the soluble salts of cinchonia1 we obtain a very white and abundant precipitate1 which might be mistaken for oxalate of lime2 it is however soluble in an excess of acid1 and in alcohol4 ,gallate of ,cinchonia1 equally as insoluble as the ,oxalate1 whence the precipitate occasioned by pouring an infusion of galls into the decoctions of genuine cinchona4 ,cinchonia1 when heated1 does not fuse before decomposition4 ,its ultimate elements are oxygen1 hydrogen1 and carbon2 the latter being predominant4 ,the ,kinic acid1 which exists in native combination with the ,cinchonia1 amongst several other peculiar properties1 is convertible by means of heat into a substance 7acide pyrokinique17 which is crystallizable1 and capable of producing with iron a most beautiful green colour4 #b4 ,cinchona ,cordifolia4 ,in the ,yellow ,bark1 these chemists discovered also a salifiable base1 quite distinct however in its character and habitudes from ,cinchonia2 they accordingly have designated it by another name1 viz4 ,quinine1 but which we shall hereafter call ,quina4 ,in speaking of these two bases1 the authors compare them1 in point of dissimilarity1 to the fixed alkalies1 potass and soda4 ,quina is distinguished from ,cinchonia by the following characters4 ,it cannot1 like this latter body1 be crystallized by evaporation from its alcoholic solution1 although it may be obtained in transparent plates4 ,it is very soluble in ther2 in water it is as insoluble as cinchonia1 but its taste is much more bitter4 ,the salts which it forms are different from those of cinchonia1 both in the proportion of their elements1 and in the properties which they possess1 being generally much more bitter4 ,in comparing their composition1 ,quina will appear to have less capacity of saturation#dfd than cinchonia4 ,sulphate of ,quina4 ,it forms crystals quite remarkable for their satin-like and pearly lustre4 ,it is soluble in cold water1 a property which is very considerably increased by an excess of acid4#dfe ,it appears from the observations of ,m4 ,callaude1 apothecary at ,annecy1 that ,sulphate of ,quina exposed to a gentle heat1 becomes highly luminous2 and ,m4 ,pelletier has since found that ,sulphate of ,cinchonia1 when exposed in a capsule to the steam of boiling water1 exhibits the same phenomenon1 but that neither ,quina nor ,cinchonia1 by themselves1 nor their acetates1 possess this phosphorescent quality4 ,this appears to be the most efficient of all the salts of ,bark1 and is the one from which ,i have frequently derived much advantage4 ,in its exhibition we must be careful not to combine it with substances that form insoluble compounds with it4 ,the ,infusum ,ros compositum is objectionable as a vehicle1 on account of the astringent matter which it contains1 and which therefore precipitates the ,quina from its solution4 ,i have lately seen a prescription1 in which the salt is directed to be rubbed with a few grains of ,cream of ,tartar1 and then to be dissolved in mint water4 ,this is obviously injudicious1 since ,tartaric acid decomposes the sulphate1 and occasions an insoluble ,tartrate1 which is precipitated4 ,the form in which ,i have usually prescribed it is in that of solution1 with a small quantity of sulphuric acid1 in the proportion of a minim to every grain of the salt4 ,a ,wine of ,quina may be made by adding five grains of the sulphate to a pint of ,sherry2 a ,tincture1 by dissolving the same quantity in eight fluid-ounces of ,rectified ,spirit4 ,the sulphate is to be preferred to the pure ,quina in these cases1 because1 when the tincture is made by using the alkali1 not saturated by an acid1 a precipitate is formed on adding it to aqueous liquors4 ,dose of the ,sulphate1 gr4 i4-v4 ,acetate of ,quina1 very remarkable for the great facility with which it crystallizes1 and for the pearly aspect and agreeable stellated grouping of the crystals2 whereas the acetate of cinchonia crystallizes with difficulty1 and simply in plates transparent1 and devoid of lustre4 ,quina forms with the oxalic1 gallic and tartaric acids1 salts as insoluble as those which the same acids form with ,cinchonia4 #c4 ,cinchona ,oblongifolia4 ,the ,red ,bark upon analysis was found to contain a double basis1 and to yield both ,cinchonia and ,quina1 and1 what is still more extraordinary1 the quantity of each exceeded that which is known to exist in the grey and yellow barks4 ,the latest experiments1 however1 made on very large quantities of the bark1 have shewn that ,quina and ,cinchonia exist simultaneously in all the three species2 but the ,cinchonia is1 relatively to the ,quina1 in greater quantity in the grey bark2 whilst1 in the yellow bark1 the ,quina so predominates1 that the presence of the ,cinchonia might well have escaped notice when small quantities were operated on4 ,having thus furnished a sketch of this curious discovery1 we have next to enquire whether the alkaline bases in question do actually concentrate all the virtues of the barks in which they reside8 ,m4 ,majendie#dff informs us that ,pelletier had very early after the discovery transmitted to him a portion of the new substances for trial1 and that he has unequivocally determined that they do not possess any deleterious qualities1#dfg and are therefore essentially different from the principles of ,nux vomica1 7,strychnine17 ,opium1 7,morphia17 c4 ,according to the testimony of ,dr4 ,double1 as related in the same journal1 they would seem to possess the medicinal properties of the cinchona4 ,in the third number of ,majendie's ,journal we receive a report from ,m4 le docteur ,renauldin1 of an intermittent cured by the ,sulphate of ,cinchonia1 in doses of six grains4 ,as the discovery of an alkaline element in ,opium led the way to the detection of salifiable bases in other active vegetables1#dfh it has seemed to me preferable that ,i should introduce those general observations which ,i wish to offer upon the subject of those bodies1 under the history of that narcotic4 ,it is only necessary in this place to caution the practitioner against the hasty generalizations of the too sanguine chemist2 it has already been observed that those vegetable remedies1 whose value has been established by the sober experience of ages1 consist of different principles of activity1 or1 at least1 owe a modified power to the compound effect of their several ingredients4 7p4 #aed1 note47 ,,solubility ,,of ,,the ,,bark4#dfi ,cold water extracts its bitter taste1 with some share of its odour2 when assisted by a moderate heat1 the infusion is stronger1 but becomes turbid as it cools2 the infusion cannot be kept1 even for a short time1 without undergoing decomposition1 and being spoiled2 wine also extracts the virtues of bark1 and is prevented by this substance from becoming sour1 a fact which probably depends upon the avidity with which some of the principles of bark combine with oxygen1 and which may throw some light upon the cause of its antiseptic virtues4 ,the colouring matter of wine is precipitated by bark1 as it is by charcoal1 in the course of a few days4 ,by decoction the active matter of cinchona is in a great degree extracted1 but if the process be protracted beyond eight or ten minutes1 it undergoes a very important chemical change1 the precise nature of which is not well understood2 the balance of affinities1 however1 by which the different elements are united1 is evidently overthrown1 and a considerable precipitation ensues2 oxygen would also appear to have been absorbed2 whether the ,cinchonia becomes insoluble has not yet been ascertained1 but experience has shewn that the general loss of solubility1 produced by such a process1 is accompanied with a corresponding loss of medicinal activity2 on which account1 the extract is necessarily a very inefficient preparation2 if we attempt to redissolve it1 not more than one half is soluble in water4 ,vinegar is a less powerful solvent than water2 the active matter of bark is rendered more soluble by the addition of mineral acids1 and by the earths and alkalies2 these latter bodies deepen its colour1 and precipitate the ,cinchonia1 for which reason1 when they are employed1 the decoction ought not to be filtered2 see ,form4 #da1 #db1 and note thereon4 ,lime water has been recommended as a solvent1 and it affords an excellent form for children and dyspeptic patients2 for the same reason we obtain a stronger and perhaps a more efficient preparation1 by triturating it with magnesia1 previous to the process of infusion4 ,alcohol is a very powerful solvent1 but the great activity of this menstruum so limits its dose that we are prevented from exhibiting a sufficient quantity of the bark in the form of tincture2 it furnishes however an excellent adjunct to other preparations4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,precipitates are produced by the salts of iron1 sulphate of zinc1 nitrate of silver1 oxy-muriate of mercury1 tartarized antimony1 solutions of arsenic1 c4 ,any considerable portion of a tincture produces also a precipitation1 which sometimes does not immediately take place1 and the medicinal value of the bark is probably not impaired by it4 ,as the infusions of nut galls and some other vegetable astringents precipitate the cinchonia from bark1 it becomes a question how far such liquids are medicinally compatible2 saline additions1 as alum1 muriate of ammonia1 c4 have been frequently proposed1 but in many such mixtures decompositions arise which must deceive us with regard to the expected effects4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,no form is so efficient as that of powder1 a fact which would seem to argue against the exclusive value of the ,cinchonia2 even the ligneous fibre which the chemist pronounces to be inert and useless1 may produce its share of benefit by modifying the solubility of the other ingredients1 or by performing some mechanical duty which we are at present unable to understand or appreciate2 but where the stomach rejects it1 it must be administered in infusion or decoction1 with the addition of its tincture4 ,in cases where it is necessary to join cordials1 an infusion of bark in ,port wine#dgj is a popular and very useful form for its administration4 ,,dose of the powder1 gr4 v to ij or more1 of the infusion or decoction ij4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is powerfully tonic and antiseptic2 it was introduced into practice for curing intermittent fevers1 but since that period it has been generally used in diseases of debility1 in fevers of the typhoid type1 and in gangrene4 ,it was first conjectured to be useful in gout by ,sydenham1 and ,dr4 ,haygarth has strongly recommended its exhibition in acute rheumatism2 when however it is used in these diseases1 the greatest attention ought to be paid to the state of the bowels1 and purgatives should be occasionally interposed4 ,in ,dyspepsia1 the use of the purer bitters is to be greatly preferred to that of the bark4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,infus4 ,cinchon1 ,l4,e4,d4 ,decoct4 ,cinchon4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,extractum ,cinchon4 ,l4,e4 ,extract4 ,cinchon resinosum4 ,l4,d4 ,tinct4 ,cinchon1 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct4 ,cinchon comp4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct4 ,cinchon4 ,ammoniat4 ,l4 ,,magistral ,,formul1 #ca1 #cg1 #dj1 #dd1 #abg4 ,,adulterations4 ,the frauds committed under this head are most extensive2 it is not only mixed with inferior barks1 but frequently with genuine bark1 the active constituents of which have been entirely extracted by decoction with water4 ,in selecting cinchona bark1 the following precautions may be useful2 it should be dense1 heavy and dry1 not musty1 nor spoiled by moisture2 a decoction made of it should have a reddish colour when warm2 but when cold1 it should become paler1 and deposit a brownish red sediment4 ,when the bark is of a dark colour between red and yellow1 it is either of a bad species1 or it has not been well preserved4 ,its taste should be bitter1 with a slight acidity1 but not nauseous1 nor very astringent2 when chewed1 it should not appear in threads1 nor of much length2 the odour is not very strong1 but when bark has been well cured1 it is always perceptible1 and the stronger it is1 provided it be pleasant1 the better may the bark be considered4 ,in order to give bark the form of quill1 the bark gatherers not unfrequently call in the aid of artificial heat1 by which its virtues are deteriorated2 the fraud is detected by the colour being much darker1 and upon splitting the bark1 by the inside exhibiting stripes of a whitish sickly hue4 ,in the form of powder1 cinchona is always found more or less adulterated4 ,during a late official inspection of the shops of apothecaries and druggists1 the ,censors repeatedly met with powdered cinchona having a harsh metallic taste1 quite foreign to that which characterizes good bark4#dga ,the best test of the goodness of bark is afforded by the quantity of ,cinchonia1 or ,quina that may be extracted from it2 and the manufacturer should always institute such a trial before he purchases any quantity1 taking a certain number of pieces indiscriminately from the bulk4 ,much has been said of late concerning the probability of the genuine species of the cinchona tree becoming extinct2 in consequence of which some succedaneum has been anxiously sought for2 the bark of the broad-leaved willow1 ,salix ,caprea1 has been proposed for this purpose4 ,vogel recommends the root of ,geum urbanum avens2 others propose that of the ,dastisca canabina4 ,the ,cinchona ,cariba of the ,edinburgh ,pharmacopia is said1 by ,dr4 ,wright1 to whom we are indebted for our knowledge of it1 to have satisfactorily answered in all cases where the ,peruvian bark was indicated4 ,the ,geoffra ,intermis is often sold for it4 ,m4 ,r1 ,professor of the ,materia ,medica at the ,veterinary ,school at ,turin1 has announced that the ,lycopus ,europus of ,linnus1 called by the peasants of ,piedmont the ,herb ,china1 is a complete succedaneum for ,peruvian ,bark4#dgb ,the success with which bark has been imitated by medicinal combination1 has already been noticed in the first part of this work4 ,,cinnamomi ,,cortex4 ,l4,e4,d 7,laurus ,cinnamomum47 ,cinnamon4 ,the qualities of ,cinnamon depend upon the presence of an essential oil4 ,benzoic acid has been found in it4 ,it is principally employed to cover the taste of nauseous medicines1 and to correct the griping quality of different purgatives4 ,it is1 however1 in itself1 astringent and tonic1 whence it has been found efficacious in the relief of alvine fluxes4 ,,adulterations4 ,it is sometimes intermixed with cinnamon from which the oil has been drawn2 the fraud is detected by the weakness of the odour and taste of the specimen2 sometimes it is mixed with cassia1 but this is soon discovered1 for cassia is thick and clumsy1 breaks short1 and smooth1 and has a remarkable slimy taste1 whereas the fracture of cinnamon is shivery1 and its flavour warm and clean4 ,cinnamon ought not to leave a mawkish taste in the mouth2 this circumstance denotes an inferior quality4 ,there is an inferior kind imported into ,europe from ,china1 through the hands of private merchants2 this is distinguished by being darker coloured1 rougher1 denser1 and by breaking shorter2 the taste is also harsher1 more pungent1 and ligneous1 without the sweetness of ,ceylon cinnamon4 ,,dose of the cinnamon in powder is from grs4 x4 to j4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,aqua ,cinnamomi1 ,l4,e4,d1 ,spir ,cinnamomi1 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct4 ,cinnamomi1 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct4 ,cinnamom4 co4 ,l4 ,pulv4 ,cinnamom4 comp4 ,l4,e4 ,,cinnamomi ,,oleum4 ,it is principally imported from ,ceylon3 it has a whitish yellow colour1 a pungent burning taste1 and the peculiar fine flavour of cinnamon in a very great degree4#dgc ,it should sink in water1 and be entirely soluble in alcohol4 ,it is one of the most powerful stimulants which we possess4 ,dose1 i to iij1 on a lump of sugar4 ,,coccus4 ,l4,e4 7,coccus ,cacti47 ,coccinella4 ,d4 ,cochineal4 ,it is an insect imported from ,mexico and ,new ,spain1 and has the appearance of a wrinkled berry or seed of a deep mulberry colour1 with a white powder between the wrinkles4 ,,uses4 ,its medicinal virtues are now entirely discredited1 and it is only employed for the sake of its colouring matter1 for the purpose of a dye2 it was known to the ,phnicians1 and was the tolu of the ,jews4 ,its watery solution is of a violet crimson1 its alcoholic of a deep crimson1 and its alkaline of a purple hue2 the colour of the watery infusion is brightened by acids1 cream of tartar1 and alum1 and at the same time partly precipitated4 ,dr4 ,john has given the name of ,cochenelin to this colouring principle1 which ,m4 ,m4 ,pelletier and ,caventou have lately obtained in a perfectly pure state1 as a very brilliant purple red powder with a granular crystalline appearance2 these chemists propose to call it ,carmine1 but as ,mr4 ,children very justly observes1 if we adopt the term1 its termination should be altered1 to avoid confounding the pure colouring matter with the pigment in common use4 ,it may be called ,carmina1 a more harmonious name than ,cochenelin1 7,ann3 de ,chimie1 vol4 viii74 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,the colouring matter is decomposed by sulphate of iron1 sulphate of zinc1 and acetate of lead4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,tinct3 ,cardamom3 comp3 ,l4,d4 ,tinct3 ,cinchon3 comp3 ,l4,d4 ,tinct3 ,gentian1 comp3 ,e4 ,tinct3 ,cantharid3 ,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,it is invariably adulterated with pieces of dough1 formed in moulds1 and coloured with cochineal4 ,i understand that this fraud gives employment to a very considerable number of women and children in this metropolis4 ,a cargo of the counterfeit article was some time since exported1 in order to obtain the drawback2 by throwing a suspected sample into water1 we shall dissolve the spurious ones1 and ascertain the extent of the adulteration4 ,,colchici ,,radix1 ,,et ,,semina4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,colchicum ,autumnale4 ,the ,bulb of the ,meadow ,saffron4 ,,qualities4 ,when recent it has scarcely any odour1 but its taste is bitter1 hot and acrid4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,its properties reside in a milky juice1 and depend upon an alkaline principle2 it contains also gum1 starch1 inulin1 and extractive matter1 which1 when in solution1 undergoes a chemical change1 analogous1 ,i apprehend1 to that which takes place in the infusion of ,senna1 and it would appear with similar inconvenience4 ,sir ,everard ,home ascertained that this deposit1 in the vinous infusion1 excites nausea and griping1 but that it may be removed without destroying the efficacy of the medicine4 ,the alkaline element1 similar to that of the ,hellebore 7,veratria71 lately found in it1 appears to exist in combination with gallic acid4 7,annales de ,chimie1 tom4 xiv4 ,mai1 #ahbj47 ,this alkaline body would seem to display its greatest energies by its action upon mucous surfaces2 in small portions it excites violent sneezing1 and when applied to the membrane of the stomach1 immediate vomiting and purging are the result4#dgd ,see ,veratri radix4 ,the virtues of the bulb of ,colchicum are very variable1 according to the place of growth and season of the year4 ,since the third edition of this work1 ,i have been favoured with some valuable observations upon this subject by ,mr4 ,alexander ,gordon2 he says that it is in its greatest perfection from the beginning of ,june until the middle of ,august4#dge ,it is also necessary to extract the virtues of the bulb as soon as it is gathered1 for although removed from the earth1 the developing process of vegetation continues1 and the substance undergoes a corresponding series of chemical changes1 and finally becomes as inert as if it had remained in the ground4 ,it is a problem of some importance to discover a method of destroying the vegetable life of the bulb1 without at the same time injuring its virtues1 for ,i apprehend that a want of attention to the above precaution frequently renders the vinous infusion inactive4 ,the practitioner engaged in preparing this vegetable remedy will find some valuable directions in the third edition of ,thomson's ,dispensatory4 ,the flower of the meadow saffron is very poisonous to cattle4 ,,solubility4 ,vinegar and wine#dgf are the best menstrua for extracting its active qualities2 by decoction its essential oil is dissipated4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it has been much extolled on the continent as a remedy in dropsy1 especially in hydro-thorax1 and in humoral asthma2 its operation however as a diuretic1 is less certain than squill1 although its modus operandi is analogous to it1 as will be seen by referring to our new arrangement of ,diuretic remedies4 ,as a specific in gout its efficacy has been fully ascertained2 it allays pain1 and cuts short the paroxysm4 ,it has also a decided action upon the arterial system1 which it would appear to control through the medium of the nerves4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,in my opinion1 acids1 and all oxygenated substances render the vinous infusion drastic2 on the contrary1 alkalies render its principles more soluble1 and its operation more mild1 but not less efficacious4 ,magnesia may judiciously accompany its exhibition4 ,,dose of the saturated vinous infusion1 the only form in which its successful operation can be insured1 fss to fj1 whenever the patient is in pain4 ,see ,vinum ,colchici4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,acetum ,colchici1 ,l4 ,oxymel ,colchici1 ,d4 ,vinum ,colchici1 ,l4 ,spiritus ,colchici ,ammoniatus1 ,l4 ,syrupus ,colchici ,autumnalis1 ,e4 ,,colchici ,,semina4 ,dr4 ,williams of ,ipswich has lately published an account of the efficacy of the ,seeds of ,colchicum1 which he says possess all the virtues of the root1 without its pernicious#dgg qualities2 the form in which he administers them1 is in that of vinous infusion4#dgh ,he also informs me that he has experienced considerable tonic effects from these seeds2 and that unlike other narcotic remedies they do not appear to produce1 or favour congestion in the head4 ,the seeds ought not to be bruised1 as their virtues reside chiefly in the husk1 or cortical part4 ,,colocynthidis ,,pulpa4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,cucumis ,colocynthis47 ,colocynth4 ,coloquintida4 ,bitter ,cucumber4 ,,qualities4 ,the medullary part of this fruit1 which is alone made use of1 is a light1 white1 spongy body4 ,taste1 intensely bitter and nauseous4 ,odour1 when dry1 none4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,mucilage1 resin1 a bitter principle1 and some gallic acid4 ,,solubility4 ,alcohol and water alike extract its virtues1 but the active principle resides both in the portion soluble in water1 and in that which is insoluble4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is a very powerful drastic cathartic1 and was employed by the ancients in dropsical and lethargic diseases4 ,many attempts have been made to mitigate its violence1 which is best effected by triturating it with gummy farinaceous substances1 or the oily seeds2 the watery decoction or infusion is much less severe1 and has been recommended in worm cases1 but it is rarely employed1 except in combination with other purgatives4 ,thunberg informs us1 7see his ,travels1 vol4 ii1 p4 #aga7 that this article is rendered so perfectly mild at the ,cape of ,good ,hope by being pickled1 that it is absolutely used as food both by the natives and colonists4 ,mixed with paste or other cements1 it is used to keep away insects1 which it does by its extreme bitterness4 ,,dose1 grs4 iv4 to x4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,the infusion is disturbed by sub-acetate1 and acetate of lead2 nitrate of silver2 sulphate of iron1 and by the fixed alkalies4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,extract4 ,colocynth4 ,l4 ,extract4 ,colocynth4 comp4 ,l4,d4 ,pil4 ,aloes cum ,colocynth4 ,d4,e4 7,b7 ,when the fruit is larger than a ,st4 ,michael's orange1 and has black acute pointed seeds1 it is not good4 ,,confectiones ,l4 ,confections4 ,under this title the ,london ,college comprehends the conserves and electuaries of its former ,pharmacopias2 but in strict propriety1 and for practical convenience1 the distinction between conserves and electuaries ought to have been maintained4 ,saccharine matter enters into each of these compositions1 but in different proportions1 and for different objects4 ,in conserves it is intended to preserve the virtues of recent vegetables2 in electuaries1 to impart convenience of form4 ,see ,electuaria4 ,,confectio ,,amygdalarum4 ,l4 ,this preparation affords an expeditious mode of preparing the almond emulsion2 it should be used in the proportion of a drachm to each fluid-ounce of distilled water4 ,,confectio ,,aromatica4 ,l4 ,electuarium ,aromaticum4 ,e4,d4 ,this is a very useful combination of various aromatics1 to which the ,london and ,dublin colleges have added a carbonate of lime2 this circumstance makes the preparation a judicious constituent for the exhibition of active salts1 liable to be invalidated by the presence of acid in the stomach1 but1 at the same time1 rendering it incompatible with acids1 antimonial wine1 c4 ,these observations do not of course extend to the aromatic electuary of the ,edinburgh pharmacopia4 ,see ,form3 #ae1 #db1 #di1 #abe1 #abf4 ,,dose1 j to j4 ,,confectio ,,cassi4 ,l4 ,the ingredients of this confection are manna1 tamarind pulp1 and syrup of roses4 ,it is gently laxative1 and from its agreeable flavour is well calculated for children4 ,the pharmaceutist1 in preparing it1 must take care that he does not substitute the syrup of the red1 for that of the damask rose2 a substitution1 as stated under the head of ,syrupi1 not very unusual4 ,the confection does not ferment or become acescent4 ,,dose1 j to j4 ,,confectio ,,opii4 ,l4 ,electuarium ,opiatum4 ,e4 ,this is a combination of aromatics with opium1 intended as a substitute for the ,mithridate and ,theriaca of the old pharmacopias4 ,it is highly useful in flatulent cholic and diarrha1 and in all cases where a stimulant narcotic is indicated4 ,one grain of opium is contained in grs4 #cf of the ,london1 and in grs4 #dc of the ,edinburgh preparation4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to xxx4 ,,confectio ,,piperis ,,nigri4 ,l4 ,this preparation has been introduced into the ,pharmacopia1 on the suggestion of several eminent practitioners1 who have experienced its utility in certain cases of ,piles4 ,it is intended to resemble ,,ward',s#dgi ,,paste1 whose composition has been given in all the former editions of this work1 and according to which ,formula the committee have directed the present preparation4 ,it is principally useful in those cases attended with considerable debility1 in leucophlegmatic habits1 and when piles arise from a deficient secretion in the rectum4 ,on the other hand1 the composition will as certainly prove injurious in those cases which are accompanied with erysipelatous inflammation1 and which require cooling laxatives1 and a total abstinence from all stimulants1 for their cure4 ,,confectio ,,ros ,,canin1 olim ,conserva ,cynosbati4 ,its acidity depends upon uncombined citric acid1 a circumstance which it is essential to remember when we direct its use in combination4 ,the hip1 or fruit of this plant1 beat up with sugar1 and mixed with wine1 is a very acceptable treat in the north of ,europe4 ,,confectio ,,ros ,,gallic4 ,confection of the ,red ,rose4 ,principally used as a vehicle for more active medicines4 ,it is sometimes brightened by the addition of a small proportion of sulphuric acid2 this is a circumstance of great importance1 where the confection is used for making the mercurial pill4 ,see ,pilul ,hydrarg4 ,it is a very common excipient for pills1 see ,form3 #ba1 #ei1 #ff1 #gc1 #abb1 #afj1 #agj4 ,,confectio ,,rut1 ,confection of ,rue4 ,the principal use of this preparation is as an ingredient in antispasmodic enemas4 ,,confectio ,,scammone4 ,l4,d4 ,scammony1 two parts1 powdered cloves and ginger1 of each1 one part1 to which are added a small portion of oil of carraway1 and of syrup of roses1 q4 s4 ,it is a stimulating cathartic1 and may be given in the dose of ss to j4 ,,confectio ,,senn4 ,l4,e4,d olim ,electuarium ,lenitivum4 ,the ingredients of this preparation are senna leaves1 figs1 tamarind pulp1 cassia pulp1 the pulp of prunes1 coriander seeds1 liquorice root1 and refined sugar4 ,it is gently laxative1 and is an excellent vehicle for the exhibition of more powerful cathartics4 7,form4 #gd1 #ic47 ,when properly made1 it is an elegant preparation1 not apt to ferment1 nor to become acescent2 the directions of the pharmacopia are however rarely followed4 ,jalap blackened with walnut liquor1 is frequently substituted for the more expensive article cassia2 and the great bulk of it1 sold in ,london1 is little else than prunes1 figs1 and jalap4 ,i understand that a considerable quantity is also manufactured in ,staffordshire1 into which unsound and spoilt apples enter as a principal ingredient4 ,the preparation sold at ,apothecaries' ,hall is certainly unique in excellence4 ,dose1 ij or more4 ,the above are the principal confections which are employed in modern practice1 for happily the shops are at length disencumbered of those nauseous insignificant conserves1 unknown to the ancients1 but which were ushered into use by the ,arabian physicians1 and which continued for so many years to disgrace our dispensatories and to embarrass our practice4 ,the ,french1 in their new ,codex ,medicamentarius1 have limited their electuaries to a number not exceeding nine2 they have however made up in complexity for deficiency in number2 the ,electuarium de croco1 which is intended to answer the same ends as our confectio aromatica1 has no less than twelve ingredients1 although the force of the combination depends entirely upon carbonate of lime1 cinnamon1 and saffron2 and so it is with the rest4 ,,conii ,,folia4 ,l4,e4 7,conium ,maculatum47 ,cicuta4 ,d4 ,hemlock4 ,,qualities4 ,the leaves1 when properly dried1 have a strong and narcotic odour1 and a slightly bitter and nauseous taste3 the fresh leaves contain not only the narcotic1 but also the acrid principle3 by exsiccation1 the latter is nearly lost1 but the former undergoes no change2 the medicinal properties of the leaves are therefore improved by the operation of drying4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,the medicinal activity of the plant resides in a resinous element1 which may be obtained in an insulated form1 by evaporating an ethereal tincture made with the leaves1 on the surface of water2 it has a rich dark green colour1 and contains the peculiar odour and taste of hemlock in perfection2 a dose of half a grain will produce vertigo and head-ache4 ,it may be distinguished by the name of ,conein4 ,the watery extract of this plant can therefore possess but little power1 a fact which ,orfila has fully established by experiment4 ,no part of the plant is entirely destitute of efficacy1 though the leaves possess the most activity4 ,,solubility4 ,alcohol and ther extract its virtues4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,its energies are greatly diminished by vegetable acids2 hence vinegar is its best antidote4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is a powerful sedative1 and has been deservedly commended for its powers in allaying morbid irritability3 according to my own experience1 it is1 in well directed doses1 by far the most efficacious of all palliatives1 for quieting pulmonary irritation4 ,it has been extolled also in the cure of schirrus and cancer1 and it will without doubt prove in such cases a valuable resource1 from its sedative influence4 ,externally1 it will afford considerable relief in irritable ulcers1 when applied in the form of fomentation or cataplasm1 see ,form4 #ag1 #ah4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,the dried leaves1 powdered1 and made into pills1 7,form4 #b1 #ag1 #ah47 ,the powder ought to have a fine lively green colour4 ,,dose1 gr4 iij1 gradually increased1 until some effect is produced4 ,several different plants have been mistaken for1 and employed in the place of hemlock1 such as ,cicuta ,virosa1 7the water hemlock17 thusa ,cynapium1 ,caucalis anthriscus1 and several species of ,chrophyllum4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,extract4 ,conii4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,,contrajerv ,,radix4 ,l4,e4 7,dorstenia ,contrajerva1 ,radix47 ,contrajerva ,root4 ,the qualities of this plant are alike extracted by spirit and water2 the watery decoction1 however1 is very mucilaginous2 as it contains no astringent matter1 the salts of iron do not affect it4 ,,dose of the powdered root1 gr4 v4 to ss1 but it is rarely used4 ,it is considered cordial1 and diaphoretic4 ,has it any virtues8 ,the ,spanish ,indians have long used it as an antidote to poisons2 the ,spanish word contrahirba signifies antidote4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,pulv4 ,contrajerv4 co4 ,l4 ,,copaiba1 ,l4,e4 7,copaifera ,officinalis47 ,balsamum ,copaib4 ,d4 ,copaiba1 ,copaiva1 or ,capivi ,balsam4 ,,qualities4 ,consistence1 that of oil1 or a little thicker4 ,colour1 pale golden yellow4 ,odour1 fragrant and peculiar4 ,taste1 aromatic1 bitter1 and sharp4 ,sp4 ,grav4 #jiej4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is improperly denominated a balsam1 for it contains no benzoic acid1 but consists of resin and essential oil4 ,,solubility4 ,it is insoluble in water1 but soluble in ten parts of alcohol1 and in expressed and essential oils2 with the pure alkalies it forms white saponaceous compounds which are soluble in water1 forming opaque emulsions4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,stimulant1 diuretic1 and laxative2 it seems to act more powerfully on the urinary passages than any of the other resinous fluids2 hence its use in gleets and in fluor albus4 ,its use gives the urine an intensely bitter taste1 but not a violet smell1 as the turpentines do4 ,by referring to the ,synoptical arrangement of ,diuretic remedies1 it will appear that ,copaiba is referred to ,class ,i1 #a4 b4 for there is reason to believe that its active principle undergoes absorption1 and by coming in contact with the urinary organs1 produces the medicinal effects for which it is so highly valued4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,diffused in soft or distilled water by yolk of egg1 or by twice its weight of mucilage1 fss to every fj of water1 forms an elegant mixture1 or it may be given dropped on sugar1 and in this latter form it is certainly more disposed to act on the urinary organs1 than when exhibited in that of an emulsion4 7,form4 #aef47 ,dr4 ,chapman has proposed a new mode of exhibiting this medicine2 he advises us to pour the ,copaiba on half a wine-glassful of water1 and afterwards to add slowly a few drops of a common bitter tincture1 by which means the ,copaiba will be collected in a small globule that may be easily swallowed1 while its taste1 so nauseous to most patients1 will be entirely masked by the bitterness of the vehicle4 ,in whatever form1 however1 this medicine is administered1 it is extremely apt to derange the digestive organs1 if long continued1 and the unpleasant effects thus occasioned remain1 in some cases1 for a very long period4#dhj ,,adulterations4 ,a considerable quantity sold in ,london is entirely factitious4 ,a curious trial took place some time since1 between the owner of certain premises that were burnt down1 and the ,governors of the ,sun ,fire ,office1 in consequence of the latter refusing to indemnify the proprietor for his loss1 because the fire had been occasioned by his making ,balsam of ,copaiba4 ,this article is also adulterated with mastiche and oil2 ,m4 ,bucholz asserts that if it does not dissolve in a mixture of four parts of pure alcohol1 and one of rectified ther1 we may infer its adulteration2 rape oil is also frequently mixed with it1 in which case if dropped into water1 the drops will not retain their spherical form1 as they invariably will1 if pure4 ,,cornua4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,cervus ,elaphus4 ,stag's1 or ,hart's ,horn4 ,the horns of the stag differ only from bone1 in containing less of the phosphate of lime1 and a larger proportion of gelatine2 by boiling1 they yield a clear1 transparent1 and flavourless jelly1 in quantity about one-fourth of the weight of the shavings employed2 to obtain which we should boil iv in fvij of water1 until reduced to fvi4 ,,adulterations4 ,this article is often sophisticated with the shavings of mutton bone2 the fraud is detected by their greater degree of brittleness4 ,they were formerly so much used for the preparation of ammonia1 that the alkali was commonly called ,salt1 or ,spirit1 of ,hartshorn4 ,,cornus ,,florida4 7,common ,dogwood47 ,cortex4 ,the dogwood is a common forest tree1 abundant in almost every part of the ,united ,states4 ,it flowers in the months of ,may and ,june4 ,the bark1 which is the part used in medicine1 yields by analysis tannin1 gallic acid1 resin1 gum resin1 bitter extractive1 and mucilage4 ,the dogwood is a powerful tonic1 and by many practitioners has been used as a substitute for the ,peruvian bark4 ,the diseases in which it has been found serviceable are intermitting and remitting fevers1 dyspepsia1 general debility1 c4 ,it may be given in substance1 in doses of j to ij--in extract1 from #e to #ae grs4 or in infusion or decoction4 ,,creta ,,pr,,parata4 ,l4,d4 ,carbonas ,calcis ,preparatus4 ,e4 ,prepared ,chalk4 ,this is common chalk1 the coarser particles of which have been removed by the mechanical operation of washing4 ,it consists of carbonate of lime1 with various earthy impurities4 ,the ,dublin ,pharmacopia directs a chemical process for obtaining a perfectly pure carbonate 7,creta ,prcipitata71 but it appears to be an unnecessary refinement4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is antacid and absorbent1 on which account it is useful in acidities of the prim vi1 and in diarrhas1 after removing all irritating matters by previous evacuation4 7,form4 #eb47 ,from its absorbent properties1 it is a good external application to ulcers discharging a thin ichorous matter4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to ij1 or more4 ,it is almost unnecessary to state that it must not be combined with acidulous salts2 ,i have however seen a formula for a powder1 intended as an astringent1 in which chalk and alum entered as ingredients4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,hydrargyrum cum creta4 ,l4 ,pulvis cret comp4 ,l4,e4 ,pulv4 ,opiatus4 ,e4 7,f7 ,mist4 ,cret4 ,l4,e4 ,trochisci ,carbonatis ,calcis4 ,e4 ,confectio ,aromatica4 ,l4,e4 7,g7 ,,croci ,,stigmata4 ,l4,e4 7,crocus ,sativus47 ,crocus4 ,d4 ,saffron4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 cakes1 consisting of the stigmata of the flower1 closely pressed together4 ,odour1 sweet1 penetrating and diffusive4 ,taste1 warm and bitterish4 ,colour1 a rich and deep orange red4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,one hundred parts consist of sixty-two of extractive1 the remaining parts are chiefly ligneous fibre1 with small portions of resin and essential oil4 ,bouillon ,lagrange and ,vogel have examined this extractive matter very accurately1 and from the circumstance of its watery infusion assuming different colours when treated with different agents1 they have named it polychroite4 ,thus chlorine and light destroy its colour1 sulphuric acid changes it to indigo1 which gradually becomes lilac1 and nitric acid gives it a green hue4 ,,solubility4 ,it yields its colour and active ingredients to water1 alcohol1 proof spirit1 wine1 vinegar1 and in a less degree to ther2 the watery infusion1 and the vinous tincture soon grow sour1 and lose their properties1 and the solution in vinegar becomes quickly colourless4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is now never employed but for the sake of its colour or aromatic flavour1 as an adjunct to other substances4 ,it is much used in foreign cookery to colour rice1 c4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,syrup4 ,croci4 ,l4 ,tinct4 ,croci sativi4 ,e4 ,confect4 ,aromat4 ,l4,d4 7,o74 ,pil4 ,aloes cum ,myrrha4 ,l4 7,g74 ,tinct4 ,aloes comp4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,o7 ,tinct4 ,cinchon comp4 ,l4,d4 ,tinct4 ,rhei4 ,l4 7,o74 ,tinct4 ,rhei comp4 ,l4 7,o74 ,,adulterations4 ,it is not unfrequently sophisticated with the fibres of smoked beef1 or the petals of flowers1 especially of the marigold1 7,calendula ,officinalis17 and of the safflower1 7,carthamus ,tinctorius47 ,the former of these fraudulent ingredients is indicated by the unpleasant odour which arises when the saffron is thrown upon live coals2 the latter1 by infusing the specimen in hot water1 when the expanded stigmata may be easily distinguished from the other petals of substituted flowers2 a deficiency of colour and odour in the infusion indicates that a tincture or infusion has already been drawn from the saffron1 and that it has been subsequently pressed again into a cake4 ,in the market is to be found saffron from ,sicily1 ,france1 and ,spain1 besides the ,english2 that which is imported from ,spain1 is generally spoiled with oil1 in which it is dipt with the intention of preserving it4 ,the cake saffron sold in some of the less respectable shops1 consists of one part of saffron and nine of marigold1 made into a cake with oil1 and then pressed2 it is sold in considerable quantities for the use of birds1 when in moult4 ,,cubeba4#dha ,l4 7,piper ,cubeba47 ,bacc4 ,cubebs1 or ,java ,pepper4 ,this ,indian spice1 a native of ,java1 formerly held a place in our materia medica1 and entered into the composition of mithridate and theriaca1 but being inferior in pungency and aromatic warmth to pepper1 it fell into disuse4 ,lately1 however1 it has been ushered into surgical practice for the cure of gonorrha1 with all the extravagance of praise which usually attends the revival of an old1 or the introduction of a new medicine4#dhb ,it has been pronounced to be a specific in this complaint1 if taken in the early stages1 in the dose of a dessert-spoonful three times a day1 in a sufficient quantity of water4#dhc ,the ,indians have been long acquainted with the influence which cubebs exerts upon these organs2 thus ,garcias1 8,apud ,indos cubebarum in vino maceratarum est usus ad exitandam venerem40 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,m4 ,vauquelin has lately made a very accurate analysis of this pepper1 from which its composition may be stated as follows3 #a4 ,a volatile oil1 which is nearly solid4--#b4 ,a resin1 resembling ,balsam of ,copaiba4--#c4 ,another and coloured resin4--#d4 ,a coloured gummy matter4--#e4 ,an extractive principle1 similar to that which is found in leguminous plants4--#f4 ,some saline substances4 ,he considers the resin resembling the ,copaiba1 to be the peculiar matter in which that property resides1 which imparts to it the power of curing gonorrha4 ,as the qualities of this spice do not reside in volatile elements1 an extract made with rectified spirit will be found to possess the whole of its virtues4 ,the ,french1 in their new ,codex ,medicamentarius1 have introduced the cubebs into their list of materia medica4 ,there is a precaution1 with respect to the exhibition of ,cubebs1 which it is important for the practitioner to remember--to keep the bowels thoroughly open2 for where hardened fces are allowed to accumulate1 the spice insinuates itself into the mass1 and produces excoriations in the rectum4 ,,adulterations4 ,the 8,turkey ,yellow ,berries10 i4 e4 the dried fruit of the ,rhamnus ,catharticus1 are often substituted for the ,cubebs1 and the similarity between them is so great1 that the casual observer may be easily deceived4 ,,cumini#dhd ,,semina4 ,l4 ,cumin ,seeds4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 strong1 heavy1 and peculiar2 ,taste1 bitterish and warm4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,gum1 resin1 and a yellow pungent oil1 upon which the peculiar properties of the seeds depend4 ,,solubility4 ,water does not extract more than their odour1 but alcohol dissolves all the principles in which their virtues reside1 and leaves upon evaporation a powerful extract4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,carminative and stomachic2 they are however but rarely used1 except as an ingredient in plasters4 ,,cupri ,,sulphas4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,sulphate of ,copper4 vulgo ,blue ,vitriol4 ,blue ,copperas4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 crystals1 which are rhomboidal prisms4 ,colour1 a deep rich blue4 ,taste1 harsh1 acrid1 and styptic2 they slightly effloresce2 when treated with sulphuric acid1 no effervescence occurs1 a circumstance which at once distinguishes this salt from rugo4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,according to the latest experiments1 it is an oxy-sulphate1 consisting of one proportional of peroxide with two proportionals of sulphuric acid1 and when crystallized1 it contains ten proportionals of water2 its beautiful colour depends on this last ingredient4 ,,solubility4 ,it is soluble in four parts of water at #fj1 and in less than two at #bab2 the solution shews an excess of acid by reddening litmus4 ,in alcohol it is insoluble4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,alkalies and their carbonates2 sub-borate of soda2 acetate of ammonia2 tartrate of potass2 muriate of lime2 nitrate of silver2 sub-acetate1 and acetate of lead2 oxy-muriate of mercury2 all astringent vegetable infusions and tinctures4 ,iron immersed in the solution1 precipitates copper in a metallic form2 hence the exhibition of the filings of iron has been proposed as an antidote4#dhe ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is emetic from grs4 ij to xv4 tonic gr4 #a_/d2 it is1 however1 but rarely used internally except as an emetic2 externally it is employed as an escharotic2 and1 in solution1 as a stimulant to foul obstinate ulcers4#dhg ,in the proportion of half a drachm to eight ounces of rose water1 it forms a lotion which has been found very efficacious in phagedenic ulcers of the face1 and in allaying itching when attended with erysipelatous inflammation about the anus and labia pudendi4 ,it is also a styptic when applied in solution4 ,,officinal ,,preparation4 ,solut4 ,cupri ,sulphat4 com4 ,e4 ,cuprum ,ammoniatum ,l4,e4,d4 7,i7 7,form4 #fh47 ,,cuprum ,,ammoniatum4 ,l4,d ,ammoniaretum ,cupri4 ,e4 ,ammoniated ,copper4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a violet coloured mass1 which on exposure to air becomes green1 and is probably converted into a carbonate4 ,taste1 styptic and metalline4 ,odour1 ammoniacal4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is a triple salt1 a sub-sulphate of oxide of copper1 and ammonia4 ,the ,edinburgh ,college is certainly incorrect in calling it an ammoniuret4 ,,solubility1 fj2 of water dissolves j of this salt4 ,,incompatible ,,substances2 ,acids2 the fixed ,alkalies2 ,lime water4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is tonic and antispasmodic4 ,dr4 ,cullen first proposed its exhibition in epilepsy1 and it has frequently been employed with evident advantage in that disease4 ,it has been also given in chorea1 after a course of purgatives4 ,brera considers it quite equal to ,arsenic1 in the cure of obstinate ,intermittents2 other physicians have commended it in cases of ,hysteria4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,it may be formed into pills with bread2 to which an addition of sugar has been recommended1 to prevent them from becoming hard2 but we must remember that recent experiments have shewn that sugar has the power of counteracting the operation of copper4 ,dose1 gr4 #a_/d cautiously encreased to grs4 v4 twice a day4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,liquor ,cupri ,ammoniati4 ,l4 ,,cuspari ,,cortex4 ,l4 7,cusparia febrifuga47 ,,bonplandi ,,trifoliat ,,cortex4 ,e4 ,,angustura1 ,,cortex4 ,d4 ,cusparia1 or ,angustura ,bark4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 pieces covered with a whitish wrinkled thin epidermis2 the inner surface is smooth1 of a brownish yellow colour4 ,odour1 not strong1 but peculiar4 ,taste1 bitter1 slightly aromatic1 and permanent4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,cinchonia1 resin1 extractive1 carbonate of ammonia1 and essential oil4 ,,solubility4 ,its active matter is taken up by cold and hot water1 and is not injured by long decoction1 but the addition of alcohol precipitates part of the extractive4 ,alcohol dissolves its bitter and aromatic parts1 but proof spirit appears to be its most complete menstruum4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,sulphate of ,iron2 ,sulphate of ,copper2 ,oxy-muriate of ,mercury2 ,nitrate of ,silver2 ,tartarized ,antimony2 ,sub-acetate1 and ,acetate of ,lead2 ,potass2 and perhaps the ,mineral ,acids1 for they produce precipitates1 as do also the infusions of ,galls1 and ,yellow ,cinchona4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,stimulant and tonic2 it does not1 like cinchona1 oppress the stomach1 but imparts a degree of warmth1 expels flatus1 and increases the appetite for food3 with respect to its powers in the cure of intermittents1 many doubts are entertained4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in substance1 infusion1 decoction1 tincture1 or extract2 its nauseous taste is best disguised by cinnamon4 ,,dose of the powder1 grs4 v4 to j2 of the infusion or decoction1 fj2 in large doses all the forms are liable to produce nausea4 ,form4 #eh4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,infusum ,cuspari4 ,l4 ,tinct4 ,bonplandi ,trifoliat4 ,e4 ,tinct4 ,angustur4 ,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,there is found in the market a particular bark1 which has been called ,,fine ,,angustura1 but which is of a different species1 and is a very energetic poison4 ,this bark is characterized by having its epidermis covered with a matter which has the appearance of rust of iron1 and which1 moreover1 possesses certain chemical properties of this metal2 for if water acidulated with muriatic acid be agitated in contact with its powder1 it assumes a beautiful green colour1 and affords with an alkaline prussiate1 7,hydro-cyanate of ,potass7 a ,prussian blue precipitate4 ,late researches have detected the presence of an alkaline element in this bark1 on which the name of ,brucia has been bestowed4 ,when this alkali is dissolved in boiling alcohol1 and crystallized by spontaneous evaporation1 it yields colourless and transparent crystals in the form of oblique quadrangular prisms4 ,,datur ,,stramonii ,,herba4 ,e4,d4 ,the ,herbaceous part of the ,thorn ,apple4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 ftid and narcotic1 occasioning head-ache and stupor2 ,taste1 bitter and somewhat nauseous4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,gum1 resin1 and carbonate of ammonia2 the recent experiments of ,m4 ,brandes have also developed an alkaline element of activity1 to which the name of ,daturia has been assigned2 it appears to exist in native combination with malic acid2 when in an uncombined state it is nearly insoluble in water1 and in cold alcohol1 but boiling alcohol dissolves it4 ,it has been obtained with difficulty in the form of quadrangular prisms4 ,,solubility4 ,the medicinal powers of the herb are alike extracted by aqueous and spirituous menstrua4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,the infusion is precipitated by the salts of lead1 silver1 mercury1 and iron2 the mineral acids would also appear to produce some essential changes which may diminish its efficacy4 ,acetic acid increases its powers1 although it relieves the effects of an overdose1 if administered after the stomach has been emptied4 ,this apparent anomaly is easily explained when we consider1 that in the first case its operation is purely chemical1 increasing the solubility of the active principle of the plant1 while in the latter case it operates as a vital agent1 restoring to the nervous system that energy which has been suspended by the narcotic influence of the vegetable4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is narcotic1 and has been regarded by many authors as eminently antispasmodic2 ,dr4 ,barton1 an ,american physician1 made very extensive trials of its efficacy in ,mania1 the result of which is highly favourable to its use4 ,dr4 ,marcet first noticed its salutary effects in chronic diseases attended with violent pain2 he found it to lessen powerfully1 and quickly1 sensibility and pain1 and to produce a sort of nervous shock1 attended with a momentary affection of the head and eyes1 with a degree of nausea1 and with phenomena resembling those which are produced by intoxication4 ,it seems to be more particularly beneficial in chronic rheumatism1 sciatica1 c4 ,its root1 smoked in the manner of tobacco1 has been much extolled as a remedy in the paroxysms of spasmodic asthma2 this practice however1 is not unattended with danger2#dhh the same transient feelings of relief may be procured by smoking a mixture of opium and any aromatic herb4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,some discrepancy of opinion has existed upon this point2 the native practitioners in the ,carnatic gave the powdered root2 ,hufeland recommends a tincture of the whole plant2 in this country an extract of the leaves1 or1 more lately1 of the seeds1 has been preferred1 and ,i have been recently informed by ,sir ,henry ,halford1 that he has found a tincture made with the seeds1#dhi a very efficient and unobjectionable preparation4 ,dr4 ,davy1 at my request1 has made a series of experiments upon the extracts prepared by ,mr4 ,barry in vacuo1 and his report upon the effects of that of ,stramonium1 will be found under the article ,extract4 ,stramonii1 which see4 ,,dose4 ,in the commencement1 of the leaves powdered gr4 i4 of the seeds gr4 ss4 ,it is said that the ,turks sometimes use the ,stramonium instead of ,opium1 and the ,chinese infuse the seeds in beer4 ,cataplasms of the fresh bruised leaves have been very successfully used in sores of a highly irritable and painful nature4 ,,officinal ,,preparation4 ,extract4 ,stramonii4 ,,decocta4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,decoctions4 ,these are solutions of the active principles of vegetables obtained by boiling them in water4 ,to decide upon the expediency of this form of preparation1 in each particular case1 requires a knowledge of the chemical composition of the substance in question4 ,in conducting the operation1 the following rules must be observed4 #a4 ,those substances only should be decocted1 whose medicinal powers reside in principles which are soluble in water4 #b4 ,if the active principle be volatile1 decoction must be an injurious process2 and1 if it consist of extractive matter1 long boiling1 by favouring its oxidizement1 will render it insipid1 insoluble1 and inert4 #c4 ,the substances to be decocted should be previously bruised1 or sliced1 so as to expose an extended surface to the action of the water4 #d4 ,the substances should be completely covered with water1 and the vessel slightly closed1 in order to prevent1 as much as possible1 the access of air3 the boiling should be continued without interruption1 and gently4 #e4 ,in compound decoctions1 it is sometimes convenient not to put in all the ingredients from the beginning1 but in succession1 according to their hardness1 and the difficulty with which their virtues are extracted2 and if any aromatic1 or other substances containing volatile principles1 or oxidizable matter1 enter into the composition1 the boiling decoction should be simply poured upon them1 and covered up until cold4 #f4 ,the relative proportions of different vegetable substances to the water1 must be regulated by their nature2 the following general rule may be admitted2 of roots1 barks1 or dried woods1 from ij to vj to every pint of water2 of herbs1 leaves1 or flowers1 half that quantity will suffice4 #g4 ,the decoction ought to be filtered through linen1 while hot1 as important portions of the dissolved matter are frequently deposited on cooling2 care must be also taken that the filtre is not too fine1 for it frequently happens1 that the virtues of a decoction depend upon the presence of particles which are suspended in a minutely divided state4 #h4 ,a decoction should be prepared in small quantities only1 and never employed1 especially in summer1 forty-eight hours after it has been made4 ,it should be considered as an extemporaneous preparation1 but introduced into the pharmacopia for the purpose of convenience1 and for the sake of abridging the labour of the physician4 ,it is very important that the water employed for making decoctions1 should be free from that quality which is denominated hardness4 ,the officinal decoctions may be classed into simple and compound preparations4 #a4 ,simple4 ,,decoctum ,,cinchon4 ,see ,cinchona1 and ,form3 #da1 #db1 #abg4 ,the codex of ,paris directs a decoction of bark1 8,decoctum ,kin ,kin10 which is only half the strength of ours1 but contains an addition of a small quantity of carbonate of potass4 ,,decoctum ,,cydoni4 ,the inner coats of the seeds of the ,quince 7,pyrus ,cydonia7 yield a very large proportion of mucilage1 but as hot water extracts from them also fecula and other principles1 the decoction very soon decomposes4 ,it has been strongly recommended as an application to erysipelatous surfaces2 and it would seem to be peculiarly adapted for such a purpose1 since it is not so easily washed away from the part to which it is applied1 as ordinary mucilage2 for the same reason it has been preferred as an ingredient in injections1 gargles1 c4 ,it is stated by some practitioners to be a very useful application1 when united with the acetate of lead1 in cases of acute ophthalmia2 such a combination1 however1 is extremely unchemical1 and must invalidate the powers of the other ingredients4 ,the native practitioners of ,india employ it as a cooling mucilaginous drink in gonorrha4 ,an ounce of bruised ,quince seed will make three pints of water as thick and ropy as the white of an egg2 hence two drachms1 the quantity directed by the ,college1 is amply sufficient for a pint of the decoction4 ,it is coagulated by alcohol1 acids1 and metallic salts4 ,,decoctum ,,digitalis4 ,d4 ,this is a very improper form for the exhibition of digitalis1 being variable in strength4 ,,decoctum ,,dulcamar4 ,l4 ,in making this decoction we must take care that the operation of boiling is not continued too long4 ,see ,dulcamar ,caules4 ,,dose from fss to fj4 ,,decoctum ,,lichenis4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,in this preparation we have the bitter principle of the plant united with its fecula4 ,a portion of the former may be removed by macerating the lichen1 and rejecting the first water4 ,if j of the mass be boiled for a quarter of an hour in fvj of water1 we shall obtain mucilage of a consistence similar to that composed of one part of gum arabic and three of water4 ,its exhibition requires the same precaution as that of ,mucilago ,acaci4 ,from the large proportion of fecula which this moss contains1 it is perhaps as nutritive as any vegetable substance1 the ,cerealia of course excepted4 ,see ,lichen ,island4 ,,dose1 a wine glass full occasionally4 ,,decoctum ,,papaveris4 ,l4 ,in making this decoction the whole of the capsule should be bruised1 in order to obtain its mucilage and anodyne principle2 the seeds should be also retained1 as they yield a portion of bland oil which increases the emollient quality of the decoction4 ,a large quantity of fixed oil is constantly in the market1 which is derived from the seeds of the poppy4 ,this decoction is a useful fomentation in painful swellings1 c4 ,,decoctum ,,quercus4 ,l4,e4 ,decoction is the usual form in which ,oak ,bark is exhibited1 since all its active principles are soluble in water4 ,its astringent virtues depend upon gallic acid1 tannin1 and extractive4 ,the decoction is disturbed by the following substances2 the infusion of yellow cinchona2 sub-acetate and acetate of lead2 solutions of isinglass2 the preparations of iron2 oxy-muriate of mercury2 and sulphate of zinc2 all alkaline substances destroy its astringency1 and are consequently incompatible with it4 ,it is principally useful as a local astringent1 in the forms of gargle1 injection1 or lotion4 ,its internal exhibition in obstinate diarrhas1 and alvine hemorrhages1 has also proved highly beneficial4 ,see ,form3 #ea1 #fa4 ,,dose1 fss to fj4 ,dr4 ,eberle states that in the ,intermittents of very young children1 he has in some cases used this decoction as a bath with efficacy4 ,,decoctum ,,sarsaparill4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,see ,sarsaparilla4 ,in making this decoction1 it is rarely properly digested or boiled for a sufficient length of time to extract its virtues4 ,the only salts which occasion precipitates in this decoction are1 nitrate of mercury and acetate of lead2 lime water has the same effect4 ,,dose1 fiv to fvj4 ,,decoctum ,,veratri4 ,stimulant and acrid2 internally1 it is cathartic1 but too violent to be safely exhibited2 it is useful as a lotion in scabies1 and other cutaneous eruptions4 #b4 ,compound ,decoctions4 ,,decoctum ,,aloes ,,compositum4 ,it resembles the well known ,beaume de vie1 although less purgative1 and is a scientific preparation1 constructed upon the true principles of medicinal combination4 ,aloes is the base1 to which are added1 #ast1 sub-carbonate of potass1 #bndly1 powdered myrrh1 #c;dly1 extract of liquorice1 #dthly1 saffron1 and after the decoction is made1 #ethly1 compound tincture of cardamoms4 ,by the #ast ingredient the aloes is rendered more soluble2 the #b;d and #c;d suspend the portion not dissolved1 and at the same time disguise its bitterness2 the #dth imparts an aromatic flavour1 and the #eth not only renders it more grateful to the stomach1 but prevents any spontaneous decomposition from taking place4 ,its taste is improved by keeping4 ,it is a warm1 gentle cathartic4 ,form3 #hj4 ,,dose1 fss to fj4 ,its operation is different from that of simple aloes4 ,see ,aloes4 ,the following substances are incompatible with it2 strong acids1 oxy-muriate of mercury2 tartarized antimony2 sulphate of zinc2 and acetate of lead2 and those salts which are decomposed by sub-carbonate of potass4 ,,decoctum ,,guaiaci ,,compositum4 ,e4 ,commonly called ,decoction of woods4 ,this decoction has fallen into disuse1 and deservedly1 for it can possess but little power1 except1 as a diluent1 or demulcent2 the water takes up from the guaiacum only a small portion of extractive matter1 and the virtues of sassafras1 if any1 must be dissipated4 ,,dose1 fss to fj4 ,,decoctum ,,hordei ,,compositum4#dij ,an elegant and useful demulcent1 with an aperient tendency4 ,,decoctum ,,sarsaparill ,,compositum4 ,l4,d4 ,this decoction1 which is an imitation of the once celebrated ,lisbon ,diet ,drink1#dia differs materially from the ,decoct3 ,guaiaci comp3 from the addition of the mezereon root1 which renders it diaphoretic and alterative1 and useful in the treatment of secondary syphilis1 and chronic rheumatism4 ,,dose1 from fiv to fvj three or four times a day4 ,,digitalis ,,folia4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,digitalis ,purpurea47 ,foxglove4 ,,qualities4 ,the leaves1 when properly dried1 have a slight narcotic odour1 and a bitter nauseous taste1 and when reduced to powder1 a beautiful green colour4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,extractive matter1 and a green resin1 in both of which the narcotic properties reside2 they appear also to contain ammonia1 and some other salts4#dib ,,solubility4 ,both water and alcohol extract their virtues1 but decoction injures them4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,see ,infusum ,digitalis4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is directly sedative1 although some maintain the contrary opinion1 diminishing the frequency of the pulse1 and the general irritability of the system1 and increasing the action of the absorbents1 and the discharge by urine4 ,the effects appear to be in a great degree connected with its sensible influence upon the body1 which is indicated by feelings of slight nausea and languor2 accordingly1 every attempt to prevent these unpleasant effects1 or to correct the operation of digitalis1 by combining it with aromatic1 or stimulant medicines1 seems to be fatal to the diuretic powers of the remedy4 ,dr4 ,blackall1 in his 8,observations upon the cure of ,dropsies10 has offered some remarks which bear upon this point1 and to which ,i have before referred4 ,see page #if #aej4 ,several of the formul introduced under the class of diuretics are combinations supported by high authority1 but it is doubtful whether their adoption can be sanctioned upon principle2 they are however well calculated to illustrate the nature of diuretic compounds1 and this is the only purpose for which they were selected4 ,see ,form3 #ajc4 ,the ,french have introduced in their new ,codex1 an ethereal tincture1 ,tinctura therea ,digitalis purpure1 in which the sedative influence of the plant must be entirely overwhelmed by the stimulant properties of the menstruum4 ,under the head of ,diuretics1 ,i have so fully considered the value of diuretic combinations1 and the modus operandi of ,digitalis1 that it is unnecessary to dwell upon the subject in this place4 ,digitalis has considerable influence over the action of the heart2 and in certain diseases1 attended with inordinate motions of that organ1 it proves eminently serviceable2 ,i have employed it with great satisfaction in cases of palpitation connected with a state of general irritability1 so frequently occurring in female disorders2 and according to my observations where it succeeds1 opium generally does harm4 ,form3 #cb4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in substance1 tincture1 or infusion2 the latter form is most efficient as a diuretic4 ,,dose of the powdered leaves gr4 j1 in a pill1 twice a day2 the augmentation of the dose should proceed at the rate of one-fourth of the original quantity1 every second day1 until its operation becomes apparent1 either on the kidneys1 or on the constitution generally4 ,if it produce such a disturbance in the prim vi as to occasion vomiting or purging1 its diuretic powers will be lost2 in such a case the addition of a small portion of opium1 or opiate confection1 may be expedient4 ,the distressing effects of an overdose are best counteracted by tincture of opium in brandy and water1 and by the application of a blister to the pit of the stomach4 ,a ,london ,surgeon has lately stated that he has prescribed the tincture of ,digitalis1 in the dose of twenty-five drops1 three times a day1 in barley-water1 with great success in ,gonorrha4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,infus3 ,digitalis4 ,l4,e4 ,tinct3 ,digital3 ,l4,e4,d4 ,decoct3 ,digitalis3 ,d4 ,it is very important that the leaves of this plant be properly collected1 and accurately preserved2 they should be gathered when the plant is beginning to flower1 and1 as it is biennial1 in the second year of its growth2 the largest and deepest coloured flowers should be also selected1 for they are the most powerful2 they should be also carefully dried until they become crisp1 or they will lose much of their virtue2 the too common method of tying them in bundles1 and hanging them up to dry1 should be avoided1 for a fermentation is produced by such means1 and the parts least exposed soon become rotten4 ,the powdered leaves ought to be preserved in opaque bottles1 and kept from the action of light as well as of air and moisture2 a damp atmosphere has1 upon a principle already explained1 a very injurious operation1 by carrying off those faint poisonous effluvia with which its efficacy seems to be ultimately connected4 ,,dulcamar ,,caules4 ,l4,d4 7,solanum ,dulcamara47 ,the ,twigs of ,woody ,nightshade1 or ,bitter-sweet4 ,the virtues of this plant are extracted by boiling water1 but long coction destroys them2 the usual and best form in which it can be administered is that of decoction or infusion4 ,this plant is much more appreciated on the continent than in this country2 we rarely use it except in cutaneous affections2 ,professor ,richter of ,gottingen states that he has employed it in ,phthisis ,pituitosa with very extraordinary success2 and ,sir ,a4 ,crichton says that in the few cases of chronic tubercular ,phthisis in which he has given it1 it appeared to increase the powers of the ,sarsaparilla with which it was usually combined4 ,,officinal ,,prep3 ,decoct3 ,dulcam3 ,l4 ,,elaterii ,,pepones4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,momordica ,elaterium47 ,wild1 or ,squirting ,cucumber4 ,this plant appears from the testimony of ,dioscorides and other writers1 to have been employed by the ancient physicians with much confidence and success4 ,all the parts of the plants were considered as purgative1 although not in an equal degree2 thus ,geoffroy1 8radicum vis cathartica major est quam foliorum1 minor vero quam fructuum40 ,this question has very lately been set at rest by the judicious experiments of ,dr4 ,clutterbuck1#dic which prove that the active principle of this plant resides more particularly in the juice which is lodged in the centre of the fruit1 and which spontaneously subsides from it2 when this substance is freed from extraneous matter1 it possesses very energetic powers1 and appears to me to be entitled to consideration as a distinct proximate principle1 which ,i shall venture to call ,elatin4 ,see ,extractum ,elaterii4 ,,elemi4 ,l4,d4 7,amyris ,elemifera4 ,resina47 ,elemi4 ,this substance is what is generally termed a gum-resin2 that is1 a compound consisting of gum1 resin1 and volatile oil3 late researches however seem to shew that these bodies are compounds of a peculiar character1 consisting of a volatile substance1 something between essential oil and a constituent which possesses the properties of extractive rather than those of gum4 ,true ,elemi has a fragrant aromatic odour1 not unlike that of fennel-seeds1 but more potent4 ,sp4 gr4 #ajahb4 ,when powdered it mixes with any unguent2 it also combines with balsams and oils1 and by the aid of heat1 with turpentine4 ,,uses4 ,it is only employed for forming the mild digestive ointment which bears its name1 viz4 ,unguent3 ,elemi comp3 ,l4,d4 ,,emplastra4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,plasters4 ,the principles upon which this form of preparation is to be constructed are fully detailed at p4 #bjg4 ,,emplastrum ,,ammoniaci4 ,l4 ,ammoniacum reduced to a suitable consistence by distilled vinegar4 ,it adheres to the skin without irritating it1 and without being attended with any unpleasant smell4#did ,there is a peculiar disease of the knee1 to which servant maids1 who scour floors upon their knees1 are liable1 and for which this plaster is a specific4 ,i have also found it particularly eligible in cases of delicate women with irritable skins4 ,,emplastrum ,,ammoniaci ,,cum ,,hydrargyro4 ,l4,d4 ,the mercury in this plaster is in the state of oxidation ad minimum4 ,it is discutient and resolvent1 and is applicable to indurated glands1 and venereal nodes1 and for removing indurations of the periosteum1 remaining after a course of mercury2 the addition of the ammoniacum increases the stimulating and discutient powers of the mercury1 which gives this plaster a superiority over the ,emplastrum ,hydrargyri4 ,it is also powerfully adhesive4 ,,emplastrum ,,assaf,,tid4 ,e4 ,emplast4 ,plumbi and ,assaftida1 of each two parts1 galbanum and yellow wax1 of each one part4 ,i have seen it useful in flatulent cholic1 when applied over the umbilical region4 ,,emplastrum ,,cantharidis4 ,l4 ,emplast3 ,cantharidis vesicatori4 ,e4,d4 ,a variety of substances has in different times been employed for producing vesication1 but no one has been found to answer with so much certainty and mildness as the ,lytt4 ,all the others are apt to leave ill conditioned ulcers3 true it is1 that the emplastrum lytt will occasionally fail1 but this is generally attributable to some inattention1 or want of caution on the part of the person who prepares it2 in spreading it1 the spatula should never be heated beyond the degree of boiling water2 the plaster also should be sufficiently secured on the part by slips of adhesive plaster1 but it ought not to be bound on too tight2 where the cuticle is thick1 the application of a poultice for an hour1 previous to that of the blister1 will be useful1 or the part may be washed with vinegar4 ,in consequence of the absorption of the active principle of the ,lytt1 blisters are apt to occasion strangury and bloody urine2 it has been a problem therefore of some importance to discover a plan by which such an absorption may be obviated1 for this purpose1 camphor has been recommended to be mixed with the blistering composition1 and a piece of thin gauze has been interposed between the plaster and the skin2 but it has been lately found1 that ebullition in water deprives the ,cantharides of all power of thus acting on the kidneys1 without in the least diminishing their vesicatory properties3 the ordinary time required for the full action of a blister is ten or twelve hours1 but if it be applied to the head1 double that period will be necessary4 ,children1 owing to delicacy of skin1 are more speedily blistered1 the epispastic may therefore be removed earlier4 ,in some cases the blistered parts1 instead of healing kindly1 become a spreading sore2 whenever this occurs1 poultices are the best applications2 it may arise from a peculiar irritability of the constitution1 although ,i apprehend that it not unfrequently depends upon the sophistication of the plaster with euphorbium4 ,in cases where it is desirable to keep up the local irritation1 it is still a question with some practitioners whether it be more advisable to encourage a discharge from the vesicated part by some appropriate stimulant1 or to renew the vesication at short intervals by repeated blisters2 the latter mode is perhaps to be preferred1 as being more effectual1 and certainly less troublesome to the patient3 it has moreover been stated1#die that by a repeated application of this nature1 the influence excited appears to extend much deeper1 so as to derive a greater quantity of blood from the immediate neighbourhood of the vessels1 or from the vessels themselves which are in a state of disease1 than the influence excited by an application less stimulating upon the surface of a part already abraded4 ,the character of the discharge would likewise appear essentially different2 it being in the latter cast a purulent secretion from the superficial exhalants of the surface only2 in the former1 a copious effusion of serum1 mixed with a large portion of lymph1 produced from a deeper order of vessels4 ,,emplastrum ,,cer4 ,l4 ,emplast3 ,simplex4 ,e4 ,this is the ,emplast3 ,cer of ,p4,l4 #aghg1 the ,emplast3 ,attrahens of #agde1 so called because it was formerly employed to keep up a discharge from a blistered surface1 and the ,emplastrum de melilolo simplex of #agbj4 ,,emplastrum ,,cumini4 ,l4 ,a valuable combination of warm and stimulant ingredients4 ,,emplastrum ,,galbani ,,compositum4 ,l4,d4 ,emplast3 ,gummos4 ,e4 ,more powerful than the preceding plaster4 ,in indolent glandular enlargements of a strumous character1 in fixed and long continued pains in the neighbourhood of the joints1 or in anomalous or arthritic pains of the ligaments1 this plaster is said to be frequently beneficial4 ,,emplastrum ,,hydrargyri4 ,l4,e4 ,the mercury in this plaster is in the state of oxidation ad minimum2 each drachm containing about fifteen grains of mercury1 7sixteen grains1 ,edinb47 ,it is alterative1 discutient1 and sometimes sialogogue2 but it is inferior to the ,emplast3 ,ammoniac3 cum ,hydrargyro4 ,,emplastrum ,,opii4 ,l4,e4 ,this plaster is supposed to be anodyne1 but it is very doubtful whether the opium can1 in such a state1 produce any specific effect4 ,see ,form3 #e4 ,,emplastrum ,,picis ,,compositum4 ,l4 ,emplast3 ,picis burgundic1 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,it is stimulant and rubefacient1 and is often employed as an application to the chest1 in pulmonary complaints2 the serous exudation however which it produces1 frequently occasions so much irritation that we are compelled to remove it4 ,,emplastrum ,,plumbi4 ,l4 ,emplast3 ,oxydi ,plumbi semi-vitrei4 ,e4 ,emplast3 ,lythargyri4 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,emplast3 commune1 #agde4 ,diachylon#dif ,simplex1 ,p4,l4 #agbj4 ,this is a very important plaster1 since it forms the basis of a great many others2 under the name of ,diachylon it has long been known1 and employed as a common application to excoriations1 and for retaining the edges of fresh cut wounds in a state of apposition1 and at the same time for defending them from the action of the air2 when long kept it changes its colour1 and loses its adhesive properties1 and by high temperature the oxyd of lead is revived4#dig ,,emplastrum ,,resin4 ,l4 ,olim1 ,emplast3 commune adhsivum1 ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,emplast3 ,resinosum4 ,e4 ,emplast3 ,lithargyri cum ,resina4 ,d4 ,it is defensive1 adhesive1 and stimulant4#dih ,,emplastrum ,,saponis4 ,l4,d4 ,emplastrum ,saponaceum4 ,e4 ,the ,soap ,plaster is said to be a mild discutient application4 ,,eupatorium ,,perfoliatum4 ,boneset4 ,herba et flores4 ,the boneset is a plant indigenous to the ,united ,states1 and is to be found in the neighbourhood of marshes and low situations4 ,it is intensely bitter and somewhat astringent4 ,according to the analysis of ,dr4 ,andrew ,anderson of ,new-,york1 it yields1 #a4 ,a free acid2 #b4 ,tannin2 #c4 ,extractive matter2 #d4 ,a gummy matter2 #e4 ,a resin2 #f4 ,azote2 #g4 ,lime1 probably the acetate of lime2 #h4 ,gallic acid1 probably modified2 #i4 ,a resiniform matter1 soluble in water and in alcohol1 and which seems to contain a bitter principle4 ,it also appears from this analysis that the free acid may be obtained from all parts of the plant--that tannin is obtained in much the largest quantity from the leaves1 and least from the roots--that the extractive and gummy matter reside chiefly in the roots--that the leaves and flowers also contain a larger proportion of resin than the roots--and that azote exists in the flowers1 leaves1 and roots4 ,the principal properties of the boneset are those of a tonic and diaphoretic4 ,the diseases in which it has been prescribed with success are intermitting and remitting fevers1 typhoid peripneumony and catarrh4 ,it may be given in powder1 infusion1 or tincture4 ,when given as a tonic1 the tincture is the preferable form4 ,the dose of the powder is from #bj to #cj grains4 ,when used as a sudorific1 it is to be taken in infusion1 and in large quantities4 ,,euphorbia ,,ipecacuanha4 ,american ,ipecacuanha4 ,radix4 ,this plant is peculiar to the ,united ,states4 ,the root is perennial1 and of a sweetish taste4 ,by analysis it yields caoutchouc1 resin1 mucus1 and fecula4 ,in its medicinal properties it resembles1 and perhaps equals1 the common ipecacuanha4 ,as an emetic the dose is from #ae to #be grains4 ,,euphorbi ,,gummi-,,resina4 ,l4 7,euphorbia ,officinarum47 ,euphorbium4 ,,qualities4 ,this substance is imported from ,barbary1 in drops or irregular tears2 its fracture is vitreous2 it is inodorous1 but yields a very acrid burning impression to the tongue4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is what is termed a gum resin1 but its acrid constituent is exclusively in that portion which is soluble in alcohol1 and which might be named ,euphorbin2 it appears to form as much as #cg per cent4 to which are added of wax #ai1 malate of lime #bje1 malate of potass #b1 and water #e4 ,,solubility4 ,water by trituration is rendered milky1 but dissolves only one-seventh part2 and alcohol one-fourth of it4 ,,uses4 ,internally administered1 it proves very violently drastic1 but it is never employed except as an errhine1 cautiously diluted with starch1 or some inert powder4 ,the ,indian practitioners administer it as a purge in obstinate visceral obstructions2 and in those cases of costiveness which so often attend an enlargement and induration of the spleen and liver4 ,farriers use it for blistering horses1 and there is good reason to believe that it is sometimes fraudulently introduced to quicken the powers of our ,emplastrum ,cantharidis4 ,it enters as an ingredient into a plaster1 which has been much celebrated by ,cheselden and others1 as a stimulating application1 to relieve diseases of the hip-joint1 and to keep up inflammation of the skin in chronic states of visceral inflammation2 the following is its composition4 4 ,emplast3 ,picis comp3 iv4--,euphorbi gum-resin ss4--,terebinth3 ,vulgar1 q4 s4 ,,caution1 in pulverizing this substance1 the dispenser should previously moisten it with vinegar to prevent its rising and excoriating his face4 ,,extracta4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,extracts4 ,these preparations are obtained by evaporating the watery or spirituous solutions of vegetables1 and the native juices obtained from fresh plants by expression1 to masses of a tenacious consistence4 ,the ,london college does not arrange the extracts under the titles of watery and resinous1 which is the arrangement of the ,edinburgh ,pharmacopia1 nor under those of simple and resinous1 which is the division observed in that of ,dublin1 but rejecting all specific distinctions1 includes1 under the generic appellation of extract1 both the species1 as well as all the inspissated juices4 ,since however the former of these arrangements will afford greater facilities for introducing the observations which it is my intention to offer1 it is retained in this work4 ,the chemical nature of extracts must obviously be very complicated and variable1 depending in a great degree upon the powers of the menstruum employed for their preparation2 although ,fourcroy and ,vauquelin considered that one peculiar principle was the basis of them all1 which they called ,extract1 ,extractive1 or the ,extractive ,principle4 ,it is distinguished by the following characters1 viz4 ,it has a strong taste1 varying in different plants2 it is soluble in water1 and in alcohol when it contains water1 but is quite insoluble in absolute alcohol and ther2 its aqueous solution soon runs into a state of putrefaction2 by repeated solutions and evaporations1 or by long ebullition1 it acquires a deeper colour1 and in consequence of its combination with oxygen it becomes insoluble and inert1 a fact which is of extreme importance as it regards its pharmaceutical relations2 it unites with alumine1 and if boiled with its salts1 precipitates it1 hence wool1 cotton1 or thread1 impregnated with alum1 may be dyed of a fawn-colour by extractive2 its habitudes with alkalies are very striking1 combining most readily and forming with them compounds of a brownish yellow colour1 which are very soluble in water2 if to a colourless and extremely dilute solution of extractive1 an alkali be added1 a brown or yellowish tint is immediately produced1 so that under certain circumstances ,i have found an alkali to be a serviceable test in detecting the presence of extractive matter4 ,the usual brown hue of the liquor ammoni acetatis1 is owing to the action of the ammonia upon traces of vegetable extractive contained in the distilled vinegar4 ,much confusion has arisen from the word extract having been employed in this double meaning1--chemically to express a peculiar vegetable proximate principle1 and pharmaceutically to denote any substance however complicated in its nature1 which has been obtained by the evaporation of a vegetable solution or a native vegetable juice4 ,it is in the latter sense that it is to be understood in the present article4 ,the different proximate principles of vegetable matter undergo various and indefinite changes with such rapidity1 when acted upon by heat1 that the process of extraction must necessarily more or less impair the medicinal efficacy of a plant1 and not unfrequently destroy it altogether1 and hence1 says ,dr4 ,murray1 8with the exception of some of the pure bitters1 as gentian1 or some of the saccharine vegetables1 as liquorice1 there is no medicine perhaps but what may be given with more advantage under some other form20 this however is not exactly true1 for when care is taken in the preparation1 we are thus enabled to concentrate many very powerful qualities in a small space1 and the process lately adopted of evaporating the solutions by the aid of steam1 contributes very materially to obviate the failures which so frequently occurred from a too exalted temperature4 ,there is1 for instance1 great reason to suppose that the black colour which so often characterises the extracts of commerce1 is frequently owing to the decomposition and carbonization of the vegetable matter2 the colour therefore of an extract becomes in some degree a test of its goodness4 ,i have lately examined the extracts of commerce with some attention1 and ,i find the presence of iron by no means an uncommon circumstance2 when thus contaminated they afford a very dirty coloured solution1 which rapidly becomes darker on exposure to air4 ,the extracts mentioned in the preface as made by ,mr4 ,barry1 by evaporating in vacuo1 deserve the attention of the profession2 the principle is without doubt well calculated to secure the active matter of the plant from those changes to which it is constantly liable during the ordinary operation of inspissation4 ,the extracts1 thus prepared1 are certainly more powerful in their effects1 and some few of them appear also to possess properties which are not to be distinguished in the ,extracts of ,commerce2 those of narcotic plants1 as ,hemlock1 ,hyoscyamus1 c4 are decidedly more efficacious2 where the practitioner directs their use1 he should1 to prevent any mistake1 add the words in vacuo prp4 as in ,formula #d2 for on account of the difference in the strength of these preparations1 and of those prepared by the ordinary method1 they cannot be indiscriminately employed4 ,dr4 ,john ,davy1 at my request1 has made trial of these extracts in the ,military ,hospital at ,fort ,pitt1 and as his results coincide with those obtained in my own practice1 ,i shall relate1 under the history of each ,extract1 the comparative conclusions which have been obtained4 #a4 ,,watery ,,or ,,simple ,,extracts4 ,mucilaginous ,extracts of ,rouelle4 ,these extracts must1 of course1 contain all the principles of a plant which are soluble in water1 such as gum1 extractive matter1 tannin1 cinchonin1 sugar1 fecula1 c4 together with any soluble salts which the vegetable may contain4 ,i have also found by experiment that an aqueous extract may even contain1 in small proportions1 certain elements which1 although quite insoluble in water1 are nevertheless partially soluble in vegetable infusion4 ,this law of vegetable chemistry has never been expressed1 although we have repeated instances of its truth1 and a knowledge of it may explain some hitherto unintelligible anomalies4 ,it has been stated that extractive matter is perfectly insoluble in ther1 but ,mr4 ,a4 ,thomson found repeatedly1 that if a small portion of resin was present1 ther would in that case take up extractive in combination with the resin which it so readily dissolves4 ,as decoction or infusion is a process preliminary to that of extraction1 the practitioner must refer to those articles for an enumeration of the different sources of error which are attached to them4 ,,extractum ,,aloes ,,purificatum4 ,l4 ,the resinous element of the aloes is got rid of in this preparation2 on which account it is supposed1 in an equal dose1 to be more purgative and less irritating4 ,dose1 gr4 x to xv4 ,form3 #ab1 #ac1 #cf4 ,,extractum ,,anthemidis4 ,l4,e4 ,extract4 ,florum ,chammeli4 ,d4 ,this extract furnishes an example of the change effected on some plants by the process of extraction2 in this case the volatile oil is dissipated1 and a simple bitter remains1 possessing scarcely any of the characteristic properties of chamomile4 ,this remark1 however1 does not apply to this extract1 when prepared in vacuo4 ,i have lately received from ,mr4 ,pope of ,oxford ,street1 a specimen which retains1 in the most eminent degree1 all the odour and taste of the recent flower4 ,dose1 gr4 x-j4 ,,extractum ,,cinchon4 ,l4,d4 ,the properties of the bark in this preparation are much invalidated1 owing to the oxidizement of its extractive matter1 which takes place to such an extent1 that not more than one half of the preparation is soluble in water2 it is not however altogether devoid of utility1 and will often sit lightly on the stomach1 when the powder is rejected4 ,its taste is very bitter1 but less austere than the powder4 ,the most beautiful extract of bark1 which ,i have ever seen1 was prepared by ,mr4 ,barry of ,plough ,court2 its colour was that of a deep brilliant ruby1 and its flavour preserved all the characteristic peculiarity of the recent substance4#dii ,dose1 grs4 x to ss4 ,fourteen ounces of the bark will yield about three ounces and a half of extract4 ,it should be kept soft1 so as to be fit for forming pills1 and hard1 so that it may be reduced to powder4 ,,extractum ,,colocynthidis4 ,l4 ,this extract is much milder1 although less powerful1 than the pulp2 ,dose1 grs4 v to ss4 ,it soon becomes hard and mouldy4#ejj ,,extractum ,,gentian4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,the bitter principle suffers no deterioration in the process3 it is used principally as a vehicle for metallic preparations4 ,form4 #cf1 #ec1 #ajc4 ,dose1 gr4 x to j4 ,,extractum ,,glycyrrhiz4 ,l4,d4 ,it is usually imported from ,spain2 in the coarser kinds1 the pulps of various plums and of prunes are added2 it should dissolve in water without leaving any feculence4#eja ,,extractum ,h,,matoxyli4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,the astringent properties of the logwood are preserved in the extract1 but it becomes so extremely hard1 that pills made of it very commonly pass through the body without undergoing the least change4 ,dose1 grs4 x to ss dissolved in cinnamon water3 it sometimes imparts a bloody hue to the urine of those who have taken it4 ,,extractum ,,humuli4 ,l4 ,the bitter taste of the hop characterises this preparation2 whether it possesses1 or not1 any anodyne properties1 seems very doubtful4 ,dose1 grs4 v to j4 ,,extractum ,,opii4 ,l4,d4 ,as it contains less resinous matter than crude opium1 it is supposed to produce its effects with less subsequent derangement4 ,see ,opium4 ,dose1 gr4 j to v1 for an adult4 ,,extractum ,,papaveris4 ,l4,d4 ,it is a weak opium4 ,dose1 grs4 ij to j4 ,,extractum ,,sarsaparill4 ,notwithstanding the reputation which this preparation has acquired1 it is very doubtful whether it possesses any medicinal powers4 ,dose1 gr4 x to j in pills1 or dissolved in the decoction4 ,,extractum ,,stramonii4 ,this extract was first recommended by ,sterck1 as a powerful remedy in maniacal affections2 its probable value in such diseases appears to have been suggested by a very curious process of reasoning1 viz4 that as it deranged the intellect of the sane1 it might possibly correct that of the insane4 ,experience has certainly not confirmed the very sanguine report of ,sterck with regard to its powers1 but it has satisfactorily shewn its occasional value in violent paroxysms1 in quieting the mind1 and procuring rest4 ,i am informed by my friend ,dr4 ,davy1 that1 for such an object1 it has been very frequently and successfully given1 in the ,lunatic ,military ,hospital at ,fort ,clarence4 ,he farther states that he has himself made many trials with the extract of ,stramonium1 prepared by ,mr4 ,barry 7in vacuo7 as well as with the common extract2 and that he finds the former to be uniformly more powerful4 8,in most diseases10 says he1 8this medicine would seem uncertain in its operation1 sometimes occasioning an anodyne effect1 and1 at other times1 producing irritation1 and preventing sleep2 ,i have1 however1 seen very beneficial effects from it in asthma1 and in coughs that have a nightly exacerbation1 in doses of from gr4 #a_/d to gr4 #b1 daily40 ,,extractum ,,taraxaci4 ,l4,d4 ,the medicinal powers of ,dandelion are asserted to exist unimpaired in this preparation1 but it becomes inert by keeping4 ,see ,taraxacum4 ,dose4 grs4 x to j1 in combination with sulphate of potass4 #b4 ,spirituous or ,resinous ,extracts4 ,these may contain1 with the exception of gum1 all the ingredients contained in watery extracts1 besides resin2 their composition however will greatly depend upon the strength of the spirit employed as the solvent2 but of this ,i shall speak more fully under the article ,tincture4 ,,extractum ,,cinchon ,,resinosum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,the operation of spirit in this preparation is two-fold2 it extracts from the bark the element which is insoluble in water1 and it diminishes the tendency in the extractive matter to absorb oxygen during the process4 ,dose1 grs4 x to xxx4 ,it is said that a spurious extract of bark is to be met with in the market1 consisting of the extract of the horse-chesnut tree bark1 and yellow resin4 ,,extractum ,,colocynthidis ,,compositum4 ,l4,d4 ,extract4 ,catharticum4 ,p4,l4 #agge4 ,pilul ,rudii4 ,p4,l4 #agbj4 ,this preparation has been established through successive pharmacopias1 and has undergone some modification in each2 in the present edition the soap has been restored1 and its solubility is thereby increased1 as well as its mildness as a cathartic4 ,the omission of this ingredient was formerly suggested by the consideration of its being incompatible with ,calomel2 this however is not the case4 ,it presents a combination of purgative substances which is highly judicious1 and will be found to be more powerful than an equivalent dose of any one of the ingredients4 ,dose1 gr4 v to ss1 ,form4 #ga1 #ha1 #hh4 ,,extractum ,,jalap4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,it is purgative1 but is liable to gripe1 unless it be triturated with sugar and almonds1 or mucilage1 so as to form an emulsion4 ,dose1 grs4 x to j4 ,,extractum ,,rhei4 ,l4 ,the powers of the ,rhubarb are considerably impaired in this extract4 ,dose1 grs4 x to ss4 ,form4 #gh4 #c4 ,inspissated ,juices4 ,these preparations are obtained by expressing the juices from fresh plants1 and evaporating them in a water-bath2 they are generally of a lighter colour than common extracts1 and they are certainly much more active1 although there is a great difference in the activity of different samples2 and perhaps the medicinal powers of the juices themselves are very much under the controul of soil and season4 ,that they vary in quantity from such causes we have ample proof2 thus in moist seasons1 ,beaum obtained five pounds of inspissated juice from thirty pounds of elder berries1 whereas1 in dry seasons1 he could rarely get more than two4 ,from hemlock he procured in ,october1 #agif1 #ge per cent4 of inspissated juice1 and in ,may of the same year only #cg2 on the contrary1 in ,august1 #agfh1 #d per cent41 and in ,may1 #aggf1 as much as #fe2 but in general1 the product in the autumnal months was the most considerable4 ,the modes of preparing the inspissated juices of the same plant vary in the different pharmacopias1 and in several points that are very essential2 some direct the expressed juices to be immediately inspissated1 others allow them to undergo a slight degree of fermentation1 and some defecate them1 before they proceed to their inspissation4 ,,extractum 7,succus ,spissatus4 ,e47 ,,aconiti4 ,l4,e4 ,the medicinal properties of this preparation are analogous to those of the recent ,wolfsbane1 viz4 narcotic1 and in some cases diuretic1 7see ,form4 #abh47 ,it is however rarely used4 ,dose1 at first1 should not exceed gr4 1 but it may be gradually increased4 ,i have not yet1 says ,dr4 ,davy1 in a letter recently received from him1 had much experience of the ,extractum ,aconiti1 but that little is favourable to its use2 8in some cases of chronic rheumatism1 and in some of intermittent fever1 complicated with visceral disease1 it has had a beneficial effect not to be mistaken2 the dose has been from one to two grains40 ,dr4 ,sterck1 who first tried this medicine1 observed from it a powerful diaphoretic effect2 this1 says ,dr4 ,davy1 8,i have not noticed1 and yet the extract which ,i have used was prepared by ,mr4 ,barry1 in vacuo1 which is certainly far more powerful than that employed by ,sterck2 the latter1 when applied to the tongue1 8levissimam tantum titillationem excitabat10 whereas that of ,mr4 ,barry produces a most disagreeable sensation of burning1 which extends to the throat2 and in one instance1 when applied to the tip of my tongue1 it occasioned ulceration40 ,,extractum ,,belladonn4 ,l4,e4 ,see ,belladonn ,folia4 ,dose1 gr4 j1 gradually increased to gr4 v1 in the form of pill4 ,dr4 ,davy has made a few trials of ,barry's ,extract2 the results of which he informs me are not at all favourable to the use of this medicine2 it is much more powerful than the common extract1 and can only be given with safety in small doses2 8in several instances10 says he1 8,i have not been able to repeat a grain dose daily1 more than thrice1 on account of the alarming symptoms produced1 as head-ache1 vertigo1 indistinct vision with dilated pupil1 and1 in one case1 irritation of the bladder1 occasioning very frequent micturition2 in chronic rheumatism and catarrh1 with severe cough1 the only diseases in which ,i have yet given it1 it has not appeared to be in the least serviceable2 it may probably prove valuable to the oculist2 from trials that have been made of it here by ,mr4 ,miller1 ,assistant ,surgeon to the ,forces1 it has been found to dilate the pupil beyond the common extract4 ,sterck even introduced his extract into the eye with impunity4 ,acrid as the preparation is which ,i have used1 the patients have never complained of it1 nor have ,i known any disagreeable effects from it1 when applied in solution1 sufficiently dilute40 ,,extractum 7,succus ,spissatus4 ,e4,d47 ,,conii4 ,l4 ,much of this extract1 as it is found in commerce1 has not been prepared with equal fidelity1 nor with due attention to the season when the plant is in its greatest perfection2 ,dr4 ,fothergill says1 8,i know from repeated experiments1 that the extract which has been prepared from hemlock1 before the plant arrives at maturity1 is much inferior to that which is made when the plant has acquired its full vigour1 and is rather on the verge of decline3 just when the flowers fade1 the rudiments of the seeds become observable1 and the habit of the plant inclines to yellow1 is the proper time to collect it20 the plants which grow in places exposed to the sun should be selected1 as being more virose than those that grow in the shade3 still however with every precaution1 it will always be uncertain in strength4 ,orfila found that an extract prepared by boiling the dried powder in water1 and evaporating the decoction1 was inert2 in fact1 the whole of the activity of the plant resides in a resinous element insoluble in water1 and for which ,i have proposed the name of ,conein4 ,extract of hemlock1 when judiciously prepared1 is a very valuable sedative2 ,i state this from ample experience1 and when combined with ,hyoscyamus1 and adapted by means of mucilage and syrup1 to the form of a mixture1 it affords a more effectual palliative than any remedy with which ,i am acquainted1 for coughs and pulmonary irritation4 ,form4 #ai4 is that from which ,i have derived the greatest benefit in such cases4 ,see also ,form4 #b1 #c1 #d1 #ai1 #eg4 ,since the fourth edition of the present work1 ,i requested my friend ,dr4 ,john ,davy to make trial of its efficacy in the ,military ,hospital at ,chatham1 and ,i here introduce his report upon the subject2--8,my experience of the effects of the ,extractum ,conii perfectly agrees with that of ,dr4 ,paris1 as stated in the fourth edition of the ,pharmacologia1 and ,i am of his opinion that when properly prepared1 and administered1 it is a very valuable sedative2 ,i have given it to the extent daily of from a scruple to a drachm1 in chronic catarrh1 and in phthisis pulmonalis1 either alone or in conjunction with the ,extract of ,hyoscyamus1 and it has afforded more relief than any other medicine that ,i have tried4 ,from two or three trials of it in pneumonia1 ,i am disposed to think it may be very serviceable in certain forms of this disease1 in which venesection is contra-indicated by extreme debility2 and also in measles4 ,in the trials alluded to1 ,i commenced giving it in the large dose of a drachm1 daily1 suspended in water containing in solution a grain of ,antimonium ,tartarizatum4 ,in a very few instances1 where ,i have from the commencement given it in a large dose1 as from j to iss1 it has occasioned hallucination of ideas1 which in two cases was attended with excitement of the sensorium and increased action of the heart1 and in one case1 with diminished activity of both4 ,the ,extract of ,conium1 prepared by ,mr4 ,barry1 is the most powerful one ,i have ever used1 indeed1 until ,i tried it1 ,i had no just idea of the virtues of ,conium as a medicine2 but ,i am now disposed to give credit to ,sterk's account of its efficacy in various chronic diseases2 and ,i have no doubt but that this valuable medicine has fallen into comparative disrepute and disuse from the bad quality of the extract commonly employed40 ,dr4 ,maton has found that the value of this extract is greatly increased by including the seeds in its preparation4 ,dose1 grs4 v to j2 or more1 twice or thrice a day2 in a full dose it produces giddiness1 a slight nausea1 and a tremor of the body2 a peculiar heavy sensation is also experienced about the eyes2 and the bowels become gently relaxed3 unless some of these sensations are produced1 we are never sure that the remedy has had a fair trial of its effects4 ,patients will generally bear a larger dose at night than at noon1 and at noon than in the morning4 ,,extractum ,,elaterii4 ,l4 ,this substance spontaneously subsides from the juice of the wild cucumber1 in consequence ,i presume of one of those series of changes which vegetable matter is perpetually undergoing1 although we are hitherto unable to express them by any known chemical law4 ,it is therefore not an extract1 either in the chemical or pharmaceutical acceptation of the term1 nor an inspissated juice1 nor is it a fecula1#ejb as it has been termed2 the ,dublin ,college has perhaps been more correct in simply calling it ,elaterium1 the name given to it by ,dioscorides4 ,it occurs in commerce in little thin cakes1 or broken pieces1 bearing the impression of the muslin upon which it has been dried2 its colour is greenish1 its taste bitter1 and somewhat acrid2 and when tolerably pure1 it is light1 pulverulent1 and inflammable4 ,the early history of this medicinal substance is involved in great perplexity1 each author speaking of a different preparation by the same name2 for instance1 the ,elaterium of ,dioscorides must have been a very different substance from that of ,theophrastus2 and1 wherever ,hippocrates mentions the term1 he evidently alludes to any violent purgative4 8,hippocrati ,elaterium medicamentum est quod per alvum expurgat40 7,bod3 in ,theophrast47 ,this will1 in some degree1 reconcile the discordant testimonies of different authors with regard to the powers of ,elaterium2 for example1 ,dioscorides states its dose to be from grs4 ii to j--in tius1 ,paulus1 and ,actuarius1 it is recommended to the extent of ss--in ,mesue from ss to j--in ,bontius 7,med3 ,ind37 from j to ss--,massarias exhibits it in doses of gr4 vj--,fernelius and ,sennertus to j--,herman from grs4 v vj--,quincy to grs4 v--and ,boerhaave does not venture to give more than gr4 iv--while the practitioners of the present day limit their dose from gr4 to grs4 ij4 ,dr4 ,clutterbuck1 with a laudable intention to discover some method of procuring this article at a cheaper rate1 and at the same time of establishing some process which might ensure a preparation of more uniform strength1 has lately performed a series of interesting and instructive experiments1#ejc the results of which prove in a satisfactory manner 8that the active principle of this plant is neither lodged in the roots1 leaves1 flowers1 nor stalks1 in any considerable quantity3 nor is it to be found in the body of the fruit itself1 or in the seeds1 but in the juice around the seeds2 the substance which spontaneously subsides from this liquor1 obtained without pressure1 is genuine ,elaterium1 the quantity of which1 contained in the fruit1 is extremely small1 for ,dr4 ,clutterbuck obtained only six grains from forty cucumbers40 ,this gentleman communicated the detail of these experiments to the ,president of the ,college of ,physicians1 who requested me1 as professor of ,materia ,medica1 to report upon them4 ,i accordingly deemed it to be my duty to enter upon a series of new experiments1 which ,i have lately completed1 with the able assistance of ,mr4 ,faraday1 in the laboratory of the ,royal ,institution4 ,the results of which will shew1 that although ,dr4 ,clutterbuck found that an eighth part of a grain of elaterium seldom failed to purge violently1 yet1 strange as it may appear1 that not more than one grain in ten of elaterium1 as it occurs in commerce1 possesses any active properties1 and that this decimal part is a vegetable proximate principle1 not hitherto noticed1 to which ,i shall give the name of ,,elatin4 ,i shall subjoin the detail of my experiments1 and ,i think it will appear that their results will authorise me to express the chemical composition of ,elaterium in the following manner4 ,f4 ,water #d ,b4 ,extractive #bf ,i4 ,b4,,dj ,fecula #bh ,c4 ,gluten #e ,k4 ,woody matter #be ,h4 ,elatin #ab ,g4 ,bitter ,principle ------ #aj grains4 ,proximate ,analysis of ,elaterium4 ,experiments4 ,series #ast4 ,a4 ,ten grains of ,elaterium1 obtained from a respectable chemist1 and having all the sensible properties which indicated it to be genuine1 were digested for twenty-four hours with distilled water1 at a temperature far below that of boiling2 four grains only were dissolved4 ,b4 ,the solution was intensely bitter1 of a brownish yellow colour1 and was not in the least disturbed by alcohol1 although a solution of ,iodine produced a blue colour2 the solution therefore contained no gum1 and only slight traces of starch4 ,c4 ,the solution1 after standing twenty-four hours1 yielded a pellicle of insoluble matter1 which when burnt appeared to resemble ,gluten4 ,d4 ,the six grains which were insoluble in water1 were treated for forty-eight hours with alcohol of the specific gravity #hag1 at #ff of ,fahrenheit2 a green solution was obtained1 but by slow evaporation only half a grain of solid green matter was procured4 ,the insoluble residue obstinately adhered to1 and coated the filtre like a varnish1 and completely defended the mass from the action of the alcohol2 it is probable that it consisted principally of ,starch4 ,experiments4 ,series #b;d4 ,e4 ,ten grains of ,elaterium1 from the same sample1 were treated with alcohol of the specific gravity #hag1 at #ff ,fahrenheit1 for twenty-four hours2 upon being filtered1 and the residuum washed with successive portions of alcohol1 the ,elaterium was found to have lost #af of a grain4 ,the high specific gravity of the alcohol in this experiment was important2 had it been lower1 different results would have been produced4 ,f4 ,the alcoholic solution obtained in the last experiment1 was of a most brilliant and beautiful green colour1 resembling that of the oil of cajeput1 but brighter2 upon slowly evaporating it1 #ab grains of solid green matter were obtained4 ,g4 ,the solid green matter of the last experiment was treated with boiling distilled water1 when a minute portion was thus dissolved1 and a solution of a most intensely bitter taste1 and of a brownish yellow colour1 resulted4 ,h4 ,the residue1 insoluble in water1 was inflammable1 burning with smoke and an aromatic odour1 not in the least bitter2 it was soluble in alkalies1 and was again precipitated from them unchanged in colour2 it formed1 with pure alcohol1 a beautiful tincture1 which yielded an odour of a very nauseous kind1 but of very little flavour1 and which gave a precipitate with water2 it was soft1 and of considerable specific gravity1 sinking rapidly in water2 circumstances which distinguish it from common resin2 in very minute quantities it purges4 ,it appears to be the element in which the purgative powers of the ,elaterium are concentrated1 and which ,i have denominated ,,elatin4 ,i4 ,the residuum1 insoluble in alcohol1 weighing #hd grs4 7,expt4 ,e7 was boiled in double distilled water1 when #ei grs4 were dissolved4 ,j4 ,the above solution was copiously precipitated blue by a solution of ,iodine1 and was scarcely disturbed by the ,per-sulphate of ,iron4 ,k4 ,the part insoluble1 both in alcohol and water1 which was left after ,experiment ,i1 amounting to #be grains2 it burnt like wood1 and was insoluble in alkalies4 ,it appears that the whole of the ,elatin does not separate itself from its native juice by spontaneous subsidence1 and that1 on this account1 the supernatant liquor possesses some powers as a cathartic4 ,we cannot be surprised therefore that the ,elaterium of commerce should be a very variable and uncertain medicine2 for independent of the great temptation which its high price holds out for adulterating it1 which is frequently done with starch1 it necessarily follows that where the active principle of a compound bears so small a proportion to its bulk1 it is liable to be affected by the slightest variation in the process for its preparation1 and even by the temperature of the season2 where pressure is used for obtaining the juices1 a greater or less quantity of the inactive parts of the cucumber will be mixed with the ,elatin1 in proportion to the extent of such pressure1 and the ,elaterium will of course be proportionally weak4#ejd ,there is one curious result obtained in my experiments which deserves notice1 viz4 that there is a bitter principle in the ,elaterium1 very distinct from its extractive matter1 and totally unconnected with its activity1 for ,i diluted the solution obtained in experiment ,g4 and swallowed it1 but it produced upon me no effect1 except that which ,i generally experience upon taking a powerful bitter1--an increased appetite2 and yet notwithstanding this fact1 when in combination with ,elatin1 it is far from being inert1 since this latter body is considerably quickened by its presence4 ,see page #aeb4 ,the solution ,b was given to a person1 but no effect whatever ensued4 ,dose of good ,elaterium1 as it occurs in commerce1 is about one grain1 or it is better to give it only to the extent of half a grain at a time1 and to repeat that dose every hour until it begins to operate4 ,it is probably1 when thus managed1 the best hydragogue cathartic which we possess2 it differs however from the class of remedies to which it belongs1 for it excites the pulse and whole animal system1 so as to produce a considerable degree of febrile action4 ,it was strongly recommended by ,sydenham1 ,lister1 and ,hoffman1 and all their cotemporaries and immediate successors1 as a valuable remedy in dropsy2 but in consequence of some fatal results from its improper application1 it was driven from practice with a violence that marks prejudice rather than conviction2 one author1 in descanting upon its virulence1 exclaims1 8,elaterium esse in catalogo diaboli quo necat homines40 ,for its restoration to medicine1 we are indebted to ,dr4 ,ferriar of ,manchester1 who used it with great success in the cure of ,hydrothorax4 ,,extractum 7,succus ,spissatus4 ,e4,d47 ,,hyoscyami4 ,l4 ,this preparation is certainly powerfully narcotic1 and tends to relax rather than astringe the bowels2 where the constitution is rebellious to opium1 it furnishes a more valuable resource to the practitioner than any other narcotic extract4 ,dose1 gr4 v to j1 in pills4 ,see ,form4 #a1 #c1 #d1 #ai1 #aci4 ,,extractum ,,lactuc4 ,l4 ,,succus ,,spissatus ,,lactuc ,,sativ4 ,e4 ,this preparation has found its way into the ,london ,pharmacopia1 in consequence of the testimony of many highly respectable practitioners in favour of its sedative properties4 ,in the memoirs of the ,caledonian ,horticultural ,society1 various suggestions are offered as to the best mode of obtaining an extract from the milky juice of the garden ,lettuce1 to which ,dr4 ,duncan has bestowed the name of 8,,lactucarium20 it was first recommended to take the milk with cotton1 afterwards with a sponge1 and more recently with a painter's brush2 all these methods however are attended with considerable difficulty1 and the juice cannot be collected in any quantity4 ,mr4 ,probart1 a chemist in ,great ,portland ,street1 has lately cultivated large plantations of the lettuce1 for the purpose of instituting experiments upon the subject1 and ,i am happy in being enabled through his liberality1 to introduce in this place1 an account of the process which he pursues1 and which he considers the only one by which the article can be brought into the market at any reasonable price4#eje ,in concluding the history of ,inspissated juices1 it deserves notice that the ,london ,college uniformly directs that the feculence should be preserved in the compound3 there can be no doubt of the propriety of such advice1 but the ,colleges of ,edinburgh and ,dublin reject it4 ,the ,french ,codex gives directions for two extracts from each of these substances1 one containing what they please to denominate the fecula1 the other not2 thus there is 8,extractum ,cicut absque ,fecula0 and 8,extract3 ,cicut3 cum ,fecula40 ,there is one curious fact respecting these narcotic preparations1 that most1 if not all of them1 contain nitre1 common salt1 and muriate of potass4 ,manufacturing chemists1 in order to give a smooth and glossy appearance to their ,extracts1 generally add to every j1 about ss of gum1 fj of olive oil1 and xx of rectified spirit2 there is no harm in the practice4 ,,ferri ,,sub-,,carbonas4 ,l4 ,,carbonas ,,ferri ,,pr,,cipitatus4 ,e4 ,,carbonas ,,ferri4 ,d4 ,carbonate of ,iron4 ,in a former ,pharmacopia of ,london1 a sub-carbonate of iron was prepared1 under the name of ferri-rubigo 7rust of iron17 by exposing iron-filings to the action of air and water2 and although the ,colleges of ,edinburgh and ,dublin still retain this mode of preparation1 yet they admit at the same time of another which1 like the sub-carbonate of the present ,london ,pharmacopia1 is produced by precipitation4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a chocolate brown powder4 ,odour1 none4 ,taste1 slightly styptic4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,mr4 ,phillips has shewn that this precipitate is liable to vary according to the temperature at which it is prepared1 as well as from other differences of manipulation2 it generally consists of mixtures of peroxide1 and proto-carbonate of iron1 in the proportion of four parts of the latter1 and six of the former4 ,by referring to the ,medicinal ,dynameter the practitioner may find the quantity of those ingredients in any given weight of the preparation1 and compare its strength with the other chalybeate medicines4 ,,solubility4 ,it is insoluble in water1 but acids dissolve it with effervescence4 ,forms of ,exhibition4 ,in powder or pills1 combined with aromatics4 ,,dose1 gr4 v to xxx4 7,form4 #ch47 ,it has lately been brought into particular notice by the publication of ,mr4 ,hutchinson of ,southwell1 who states that in doses of half a drachm to a drachm1 two or three times a day1 it has proved in his hands a most efficacious remedy in the cure of ,tic doloureux4 ,mr4 ,hutchinson is well known to the profession as a judicious and inquiring practitioner1 and we are well satisfied that he would not recommend any remedy to the attention of his brethren1 without a well grounded assurance of its efficacy2 at the same time it must be remembered that this disease is very frequently the consequence of an irritation in some nerve1 by the mechanical operation of osseous spicul2 in such cases we cannot expect the sub-carbonate of ,iron to afford relief4 ,a noble ,marquis who lost his leg at ,waterloo1 suffered excruciating pains in his face1 in consequence of exfoliation in the stump1 which were relieved as soon as the local irritation subsided2 and a late lamented physician appears to have owed his severe sufferings to the irritation produced on the brain by a bony excrescence4 ,i have little doubt if cases of ,tic doloureux were more carefully examined1 they would be frequently found to derive their origin from a similar source4 ,if it were necessary ,i could add several of such instances to those already enumerated4#ejf ,,ferri ,,ramenta ,,et ,,fila4 ,l4 ,,fila ,,et ,,limatura4 ,e4 ,,ferri ,,scobs4 ,d4 ,iron ,filings and ,wire4 ,iron seems to be a metal that proves active in its metallic state2 its filings may be given in the form of powder1 conjoined to some aromatic1 or what is perhaps more eligible1 in the form of an electuary4 ,the ,mahometan practitioners are in the habit of prescribing them1 in conjunction with ginger1 and cummin seeds1 in cases requiring tonics4 ,,dose1 grs4 v to ss4 ,,impurities4 ,iron filings should be carefully purified by the application of the magnet1 since those obtained from the work-shops are generally mixed with copper and other metals4 ,for pharmaceutical purposes1 iron wire should be preferred1 as being the most pure1 since the softest iron only can be drawn1 and ,mr4 ,phillips has shewn us1 in his experiments upon the 8,ferrum ,tartarizatum0 that soft iron is more easily acted upon by ,tartar4 ,,ferri ,,sulphas4 ,l4 ,,sulphas ,,ferri4 ,e4,d4 ,ferrum ,vitriolatum4 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,sal ,martis4 ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,sal1 seu ,vitriolatum ,martis4 ,p4,l4 #agbj4 ,sulphate of ,iron1 formerly ,green ,vitriol4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 crystals1 which are rhomboidal prisms1 transparent1 and of a fine green colour2 when exposed to the air they effloresce1 and at the same time become covered with a yellow powder1 owing to the attraction of oxygen2 when exposed to heat1 they undergo watery fusion1 and at a higher temperature1 the acid is driven off and the peroxide of iron alone remains1 which in commerce is known by the name of ,colcothar4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,according to ,dr4 ,thomson1 it consists of #bgg of sulphuric acid1 #bhc of protoxide of iron1 and #de of water2 #h parts1 however1 of this water1 exist in combination with the oxide of iron4 ,the ,medicinal ,dynameter will shew the proportion of protoxide in any given weight of this salt4 ,,solubility4 ,it is soluble in two parts of water at #fj1 and three-fourths at #bab4 ,the solution reddens vegetable blues4 ,it is insoluble in alcohol2 when however the iron is farther oxidized1 it becomes soluble in that menstruum4#ejg ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,every salt whose base forms an insoluble compound with sulphuric acid2 the earths1 the alkalies and their carbonates2 borate of soda2 nitrate of potass2 muriate of ammonia2 tartrate of potass and soda2 acetate of ammonia2 nitrate of silver2 sub-acetate and acetate of lead2 and ,soaps4 ,whether the medicinal virtues of a salt of iron are injured by combination with astringent vegetable matter1 seems to admit of doubt4 ,such substances have been usually ranked amongst the incompatibles1 but ,i am disposed to think without sufficient grounds1 for ,i have frequently witnessed the salutary effects of iron when exhibited in this questionable state of combination--may not the absorbents be more disposed to take up iron1 when combined with vegetable matter1 than when it is presented in a more purely mineral form8#ejh ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,tonic1 astringent1 emmenagogue1 and anthelmintic2 in large doses1 it occasions griping in the bowels4 ,,dose1 gr4 j to v1 combined with rhubarb1 or some bitter extract4 7form3 #gb1 #hg47 ,if given in solution1 the water should be previously boiled1 or the oxygen contained in the atmospherical air1 which is diffused through it1 will partially convert the salt into an oxy-sulphat1 and render it insoluble4 ,as an external astringent it is useful in the aphth of children4#eji ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,mist3 ,ferri comp3 ,l4 7,k7 ,pil3 ,ferri comp3 ,l4 7,j74 ,,ferrum ,,ammoniatum4 ,l4 ,,murias ,,ammoni ,,et ,,ferri4 ,e4,d4 ,ferrum ,ammoniacale1 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,flores ,martiales4 ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,ens ,veneris4 ,p4,l4 #agbj4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 crystalline grains1 which deliquesce2 ,colour1 orange yellow2 ,odour1 resembling that of saffron2 ,taste1 styptic4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,this is very variable2 depending upon the degree of heat and length of time employed for its preparation4 ,it seems to be a mixed mass1 consisting of sub-muriate of ammonia and sub-muriate of iron1 the metal being in the state of red oxide2 and1 ,mr4 ,phillips states that in the ,london preparation a portion of sub-carbonate of ammonia is necessarily present4 ,the same chemist has also shewn that the proportion of ,peroxide of iron in #bjj grains is not more than three grains4 ,its equivalents will be seen in the ,medicinal ,dynameter4 ,,solubility1 fj of water dissolves iv of it2 it is also very soluble in alcohol4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,the ,alkalies1 and their ,carbonates2 ,lime water1 and ,astringent vegetables4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is tonic1 emmenagogue1 and aperient1 but it is so uncertain in its composition and effects that it is rarely used4 ,,officinal ,,prep3 ,tinct3 ,ferri ,ammon3 ,l4 ,form3 #cf1 #dc1 #ie4 ,,impurities4 ,these are indicated by the dull and pale yellow colour of the salt2 it may be purified by resubliming it4 ,,ferrum ,,tartarizatum4 ,l4 ,,tartras ,,potass ,,et ,,ferri4 ,e4 ,,tartarum ,,ferri4 ,d4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a powder of a brownish green colour2 ,odour1 none2 ,taste1 slightly styptic2 it attracts humidity from the atmosphere1 but does not deliquesce4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,mr4 ,phillips has devoted much attention to this subject1 and he states that as it is frequently prepared1 it is a mere mixture of metallic iron with super-tartrate of potass1 coloured by oxide of iron2 when however it is made with more care1 it appears to be a double salt1 consisting of tartrate of potass and tartrate of iron2 or may it not be one of those combinations which cream of tartar forms with metals1 and of which ,i have spoken under the article ,antimonium ,tartarizatum8 ,the quantity of peroxide of iron contained in any weight of this preparation may be seen by referring to the ,medicinal ,dynameter2 five grains1 for instance1 will be found to contain gr4 j of peroxide1 which1 it will be observed1 are equivalent to xiv of the ,tinctura ,ferri ,muriatis1 and to xxv of the ,liquor ,ferri ,alkalini1 or to fj of the ,vinum ,ferri4 ,,solubility4 ,it is very soluble in water1 and the solution remains for a great length of time without undergoing any change1 except that of depositing tartrate of lime1 which is an incidental impurity in the super-tartrate of potass4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,all strong acids2 lime water2 hydro-sulphuret of potass2 astringent vegetables8 ,the fixed alkalies and their carbonates decompose the solution very slowly1 unless heated2 but ammonia and its sub-carbonate produce upon it no effect1 whether it be hot or cold2 this fact1 observes ,mr4 ,phillips1 will enable us to exhibit iron in solution with an alkali1 without the occurrence of an precipitate4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,the perfect preparation1 from its tendency to deliquesce1 cannot be well ordered in the form of powder2 that of solution is probably the most judicious4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is supposed to add to its chalybeate virtues those of a diuretic nature4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to ss4 ,see ,form3 #cd1 #ec1 #ib4 ,dr4 ,bateman has recommended a watery solution of it1 as a chalybeate peculiarly suited to children1 from its tasteless quality4#eaj ,,filicis ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,aspidium ,filix1 ,mas47 ,root of the ,male ,fern4 ,,qualities4 ,this root is nearly inodorous2 its taste slightly bitter1 sweetish1 sub-astringent1 and mucilaginous2 as it contains no volatile ingredient1 it may be given in decoction1 but on account of its astringency1 it must not be conjoined with a chalybeate4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,according to ,m4 ,morin1 the ,male ,fern root owes its anthelmintic property to a fatty substance1 capable of being saponified2 of a nauseous odour quite like that of the root2 of a very disagreeable taste1 heavier than water1 and distilling with water1 and when burnt1 giving a dense aromatic smoke4 ,the root1 moreover1 contains gallic and acetic acids2 uncrystallizable sugar2 tannin2 starch2 a gelatinous matter insoluble in water and alcohol2 lignine2 and various salts4 ,m4 ,morin considers the fatty matter as formed of a fixed and a volatile oil1 but farther experiments are required to make the characteristic principle of this root better understood4 7,ann4 de ,chim4 xxvi4 #bai47 ,,dose1 as an anthelmintic1#eaa j to iij1 followed by a cathartic2 its use however is superseded by more powerful and certain vermifuges4 ,the root is sometimes boiled in ale to flavour it4 ,,galbani ,,gummi ,,resina4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,galbanum4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 variegated masses1 of a yellowish brown colour2 ,odour1 fetid2 ,taste1 bitter and acrid4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is one of those vegetable products to which the name of gum-resin has been given1 see ,elemi4 ,the latest analysis of galbanum by ,m4 ,meisner1 affords the following results1 ,resin #feh2 ,gum #bbf2 ,cerasin #ah2 ,malic acid #jb2 ,volatile oil #cd2 ,vegetable ,debris #bh2 loss #cd4 ,,solubility4 ,water1 wine1 and vinegar1 by trituration1 take up one-fourth of its weight1 and form a milky mixture1 which deposits its charge by rest2 a permanent suspension1 however1 may be effected by the intermedium of egg or of gum arabic1 for which purpose the galbanum will require half its weight of gum4 ,alcohol takes up one-fifth of its weight1 and a golden yellow tincture results1 which has the sensible qualities of the galbanum1 and becomes milky on the addition of water1 but no precipitate falls4 ,a mixture of two parts of rectified spirit and one of water1 will dissolve all but the impurities4 ,by distillation1 galbanum yields half its weight of volatile oil1 which at first has a blue colour4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is antispasmodic1 expectorant1 and deobstruent1 and in a medical classification1 might be placed between ammonia and assaftida4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,no form is preferable to that of pill4 ,,officinal4 ,,prep4 ,pil4 ,galbani comp4 ,l4 ,pil4 ,assaftid4 comp4 ,e4 7,b7 ,pil4 ,myrrh4 co4 ,d4 ,tinct4 ,galb4 ,d4 ,empl4 ,galb4 ,d4 ,emplast4 ,galb4 co4 ,l4 ,emplast4 ,assaftid4 ,e4 7,b7 ,emplast4 ,gummos4 ,e4 ,,gall4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,cynips ,quercus folli ,nidus47 ,gall ,nuts4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 excrescences1 nearly round and of different magnitudes1 smooth on the surface1 but studded with tuberosities2 they are heavy1 brittle1 and break with a flinty fracture4 ,odour1 none2 ,taste1 bitter and very astringent4 ,,solubility4 ,the whole of their soluble matter is taken up by forty times their weight of boiling water4 ,alcohol1 by digestion1 dissolves 4#g1 and ther 4#e of their substance4 ,the watery infusion possesses all the properties of the gall-nut1 and reddens vegetable blues4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,is at present involved in some obscurity2 it contains tannin1 gallic acid1 a concrete volatile oil1 and perhaps extractive and gum4 ,m4 ,braconnot has also lately discovered in the gall-nut a new acid1 which he calls ,ellagic acid1 from the word galle reversed1 a nomenclature which it must be confessed is at least free from the objections urged against that which is founded upon chemical composition4 7,see ,annales de ,chimie1 vol4 ix4 p4 #ahg1 new series2 also ,children's ,essay on ,chemical ,analysis1 p4 #bgf47 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,the infusion and tincture of galls possess habitudes with which it is very important for the medical practitioner to be acquainted1 not only for the purpose of directing their exhibition with success1 but because the elements which impart to them their characteristic traits1 viz4 ,gallic ,acid and ,tannin1#eab are very widely diffused through the products of the vegetable kingdom1 and will be found to be constantly active in their chemical1 medicinal1 and pharmaceutical relations4 ,metallic salts1 especially those of iron1 produce precipitates with infusion of galls1 composed of tannin1 gallic acid1 and the metallic oxide2 of these compounds the tanno-gallate of iron is the most striking1 being of a black colour2 those of sub-acetate and acetate of lead are greyish2 tartarized antimony produces a yellowish2 sulphate of copper a brown2 sulphate of zinc reddish black2 nitrate of silver1 a deep olive2 and nitrate of mercury1 a bright yellow precipitate2 the oxy-muriate of mercury produces only an opacity4 ,sulphuric acid throws down a yellowish curdy precipitate1 muriatic1 a flaky and white one1 and nitric acid merely modifies the colour of the infusion1 although it destroys its astringency2 the solution of ammonia occasions no precipitate but renders the colour deeper1 the carbonate however throws down a precipitate2 the carbonates of the fixed alkalies produce a yellowish flaky1 and lime water a copious green precipitate4 ,the tannin in the infusion of galls is precipitated by a solution of isinglass or of any other animal jelly1 by that of starch1 and by many metallic oxides4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,galls are most powerfully astringent4 ,the native practitioners of ,india not only administer them as astringents in dysentery1 but as tonics in cases of intermittent fever4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in that of powder2 and in combination with other astringents 7,form4 #ea17 or with aromatics and bitters4 ,as a local remedy the gall-nut enters into gargles and injections2 for blind piles1 an ointment composed of #b parts of finely powdered galls1 and a small portion of opium1 with three parts of simple ointment as an excipient1 offers a very valuable resource4 7,form4 #ee47 ,in some cases of hemorrhoids1 prolapsus ani1 and fluor albus1 the application may be made in the form of a fomentation1 for which purpose two drachms of bruised galls should be macerated for an hour in a pint of boiling water1 which1 when cold1 may be used in the usual manner4 ,,dose1 for internal exhibition1 grs4 x-ij1 or more4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,tinct4 ,gallarum4 ,e4,d4 ,,observation4 ,those which are small1 protuberant1 bluish1 and heavy1 are the best1 being such as have been collected before the larv within them had changed to the state of fly1 and eaten their way out2 a white1 or a red hue indicates an inferior quality1 and are those from which the insect has escaped4 ,aleppo galls are the most valuable1 as being the most astringent4 ,,gentian ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,gentiana ,lutea1 ,radix47 ,gentian ,root4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 wrinkled pieces of various length and thickness2 ,odour1 not particular2 ,taste1 intensely bitter1 but not nauseous4 ,,chemical ,,composition1 resin1 a small portion of oil1 bitter extractive1 and a proportion of tannin2 it contains also mucilage1 in consequence of which the infusion frequently becomes ropy4 ,since the last edition of this work1 the continental chemists have announced the existence of an alkaline principle1 which they call ,gentia or ,gentiania1 and which is said to concentrate within itself all the virtues of the ,gentian root2 it does not appear to be in the least poisonous2 ,m4 ,majendie has injected it into the veins without any obvious effects1 and has himself swallowed two grains without experiencing any sensation but that of extreme bitterness1 followed by gentle warmth in the region of the stomach4#eac ,the root1 moreover1 contains saccharine matter1 for when fermented with water1 it yields a spirit which is extensively used by the ,swiss4 ,,solubility4 ,the virtues of this root are extracted by water and alcohol2 proof spirit is perhaps its most perfect menstruum4 ,see ,infus4 ,gentian4 comp4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is tonic and stomachic1 and its use for such purposes is of ancient date2#ead in dyspepsia1 hysteria1 and in all cases where a vegetable bitter is indicated1 it will be found a serviceable remedy4 ,,dose1 in substance1 from grs4 x to j4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,extract3 ,gentian4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,infusum ,gentian comp4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct4 ,gentian4 comp4 ,l4,e4,d4#eae ,vinum ,gentian compositum4 ,e4 ,,geranium ,,maculatum4 7,spotted ,geranium47 ,radix4 ,this plant is very common in the ,united ,states1 and is usually found in the vicinity of moist1 woody situations4 ,from the analysis of ,bigelow1 it appears to contain a very large proportion of tannin4 ,it is accordingly powerfully astringent1 and has been used with advantage in diarrha1 chronic1 dysentery and cholera infantum4 ,in powder the dose of the ,geranium is from #bj to #cj grs4--in extract1 #aj grs4--in tincture from j to ij--and in decoction from j to ij4 ,,glycyrrhiz ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d44nf c 7,glycyrrhiza ,glabra47 ,liquorice ,root4 ,stick ,liquorice4 ,,qualities4 ,taste1 sweet and mucilaginous4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,gum1 with a peculiar modication of saccharine matter 7,glycion71 or sugar in its purest form1 for it is not fermentable2 on which account it is added to beer for the purpose of imparting a sweet taste1 and at the same time enabling it to keep better4 ,,solubility4 ,water extracts both its principles1 but by long coction it becomes bitter2 alcohol extracts only its saccharine matter4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is principally employed as a demulcent in combination with other mucilaginous vegetables2 the root will yield nearly half its weight of extract4 ,liquorice covers the taste of some unpalatable medicines more effectually than any other substance1 and it has long enjoyed the reputation of assuaging thirst1 whence the ,greeks distinguished this root by the term ,adipson2 and1 perhaps1 the ,english word ,liquorice may be derived from the same belief4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,decoct3 ,sarsaparill3 comp4 ,l4,d4 7,o7 ,infus3 ,lini1 ,l4 7,b7 ,extract3 ,glycyrrhiz4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,confectio ,senn#eaf ,l4,e4 7,o7 ,,adulterations4 ,the powdered root is generally sophisticated with flour1 and sometimes with powdered guaiacum2 the fraud may be detected by its colour being a fine pale1 instead of a brownish yellow1 and by its reduced or foreign flavour4 ,,granati ,,cortex4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,punica ,granatum4 ,pomorum ,cortex4 ,pomegranate ,bark4 ,what has been said respecting the ,gall-nut1 applies with equal truth to this substance4 ,the efficacy of the bark of the root of the pomegranate1 says ,dr4 ,ainslie 7,mat4 ,med4 of ,hindostan71 as a remedy for the tape worm is now well established in ,india2 it is given in decoction1 prepared with two ounces of the fresh bark1 boiled in a pint and a half of water until only three quarters of a pint remain4 ,,guaiaci ,,resina ,,et ,,lignum4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,guaiacum ,officinale74 ,the ,resin and ,wood of ,guaiacum4 ,a4 ,,the ,,wood4 ,,qualities4 ,this wood is heavier than water1 and emits when heated an aromatic odour2 ,taste1 bitterish and sub-acrid2 to extract its virtues long decoction is required4 ,it has enjoyed great reputation as a specific in the venereal disease2 it was imported into ,europe in #aeag1 and gained immediate celebrity from curing the celebrated ,van ,hutten3 long before this period1 however1 it was used by the natives of ,st4 ,domingo4 ,boerhaave1 so late as the eighteenth century1 maintained its specific powers4 ,it seems probable that the discipline which always accompanied its exhibition1 such as sweating1 abstinence1 and purgation1 might be the means1 in the warmer climates1 of effecting cures which were attributed to the guaiacum4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,decoct3 ,guaiaci comp3 ,e4 ,decoct3 ,sarsaparill3 comp3 ,l4,d4 ,b4 ,,the ,,guaiac1 or ,resin4 ,,qualities4 ,form2 it has the aspect of a gum resin2 ,colour1 greenish brown2 it is easily pulverized1 and the powder1 which is at first grey1 becomes green on exposure to air and light1 which appears to depend upon the absorption of oxygen3 when heated1 it loses its colour2 it melts by heat2 and has a sp4 grav3 of #abbhi4 ,,solubility4 ,water dissolves out of it about #i per cent4 of extractive matter2 alcohol #ie1 and ther #dj parts in a hundred4 ,the alkaline solutions and their carbonates dissolve it readily2 ,sulphuric acid dissolves it with scarcely any effervescence1 and affords a solution of a rich claret colour2 ,nitric acid dissolves it with a copious extrication of nitrous fumes2 ,muriatic acid dissolves a small portion only2 but in all these cases the guaiacum is decomposed2 the acids are therefore incompatible with it4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,the experiments of ,mr4 ,hatchett demonstrate that it is a substance sui generis1 and not a resin1 or gum-resin4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,stimulant1 diaphoretic1#eag and in large doses1 purgative4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in that of bolus2 or diffused in water1 by means of one half of its own weight of gum arabic4 ,,dose1 gr4 x4 to ss4 ,,officinal ,,prep3 ,mist3 ,guaiac3 ,l4 ,tinct4 ,guaiac4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct4 ,guaiac4 ,ammoniat4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,pulv4 ,aloes com4 ,l4,d4 7,o4,m47 ,,adulterations4 ,common resin may be detected by the turpentine emitted when the guaiac is thrown upon hot coals2 ,manchinal gum1 by adding to the tincture a few drops of sweet spirit of nitre1 and diluting with water2 the guaiac is thus precipitated1 but the adulteration floats in white stri4 ,h,,matoxyli ,,lignum4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,hmatoxylon ,campechianum74 ,logwood4 ,,qualities4 ,the wood is hard1 compact1 and heavy4 ,odour1 none2 ,taste1 sweet1 and astringent2 ,colour1 deep red4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,the colouring matter of this wood has been very recently submitted to a rigid examination2 and the name of ,hematin has been given to it2 it affords small brilliant crystals of a reddish white colour1 and slightly astringent1 bitter1 and acrid flavour2 sulphuretted hydrogen passed through its solution in water1 gives it a yellow colour1 which disappears in a few days4 ,gelatine throws it down in reddish flakes4 ,the habitudes of ,logwood are curious with respect to mutability of colour4 ,the recent infusion1 made with distilled water1 is yellow1 but that with common water has a reddish purple colour1 which is deepened by the alkalies1 and changed to yellow by the acids2 various salts precipitate it2 acetate of lead2 alum2 the sulphates of copper and iron2 tartarized antimony2 and sulphuric1 muriatic1 nitric1 and acetic acids1 are on this account incompatible with it4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is supposed to be astringent1 and is therefore given in protracted diarrhas1 and in the latter stage of dysentery4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,extract4 ,hmatoxyli4 ,l4 ,,hellebori ,f,,tidi ,,folia ,l4 7,helleborus ,ftidus74 ,,helleboraster4 ,d4 ,the ,leaves of ,ftid ,hellebore4 ,as this plant is merely retained in the list of materia medica on account of its anthelmintic properties1 it might be well dispensed with1 since we possess many others which are much more safe1 as well as more efficacious4 ,,hellebori ,,nigri ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,the ,root of ,black ,hellebore4 ,melampodium4#eah ,christmas ,rose4 ,,qualities4 ,the fibres of the root are the parts employed2 they are about the thickness of a straw1 corrugated1 externally of a deep dark colour1 hence the epithet black2 internally white1 or of a yellowish hue4 ,odour1 unpleasant2 ,taste1 bitter and acrid4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,an analysis of this root has lately been effected by ,m4 ,m4 ,feneulle and ,capron1 from which it appears that its active principle1 unlike that of the ,white ,hellebore 7,veratrum7 is not an alkali2 the following substances enter into its composition1 viz4 #a4 ,a ,volatile ,oil4--#b4 ,a ,fatty matter4--#c4 ,a ,resin4--#d4 ,wax4--#e4 ,a ,volatile ,acid4--#f4 ,a bitter principle4--#g4 ,mucus4--#h4 ,alumina4--#i4 ,gallate of ,potass4--#aj4 ,acidulous ,gallate of ,lime4--#aa4 ,a ,salt1 with an ,ammoniacal base4 ,,solubility4 ,both water and alcohol extract its virtues1 but the spirituous solution is the most active2 long coction diminishes its powers1 hence the watery extract acts more mildly than the root4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,this is one of the most ancient articles of the materia medica4 ,ctesias1 who lived in the time of ,plato1 and anterior to ,hippocrates1 speaks of it as a medicine of important virtues4 ,by the ,greek and ,roman physicians it was highly esteemed as a remedy in ,mania 7see p4 #h47 ,the extraordinary cures performed at the island of ,anticyrus1 famous for its ,hellebore1 are celebrated by the poets and historians of antiquity4 ,it is a drastic cathartic1 and may prove therefore emmenagogue1 and hydragogue1 but in this country1 its reputation has been destroyed by the decided manner in which ,dr4 ,cullen reprobated its use4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,it is seldom given in substance1 but in the form of tincture or extract2 or in that of decoction1 made with two drachms of the root to a pint of water4 ,,dose of the powdered root1 grs4 x to j2 of the decoction1 fj4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,tinct4 ,hellebori ,nigri4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,extractum ,hellebori ,nigri4 ,e4,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,the roots of the poisonous aconites are often fraudulently substituted2 this is easily discovered1 for the aconite is lighter coloured than the palest specimens of black hellebore2 it is safe therefore to choose the darkest4 ,,hordei ,,semina4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,hordeum ,distichon4 ,semina1 tunicis nudata47 ,hordeum ,perlatum4 ,pearl ,barley4 ,barley is formed into ,pearl ,barley1 by the removal of its husk or cuticle1#eai and afterwards by being rounded and polished in a mill4 ,these well known granules consist chiefly of fecula1 with portions of mucilage1 gluten1 and sugar1 which water extracts by decoction1 but the solution soon passes into the acetous fermentation2 the bran of barley contains an acrid resin1 and it is to get rid of such an ingredient that it is deprived of its cuticle4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,decoct4 ,hordei4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,decoct4 ,hordei4 comp4 ,l4,d4 ,,humuli ,,strobili4 ,l4,e4 7,humulus ,lupulus4 ,stroboli ,siccati47 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 fragrant1 and sub-narcotic4 ,taste1 bitter1 astringent1 and aromatic4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,tannin1 #e grs42 ,extractive1 #aj grs42 ,bitter principle1 #aa grs42 ,wax1 #ab grs42 ,resin1 #cf grs42 ,lignin1 #df grs4 ,the fact1 with respect to the residence of the properties of the hop in the yellow grains scattered over its scales1 has been since confirmed by the observations of ,m4 ,payen and ,a4 ,chevalier1 who have moreover detected a volatile oil in the ,lupulin1 amounting to #b per cent42 its proportion1 however1 appears to vary in the ,hop of different countries2 the ,french hop1 for instance1 has been found to contain more than the ,belgic1 but less than the ,english2 ,hops1 moreover1 soon after having been picked1 yield1 cteris paribus1 more oil and less resin than the old2 a circumstance which induced ,m4 ,m4 ,payen and ,chevalier to suspect that the oil is capable of being resinified4 7,journal de ,pharmacie1 ,juin #ahbb47 ,this oil is similar in odour to the hop1 but much more penetrating1 narcotic1 and very acrid in the throat4 ,,solubility4 ,boiling water1 alcohol1 and ther1 extract their virtues2 but their aromatic flavour is destroyed by decoction2 like most vegetable bitters1 the cold is more grateful than the warm infusion2 its colour is deepened by alkalies1 and rendered turbid by the mineral acids2 metallic salts also produce decomposition4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,hops have been said to be tonic1 narcotic1 and diuretic2 they have been recommended in the cure of rheumatism2 and1 like many articles in the materia medica which have received the sanction of respectable practitioners1 they have been extolled far beyond their merit4 ,they undoubtedly possess the advantages of a pleasant bitter combined with a feeble narcotic2 the late ,mr4 ,freake was very sanguine as to their powers1 and at his request ,i made a series of experiments at the ,westminster ,hospital1 but ,i confess that their results have not established my confidence in their efficacy4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,extract4 ,humili4 ,l4 ,tinct4 ,humili4 ,l4 ,their use as a preservative of beer is well known1 and the philosophy of their agency is fully described in the first part of this work1 7page #afh72 it is equally notorious1 that various vegetable substances are daily substituted for them1 such as ,quassia#ebj and ,wormwood1 both of which are inferior to the ,menyanthes ,trifoliata1 or ,marsh ,trefoil4 ,the people of ,jersey are said to use the wood-sage1 ,teucrium ,scorodonia2 it imparts however a very high colour to the beer4 ,during the first four years that the ,cape of ,good ,hope was in the possession of the ,british1 more than #cjj1jjj pounds of ,aloes were imported into ,england2 how could such a quantity be consumed8 except1 as ,mr4 ,barrow states1 by the ,london ,porter brewers2 it must however be allowed that a considerable quantity of this article is used by the ,varnish makers4 ,,hydrargyrum4#eba ,l4,d4 ,,hydrarcyrus4 ,e4 ,olim1 ,argentum vivum4 ,mercury1 or ,quicksilver4 ,mercury1 in its metallic state1 is never applied to any medical use1#ebb except in visceral obstruction1 in hopes of forcing a passage by its gravity2 but under various forms of preparation1 it affords a series of very active remedies4 ,,adulterations4 ,with the exception of ,peruvian ,bark1 there is perhaps no active article in the materia medica more shamefully adulterated2 its impurity is at once indicated by its dull aspect2 by its tarnishing1 and becoming covered with a grey film2 by its diminished mobility1 in consequence of which its globules are unable to retain the spherical form1 and therefore tail1 as it is technically expressed4 ,lead is discovered by dissolving it in nitric acid1 and adding to the solution water impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen1 when1 if lead be present1 a dark brown precipitate will ensue4 ,bismuth1 by pouring the nitric solution into distilled water1 when it will appear as a white precipitate4 ,zinc1 by exposing the mercury to heat4 ,tin is detected by a dilute solution of nitro-muriate of gold1 which throws down a purple precipitate4 ,the presence of lead in mercury is a most dangerous circumstance2 ,i have once witnessed a case of cholica pictonum in consequence of it4 ,the usual mode of purifying quicksilver1 by pressing it through chamois leather1 will not separate the lead1 if it be1 as is generally the case1 in combination with bismuth2 for the manner in which the adulteration is effected1 is by melting with a gentle heat these two metals1 and adding the alloy to the mercury2 and although this alloy should exceed one-fourth of the whole bulk1 it will pass1 together with the mercury1 through chamois leather4 ,on standing1 the bismuth will be thrown upon the surface1 in the form of a dark powder1 but the lead will remain in solution4 ,the greatest part of the mercury of commerce comes from ,istria and ,friuli1 and from the ,palatinate1 and as it passes through the hands of the ,dutch1 we must expect to receive it in a state of alloy4 ,on a superficial examination1 it ought not1 when shaken with water1 to impart to it any colour2 when agitated or digested with vinegar1 it should not communicate a sweetish taste2 and when exposed in an iron spoon to heat1 it ought to evaporate entirely4 ,the ,french are so well aware of the mischievous extent to which this metal is falsified1 that in their late ,codex they direct the reduction of the red oxyd in order to obtain it2 the process however is too expensive for general adoption4 ,the ,italian ,jews purify quicksilver for their barometers1 by digesting it in dilute sulphuric acid1 which is by no means an improper process4 ,the mode directed for the purification of mercury by the ,london ,college1 7,hydrargyrum ,purificatum7 is unable to separate it completely from its more deleterious contaminations4 ,it is a general opinion in ,germany1 that mercury1 boiled in water1 will impart to it an anthelmintic virtue2#ebc this1 if it happens1 can only depend upon the impurities of the mercury2 but large draughts of cold water are in themselves anthelmintic4 ,although metallic mercury in its fluid form exerts no effect upon the animal system1 it1 nevertheless1 in a state of vapour1 manifests considerable powers2 and it is necessary for the practitioner to be informed that it assumes this condition at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere4 ,i have stated several experiments in proof of this fact in my work on ,medical ,jurisprudence1 ,art4 8,aerial ,poisons10 to which the reader may refer4 ,,hydrargyrum ,,pr,,cipitatum ,,album4 ,l4 ,,sub-,,murias ,,hydrargyri ,,ammoniatum4 ,d4 ,white ,precipitate4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 an impalpable powder of a snowy whiteness2 ,odour and ,taste1 none4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is a triple compound of oxide of mercury #ha1 muriatic acid #af1 ammonia #c parts4 ,,solubility4 ,it is insoluble in water1 and in alcohol2 when triturated with lime water it does not become black4 ,it is now only used in combination with lard as an ointment2 formerly it was administered internally1 and ,boerhaave strongly recommends it as a safe and mild mercurial1 and as seldom1 if ever1 exciting copious salivation4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,unguent4 ,hydrarg4 prcipitati albi4 ,l4,d4 ,,hydrargyrum ,,cum ,,creta4 ,l4,d4 ,mercury with ,chalk4 ,this is mercury slightly oxydized by trituration1 and mixed with chalk4 ,grs4 iij contain about one grain of mercury4 ,,dose1 grs4 v to ss4 ,it is a mild and excellent mercurial1 and has been known to cure syphilitic affections1 when the constitution had proved rebellious to every other form of preparation4 ,dr4 ,george ,fordyce committed a great error1 when he denied to this compound any mercurial efficacy4 ,the peculiar mildness of this preparation has been very justly attributed to the effects of the carbonate of lime1 in neutralizing acid matter in the prim vi4 ,in ,mesenteric affections ,i have employed it with much advantage2 in certain forms of ,dysentery it is also a very valuable medicine4 ,,hydrargyri ,,nitrico-,,oxydum4 ,l4 ,,oxydum ,,hydrargyri ,,rubrum ,,per ,,acidum ,,nitricum4 ,e4 ,,oxydum ,,hydrargyri ,,nitricum4 ,d4 ,nitric ,oxyd of ,mercury--,red ,precipitate4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 small scales of a bright red colour2 ,taste1 acrid and corrosive4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is strictly speaking a sub-nitrate of mercury1 for if it be boiled for a short time with six times its weight of water1 the liquor when filtered yields a precipitate with ammonia4 ,,solubility4 ,it is slightly soluble in water1 but extensively in nitric acid1 without any effervescence4 ,,uses4 ,it is used only externally1 as an escharotic4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,unguent4 ,hydrargyri ,nitrico-oxyd4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,red ,lead may be detected by digesting it in acetic acid1 and adding sulphuret of ammonia1 which will produce a dark-coloured precipitate3 it should be totally volatilized by heat4 ,,hydrargyri ,,oxydum ,,cinereum4 ,l4,e4 ,,pulvis ,,hydrargyri ,,cinereus4 ,d4 ,grey ,oxyd of ,mercury4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 an impalpable grey coloured powder1 which becomes paler on exposure to air and light4 ,odour and taste1 none4 ,,chem4 ,,composition4 ,when properly prepared it is protoxide of mercury2 but1 as frequently found in the shops1 it contains a mixture of the triple salt consisting of oxide of mercury1 ammonia1 and nitric acid4 ,it is rarely used2 although ,dr4 ,saunders suggested it as a succedaneum for ,plenck's remedy1 and ,mr4 ,abernethy considers it preferable to the red ,sulphuret for mercurial fumigation1 on account of its not yielding any suffocating vapour4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,unguent4 ,oxyd4 ,hydrarg4 ciner4 ,e4 ,,hydrargyri ,,oxydum ,,rubrum4 ,l4 ,,oxydum ,,hydrargyri4 ,d4 ,red ,oxyd of ,mercury4 ,the ,precipitate per se of the older ,chemists4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 minute crystalline scales1 of a deep red colour1 inodorous1 but acrid and caustic2 it is soluble in several of the acids without decomposition2 it is also slightly soluble in water2 from which solution it is precipitated by ammonia4 ,,uses4 ,it is very active as a mercurial1 and has been a favourite remedy with ,john ,hunter 7,form4 #ada7 and other celebrated practitioners2 it is however apt to affect the bowels1 and is therefore now rarely employed except as an external application4 ,,dose1 gr4 j4 combined with opium gss4 ,,adulterations4 ,it is seldom adulterated1 as it would be difficult to find a substance suited to that purpose4 ,if well prepared it may be totally volatilized by heat4 ,,hydrargyri ,,oxy-,,murias4 ,l4 ,,murias ,,hydrargyri ,,corrosivus4 ,e4,d4 ,oxy-muriate of ,mercury4 ,corrosive ,muriate of ,mercury4 ,corrosive ,sublimate4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a crystalline mass1 composed of very small prismatic crystals1 which is easily pulverized1 and undergoes a slight alteration by exposure to air1 becoming on its surface opaque and pulverulent4 ,light1 however1 has no effect upon it1 although a different opinion has existed1 and it has accordingly been recommended to be kept in black bottles4 ,odour1 none4 ,taste1 very acrid1 with a metallic astringency1 occasioning a sensation of obstruction in the throat which continues for some time4 ,sp4 gr4 #eacih4 ,when pulverised and thrown upon burning coals1 it is immediately volatilized1 giving out a thick white smoke of a very pungent smell1 which irritates the mucous membranes extremely1 and is highly dangerous to those who inhale it4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,according to the latest views1 it is a ,bi-chloride of mercury1 consisting of one proportional of mercury1 to two proportionals of chlorine4 ,in the ,french codex1 it is termed 8,deuto-,chloruretum ,hydrargyri40 ,,solubility4 ,it is soluble in eleven parts of cold1 and in three of boiling water1 and in half its weight of alcohol2 it is also very soluble in ther2 indeed this latter liquid has the curious property of abstracting it from its solution in water1 when agitated with it4 ,its solubility in water is greatly increased by the addition of a few drops of rectified spirit1 or of muriatic acid4 ,in a solution of muriate of ammonia it is seventeen times more soluble than in water1 no decomposition however arises2 it is therefore probable that a triple salt is formed2 it is also soluble in the sulphuric1 nitric1 and muriatic acids1 and may be obtained again unaltered1 by simply evaporating the solutions4 ,dr4 ,davy1 in his late researches upon corrosive sublimate states that with muriatic acid1 common salt1 and some other muriates1 it forms definite compounds remarkable for their solubility4 ,its watery solution is said to change vegetable blues to green1 but this is an optical fallacy1 7see page #cjf47 ,on exposure to light this solution slowly undergoes decomposition2 but ,dr4 ,davy has shewn that corrosive sublimate remains unaltered when exposed in solution in media having a strong affinity for it1 as in alcohol1 ther1 muriatic acid1 c4 and that decomposition only takes place under circumstances of complicated affinities1 as in the instance of ,liquor ,hydrargyri ,oxymuriatis1 and in that of the aqueous solution2 in which cases ,calomel and ,muriatic acid appear to be formed1 and oxygen to be evolved4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,the carbonates of the fixed alkalies precipitate it of a yellow hue1 but the precipitates are not pure oxides2 ammonia forms with it a white triple compound4 ,lime water decomposes it more perfectly than any alkaline body1 occasioning a precipitate of a deep yellow colour1#ebd which is a per-oxyd of mercury containing a little muriatic acid2 this result forms a useful lotion to ill conditioned ulcers1 and has been long known under the title of ,aqua ,phagadenica2 fj of lime water should be employed for the decomposition of two grains of the salt4 ,tartarized antimony1 nitrate of silver1 acetate of lead1 sulphur1 sulphuret of potass1 and soaps1 decompose it4 ,iron1 lead1 copper1 bismuth1 and zinc1 in their metallic state1 also decompose it1 producing precipitates which consist of an amalgam of the metal employed1 except in those cases where the metal in question refuses to amalgamate with mercury1 when this latter metal appears as a metallic dew1 composed of very minute globules1 with calomel2 hence mortars of glass or earthenware should be used for dispensing this article2 when triturated with olive oil1 the oil becomes white1 and when boiled with it1 calomel is precipitated2 the same happens if sugar be substituted for oil4 ,the volatile oils reduce it4 ,when ,oil of ,turpentine was used1 some traces of artificial camphor was discovered by ,dr4 ,davy1 and when the oils of ,cloves and ,peppermint1 a purple compound distilled over1 consisting of the oil employed and muriatic acid4 ,the following vegetable infusions produce precipitates1 viz4 the infusions and decoctions of chamomile1 horse-radish root1 calumba root1 catechu1 cinchona1 rhubarb1 senna1 simarouba1 oak bark1 tea and almond emulsion4 ,swediaur observes1 that 8many authors have recommended sublimate combined with bark1 but that a reciprocal decomposition is thus produced1 by which the energies of both remedies are alike annulled20 to this ignorance1 however1 he thinks that many patients have been indebted for their lives2 for1 says he1 8,i see every day examples of weak and very delicate persons of both sexes1 to whom ignorant practitioners prescribe1 and sometimes in very large doses1 the corrosive sublimate1 with a decoction of bark2 certainly without curing the syphilis1 but at the same time without occasioning those grave and dangerous symptoms1 which that acrid medicine would certainly produce1 if given alone1 or without that decoction40 ,we have here presented the reader with the opinion of ,swediaur2 but it is just to state1 that the experience of this country has rather tended to subvert1 than to confirm1 such a belief4 ,that the corrosive sublimate of mercury is actually decomposed by the vegetable principles of the bark is sufficiently evident1 but it would seem that the oxide thus developed1 and recombined with vegetable extractive1 is a very active mercurial1 especially with respect to its alterative powers4 ,the same observation will1 to a certain extent1 apply to the results of its decomposition by other agents2 the fixed alkalies have been found by actual experiment to be incapable of disarming this salt of its virulence1 because1 as ,orfila has stated1 the oxide liberated is1 in itself1 an active poison4 ,mr4 ,rose has lately transmitted to me a formula for the preparation of 8,alterative ,drops10 which he states1 from ample experience1 to possess very considerable powers as a mercurial1 and to excite ptyalism1 with a quickness and certainty which characterize but few preparations of the same class4 ,the principal ingredients are an alcoholic solution of corrosive sublimate and a vinous solution of tartarized antimony4 ,it is scarcely necessary to observe that upon admixture a mutual decomposition takes place2 the peroxide of mercury is precipitated by the alkaline element of the antimonial compound1 whilst this latter salt1 having its affinities thus overthrown1 parts with the protoxide of antimony2 so that the preparation holds a considerable quantity of insoluble matter in suspension1 and which is to be carefully incorporated with the liquid by shaking the phial1 whenever the drops are administered4 ,now there can be but little doubt but that the activity of this preparation is owing to the peroxide of mercury1 thus diffused in a state of minute division1 while at the same time the antimonial protoxide very probably disposes the stomach and system to be more readily influenced by it1 for reasons which have been fully discussed in the first part of this work1 p4 #aeb4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is one of the most acrid and active of all metallic preparations2 in well directed doses1 however1 it is frequently of service in secondary syphilis1 and in cases of anomalous disease1 when it would be improper to administer the other forms of mercury4#ebe ,in obstinate cutaneous diseases its administration in small doses is often very serviceable2 ,i have1 however1 seen extreme emaciation and hectic fever produced by its too long continued exhibition1 although ptyalism was never occasioned4 ,its application also as a lotion to leprous affections1 in the proportion of about one grain to a fluid-ounce and a half of some liquid vehicle1 ,i have frequently seen highly beneficial2 in directing the use of so acrid a lotion1 we should caution the patient not to touch his eyes until his hands have been washed2 in consequence of a neglect of this kind ,i have seen a very severe ophthalmia produced4 ,the practitioner should also remember that the system may become affected by such external applications2 a case stands recorded in which a girl of five years old became salivated1 and died1 in consequence of an application made to the head for the cure of ,tinea1 which consisted of ,pomatum rubbed up with a few grains of this salt4 ,its internal exhibition should be accompanied with mucilaginous drinks2 when an overdose has been taken1 the white of egg1 diluted with water1 is the best antidote1 for ,orfila has found that albumen decomposes it1 reducing it to the state of mild muriate1 whilst the compound which it forms with it is inert4 ,many examples are recorded of the success of this practice4 ,in the ,transactions of the ,king and ,queen's ,college of ,physicians in ,ireland1 an interesting case of this kind is related by ,dr4 ,lendrick2 it is1 however1 at the same time but justice to state1 that there are instances also of the failure of this antidote4 ,in the #dast volume of the ,london ,medical and ,physical ,journal1 p4 #bjd1 the reader will find the case of a girl1 who was poisoned by a drachm of ,sublimate1 and who1 notwithstanding the copious ingestion of albumen1 died in ninety hours4 ,more recently vegetable gluten1 as existing in wheat-flower1 is said to answer as well as albumen2 for the administration of which all that is required is to give wheat-flower and water4 ,dose1 gr4 #a_/h to 1 see ,liquor ,hydrargyri ,oxymuriatis1 and ,form4 #adb4 ,,adulterations4 ,it ought to be volatilized by heat2 it is frequently met with in commerce contaminated with muriate of iron1 sometimes with arsenic2 the presence of calomel is at once discovered from its insolubility4 ,,tests ,,of ,,its ,,presence4 ,if any powder be suspected to contain this salt1 expose it to heat in a coated tube1 as directed in the treatment of arsenic1 but without any carbonaceous admixture1 when corrosive sublimate1 if present1 will rise and line the interior surface with a shining white crust4 ,this crust is then to be dissolved in distilled water1 and assayed by the following tests2 #ast1 lime water will produce1 if the suspected solution contains this salt1 a precipitate of an orange yellow colour4 #b;d1 a single drop of a dilute solution of sub-carbonate of potass will at first produce a white precipitate1 but on a still farther addition of the test1 an orange-coloured sediment will be formed4 #crd1 sulphuretted water will throw down a dark coloured precipitate1 which when dried and strongly heated may be volatilized without any alliaceous odour4 #dth1 ammonia produces a white precipitate1 which is an insoluble triple salt1 composed of muriatic acid1 ammonia1 and oxide of mercury1 which1 on being heated1 grows yellow2 it passes afterwards to a red1 and gives out ammoniacal gas1 nitrogen1 calomel1 and metallic mercury4 ,in this operation the oxide is supposed to be decomposed by the hydrogen which results from a portion of the ammonia4 #eth1 ,nitrate of tin1 according to ,dr4 ,bostock1 is capable of detecting the three-millionth part of a grain2 a single drop will occasion an immediate and copious dark-brown precipitate4 ,all the above precipitates1 if rubbed on a bright plate of copper1 will render its surface very white4 ,where the salt is mixed with various coloured liquids1 we must proceed as directed under the head of ,arsenic4 ,a very ingenious application of galvanic electricity has been also proposed by ,mr4 ,silvester1 for the detection of corrosive sublimate1 which will exhibit the mercury in a metallic state4 ,a piece of zinc or iron wire about three inches in length1 is to be twice bent at right angles1 so as to resemble the ,greek letter 1 the two legs of this figure should be distant about the diameter of a common gold wedding ring from each other1 and the two ends of the bent wire must afterwards be tied to a ring of this description4 ,let a plate of glass1 not less than three inches square1 be laid as nearly horizontal as possible1 and on one side drop some sulphuric acid1 diluted with about six times its weight of water1 till it spreads to the size of a halfpenny4 ,at a little distance from this1 towards the other side1 next drop some of the solution supposed to contain corrosive sublimate1 till the edges of the two liquids become joined2 and let the wire and ring1 prepared as above1 be laid in such a way that the wire may touch the acid1 while the gold ring is in contact with the suspected liquid4 ,if the minutest quantity of corrosive sublimate be present1 the ring in a few minutes will be covered with mercury on the part which touched the fluid4 ,this experiment may be beautifully simplified in the following manner2 drop a small quantity of solution containing corrosive sublimate on a piece of gold1 and bring into contact a key1 or some piece of iron1 so as to form a galvanic circuit1 when the gold will be immediately whitened4 ,a solution of nitrate of silver will1 under similar circumstances1 occasion on the gold a white precipitate1 but as no amalgamation takes place1 it is readily wiped off1 and cannot possibly occasion any fallacy4#ebf ,certain metals likewise decompose solutions of this salt1 by virtue of superior affinity2 in those cases where the precipitating metal is capable of forming a direct union with ,mercury1 we shall find the precipitates to consist of an amalgam of the metal employed2 where no such combination takes place1 the mercury will be frequently seen standing on the surface as a metallic dew4 ,this is particularly striking where iron or steel has been employed2 these metals are also at the same time blackened by it4 ,brugnatelli#ebg has proposed the following method of distinguishing corrosive sublimate from arsenic--,take a quantity of fresh wheat starch1 mix with water1 and add a sufficient quantity of iodine to give the liquid a blue colour2 if corrosive sublimate or arsenic be added to this liquor1 the colour is alike destroyed and it becomes reddish1 but if the change has been effected by the latter substance1 a few drops of sulphuric acid will restore the blue colour1 but if by the former it is not recoverable by such means4#ebh ,,hydrargyri ,,sub-,,murias4 ,l4 ,,sub-,,murias ,,hydrargyri ,,sublimatum4 ,d4 ,,sub-,,murias ,,hydrargyri ,,mitis4 ,e4 vulgo4 ,calomel4#ebi ,this preparation has been known in pharmacy for upwards of two centuries under a variety of fanciful names1 such as ,draco mitigatus2 ,aquila alba2 ,aquila mitigata2 ,manna metallorum2 ,panchymagogum minerale2 ,panchymagogus quercetanus2 ,sublimatum dulce2 ,mercurius dulcis sublimatus2 ,calomelas2 and yet there is not a name in this list that is so objectionable as the one at present adopted by our colleges3 for whether we adhere to the theory of muriatic acid being the simple body1 or accede to the new views of chlorine1 the name is equally inappropriate2 if we regard it as a compound of muriatic acid and oxyd of mercury1 it is not a sub-muriate1 but as much a muriate as the corrosive sublimate2 the only difference depending upon the degree of oxidizement of the mercury1 which is at a minimum in calomel1 and at a maximum in sublimate4 ,according to the new views respecting chlorine1 calomel must consist of one proportional of chlorine with one proportional of metal1 and is therefore a chloride of mercury4 78,proto-chloruretum ,hydrargyri40 ,codex ,med4 ,paris47 ,,qualities4 ,form4 ,a semi-transparent mass1 consisting of short prismatic crystals2#ecj inodorous1 insipid1 and of an ivory colour1 which deepens by exposure to light4 ,,solubility4 ,it is considered as being insoluble1 since according to ,rouelle1 one part requires #aaeb of water1 at #bab for its solution4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,alkalies and lime water decompose it and turn it black1 in consequence of precipitating the black oxyd of the metal2 it is also decomposed by soaps1 sulphurets of potass and antimony2 and by iron1 lead1 and copper2 hence it is improper to employ any metallic mortar for dispensing medicines which contain it4 ,there seems to be reason for supposing that this preparation may undergo decomposition in transitu1 and that therefore some substances may be chemically1 and yet not be medicinally incompatible with it4 ,if calomel be boiled for a few minutes in distilled water to which alcoholized potass has been added1 it is completely decomposed1 a muriate of potass and black oxyd of mercury being the new products4 ,calomel is not affected by sulphuric acid in the cold1 but1 at a boiling temperature1 corrosive sublimate1 and deuto-sulphate of mercury are formed4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4#eca ,this mercurial preparation is more extensively and more usefully employed than almost any other article of the materia medica4 ,it is capable of curing syphilis in every form1 provided it does not run off by the bowels2 and in obstructions and hepatic affections1 it is in well-regulated doses a most valuable remedy2 in combination1 it probably merits the appellation of ,dirigens1 more decidedly than any other remedy with which we are acquainted1 for when combined with certain diuretics1 it is diuretic1 7,form4 #ajc1 #ajd7 and in diaphoretic arrangements1 it is diaphoretic3 it moreover imparts force to many of the mild1 and moderates the severity of drastic medicines3 whenever we wish a strong and permanent impression to be made on the alimentary canal1 and through it on the neighbouring viscera or the system generally1 ,calomel by universal consent is adopted for such a purpose4 7,form4 #ha1 #hh1 #aai1 #afa47 ,in larger doses it is one of the most efficient purgatives which we possess1 especially when in combination with other cathartics3 it appears to be particularly eligible in the diseases of children2 and it is singular that infants can generally bear larger doses of it than adults4 ,,dose1 as an alterative1 from gr4 ss to j1 night and morning2 as a purgative1 from gr4 ij to gr4 x1 or in some cases even to gr4 xv1 or j4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,that of pill2 its insolubility and specific gravity render any other form ineligible4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,pil4 ,hydrargyri submuriat4 comp3 ,l4 ,,impurities4 ,corrosive sublimate may be detected by precipitation being produced1 by the carbonate of potass1 in a solution made by boiling the suspected sample with a small portion of muriate of ammonia1 in distilled water2 calomel ought also1 when rubbed with a fixed alkali1 to become intensely black1 and not to exhibit any trace of an orange hue4 ,,howard',s ,,or ,,jewel',s ,hydro-sublimate4 ,instead of subliming so as to obtain the calomel in a concrete state1 as directed by the ,pharmacopia1 the salt in the act of sublimation is exposed to aqueous vapour1 and received in water4 ,being in a state of very minute division1 it is lighter than common calomel in the proportion of three to five1 and it cannot contain any corrosive sublimate4 ,the ,french in their late codex have introduced a similar formula1 under the title of 8,murias ,mercurii dulcis mediante aqua subtilissime divisus1 juxta ,methodum ,josi ,jewel40 ,this ,patent ,calomel of ,howard is undoubtedly to be preferred1 and appears1 in consequence probably of its minute division1 to affect the system more readily than that made according to the ,pharmacopias4 ,,sub-,,murias ,,hydrargyri ,,pr,,cipitatus4 ,e4,d4 ,this is produced by precipitating a nitrate of mercury by muriate of soda2 the preparation will generally contain a small portion of sub-nitrate1 and it is on that account more liable to run off by the bowels in small doses3 in other respects it is essentially the same as that procured by sublimation4 ,,hydrargyri ,,sulphuretum ,,rubrum4 ,l4 ,,sulphuretum ,,hydrargyri ,,rubrum4 ,d4 ,olim1 ,hydrargyrus ,sulphuretus ruber4 ,p4 ,l4 #ahag--;,cinnabaris#ecb factitia1 #agde4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a red crystalline cake1 inodorous1 insipid1 and insoluble in water1 alcohol1 acids1 and alkalies1 although these bodies decompose it when melted with it2 it is also decomposed by nitro-muriatic acid1 which unites with the metal1 and disengages the sulphur4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is a bi-sulphuret of ,mercury1 i4 e4 it consists of two proportionals of sulphur and one of mercury4 ,,uses4#ecc ,it is now only used for the purpose of mercurial fumigation1 which is done by inhaling the fumes1 produced by throwing ss of it on red hot iron2 the effect which is generally produced is violent salivation2 this however does not depend upon the action of the substance as a sulphuret1 but upon its decomposition1 and the volatilization of the metallic mercury with a portion of sulphate and sulphureous vapour4 ,mr4 ,pearson observes that it is useful in those cases of venereal ulcers in the mouth1 throat1 and nose1 where it is an object to put a sudden stop to the progress of the disease1 but that mercury must at the same time be introduced into the constitution1 by inunction1 just as much as if no fumigations had been made use of4 ,ulcers and excrescencies about the pudendum and anus in women are particularly benefitted by it2 and in these cases it is conveniently applied by placing a red hot heater at the bottom of a night-stool pan1 and after sprinkling on it a few grains of the sulphuret1 placing the patient upon the stool4 ,,adulterations4 ,red ,lead#ecd may be discovered by digesting it in acetic acid1 and by adding sulphuret of ammonia1 which will produce a black precipitate2 or by burning a small portion of the suspected sample on a piece of bread in the candle1 when metallic globules will announce its presence2 for the oxide of mercury1 although revived by this process1 will at the same time be volatilized4 ,the bread1 by combustion1 affords the carbon by which the metallic reduction is effected4 ,dragon's ,blood1 by its giving a colour to alcohol when digested with it2 ,chalk1 by its effervescence1 on the addition of an acid4 ,it is known in the arts under the name of ,vermillion2 and by the following simple expedient its presence may1 in very minute quantities1 be easily recognised2 boil a portion with sulphuric acid in a platina spoon1 and lay the sulphate thus produced1 in a drop of muriatic acid1 on a piece of gold1 and bring a piece of metallic tin in contact with both1 when the white mercurial stain will be produced4 ,,hydrargyri ,,sulphuretum ,,nigrum4 ,l4,e4 ,hydrargyrus cum ,sulphure4 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,olim1 ,ethiop's ,mineral4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a very black1 impalpable1 insipid1 and inodorous powder4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is a ,sulphuret of ,mercury1 i4 e4 it consists of one proportional of sulphur1 and one proportional of mercury2 when heated in contact with the air it is converted into a bi-sulphuret4 ,,solubility4 ,it is entirely soluble in a solution of pure potass1 from which the acids precipitate it unchanged2 it is insoluble in nitric acid4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is supposed to be alterative1 and has been given for such a purpose1 in doses from gr4 v4 to ss1 but its medicinal virtues are very questionable4 ,,adulterations4 ,it is frequently imperfect1 globules of mercury being still discoverable in it by a magnifying glass1 or by its communicating a whiteness to a portion of gold upon which it is rubbed2 ivory black may be discovered by the residue1 after throwing a suspected sample on a red hot iron2 it is also sometimes mixed with equal parts of crude antimony4 ,,hyoscyami ,,folia ,,et ,,semina4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,hyoscyamus ,niger47 ,henbane4 ,,qualities4 ,this plant1 when recent1 has a strong fetid1 and narcotic odour2 properties which are nearly lost by exsiccation4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,resin1 mucilage1 extractive matter1 gallic acid1 and some salts2 an alkaline element 7,hyoscyama7 is said to constitute its active principle4 ,this principle differs from other vegetable alkalies1 in being able to resist a low red heat1 without undergoing decomposition4 ,,solubility4 ,water freely extracts the narcotic powers of this plant1 and decoction destroys them2 diluted alcohol is the best menstruum4 ,,incompatibles4 ,precipitates are produced by acetate of lead1 nitrate of silver1 and sulphate of iron2 vegetable acids weaken its narcotic powers4 ,the extract or inspissated juice is the best form in which it can be exhibited2 see also the ,tincture2 its leaves form an anodyne cataplasm1 and the smoke from its seeds1 when applied by a funnel to a carious tooth1 is recommended in severe fits of odontalgia4 ,the root of this plant is poisonous4#ece ,in ,dr4 ,molyneux's appendix to ,threlkeld's 8,,synopsis ,,stirpium ,,hibernicarum0 are related several cases of its effects on persons who had eaten them instead of ,skirrets4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,extract3 ,hyoscyam3 ,tinct3 ,hyoscyam3 ,l4,e4,d4 ,,ichthyocolla4 7,acipenser ,huso ,ruthenus4 ,the great and small ,sturgeon47 ,isinglass4 ,fish ,glue4 ,the following kinds1 imported from ,st4 ,petersburg1 are found in the market4 ,short ,staple2 ,long ,staple2 ,book2 and ,leaf4 ,picking the ,staple1 as it is called1 is a peculiar art practised by persons in this town1 who gain a very good livelihood by it2 they engage to return the same weight of isinglass in shreds1 as they receive in ,staple2 this in itself secures very fair profit1 for by damping the isinglass in order to pick it1 it gains considerable weight2 these persons moreover are in the habit of adulterating it with pieces of bladder1 and the dried skin of soles2 such frauds however are easily detected by their insolubility1 for pure isinglass will dissolve entirely1 and yield a clear and transparent jelly2 a single grain will produce1 with an ounce of water1 a solution of considerable thickness2 it is also soluble in acids and alkalies2 and although insoluble in alcohol1 yet it is not precipitated by it from its watery solutions1 unless when added in a very considerable quantity2 it is coagulated by the infusions and decoctions of vegetable astringents2 carbonate of potass likewise throws down a precipitate4 #ajj parts of good isinglass consist of #ih of gelatine1 and #b of the phosphates of soda and lime4 ,its solutions soon putrefy4 ,,uses4 ,it is now rarely used except as a nutrient2 its mechanical application in fining wines and turbid liquors is well known1 and its mode of operation is equally obvious1 for by forming a skin1 or fine network1 which gradually precipitates1 it acts just like a filtre1 with this difference1 that in this case the filtre passes through the liquor1 instead of the liquor through the filtre4 ,,infusa4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,infusion4 ,these are watery solutions of vegetable matter1 obtained by maceration1 either in cold or hot#ecf water without the assistance of ebullition4 ,in selecting and conducting the operation1 the following general rules should be observed4 ,i4 ,infusion should always be preferred to decoction1 where the medicinal virtues of the vegetable substance reside in volatile oil1 or in principles which are easily soluble2 whereas1 if they depend upon resino-mucilaginous particles1 decoction is an indispensable operation4 ,,ii4 ,the temperature employed must be varied according to the circumstances of each case2#ecg an infusion made in the cold1 is in general more grateful1 but less active1 than one made with heat4 ,,iii4 ,the duration of the process must likewise be regulated by the nature of the substances1 or the intention of the prescriber2 for the infusion will differ according to the time in which the water has been digested on the materials2 thus1 the aroma of the plant is first taken up1 then1 in succession1 the colouring1 astringent1 and gummy parts4 ,infusions are liable to undergo decompositions by being kept1 and therefore1 like decoctions1 they must be regarded as extemporaneous preparations4 ,unless the dose of them be otherwise stated1 it is generally from fj to fij4 ,i4 ,simple ,infusions4 ,,infusum ,,anthemidis4 ,l4,e4 ,it is a good stomachic2 and when exhibited warm1 is well calculated to assist the operation of emetics3 7,form4 #ff73 the cold infusion1 i4 e4 made with cold water1 is more grateful4 ,incompatibles4 ,all soluble preparations of iron2 nitrate of silver2 oxy-muriate of mercury2 acetate1 and sub-acetate of lead2 solutions of isinglass2 infusion of yellow cinchona bark4 ,dose1 fj-fij4 ,,infusum ,,calumb4 ,l4,e4 ,see ,calumb ,radix4 ,this infusion is more perishable than that of other bitters2 in twenty-four hours a copious precipitation takes place in it1 and in two days it becomes ropy1 and even musty4 ,form4 #aee4 ,dose1 fi-fij4 ,infusum ,caryophyllorum4 ,l4 fj4 of this infusion holds in solution the active matter of grs4 vj of cloves4 ,incompatibles4 ,precipitates are produced by sulphate of iron2 sulphate of zinc2 acetate of lead2 nitrate of silver2 tartarized antimony2 lime water1 and yellow cinchona4 ,dose1 fj-fij4 ,,infusum ,,cascarill4 ,l4 ,it is incompatible with the substances mentioned under ,infus4 ,caryophyll3 ,form4 #cc4 ,dose1 fj-fij4 ,,infusum ,,cinchon4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,we obtain in this preparation a feeble solution of the active constituents of bark1 which will agree with many stomachs that are rebellious to the stronger preparations4 ,dose1 fi-fiij4 ,,infusum ,,cuspari4 ,l4 ,this is a judicious form of the bark1 possessing its stimulant and tonic properties4 ,dose1 fj-fij4 ,,infusum ,,digitalis4 ,l4,e4 ,this is the best form in which we can administer the foxglove1 where our wish is to obtain its diuretic effects as speedily as possible4 7,form4 #aaj47 ,dose1 fij to fss1 twice a day1 see ,digitalis4 ,incompatibles4 ,we shall counteract its effects by endeavouring to obviate its nauseating tendency by brandy and water1 c4 ,precipitates are produced by sulphate of iron1 and the infusion of yellow cinchona1 c4 ,,infusum ,,lini ,,compositum4 ,l4,e4 ,a cheap and useful demulcent2 alcohol and preparations of lead1 are of course incompatible with it2 the tinctura ferri muriatis produces a flocculent precipitate4 ,,infusum ,,quassi4 ,l4,e4 ,the proportion of ,quassia directed for half a pint of water1 is that of j by the ,london1 and ss by the ,edinburgh ,college2 the former is much too small1 for1 in order to obtain a saturated infusion1 ij are required for that quantity of water4 ,incompatibles4 ,the salts of iron produce no change in it2 nor is it affected by any of those substances with which it is likely to come in contact in a medical prescription4 ,it is highly useful in debilities of the stomach and intestinal canal1 and in irregular and atonic gout1 and it has been observed1 that in hysterical atony1 to which the female sex is so prone1 the ,quassia affords more vigour and relief to the system1 than the ,peruvian ,bark1 especially when combined with a small portion of sulphate of zinc4 ,to this1 as well as the other stomachic infusions1 it is usual to add at the time of prescribing them a small quantity of aromatic tincture or spirit4 ,form4 #ce2 #add4 ,dose1 fss-fiss4 ,,infusum ,,rhei4 ,l4,e4 ,the ,edinburgh infusion is stronger than that of ,london1 and is rendered more grateful by the addition of spirit of cinnamon2 these infusions1 however1 when given without any adjuvants1 produce but a feeble effect4 ,this is obvious1 since j of rhubarb in substance1 is at least equivalent in its effects to iss when in infusion4 ,incompatibles4 ,the stronger acids2 the sulphates of iron and zinc2 nitrate of silver2 tartarized antimony2 acetate of lead2 oxy-muriate of mercury1 and the infusions of cusparia1 cinchona1 catechu1 galls1 and some other astringent vegetables2 the alkalies deepen the colour1 but produce no decomposition4 ,dose1 fj-fij4 ,,infusum ,,simaroub4 ,l4 ,this infusion is inodorous1 of a clear straw colour1 with a slightly bitter taste4 ,it presents the best mode of exhibiting ,simarouba bark4 ,dose1 fij1 beyond this it will prove emetic4 ,incompatibles4 ,alkaline carbonates and lime water render it milky2 and it is precipitated by the following substances2 infusions of catechu2 galls1 and yellow cinchona2 oxy-muriate of mercury2 nitrate of silver1 and acetate of lead4 ,see ,simaroub ,cortex4 ,,infusum ,,tabaci4 ,l4 ,it is never used but as an enema1 in incarcerated hernia1 and in ileus4 ,see ,tabaci ,folia4 #b4 ,compound ,infusions4 ,,infusum ,,armoraci ,,compositum4 ,l4 ,in this preparation the stimulant property of the horse-radish is materially aided by the mustard2 pure alkalies1 but not their carbonates1 may form extemporaneous additions2 for the other incompatibles1 see ,armoraci ,radix4 ,dose1 fiss4 ,form4 #de4 ,,infusum ,,aurantii ,,compositum4 ,l4 ,a grateful stomachic1 having the agreeable compound taste of its several ingredients2 it has the merit of sitting easily on the stomach4 ,dose1 fj-fiss4 ,,infusum ,,catechu ,,compositum4 ,l4,e4 ,this infusion is a powerful astringent1 rendered grateful by the addition of cinnamon2 it will keep for several months1 provided the directions of the ,edinburgh ,college be not followed in adding the syrup4 ,in prescribing it1 we must remember that it contains a large proportion of tannin4 ,see ,catechu4 ,dose1 fj-fiij4 ,,infusum ,,gentian ,,compositum4 ,l4 ,an elegant tonic and stomachic infusion4 ,it affords a good example of the virtues of a natural substance being enhanced by the additions of art1 as discussed at page #afd1 for the bitterness of the gentian is here subdued by the aromatic quality of the lemon and orange peel4 ,incompatibles4 ,acetate of lead throws down a copious precipitate from the infusion1 and sulphate of iron strikes a brown colour1 but no precipitate takes place for several hours4 ,,infusum ,,ros ,,compositum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,this is an infusion of the petals of the red rose1 rendered astringent and refrigerant1#ech by the addition of dilute sulphuric acid4 ,by referring to the ,,dynameter1 it will be seen that fj2 does not contain more than four and a half minims of dilute acid1 which are equivalent to three-sevenths of a minim of the strong concentrated acid4 ,wherever therefore we expect any advantage from this latter ingredient1 the quantity must be increased by extemporaneous addition4 ,incompatibles4 ,all those bodies which are decomposed by the sulphuric acid2 the sulphates of iron and zinc do not immediately alter the infusion1 but they slowly decompose it1 producing precipitates of a dark colour4 ,dr4 ,clarke of ,cambridge detected iron in the petals2#eci may not the presence of this metal enhance the tonic powers of the infusion8 ,it affords a most elegant vehicle for the exhibition of cathartic salts4 ,,infusum ,,senn ,,compositum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,a pint of water will take up the active matter of j of senna1 but nothing beyond that proportion2 hence there is an unnecessary waste in the ,london process4 ,the quantity of infusion directed to be made at one time1 is also injudicious1 since by simple exposure to the air for only a few hours1 in consequence of the powerful affinity of its extractive matter for oxygen1 a yellow precipitate takes place1 and the infusion loses its purgative quality1 and excites tormina in the bowels2 in preparing it therefore1 we see the necessity of conducting the process in covered vessels1 and of making only such a portion as may be required for immediate use2 indeed1 notwithstanding every precaution1 the extractive will to a certain extent become oxidized1 and the infusion have a tendency to gripe4#edj ,dr4 ,cullen used to say that ,senna was one of the best purgatives1 if it could only be divested of its griping quality2 this however he was unable to obviate1 because he was not aware of its cause1 and therefore conjoined it with various aromatics1 instead of those salts#eda which might be capable of increasing the solubility of its oxidized extractive1 or the purgative activity of the infusion2 see page #aej1 and #afa4 ,soluble tartar and alkaline salts are its most useful adjuncts2 it is however rarely prescribed in practice without the addition of other cathartics4 7,form4 #gj1 #gf1 #ij47 ,sydenham's favourite 8potio cathartica lenitiva10 consisted of an infusion of tamarinds1 senna leaves1 and rhubarb1 with the addition of manna and syrup of roses4 ,the addition of tamarinds renders the infusion more grateful but less active2 when made with bohea tea1 it is in a great degree deprived of its nauseous taste2 a decoction of guaiacum increases its powers1 and is said at the same time to render it milder4 ,bitters also very considerably exalt its efficacy1 see page #aec4 ,a pint of the infusion with a drachm of jalap forms an excellent combination for a purgative enema4 ,incompatibles4 ,the infusion is disturbed by strong acids2 lime water2 nitrate of silver2 oxy-muriate of mercury2 acetate of lead2 tartarized antimony2 and by an infusion of yellow cinchona4 ,,dose1 fj-fij4 ,,ipecacuanh ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,callicocca#edb ,ipecacuanha47 ,ipecacuanha4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 tortuous pieces of the thickness of a goose-quill1 surrounded by numerous prominent rings1 separated by deep grooves4 ,this root1 when powdered1 has a faint disagreeable odour1 and a bitter sub-acrid taste4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,the late researches of ,m4 ,m4 ,majendie and ,pelletier have detected the existence of a new vegetable proximate principle in this root1 to which ipecacuan is indebted for its emetic properties2 they have1 accordingly1 denominated it ,emetine4#edc ,it assumes the form of transparent brownish red scales1 which are nearly inodorous1 but have a slightly bitter1 acrid1 but not nauseous taste4 ,emetine is decomposed by a heat higher than that of boiling water2 it is insoluble in water1 in every proportion1 without undergoing the least change2 and in a moist atmosphere it deliquesces2 it is also soluble in alcohol1 but not in ther2 nitric acid dissolves it1 but at the same time decomposes it2 dilute sulphuric acid has no action on it2 muriatic acid and phosphoric acid dissolve it1 without altering its nature2 acetic acid dissolves it with great facility2 corrosive sublimate precipitates it from its solutions1 but tartarized antimony has no effect upon them2 gallic acid1 the infusion of galls1 and acetate of lead1 precipitate it4 ,a grain excites violent vomiting1 followed by sleep1 and the patient awakes in perfect health6 ,it exerts also a specific action on the lungs and mucous membrane of the intestinal canal2 when taken in an overdose1 its action can be instantly paralysed by a decoction of galls4 ,there seems to be no great advantage in substituting this body for the ordinary powder of ,ipecacuanha1 except perhaps that its taste being much less offensive1 it may very easily be given to children4#edd ,emetine appears to exist in ,ipecacuanha1 combined in the following manner1 emetine #af1 oils #b1 wax #f1 gum #aj1 starch #dj1 woody fibre #bj4 ,since the discovery of ,emetine1 whose properties are described above1 ,pelletier has extended his researches into its composition and nature2 and he has lately been enabled to state that this body1 which in conjunction with ,majendie1 he had formerly announced as 8a new vegetable proximate principle10 turns out to be a compound of a peculiar alkaline basis1 which may be called ,emeta1 and some acid1 together with an admixture of colouring matter2 when compared with ,emetine1 it is what white crystallized sugar is to moist sugar4 ,its ultimate elements are oxygen1 hydrogen and carbon2 it is a white and friable substance1 and unlike ,emetin1 is not altered by exposure to air2 it is slightly bitter1 and very sparingly soluble in water2 with the mineral acids it forms salts1 from whose solutions the infusion of galls throws down white and flocculent precipitates2 the alcoholic solution of ,emeta acts upon vegetable colour as an alkali4 ,,medicinal ,,uses ,,of ,,ipecacuan4 ,it is unquestionably the most valuable of the vegetable emetics1 and in cases where the stomach is irritable it is to be preferred to ,tartarized ,antimony1 and it is also less liable to act upon the bowels4 ,in the form of decoction 7made by boiling three drachms of the bruised root in a quart of water down to a pint7 it has been found serviceable as an enema in ,dysentery1 and internal piles4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,all vegetable astringents1 as infusion of galls1 c4 vegetable acids1 especially the acetic1 weaken its power2 ,dr4 ,irvine found that grs4 xxx1 administered in fij of vinegar1 produced only some loose stools4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,the form of powder is most energetic1 although the vinous solution is both active and convenient4 ,,dose4 ,the medicinal operation of this substance varies with its dose1 thus grs4 x to ss act as an emetic2 7,form3 #fe17 grs4 j to ij1 as an expectorant1 7,form3 #acd1 #ach17;and in still smaller doses it proves stomachic and diaphoretic2 by combination with opium1 this latter quality becomes more powerful1 7,form3 #bh1 #acj47 ,the primary effect of this medicine is that of stimulating the stomach1 and it is equally obvious that its secondary ones depend on the numerous sympathies of other parts with the organs of digestion4 ,the action of this remedy upon the pulmonary organs is extremely interesting2 it would seem that in certain conditions of these organs1 attended with a dry1 hard cough1 it promotes expectoration1 while in affections attended with an inordinate secretion of mucus1 it as certainly represses it1 and acts the part of an astringent4 ,in dysentery1 and chronic diarrha1 its astringent power is also very decided4 ,form3 #eh4 ,when combined with cathartics it aids and accelerates their operation2 ,form3 #hd4 ,in ,hemorrhage from the lungs and uterus1 it is decidedly useful1 when administered in such doses as to excite a slight degree of nausea1 by which the force of the circulation is controlled2 ,i have usually combined it1 for such a purpose1 with the ,acetate of lead in ,hmopthysis2 and ,bergius relates a case of violent uterine hmorrhage which was successfully treated by giving half a grain every half hour4 ,in certain forms of ,dyspepsia it proves highly beneficial1 when administered as proposed by ,daubenton1 in doses just sufficient to excite a slight sensation of vermicular motion of the stomach1 without carrying it to the point of nausea1 which may be generally effected by half a grain three times a day4 ,its peculiar nauseous taste is completely covered by the addition of powdered ,gum ,arabic4 ,,solubility4 ,alcohol takes up four parts in twenty of ,ipecacuan2 proof spirit six and a half2 and boiling water rather more than eight parts2 one pint of good sherry wine will dissolve about #ajj grains2 the alcoholic is more emetic than the aqueous solution2 decoction destroys the emetic property of the root4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,pulvis ,ipecacuanh comp3 ,l4,e4,d4 ,vinum ,ipecac4 ,l4,e4,d4#ede ,the powder is liable to become inert by exposure to air and light4 ,the root is refractory1 and is reduced to powder with difficulty1 unless a few drops of oil1 or an almond or two1 be previously added4 ,it is a curious fact that the effluvia of this root occasion in some persons the most distressing sensations of suffocation4 ,i am acquainted with a lady1 who is constantly seized with a violent dyspna1 whenever the powder of ,ipecacuan is brought into her presence4 ,,adulterations4 ,there are several varieties of ,ipecacuan to be found in the market1 which it is important to distinguish2 viz4 #a1 ,the brown variety1 which is the best1 containing sixteen per cent4 of emetin2 #b1 the grey variety1 with fourteen per cent4 of emetin2 #c1 the white variety1 with only five of emetin4 ,the two former varieties are those usually met with1 being imported into this country in bales from ,rio ,janeiro2 the brown is distinguished from the grey1 in being more wrinkled2 the white variety has no wrinkles whatever4 ,we are informed by ,decandolle that the genuine root is frequently mixed with those of violets1 ,apocyn1 ,euphorbia1 c4 ,it is also sometimes mixed with the roots of several species of ,ionidum4 ,,jalap ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,convolvulus ,jalapa47 ,jalap4 ,,qualities4 ,this root is pulverulent1 furnishing a powder of a pale brownish yellow colour4 ,odour1 peculiar2 ,taste1 sweetish and slightly pungent4 ,chemical ,composition4 ,resin1 gum1 extractive1 fecula1 lignin1 and some salts4 ,the combination of the three first principles appears requisite for the production of its full cathartic effect4 ,the gum has been supposed to possess diuretic properties4 ,very lately a saline principle has been obtained from ,jalap by ,mr4 ,hume1 jun43 but ,i am not aware that its medicinal properties have been ascertained4 ,it is procured by macerating the powdered root for twelve or fourteen days in acetic acid1 by which a solution is obtained1 which must be filtered1 and then saturated with ammonia2 the mixture is to be shaken violently1 when a sabulous deposit will take place1 and a few crystals be collected on the sides of the vessel2 both of these must be collected1 and washed in distilled water2 and then redissolved in concentrated acetic acid1 and reprecipitated by ammonia added in excess4 ,by which means1 small white acicular crystals are thrown down1 to which the name of ,jalapine has been given4 ,,solubility4 ,proof spirit is its appropriate menstruum4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is a cathartic of a stimulating description1 acting principally upon the colon1 and1 notwithstanding the tormina it may sometimes induce1 it is no less safe than efficacious2 as a hydragogue purgative it has been greatly extolled1 but for such a purpose it will answer better in combination1 as in ,form4 #gc4 ,its action is said to be promoted by the addition of ,ipecacuan1 or tartarized antimony4 7,form4 #hd47 ,in dropsy its union with super-tartrate of potass is calculated to promote its beneficial operation4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,that of powder is the most eligible1 especially when combined with some other powdered substance3 pulverization increases its activity1 see ,pulveres4 ,van ,swieten advised it to be pulverised1 and mixed with sugar1 and a small quantity of some aromatic4 ,the addition of ,soap is supposed to render its operation much milder1 and the ,prussian ,pharmacopia contains a formula for such a combination1 which is said to operate mildly and promptly4 ,to this preparation the name ,,sapo ,,jalapinus#edf is given4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to ss4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,pulv4 ,jalap4 comp4 ,e4 ,extract4 ,jalap4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct4 ,jalap4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct4 ,senn comp4 ,e4 7,b74 ,,adulterations4 ,briony root is sometimes mixed with that of jalap1 but it may be easily distinguished by its paler colour and less compact texture2 and by not easily burning at the flame of a candle4 ,when the teredo has attacked it1 it should be rejected4 ,,juglans ,,cinerea4 ,butternut4 ,cortex4 ,the ,butternut tree is to be found in almost every part of the ,united ,states4 ,the inner bark is the part used in medicine4 ,it yields1 by analysis1 a large quantity of soluble matter1 principally of the extractive kind4 ,water extracts its virtues1 and the ,extract1 which is the form in which it is employed1 has long been known and used in this country as an excellent ,cathartic4 ,to obviate habitual costiveness1 it is one of the best articles that can be used4 ,by the addition of ,calomel1 its powers as an active ,cathartic may be greatly increased4 ,the proper season for gathering the bark for medicinal purposes is in the months of ,may and ,june4 ,the dose of the ,extract is from #aj to #cj grains4 ,,juniperi ,,bacc ,,et ,,cacumina4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,juniperus ,communis47 ,juniper ,berries and ,tops4 ,the principal constituents of these berries are mucilage1 sugar1 and volatile oil2 in the latter of which their diuretic virtues reside4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,that of an infusion1 made with ij of the berries1 to oj of hot water4 ,unless pains however are taken1 by strong contusion1 to bruise and break the seeds1 the preparation will contain but little of the juniper flavour4 ,the bruised berries may be also triturated with sugar or some neutral salt1 and be thus exhibited in substance1 ,dose j to ij4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,oleum ,junip4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,spirit4 ,junip4 ,co4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,the taste and diuretic properties of ,hollands depend upon this oil2 ,english gin is flavoured by oil of turpentine4 ,,kino4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,kino4 7,pterocarpus ,erinacea4#edg ,extractum4 ,l4 ,eucalypti ,resiniferi4 ,succus ,concretus4 ,e4 ,butea ,frondosa4 ,d47 ,there is very considerable obscurity with regard to the history and chemical constitution of this substance2 three varieties of it are met with in the shops1 viz4 #a4 ,african ,kino1 which bears the highest price1 and has all the appearance of a natural production1 slender twigs being often intermixed in its substance2 it is of a reddish brown colour1 and has a bitterish astringent taste4 #b4 ,botany ,bay ,kino1 has also the aspect of a natural production1 it is in more solid masses than the former species1 is less brittle 7for it contains a very small proportion of resin7 and1 with its astringency1 has a disagreeable sweetish taste4 #c4 ,jamaica ,kino1 this is the one most commonly met with2 it has the appearance of a dry extract1 is in small fragments1 of a colour more nearly approaching to black than that of the others1 and has an astringent and slightly bitter taste4 ,there is also a fourth variety mentioned1 viz4 the ,east ,india or ,amboyna1 but this does not appear to differ from the ,african variety4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,in all the varieties the predominant principles are tannin and extractive4 ,,solubility4 ,the best menstruum is diluted alcohol4 ,incompatible ,substances1 vide ,gall4 ,mr4 ,thomson also states a fact which ,i have reason to consider quite correct1 that the alkalies destroy the astringent properties of kino4 ,all the varieties are soluble in solutions of pure potass and ammonia1 and no precipitation takes place on the addition of water4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is principally employed as an astringent1 but from its liability to vary in strength1 it has been very generally superseded by ,catechu4#edh ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,either in substance or in the form of watery infusion1 or in that of tincture4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to ss4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,tinct4 ,kino4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,elect4 ,catechu4 ,e4,d4 ,pulvis ,alum4 co4 ,e4 ,,krameri ,,radix4 ,l4 7,krameria ,triandra ,radix47 ,rhatany4 ,this root1 although it has been for some time employed in medicine1 has only lately found its way into the ,materia ,medica of the ,london ,pharmacopia4 ,its extract1 which was some years ago imported into this country1 is supposed to have been employed for giving astringency to ,port wine4 ,according to recent analysis the root contains a peculiar modification of ,tannin1 with only a trace of ,gallic acid2 ,gum2 ,fecula2 and certain salts of ,lime4 ,it may be used either in decoction1 or tincture1 the latter of which may be made by dissolving two ounces of the root in a pint of proof spirit4 ,in all its forms it is eminently astringent4 ,i have used it with much success in ,leucorrha1 and in uterine hemorrhages4 ,the extract may be distinguished from ,kino1 to which it bears a great resemblance in appearance and taste1 by being very fusible by heat1 whereas ,kino does not possess that character4 ,,lichen4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,lichen ,islandicus47 ,lichen4 ,iceland ,liverwort4 ,iceland ,moss4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 none2 ,taste1 mucilaginous and bitter4 ,,solubility4 ,the effect of water upon this vegetable substance is materially modified by temperature2 if cold1 the lichen absorbs nearly its own weight by maceration1 but gives out to the menstruum little or none of its virtues2 if the water be warm1 it soon acquires a bitter impregnation2 by ebullition1 a decoction is obtained1 which1 as it cools1 gelatinizes4 ,see ,decoct4 ,lichen4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,proust has shewn by analysis that #ajj parts of this moss contain #fd parts of a substance bearing some analogy to vegetable gluten1 #cc of matter1 soluble in hot water1 and resembling starch1 and #c parts of a bitter principle4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,this vegetable was introduced to the notice of the profession by ,linnus1 who recommended its decoction1 as having been administered with great success for coughs in ,sweden4 ,upon its introduction into this country1 its patrons bestowed so many extravagant eulogiums upon its powers1 that the less sanguine practitioner at once abandoned its use in disgust1 and it fell into unmerited disrepute4 ,it would be idle to speak of its specific effects in phthisis2 but1 as a demulcent1 it is certainly very superior to the mucilaginous mixtures in ordinary use1 and its simple bitter principle at the same time tends to produce a tonic effect1 which is frequently desirable in the debilitated condition which characterizes the latter stages of this disease4 ,there are circumstances1 however1 which may render the removal of the bitter advantageous2 in which case1 maceration in successive waters1 or in a weak alkaline ley1 as recommended by ,westring1 will be found to answer the intended purpose4 ,,officinal ,,preparation4 ,decoct4 ,lichen4 ,island4 ,e4 ,d4 ,sir ,alexander ,crichton has offered some observations upon the genuineness of this article which deserve attention4 ,he says that there are two varieties in the market2 the best of which has a horny texture1 and yields a bitter mucilage4 ,it is that which comes from ,iceland1 ,norway1 ,sweden1 and ,finland4 ,the inferior kind has a membranous texture1 and yields little bitter or mucilage in comparison with the former4 ,where it comes from he knows not1 but he suspects it to be ,british1 as it is much cheaper than the other4 ,,limones4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,citrus ,medica4 ,bacc47 ,lemons4 ,,succus--,,the ,,juice consists of ,citric acid1 mucilage1 extractive matter1 and small portions of sugar and water4 ,specific gravity1 #ajchd4 ,it may be preserved for a considerable length of time1 by covering its surface with fixed oil4 ,its use in making saline draughts has been already noticed1 see ,acid4 ,citric4 ,its principal medicinal value consists in its antiscorbutic#edi virtues2 indeed it may be fairly asserted that this disease1 so peculiarly incident to a sea life1 has been nearly eradicated by the juice of lemons4 ,sir ,gilbert ,blane1 in speaking of its efficacy1 asserts that 8those only who have made themselves acquainted with the early part of the ,naval history of this country1 or those who have perused the interesting1 popular1 and eloquent narrative of ,commodore ,anson's voyage1 can duly appreciate the value of this simple remedy40 ,lemonade1 as a beverage in putrid diseases1 was first introduced by the ,french physicians in the beginning of the #agth century1 and about the year #affj1 an ,italian from ,florence1 having learnt a process of freezing confectionary1 conceived the happy idea of converting such beverage into ice4 ,this found a ready sale1 and was the occasion of so great an increase in the number of sellers of ,lemonade1 that in the year #afgf1 the ,lemonadiers of ,paris were formed into a company1 and received a patent from the government4 ,,cortex--,,the ,,rind ,,or ,,peel is composed of two distinct parts2 the exterior1 which contains glands1 filled with a fragrant volatile oil1 upon which all its properties depend1 and the interior coat1 which is tasteless and indigestible4 ,the flavour may be obtained by rubbing lump sugar upon it1 which will imbibe the oil1 and if it be then dried by a very gentle heat1 may be preserved unimpaired for any length of time1 and will be preferable to the volatile oil obtained by distillation1 for the fire generally imparts an unpleasant or empyreumatic flavour4#eej ,it has been already stated1 that 8the different parts of the same plant have frequently very different properties40 ,the ,lemon offers a good example of this fact1 for its juice is acid1 its seeds bitter1 and its peel aromatic4 ,,linimenta4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,liniments4 ,these are external applications1 having the consistence of oil or balsam4 ,if we except the ,liniment4 ruginis1 all the officinal liniments are decomposed by the substances which are incompatible with soaps4 ,,linimentum ,,ruginis4 ,l4 ,oxymel ruginis4 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,mel gyptiacum4 ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,unguentum gyptiacum4 ,p4,l4 #agbj4 ,diluted with water1 it has been recommended as a gargle in venereal ulcerations1 but its use is hazardous2 it is a detergent escharotic preparation4 ,,linimentum ,,ammoni ,,fortius4 ,l4 ,oleum ,ammoniatum4 ,e4 ,linimentum ,ammoni4 ,d4 ,it consists of liquor ammoni one part1 olive oil two parts1 7oil eight parts1 ,e4,d47 ,the alkali forms with the oil a soap1 which is held dissolved by the water in the liquor ammoni4 ,is an excellent rubefacient1 and penetrating liniment4 ,,linimentum ,,ammoni ,,sub-,,carbonatis4 ,l4 ,linimentum ,ammoni4 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,,linimentum ,,volatile4 ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,the carbonic acid prevents the perfect formation of soap in this liniment2 unlike the former one1 therefore1 it deposits the soapy matter on standing4 ,it is much less stimulating than the preceding one4 ,,linimentum ,,calcis4 ,e4,d4 ,oil and lime water1 equal parts4 ,this is an earthy soap1 formed by the combination of lime and oil2 the soapy matter separates on standing1 it should therefore be extemporaneous4 ,in cases of burns and scalds where the cuticle has been destroyed1 it is an advantageous application4 ,,linimentum ,,camphor4 ,l4 ,oleum ,camphoratum4 ,e4,d4 ,camphor one1 olive oil four parts4 ,it is a simple solution of camphor in fixed oil1 and forms a very useful embrocation to sprains1 bruises1 glandular swellings1 and in rheumatic affections4 ,,linimentum ,,camphor ,,compositum4 ,l4 ,camphor two1 liquor ammoni six1 spirits of lavender sixteen parts4 ,it is highly stimulating4#eea ,,linimentum ,,hydrargyri4 ,l4 ,a pound of this liniment contains nearly iv of mercury2 it affects the mouth more rapidly than strong mercurial ointment1 although it will be seen by the ,medicinal ,dynameter to contain less ,mercury4 ,this effect is to be attributed to the stimulating properties of its adjuncts1 viz4 ,camphor and ,ammonia4 ,,linimentum ,,saponis ,,compositum4 ,l4 ,hard soap iij1 camphor j1 spirit of rosemary xvj parts4 ,it is a stimulant and anodyne application1 and in local pains opium may be advantageously added to it4 ,it is commonly used under the name of ,opodeldoc4#eeb ,see ,sapo4 ,,linimentum ,,terebinthin4 ,this liniment was introduced by ,mr4 ,kentish of ,newcastle1 as a dressing to recent burns1 which he continued until the eschars became loose4 ,,linum ,,catharticum4 ,l4,d4 ,purging ,flax4 ,the qualities of this plant reside in extractive matter1 hence water extracts1 but long decoction injures them4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is strongly purgative4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ij of the dried herb infused in oj of boiling water4 ,,dose1 fij4 ,,lini ,,usitatissimi ,,semina4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,linseed1 or ,common ,flax ,seed4 ,these seeds contain a large proportion of mucilage1 and one-sixth of their weight of fixed oil2 the former of which resides principally in the cuticle1 the latter1 in the parenchymatous portion of the seed2 by infusion in boiling water1 a clear1 colourless1 inodorous1 and nearly insipid mucilage is obtained2 ss of the unbruised seed is sufficient for oj of water2 cold water does not extract any mucilage from them when unbruised2 the farina of the seeds is well adapted for cataplasms4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,infus4 ,lini ,comp3 ,l4 ,oleum ,lini4 ,l4 ,e4 ,d4 ,,liquor ,,aluminis ,,compositus4 ,l4 ,aqua ,aluminosa ,bateana4 ,p4 ,l4 #agde4 ,this is a compound solution of alum and sulphate of zinc2 a fluid-ounce containing about seven grains of each ingredient1 it is powerfully astringent1 and is successfully used as a detergent lotion to old ulcers2 as a collyrium1 or as an injection in gleet and fluor albus2 it will also often answer in removing chilblains1 and in curing slight excoriations4 ,,liquor ,,ammoni4 ,l4 ,,aqua ,,ammoni4 ,e4 ,,aqua ,,ammoni ,,caustic4 ,d4 ,solution of ,ammonia4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a limpid1 colourless fluid2 specific gravity1 #ifj1 or fj weighs about #dch grs4 ,odour1 strong and pungent2 ,taste1 extremely caustic4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,a solution of ammoniacal gas in water1 which varies considerably in strength in the different pharmacopias4 ,when prepared according to the ,london and ,edinburgh ,colleges1 it contains nearly #be per cent4 of ammonia1 whereas the ,dublin preparation does not contain more than #af4 ,,solvent ,,powers4 ,it is an active solvent of many vegetable principles1 e4 g4 oils1 resins1 c4 ,with alcohol it unites in every proportion2 it assists the oxidizement of copper and zinc1 and dissolves many of the metallic oxides4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,stimulant1 rubefacient1 and antacid4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in milk1 or any liquid vehicle2 if in decoctions1 or infusions1 they must be previously cooled2 for at #acj the ammonia will escape in the form of gas4 ,,dose1 x to xxx4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,linimentum ,ammoni4 ,l4,d4 ,oleum ,ammon4 ,e4 ,spir4 ,ammoni4 ,l4 ,spir4 ,ammoni comp4 ,l4 ,spir4 ,ammon4 succinat4 ,l4 ,liniment4 ,camphor4 comp4 ,l4 ,,adulterations4 ,the presence of other salts in the solution may be discovered by saturating a portion with pure nitric acid1 and applying the test for sulphuric acid1 7,barytes7 and that for muriatic acid1 7,nitrate of ,silver47 ,carbonic acid is detected by its effervescing with acids1 or by its forming with lime water1 a precipitate1 soluble with effervescence in nitric acid2 it ought to be free from all fetor2 its strength can only be determined by taking its specific gravity4 ,it should be preserved in well closed bottles1 and their dimensions should be small1 for when in large vessels it often becomes carbonated before it is half used4 ,,liquor ,,ammoni ,,acetatis4 ,l4 ,,aqua ,,acetatis ,,ammoni4 ,e4,d4 ,solution of ,acetate of ,ammonia4 olim1 ,spirit of ,mindererus4 ,this preparation is a solution of the neutral acetate of ammonia1 with a proportion of carbonic acid diffused through it2 it is made by saturating the sub-carbonate of ammonia with distilled vinegar1 for which purpose it will generally be found that j of the alkali will saturate oiss of the vinegar2 since1 however1 the quantity of acid in distilled vinegar as well the strength of the ammonia1 are liable to constant variation1 the exact point of neutralization should be ascertained by the alternate application of litmus and turmeric papers2 for if the proportions be not accurately adjusted1 some of the metallic salts1 especially those of antimony1 which are often prescribed in conjunction with it1 are decomposed1 and thus rendered inefficacious2 and on this account an excess of alkali is to be feared more than that of acid4 ,this preparation is also not unfrequently employed as a collyrium1 when much serious mischief may arise from the carbonate of ammonia predominating4 ,it has been already stated that a very minute proportion of extractive matter is rendered sensible on the addition of an alkali2 hence this preparation frequently derives from the vinegar a brown hue1 which may be removed by filtering the solution through a little well burnt charcoal4 ,it also deserves notice that the presence of a trace of copper1 derived from the copper cocks through which the vinegar has passed1 will impart a brown tinge1 whilst in larger quantities this metal yields a blue colour with ammonia4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,acids2 fixed alkalies2 alum2 lime water2 sulphate of magnesia2 corrosive sublimate2 nitrate of silver2 and the sulphates of zinc1 copper1 and iron4 ,acetate of lead produces also a copious precipitation1 but this depends upon the presence of the carbonic acid diffused through the solution1 which decomposes the salt and forms an insoluble carbonate of lead4 ,magnesia likewise1 contrary to what might be supposed1 decomposes the solution and renders it pungent1 from the extrication of ammoniacal gas2 this phenomenon depends upon the magnesia forming a triple acetate with one part of the ammonia1 and setting the remainder at liberty4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,when assisted by warmth and plentiful dilution1 it is an excellent diaphoretic1 and produces its effects without quickening the circulation3 7,form3 #aag1 #abf17 by keeping the surface of the body cool1 its action is determined to the kidneys1 and it proves diuretic1 especially when combined with remedies of a similar tendency4 7,form3 #aaa47 ,,dose1 fiv to fxij4 ,externally it furnishes a lotion1 valuable as a refrigerant1 especially when combined with some spirituous preparation4 ,see ,form3 #adh4 ,,liquor ,,ammoni ,,sub-,,carbonatis4 ,l4 ,,solutio ,,sub-,,carbonatis ,,ammoni4 ,e4 ,,aqua ,,carbonatis ,,ammoni4 ,d4 ,this is merely a solution of the solid sub-carbonate in distilled water1 see ,ammoni ,sub-carbonas4 ,,dose1 fss to fj in any bland liquid4 ,,adulterations4 ,there is frequently a deficient quantity of the sub-carbonate in solution1 its pungency being kept up by the addition of liquor ammoni2 this may be discovered by shaking it with twice its bulk of alcohol1 when a coagulum of considerable density should occur1 the absence of which will denote the sophistication of the article4 ,its specific gravity should be #aaej4 ,the ,incompatibles are those enumerated under the history of ,ammoni ,sub-carbonas4 ,,liquor ,,arsenicalis4 ,l4 ,,solutio ,,arsenicalis4 ,e4 ,this is a solution of the ,arsenite of ,potass1 coloured and flavoured by the ,compound ,spirit of ,lavender1 fj of which contains gr4 of arsenious acid4 ,it was introduced into practice by ,dr4 ,fowler of ,stafford1 as a substitute for the empirical remedy known by the name of 8,the ,tasteless ,ague ,drop40 ,it is a powerful tonic1 and has been very successfully administered in the cure of intermittent and remittent fevers1 periodical headaches1 and as an alterative in many anomalous diseases of the skin4 ,it has been also given1 with decided effect1 in certain visceral obstructions2 its use however is to a great degree empirical1 although we may observe1 generally1 that wherever strong arterial action exists1 arsenic will do harm4 ,the addition of a few drops of ,vinum ,opii is said to render its operation safer and more efficacious4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,lime water2 nitrate of silver2 the salts of copper2 hydro-sulphuret of potass1 and the infusions and decoctions of bark4 ,,dose1 iv1 gradually increased to xxx1 twice a day4 ,see ,arsenicum ,album4 ,,liquor ,,calcis4 ,l4 ,,aqua ,,calcis4 ,e4 ,d4 ,lime ,water4 ,it is a saturated solution of lime in water2 fj of which contains #c_/d of a grain4#eec ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,all alkaline and metallic salts2 borates2 tartrates2 citrates2 acids2 sulphur2 spirituous preparations1 and the infusions of all astringent vegetables4 ,it should be kept in close vessels1 for if exposed to the air1 the lime will attract carbonic acid1 and become an insoluble carbonate2 the addition of an alkaline carbonate produces the same effect instantaneously4#eed ,if animal charcoal be boiled with lime-water1 it will precipitate the whole of the lime1 an effect which is not produced by charcoal of vegetable origin4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is an antacid1 and is therefore useful in dyspepsia attended with acidity2 ,form4 #adi4 ,mixed with an equal quantity of milk1 it furnishes an excellent remedy in infantile complaints connected with bowel affections2 it is likewise astringent in leucorrha1 in the last stages of dysentery1 and in protracted diarrha4 ,it dissolves also the slimy mucus with which disordered bowels are so generally infested2 on account of this latter property1 it has been exhibited in calculous affections1#eee with the view of dissolving the cementing ingredient of the concretion1 and thereby of destroying its cohesion3 see page #abc4 ,not being very nauseous1 it is easily given under any circumstances1 and it is not liable to produce that irritability of stomach which frequently attends the long continued use of the fixed alkalies4 ,it also frequently forms the basis of astringent gargles4 ,lime water moreover affords a successful remedy in certain cutaneous affections1 particularly those affecting the face1 as ,gutta ,rosea4 ,sir ,g4 ,blane has also seen some remarkable cures of herpetic complaints of the legs by large doses2 he has also employed it with effect as a lotion4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,milk disguises its flavour1 without impairing its virtues4 ,,dose1 fj to fvj4 ,sugar has the curious property of rendering lime more soluble in water4 ,see ,saccharum4 ,,liquor ,,calcis ,,muriatis4 ,l4,d4 ,solution of ,muriate of ,lime4 ,this solution is said to be tonic and deobstruent1 and to have been advantageously given in scrofula4 ,it has also been found useful in ,urticaria1 and several other forms of cutaneous disease4 ,,incompatibles4 ,sulphuric acid1 and the ,sulphates2 the fixed alkalies and their carbonates2 ammonia produces no change in the solution1 but its carbonate decomposes it1 and precipitates carbonate of lime4 ,,dose1 xx to fij4 ,,liquor ,,cupri ,,ammoniati4 ,l4 ,solution of ,ammoniated ,copper4 ,this is a simple solution of the salt in distilled water4 ,the preparation1 although perfectly transparent when first formed1 soon becomes turbid and deposits oxide of copper2 this arises from the escape of ammonia1 and may be prevented by the occasional addition of a small quantity of the volatile alkali4 ,see ,cuprum ,ammoniatum4 ,the ,medicinal ,dynameter will show the proportion of salt in any given quantity of the solution4 ,,liquor ,,ferri ,,alkalini4 ,l4 ,solution of ,alkaline ,iron4 ,this preparation is nearly the same as ,stahl's ,tinctura ,martis ,alkalina4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is by no means ascertained4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,it is a most injudicious preparation1 for it cannot be exhibited in any form without decomposition2 water1 especially if not distilled1 and vegetable infusions and decoctions1 produce dense precipitates2 pure acids1 alkalies1 and spirit1 also decompose it4 ,i must confess my regret at the ,college having retained this preparation in their ,pharmacopia2 the committee agreed to reject it1 but their judgment was reversed by the votes of the ,comitia ,majora4 ,should any practitioner be unable to procure this preparation1 ,i will give him an easy receipt for producing it1 viz4 ,let him keep the ,mistura ,ferri composita in an open vessel1 until it is entirely spoilt6 ,,liquor ,,hydrargyri ,,oxy-,,muriatis4 ,l4 ,this solution of corrosive sublimate is intended to facilitate the exhibition of minute doses of the salt2 fj contains gr4 2 when long kept1 or exposed to light1 the oxy-muriate is decomposed1 and calomel is precipitated2 7see ,hydrag3 ,oxymuriatis37 or1 what is more dangerous1 it is sometimes deposited in crystals1 without decomposition2 a small portion of muriatic acid1 or muriate of ammonia in the solution1 prevents this precipitation4 ,,dose1 fss to fij1 in an infusion of linseed4 ,,liquor ,,plumbi ,,sub-,,acetatis4 ,l4 ,,liquor ,,sub-,,acetatis ,,lithargyri4 ,d4 ,aqua ,lithargyri ,acetati1 ,p4 ,l4 #agfg4 ,solution of ,sub-acetate of ,lead3 olim1 ,extract of ,saturn4 ,this preparation was introduced by ,m4 ,goulard of ,montpellier1 hence it has been commonly known by the name of ,goulard's ,extract4 ,,qualities4 ,it is of a greenish straw colour1 and has an austere1 sweetish taste2 when kept it deposits a quantity of oxide1 and becomes lighter coloured4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is a saturated solution of the sub-acetate of lead1 consisting1 according to ,berzelius1 of one proportional of acid1 and three proportionals of oxide of lead2 hence its name is correct4 ,it is the only instance with which we are acquainted of a real sub-salt being soluble in water4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,alkalies and their carbonates precipitate a white sub-salt2 alkaline sulphates and sulphurets2 mucilage4 ,spring ,water1 from the salts which it contains1 produces with it a very milky and turbid appearance2 and even when distilled1 in consequence of the carbonic acid diffused through it1 it occasions precipitation4 ,the ,surgeon will remember that the ,linimentum ,saponis cannot be mixed with it1 without mutual decomposition4 ,see ,sapo4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is only used externally1 in superficial and phlegmonic inflammations of the skin1 and in herpetic affections4 ,it has been a question whether ,lead1 in any form1 should ever be applied to an open wound1 or to an abraded surface2#eef as a general rule1 it should not certainly be applied to such as are recent1 nor to those whose character indicates a diminished state of vitality in the parts1 and exhibits a disposition to gangrene4 ,the abuse of ,saturnine lotions has been frequently descanted upon by foreign writers1 and1 among the evils which are supposed to be thus induced1 impotence is mentioned as one of not unfrequent occurrence4 ,see ,institutioni di ,medicina ,forens3 di ,tortosa1 vol4 #a4 p4 #eh4 also ,fritze ,compend3 sopra le ,malat3 ,vener3 p4 #ahi4 and ,monteggia ,annotat3 sopra i ,mali ,venerei1 p4 #cf4 ,there is a paper in the third volume of the ,medical ,transactions1 by ,dr4 ,reynolds1 in which the case of a gentleman is detailed1 who brought on a temporary paralysis of the ,sphincter ,ani1 by freely using ,goulard's lotion for the cure of the ,piles4 ,the value of ,saturnine applications in common inflammation most probably arises from a partial paralysis of the nerves of the part1 produced by the sedative agency of the lead4 ,,liquor ,,plumbi ,,sub-,,acetatis ,,dilutus4 ,l4 ,as the former preparation is very rarely employed in its concentrated form1 the ,college has directed its dilution1 and added a portion of spirit1 with a view to accelerate its evaporation1 and thus to produce a refrigerating effect2 but for such a purpose the quantity of spirit is far too small1 and should therefore be increased by extemporaneous addition4 ,,liquor ,,potass4 ,l4 ,,aqua ,,potass4 ,e4 ,,aqua ,,kali ,,caustica4 ,d4 ,aqua kali puri4 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,lixivium ,saponarium1 #agde4 ,,qualities4 ,a limpid1 dense1 colourless solution2 a pint should weigh xvj2 when rubbed between the fingers it feels soapy1 in consequence of a partial solution of the cuticle4 ,the solution1 as usually prepared1 contains small portions of muriate and sulphate of potass1 silica and lime2 but these incidental impurities do not invalidate its virtues2 it ought not to effervesce with acids4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,antacid1 diuretic1 alterative1 and lithonthryptic2 and externally1 when diluted1 it acts as a stimulating lotion1#eeg and if concentrated1 as a caustic2 see ,potassa ,fusa4 ,the operation of this and other alkaline remedies1 have at different periods been celebrated as powerful lithonthriptics1 and whilst experience has in some cases confirmed the value of the practice1 it has in others proved no less decidedly its mischievous agency2 these contradictory results are at length capable of explanation1 for ,chemistry has drawn aside the veil that has so long obscured the history1 origin1 and cure of calculous diseases1 and has demonstrated that these extraneous bodies vary in composition1 and are consequently very differently affected by the same chemical solvents2 but this subject has already been so fully discussed in the first part of this work1 under the chapter on 8,antilithics and ,lithonthryptics10 that it is unnecessary to dwell upon it in this place4 ,it has also been found highly useful in the cure of several species of cutaneous affections2 as in ,lepra1 ,psoriasis1 c4 which diseases generally appear to have some connection with a morbid state of the digestive functions2 see ,form3 #adi4 ,,dose of the solution of potass1 x to fss1 in veal broth#eeh or table beer2 this latter vehicle disguises its nauseous flavour completely4 ,in many cases1 the infusion of some bitter tonic will be the most eligible liquor in which it can be exhibited1 especially where our object is to promote its absorption3 the theory of such a combination has been already explained in the first part of this work1 p4 #aec4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,potassa fusa1 ,l4,e4,d4 ,potassa cum calce1 ,l4,e4,d4 ,liquor ,sulphureti ,kali1 ,d4 ,antimonii ,sulphuretum ,prcipitatum1 ,l4,e4 ,,liquor ,,potass ,,sub-,,carbonatis4 ,l4 ,,aqua ,,sub-,,carbonatis ,,kali4 ,d4 ,aqua ,kali prparati1 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,lixivium ,tartari4 #agde4 ,oleum ,tartari per deliquium1 ,p4,l4 #agbj4 ,,qualities4 ,it is a clear1 colourless1 and inodorous solution2 ,spec4 grav4 #addf4 ,,dose1 x to fj4 ,see ,potass ,sub-carbonas1 and ,form3 #ci1 #da4 ,the proportion of the salt contained in any quantity of the solution may be learnt by referring to the ,dynameter4 ,,liriodendron ,,tulipifera4 ,american ,tulip bearing poplar4 ,cortex4 ,this is a native tree of ,america1 and one of the most magnificent to be found in our forests--distinguished no less by its great altitude than by its beautiful foliage4 ,it grows in almost every part of the ,united ,states4 ,the part used in medicine is the ,bark4 ,this has a rough1 fibrous appearance and is of a whitish colour4 ,its taste is bitter1 astringent1 and somewhat acrid and aromatic4 ,by analysis1 it yields gum1 resin1 muriatic acid1 iron1 mucus1 c4 ,in its action on the system1 it is decidedly tonic1 exhibiting at the same time1 to a certain extent1 stimulant properties4 ,if given in considerable quantities it acts also on the skin and kidneys4 ,it has been used with advantage and success in intermittent fever1 chronic rheumatism1 gout1 hysteria1 and in debilitated states of the stomach4 ,it may be given in substance1 which is the most efficacious form of using it1 in doses of from ss to ij4 ,,lobelia ,,inflata4 ,indian ,tobacco4 ,herba4 ,this is a plant very common in the ,united ,states4 ,it has an acrid taste1 very similar to that of green tobacco4 ,by analysis it is found to contain an acrid principle1 caoutchouc1 and extractive4 ,it is soluble both in water and alcohol4 ,in its medicinal effects1 the lobelia is analogous to common tobacco1 and varies very much according to the dose in which it is given4 ,it may thus be made to act either as an emetic1 antispasmodic1 expectorant1 or diaphoretic4 ,the diseases in which it has been found useful are asthma1 croup1 hooping cough1 and catarrh4 ,the tincture is the best preparation1 and is prepared by digesting1 for ten days1 ij of the plant in a pint of diluted alcohol4 ,the dose is from j to iv--of the powder1 the dose to prove emetic is from #aj to #bj grs4 ,,magnesia4 ,l4 ,,magnesia ,,usta4 ,d4 ,calcined ,magnesia4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a white1 very light1 soft powder2 ,specific gravity1 #bc2 it turns to green the more delicate vegetable blues4 ,,solubility4 ,although it requires #bjjj times its weight of water to hold it in solution1 yet it has the property of considerably increasing the solubility of camphor1 opium1 and resins in the same fluid2 it is soluble in solutions of the alkaline carbonates1 but not in those of caustic alkalies4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is an oxide of a peculiar metal4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,antacid1 and when acidity prevails1 purgative2 it is preferable to the carbonate whenever the bowels are distended with flatus1 7,form3 #aej73 in other respects1 its virtues are the same4 ,see ,magnes4 ,carb4 ,the ,medicinal ,dynameter will shew the equivalent doses of the pure earth and its carbonate2 it will be seen for instance that #ab grains of the former will be as efficient1 as an antacid1 as #be grains of the latter4 ,,incidental ,,impurities4 ,it ought not to effervesce with acids1 and if magnesia and muriatic acid be placed at one time in separate cups1 in a scale of a balance1 no diminution of weight should take place on mixing them4 ,lime is detected by its solution in dilute sulphuric acid affording a precipitate with oxalate of ammonia2 the sulphuret of lime betrays itself by yielding1 when moistened1 the smell of sulphuretted hydrogen4#eei ,,magnesi ,,sub-,,carbonas4 ,l4 ,,carbonas ,,magnesi4 ,e4 ,,magnesia4 ,d4 ,olim1 ,magnesia ,alba4 ,carbonate of ,magnesia1 vulgo1 ,common ,magnesia4 ,this preparation was formerly considered by ,mr4 ,phillips to be a mixture of carbonate and sub-carbonate of magnesia1 an opinion which he has lately retracted2 it is1 says he1 evidently a carbonate1 i4 e4 magnesia combined with one proportion of carbonic acid1 or forty-eight of carbonic acid to forty-three of magnesia4 ,dr4 ,thompson entertains a different opinion1 he observes that it seems to be a mechanical mixture of carbonate of magnesia1 caustic magnesia1 and perhaps of hydrated magnesia2 he found too great a diversity in its composition to permit the conclusion that it was a definite chemical compound2 in a specimen purchased at ,glasgow1 he also found six per cent4 of sulphate of lime4 ,i take this opportunity of stating that in some specimens which ,i have examined1 ,i have also detected portions of gypsum2 and from the experiments of ,dr4 ,percival1 it appears that if hard water be employed for its preparation it will be less light1 and will contain a portion of lime4 ,magnesia will be also liable to contain traces of silicious earth1 derived from the alkali used in producing it4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,acids1 and acidulous salts2 alkalies and neutral salts2 alum2 cream of tartar2 nitrate of silver2 acetate of mercury2 oxy-muriate of mercury2 acetate of lead2 sulphates of zinc1 copper1 and iron4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,antacid1 and purgative4 ,in cases of lithic calculi1 carbonate of magnesia1 in doses of j to j1 has been proposed by ,mr4 ,hatchett1 as a valuable substitute for alkaline remedies4 ,its insolubility must render its absorption equivocal2 its beneficial operation must therefore principally depend upon its neutralizing any excess of acid in the prim vi1 and in this way there can be no doubt of its lithonthryptic agency2 8but10 says ,dr4 ,marcet1 8such is the tendency which the public has to over-rate the utility of a new practice1 or to take a mistaken view of its proper application1 that there is every reason to believe that the use of magnesia has of late years become a frequent source of evil in calculous complaints40 ,see page #abd4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,hydrarg4 cum ,magnesia4 ,d4 ,magnesia4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,chalk may be detected by adding dilute sulphuric acid to a suspected portion1 when1 should any be present1 the solution will be loaded with a white and insoluble precipitate2 gypsum1 by boiling a sample in distilled water1 and assaying the solution by a barytic and oxalic test4#efj ,,magnesi ,,sulphas4 ,l4 ,,sulphas ,,magnesi4 ,e4,d4 ,magnesia ,vitriolata4 ,sal catharticum amarum4 ,bitter purging ,salt4 ,epsom ,salt4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 small needle-like crystals4 ,taste1 bitter and nauseous2 when pure1 it effloresces4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,in its crystallized state1 it may be considered as composed of #a proportional of dry sulphate 7,magnesia #ahe1 and sulphuric acid #cge7 and #g proportionals of water4 ,,solubility4 fj of water dissolves j1 and the solution measures fxj2 it is insoluble in alcohol4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,muriates of ammonia1 baryta1 and lime2 nitrate of silver2 sub-acetate1 and acetate of lead4 ,the fixed alkalies and their carbonates1 precipitate from it magnesia and its carbonate4 ,phosphate of soda occasions no immediate precipitate1 unless ammonia be present1 in which case the triple ammoniaco-magnesian phosphate will be produced4 ,the addition of ammonia1 which in the form of ,spiritus ammoni aromat4 is not unfrequently prescribed in conjunction with a solution of this sulphate1 forms also a triple salt1 and a portion of magnesia is precipitated3 whenever therefore this ammoniacal stimulant is ordered with a purgative salt1 the scientific physician will prefer a solution of the sulphate of soda4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,dissolved in the ,infusum ,ros1 or in a suitable quantity of beef tea1 gruel1 or any aqueous vehicle1 its cathartic powers are increased by dilution1 as well as by the addition of a little common salt2 magnesia renders the taste of its solution less nauseous2 and tartarized antimony quickens its operation4 ,,dose1 ss to ij1 taken either at once1 or in divided doses4 ,form4 #cg1 #fi1 #gb1 #gf4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,enema ,catharticum4 ,enema ,ftid4 ,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,sulphate of ,soda is often substituted for this salt1 which it may be made to resemble by stirring it briskly at the moment when it is about to crystallize2 the fraud may be detected by a precipitation not ensuing on adding carbonate of potass2 if only a part of the salt be sulphate of soda1 the degree of sophistication can be learnt by the quantity of the precipitate formed2 #ajj parts of sulphate of magnesia1 if pure1 will yield between #cj and #dj of the dry carbonate4 ,epsom salt1 as it commonly occurs1 contains muriate of magnesia1 which disposes it to deliquesce1 but lately this salt has appeared in the market in a state of great purity and beauty2 the mode of purification is founded upon the well known chemical law1 that a saturated solution of one salt is still capable of dissolving another2 in the present instance1 therefore1 the impure crystals are washed in a saturated solution of the same sulphate1 which1 although unable to act upon its kindred salt1 can dissolve with facility the muriate1 and any other saline contamination4 ,i confess1 however1 that ,i am induced to regard this process as rather chemically ingenious than as medicinally useful1 for the usual saline impurities of ,epsom salt are not only harmless1 but capable of increasing its purgative powers2 the double refined sulphate is certainly less efficient as a cathartic4 ,the presence of the muriate may be at once detected by dropping upon the suspected sample some sulphuric acid1 by which the disengagement of muriatic acid vapour will be produced4 ,since the publication of the fourth edition of the present work1 ,i have received samples of the sulphate of ,magnesia1 prepared by ,mr4 ,west of ,lymington1 and ,i can confidently recommend the article to the profession2 he contrives to obtain them in large and beautiful crystals1 which cannot be so easily mistaken for those of oxalic acid1 a circumstance of no small importance to the drug vender2 the form of these crystals is that of a square prism1 having its edges replaced1 and commonly terminated by a pyramid of four planes2 the only cleavage is parallel to one of the diagonals of the prism4 ,the numerous accidents which so frequently occur from mistaking ,oxalic acid for ,epsom ,salts have given rise to many suggestions for obtaining an easy and popular test which may at once distinguish these bodies2 it is evident that no test can be so simple as that afforded by the taste2 but if such accidents are in future to be prevented1 it must be done by imparting to the acid some external character by which it may be at once recognised2 if a test were even discovered a hundred times more sensible than any which we possess1 what would it avail8 ,,manna4#efa ,l4,e4,d4 7,fraxinus ,ornus4 ,succus ,concretus47 ,manna4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 flakes of a granular texture2 ,colour1 whitish1 or pale yellow2 ,odour1 slight but peculiar2 ,taste1 nauseous sweet1 with some degree of bitterness4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,this concrete vegetable juice1 besides sugar1 appears to contain mucilage and extractive1 to which its taste and other peculiar properties are owing4 ,,solubility4 ,it is entirely soluble in water and alcohol4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is now merely regarded as a laxative for children1 or for weak persons4 ,it generally requires some laxative adjunct1 as castor oil1 with which it may be combined by the medium of mucilage4 ,,dose1 for children1 from j to iij1 in warm milk4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,confectio ,cassi4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,enema ,cathart4 ,d4 ,enema ,ftid4 ,d4 ,syrup4 ,senn4 ,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,there are several varieties in the market1 the best of which is flake manna1 manna canulata1 in a stalactitic form4 ,an article1 entirely factitious1 consisting of honey or sugar1 mixed with scammony1 is sometimes sold for genuine manna1 but its colour1 weight1 transparency1 and taste1 must instantly lead to its detection4 ,,mastiche4 ,l4 7,pistachia ,lentiscus4 ,resina47 ,mastich4 ,the use of this resinous substance is to fill the cavities of carious teeth2 a solution of it in oil of turpentine is sold as an odontalgic4 ,the ,turkish and ,armenian women use it as a masticatory for cleaning the teeth1 emulging the salivary glands1 and imparting an agreeable odour to the breath4 ,it forms a constituent of the ,dinner ,pills4 ,see ,aloes4 ,sonnini tells us that1 in ,egypt1 the smoke of ,mastich is supposed to kill any sick person that inhales it4 ,,mel4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,honey4 ,this well known substance appears to be merely collected from the flowers1 and not elaborated by the internal economy of the insect2 when properly diluted it undergoes vinous fermentation1 the product of which is the beverage well known by the name of ,mead4 ,the ,english honey is more waxy than that from the south of ,europe4 ,virgin honey is that wrought by young bees which have never swarmed1 and permitted to run from the comb without heat or pressure4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,sugar1 mucilage1 wax1 an acid1 and occasionally some essential oil4 ,clarified ,honey1 7,mel ,despumatum4 ,l4,d47 has not the agreeable smell of crude honey2 it does not however ferment so readily1 nor is it so apt to gripe4 ,,uses4 ,it is principally employed for forming several officinal preparations1 i4 e4 ,mellita1 viz4 ,mel ,boracis4 ,l4 ,mel ,ros4 ,l4,d4 ,oxymel4 ,l4,d4 ,oxymel ,colchici4 ,e4 ,oxymel ,scill4 ,l4,d4#efb ,sir ,john ,pringle considered it as useful in nephritic disorders2 it possesses also a laxative property1 which renders it on many occasions preferable to ,syrup4 ,,adulterations4 ,flour may be detected by diffusing the honey in tepid water1 by which it will be separated1 and1 by subsequent boiling1 converted into a thick paste4 ,,melia ,,azedarach4 ,,pride ,,of ,,china4 ,cortex radicis4 ,this plant is a native of the ,east ,indies1 from whence it was introduced into ,europe and ,north ,america4 ,the part used in medicine is the bark of the root4 ,it is a powerful anthelmintic1 and affects the system in a way very similar to the ,spigelia ,marylandica1 producing not unfrequently confusion of the head1 stupor1 trembling of the hands1 c4 ,this is particularly the case if it be used in the months of ,march and ,april1 when the sap rises in the tree4 ,it is chiefly against the round worm that the ,melia has been found successful1 though in some cases it has proved effectual also against the ,tnia4 ,it is generally given in the form of decoction3 to prepare this1 iij or iv of the bark of the fresh root are put into a quart of water and boiled down to a pint1 of which ss to j may be given every two or three hours till it operates4 ,administered in this way1 it frequently causes both purging and vomiting4 ,,mentha ,,piperita4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,,mentha ,,piperitis4 ,d4 ,peppermint4#efc ,all the qualities of this plant depend upon an essential oil and camphor2 it readily and strongly impregnates either water or spirit1 by infusion2 its infusion1 and the water distilled from the plant1 are carminative and antispasmodic2 they also serve as vehicles for other medicines1 to correct their operation1 or to disguise their flavour4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,aq4 ,menth4 ,piperit4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,spir4 ,menth4 ,pip4 ,l4,d4 ,ol4 ,menth4 ,pip4 ,l4,d4 ,if this plant be cut in wet weather1 it turns black1 and is worthless4 ,,mentha ,,viridis4 ,l4 ,,mentha ,,sativa4 ,d4 ,spearmint4 ,cold water extracts the more agreeable and active parts of mint in a few hours2 a longer maceration extracts the grosser and less agreeable portions2 hot water more quickly extracts its virtues1 but if it be boiling it dissipates the aroma4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,aq4 ,menth4 virid4 ,l4,d4 ,infus4 ,menth4 comp4 ,d4 ,ol4 ,menth4 virid4 ,l4 ,d4 ,spir4 ,menth4 virid4 ,l4 ,,mezerei ,,cortex4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,daphne ,mezereum4 ,radicis ,cortex47 ,mezereon4 ,the inner bark of this plant1 when fresh1 is corrosive and even vesicatory2 the fruit is equally so1 but neither have any smell2 its virulence is counteracted by camphor4 ,it contains1 besides extractive matter1 an acrid resinous substance1 which1 according to ,plaff1 bears a strong resemblance to the active principle of ,cantharides4 ,it is now seldom used except as an antivenereal remedy1 or in cases of chronic cutaneous disease4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in a decoction1 made by boiling ss of the bark1 with an equal quantity of ,liquorice root1 in oiij of water down to oij2 of which fss may be given twice a day4 ,from its pungency it is one of the substances used by fraudulent brewers to communicate a strong flavour to their beer4 ,where a discharge from issues cannot be kept up by the common means1 it is said that the introduction of a little of this bark1 instead of the pea1 will in a few hours produce the desired effect4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,decoct4 ,sarsaparill4 comp4 ,l4 ,decoct4 ,daphnes4 ,mezerei4 ,e4 ,the ,daphne ,laureola is very generally sold for ,mezereon4 ,,mistur4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,mixtures4 ,the principles upon which this form of preparation is to be constructed1 are fully detailed in the first part of this work1 page #aii4 ,officinal ,mixtures4 ,,mistura ,,ammoniaci4 ,l4 ,this mixture is expectorant1 and may be exhibited with tincture of squills1 c4 7,form4 #aae1 #acf47 ,it is slightly curdled by vinegar1 oxymel1 ther1 and oxy-muriate of mercury4 ,,mistura ,,amygdalarum4 ,l4 ,emulsio ,amygdali communis4 ,e4 ,lac ,amygdal4 ,d4 ,it is a useful demulcent and diluent1 and forms an elegant vehicle for more active medicines4 ,incompatibles--,acids1 ,oxymel1 ,syrup of ,squill1 ,spirit1 and ,tinctures1 unless added in very small quantities1 decompose this mixture2 tartaric acid1 super-tartrate of potass1 and oxy-muriate of mercury1 also disturb it4 ,form4 #acg4 ,,mistura ,,assaf,,tid4 ,l4 ,a nauseous preparation2 and where its use is indicated1 it will be more judicious to prescribe it as an extemporaneous mixture4 ,see ,assaftida4 ,,mistura ,,camphor4 ,l4 ,this solution of camphor forms an elegant vehicle for more active stimulants4 ,the camphor is separated from the water by a solution of pure potass1 by sulphate of magnesia1 and by several saline bodies4 ,see ,form4 #g1 #bd1 #be1 #cb1 #dg1 #gb1 #aaf1 #aag1 #abc4 ,,mistura ,,cornu ,,usti4 ,l4 ,decoctum ,cornu ,cervini4 ,d4 ,this is nothing more than a simple diffusion of phosphate of lime in a thin mucilage--,cui bono8 ,it was retained in the ,pharmacopia in deference to the opinion of some experienced practitioners4 ,,mistura ,,cret4 ,l4,d4 ,a common and useful remedy in diarrha1 and may be combined with opium1 catechu1 or any other astringent4 ,form4 #eb4 ,it is of course incompatible with acids1 and acidulous salts4 ,,mistura ,,ferri ,,composita4 ,l4 ,this is nearly the same as the celebrated anti-hectic mixture of ,dr4 ,griffith2 to the result of the decompositions which take place from the mixture of its ingredients1 it is wholly indebted for its medicinal energies2 thus1 a proto-carbonate of iron is formed1 i4 e4 the iron combined with carbonic acid is at its minimum of oxidation1 which renders it more active than the common carbonate1 and probably less stimulant than the sulphate2 this product1 by means of the saponaceous compound formed by the union of the myrrh with the excess of alkali1 is partly diffused and suspended in the mixture1 and partly dissolved1 whilst at the same time a sulphate of potass is formed1 which serves to correct the astringent influence which iron is apt to exert upon the bowels4 ,the iron in this preparation is disposed to combine with an additional proportion of oxygen1 hence its ingredients should be quickly mixed together1 and it ought to be considered as an extemporaneous preparation1 and be preserved in a closely-stopt vessel4 ,its change of colour will generally indicate its loss of efficacy4 ,this preparation must be regarded as permanently serviceable in ,chlorosis1 and the numerous sympathetic affections connected with it4 ,in the painful swellings which infest the breasts of chlorotic young women1 ,i have found it almost a specific4 ,,dose1 fj-fij4 ,the proportion of ,proto-carbonate of iron1 contained in any given quantity of this mixture1 may be found by referring to the ,medicinal ,dynameter2 for instance1 bring the preparation to #ab1 and we shall perceive that this number of fluid-drachms contain #a grain of ,protoxide1 or rather more than gr4 iss of ,proto-carbonate of iron2 and we shall1 at the same time1 perceive that to give an equivalent quantity in the form of ,pil4 ,ferri comp4 we must prescribe j4 ,see ,form4 #if4 ,,mistura ,,moschi4 ,this is an eligible form for the administration of ,musk4 ,dose1 fj-fij1 to which may be added extemporaneously1 ammonia1 ther1 and other diffusible stimulants4 ,the ,dose of the above mixtures is fj-to fij twice or thrice a day4 ,,moschus4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,musk4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 grains concreted together1 dry1 yet slightly unctuous4 ,colour1 deep brown with a shade of red2 ,odour1 aromatic1 peculiar1 diffusive1 and durable2 and it has the curious property1 when added in a minute quantity1 to augment the odour of other perfumes without imparting its own2 this renders it a valuable article in perfumery1 on which account it is a usual ingredient in lavender water4 ,taste1 bitterish and heavy4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,resin combined with volatile oil1 and a mucilaginous extractive matter1 with small portions of albumen1 gelatine1 muriate of ammonia1 and phosphate of soda4 ,,solubility4 ,boiling water dissolves it perfectly2 rectified spirit takes up most of its active parts1 although the odour is only discovered upon dilution2 sulphuric ther is its most complete menstruum4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,the solutions are decomposed by ,oxy-muriate of ,mercury2 ,sulphate of ,iron2 ,nitrate of ,silver2 and the ,infusion of ,yellow ,bark4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,stimulant and antispasmodic4 ,as early as the time of ,meade it was employed in typhus fever2 ,pringle administered it in gout of the stomach1 a practice which received the concurrence of ,cullen2 conjoined with ammonia it has been celebrated for its powers in arresting the progress of gangrene1 and of imparting fresh excitement to the nervous system4 ,it has been also administered with success in epilepsy1 hooping cough1 and other spasmodic affections4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,the best form is that of bolus1 combined with ammonia or camphor1 or some other similar remedy1 7,form4 #ba72 it may be also administered in a mixture1 for which purpose it requires five times its weight of mucilage1 consequently the ,london ,college has not directed a sufficient quantity to retain the musk in suspension3 by previously triturating it with sugar1 its minute division is much facilitated4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to xxx4 ,see ,form4 #bb1 #cj4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,mist4 ,mosch4 ,l4 ,tinct4 ,mosch4 ,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,the bag containing the musk should have no appearance of having been opened3 the presence of dried blood may be suspected1 by its emitting1 as it inflames1 a fetid smoke2 ,asphaltum is discovered by its melting and running before it inflames3 the artificial bags are known from the deficiency of the membrane which lines the real musk bags4 ,to increase the weight of the musk1 fine particles of lead are frequently added2 this is easily detected1 for by rubbing it with water the metallic particles will subside4 ,,moschus ,,factitius4 ,artificial ,musk1 strongly resembling the real1 may be formed by digesting fss of ,nitric ,acid1 for ten days1 upon j of fetid animal oil1 obtained by distillation2 to this is to be next gradually added oj of rectified spirit1 and the whole is then to be left to digest for one month3 or-- #b4 ,drop fiiiss of nitric acid upon fj of rectified oil of amber2 after standing twenty-four hours1 a black1 resinous pellicle1 exhaling the odour of musk1 will be formed4 ,,mucilago ,,acaci4 ,l4,e4 ,,mucilago ,,gummi ,,arabici4 ,d4 ,this preparation consists of one part of gum and two of water2 in preparing it1 the dispenser is particularly recommended to pulverize the gum1 and never to employ that which is purchased in the state of powder1 as it is always impure and incapable of forming a pellucid and elegant solution4#efd ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,neither the strong acids nor alcohol1 when considerably diluted1 occasion any disturbance in it2 but sulphuric ther and its compound spirit1 the tincture of muriated iron1 and sub-acetate of lead1 produce very dense precipitates3 the acetate of lead only occasions decomposition1 when an alkaline salt is present in the formula2 the volatile alkali curdles the mucilage1 and hard calcareous waters render the mixture difficult and often impracticable4 ,in the pharmaceutical application of this mucilage1 it should be remembered that it contains in its composition an astringent principle1 which is perhaps of but trifling consequence except in the exhibition of some very few active metallic salts1 which are certainly decomposed by it 7e4 g4 grs4 x of nitrate of mercury are decomposed by ij of gum arabic4#efe7 ,it contains also lime in combination with some vegetable acid4 ,,uses4 ,diluted with four times its bulk of water1 this mucilage forms a demulcent mixture of appropriate tenacity1 which affords a convenient vehicle for several efficient remedies2 the pharmaceutical use of this mucilage depends upon the fact of its rendering expressed and essential oils1 balsams1 resins1 gum-resins1 resinous tinctures1 and fatty bodies1 miscible with water1 but if a syrup be added1 the union will be more perfect2 the proportions necessary for this purpose vary according to the nature of the substances2 thus1 oils will require about three-fourths their weight1 ,balsams and ,spermaceti an equal part1 ,resins a double quantity1 and ,musk five times its weight2 the following ,formul illustrate this property1 #i1 #ai1 #bb1 #ace4 ,,mucilago ,,amyli4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,mucilage of ,starch4 ,this is a strong1 insipid1 inodorous mucilage1 which is principally employed as a vehicle for exhibiting ,opium in the form of ,enema1 see ,amylum4 ,,mucilago ,,astragali ,,tragacanth4 ,e4,d4 ,tragacanth ,mucilage4 ,tragacanth is1 strictly speaking1 not soluble in water1 but imbibes a large portion of it and swells into a considerable bulk1 forming a soft but not a liquid mucilage2 on the farther addition of water1 a fluid solution may be obtained by agitation1 and the liquor is turbid2 but on standing1 the mucilage subsides1 the limpid water on the surface retaining a little of the gum2#eff it differs from all gums in giving a thick consistence to a larger quantity of water1 its power in this respect being to that of gum arabic as twenty to one2 one part converts twenty of hot water into a stiff mucilage4 ,tragacanth is not increased1 but actually diminished in solubility by the addition of any other gum1 it accordingly separates from water with much greater facility when gum arabic is present4 ,this preparation1 according to the ,edinburgh college1 consists of one part of gum and eight of water2 the resulting mucilage is stiff1 and is principally employed for making troches4 ,the ,dublin preparation contains four times that quantity of water4 ,,myristic ,,nuclei4 ,l4,e4 ,nux ,moschata4 ,d4 ,nutmeg4 ,all the properties of this well-known substance depend upon an essential oil1 filling the dark coloured veins which run through its substance1 the other components are starch1 gum1 wax1 and a fixed oil4 ,the oil obtained by expression is improperly called oil of mace1 for it would appear to be a triple compound of fixed oil1 volatile oil1 and wax1 and which1 although limpid when first drawn1 soon acquires on cooling the consistence of spermaceti4 ,mace is the involucrum of the nut4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,stimulant1 and in large doses1 as from ij to iij1 narcotic1 frequently producing delirium4 ,see ,cullen ,mat4 ,med4 ii4 #bja4 ,,officinal ,,prep3 ,spir3 ,myristic4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,,frauds4 ,nutmegs are frequently despoiled of their essential oil1 by being punctured and submitted to the operation of decoction1 the orifices being subsequently closed by powdered ,sassafras2 the imposition is detected by the comparative lightness of the nutmeg1 and by its extreme fragility2 the holes may also be discovered by carefully examining the surface of the nut1 after having steeped it in hot water4 ,,myrrha4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,arboris nondum descript1 ,gummi-resina47 ,myrrh4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 irregularly shaped pieces1 translucent1 of a reddish yellow colour2 ,odour1 peculiar and fragrant2 ,taste1 bitter and aromatic4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,resin1 gum1 essential oil1 and some extractive4 ,,solubility4 ,when triturated with soft1 or distilled water1 nearly the whole appears to be dissolved1 forming an opaque1 yellowish solution1 but by rest the greater part is deposited1 and not more than one-third is actually dissolved2 its solubility1 however1 in water may be increased by trituration with camphor or an alkali2 rectified spirit dissolves it1 and the resulting tincture1 when diluted1 becomes turbid1 although no precipitate occurs4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,stimulant1 as in ,form4 #ajc4 ,expectorant1 #acb1 #acc1 #ach4 ,emmenagogue1 #ie1 #ih1 #ii4 ,it is also tonic1 and agrees with some constitutions better than any of the bitters4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,no form is so eligible as that of substance4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to j4 ,the alkalies1 in their crystalline state1 when triturated with myrrh1 reduce it to the form of a tenacious fluid4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,tinct4 ,myrrh4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct4 ,aloes et ,myrrh4 ,e4 ,tinct4 ,alos therea4 ,e4 ,mist4 ,ferri comp4 ,l4 7,g ,l7 ,pil4 ,aloes cum ,myrrha4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,pil4 ,ferri cum ,myrrha4 ,l4 ,pil4 ,galb4 comp4 ,l4,d4 7,b7 ,pil4 ,assaftid4 comp4 ,e4 7,b7 ,pil4 ,rhei1 comp4 ,e4 7,g7 ,,adulterations4 ,it is subject to a variety of frauds1 being frequently mixed with adventitious gums1 which are to be detected by their foreign odour1 their white or dark colour1 and by their opacity4 ,,nux ,,vomica4 7,strychnus ,nux ,vomica47 ,nux ,vomica4 ,this seed has not at present a place in the ,british pharmacopi2 it presents however several points of interest to the physiologist1 the physician1 and the chemist4 ,its virulent action upon animals has been long known2 and it has been administered in combination with gentian in intermittents4#efg 7,ludovic4 ,phar4 p4 #aac17 and as a narcotic in mania2 it also constituted an ingredient in the famous ,electuarium de ovo1 7,ph4 ,angl4 p4 #bfc47 ,nux vomica has been said to produce benefit in the plague2 the ,german writers have strongly commended it in mania1 epilepsy1 and hydrophobia2 as well as in chronic rheumatism1 gout1 scrophula1 lues venera1 and cutaneous eruptions2 in ,sweden it is stated to have displayed very beneficial effects in ,dysentery4 ,dr4 ,fourquier has lately introduced its use in the ,hopital de la ,charit1 in cases of partial paralysis1 and it is said1 with very great success4#efh ,the value of the practice has been since confirmed by the experiments of ,dumeril1 ,majendie1 ,hebreard1 ,husson1 and ,asselin4 ,the dose is four or five grains of the powder in pills1 during the day4 ,the ,french codex contains two alcoholic extracts of this substance2 the one prepared with a strong spirit 7#bb1 #cb1 ,beaum1 i4 e4 from sp4 gr4 #iae to #hef17 is much more active and powerful than that made with a weak spirit4 7#ab1 #bb1 ,beaum1 i4 e4 from sp4 gr4 #ihe to #iae47 ,m4 ,m4 ,pelletier and ,caventou have discovered in this substance1 a peculiar proximate principle1 to which its virulence is owing2 it was named ,vauqueline1 in honour of the celebrated ,french philosopher1 but in deference to the opinion of the ,french ,academy of ,sciences1 the discoverers have substituted the name ,strychnia1 because 8a name dearly loved1 ought not to be applied to a noxious principle60#efi 7,annales de ,chimie1 vol4 #h to #aj47 ,strychnia is highly alkaline1 and crystallizes in very small four-sided prisms1 terminated by four-sided pyramids2 its taste is insupportably bitter1 leaving a slight metallic flavour1 and is so powerful as even to be perceptible when a grain is dissolved in eighty pounds of water2#egj it has no smell2 is not changed by exposure to the air1 nor is it either fusible or volatile1 for when submitted to the action of heat1 it only fuses at the moment of its decomposition which takes place at a temperature inferior to that which destroys most vegetable substances2 it is so extremely active and violent1 that in doses of half a grain it occasions serious effects1 and in larger ones convulsions and death2 it is perhaps the most powerful1#ega and next to hydro-cyanic acid1 the most rapid of poisons2 notwithstanding its strong taste1 it is very sparingly soluble in water1 requiring #fffg parts of that fluid for its solution at #ej1 and #bejj at #bab4 ,it is very soluble in alcohol1 but unlike most of the other vegetable alkalies1 is nearly insoluble in ther2 with acids it forms neutral and crystallizable salts2 these salts as well as their base1 have the singular property of becoming bloodred by the action of concentrated nitric acid4 ,the alcoholic solution of ,strychnia has the property of precipitating the greater number of metallic oxides from their acid solutions4 ,it is precipitated by alkalies and alkaline earths4 ,strychnia exists in native combination in the ,strychnus with an acid which has some analogy with the malic1 and which ,pelletier and ,caventou propose to call the ,igasuric acid1 from the ,malay name for the bean of ,st4 ,ignatius1#egb 7,strychnus ,ignatius17 in which its properties were first examined4 ,in conformity with such views1 the active principle of the tribe of ,strychni is an ,igasurate of ,strychnia2--a fact which suggests the existence of a most singular and striking analogy between the chemical constitution of these narcotico-acrid bodies#egc and that of opium4 ,the recent experiments of ,pelletier have shewn1 moreover1 that besides ,strychnia1 the ,nux ,vomica contains ,brucia1 an alkaline body which had been previously discovered in spurious ,angustura4 ,its properties are similar to those of ,strychnia1 but it is less active4 ,being much more soluble in alcohol than ,strychnia1 if care be taken to crystallize the latter several times in alcohol1 it will be separated1 the ,brucia remaining in the mother waters4 ,strychnia has been given in doses of one-twelfth of a grain1 but it is a most dangerous remedy1 and is liable to occasion tetanic convulsions4#egd ,it has been said1 however1 to prove serviceable in cases of ,epilepsy that had resisted every other method of cure4 ,dr4 ,fleming informs us that the ,hindoos of upper ,india are in the habit of adding ,nux ,vomica in the process of distilling ,arrack1 for the purpose of rendering the spirit more intoxicating4 ,the ,london ,porter brewers have been accused of the same pernicious practice4 ,,olea ,,destillata4 ,l4 ,,ol4 ,,volatilia4 ,e4 ,,ol4 ,,essentialia4 ,d4 ,distilled1 ,volatile1 or ,essential ,oils4 ,the ,british pharmacopi direct them to be obtained by distillation only2 the ,french codex orders several of them to be prepared by expression4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 liquid1 sometimes viscid2 specific grav4 various2 oil of turpentine1 which is the lightest1 being only #jgib1 whilst the oil of cloves1 cinnamon1 and allspice1 exceed #ajcj1 and that of sassafras1 which is the heaviest1 amounts to #ajid2 these latter oils hold resin in solution1 and of course sink in water4 ,odour1 penetrating and fragrant2 ,taste1 acrid2 they are volatilized at a temperature somewhat below that of boiling water2 they are very inflammable4 ,,solubility4 ,very soluble in alcohol1 forming what are termed in perfumery ,essences2 in water they are very sparingly soluble2 the solutions are known in pharmacy under the title of distilled waters2 they are also dissolved by ther1 and the fixed oils2 when digested with ammonia1 some of the less odorous acquire a considerable degree of fragrance1 whilst on the contrary1 fixed alkalies universally impair their odour2 they are rapidly decomposed by nitric and sulphuric acids1 and their action is sometimes attended with instant inflammation4 ,volatile oils1 from continued exposure to the air1 absorb oxygen1 and become resinous1 by which they lose their volatility1 fragrance1 and pungency1 hence they should be preserved in small opaque phials1 completely full and well stopped4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,they act as powerful stimulants and aromatics2 they remove nausea and flatulence1 correct the griping of certain purgatives1 and cover the offensive taste of various remedies4 ,see ,aqu destillat4 ,they1 moreover1 have the property of defending certain animal and vegetable preparations from mouldiness4 ,this curious fact has been already noticed1 see page #agg4 ,the following is a list of the species admitted into our ,british pharmacopi2 those designated in italics are principally for internal use4 ,,olea ,anisi1 ,anthemidis1 ,carui1 ,juniperi4 ,lavandul1 ,menth ,piperit1 ,menth viridis1 ,origani1 ,piment1 ,pulegii1 ,rosmarini1 ,l4 ,,olea ,,volatilia1 ,juniperi communis1 ,juniperi ,sabin1 ,lavandul ,spic1 ,lauri ,sassafras1 ,menth ,piperit1 ,myrt ,piment1 ,pimpinell ,anisi1 ,rorismarini ,officinalis4 ,e4 ,,olea ,juniperi1 ,pimento1 ,corticis et ,ligni ,sassafras1 e ,seminibus ,anisi1 ,carui1 ,fniculi dulcis1 ,florum ,lavendul1 ,foliorum ,sabin1 ,herb florescentis ,menth ,sativ1 ,origani1 ,pulegii1 ,rorismarini1 ,rut1 ,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,fixed ,oils may be detected by moistening writing paper with the suspected article and holding it before the fire3 if the oil be entirely essential1 no stain of grease will remain2 as castor oil is more soluble in spirit than the others1 it is the one generally selected for this fraudulent purpose1 and the addition of alcohol restores the sophisticated oil to its proper degree of consistency4 ,alcohol is discovered by adding water1 which1 if it be present1 occasions a milkiness1 and at the same time1 an increase of temperature2 a decrease of bulk also takes place1 which may easily be ascertained by measuring the oil and water separately1 and then transferring them1 in a state of mixture1 into a tube of small diameter4 ,cheaper oils1 as that of turpentine1 are recognised by their peculiar odour1 which may be developed by rubbing a drop upon the hand and holding it to the fire1 or1 by the dense black smoke with which they burn4 ,the oil of aniseed1 as it crystallizes at #ej1 is frequently sophisticated with wax1 spermaceti1 or camphor2 the fraud is detected by warming the oil1 when the crystals1 if genuine1 will dissolve4#ege ,in some cases the refractive power of the oil affords a test of its purity4 ,see my work on ,chemistry in its relations to ,medicine1 #cah4 ,,olea ,,expressa4 ,l4,d4 ,,olea ,,fixa1 ,,sive ,,expressa4 ,e4 ,expressed or ,fixed ,oils4 ,these are obtained from animal matter by fusion1 and from vegetable by expression1 or decoction with water4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 none2 ,taste1 mild2 they boil at #fjj1 but undergo decomposition1 becoming acrid and empyreumatic2 the oil1 in this state1 was formerly used in medicine under the name of philosopher's oil4#egf ,by exposure to air they absorb oxygen and become rancid2 they congeal at a temperature of #cb1 and some even above that4 ,when the oil is expressed by heating the plates of the press1 or by previously roasting the seeds1 it is more disposed to become rancid2 cold drawn oils are on this account to be preferred for the purposes of pharmacy4 ,,solubility4 ,they are insoluble in water1 and1 except castor oil1 nearly so in alcohol and ther2 with caustic alkalies they combine and form soaps2 when aided by heat they readily unite with oxide of lead1 forming the solid compound well known by the term plaister4 ,they unite also very readily with each other1 and with volatile oils4 ,,solvent ,,powers4 ,they dissolve sulphur1 and form a kind of balsam with it2 they also possess the power of extracting and dissolving the narcotic and acrid principles of several vegetable and animal substances1 in consequence of which1 the ,french pharmacopia directs a series of preparations under the term 8,olea ,medicata20 thus there are olea ,cicut1 ,hyoscyami1 ,solani1 ,stramonii1 ,nicotian2#egg which are made by digesting with a gentle heat1 one part of the subject in two parts of olive oil4#egh ,,oleum ,,amygdalarum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,oil of ,almonds4 ,this fixed oil1 whether procured from the sweet or bitter almond1 has the same properties1 for the bitter principle resides exclusively in combination with a peculiar volatile oil attached to the mucilage2#egi that from the latter keeps longer without rancidity4 ,it is sometimes made from old ,jordan almonds1 by heat1 in which case it very soon grows fetid4 ,nut oil1 ,oleum nucum ,coryli1 has been proposed as a substitute for that of almonds2 in ,china it is drunk with tea1 instead of cream4 ,,medical ,,uses4 ,for forming emulsions1 in coughs1 and other pulmonary complaints4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,it may be formed into an emulsion by the intermedium of mucilage1 the yelk of an egg1 or by that of an alkali4 #a4 ,,by ,,mucilage4 ,this is in general a more convenient medium than the yelk of an egg2 one part of gum1 made into mucilage1 will be sufficient for the diffusion of four parts of oil1 7see ,mucilago ,acaci7 the oil and mucilage must be carefully triturated together1 and the water then gradually added2 the emulsion thus formed is permanent1 and the addition of a moderate quantity of acid1 spirit1 or tincture1 will not produce decomposition4 ,see ,form4 #gc4 #b4 ,,by ,,alkalies4 ,this oil1 by uniting with alkalies and water1 forms an elegant and grateful mixture1 for which purpose the following proportions are to be observed1 every fj of oil requires viij of liquor potass1 and fiss of distilled water4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,acids2 oxymel2 syrups of poppies and squills2 tartrate and super-tartrate of potass2 super-sulphate of potass2 oxy-muriate of mercury2 resins2 hard water4 ,see ,form4 #aff1 #afg4 ,,oleum ,,amygdal ,,amar ,,volatile4 ,,qualities4 ,colour1 pale yellow2 ,odour1 fragrant and pungent1 having the characteristic smell of prussic acid4 ,taste1 pungent1 bitter1 and peculiar4 ,,solubility4 ,like other essential oils1 its sensible properties and medicinal effects are imparted to water2 in alcohol it is very soluble4#ehj ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,a peculiar oil1 combined with hydro-cyanic acid4 ,m4 ,vogel of ,munich has lately succeeded in separating these constituents1 by agitating the whole in a concentrated solution of potass1 and distilling to dryness2 the oil volatilized together with water1 while the residuum in the retort was found to contain ,cyanide of ,potassium4 ,the volatile oil1 thus purified1 is without odour1 and heavier than water4 ,its taste is extremely acrid and burning2 by contact with air it crystallizes rapidly2 it dissolves easily in alcohol and ther1 but only in a very small proportion in water4 ,the flame of its combustion is very brilliant1 and accompanied with much smoke4 ,in order to discover whether this oil1 when freed from its hydro-cyanic acid1 is still poisonous1 ,m4 ,vogel put a drop of it on the tongue of a sparrow2 when it died1 after violent convulsions1 in a few seconds2 he also poisoned a dog1 two months old1 with four drops of it2 whence he concludes that the volatile oil1 divested of its hydro-cyanic acid1 is still a poison1 although less energetic than the oil that has not undergone such a change4 ,med3 ,uses4 ,it has all the characteristic effects of prussic acid1 but is so powerful and dangerous as to preclude its application4 ,it is principally sold to perfumers and confectioners4 ,it is generally obtained by distilling the expressed cake of bitter almonds2 the operation however requires considerable pharmaceutical address1 and is1 moreover1 attended with unpleasant consequences4#eha ,,oleum ,,oliv4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,olive ,oil4 ,,qualities4 ,colour1 pale yellow1 somewhat inclining to green2 ,taste1 bland2 ,odour1 none2 it ought to congeal at #ch ,fah4 ,with the exception of the oil of ,almonds1 it is the lightest of the fat oils1 its specific gravity being only #iae4 ,according to the recent observations of ,dr4 ,clarke of ,cambridge1 this oil crystallizes in rectangular four-sided prisms with square bases4 ,,uses4 ,although much less laxative than ,castor oil1 it is a useful aperient4 ,it was long regarded1 but erroneously1 as possessing antidotal powers against the bites of venemous snakes and insects2 and it has been confidently recommended1 in the form of liniment1 as a remedy against the ,plague4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,linimentum ,ammoni ,fortius4 ,l4 ,,adulterations4 ,it is not unfrequently mixed with the oil of poppy seeds1 7see ,papaveris ,capsul71 a fraud which may be easily discovered by exposing a sample to the freezing temperature1 when the olive oil will congeal1 while that of poppies will remain fluid2 and since those oils which freeze with most difficulty are most susceptible of rancidity1 the admixture of poppy oil must be regarded as injurious3 it also deserves notice that the peculiar habitudes of ,oil of ,olives1 with the ,pernitrate of ,mercury1 offer a distinguishing character1 by which the adulteration of the oil may be satisfactorily detected2 for if the pernitrate1 made by dissolving #f parts of the metal in #ge of nitric acid1 of sp4 grav4 #acf1 at a common temperature1 be mixed with olive oil1 the mixture1 if kept cold1 will in the course of a few hours become solid1 whereas if it has any admixture of the oil of grains1 it will not undergo such a change4 ,the contamination derived from lead1 which is frequently immersed in the oil for the purpose of removing its rancidity1 may be detected by shaking one part of the suspected sample with three parts of water1 impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen1 in a stopped phial4 ,,olibanum4 ,l4,d4 ,juniperus ,lycia4 ,gummi-resina4 ,olibanum4#ehb ,,qualities4 ,form1 fragments of a translucent1 whitish yellow1 and generally powdered with a whitish dust1 occasioned by the friction of the pieces against each other2 ,odour1 when burning is fragrant2 ,taste1 bitterish and acrid4 ,,solubility4 ,when triturated with water1 a milky solution results1 which after some time deposits the resinous part1 and retains not more than three-eighths dissolved4 ,alcohol dissolves three-fourths of it1 and forms a solution perfectly transparent4 ther dissolves more than half1 leaving a white opaque residuum soluble in water4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,the latest analysis of this substance is by ,braconnot1 who found in #ajj parts of it1 of volatile oil #h1 resin #ef1 gum #ci1 and of an anomalous principle resembling gum1 but insoluble in water and alcohol1 #eb parts4 ,the oil1 in colour and smell1 very strongly resembled that of lemons4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is now less used than formerly2 it is however stimulant and diaphoretic4 ,pulverized it enters into several popular electuaries for gleets1 fluor albus1 c4 and very probably acts by finding a passage into the urine1 without undergoing any change or decomposition4 ,,opium4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,papaver ,somniferum47 ,capsularum immaturarum ,succus concretus4 7,turcicus47 ,turkey ,opium4#ehc ,two kinds are found in commerce1 distinguished by the name of ,turkey and ,east ,india ,opium4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 ,turkey opium occurs in flat pieces1 of a solid compact texture1 and possessing considerable tenacity2 ,sp4 gr4 #accf1 so that1 when compared with the condensed juices of other plants1 it is heavy1 being exceeded only in this respect by opoponax and gum-arabic4 ,by long exposure to the air it becomes hard1 breaks with a glimmering fracture1 owing to the presence of a few saline particles1 and affords a yellowish powder4 ,it is opaque1 tenacious1 plastic1 adherent to the fingers4 ,colour1 a reddish-brown1 or fawn4 ,odour1 peculiar1 heavy1 and narcotic4 ,taste1 at first a nauseous bitter1 which soon becomes acrid with some degree of warmth4 ,it is inflammable1 but yields no narcotic odour on burning4 ,,solubility4 ,it is partially soluble in water1 alcohol1 ther1 wine1 vinegar1 and lemon juice2 when triturated with hot water1 five parts in twelve are dissolved1 six suspended1 and one part remains perfectly insoluble and resembles gluten4 ,by long boiling1 its soporific powers are impaired and ultimately destroyed3 the alcoholic is more highly charged with its narcotic principle than the aqueous solution2 but spirit1 rather below proof1 is its best menstruum4 ,the watery solution when filtered is transparent1 and reddens the colour of litmus2 it undergoes no change on the addition of alcohol1 but precipitates occur from pure ammonia and from the carbonates of fixed alkalies2 from the solutions of oxy-muriate of mercury1 nitrate of silver1 sub-acetate and acetate of lead1 the sulphates of copper1 zinc1 and iron1 and from an infusion of galls4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,resin1 gum1 bitter extractive1 sulphate of lime1 gluten1 ,narcotine 7see note7 and a peculiar alkaline body1 to which the soporific virtues of opium are owing1 and to which the appropriate name of ,morphia has been assigned2 and it appears moreover that this new alkaline body exists in combination with an unknown acid1 which has therefore been denominated the ,meconic ,acid2 so that the narcotic principle of opium is ,morphia in the state of a meconiate1 or perhaps of a super-meconiate4 ,for these important facts we are indebted to the successive labours of ,derosne1#ehd ,seguin1#ehe ,sertuerner1#ehf and ,robiquet4 ,and the ,french codex contains1 in its appendix1 formul for the preparation of morphia#ehg according to the directions of these two latter chemists3 viz4 ,robiquet's process4 ,three hundred parts of pure opium are to be macerated during five days1 in one thousand parts of common water2 to the filtered solution1 fifteen parts of perfectly pure magnesia 7carefully avoiding the carbonate17 are to be added2 boil this mixture for ten minutes1 and separate the sediment by a filter1 washing it with cold water until the water passes off clear2 after which1 treat it alternately with hot and cold alcohol1 7#ab1 #bb1 ,b47 as long as the menstruum takes up any colouring matter2 the residue is then to be treated with boiling alcohol 7#bb1 #cb1 ,b47 for a few minutes4 ,the solution1 on cooling1 will deposit crystals of ,morphia4 ,rationale of the ,process4 ,a soluble ,meconiate of ,magnesia is formed1 whilst the sediment consists of ,morphia in the state of mixture1 with the excess of magnesia2 the boiling alcohol with which this residuum is treated1 exerts no action upon the magnesia1 but dissolves the ,morphia1 and on cooling surrenders it in a crystalline form4 ,a repetition of the treatment with boiling alcohol will procure a fresh crop of crystals1 and the process should be continued until they cease to appear4 ,sertuerner's method4 ,it differs from the preceding1 in substituting ammonia for magnesia1 and in adding to the sediment1 separated as before mentioned1 as much sulphuric acid as is sufficient to convert the ,morphia into a sulphate1 which is subsequently decomposed by a farther addition of ammonia2 the precipitate thus produced is then dissolved in boiling alcohol1 which on cooling surrenders the ,morphia in a state of crystalline purity4 ,it appears however that the ,morphia produced by this latter method1 is less abundant and more impure and coloured1 than that which is furnished by the process of ,robiquet4 ,characters of ,morphia4 ,when pure1 it crystallizes in very fine1 transparent1 truncated pyramids1 the bases of which are either squares or rectangles1 occasionally united base to base1 and thereby forming octohedra4 ,it is sparingly soluble in boiling water1 but dissolves abundantly in heated alcohol2 and the solution is intensely bitter2 in ther it is far less soluble4 ,it has all the characters of an alkali2 affecting test papers1 tinged with turmeric or violets2 uniting with acids1 and forming neutral salts1 and decomposing the compounds of acids with metallic oxides4 ,it unites with sulphur by means of heat1 but the combination is decomposed at the same instant2 it is incapable of forming soap with an oxidized oil4 ,it fuses at a moderate temperature1 when it resembles melted sulphur1 and like that substance1 crystallizes on cooling2 it is decomposed by distillation1 yielding carbonate of ammonia1 oil1 and a black resinous residue1 with a peculiar smell2 when heated in contact with air1 it inflames rapidly2 the voltaic pile exerts but little action upon it1 yet1 when mixed with a globule of mercury1 the latter appears to become increased in bulk1 and to change consistence4 ,when analyzed by means of the deutoxide of copper1 it yields carbon1 hydrogen1 and oxygen2 and if ammonia has been employed1 as a precipitant in its preparation1 we shall also obtain some nitrogen1 but not if prepared according to the improved process of ,robiquet4 ,its habitudes with different bodies have not hitherto been sufficiently investigated1 but they are highly important1 in as much as they will explain the operation of those various medicinal compounds1 into which opium enters as a principal ingredient4 ,sertuerner has given us an account of the effect of the alcoholic solution of ,morphia on himself and three of his pupils2 he found1 that repeated small doses of half a grain produced at first decided excitation2 then weakness1 numbness1 and tendency to fainting2 after swallowing vinegar while in this condition1 violent vomiting was excited1 profound sleep intervened in one delicate individual1 and next day he suffered from nausea1 vomiting1 head-ache1 anorexia1 constipation1 and heaviness 7,ann4 de ,chim4 et de ,phys4 ,t4 v47 ,this case is sufficient to shew that although ,morphia possesses the characteristic powers of opium1 its strength is by no means commensurate with its supposed concentration4 ,when uncombined it exerts little or no action in consequence of its insolubility4 ,the following history of its saline compounds may be useful4 ,the ,carbonate crystallizes in short prisms4 ,the ,acetate in needles1 very soluble1 and extremely active4 ,the ,sulphate1 in arborescent crystals1 very soluble4 ,the ,muriate1 in plumose crystals1 much less soluble2 when evaporated1 it concretes into a shining white plumose mass on cooling4 ,the ,nitrates1 in prisms grouped together4 ,the ,meconiate1 in oblique prisms1 sparingly soluble4 ,the ,tartrate1 in prisms4 ,morphia is separated from the above combinations by ammonia4 ,morphia is very soluble in olive oil1 and according to the experiments of ,m4 ,majendie1 the compound acts with great intensity2 with extractive matter1 it forms a compound which is almost insoluble in water1 but very soluble in acids4 ,the solubility of ,morphia in acids explains why the administration of vinegar increases the powers of opium1 7see page #ace47 ,m4 ,majendie considers ,morphia to produce a more purely soporose effect than opium1 and that it is moreover exempt from the consecutive operation which so generally renders opium objectionable4 ,this opinion1 however1 has not been confirmed by the trials made in this country2 equally gratuitous is the assertion of the same physiologist1 that by ringing changes on the salts of ,morphia1 its hypnotic effects may be kept up without increasing its dose4 ,as ,m4 ,majendie considers the after effects of opium to be independent of ,morphia1 it was necessary for him to point out the particular principle from which these noxious consequences arose1 and he accordingly ascribed them to the ,salt of ,derosne1 now more usually denominated ,narcotine1 and which may be entirely removed from the extract of opium by macerating it in sulphuric ther2 and in this way1 it is said1 a preparation is obtained1 which1 like ,morphia1 is exempt from the occasional bad consequences of the common drug2 but no satisfactory trials have as yet been made with it4 ,the ,meconic acid1 when separated from the residuum of the magnesian salt1 as described above1 does not appear to possess any medicinal activity4 ,its distinguishing chemical character is1 that it produces an intensely red colour in solutions of iron oxidized ad maximum4 ,,east ,,india ,,opium is an inferior species2#ehh it differs from ,turkey ,opium1 in its texture being less compact1 and much softer2 its colour darker2 its narcotic odour fainter1 but combined with a strong empyreuma1 and in its taste being more bitter1 but less acrimonious4 ,according to the experiments of ,mr4 ,a4 ,t4 ,thomson1 ,turkey ,opium contains three times more morphia than the ,east ,indian variety4 ,this latter1 when triturated with water1 is taken up without any residuum2 hence it contains no gluten1 but the sulphate of lime is more abundant1 as appears from the relative proportion of precipitate produced by oxalic acid4 ,the solution of the acetate of barytes1 whilst it occasions no disturbance in the solutions of the ,turkey variety1 produces a copious precipitate with the ,east ,indian4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,are so well known that a few practical remarks will suffice4#ehi ,chemistry1 it appears1 has developed the principle of its activity1 and accumulated experience has established the value and importance of its medicinal applications1 but ,physiology is still unable to demonstrate the manner in which it produces its effects4 ,it must be admitted that its primary operation is that of a powerful and diffusible stimulant1 but it is immediately followed by narcotic and sedative effects1 which are far greater than could have been inferred from the degree of previous excitement1 and hence much keen controversy has arisen in the schools concerning its modus operandi1 7see page #gf47 ,in large doses1 the primary excitement is scarcely apparent1 but the powers of life are instantly depressed1 drowsiness and stupor succeed1 and when the dose is excessive1 these are followed by delirium1 stertorous breathing1 cold sweats1 convulsions1 and apoplectic death4 ,its stimulant effects are apparent only in small doses1 by which the energy of the mind1#eij the strength of the pulse1 and the heat of the body1 are considerably increased1 but all the secretions and excretions1 except the cuticular#eia discharge1 are diminished2 for example1 the fces of persons1 after the use of opium1 are not unfrequently clay-coloured1 from the suspension of the biliary secretion2 this circumstance suggests some important precautions with respect to its exhibition4 ,opium1 when properly directed1 is capable of fulfilling two great indications2 #ast1 of supporting the powers of life1 and #bnd1 of allaying spasm1 pain1 and irritation1 and of blunting that morbid susceptibility of impression1 which so frequently attends fever4 ,its use is contra-indicated in all cases where inflammatory action prevails1 as in pulmonary affections1 attended with an accelerated circulation and a dry hard cough4#eib ,it is employed by some of the oriental nations for the same purposes that we take spirituous potations3 by the ,turks especially1 to whom our more generous beverages are prohibited by religious prejudice1 opium is solicited to inspire courage1 or to invigorate fortitude2--to soothe sorrow2--or to dissipate the remembrance of misfortune2--to awaken the fancy to more brilliant exertions2 or to create that mild composure and serenity of feeling1 which is desirable after the cares and solicitudes of an active1 perplexing1 and arduous scene3 like spirituous liquors among other people1 it is1 in short1 the support of the coward1--the solace of the wretched1--and the daily source of intoxication to the debauchee4 ,notwithstanding all this1 spirit and opium are by no means parallel medicines2 on the contrary1 the latter substance offers the best remedy for the ,mania a ,potu1 and in cases of habitual drunkenness from alcohol1 where our wish is to abstract the spirit1 but are for obvious reasons unable so to do1 we may frequently alternate its use with that of opium1 with considerable advantage4 ,many of the beneficial effects of this remedy are to be referred to its power of allaying irritability2 ,sir ,g4 ,blane has remarked1 that in ill-conditioned ulcers in the ,west ,indies1 opium was found superior to all other internal medicines for producing a disposition to heal4 ,under the free use of it1 such ulcers would in place of a sanious discharge produce a healthy puss succeeded by granulations and cicatrization4 ,it appears to do this by suspending irritation1 and perhaps by promoting absorption4 ,in combination1 the medical powers of opium are wonderfully extended1 so that there is scarcely a disease in which it may not1 during some of its stages1 be rendered useful4 ,by diminishing the sensibility of the stomach and bowels1 it becomes a valuable and efficacious corrigent to many important medicines1 and thus frequently favours their absorption and introduction into the system1 as for instance1 in the exhibition of mercurial alteratives1 7,form4 #ada17 and in certain diuretic combinations1 7,form4 #ajj1 #ajf1 #ajg1 #aaj17 in combination with antimonials1 and with ipecacuan1 its narcotic powers are obviated1 and sudorific results are obtained4 ,see ,pulv4 ,ipecac4 co4 7,form4 #aag1 #aai1 #abd1 #abe1 #abg1 #acj47 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in substance1 or under the form of tincture4 ,when we wish to continue the operation of opium1 and not to obtain its full effect at once1 it may be advantageously combined with some substance capable of retarding its solution in the stomach1 as gum resins4 ,see ,pilul and ,form4 #aj1 #aa1 #ab1 #ac4 ,a watery infusion1 made by infusing powdered opium in boiling water1 will often operate without producing that distressing nausea and head-ache which so frequently follow the use of this substance4 ,with respect1 however1 to the best modes of correcting the operation of this remedy1 see pages #afj and #afb4 ,dr4 ,porter of ,bristol has introduced to our notice a solution of opium in citric acid2 his formula#eic for its preparation is subjoined1 because ,i am of opinion that it merits the attention of the practitioner2 ,i have lately submitted it to the test of experience1 and it certainly possesses the merit of a powerful anodyne1 operating with less disturbance than the more ordinary forms of this substance4 ,i also take this opportunity of stating1 that the pyroligneous acid manufactured by ,beaufoy was used as a menstruum1 and the effect of the solution was similar to that of ,dr4 ,porter4 ,when the stomach rejects altogether the internal exhibition of opium it may be successfully applied along the spine1 by friction1 with the camphor liniment2 a piece of solid opium introduced into the rectum1 or dissolved in some appropriate solvent1 and injected as an enema1 affords also considerable relief in spasmodic affections of the bowels1 and in painful diseases of the prostate gland1 or bladder1 7,form4 #i47 ,when thus introduced into the rectum1 it cannot undergo that change which the digestive organs produce upon it1 and consequently it is more uniform in its action than when presented to the stomach4 ,opium appears to be readily absorbed into the system1 when applied to the surfaces of sores2 considerable relief has been thus afforded to irritable stumps1 after amputation1 on which occasions1 all the characteristic effects of opium have been produced upon the system1 such as costiveness1 head-ache1 nausea1 c4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,oxy-muriate of mercury2 acetate of lead2 alkalies2 infusions of galls1 and of yellow cinchona4 ,orfila states that the decoction of ,coffee is less energetic as an antidote1 than the infusion4 ,when we intend the opium to act as a sedative1 we should not combine it with stimulants4 ,the ,edinburgh ,college certainly erred in this respect1 when they made pepper an ingredient in their ,pilul ,opiat4 ,in combination with vegetable acids1 its narcotic powers are increased1 in consequence of the formation of soluble salts with morphia4#eid ,when the opium however has passed out of the prim vi1 vinegar and acids are then the best remedies for counteracting its effects2 7see page #acf47 ,dose1 must be varied according to the intention of the prescriber1 the constitution of the patient1 and the nature of the disease4 ,a quarter of a grain1 frequently repeated1 will keep up its exhilarating influence2 7,form4 #ae7 from gr4 j to ij acts as a narcotic2 its power on the system soon becomes weaker2 and from habitual use it is so much impaired that very large doses are required to produce its usual effects4 ,russell observes that the effects of opium on those addicted to its use1 are at first obstinate costiveness1 succeeded by diarrha and flatulence1 with loss of appetite and a sottish appearance2 the teeth decay1 the memory fails1 and the unhappy sufferer prematurely sinks into the grave4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,gr4 j of opium is contained in ,confect4 ,opii4 ,l4 grs4 #cf4 ,elect4 ,opii4 ,e4 grs4 #dc4 ,elect4 ,catechu4 ,e4 grs4 #aic4 7,f47 ,elect4 ,catechu4 comp4 ,d4 grs4 #aii4 7,f47 ,pil4 ,saponis cum opio4 ,l4 grs4 #e4 ,pil4 ,opiat4 ,e4 grs4 #aj4 ,pil4 e ,styrace4 ,d4 grs4 #e4 ,pulv4 ,corn4 ust4 cum ,opio4 ,l4 grs4 #aj4 ,pulv4 ,cret4 comp1 cum ,opio4 ,l4 grs4 #dj4 ,pulv4 ,ipecac4 comp4 ,l4,e4 grs4 #aj4 7,h47 ,pulv4 ,kino4 comp4 ,l4 grs4 #bj4 7,f47 ,tinct4 ,opii4 ,l4 #ai4 ,tinct4 ,camphor4 comp4 ,l4 fss4 ,tinct4 ,opii ammon4 ,e4 fj4 ,troch4 ,glycyrr4 cum ,opio4 ,e4 j4 ,vinum ,opii4 ,l4 #ag4 ,the ,medicinal ,dynameter will at once shew the quantity of opium in any proportion of the above preparations4 ,,adulterations4 ,the ,turkey ,opium1 when good1 is covered with leaves1 and the reddish capsules of some species of rumex2 the inferior kinds have none of these capsules adhering to them4 ,it is frequently adulterated with the extract of liquorice2 it should be regarded as bad when it is very soft and friable1 of an intensely black colour1 or mixed with many impurities1 when it has a sweetish taste1 or marks paper with a brown continuous streak when drawn across it1 or when it melts like wax1 and makes a yellow solution in water4 ,it frequently happens that in cutting a mass of opium1 bullets and stones have been found imbedded in it1 a fraud which is committed by the ,turks1 from which the retailer alone suffers4 ,it is also adulterated with the extract of poppy capsules1 or of the whole plant2 with that of chelidonium majus1 with gum arabic or tragacanth1 with the oil of linseed1 and even with the dung of oxen4 ,,ovum4 ,l4 7,phasianus ,gallus4 ,ovum47 ,the ,egg of the ,domestic ,fowl4 ,,vitellus1 ,the ,yolk or ,yelk1 is principally employed in pharmaceutical operations1 for rendering oils and balsams miscible with water4 ,it is gently laxative4 ,oleum e vitellis1 ,oil of ,eggs4 ,obtained by boiling the yelks1 and then submitting them to pressure2 fifty eggs yield about #e oz4 of oil4 ,it is introduced into the ,paris ,pharmacopia1 being much employed on the ,continent for killing mercury4 ,,albumen4 ,used principally for clarifying turbid liquors4 ,,testa4 ,similar to other absorbents4 ,,oxymel ,,simplex4 ,l4,d4 ,,mel ,,acetatum4 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,simple ,oxymel4#eie ,this composition of honey and acetic acid has been long valued on account of its detergent qualities1 and has accordingly been much used as the basis of gargles1 and expectorant remedies4 ,,oxymel ,,scill4 ,l4 ,d4 ,,oxymel ,,scilliticum4 ,p4,l4 #agbj4 #agde4 ,,oxymel ,,of ,,squills4 ,this preparation certainly possesses considerable powers as an expectorant2 especially if allowed to pass slowly over the fauces1 as when applied in the form of a linctus1 7,form3 #ace17 which by stimulating the top of the trachea may possibly act1 by a kind of 8contiguous sympathy10 upon the pulmonary structure1#eif and thereby increase the activity of the exhalant vessels1 and so dilute the mucus contained in the follicles as to cause it to be poured out in a less viscid form1 and consequently in a state to be more easily brought up by expectoration4 ,its action will also admit of another explanation1 but for this see page #ajb4 ,,dose from fss to fij4 ,in larger doses it is given for the purpose of exciting vomiting1 especially in hooping cough4 ,,papaveris ,,capsul4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,papaver ,somniferum4 ,capsul ,matur47 ,poppy ,capsules1 or ,poppy heads4 ,these capsules are employed in medicine for the purpose of affording a decoction1 to be applied as an anodyne fomentation1 see ,decoctum ,papaveris1 and as a syrup of hypnotic qualities1 see ,syrupus ,papaveris4 ,the seeds of the poppy capsules are not directly used for any medicinal purposes1 but they yield a fixed oil which is daily met with in the market1 and is frequently used to adulterate ,olive ,oil1 which see4 ,as an article of trade it is considered very inferior to the other fixed oils2 it burns very badly1 and yields a great quantity of smoke4 ,to the pharmaceutic chemist it is an article of interest from the controversies to which it has given origin4#eig ,,pilul ,l4,e4,d4 ,pills4 ,for general instructions respecting the formation and administration of pills1 the practitioner must refer to the first part of this work1 page #aic4 ,,officinal ,,pills4 ,,pilul ,,aloes ,,composit4 ,l4 ,extract of ,aloes1 two parts1 extract of gentian1 7,g7 one part1 with oil of carraway2 7,e7 to which syrup is unnecessarily added4 ,it is a useful pill in habitual costiveness4 ,dose1 grs4 x to j4 ,,pilul ,,aloes ,,et ,,assaf,,tid4 ,e4 ,powdered aloes1 assaftida 7,g7 and soap1 7,l7 equal parts4 ,anodyne and cathartic2 a very useful combination in dyspepsia attended with flatulence4 ,dose1 grs4 x4 ,,pilul ,,aloes ,,cum ,,myrrha4 ,l4 ,pilul ,rufi4 ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,extract of ,alo1 two parts1 saffron and myrrh1 7,e7 one part1 syrup1 q4 s4 ,this is a very ancient form of preparation1 and is described by ,rhazes4 ,it is stimulant and cathartic4 7,form3 #aa1 #ha1 #ih1 #ii47 ,dose1 grs4 x to j4#eih ,,pilul ,,aloes ,,cum ,,colocynthide4 ,e4 ,this pill is known by the popular name of ,pil4 ,cocci1 signifies a seed1 and the term was first applied to this preparation by ,rhazes4 ,it consists of eight parts of aloes and scammony2 four of colocynth2 and one part of oil of cloves1 7,e7 and of sulphate of potass with sulphur1 olim ,sal ,polycrest4 ,it is more powerful in its operation than the simple aloetic pills4 ,,pilul ,,cambogi ,,composit4 ,l4 ,gamboge1 extract of aloe1 and compound powder of cinnamon one part2 soap two parts2 see page #agb1 and ,form3 #hh4 ,,pilul ,,ferri ,,composit4 ,l4 ,this combination is analogous to that of ,griffith's mixture4 ,dose1 gr4 x to j4 ,form3 #ii4 ,they become extremely hard by keeping4 ,if the practitioner consult the ,,medicinal ,,dynameter1 he will observe that in order to give the same quantity of ,proto-carbonate of ,iron as is contained in fiss of ,mist3 ,ferri comp3 he must direct j of this pill mass2 which quantities will be seen to contain1 respectively1 a grain and seven tenths of this of the proto-carbonate1 or1 one grain of ,protoxide1 which is equivalent4 ,it is doubtful whether the former preparation will not prove more active1 in consequence of the saponaceous vehicle formed by the ,myrrh and alkali in a state of solution4 ,,pilul ,,galbani ,,composit4 ,l4 ,pil4 ,gummos1 ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,we are here presented with a combination of ftid gums1 in which assaftida is the most potent article4 ,antispasmodic1 and emmenagogue4 ,dose1 grs4 x to j4 ,see ,form3 #aj1 #bg1 #ih4 ,,pilul ,,hydrargyri4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,pil4 ,mercuriales4 ,p4,l4 #agde1 vulgo1 ,the ,blue ,pill4 ,the mercury in this preparation1 is not1 as it was formerly considered1 in a state of mere mechanical division1 but in that of a black oxide1 upon which its activity as a remedy undoubtedly depends2 for mercury in its metallic state is entirely inert with regard to the living system4 ,various substances have at different times been triturated with the mercury1 for the purpose of extinguishing or killing it1 by effecting the mechanical division and subsequent oxidation of its particles1 as manna1 melasses1 c4 ,conserve of ,roses is now generally preferred for this purpose1 although ,swediaur suspects that the astringent principle of this conserve invalidates the effects of the mercury1 8,i have10 says he1 8given these pills to several patients for a long time1 without any symptom of salivation40 ,mr4 ,abernethy observes in his surgical works1 that the ,pilul ,hydrargyri are uncertain in their effects2 and that some of the students at the hospital on examining them1 and different parcels of the conserve of roses1 say that the sulphuric acid may be discovered in each4 ,nor is it improbable that in making the conserve for sale1 some of this acid may be added to brighten the colour2 and if so1 the mercurial pill which is made from it may contain in varying proportions1 some of that highly deleterious compound1 the sub-sulphate of mercury4 ,when any of the gums are employed for killing the metal1 the pills soon become hard and brittle1 and after some time the mercury is liable to run into its metallic state4 ,the pill-mass1 when rendered thinner by the addition of a little water1 and extended on a piece of paper1 ought not to exhibit any metallic globules2 in this examination1 however1 we must be careful not to be betrayed by the fallacious appearance which is frequently presented by small crystals of saccharine matter4 ,the relative proportion of mercury contained in the mass can be ascertained only by its weight4 ,the blue pill is made at ,apothecaries' ,hall by a very ingenious machine actuated by steam1 and which rubs as well as rolls the materials1 and it is said the pill thus made is more active than that produced in the ordinary way4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is by far the best form for the internal exhibition of mercury2 where it is intended to act upon the system as an alterative1 it should be administered in doses of from grs4 iv to vj2 if it occasion any action on the bowels1 it may be conjoined with opium2 sometimes a few grains of rhubarb1 exhibited every morning1 will impart such a tone to the intestines1 as to enable them to resist the mercurial irritation4 ,in cases where the form of pill is objectionable1 it may be readily suspended by the aid of mucilage1 in some aqueous vehicle2 when exhibited in doses of grs4 x to j1 it acts as a mild but efficient purgative4 ,form3 #gi1 #ajf4 ,one grain of mercury is contained in three grains of the mass2 the proportion of metal1 or oxide1 in any other given quantity1 is shewn at once by the ,dynameter4 ,for the specific effects of mercury1 see ,ung4 ,hydrarg4 ,,pilul ,,hydrargyri ,,sub-,,muriatis ,,composit4 ,l4,e4 ,olim ,plummer's ,pills4 ,they consist of one part of calomel and precipitated sulphuret of antimony 7,h7 and two parts of guaiac 7,e7 made into form with spirit4 ,it is a very useful alterative1 especially in cutaneous eruptions and in secondary syphilitic symptoms1 particularly when affecting the skin4 ,dose1 grs4 v to x4 ,should their exhibition affect the bowels1 the addition of a small proportion of ,opium may be added4 ,,pilul ,,opiat4 ,e4 ,opium one part2 extract of liquorice1 seven parts2 ,jamaica pepper1 two parts4 ,it is however a compound of questionable propriety4 ,,pilul ,,rhei ,,composit4 ,e4 ,rhubarb1 ,aloes1 and myrrh1 with oil of peppermint4 ,when such a combination is indicated1 it is better to prescribe it extemporaneously3 for the mass1 by being kept1 will become less efficacious4 ,,pilul ,,saponis ,,cum ,,opio4 ,l4 ,pil4 ,opii4 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,by substituting soap for extract of liquorice1 these pills are now rendered more soluble in the stomach1 and are consequently more efficient4 ,five grains contain one of opium4 ,,pilul ,,scill ,,composit4 ,l4 ,a stimulating expectorant3 but as squill is always impaired by keeping1 it ought to be considered as an extemporaneous combination4 ,it is surely injudicious thus to multiply our officinal formul1 but it is difficult1 on such occasions1 to run counter to popular opinion4 ,form3 #ajd4 ,,piment ,,bacc4 ,l4,e4 ,pimento4 ,d4 ,myrtus ,pymenta4 ,bacc4 ,pimenta ,berries4 ,jamaica ,pepper4 ,all-spice4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 aromatic and agreeable1 combining that of cinnamon1 cloves1 and nutmegs2 hence the term all-spice4 ,taste1 warm and pungent1 resembling that of cloves4 ,these qualities reside principally in the cortical part of the berry4 ,,chemical ,,comp3 ,it contains a volatile oil1 very like that of cloves1 resin1 extractive1 tannin1 and gallic acid4 ,,solubility4 ,water1 alcohol1 and ther1 extract its virtues4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,principally to cover the disagreeable taste of other remedies2 it is also a very useful adjunct to dyspeptic medicines4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,aq4 ,piment4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,ol4 ,piment4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,pil4 ,opiat4 ,e4 ,syrup4 ,rhamni4 ,l4 7,e7 ,,piperis ,,longi ,,bacc4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,long ,pepper4 ,the chemical and medicinal properties of this substance are similar to those of black pepper2 which see4 ,the varieties in the market are distinguished by the names short long pepper1 and long long pepper4 ,the native practitioners of ,india prescribe it in infusion1 mixed with a little honey1 as a remedy in catarrhal affections1 when the chest is loaded with phlegm4 ,,piperis ,,nigri ,,bacc4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,black ,pepper4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,an oily matter1 fecula1 and extractive2 the acrid principle of ,pepper has been separated by ,oersted in an alkaline form4 ,the following was the process by which it was procured4 ,the pepper having been digested in alcohol1 muriatic acid and afterwards water were added to the tincture1 by which the resin was precipitated1 while a muriate of ,pipera remained in solution4 ,the solution was then1 after having been submitted to a certain evaporation1 decomposed by pure potass1 when a precipitation of ,pipera took place4 ,this salifiable base is nearly insoluble in cold1 and only very slightly soluble in boiling water4 ,it dissolves in alcohol1 and the solution has a greenish-yellow colour1 which by the addition of nitric acid is rendered green4 ,the capacity of the base for saturation appears very small4 ,,solubility4 ,the virtues of pepper are entirely extracted by ther and alcohol2 and partially by water1 #eej pints being required to extract all the sapidity of j of pepper4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it appears to be a more general and permanent stimulus than other species of equal pungency on the palate2 it may be combined with bitters1 and exhibited in nausea1 dyspepsia1 retrocedent gout1 or as a stimulant in paralysis2 it is also a valuable coadjutor to bark1 in obstinate intermittents4 ,an infusion made with black pepper that has been toasted1 is often prescribed by the natives of ,india in cases of cholera morbus2 and ,i have known it1 says ,dr4 ,ainslie1 put a stop to the vomiting when many other remedies had failed4 ,,dose1 grs4 v to j1 or more4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,emplast4 ,meloes vesicat4 comp4 ,e4 ,unguent4 piper4 nig4 ,d4 ,white pepper is made by separating the first skin of the berry1 by soaking it in salt and water4 ,,adulterations4 ,the powdered husk of the mustard seed is universally mixed with powdered pepper1 and is regularly sold for this purpose by the mustard manufacturer1 under the technical title of ,p4,d4 7,pepper ,dust27 there are besides other admixtures less innocent4--,whole ,pepper is also frequently factitious2 artificial pepper-corns1 composed of peas-meal1 both white and black1 are mixed with real pepper-corns1 and sold as genuine pepper2 the method of detecting the fraud is very simple2 throw a suspected sample into water2 those that are artificial will fall to powder1 or be partially dissolved1 while the true pepper-corns will remain whole4 ,,pix ,,abietina4#eii ,l4 7,pinus ,abies4 ,resina ,prparata47 ,,pix ,,burgundica4 ,e4,d4 ,burgundy ,pitch4 ,this substance is procured by making incisions through the bark of the ,norway ,spruce fir1 and afterwards boiling the flakes so obtained in water1 and then straining the resin through coarse cloths under a press2 whereas frankincense 7,abietis resina7 is a spontaneous exudation from it4 ,it is now entirely confined to external use1 as a rubefacient spread on leather2 it is very adhesive4 ,emplast3 ,picis comp4 ,l4 ,emplast3 ,picis ,burgund4 ,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,a factitious sort1 manufactured in ,england1 is often met with2 it is to be distinguished by its friability1 and its want of viscidity and unctuosity1 and by the absence of that peculiar odour which characterises the genuine specimens4 ,,pix ,,liquida4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,pinus ,sylvestris47 ,tar4 ,this fluid is formed from the decomposition of the resinous juice of the pine1 during the slow and smothered combustion of its branches1 and as a summary definition of the substance1 that by ,pliny cannot be surpassed1 8,pix nihil aliud quam combust resin fluxus40 ,lib4 #bc4 c4 #a4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is found to consist of empyreumatic oil1 resin1 acetic acid1 and some salts4 ,,solubility4 ,water readily dissolves a portion of ,tar1 and forms a solution of the colour of ,madeira wine1 with a sharp empyreumatic taste4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,tar water1 under the auspices of ,bishop ,berkley1 was formerly considered a remedy of extraordinary powers2#fjj this opinion however has at length passed away1 7see page #bg47 and ,tar is now particularly indebted for a place in the ,materia ,medica1 to an essay by ,sir ,alexander ,crichton1 entitled1 8,an ,account of some ,experiments made with the ,vapour of boiling ,tar1#fja in the cure of ,pulmonary ,consumption40 ,at the request of ,sir ,alexander1 ,i was induced to make a trial of its effects1 and ,i do not feel any hesitation in stating that the result has led me to believe that it may1 in some cases1 be attended with benefit4 ,in the application of the remedy several precautions are necessary for its success4 ,the ,tar employed should be that used in the cordage of ships2 to every pound of which half an ounce of sub-carbonate of potass must be added1 in order to neutralize the pyroligneous acid generally found mixed with the tar1 the presence of which will necessarily excite coughing2 the tar thus prepared is to be placed in a suitable vessel over a lamp1 and to be kept slowly boiling in the chamber during the night as well as the day2 the vessel however ought to be cleaned and replenished every twenty-four hours1 otherwise the residuum may be burnt and decomposed1 a circumstance which will occasion increased cough and oppression on the chest4 ,the ancients entertained a high opinion of the efficacy of ,tar in pulmonary diseases1 when internally administered2 supposing it to promote expectoration1 relieve dyspna1 and check spitting of blood2 ,dioscorides particularly speaks of its utility in such cases2 he also recommends it to be applied to ulcers1 which he says it fills up and heals1 whether they be situated on the surface of the body1 or in the ears1 throat1 and other internal parts4 ,see the chapter on 8,inhalations10 page #bjb4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,unguent4 ,picis ,liquid4 ,l4 ,,plumbi ,,sub-,,carbonas4 ,l4 ,,carbonas ,,plumbi1 vulgo ,cerussa4 ,e4 ,,cerussa1 ,sub-acetas ,plumbi4 ,d4 ,cerusse1 or ,white ,lead4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,the composition of this substance has not until lately been well understood1 and hence the different appellations bestowed upon it by the different colleges4 ,,solubility4 ,it is insoluble in water1 but soluble in pure potass4 ,,uses4 ,it is only employed externally1 by sprinkling on excoriated parts2 the safety of such a practice however is questionable4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,unguent4 ,ceruss4 ,d4 ,plumbi ,acetas ,l4,e4,d4 7,k7 ,,adulterations4 ,chalk may be detected by assaying its solution in cold acetic acid with oxalate of ammonia2 ,carbonate of barytes1 by adding to a portion of the same solution1 sulphate of soda very largely diluted with distilled water2 and ,sulphate of barytes1 or ,sulphate of lead1 by the insolubility of the white lead in boiling distilled vinegar4 ,,plumbi ,,oxydum ,,semi-,,vitreum4 ,l4,e4 ,,lithargyrum4 ,d4 ,litharge4#fjb ,it is a yellow protoxide of lead1 which has been melted and left to crystallize by cooling4 ,it is only employed in pharmacy for forming other preparations of lead1 and the following officinal plasters1 ,emplast4 ,plumbi1 ,l4 ,e4,d4 ,ceratum ,saponis4 ,l4 ,it is added to wines to remove their acidity2 for the detection of which1 evaporate the suspected liquor to a thick fluid1 add charcoal1 and calcine in a crucible3 in the space of an hour metallic points will be obtained1 consisting of lead surrounded by a quantity of yellow protoxide4 ,,plumbi ,,acetas4 ,l4 ,cerussa ,acetata4 ,p4 ,l4 #aghg4 ,saccharum ,saturni4 #agde4 ,,acetas ,,plumbi4 ,e4 ,acetas ,plumbi4 ,d4 vulgo1 ,sugar of ,lead4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 irregular masses resembling lumps of sugar1 being an aggregation of acicular four-sided prisms terminated by dihedral summits1 which are slightly efflorescent2 by careful crystallization1 it may be obtained in quadrangular prisms4 ,taste1 sweet and astringent4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,although it has been termed a ,super-acetate1 it appears to be a neutral salt1 and that its power of reddening valuable blues is attributable to a partial decomposition2 for when dissolved in water containing the least portion of carbonic acid1 a white carbonate of lead is precipitated1 and a corresponding portion of acetic acid is necessarily disengaged4 ,the ,college have therefore now designated it as an acetate4 ,according to the experiments of ,berzelius1 this salt1 in its anhydrous state1 consists of one proportional of acetic acid1 and one proportional of oxide of lead2 so that the proportion of the metallic base is one-third of that in the sub-acetate4 ,,solubility4 ,it is dissolved in #be parts of water1 hot or cold2 it is also soluble in alcohol4 ,when common water is employed the solution is quite turbid1 unless a small proportion of acetic acid be previously added4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,the alkalies1 alkaline earths and their carbonates2 most of the acids2 alum2 borax2 the sulphates1 and muriates2 soaps2 all sulphurets2 ammoniated1 and tartarized iron2 tartarized antimony2 undistilled water4 ,the solution of acetate of ammonia decomposes that of this salt1 in consequence of the carbonic acid which is generally diffused through it4 ,it has lately been discovered that ,gallic acid and ,tannin are capable of combining with lead in solution1 and of forming a perfectly insoluble substance1 which falls to the bottom of the vessel2 hence all vegetable astringents must be considered as incompatible with this medicine4 ,on this account1 liquors which have been kept in oak casks1#fjc for a certain time1 must be freed from lead4 ,this explains a fact1 with respect to the effect of new rum in the ,west ,indies1 of some importance4 ,this spirit1 when newly distilled1 is found to contain traces of lead1 derived from the leaden rims of the coppers1 and the leaden worm1 used for its condensation2 but1 by being kept about twelve months in oaken casks1 it loses its deleterious properties1 and no longer exhibits any traces of this metal4#fjd ,certain bodies appear likewise to be incompatible with the compounds of lead1 not from the chemical changes they induce1 but from the contrary effects they produce upon the body2 thus mercury appears to invalidate their powers and to counteract their effects1 as we may have observed in treating saturnine cholic4 ,i suspect also that antimony operates in the same manner2 ,m4 ,merat relates the case of an apothecary who was cured of a desperate saturnine cholic1 after having taken1 in the course of eight days1 eighty grains of tartarized antimony4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,i feel no hesitation in pronouncing this salt of lead to be one of the most valuable resources of physic2 from the results of numerous cases1 ,i state with confidence that it is more efficient in stopping pulmonary and uterine hemorrhage1 than any other known remedy--8nil simile1 nec secundum10--and that its application is equally safe and manageable2 but it must not be combined with substances capable of decomposing it1 nor must it be simultaneously administered with the medicines which are frequently prescribed in conjunction with it1 as an ,infusion of ,roses1 ,sulphate of ,magnesia1 c4 ,alum has also been in some cases added to it1 with the intention of increasing its astringency4 ,it is evident that under such circumstances an insoluble and inert ,sulphate of ,lead will be produced4 ,the experiments of ,orfila confirm the truth of these views1 and shew that such substances act as counter-poisons for the salts of lead4 ,according to my experience1 those vegetable acids which decompose the acetate of lead1 and form insoluble salts with its base1 are not medically incompatible1 when administered simultaneously with it1 although no scientific physician would prescribe such a mixture2 this fact is shewn by the circumstance of potations1 containing malic and tartaric#fje acids1 not having been found to invalidate the efficacy of this salt4 ,whether the stomach in the first instance prevents the decomposition1 and its necessary results1 or allows the operation of the usual affinities1 and then subsequently decomposes the insoluble compound which results from them1 by the abstraction and digestion of its vegetable constituent1 are questions for future inquiry1 when the laws of gastric chemistry shall be better understood1 and more justly appreciated4 ,i have also seen much benefit accrue from this medicine in protracted diarrha1 when it has checked the bowels more effectually even than opium4 ,m4 ,gaspard has communicated to the public1 through the medium of ,majendie's ,journal de ,physiologie1 7#c numro ,juillet1 #ahba17 a paper upon the operation of ,acetate of ,lead1 entitled 8,experiences ,physiologiques et ,medicales sur ,l',acetate de ,plomb10 in which he asserts that this metallic salt cannot be administered without risk in any dose1 unless indeed it be given in vehicles which decompose it1 and which1 he adds1 appears generally to have happened in the prescriptions of those who have given it extensively4 ,he observes1 that 8it produces a slow and peculiar inflammation of the bowels1 as well as of the lungs2 and that it1 moreover1 occasions ,cholica ,pictonum40 ,no one1 ,i apprehend1 will deny the poisonous quality of acetate of lead1 any more than that of arsenic2 and yet both may1 by proper management1 be rendered therapeutical agents of value and safety4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in that of pill1 guarded by opium2 it will be prudent to recommend an abstinence from all potation1 except that of cold water1 or draughts1 composed of diluted acetic acid1 for at least an hour after the ingestion of the pill4#fjf ,,dose1 gr4 to gr4 j4 ,form4 #eg4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,cerat4 ,plumb4 acetat4 ,l4#fjg ,,podophyllum ,,peltatum4 ,may ,apple4 ,radix4 ,this plant is found in almost every part of the ,united ,states in low and moist situations4 ,it flowers in ,may and ,june1 and the root is the only part used in medicine4 ,by analysis this is found to contain resin1 bitter extractive1 fcula1 and a slight proportion of a gummy substance4 ,the root of the ,may ,apple is an excellent active cathartic1 operating in a manner very similar to the common ,julap4 ,it is given in powder1 in doses of about grs4 xx4 ,the proper period for collecting the root for medicinal purposes is the autumn1 when the leaves of the plant have turned yellow4 ,it should be carefully dried and then pulverized4 ,,potassa ,,cum ,,calce4 ,l4,e4 ,,kali ,,causticum ,,cum ,,calce4 ,d4 ,the addition of lime to potass renders it less deliquescent1 and more manageable1 as an escharotic4 ,,potassa ,,fusa4 ,l4 ,,potassa4 ,e4 ,,kali ,,causticum4 ,d4 ,lapis infernalis4 ,p4,l4 #agbj4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a white brittle substance1 extremely caustic and deliquescent1 and possessing in an eminent degree all the properties denominated alkaline4 ,,solubility4 fj of water dissolves vij2 it is also soluble in alcohol4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,this preparation1 independent of its impurities1 is the hydrated protoxide of potassium1 although in the state in which it is cast into sticks it generally contains a little ,peroxide1#fjh and therefore evolves oxygen when dissolved in water4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is a most powerful caustic 7causticum commune acerrimum71 and is frequently employed to establish an ulcer2 or1 instead of incision1 to open a tumour4 ,it has the advantage of other caustics1 from the circumstance of our being able to neutralize its powers by touching it with vinegar1 and thus to arrest its progress in an instant2 it is however more liable to produce a large eschar than nitrate of silver1 in consequence of the chemical action of the alkali upon the skin4 ,within the last few years1 surgeons have greatly preferred the use of this caustic to that of nitrate of silver1 in cases of organic stricture of the urethra1 as acting more powerfully1 and yet occasioning less irritation than the latter substance2 it is also said that the part which it destroys is sooner detached and more easily eliminated4 ,its disposition1 however1 to extend its sphere of action has occasioned such a destruction of the membrane as to allow the urine to pass into the cellular substance1 by which very serious effects have been produced4 ,for this reason there are cases in which the nitrate of silver is still to be preferred4 ,as an internal remedy it is only employed in solution4 ,see ,liquor ,potass4#fji ,,potass ,,acetas4 ,l4 ,,acetas ,,potass4 ,e4 ,,acetas ,,kali4 ,d4 ,kali ,acetatum4 ,p4,l4 #aghg4--,sal diureticus4 ,p4,l4 #agde4--,terra foliata ,tartari4--,sal ,sennerti4--,magisterium ,purgans ,tartari4--,sal ,essentiale vini4 ,oleum ,tartari ,sennerti4--,sal digestivus ,sylvii1 c4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 masses of a foliated1 laminar texture1 extremely deliquescent2 ,odour1 slight and peculiar2 ,taste1 sharp and pungent4 ,,solubility4 fj of distilled water at #fj dissolves #djd grains1 or #ajj parts of it are soluble in #aje parts of water2 the solution soon undergoes spontaneous decomposition2 it is soluble in four times its weight of alcohol4--,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it consists of one proportional of each of its components1 or #dh potass and #ej acetic acid4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,it is decomposed by tamarinds and most sub-acid fruits2 by almost every acid1 as well as every variety of neutral salt1 whether alkaline1 acid1 or metallic4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,in small doses1 diuretic2 in larger ones1 mildly cathartic4 ,dose1 j to j to produce the former1 ij to iij to excite the latter of these effects4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,on account of its deliquescent property it is not admissible in powders or pills1 but should be always exhibited in solution4 7,form4 #ajh1 #aaj1 #aaa47 ,in the former editions of this work1 ,i introduced under the present article1 those views regarding the operation of saline bodies upon the kidneys1 and their decomposition by the digestive organs1 which ,i considered as capable of throwing some light upon the medicinal operation of these bodies4 ,having1 however1 in the present edition of my work devoted a chapter to the consideration of ,diuretics1 ,i have necessarily removed all my general observations upon this subject to that part of the work2 ,i therefore entreat the reader to refer to the first part1 page #ic4 ,alibert1 in speaking of the diuretic virtues of this salt1 says that it is so well suited to the sensibility of the ,absorbents that its administration is frequently followed by very salutary effects4 7,elmens de ,thrapeutique1 vol4 i4 p4 #cbg47 ,,adulterations4 ,tartrate of potass is discovered by adding a solution of tartaric acid1 which will occasion with it a copious precipitate2 the sulphates1 by their forming with acetate of lead1 or muriate of baryta1 precipitates insoluble in acetic or muriatic acid4 ,the brown tinge which it frequently exhibits depends upon the same cause as that which usually imparts colour to the ,liquor4 ,ammon4 ,acet4 ,this salt is also sometimes contaminated with lead1 which arises from its having been prepared by decomposing the acetate of lead by means of carbonate of potass4 ,,potass ,,carbonas4 ,l4,e4 ,carbonate of ,potass4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 crystals which are four-sided prisms with dihedral summits1 permanent in the air2 ,taste1 slightly alkaline without acrimony4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is a bi-carbonate1 consisting of two proportionals of carbonic acid and one proportional of potass2 and in its crystalline form1 it also contains water equal to one proportional4 ,,solubility4 ,it is soluble in #d parts of cold1 and in ths of its weight of boiling water1 in which it is partially decomposed1 carbonic acid being emitted during the solution2 it is quite insoluble in alcohol4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,in cases where an alkali is indicated1 this preparation offers an agreeable and efficient remedy2 and experience has shewn that its additional proportion of carbonic acid does not in the least invalidate its alkaline agency4 ,in disordered states of the digestive functions1 alkalies frequently act with surprising effect2 in calculous affections their value has been already noticed 7see ,liquor ,potass71 and the stomach appears to bear the protracted exhibition of the carbonate of potass or soda1 with more temper than it does that of any other alkaline combination2 and on account of the increased quantity of carbonic acid which this salt contains1 it is preferable for effervescing draughts4 7,see ,acid4 ,citric4 and ,form4 #abc1 #afh47 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,acids and acidulous salts2 borax2 muriate of ammonia2 acetate of ammonia2 alum2 sulphate of magnesia2 lime water2 nitrate of silver2 ammoniated copper2 muriate of iron2 sub-muriate and oxy-muriate of mercury2 acetate of lead2 tartarized antimony2 tartarized iron2 the sulphates of zinc1 copper1 iron1 c4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to ss4 ,,potass ,,nitras4 ,l4,e4 ,,nitrum4 ,d4 ,nitre or ,salt ,petre4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 crystals which are six-sided prisms usually terminated by dihedral summits4 ,taste1 bitter and sharp with a sensation of cold4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it consists of one proportional of nitric acid1 and one proportional of potass4 ,,solubility4 ,it dissolves in seven parts of water at #fj1 and in its own weight at #bab4 ,its solubility is considerably increased by adding muriate of soda to the water2 its solution is attended with a great reduction of temperature2 it is quite insoluble in alcohol4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,alum2 sulphate of magnesia2 sulphuric acid2 the sulphates of zinc1 copper1 and iron2 according to the usual laws of affinity1 it should be also decomposed by sulphate of soda2 this however only takes place at the temperature of #cb1 and then but partially4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,refrigerant1 in which case the draught should be swallowed immediately after the solution of the salt is complete1 for if it be allowed to stand for some time1 its effect with regard to cooling is not nearly so evident 7see ,form4 #ach1 #add72 as a diuretic1 its powers are too inconsiderable to be employed1 except in combination 7,form4 #ajb1 #aji1 #aae1 #agj72 a solution of j to fvj of rose water forms a good detergent gargle1 and a small portion allowed to dissolve slowly in the mouth1 will frequently remove an incipient inflammation of the tonsils3 for its modus operandi as a diuretic1 see ,potass ,acetas4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to xv1 as a diuretic or refrigerant2 grs4 xxv to xl are aperient1 and in large doses it excites vomiting1 bloody stools1 convulsions1 and even death4 ,the best antidotes are opium and aromatics4 ,,impurities4 ,as it occurs from the hand of nature it is far from pure1 and even by art it is freed with difficulty from sea salt2 the presence and quantity of which in any specimen1 may be learnt by adding nitrate of silver to its solution as long as any precipitate is produced4 ,,potass ,,sub-,,carbonas4 ,l4,e4 ,,sub-,,carbonas ,,kali4 ,e4 ,kali ,prparatum1 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,sal ,absinthii4 ,sal ,tartari4 #agde4 ,before the nature of this salt was well understood1 it received various appellations according to the different methods by which it was procured1 and it was supposed to possess as many different virtues1 as ,salt of ,wormwood1 ,salt of ,tartar1 ,salt of ,bean ,stalks1 c4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 coarse white grains1 so deliquescent1 that by exposure to air they form a dense solution1 7,oleum ,tartari per deliquium1 ,p4,l4 #agbj47 ,taste1 alkaline and urinous4#faj ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,this salt1 although far from being pure1 is sufficiently so for every pharmaceutical purpose4 ,it consists of one proportional of acid and one proportional of potass1 with variable quantities of sulphate of potass1 muriate of potass1 siliceous earth1 alumina1 together with the oxides of iron1 and manganese4 ,,solubility4 ,it is dissolved by twice its weight of water2 the residue1 if any1 may be considered as impurity2 it is insoluble in alcohol2 with oils it combines1 and forms soaps4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,they are enumerated under ,potass ,carbonas4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,antacid1 and diuretic1 7,form4 #aja1 #ajg1 #abi71 but it is far less pleasant than the carbonate2 it is principally used for making saline draughts1 see ,acid4 ,citric4 and ,form4 #ajg4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to ss4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,potass ,acetas1 ,l4,e4,d4 7,i7 ,liquor ,potass ,l4,e4,d4 7,k7 ,potass ,sulphuretum 7,i7 ,l4,e4,d4 ,potass ,tart4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,i7 ,liquor ,arsenicalis 7,i4,l47 ,,adulterations4 ,its degree of purity may be estimated by the quantity of nitric acid1 of a given density1 requisite for the saturation of a given weight4 ,the purest sub-carbonate is that obtained by incinerating cream of tartar1 since most of the impurities are decomposed by the heat during the process1 7,sub-carbonas ,potass ,purissimus4 ,e472 it however generally contains lime4 ,,potass ,,sulphas4 ,l4,e4 ,,sulphas ,,kali4 ,d4 ,kali ,vitriolatum1 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,tartarum ,vitriolatum1 #agde1 and #agbj4 ,sal de duobus1 c4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 crystals which are right rectangular 7but not square7 prisms1 modified on the edges and angles2 or double six-sided pyramids with short intervening prisms1 which are macles1 or hemitrope crystals2 they are slightly efflorescent1 and when heated they decrepitate4 ,,solubility4 fj of water dissolves only grs4 #bd3 the salt is insoluble in alcohol4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,it is partially decomposed by the nitric and muriatic acids1 in which case1 a portion of the base being saturated1 a corresponding portion of bi-sulphate results2 this fact illustrates a chemical law of some importance1 viz4 that a substance less weakly attracted by another than a third1 will sometimes precipitate this third from its combination with the second1 in cases wherein a super1 or sub-salt is readily formed4#faa ,the history of tartrate of potass will furnish farther illustrations4 ,see page #ahc4 ,sulphate of potass1 when in solution1 is entirely decomposed by lime and its compounds2 by oxy-muriate of mercury2 nitrate of silver2 and by acetate and sub-acetate of lead4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,on account of its insolubility1 it does not possess much activity as a purgative1 but is said to be powerfully deobstruent2 it should be exhibited in the form of powder1 and in conjunction with rhubarb1 or some other purgative medicine4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to ss4 ,form4 #id4 ,from its hardness and insolubility1 it is a most eligible substance for triturating and dividing powders4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,pulv4 ,ipecac4 co4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,m7 ,under the name ,sulphas ,potass cum ,sulphure1 the ,edinburgh college retains the preparation formerly known by the name ,sal ,polycrest 7,salt of many virtues72 and as it is produced by deflagrating nitre with sulphur1 the product1 besides sulphate of potass1 contains bi-sulphate and sulphuret of potass4 ,it possesses no superiority over the common sulphate4 ,,potass ,,super-,,sulphas4 ,l4 ,sal ,enixum of ,commerce4 ,,qualities4 ,crystals1 long hexangular prisms2 ,taste1 sour and slightly bitter4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is a bi-sulphate1 consisting of two proportionals of acid1 and one proportional of base4 ,,solubility4 ,it is soluble in twice its weight of water1 as well as in alcohol4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it affords a convenient mode of exhibiting sulphuric acid combined with a saline purgative1 in a solid form2 as it is more soluble1 so is it more active than the sulphate4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to ij4 ,it forms a grateful adjunct to rhubarb4 ,see ,form4 #he4 ,,potass ,,sulphuretum4 ,l4,e4 ,,sulphuretum ,,kali4 ,d4 ,kali ,sulphuretum1 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,hepar ,sulphuris4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a hard brittle mass2 ,colour1 liver brown1 hence the old name of hepar2 ,taste1 acrid and bitter2 ,odour1 none when dry1 but if moistened1 it yields the stench of sulphuretted hydrogen4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,i consider this substance as a mixture of ,sulphate of ,potass1 with variable quantities of ,sulphuret and ,bi-,sulphuret of ,potassium4#fab ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,it is instantly decomposed by water1 the oxygen of which forms ,potass with the ,potassium2 while its hydrogen1 combining with the sulphur1 produces ,sulphuretted hydrogen1 part of which escapes1 and another part forms1 with the excess of ,sulphur1 ,bi-,sulphuretted hydrogen2 this latter body uniting with the base1 produces what has been termed an ,hydroguretted ,sulphuret1 but which might be more properly called an ,hydro-bi-,sulphuret2 upon adding an acid to the solution1 a quantity of ,sulphur is thrown down1 ,sulphuretted hydrogen is evolved1 and a salt of ,potass remains in solution4 ,metallic salts also decompose it1 the metal falling down as a ,sulphuret1 or ,hydro-sulphuret4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it presents us with a form in which sulphur is soluble in water2 it is diaphoretic1 and has been found advantageous in cutaneous affections1 7,form4 #aah17 and in arthritic and rheumatic complaints2 while1 from its known chemical action on metallic salts1 it has been proposed as an antidote to such poisons4 ,its solution has been lately recommended as a lotion for the itch of infants1 and in some cases it has been known to succeed after the sulphur ointment had failed4#fac ,,potass ,,super-,,tartras4 ,l4,e4 ,,tartarum ,,crystalli4 ,e4 ,super-,tartrate of ,potass4 ,crystals of ,tartar4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 small irregular brittle crystals1 which when reduced to powder are termed cream of tartar4 ,taste1 harsh and acid4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is a bi-tartrate1 consisting of two proportionals of acid and one proportional of potass4 ,solubility4 ,it requires #abj parts of water at #fj1 and #cj parts at #bab1 for its solution2 it is slightly soluble in alcohol4 ,the watery solution of this salt was first observed by ,berthollet to undergo a spontaneous decomposition by keeping1 during which a mucous matter is deposited1 and there remains a solution of carbonate of potass coloured with a little oil4 ,it has long been regarded a pharmaceutical desideratum to increase the solubility of cream of tartar2 ,vogel discovered that it might be accomplished by combining it with boracic acid1 and accordingly a formula has been introduced into the ,codex ,medicamentarius of ,paris1 for preparing a 8,tartras ,acidulus ,potass ,solubilis1 admixto ,acido ,boracico40 ,the following is the process4 ,let thirty parts of boracic acid1 and twenty parts of distilled water be heated together in a silver dish2 as soon as this has been effected1 add1 in divided portions1 #abj parts of super-tartrate of potass1 taking care to shake the mixture continually2 the whole will soon liquefy1 78mire liquescent107 and by continuing the heat1 a pulverulent mass will result4 ,as it is extremely deliquescent it must be carefully preserved from the contact of the air2 it dissolves in its own weight of water at #ee1 and in half its weight at #bab4 ,it is probable that the result is a new salt1 in which the boracic and tartaric acids exist in combination1#fad but grant even that the chemical identity of the super-tartrate is preserved inviolate in the compound1 ,i would ask what medical advantage can possibly attend the discovery8 ,the peculiar value of cream of tartar depends doubtless upon its comparative insolubility1 as ,i have already stated at page #agc2 modify this1 and you will instantly change the medicinal effects of the salt2 for like the neutral tartrate it will act upon the bowels1 and therefore cease to undergo those changes in transitu which are essential to its characteristic operation4 ,alum also has been observed by ,berthollet to have in some measure the same effect in increasing the solubility of cream of tartar4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,alkalies and alkaline earths2 the mineral acids1 c4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,in doses of iv to vj1 it acts as a hydragogue cathartic1 producing a considerable discharge of serous fluid into the intestines2 when however it is often repeated1 it is liable to occasion debility of the digestive organs1 and consequent emaciation3 in smaller doses it acts as a diuretic4 7,form4 #aab47 j in oj of boiling water1 flavoured with lemon peel and sugar1 forms when cool an agreeable beverage well known by the name of ,imperial4 ,a ,cream of ,tartar ,whey may be made1 by adding to a pint of milk 7when it begins to boil7 ij of ,cream of ,tartar2 the pan must then be removed from the fire1 the whole suffered to cool1 and the whey separated from the curd by straining2 this whey1 diluted with warm water1 furnishes an excellent drink in ,dropsy4 ,as it decomposes the carbonate of potass1 the union of these salts will afford a very pleasant purgative draught4 7,form4 #hb47 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,pulv4 ,jalap4 comp4 ,e4 7,,bm7 ,pulv4 ,scammon4 ,e4 ,pulv4 ,senn comp4 ,l4 ,ferrum ,tartarizatum1 ,l4 7,i7 ,antimonium ,tartarizatum ,l4,e4 ,d4 7,i7 ,soda ,tartarizata1 ,l4,e4,d4 7,i7 ,,adulterations4 ,super-sulphate of potass 7,sal ,enixum17 is the substance with which tartar is usually adulterated2 it may be detected by its superior solubility1 and by the solution affording with muriate of baryta a precipitate insoluble in muriatic acid4#fae ,,potass ,,tartras4 ,l4 ,,tartras ,,potass4 ,olim1 ,tartarum ,solubile4 ,e4 ,,tartras ,,kali4 ,d4 ,kali ,tartarizatum4 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,tartarum ,solubile4 ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,,qualities4 ,form2 this salt1 although ordered to be crystallized1 is generally kept in its granular form4 ,taste1 bitter and cool4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it consists of one proportional of acid1 and one proportional of base4 ,,solubility4 ,when in its crystalline form it is soluble in its own weight of water1 but in its ordinary granular form1 #d parts are required for its solution2 hence1 compared with the insoluble super-tartrate1 it has justly acquired the name of soluble tartar2 when long kept in solution1 its acid is decomposed1 and its alkali remains in a state of a sub-carbonate4 ,it is also readily soluble in alcohol4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,magnesia1 baryta1 and lime2 acetate and sub-acetate of lead1 and nitrate of silver decompose it4 ,all acids1 even the carbonic1#faf and acidulous salts1 tamarinds1 and other sub-acid vegetables1 by neutralizing a proportion of the base1 convert it into the state of super-tartrate2 this fact offers another illustration of the chemical law of affinity1 explained under the head of sulphate of potass4 ,the practitioner should bear this in his recollection1 for ,i have frequently seen a dose of soluble tartar directed in the acidulated infusion of roses2 the result was of course very different from that which the author of the prescription intended to produce4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is a mild and efficient purgative1 and forms a very valuable adjunct to resinous purgatives or to senna1 the griping properties of which it corrects by accelerating their operation4 ,form4 #gj4 ,,dose1 j to j1 in solution4 ,,pulveres4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,powders4 ,for the administration and advantages of this form of preparation1 see page #aij4 ,the following ,officinal ,formul offer some valuable combinations4 ,,pulvis ,,aloes ,,compositus4 ,l4 ,pulvis ,aloes cum ,guaiaco4 ,d4 ,it consists of aloes three parts1 guaiacum two 7,g71 and compound powder of cinnamon one part 7,o74 ,it combines sudorific and purgative effects4 ,dose1 grs4 x to j4 ,see ,form4 #hj4 ,,pulvis ,,aloes ,,cum ,,canella4 ,d4 and ,p4,l4 #ahjg4 ,aloes four parts1 white canella 7,e7 one part4 ,it is known in the shops by the name of ,hiera ,picra4 ,the compound is more adapted for the form of pills than that of powder4 ,it is very generally used by the lower classes1 infused in gin4 ,dose1 grs4 x to j4 ,,pulvis ,,antimonialis4 ,l4,d4 ,oxidum ,antimonii cum phosphate ,calcis4 ,e4 ,this preparation was introduced into the ,pharmacopia1 as the succedaneum of the celebrated fever powder of ,dr4 ,james1 the composition of which was ascertained by ,dr4 ,george ,pearson4 7,phil4 ,trans4 lxxxi4 #cag47 ,it consists of #dc parts of the phosphate of lime1 mixed1 or perhaps chemically combined1 with #eg parts of oxide of antimony1 of which a portion is vitrified2 and it is probable1 that the difference of the two remedies depends principally upon the quantity of oxide which is vitrified3 the specification of the original medicine is worded with all the ambiguity of an ancient oracle1 and cannot be prepared by the process as it is described4#fag ,experience has established the fact1 that ,james's ,powder is less active than its imitation2 it affects the bowels and stomach very slightly1 and passes off more readily by perspiration2 in general however the difference is so inconsiderable1 that we need not regret the want of the original receipt4#fah ,as it is quite insoluble in water1 it should be given in powder1 or made into pills4 ,it is diaphoretic1 alterative1 emetic1 or purgative1 according to the extent of the dose and the state of the patient2 in combination it offers several valuable resources to the intelligent practitioner4 7,see ,form4 #aai1 #aba1 #abe1 #abi1 #acd47 ,but it may be fairly questioned whether this remedy has not been far too highly appreciated4 ,dr4 ,james was certainly very successful in its use1 but it must not be forgotten that he usually combined it with some mercurial1 and always followed it up with large doses of bark4 ,,pulvis ,,cinnamomi ,,compositus4 ,l4 ,cinnamon bark four1 cardamom seeds 7,b7 three1 ginger root 7,b7 two1 long pepper 7,b7 one part4 ,it is principally used to give warmth to other preparations1 e4 g4 ,pulv4 ,aloes4 comp4 ,l4,d4 ,,pulvis ,,contrayerv ,,compositus4 ,l4 ,contrayerva1 five1 prepared shells1 eighteen parts 7,m74 ,dose1 grs4 x4 to xl4 ,it is said to be stimulant and diaphoretic4 ,,pulvis ,,cornu ,,usti ,,cum ,,opio4 ,l4 ,opium one part1 burnt hartshorn eight1 powdered cochineal one part4 ,ten grains contain one of opium4 ,,pulvis ,,cret ,,compositus4 ,prepared chalk twelve parts1 tormentil root 7,g71 acacia gum 7,m71 of each six1 cinnamon bark eight 7,e71 long pepper 7,e7 one part4 ,it is antacid1 astringent1 and carminative4 ,dose1 grs4 v to j4 ,,pulvis ,,cret ,,compositus ,,cum ,,opio4 ,l4 ,compound powder of chalk thirty-nine parts1 opium one part4 ,form4 #aea4 ,pulvis ,ipecacuanh ,compositus4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,ipecacuan one part1 opium 7,h7 one part1 sulphate of potass 7,m7 eight parts4 ,this combination has been long established in practice1 as a valuable sudorific1 under the name of ,dover's ,powder4 ,it affords one of the best examples of the power which one medicine possesses of so changing the action of another1 as to produce a remedy of new properties2 in this combination the opium is so modified1 that it may be given with perfect safety and advantage in inflammatory affections accompanied with increased vascular action3 it would seem that whilst the opium increases the force of the circulation1 the ipecacuan relaxes the exhalant vessels1 and causes a copious diaphoresis3 the sulphate of potass is also an important ingredient1 for experience has fully proved that ipecacuan and opium1 in the same proportions1 have not so powerful an effect without it2 its action must be purely mechanical1 dividing and mixing the active particles more intimately1 and it appears that the success of the remedy depends very much upon its being finely powdered4 ,dose1 grs4 v4 to j1 diffused in gruel1 or in the form of a bolus4 7,see ,form4 #abj1 #aba1 #abb47 ,the saline constituent in the original ,dover's ,powder1 was the result of the deflagration of nitre1 and was therefore deliquescent2 its dose was as much as from #dj to #gj grains4 ,in the ,codex of ,paris1 this compound is directed to be prepared by melting together four parts of sulphate of potass1 with an equal proportion of nitrate of potass2 to which when nearly cold is to be added1 and well mixed by triture1 one part of pulverized extract of opium2 the powders of ipecacuan and liquorice root1 of each one part1 are to be added last4 ,it is evident that the proportions of opium and ipecacuan in this combination1 are less than those in ours1 and yet it is said to be more powerfully diaphoretic on account of the nitre4 ,an arrangement1 which is indebted for its medicinal virtue to a similar mode of operation1 is presented in ,form4 #acj4 ,,pulvis ,,scammoni ,,compositus4 ,l4 ,scammony and hard extract of jalap1 of each four parts1 ginger root 7,e7 one part4 ,the ,edinburgh preparation of the same name differs very materially in composition1 its ingredients being scammony and cream of tartar in equal parts4 ,,pulvis ,,tragacanth ,,compositus4 ,l4 ,powdered ,tragacanth1 acacia gum1 and starch1 of each one part2 refined sugar1 two parts4 ,from what has been already stated under the head of mucilage of tragacanth1 it appears to be a superfluous1 if not an injudicious demulcent2 and since starch is insoluble in cold water1 the object for introducing it is not very obvious4 ,form4 #abj4 ,powders should be preserved in opaque green bottles1 as they are materially affected by the action of light and air4 ,many of the compound ones should be considered as extemporaneous1 and ought to be prepared only when they are required4 ,the practitioner is also cautioned against purchasing any medicine in its powdered form1 for so universal is the system of adulteration1 that regular formul are observed in the wholesale houses for sophisticating powders1 and ,mr4 ,gray1 in his 8,supplement to the ,pharmacopias10 has given several specimens1 under the title of 8,pulveres ,reducti40 ,,pyrethri ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,anthemis ,pyrethrum4 ,radix47 ,pellitory ,root4 ,,qualities4 ,the dried root is inodorous1 but upon being chewed1 it soon produces a pungent and peculiar sensation4 ,,solubility4 ,alcohol1 ther1 and boiling water extract its virtues4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,m4 ,gautier has lately shewn that the peculiar pungency of the root depends on a fixed oil1 which resides in vesicles in the bark4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,as a sialagogue1 especially in cases of tooth-ache1 and in paralysis of the tongue and muscles of the throat4 7,form4 #adc47 ,it also constitutes the basis of a very valuable gargle1 in use at ,st4 ,bartholomew's ,hospital1 for relaxation of the uvula and soft palate1 as well as in certain cases of deafness depending upon an enlarged state of the tonsils4 ,it is made by boiling ss of the bruised root in oj of distilled water1 until the fluid is reduced to one half2 to which1 when strained and cold1 fij of ,liquor ,ammoni are to be added4 ,,pyrola ,,umbellata4#fai ,ground ,holly4 ,although this plant has not yet found its way into the materia medica of the ,pharmacopia1 its credited virtues entitle it to some notice in the present work4 ,it was first brought into repute in this country by ,dr4 ,somerville 7,med3 ,chirug3 ,trans3 ,vol4 #e74 ,it is bitter1 and consists of ,resin1 gum-resin1 tannin1 and bitter extractive4 ,alcohol and proof spirit are its best menstrua1 but the watery infusion appears to contain all the virtues of the plant4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is said to be diuretic1 tonic1 and deobstruent2 there is1 however1 no evidence to shew that it acts1 specifically1 on any other than the urinary organs4 ,dr4 ,ives1 in the ,american edition of the present work1 says1 that as a diuretic medicine it has unquestionable merit1 and that it will frequently mitigate symptoms of gravel1 and strangury proceeding from other causes2 he does not1 however1 agree with ,dr4 ,barton1 in considering it ,antilithic4 ,he has also given it1 alternately with the ,uva ,ursi1 in hmaturia2 the effects of severe and long continued gonorrhal inflammation1 with the most obvious benefit1 and he considers it very analogous in its operation to the ,uva ,ursi4 ,in some instances it has appeared to afford great relief in chronic cutaneous diseases4 ,further observation is necessary to define the mode and extent of its medicinal operation1 but there is no hazard in saying that it is a medicine possessing considerable activity4 ,dr4 ,barton observes that this plant1 like ,uva ,ursi1 occasionally imparts a black tinge to the urine4 ,,dose i to ij of the tincture2 fij to fiv of the infusion1 prepared by pouring a pint of boiling water upon j of the stalks and leaves4 ,,quassia4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,quassia ,excelsa4 ,lignum47 ,quassia4 ,this wood owes all its properties to a peculiar bitter principle1 which has been examined by ,dr4 ,thomson and named ,quassin2 it is solid1 slightly transparent1 and of a yellowish-brown colour4 7,see ,infusum ,quassi47 ,it is said to owe its name to a ,west ,indian negro1 called ,quassi1 who first used it in fevers4 ,,quercus ,,cortex4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,quercus ,pedunculata4 ,cortex47 ,oak ,bark4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 none2 taste1 rough and astringent4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,we are indebted to ,sir ,h4 ,davy for a knowledge of this subject2 he found that an ounce of the inner cortical part of young oak bark afforded by lixivation #aaa grains of solid matter1 of which #gg were tannin2 and the cellular integument1 or middle-coloured part1 only yielded #dc grains of solid matter1 of which #ai were tannin2 and the epidermis furnished scarcely any quantity of tannin or extractive2 hence the bark should be selected from the smaller branches of the oak where the epidermis is still thin4 ,experience has1 moreover1 shewn that the quantity of tannin varies considerably1 not only according to the age and size of the trees1 but according to the season at which they are barked2 thus1 the bark cut in spring contains1 according to ,beguin1#fbj four times more of the astringent principle1 than that which is obtained in winter4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,all its properties depend upon the presence of tannin1 it is therefore only valuable as a powerful astringent2 it is accordingly employed to check inordinate discharges1 see ,decoctum ,quercus4 ,oak bark is sometimes administered in the form of powder1 combined with ginger and other aromatics1 and bitters1 for the cure of intermittents1 and it has frequently succeeded1 but see page #afg4 ,dose1 j to ss4 ,in the form of poultice this powder is said to have proved highly useful to gangrenous sores4 ,its inhalation has also been supposed to prove beneficial in consumption2 a striking case is related by ,dr4 ,eberle of a man who had laboured under the usual symptoms of confirmed ,phthisis1 and who1 at the time he went to grind in a bark-mill1 was extremely weak and emaciated2 in a short time1 however1 the cough1 night sweats1 and other hectic symptoms1 began to abate sensibly1 and in less than three months he was perfectly restored to health4 ,,rhei ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,rhubarb4#fba ,two varieties of this root are known in the shops1 viz4 ,turkey or ,russian1 and ,east ,indian or ,chinese4 #a4 ,,turkey or ,,russian4 7,rheum ,palmatum47 ,,qualities4 ,form1 small round pieces1 rather compact and heavy1 perforated in the middle2 ,colour1 lively yellow with streaks of white2 it is easily pulverized1 affording a powder of a bright buff-yellow colour4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,gum1 resin1 extractive1 tannin1 gallic acid1 and a peculiar colouring matter1 with traces of alumina and silex2 the white or flesh-coloured streaks pervading its substance1 consist of sulphate and oxalate of lime3 according to the experiments of ,mr4 ,john ,henderson1 there is besides a peculiar vegetable acid1 to which he has given the name of ,rheumic acid1 but ,m4 de ,lassaignes has satisfactorily proved that this is no other than the oxalic acid3 the purgative powers of the root appear to be intimately connected with its extractive and resinous elements1 but the subject is still involved in considerable obscurity4 ,,solubility4 ,water at #bab takes up #bd parts in #fj1 see ,infusum ,rhei3 by decoction1 its purgative qualities are lost1 and it becomes more bitter and astringent2 alcohol extracts #bg from #aj parts1 7see ,tinct4 ,rhei47 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,in this substance1 ,nature presents us with a singular and most important combination of medicinal powers1 that of an astringent1 with a cathartic property2 the former of which never opposes or interferes with the energy of the latter1 since it only takes effect when the substance is administered in small doses1 or if given in larger ones1 not until it has ceased to operate as a cathartic2 this latter circumstance renders it particularly eligible in cases of diarrha1 as it evacuates the offending matter before it operates as an astringent upon the bowels4 ,it seems to act more immediately upon the stomach and small intestines1 and therefore in relaxed and debilitated states of these organs1 it will prove an easy and valuable resource2 it may1 for such an object1 be exhibited in conjunction with alkalies1 bitters1 and other tonics4 ,its cathartic property is most efficient when given in substance4 ,it was formerly supposed that by toasting rhubarb we increased its astringency1 but this process merely diminishes its purgative force1 so that a larger dose may be taken4 ,the colouring matter of rhubarb may be detected in the urine of persons to whom it has been exhibited2 it does not however appear to possess any specific powers as a diuretic4 ,,dose1 grs4 vj to x as a tonic2 j to ss as a purgative2 the operation of which is considerably quickened by the addition of neutral salts2 the super-sulphate of potass forms also a very useful adjunct1 and its acidulous taste completely covers that of the rhubarb4 ,form4 #hc1 #he4 ,its powder1 when sprinkled upon ulcers1 is found to promote their healthy granulation4 ,,off4 ,,prep4 ,infus3 ,rhei4 ,l4,e4 ,vinum ,rhei ,palmati4 ,e4 ,tinct4 ,rhei4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinct4 ,rhei4 comp4 ,l4 ,tinct4 ,rhei cum ,ale4 ,e4 ,tinct4 ,rhei cum ,gentian4 ,e4 ,pil4 ,rhei comp4 ,e4 #b4 ,,east ,,indian1 ,,or ,,chinese4 7,rheum ,undulatum87#fbb ,,qualities4 ,form1 long pieces1 sometimes flat1 as if they had been compressed2 they are heavier1 harder1 and more compact than those of the preceding species1 and are seldom perforated with holes2 ,odour1 stronger2 ,taste1 more nauseous2 white streaks less numerous1 and they afford a powder of a redder shade than those of ,turkey rhubarb4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it differs from the ,turkey in containing less tannin and resin1 and according to the experiments of ,mr4 ,a4 ,t4 ,thomson1 less oxalate of lime1 in the ratio of #ah to #bf4 ,it contains however more extractive and gallic acid4 ,,solubility4 ,water takes up one half of its weight1 but the infusion1 although more turbid1 is not so deep coloured as that of ,russian rhubarb2 alcohol extracts #d parts in #aj4 ,it habitudes with acids1 alkalies1 and neutral salts1 differ likewise from those of the ,russian variety1 as ,mr4 ,a4 ,t4 ,thomson has exhibited in a very satisfactory manner4 7,london ,dispensatory1 ,edit4 #c1 p4 #dgd47 ,,adulterations4 ,the inferior kinds of ,russian1 ,east ,indian1 and even ,english rhubarb1 are artfully dressed up and sold under the name of ,turkey rhubarb4 ,i am well informed that a number of persons in this town1 known in the trade by the name of ,russifiers1 gain a regular livelihood by the art of dressing this article1 by boring1 rasping1 and then colouring the inferior kinds2 for which they charge at the rate of eighteen-pence per pound4 ,the general indications of good rhubarb are1 its whitish or clear yellow colour1 and its possessing the other characteristic properties as above mentioned2 it ought also to possess in an eminent degree the peculiar odour1 for when this is dissipated1 the powers of the medicine are nearly destroyed4 ,in the form of powder1 rhubarb is always more or less mixed with foreign matter2 the detection of which can be alone effected by a trial of its efficacy4 ,,ricini#fbc ,,oleum4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,ricinus ,communis47 ,castor#fbd ,oil4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a viscid and colourless1 or pale straw-coloured oil2 it is nearly inodorous1 but on being swallowed1 excites a slight sensation of acrimony in the throat4 ,it has all the chemical habitudes of the other expressed oils1 except those which relate to its solubility in alcoholic and ethereal menstrua4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is mildly cathartic1 and is particularly eligible in cases where stimulating purgatives would prove hurtful1 but in obstinate constipation1 where copious evacuations are required1 this oil cannot be trusted1 it will insinuate itself through the intestinal canal1 bringing with it a small portion of the more fluid contents1 but leaving behind it the collection of indurated fces4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,the most efficacious mode of administering it is by floating it upon tincture of senna1 or peppermint water1 or some other similar vehicle2 it is also sometimes given with success in coffee or mutton broth1 or suspended in water by the intervention of mucilage1 yelk of egg 7,form4 #ge17 or by honey1 which at the same time contributes to its laxative operation3 alkalies1 although they form an emulsion with it1 convert it into a saponaceous compound1 and impair its cathartic force4 ,,dose1 fss to fiss4 ,,adulterations4 ,it is usually adulterated with olive oil or poppy oil1 and when to a considerable extent1 scammony is added to quicken its operation4 ,there is however a peculiarity in castor oil which serves to distinguish it from every other fixed oil1 viz4 its great solubility in rectified spirit2 for instance1 fiv of alcohol of #hbj will mix uniformly with any proportion of castor oil1 whereas it will not dissolve more than fj of ,linseed ,oil2 and a still less proportion of the expressed oils of almonds and of olives2 when the spirit is diluted1 its action on all these oils is equally diminished1 so that common spirit of wine has but little power even over castor oil2 but here chemistry again interposes its aid1 for by the addition of camphor1 in the proportion of one part to eight of spirit1 spirit of #hdj is enabled to dissolve castor oil1 whilst it has no influence upon the other fixed oils2 castor oil is also soluble in any proportion1 in sulphuric ther of the specific gravity #gefc1 while four fluid-ounces of the same liquid will only dissolve a fluid-ounce and a quarter of the expressed oil of ,almonds2 a fluid-ounce and a half of that of ,olives2 and two fluid-ounces and a half of ,linseed oil4 ,vogel introduced a composition as a substitute for this oil1 which some practitioners have greatly extolled2 it consisted of nine grains of the extract of ,jalap1 and three grains of ,venetian soap1 triturated in a mortar with an ounce and a half of ,olive oil4 ,,sabin ,,folia4 ,l4 7,juniperus ,sabina47 ,savine ,leaves4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 heavy and disagreeable2 ,taste1 bitter1 hot1 and acrimonious4 ,,chem4 ,,comp4 ,essential oil1 which may be obtained by distillation with water2 fixed oil1 bitter extractive1 and resin4 ,,solubility4 ,both water and alcohol extract its active principles4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it possesses highly stimulating properties1 and has been used as a diaphoretic1 anthelmintic1 and emmenagogue4 ,rave1 a ,german writer of great respectability1 speaks of its use in chronic rheumatism in the highest terms2 ,alibert commends its anthelmintic powers1 but its reputation has principally rested upon its generally acknowledged influence over the uterus4 ,the testimony of ,dr4 ,home of ,edinburgh is strong in favour of its emmenagogue powers1 but the adverse opinion of ,dr4 ,cullen brought it into disrepute4 ,it occasions a manifest flow of blood to the uterus1 but this is probably sympathetically produced by its direct action on the large intestines2 for if given in large doses it occasions great heat in the prim vi1 hmorrhage1 and inflammation of the bowels4 ,it is therefore inadmissible in all cases which are attended with fever1 or much vascular action4 ,when amenorrha depends upon a relaxed state of the general system1 or on an inactive and torpid condition of the uterine system1 it may often be employed with advantage4 ,wedekind1 a ,german writer1 extols it in the treatment of that atonic or relaxed state of the uterus1 attended with an unnatural secretion and soft swelling of the uterus1 which is sometimes met with in women who have suffered much from repeated childbearing1 and which is so generally attended with a train of hysteric disturbances4 ,dr4 ,eberle says that he has occasionally employed it in cases of ,amenorrha1 in females of a relaxed habit of body2 and although sometimes without success1 he has had sufficient evidence of its powers to establish its claim to attention4 ,in several cases1 similar to those above stated1 ,i have employed the ,savin with much success1 but ,i have found it very liable to disturb the stomach1 and to produce head-ache4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,some practitioners have recommended that of powder1 but it is almost impossible to pulverize it without previously drying it at a temperature which will dissipate the essential oil1 upon which its activity depends4 ,the tincture affords a more convenient form1 and a compound tincture formerly occupied a place in the ,pharmacopia1 but has been abandoned4 ,a decoction of an ounce of the leaves to a pint of water1 with the addition of syrup1 has been also recommended2 an infusion1 however1 would be preferable4 ,,dose1 of the powdered leaves from grs4 v to x2 of the tincture fj2 of the decoction fss to fj4 ,as an external local stimulant1 or escharotic1 the dried leaves in powder are applied to warts1 flabby ulcers1 and carious bones2 and the expressed juice diluted1 or an infusion of the leaves1 as a lotion to gangrenous sores1 scabies1 and tinea capitis2 or mixed with lard and wax as an issue ointment4 ,the ,german writers speak very highly of its effects as a poultice to old and obstinate sores4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,oleum ,volatile ,juniperi ,sabin4 ,e4,d4 7the dose of which is from one to three minims47 ,extractum ,sabin4 ,d4 7a very inert preparation47 ,ceratum ,sabin4 ,l4 ,the experiments of ,orfila have shewn that ,savine exerts a local action1 but that its effects depend principally on its absorption2 through which medium it acts on the nervous system1 the rectum1 and the stomach4 ,it still enjoys amongst the vulgar the reputation of being capable of producing absorption4 ,,saccharum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,sugar4#fbe ,sugar1 as a pharmaceutical agent1 is employed for accelerating the pulverization of various resinous substances1 and when exhibited with the most acrid of them1 it prevents their adhesion to the coats of the intestines1 by which they might irritate and inflame them2 it is also extensively used on account of its power in preserving animal#fbf and vegetable substances4 7,see ,conserv47 ,milk boiled with fine sugar will keep for a great length of time1 and might be very conveniently employed during a long voyage4 ,dr4 ,darwin also observes that fresh meat cut into thin slices1 either raw or boiled1 might be preserved in coarse sugar or treacle1 and would furnish a very salutary and nourishing diet to our sailors4 ,sugar exerts also some chemical affinities which are highly interesting to the pharmaceutic chemist4 ,vogel has published a paper to shew1 that when sugar is boiled with various metallic oxides1 and with different metalline salts1 it has the property of decomposing them2 sometimes reducing the oxide to the state of a metal1 and at others depriving the oxide only of one of the proportionals of oxygen2 thus sulphate of copper and nitrate of mercury are precipitated in a metallic form1 whilst peroxide of mercury and acetate of copper are converted into protoxides2 corrosive sublimate is changed into calomel1 but calomel is not susceptible of any further decomposition4 ,all those metallic salts which have the power of decomposing water are not affected by sugar1 as those of iron1 zinc1 tin1 and manganese4 ,it appears1 moreover1 that sugar has the property of rendering some of the ,earths soluble in water4 ,sugar in water1 at the temperature of #ej1 is capable of dissolving one half of its weight of lime2 the solution thus produced is of a beautiful white-wine colour1 and has the smell of fresh-slacked quick-lime4 ,it is precipitated from the solution by the carbonic1 citric1 tartaric1 sulphuric1 and oxalic acids2 and it is decomposed1 by double affinity1 by caustic and carbonated potass and soda1 and by the citrate1 tartrate1 and oxalate of potass1 c4 ,the union of sugar with the alkalies has been long known1 and in the decomposition of the solution of lime in sugar by the salts above mentioned1 the acid unites with the lime1 and the alkaline base forms a compound with the sugar4 ,,sapo4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,soap4 ,i4 ,durus4 7,hispanicus47 ,hard1 or ,spanish ,soap4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,oil #fjid1 soda #hef1 water #cjej2 the water is partially dissipated by being kept1 and the soap therefore becomes lighter4 ,muriate of ,soda is also an essential ingredient#fbg of hard soap4 ,,solubility4 ,water dissolves about one-third of its weight of genuine soap1 and forms a milky solution2 alcohol also dissolves it1 and affords a solution nearly transparent1 although somewhat gelatinous4#fbh ,,incompatible ,,substances4 #a4 ,all acids and acidulous salts1 which combine with the alkali1 and develope the oil4 #b4 ,earthy salts1 e4 g4 ,alum2 muriate and sulphate of lime2 sulphate of magnesia4 #c4 ,metallic salts4 ,nitrate of silver2 ammoniated copper2 tincture of muriated iron2 ammoniated iron2 acetate1 sub-muriate1 and oxy-muriate of mercury2 sub-acetate of lead2#fbi tartarized iron2 tartarized antimony2 sulphate of zinc1 copper and iron4 #d4 ,all astringent vegetables4 #e4 ,hard water4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,in large doses it is purgative2 in smaller ones1 it is decomposed in transitu1 and its alkali is carried to the kidneys2 in this way it may act as a lithonthriptic2 or it may produce its effects by correcting any acidity which may prevail in the prim vi1 for the weakest acid is capable of decomposing soap1 and of uniting with its alkaline base2 a solution of soap in lime water was long regarded as one of the strongest solvents of urinary calculi that could be administered with safety1 but the result of such a mixture is an insoluble soap of lime1 and a solution of soda2 in habitual constipation1 and in biliary obstructions1 it is frequently prescribed in conjunction with rhubarb1 or some bitter2 in which cases it can only act as a laxative1 or as a chemical agent1 in increasing the solubility of the substance with which it is united4 ,it has been also given in solution as an antidote to metallic poisons1 and it is often successfully injected as a clyster1 in unrelenting and habitual costiveness2 as an external application1 it is used in the form of liniment1 7see ,linimenta47 ,its pharmaceutical value1 in forming pill-masses1 has already been considered 7page #aif71 and the following formul afford examples of such an application1 viz4 #ad1 #hj1 #aje1 #aah1 #afe4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,pil4 ,saponis cum ,opio4 ,l4 7,l74 ,pil4 ,scill comp4 ,l4 7,m74 ,pil4 ,aloet4 ,e4 7,l74 ,pil4 ,aloes et ,assaftid4 ,e4 7,i74 ,pil4 ,aloes cum ,zinzib4 ,d4 7,l74 ,pil4 ,colocynth4 comp4 ,d4 7,l74 ,emplast4 ,saponis4 ,l4,e4 ,ceratum ,saponis4 ,l4 ,liniment4 ,saponis4 comp4 ,l4 ,liniment4 ,saponis cum ,opio4 ,l4 ,,adulterations4 ,pulverized ,lime1 ,gypsum1 or ,pipe clay1 are sometimes added2 but the fraud is easily detected by solution in alcohol1 when the earthy matters fall down4 ,,ii4 ,,sapo ,,mollis4 ,soft ,soap4 ,this differs from hard soap chiefly in its consistence1 which is never greater than that of hog's lard3 it is transparent1 yellowish1 with small seed-like lumps of tallow diffused through it2 the alkali employed for its formation is a ley of potass1 instead of that of soda4 ,,sarsaparilla4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,smilax ,sarsaparilla4 ,radix47 ,sarsaparilla4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 long and slender twigs1 covered with a wrinkled brown bark2 ,odour1 none2 ,taste1 mucilaginous and slightly bitter4 ,,chemical ,,comp4 ,its virtues appear to reside in fecula2 it also contains a very large proportion of vegetable albumen4 ,,solubility4 ,it communicates its active principle most completely to boiling water4 7,see ,decoct4 ,sarsaparill74 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,according to ,monardes1 it was imported by the ,spaniards into ,europe in #aedi1 as a specific remedy for the venereal disease2 but it soon fell into disrepute1 and so continued until about the middle of the last century1 when it was again brought into esteem by ,hunter and ,fordyce1 as a medicine calculated to assist the operation of mercury1 as well as to cure those symptoms which may be called the sequel of a mercurial course4 ,,dose1 of the powdered root j to j1 three times a day4 ,in selecting the roots1 it will be right to choose such as are plump1 not carious1 nor too dusty on breaking2 but rough1 and which easily split longitudinally4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,decoctum ,sarsaparill4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,decoct4 ,sarsaparill comp3 ,l4,d4 ,extractum ,sarsaparill4 ,l4 ,syrupus ,sarsaparill4 ,l4 ,there are several species of ,carex which are substituted for ,sarsaparilla4 ,the ,c4 villosa 7,german ,sarsaparilla7 is very commonly employed for this purpose4 ,,sassafras4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,laurus ,sassafras4 ,lignum1 ,radix1 et ,cortex47 ,the ,wood1 ,root1 and ,bark of ,sassafras4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 fragrant2 ,taste1 sweet and aromatic4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,the qualities of this plant depend upon an essential oil and resin4 ,,solubility4 ,its active parts are soluble in water and alcohol4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is said to be diaphoretic1 and diuretic2 and has been employed in cases of scurvy1 rheumatism1 and in various cutaneous affections2 it also formerly enjoyed the reputation of being an antisyphilitic remedy4 ,its powers are very questionable4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,oleum ,sassafras4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,decoct3 ,sarsaparill comp4 ,l4,d4 ,decoct3 ,guaiae3 ,l4,e4,d4 ,aqua ,calcis comp3 ,d4#fcj ,,scammonia4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,convolvulus ,scammonia ,gummi-resina47 ,,scammonium4 ,d4 ,scammony4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 blackish-grey cakes2 ,taste1 bitter and sub-acrid2 ,odour1 heavy and peculiar2 when rubbed with water1 the surface lathers or lactifies4 ,specific gravity #abce4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,resin is the principal constituent2 #af parts of good ,aleppo ,scammony yield #aa parts of resin1 and #c of watery extract4 ,that from ,smyrna contains not more than half the quantity of resin1 but more extractive1 and gum4 ,,solubility4 ,water1 by trituration1 takes up one-fourth1 alcohol two-thirds1 and proof spirit dissolves all1 except the impurities4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,neither acids1 metallic salts1 nor ammonia1 produce any change in its solutions1 but the fixed alkalies occasion yellow precipitates2 and yet they do not appear to be medicinally incompatible with it2 thus ,gaubius1 8,scammoneum acidi commixtio#fca reddit inertius2 alcali fixum1 contra1 adjuvat40 ,the mineral acids appear to destroy a part of the substance1 without in the least altering the rest4 ,the discrepancy which exists in authors respecting the power of this drug1 seems to have arisen from its operation being liable to uncertainty1 in consequence of peculiar states of the alimentary canal2 for instance1 where the intestines are lined with an excess of mucus1 it passes through without producing any action1 but where the natural mucus is deficient1 a small dose of scammony may irritate and even inflame the bowels4 ,in this latter case1 my practice has been to administer the purgative in a mucilaginous draught1 or emulsion4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is an efficacious and powerful cathartic1 very eligible in worm cases1 and in the disordered state of the bowels which so commonly occurs in children4 ,,dose1 grs4 iij to xv1 in the form of powders triturated with sulphate of potass1 sugar1 or almonds2 when given alone1 it is apt to irritate the fauces2 it may be also administered as a solution1 effected by triturating it with a strong decoction of liquorice1 and straining4 7,form4 #gh1 #hc47 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,confect3 ,scammon3 ,l4,d4 ,pulv3 ,scammon3 co4 ,l4,e4 ,extract3 ,colocynth3 co4 ,l4 7,f7 ,pulv4 ,senn1 co4 ,l4#fcb 7,f7 ,,adulterations4 ,two kinds of ,scammony are imported into this country1 that from ,aleppo1 which is the best2 and that from ,smyrna1 which is more compact and ponderous1 but less pure3 it is commonly mixed with the expressed juice of the cynanchum monspeliacum2 it is also sophisticated with flour1 sand1 and ashes2 their presence may be detected by dissolving the sample in proof spirit1 when the impurities will sink1 and remain undissolved2 carbonate of lime is moreover frequently added to ,scammony1 in which case the sample will effervesce in acids3 there is however a compound bearing the name of ,scammony1 to be met with in the market1 which is altogether factitious1 consisting of jalap1 senna1 manna1 gamboge1 and ivory black4 ,good ,scammony ought to be friable1 and when wetted with the finger1 it should lactify1 or become milky3 and the powder should manifest its characteristic odour1 which has been compared to that of old ewe milk cheese4 ,,scill ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,scilla ,maritima47 ,squill ,root4 7,bulb47 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 none2 ,taste1 bitter1 nauseous1 and acrid2 when much handled1 it inflames1 and ulcerates the skin4 ,by drying1 the bulb loses about four-fifths of its weight1 and with very little diminution of its powers1 provided that too great a heat has not been applied4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,according to ,vogel1 gum #f--tannin #bd--sugar #f--;bitter principle 7,scillitin1 which is white1 transparent1 and breaks with a resinous fracture7 #ce--woody fibre #cj4 ,,solubility4 ,squill gives out its virtues so perfectly to any of the ordinary menstrua1 as to render the form of its exhibition1 in that respect1 a matter of indifference4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,alkalies diminish their acrimony and bitterness1 and are probably medicinally inconsistent with their diuretic qualities1 but farther experiments are required to decide this question3 vegetable acids produce no effect upon their sensible qualities1 but are said to increase their expectorant power4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,according to the dose1 and circumstances under which it is administered1 it proves expectorant1 diuretic1 emetic1 or purgative2 as an expectorant1 it can never be employed where pulmonary inflammation exists1 for in such cases1 instead of promoting1 it will check any excretion from the lungs2 its combination with a diaphoretic will frequently increase its powers1 and generally be a measure of judicious caution4 ,see ,form1 #acc1 #acd1 #ace1 #aci4 ,for the philosophy of its action1 the reader must refer to the classification of ,expectorants1 page #ajb4 ,as a diuretic1 it seems to act by absorption1 and we accordingly find1 on the authority of ,dr4 ,cullen1 that when the squill operates strongly on the stomach and intestines1 its diuretic effects are less likely to happen2 he therefore found that by accompanying it with an opiate1 7,form4 #ajj7 the emetic and purgative operation may be avoided1 and the squill be thereby carried more entirely to the kidneys4 ,experience1 moreover1 has taught us the value of combining this medicine with some mercurial preparation1 by which its diuretic powers are very considerably augmented2 and it has been farther stated1 that such a combination is particularly efficacious in ,hydrothorax1 especially when it produces inflammation of the gums1 and of the glands about the throat1 by which action it is supposed to cause a derivation from the exhalants of the pleura1 and thereby to diminish the dropsical effusion4 7,form3 #ajb1 #ajc1 #ajf1 #ajg1 #aji1 #aab1 #aae17 but we must take care that the remedy does not occasion purging4 ,in the exhibition of squill1 it has been often delivered as a rule1 to give it to the extent necessary to induce nausea1 as affording a test of the medicine being in a state of activity2 such a state of the system1 moreover1 may assist the absorption of the remedy4 ,dr4 ,home1 in opposition to the opinion of ,cullen1 maintained that the powers of ,squill as a diuretic1 were increased by combining it with bodies capable of promoting its full emetic operation3 after what has been observed1 however1 it is unnecessary to dwell upon the mischievious tendency of such a practice4 ,by referring to our tabular arrangement of ,diuretics1 page #ajb1 the reader will find that ,i consider its action upon the urinary organs to depend upon its bitter principle 7,scillitin7 being developed1 and carried1 by the medium of the circulation1 to the secreting vessels of the kidneys1 which it thus stimulates by actual contact4 ,as an emetic1 it has been advised in solution1 in cases of hooping cough1 but its extreme uncertainty renders it unfit for exhibition1 unless as an adjunct to emetic combinations1 as in ,form3 #fe4 ,plenck makes mention of a child which had convulsions in consequence of taking some ,squill4 ,,dose4 ,of the dried root gr42 to iv4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,acetum ,scill4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,pil3 ,scill3 comp3 ,l4,e4,d4 ,pulv3 ,scill3 ,e4,d4 ,syrup4 ,scill3 maritim3 ,e4 ,tinct3 ,scill3 ,l4,d4 ,,secale ,,cornutum4 7,spurred ,rye1 or ,ergot of ,rye47 ,various opinions have been entertained in relation to the nature of ,ergot4 ,the most probable is that it is a parasitic fungus1 attached to several species of the gramina1 but more especially to the rye4 ,it is generally found most abundant in moist situations and in wet seasons4 ,its taste1 at first scarcely perceptible1 becomes shortly disagreeable and sub-acrid4 ,by the analysis of ,vauquelin1 the ergot has been ascertained to contain1 #a4 ,a fawn-yellow colouring matter1 soluble in alcohol1 and having a taste resembling that of fish oil4 #b4 ,a white oily matter1 of a sweetish taste1 which appears to be very abundant4 #c4 ,a violet colouring principle1 of the same shade as that of orchil1 but differing from it by its solubility in alcohol1 and which can be readily fixed on aluminated wool and silk4 #d4 ,a free acid1 supposed to be partly phosphoric4 #e4 ,a very abundant vegeto-animal substance1 much disposed to putrefaction1 and which furnishes a considerable quantity of thick oil and of ammonia by distillation4 #f4 ,a small quantity of free ammonia1 which can be obtained at the temperature of boiling water4 ,as a medicinal substance1 ergot exerts a specific effect upon the uterus1 and is very generally used in this country for the purpose of facilitating the process of parturition4 ,from the powerful effects produced by the ergot1 it is obvious that it should be used with much caution4 ,dr4 ,stearns1 to whom the profession is indebted for the first introduction of this article into practice1 and who must be considered as our highest authority on this subject1 has laid down the following rules by which its administration should be regulated3 #a4 ,it should never be administered where nature is competent to a safe delivery4 #b4 ,it should never be administered until the regular pains have ceased1 or are ineffectual1 and there is danger to be apprehended from delay4 #c4 ,it should never be administered until the rigidity of the os tinc has subsided1 and a perfect relaxation has been induced4 #d4 ,it should never be administered in the incipient stages of labour1 nor until the os tinc is dilated to the size of a dollar4 #e4 ,it should never be administered in any case of preternatural presentation that will require the ftus to be turned4 #f4 ,it should never be administered during the continuance of one labour1 in larger quantities than thirty grains by decoction in half a pint of water4 ,a table spoonful of this given every ten minutes1 generally succeeds better than a larger dose4 ,while this quantity produces its most favourable effects upon the uterus1 it does not affect the stomach with nausea or vomiting1 which sometimes interrupts its successful operation4 ,the ergot is indicated1 and may be administered1 #a4 ,when1 in lingering labours1 the child has descended into the pelvis1 the parts dilated and relaxed1 the pains having ceased1 or being too ineffectual to advance the labour1 there is danger to be apprehended from delay1 by exhaustion of strength and vital energy1 from hemorrhage or other alarming symptoms4 #b4 ,when the pains are transferred from the uterus to other parts of the body1 or to the whole muscular system1 producing general puerperal convulsions4 ,after premising copious bleeding1 the ergot concentrates all these misplaced labour-pains upon the uterus1 which it soon restores to its appropriate action1 and the convulsions immediately cease4 #c4 ,when in the early stages of pregnancy1 abortion becomes inevitable1 accompanied with profuse hemorrhage and feeble uterine contractions4 #d4 ,when the placenta as retained from a deficiency of contractions4 #e4 ,in patients liable to hemorrhage immediately after delivery4 ,in such cases the ergot may be given as a preventive1 a few minutes before the termination of the labour4 #f4 ,when the hemorrhage or lochial discharges are too profuse immediately after delivery1 and the uterus continues dilated and relaxed without any ability to contract4 ,,seneg ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,polygala ,senega47 ,radix4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 the dried root is internally white2 externally it is covered with a brownish grey1 corrugated1 transversely cracked cuticle4 ,odour1 none4 ,taste1 at first sweetish1 but afterwards hot and pungent1 producing a very peculiar tingling sensation in the fauces4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,its virtues reside in resin4 ,,solubility4 ,alcohol extracts the whole of its active matter2 hot water only partially4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,as a stimulant2 but it is rarely used4 ,in ,america it is used against the bite of the rattlesnake4#fcc ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,decoctum ,seneg4 ,l4,e4 ,,senn ,,folia4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,cassia ,senna47 ,senna ,leaves4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 faint and sickly2 ,taste1 slightly bitter1 sweetish1 and nauseous4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,extractive1 resin1 mucilage1 and saline matter2 it contains within itself a purgative principle and a bitter element2 and although the latter is per se inert1 yet in combination1 its presence aids and exalts the efficacy of the former4 ,m4 ,m4 ,lassaigne and ,fenuelle have lately announced the fact of their having procured the purgative principle of ,senna in a separate form1 and to which they have given the name of ,cathartine4 ,it is said to be an uncrystallizable substance1 of a reddish-yellow colour1 and of a particular smell1 and bitter nauseous taste1 soluble in alcohol and water1 in all proportions2 but farther experiments are required upon this subject4 ,,solubility4 ,both water and spirit extract the virtues of ,senna2 to water and proof spirit the leaves communicate a brownish colour1 more or less deep according to the proportions employed2 to rectified spirit they impart a fine green colour4 ,the powdered leaves of senna are very apt to undergo a change by exposure to a humid atmosphere1 becoming covered with a kind of mouldiness which contains a small proportion of potass4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,see ,infus3 ,senn4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,confectio ,senn21 ,l4,e4,d4 ,extract3 ,cassi ,senn4 ,e4 ,infus3 ,senn4 ,l4,d4 ,infus3 ,tamarind3 cum ,senna4 ,e4,d4 ,pulv4 ,senn comp3 ,l4 ,tinct3 ,senn4 ,l4,d4 ,tinct3 ,senn comp3 ,e4 ,syrup3 ,senn4 ,l4,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,the leaves of ,senna are imported from ,alexandria in a state of adulteration1 being mixed by the merchants of ,cairo with the leaves of ,cynanchum ,oleafolium1 7,arguel7 and with those of ,colutea ,arborescens2 the former are distinguished by their greater length as well as by their structure1 which differs from the leaves of ,senna in having a straight side1 and being regular at their base1 and in not displaying any lateral nerves on the under disk2 the latter are so different from ,senna leaves1 that there is no difficulty in at once recognising them4 ,the ,tripoli ,senna contains a much larger proportion of ,cynanchum1 and of the other adulterations2 as a general rule1 those leaves which appear bright1 fresh1 free from stalks and spots1 that are well and strongly scented1 smooth and soft to the touch1 thoroughly dry1 sharp pointed1 bitterish1 and somewhat nauseous1 are to be preferred4 ,,serpentari ,,radix4 ,l4,d4 7,aristolochia ,serpentaria1 ,radix47 ,serpentaria ,root4 ,virginian ,snake root1 or ,birthwort4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 of the dried root1 aromatic1 and somewhat resembling that of ,valerian2 ,taste1 pungent and warm1 with a degree of bitterness1 not very unlike that of camphor1 or of the pinus canadensis4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,resin and an essential oil constitute its active ingredients4 ,,solubility4 ,its virtues are extracted by water1 as well as by alcohol4 ,the tincture has a bright green colour1 which is rendered turbid by water4 ,it neither affects ,tannin nor ,gelatine1 nor does it precipitate the salts of iron4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it has been regarded as serviceable in cases that required the combined powers of a diaphoretic and tonic1 as in some of the stages of typhus and other low fevers2 it has also been found to exalt the febrifuge powers of the bark in cases of protracted intermittents4 ,it is likewise valued on account of its efficacy in certain cases of dyspepsia1 attended with a dry skin4 ,its stimulating properties will of course prevent its application in the inflammatory diathesis4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in substance1 or in an infusion1 made by macerating iv of the bruised root in fxij of boiling water in a covered vessel for two hours1 and straining4 ,decoction will necessarily dissipate its essential oil1 and impair its powers2 whenever therefore it is directed in combinations which require this process1 it should not be added until after the other ingredients have been boiled1 as illustrated by ,form3 #dj4 ,,dose1 of the powdered root j to ss or more2 of the infusion fj-fij4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,tinct3 ,serpentari4 ,l4,e4,d4#fcd ,tinct3 ,cinchon comp3 ,l4,d4 ,electuarium ,opiatum4 ,e4 ,the roots of the ,collinsonia prcox are frequently found mixed with those of ,serpentaria in the market4 ,,simaroub ,,cortex4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,quassia ,simarouba ,cortex47 ,simarouba ,bark4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 long pieces a few inches in breadth1 and folded lengthwise2 fibrous1 rough1 and scaly2 and1 when fresh1 of a pale yellow colour on the inside4 ,odour1 none2 ,taste1 bitter1 without any astringency4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,its virtues are principally connected with extractive matter2 it does not contain any tannin or gallic acid4 ,,solubility4 ,alcohol and water take up all its active matter4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it has been considered tonic1 and has been used with advantage as such in intermittent fevers4 ,to ,dr4 ,wright we are principally indebted for a knowledge of its powers4 ,it has been much commended in the latter stages of dysentery1 after the fever has abated1 and the tenesmus continues with a sinking pulse4 ,alibert says that it has been used with much success at the hospital of ,st4 ,louis1 in diarrha1 following scurvy1 and intermittent fever4 ,,dose1 i to ss1 but it is more conveniently given in the form of infusion1 which see4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,infus3 ,simaroub4 ,l4 ,the ,dublin college has admitted the wood of this tree into their materia medica1 but it is perfectly inert4 ,,sinapis ,,semina4 7,sinapis ,nigra4 ,l4 ,alba4 ,e4,d47 ,mustard ,seeds4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,fecula1 mucilage1 an acrid volatile oil on which their virtues depend1 and which on standing deposits a quantity of sulphur1 a bland fixed oil1 which considerably obtunds the acrimony of the former constituent2#fce and an ammoniacal salt4 ,,solubility4 ,unbruised mustard seeds1 when macerated in boiling water1 yield only an insipid mucilage1 which like that of linseed1 resides in the skin2 but when bruised1 water takes up all the active matter1 although it is scarcely imparted to alcohol4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is a beneficial stimulant in dyspepsia2 chlorosis1 and paralysis2 for which purpose1 a tea spoonful of the bruised seeds may be administered2 or a whey may be made1 by boiling a table spoonful of the bruised seeds in oj of milk1 and straining2 of which a fourth part may be taken three times a day1 7see ,form4 #df47 or it may be given in infusion4 7,form4 #de47 ,the farina made into a paste with crumbs of bread and vinegar1 affords one of the most powerful external stimulants which we can apply1 and is technically termed a ,sinapism2 it produces intense pain1 and excites an inflammation entering much more into the true skin than that which is excited by the ,lytt2 it is therefore worthy attention in all internal inflammations where bleeding is limited3 if necessary it may be quickened by the addition of oil of turpentine4 ,if a table spoonful of powdered mustard be added to oj of tepid water1 it operates briskly as an emetic4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,cataplasm3 ,sinap4 ,l4,d4 ,emplast3 ,meloes com3 ,e4#fcf 7,b7 ,infusum ,armoraci comp3 ,l4 7,b7 ,,adulterations4 ,fine powder1 or flower of mustard1 as it occurs in commerce1 contains only one-sixth part of genuine mustard1 the remainder consists of flour1 coloured by turmeric1 and made pungent by the addition of powdered capsicum4 ,,soda ,,tartarizata4 ,l4 ,,tartras ,,sod ,,et ,,potass4 ,e4 ,,tartarus ,,sod ,,et ,,kali4 ,d4 olim4 ,sal de ,seignette4 ,sal ,rupellensis1 or ,rochelle ,salt4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a right prism1 with rhombic terminations1 very slightly efflorescent4 ,taste1 rather bitter and saline4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is a triple salt1 formed by neutralizing the excess of acid in super-tartrate of potass1 with soda1 and consisting of #b atoms of acid #a of soda #a of potass4 ,by a strong heat it is resolved into a mixture of carbonate of potass and carbonate of soda4 ,,solubility4 ,it is soluble in five parts of water at #ej4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,most acids1 and acidulous salts 7except the ,super-tartrate of potass7 which convert the tartrate of potass into bi-tartrate1 or super-tartrate4 ,the acetate and sub-acetate of lead2 barytic salts1 and the salts of lime are decomposed by it4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,similar to those of ,potass ,tartras4 ,see ,form4 #gg1 and #hf1 the latter of which presents a very grateful and efficacious purgative4 ,,dose1 ij to j as a purgative4 ,,sod ,,carbonas4 ,l4,e4 ,carbonate of ,soda4 ,this salt1 when properly prepared1 is a bi-carbonate1 but so delicately are the affinities of its constituent parts balanced1 that the application of a very moderate temperature is sufficient to subvert them1 and to occasion partial decomposition4 ,mr4 ,phillips states that although he has seen what he believes to be real bi-carbonate in the state of the moist crystals1 yet he has never met with any that was dry which had not lost one-fourth of its carbonic acid by exposure to heat2 it is then a white gritty powder1 less soluble in water than the sub-carbonate1 like which it possesses an alkaline taste1 and turns vegetable yellows brown1 but both in a less degree4 ,this salt1 which is generally sold1 as the carbonate of the pharmacopia1 and the bi-carbonate of chemists1 ,mr4 ,phillips considers as a compound of an atom of carbonate1 7sub-carbonate7 and an atom of bi-carbonate1 combined with four atoms of water4 ,it is therefore1 according to the phraseology of some chemists1 a ,sesqui-carbonate1#fcg as being equal to an atom and a half of acid and one atom of base4 ,the chemical habitudes of this salt1 as connected with its medicinal applications1 are similar to those of the carbonate of potass1 which see4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,as it is less nauseous1 so is it more eligible than the sub-carbonate of the same alkali2 in other respects its effects are the same2 vide ,sod ,sub-carbonas4 ,,dose1 grs4 x to ss4#fch ,,adulterations4 ,if the salt1 after super-saturation with dilute nitric acid1 give a precipitate with nitrate of baryta1 it contains some sulphuric salt2 and if with nitrate of silver1 we may infer the presence of a muriate4 ,,sod ,,murias4 ,l4,e4 ,,sal ,,commune1 ,,murias ,,sod4 ,d4 ,muriate of ,soda4 ,common ,salt4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 that of regular cubes1 which do not deliquesce unless contaminated with muriate of magnesia4#fci ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it consists1 according to ,berzelius1 of #dfee of muriatic acid1 and #ecde of soda2 according to the new theory1 however1 this salt must be considered as a true muriate of soda1 only while it remains in aqueous solution2 for when it is reduced to dryness1 the muriatic acid and the soda become both decomposed1 and the hydrogen of the former uniting with the oxygen of the latter1 they pass off in the form of water1 while the chlorine of the muriatic acid unites with the metallic base of the soda1 to form chloride of sodium1 which consists of an atom of each constituent4 ,it is perhaps difficult to believe that the same salt should be chloride of sodium in the hand1 and muriate of soda in the mouth6 but it is not the less true1 nor is it more incredible than the change which ,sulphuret of potass undergoes by solution1 the decomposition of which is rendered evident to the senses by the evolved sulphuretted hydrogen4 ,late researches have also detected both in rock and in other salt1 the presence of muriate of potass1 and muriate of magnesia4#fdj ,,solubility4 ,it is equally soluble in cold and in hot water1 one part of the salt requiring rather more than #b parts4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,the effects of salt upon the animal and vegetable kingdoms1 are striking and important1#fda and have furnished objects of the most interesting enquiry to the physiologist1 the chemist1 the physician1 and the agriculturist2 it appears to be a natural stimulant to the digestive organs2 and that animals are instinctively led to immense distances in pursuit of it2 for proof of this fact the reader is referred to 8,parkes on the repeal of the ,salt ,laws10 and to an interesting work by my late lamented friend1 ,sir ,thomas ,bernard1 entitled1 8,case of the ,salt ,duties1 with ,proofs and ,illustrations40#fdb ,salt1 when taken in moderate quantities1 promotes1#fdc while in excessive ones1 it prevents digestion2 it is therefore tonic and anthelmintic1 correcting that disordered state of the bowels which favours the propagation of worms4 ,in ,ireland1 where1 from the bad quality of the food1 the lower classes are greatly infested with worms1#fdd a draught of salt and water is a popular and efficacious anthelmintic4 ,form3 #afb1 is a prescription by ,rush1 who says that in this manner he has administered many pounds of common salt with great success in worm cases4 ,in the first volume of the ,medical ,transactions we shall find an interesting account of a cure of this disease by salt1 after the failure of other remedies2 ,i beg also to refer the practitioner to another case illustrative of its anthelmintic powers1 published by ,mr4 ,marshall1 7,london ,medical and ,physical ,journal1 vol4 xxxix4 ,no4 #bca17 which is that of a lady who had a natural antipathy to salt1 and was in consequence most dreadfully infested with worms during the whole of her life4 ,in very large doses ,salt proves purgative2 it is also absorbed1 and carried to the kidneys1 but it undergoes no decomposition in transitu1 nor does it appear to possess any considerable powers as a diuretic2 its solution in tepid water1 in the proportion of ss-j in oj of water1 forms the common domestic enema4 ,,dose1 when intended to act as a cathartic1 fromss to j very largely diluted2 when to answer the other intentions1 from grs4 x4 to j4 ,,sod ,,sub-,,boras4 ,l4,d4 ,,boras ,,sod4 ,e4 ,borax4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 irregular hexahedral prisms1 slightly efflorescent4 ,taste1 alkaline and styptic2 when heated it loses its water of crystallization1 and becomes a porous friable mass 7calcined borax74 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,boracic acid1 #cd--soda1 #ag--water1 #di4 ,,solubility4 ,it is soluble in #bj parts of water at #fj1 and in #f parts at #bab4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,it is decomposed by acids2 potass2 by the sulphates and muriates of the earths1 and by those of ammonia4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is only applied in the form of powder mixed with #h or #aj parts of honey1 as a detergent linctus in aphth1 c4 ,the ,chinese employ it in inflammatory sore throats2 for which purpose they first reduce it to an extremely fine powder1 and then blow it through a reed upon the inflamed surface4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,mel ,boracis4 ,l4 ,,adulterations4 ,alum1 and fused muriate of soda1 are substances with which it is sometimes sophisticated2 to discover which1 dissolve it in distilled water1 and after saturating the excess of the base with nitric acid1 assay the solution with nitrate of barytes and nitrate of silver4 ,,sod ,,sub-,,carbonas4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,sub-carbonate of ,soda4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 octohedrons1 truncated at the summits of the pyramids2 it effloresces when exposed to the air1 and at #aej ,fah4 undergoes watery fusion1 its crystals containing as much as seven proportionals of water2 ,taste1 mild1 alkalescent4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,soda #bie--;carbonic acid #bjg4 ,,solubility4 ,it is soluble in two parts of water at #fj1 and in considerably less than its weight of boiling water2 it is insoluble in alcohol4 ,,incompatible ,,substances are enumerated under ,potass ,carbonas4 ,,med4 ,,uses1 are similar to those of the sub-carbonate of potass1 but it is preferable to it for internal use1 as being more mild and less nauseous2 and moreover ,fourcroy states it as his opinion that soda is more eligible for medicinal purposes than potass1 on account of its analogy with animal substances1 which always contain it1 while on the contrary1 no portion of potass is found in them4 ,sir ,gilbert ,blane assumes an opposite opinion1 and observes that1 as far as he can judge of the comparative powers of the two fixed alkalies1 he should greatly prefer ,potass to ,soda1 as a remedy for gravel1 one reason of which he thinks may be found in the fact that the ,soda is an element of the animal fluids1 since it enters largely into the composition of bile1 so that it is more likely to be arrested in the course of the circulation and diverted from the urinary organs4 ,a gentleman1 says ,sir ,gilbert1 who was subject to frequent fits of gravel1 and in the habit of making experiments on the small concretions which he passed1 found that ,soda dissolved them1 but that ,potass did not2 nevertheless he experienced sensible relief1 and even temporary cure1 from the internal use of the latter alkali1 but no benefit from the former4 ,are then the absorbents more disposed to take up soda than potass8 ,the results of experience do not appear to sanction such a conclusion4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,it may be administered in solution1 in an electuary1 or in pills2 when exhibited in the latter form1 it must be previously deprived of its water of crystallization1 7,sod ,sub-carbonas exsiccata4 ,l47 or the pills will fall into powder as they dry2 unless where the water of crystallization is essential to the formation of the pill1 as to that of ,pill3 ,ferri comp4 ,,dose1 gr4 x to j1 twice or thrice a day4 ,see ,form4 #bh1 #adc1 #add4 ,,sod ,,sulphas4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,natron ,vitriolatum1 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,sal ,catharticus ,glauberi4 ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 transparent prismatic crystals1 which effloresce2 when exposed to heat1 they undergo watery fusion1 that is1 they melt in their own water of crystallization4 ,taste1 saline and bitter4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,sulphuric acid #bdfd1--soda #aicf--water #ef4 ,,solubility4 fj of water at #fj dissolves iiiss2 in boiling water it is considerably more soluble2 it is quite insoluble in alcohol4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,the same as those which decompose sulphate of magnesia4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,a common and useful purgative2 its nauseous taste may be in a great degree disguised by the addition of a small quantity of lemon juice1 or cream of tartar4 ,,dose1 ss to ij4 ,in an effloresced state it is just equal in efficacy to double the weight of that which is in a crystalline form4 ,it is rendered more active by being combined with other purgative salts1 especially with sulphate of magnesia1 and the compound is more soluble and less nauseous2 7,form4 #fi1 #gb47 ,a portion of triple salt1 a magnesio-sulphate of soda1 probably results from the combination1 a salt which may be frequently detected in parcels of sulphate of magnesia1 and may be known by its crystals1 which are regular rhomboids2 it is also contained1 according to ,dr4 ,murray1 in the brine or mother liquor of sea-water2 and it constitutes the whole of that salt which was formerly sold under the name of 8,lymington ,glauber's ,salts04#fde ,,spartium4 ,l4,e4 ,,genista4 ,d4 ,spartii ,cacumina4 ,l4 ,summitates4 ,e4 ,the ,tops of ,broom4 ,,qualities4 ,when bruised they yield an unpleasant odour1 and a nauseous bitter taste4 ,solubility4 ,water and alcohol alike extract their active matter4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,they certainly act as a powerful diuretic1 and even prove so to animals that browse upon them4 ,i have frequently exhibited them in the ,westminster ,hospital1 with very great success in the form of decoction4 ,by referring to my classification of diuretics1 page #ic1 it will be seen that the ,broom is placed under the second division of the first class2 for analogy sanctions the theory1 that the bitter element is separated by the powers of digestion1 and carried to the kidneys by the medium of the circulation4 7,see ,form4 #aac47 ,the ashes of this plant were extolled by ,sydenham as a powerful diuretic1 but the chemist has shewn that it is merely a fixed alkaline salt4 ,,officinal ,,preparations4 ,extractum ,cacuminum ,genist4 ,d4 ,,spigelia ,,marylandica4 ,pink ,root4 ,radix4 ,this is an herbaceous plant1 growing native in the ,southern states4 ,it flourishes in rich1 dry soils1 and flowers from ,may to ,july4 ,the root1 which is composed of numerous slender fibres1 when fresh1 is of a yellowish colour1 and has an insipid and nauseous taste4 ,as it contains on analysis no resin1 its proper menstruum is water4 ,it is exclusively as an anthelmintic that the ,pink ,root is resorted to1 and as such it possesses unquestionable power4 ,when given to any extent it proves narcotic1 and at the same time purgative4 ,it is probably to this combination of properties that its efficacy as a vermifuge is to be attributed4 ,it is chiefly against the ,lumbrici that it has been used with success4 ,it may be given in powder1 in doses of from grs4 x to xx1 repeated every two hours4 ,the more common and preferable mode of giving it1 however1 is that of infusion1 made by putting j of the root into a pint of boiling water4 ,of this1 when cold1 from j to iv may be given every two or three hours1 according to the age of the patient4 ,it should be recollected1 that in its fresh state the ,pink ,root is much more active than when dried and kept for any length of time4 ,,spir,a ,,trifoliata4 ,indian ,physic4 ,radix4 ,this plant abounds in the woods of hills and mountains1 in every part of the ,united ,states4 ,the root1 which is the part used in medicine1 is of a bitter taste1 and yields by analysis extractive matter and resin4 ,in its medicinal properties the ,spira resembles the ipecacuanha of the shops4 ,the full dose in powder is #cj grs4 ,,spiritus4 ,l4 ,,spiritus ,,stillatitii4 ,distilled ,spirits4 ,these are solutions of the essential oils of vegetables in diluted alcohol or proof spirit2 they are obtained by distilling spirit with recent vegetables2 or1 according to the recent directions of the ,pharmacopia1 with their essential oils2 sometimes however they are extemporaneously made by at once dissolving the oils in the spirit1 without distillation4 7,see ,spiritus ,tenuior47 ,med4 ,uses4 ,like the distilled waters1 they serve as vehicles for the exhibition of more active medicines2 they are also occasionally employed as grateful stimulants4 ,it is unnecessary to dwell on each of these simple spirits1 as their virtues are the same as those of the substances from which they are extracted1 united to the stimulus of the alcohol4 ,the following are officinal3--,spirit3 ,anisi4 ,l4 ,spir3 ,anisi comp3 ,l4,d4 ,armoraci comp3 ,l4 ,carui4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,cinnamomi ,l4,e4,d4 7,form4 #e1 #dj47 ,juniperi comp3 ,l4,d4 ,lavandul4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,lavandul comp3 ,l4,e4,d4 ,menth3 ,pip3 ,l4,d4 ,menth3 ,virid3 ,l4 ,myristic3 ,l4,e4,d4 ,piment4 ,l4,d4 ,pulegii4 ,l4 ,raphani comp3 ,d4 ,rosmarini4#fdf ,l4,e4,d4 ,,spiritus ,,ammoni4 ,l4,d4 ,,alcohol ,,ammoniatum4 ,e4 ,spiritus ,salis ,ammoniaci dulcis4 ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,spiritus ,salis ,ammoniaci4 ,p4,l4 #agbj4 ,this is a solution of ammoniacal gas in spirit2 in which a small portion of the sub-carbonate is also generally present4 ,it is not easy to compare the strength of this preparation with that of the ,liquor ,ammoni1 or ,liquor ,ammoni ,sub-carbonatis1 so as to give their medicinal equivalents1 because the ammonia exists in a very different state of combination4 ,the first is a mere solution of ammoniacal gas in water2 in the second1 as already stated1 the ammonia exists as a sesqui-carbonate1 while in the one now under consideration the alkali is in the state of a carbonate4 ,this fact will explain the reason of the present preparation being superior in pungency to the ,liquor ,ammoni ,sub-carbonatis4 ,the ,incompatibles are the same as those enumerated under the head of ,ammoni ,sub-carbonas4 ,it is a powerful stimulant1 but it is principally employed as the basis of the following compounds2 viz4 ,spirit3 ,ammoni ,aromat4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,spirit3 ,ammoni ,succinatus4 ,l4 ,tinctura ,castorei ,comp3 ,e4 ,tinct3 ,guaiaci comp3 ,e4 ,tinct3 ,opii ,ammoniat3 ,e4 ,,spiritus ,,ammoni ,,aromaticus4 ,l4,d4 ,,alcohol ,,ammoniatum ,,aromaticum4 ,e4 ,spiritus ,ammoni ,compositus4 ,p4,l4 #aghe4 ,spiritus ,volatilis ,aromaticus4 ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,spiritis salis volatilis oleosus4 ,p4,l4 #agbj4 ,this is a solution of several essential oils1 7,cinnamon1 ,cloves1 and ,lemon4 ,l4--,rosemary and ,lemon4 ,e4 ,lemon and ,nutmeg4 ,d47 in the spirit of ammonia4 ,it is a valuable stimulant1 and an agreeable adjunct1 and efficacious corrective to other remedies1 see ,form4 #db1 #de4 ,,dose1 fss to fj4 ,,incompatibles4 ,acids1 ,acidulous ,salts1 ,earthy and ,metallic ,salts1 and ,lime ,water4 ,officinal ,prep3 ,tinct4 ,guaiac3 ,ammoniat3 ,l4,d4 ,tinct4 ,valerian3 ,ammoniat3 ,l4,d4 ,its ammoniacal pungency is rather inferior to that of the preceding preparations4 ,,spiritus ,,ammoni ,f,,tidus4 ,l4,d4 ,,tinctura ,,assaf,,tid ,,ammoniata4 ,e4 ,this is a solution of the ftid volatile oil of the ,assaftida in the spirit of ammonia2 as little else than the odour and flavour of the gum-resin is taken up by the menstruum1 it cannot be expected to possess many virtues4 ,dose1 fss to fi4 ,,spiritus ,,ammoni ,,succinatus4 ,l4 ,this preparation was probably introduced as a substitute of the ,eau de luce4 ,it is stimulant and antispasmodic4 ,it will be found1 if properly prepared1 to retain its milkiness for a considerable time1 a circumstance by which its value is appreciated4 ,the substances enumerated under the head of ,spir3 ,ammoni ,aromat3 are also incompatible with this preparation4 ,,spiritus ,,colchici ,,ammoniatus4 ,l4 ,we have in this preparation the specific virtues of the ,colchicum1 with the stimulant property of the ,ammonia2 a medicinal combination1 which is frequently indicated in practice4 ,dose fss to fi1 in some aqueous vehicle4 ,the substances enumerated under the history of ,spiritus ,ammoni ,aromaticus1 are likewise incompatible with this spirit4 ,,spiritus ,,theris ,,aromaticus4 ,l4 ,,ther ,,sulphuricus ,,cum ,,alcohole ,,aromaticus4 ,e4 ,elixir ,vitrioli dulce4 ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,this preparation1 which was excluded from the ,london ,pharmacopia of #aghg1 is now restored4 ,it consists of ,sulphuric ,ether one part1 rectified spirit two parts1 impregnated with aromatics2 the presence of spirit is necessary in this preparation1 since the volatile oils would be insoluble in the ther without it4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,a grateful stimulant4 ,,spiritus ,,theris ,,nitrici4 ,l4 ,,spiritus ,,theris ,,nitrosi4 ,e4 ,,spiritus ,,thereus ,,nitrosus4 ,d4 ,spiritus ,nitri dulcis4 ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,,qualities4 ,a colourless fluid of the specific gravity #hej4 ,odour1 extremely fragrant2 ,taste1 pungent and acidulous2 it is very volatile and inflammable4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,a portion of nitric ther and nitric acid1 combined with alcohol4 ,,solubility4 ,it is soluble both in water and alcohol4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,with a solution of green sulphate of iron it strikes a deep olive colour1 owing probably to its holding a portion of nitrous gas in solution2 with the tinctures of guaiacum it produces a green or blue coagulum4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,when properly diluted1 it is refrigerant and diuretic2 and has been long employed as a grateful draught in febrile affections2 as a diuretic1 it frequently proves a valuable auxiliary in dropsy1 7see ,form4 #aac1 #aaf47 ,,dose1 x to xl4 in any aqueous vehicle4 ,by age and exposure to the air1 it is gradually decomposed1 and gives rise to the reproduction of nitrous acid4 ,,spiritus ,,theris ,,sulphurici4 ,l4 ,,ther ,,sulphuricus ,,cum ,,alcohole4 ,e4 ,,liquor ,,thereus ,,sulphuricus4 ,d4 ,spiritus theris vitriolici4 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,spirit4 ,vitrioli dulcis4 #agde4 ,,qualities4 ,a fluid of the specific gravity #haf1 consisting of two parts 7by measure7 of rectified spirit1 and one part of sulphuric ther4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it has all the properties of ther1 but in an inferior degree4 ,,dose1 fj to fiij4 ,,spiritus ,,theris ,,sulphurici ,,compositus4 ,l4 ,this is intended as a substitute for the ,liquor ,anodynus of ,hoffmann1 although its composition was never revealed by him4 ,in addition to its stimulating properties1 it is supposed to add those of an anodyne nature4 ,,dose1 fss to fij4 ,see ,form4 #g4 ,,spiritus ,,camphor4 ,l4 ,spirit of ,camphor2 vulgo1 ,camphorated ,spirits4 ,this preparation is principally useful as an external application4 ,as an embrocation to chilblains it is often of essential service2 and it has been found useful when thus applied to parts affected with chronic rheumatism and paralytic numbness4 ,it is instantly decomposed by water1 which precipitates the camphor4 ,it furnishes an easy mode of forming camphor mixture extemporaneously1 and if a few drops be rubbed with mucilage1 we are thus enabled to form a stronger preparation than by the ordinary process4 ,,spiritus ,,rectificatus4 ,l4 ,,alcohol ,,fortius4 ,e4 ,,spiritus ,,vinosus ,,rectificatus4 ,d4 ,in this preparation1 alcohol is nearly in the highest state of concentration1 in which it can be easily prepared in the large way for the purposes of trade2 its specific gravity however varies in the different pharmacopias1 viz4 the ,london and ,edinburgh preparation is stated to have that of #hce1 while the rectified spirit of ,dublin is ordered to be only #hdj4 ,the former at the temperature of #fj ,fah4 consists of #he parts of pure alcohol and #ae of water1 the latter only of #hc per cent4 of alcohol4 ,it is a most powerful stimulant1 but is rarely employed except in combination2 as a pharmaceutical agent1 its use is highly valuable and extensive4 7,see ,tinctur47 ,during the evaporation of spirit1 a considerable reduction of temperature takes place1 which renders it a useful ingredient in refrigerating lotions4 ,see ,form4 #adg1 #adh4 ,it has lately been ascertained by ,mr4 ,ritchie of ,perth1 that 8the degree of cold induced by the evaporation of spirit of different degrees of strength are proportional to the strength of these spirits1 reckoning from the degrees of cold induced by the evaporation of water40 ,the application of this theorem will enable us to ascertain the strength of a spirit by the 8,,differential ,,thermometer0 of ,leslie4 ,,spiritus ,,tenuior4 ,l4 ,,alcohol ,,dilutum4 ,e4 ,,spiritus ,,vinosus ,,tenuior4 ,d4 ,weaker or ,proof ,spirit4 ,this is rectified spirit diluted with a certain proportion of water1 and it is to be regretted that the quantity ordered for this purpose1 should vary in the different ,pharmacopias2 thus1 according to the ,london and ,dublin ,colleges1 its specific gravity is #icj1 while the ,college of ,edinburgh directs it to be of #ice4 ,the former consists of #dd per cent4 of pure alcohol1 and may be formed by mixing four parts1 by measure1 of rectified spirit1 with three of water2 the latter contains only #db per cent4 of pure alcohol1 and may be made by adding together equal parts of rectified spirit and distilled water4 ,alcohol in this state of dilution1 is better adapted for taking up the principles of vegetables than rectified spirit2 indeed1 diluted alcohol acts upon bodies as a chemical compound1 and will dissolve what neither the same proportion of water nor of alcohol would1 if separately applied2 we perceive therefore the importance of ensuring uniformity of strength in our spirits4 7,see ,tinctur47 ,it is necessary to remark that almost all the spirit sold under the name of 8,proof ,spirit10 is contaminated with empyreumatic oil1 and is unfit for the purposes of pharmacy2 it ought therefore to be extemporaneously prepared by mixing together rectified spirit and water1 in the proportions above stated4 ,this however is rarely done1 except the liquors are intended for the toilet1 and hence it has been observed1 that the cordials of the apothecary are generally less grateful than those of the distiller1 the latter being extremely curious in rectifying and purifying his spirit4 ,if common water be employed for the dilution of alcohol1 the resulting spirit will be turbid1 owing principally to the precipitation of sulphuric salts2 this circumstance lately occasioned considerable embarrassment to the ,curators of the ,hunterian ,museum at the ,college of ,surgeons1 who were compelled to prepare their own spirit1 in consequence of an excise regulation preventing the distiller from sending out any spirit of that strength which is required for their anatomical purposes4 ,a curious fact has just been noticed in the ,laboratory of the ,royal ,institution1 which is1 that diluted spirit becomes stronger by being kept in vessels that are carefully closed by bladder6 whence it would seem1 that alcoholic vapour transpires through this animal membrane less freely than aqueous vapour2 we are at present unable to offer a satisfactory explanation of this anomalous case of distillation1 but it is probably connected with the different solvent powers of these two liquids1 in relation to the animal membrane4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,alcohol1 although diluted to the degree of proof spirit1 is still too strong for internal exhibition2 indeed1 where its use is indicated1 it is more generally given in the form of wine1 malt liquors1 or ardent spirits1 which must be regarded only as diluted alcohol1 although each has a peculiarity of operation1 owing to the modifying influence of the other elements of the liquid2 thus ,brandy#fdg is said to be simply cordial and stomachic2#fdh ,rum1#fdi heating and sudorific2 ,gin and ,whiskey1 diuretic2 and ,arrack1#fej styptic1 heating1 and narcotic2 it seems also probable that a modified effect is produced by the addition of various other substances1 such as sugar and acids1 which latter bodies1 besides their anti-narcotic powers1 appear to act by favouring a more perfect combination and mutual penetration of the particles of spirit and water4 ,foreign brandy derives its colour from the oak cask1 the intensity of which1 therefore1 affords some criterion of its age4 ,the ,english have been in the habit of colouring their spirits with burnt sugar until lately1 but now since the cause of the foreign colour is discovered1 the scrapings of gall-nuts are employed for that purpose1 whence the sulphate of iron is no longer a test of brandy being genuine4#fea ,the effects1 also1 which are produced by the habitual use of fermented liquors1 differ essentially according to the kind that is drunk2 thus ,ale and ,porter1 in consequence of the nutritive matter1 and perhaps the invigorating bitter with which they are charged1 and the comparatively small proportion of alcohol which they contain1 dispose to a plethora1 which is not unfrequently terminated by apoplexy2 ,spirits1 on the other hand1 induce severe dyspepsia1 obstructed and hardened liver1 dropsy1 and more than half of all our chronical diseases2 and ,dr4 ,darwin moreover remarks that when they arise from this cause1 they are liable to become hereditary1 even to the third generation1 gradually increasing1 if the cause be continued1 till the family become extinct2 with regard to ,wine1 ,rush has truly observed that its effects1 like those of tyranny in a well formed government1 are first felt in the extremities1 while spirits like a bold invader1 seize at once upon the vitals of the constitution2 the different kinds of wine1 however1 produce very different and even opposite effects1 as stated under the history of that article1 7see ,vinum47 ,the excise officers frequently avail themselves of the peculiar power of the sub-acetate of lead to precipitate colouring matter1 in order to remove from seized ,holland ,gin1 the colour which it contains by being long kept in the tubs in which it is smuggled over4 ,this practice1 however1 renders the gin liable to gripe4 ,,spiritus ,,terebinthin4 ,see ,terebinthin ,oleum4 ,,spongia ,,usta4 ,l4 ,see ,carbo ,ligni4 ,,stanni ,,limatura4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,the filings of ,tin4 ,the anthelmintic properties of ,tin have been explained by three different hypotheses1 viz4 #a4 ,that it acts mechanically by dislodging the mucus from the intestines2 if this be true1 it is difficult to explain the fact of its activity being increased by pulverization4 #b4 ,that its efficacy depends upon the presence of arsenic2 if so1 why should the purest specimens act with equal efficacy8#feb #c4 ,that it operates by generating hydrogen gas in the intestinal canal3 it has been observed that this opinion is rendered probable by the fact1 that sulphur increases its powers4#fec ,dose1 j or ji1 mixed with honey1 treacle or conserve1 and exhibited for several successive mornings1 a purgative medicine being occasionally interposed1 7see ,form4 #aej47 ,the use of this remedy however is entirely superseded by the more efficacious exhibition of oil of turpentine4 ,,statice ,,limonium4 ,marsh ,rosemary4 ,radix4 ,this is a perennial plant found in all parts of the ,united ,states4 ,it flowers in the months of ,july and ,august4 ,the root1 which is the part used in medicine1 is astringent1 and contains large proportions of tannin and gallic acid4 ,as a medicine it has been much used in this country1 and is prescribed with advantage in a number of diseases in which astringents are required4 ,in chronic dysentery1 diarrha1 and cholera infantum1 more especially1 it has been found exceedingly beneficial4 ,it may be given in infusion or decoction1 made by adding ij of the root to xij of water4 ,,succi ,,spissati4 ,e4 ,see ,extracta4 ,,sulphur ,,sublimatum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,sublimed ,sulphur4 ,flowers of ,sulphur4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is probably a triple compound of oxygen1 hydrogen1 and some unknown base4 ,,solubility4 ,it is insoluble in water and alcohol1 but soluble in oils1 especially in that of linseed1 which is a powerful solvent of all sulphureous substances4 ,in boiling oil of turpentine it is entirely soluble4 ,,medicinal ,,uses4 ,it is laxative and diaphoretic2 it acts principally upon the large intestines1 and very mildly1 whence it proves useful in hmorrhoidal affections 7,form4 #gd72 and in consequence of the diaphoresis which it also excites1 it is useful in chronic rheumatisms1 catarrhs1 and in some cutaneous affections4#fed ,to promote its purgative effects1 magnesia will be found a serviceable adjunct in hmorrhoids2 it may be given in the form of an electuary1 or suspended in milk2 its solution in oil 7,oleum ,sulphuratum7 is a most nauseous and acrid preparation4 ,when sulphur is combined with metallic remedies1 it generally lessens their activity4 ,its effects in curing psora are universally admitted1 and the only objection to its use is the disgusting smell which accompanies its application2 see ,unguent3 ,sulphuris4 ,dr4 ,clarke of ,dublin recommends a lotion which he says contains a sufficient impregnation of sulphur for the cure of psora in children1 to be made by adding an ounce of broken sulphur to a quart of boiling water1 and allowing it to infuse for twelve hours4 ,in this process1 the water probably takes up a small portion of sulphurous acid2 it is difficult to explain the efficacy of the lotion in any other manner4 ,when sulphur is internally administered1 it transpires through the skin in the state of sulphuretted hydrogen1 and blackens the silver in the pockets of those who take it4 ,,dose j to iij4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,sulphur ,lotum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,sulphur ,prcipitatum4 ,l4 ,unguent4 ,sulph4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,unguent4 ,sulph4 comp4 ,l4 ,,sulphur ,,lotum4 ,when sulphur is kept in loosely covered drawers its surface is soon acidified1 when it is said to operate with griping1 hence the common flowers are directed to be washed with water to get rid of any sulphurous acid2 it is however rarely performed1 and would seem to be a useless subtlety4 ,,sulphur ,,pr,,cipitatum4 ,l4 ,lac ,sulphuris1 ,p4,l4 #agbj4 ,this1 when pure1 differs in no other respect from sublimed sulphur than in its superior whiteness1 which it owes to the presence of a small proportion of water2 in consequence however of its mode of preparation1 it always contains a small quantity of sulphate of lime1 and not unfrequently other impurities2 it may be assayed by pouring upon a suspected sample a sufficient quantity of liquor potass to cover it1 and setting it aside in a warm place to digest1 when the sulphur will be dissolved and the impurities remain2 or it might be at once subjected to the operation of heat2 which would volatilize the sulphur1 and thus separate it from its contaminations4 ,,syrupi4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,syrups4 ,these are solutions of sugar in water1 watery infusions1 or in vegetable juices2 the proportion of sugar is generally two parts to one of the fluid2 if it exceeds this1 the solution will crystallize1 if it be less1 ferment1 and become acescent4#fee ,the most certain test of the proper consistence of a syrup is its specific gravity2 a bottle that holds three ounces of water at #ee ,fah4 ought to hold four ounces of syrup4 ,syrups are introduced into medicinal formul for several purposes1 viz4 ,i4 ,to correct or disguise the flavour of disagreeable remedies4 ,syrup3 ,aurantiorum4 ,l4,d4 7,form1 #dh1 #ea1 #ajg47--,limonum1 ,l4,e4,d4--,simplex 7#abd1 #ade74--,zingiberis 7#hh1 #ie1 #aje47 ,bitter infusions1 and saline solutions are rendered more nauseous by the addition of syrups4 ,,ii4 ,to produce ,medicinal ,effects4 ,syrup3 ,allii4 ,d4--,althe4 ,l4,e4 7#ace7--;,acidi ,acetosi4 ,e4--,colchici4 ,e4--,senn4 ,e4,d4 7#gj7--,scill ,maritim4 ,e4--,rhamni4 ,l4 ,papaveris4 ,l4,e4,d4 7#e1 #g1 #ge1 #afi1 #agj47--,ros 7#gd7--,zingiberis 7#dg1 #aej7--,sarsaparill4 ,l4 ,,iii4 ,to communicate peculiar forms4 ,every syrup answers this purpose2 for the necessary proportions1 see ,electuaria4 ,,iv4 ,to communicate an agreeable colour4 ,syrup4 ,croci3 ,l4--,rhados4 ,l4,d4 7#aff1 #afh47--;,caryophylli ,rubri4 ,d4--,viol4 ,e4 ,except that of ,saffron1 these syrups are rendered green by alkalies1 and red by acids4 ,,general ,,remarks4 ,the practitioner should never introduce syrups into those medicines which are liable to be injured by the generation of acids3 ,i have frequently seen the cretaceous mixture1 when charged with syrup4 ,increase1 instead of check1 a diarrha2 and the syrup of poppies1 from its disposition to become acescent1 will often aggravate rather than allay the cholic of infants4 ,the syrup of ,senna furnishes the practitioner with a convenient purgative for children2 that of buckthorn is more violent1 and is on that account but rarely used2 besides which1 in preparing it the chemist not unfrequently substitutes the berries of the ,cornus ,sanguinea1 the ,dogberry-tree1 or those of the ,rhamnus ,frangula1 the ,alder-buckthorn1 for the ,rhamnus ,catharticus2 a circumstance which necessarily renders the efficacy of this syrup variable and uncertain2 it is moreover often sophisticated with treacle and jalap4 ,the syrup of the rose1 when made with the leaves of the ,damask#fef rose1 is gently laxative1 and is well adapted for weak children2 it is however not unusual1 coloris gratia1 to substitute the leaves of the red rose1 in which case the syrup will possess astringent instead of laxative properties4 ,in the preparation of the syrup of poppies1#feg the directions of the ,college are frequently not obeyed2 it is sometimes made by dissolving the extract in syrup1 formed with coarse sugar1 or even with treacle2 at others1 by adding tincture of opium to a coarse syrup1 in the proportion of x to every fj4 ,in the preparation of the syrups of violets1 the juice of red cabbage is generally substituted2 this is at least a harmless fraud4 ,,note4 ,the syrups which are printed in ,italics1 are very susceptible of decomposition1 and should be kept in cool places4 ,,tabaci ,,folia4 ,l4,e4 7,nicotiana ,tabacum4 ,folia ,siccata4 ,virginiana47 ,,nicotian ,,folia4 ,d4 ,tobacco4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 strong1 narcotic1 and ftid2 ,taste1 bitter1 and extremely acrid2 ,colour1 yellowish green1 7its brown appearance is artificial1 being produced by the action of sulphate of iron47 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,mucilage1 albumen1 gluten1 extractive1 a bitter principle1 an essential oil1 nitrate of potass1 which occasions its deflagration1 muriate of potass1 and a peculiar proximate principle upon which the properties of the plant are supposed to depend1 and which has therefore been named ,nicotin4#feh ,vauquelin considers it as approaching the volatile oils in its properties2 it is colourless1 has an acrid taste1 and the peculiar smell of tobacco1 and occasions violent sneezing2 with alcohol and water1 it produces colourless solutions1 from which it is thrown down by tincture of galls4 ,,solubility4 ,tobacco yields its active matter both to water and spirit1 but more perfectly to the latter2 long coction weakens its powers4 ,an oil of tobacco of a most powerful nature1 may be obtained by distilling the leaves and separating it from the water1 on the top of which it will be found to float4#fei ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,tobacco is endued with energetic poisonous properties1 producing generally a universal tremor which is rarely the result of other poisons2 the experiments of ,m4 ,orfila moreover demonstrate1 that the action of ,tobacco is much more energetic when the soluble portion is injected into the anus1 than when it is applied to the cellular texture1 and for a still stronger reason1 than when introduced into the stomach4 ,mr4 ,brodie1 from the result of a well devised experiment1 has deduced the conclusion that the infusion of ,tobacco acts upon the heart1 occasioning syncope1 through the medium of the nervous system4 ,,uses4 ,as a powerful sedative1 it is sometimes valuable in medical practice2 the leaves1 when applied in the form of a cataplasm to the pit of the stomach1 produce an emetic operation2 7,form4 #fg47 ,in cases of obstinate constipation1 depending upon violent spasmodic constriction1 or in ileus1 or incarcerated hernia1 clysters of the smoke of ,tobacco1 or of an infusion made according to the ,london ,college1 produce almost immediate relief1 7,form4 #bf472 the practice is not unfrequently attended with severe vomiting1 extreme debility1 and cold sweats1 circumstances which render its administration highly dangerous in cases wherein the patient has been already exhausted by previous suffering4 ,i remember witnessing a lamentable instance of this truth some years ago2 a medical practitioner1 after repeated trials to reduce a strangulated hernia1 injected an infusion of ,tobacco1 and shortly afterwards sent the patient in a carriage to the ,westminster ,hospital1 for the purpose of undergoing the operation2 but the unfortunate man arrived only a few minutes before he expired4 ,clysters of ,tobacco were some years ago recommended in ,america1 for the purpose of forwarding difficult parturition1 by inducing relaxation and consequent dilatation of the os uteri1 but the alarming symptoms which followed the single case in which ,tobacco was thus employed1 ought1 says ,dr4 ,merriman1 to prevent a repetition of the experiment4#ffj ,it was also formerly proposed to inject infusions of ,tobacco1 for the purpose of recovering persons in a state of asphyxia from drowning2 it is difficult to explain how such an idea could have entered into the mind of the rational physiologist4 ,smoking or chewing ,tobacco has been also advised in cases of spasmodic asthma1 and as a general sedative to relieve suffering2 in the process of smoking1 the oil is separated1 and being rendered empyreumatic by heat1 it is thus applied to the fauces in its most active state4 ,as a diuretic it was successfully exhibited by ,dr4 ,fowler1 but as its operation is uncertain and violent1 and appears to be very analogous to that of ,digitalis1 which is far more safe and manageable1 it has been very judiciously discarded from practice4 ,the external application of ,tobacco in the form of cataplasm or infusion1 has been applied to several species of cutaneous disease1 but even in this state it is liable to exert its virulent effects4 ,a woman applied to the heads of three children afflicted with tinea capitis1 a liniment consisting of powdered tobacco and butter1 soon after which they experienced vertigo1 violent vomiting1 and fainting4 7,ephemerides des ,curieux de la ,nature1 ,dec4 ii4 ,an3 i4 p4 #df47 ,a case has just occurred in this country of a child whose death was occasioned by her having swallowed a portion of half-smoked tobacco1 which was taken from the pipe of her father1 and in which there no doubt existed a quantity of essential oil1 which had been separated by the act of smoking4 ,it is a curious fact1 that the juice of the green leaves instantly cures the stinging of nettles4 ,,adulterations4 ,when it exhales a fetid odour1 we may infer that it has been badly prepared1 and not deprived of all its mucus2 when pungent1 the presence of some deleterious drug is indicated3 ,cascarilla is very usually added to impart a peculiar flavour2 ,nitre is also employed for the sake of making it kindle more rapidly1 and to impress a lively sensation on the tongue2 its vapour is of course very injurious to the lungs3 its presence may be detected by treating a suspected sample with hot water1 and after filtering the solution through charcoal1 setting it aside in order that it may yield its crystals by evaporation4 ,traces of ,lead1 ,copper1 or ,antimony1 may be discovered by boiling the ,tobacco in strong vinegar1 and1 after filtering it as before1 by assaying it with appropriate tests4 ,black ,hellebore1 ,alum1 ,sugar1 and ,corrosive sublimate are amongst the more usual sophistications4 ,dried ,dock leaves are also sometimes substituted4 ,,officinal ,,prep3 ,infus3 ,tabacci4 ,l4 ,vinum ,nicotian3 ,tabac3 ,e4 ,,snuff4 ,this well known errhine is prepared from the dried leaves of ,tobacco2 in its manufacture however1 numerous additions are made which are kept secret4 ,salt is added for the purpose of increasing its weight2 ,urine1 ,muriate of ammonia1 and powdered ,glass1 to heighten its acrimony4 ,the varied flavour of different ,snuffs is owing to the leaf being in greater or less perfection2 or to its having undergone some degree of fermentation2 thus1 for instance1 the ,macouba ,snuff of ,martinique is principally indebted for its acknowledged superiority to the fermentation which the ,tobacco undergoes1 from being moistened with the best cane juice2 other kinds are excited into fermentation by moistening them with melasses and water4 ,snuff possesses all the powers of ,tobacco2 the celebrated ,santeuil experienced vomiting and horrible pains1 amidst which he expired1 in consequence of having drank a glass of wine1 into which had been put some ,spanish snuff4#ffa ,,tamarindi ,,pulpa4 ,l4 7,,tamarindus ,,indica47 ,,tamarindus3 ,,fructus4 ,d4 ,,fructus ,,conditus4 ,e4 ,the ,pulp or preserved ,fruit of the ,tamarind4#ffb ,,qualities4 ,taste1 sweetish acid2 ,odour1 none4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 j of ,tamarinds is composed of ,citric acid grs4 #de1 ,malic acid grs4 #b1 ,super-tartrate of potass grs4 #ae1 together with sugar1 gum1 jelly1 fecula1 and woody fibre4 ,,uses4 ,a pleasant febrifuge may be formed by infusing ,tamarinds in water or milk2 they improve the taste of the more nauseous cathartics4 ,,officinal ,,prep3 ,confectio ,cassi4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,infus3 ,tamarind3 cum ,senna4 ,e4,d4 ,,caution4 ,copper vessels should never be employed for the preparation of any compound which contains ,tamarinds4 ,,taraxaci ,,radix4 ,l4,e4 7,leontodon ,taraxacum47 ,dens ,leonis4 ,dandelion4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 none2 ,taste1 bitter1 and somewhat sweet and acidulous4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,the active principles appear to consist of extractive1 gluten1 a bitter principle 7not resinous71 and tartaric acid4 ,,solubility4 ,water extracts its virtues much better than spirit4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,infusion of ,galls1 ,nitrate of ,silver1 ,oxy-muriate of ,mercury1 ,acetate of ,lead1 and ,sulphate of ,iron occasion precipitates in its solutions4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it has long enjoyed the reputation of proving beneficial in obstructions of the liver1 and in visceral diseases2 ,bergius extols its use in these complaints1 and recommends the recent root to be boiled in whey or broth4 ,dr4 ,pemberton has more recently added his testimony to its value2 he observes that he has seen great advantage result from using the extract in chronic inflammation1 and incipient schirrhus of the liver1 and in chronic derangement of the stomach4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in that of extract1 or in decoction made by boiling j of the sliced root in oj of water down to oss1 adding to the strained liquid j of ,cream of tartar2 the recent full grown root only should be used4 ,,dose fjj1 twice or thrice a day4 ,,officinal ,,prep3 ,extract3 ,taraxaci4 ,the roots are roasted and used at ,gottingen by the poorer people for coffee1 from which a decoction of them properly prepared can hardly be distinguished4#ffc ,the leaves of this plant are blanched1 and very commonly used on the continent as a salad4 ,,terebinthina4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,turpentine4 ,most species of ,pinus#ffd may be made to yield 7and many of them produce spontaneously7 a remarkable resinous juice1 usually called ,turpentine3 an appellation1 however1 which more properly belongs to the product of a different genus1 called by ,linnus ,pistachia1 which contains the true ,terebinthus#ffe of the ancients4 ,,qualities4 ,consistence1 semifluid and tenacious1 but becoming more or less concrete by age2 ,odour1 aromatic2 ,taste1 pungent1 austere1 and astringent4 ,it is inflammable4 ,,solubility4 ,it is entirely soluble in rectified spirit1 but not at all in water2 although it becomes miscible with that fluid1 by the mediation of the yelk or the white of an egg1 but more elegantly by that of vegetable mucilage1 and forms a milky liquor4 ,it is capable of entering into union with fixed oils4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,resin1 and an essential oil1 the proportions of which vary according to the species of ,pine from which it is obtained4 ,they all1 however1 possess the same general chemical1 as well as medicinal properties1 viz4 ,when internally taken1 says ,dr4 ,maton1 they seem to warm the viscera1 raise the pulse1 and impart additional excitement to the vascular system2 applied externally1 they increase the tone of the part1 counteract indolence of action1 and deterge1 as it were1 ill-conditioned ulcers4 ,internal ulcerations indeed1 especially of the urinary passages1 as well as laxities of the seminal and uterine vessels1 are supposed to be diminished by the exhibition of preparations of this nature4 ,they certainly appear to act in a peculiar manner on the urinary organs1 impregnating the water with a violet smell1 and there are strong grounds for believing that its volatile element1 developed by the powers of digestion1 passes into the circulation1 and is eliminated by the kidneys1 whose secreting vessels are thus stimulated by its contact4 7,page #ic47 ,pulmonary complaints1 as obstinate coughs and asthmatic affections1 have been said to give way to medicines of this class2 yet1 in modern practice1 recourse is rarely had to them in such cases1 and their exhibition is even considered hazardous4 ,the ancients were accustomed to medicate their wines with various ,terebinthinate substances1 for the effect of which1 see ,vinum4 ,the particular preparations of ,turpentine most employed in medicine1 will be noticed under the different species4 #a4 ,,terebinthina ,,canadensis4 ,l4 7,pinus ,balsamea4 ,resina ,liquida47 ,canada ,turpentine1 or ,canada ,balsam4#fff ,this is a transparent whitish juice1 brought to this country from ,canada1 and apparently1 says ,dr4 ,maton1 not very different in its qualities from the celebrated ,balm of ,gilead1#ffg so high in esteem among the eastern nations1 and so strongly recommended in a variety of complaints4 ,hitherto1 however1 it has not been much employed in ,england4 ,its odour is agreeable1 and its taste strong and pungent4 #b4 ,,terebinthina ,,chia4 ,l4 7,pistachia ,terebinthus47 ,chio1 or ,cyprus ,turpentine4 ,the superiority of this species to all the products of the pine tribe1 was well known to1 and described by1 most of the ancient writers on the materia medica4 ,it is pellucid1 with a bluish-green cast4 #c4 ,,terebinthina ,,vulgaris4 ,l4 7,pinus ,sylvestris4 ,scotch ,fir47 ,common ,turpentine4 ,horse ,turpentine4 ,this species is more coarse and dense than any other kind1 and has an opaque light brown colour2 its consistence may be compared to that of honey2 the taste is very acrid1 hot1 and disagreeable1 and the smell much less pleasant than either the ,venice or the ,strasburg turpentine4 ,it is the kind which1 as its name implies1 is most commonly employed1 and although inferior in quality to that of the turpentine tree1 ,pistachia ,terebinthus 7,chio or ,cyprus71 the ,larch1 ,pinus ,larix 7,venice ,turpentine71 and the ,silver ,fir1 ,pinus ,picea 7,strasburgh ,turpentine71 especially for internal use1 yet it is too often substituted for them in the shops of the druggist4 ,the ,colleges of ,london and ,edinburgh direct the common turpentine to be used chiefly in external applications1 for which it was also much employed by the ancients4 ,celsus mentions1 8,resina liquida pinea10 as entering into the composition of many of his 8,malagmata10 and the 8,resina liquida10 of other writers would appear to be of the same kind4 ,the ,unguentum ,elemi compositum contains this resinous juice as a principal ingredient4 #d4 ,,terebinthina ,,veneta4 7,pinus ,larix47#ffh ,the ,larch4 ,venice ,turpentine4 ,the resin is by most writers1 and in the shops1 esteemed the best1 after that of ,pistachia ,terebinthus1 of those juices commonly called ,turpentines4 ,it is usually thinner than any other kind1 of a pale yellowish colour1 and of a hot1 pungent1 bitterish taste2 the smell is strong1 and far from being agreeable4 ,although it bears the name of ,venice ,turpentine1 very little of it is exported from the ,venetian territories2 but it is probable that the merchants of that country were the first who substituted it for the genuine ,turpentine of ,cyprus4 ,the resinous juice of the ,larch is said to remain always1 or at least a very long time1 in a state of liquidity2 a property which is particularly adverted to by ,pliny4#ffi ,as a ,diuretic1 the ,venice ,turpentine has been generally preferred to all the other kinds2 and it is said to relax the bowels more1 for which reason ,riverius#fgj considers it as being safer than other irritating diuretics4 #e4 ,,terebinthina ,,argentoratensis4 7,pinus ,picea47 ,strasburg ,turpentine4 ,this resin is generally of a middle consistence between that of the ,terebinthus and the ,larix2 more transparent and less tenacious than either2 in colour yellowish brown2 in smell more agreeable than any other turpentine1 except the ,cyprian2 in taste the bitterest1 yet the least acrid4 ,form of ,exhibition4 ,the ,turpentines may be either made into ,pills with powdered liquorice root1 or suspended in water by the intervention of egg or mucilage2 for which purpose1 j requires the yelk of one egg1 or iss of gum arabic4 ,dose1 gr4 x to j4 ,,terebinthin ,,oleum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,oil of ,turpentine4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 a limpid and colourless liquid1 whose specific gravity is only #gib2 ,odour1 strong1 penetrating1 and peculiar2 ,taste1 hot1 bitter and pungent4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is an essential oil1 possessing1 however1 peculiar habitudes with respect to alcohol1 being readily dissolved by hot alcohol1 but separating again in drops1 as the spirit cools2 in the cold it is sparingly soluble in the strongest alcohol1 and separates from it on standing2 but it dissolves completely in six parts of sulphuric ther4 ,it is not acted upon by the alkalies1 except by long triture1 when it is converted into a species of resin4#fga ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it acts according to the dose1 either on the prim vi producing catharsis1 or on the kidneys1 exciting diuresis2 thus its operation offers another illustration of the views which ,i have so frequently urged during the progress of the present work2 it furnishes a striking example of the important influence of quantity1 or dose1 in determining the specific operation of a remedy2 thus two fluid-drachms of the oil may so excite the urinary organs as to produce even bloody urine1 and the other ill effects described by ,boerhaave and ,lange2 whereas six fluid-drachms1 or a fluid-ounce1 will stimulate the bowels1 and produce scarcely any apparent effect upon the kidneys4 ,as a medicine acting powerfully on the first passages1 its value seems only to have been lately appreciated2 in ,tnia1 it may be said to act almost as a specific remedy1 discharging it in all cases1 dead4 ,in obstinate constipation1 depending on affections of the brain1 ,i have lately had several opportunities or witnessing its beneficial effects2 in an unfortunate instance of ,hydrocephalus acutus in a boy of thirteen years of age1#fgb it brought away an accumulation of feculent matter almost incredible as to quantity1 after the total failure of the strongest doses of ordinary purgatives2 and1 ,i believe1 if its dose be sufficiently large1 that it may generally be administered with perfect safety and confidence4 ,dr4 ,latham has long regarded it as a valuable medicine in ,epilepsy1 in which cases it may in the first instance prove beneficial by unloading the bowels1 and subsequently in producing an affection of the head peculiar to its use2 and1 which generally succeeds a large dose1 it is an approach to intoxication1 but is unaccompanied with that hilarity and elevation of thought that so usually follow the potation of spirituous liquors4 ,in small doses it produces diuresis1 and is used with much advantage in sciatica and lumbago4#fgc ,its use in diseases of the kidneys originating from ulcerations and obstructions in those organs has been very highly extolled4 ,cheyne1 in his ,essay on the gout1 recommends it as a specific in ,sciatica2 upon this subject my own experience so completely confirms the truth of ,dr4 ,maton's observations1 that ,i shall here insert them4 8,if10 says he1 8,i may be allowed to offer the result of my own practice1 its effects are in a few instances successful in the removal of that disease2 and even those cases which ,i have seen cured under its use1 appeared to be rather of the symptomatic than idiophatic kind2 it is reasonable to presume that the sciatic nerve1 from its origin and course1 may owe some of its morbid affections to an obstructed ureter1 as well as to a rheumatic diathesis40 ,form3 #ej4 ,hunter spoke of oil of turpentine as a styptic1 and it has been administered in the ,almond emulsion in cases of internal hemorrhage of an active nature4 ,we should however be very careful how we make such an experiment4 ,this oil has the effect of communicating the odour of violets to the urine of those who take it1 and what is still more extraordinary1 to those even who merely expose themselves for a short time to its effluvia3#fgd a mixture of x of this oil with fj of almond oil1 introduced upon cotton into the ears1 is serviceable in cases of deafness resulting from a diseased action of the ceruminiferous glands2 it is also employed as a local stimulant in a variety of cases3 and in cholic1 and obstinate constipation1 it is sometimes exhibited in the form of an enema4 ,in ,america1 oil of ,turpentine1 in doses of a drachm every hour or two1 has been successfully administered in cases of ,yellow fever1 when1 says ,dr4 ,chapman1 it appears to be soothing in its effects1 removing the sense of heat and irritation in the stomach1 subduing the force of vascular action and general excitement1 and inducing at once a condition of more comfort and security4 ,orfila also recommends it as the best corrective of inflammation in the stomach from acrid poisons4 ,in this country it has been very successfully employed in cases of ,melna1 and in ,puerperal fever4 ,as a stimulating liniment its advantages are considerable1 see ,liniment3 ,terebinth3 ,in ,germany1 ,norway1 and some parts of the ,russian ,empire1 this essential oil is frequently used as a remedy for lesions of the tendons1 and other bruises4#fge ,,dose as an anthelmintic1 fss-fij1 repeated every eight hours until the worm is ejected2 in these large quantities it is more convenient1 as well as more efficacious1 to administer it like castor oil1 floating upon some liquid aromatic vehicle3#fgf by rubbing up ,oil of ,turpentine with mucilage1 we do but render it more pungent1 and difficult to swallow4 ,as a diuretic or stimulant it may be given in the form of an electuary1 in doses of from x to fj4 ,it may be also employed as a very active clyster1 made by carefully incorporating one or two table spoonsful of the oil with the yelk of an egg1 and adding to it a pint of thin mucilage4 ,this terebinthinate clyster is well calculated to relieve a paroxysm of flatulent cholic4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,liniment4 ,terebinth4 ,l4 ,the ,pharmacopias direct the rectification of the oil by redistillation1#fgg when it is commonly called ,spirit of turpentine1 but it appears to be an unnecessary refinement4 ,dr4 ,nimmo has proposed the following process for purifying the oil intended for medicinal use1 by which it is said to have its disagreeable flavour lessened without sustaining any loss of efficacy4 ,to eight parts of the oil1 add one part of the strongest alcohol1 and let them be well agitated together4 ,in a few minutes a separation takes place2 the oil1 unless very impure1 falls to the bottom1 and the alcohol1 having discharged the impurities1 floats at the top4 ,pour off the alcoholic portion1 add a similar quantity of alcohol1 and proceed as before4 ,if this be repeated three or four times1 the oil will become nearly tasteless1 almost inodorous1 and when evaporated will leave no residuum4 ,but pure as the oil may be thus rendered1 it speedily returns to its original condition4 ,,tiglii ,,oleum4 ,l4 ,oil of ,tiglium4 ,croton ,tiglium4 ,oleum e ,seminibus expressum4 ,the ,croton ,tiglium is a native of the island of ,ceylon1 and is found in ,malabar1 ,china1 ,cochinchina1 and the ,molucca ,islands4 ,every part of the plant would seem to be endowed with medicinal activity2 the root acts as a drastic purgative1 and when pulverized1 and exhibited in the dose of a few grains1 is considered at ,amboyna and ,batavia1 as a specific for dropsy2 the wood 7lignum ,pavan7 produces1 when administered in small doses1 a diaphoretic effect1 and in larger ones it proves drastic2 the leaves are also purgative1 and when dried and powdered are supposed to afford an antidote against the bite of the cobra del ,capella4 ,the seeds1 however1 are the parts which have been more generally employed in medicine1 the effects of which appear to have been well known for nearly a thousand years4,a ,they were early introduced into ,europe1 and long known under the names of ,grana ,molucca--,tilii ,grana--and ,grana ,tiglia4#fgh ,it appears that they were at first very frequently administered1 but their extreme acrimony and violence1#fgi and probably the accidents which arose from their injudicious use1 soon banished the article from medical practice2 in ,india1 however these seeds are still employed as an effectual purgative1 after first undergoing the process of roasting1 or baking1 for the purpose of removing the shell1 rendering the nut pulverulent1 and at the same time of moderating the acrimonious qualities4#fhj ,the expressed oil of these seeds does not appear to have been obtained in a separate form until a later period2 ,lemery speaks of it1 and ,geoffroy in directing its dose cautions us against giving more than j6--he probably meant a drop4 ,its use has very lately been revived1 and there can be little doubt but that under proper restrictions1 it may become a valuable acquisition to the practitioner4 ,the profession is indebted for its late introduction1 or rather revival1 to ,mr4 ,e4 ,conwell1 of the ,east ,india ,company's ,medical ,service1 on the ,madras ,establishment1 who1#fha having for many years prescribed it with advantage1 introduced a quantity of it for trial in ,london1 through the medium of his friend1 ,mr4 ,short1 of ,ratcliffe ,highway4 ,,qualities4 ,this expressed oil has a yellow colour1 a faint odour1 and an acrid taste2 these qualities however will be found to vary in different samples2 but the fact1 as ,dr4 ,nimmo#fhb has justly observed1 may be fairly explained1 without suspecting the existence of any fraud1 by supposing that the seeds have undergone a different degree of torrefaction1 in order to separate the oil from the farinaceous part4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,the recent experiments of ,dr4 ,nimmo have very satisfactorily shewn that this oil consists of #de parts of an ,acrid purgative principle1 and #ee of a fixed oil resembling that of olives1 and not possessed of any cathartic property4 ,the acrid principle appears to reside in a resinous matter soluble in alcohol and sulphuric ther1 and in volatile and fixed oils4 ,i have lately repeated some of ,dr4 ,nimmo's experiments on a recently imported sample of oil1 and with similar results4 ,the acrid principle appears to bear a strong analogy to that which ,i separated from elaterium1 and as ,i gave to this latter principle the term ,elatin1 it seems to me that we might with much propriety1 apply the name ,tiglin to the former1 especially as it does not appear to possess any of the characters and habitudes of a salifiable basis2 at all events the adoption of such a term will obviate the necessity of circumlocution in our descriptions4 ,,solubility4 ,by alcohol the oil undergoes a ready decomposition2 the ,tiglin is dissolved together with a very minute quantity of the oily part4 ,ether and oil of turpentine dissolve the whole2 a fact which enables us1 by digesting the seeds in these menstrua1 to obtain the article in as genuine1 and certainly in a much more uniform1 condition1 than by the processes of torrefaction and expression1 as practised in ,india2 for this fact we are also indebted to ,dr4 ,nimmo4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,as far as ,i have been able to ascertain the fact1 this oil does not appear to produce any effects which cannot be commanded by other drastic purgatives2 its value depends upon the facility with which it may be administered2 in some cases it is amply sufficient to touch the tongue1 in others1 a drop or two will be required4 ,in maniacs1 and in cases where the administration of bulky medicines is extremely difficult1 it would seem to offer a decided advantage4#fhc ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,it has been usually given in this country in the proportion of from one to two drops1 in the form of pills4 ,dr4 ,nimmo's discovery with respect to the chemical composition of the oil1 very naturally suggested to him the mode of administering it in the form of an alcoholic tincture1 7,tinctura ,tiglii17 and he has found by experience that such a preparation furnishes the means of readily apportioning the dose to the various circumstances of the case2 thus he found that in administering a tincture#fhd in doses equivalent to the number of drops decomposed1 the same effects were produced as have been attributed to the entire oil4 ,,adulterations4 ,much has been said upon the fraudulent admixture of this comparatively expensive article with the cheaper fixed oils2 and we believe with much truth2 a circumstance which will of necessity prevent the general use of the article2 and occasion very different reports with respect to its value and activity4 ,dr4 ,nimmo however proposes a method of detecting such adulteration1 by a process suggested by the results of his experiments upon its composition1 and whose rational will be easily understood after the chemical history that has been just presented4 8,let a very light phial be counterpoised in an accurate balance2 pour into it #ej grains of the suspected oil1 add alcohol 7which has been previously digested#fhe upon olive oil17 agitate them well1 pour off the solution and add more alcohol as before1 until the dissolved portion is diffused in such a proportion of alcohol that each half drachm measure shall contain equal to one dose of the oil of ,tiglium for an adult4 ,by afterwards placing the phial near a fire1 to evaporate what remains of the alcohol in the bottle1 if the residuum be to that which has been abstracted by the alcohol as #ee to #de1 the oil is genuine4 ,if olive1 or any other oil little soluble in alcohol1 has been employed as the adulterating agent1 it is evident that the residuum will be in a larger proportion2 but should ,castor ,oil have been employed for that purpose1 the proportion of the residuum will be smaller even than in the genuine medicine40 ,,tinctur4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tinctures4 ,these consist of alcohol1 proof spirit1 or spirit of greater or less density1 holding in solution one or more of those proximate principles of vegetable or animal matter which are soluble in that menstruum1 viz2 ,sugar1 resin1 extractive1 tannin1 cinchonia1 camphor1 volatile oils1 morphia1 emetin1 conein1 elatin1 tiglin1 and several acids4 ,the proper solvent of those bodies1 termed gum-resins1 appears to be proof spirit4 ,the compilers of the ,codex ,medicamentarius of ,paris1 have defined the different degrees of spirituous strength requisite for the full and perfect extraction of the active elements of different bodies with great truth and nicety2 thus they direct for these purposes a spirit of three different standards1 viz4 #cf 7,sp4 gr4 #hcg17 #cb 7#hef7 #bb1 7#iae7 of ,beaum's hydrometer2 with the first are prepared the resinous tinctures2 with the second those wherein the resinous1 extractive1 or gummy elements1 hold nearly an equal place2 and with the third those in which the latter predominate4 ,we are moreover indebted to this committee for having set at rest a question which has been long doubtful1 whether the addition of alkaline agents increases the extractive powers of the spirit8 ,they have indeed ascertained by experiment1 that the reverse not frequently obtains2 for instance1 they found that a smaller proportion of guaiacum was dissolved by the spirit of ammonia1 than by alcohol of the same strength1 and that the quantity of matter dissolved from the root of ,valerian was the same in both cases4 ,very active substances1 soluble in alcohol1 are those which are particularly adapted for tinctures1 since they furnish preparations which are efficient in small doses1 and very manageable in extemporaneous prescription1 such are the tinctures of ,opium1 ,digitalis1 ,hyoscyamus1 ,scilla1 c4 and from the chemical analysis of ,elaterium1 there can be no doubt but that a very active and useful tincture of that substance might be introduced into practice2 while ,dr4 ,nimmo has very clearly proved that the active matter of the ,croton ,tiglium may be thus concentrated1 see ,tiglii ,oleum4 ,on the contrary1 substances of little activity1 except in large doses1 are the least adapted for this form of exhibition1 as in such cases the solvent will act more powerfully on the living system1 than the principles which it may hold in solution1 and when continued for any length of time1 will lay the foundation of the pernicious custom of dram drinking2 such tinctures1 however1 are not without their value in combination2 they sometimes increase the efficacy1 and often correct the operation or disguise the flavour1 of the medicines with which they may be united2 for example1 the cathartic tinctures in ,formula #gj1 augment the purgative powers of the combination1 at the same time that they correct its unpleasant operation2 many other illustrations are presented in the different formul1 for the explanation of which ,i must refer the student to the ,key ,letters4 ,the addition of a tincture has likewise the effect of preserving decoctions and infusions from spontaneous decomposition1 the compound tincture of ,cardamoms answers such an object in the compound decoction of ,aloes4 ,tinctures are sometimes made with ther1 but they are generally more strongly characterised by the nature of the menstruum than by that of the substance dissolved in it2 indeed1 ther is used in these cases1 not to dissolve substances which would resist the action of alcohol and water1 but for the sake of its own direct action on the body2 thus the ,edinburgh pharmacopia directs an thereal ,tincture of ,aloes1 which is more penetrating and stimulant than the alcoholic tinctures2 the ,london ,college1 with the exception of the ,aromatic ,spirit of ther1 does not recognise any preparation of this nature3 ,i have already alluded to the thereal ,tincture of ,digitalis of the ,french ,codex1 than which nothing can be more injudicious1 for the digitalis does not amount to more than #agjth part of the tincture1 and must therefore be entirely counteracted by the stimulant effects of the menstruum4 ,the same objection cannot be urged against the thereal tinctures of ,castor1 ,musk1 and ,amber1 since in these cases1 the subject and the menstruum concur in their mode of operation4 ,tinctures derive their names from the substances which impart activity to them1 and as the medicinal history of each substance is detailed under its proper head1 it will be unnecessary to dwell at any length upon the individual virtues of these tinctures4 #a4 ,prepared with ,rectified ,spirit4 ,,tinctura ,,assaf,,tid4 ,l4,d4 ,dose1 fss to fj4 ---- ,,benzoes ,,comp4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,balsamum ,traumaticum1 ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,this is a combination of ,benzoin1 ,storax1 and ,tolu1 with aloes2 it is regarded as a stimulating expectorant1 and has been used in chronic catarrh and confirmed asthma1 but it is now very rarely employed1 except as an application to wounds and languid ulcers4 ,it is sold under the name of ,friar's ,balsam2 and with respect to the use of this preparation as a ,styptic1 the public have fallen into a serious error2 fresh wounds it must necessarily injure1 not only by its stimulating qualities1 but by the separation of the resins which take place on its intermixture with the blood2 these form a substance1 which absolutely prevents what is most desirable in such case1--the sides of the wound coming in contact and uniting by the first intention4 ,dose4 ,as an internal remedy from fss to fij1 triturated with yelk of egg1 or mucilage1 to suspend it in water4 ,,tinctura ,,castorei4 ,l4,e4 ,dose1 xx to fij4 ,see ,form #bj1 #bc1 #be1 #gf1 #ig1 #acf4 ,,tinctura ,,castorei ,,composita4 ,e4 ,this is much more active than the preceding tincture1 as it contains assaftida1 and its menstruum is ammoniated alcohol4 ,dose xv to fj4 ,,tinctura ,,cinchon ,,ammoniata4 ,l4 ,in this preparation we have the tonic powers of the bark combined with the stimulus of the ,ammonia4 ,dose1 fss to fij4 ,acids and ,acidulous ,salts are of course incompatible with it4 ,,tinctura ,,guaiaci4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,a simple solution of guaiac4 ,dose1 fi-fiij4 ,,tinctura ,,guaiaci ,,ammoniata4 ,this is a solution of the guaiac in the aromatic spirit of ammonia1 and is consequently more stimulating than the preceding one1 and more efficacious as a sudorific3 after arterial action is properly reduced1 it is certainly one of our best remedies in rheumatism4 ,dose1 fj to fij1 at bed time1 and its effects should be promoted by some warm beverage4 ,it is worthy of remark1 that nitrous acid and the spirit of nitric ther occasion an extraordinary decomposition of these tinctures1 separating the guaiacum into coagulated masses1 and imparting to the whole an intense bluish green colour4 ,i find that chlorine has the same effect2#fhf but the sulphuric and muriatic acids produce no disturbance1 although all acids and acidulous salts must be considered as incompatible with it4 ,if equal parts of quick-lime and powdered guaiacum be rubbed together1 and a quantity of water be poured over them1 and the mixture be allowed to stand until it becomes fine1 we shall obtain a solution of this substance1 which will mix in any proportion with aqueous vehicles without decomposition1 and to which the aromatic spirit of ammonia may be subsequently added with effect4 ,,tinctura ,,toluifer ,,balsami4 ,e4,d4 ,this is only useful as an adjunct1 to impart agreeable flavour and fragrance to other remedies4 ,the above tinctures1 when added to water1 are instantly decomposed1 the practitioner must therefore remember that when he prescribes them in aqueous vehicles1 it will be necessary to direct them to be triturated with some viscid liquor1 as mucilage1 previous to the addition of the water1 in order to suspend the resinous precipitate4 #b4 ,tinctures prepared with ,spirit above ,proof4 ,,tinctura ,,aloes ,,composita4 ,l4,d4 ,elixir ,proprietatis4 ,p4,l4 #agbj4 ,tincture of ,myrrh is the menstruum of the ,aloes in this preparation1 to which ,saffron is added4 ,dose1 fj to fij4 ,form4 #af1 #ig4 ,,tinctura ,,myrrh4 ,l4 ,the strength of the spirituous solvent has been very judiciously increased in the ,editio ,altera of the ,london ,pharmacopia1 by which means a brighter tincture is obtained4 ,it is rarely used except in astringent and detergent gargles1 or as an external application to foul ulcers2 diluted with water it presents us with an excellent lotion for spongy gums4#fhg #c4 ,tinctures prepared with ,proof ,spirit4 ,,tinctura ,,angustur4 ,d4 ,see ,cuspari ,cortex4 ,,tinctura ,,aurantii4 ,l4,d4 ,an agreeable adjunct to bitter infusions4 ,dose1 fij to fiij4 ,,tinctura ,,calumb4 ,l4,d4 ,a valuable stomachic4 ,form4 #cb1 #ce1 #aed1 #aee1 #aei4 ,dose1 fi-fiij4 ,,tinctura ,,camphor ,,composita4 ,tinctura ,opii ,camphorata4 ,p4,l4 #aghg4 ,elixir ,paregoricum4#fhh ,p4,l4 #agde4 ,this preparation had undergone both change of name and composition in the last ,pharmacopia2 its old name was thought improper from its similarity to that of tincture of opium1 and the oil of aniseed has been omitted on account of its disagreeable flavour2 still1 however1 these perpetual changes are most distressing2 the tincture1 as it is now prepared1 is very different from that which has been so long and so generally sold under the name of ,paregoric ,elixir1 and the chemist is therefore obliged to keep both the preparations1 and to send the one or the other1 according as it may be required by the old or new name4 ,one fluid-ounce contains nearly two grains of ,opium and of benzoic acid1 and about one grain and a quarter of camphor4 ,in doses of fj to fiij1 it is anodyne4 ,,tinctura ,,cantharides4 ,d4 ,this tincture is highly stimulating1 acting with great energy upon the urinary organs2 it therefore offers a resource in gleets1 fluor albus1 incontinence of urine1 c4 it has also proved serviceable as a highly stimulating diuretic1 in cases of ,hydrops ,ovarii4 ,see ,form4 #aaf4 ,dose1 x to fj1 given in some demulcent infusion2 it is likewise employed with advantage as a stimulating embrocation and rubefacient1 in conjunction with soap or camphor liniment4 ,externally it has been used in the cure of ,sinuses1 and fistulous openings1 in the proportion of three fluid-drachms to a pint of water4#fhi ,,tinctura ,,capsici4 ,l4 ,it is an excellent stimulant4 ,see ,capsici ,bacc4 ,dose1 x to fi4 ,,tinctura ,,cardamomi ,,composita4 ,l4 ,an agreeable cordial1 and adjunct to bitter infusions4 ,see ,form4 #dg1 #ea4fij ,dose1 fi to fij4 ,,tinctura ,,cascarill4 ,l4,d4 ,it is added with much effect to different stomachic infusions4 ,see ,form4 #cc1 #ci1 #da4 ,dose1 fi to fiij4 ,,tinctura ,,catechu4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,a warm and grateful astringent2 very useful as an adjunct to cretaceous mixtures in diarrha1 c4 ,see ,form4 #ea1 #eb1 #eh4 ,dose1 fi to fiij4 ,,tinctura ,,cinchon4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,used as an adjunct to the decoction or infusion of the bark4 ,see ,form4 #abf1 #abg4 ,dose1 fj to fss4 ,it should be preserved in a place which is not very cold2 for a low temperature precipitates the ,morphia2 this inconvenience1 however1 is obviated by the addition of a little acetic acid1 without diminishing the efficacy of the tincture4 ,,tinctura ,,cinchon ,,composita4 ,this resembles the celebrated tincture of ,huxham1 and although it contains less cinchona than the simple tincture1 yet from the addition of aromatics it is more grateful and stomachic4 ,dose1 fj to fss4 ,,tinctura ,,cinnamomi4 ,l4,d4 ,see ,form4 #aja4 ,,tinctura ,,cinnamomi ,,composita4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,as this is a combination of aromatics with cinnamon1 it is more grateful and stomachic than the simple tincture4 ,dose1 f to fij4 ,,tinctura ,,conii ,,maculati4 ,e4 ,as ,conein is perfectly soluble in spirit1 this tincture constitutes a very elegant and efficient form for the exhibition of ,hemlock2 ,i have frequently experienced its effects1 when added to febrifuge mixtures1 with satisfaction4 ,the ,london college has not hitherto admitted it into the list of tinctures1 which is to be regretted4 ,,tinctura ,,croci4 ,e4,d4 ,it has no medicinal use1 independent of its colour4 ,,tinctura ,,digitalis4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,it is a very useful form for the exhibition of this valuable plant4 ,dose1 x1 cautiously increased4 ,see ,digitalis ,folia1 and ,form4 #cb4 ,,tinctura ,,gentian ,,composita4 ,l4,e4 ,an elegant stomachic bitter1 but less eligible as a remedy than the infusion4 ,dose1 fi-fij4 ,,tinctura ,,hellebori ,,nigri4 ,this preparation was strongly advised by ,dr4 ,mead1 in uterine obstructions4 ,dose1 xxx to fj4 ,see ,hellebori ,radix4 ,,tinctura ,,humuli4 ,l4,e4 ,it is supposed to possess the tonic and narcotic properties of the hop4 ,dose1 fss to fiij4 ,,tinctura ,,hyoscyami4 ,l4 ,this is a much more powerful narcotic than the preceding tincture2 and it is not liable to affect the head1 nor to produce that disturbance in the biliary secretions which so inevitably follows the use of opium4 ,dose1 fss to fij4 ,,tinctura ,,jalap4 ,l4,e4 ,as the activity of ,jalap does not reside in any one principle1 but depends upon the combination of its gum1 extractive1 and resin1 proof spirit is of course its appropriate solvent2 and the resulting tincture is therefore an active purgative1 but it is rarely administered except as an adjuvant to cathartic combinations4 ,dose1 fj to fss4 ,see ,form4 #gj1 #gf4 ,,tinctura ,,kino4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,this is little else than a solution of ,tannin2 it is however less astringent than the tincture of ,catechu4 ,dose1 fi to fij4 ,,tinctura ,,opii4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,this is at once a most convenient and elegant form for the exhibition of opium2 xix contain one grain of opium4 ,see ,opium1 and ,form4 #e1 #g1 #h1 #bj1 #bh1 #eb1 #ge1 #gf1 #ajg1 #aaj1 #aag1 #abg1 #acf1 #aef1 #agb4 ,as an external application1 when rubbed upon the skin it produces anodyne effects1 and it is said that these effects are very much increased by combining it with acetic acid2 an acetate of morphia is probably thus produced4 ,,tinctura ,,quassi ,,excels4 ,e4,d4 ,the bitter principle of this root1 ,quassin1 is completely extracted by proof spirit4 ,dose1 fj4 ,,tinctura ,,rhei4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,less purgative1 but more astringent and aromatic than the infusion4 ,that made with the ,east ,indian variety is of a deeper colour1 with a tinge of brown4 ,dose1 fss to fj4 ,,tinctura ,,rhei ,,composita4 ,l4 ,a cordial1 used principally as an adjunct to saline purgatives4 ,dose1 fvj to fj1 to produce purgative effects2 from fj to fij1 to act as a stomachic4 ,the ,edinburgh ,pharmacopia directs two compound tinctures of ,rhubarb for similar purposes1 viz4 ,tinct4 ,rhei et ,aloes2 and ,tinct4 ,rhei et ,gentian4 ,,tinctura ,,scill4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,dose1 x to xxx4 ,see ,form4 #fe1 #aji1 #aci4 ,,tinctura ,,senn4 ,l4,e4 ,dose1 fij to j4 ,see ,form4 #gj4 ,dose1 fij to fj4 ,,tinctura ,,senn ,,composita4 ,e4 ,in this tincture1 the ,senna is quickened by ,jalap4 ,dose1 fij to fj4#fia ,,tinctura ,,serpentari4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,dose1 fij to fiij4 ,it is principally employed as a stimulating adjunct to the infusion or decoction of ,cinchona1 in typhoid fevers4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,tinct4 ,cincon4 comp4 ,l4 ,dose1 fi to fiij4 ,,tinctura ,,valerian4 ,l4,d4 ,it is only used as an adjunct to the infusion of ,valerian4 ,,tinctura ,,valerian ,,ammoniata4 ,l4,d4 ,this tincture is not more highly charged with the principles of the ,valerian than the foregoing one1 but as the ,ammonia corresponds with it in virtue1 it is probably more powerful4 ,dose1 fi to fij4 ,see ,form4 #bc1 #be4 ,,tinctura ,,zingiberis4 ,l4,d4 ,a highly stimulating preparation4 ,see ,form4 #cc4 ,dose1 fss to fij4 ,,tinctura ,,ferri ,,ammoniati4 ,l4 ,as this is merely a spirituous solution of the ,ferrum ,ammoniatum1 the title of tincture is improperly applied to it2 it seems moreover to be a very superfluous preparation4 ,,tinctura ,,ferri ,,muriatis4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,,qualities4 ,colour1 brownish yellow2 ,taste1 styptic2 ,odour1 very peculiar4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,it is an alcoholic solution of muriate of iron2 the iron being in the state of peroxide4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,alkalies and their carbonates2 the infusions of astringent vegetables2 mucilage of gum arabic3 by this latter substance it is precipitated in gelatinous flakes4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is one of the most active preparations of iron which we possess1 and it moreover appears to exert a specific influence upon the urinary organs4#fib ,mr4 ,cline informs us that x1 given every ten minutes1 until some sensible effect is produced1 afford in dysuria speedy relief2 in hemorrhage from the bladder1 kidneys1 or uterus1 its acts as a powerful styptic4 ,see ,form4 #ce1 #fj1 #ig1 #aad4 ,externally1 it is very efficacious in destroying venereal warts1 either used alone1 or diluted with a small portion of water4 ,dose1 x to fss1 or fj4#fic ,,tormentill ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tormentilla ,officinalis4 ,tormentil ,root4 ,,qualities4 ,this root is knotty1 externally blackish1 internally reddish2 ,odour1 slightly aromatic2 ,taste1 austere and styptic4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,its active matter is chiefly ,tannin1 and except galls and catechu1 it appears to contain a larger proportion than any other vegetable astringent4#fid ,,solubility4 ,boiling water extracts all its virtues1 as also does spirit4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,solutions of ,isinglass1 the ,salts of ,iron2 ,alkalies and ,alkaline ,earths4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it has been chiefly used in diarrha1 and it is very efficacious in that which is so frequently attendant on ,phthisis4 ,dr4 ,fordyce recommends its union with ,ipecacuan1 by which combination1 he observes1 we shall astringe the vessels of the intestines1 and at the same time relax those of the skin4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,in substance1 or in decoction made by boiling j of the root in oiss of water until reduced to oj4 ,,dose1 of the substance in powder1 ss to j2 of the above decoction fj thrice a day4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,pulv4 ,cret4 ,comp4 ,l4 ,,toxicodendri ,,folia4 ,l4,e4 7,rhus ,toxicodendron47 ,sumach ,leaves1 or ,poison ,oak4 ,,qualities4 ,its leaves are inodorous1 but have a sub-acrid taste4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,gallic acid1 tannin1 and a certain acrimonious matter1 upon which the virtues of the plant depend1 and which1 according to ,van ,mons1 is disengaged from the leaves in the state of gas during the night1 or while they do not receive the direct rays of the sun4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,dr4 ,alderson of ,hull introduced the leaves of this plant to notice1 in whose hands they proved successful in several cases of ,paralysis2 the same results however have not been obtained by other physicians2 the plant has therefore fallen into disuse1 and might1 in deference to public opinion1 be removed from the materia medica4 ,when applied externally it has been known to produce an erysipelatous affection of the skin2 a remarkable instance of which lately occurred at the ,botanic garden at ,chelsea1 where a person merely rubbed his eye after having casually touched the plant in question4 ,,tussilago4 7,tussilago ,farfara--,folia1 ,flores47 ,coltsfoot4#fie ,this plant has been regarded as a powerful expectorant from the earliest ages2 it is at present only valued for the mucilage which it affords2 a handful of the leaves boiled in oij of water1 until reduced to oj1 will furnish1 by the addition of a little sugar candy1 a very grateful demulcent4 ,,valerian ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,valeriana ,officinalis4 ,sylvestris47 ,valerian ,root4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 strong1 peculiar and unpleasant2 ,taste1 warm1 bitter1 and sub-acrid4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,extractive1 gum1 resin1 fecula1 tannin1 and a peculiar essential oil which seems to contain camphor1 and on which its virtues probably depend4 ,,solubility4 ,its active matter is extracted by boiling water1 alcohol1 and the solutions of the pure alkalies4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,the salts of iron4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is antispasmodic1 tonic1 and emmenagogue2 and it is highly beneficial in those diseases which appear to be connected with a morbid susceptibility of the nervous system1 as in hysteria1 hemicrania1 and in some species of epilepsy2 and it would appear that its virtues in such complaints may be frequently increased by combining it with cinchona4 ,,forms ,,of ,,exhibition4 ,the form of powder is the most effectual1 and next to this a strong tincture made with proof spirit2 by decoction its powers are considerably impaired1 and consequently the extract is an inefficient preparation4 ,,dose of the powder j to j2 when the flavour disgusts1 the addition of a small portion of mace or cinnamon will be found to disguise it4 ,see ,form4 #be1 #ca1 #ch4 ,,officinal ,,preparation4 ,infus4 ,valerian4 ,d4 ,tinct4 ,valerian4 ,l4,d4 ,tinct4 ,valerian4 ammoniat4 ,l4,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,the roots of a species of crowfoot are sometimes mixed with those of valerian2 they may be distinguished by a caustic taste on chewing them2 the roots have also often a disagreeable smell from the urine of cats1 who are allured and delighted by their odour2 and they are sometimes inert1 from not having been taken up at a proper season1 or from not having been carefully preserved4 ,,veratri ,,radix4 ,l4,e4 7,veratrum ,album47 ,,helleborus ,,albus4 ,d4 ,white ,hellebore ,root4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 strong1 and disagreeable2 ,taste1 bitter1 and very acrid2 by drying1 the odour is dissipated1 and in this state it is found in the shops4 ,,solubility4 ,its active principles are soluble in water1 alcohol1 and the alkalies4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,pelletier and ,caventou have lately discovered in this vegetable a new alkaline principle1 white1 crystalline1 and acrid1 to which they have given the name of ,veratria3 it appears to exist in combination with gallic acid4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,the effects of this root are extremely violent and poisonous2 the ancients employed it in various obstinate cases1 but they generally regarded it as their last resource2 it acts as a violent emetic and cathartic1 producing bloody stools1 great anxiety1 tremors1 and convulsions4 ,etmuller says1 that the external application of the root to the abdomen1 will produce vomiting2 and ,schroeder observed the same phenomenon to take place in a case where it was used as a suppository1 and its juice has been applied to the purpose of poisoning arrows2 notwithstanding these effects however the veratrum has been very safely and successfully administered in cases of mania1 epilepsy1 lepra1 and gout3#fif but the most ordinary use of white hellebore is as a local stimulant2 as an adjunct to errhine powders2 or in the form of decoction1 as a lotion2 or mixed with a lard1 as an ointment in scabies1#fig and herpetic eruptions3 great caution however is required in its application1 for several authors affirm that as an errhine1 it has caused abortions1 floodings which could not be restrained1 and fatal hemorrhages from the nose4 ,,dose1 gr4 iij to v1 obtunded by the addition of twelve times its weight of starch1 a pinch of which may be taken for several successive evenings2 for internal administration it ought not to exceed gr4 ij4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,decoct4 ,veratri4 ,l4 ,tinct4 ,veratri albi4 ,e4 ,unguent4 ,veratri4 ,l4 ,unguent4 ,sulphur4 comp4 ,l4 ,,vinum4 ,wine4 ,the term wine is more strictly and especially applied to express the fermented juice of the ,grape1 although it is generally used to denote that of any sub-acid fruit4 ,the presence of ,tartar is perhaps the circumstance by which the grape is most strongly distinguished from all the other sub-acid fruits that have been applied to the purpose of wine making4 ,the juice of the grape1 moreover1 contains within itself all the principles essential to vinification1 in such a proportion and state of balance as to enable it at once to undergo a regular and complete fermentation1 whereas the juices of other fruits require artificial additions for this purpose2 and the scientific application and due adjustment of these means1 constitute the art of making wines4#fih ,it has been remarked1 that all those wines that contain an excess of malic acid are of a bad quality1 hence the grand defect that is necessarily inherent in the wines of this country1 and which leads them to partake of the properties of cider1 for in the place of the tartaric1 the malic acid always predominates in native fruits4 ,the characteristic ingredient of all wines is ,alcohol1 and the quantity of this1 and the condition or state of combination in which it exists1 are the circumstances that include all the interesting and disputed points of medical enquiry4 ,daily experience convinces us that the same quantity of alcohol1 applied to the stomach under the form of natural wine1 and in a state of mixture with water1 will produce very different effects upon the body1 and to an extent which it is difficult to comprehend2 it has1 for instance1 been demonstrated that ,port1 ,madeira1 and ,sherry1 contain from one-fourth to one-fifth their bulk of alcohol1 so that a person who takes a bottle of either of them1 will thus take nearly half a pint of alcohol1 or almost a pint of pure brandy6 and moreover that different wines1 although of the same specific gravity1 and consequently containing the same absolute proportion of the spirit1 will be found to vary very considerably in their intoxicating powers2 no wonder then that such results should stagger the philosopher1 who is naturally unwilling to accept any tests of difference from the nervous system1 which elude the ordinary resources of analytical chemistry2 the conclusion was therefore drawn1 that alcohol must necessarily exist in wine in a far different condition from that in which we know it in a separate state1 or in other words1 that its elements only could exist in the vinous liquor1 and that their union was determined1 and consequently alcohol produced1 by the action of distillation4 ,that it was the product1 and not the educt of distillation1 was an opinion which originated with ,rouelle1 who asserted that alcohol was not completely formed1 until the temperature was raised to the point of distillation2 more lately the same doctrine was revived and promulgated by ,fabbroni1 in the memoirs of the ,florentine ,academy4 ,gay ,lussac has1 however1 silenced the clamorous partisans of this theory1 by separating the alcohol by distillation at the temperature of #ff ,fah4 and by the aid of a vacuum1 it has since been effected at #ef3 besides1 it has been shewn that by precipitating the colouring matter and some of the other elements of the wine by sub-acetate of lead1 and then saturating the clear liquor with sub-carbonate of potass1 the alcohol may be completely separated without any elevation of temperature2 and by this ingenious expedient ,mr4 ,brande has been enabled to construct a table1 exhibiting the proportions of combined alcohol which exist in the several kinds of wine3 no doubt therefore can remain upon this subject1 and the fact of the difference of effect1 produced by the same bulk of alcohol1 when presented to the stomach in different states of combination1 adds another striking and instructive illustration to those already enumerated in the course of this work1 of the extraordinary powers of chemical combination in modifying the activity of substances upon the living system4 ,in the present instance1 the alcohol is so combined with the extractive matter of the wine1 that it is probably incapable of exerting its full specific effects upon the stomach1 before it becomes altered in its properties1 or1 in other words1 digested3 and this view of the subject may be fairly urged in explanation of the reason why the intoxicating effects of the same wine are so liable to vary in degree1 in the same individual1 from the peculiar state of his digestive organs at the time of its potation4#fii ,hitherto we have only spoken of pure wine1 but it is essential to state that the stronger wines of ,spain1 ,portugal1 and ,sicily1 are rendered remarkable in this country by the addition of ,brandy1 and must consequently contain uncombined alcohol1 the proportion of which however will not necessarily bear a ratio to the quantity added1 because1 at the period of its admixture1 a renewed fermentation is produced by the scientific vintner1 which will assimilate and combine a certain portion of the foreign spirit with the wine3 this manipulation1 in technical language1 is called fretting-in4 ,the free alcohol may1 according to the experiments of ,fabbroni1 be immediately separated by saturating the vinous fluid with sub-carbonate of potass1 while the combined portion will remain undisturbed3 in ascertaining the fabrication and salubrity of a wine1 this circumstance ought always to constitute a leading feature in the inquiry2 and the tables of ,mr4 ,brande would have been greatly enhanced in practical value1 had the relative proportions of uncombined spirit been appreciated in his experiments1 since it is to this1 and not to the combined alcohol1 that the injurious effects of the wine are to be attributed4 8,it is well known10 observes ,dr4 ,macculloch1 8that diseases of the liver are the most common1 and the most formidable of those produced by the use of ardent spirits2 it is equally certain that no such disorders follow the intemperate use of pure wine1 however long indulged in3 to the concealed and unwitting consumption of spirit1 therefore1 as contained in the wines commonly drunk in this country1 is to be attributed the excessive prevalence of those hepatic affections which are comparatively little known to our continental neighbours40 ,thus much is certain1 that our ordinary wines contain no alcohol1 but what is disarmed of its virulence by the prophylactic energies of combination4 ,the odour1 or bouquet1 and flavour which distinguish one wine from another1 evidently depend upon some volatile and fugacious principle1 soluble in alcohol2 this in sweet and half fermented wines1 is immediately derived from the fruit1 as in those from the ,frontignan and ,muscat grapes2 but in the more perfect wines1 as in ,claret1 ,hermitage1 ,rivesaltes1 and ,burgundy1 it bears no resemblance to the natural flavour of the fruit1 but is altogether the product of the vinous process2 and in some wines it arises from the introduction of flavouring ingredients1 as from almonds in ,madeira wines1 as well as in those of ,xeres and ,saint ,lucar1 and hence their well known nutty flavour4 ,among the ancients it was formerly1 and in modern ,greece it is to this day1 the fashion to give a resinous flavour1 by the introduction of ,turpentine into the casks4#gjj ,these wines are supposed to assist digestion1 to restrain ulcerous1 and other morbid discharges1 to provoke urine1 and to strengthen the bowels2 but ,dioscorides also informs us that they were known to produce vertigo1 pain in the head1 and many evils not incidental to the same quantity of vinous liquor when free from such admixtures4#gja ,wines admit of being arranged into four classes4#gjb #a4 ,,sweet ,,wines2 which contain the greatest proportion of extractive and saccharine matter1 and generally the least ardent spirit1 though this is often rather disguised than absent2 as in these wines a proportion of sugar has remained unchanged during the process of vinification1 they must be considered as the results of an imperfect fermentation1 and are in fact mixtures of wine and sugar2 accordingly1 whatever arrests the progress of fermentation1 must have a tendency to produce a sweet wine2 thus boiling the must or drying the fruit will1 by partially separating the natural leaven and dissipating the water1 occasion such a result as is exemplified by the manufacture of the wines of ,cyprus1 the vino cotto of the ,italians and the vinum coctum of the ancients1 by that of ,frontignac1 the rich and luscious wines of ,canary1 the celebrated ,tokay1 ,vino ,tinto 7,tent of ,hungary7 the ,italian ,montefiascone1 the ,persian ,schiras1 the ,malmsey wines of ,candia1 ,chio1 ,lesbos1 and ,tenedos1 and those of the other islands of the ,archipelago4 ,the wines of the ancients1 as ,chaptal observes1 were so concentrated by boiling1 that they rather deserve the name of extracts or syrups1 than that of wines2 they1 must have been very sweet1 and but little fermented2 apparently to remedy this1 they were kept for a great length of time2 according to ,aristotle and ,galen1 seven years was the shortest period necessary for keeping wine before it was fit to drink1 but wines of a century old were not uncommon at the tables of the luxurious citizens of ancient ,rome1 and ,horace boasts of his drinking ,falernian1 born as it were with him1 or which reckoned its age from the same consuls4#gjc #b4 ,,sparkling ,,or ,,effervescing ,,wines1 as ,champagne1 are indebted for their characteristic properties to the presence of carbonic acid2 they rapidly intoxicate1 in consequence of the alcohol1 which is suspended in1 or combined with the gas1 being thus applied in a sudden and very divided state to a large extent of nervous surface2 for the same reason1 their effects are as transitory as they are sudden4#gjd #c4 ,,dry ,,and ,,light4 ,these are exemplified by the more esteemed ,german wines1 as ,hock1 ,rhenish1 ,mayne1 ,moselle1 ,necker1 and ,elsass1 and those highly flavoured wines1 ,burgundy1 ,claret1 ,hermitage1 c4 ,they contain a very inconsiderable degree of ardent spirit1 and combine with it the effect of an acid4 #d4 ,,dry ,,and ,,strong1 as ,madeira1 ,port1 ,sherry1 c4 ,the name ,sec1 corruptly written ,sack1 signifies dry2 the ,sec wine prepared at ,xeres#gje in ,spain1 is called according to our orthography1 ,sherris1 or ,sherry4 ,in the manufacture of ,sherry1 ,lime#gjf is added to the grapes1 a circumstance1 observes ,dr4 ,macculloch1 apparently conducive to its well known dry quality1 and which probably acts by neutralizing a portion of malic or tartaric acid4 ,by the adulteration and medication of wines1 three principal objects are attempted1 viz4 #a4 ,to give them strength1 which is effected by adding any ardent spirit2 but the wine is slowly decomposed by it4 #b4 ,to perfect or change their colour4 ,it is very usual to change white wines1 when they have grown brown or rough1 into red wines1 by means of sloes1 or other colouring matter4 #c4 ,to lessen1 or remove their acidity4 ,it is well known that lead in different forms has frequently been employed for this purpose2 the practice1 however1 is attended with most dangerous consequences2 but which ,dr4 ,macculloch is inclined to believe has been over-rated1 since the compounds which this metal forms with the tartaric and malic acids are insoluble2 but against this argument1 the decisive results of experience may be opposed1 and ,fourcroy conceived that by the addition of ,vinegar1 a soluble triple salt1 an aceto-tartrate of lead1 was produced4 ,the fraud may be easily detected by the test#gjg invented by ,dr4 ,hahnemann4 ,the ancients1 it appears1 were acquainted with this property in lead1 for according to ,pliny1 the ,greeks and ,romans improved the quality of their wines by immersing a plate of lead in them4#gjh ,wine1 as a pharmaceutical agent1 has been employed to extract several of the principles of vegetables1 and to dissolve certain mineral bodies3 as a solvent1 however1 it is liable to many serious objections1 as inequality of strength1 and uncertainty of composition2 thus sound and perfectly fermented dry wine1 as ,sherry1 is frequently unable to dissolve iron1 while tartarized antimony is instantly decomposed by every other4 ,as a menstruum1 to obtain an extract1 it is quite inadmissible on account of the residuum which it leaves by evaporation4 ,from such considerations the ,london ,college have at length substituted a weak spirit1 for the wine formerly employed1 although the term 8,vinum0 is still retained in the ,pharmacopia1 to obviate those embarrassments which must ever attend a change of name1 with a corresponding change of properties4 ,the ,committee were fully prepared to expect the captious objections which are urged against this measure1 but as the name is chemically and medicinally correct1 the etymologist may be fairly allowed to enjoy his assumed triumph without molestation4 ,,vinum ,,aloes4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,this solution contains all the virtues of the ,aloes1 and is more agreeable than the tincture4 ,it is a warm stomachic in doses of fj to fij1 and a stimulating purgative when given from fj to fij4 ,by referring to the ,pharmacopia1 it will be perceived that alcoholic menstrua of different strengths1 have been employed for the different preparations4 ,the proportions were deduced from careful experiments1 and are adapted to the composition of the substances which the spirit is intended to dissolve3 e4 g4 ,proof ,spirit4 ,water4 ,vinum ,aloes #a part #a4 ---- ,antimonii ,tartariz3 #a ditto#gji #a4 ---- ,colchici #a ditto #b4 ---- ,ferri #a ditto #a4 ---- ,ipecacuanh #a ditto #a4 ---- ,opii #a ditto #a4 ---- ,veratri #a ditto #a4 ,,vinum ,,antimonii ,,tartarizati4 ,l4 ,,liquor ,,antimonii ,,tartarizati4 ,p4,l4 #ahji4 ,antimonial ,wine4 ,during the period that ,i was ,censor of the ,college1 ,i took considerable trouble1 in conjunction with my colleagues1 to ascertain the state in which this preparation was to be generally met with in the wholesale and retail shops of the metropolis4 ,we were satisfied1 during our official visitations1 that where sound ,sherry wine had been employed as a solvent1 an efficient and permanent solution was obtained1 and that no precipitation of ,antimony took place1 the sediment which occurred being merely ,tartrate of ,lime1 an incidental impurity derived from the ,cream of tartar3 but in a majority of instances an inferior wine of ,british manufacture was substituted1 in which case the ,antimonial ,oxyd was universally found in a copious precipitate1 in combination with vegetable extractive matter2 and ,i have even seen this decomposition so complete1 that the supernatant liquor would not yield any trace of the antimonial salt4 ,this report has been confirmed by successive ,censors1 and the ,college have accordingly endeavoured to remedy the evil1 by superseding the use of wine altogether1 and of introducing a spirit of equivalent strength4 ,the virtues of this solution are those detailed under the history of ,antimonium ,tartarizatum2 of which two grains are contained in every fluid-ounce of the preparation4 ,the ,medicinal ,dynameter will shew the proportion of salt in any other given quantity4 ,,dose1 x to fj1 in any suitable vehicle1 repeated every three or four hours1 in which case it acts as a diaphoretic4 ,as an emetic1 it may be given to infants in the dose of a tea-spoonful1 every ten minutes1 until the desired effect is produced4 ,see ,form3 #fi1 and #aag4gaj ,,vinum ,,colchici4 ,this medicated wine is made as follows3 ,take of the recent bulb of the ,colchicum1 sliced and bruised1 poundj2 of ,proof ,spirit1 fiv2 of water1 fviij2 let them infuse for fourteen days1 and filter for use4 ,there is perhaps no form better calculated to ensure the medical effects of the plant than the one we are now considering4 ,its dose may be stated to be from xx to fiss4 ,the virtues of ,colchicum have been already noticed1 see ,colchici ,radix4 ,,vinum ,,ferri4 ,l4,d4 ,when prepared according to the ,london ,college 7,p4,l4 #ahji47 each pint is stated to contain #bb grains of the red ,oxide of ,iron2 the strength however must in such a case depend upon the quantity of tartar contained in the wine4 ,very dry ,sherry is frequently incapable of acting upon the iron until a small proportion of ,cream of ,tartar be added to it2 would it not therefore be adviseable to direct at once a given portion of ferrum tartarizatum to be dissolved in wine8 ,the ,dublin formula is more eligible than that of the former ,london ,pharmacopia1 since it directs the use of ,rhenish wine instead of ,sherry as a solvent1 and iron wire in preference to iron filings2 this last circumstance is important1 for the purest iron can only be drawn1 and this is most easily acted upon by the super-tartrate of potass4 ,these observations are offered to those who still prefer to make the preparation with wine4 ,they can have no relation to the present ,vinum ,ferri of the ,london ,college1 which is prepared with a weak spirit1 and which contains tartrate of potass and iron1 with an excess of super-tartrate which supplies the place of the acid contained in the wine1 and ensures the solution of the tartarized iron in the ,spirit4 ,according to the experiments of ,mr4 ,phillips1 which ,i have every reason to believe accurate1 the present preparation contains less peroxide of iron than the former did2 it will be seen by the ,dynameter that fj contains exactly one grain1 which is exactly equivalent to five grains of ,tartarized ,iron1 whereas an equal quantity of the former wine held in solution #a-d_/aj gr1 which was equivalent to seven grains of the salt4 ,med4 ,uses4 ,it is the least unpleasant of all the preparations of iron1 and its medicinal activity is supported by the testimony of ages1 for it is one of the oldest preparations with which we are acquainted4 ,dose1 fij to fss4 ,,vinum ,,ipecacuanh4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,the virtues of this root are completely extracted by dilute spirit4 ,dose1 as an emetic1 from fij to fss3 as a diaphoretic1 from xx to xl4 ,see ,form4 #fc1 #acg4 ,,vinum ,,opii4 ,l4,e4#gaa ,this is a spirituous solution of the extract of ,opium combined with various aromatics1 which are supposed to modify the effects of the opium1 while by the substitution of the extract for the crude opium1 it is considered as being less likely to disturb the nervous system4 ,i submit whether the views offered under the history of ,wine1 respecting the relative effects of combined and uncombined ,alcohol1 might not lead us1 by analogy1 to prepare a more efficient vinum opii1 and a preparation less likely to affect the stomach3 by adding the opium to the wine during its state of fermentation1 it would enter into intimate union with its elements1 in the same way that brandy is incorporated by the technical manipulation of fretting-in3 this suggestion is also sanctioned by the generally acknowledged superiority of the ,black ,drop1 which ,i have little doubt is indebted for its peculiar efficacy to the state of combination in which the acetate of morphia exists in the vinous menstruum4 ,the preparation1 when made with wine1 as directed in the late ,pharmacopia1 is nearly analogous to the celebrated ,liquid ,laudanum#gab of ,sydenham1 and its degree of narcotic power is nearly the same as that of the ordinary tincture1 as may be seen by referring to the ,medicinal ,dynameter4 ,,vinum ,,veratri4 ,l4 ,since the discovery of the real nature of the ,eau ,medicinale1 this preparation has fallen into comparative disuse1 and might have been removed1 as we have now introduced the ,vinum ,colchici4 ,it is however a singular circumstance that both these preparations should owe their medicinal powers to the same elementary principle1 viz4 ,veratria2 and as some practitioners are still addicted to its use1 the ,committee agreed to let it remain4 ,,ulmi ,,cortex4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,ulmus ,campestris47 ,elm ,bark4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 none2 ,taste1 slightly bitter and mucilaginous4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,gum1 extractive1 gallic acid1 and super-tartrate of potass4 ,,solubility4 ,water is its appropriate solvent4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it has been commended in herpetic eruptions1 but in the hands of ,dr4 ,willan and others it has not proved successful2 it is one of those articles that might be discarded from our ,pharmacopia with much propriety4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,decoct3 ,ulmi4 ,l4,d4 ,,unguenta4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,ointments4 ,these are unctuous substances analogous to ,cerates except in consistence1 which is much less firm1 and scarcely exceeds that of butter3 formerly1 ointments were numerous and complicated in their composition1 and surgeons adapted with much technical formality different ointments to answer different indications3 this practice however has undergone a very judicious reform1 and it is now well understood that in general all that is required in an ointment is a suitable tenacity and consistence1 to keep the parts to which it may be applied soft and easy1 and at the same time to exclude from them the atmospheric air2 in some cases1 however1 these simple compositions are made the vehicles of more active remedies1 as in the following preparations1 viz4 ,,unguentum ,,cantharidis4 ,l4 ,as the active ingredient in this ointment is derived from an infusion of the ,cantharides1 it is extremely mild1 and frequently inefficacious4 ,the ceratum cantharidis furnishes a more certain application4 ,,unguentum ,,elemi ,,compositum4 ,l4 ,the elemi and turpentine in this ointment1 render it stimulant and digestive4 ,,unguentum ,,hydrargyri ,,fortius4 ,l4 ,the precise nature#gac of this compound does not appear to have been known until the late researches#gad of ,mr4 ,donovan1 7,annals of ,philosophy1 ,november1 #ahai17 which promise to lead to a more uniform1 efficacious1 and economical mode of preparing it2 for they#gae shew that in the officinal ointment1 the mercury exists in two different conditions1--in the state of metal1 mechanically mixed1 as asserted by ,vogel1 and in that of an oxide1 chemically combined with the lard1 and that the medicinal activity of the ointment exclusively resides in this latter portion1 the presence of metallic mercury not only being useless but injurious1 by obstructing the absorption of the active compound of the oxide4 ,mr4 ,donovan accordingly formed a direct chemical combination1 by continually agitating together lard and black oxide of mercury at the temperature of #cej ,fah3 for two hours4 ,at the end of the process it appeared that every ounce of lard had dissolved1 and combined with #ba grains of oxide2 and from the trials which have been made respecting its activity1 it would seem to be as efficient as the officinal ointment1 and moreover that it may be introduced by inunction in one third of the time4 ,the investigation is highly important1 for it not only offers the means of preparing a mercurial ointment more conomically1 but one more active and manageable1 and less liable to that want of uniformity in strength1 which must always attend a preparation in which so much labour is required for its completion2 for independent of that variation in strength which will arise from imperfect triture1 it is by no means an uncommon practice to use chemical means1 which are not admissible1 to facilitate the process1 such as the addition of ,sulphur1 which is found to abridge very considerably the labour requisite for the extinction of the mercury1 but it converts a portion of the metal into a ,sulphuret1 and diminishes the power of the unguent4 ,there is however a method of facilitating the process1 which is not liable to any apparent objection1 but the theory of its operation is obscure2 it consists in adding to the half-prepared ointment a portion of that which has been long kept2 which appears to act as a leaven to the whole mass4 ,the following table exhibits the relative quantity of mercury contained in each of the different ointments directed by the ,british ,pharmacopia1 and in that prepared according to the process of ,donovan4 ,one ,drachm stronger ointment contains of ,mercury #cj grs4 of the ,lond3 weaker ointment #aj ---- of the ,edinb3 common ointment #ab ---- of the ,dub3 stronger ointment #cj ---- weaker ointment #bj ---- of that prepared according to ,donovan #b ---- ,mercurial ointment furnishes the most prompt1 and least exceptionable mode of impregnating the system4 ,the external method of administering mercury1 says ,mr4 ,john ,hunter1 is always preferable to the internal1 because the skin is not nearly so essential to life as the stomach1 and therefore is capable in itself of bearing much more than the stomach4 ,the inunction is generally performed by rubbing ss to j on some part of the body where the cuticle is thin1 generally on the inside of the thigh1 except perhaps in cases of chronic hepatitis1 when it is more usually applied to the region of the liver1 care being taken that the friction is continued until every particle of the ointment disappears2 and for obvious reasons1 the operation ought if practicable to be performed by the patient himself4 ,where it has been an object to saturate the system with mercury as quickly as possible1 ,i have witnessed the advantage of confining1 by means of slips of bladder1 a drachm of mercurial ointment in each axilla1 in addition to the mercurial friction4 ,camphor1 turpentine1 and other stimulants1 have been sometimes added to the ointment1 with a view of promoting its absorption2 this however is an erroneous practice1 since these acrid ingredients soon produce pustules on the skin1 which prevent the continuance of the friction2 the warm bath is a more certain1 and less objectionable adjuvant1 many practitioners therefore advise the body to be immersed in a warm bath1 once and again1 before the course is commenced1 and to repeat it once or twice a week during its continuance3 the length of time to be employed in a course of mercury1 and the quantity to be given1 are circumstances that must in every case be left to the discretion of the practitioner4 ,mercury1 when introduced into the body1 acts as a powerful stimulant1 and pervades every part of the system2 hence it is the most powerful evacuant belonging to the ,materia ,medica2 from its stimulant operation1 exerted directly or indirectly1 we are able to explain its utility in the cure of disease1 and it may be made to act according to management and circumstances1 as a tonic1 antispasmodic1 diuretic1 cathartic1 sialogogue1 emmenagogue1 or alterative2 but its most important operation is that displayed in removing the diseases induced by the syphilitic poison1 although its modus operandi is still buried amongst the many other arcana of physic4 ,the mode of directing and controlling the influence of mercury in the cure of the venereal disease1 is now very generally understood1 and it is to be hoped that a full confidence in its antisyphilitic powers is as universally maintained1 in spite of the late opinions which tended to depreciate its value and to question its necessity2 there is however no advantage to be gained1 as was once imagined1 by exciting profuse salivation4 ,on its next important application1 that of curing chronic affections of the liver and dropsy1 a remark which has been suggested to me by the results of practice1 may not be unacceptable4 ,i think ,i have generally observed1 that when the remedy has been pushed to such an extent as to excite the salivary glands to excessive secretion1 the urinary organs cease to participate in its stimulating action1 and vice versa1 for the mouth is rarely affected when the mercury runs off by the kidneys2 this may suggest a precaution of some practical moment in the treatment of dropsy1 and it will be generally judicious to accompany the administration of this metal with certain diuretics1 in order to direct its operation to the kidneys2#gaf and it would seem1 that for such an object those diuretic medicines should be preferred that act primarily on the organs1 as alkalies and their combinations1 squill1 c4 the success of such a plan of treatment will also depend greatly upon the exact period at which these remedies are administered2 it will for instance be right to wait until the system is1 to a certain degree1 under mercurial influence4 ,it is hardly necessary to observe1 that if the mercury runs off by the bowels1 we shall be deprived of all1 or of a great share of1 the benefit to be expected4 ,in certain cases1 the lymphatic vessels seem to resist the admittance of mercury1 and to refuse the conveyance of it to the general circulation3 ,i have already thrown out some vague hints upon the subject1 at page #aef1 and ,i must refer the reader to some farther remarks1 which ,i apprehend bear upon this question under the following article4 ,,unguentum ,,oxidi ,,hydrargyri ,,cinerei4 ,e4 ,this consists of a mixture of one part of grey oxide of mercury1 and three parts of axunge3 it was reasonable to suppose1 a priori1 that1 as the whole of the mercury in this ointment is oxidized1 its adoption would supersede the necessity of the labour required for the preparation of the common mercurial ointment1 and at the same time afford a combination of equal if not superior efficacy2 but experience has not justified the conclusion1 for it has been found to possess little or no activity2 the consideration of it is therefore introduced into this work1 not on account of its utility1 but as an object upon which ,i may pause with advantage1 to offer those observations which its history is so well calculated to call forth and illustrate4 ,the circumstance which renders this preparation inert1 will now receive a satisfactory explanation from the experiments of ,mr4 ,donovan1 as related in the preceding article2 in short1 it is a mechanical mixture instead of a chemical combination2 and ,i beg again to urge the importance of this distinction1 and to offer the present example as a farther illustration of the views ,i have already submitted upon the subject4 ,by subjecting this ointment for some hours to a heat of #cjj1 it would without doubt become an active preparation4 ,it is probable that the lymphatics offers less resistance to the ingress of a mineral body into the system when it is presented to them in combination with some animal substance1 which must alone be regarded as their peculiar stimulus1 and the only matter which they are destined perpetually to receive and convey2 for the same physiological reason1 the lacteals may probably take up iron with greater readiness when in combination with vegetable matter1 than when introduced into the stomach in a more purely mineral form4 ,,unguentum ,,hydrargyri ,,mitius4 ,l4 ,this weaker preparation is sometimes preferred1 as it irritates the skin less2 it is however principally used as a topical dressing to venereal sores1 and as an application to kill vermin on the body4 ,,unguentum ,,hydrargyri ,,nitratis4 ,l4,e4,d4 vulgo ,citrine ,ointment4 ,it is stimulant1 detergent1 and alterative2 when diluted with an equal quantity of simple ointment or almond oil1 it may be almost regarded as a specific in ophthalmia tarsi1 smeared upon the cilia every night at bedtime4 ,,unguentum ,,hydrargyri ,,nitrico-,,oxydi4 ,l4 ,an excellent stimulant application1 well adapted for giving energy to indolent ulcers4 ,if mixed with any ointment containing resin1 it loses its red colour1 passing through olive green to black1 which depends upon the conversion of the red into the black oxide of mercury4 ,,unguentum ,,hydrargyri ,,pr,,cipitati ,,albi4 ,l4 ,stimulant and detergent4 ,it is said to be very efficacious in certain inveterate forms of the ,itch4 ,with the addition of ,carbonate of ,potass1 it has been much extolled in various cutaneous affections4#gag ,,unguentum ,,picis ,,liquid4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,tar ,ointment4 ,this ointment has been much extolled for the removal of tetter1 and for the cure of tinea capitis4 ,,unguentum ,,resin ,,nigr4 ,l4 olim1 ,ung4 ,basilicum#gah nigrum4 ,digestive stimulant4 ,,unguentum ,,sambuci4 ,l4,d4 ,it possesses no advantage over the simple ointment4 ,,unguentum ,,sulphuris4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,this ointment is a mechanical mixture of ,lard and ,sulphur1 although it would appear that a small proportion of the latter exists also in a state of chemical combination4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,a specific in the itch4 ,dr4 ,bateman proposes a combination1 equally efficacious1 but which has not the same disagreeable smell2 viz4 8,take of sub-carbonate of potass1 half an ounce2 rose water1 one ounce2 red sulphuret of mercury1 one drachm2 essential oil of ,bergamot1 half a fluid-drachm2 sublimed sulphur1 hog's lard1 of each eleven ounces4 ,mix them40 ,jasser's ,ointment also1 as altered in the ,prussian ,pharmacopia1 is an excellent application in ,psora1 viz4 4,sulphur3 ,sublim3 ij1 ,zinci ,sulphat3 ij1 ,ol3 ,lauri1 et ,axung4 q1 s1 ut fiat ,unguentum4 ,,unguentum ,,sulphuris ,,compositum4 ,l4 ,more stimulating than the simple ointment1 from the addition of white hellebore2 it is however frequently found to excite too much irritation4 ,,unguentum ,,veratri4 ,l4,d4 ,it is used for the cure of scabies1 but is less certain than the ointment of sulphur4 ,,unguentum ,,zinci4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,astringent and stimulant2 very beneficial in some species of ophthalmia1 smeared upon the tarsi1 every night4 ,very efficient preparations may be also constructed by adding together equal weights of lard and narcotic vegetable powders1 as those of ,conium1 ,digitalis1 ,belladonna1 c4 ,the addition of a small quantity of powdered white sugar will frequently prevent ointments becoming rancid4 ,,uv ,,ursi ,,folia4 ,l4,e4,d 7,arbtus ,uva ,ursi47 ,uva ,ursi1 ,bear-berry1 or ,trailing ,arbutus4 ,bear's ,whortle-berry1 ,wild ,cranberry1 c4 ,,qualities4 ,odour1 slight1 resembling that of hyson tea2 ,taste1 bitterish and sub-astringent4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,tannin1 mucilage1 gallic acid1 extractive1 resin1 and traces of lime4 ,,solubility4 ,both water and alcohol extract its virtues4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,the ancients employed it on account of its astringency1 the moderns however have exhibited it for various diseases1 more especially for those affecting the bladder and urinary organs1 and1 it would seem1 without any theory respecting its modus operandi2 but it has at length fallen into disrepute1 and probably with justice3 it occasionally renders the urine of a blackish colour1 a fact which is not easy to be explained4 ,when it is administered1 the form of powder is preferred1 and in doses from j to j4 ,the leaves of the ,vaccinium ,vitis ,ida 7,red ,whortle-berry17 are sometimes substituted for those of ,uv ,ursi2 but they may be easily distinguished2 botanically1 by the net work appearance of their veins above1 and by their dots underneath2 chemically1 by their infusion neither precipitating the solution of isinglass1 nor that of sulphate of iron4 ,,zinci ,,oxydum4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,oxide of ,zinc4 ,this is occasionally used internally as a tonic1 and may be exhibited in the form of pill4 ,it is however principally employed externally1 as a mild but efficient astringent2 viz4 ,ung3 ,zinci4 ,,adulterations4 ,dr4 ,roloff of ,magdeburg has lately discovered the casual presence of ,arsenic#gai in this oxide2 by boiling the substance in distilled water1 and assaying the solution with the ammoniaco-nitrate of silver1 its presence may be instantly recognised2 ,chalk may be detected by sulphuric acid exciting an effervescence2 and ,white ,lead1 by its forming an insoluble sulphate of lead4 ,it ought to be volatile4 ,,zinci ,,sulphas4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,sulphate of ,zinc1 olim1 ,white ,vitriol4 ,,qualities4 ,form1 crystals1 which are four-sided prisms1 terminated by four-sided pyramids2 they are slightly efflorescent2 ,taste1 styptic1 metallic1 and slightly acidulous4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,one proportional of oxide1 and one proportional of acid2 its crystals contain seven proportionals of water4 ,,solubility4 ,it is soluble in #b4e times its weight of water at #fj1 and in less than its own weight of boiling water1 but is quite insoluble in alcohol4 ,,incompatible ,,substances4 ,alkalies2 earths2 hydro-sulphurets2 astringent vegetable infusions2 ,milk4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,tonic1 astringent1 and1 in large doses emetic1 7,form4 #ff47 ,as an emetic it operates directly1 and offers therefore a prompt resource in cases of poison1 or where an immediate discharge from the stomach is required2 it appears to differ from most remedies of this nature1 in not proving diaphoretic in smaller doses3 in spasmodic#gbj coughs it is administered with the best effects1 especially when combined with camphor or myrrh1 7,form4 #ei37 in affections of the chest attended with inordinate secretion1 ,i have witnessed much benefit from its exhibition1 particularly when presented in the form of lozenge2 and1 when dissolved in water1 in the proportion of grs4 ij to fj1 it forms a useful injection in fluor albus1 c42 in small doses its internal exhibition is also useful in ,leucorrha4 ,when combined with opium it is well calculated to obviate that atony1 and those frequent discharges of fces1 without pain1 that take place in the protracted stages of dysentery4 ,as an external application it is very generally employed in the proportion of grs4 x to eight fluid-ounces of water4 ,the supposed ill effects consequent on the application of preparations of lead to a great surface1 have determined some practitioners to substitute in their place1 solutions of sulphate of zinc1 but not with the same effect2 for to that very property1 which may occasionally render saturnine lotions dangerous1 is their virtue to be attributed2 see ,liquor ,plumbi ,sub-acetatis4 ,,dose1 as an emetic from grs4 x4 to ss--as a tonic1 and astringent1 from grs4 j4 to ij4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,liquor3 ,alum3 comp3 ,l4 7,b7 ,solutio ,sulphatis ,zinci4 ,solutio ,acetatis ,zinci4 ,e4 7,i74 ,tinct3 ,acetatis ,zinci4 ,d4 7,i74 ,,adulterations4 ,the white vitriol of commerce ought never to be used in medicine without previous purification1 since it generally contains the sulphates of copper and iron4 ,,zingiberis ,,radix4 ,l4,e4,d4 7,zingiber ,officinale47 ,ginger4 ,,chemical ,,composition4 ,volatile oil1 fecula1 and resino-extractive matter2 on the first of these principles its well known flavour and odour depend2 but its pungency resides in the last4 ,,solubility4 ,water1 alcohol1 and ther1 extract its virtues4 ,,med4 ,,uses4 ,it is highly stimulant and is therefore frequently beneficial in flatulant cholic1 dyspepsia1 and gout2 it is however more generally employed as an adjunct to other remedies1 to promote their efficacy or to correct their operation1 7see ,form4 #ib1 #id1 #aab1 #aec17 and it is found1 that it does not produce the ill effects of those spices1 whose virtues reside in an acrid oil4 ,,dose1 of the powders grs4 x4 to j4 ,,officinal ,,prep4 ,syrup3 ,zingib3 ,l4,e4,d4 ,syrup3 ,rhamni3 ,l4 7,e7 ,tinct3 ,zingib3 ,l4,d4#gba ,tinct3 ,cinnamom3 comp3 ,l4 7,b47 ,acid4 ,sulphuric3 aromat3 ,e4 ,confectio ,opii4 ,l4 ,confectio ,scammon3 ,l4,d4 7,e7 ,infus4 ,senn4 co4 ,l4 7,e7 ,pulvis ,cinnamom3 comp3 ,l4,e4,d4 7,b7 ,pulv3 ,scammon3 comp3 ,l4,d4 7,e7 ,pulv4 ,senn4 comp3 ,l4 7,e7 ,pil3 ,aloes3 ,d4 ,pill3 ,scill comp3 ,l4,d4 ,vinum ,aloes4 ,l4,e4,d4 ,,adulterations4 ,the powder is rarely met with in any tolerable degree of purity3 there are two varieties of ginger in the market1 viz4 ,black1 produced by scalding the root1 and afterwards hastily drying it in the sun2 and the ,white1 being that which has been carefully washed1 scraped1 and gradually dried4 ,,finis4 ,,index4 ,a ,abortion1 prevented by suppositories of ,opium1 page #aig4 ,absolute and ,relative remedies1 meaning attached to the terms1 #fh4 ,absorbent medicines1 why they check diarrha1 #hb4 ,absorbent system1 specifically stimulated by ,mercury1 #if4 ,acetate of ,potass1 decomposed in transitu1 and its alkaline base developed1 #id4 ,acetification of ,milk by a thunder storm bears some analogy to the operation of depraved digestion1 #ef 7note47 ,acids1 ingenious explanation of their modus operandi1 as ,refrigerants1 #aac4 ----1 vegetable1 undergo decomposition in the digestive organs1 and are elaborated into chyle1 #id4 ----1 their effects in cases of ,narcotic poisoning1 #acf4 ,acrid1 or ,rubefacient poisons1 the classification of1 #abh4 ,acridness1 ,galen's notion respecting the origin of1 #ba4 ,adjuvans1 the1 in a medicinal formula1 #agh4 ,advice to the ultra chemist1 which it is hoped may not be lost1 #ee4 ,adulteration of medicines1 how extensively it is practised1 #fb4 ---- ---- ---- constitutes a regular branch of trade1 #fb4 ,arial poisons1 nature of1 #abg4 tius collected a multitude of nostrums1 #ai4 ,affinities usual of bodies1 suspended1 modified1 or subverted1 by the powers of digestion1 #ee4 ,afzelius1 ,dr4 describes a shrub of the natural family of ,contort which affords a curious exception to botanical affinities1 #da4 ,ague1 the celebrated ,dutch remedy for the1 #aff4 ,air1 its state in relation to moisture an important consideration in the cure of asthma1 #aje2 its power of conducting heat affected by moisture1 #ajf4 ,alcohol1 its poisonous effects upon a rabbit1 #aca4 ----1 whether absorbed into the circulation or not1 still remains a question1 #gg4 ----1 large doses of1 act directly sedative1 #gg4 ,ale1 the supposed lithonthryptic properties of1 #aba 7note47 ,alexander ,trallianus1 his prescription for a gout medicine1 #cb4 ---- ----1 his just notions on the subject of medicinal combination1 #fc4 ,alexandrian library1 the lamentable consequence of its destruction1 #de4 ---- ----1 burnt by the ,caliph ,omar1 the cotemporary and companion of ,mahomet1 #df 7note47 ,alexipharmics1 ,alexiterials1 ,counter-poisons1 or ,antidotes1 true meaning of the terms1 #abe4 ,alkali1 original signification of the term1 #ch4 ----1 ,volatile1 discovered by ,basil ,valentine1 #di4 ,alkalies1 distinction between the vegetable and mineral first established by ,avicenna1 #dh4 ----1 fixed1 formerly supposed to vary according to the plants from which they were produced1 #eb4 ----1 their agency as diuretics considered1 #if4 ----1 the great utility of in calculus1 often independent of their chemical agency1 #abc4 ,alkaline salts1 how conveyed to the kidneys1 #fh4 ,almond1 the wild parent of the peach1 #fa4 ,aloes1 the chemical and medicinal influence of ,alkalies upon1 #agh4 ----1 their insolubility determines their specific action upon the intestines1 #agb4 ,alotic preparations well calculated to correct the consequences of ,opium1 #afb4 ,alterative medicines lose their efficacy by acting violently as evacuants1 #afa4 ,alternation of similar remedies recommended by ,dr4 ,chapman1 #adi4 ,alvine evacuation suspends the process of intestinal absorption1 #id4 ,alum1 first used by ,van ,helmont in the cure of ,uterine hemorrhage1 #ej2 why advantageously combined with ,nutmeg1 #afa4 ,ambergris1 the odour of increased by ,musk1 #aee 7note47 ,ambiguity of ,nomenclature1 a fertile source of error1 #cf4 ,ammonia lends its volatility to certain bodies with which it is combined1 #aee 7note47 ,ammoniaco-magnesian phosphate1 how formed in the urine1 by the decomposition of that fluid1 #abb4 ,amulets1 the early origin of1 #i2 ,galen's testimony respecting1 #g4 ,amulets of ,arsenic used in the plague of ,london1 #bf2 their use prohibited by the ,emperor ,caracalla by a public edict1 #h4 ,amylum1 ,starch1 derivation of the word1 #ch 7note47 ,analogy1 a powerful instrument in the hands of the medical philosopher1 #f2 the numerous fallacies to which it is exposed1 #f4 ,an ,analytical inquiry into the more remarkable causes which have1 in different ages and countries1 operated in producing the revolutions that characterise the history of medicinal substances1 #c4 ,analysis of the objects of medicinal combination1 #adf4 ,analysis of vegetables by the ,french academicians2 its unsatisfactory nature1 #eb4 ,anasarca1 sometimes cured by diaphoretics1 #aja4 ,ancient charms1 frequently chaunted1 #g4 ,ancient empirics1 reason why their labours proved so barren1 #f4 ,andes1 a journey over them furnishes a good illustration of the effect of heat and cold upon the animal body1 #e4 ,antacids1 remarks upon the action of1 #aad2 under what circumstances they may be advantageously administered in conjunction with tonics1 #aff4 ,anthelmintics1 their modus operandi considered1 #ach4 ,anthemis ,nobilis1 essentially changed by cultivation1 #fj4 ,antidotes1 derivation and meaning of the term1 #abe4 ,antidotum ,mithridatium1 the history of1 #bh4 ,anti-hectic mixture of ,dr4 ,griffith1 the composition of the1 #he4 ,antilithics and ,lithonthryptics1 definition of1 #aae2 --belong to the class of vital as well as chemical agents1 #aae4 ,antimonial ,remedies1 the unjust prejudices against1 #ea2 proscribed by the ,supreme ,council of ,paris1 #ea4 ,antimony1 a case related by ,dr4 ,james1 wherein it occasioned salivation1 #ahh2 a conjecture respecting the origin of the term1 #dh4 ,antimony and ,opium accelerate the effects of ,mercury upon the system1 #aeb4 ,antimony1 experiments concerning1 by ,basil ,valentine1 #dh2 restored to public favour by a ,french decree1 #ea2 its sudorific powers increased by ,opium1 #aec4 ,antiseptics1 origin of remedies so called1 #ge4 ,antispasmodics1 how they differ from ,narcotics1 #gh2 must be considered as both absolute and relative agents1 #gh2 may be frequently combined with ,tonics1 or ,narcotics1 #afd4 ,antispasmodics1 definition of1 #gh4 1 by ,w4 ,heberden1 ,m4 ,d41 #ch 7note47 ,antionius ,musa cured ,augustus by the cold bath1 #cj4 ,apoplexy1 use of suppositories in producing counter-irritation in a paroxysm of1 #aig2 the supposed powers of ,sternutatories in preventing an attack of1 #aji4 ,apothecaries' ,hall1 the ingenious machinery at1 #eb 7note47 ,arabians1 the improvement of the ,materia ,medica greatly indebted to their zeal and industry1 #df4 ,archal remedies introduced by ,stahl1 #bb4 ,argonauts1 the golden fleece of the1 a chemical allegory1 #de2 one of them cured by the rust of iron1 #h4 ,aristides1 the unhappy dupe and victim of quackery1 #bj 7note47 ,arnoldus de ,villa ,nova invented ,tinctures1 #dh4 ,aromatics ,oriental1 introduced into practice by the ,arabians1 #df2 definition of the term1 #ha4 ,aromatic and ,tonic qualities often found in conjunction1 #ha4 ,aroma1 ,m4 ,robiquet's important experiments respecting1 #aee 7note47 ,arsenic1 and other corrosive poisons require very different antidotes1 #abi4 ,arsenic1 ,amulets of1 used in the plague of ,london1 #bg2 in its metallic state quite inactive1 #agj4 ,arsenic1 derivation of the term1 #cg4 ,art1 importance of discriminating its operations from those of ,nature1 #cd4 ----1 the processes of1 may be often improved by imitating those of ,nature1 #adf4 ,artichoke1 ,jerusalem1 origin and meaning of the term1 #ch4 ,ascarides1 cured by ,suppositories1 #aig4 ,asclepiades1 the1 a company of empirics1 #bj4 ,asclepiades used the ,trumpet in the cure of ,sciatica1 #h 7note47 ,ashes of a ,witch1 a superstitious remedy against ,witchcraft1 #bf 7note47 ,asia1 ,east ,indiaman1 its crew1 how cured of dropsy1 #ig4 ,assaftida1 its specific controul over spasm1 #gh2 the virtues of vary according to station and soil1 #eg4 ,assarum formerly confounded with the ,baccharis1 #ci4 ,assara-bacca1 origin of the term1 #ci4 ,astral influence1 the supposed powers of1 #aj4 ,astringents must be considered as relative agents1 #hb2 definition of the term1 #ha2 a combination of with ,tonics1 frequently indicated in passive hemorrhage1 #afe2 they act through the sympathetic medium of the prim vi1 #hb2 for what purpose they should be combined with narcotics and absorbents1 #afe2 when they should be conjoined with diaphoretics1 #afe4 ,astringent poisons1 #abh4 ,astringency1 no chemical test exists for1 #ha4 ,astruc1 his practice of premising a course of ,mercury with venesection1 #aee 7note47 ,athenian ,poison1 doubts respecting its nature1 #cg4 ,attenuant medicines1 how supposed to act1 #bc4 ,avicenna1 the first person who describes the process of distillation1 #dg4 ,avicenna's alarm at the internal use of iron1 #bd4 ,augustus restored to health by the cold bath1 #ca4 ,azote1 contained in alimentary substances1 and supposed by ,majendie to give origin to the ,lithic acid1 #aag4 ,b ,bacon1 ,roger1 the father of chemistry in ,england1 #dh4 ,bacon1 ,lord1 believed in the power of charms and amulets1 #ac2 his opinion concerning mythological fables1 #dd4 ,bagdat1 its connection with ,india facilitated the introduction of oriental aromatics into medicine1 #df4 ,baker1 ,sir ,george1 the remarks of respecting the combinations of ,bark with other medicines1 #aff4 ,baldwin1 ,dr4 found the wild parent of the potatoe plant at ,monte ,video1 #hj 7note47 ,bark1 its virtues discovered by accident1 but confirmed by reason1 #h2 the original meaning of the term1 #cg2 its adulteration mentioned by ,sydenham1 #fa2 its combination with ,rhubarb recommended by ,dr4 ,mead1 #afe2 its combination with ,muriate of ,ammonia recommended by ,boerhaave1 #afe4 ,bark and ,steel1 not equivalent tonics as some have considered1 #aea4 ---- ,peruvian1 a new alkaline body detected in it1 and called ,cinchonia1 #agb4 ,barry's extracts made in vacuo2 his discovery of ,phosphoric acid in a variety of cultivated vegetables1 #aah 7note47 ,baryta1 its modus operandi as a poison considered1 #acf4 ,base1 meaning of the epithet as applied to metals1 #df4 ,base of vegetable salts eliminated by the digestive process1 #ig4 ,basil ,valentine1 the father of metallic medicine1 #dh4 8,basilica ,medica10 ,calomel first mentioned in1 #ea4 ,basis of a medicinal formula1 its object1 #agh2 its efficacy increased by uniting it with some medicine which may render the system susceptible of its action1 #aeb2 the action of1 promoted by combination1 #adf4 ,bath1 hot and cold1 mechanical notions respecting their operation and effects1 #bb4 ,bathing wisely considered as an act of religion1 #ah4 ,bath1 the use of the1 prohibited by certain ,priestesses in ,greece1 #ca 7note47 ,beer how preserved by hops1 #afg4 ,beguin describes ,calomel under the name of ,draco ,mitigatus1 in his 8,tirocinium ,chemicum10 #ea4 ,belladonna1 its sympathetic influence upon the ,iris1 by contact with the cornea1 #fi4 ,benediction bestowed on those who sneeze1 the supposed origin of the1 #aji4 ,berkley's 8,siris0 happily ridiculed by ,reeve1 #bg 7note74 ,berries of ,juniper1 unless bruised1 will not yield their virtues to any menstruum1 #ahd4 ,berthollet's important law of affinity highly useful to the physician1 #ahb4 ,besnier expelled the faculty of medicine1 for having administered ,antimony1 #ea4 ,bezoar1 often administered in conjunction with active remedies1 and has thus acquired unjust credit1 #fc2 derivation of the term1 #fc 7note74 ,bezoardics1 a name given to a certain tribe of medicinal substances1 #fc 7note74 ,bi-chloride of ,mercury1 the new name for corrosive sublimate1 #dj4 ,bile1 the1 undergoes decomposition in certain states of disease1 #aab 7note74 ,bischoff introduces ,gelatin1 as a remedy1 into ,germany1 #ef 7note74 ,bitter extractive1 its necessity as an alimentary stimulant in an inverse ratio with the nutritive power of the ingesta1 #gi2 important use of to man1 #gi2 passes through the alimentary canal without undergoing any change1 #hj2 essential to the digestive powers of herbivorous quadrupeds1 #gi4 ---- ,principles1 how supposed to enter the circulation1 #fh4 ,bitterness in plants1 what it indicates1 #db4 ----1 ,galen's notion respecting the cause of1 #ba2 does not exclusively reside in any peculiar principle1 #gi 7note74 8,black ,drop10 an unscientific attempt to imitate it attended with explosion61 #aha4 ,black ,wash1 upon what its efficacy depends1 #aga4 ,blackall1 ,dr4 his important remarks on ,diuretics1 #aej2 his valuable work on dropsy1 #if4 ,blair1 ,dr4 opinion of1 concerning the botanical knowledge of the ,ancients1 #da 7note74 ,blane1 ,sir ,gilbert1 his definition of the term 8,sympathy10 #fh 7note72 his attempt to explain the sialogogue powers of ,mercury1 #ajh2 his ingenious hypothesis respecting the ftid breath of salivated persons1 #aeb1 7note72 his remarks on medicinal activity1 #fg4 8,blistering ,point0 of ,dr4 ,rush1 #aaj4 ,blisters first proposed by ,archigenes and ,aretus1 #df4 ,blisters1 the primary and secondary effects of considered1 #aaj2 cure inflammation1 through the influence of 8contiguous sympathy10 #aaj4 ,blood ,stone1 or ,heliotrope1 its supposed powers1 #bf4 ,blood1 viscidity of the1 a supposed cause of disease1 #bb2 the red globules of1 formerly supposed to depend upon iron1 #bc4 ---- of a ,gladiator1 an ancient remedy in ,epilepsy1 #af4 ---- of the ,goat1 curious conceit respecting1 #dg 7note74 ,blood-vessels divided1 substances enter1 #gj4 ,bodies undergo decompositions in the stomach1 independent of their ordinary affinities1 #ee4 ,boerhaave1 a passage in1 recommended to the attention of ,professor ,brande1 #eg2 ,boerhaave1 ,kaw1 treatment of epileptics in the poor-house at ,haerlem1 #af4 ,boorde1 ,dr4 ,andrew1 the origin of ,merry ,andrews1 #cc 7note74 ,boracic acid1 increases the purgative powers of ,cream of ,tartar1 and why1 #agc4 ,botanical science1 its progress and uses1 #da2 its importance in reforming our nomenclature1 #ci4 ,boyle recommends as a powerful remedy the thigh bone of an executed criminal1 #ac4 ,bracing and ,relaxing1 import of the terms1 as applied to medicines1 #bb4 ,brain1 odour of alcohol recognised in the1 #gg2 its influence not directly necessary to the action of the heart1 #aca4 ,brande1 ,mr4 ,professor1 his attack upon the ,english ,universities answered1 #ec2 his opinion respecting the red globules of the blood confirmed by ,vauquelin1 #bc 7note74 ----1 ,mr4 ,e4 his case of obstruction from the habitual use of magnesia1 #ic2 his account of an unscientific combination having produced mischief1 #aha4 ,bread1 crumb of1 its value as a vehicle for pills1 #aie4 ,breda1 celebrated siege of1 epidemic during1 cured by inspiring confidence1 #af4 ,bride-cake1 origin of the custom of1 #adh4 ,bree1 ,dr4 his practice of combining ,diaphoretics and ,tonics1 #afd4 ,brodie1 ,mr4 his enlightened views respecting the operation of poisons1 #aca4 ,brown1 ,dr4 ,john1 his system noticed1 #bd4 ,brown ,bread acts mechanically1 and promotes the peristaltic motions of the prim vi1 #hi4 ,buffon1 his opinion concerning the origin of wheat1 #fj4 ,c ,cabbage1 the cultivated offspring of the ,colewort1 #fa4 ,cabinet of ,materia ,medica in possession of the ,college of ,physicians1 #c 7note74 ,cactus ,opuntia1 or ,indian fig1 reddens the urine1 #fh 7note74 ,csalpinus1 the father of botanical system1 #da 7note74 ,caloric1 latent state of1 symbolically represented by ,vulcan1 #de2 free1 symbolically represented by ,vesta1 #de4 ,calomel1 speculations respecting the origin of the term1 #dj 7note74 ---- and ,antimony are mutually changed by combination with each other1 #afi4 ,culpepper1 ,turner1 and ,lovel1 the three ,astrological herbarists of the seventeenth century1 #ac4 ,camboge1 why liable to affect the stomach1 #agb4 ,cambridge1 its discipline vindicated against the aspersions of ,professor ,brande1 #ec4 ,camphor1 of ,arabian origin1 #df2 propriety of administering it in a state of minute division1 #aij 7note74 ,caracalla issues an edict against the use of amulets1 #h4 ,carbonic acid gas1 its effects in increasing the powers of cathartic medicines experienced1 #aee4 ,cardinal de ,lugo1 a ,spanish ,jesuit1 intercedes with the ,pope1 and obtains his countenance and support for the ,peruvian bark1 #ca4 ,carlisle1 ,sir ,anthony1 detects gin in the brain1 #gg4 ,castalian ,fountain1 its prophetic nature considered1 #ae4 ,castille1 ,john1 ,king of1 poisoned by medicated boots1 #acj 7note74 ,castor ,oil1 origin of the name1 #ci4 ,catamenia1 the suppression of1 may depend upon very different causes1 and require very different remedies1 #ia4 ,cataplasmata ,poultices1 calculated to fulfil several indications1 as ,stimulants--,antiseptics--,sedatives--, refrigerants--,emollients1 #bje4 ,catharsis suspends the process of alimentary absorption1 #ij4 ,cathartic medicines1 observations respecting their abuse1 #ia4 ,carthartics1 definition of1 #hh4 --,classed under two divisions1 viz4 ,laxatives and ,purgatives1 #hh4 ,cato1 the ,censor1 his incantation for the reduction of a dislocated limb1 #ag4 ,cattle ruminate less in wet seasons1 and why1 #eh4 ,cayenne pepper and opium used by the ,french as a restorative1 #gg 7note74 ,celery1 its origin from the ,apium graveoleus1 #fa4 ,cerussa1 less active than the precipitate produced by the decomposition of the sub-acetate of lead1 #aga4 ,chaldeans and ,babylonians exposed their sick in the markets1 in order that they might obtain the advice of travellers1 #h4 ,chamomile1 flowers of1 changed by cultivation1 #da4 ,chapman1 ,dr4 his assertion respecting the operation of ,kino and ,columba refuted1 #afi2 his opinion respecting ,combination confirmed1 #adi4 ,charms for stopping a hemorrhage1 #ag4 ,cheltenham water a natural combination of an instructive character1 #afd4 ,chemists1 the manufacturing1 errors daily committed by1 #aee2 --the sect of1 and their false theories1 #bc4 ,chemistry1 importance of1 in reforming medical nomenclature1 #ci2 --not alluded to in the medical writers of ,greece or ,rome1 #de4 ,chemical ,nomenclature1 the fallacies of1 #dj2 ,chemical ,science1 the antiquity of1 examined1 #dd2 the application and misapplication of1 considered1 #dd2 ,chemical action1 the advantages obtained by it in the formation of new remedies1 #aga2 ,chemical doctrines1 influence of1 upon the popularity of certain remedies1 #gd2 ,chemical ,remedies1 reflections concerning their operation upon living bodies1 #aab2 ,chemical hypothesis to explain the operation of iron as a tonic1 #bc4 ,cherry-brandy1 remarks upon the supposed efficacy of1 #fc 7note74 ,chifletius1 the phillippic of1 against the bark1 #ca4 ,chinese ,mandarin1 his absurd treatment by twelve physicians1 #agh4 ,chorea and ,hysteria cured by purgatives1 #ij4 ,cicuta1 the term not indicative of any particular plant in ancient authors1 #cg4 ,circulation1 how influenced by nausea1 #hf2 --through what avenues foreign substances enter it1 #fh4 ,citois attributes the epidemic of ,poitou to the appearance of a new ,star1 #aj 7note74 ,citrate of ,potass acts upon the urinary organs like an uncombined alkali1 #id4 ,clarified ,glue1 substituted for bark in the cure of fevers61 #ef4 ,clarke1 ,dr4 his gas blow-pipe1 #ed 7note74 ,classification of medicinal bodies1 #gb2 --extreme difficulty of the subject1 and why1 #gj4 ,climate1 the influence of upon medicinal plants1 #eg4 ,cloves1 their qualities entirely changed by vegetable developement1 #fb4 ,clysters1 ,enemata1 calculated to fulfil several important indications1 #bjj4 8,codex ,medicamentarius ,parisiensis10 #bg2 remarks on the extravagant nomenclature which it exhibits1 #dj4 ,colchester ,oysters of a green colour1 and why1 #dd4 ,colchicum1 a caution respecting its panegyric1 #ba2 its vinous infusion acts more violently when acid is present1 #afb2 its virtues changed during the progress of its growth1 #fb2 its bitter principle separated by the assimilative functions1 and transmitted to the kidneys1 #fh4 ,cold ,water1 a general application to gun-shot wounds1 #ae4 ,cold1 the external application of1 proves diaphoretic1 and why1 #ii4 ,colewort1 the parent of the cabbage tribe1 #fa4 ,college of ,physicians of ,london1 their first ,pharmacopia1 #eb 7note74 ,colocynth1 remarks respecting the solubility of1 #agb2 the drastic properties of1 mitigated by camphor1 #afa4 ,colour of ,flowers1 how modified by cold1 #eh4 ,colour1 taste1 and smell of plants1 indicate their virtues1 #db2 indications of1 erroneously appreciated by ,linnus1 #db4 ,columella1 his statement respecting the deleterious properties of the peach1 #fa4 ,collyrium of ,danaus1 #ai4 ,combination of medicines1 a fatal source of medical fallacy1 #fb4 ,combinations of ,nature afford instructions for the arrangements of ,art1 #ade4 ,compound medicines1 divisible into two classes1 #ahj4 ,concentration may diminish1 instead of increase1 the powers of a medicinal substance1 #agb4 ,consecutive ,phnomena in cases of poisoning are always to be attended to1 #acg4 ,constituens the1 in a medicinal formula1 what1 #agi4 ,contagion1 the matter of1 modified in activity by the degree of moisture in the atmosphere1 #bge 7note74 ,controversy between the ,galenical and ,chemical sects1 #ea4 ,conticiri introduces gelatin1 as a remedy into ,italy1 #ef 7note74 ,contiguous ,sympathy of ,hunter explained1 #fi4 ,contra ,indication1 a momentous error in the ,art of ,prescribing1 #aff4 ,cooke1 ,dr4 his observation on the absorption of alcohol1 #gg4 ,copaiba1 ,balsam of1 an improper constituent for pill-masses1 and why1 #aid4 ,coral1 remarks on the superstitious use of1 as an amulet1 #ac 7note74 ,cordus1 ,valerius1 first composed a ,pharmacopia1 #eb 7note74 ,correcting the operation of a medicine1 an object of scientific combination1 #aaj4 ,corrigens the1 in a medicinal formula1 what1 #agh4 ,corrosive ,sublimate1 the manner in which it destroys life considered1 #abi2 the acrid action of1 mitigated by mucilaginous drinks1 #afa2 observations upon the term1 #dj4 ,corrosive or ,escharotic poisons1 the enumeration of1 #abi4 8,contori10 the natural family of1 medicinal remarks upon the1 #da4 ,coventry1 the member for1 his exceptionable conduct1 #cc 7note74 ,coughs1 humid of old ,persons1 cured by sulphate of zinc myrrh1 #afe2 aggravated by the transition from frost to thaw1 #ajf4 8,counterblaste to ,tobacco10 by ,king ,james the first1 #bi 7note74 ,crab1 the wild parent of the golden pippin1 #fa4 ,cream of ,tartar1 rendered more purgative by ,boracic ,acid1 and why1 #agc2 how it derives a characteristic action from its insolubility1 #agc2 its origin in the fermented juice of the grape accounted for1 #ahc 7note72 proposed by ,mr4 ,brande as a remedy for calculus1 and objected to by the author1 #abc4 ,credulity1 definition of1 #ai2 more mischievous than superstition1 #ai4 ,crichton1 ,sir ,alexander1 his observations upon simplicity of ,prescription1 #fd2 his experience in the utility of ,tar fumigation1 #bjb4 ,crollius1 his work on ,signatures referred to1 #bf4 ,cromwell1 ,oliver1 fell a victim to an intermittent1 through the timidity of his physician1 #bd4 ,cruciform ,plants1 their medicinal characters1 #da2 degenerate within the tropics1 #eh4 ,crucible1 derivation of the term1 #ab 7note74 ,cullen's classification of the ,materia ,medica1 #gb2 founded on an hypothetical basis1 #gd2 --his theory of the operation of narcotics1 #gf4 ,culture1 the influence of upon medicinal plants1 #eg4 ,cuman ,sibyll1 supposed by ,darwin to have taken the juice of the ,cherry-laurel1 #d4 ,cure1 by sympathy1 attended to by the poets1 #ad4 ,currie1 ,dr4 his judicious advice respecting the period at which opium should be administered in fevers1 #ahg4 8,currus ,triumphalis ,antimonii10 by ,basil ,valentine1 #dh4 ,cutaneous discharge materially modified by the state of the atmosphere1 #ih 7note74 ,cytisus ,laburnum1 the seeds of1 violently emetic1 #da4 ,d ,darwin1 ,dr4 his interpretation of the fable of ,proserpine1 #dd4 ,datura1 gloomy aspect of1 indicates its poisonous nature1 #db2 ,davy1 ,sir ,h4 his experiments have shewn that vegetable astringents pass unchanged through the body1 #hb1 #ahb2 his researches into the nutritive value of grass1 #gi2 his opinion concerning the allegorical interpretation of the ,arabian ,nights' ,entertainment1 #dg4 ,davy1 ,dr4 ,john1 undertakes a series of experiments with ,kino and ,calumba1 at the request of the author1 #afi2 his experiments on the specific gravity of the blood after venesection1 #adj4 ,debility1 the result of a change in the tension of the fibres of the body1 #gh4 ,decoction frequently destroys the efficacy of medicinal bodies1 #ahd4 ,delivery expedited by nauseous medicines1 #af 7note74 ,demulcents1 their supposed mode of operation1 #aci4 ,deposites mechanical1 from the urine1 divisible into three classes1 #aac4 ,derry-down1 ,druidical origin of the chorus of1 #ac4 ,design of the ,pharmacologia1 #c4 ,developement of active elements one of the objects of ,pharmaceutic chemistry1 #aga4 ,devotion to authority1 the mischievous tendency of1 #bg4 ,diaphoretics1 definition of1 #ih2 a new classification of proposed1 #ii2 when combined with tonics offer resources in continued fever1 #afd2 may cure dropsy1 #aja4 ,diaphoresis1 frequently follows nausea1 #hf4 ,diarrha checked by remedies of a different nature1 #hb4 ,dictator1 his election and duties1 during a pestilence in ,rome1 #af4 ,diest's absurd preparation of opium1 #bh4 ,diet and ,habits1 the importance of changing them in disease considered1 #aeg2 important practical remarks upon1 #aeh4 ,diet ,vegetable1 the supposed refrigerating effect of1 explained1 #aac4 ,diffusible and permanent stimulants1 #ge4 ,digby1 ,sir ,kenelm1 the 8,sympathetic ,powder0 of1 #ad4 ,digestion1 sometimes quickened by the operation of an emetic1 #hf2 how materially it is affected by mental disturbance1 #aeh2 imperfect1 diseases arising from1 how treated by the author1 #aei4 ,digestive ,functions1 their influence upon certain remedies1 #fh4 ,digitalis and ,potass1 although not similar as diuretics1 are compatible with each other1 #afc4 ,digitalis1 ,dr4 ,withering's observation respecting its accumulation in the system #ahh2 its utility exaggerated1 #ba2 why it acts as a sorbefacient1 #if4 ,digitalis and ,mercury1 dissimilar as diuretics1 #aej4 ,digitalis and ,verbascum1 although medicinally opposed to each other1 belong to the same natural family1 #da4 ,diluents1 their extensive use in the cure of disease1 #aci4 ,dionysius of ,mytilene1 his explanation of the ,golden ,fleece of the ,argonauts1 #de4 ,dioscorides1 many of his plants not to be recognised in the present day1 #cf2 --the ,commentary of ,mathiolus upon1 passed through seventeen editions61 #cf 7note74 ,dirigens of ancient authors1 #agi 7note74 ,discoveries in ,materia ,medica1 rarely more than the revival of ancient practices1 #ca4 ,disease1 its type and character altered by climate and season1 #eg4 ,dispensatories of ,london and ,edinburgh1 their merits1 #eb 7note74 ,dispensatory of ,wecker contains several preparations in which the magnet is an ingredient1 #bd 7note74 ,distention1 the stimulus of1 increases the efficacy of emetics1 #aee4 ,distillation1 the operation of not noticed by ,hippocrates or ,galen1 #de4 ,division1 the mechanical state of1 modifies the operation of medicinal bodies1 #agd4 ,diuretics1 new views respecting their modus operandi1 #ib2 definition of1 #ib2 how to be managed with respect to dilution1 #age2 ,tabular arrangement of1 #ib4 ,diuresis occasioned by diminishing arterial action1 #if4 ,dose of a powder1 rules respecting the1 #ahi4 ,doses of medicines are specific with respect to each substance1 #ahd2 in ,italy1 #ei4 ,doses1 when excessive1 rather produce a local than a general effect1 #ahe4 ,draco ,mitigatus1 calomel described under this name1 by ,beguin in #afjh1 #ea4 ,draughts1 how they differ from mixtures1 #aii2 when to be preferred1 #aii4 ,dropsy1 a case of cured by well fermented bread1 #ig2 may be occasionally cured by venesection1 #if2 ,dr4 ,blackall's ingenious work on1 #aej4 ,duhamel's cases of dropsy cured by sweating1 #aja 7note74 ,drummond1 ,sir ,william1 his opinions concerning certain allegories1 #dd4 ,dryden's allusion to cures by sympathy1 #ad4 8,dry vomit of ,marriott10 of what it consisted1 #acd 7note74 ,dubois1 ,mr4 his report of the progress of vaccination in the east1 #ae4 ,dugald ,stewart's remark respecting scepticism1 #ba4 ,dunning1 the celebrated barrister1 how affected by a blister1 #aaj 7note74 ,dyspepsia of sedentary person1 how cured by the author1 #aei4 ,e ,early origin of ,amulets1 #g4 ---- history of the ,materia ,medica involved in fable1 #g4 ,ear-rings1 buried by ,jacob1 were ,amulets1 #g4 ,ear1 the bitter secretion of the1 protects it from insects1 #ach 7note74 ,earth of ,lemnos1 only dug on a particular day1 #ab4 8,eaton's ,styptic10 of what composed1 #hc 7note74 8,eau ,medicinale10 the active ingredient of1 known to the ancients1 #cb4 ,eberle1 ,dr4 of ,philadelphia1 how he accounts for the fact of ,nauseants expediting mercurial salivation1 #aef 7note72 his theory objected to1 7ibid474 ,echo1 beautifully allegorized as the daughter of air and earth1 #dd 7note74 ,edward the ,confessor1 first touched for the evil1 #af 7note74 ,effervescence1 a caution respecting the administration of a remedy in the state of1 worthy attention1 #agg4 ,efficacy of ,hemlock1 exaggerated by ,sterck1 #ba4 ,egypt1 the ancient physicians of1 obliged to prescribe according to a fixed code1 #ahj4 8,elatin10 a new vegetable principle discovered by the author1 #ch4 ,elaterium forms with soap an active suppository1 #aig2 value of as a hydragogue1 #ig2 contains two principles of activity1 #aec2 meaning of the term according to ,hippocrates1 #ch4 ,electricity1 lately employed as a ,lithonthryptic1 #abd4 ,electuaria1 electuaries1 definition of1 #aih2 general rules to be observed in selecting and prescribing this form of medicine1 #aih4 8,electuarium ,opiatum ,polupharmacum0 of the ,codex ,parisien1 #bg2 ,electuary of the ,queen of ,colein1 #dg 7note74 ,elixir universal1 a belief in its efficacy entertained by ,roger ,bacon1 #dh4 ,emetics1 various uses of1 in the cure of disease1 #hf2 the activity of1 why occasionally increased by ,narcotics1 #aeb2 quickened in their action by venesection1 #aef2 in what cases they may prove dangerous1 #hg2 definition of1 #hc2 practical precaution respecting1 #he4 8,emetin10 a new principle developed from ,ipecacuan1 #agb4 ,emmenagogues1 definition of1 #ia2 can only be relative agents1 #ia4 ,emollients1 definition of1 #ada4 ,empirics1 ancient sect of1 their labours barren1 and why1 #f4 ,emplastrum ,nigrum of ,augsburg1 #bd 7note74 ,emplastra1 plasters1 great importance of in the cure of local as well constitutional affections1 #bjg4 ,emplastrum ,divinum ,nicolai1 #bd 7note74 ,enemata1 ,clysters1 calculated to fulfil five great indications1 #bjj4 ,england falsely called the ,paradise of ,quacks1 #ai4 ,english hops1 why superior to those of foreign growth as preservatives of beer1 #afh 7note74 ,epidemics1 arrested in their progress by moral impressions1 #af4 ,epispastics1 the definition of1 #aji2 the modus operandi of1 considered1 #aaj2 see ,blisters1 #aaj4 ,erasistratus protests against medicinal combination1 #fc4 ,errhines1 or ,sternutatories1 definition and use of1 #ajh2 ,dr4 ,cullen's testimony respecting their value1 #aji4 ,errors1 chemical and pharmaceutical1 which may be committed in writing prescriptions1 #ahj4 ,erythric acid1 how obtained from ,lithic acid1 #aag4 ,escharotics1 definition of1 #acg2 the operation of is generally chemical1 #ach4 ,essences of ,dioscorides and ,galen1 were simple extracts1 #de4 ,essential oils1 certain of them enter the circulation1 #fh4 ,esculapius1 ,temple of1 remedies first recorded there1 #h4 ,ether instantly relieves vertigo1 and why1 #fi2 the production of from ,alcohol first noticed by ,basil ,valentine1 #di4 ,evacuants1 why classed as local stimulants1 #hc4 ,euphrasia1 or eye-bright1 its supposed virtues derived from the doctrine of signatures1 #be1 #bg 7note74 ,excrements of insects1 a popular remedy in ,italy1 #aa4 ,exhalation from the lungs1 modified by certain medicines1 #ajb4 ,expectorants1 definition of1 #aja2 a new classification of proposed1 #ajb2 under what circumstances they may be usefully associated with stimulants1 #aff4 ,experience1 false application of the term1 #f4 ,experiments with different medicines on inferior animals1 the great importance of #fi4 7note74 ,experiment and ,observation1 ,professor ,leslie's definition of1 #d 7note74 ,experimental mode of investigation allegorized in the fable of ,proteus1 #de4 ,extemporaneous ,formul1 the nature and necessity of1 #ahj4 ,external remedies1 divisible into two classes1 #bjc2 how they act on the constitution1 #bjd4 ,extract of ,logwood1 why not to be administered in the form of pill1 #aif 7note74 ,extract1 meaning of the term1 #ch4 ,eye-lids1 ancient custom of astringing the1 #di4 ,eye of ,typhon1 the ancient name of ,squill1 #i4 ,f ,fables of ,antiquity1 supposed meaning of the1 #dd4 ,factitious ,bezoars1 #fc 7note74 ,fallacies to which medicinal experiments are liable1 #f4 ,fashion gives names to diseases1 and reputation to remedies1 #cc4 ,fear1 the agency of1 in increasing the effects of absorption illustrated1 #aef4 8,febrifugi ,peruviani ,vindici10 by ,sturmius1 #bd 7note74 ,fecula1 original meaning of the term1 #ch4 ,fibres1 a due tension of essential to life1 #gh4 ,fleece1 the ,golden1 a chemical allegory1 #de4 ,flesh1 human1 in epilepsy1 #af4 ,flooding1 after child-birth1 how to be treated1 #hc4 ,florentine ,quack1 illustrative story of the1 #cd 7note74 ,flowers1 the strong scent of1 affect pregnant women1 #eh 7note72 the perfume of1 why most sensible in the evening1 #age 7note74 ,fluids of the body1 few medicines act upon the1 #gd4 ,food1 green colour of1 disgusting to some1 #dc4 ,fordyce1 ,dr4 his valuable paper on the combination of medicines1 #fd2 his combination of ,camboge and ,aloes1 #agc2 his important views respecting the vital energies of the stomach1 #aab 7note74 ,form of a remedy1 how to impart a convenient1 agreeable1 and efficacious one1 #agh4 ,formula1 a scientific one may contain two corrigents1 #afb4 ---- ,medicinal1 consists of four parts1 #agh4 ,formul1 in illustration of the subject of ,medicinal ,combination1 #bji4 ,fourcroy1 the theory of1 respecting aroma1 #aee 7note72 his mechanical explanation of the operation of ,mercury1 #bb4 ,fox's ,lungs1 a specific for ,asthma1 and why1 #be4 ,fritze1 ,professor1 his remarks on the effects of a diet of mucilage1 #hj4 ,g ,galbanum1 its specific control over spasm1 #gh4 ,galen's celebrated hypothesis respecting the virtues of medicines1 #ba4 ,gallic acid strikes a black colour with the salts of iron1 #hb4 ,gar fish1 or sea needle1 not poisonous1 #dc4 ,garlic1 its modus operandi as an expectorant considered1 #ajb4 ,gascoigne's powder and ball1 #fc 7note74 ,gastric chemistry1 its singular powers illustrated1 #ef2 its laws very imperfectly understood1 #ahb4 ,gaubius1 his observation respecting the influence of pulverization upon the specific effects of a plant1 #aia4 ,gay-,lussac's opinion respecting the composition of ,tartar ,emetic1 #dj4 ,geber1 the earliest alchemist on record1 #dg4 ,gelatin1 substituted for ,peruvian bark1 in the cure of fevers1 #ef4 ,general ,stimulants1 what classes are comprehended under the head of1 #gf4 ,gerard1 his remarks on the ,potatoe1 #ch 7note74 ,gibberish1 origin and meaning of the term1 #dg4 ,gin1 odour of1 detected in the brain1 #gg4 ,gin drinkers liable to become fat1 #ada4 ,gingerbread why less disposed to mouldiness than plain bread1 #agg 7note74 ,gladiator1 the warm blood of1 in ,epilepsy1 #af4 ,glauber recommends ,muriatic ,acid in sea scurvy1 #cc2 his apparatus for distilling acids1 #cc4 ,globules red1 of the blood1 a distinct animal principle1 #bc 7note74 ,glue1 clarified1 why substituted for ,peruvian bark in the cure of fevers1 #ef4 ,gluten1 its proportion in wheat varies in different climates1 #eh4 ,goat1 the blood of1 conceit respecting its lithonthryptic virtues explained1 #dg 7note74 ,golden ,fleece of the ,argonauts1 a chemical allegory1 #de4 ,governing ,power of the stomach1 meaning of the term as employed by ,dr4 ,fordyce1 #aab4 ,gout1 ,portland powder for the1 #cb 7note74 ,grafting1 extraordinary changes produced by1 #fj4 ,grasses1 coarse texture of in moist situations a wise provision1 #hi4 ,greatracks1 ,valentine1 wonderful cures of1 #ag4 ,greek ,physicians1 their complicated prescriptions1 #fc4 ,griffith's mixture1 the supposed unchemical nature of1 refuted1 #ee4 ,guaiacum1 how it acts in exciting diaphoresis1 #ajj2 loses its anti-arthritic virtues by purging1 #afa4 ,gum1 indigestible nature of considered1 #hj4 ,h ,haerlem1 ,boerhaave's treatment of the epileptics in the poor-house at1 #af4 ,halford1 ,sir ,henry1 his practice of combining ,henbane and ,colocynth judicious1 #afa4 ,halitus1 or watery vapours1 their uses1 #bjc4 ,halliday1 ,dr4 of ,moscow1 his letters to the author on the subject of the ,eau ,medicinale1 #ei4 ,hamilton1 ,dr4 his valuable remarks on purgatives1 #ij2 his observations respecting the time of the day at which purgatives should be administered in fevers1 #ahg4 ,harmattan1 a wind characterised by excessive dryness1 opposes the propagation of epidemics1 #age 7note74 ,harrison1 ,dr4 his attempt to emulate the effects of ,bark1 by medicinal combination1 #afg2 ,dr4 ,richard1 his modification of ,majendie's theory with regard to the act of vomiting1 #hd2 his communications to the author respecting the influence of climate upon the efficacy of medicines1 #ei4 ,healing by the first intention1 practice of suggested by superstition1 #ae4 ,heat destroys the virtues of many vegetables1 #aia 7note72 its stimulus acts as a diaphoretic1 #ii4 ,heat1 cold1 moisture1 and dryness1 ,galen's notion respecting1 #ba4 ,hellebore used as a purge by ,melampus1 #h4 ,heliotrope or blood-stone1 its supposed powers1 #bf4 ,helvetius's ,styptic1 of what composed1 #hc 7note72 introduces ,ipecacuan into practice1 #bh4 ,hemlock1 doubtful whether the modern plant of that name is the one used at the ,athenian executions1 #cg2 its powers exaggerated by ,sterck1 #ba4 ,hemorrhage1 why sometimes stopped by a nauseating medicine1 #fi2 great skill required in the treatment of1 #hc4 ,henbane1 a remedy for nephritic irritation1 #aff4 ,henry ,,iv1 poisoned by medicated gloves1 #abe4 ,herbage1 less nutritive in cold and wet seasons1 #eh4 ,herba ,britannica of ,dioscorides and ,pliny1 unknown1 #cg4 ,herbena1 herbs employed in the rites of sacrifice1 #cg4 ,herbivorous quadrupeds1 on the necessity of bitter to1 #gi4 ,hermodactyllus1 supposed to be a species of colchicum1 #cb4 ,hindoo 8ordeal of rice10 physiologically reasonable1 #aeg 7note74 ,hippocrates1 his opinion respecting the benefit to be derived from emetics1 #hf2 advice to his son ,thessalus1 #aj 7note74 ,historical ,introduction1 #c4 ,hoffman1 his advice to suspend the administration of remedies during a protracted disease1 #aej4 ,homer's ,allegory accounts for the plague of the ,grecian camp1 #dd 7note47 ,honey of ,cane1 the ,arabian title for sugar1 #df4 ,honey1 superstitious opinions respecting1 #aa4 ,hop1 upon what its superiority as an ingredient in malt liquors depends1 #afg2 the ,english1 why superior1 as a preservative of beer1 to that of foreign growth1 #afh 7note74 ,horncastle dispensary1 ague cured in the1 by a combination of bitter and astringent roots1 #afg4 ,horse-flesh1 a remedy in epilepsy1 #af4 ,horse the1 when debilitated1 is easily destroyed by ,opium1 #fi 7note72 very easily affected by diuretics1 and why1 #ie4 ,hortus ,gramineus ,woburnensis1 experiments of ,mr4 ,sinclair recorded in the1 #gi4 ,human flesh a remedy in epilepsy1 #af4 ,humoral ,asthma1 the pathology of examined1 #ajd4 ---- ,pathology1 its influence upon medical opinions1 #gd4 ,hunter1 ,dr4 his remarks on the vital powers of the stomach1 #ef4 ,hutchison1 ,mr4 ,copland1 his opinion concerning the comparative rarity of ,calculus amongst seamen1 #aba4 ,huxham1 the complexity of his prescriptions1 #fd4 ,hydragogues1 ,cholagogues1 c4 opinion respecting1 #ij4 ---- modus operandi explained1 #ij4 ,hydromancy1 its incidental utility1 #ae4 ,hydrophobia1 the hairs of the rabid animal formerly supposed to be an antidote to1 #bf4 ,hypnotics1 synonymous with ,soporifics and ,narcotics1 #gf4 ,hyoscyamus1 gloomy aspect of1 indicative of its poisonous qualities1 #db4 ,i ,iatropa ,manihot1 its leaves esculent1 its root poisonous1 #db4 ,identity of bodies formerly considered different1 established by ,chemistry1 #eb4 ,idiosyncrasies1 several remarkable instances of related1 #ahh4 ,incantation1 origin of the term1 #g 7note74 ,inhalations1 an important class of remedies1 #bjb4 ,indian fig1 when eaten renders the urine of a bloody colour1 #fh 7note74 ,indians1 ,american1 their expedient to retard the solution of tobacco1 #agf4 ,ink1 its mouldiness prevented by cloves1 #agg 7note74 ,inoculation in ,india1 ,turkey1 and ,wales1 first practised from a superstitious belief1 #ae4 ,insects destroyed by vegetable bitters1 #ahh 7note74 ,intestinal absorption suspended by ,catharsis1 #ij4 ,intervals between each dose of a medicine1 how to be regulated1 #ahh4 ,interesting report from ,mr4 ,dubois1 a ,missionary in ,india1 on the practice of vaccination1 #ae4 ,introduction1 ,historical1 to the ,pharmacologia1 #c4 ,intoxicating tea of the ,siberians1 #ei4 ,ipecacuan1 why a dose of diminishes the force of the circulation1 #fi2 how it operates in arresting hemorrhage1 #fi4 ,ipecacuan1 a new principle 7,emeta7 discovered in1 #agb2 introduced into practice by ,helvetius under the patronage of ,louis ,,xiv1 #bh4 ,ireland1 its population increased by the introduction of ,potatoes1 #cj 7note74 ,iron1 its virtues explained upon mechanical principles1 #bb2 rust of1 a very ancient remedy1 #h2 the sulphate of1 its virtues first described by ,basil ,valentine1 #di4 ,ischia1 the celebrated baths in the island of1 #ei4 ,issues1 #aaa4 ,j ,jalap1 the purgative operation of increased by ,ipecacuan1 #aec4 ,james ,i1 ,king1 his counter-blaste to tobacco1 #bi4 ,james1 ,dr4 his fever powder of ,italian origin1 #cb4 ,jerusalem ,artichoke1 origin of the term1 #ch4 ,jews1 their practice of applying astringents to the eye-brows1 #di4 ,john of ,gaddesden1 his extraordinary treatment of the son of ,edward the ,first1 #bf4 ,johnson1 ,dr4 ,samuel1 his definition of ,physic1 #d 7note74 ,julius ,csar1 the soldiers of1 cured by an unknown plant1 #cg4 ,jupiter1 the astrological symbol of1 prefixed to receipts1 #ab4 ---- and ,juno1 by whose union the vernal showers were said to have been produced1 interpretation of the fable by ,dr4 ,darwin1 #dd4 ,jezebel1 her custom of painting the eye-brows1 #di4 ,k ,kermes ,mineral1 the secret of its preparation purchased by the ,french government1 #ea4 ,kidd1 ,dr4 his reply to ,mr4 ,brande's charge against the ,university of ,oxford1 #ec4 ,kidneys stimulated by alkaline salts1 #ib 7note74 ,kino and ,calumba1 experiments respecting their operation by ,dr4 ,john ,davy1 #afi4 ,knight1 ,andrew1 ,esq4 his conjecture respecting the ,tuberes of ,pliny1 #fa4 ,l ,la ,legerie communicates the secret of ,kermes ,mineral to the ,french government for a sum of money1 #ea4 ,lacteals1 the natural sensibility of1 altered by ,mercury1 #aeb 7note74 ,lactuca ,sativa1 its sedative powers known to the ancients1 #i4 ,langelott's ,laudanum1 #cb4 ,lapis tites1 or eagle stone1 supposed virtues of1 #be4 ,lathyrus ,stativus1 supposed deadly properties of the seeds of1 #da4 ,lavender1 the odour of increased by ,musk1 #aee 7note74 ,laudanum ,cydoniatum of ,van ,helmont1 #cb4 ,laurel water used by the ,dutch in consumptions1 #cb4 ,laxatives and ,purgatives1 distinction between1 #hi4 ,lead1 the ,acetate of1 rendered inefficacious by conjunction with ,sulphuric salts1 #aha4 ,lectures delivered before the ,royal ,college of ,physicians1 #a4 ,lectures1 ,chemical1 high importance of those delivered at ,cambridge1 #ed4 ,leguminous plants1 ,linnus's observation upon1 #da4 ,lemnos1 celebrated earth of1 described by ,galen1 #ab4 ,lemon1 its different parts possess different virtues1 #db4 ,lentor and viscidity of the blood1 a supposed cause of disease1 #bb4 ,lettuce1 it soporific powers recommended by ,galen1 #i4 ,leopold1 ,archduke of ,austria1 the failure of the bark in the cure of1 #ca4 ,leyden1 memorable fever of1 a lamentable illustration of ultra-chemical doctrines1 #bc4 ,libavius1 his opinion of ,paracelsus1 #ej4 ,lichen ,islandicus1 its bitterness useful1 #hj4 ,limestone1 the operation of burning to quick-lime accelerated by a moist atmosphere1 #agf 7note74 ,lime water1 its lithonthryptic agency considered1 #abc4 ,linnus1 his system corresponds in a surprising manner with the natural properties of plants1 #db4 ----1 ,ray1 and ,virey1 their observation respecting the influence of pulverization upon the medicinal activity of a plant1 #agd4 ,linseed1 mischievous tendency of1 when used as a sole article of diet1 #hj4 ,lithate of ,ammonia constantly present in urine1 #aag4 ,lithic acid1 ,majendie's theory respecting the formation of1 #aag2 generated by the action of the kidneys1 and constantly present in healthy urine1 #aag4 ---- ---- ,diathesis1 ,dr4 ,philip's views respecting the1 #aba4 ,lithonthryptics1 the great advantage of combining them with ,opium in cases of calculous irritation1 #aff4 ,lithonthryptic powers of ,galvanic ,electricity1 #abd4 ,living fibre1 medicines act upon the1 #ge4 ,liquorice1 why objectionable as an envelope of pills1 #if 7note74 ,liquor ,ammoni ,acetatis1 why decomposed by ,magnesia1 #ahc4 ,local stimulants1 #hc2 meaning of the term1 #hc4 ,london ,college of ,physicians1 their first ,pharmacopia1 #eb 7note74 ,lotions1 ,embrocations1 ,liniments1 ,fomentations1 ,collyria1 c41 #bjd4 ,louis ,,xiv introduced the potatoe into general cultivation1 #cj4 ,lurid1 the dark and gloomy aspect of the1 indicates their poisonous properties1 #db4 ,lymphatics1 medicines enter the circulation through the1 #gj4 ,m ,macbride1 ,dr4 his unsuccessful attempt to improve the art of tanning by the introduction of lime-water1 affords an important lesson to the ,pharmaceutist1 #ahb 7note74 ,maccaroni of ,italy1 why so superior to that made in other countries1 #eh4 ,mac,culloch1 ,dr4 his observations upon the effects of ,perfumes in preventing mouldiness1 #agg2 on the sweetness of pure and impure sugar1 #aed4 ,mace and ,nutmeg of ,arabian origin1 #df4 ,macer's ,herbal abounds with the superstitions of the middle ages1 #ab4 ,macleod1 ,dr4 his observation respecting the ,sialogogue power of ,hydro-cyanic acid1 #ajh4 ,magistral ,formul1 the nature and necessity of1 #ahj4 ,magisterium of ,ludovicus1 a preparation of ,opium1 #cb4 ,maglia1 the name given to the wild potatoe by the ,indians1 #hj 7note74 ,magnesia1 its use in mitigating the severity of ,colchicum explained1 #afb4 ----1 the carbonate of1 proposed by ,mr4 ,hatchett as a remedy in the ,lithic diathesis1 #abc4 ,magnenus1 his signature of ,tobacco1 #be4 ,magnes ,arsenicalis1 ,formula for1 by ,angelus ,sala1 #bf4 ,magnet1 its use as an antidote to iron1 #bd2 formerly entered into the composition of certain ,plaisters1 #bd 7note74 ,,mah-,,ry ,,umma1 a mischievous deity1 supposed by the ,indians to occasion the natural small-pox1 #ae4 ,majendie1 his important views upon the mechanism of absorption1 #hg 7note72 his views respecting vomiting1 #hd4 ,male ,fern1 its anthelmintic properties known to ,galen1 #ca2 retailed as a secret nostrum in ,france1 the secret of which was known to ,louis ,,xv1 #ca4 ,malt ,liquors1 the utility of the bitter in1 #gi4 ,manna1 of ,arabian origin1 #df4 ,manufacturing ,chemists1 the errors daily committed by1 #aed 7note74 ,marcellus killed by the cold bath1 #ca4 ,marcet1 ,dr4 his views respecting the treatment of calculus1 #aae4 ,marshes1 animals in the1 defended from disease by the ingestion of bitter plants1 #hj4 ,masticatories1 or acrid ,sialogogues1 the nature and operation of considered1 #ajf4 ,materia ,medica1 its early history involved in fable1 #g2 its progressive improvements slow and unequal1 #d2 composed of a motley group of substances1 #c2 how its progress has been influenced1 by caprice1 prejudice1 superstition and knavery1 #d2 the arrangement of by ,cullen1 ,murray1 and ,young1 #gb4 ,may ,apple1 its different parts possess different virtues1 #db4 ,mayerne1 ,sir ,theodore1 absurd and disgusting remedies of1 #ac4 ,mead1 ,dr4 recommended ,melampodium as an ,emmenagogue1 #ia 7note72 his practice of combining alkalies with opium judicious1 #afa2 his opinion concerning the nature of the ,athenian poison1 #cg 7note74 ,mechanical deposites from the urine divisible into three classes1 #aah2 mechanical remedies1 considerations respecting1 #ach2 mechanical action of certain expectorants1 #aje2 mechanical purgatives1 #hi2 mechanical theory1 some account of the1 #bb4 ,medical ,boards of the present day1 #bj4 ,medicinal ,substances1 certain ones enter the circulation1 #fh2 ,combination1 the extent of limited by several circumstances1 #adi2 medicinal prescription1 its perfection defined in three words1 #agh2 similarity1 conventional acceptation of the term1 #ach2 incompatibility1 meaning of the term1 #gj2 medicinal bodies1 on the operation of1 #fg2 definition of1 #fg2 medicinal combination1 on the theory and art of1 #ade4 ,medicines corrected in their operation by mechanically separating1 or chemically neutralizing the offending ingredient1 #afj2 by adding to them some substance capable of guarding the stomach1 or system1 against their deleterious effects1 #afa2 their effects modified by the age of the patient1 and various other circumstances1 #ahf2 substituted for each other1 v42 cardinal virtues of1 according to ,galen1 #ba2 calculated to produce the same ultimate result1 by different modes of operation1 may be combined1 #afc2 their operations modified by the state of vital susceptibility of the patient1 #e2 are frequently but relative agents1 #fg2 may act through the instrumentality of the nerves1 #gj2 conveyed to distant parts of the body by absorption1 #f2 the ignorant preparation of1 #fa2 their fraudulent adulteration1 #fa2 differ only from poisons in their dose1 #ahd4 ,melampodium recommended as an emmenagogue by ,dr4 ,mead1 #ia 7note74 ,melampus of ,argos administered rust of iron1 #h4 ,menyanthes ,trifoliata1 a cure for the rot in sheep1 #hj 7note74 ,mercurial salivation known in the twelfth century1 #di4 ---- ointment1 a true chemical compound1 #agj4 ,mercury1 the only constitutional sialogogue1 #ajf2 its operation as a sialogogue attempted to be explained1 #ajg2 supposed to act from its weight1 #ajg2 its power of entering the lacteals1 #fh2 its efficacy increased by antimony and opium1 #aeb2 a case wherein its effects were suddenly developed by fear1 #aef2 a powerful stimulant1 #aee 7note74 ,merriman1 ,dr4 an interesting case1 in illustration of the influence of the mind upon the digestive organs1 communicated by him to the author1 #aeh4 ,merry ,andrews1 their origin1 #cc 7note74 ,metals1 a query respecting their peculiar smell1 #aee 7note72 why named after the planets1 #ab2 all of them inert unless in a state of combination1 #agj4 ,methodic ,sect1 founded by ,themison1 #bb4 ,miraculous gift attributed by ,herodotus to the ,priestesses of ,helen1 explained1 #ah4 ,missletoe1 ,druidical superstitions respecting the1 #aa 7note74 ,mistura ,ferri composita1 composition of1 #ee4 ,mistur1 ,mixtures1 general rules to be observed in selecting and prescribing this form of medicine1 #aii4 ,mithridate1 its history and composition1 #bg 7note74 ,miner1 after inanition1 killed by stimulants1 #f 7note74 ,mineral waters1 the virtues of discovered by ,hydromancy1 #ae2 sometimes prove diuretic1 the reasons why1 and how prevented1 #ie 7note74 ,mineral ,acids1 first described by ,avicenna1 #dh4 ,milman1 ,sir ,francis1 his valuable remarks on the importance of diluents in dropsy1 #age4 ,milner1 ,dr4 his synthetic proof of the composition of nitrous acid1 #ed 7note74 ,mixture and ,chemical ,combination1 an essential distinction between1 #agj4 ,modus ,operandi of ,medicines1 a new classification in illustration of the1 #gj4 ,moisture and ,dryness1 its effects upon vegetable productions1 #eh4 ,molasses1 why sweeter than pure sugar1 #aed4 ,molina1 his observations on the potatoe1 #hj 7note74 ,monardes1 his belief in the efficacy of the ,bezoar explained1 #fc4 ,morley's remedies for ,scrofula1 #ag4 ,morphia1 a new principle developed from opium1 #agb4 ,morton's ,pyretologia contains an account of ,oliver ,cromwell's death1 #bd4 ,mouldiness prevented by ,perfumes1 #agg4 ,mountain ,ash1 an object of ,druidical veneration1 #ad4 ,mulberry1 contains two colouring principles1 #dd4 ,muriatic ,acid recommended by ,glauber in sea scurvy1 #cc4 ,murray1 principles of arrangement adopted in his ,apparatus ,medicaminum1 #da 7note74 ,murray's arrangement of the ,materia ,medica1 #gd4 ,music1 an ancient remedy1 #g 7note74 ,musk1 of ,arabian origin1 #df2 its specific controul over spasm1 #gh2 the odour of increased by exposure to the atmosphere of privies1 #aee 7note74 ,mustacea of the ,romans gave origin to the modern bride-cake1 #adh 7note74 ,mustard1 the unbruised seeds of commended by ,dr4 ,mead in ascites1 #ahd4 ,mythological ,fables1 antiquity of chemistry deduced from the1 #dd4 ,n ,naples1 experiments at1 with ,hyoscyamus1 #ei4 ,narcotics1 synonymous with ,sedatives1 ,hypnotics1 and ,soporifics1 #gf2 assume the character of ,astringents1 #hb2 their operation increases vascular action1 #gf2 their superior efficacy in ,italy1 #ei2 how they differ from ordinary stimulants1 #gf2 ,cullen's theory respecting1 #gf2 their stimulant operation denied1 #gf4 ,narcotico-acrid ,poisons1 #abh2 an ill-defined class1 #abi4 ,narcotic ,poisons1 #abh4 ,narcotic odour1 a distinct indication1 #db4 ,natural ,compounds1 may be regarded as the prescriptions of ,nature1 #ade4 ,natural ,family of ,plants1 often contain species of very different medicinal virtues1 #da4 ,nausea1 origin and cause of1 #he4 ,nauseating ,emetics1 why to be avoided in certain cases of poisoning1 #acd2 why they prove diaphoretic1 #hg2 doses of antimony increase the effects of mercury1 #aeb4 ,nauseous remedies supposed to expedite delivery1 #af 7note74 ,necklace of ,pony1 for the cure of epilepsy1 #ag4 ,nechepsus1 his amulet for the stomach1 #g4 ,nepenthe of ,helen was probably opium1 #h4 ,nerves1 the media through which certain medicines act upon the body1 #gj4 ,nestor's ,cataplasm1 #i4 ,new arrangement of diuretic medicines1 #ib4 ,nicolaus1 his powder for the stone1 #dg 7note74 ,nicostratus1 ,cholical antidote of1 #ai4 ,nitrate of ,silver1 its successful effect in ,epilepsy1 #ei2 its bitterness connected with its virtues1 #hj2 rendered inert by muriatic salts1 #age4 ,nitric acid1 its power of producing ptyalism denied1 #ajh4 ,nomenclature medical1 reformed by ,botany and ,chemistry1 #ci4 ,nostrum1 ,definition and meaning of the term1 #ai 7note74 ,nostrums1 a multitude of collected by tius1 #ai4 ,nouffleur1 ,madame1 her receipt1 #ca4 ,nuremburg1 the first ,pharmacopia published at1 #eb 7note74 ,nutmeg corrects the operation of alum1 #afa4 ,nutmeg and ,mace of ,arabian origin1 #df4 ,nutriment1 deficiency of in plants1 how compensated for by nature1 #eh4 ,nutritive1 and ,medicinal powers of plants often opposed to each other1 #eh4 ,o ,objections to ,cullen's arrangement of medicines1 of a fatal nature1 #gd4 ,observation1 analogy and experiment1 form the only true basis of research1 #e2 ,professor ,leslie's definition of1 #e 7note74 ,obstacles to the progress of the ,materia ,medica1 #f4 ,officinal preparations1 the nature and necessity of1 #ahj4 ,old men1 the humid coughs of1 cured by ,sulphate of zinc1 #ajd4 ,oliver ,cromwell fell a victim to an intermittent1 #bd4 ,operation of medicinal bodies1 on the1 #fg4 ,operation of two medicines in one formula1 #afc4 ,opiologia of ,wedelius contains many formul which have been perverted to empirical uses1 #cb4 ,opium1 remarks upon the best mode of correcting its operation1 and obviating its deleterious effects1 #acf2 has extensive powers as a ,corrigent1 #acg2 whether absorbed into the circulation1 #gg2 modern preparations of derived from ancient receipts1 #cb2 primitive import of the term1 #cg2 its powers vary with the climate1 #eh2 known in early ages1 #h2 stimulating effects of1 #gg2 ,galen's hypothesis concerning1 #bb4 ,oporinus1 his opinion of his master ,paracelsus1 #ej4 ,orange1 the ,prince of1 his success in curing an ,epidemic at ,breda1 #af4 ,oribasius1 his just notions respecting medicinal combination1 #fc4 ,order1 a general rule for that of the ingredients of a medicinal formula1 #agi4 ,origin of ,amulets of very ancient date1 #g4 ,organs of sense1 sensibility of1 changed by artificial habits and cultivation1 #dc4 ---- of the body1 how excited into action by the administration of particular remedies1 #gj4 ,oswald ,crollius1 first mentions calomel1 #ea4 ,otho ,tachenius1 embraced the doctrines of ,van ,helmont1 #ej4 ,oxygen1 how far it may be considered the source of animal heat1 #aad4 ,oysters1 the green colour of1 explained1 #dd 7note74 ,p ,paley's remark on the influence of habit1 #bg4 ,panacea ,glauberiana1 the secret of its preparation purchased by the ,french ,government1 #ea4 ,paracelsus1 some account of his character and doctrines1 #di2 his false reasoning1 #ej 7note74 ,paris1 ,supreme ,council of1 proscribe antimonial remedies1 #ea4 ,particular forms of remedies1 and the general principles upon which they should be constructed1 #aij4 ,passive hemorrhage1 to be treated by a combination of astringents and tonics1 #afe4 ,peach1 its deleterious properties1 when first introduced into the ,roman empire from ,persia1 explained1 #fa2 its kernel1 the supposed efficacy of1 #fa4 ,pearl1 compound powders of1 #bb4 ,percival1 ,dr4 the judicious observations of respecting diet1 commended1 #aeg4 ,perfumes1 their extraordinary effects at ,rome1 #eh2 vegetable1 ,savages insensible of1 #dc2 prevent mouldiness1 #agg4 ,pericles pronounced insane for wearing an amulet1 #g4 ,peruvian ,bark1 prejudices respecting1 #bd2 the adulteration of brought it into discredit1 #fa4 ,pestilence at ,rome1 superstitious ceremony during the1 #af4 ,peter ,lord1 his exposition of his father's will1 #cc4 ,petiver1 the medico-botanical researches of1 #da 7note74 ,petro de ,maharncourt1 an inventor of the supposed ,universal ,elixir1 #dh4 ,pharmacopia1 how its import differs from that of ,pharmacologia1 ii2 original institution of1 #eb 7note72 why an object of abuse1 #ec4 ,philippic of ,chifletius against the ,peruvian ,bark1 #ca4 ,phillips1 ,mr4 his attack upon the ,london ,pharmacopia noticed1 #ed4 ,philosopher's ,stone1 ,arabian conceit respecting the1 #df4 ,philosophy of ,history1 definition of the term1 #d4 ,phosphoric ,salts1 the origin and history of1 as they occur in urine1 #aah4 ,physiognomy ,botanical1 its utility1 #db4 ,pills containing calomel1 should not be enveloped in magnesia1 and why1 #aif4 ,pilul e ,styrace of the ,dublin ,college1 a very scientific combination1 #aid4 ,pilul1 rules respecting their formation into masses1 #aid4 ,pimento1 the berries of1 lose their aromatic warmth in coming to maturity1 #fb4 ,pink and ,lateritious sediments in urine1 ,dr4 ,prout's opinion respecting the nature of1 #aag 7note74 ,plague of ,london1 superstitious belief respecting the origin of the1 #aj 7note72 in ,egypt1 most common after the inundation of the ,nile1 #age 7note74 ,plaister containing soap and muriate of ammonia1 the chemical theory of its operation considered1 #aga4 ,planetary influence on the virtues of plants1 #aa4 ,plants medicinal1 influenced by soil1 culture1 climate1 and season1 #eg2 the sensible properties of1 have a relation to their medicinal properties1 #da2 the virtues of1 discoverable by botanical characters1 #da4 ,pliny1 his aphorism respecting poisons paraphrased by ,linnus1 #ahd4 ,plum1 the cultivated offspring of the sloe1 #fa4 ,plumbum1 a generic term among the ancients1 #dh4 ,podalirius employed venesection1 #h4 ,podophyllum ,peltatum1 the different parts of possess different virtues1 #db4 ,poculum ,absinthiatum1 its supposed antidotal powers1 #gi4 ,poisons secret and slow1 #abe2 absurd notion respecting their possessing a mutual attraction for each other1 #bf2 differ essentially from each other1 #abg2 the classification of1 according to their physiological action attempted1 #aca2 a belief in the mechanical operation of1 not founded in truth1 #abf2 have ever been the objects of extravagant credulity1 #abe4 ,poisoning1 in cases of1 there are three important indications of cure1 #acd4 ,poitou1 colic of1 supposed to have arisen from the appearance of a new star1 #aj 7note74 ,poly-pharmacy of our predecessors1 the influence of the1 on the practitioners of the present day1 #fd2 of ancient physicians1 the mischievous influence of1 upon modern practice1 #fd4 ,pope ,innocent the ,tenth countenances the use of the bark1 #ca4 ,pope ,clement ,,vii4 poisoned by fumes of a taper1 #abf 7note74 ,poppies supposed to relieve the head1 and why1 #be4 ,porsenna's stipulation with the ,romans not to employ iron1 except in agriculture1 the reason of1 #bd4 ,portland1 ,duke of1 his powder for the gout1 #cb4 ,potatoe1 the wild parent of the1 found at ,monte ,video1 #hj 7note72 loses its bitterness by cultivation1 #gi2 its various useful applications enumerated1 #cj2 mentioned by ,gerard1 #ch 7note72 extraordinary and romantic history of the1 #cj2 introduced into favour by ,louis ,,xiv4 #cj2 origin of the name1 #ch2 the effect of its introduction into ,ireland1 #cj 7note74 ,potassium1 curious anecdote connected with the discovery of1 #dc 7note74 ,poultice1 ,yeast1 its modus operandi explained1 #aga4 ,powder of ,nicolaus1 #dg 7note74 ,powders1 individually dry1 become liquid by being rubbed together1 #aib4 ,powders1 ,compound1 canons respecting1 #aia4 ,powell1 ,dr4 his observations upon compound medicines1 #fd4 ,practice of ,physic1 perverted by superstition1 #aj4 ,precious ,stones1 an ,arabian superstition respecting1 #aj2 their introduction into medicine1 #aj4 ,prescriptions ancient1 their complicated nature1 #fc4 ,prescribing1 on the theory and art of1 #adc4 ,prescott1 ,miss1 persons of the first respectability became the dupes of1 #ac4 ,prevost and ,dumas1 their experiments upon the effects of ,electricity on ,calculi1 #abd4 ,priests of the ,american ,indians intoxicated by tobacco1 #i4 ,priests of ,esculapius1 artifices of the1 #h 7note74 ,priesthood1 ,pagan1 addicted to the use of narcotics1 #i2 their characteristic cunning1 #ah4 ,primary operation of a remedy1 meaning of the term1 #fh4 ,pringle1 ,sir ,john1 his experiments on the effects of salt1 when used in different quantities1 #ahe2 his opinion respecting the combination of alkalies and bitters1 #aec4 ,proserpine1 the fable of1 a chemical allegory1 #da4 ,proteus1 the fable of1 an allegory1 #de4 ,prout1 ,dr4 his valuable researches into the history of ,gravel and ,calculus1 #aae4 ,prussic ,acid1 proposed by ,majendie for the cure of phthisis1 #cb4 ,ptyalism excited by mercury1 and hydro-cyanic acid1 #ajg-h4 ,pulmonary exhalation1 how modified by certain expectorants1 #ajc4 ,pulveres1 general principles for their administration1 #aij4 ,pulverization1 how it assists the operation of a medicinal substance1 #aij4 ,pulvis ,helvetii1 philosophy of its combination1 #aib4 ,pulvis ipecacuanh ,compositus1 the operation of it affords a striking illustration of the advantages of medicinal combination1 #afh4 ,purgatives differ essentially from each other1 #hi2 combined with antispasmodics1 #afd2 to be considered as ,absolute ,agents1 #fh2 their effects increasing the action of various medicines1 #aef2 their several modes of operation explained by ,lord ,bacon1 #db 7note72 may act by three different modes1 #ib2 act as ,emmenagogues1 #ib2 combined with tonics1 #afd2 combined with mercurial alteratives1 #afd4 ,purgatives and ,laxatives1 essential difference between1 #hh4 ,purpuric ,acid1 a curious modification of the ,lithic1 discovered by ,dr4 ,prout1 #aag4 ,putrid exhalations recognised by the ,savage at a considerable distance1 #dc4 ,pyramus and ,thisbe1 the fable of1 curiously illustrated by a late chemical discovery1 #dd4 ,pyretologia of ,morton1 account of ,cromwell's death in1 #bd4 ,q ,quackery countenanced by the member for ,coventry1 #cc 7note74 ,quadrupeds ,herbivorous1 require bitter food1 #gi4 ,qualities ,cardinal1 which distinguish all bodies1 #ba4 ,r ,rachitis1 a disease of the assimilative functions1 #aah 7note74 ,rabbit1 its insusceptibility of the powers of opium explained1 #fi 7note74 ,raleigh1 ,sir ,walter1 said to have introduced smoaking tobacco1 #bi 7note47 ,ranting ,peters1 a new name for ,merry ,andrews1 #cc 7note74 ,rape ,oil1 its proposed improvement by ,rozier1 #eg4 ,rawleigh's ,confection and ,pearl ,cordial1 #cc4 ,ray1 his attempt to enumerate the virtues of plants from experience1 completely failed1 #f4 ,ray1 ,linnus1 and ,virey1 the observation of1 respecting the influence of pulverization upon the medicinal activity of plants1 #agd4 ,recipe1 astrological origin of the symbol that is prefixed to prescriptions1 #ab4 ,refrigerants1 definition of1 #aac2 the ingenious chemical theory proposed for explaining their effects1 #aac4 ,relative and ,absolute remedies1 meaning of the terms1 #fh4 ,relaxing and ,bracing1 import of the terms as applied to ,medicines1 #bb4 ,religious ,ceremonials often intended to preserve useful customs1 #ah4 ,remedies1 the immediate impression of on the body1 #fh2 of a disgusting nature1 how they may operate1 #af2 nature of many ancient ones now unknown1 #h2 how classed by the ,methodic ,sect1 #bb2 discovered by accident1 #h2 those that act mechanically considered1 #ach2 those of external application1 #bjc4 ,remedy1 how to obtain by combination a new and active one1 not afforded by any single substance1 #afh4 ,resinous ,purgatives1 why apt to gripe1 and how to be corrected1 #agc4 ,reviewers1 their unworthy flattery1 #bj 7note74 ,review1 a respectable medical one much wanted1 #ba 7note74 ,revolutions of the ,materia ,medica1 prominent causes of the1 #i4 ,revolutionary history of the ,materia ,medica1 #c4 ,rhases and ,avicenna were the first to introduce pharmaceutical preparations1 #dg4 ,rhododendron1 the properties of liable to vary with the soil1 #eg2 its efficacy in ,russia1 #ei4 ,rhubarb1 of ,arabian origin1 #df2 its effects upon the urine when internally administered1 #fh 7note72 its watery infusion rendered purgative by the addition of ,calumba1 #aed2 combines within itself the double property of a purgative and astringent1 #afh4 ,ricotia gyptiaca1 how made to flower1 #eg4 ,roasted ,swallow1 its efficacy believed by ,vogel1 #f4 ,roasted ,toad1 its powers as a remedy in ,gout1 believed by ,vogel1 #f2 a receipt for the preparation of1 #f 7note74 ,roger ,bacon1 excommunicated and imprisoned by the ,pope for witchcraft1 #dh4 ----1 the father of ,chemistry in ,england1 #dh4 ,roman custom of erecting altars near the dead body1 #ah4 ,rome1 extraordinary effects of perfumes at1 #eh4 ,rose ,beads1 or ,rose ,pearls1 from ,turkey1 imported into ,europe through ,austria--nature of their composition1 #aif 7note74 ,rot in ,sheep1 cured by the ,menyanthes ,trifoliata1 #hj 7note74 ,rousseau's observation respecting ,scepticism1 #ba4 ,routine1 a devotion to1 the great bane of philosophy1 #bg4 ,royal touch1 cures performed by1 #af4 ,rozier1 his proposal for the improvement of ,rape ,oil1 #eg4 ,rubefacients1 in what they differ from blisters1 #aji4 ,rust of the ,spear of ,telephus1 a cure for the wounds it inflicted1 #ae4 ,russia ,leather1 why not subject to mouldiness1 #agg 7note74 ,s ,saline ,cathartics1 a mixture of1 more efficacious than an equivalent dose of any single one1 #agc2 increased in force by carbonic acid1 #aeh2 ,salts1 the proper stimuli of the urinary organs1 #ic 7note72 ,saline bodies into which vegetable acids enter1 are decomposed in transitu1 when taken internally1 #id4 ,saliva1 its secretion influenced by passions of the mind1 #aeh 7note74 ,salivation by ,mercury1 why attended with a ftid breath1 #aeb 7note72 known in the twelfth century1 #di4 ,saltness1 ,galen's notions respecting the cause of1 #ba4 ,salts1 ,alkaline1 when taken may be detected in the urine1 #fh4 ,salt1 ,culinary1 operates very differently in different quantities1 #ahe4 ,salts1 certain of them pass into the circulation1 and undergo decomposition in transitu1 #id4 ,sandy soil1 strongly smelling plants become inodorous in a1 #eg4 ,saracens1 their treaty with the ,greek ,emperors1 respecting the literary works of the ancients1 #df 7note74 ,scammonia ,convolvulus1 the root alone contains any virtue1 #db4 ,scepticism1 mischievous tendency of1 in physic1 #ba2 definition of the word1 #bj4 ,schroeder1 his chemico-medical ,pharmacopia1 #if 7note74 ,scribonius ,largus1 his writings afford ample evidence of the empirical spirit of those days1 #bj4 ,sea ,needle1 the green bones of1 not poisonous1 #dc4 ,seamen1 the extraordinary immunity of from calculous disorders1 #aba4 ,season1 the influence of upon medicinal plants1 #eg4 ,secondary operation of a remedy1 meaning of the term1 #fh4 ---- ,diuresis to be distinguished from the result of a primary action on the kidneys1 #ie 7note74 ,sedatives1 meaning of the term1 #gf4 ,sedentary persons1 their mistaken notions respecting diet and exercise1 #aei4 ,sediments of health1 meaning of the expression1 according to ,dr4 ,prout1 #aah4 ,seeds1 hot and cold1 origin of the epithets1 #bb4 ,seguin1 the experiments of1 relative to the astringent principle of vegetables1 #aec2 his curious error respecting the tonic principle of ,peruvian bark1 #ef4 ,senna1 why apt to gripe1 #agc2 its composition changed by transplantation1 #aec2 of ,arabian origin1 #df2 undergoes a remarkable change by transplantation into the south of ,france1 #aec2 its fruit and pods contain no bitter1 #aec4 ,sennertus1 his interesting history of surgical superstitions1 #ag 7note74 ,septic poisons1 species of enumerated1 #abh4 ,setons1 the modus operandi1 #aaa4 ,sheep die1 if deprived of bitter food1 #gi4 ,sialogogues1 definition of1 #ajf2 comprehend two orders of medicines1 #ajf4 ,siberians1 their remedies for rheumatism1 #fj4 ,signatures1 the doctrine of1 #bd4 ,similarity1 as applied to medicinal operation1 conventional meaning of the term1 #aej--gj--adg 7note74 ,simons1 ,william1 ,esq4 his laudable zeal in improving the pharmaceutic machinery at ,apothecaries' ,hall1 #eb 7note74 ,simple and living solids1 ,cullen's distinction between the1 #ge4 ,simplicity always a desideratum in a medicinal formula1 #agh4 ,sinapisms in frequent use with the ,greeks and ,romans1 #df4 ,sinbad the sailor1 his adventures on the desert island1 a beautiful allegory1 #dg4 ,sinclair1 ,mr4 his very interesting experiments on the necessity of bitter extractive to herbivorous quadrupeds1 #gi4 ,single flowers1 how changed by cultivation1 #fj4 ,slare1 ,dr4 his pamphlet in vindication of sugar1 #bd 7note74 ,sloe1 the wild parent of the plum1 #fa4 ,small ,pox1 supposed by the ,indians to be a visitation of their goddess ,,mah-,,ry ,,umma1 #ae4 ,smell1 taste1 and colour of plants indicate their virtues1 #db4 ,smithson1 ,mr4 his curious discovery of two colouring principles in the ,mulberry1 #dd4 ,smoking tobacco introduced by ,sir ,walter ,raleigh1 #bi 7note74 ,sneezing1 a case of apoplexy produced by1 related by ,morgagni1 #aji4 ,snow1 ,mrs4 ,elizabeth ,woodcock buried in the1 for eight days1 #f 7note74 ,snuff1 the ,pope's decree of excommunication against all those who should take it1 #bi 7note72 custom of mixing together its different varieties1 accounted for1 #adh4 ,soap1 when combined with ,aloes1 performs the duty of the corrigens and the adjuvans1 #agi2 its value as a constituent in pills1 #aie2 restored to the ,extract3 ,colocynth3 ,comp3 in the new ,pharmacopia1 #ee 7note74 ,socrates and ,phocion poisoned by ,cicuta1 #cg4 ,soil1 its influence upon medicinal plants1 #eg4 ,solanum ,tuberosum1 extract of1 an anodyne1 #cj4 ,solids1 simple and living1 how distinguished by ,cullen1 #ge4 ,solomon's ring for the cure of ,epilepsy1 #g 7note74 ,solution of poisonous substances in the stomach should be avoided1 #ace4 ,solubility of a body influences its effects upon the organ of taste1 #dc2 solubility of a purgative determines its specific action1 #agb2 solubility of a medicinal body1 how it may be modified by mechanical and chemical expedients1 #agc4 ----1 its great importance in reference to the activity of a medicinal substance1 #agb4 ,soporifics1 synonymous with ,narcotics and ,hypnotics1 #gf4 ,soranus1 his superstitious belief in the virtues of honey1 #aa4 ,southern countries1 some vegetables more energetic in1 than in northern ones1 #eh4 ,spalding1 ,mr4 the celebrated diver1 his observation respecting the comparative influence of vegetable and animal diet1 #aac4 ,spasm1 connected with the most opposite states of the system1 #gh4 ,spasmodic action controlled by certain medicines1 #gh4 ,spleen1 schirrus of1 said to be cured by iron1 and why1 #bb4 ,squil1 its bitter principle separated by the assimilative functions1 and transmitted to the kidneys1 #fh2 its powers invalidated by alkalies1 #aec 7note72 its action directed to the kidneys by calomel1 #aeb2 its action as an expectorant often requires the aid of a diaphoretic1 #aeb2 loses its diuretic virtues by purging1 #afa4 ---- and ,digitalis1 dissimilar as ,diuretics1 #aej4 ----1 or sea onion1 administered in dropsy by the ,egyptians1 #i4 ,stahl's ,ideal ,system1 mischievous tendency of1 #bb4 ,steam ,laboratory at ,apothecaries' ,hall1 #eb 7note74 ,steel medicines accelerated in their operation by purgatives1 #aeg4 ,steller's testimony with respect to the liability of the ,rhododendron to vary in its virtues1 #eg4 ,stephens1 ,mrs4 her remedy for the stone1 #cd2 ,parliamentary reward to1 #cd 7note74 ,stimmi1 or ,stibium of the ancients1 whether the ,antimony of the present day1 #di4 ,stimulants1 local1 comprehend evacuants1 #hc2 general1 what classes are comprehended under the division of1 #ge4 ,stimulant operation of ,narcotics denied1 #gf4 ,stoll and ,warren1 ,drs4 their judicious treatment of ,cholica ,pictonum1 #afd4 ,stomach1 it exercises a universal sympathy and control over every organ of the body1 #fi2 a certain chemical condition of it sometimes opposes medicinal action1 #afb2 in what its powers consist1 #ef2 has a chemical code of its own1 #ee4 ,stone1 ,sarah1 her cases of ,midwifery1 #af 7note74 ,strabo's explanation of the fable of the golden fleece1 #de4 ,sturmius1 his anecdote respecting the scarcity of bark1 #bd 7note74 ,styptic1 ,eaton's1 #hc 7note72 of ,helvetius1 ibid42 nature of styptics as remedies1 ibid4 ,substances not affecting the body in health1 whether they can be active remedies in disease1 #fg2 substances chemically compatible1 may be medicinally inconsistent with each other1 #ee2 suitable for pills1 #aic2 not adapted for pill-masses1 #aic4 ,substantive and adjective constituents1 meaning of the terms1 #aed 7note74 ,substitution of one medicine for another1 a common but mischievous practice1 v4 ,sudorifics1 see ,diaphoretics4 ,suffitus1 or dry fumes1 their uses in the cure of disease1 #bjb4 ,sugar1 the sweetness of1 modified by vegetable extractive1 #aed2 absurd prejudices respecting1 #bd4 ---- and ,sugar ,candy of ,arabian origin1 #df4 ,sugared ,plums1 sold to children1 contain plaister of ,paris1 #aic 7note74 ,sulphate of ,zinc1 the combination of with ,myrrh1 a valuable remedy in the humid coughs of old persons1 #afe2 an excellent remedy in humoral asthma1 #ajd2 as an emetic1 case of death from1 #he4 ------------1 or ,sulphate of ,copper1 why to be preferred to ,antimony as emetics in certain cases of poisoning1 #acd4 ,sulphate of ,potass1 the medicinal action of1 modified by its insolubility1 #id2 affords an excellent example of the powers of combination in destroying the identity of the ingredients1 #afi4 ------------ ,magnesia1 rarely diuretic1 and why1 #ie4 ,sulphur1 its agency in producing odour1 #aee 7note74 ,superstition1 a prominent source of error in physic1 #aj4 ,superstitious practices have sometimes led to useful results1 #ad4 ,suppositoria1 ,suppositories1 the nature of1 #aig2 calculated to fulfil two great indications1 #aig4 ,swallow roasted1 esteemed as a remedy by ,vogel1 #f4 ,sweet ,potatoe1 alluded to by ,shakespeare1 #ch4 ,swiss ,peasants delight in bitter beverage1 #gi4 ,sydenham's case of poisoning by corrosive sublimate cured by diluents1 #ace 7note72 his observation respecting the practice of combining bark with other medicines1 has less of reason than of severity1 #aff2 his extraordinary treatment of a hypochondriac1 #cf4 ,sylvius de la ,boe succeeded ,van ,helmont1 #ej2 consigns two-thirds of the population of ,leyden to an untimely grave1 #bc4 ,sympathy1 conventional meaning of the term1 #fh 7note74 ,sympathetic ,powder of ,sir ,kenelm ,digby1 #ad4 ,syncope1 produced at ,rome by perfumes1 #eh4 ,synoptical view of ,murray's arrangement of the ,materia ,medica1 #gd4 ,syrup of ,roses1 underhanded substitution in the preparation of it1 ,pref4 ,syrups1 ,juleps1 and ,conserves1 introduced by the ,arabian ,physicians1 #df4 ,t ,tables of chemical affinity may lead the practitioner into error1 and why1 #ahc4 ,tabular view of diuretics1 arranged according to their supposed modes of operation1 #ic2 ,cullen's arrangement of the ,materia ,medica1 #gb4 ,tannin generally exists in combination with ,gallic acid1 #hb 7note72 present in grasses of aftermath crops1 #hb2 does not enter the circulation1 #hb2 is the vegetable principle of astringency1 #hb2 but is increased in effect by ,gallic acid1 #aec4 ,tar water1 epidemical madness respecting1 #bg 7note74 ,tartar soluble1 remarks on the operation of1 #agc4 ,tartarized ,antimony1 the term defended1 #dj4 ,tartrate of ,potass1 a solution of1 decomposed by a current of ,carbonic acid passing through it1 #ahc 7note72 decomposed by all sub-acid vegetables1 #ahc4 ,taste1 colour1 and smell of plants indicate their virtues1 #db4 ,tea1 the general introduction of1 in ,england1 owing to the eulogy of ,queen ,katharine1 #bi4 ,tea and turtle soup1 whether their admixture in the stomach may not form leather1 #ahb 7note74 ,telephus1 the rust of the spear of1 a cure for the wounds it inflicted1 #ae4 ,temple1 ,sir ,william1 his aphorism respecting diet more facetious than philosophical1 #aeh4 ,temples1 ancient1 dedicated to health1 and in airy situations1 #ci4 ,tench1 curious mistake respecting the medicinal use of the1 #aa 7note74 ,tension of fibres1 the necessity of the1 #gh4 ,terms new1 proposed by the author to explain the operation of certain native combinations1 #aei 7note74 ,thaddus of ,florence1 not the inventor of ,tinctures1 #dh4 ,thaw after a hard frost1 aggravates certain coughs1 and why1 #aje4 ,thebaic ,tincture1 derivation of the term1 #i 7note74 ,themison1 the ill success of his practice recorded by ,juvenal1 #bb 7note74 ,theories false1 mischievous influence of1 #ba4 ,theriaca ,andromachi1 the great celebrity of1 #bg4 ,theriaca1 ,heberden's remarks upon1 #bh 7note74 ,thessalus1 the ,roman empiric1 described by ,galen1 #bj4 ,thirst1 the irritation of1 keeps up febrile action1 #adj4 ,thoracic ,duct1 medicines enter into the circulation through its branches1 #gj4 ,time of the day at which remedies are to be administered1 forms a subject of interest1 #ahg4 ,tin1 formerly called ,plumbum ,album1 #dh4 ,tinctures invented by ,arnoldus de ,villa ,nova1 #dh4 ,tirocinium ,chemicum1 calomel described in1 #ea4 ,toad roasted1 its supposed powers in allaying the pains of the gout1 #f2 ,receipt for baking it alive1 #f 7note74 ,tobacco1 its nauseating operation explained1 #he2 romantic history of1 #bi2 its essential oil acts very differently from the infusion of its leaves1 #acb 7note72 its ,signatures1 #be4 ,tonics1 vegetable1 their effects modified by alkalies1 and other solvents1 #agd4 ----1 in what cases their combination with purgatives becomes eligible1 #afd2 reasons for combining them with diffusible stimulants1 #afe2 are absolute or relative in their operation1 #gh2 they frequently require the aid of ,diaphoretics to modify their powers1 #afd2 their operation in healthy and debilitated habits1 #gh2 are vital agents1 #gh2 definition of1 #gh4 ---- ,topical ,refrigerants1 #aaj4 ,tormentil in pastures said to prevent the rot in sheep1 #hj 7note74 ,tournefort1 his mode of ascertaining medicinal properties in vegetables1 #bc4 ,tortosa1 his opinion respecting the solubility of ,opium in the stomach questioned1 #acf 7note74 ,transition from diffusible stimulants to tonics imperceptible1 #ha4 ,treacle1 its powers in preserving vegetable powders1 #aie4 ,triple ,salts1 their formation often affords apparent exceptions to the usual law of affinity1 #ahc4 ,trochisci--,lozenges1 observations respecting their modus operandi1 #aig4 ,trumpet the1 used by ,asclepiades in the cure of ,sciatica1 #g 7note74 ,tuberes of ,pliny1 ,knight's conjectures respecting1 #fa4 ,turmeric1 an ancient remedy for ,jaundice1 #be4 ,turner1 ,culpepper1 and ,lovel1 properly denominated the ,astrological ,herbalists1 #ac4 ,turner1 ,mr4 why he escaped from the dose of arsenic administered to him1 in yeast dumplings1 #aie4 ,turnips1 yellow1 contain little1 or no bitter principle1 #gi4 ,turpentine1 oil of1 acts on the kidneys only when given in small doses1 #ie4 ,v ,vaccination1 superstitious notions entertained respecting it in the ,east1 #ae4 ,van ,helmont1 his chemical zeal1 #ej2 his chemical doctrines espoused by ,sylvius de la ,boe1 #ej2 his mischievous doctrines1 #ajj4 ,van-,swieten1 his opinion respecting the effect of sneezing in loading the vessels of the head1 #aji4 ,valentine1 ,basil1 the father of ,metallic ,medicine1 #dh4 ,valerian1 its antispasmodic virtues1 #gh4 ,valisnieri1 his observations upon combination1 #adg4 ,vapours1 a fashionable disorder in the reign of ,queen ,anne1 #cc4 ,variable activity of a medicine1 a fact not to be overlooked by the practitioner1 #ahg4 ,vegetable analysis1 the great improvements in1 #eb4 ,vegetable acids rarely the vehicle of poisons1 #acf 7note72 undergo decomposition in the digestive organs1 #id4 ---- astringents1 whether they may not be incompatible with lime water1 #ahb4 ,vegetable diet1 the supposed refrigerating effect of1 explained1 #aac4 ---- diuretics1 generally bitter1 #id4 ---- eaters1 less affected by vegetable poisons than carnivorous animals1 and why1 #fi 7note74 ,vehicle of a remedy1 how to be selected1 #agf4 ,vena ,portarum1 one of the avenues through which medicinal substances enter the circulation1 #gj4 ,venesection increases the effects of ,cathartics1 #aef2 of ,mercury1 #aef2 when it ought to be avoided in cases of poisoning1 and why1 #acg2 frequently promotes vomiting and why1 #he2 a remedy of very early origin1 #h2 may act as a tonic1 #gh4 ,verbena1 a word of general import 7quasi ,herbena71 #cg4 ,verdegris1 the virulent effects of increased by vinegar1 #acf4 ,vertigo1 instantly relieved by ether1 and why1 #fi4 ,vervain1 ,morley's recommendation of1 #ag2 druidical superstitions respecting it1 #aa 7note74 ,vienna ,gout ,decoction1 #cb 7note74 ,views1 ,synoptical1 of the arrangement of the ,materia ,medica1 according to ,cullen1 ,murray1 and ,young1 #gb1 #gc1 #gd4 ,vinegar of ,wood described by ,glauber1 #cc4 ,vine twigs1 a fixed alkali procured from1 recommended by ,basil ,valentine in the gravel1 #di4 ,villerobel relates that the bark remained for seven years in ,spain before any trial of its efficacy was instituted1 #ca4 ,virgil1 his allusion to the anti-narcotic influence of vegetable acids1 #acf4 ,virey1 his observations upon the growth of plants1 #eg4 ----1 ,ray1 and ,linnus1 their observation respecting the influence of pulverization upon the medicinal activity of a plant1 #agd4 ,vis ,medicatrix1 its supposed agency1 #gf4 ,viscus ,quercinus1 or ,missletoe1 druidical history of the1 #ac4 ,vitriol1 original meaning of the term1 #cg4 ,vogel1 believed in the efficacy of roasted toad1 #f2 his attempt to class medicines according to their virtues1 #f4 ,voltaire's illustrative fable of the ,voluptuary ,ogul1 #ce4 ,vomiting1 why it cannot be excited during profound intoxication1 #hd2 phenomena and pathology of1 #hc2 not effected by the stomach alone1 #hd4 ,u ,ulysses1 hmorrhage of1 cured by a charm1 #ag4 ,ultra-,chemistry1 its mischievous tendency in medicine considered1 #ef4 ,umbellifer1 medicinal analogies between their species1 #da4 ,unseasonable collection of vegetable remedies1 a great source of fallacy1 #fb4 ,uranus1 discovery of that planet1 by ,herschel1 #e4 ,urea1 the nature and habitudes of1 considered1 #aaf2 ,dr4 ,prout's opinion regarding the origin of1 #aaf4 ,urinary organs stimulated by saline bodies1 #ic 7note74 ---- calculi1 a tabular view of the different species of1 #abj4 ,urine1 analysis of1 by ,berzelius1 #aaf2 its colour changed by the administration of rhubarb1 and ,indian fig1 #fh 7note74 ---- of the husband1 supposed to expedite labour pains1 #af 7note74 ,w ,warburton1 ,dr4 his error respecting the origin of amulets1 #g4 ,warren's ,blacking described in the ,hecuba of ,euripides1 #cc 7note74 ,warm bath1 mechanical notions respecting its operation and effects1 #bb4 ,water1 the potation of1 promotes the action of the kidneys1 #id2 sometimes sufficient to form vegetable powders into masses of pill1 #aif2 whether decomposed by the digestive organs1 #ada4 ,waters of plants1 formerly meant simple decoctions1 #df4 ,waters1 mineral1 a probable cause of their activity as remedies1 #ahe4 ,watering places1 observations upon their efficacy1 #ce4 ,watson1 ,bishop1 his eloquent appeal on the importance of chemical science1 #ed4 ,wedelius1 his ,opiologia1 #cb4 ,wecker's ,dispensatory contains several preparations in which the magnet is an ingredient1 #bd 7note74 ,wells1 ,dr4 his opinion respecting the colouring matter of the blood1 #be 7note74 ,wesley1 ,john1 medical credulity of1 #ce2 cured by sulphur and supplication1 #cf4 ,wheat1 the relative proportions of ,gluten in1 vary in different countries1 #eh4 ,willis1 ,dr4 his prejudice against sugar1 #bd4 ,wine glass1 to be estimated as containing f iss1 #aii4 ,wiseman's history of cures by the royal touch1 #af4 ,witch1 the ashes of1 a remedy against witchcraft1 #bf 7note74 ,woulf's apparatus originally described by ,glauber1 #cc4 ,wormwood1 formerly supposed to be an antidote to drunkenness1 #gi4 ,wood1 vinegar obtained from1 by ,glauber1 #cc4 ,woodcock1 ,elizabeth1 buried in the snow for eight days1 #f 7note74 ,worms1 four species of1 generated in the human body1 #ach 7note74 ,wounds inflicted by iron instruments formerly supposed to be fatal1 #bc4 ,y ,yeast poultice1 its modus operandi explained1 #aga4 ,yellow turnips contain little or no bitter principle1 #gi4 ,yellow fever1 errors respecting the use of mercury in the1 #cd4 ,young1 ,dr4 his rule for apportioning doses according to different ages1 #ahi2 his arrangement of the ,materia ,medica1 #gc4 ,z ,zealanders supported1 during a scarcity1 by ,linseed1 #hj4 ,zinc1 the acetate of1 to be preferred to the sulphate as an ophthalmic application1 #agj2 sulphate of1 an excellent remedy in humoral asthma1 #ajd4 ,,index ,,to ,,the ,,patent ,,medicines1 ,,and ,,nostrums1 ,,described ,,in ,,this ,,work4 8,arcana revelata ftent40--,boerh3 8,nullum ,ego cognosco remedium nisi quod ,tempestivo usu fiat tale40--,ibid4 ,ague ,drop1 #daa ,almond ,paste1 #bgg ,anderson's ,pills1 #bga ,anodyne ,necklaces1 #ac #cig ,anti-,pertussis1 #ebb ,anti-,venereal ,drops1 #cij ,aromatic ,lozenges of ,steel1 #cgd ,aromatic ,vinegar1 #bec ,bailey's ,itch ,ointment1 #ebj ,balsam of ,honey1 #cad ,balsam of ,horehound1 #dch ,balsam of ,liquorice1 #chj ,barclay's ,antibilious ,pills1 #cfc ,bark1 essential ,salt of1 #ccb ,bateman's ,pectoral ,drops1 #cbf ,bate's ,anodyne ,balsam1 #djh ,battley's ,liquor opii ,sedativus1 #ddj ,beaume de ,vie1 #bga ,black ,drop1 #ddj ,blaine's ,powder1 #dhg ,boerhaave's ,red ,pill1 #cie ,brodum's ,nervous ,cordial1 #cgi ,cephalic ,snuff1 #dib ,chamberlain's ,restorative ,pills for ,scrofula1 #cie ,chamomile ,drops1 #bgi ,charcoal1 ,concentrated solution of1 #cbb ,chelsea ,pensioner1 #cha ,cheltenham ,salts1 #dhj ,cheltenham ,salts1 the original combined1 #dhj ,cheltenham ,salts1 the efflorescence of1 #dhj ,ching's ,worm ,lozenges1 #cid ,cochrane ,major1 his ,cough ,medicine1 #dij ,colley's ,depilatory1 #deb ,corn ,plaister1 #cei ,cough ,drops1 #dch ,court ,plaister1 #cei ,crespigny ,lady1 her ,pills1 #bga ,daffy's ,elixir1 #eje ,dalby's ,carminative1 #dah ,davidson's ,remedy for ,cancer1 #bih ,de ,la ,motte's ,golden ,drops1 #ejf ,delcroix's ,depilatory1 #bih ,dinner ,pills1 #bga ,dixon's ,antibilious ,pills1 #bga ,dutch ,drops1 #dig ,eaton's ,styptic1 #hc ,eau ,medicinale de ,husson1 #cci ,economical ,breakfast ,powder1 #dic ,edinburgh ,ointment1 #eji ,elixir of ,longevity1 #bga ,elixir of ,vitriol1 #bfe ,essence of ,vitriol1 #bfe ,essence of ,bitter ,almonds1 #dca ,essence of ,coffee1 #cbe ,essence of ,coltsfoot1 #cad ,essence of ,mustard1 #dge ,essence of ,mustard ,pills1 #dge ,essence of ,peppermint1 #dba ,essence of ,senna1 #dja ,essence of ,spruce1 #die ,essential ,salt of ,bark1 #cca ,essential ,salt of ,lemons1 #djg ,everlasting ,pills1 #bhj ,ford's ,laudanum1 #eae ,ford's ,balsam of ,horehound1 #dch ,fothergill's ,pills1 #bga ,freeman's ,bathing ,spirits1 #djh ,friar's ,balsam1 #cad ,fumigating ,pastiles1 #cac ,godbold's ,vegetable ,balsam1 #ddb ,godfrey's ,cordial1 #dfh ,godfrey's ,smelling ,salts1 #bge ,golden ,drops1 #ejf ,golden ,ointment1 #bih ,golden ,spirits of ,scurvy ,grass1 #cag ,gout ,tincture1 ,wilson's1 #cdj ,gowland's ,lotion1 #cij ,green's ,drops1 #cij ,greenough's ,tincture1 #ejc ,grindle's ,cough ,drops1 #dch ,guestonian ,embrocation for the ,rheumatism1 #dig ,hannay's ,lotion1 #dae ,hatfield's ,tincture1 #cha ,hill's ,essence of ,bardana1 #cha ,honey ,water1 #dba ,hooper's ,pills1 #bga ,hudson's ,preservative for the ,teeth1 #ejc ,huiles ,antiques1 #dcj ,hungary ,water1 #dhb ,hunt's ,breakfast ,powder1 #dic ,ipecacuanha ,lozenges1 #djc ,james's ,powder1 #deh ,james's ,analeptic ,pills1 #deh ,jesuit's ,drops1 #cad ,jackson's ,bathing ,spirits1 #djh ,keyser's ,pills1 #bdg ,lancaster or ,black ,drop1 #ddj ,lardner's ,prepared ,charcoal1 #cbb ,lemons1 ,essential ,salt of1 #djg ,liquor ,opii ,sedativus1 #ddj ,lynch's ,embrocation1 #djh ,madden's ,vegetable ,essence1 #djj ,magnesian ,cheltenham ,salts1 #dhj ,marsden's ,antiscorbutic ,drops1 #cij ,marseilles ,vinegar1 #bec ,marshall's ,cerate1 #cbi ,matthew's ,pills1 #chb ,matthew's ,injection1 #ejd ,mock ,arrack1 #dhf ,moseley's ,pills1 #dfb ,necklaces1 ,anodyne1 #ac ,norris's ,drops1 #bhd ,norton's ,drops1 #cij ,nouffleur's ,vermifuge1 #ca ,opodeldoc1 ,steer's1 #djh ,oxley's ,essence of ,jamaica ,ginger1 #ebb ,pastilles1 #cac ,pate ,arsenicale1 #bih ,peter's ,pills1 #bga ,pectoral ,balsam of ,honey1 #cad ,pectoral ,balsam of ,liquorice1 #chj ,permanent ,ink1 #bic ,portland ,powder1 #cb ,plunkett's ,ointment1 #big ,radcliffe's ,elixir1 #bga ,refined ,liquorice1 #cfd ,remedy for the ,tooth-ache1 #cah ,remedies various for the ,hooping ,cough1 #ebb ,riga ,balsam1 #die ,rob ,antisyphilitique1 #cij ,roche's ,embrocation for the ,hooping ,cough1 #dcj ,royal ,preventive1 #dej ,ruspini's ,tincture1 #ejc ,rymer's ,cardiac ,tincture1 #cba ,scouring ,drops1 #dig ,seidlitz ,powders1 #dgf ,senna1 ,prepared ,essence of1 #dja ,singleton's ,eye ,salve1 #bih ,sirop de ,cuisiniere1 #cij ,smellone's ,eye ,salve1 #bfg ,snuff ,cephalic1 #deb ,sodaic ,powers1 #dgf ,solomon's ,anti-,impetigines1 #cij ,solomon's ,balm of ,gilead1 #ejd ,speediman's ,pills1 #bga ,spilsbury's ,antiscorbutic ,drops1 #cij ,squire's ,elixir1 #dch ,starkey's ,pills1 #chb ,starkey's ,soap1 #dif ,steer's ,opodeldoc1 #djh ,sterry's ,plaister1 #ceg ,stephens's ,mrs4 ,remedy for the ,stone1 #dab ,storey's ,worm ,cakes1 #cid ,stroughton's ,elixir1 #cgi ,struve's ,lotion1 #dcj ,sulphur ,lozenges1 #dhh ,swinton's ,daffey's ,elixir1 #eje ,taylor's ,remedy for ,deafness1 #bfi ,taylor's ,red ,bottle1 #dhf ,thieves' ,vinegar1 #bed ,thompson's ,cheltenham ,salts1 #dhj ,tolu ,lozenges1 #cab ,transparent ,soap1 #dfg ,velno's ,vegetable ,syrup1 #cij ,virgin's ,milk1 #dad ,wade's ,drops1 #cad ,walker's ,jesuit ,drops1 #cha ,ward's ,essence for the ,head-ache1 #djh ,ward's ,paste1 #cab ,ward's ,white ,drops1 #cij ,ward's ,red ,drops1 #ead ,ward's ,sweating ,powder1 #ejh ,warner's ,cordial1 #dfb ,webster1 ,lady1 her ,pills1 #bga ,whitehead's ,essence of ,mustard1 #dge ,wilson's ,gout ,tincture1 #cdj ,worm ,cakes1 #cid ----- ,footnote #a3 ,the ,college of ,physicians may now be said to possess one of the most complete collections of ,materia ,medica in ,europe4 ,that collected by ,dr4 ,burgess1 and presented to the ,college after his death by ,mr4 ,brande1 to whom it was bequeathed1 has lately been collated with the cabinet of ,dr4 ,coombe1 purchased for that purpose4 ,its arrangement has been directed by a feeling of convenience for reference1 rather than by any theoretical views relative to the natural1 chemical1 and medicinal histories of its constituent parts4 ,under proper regulations1 it is accessible to the studious and respectable members of the profession4 ,footnote #b3 ,a late foreign writer impressed with this sentiment has given the following flattering definition of our profession4 #8,physic is the art of amusing the patient1 while ,nature cures the disease4' ,this is a sarcasm which can only be equalled by the churlish and ill-humoured apostrophe of our own ,dr4 ,samuel ,johnson1 who1 in speaking of the profession of physic1 exclaims #8,it is a melancholy attendance on misery2 a mean submission to peevishness2 and a continual interruption of pleasure4' ,footnote #c3 ,observation1 says professor ,leslie1 is the close inspection and attentive examination of those phenomena which arise in the course of ,nature2 ,experiment1 as the term implies1 consists in a kind of trial1 or artificial selection and combination of circumstances1 for the purpose of searching after the remote results4 ,footnote #d3 ,the refractive power of an inflammable body bears also a proportion to its perfection1 whence it may be sometimes used as a test of its purity2 thus ,dr4 ,wollaston found that genuine ,oil of ,cloves had a refractive power of #a4ece1 while that of an inferior quality did not exceed #a4dih4 ,footnote #e3 ,elizabeth ,woodcock1 who was buried in the snow for the space of eight days1 in the neighbourhood of ,cambridge1 and whom ,i frequently visited1 died in consequence of the stimulants which she could not resist1 and which in her peculiar state of excitement she was unable to bear4 ,in the first volume of the ,memoirs of the ,philosophical ,society of ,manchester1 a case of a ,miner is recorded1 who after remaining for eight days without food1 was killed by being placed in a warm bed1 and fed with chicken-broth4 ,footnote #f3 ,for this purpose it appears that the toad was baked alive4 ,the following is the receipt in ,colborne's ,dispensatory2 #8,bufo ,prparatus4' 8,put the toads alive into an earthen pot1 and dry them in an oven moderately heated1 till they become fit to be powdered406 ,footnote #g3 ,the application of the reeking entrails of a recently slain animal1 appears to have been one of the earliest methods adopted for the relief of pain4 ,footnote #h3 ,the words #8,incantation1' and #8,charm1' appear to have been derived from the ancient practice of curing diseases by ,poetry and ,music4 7,carmen7 ,thus ,clius ,aurelianus1 decantare loca ,dolentia4 ,democritus says that many diseases are capable of being cured by the sound of a flute1 when properly played4 ,marianus ,capellus assures us1 that fevers may be cured by appropriate songs2 ,asclepiades actually employed the trumpet1 for the relief of ,sciatica1 and tells us that it is to be continued until the fibres of the part begin to palpitate1 when the pain will vanish4 ,footnote #i3 similar superstition is still practised by the ,indians4 ,there is a species of green jasper found in many parts of ,america1 particularly in ,new ,spain1 to which the ,spaniards have given the name of ,piedra de la ,hyada1 and is used for curing the ,cholic by being applied to the navel4 ,footnote #aj3 ,lib4 viii4 c4 #b4 #e4 ,footnote #aa3 ,from this ,art of ,solomon1 exhibited through the medium of a ring1 or seal1 we have the eastern stories which celebrate the ,,seal ,,of ,,solomon1 and record the potency of its sway over the various orders of ,demons1 or of ,genii1 who are supposed to be the invisible tormentors or benefactors of the human race4 ,footnote #ab3 ,let the tradition respecting the discovery of the virtues of the bark serve as an illustration4 ,we are told1 that an ,indian being ill of a fever1 quenched his thirst at a pool of water1 strongly impregnated with the bark from some trees having accidentally fallen into it1 and that he was in consequence cured4 ,footnote #ac3 ,as these persons were ambitious to pass for the descendants of ,esculapius1 they assumed the name of ,the ,,asclepiades4 ,the writings of ,pausanius1 ,philostratus1 and ,plutarch1 abound with the artifices of those early physicians4 ,aristophanes describes in a truly comic manner the craft and pious avarice of these godly men1 and mentions the dexterity and promptitude with which they collected1 and put into their bags1 the offerings on the altar4 ,the patients1 during this period1 reposed on the skins of sacrificed rams1 in order that they might procure celestial visions4 ,as soon as they were believed to be asleep1 a priest1 clothed in the dress of ,esculapius1 imitating his manners1 and accompanied by the daughters of the god1 that is1 by young actresses1 thoroughly instructed in their parts1 entered1 and delivered a medical opinion4 ,footnote #ad3 ,odyss 4 ,footnote #ae3 ,hence1 the ,tincture of ,opium has been called ,thebaic ,tincture4 ,footnote #af3 ,the ,laurel was sacred to ,apollo1 with plantations of which his temples were surrounded4 ,lucan informs us 7,pharsal4 lib4 v47 that the speedy death of the priestess was often occasioned by the ceremony4 ,footnote #ag3 ,allusions to this plant frequently occur in the medical writings of antiquity2 we are told that ,galen1 in the decline of life1 suffered much from morbid vigilance1 until he had recourse to eating a lettuce every evening1 which cured him4 ,footnote #ah3 ,iliad 4 ,footnote #ai3 ,the ,plague of ,london was supposed to have arisen from such a cause1 as we learn from the writers of that period4 ,i shall quote a passage from a pamphlet by ,w4 ,kemp1 ,m4 ,a4 dedicated to ,charles the ,second4 #8,one cause of breeding the pestilence is that corruption of the air1 which is occasioned by the influence of the ,stars1 by the aspects1 conjunctions1 and oppositions of the ,planets1 by the eclipses of the ,sun and ,moon1 and by the consequences of ,comets4' #8,astra regunt homines1 sed regit astra ,deus4' ,hippocrates advises his son ,thessalus to study numbers and geometry1 7#8,epist4 ad ,thessalum4'7 because1 says he1 the rising and setting of the ,stars have a great effect upon ,distempers4 ,citois1 the historian of the celebrated ,colic of ,poitou 7,colica ,pictonum71 which raged with such epidemic fury in that province during the ,sixteenth century1 drops a hint1 apparently with a view to account for the origin of the disease1 viz4 that to the great astonishment of ,astrologers1 #8a new ,star had1 in the same year made its appearance in the constellation of ,cassiopeia'4--7,diatriba de novo et populari1 apud ,pictones1 dolore colico bilioso47 ,footnote #bj3 ,the precious stones were1 at first1 only used as ,amulets1 or external charms1 but like many other articles of the ,materia ,medica1 they passed1 by a mistake in the mode of their application1 from the outside to the inside of the body1 and they were accordingly powdered and administered as specifics4 ,an analogous case of the perverted administration of a popular remedy is afforded in the history of the ,tench2 which ,sennertus describes as a remedy capable of curing the ,jaundice1 which he allows is effected #8by secret attraction1 and the power of ,amulets4' ,in the course of time1 it became a reputed food in the cure of that disease1 and ,tench broth was prescribed upon all such occasions4 ,footnote #ba3 ,mystery is the very soul of ,empiricism2 withdraw the veil1 and the confidence of the patient instantly languishes2 thus ,pliny1 #8,minus credunt qu ad suam salutem pertinent1 si intelligunt4' ,footnote #bb3 ,it was this historian who said1 that ,medicine was invented by ,apollo1 improved by ,esculapius1 and brought to perfection by the physician of ,cos4 ,footnote #bc3 ,paracelsus exclaims1 #8,stellas terrenes esse ,plantas1 qu celestes plantas1 i4 e4 ,stellas1 respiciant1 ita ut quvis planta suam habeat stellam specificam4' ,the ,druids of ,gaul and ,britain1 who were both priests and physicians1 gathered and cut the ,missletoe with a golden knife1 only when the ,moon was six days old1 and being afterwards consecrated by certain forms1 it was considered as an antidote to poisons1 and a preventive of sterility4 ,plinii4 ,lib4 xvi1 c4 #dd4 ,the ,vervain1 7,verbena ,officinalis17 after libations of honey1 was to be gathered at the rising of the dog-star1 when neither sun nor moon shone1 with the left hand only2 when thus prepared1 it was said to vanquish fevers1 and other distempers1 was an antidote to the bite of serpents1 and a charm to conciliate friendship4 ,plin4 ,lib4 xxv4 c4 #i4 ,i shall however hereafter shew that the medicinal reputation of this herb derived its origin from a source more ancient even than that of ,druidism4 ,magnenus 7,exercitat4 de ,tabaco17 has given us the following precept1--#8,tabacum seratur luna crescente1 colligatur autem decrescente luna4' ,footnote #bd3 ,in later times these heathen symbols were dropped1 and others were adopted to propitiate the favour and assistance of heaven2 for this purpose the ,alchemists stamped the figure of the cross upon the vessel in which they were to obtain their long sought for prize2 a superstitious practice1 from which the term crucible derived its origin4 ,i am well aware that another explanation has been given1 and that the word has been derived from ,crucio1 since in the language of the ,alchemists1 the crucible was the vessel in which the metals were tortured to force them to assume the form of gold4 ,footnote #be3 ,mr4 ,boyle was pre-eminently credulous with respect to specifics1 and contributed very greatly to the encouragement and diffusion of empiricism1 by publishing many prescriptions as affording infallible remedies1 which were communicated to him by a variety of persons1 who either from ignorance or design vouched for their efficacy4 ,footnote #bf3 ,the ,soothsayers attributed many mystic properties to the ,coral1 and it was believed to be capable of giving protection against the influence of #8,evil ,eyes2' it was even supposed that ,coral would drive away ,devils and ,evil ,spirits2 hence arose the custom of wearing amulets composed of it1 around the neck1 and of making crowns of it4 ,pliny and ,dioscorides are very loud in their praises of the medicinal properties of this substance1 and ,paracelsus says that it should be worn around the necks of infants as an admirable preservative against fits1 sorcery1 charms1 and even against poison4 ,it is a curious circumstance1 that the same superstitious belief should exist among the ,negroes of the ,west ,indies1 who affirm that the colour of ,coral is always affected by the state of health of the wearer1 it becoming paler in disease4 ,in ,sicily it is also commonly worn as an amulet4 ,footnote #bg3 ,see 8,sir ,kenelm ,digby's ,discourse upon the ,cure by ,sympathy1 pronounced at ,montpellier1 before an assembly of ,nobles and learned men4 ,translated into ,english1 by ,r4 ,white1 ,gentleman1 and published in #afeh40 ,king ,james the ,first obtained from ,sir ,kenelm the discovery of his secret1 which he pretended had been taught him by a ,carmelite ,friar1 who had learned it in ,america or ,persia4 ,the ,sympathetic ,powder was1 as we learn from cotemporary physicians1 #8calcined green vitriol4' ,footnote #bh3 ,this superstitious practice is repeatedly alluded to by the poets3 thus ,sir ,walter ,scott1 in the ,lay of the ,last ,minstrel-- 8,but she has ta'en the broken lance1 ,and wash'd it from the clotted gore1 ,and salved the splinter o'er and o'er4 ,william of ,deloraine1 in trance1 ,whene'er she turn'd it round and round1 ,twisted1 as if she gall'd his wound1 ,then to her maidens she did say1 ,that he should be whole man and sound40--,canto iii4 ,st4 xxiii4 ,dryden has also introduced the same superstition in his ,enchanted ,island4 ,act4 v4 ,scene ii4 ,ariel4 ,anoint the sword which pierced him with this ,weapon salve1 and wrap it close from air ,till ,i have time to visit it again4 ,again1 in ,scene #dth1 ,miranda enters with ,hippolito's sword1 wrapt up3-- ,hip4 ,o my wounds pain me1 ,she unwraps the sword4 ,mir4 ,i am come to ease you4 ,hip4 ,alas ,i feel the cold air come to me2 ,my wound shoots worse than ever4 ,mir4 ,does it still grieve you8 ,she wipes and anoints the sword4 ,hip4 ,now1 methinks1 there's something laid just upon it3 ,mir4 ,do you find no ease8 ,hip4 ,yes1 ,yes2 upon the sudden all this pain ,is leaving me--,sweet heaven1 how am ,i eased6 ,footnote #bi3 ,at the same time it must be acknowledged that many of these revolting applications have actually produced benefit by a physical operation2 we need only mention the nauseous remedies recommended by many writers on ,midwifery to expedite delivery1 which induced the desired effect by producing nausea1 or vomiting4 ,hartman says 7,opera4 ,fol4 p4 #gb7 that he has often witnessed amongst the poor1 that difficult labour has been accelerated by a draught of the husband's urine6 and1 he adds1 that horse dung infused in wine is efficacious in expelling the ,placenta4 ,sarah ,stone1 a midwife who published some cases in #agcg1 mentions several instances of women in labour1 to whom was given the juice of leeks1 mixed with their husband's urine1 in order to strengthen the pains4 ,nauseous remedies have always enjoyed the confidence of the vulgar2 this prejudice would seem to be the result of a species of false reasoning1 by no means uncommon1 that as every thing medicinal is nauseous1 so must every thing that is nauseous be consequently medicinal4 ,footnote #cj3 ,edward the ,confessor was the first ,english king who touched for the ,evil1 but the foolish superstition has been wisely laid aside ever since the accession of the ,house of ,hanover4 ,footnote #ca3 ,this superstitious notion is not confined to the ancients1 but is even cherished at this day1 in some of the more remote districts of the kingdom2 and we find frequent allusions to it in the popular poetry of the seventeenth century4 8,tom ,pots was but a serving man1 ,but yet he was a doctor good2 ,he bound his 'kerchief on the wound1 ,and with some kind words he staunch'd the blood40 ,sir ,walter ,scott1 in his 8,lay of the last ,minstrel0-- 8,she drew the splinter from the wound1 ,and with a charm she staunch'd the blood40 ,the reader will also find the enumeration of several charms for this purpose1 in ,reginald ,scot's ,discoverie of ,witchcraft1 p4 #bgc4 ,we learn also from ,sennertus1 that the older ,surgeons had recourse to prayers and magic for the extraction of foreign bodies from wounds2 a very interesting summary of their superstitions1 and peculiar notions concerning wounds1 will be found in this author1 under the head1 8,de ,rebus alienis e vulnere eximendis40 ,lib4 v4 ,pars1 iv4 ,practic ,medicin4 ,footnote #cb3 ,the reader will find this subject treated more fully in the ,introduction to our work on 8,,medical ,,jurisprudence40 ,footnote #cc3 ,see a ,tour through ,england1 by ,dr4 ,nemnich of ,hamburgh4 ,footnote #cd3 ,nostrum1 7our own47 ,this word1 as its original meaning implies1 is very significant of this characteristic attribute of quackery4 ,see the note under the article #8,liquor ,opii ,sedativus4' ,footnote #ce3 ,aristides was the dupe and victim of the ,asclepiades for ten successive years2 he was alternately purged1 vomited1 and blistered2 made to walk bare-footed1 under a burning sun in summer1 and in winter he was doomed to seek for the return of health1 by bathing his feeble and emaciated body in the river4 ,all this severity1 he was made to believe1 was exercised towards him by the express directions of ,esculapius himself1 with whom he was persuaded to fancy that he conversed in his dreams1 and frequently beheld in nocturnal visions4 ,upon one occasion1 the god1 fatigued with the importunities of his votary1 ordered him to lose #abj lbs4 of blood2 the unhappy man not having so much in his body1 wisely took the liberty of interpreting the oracle in his own way1 and parted with no more than he could conveniently spare4 ,footnote #cf3 ,as we are here investigating the follies of ,physic1 it will not be foreign to the subject to state1 that the above observation may with as much truth and force be applied to medical writings as to medical substances4 ,nothing is more fatal to the permanent success and character of an author1 than the extravagant and unmerited encomiums of time-serving reviewers4 ,it would be invidious to illustrate this truth by examples1 or we might adduce some striking instances where the inappropriate wreath has strangled the object which it was intended to adorn4 ,it is a matter of deep regret that the ,magnates of our profession do not combine in supporting a respectable medical ,review4--#8,manus ,apolline dignum4' ,footnote #cg3 ,this theory is still cherished in the preservation of the formula for ,pilul ,opiat1 in the ,edinburgh ,pharmacopia4 ,footnote #ch3 ,the practice of this physician does not appear to have been very successful1 if we may credit ,juvenal4-- 8,quot ,themison gros autumno occiderit uno40 ,footnote #ci3 ,see #8,an ,experimental ,enquiry into the effects of ,tonics1 and other ,medicines1 on the cohesion of the ,animal fibre4' ,by ,dr4 ,crawford4 ,footnote #dj3 ,van ,swieten1 in his ,commentaries on the ,venereal disease1 has an aphorism founded on the same hypothesis1 #8,render the blood and lymph more fluid1 and you will have destroyed the virus4' ,sect4 #adgg4 ,in the first volume of the ,transactions of the ,royal ,college of ,physicians1 there is a paper to the same effect1 entitled1 #8,on the ,operation of ,mercury1 in different diseases and constitutions1 by ,edward ,barry1 ,m4,d4 ,f4,r4,s4' ,read at the ,college1 ,july #ac1 #agfg4 ,footnote #da3 ,genesis ix4 #bc4 ,footnote #db3 ,the animal nature of the colouring matter of the blood was first pointed out by ,dr4 ,wells1 but ,fourcroy and ,vauquelin considered it to be owing to subphosphate of iron4 ,mr4 ,brande1 in #ahab1 demonstrated the fallacy of this opinion1 and proved1 by satisfactory experiments1 its title to be considered as a peculiar animal principle2 the subsequent experiments of ,m4 ,vauquelin have confirmed ,mr4 ,brande's results4 ,footnote #dc3 ,the ,magnet1 or ,loadstone1 in powder1 entered also as an ingredient in several plaisters1 to draw bullets1 and heads of arrows1 out of the body1 as in the #8,emplastrum ,divinum ,nicolai1' the #8,emplastrum ,nigrum' of ,augsburg1 the #8,opodeldock' and #8,attractivum1' of ,paracelsus1 with several other preparations1 to be found in the ,dispensatory of ,wecker1 and in the practice of ,sennertus4 ,footnote #dd3 ,,pyretologia1 p4 #ag1 ,a4 ,d4 #afib4 ,footnote #de3 ,sturmius1 in his #8,febrifugi ,peruviani ,vindici1' published in #afeh1 observes that he saw twenty doses of the powder sold at ,brussels for sixty florins1 in order to be sent to ,paris1 and that he would willingly have been a purchaser of some doses1 even at that price2 but the ,apothecary was unable to supply him3 an anecdote not more illustrative of the reputation of the bark1 than of the honesty of the vender4 ,footnote #df3 ,this produced a pamphlet from ,dr4 ,slare1 entitled #8,a ,vindication of ,sugars against the ,charge of ,dr4 ,willis and others3 dedicated to the ,ladies4' #agae4 ,footnote #dg3 ,this conceit did not escape the notice of the metaphysical poets of the seventeenth century2 ,cowley frequently availed himself of it to embellish his verse4 ,footnote #dh3 ,genesis xxx4 #ad4 ,footnote #di3 ,this mineral derives its name from the ancient belief that it was found in the nest of the eagle4 ,it is a variety of iron ore4 ,footnote #ej3 #8,chrysost4 ,magneni ,exercit4 de ,tabaco4' ,footnote #ea3 ,for a further account of this conceit1 see ,crollius1 in a work appended to his 8,,basilica ,,chymica10 entitled1 #8,de ,signaturis internis rerum1 seu de vera et viva ,anatomia majoris et minoris mundi4' ,footnote #eb3 ,in various black-letter works on ,dmonology we are assured that three scruples of the ashes of the witch1 when she has been well and carefully burnt at a stake1 is a sure ,catholicon against all the evil effects of ,witchcraft6 ,the popular author of ,,waverley alludes to this superstition in his ,,abbot4 ,footnote #ec3 ,massaria1 a learned ,professor of ,pavia in the sixteenth century1 absolutely declares that he would rather err with ,galen than be in the right with any other physician6 ,footnote #ed3 ,this practice of ,bishop ,berkeley has been ridiculed with great point and effect1 in a pamphlet entitled #8,a cure for the ,epidemical ,madness of drinking ,tar ,water1' by ,mr4 ,reeve2 in which1 addressing the ,bishop1 he says1 8thus1 in your younger days1 my ,lord1 you made the surprising discovery of the unreality of matter1 and now in your riper age1 you have undertaken to prove the reality of a universal remedy2 an attempt to talk men out of their reason1 did of right1 belong to that author who had first tried to persuade them out of their senses40 ,tar water was also at one period considered to possess very considerable efficacy in ,syphylis4 ,footnote #ee3 ,the ,euphrasia ,officinalis1 or ,eye-bright1 which is indebted for its celebrity to the doctrine of ,signatures1 as before stated1 is actually employed at this time in cases of dimness of sight4 ,see a ,paper upon the efficacy of this plant by ,dr4 ,jackson1 in the ,london ,medical and ,physical ,journal1 vol4 #bc1 p4 #ajd4 ,footnote #ef3 ,its rejection was proposed by the late ,dr4 ,heberden1 and upon the ,college dividing on the question1 there were found to be thirteen votes for retaining1 and fourteen for rejecting it4 ,footnote #eg3 ,this preparation consists of #gb ingredients1 which are arranged under #ac heads--viz4 ,,acria1 of which there are #e species4 ,,amara1 of which there are #h4 ,,styptica vulgo ,,astringentia1 #e in number4 ,,aromatica ,,exotica1 #ad4 ,,aromatica ,,indigena1 #aj4 ,,aromatica ,,ex ,,umbelliferis1 #g4 ,,resinosa ,,et ,,balsama1 #h4 ,,grave-,,olentia1 #f4 ,,virosa1 seu qu ,narcosin inducunt1 under which head there is but one species1 viz4 ,opium4 ,,terrea ,,insipida ,,et ,,inertia2 this comprises only the ,lemnian ,earth4 ,,gummosa1 ,,amylacea1 c4 #d species4 ,,dulcia1 liquorice and honey4 ,,vinum1 ,spanish4 ,upon no principle of combination can this heterogeneous farrago be vindicated4 ,it has1 however1 enjoyed the confidence of physicians for many ages1 and is therefore entitled to some notice4 ,it was supposed to have been invented by ,mithridates1 the famous king of ,pontus1 the receipt for which was said to have been found among his papers after his defeat by ,pompey1 at which time it was published in ,rome under the title of #8,antidotum ,mithridatum2' but the probability is1 says ,dr4 ,heberden1 that ,mithridates was as much a stranger to his own antidote as several eminent physicians have since been to the medicines that are daily advertised under their names4 ,it was asserted1 that whoever took a proper quantity in the morning1 was insured from poison during the whole of that day1 7,galen de ,antidot4 ,lib4 #a47 and it was further stated1 that ,mithridates himself was so fortified against all baneful drugs1 that none would produce any effect when he attempted to destroy himself4 7,celsus1 lib4 #e4 c4 #bc47 ,in the course of ages it has undergone numerous alterations4 ,according to ,celsus1 who first described it1 it contained only #ce simples2 ,andromachus1 ,physician to ,nero1 added vipers1 and increased the number of ingredients to #ge2 and when thus reformed1 he called it --but in ,trajan's time it obtained the name of ,theriaca1 either from the vipers in it1 or from its supposed effect in curing the bites of venomous animals4 ,damocrates gave a receipt for it in ,greek ,iambics1 which has been preserved by ,galen4 ,it appears then that its composition has hardly remained the same for a hundred years2 it is1 says ,dr4 ,heberden1 a farrago1 that has no better title to the name of ,mithridates than1 as it so well resembles1 the numerous undisciplined forces of a barbarous king1 made up of a dissonant crowd collected from different countries1 mighty in appearance1 but in reality1 an ineffective multitude1 that only hinder each other4 ,,antiopiaka1 by ,w4 ,heberden1 ,m4 ,d4 #agde4 ,footnote #eh3 ,the consumption of ,tea has greatly increased in ,england during the last thirty years4 ,in #aghg the total amounted to sixteen millions of pounds1 whereas in #ahba1 it exceeded twenty-two millions4 ,footnote #ei3 ,hernandez de ,toledo sent this plant into ,spain and ,portugal in #aeei1 when ,jean ,nicot was ,ambassador at the ,court of ,lisbon from ,francis ,,ii1 and he transmitted1 or carried either the seed1 or the plant to ,catherine de ,medicis3 it was then considered as one of the wonders of the new world1 and was supposed to possess very extraordinary virtues2 this seems to be the first authentic record of the introduction of this plant into ,europe4 ,in #aehi the ,cardinal ,santa ,croce1 returning from his nunciature in ,spain and ,portugal to ,italy1 carried thither with him ,tobacco1 and we may form some notion of the enthusiasm with which its introduction was hailed1 from a perusal of the poetry which the subject inspired2 the poets compare the exploit of the holy ,cardinal with that of his progenitor who brought home the wood of the true cross4 ---------------------------------------- 8,herb of immortal fame6 ,which hither first with ,santa ,croce came1 ,when he1 his time of nunciature expired1 ,back from the ,court of ,portugal retired2 ,even as his predecessors1 great and good ,brought home the cross40---- ,in ,england1 it is said that the smoking ,tobacco was first introduced by ,sir ,walter ,raleigh on his return from ,america4 ,james the ,first wrote a philippic against it1 entitled a 8,,counterblaste ,,to ,,tobacco10 in which the royal author1 with more prejudice than dignity1 informs his loving subjects that #8it is a custome loathsome to the eye1 hatefull to the nose1 harmefull to the braine1 dangerous to the lungs2 and in the blacke stinking fume thereof1 neerest resembling the horrible ,stigian smoake of the pit that is bottomlesse4' ,in #afjd this monarch endeavoured by means of heavy imposts to abolish its use in this country1 and in #afai he commanded that no planter in ,virginia should cultivate more than #ajj lbs4 ,it must be confessed that some legislative enactment was necessary at this period for restricting the custom of smoking ,tobacco2 for we are told in the ,counterblaste1 that many persons expended as much as five hundred pounds per annum in the purchase of this article1 which in those days was an enormous amount4 ,in #afbd ,pope ,urban the ,v,i,i,ith published a decree of excommunication against all who took snuff in the church4 ,ten years after this1 smoking was forbidden in ,russia1 under the pain of having the nose cut off2 in #afec the ,council of the ,canton of ,appenzel cited smokers before them1 whom they punished1 and they ordered all innkeepers to inform against such as were found smoking in their houses4 ,the police regulations of ,bern made in #affa was divided according to the ,ten ,commandments1 in which the prohibition of smoking stands immediately beneath the command against adultery2 this prohibition was renewed in #afge1 and the ,tribunal instituted to put it into execution--viz42 ,,chambre ,,au ,,tabac--continued to the middle of the eighteenth century4 ,pope ,innocent the ,x,i,ith1 in #afij excommunicated all those who were found taking snuff or tobacco in the church of ,st4 ,peter at ,rome2 even so late as #agai the ,senate of ,strasburgh prohibited the cultivation of ,tobacco from an apprehension that it would diminish the growth of corn2 ,amurath the ,i,vth published an edict which made smoking ,tobacco a capital offence2 this was founded on an opinion that it rendered the people infertile4 ,those who are curious to learn more of the history of this extraordinary plant1 ,i beg to refer to a very interesting paper by #8,medicus1' in the #bdth volume of the #8,london ,medical and ,physical ,journal1' page #dde4 ,footnote #fj3 ,what other discovery or invention ever produced such political consequences as the introduction of the ,potatoe as an article of food8 ,from its operation as the main constituent of national sustenance the population of ,ireland has advanced from little more than one million to near seven millions1 within the last century and a half6 ,footnote #fa3 ,med4 ,trans4 of the ,college of ,physicians1 vol4 vi4 p4 #ib4 ,footnote #fb3 ,that the warm and not the cold bath was esteemed by the ancient ,greeks1 for its invigorating properties may be inferred from a dialogue of ,aristophanes1 in which one of the characters says1 #8,i think none of the sons of the gods ever exceeded ,hercules in bodily and mental force1'--upon which the other asks #8,where didst thou ever see a cold bath dedicated to ,hercules8' ,footnote #fc3 ,the prohibition of the bath was numbered amongst the mortifications to which certain priestesses in ,greece were bound by the rigid rules of their order4 ,footnote #fd3 ,t4 ,bartholini ,hist4 ,anat4 et ,med4 cent v4 ,hafni4 ,med4 ,transactions1 vol4 #c1 p4 #agg4 ,footnote #fe3 ,,madame ,,nouffleur',s ,,receipt is as follows4 ,three drachms of the root of the ,male ,fern1 reduced to a fine powder1 and mixed with water--this constitutes one dose4 ,two hours after taking the powder1 a bolus of ,calomel1 ,scammony1 and ,gamboge1 is to be administered4 ,footnote #ff3 ,,duke ,,of ,,portland',s ,,powder ,,for ,,the ,,gout4--,equal quantities of the roots of ,gentian1 and ,birthwort 7,aristolochia rotunda7 the tops and leaves of ,germander 7chamdrys7 ,ground ,pine 7,champitys7 and lesser ,centaury1 7,chironea ,centaurium7 powdered and mixed together4--,as this is a combination of bitters1 it might1 without doubt1 be serviceable in certain cases of ,gout4 ,footnote #fg3 ,this medicine was brought into vogue by ,m4 ,husson1 a military officer in the service of ,france1 about fifty years ago4 ,footnote #fh3 ,so popular was this plant that it acquired the title of #8,anima articulorum4' ,it formed the basis of the ,dia ,articulorum1 the ,pulvis ,arthriticus ,turneri1 and the ,vienna ,gout ,decoction4 ,footnote #fi3 ,alexander's ,prescription consisted of ,hermodactyllus1 ,ginger1 ,pepper1 ,cummin seed1 ,aniseed1 and ,scammony2 which1 says he1 will enable those who take it to walk immediately4 ,footnote #gj3 8,magisterium ,opii fit solvendo ,opium in aceto1 et prcipitando cum sale tartari4----0 ,footnote #ga3 ,this was the favourite remedy of ,dr4 ,andrew ,boorde1 who practised physic in ,hampshire1 and in his work printed in the black letter in ,london1 entitled a #8,breviarie of ,health1' he advises for a tooth-ache depending upon worms1 #8a candell of waxe with ,henbane seeds1 which must be lighted so that the perfume of the candell do enter into the tooth4' ,this said ,dr4 ,andrew ,boorde is too important a personage to be passed over without some farther notice in this place1 being no less than the ,founder of that dignified class of the medical fraternity1 better known by the name of ,merry ,andrews4 ,dr4 ,andrew ,boorde lived in the reigns of ,henry ,,viii1 ,edward ,,vi1 and ,queen ,mary1 and was in the constant habit of frequenting fairs and markets1 at which he harangued the populace publicly3 his speeches were extremely humourous and occasioned considerable mirth2 his successors in this same line naturally endeavoured to imitate his bright example1 and hence this class of itinerant quacks obtained the generic appellation of ,,merry ,,andrews4 ,since the humiliating triumph of ,quackery displayed at the ,freemason's tavern1 under the presidency of the member for ,coventry1 and more recently at ,margate1 there is reason to believe that this class of itinerant mountebanks will assume a new and more dignified appellation1 and that in commemoration of the services of their philosophical president1 the worthy member above stated1 they will in future be designated by the name of ,,ranting ,,peters4 ,footnote #gb3 ,i have been lately much amused with the lucubrations of a classical friend1 who by way of casting ridicule upon such researches1 undertakes to prove to my satisfaction that ,,warren',s ,,blacking is no other than the 8,black flowing ,splendour10 described in the ,hecuba of ,euripides4 ,footnote #gc3 ,this species of delusion1 from mistaking the ,post hoc1 for the ,propter hoc1 always reminds me of the story of the ,florentine ,quack1 who gave the countryman six pills which were to enable him to discover his lost ,ass1--the pills beginning to operate on his road home1 obliged him to retire into a wood1 where he found his ass4 ,the clown soon spread a report of the wonderful success of the empiric1 who in consequence1 no doubt1 reaped an ample reward from the proprietors of strayed cattle4 ,footnote #gd3 ,the grant of #ejjj to ,joanna ,stephens1 for her discovery of certain medicines for the cure of the ,stone1 is notified in the ,london ,gazette of ,june1 ,a4 ,d4 #agci4 ,see ,liquor ,calcis4 ,footnote #ge3 ,wesley's ,journal1 vol4 xxix4 #bij-bic4 ,footnote #gf3 ,soon after the invention of the art of ,printing1 the works of ,dioscorides1 ,theophrastus1 and ,pliny1 were published in various forms1 and ,commentators swarmed like locusts4 ,the eagerness with which this branch of knowledge was cultivated may be conceived1 when it is stated that the ,commentary of ,matthiolus on ,dioscorides1 which was first printed in #aeed1 passed through seventeen editions1 and that #cb1jjj copies had been sold before the year #aefa2 and he tells us in this work1 that he received in its execution the assistance and reward of ,emperors1--,kings1--,electors of the ,roman ,empire1--,arch-dukes1--,cardinals1--,bi shops1--,dukes1 and ,princes1 #8which1' says he1 #8gives greater credit to our labours than any thing that could be said4' ,in very many cases1 however1 says ,dr4 ,pultney1 #8this learned ,commentator mistook the road to truth1 and did but perplex the science he so industriously laboured to enlighten4' ,footnote #gg3 ,turner1 the father of ,english ,botany1 was of opinion1 that it was the ,polygonum ,bistorta2 ,munting1 a ,dutch physician1 that it was the ,hydrolapathum ,magnum1 or ,rumex ,aquaticus or ,great ,water ,dock1 an opinion which received the sanction of ,ray4 ,others have supposed it to have been ,polygonum ,persicaria1 and some have considered it as the ,primula ,auricula4 ,this one example is adduced to shew the mortifying uncertainty that involves the history of ancient plants4 ,footnote #gh3 ,meade thinks that the ,athenian poison was a combination of active substances1--perhaps that described by ,theophrastus as the invention of ,thrasyas1 which1 it was said1 would cause death without pain1 and into which ,cicuta and ,poppy entered as ingredients4 ,footnote #gi3 8,verbenasque adole pingues1 et ,mascula ,thura40--,virg4 ,eclog4 viii4 8,ex ,ara hac sume ,verbenas tibi40--,terent4 ,andria4 8ara castis vincta ,verbenis40----,hor4 ,od4 xi4 ,lib4 iv4 ,it is a curious fact that in ,tuscany the word ,vervena is applied to denote any kind of slips1 shoots1 suckers1 or bundles of plants1 at this very day4 ,footnote #hj3 ,,amlyum1 the ,starch of wheat1 originally denoted a powder that was obtained without the application of a mill1 from 1 not1 and 1 a mill2 thus ,dioscorides 8 0--i4 e4 because it is prepared without a mill4 ,footnote #ha3 ,gerard in his ,herbal 7#aeig7 denominates it1 by way of distinction1 ,potatoe of ,virginia1 and he recommends it to be eaten as a delicate dish1 not as common food2 indeed some time elapsed after its introduction before it became general1 and it was cultivated as an article of diet in ,ireland several years before it was common in ,england4 ,footnote #hb3 ,the inhalation of the fumes of ,orpiment is a practice attributed to ,galen2 and one of the most distinguished of his disciples1 ,rhazes1 recommends it to be inhaled by consumptive patients1 in combination with stimulant and resinous substances1 such as ,storax1 ,myrrh1 ,galbanum1 and ,aristolochia root4 ,bennet recommends the same practice in such cases4 ,willis informs us that a similar custom prevailed among certain empirics of his day1 and asserts that they took such pieces of carpet as were dyed with ,orpiment1 and having cut them into small pieces1 exposed them to heat1 and1 by means of an inverted funnel1 made the patients inhale the vapour4 ,sir ,alexander ,crichton seems disposed to believe that such applications might prove useful by changing the action of any ulcer to which they were applied4 ,footnote #hc3 ,calomel4--,there is some doubt respecting the original meaning of this word1 it literally signifies1 fair1 black1 1 4 ,sir ,theodore ,mayerne is said to have given the name to it1 in consequence of his having had a favourite black servant who prepared it2 but is it not more probable1 that its name was derived from the change of colour which it undergoes from black to white1 during its preparation8 ,another explanation has been also given1 viz4 qud nigro humori sit bonum--a good 77 remedy for black 77 bile4 ,this ,theory derives much support from the black appearance of the stools1 which is usually produced by the use of ,calomel1 and which was erroneously attributed to the searching and efficacious nature of the purgative4 ,the ,calomel of ,riverius was a compound of ,hydrargyri ,sub-muriat3 j and ,scammone gr4 vij1 and ,mr4 ,gray thinks that the term ,calomel was first applied to this remedy1 as being a mixture of a white and dark coloured powder4 ,footnote #hd3 ,for further information upon this subject the reader may consult my work on 8the ,elements of ,medical ,chemistry40 ,footnote #he3 ,dr4 ,blair thinks that the ancients were led in many instances by the comparison of habit1 to ascribe similar virtues to plants2 there does not however appear to be a trace of what may be called ,system1 in the writings of ,theophrastus1 ,dioscorides1 or ,pliny4 ,csalpinus was the father of botanical system1 and he was probably the first who suggested the idea that the virtues of plants were discoverable by their structure and alliance to each other4 ,in his preface to his work1 8,de ,plantis10 he says #8,qu enim generis societate junguntur1 plerumque et similes possident facultates4' ,this idea was pursued by ,petiver1 an apothecary in the city of ,london1 a name well known in the annals of ,botany2 there is a paper by him on this subject1 in the #bast volume of the ,philosophical ,transactions1 entitled1 8,some attempts to prove that herbs of the same make and class1 for the generality1 have the like ,vertue1 and ,tendency to work the same ,effects40 ,dr4 ,murray has adopted an arrangement founded upon natural character in his celebrated work entitled1 8,apparatus ,medicaminum04 ,footnote #hf3 ,russell's ,nat4 ,hist4 of ,aleppo4 ,footnote #hg3 ,the student will find an interesting dissertation upon this subject in a late work1 entitled 8,l',histoire ,naturelle des ,medicamens40 ,par ,j4 ,j4 ,virey1 #ahbj4 ,footnote #hh3 ,lord ,bacon attributes the operation of purgatives to three causes1 viz4 #a4 to extreme bitterness1 as in ,aloes1 #b4 to loathsomeness and horrible taste1 as in ,agaric and black ,hellebore1 and #c4 to a secret malignity1 as in ,antimony1 c4 ,footnote #hi3 ,this might be illustrated by the recital of numerous fallacies to which our most simple perceptions are exposed from the powers of association1 but ,i will relate an anecdote1 which to my mind elucidates the nature and extent of such fallacies more strikingly than any example which could be adduced4 ,shortly after ,sir ,humphry ,davy had succeeded in decomposing the fixed alkalies1 a portion of ,potassium was placed in the hands of one of our most distinguished chemists1 with a query as to its nature8 the philosopher observing its aspect and splendour1 did not hesitate in pronouncing it to be metallic1 and uniting at once the idea of weight with that of metal1 the evidence of his senses was even insufficient to dissever ideas so inseparably associated in his mind1 and1 balancing the specimen on his fingers1 he exclaimed1 8it is certainly metallic1 and very ponderous80 ,now this anecdote is not related in disparagement to the philosopher in question4 ,who could have been prepared to meet with a substance1 so novel and anomalous as to overturn every preconceived notion8--,a ,,metal ,,so ,,light ,,as ,,to ,,swim ,,upon ,,water1 ,,and ,,so ,,inflammable ,,as ,,to ,,catch ,,fire ,,by ,,the ,,contact ,,of ,,ice6 ,footnote #ij3 ,virey1 8,essai d',histoire ,naturelle et ,physicolog3 sur la perfectibilit de l'homme40 ,footnote #ia3 ,second ,voyage of ,captain ,cook1 vol4 #d4 ,footnote #ib3 ,the cause of the green colour of oysters is sometimes an operation of nature1 but it is more generally produced by art1 by placing them in situations where there is a green deposit from the sea1 which appears to consist of the vegetating germs of marine ,conferv and ,fuci1 and which impart their colour to the oysters4 ,for this object the ,dutch formerly took oysters from beds on our coasts1 and deposited them on their own4 ,native oysters transported into the ,colchester beds soon assume a green colour4 ,it is unnecessary to refute the popular error which attributed this change of colour to the operation of copper4 ,footnote #ic3 ,we must admit that some of these allegories are too obvious to be mistaken4 ,homer attributes the plague that prevailed in the ,grecian camp to the darts of ,apollo2 what was meant by this1 but that it arose from the action of a burning sun1 upon the marshes and slimy shores of ,troas8 and what1 again1 can be more obvious than the allegory by which ,echo is made the daughter of air and earth8 ,footnote #id3 ,bacon's works1 vol4 #e1 p4 #dgj4 #dth ,edit4 ,london1 #aggh4 ,footnote #ie3 ,leslie's ,elements of ,natural ,philosophy4 ,footnote #if3 ,virg4 ,georg4 iv4 #cib-djb4 ,footnote #ig3 ,dioscorides and ,pliny describe a process1 which may be considered that of distillation in its infancy2 it consists in obtaining oil from pitch1 by spreading over it while boiling1 fleeces of wool1 which receive the vapour and afterwards yield it by expression4 ,in this country the art of distillation was unknown at the time when the ,romans had possession of it4 ,it is said to have been introduced in the early part of ,,henry ,,ii4 ,footnote #ih3 ,it was destroyed in the sixth century1 by the ,,caliph ,,omar1 the cotemporary and companion of ,mahomet4 ,footnote #ii3 ,the ,saracens1 in their treaty with the ,greek ,emperors1 demanded1 by express articles1 the works of the ancients4 ,footnote #ajj3 ,garcias as well as ,geoffroy and ,hill say that tius mentions camphor1 but it cannot be found1 as ,dr4 ,alston has observed1 in that1 or in any other ,greek author4 ,there is a ,camphor herba in ,myrepsus2 but this is evidently a different thing4 ,footnote #aja3 ,the ,records of ,physic1 if ,i am not deceived1 will afford numerous instances of similar error1 from mistaking figurative expressions for literal truths4 ,a knowledge of this species of fallacy will explain the origin of several very extraordinary receipts4 ,i shall select the following instance1 by way of illustration4 ,in many of the ancient works on ,physic1 we find the blood of the goat extolled for its efficacy in dissolving stones1 and1 from this supposed lithontriptic virtue1 it forms the principal ingredient of the ,,powder ,,of ,,nicolaus1 and of the ,,electuary ,,of ,,the ,,queen ,,of ,,colein4 ,the expression which gave origin to this belief was evidently allegorical1 signifying that the blood of the goat1 by which our ,saviour was typified1 was capable of softening the stony hearts of his enemies1 or1 according to others1 that by his influence1 the stony rocks1 and veil of the temple were shatterd4 ,browne's ,vulgar ,errors4 ,footnote #ajb3 ,silver1 ,mercury1 ,copper1 ,iron1 ,tin1 ,lead4 ,footnote #ajc3 ,agricola de veteribus et novis metallis3 ,lib4 #a4 ,footnote #ajd3 #b ,kings1 chap4 ix4 verse #cj4 ,footnote #aje3 ,it has been already stated1 that we are indebted to an ,indian for the discovery of ,bark1 and it now appears we derived our knowledge of ,mercury to the wildest of the alchemists4 ,may it not then be said that we are indebted to a savage1 and a madman1 for two of our most powerful remedies8 ,footnote #ajf3 ,erasmus1 the friend1 the correspondent1 and the patient of our own ,linacre6 ,had not modern times1 says ,sir ,george ,baker1 furnished similar instances1 it would have been a matter of astonishment to us to have heard that ,erasmus should have deserted an accomplished physician whom he so greatly extols in his ,epistles1 in order to consult so wild and illiterate an enthusiast as ,paracelsus4 ,footnote #ajg3 ,paracelsus maintained that the human body is composed of salt1 sulphur1 and mercury1 and that in these 8three first substances10 as he calls them1 health and disease consist3 that the mercury1 in proportion to its volatility1 produces tremors1 mortifications in the ligaments1 madness1 phrensy1 and delirium1 and that fevers1 phlegmons1 and the jaundice1 are the offspring of the sulphureous principle1 while he supposed that the cholic1 stone1 gravel1 gout1 and sciatica derive their origin from salt4 ,footnote #ajh3 ,amongst the writers engaged in this contest1 no one was more animated with party spirit than ,,guy ,,patin1 who was profuse in his personalities against those who defended the use of ,antimony2 he drew up a long register of the unsuccessful cases in which this medicine had been employed1 which he published under the title of 8,,antimonial ,,martyrology40 ,footnote #aji3 ,in the year #afdd ,schroeder published a ,chemico-medical ,pharmacopia1 which delineates with accuracy the pharmacy of these times1 and enumerates almost all the chemical medicines that were known towards the close of this period4 ,footnote #aaj3 ,the ,dispensatories of ,london and ,edinburgh1 the former by ,mr4 ,a4 ,t4 ,thomson1 and the latter by ,dr4 ,duncan1 are works which reflect credit on the age and country in which they were written4 ,footnote #aaa3 ,the first ,pharmacopia was published at ,nuremburg1 under the sanction of its ,senate1 in the year #aedb2 for this important act we are indebted to ,valerius ,cordus1 a young student1 who during a transient visit at that place1 accidentally produced a collection of medical receipts which he had selected from the works of the most esteemed writers1 and with which the physicians of ,nuremburg were so highly pleased that they urged him to print it for the benefit of the apothecaries1 and obtained the sanction of the ,senate to the undertaking2 so casual was the circumstance to which we owe the institution of ,pharmacopias4 ,the ,london ,college were among the last to frame a standard ,code of ,medicines2 most cities in ,europe having anticipated us in the performance of this task2 our first ,pharmacopia was not published until the reign of ,james the first1 ,a4 ,d4 #afah1 exactly a century after the ,college had received their ,charter from ,henry4 ,successive editions appeared in the following years1 viz4 in #afej2 #afgg2 #agba2 #agdf2 #aghg2 #ahji4 ,footnote #aab3 ,what would be the surprise and gratification of the ,pharmaceutist who lived a hundred years ago1 if he could now visit ,apothecaries ,hall8 the application of steam for the various purposes of pharmacy1 and for actuating machinery1 for levigation1 trituration1 and other mechanical purposes1 is no less useful1 in ensuring uniform results1 than it is in abridging labour and economising time4 ,the greatest credit is due to the gentlemen under whose guidance this national laboratory is conducted1 and more especially to their worthy and public spirited ,treasurer1 ,william ,simons1 ,esq4 whose zeal and liberality suggested and promoted the fitting up of the ,steam ,laboratory1 as well as the ingenious machine for triturating mercury with lard1 or conserve4 ,footnote #aac3 ,since the publication of the last edition of this work1 ,mr4 ,archdeacon ,wollaston has paid the debt of nature2 his name will be cherished in grateful remembrance by those who had the good fortune to have been his pupils2 as one of that number ,i will venture to say1 that there never existed a lecturer on ,experimental philosophy1 who was more eminently gifted with those qualifications1 upon which the success of a public teacher must depend4 ,he possessed a peculiar method of demonstration1 a singular vivacity in the manner of conducting the experiments1 and of keeping awake the attention of his auditors during their progress2 while those details of manipulation which would have proved1 in other hands1 a source of tedium1 he converted into subjects of the most lively interest4 ,footnote #aad3 ,the ,chemical ,laboratory at ,cambridge has produced some valuable discoveries4 ,ex pede ,herculem1 let me remind the chemist of the formation of ,nitrous ,acid1 by passing a current of ammoniacal gas through the heated ,oxyd of ,manganese1 for which we are indebted to ,dr4 ,milner4 ,i mention it merely as a whimsical circumstance1 that the greatest degree of cold ever produced1 was effected at ,oxford1 and the highest temperature1 lately1 at ,cambridge4 ,the researches of ,dr4 ,clark are highly interesting and important1 a succinct account of which has been published in a small work1 entitled1 8,the ,gas ,blowpipe1 or the ,art of ,fusion1 by burning the ,gaseous constituents of ,water40 ,footnote #aae3 ,these views have prevailed upon the ,committee of the ,college1 and they have accordingly restored the ,soap to the formula1 in the present edition of the ,pharmacopia2 so that the above objection no longer exists4 ,footnote #aaf3 ,the only chemical phenomenon which in any manner resembles this1 appears to be that of the rapid acetification of milk1 and other fluids1 by the agency of a thunder storm4 ,footnote #aag3 ,this practice was introduced into ,france by ,seguin1 into ,italy by ,couticini1 and into ,germany by ,bischoff4 ,footnote #aah3 ,a very ingenious ,dissertation has been lately published by ,m4 ,virey1 on the #8,degeneration of ,plants in foreign soils1' which he says may depend upon #a1 ,climate and ,station2 #b1 ,nutriment2 #c1 ,culture2 #d1 ,factitious ,mutilation2 #e1 ,hybrid ,generation4 ,footnote #aai3 ,women during the period of gestation frequently experience such an increased irritability as to be affected even in ,england by various odours1 which at other times would produce no extraordinary impression4 ,footnote #abj3 ,this plant was first described by ,gmelin in his ,flora ,siberica1 iv4 #aba4 ,it has obtained a place in the ,edinburgh ,pharmacopia4 ,besides the effects stated by ,dr4 ,halliday1 it is said by different authors to excite a peculiar creeping sensation in the pained part4 ,footnote #aba3 ,journal ,complementaire du ,dict4 des ,sciences ,medicales1 tom4 ,,ii4 ,footnote #abb3 ,dr4 ,murett in his 8,short view of ,frauds and ,abuses10 7,a4 ,d4 #affi7 charges the ,apothecary with 8falsifying ,medicines20 8,they shewed the ,censors10 says he1 8,myrtles leaves for ,senna2 a ,binder for a ,purger2 ,mushrooms rubbed over with chalk for ,agaric2 ,hemlock for ,pony2 ,sheep's lungs for ,fox's lungs2 and the bone of an ,ox's heart1 for that of a ,stag's heart40 ,footnote #abc3 ,the editors of the ,american ,medical ,recorder 7vol4 #a1 p4 #dga71 in descanting upon the efficacy of ,prussic ,acid1 very gravely remark1 that they are acquainted with a lady1 subject to hysteric affections1 who always derives relief from a dose of ,,cherry ,,brandy1 in which ,peach kernels have been digested2 the stimulus of the brandy then goes for nothing with these blockheads6 ,zimmerman not unaptly compares a man who is intoxicated with a favourite opinion1 to a passionate lover1 who sees and hears nothing but his mistress4 ,footnote #abd3 ,,bezoar1 7from ,pa-zahar1 ,persian1 a destroyer of poison47 ,a morbid concretion formed in the bodies of land animals4 ,several of them were formerly highly celebrated for their medicinal virtues2 they were considered as powerful ,alexipharmics1 in so much so1 that other medicines1 possessed of alexipharmic powers1 were called ,bezoardics3 so efficacious were these substances formerly considered that they were bought for ten times their weight of gold4 ,avenzoar1 an ,arabian physician1 who practised at ,seville in ,spain about the year ,one ,thousand1 first recommended it in medicine4 ,a composition of ,bezoar with absorbent powers1 has been extensively used under the name of ,gascoigne powder1 and ,gascoigne's ,ball2 but the real bezoar was rarely used on this occasion2 ,gypsum1 or pipe-clay tinged with ox-gall1 proved a less expensive ingredient4 ,footnote #abe3 ,,oribasius1 a native of ,sardes1 lived in the fourth century2 he was the friend and favourite of the ,emperor ,julian1 under whom he had great authority1 and acquired considerable wealth4 ,it would be well for the profession of ,physic1 and for the public1 if crowned heads generally evinced as much discrimination in the appointment and patronage of physicians4 ,footnote #abf3 ,three-fourths at least of the ,,quack ,,medicines of the present day are remedies of this description1 and are compounded according to such receipts4 ,footnote #abg3 ,medical ,logic4 ,edit4 #bnd1 p4 #ib4 ,footnote #abh3 ,the term sympathy has often been objected to1 as being too figurative2 it is certainly a metaphor taken from an affection of the mind1 but1 as ,sir ,gilbert ,blane very justly remarks1 the import of words ought either to be assumed conventionally according to a definition1 or to be adhered to in the sense affixed to it by established usage2 8by animal sympathy10 says he1 8is not meant the intelligible principle of ,stahl's hypothesis1 but that mutual influence of distant parts1 so subtle and rapid as in some instances to be compared to thought or lightning2 while in other instances it is an action more tardy and habitual40 ,medical ,logic1 ,edit4 #bnd1 p4 #abc4 ,in the present work1 ,i wish the reader to understand the term sympathy1 wherever it may occur1 in conformity with the above definition4 ,footnote #abi3 ,colchicum1 ,squill1 and many other vegetable diuretics1 are of this nature4 ,footnote #acj3 ,the ,indian ,fig1 7,cactus ,opuntia17 when eaten1 renders the urine of a bloody colour4 ,rhubarb has likewise an effect upon the colour of this secretion4 ,footnote #aca3 ,this is probably the reason of many bodies producing but little effect upon the inferior animals4 ,the vegetable eaters are certainly less affected by vegetable poisons than those animals who exclusively live upon animal substances3 it is thus1 that a rabbit can take a very large dose of opium without any ill effects1 while half the same quantity would poison a dog4 ,it is a curious fact1 that a sound horse can take a very considerable portion of opium with impunity1 but if he be weakened by previous disease1 by strong purgatives1 or by excessive bleeding1 he is speedily destroyed by a much less dose2 7,see ,bracy ,clarke's ,reformed ,pharmacopia for ,horses47 ,in this latter case1 does it not appear that the fatal result depends upon the fact of the digestive organs having been disabled1 by debility1 from effecting that decomposition by which under ordinary circumstances1 the drug is disarmed of its potency8 ,what important lights might not be obtained by the institution of a series of well devised experiments upon the comparative effects of medicinal bodies upon man and other animals8 ,the ,physiologist has thus availed himself of the resources of the comparative anatomist1 and ,i feel persuaded1 that results equally beneficial to science would follow a similar inquiry in relation to the operation of medicines4 ,in the course of the present work1 ,i hope to shew the truth of this position by some appropriate illustrations4 ,footnote #acb3 ,that the ,vena ,portarum constitutes one of the avenues through which certain extraneous bodies enter the circulating current1 there cannot exist a doubt2 but a series of well-devised experiments are greatly wanted for the elucidation of the subject4 ,the ,professors of ,veterinary ,medicine might on this occasion render us an important service by some comparative researches4 ,footnote #acc3 ,see ,unguent4 ,hydrarg4 ,footnote #acd3 ,treatise on the ,materia ,medica1 vol4 ,i4 p4 #aia4 ,footnote #ace3 ,medical ,literature1 ,edit4 #b4 7,pharmacology17 p4 #ded4 ,footnote #acf3 ,system of ,mat4 ,med4 vol4 ,i4 p4 #acb4 ,footnote #acg3 ,a system of ,materia ,medica and ,pharmacy1 vol4 #a4 p4 #aca4 ,footnote #ach3 ,narcotics1 from ,torpedo2 an animal which has the power of stupefying any thing that it touches4 ,footnote #aci3 ,during the severe campaigns of the late war1 the ,surgeons of the ,french army were in the practice of administering ,opium and ,cayenne ,pepper to the soldiers who were exhausted by fatigue4 ,footnote #adj3 ,treatise on ,nervous ,diseases1 vol4 #a4 p4 #bba4 ,footnote #ada3 ,bitterness in vegetables has been supposed to reside in a peculiar proximate principle1 which has been accordingly named the ,bitter ,principle4 ,such an opinion1 however1 does not appear to rest on sufficient evidence2 on the contrary1 experiment has shewn that it is very generally connected with the extractive matter of the plant1 as it is obtained equally by the action of water and alcohol2 it is not volatile1 nor are its energies impaired by decoction4 ,footnote #adb3 ,thus ,sir ,h4 ,davy1 in comparing the composition of the soluble products afforded by different crops from the same grass1 found in every trial1 the largest quantity of truly nutritive matter in the crop cut when the seed was ripe and the least bitter extractive1 and saline matter2 while in the autumnal crops these relations were found inverted4 ,elem4 of ,agricult4 ,chem4 ,footnote #adc3 ,molina1 in his history of ,chili1 speaking of the ,potatoe1 says1 8,it is indeed found in all the fields of this country1 but the plants that grow wild1 called by the ,indians ,maglia1 produce only very small roots of a bitter taste40 ,dr4 ,baldwin also found the wild parent of the potatoe plant at ,monte ,video1 and ,mr4 ,lambert informs us that this statement has been confirmed by ,captain ,bowles1 who has not long since returned from the ,south ,american station2 he says1 8it is a common weed in the gardens1 bearing small tubers1 but too bitter for use40 ,royal ,institution ,journal1 ,no4 ,,xix4 ,footnote #add3 ,discourses on the ,elements of ,therapeutics and ,materia ,medica1 by ,n4 ,chapman1 ,m4 ,d4 ,philadelphia1 #ahai4 ,footnote #ade3 ,thus it has been found by experiments1 that the ,menyanthes ,trifoliata1 7the ,water ,trefoil17 which on account of its bitterness has been used as a substitute for ,hops1 is a cure for the rot in sheep1 when given in doses of a drachm of the powdered leaves2 and ,dr4 ,william ,bulleyn1 the cotemporary of ,turner1 the father of ,english ,botany1 observes in his work1 entitled 8,,the ,,bulwark ,,of ,,defence10 that ,tormentil1 in pastures1 prevents the rot in sheep4 ,footnote #adf3 1 which is compounded of 1 very1 and 1 or 1 smell4 ,footnote #adg3 ,the origin of this term is derived from the superstitious custom of curing such complaints by incantations in verse 7,carmina71 or perhaps it may be understood metaphorically as expressive of the instantaneous relief which these medicines are capable of affording2 operating1 as it were1 like a charm4 ,footnote #adh3 ,when tannin is present in grasses1 as ,sir ,h4 ,davy found in that of aftermath crops1 it is voided in the excrement by animals who feed upon it1 together with the bitter extractive1 saline matter1 and woody fibre4 7,elem4 of ,agricult4 ,chem4 ,appendix1 p4 lxi47 ,we may therefore infer by analogy that it does not enter into the circulation4 ,footnote #adi3 ,various combinations1 into which different metallic salts have generally entered as ingredients1 have at different periods been extolled for their efficacy as ,styptics3 ,helvetius published an account of a preparation composed of the filings of iron and tartar1 mixed to a proper consistence with ,french brandy1 and it was long used in ,france1 ,germany1 and ,holland1 under the name of ,,helvetius',s ,,styptic4 ,,eaton',s ,,styptic4 ,after the styptic of ,helvetius had been discarded from the ,continent1 it was brought into this country1 and for a long time continued to be employed with confidence1 under the new title of ,eaton's ,styptic4 ,it is now made in several different modes1 and consists chiefly of an alcoholic solution of sulphate of iron1 with some unimportant additions4 ,footnote #aej3 ,this theory1 however1 did not originate with ,dr4 ,majendie1 for ,chiarac1 a ,french ,physician of the #agth century1 drew the same conclusion from an experimental enquiry 7,histoire de l',academie ,royale des ,sciences1 p4 #ab4 ,an4 #agjj47 ,footnote #aea3 ,upon the very same principle1 a person may die from suffocation1 in consequence of an injury in the brain2 the respiratory muscles being unable to sustain the function of breathing1 for want of a due supply of nervous influence4 ,this happens in cases of ,apoplexy1 and in poisoning by ,narcotics4 ,those who wish for farther information upon this subject may consult the chapter on 8,,the ,,physiological ,,causes ,,and ,,ph,,nomena ,,of ,,sudden ,,death10 in my work on 8,,medical ,,jurisprudence10 ,vol4 #b4 p4 #af4 ,footnote #aeb3 ,hippocrat4 de ,dita4 lib4 iii4 et alibi passim4 ,this predilection of the ancients for ,emetics is the more extraordinary1 as they were acquainted with those only which were of the most violent and unmanageable description2 the ,veratrum or ,white ,hellebore1 was sometimes fatal4 ,footnote #aec3 ,few discoveries in physiology have thrown greater light upon this important subject than that of ,m4 ,majendie1 published in his ,,journal ,,de ,,physiologie ,,experimentale1 7#a;er numero--,janvier1 #ahba7 in a paper entitled1 8,memoir sur le ,mchanisme de ,l',absorption40 ,the results contained in this essay are the more interesting to me1 as they were read at the ,academy of ,sciences at ,paris1 some time after the publication of the ,third ,edition of my ,,pharmacologia1 and it will be observed1 in what a satisfactory manner they confirm the views which ,i offered at that time1 respecting the influence of venesection in accelerating the absorption of ,mercury4 ,in the ,fourth ,edition 7published in ,october1 #ahbj1 p4 #aae17 these views were farther extended1 and as ,i could not have been influenced by the experiments of ,m4 ,majendie1 which were not published until some time afterwards1 it is very fair to conclude1 that when two persons arrive at the same result by different trains of investigation1 such a result must be correct4 ,the conclusions established by the experimental inquiries of ,m4 ,majendie1 with regard to absorption1 appear to me to be so important1 in reference to the object of the present work1 that ,i shall pause1 in this place1 for the purpose of furnishing the reader with a short account of them4 ,m4 ,majendie states1 that while performing the experiment of injecting warm water into the veins of a living animal1 he first conceived the idea of observing what effects would be produced upon the function of absorption by the artificial plethora1 thus occasioned2 having accordingly injected a quantity of water into the venous system of a middle-sized dog1 he introduced a small portion of an active substance1 whose effects were well known1 into his side1 when he was surprised to find that its usual operation was not manifested until after an interval much longer than usual2 the same experiment was afterwards repeated upon another animal1 and with similar results4 ,in a third experiment1 as much water 7about two pounds7 was injected1 as the animal could sustain without destruction1 in which case the poisonous substance produced no effect whatever1 the powers of absorption appearing to be entirely suspended3 and having waited during half an hour for the occurrence of those symptoms which1 under ordinary circumstances1 would have manifested themselves in two minutes1 ,m4 ,majendie concluded that if vascular congestion be the cause of the suspension of absorption1 the function ought to be restored by the removal of this artificial condition1 an opinion which he proceeded to verify by experiment2 the jugular vein of the animal1 under trial1 was accordingly opened1 and the ingenious operator had the satisfaction to observe the effects of the poison gradually developing themselves in proportion as the blood flowed4 ,m4 ,majendie next proceeded to confirm the truth of his position1 by an experiment1 the converse of those above related2 an animal was bled1 to the amount of about half a pound1 and the poisonous substance applied to the pleura of the animal1 as in the foregoing experiments1 when it appeared that those effects which1 under ordinary circumstances1 were not evident until after a period of twelve minutes1 manifested themselves after an interval of only thirty seconds4 ,in order to shew that these results actually arose from vascular distention1 and not from the artificial state of dilution in which the blood was placed1 ,m4 ,majendie instituted the following experiment3 a considerable quantity of blood was drawn from the vein of a dog1 and replaced by a similar quantity of warm water1 after which a measured quantity of ,nux ,vomica in solution was introduced into the side1 when the poisonous effects were found to take place with the same rapidity as if the blood had not been mixed with water4 ,footnote #aed3 ,the practical application of this fact may be useful1 and digestion1 in certain cases1 may be thus promoted by the simple expedient of changing the quality of our bread4 ,footnote #aee3 ,since the publication of this opinion1 in the #eth edition of the ,pharmacologia1 ,dr4 ,hamilton has honoured me by a letter on the subject1 but ,i am still bound to confess that my sentiments remain unaltered4 ,footnote #aef3 ,the ,melampodium1 or ,black ,hellebore1 was recommended as an agent of this description in the strongest terms1 by ,mead2 ,savin 7,juniperus ,sabina7 is another vegetable which has been generally considered as a specific ,emmenagogue2 with some authors1 the ,rubia ,tinctorum1 ,madder2 with others1 the ,sinapis alba have been regarded as remedies of this nature2 and lately ,polygala ,senega has been extolled by the ,american practitioners2 in modern times1 however1 few substances have been more confidently recommended as uterine stimulants than the ,secale ,cornutum1 or ,ergot1 but of which ,i have no practical knowledge4 ,footnote #aeg3 ,saline bodies would appear to be the peculiar stimuli of these organs1 the principal use of which is to separate such saline matter from the blood1 as would otherwise accumulate in the system4 ,that these saline diuretics actually pass off by the kidneys1 may be satisfactorily shewn by an examination of the urine1 in which the bodies in question may be chemically detected4 ,let any person swallow several doses of ,nitre1 taking care that the bowels are not disturbed by the medicine1 and he will find by dipping some paper into his urine1 and afterwards drying it1 that it will deflagrate1 and indicate the presence of nitre4 ,footnote #aeh3 ,the ,secondary ,diuresis which sometimes takes place under such circumstances1 and succeeds ,catharsis1 may offer an apparent exception to this law2 but this must not be confounded with that which is the result of a ,primary action upon the urinary organs by the absorption1 and consequent contact1 of a specific ,stimulant4 ,footnote #aei3 ,certain mineral waters1 containing cathartic salts in a state of extreme dilution1 if insufficient to excite the bowels1 sometimes pass off by the kidneys2 an effect which can always be prevented by accompanying their exhibition with some laxative4 ,footnote #afj3 ,see ,sir ,gilbert ,blane's ,medical ,logic1 ,edit4 #b1 page #aij4 ,footnote #afa3 ,the cutaneous discharge is very materially modified by the state of the atmosphere1 in its relations to moisture and dryness3 when the air contains much moisture it is a bad conductor of the perspirable matter1 which therefore1 instead of being carried off in an insensible form1 is condensed upon the surface2 hence we appear to perspire greatly upon the slightest exercise1 whereas the cuticular discharge is at such times absolutely less4 ,we have all experienced the sensation of heat1 and disposition to sweating1 during the moist weather which so frequently occurs in this country in ,april and ,may1 the wind being at the time stationary at south-west or south4 ,on the contrary1 during the prevalence of an east wind1 the most violent exercise will scarcely prove diaphoretic1 and yet the quantity of cutaneous exhalation is far greater than during that state of atmosphere when the slightest exercise deluges us with perspirable matter4 ,footnote #afb3 ,,lommius de ,febribus4 ,footnote #afc3 ,de ,medicina4 ,lib4 iii4 c4 #g4 ,footnote #afd3 ,this practice is still cherished by the vulgar1 especially in some of the more remote districts of the kingdom4 ,it is with this view that the ,cornish nurse continues to keep down the excess of population1 by administering ,gin and ,treacle1 in her smoky chimney corner1 to children labouring under measles1 in order to throw out the eruption4 ,footnote #afe3 ,m4 ,du ,hamel has recorded the cases of two countrymen1 considerably advanced in life1 who were cured of ,dropsy by remaining for some time in a baker's oven1 soon after the bread had been drawn4 ,varikbillan1 ninth ,caliph of the race of the ,abassides1 is said to have been cured by a nearly similar method4 ,his physician caused him to enter a lime-kiln soon after the lime had been removed1 when in the course of a few days he was totally cured of his dropsy4 ,the ancients excited sweating in this disease1 by burying the patient up to the neck in heated sand or ashes 7,celsus1 ,lib4 iii4 c4 #cj471 and ,lysons cured cases by placing his patients in rooms heated to a very high temperature4 ,in the history of the ,royal ,academy of ,sciences1 for #agjc1 a case is related of a woman1 who1 tired out by the protracted ,dropsy under which her husband laboured1 charitably administered to him a very large dose of opium1 with the intention of despatching him1 but the medicine immediately produced such a copious sweat that it restored him to health6 ,footnote #aff3 1 saliva2 et 1 excito4 ,footnote #afg3 ,i of course except its application in the form of vapour1 in which state it proves extremely active4 ,see ,hydrargyrum4 ,footnote #afh3 ,medical ,logic1 ,edit4 #b4 p4 #ge4 ,footnote #afi3 ,transactions of a ,society for the ,improvement of ,medical and ,chirurgical knowledge1 ,vol4 iii4 p4 #aai4 ,london1 #ahbb4 ,footnote #agj3 ,medical and ,physical ,journal for ,october1 #ahaa4 ,footnote #aga3 ,de ,sed4 et ,caus4 ,morb4 ,epist4 xiv4 art4 #bg4 ,footnote #agb3 ,comment4 ad ,aph4 #bga4 ,footnote #agc3 ,this is one of the most ancient superstitions which have descended to us4 ,it was customary in ,greece1 when any one sneezed1 to exclaim 1 #8,may you live2' or 1 #8,god bless you4' ,aristotle1 in his problems1 has attempted to account for the origin of the custom1 but unsatisfactorily2 ,pliny1 7,nat4 ,hist4 lib4 #bh4 c4 #b7 asks--8,cur ,sternutantes salutentur80 ,footnote #agd3 ,eberle's ,treatise on the ,materia ,medica4 ,footnote #age3 ,it is said that whenever ,dunning1 the celebrated barrister1 was called upon to make the finest display of his eloquence1 whether forensic or parliamentary1 he constantly applied a blister to his chest1 which he found to have the effect of imparting an unusual tone and vigour to his body1 and elevation to his mind4 ,footnote #agf3 ,from ,setum a ,horse hair1 a substance which was formerly used for the accomplishment of this object4 ,footnote #agg3 ,it sometimes happens that the stomach and digestive organs are so weakened by disease as to lose their control1 or what ,dr4 ,fordyce called their #8governing power1' in which case they would appear to be unable to prevent the matters which they contain from acting chemically upon each other1 and occasioning decompositions and new combinations3 in such cases substances are sometimes developed in the internal organs by the action of disease1 which are capable of producing a chemical effect upon the fluids2 for instance1--an acid is not unfrequently generated in the bowels of children which decomposes the bile and produces a green precipitate1 and green stools are the consequence2 in other cases the acid combines with the ,soda of the bile1 and the precipitate thus occasioned is thick1 viscid1 very bitter1 and inflammable1 and we have stools looking like pitch4 ,in ,yellow ,fever1 and in several other diseases1 the bile which is brought up by vomiting is frequently of a vivid green colour1 and some writers have attributed the phenomenon to a morbid condition1 or action of the liver or gall bladder2 the fact however is1 that the bile itself undergoes a chemical change in the ,duodenum and ,stomach4 ,that bile does undergo such a change from decomposition1 is proved by a variety of facts observed to take place out of the body2 it is well known1 for instance1 that the fces of infants1 although yellow when voided1 frequently become green after some time1 and ,dr4 ,heberden observes1 in his ,commentaries1 that the urine of a certain jaundiced patient1 which was of a deep yellow1 became after a few hours green3 in such cases it is probable that an acid is generated by the reaction of the elements of which the bile consists4 ,footnote #agh3 ,system of ,materia ,medica1 vol4 #a4 p4 #dec4 ,footnote #agi3 ,the same fact has been long known by the ,divers in the ,indian ,pearl-fisheries2 see my ,work on ,medical ,jurisprudence1 ,introduction1 ,vol4 #a4 p4 v4 ,footnote #ahj3 ,see a paper upon this subject by ,mr4 ,brodie1 ,phil4 ,trans4 #ahaa4 ,footnote #aha3 ,medical ,logic1 ,edit4 #b4 p4 #ej4 ,footnote #ahb3 ,from against1 and a stone4 ,footnote #ahc3 ,from 1 and to break4 ,footnote #ahd3 ,the kidneys have a more obtuse sensibility1 and not such energetic activity as other glands possess2 vital action is less concerned in the secretion they carry on1 and their functions more easily fall under chemical and hydraulic explanations4--7,richerand47 ,footnote #ahe3 ,an ,inquiry into the ,nature and ,treatment of ,gravel1 ,calculus1 and other diseases connected with a deranged operation of the ,urinary ,organs2 by ,w4 ,prout1 ,m4 ,d4 ,f4 ,r4 ,s4 ,footnote #ahf3 ,on the ,chemical ,history and ,medical ,treatment of ,calculous ,disorders1 by ,a4 ,marcet1 ,m4 ,d4 ,f4 ,r4 ,s4 ,footnote #ahg3 ,journal of the ,royal ,institution1 ,vol4 ,,vi4 ,footnote #ahh3 ,medical ,transactions of the ,college of ,physicians1 ,vol4 ,,vi4 ,footnote #ahi3 ,the ancients considered the urine as a kind of extract of animal substances1 a true lixivium1 by which every thing impure in the animal economy was washed away1 and hence they gave it the name of ,lotium4 ,footnote #aij3 ,mr4 ,brande first stated the existence of this acid in urine2 but ,berzelius expressed his doubts respecting the fact4 ,the experiments of ,dr4 ,marcet1 however1 are certainty favourable to the conclusion of the former chemist1 and ,dr4 ,prout informs us that he has himself seen small calculi discharged from the bladder composed principally of the carbonate of lime4 ,footnote #aia3 ,the reader will find some interesting observations upon this subject in ,dr4 ,prout's ,treatise1 p4 #bb4 ,footnote #aib3 ,the name of ,uric ,acid was suggested by ,dr4 ,pearson3 it is1 however1 as ,dr4 ,marcet very justly remarks1 objectionable1 on account of the close resemblance which the term bears to that of ,urea1 a substance totally distinct from ,lithic ,acid4 ,footnote #aic3 ,recherches physiologiques et mdicales sur les causes1 les symptomes1 et le traitement de la gravelle1 #hvo4 ,paris4 #ahah4 ,footnote #aid3 ,,ultimate ,,principles ,,of ,,lithic ,,acid4 ,according to ,m4 ,berard1 and adopted by ,m4 ,according to ,dr4 ,prout4 ,majendie4 ,azote #ciaf #caab ,carbon #ccfa #djjj ,oxygen #ahhi #bfbf ,hydrogen #hcd #bbb ------------ ------------ #ajjjj #ajjjj ,footnote #aie3 ,this fact derives its pathological interest from the probability that1 in certain states of disease1 the ,lithic acid assumes this peculiar modification1 giving to the sediments of urine those beautiful hues which were formerly considered by ,proust1 as the effect of an acid1 which he named the ,rosacic2 now as the ,purpuric acid1 or rather the ,purpurate of ,ammonia1 says ,dr4 ,prout1 is nothing more than ,lithic acid modified by the action of ,nitric acid1 and as ,i have already shewn that the ,pink and ,lateritious sediments occasionally contain nitric acid in some peculiar state of combination1 the nature and origin of the colouring matter cease to be problematical4 ,footnote #aif3 ,whence is derived the large quantity of ,phosphoric acid which is daily evacuated from the system8--,the researches of modern chemistry have furnished a very satisfactory solution of this problem1 by demonstrating its presence in those animal and vegetable substances which are used by us as food4 ,mr4 ,barry1 in prosecuting his interesting and important experiments on the preparation of ,pharmaceutical ,extracts in vacuo1 discovered the curious fact1 that ,phosphoric acid is to be found in all the extracts in a soluble state2 and on extending the investigation1 says he1 it was ascertained that this acid1 besides that portion of it which exists as phosphate of lime1 is contained in a vast variety of vegetables1 and more especially in those which are cultivated4 ,medico-,chirug4 ,trans4 ,vol4 #aj1 p4 #bdj4 ,footnote #aig3 ,the urine of infants and nurses contains very little phosphate of lime and phosphoric acid2 it is not until after ossification is finished1 that these elements are found in abundance in the urinary fluid4 ,that of old men1 on the contrary1 contains a great quantity of them2 the bony system1 already overcharged with phosphate of lime1 refuses to admit more of it4 ,this saline substance would ossify every part1 as it does sometimes in the arteries1 ligaments1 cartilages1 and membranes1 if the urine were not to remove the greater part of this superabundant portion4 ,in ,rachitis it is by the urine that the phosphate of lime passes off1 the absence of which causes the softness of bones4 7,richerand74 ,if we might be allowed to theorise1 ,i should say1 that this disease depends upon a deficient action in the powers of assimilation1 in consequence of which the phosphoric acid is incapable of entering into its assigned combinations1 and is therefore eliminated as excrementitious4 ,dr4 ,glisson considered the disease to depend upon some fault in the spinal marrow1 whence he termed it ,rachitis1 from ,spina ,dorsi4 ,footnote #aih3 ,transactions of ,stockholm4 ,footnote #aii3 ,,cystic ,,oxide1 discovered by ,dr4 ,wollaston in #ahae3 it does not affect vegetable colours1 and has all the chemical habitudes of an oxide4 ,footnote #bjj3 ,dr4 ,marcet discovered two calculi1 which were not referable to any of the known species2 but they are not introduced into the following table1 as they may never again occur2 at all events1 from their extreme rarity1 they cannot be considered as objects of practical interest4 ,to one of these he has given the name of ,xanthic ,oxide1 because it forms a lemon coloured compound when acted upon by ,nitric acid4 ,to the other nondescript calculus he has bestowed the appellation of ,fibrinous1 from its resemblance to ,fibrine4 ,footnote #bja3 ,i am by no means disposed to reject altogether1 as a popular fallacy1 the general opinion in favour of the anti-lithic virtues of malt liquor2 the observations which have been already offered 7page #gi7 will explain how such agents may occasionally operate in assisting digestion4 ,in the observations made upon the ,bills of ,mortality in the year #affb1 by an ingenious citizen1 concerning the increase of some diseases1 and the decrease of others1 it is observed 8,the ,stone and ,strangury decreaseth1 from the drinking of ,ale40 ,footnote #bjb3 ,in consultation with ,dr4 ,baillie1 some few months before his death1 he said to me 8although ,i have never published the opinion1 ,i am satisfied that after a patient has long laboured under diseased liver1 the blood becomes surcharged with alkaline matter40 ,footnote #bjc3 ,see an explanation of this term in the note1 at page #aab4 ,footnote #bjd3 ,it is1 says ,dr4 ,prout1 a very old observation1 that injuries of the back produce alkaline urine2 8it also appears10 continues this author1 8to hold in other animals as well as in man2 thus ,i have frequently observed jaded and worn-out horses pass great quantities of lime in their urine2 ,i have known the same also to take place in dogs1 and particularly of the sporting kinds2 and in both these instances have thought it probable1 that the circumstance was connected with some strain or injury of the back produced by over-exertion1 or other causes40 ,footnote #bje3 ,i have in my possession a splendid specimen of this triple salt1 in large and well defined crystals1 covering a portion of a decayed beam2 it was sent to me by my friend ,mr4 ,marshall1 from whom ,i learnt that it had been taken from a privy belonging to a public house in ,southwark4 ,i lent the specimen to the late ,mr4 ,wilson1 in order that he might exhibit it in his lectures before the ,college of ,surgeons1 and he has published a description of it in his work on the ,urinary and ,genital ,organs4 ,footnote #bjf3 ,a question has arisen respecting the comparative efficacy of the two fixed alkalies upon these occasions4 ,see ,sod ,sub-carbonas4 ,footnote #bjg3 ,for an account of the celebrated remedy of ,mrs4 ,stephens1 see ,liquor ,calcis4 ,footnote #bjh3 ,journal de ,physiologie2 ,juillet1 #ahbc4 ,footnote #bji3 ,for a farther account of this extraordinary law of ,electro-,chemistry1 the reader may consult my work on the ,,elements ,,of ,,medical ,,chemistry4 ,footnote #baj3 ,these experiments have been repeated at the ,jardin des ,plantes1 with similar results2 it farther appears that a certain quantity of ,nitrate of ,potass added to the water injected into the bladder will expedite the decomposition4 ,footnote #baa3 ,this1 it must be confessed1 is singularly unfortunate1 if the opinion already expressed be true 7page #aba7 viz4 that at least two-thirds of the whole number of calculi originate from this acid4 ,footnote #bab3 ,the word ,antidote is derived from 1 against1 and 1 ,i give2 as being a medicine given against poison1 either by way of cure or preservative4 ,the word is also sometimes used in a more general sense1 for any compounded medicine2 thus ,peter ,damian speaks of a person who in his whole life never took an antidote4 ,it is likewise used by some authors in a less proper sense1 for any remedy against any disease1 chiefly if it be inveterate1 and arise from some ulcer or abscess2 and lastly1 the term has been used to signify a perpetual form of medicines1 otherwise called ,opiates1 or more properly ,confections4 ,footnote #bac3 ,the reader will find this subject treated more fully in the second volume of my work on ,,medical ,,jurisprudence4 ,footnote #bad3 ,see the history of ,theriaca at page #bh note4 ,footnote #bae3 ,,john1 king of ,castille1 as ,tissot relates1 was poisoned by a pair of boots1 prepared by a ,turk2 ,,henry ,,iv1 by gloves2 ,,louis ,,xiv fearing a project to poison ,,philip ,v1 prohibited his opening letters1 or putting on gloves 7,tissot ,trait des ,nerfs1 ,t4 #a4 ,p4 #aa4 page #ac27 ,plouquet has the following remark upon this subject1 8,huc et ignota illa venena pertinent1 quibus epistol chirothec1 et ejusmodi infici1 et vim adeo toxicam induere dicuntur1 ut lectio ejusmodi epistol1 indutus chirothec subitam mortem causentur40 7,comment4 ,med4 super ,homicid4 page #ahd47 ,,pope ,,clement ,,vii is said by ,zacchias to have been poisoned by the fumes of a taper1 7,qust4 ,med4 ,leg472 and a priest is reported to have offered to destroy ,,queen ,,elizabeth by poisoning her saddle4 7,sir ,edward ,coke1 in the trial of ,sir ,john ,hollis47 ,bishop ,burnet1 in the history of his own times 7vol4 #b4 p4 #bcj47 says1 that some believed ,,charles the ,second to have been poisoned through the medium of snuff4 ,footnote #baf3 ,this conceit does not appear to have been confined to the ignorant alone1 for we learn from ,spratt's ,history of the ,royal ,society1 that very shortly after the institution of that learned body1 a series of questions was drawn up by their direction1 for the purpose of being submitted to the ,chinese and ,indians1 which clearly shews their belief in the possibility of such an operation1 viz4 8,whether the ,indians can so prepare that stupifying herb1 ,datura1 that they make it lie several days1 months1 years1 according as they will have it1 in a man's body1 without doing him any hurt1 and at the end kill him without missing half an hour's time80 ,footnote #bag3 ,dr4 ,mead adopted this opinion1 but he became so convinced of its inadequacy that1 in the later editions of his work on ,poisons1 he withdrew the hypothesis4 ,it is hardly necessary to observe that upon its abandonment1 a host of popular antidotes at once fell into disuse2 for as long as the injury was supposed to arise from mechanical irritation1 oils1 fats1 and other similar remedies were held capable of obtunding the acrimony4 ,so has the abandonment of other conceits and hypotheses cleared away many absurd articles from the list of ,antidotes2 see page #bf4 ,footnote #bah3 ,the introduction of poisons into the body through the medium of the circulation of the blood is frequently alluded to by the physiologists of the seventeenth century4 ,i have lately met with a curious passage in a work entitled 8,popular ,errours in ,physick1 first written in ,latine by the learned physitian1 ,james ,penrose1 ,doctor in ,physick4 ,london1 #afea40 8,the venome is carried by the veines and arteries1 as appeares in that all the blood of them that have been bitten by a viper doth turne into a pale greennesse4 ,and seeing that the veines in the papps are so very slender1 and doe not come unto the heart1 but with a great many long windings1 ,i affirme1 and it is more probable1 that if the viper be applyed to the feet1 which are farthest remote from the heart1 it will sooner infect the heart than if to the papps1 but soonest of all if it be applied to the armes4 ,and now the story of ,,cleopatra comes to my minde4 ,,petrus ,,victorius blames the painters1 that paint ,cleopatra applying the aspe to her papps1 seeing it is manifest out of ,,plutarch in the life of ,,antonius1 and out of ,,plinie likewise1 that she applyed it to her arme4 ,,zonaras relates that there appeared no signe of death upon her1 save two blew spots on her arme4 ,c,,sar also in her statue which he carryed in triumph1 applyed the aspe to her arme2 for in the armes there are great veines and arteries1 which doe quickly1 and in a straight way convey the venome to the heart1 whereas in the papps the vessels are slender4 ,and therefore in ,,saint ,,paul the miracle was so much the greater1 in that he felt no harme from the viper1 which layd hold on his hand1 for if it had assailed him on the breast1 he had had respite enough to take some antidote40 ,footnote #bai3 ,there can be no doubt but that death has been produced by the mechanical operation of various insoluble bodies2 although we cannot believe the numerous tales recorded on the subject of diamond dust 7supposed to constitute the basis of the celebrated 8,powder of ,succession07 or of powdered glass1 c4 ,numerous cases are recorded where life has been destroyed by the lodgement of substances in the intestines2 and we have lately heard of the fatal effects produced by alvine accumulations from the habitual use of ,magnesia4 ,with respect to the danger from the ingestion of glass and enamel in powder1 there still exists much difference of opinion2 ,caldani1 ,mandruzzato1 and ,m4 ,le ,sauvage1 report experiments made upon men and animals1 in which no bad consequences followed2 on the other hand1 ,schurigius 7,chylologia7 and ,cardanus 7,de ,venenis7 cite instances where persons have died of ulcerations of the stomach from such causes2 and ,m4 ,portal1 ,foder1 7,medicine ,legale7 ,plouquet 7,comment4 super ,homicid47 ,stoll1 7,ratio ,medendi1 part vi4 p4 #fj7 ,gmelin 7,hist4 ,general de ,ven4 mineral47 ,frank 7,man4 de ,toxicol47 furnish testimony in support of the opinion which assigns to such bodies a highly deleterious action4 ,footnote #bbj3 ,this mark denotes that the substance1 against which it is placed1 may also act by being absorbed4 ,footnote #bba3 ,signifies that the article has also a local action4 ,footnote #bbb3 ,see 8,experiments and ,operations on the ,different ,modes in which ,death is produced by certain ,vegetable ,poisons40 ,by ,b4 ,c4 ,brodie1 ,esq4 ,f4 ,r4 ,s4 in the #ahast ,volume of the ,philosophical ,transactions for the year #ahaa4 ,footnote #bbc3 ,m4 ',lallemand has published the history of a ftus1 in which the brain and spinal marrow were equally deficient1 notwithstanding which1 it even exceeded the usual size1 the heart was also perfect1 and it was evident that the circulation had been properly performed4 ,no sooner however was the monster born than it perished1 because the diaphragm and other muscles of respiration were unable to perform their functions without the aid of nervous excitement2 no air was therefore inhaled into the lungs1 and in a few minutes the heart ceased to contract from the deficient supply of oxygenized blood4 ,see ,,medical ,,jurisprudence1 ,vol4 ii4 8,on the ,physiological ,causes1 and ,phnomena of ,sudden ,death40 ,footnote #bbd3 ,it is a very curious fact1 that the ,oil of ,tobacco should differ so essentially in its physiological action from the ,infusion of that vegetable poison2 the former we have stated1 affects the brain only1 the latter we now learn1 when taken into the alimentary canal1 suspends the action of the heart4 ,this apparent anomaly at first led ,mr4 ,brodie1 as he has since informed me1 to suspect the accuracy of his experiments3 and ,i suggested to him1 whether a probable explanation might not be derived from the late chemical researches into the composition of tobacco1 which have shewn the existence of two active principles1 viz4 ,nicotin1 and an ,essential ,oil8 ,where an infusion is employed1 we seem to obtain the influence of the former1 and the effects are displayed upon the heart2 but where the oil is applied1 the ,nicotin has been removed1 and the brain is the organ principally affected--see ,tabaci ,folia4 ,footnote #bbe3 ,dry ,vomit of ,marriott4 ,this once celebrated vomit1 called ,dry1 from its being exhibited without drink1 consisted of equal proportions of ,tartarized ,antimony and ,sulphate of ,copper4 ,footnote #bbf3 ,sydenham relates a case of poisoning by ,corrosive ,sublimate2 which was successfully treated by copious draughts of water1 and repeated vomiting 7,opera ,medica1 ,epist4 #a1 p4 #bjj72 and ,orfila1 in his laborious work on poisons1 presents us with a mass of satisfactory evidence upon the same subject4 ,footnote #bbg3 ,circumstances1 however1 may occur1 which will render it even judicious1 with certain precautions1 to administer a solvent1 in order to remove the particles of the substance1 which sometimes adhere with such obstinacy to the coats of the stomach as to defy the exertions of an emetic to detach them1 especially if the poison be arsenic2 but let the practitioner remember that this practice can never be allowed until all that can be ejected by vomiting or purging has been previously removed2 then perhaps the ingestion of ,magnesia1 or an ,alkaline ,salt1 as proposed by ,mr4 ,marshall1 might be admissible1 but it should be quickly followed up by fresh emetics and purgatives4 ,footnote #bbh3 ,london ,medical ,repository1 ,august1 #ahag4 ,footnote #bbi3 ,the truth of this statement has been very satisfactorily established by the experiments of ,,orfila 7,toxicologie gnrale considere sous les ,rapports de la ,physiologie1 de la ,pathologie1 et de la ,medicine lgale7 as well as by several that have been performed in this country4 ,,tortosa 7,istituzioni di ,med4 ,for47 has remarked that ,opium may act mortally without losing much of its weight in the stomach--,i should question the truth of this assertion4 ,footnote #bcj3 ,vegetable acids are in ,nature rarely the vehicles of poisons1 the most deleterious plants being inert in those parts that are impregnated with acid2 the pulp of the fruit of the ,strychnus1 amongst many others1 offers an illustration of this fact4 ,virey4 ,footnote #bca3 ,notwithstanding this fact1 we find ,venesection recommended in works on ,toxicology1 as a safe precaution to be used against the inflammatory action produced by arsenic4 ,the application of a ligature above an abraded surface to which a poison has been applied1 prevents its effects upon the constitution1 not so much by obliterating the capacity of the vessels1 as by inducing a local plethora1 and so suspending the process of absorption4 ,footnote #bcb3 ,escharotic from 1 crustam induco1 to scab over1 to burn into a crust4 ,footnote #bcc3 ,or in a still more striking manner1 by holding over the surface of the sore a piece of white paper moistened by the mixed solutions of ,nitrate of ,silver and ,arsenious ,acid1 when the disengaged ,ammonia will by the operation of double affinity enable the ,arsenious ,acid to decompose the salt of ,silver1 and to display the presence of the ,arseniate of that metal by its characteristic yellow indication4 ,i am not acquainted with any test for ,ammonia so summary and satisfactory as this4 ,see ,arsenicum in ,vol4 #b of this work4 ,footnote #bcd3 ,there are four species of worms generated in the human intestines1 viz4 ,the ,tnia1 or tape-worm--,tricocephalus1 or ,trichuris--,ascaris ,vermicularis1 or ,ascarides--and ,lumbricoides4 ,footnote #bce3 ,it is a very curious fact that vegetable bitter should be so essential to the wellbeing of the higher order of animals1 as explained at page #gi1 and yet prove so generally destructive to insects4 ,flies are almost immediately destroyed by an ,infusion of ,quassia1 and ,nature has protected the ear from the invasion of insects by providing an intensely bitter secretion4 ,footnote #bcf3 ,the reader is also referred to an account of ,majendie's experiments as related at page #hf of this volume4 ,footnote #bcg3 ,fish1 especially those of the cetaceous tribe1 constantly decompose water1 and live upon its hydrogen4 ,footnote #bch3 ,rumford's ,essays1 ,vol4 #a4 p4 #aid-bjb4 ,footnote #bci3 ,i selected it as the exclusive subject of my ,lectures before the ,royal ,college of ,physicians1 during the year #ahbj4 ,footnote #bdj3 ,it was wisely said by ,lord ,bacon1 8that ,man should observe all the workmanship1 and the particular workings of ,nature1 and meditate which of those may be transferred to the ,arts40 ,advancement of ,learning1 ,book v4 #adh4 ,for a further illustration of these views1 the partiality of an author may perhaps be excused if he refer the reader to his paper 8,on the ,recent ,sandstone10 published in the first volume of the ,royal ,geological ,society of ,cornwall4 ,footnote #bda3 ,the practitioner must receive the term similar1 conventionally1 as expressed at page #ga4 ,many of those substances which we are at present bound to consider similar1 will no doubt1 require to be transplanted into other classes as the progress of physiological knowledge shall elucidate their modes of action4 ,in this attempt to teach the ,art of ,medicinal ,combination1 ,i have endeavoured to reduce the propositions it comprehends to the greatest degree of generality of which they are1 at present1 susceptible4 ,footnote #bdb3 ,numerous isolated statements of the same tendency may be adduced1 but these cannot invalidate the claim of ,dr4 ,fordyce1 as the first person who generalized the fact1 and applied it with success to practice4 ,,diemerbroeck1 in his notes upon the ,theriaca ,andromachi1 observes that the composition is a more efficacious medicine from the concurrent powers of so many ingredients1 alike in virtue3 and ,quincy1 in his ,lectures on ,pharmacy1 which were published by ,dr4 ,shaw in #agbc1 says 8those fetid gums which are generally prescribed in ,hysteria1 as ,ammoniacum1 ,galbanum1 c4 may be conjoined with advantage1 because from a concurrence of properties1 they all conspire to the same end40 ,footnote #bdc3 ,such was the nature of the 8,mustacea0 of the ,romans1 which were a species of cake1 used at weddings1 and consisted of meal1 aniseed1 cummin1 and several other aromatics2 their object was to remove or prevent the indigestion which might be occasioned by eating too copiously at the marriage entertainment4 ,it must be acknowledged that this compound was better adapted for such a purpose than the modern ,bride-cake1 to which it gave origin4 ,cato 7de ,r4 ,r4 c4 #aba7 has given us a receipt for the ,roman bride-cake4 ,footnote #bdd3 ,dr4 ,majendie goes so far even as to assert1 that by varying the different preparations of the same ,narcotic1 we shall be better able to keep up its action on the animal conomy1 without an increase of its dose4 ,he adds1 8,some ,english writers have denied the truth of this observation3 but they have not given any reasons for their scepticism4--,why should it not be true80 ,footnote #bde3 ,it would even appear probable that in some cases mercurial influence has1 after its subsidence1 been renewed by doses of ,opium3 a remarkable instance of this kind is related in ,hufeland's ,journal 7vol4 ix47 in which an old woman is said to have fallen into a considerable salivation after every dose of ,opium2 she had previously applied to the physician for an extensive ulceration over her body1 and had taken a considerable quantity of mercury2 but the effects had subsided1 until renewed by the opium4 ,footnote #bdf3 ,it has been observed under the history of ,emetics 7p4 #hd71 that in cases of profound intoxication1 or in those of violent wounds and contusions of the head1 vomiting will not take place1 however forcibly the stomach may be goaded by an emetic1 whereas if the brain be only partially influenced1 as by incipient intoxication1 or by a less violent blow on the head1 its irritability is increased instead of being paralysed1 and that vomiting under such circumstances is excited by the slightest causes2 just so is it with regard to ,narcotics1 a powerful dose so paralyses the nervous system1 that the stomach cannot be made to reject its contents1 as every one must have observed in cases of narcotic poisoning1 while smaller doses1 like lesser injuries of the head1 dispose the stomach to sickness4 ,footnote #bdg3 ,sir ,gilbert ,blane has advanced an ingenious hypothesis to explain the cause of the ftid breath of persons under the influence of mercury2 which might perhaps also shew why certain remedies are rendered more efficient by combination with mercury4 ,one of the active effects of mercury1 says ,sir ,gilbert1 is to alter the natural sensibility of the ,lacteals1 so that when under its influence1 they absorb indiscriminately that which is excrementitious and nutritive2 hence the smell of the breath1 since the ftid particles are carried into the circulation1 and thrown off in the halitus of the lungs1 or by the salivary glands1 in consequence of the mouth of the lacteals losing that selecting tact1 whereby in their sound state they reject whatever is offered to them1 except the chyle4 ,now if mercury acts as the 8,soporata ,offa0 to the lacteals1 it is evident that its combination with active matter may1 on some occasions1 facilitate the absorption of the latter4 ,footnote #bdh3 ,in some cases1 however1 the energy of an active bitter would seem to be diminished by an alkali2 and it may therefore be more prudent to administer such substances at different periods4 ,i apprehend that the powers of ,squill are thus invalidated by a fixed alkali4 ,footnote #bdi3 ,the ,arabian and ,greek physicians scarcely noticed the leaves1 but always employed the pods of ,senna2 a fact which will explain the operation of this plant1 as observed by them4 ,footnote #bej3 ,mac ,culloch on ,wine4 ,edit4 #b4 p4 #db4 ,footnote #bea3 ,if the facts stated in this section be true1 we are bound to recognise two orders of medicinal elements1--the one comprehending those that possess an inherent and independent activity1--the other1 those that are in themselves inert1 but which are capable of imparting impulse and increased energy to the former when combined with them4 ,as this is a new view of the subject of vegetable combinations1 no apology is necessary for the introduction of new terms for its explanation2 ,i therefore propose to designate the former of these ,,substantive1 and the latter1 ,,adjective constituents4 ,when the structure of vegetable remedies shall have been thoroughly examined upon this principle of combination1 much medicinal obscurity will be removed1 and probably some pharmaceutical improvements of value suggested2 at all events it will teach a lesson of prudent caution to the pharmaceutic chemist2 it will shew the danger of his removing this or that element from a vegetable compound1 merely because he finds1 upon its separation1 that it is inert4 ,i dwell the more upon this point1 because ,i feel that there never was a period in the history of medicine1 at which such a caution was more necessary2 for while the poly-pharmacy of our ancestors has driven the physician of the present day into a simplicity of prescription that on many occasions abridges his powers and resources1 the progress of chemical knowledge has diffused through the class of manufacturing chemists a bold spirit of adventure and empiricism1--a mischievous propensity to torture our best remedies1 in order to concentrate or extract the parts which they consider to constitute their essential ingredients4 ,a ,memoir has lately been presented to the ,,philomatic ,,society ,,of ,,paris1 by ,m4 ,robiquet1 on the subject of ,aroma1 which affords some important analogies in proof of the law of combination1 which ,i am now endeavouring to elucidate4 ,from the experiments of this laborious chemist it would appear1 that odours are not as ,fourcroy supposed1 the effect of the simple solution of certain bodies in air1 but that for their developement1 some third body 7coinciding in its office with my ,,adjective constituent7 possessing in itself none of the characteristic odour1 is absolutely necessary as an intermede1 varying in its nature according to that of each odorous body1 in the same way that the mordant requires to be varied by the dyer1 according to the nature of the colouring matter which it is intended to fix on the cloth2--thus ,ambergris has in itself very little odour1 but the addition of ,musk developes a very strong and decided one2 this also happens in a less degree with ,lavender1 and the perfumers therefore add a small quantity of musk to the distilled water of this plant4 ,in other cases1 ,ammonia lends1 as it were1 its volatility to bodies1 the odour of which without such an auxiliary1 would be scarcely sensible2 this is exemplified by the practice of perfumers exposing their musk and other substances to the atmosphere of privies when they lose their power3 7,paul ,amman3 ,manduct3 ad ,mat3 ,med37 so again in order to give pungency to snuff it is made to suffer the commencement of fermentation1 in which case ammonia is generated2 and it is a curious fact that the odour of the best snuff may be destroyed by mixing with it a little tartaric acid1 by which its ammoniacal salt is neutralized4 ,in some instances the adjective ingredient seems to be ,sulphur1 as in the essential oils of some cruciform plants1 and particularly in that of mustard seed1 for ,m4 ,robiquet found that this oil lost its odour by being kept in contact with a metallic surface1 and that an inodorous oil remained1 while the metal became a sulphuret3 perhaps1 adds ,m4 ,robiquet1 it may be sometimes necessary for the full and exquisite developement of odour in these bodies to add another vehicle1 thus the addition of a little ,acetic acid heightens the odour of ,mustard4 ,iron has little1 or no odour2 but when volatilized with hydrogen1 its odour is very powerful4 ,the smell of copper and brass must depend upon some circumstance not well understood4 ,footnote #beb3 ,astruc1 and other practitioners of the same school1 always premised a mercurial course with venesection3 it is probable that many of the anomalies observed in the modern application of this remedy may have arisen from an inattention to the diet of those who are under mercurial influence4 ,mercury is in itself a most powerful stimulant1 and ought therefore to be accompanied with depletion and low diet2 besides which1 the experiments of ,majendie have shewn how greatly such a state of the system will expedite the effects of the mercurial remedy4 ,footnote #bec3 ,dr4 ,eberle1 of ,philadelphia1 in a work lately published1 has quoted the above passage1 and remarks1 that he has long been acquainted with the fact which it announces2 although he proposes to account for it by a different train of reasoning2 he considers that ,nauseants encourage mercurial ptyalism1 by favouring an afflux to the salivary glands4 ,the learned author must allow me to congratulate him upon this fortunate discovery2 unless his patients be blessed with as much apathy as was ever assumed by the ,gilbertine order of ,benedictines1 he need never in future despair of influencing them by mercury4 ,he has only to condemn the refractory to meagre fare1 and then to tantalize them1 as poor ,sancho was1 in his government1 with the sight1 or rather smell1 of a savoury dish1 and he will without doubt secure his object1--but1 to be serious1 if ,dr4 ,eberle's views be correct1 how will he explain the modus operandi of fear1 as related in the text8 for the tendency of fear is to diminish the salivary secretion1 as will be hereafter mentioned4 ,footnote #bed3 ,fear1 contrary to joy1 decreases1 for a time1 the action of the extremities of the arterial system1 as is seen by the sudden paleness which succeeds1 and the shrinking or contraction of the vessels of the skin4 ,m4 de ,haen relates the case of a painter who suffered convulsions1 which were succeeded by a return of his colic4 ,in this case the poison which had been1 for a long time1 admitted into his constitution in consequence of his daily employment1 was1 by the passion of anger1 immediately brought into action4 ,it was formerly observed by ,citois1 that the inhabitants of the province of ,poitou1 who had suffered anxiety of mind on account of any misfortune to themselves or family1 were particularly susceptible of the disease4 ,footnote #bee3 ,how admirably do the results of ,majendie's experiments coincide with this reasoning2 see page #hd2 and yet ,dr4 ,eberle1 in the work quoted below1 appears unwilling to admit such a theory4 ,footnote #bef3 ,a treatise of the ,materia ,medica1 and ,therapeutics1 by ,j4 ,eberle1 ,m4,d4 ,in two volumes4 ,philadelphia1 #ahbb4 ,footnote #beg3 ,in the same manner is the salivary secretion immediately influenced by the operation of the mind2 the sight of a delicious repast to a hungry man is not more effectual in exciting it1 than is the operation of fear and anxiety in repressing and suspending it4 ,whence we are led to believe1 that the ,hindoo ,ordeal by ,rice may have occasionally assisted in the ends of ,justice4 ,this ordeal was conducted in the following manner4 ,the persons suspected of any crime being assembled in a ring1 a certain portion of dried rice was given to each1 which they were directed to chew for some minutes1 and then to turn it out of their mouths upon the leaves or bark of a tree4 ,those who were capable of returning it in a pulpy form were at once acquitted1 while those from whose mouths it came out dry1 were pronounced guilty4 ,see ,medical ,jurisprudence1 ,introduct4 ,vol4 #a4 p4 viii4 ,footnote #beh3 ,the capacity of our digestive organs sufficiently testifies that nature never intended them for the reception of highly concentrated food1 while this idea is farther strengthened by perceiving how sparingly she produces concentrated aliment2 the saccharine matter of esculent fruits is generally blended with acidulous and mucilaginous ingredients2 and the oleaginous principle of seeds1 kernels1 and other similar substances1 is combined with farinaceous matter3 the capacity observable in the organs of graminivorous animals evidently shews that they were also designed for a large bulk of food1 and not for provender in which the nutritive matter is concentrated2 the gramineous and leguminous vegetables do not present their nutritive matter in a separate state1 nor is the animal furnished with an apparatus by which he can separate the chaff and straw from the grain1--the obvious inference is1 that he was intended to feed indiscriminately on both4 ,some years ago ,i constructed a ,logometric scale of ,equivalents1 analogous in principle to that which ,i have now introduced under the title of the 8,,medicinal ,,dynameter10 to shew the relative nutritive strength of different vegetables1 and to work problems connected with them2 ,i soon found1 however1 that unless bulk was taken into calculation1 it was incapable of furnishing even an approximation to truth4 ,footnote #bei3 ,med4 ,repos4 ,nov4 #ahbb4 ,footnote #bfj3 ,a ,practical ,inquiry into ,disordered ,respiration1 p4 #bdc4 ,footnote #bfa3 ,d4 ,young's ,medical ,literature1 ,edit4 #b4 p4 #egj4 ,footnote #bfb3 ,the vegetable kingdom presents us with many natural compounds of this kind2 several of which might be pressed into the service of medicine with much advantage4 ,with respect to the number and variety of such substances1 it must be confessed that our ,pharmacopia contains but a meagre bill of fare4 ,footnote #bfc3 ,the same reasoning will explain why ,english hops1 that contain more ,gallic ,acid and ,tannin than those imported from the ,continent1 are found to be superior as preservatives of beer4 ,footnote #bfd3 ,therapeutics1 vol4 #b4 p4 #dgj4 ,footnote #bfe3 ,this subject has been ably illustrated by ,mr4 ,r4 ,phillips1 in his translation of the ,london ,pharmacopia1 by a series of vary striking and instructive diagrams4 ,footnote #bff3 ,see my work on ,medical ,chemistry3 ,sect4 ,precipitation4 ,footnote #bfg3 ,an ingenious application of this law has been made for the purpose of purifying ,epsom ,salts4 ,see ,magnesi ,sulphas2 and also my work on ,medical ,chemistry1 ,art3 ,solution4 ,footnote #bfh3 ,amnitates ,academ2 ,t4 #g4 p4 #cjg4 ,footnote #bfi3 ,see also a paper in the ,,medical ,,transactions1 vol4 #b4 entitled1 8,several extraordinary instances of the cure of ,dropsy1 by ,,george ,,baker1 ,m4 ,d4 ,read ,september #i1 #agga40 ,footnote #bgj3 ,the most subtle of all poisons1--the matter of febrile contagion1--is certainly modified in activity by the degree of moisture in the atmosphere influencing its solubility2 the ,plague is said to be most common in ,egypt after the inundation of the ,nile1 a period at which the atmosphere is necessarily saturated with water2 according to the account of ,sir ,robert ,wilson1 the ,english and ,turkish armies that marched to ,cairo escaped contagion1 while the troops that remained stationary on the moist shore of ,aboukir1 were very severely visited4 ,on the other hand1 the ,harmattan1 a wind experienced on the western coast of ,africa1 between the ,equator and fifteen degrees ,north ,latitude1 blowing from north-east towards the ,atlantic1 and which1 in consequence of its passage over a very extensive space of arid land1 is necessarily characterized by excessive dryness1 puts an end to all ,epidemics1 as the ,small ,pox2 and infection at such a time does not appear to be easily communicable even by art4 ,philosophical ,transactions1 vol4 #ba4 ,the difficulty of communicating infection to animals during a dry state of the air1 as remarked on the ,western ,coasts of ,africa1 during the blowing of the ,harmattan1 agrees with some observations on ,plague by the ,french physicians1 as this complaint first made its appearance in the ,french army during a moist state of the air in ,syria1 when it lay under the walls of ,jaffa in ,february1 #ahjj4 ,it is a well known fact that volatile bodies are sooner converted into a gaseous state by the presence of water in the atmosphere2 this is strikingly exemplified by the greater rapidity with which ,limestone is burnt and reduced to quick-lime in moist weather1 and by the assistance which is rendered in a dry season1 by placing a pan of water in the ash-pit2 so again the perfume of flowers is most sensible when the air is humid1 as during the fall of the evening dew1 or in the morning when the dew evaporates1 and is dissipated by the rays of the rising sun2 for the same reason the stench of putrid ditches and common sewers1 is conveyed to the organs of smell much more speedily in summer previous to rain1 when the air is charged with moisture4 ,footnote #bga3 ,they are previously calcined1 but not burnt to lime1 to an extent only that may destroy their tenacity1 and render them fit for levigation4 ,footnote #bgb3 ,a similar custom is common to the ,indians of the whole of ,asia1 and of ,america2 for the practice of the ,south ,american ,indians1 see ,humboldt's ,personal ,narrative4 ,in ,india1 ,betel1 variously compounded1 is employed for the purpose above stated4 ,the mixture more commonly used in ,ceylon consists of quick-lime1 ,arecanut1 and ,tobacco1 wrapped in ,betel leaf4 ,on ordinary occasions it is only masticated2 but to repress the painful calls of hunger1 the juice is swallowed4 ,footnote #bgc3 ,vol4 viii4 p4 #cc4 ,footnote #bgd3 ,dr4 ,mac,culloch1 in illustration of this subject1 states1 that ink1 paste1 and seeds1 are among the common articles which suffer from such a cause1 and to which this remedy is easily applicable4 ,with respect to articles of food1 such as bread1 cold meats1 or dried fish1 it is less easy to apply the remedy1 on account of the taste2 cloves1 however1 and other spices whose flavours are grateful1 may sometimes be used for this end4 ,it is notorious that gingerbread1 and bread containing caraway seeds1 are far less liable to mouldiness than plain bread4 ,the effect of cloves in preventing the mouldiness of ink is generally known2 and the same result may be obtained by oil of lavender in a very minute quantity1 or by any other of the perfumed oils4 ,russian leather1 which is perfumed with the tar of the ,birch tree1 is not subject to mouldiness1 as must be well known to all who possess books thus bound2 they even prevent it from taking place in books which are bound in calf1 and near which they may happen to lie4 ,paste is another perishable article1 and although ,alum which is used by the book-binder will certainly preserve it longer than it would remain useful without it1 still it is not very effectual4 ,rosin1 sometimes used by the shoemaker1 answers the purpose better1 and appears to act entirely on this principle2 it is however far less effectual than even oil of turpentine2 ,lavender1 and the other strong perfumes1 as ,peppermint1 ,anise1 and ,bergamot1 are perfectly effectual1 even in a very small quantity1 and paste may be thus preserved for any length of time4 ,footnote #bge3 ,medical ,logic1 ,edit4 #b4 p4 #aib1 note4 ,footnote #bgf3 ,it appears from what has been stated under ,section ,i4 ,b4 with respect to ,,diuretics1 that some medicines not only assist1 but actually ,,direct the operation of the substances with which they may be associated1 and that many remedies act in unison with those they are joined with2 thus ,nitre in conjunction with ,squill is diuretic2 in conjunction with ,guaiacum1 diaphoretic2 for these reasons ,i hesitated whether ,i ought not to have added a fifth constituent1 and restored the 8,dirigens0 of ancient authors2 enough1 however1 has been said to enable the practitioner to appreciate the importance of such a law of medicinal combination4 ,footnote #bgg3 ,dr4 ,percival in his ,essays1 ingenuously exemplifies this error by stating a case which occurred in his own practice4 8,i ordered10 says he1 8a combination of ,camphor and ,balsam of ,copaiba in the form of pills1 but the apothecary informed me that he was unable to form them into a mass1 since they liquefied like treacle40 ,i may here observe that the addition of a small portion of the coagulated yolk of an egg1 would have rendered the mixture practicable4 ,footnote #bgh3 ,this would occur1 if in making the ,pilul ,ferri ,composit1 we were to substitute the ,liquor ,potass for the ,sod ,sub-carbonas4 ,footnote #bgi3 ,the 8,pharmacopia ,bateana0 contains a ,formula for a 8,tinctura ,antiphthisica10 which is stated to be 8a truly good medicament in those consumptions which proceed from ulcers of the lungs40 ,the following is the ,receipt--4 ,sacch3 ,saturn3 ij--,sal ,martis j--,infus3 ,spir3 ,vin3 j--,dose from twenty to forty drops4 ,in this case an insoluble ,sulphate of ,lead must be formed1 which will render the medicine1 as far at least as its saturnine effects are concerned1 completely inert6 ,footnote #bhj3 ,this fact has been very satisfactorily proved by the failure of the practical attempts which were made by ,dr4 ,macbride of ,dublin1 to improve the art of tanning leather by the use of ,lime-water1 instead of plain water1 which he conceived would extract the virtues of ,oak ,bark more completely4 ,the reader who is desirous of a more detailed account of this plan must refer to ,phil4 ,trans4 ,vol4 lxxiii4 part #a1 ,art4 #h4 ,footnote #bha3 ,we trust these observations will not create any alarm in the worthy ,citizen2 he may1 with as much safety as pleasure1 continue the laudable practice of regaling himself and friends with a cup of strong tea1 in spite of the ,turtle soup they may have taken1 and that too without the least danger of converting their stomachs into tanneries1 or their food into leather4 ,footnote #bhb3 ,for a highly ingenious1 and important extension of these views1 see ,aqua ,marina4 7,note47 ,footnote #bhc3 ,m4 ,dive1 an apothecary of ,mont de ,marson1 has lately announced that a current of carbonic acid1 when passed through a solution of ,tartrate of ,potass1 partly decomposes it2 and he ascribes to the same agent the production of the ,bi-tartrate in the juice of the grape during its fermentation3 accordingly1 by mixing neutral tartrate with fermentable materials1 we shall produce ,cream of ,tartar in the fermented liquor4 ,journal de ,pharm4 ,octob4 #ahba4 p4 #dhg4 ,footnote #bhd3 ,in one remarkable case related by this ,physician1 the operation of the unbruised mustard-seed is stated to have been promoted by combining it with a decoction of ,broom-tops4 ,query1 ,was not the adjunct in this case the only efficient part of the remedy8 ,footnote #bhe3 ,the word 8,venenum10 was employed by the ancients to signify both a poison and a medicine2 in the former of these acceptations it is used by ,virgil in the following passage3 8,picus equum domitor1 quem capta cupidine conjunx ,aurea percussum virga1 versumque ,,venenis1 ,fecit avem ,circe1 sparsitque coloribus alas40 neid4 ,lib4 vii4 ,in the latter sense it is used by ,plautus-- 8,quia sorbitione faciam ego te hodie mea ,item1 ut ,medea ,peliam concoxit senem1 ,quem medicamentis1 et suis ,,venenis dicitur ,fecisse rursus ex sene adolescentulum ,item ego te faciam40 ,footnote #bhf3 ,see the dissertation on the operation of ,emetics1 page #hd4 ,footnote #bhg3 ,cases and ,observations1 illustrating the influence of the ,nervous ,system1 in regulating animal heat1 by ,h4 ,earle1 ,esq42 published in the #gth volume of the ,medico-,chirurgical ,transactions4 ,footnote #bhh3 ,by the use of this word ,i wish to be distinctly understood as expressing only certain effects1 without any regard to the causes that may produce them4 ,the phenomena of ,accumulation may on some occasions depend upon the absolutely increased quantity of the substance in the body1 as in the instance of mercurial action1 while in others they may perhaps arise from the system becoming more and more sensible to its stimulus4 ,the history of ,poisons would afford some interesting illustrations of these views1 and in another work 7,medical ,jurisprudence1 ,vol4 #b1 p4 #adh71 ,i have proposed a subdivision of these bodies1 under the title of 8,accumulative ,poisons40 ,footnote #bhi3 8,diary of an ,invalid40 ,footnote #bij3 ,med4 ,transact4 ,vol4 #a1 p4 #e4 ,footnote #bia3 ,see ,historical ,introduction4 ,footnote #bib3 ,the ,mechanical ,physicians attempted to adjust the doses of medicines according to the constitution1 by a mathematical rule2 thus they say1 8the doses are as the squares of the ,constitution40 ,and in the ,edinburgh ,medical ,essays1 there is actually a formal attempt to correct the errors of this rule4 ,see 8,an ,essay towards ascertaining the doses of vomiting and purging ,medicines1 by ,dr4 ,,charles ,,balguy1 ,physician at ,peterborough40 ,vol4 #a4 #afg4 ,footnote #bic3 ,while this sheet was passing through the press1 an anecdote was related to me1 which is well calculated to illustrate the mischief that may arise from abbreviated prescriptions4 ,one of our most eminent surgeons having occasion to direct the application of a ,lead ,plaster 7,emplast3 ,lythargyi4 ,p4 ,l4 #aghg71 he abbreviated the term as follows--,emp4 ,lyth3 in the haste of compounding1 the h1 perhaps carelessly written1 was easily mistaken for t1 and the chemist accordingly sent the ,emplast3 ,lytt6 ,as it was applied to the ,pudenda1 it is not necessary to state the distress of the patient1 and the dismissal of the practitioner1 which followed4 ,footnote #bid3 ,camphor1 unless it be presented to the stomach in a state of minute division1 is liable to occasion heat and uneasiness in that organ4 ,fothergill's ,med4 ,observ4 vol4 i4 p4 #dcb4 ,footnote #bie3 ,in some cases the subject to be pulverized has been previously exposed to heat1 but the doubtful influence of exalted temperature upon vegetable bodies1 ought to afford us a lesson of extreme caution2 the astringency of the stalks of the ,artichoke is entirely destroyed by being gently heated in an oven1 for after this operation they no longer strike a black colour with the salts of iron3 another example is afforded us in the effects of heat upon ,starch1 which is thus changed into a species of gum1 no longer producing a blue colour with ,iodine1 and which is known in commerce under the name of 8,british ,gum40 ,footnote #bif3 ,it is perhaps not generally known1 that the sugared plumbs sold to children consist very frequently of ,plaister of ,paris2 the introduction of such a substance into the intestines may often prove a source of mischief4 ,i also understand1 that it is no uncommon fraud to adulterate biscuits with the same substance4 ,i confess ,i felt a great inclination to oppose the practice1 lately suggested1 of improving bad flour by the addition of ,magnesia2 ,i object to the introduction of any foreign and insoluble substance into our daily bread1 and ,i am satisfied that the result of medical experience will sanction such an objection4 ,footnote #big3 ,edition #b4 #ahbc4--;,i shall avail myself of the present opportunity to recommend this work to the perusal of every student who is ambitious to become acquainted with the ,literature of his profession4 ,footnote #bih3 ,dr4 ,davy informs me that the ,veddahs1 a savage race inhabiting the wilds of ,ceylon1 even in that hot climate1 effectually preserve their venison in honey4 ,footnote #bii3 ,there is one circumstance which sometimes renders the powder of liquorice objectionable upon such occasions2 it is liable to irritate the fauces and occasion coughing3 for this reason ,i always avoid its use in cases of pulmonary irritation4 ,footnote #cjj3 ,some extracts become so hard1 that in the state of pill they pass unchanged2 this has occurred to me with the extract of logwood4 ,astringent vegetable matter1 in combination with iron1 is frequently characterised by a hardness that is not exceeded by ebony1 and which is perfectly insoluble2 the action of iron upon the petals of the red rose furnishes a very striking instance of this fact2 if the petals be beaten in an iron mortar1 for some hours1 they ultimately become converted into a paste of an intensely black hue2 which1 when rolled into beads and dried1 is susceptible of a most beautiful polish1 still retaining the fragrance of the rose4 ,i have seen a necklace of this description2 indeed these beads form an article of extensive commerce with the ,turks1 and are imported into ,europe1 through ,austria1 under the name of ,rose ,beads or ,rose ,pearls4 ,footnote #cja3 ,crell's ,annals1 #agih4 vol4 #a4 ,footnote #cjb3 ,a remedy may even owe its virtues to a precipitation1 produced by admixture1 as ,i have already stated4 ,footnote #cjc3 ,see my work on ,,medical ,,chemistry1 ,sect4 ,cohesion4 ,footnote #cjd3 ,clyster from eluo1 to wash out4 ,footnote #cje3 ,practical ,observations on the ,treatment and ,cure of several ,varieties of ,pulmonary ,consumption2 and on the ,effects of the ,vapour of ,boiling ,tar in that ,disease4 ,by ,sir ,a4 ,crichton1 ,m4 ,d4 ,f4 ,r4 ,s4 c4 ,london1 #ahbc4 ,footnote #cjf3 ,pliny 7,nat ,hist4 ,lib4 xxiii4 cap4 #f47 has the following interesting allusion to the subject of ,tar fumes1 8,silvas eas duntaxat qu picis resinque gratia raduntur1 utilissimus esse phthisicis aut qui longa gritudine non recolligent vires1 satis constat2 et illum cliara plus ita quam navigationum gyptiani proficere1 plus quam lactes herbedos per montium stiva potus40 ,footnote #cjg3 1 from 1 irrigo4 ,footnote #cjh3 ,illinire1 to besmear4 ,footnote #cji3 4 ,this term was formerly applied to any medicament1 solid or liquid1 employed to restrain defluxions2 from 1 inhibo to stop1 and fluxio1 a running4 ,footnote #caj3 illino1 to besmear4 ,footnote #caa3 ,see ,pharmacopia ,chirurgica4 ,footnote #cab3 ,annales de ,chimie1 vol4 xxxiii4 p4 #eb4 ,footnote #cac3 ,a respectable ,oilman of the name of ,,sterry1 in the ,borough1 prepares a plaster of this description1 which is sought after with great avidity4 ,what a blessing it would be upon the community if every nostrum were equally innocuous6 ,footnote #cad3 ,persons who are exposed to fatigue by the standing posture1 such as washerwomen1 c4 are particularly liable to sores of the legs1 which may be prevented and cured by affording this artificial support4 ,footnote #cae3 ,in my ,lectures ,i have usually employed different colours for the purpose of expressing the objects of each ingredient in a formula2 in this manner very useful and instructive charts might be constructed3 this hint may perhaps induce the industrious student1 who is anxious to become a master in the art of prescribing1 to attempt a synopsis upon this plan4 ,footnote #caf3 ,in these ,formul the ,bark is decomposed1 by the alkali2 the combination of the ,kinic acid and ,cinchonia being torn asunder2 but as the preparation is not filtered1 the febrifuge principle is taken into the stomach in a state of activity4 ,footnote #cag3 ,this formula is introduced1 as a combination supported by authority1 although it may be questioned whether its adoption can be sanctioned upon principle4 ,let us decypher the intention of the different ingredients by their ,,key ,,letters4 ,the basis is ,squill1 to which ,digitalis is added1 for the purpose we perceive of acting in unison with it1 and ,calomel1 which succeeds it1 is intended to promote and direct the diuretic ,basis2 two ftid gums next present themselves to our notice1 and these are shewn by the bracket to exert a combined action1 depending1 as the ,key ,letter announces1 upon the medicinal similarity1 but acting in the general scheme of the formula1 as shewn by the exterior letter1 for the purpose of fulfilling a second indication1 distinct and different from that which the ,basis is designed to answer1 i4 e4 to produce1 not a diuretic1 but an antispasmodic and stimulant effect2 an important question then arises for our consideration--,is the latter part of the formula consistent with the former1 or is the stimulant effect of the ,gums compatible with the sedative operation of ,digitalis8 ,footnote #cah3 ,abes ab abeo1 quod in clum longe abeat4 ,footnote #cai3 ,dr4 ,maton1 in his appendix to ,mr4 ,lambert's work on the genus ,pinus1 observes that the ,thus of the ancients1 77 does not appear to have been the product of any species of ,pinus1 although we are informed by ,dioscorides 7,lib4 #a4 c4 #g47 that ,pine resin was often substituted for it4 ,he describes1 moreover1 a method of distinguishing between the two kinds2 8,resin of the ,pine10 says he1 8when thrown into the fire dissipates itself in smoke1 whereas ,frankincense burns with a brisk flame1 and with an odour that serves to detect the imposition40 8,some authors1 adds ,dr4 ,maton1 have considered the genuine 7,thus7 to have been obtained from the ,juniperus ,lycia1 and to constitute the ,olibanum of our shops1 but ,i cannot find any passage in the ancient authors sufficiently precise to corroborate this conjecture40 ,op3 citat3 ,footnote #cbj3 ,from not1 and pleasure4 ,footnote #cba3 ,mouldiness is a peculiar plant1 propagated by seeds1 infinitely small2 ,reaumur found the interior of an addled egg mouldy1 hence the seeds must have passed through the pores of the shell6 ,dr4 ,macculloch has lately announced the curious fact1 that the propagation of mouldiness may be prevented by the presence of aromatic substances4 ,see p4 #agg1 ,note4 ,footnote #cbb3 ,this fact has enabled the ,chemist to prepare an indelible ink1 not affected by acids4 ,footnote #cbc3 ,,keyser',s ,,antivenereal ,,pills consist of this mercurial salt1 triturated with ,manna4 ,footnote #cbd3 ,vinegar quenches the thirst1 and is particularly refreshing after much bodily exertion4 ,it was this property that invigorated the soldiers of ,hannibal in their progress over the ,alps2 it is absurd to imagine that ,livy meant to assert that the rocks were dissolved by ,vinegar3 the expression is only metaphorical4 ,see ,sod ,murias4 ,footnote #cbe3 ,the varieties of vinegar known in commerce1 are three1 viz4 ,wine ,vinegar1 ,malt ,vinegar1 and ,sugar ,vinegar2 to which may now be added that from wood1 and which is described under the title of ,,acidum ,,aceticum ,,fortius1 or ,acidum ,aceticum1 e ligno destillatum4 ,footnote #cbf3 ,i apprehend that the superior power of animal charcoal1 over that of vegetable origin1 in removing colouring matter1 depends upon the peculiar texture of the former4 ,at the same time it must be acknowledged1 that there are certain phenomena which would appear to indicate the existence of a chemical difference in these substances2 thus if ,lime water be boiled with animal charcoal1 the whole of the lime will be abstracted from the water1 whereas the same effect is not produced by the action of charcoal of vegetable origin4 ,see ,liquor ,calcis4 ,footnote #cbg3 ,the ,sulphuric acid is added for the purpose of preserving the vinegar from decomposition4 ,footnote #cbh3 ,this quantity includes the alkali necessary to saturate the ,sulphuric acid which is allowed to be added4 #ade grains of alkali is the standard fixed by act of ,parliament1 which will be found to coincide with the atomic weights of these bodies4 ,footnote #cbi3 ,by real ,acetic acid is meant such an acid as occurs in a dry acetate2 it cannot exist uncombined with water1 or a base4 ,footnote #ccj3 ,this is a very ancient preparation1 thus ,ausonius1 8,scillato decies si cor purgeris aceto ,anticipitesque tuum ,samii ,lucomonis acumen40 ,footnote #cca3 ,in following the directions of the ,college the first pint is rejected1 and this1 according to ,mr4 ,phillips 7,remarks on the ,pharmacopia7 contains a notable quantity of acid4 ,hence ,distilled ,vinegar can never be so strong as the ,vinegar from which it is distilled4 ,footnote #ccb3 ,or it may be detected1 in very minute quantities1 by the elegant test lately employed by ,dr4 ,marcet1 and which ,i have frequently repeated in my ,lectures with considerable satisfaction4 ,it consists in adding a little sulphuric acid with a small quantity of muriate of soda1 and then immersing a little gold leaf in the mixture1 when after boiling it1 if any nitric acid should have been present1 the gold leaf will be dissolved4 ,footnote #ccc3 ,it had been long known that by the destructive distillation of any kind of wood1 an acid is obtained1 which was formerly considered of a distinct and peculiar nature1 and termed ,acid ,spirit of ,wood1 and afterwards ,pyroligneous ,acid4 ,glauber appears to have been the first chemist who was aware of its true nature1 for he speaks of it as the 8,vinegar of ,wood40 ,it was however reserved for ,fourcroy and ,vauquelin to demonstrate its composition by experiment1 and they have accordingly proved beyond doubt that it is merely the ,acetic acid1 contaminated with ,empyreumatic oil and ,bitumen4 ,the address of modern chemists has at length enabled them to get rid of every trace of these latter ingredients1 and to furnish an acid perfectly devoid of any foreign flavour4 ,the crude pyroligneous acid1 as it is first received1 is rectified by a second distillation in a copper still1 in the body of which about #bj gallons of viscid tarry matter are left from every #ajj4 ,it has now become a transparent brown vinegar1 having a considerable empyreuma2 it is then redistilled and saturated with quick-lime1 and the liquid acetate is evaporated to dryness and submitted to gentle torrefaction1 in order to dissipate the empyreumatic matter1 and lastly the calcareous salt is decomposed by sulphuric acid1 when a pure1 perfectly colourless1 and grateful vinegar rises in distillation4 ,footnote #ccd3 ,this instrument was invented by ,messrs4 ,taylors for this particular purpose2 the principle consists in forming a neutral salt with dry hydrate of lime and the acid to be examined1 and then taking the specific gravity of the solution4 ,act #eh4 ,g4 ,,iii4 c4 #fe1 #h4 ,footnote #cce3 ,it may be necessary to state1 that the ,pharmaceutist should never purchase acetic acid of greater strength than that of #ge of the ,acetometer1 when it is intended for dilution1 for although he might thus avoid the expense of carriage1 the saving will be more than counterbalanced by the excessive duty levied upon acids above that standard4 ,there is moreover a great loss in the preparation of strong acids1 so that the manufacturer cannot afford to sell them at a price which is merely proportional to their strength4 ,acid of #ge is regularly kept by ,messrs4 ,beaufoy for dilution1 and if mixed with eleven parts of pure water is equivalent to the common distilled vinegar of the ,pharmacopia4 ,footnote #ccf3 ,it ought to have been #ajdh of #ee ,fah3 but the error lies in the scale of ,taylor's ,acetometer1 which appears to be incorrect at this point4 ,footnote #ccg3 ,i believe that no manufacturer1 except ,messrs4 ,beaufoy1 makes an acid stronger than this2 the ,college sample was obtained from that house4 ,footnote #cch3 ,the ,reviewer of ,mr4 ,phillip's ,translation of the ,pharmacopia1 in the ,royal ,institution ,journal for ,july1 #ahbd1 has fallen into an important error upon this subject1 against which it may be necessary to caution the reader2 he says1 8the term #8diluted acetic acid' is properly enough applied to ,distilled ,vinegar1 but the process of distillation might well have been rejected2 for all medical purposes a dilute acid1 composed of one part of the concentrated acid1 contained in the ,materia ,medica1 and four parts of water1 is preferable4 ,of this mixture1 or of distilled vinegar1 the specific gravity should be #ajji1 and #ajjj grains should saturate #ade grains of ,sub-carbonate of ,soda40 ,the reviewer has mistaken the acid of sp4 gr4 #ajdc mentioned by ,phillips1 as the strongest he has met with1 for the ,pharmacopia acid of sp4 gr4 #ajdf2 for1 should he dilute the latter with only four times its weight of water1 he would produce a compound containing #efhf per cent4 of real acid1 or one considerably stronger than the strongest malt vinegar1 and twice the strength of distilled vinegar4 ,the reviewer takes this occasion to indulge his favourite passion for abusing the ,pharmacopia1 and he asks with an air of sarcasm1 ,where was ,dr4 ,paris during the late revision8 ,i answer--engaged in the discharge of my duty as a humble member of the ,committee1 and ,i can assure him that nothing which he has yet urged has convinced me that ,i have failed in its fulfilment1 or erred in its execution3--but it is now my turn to enquire1 and ,i do so with perfect good humour1 where the reviewer could have been when he composed the above passage8 that he was not at home1 is ,i think sufficiently evident from the statement which ,i have just offered4 ,footnote #cci3 ,a very useful practical application has been made of the ,pyroligneous ,acid1 for the purpose of correcting the excessive ftor attendant upon mortification4 ,dr4 ,samuel ,w4 ,moore of this city1 7to whom we are indebted for the suggestion17 has detailed the particulars of a case of extensive mortification of the cheek1 resulting from the use of mercury1 in which the acid was applied1 and with the happiest success4 ,in a case of cancerous breast1 it was also used with the same object1 and with similar effect4 ,the mode of using it is simply to apply pieces of lint or linen wet with the acid to the part affected4 ,see ,new-,york ,medical ,repository1 ,vol4 #bb4 p4 #bcg4--;,ed4 ,footnote #cdj3 ,,aromatic ,,vinegar is merely an acetic solution of camphor1 oil of cloves1 of lavender1 and of rosemary4 ,the acetic acid used for this purpose is about #ade of the acetometer1 containing #fhe per cent4 of real acid4 ,a preparation of this kind may be extemporaneously made by putting j of ,acetate of ,potass into a phial with a few drops of some fragrant oil1 and in m xx of ,sulphuric ,acid4 ,,thieves ,,vinegar1 or ,,marseilles ,,vinegar1 is a pleasant solution of essential oils and camphor1 in vinegar2 the ,edinburgh ,pharmacopia has given a formula for its preparation under the title of 8,acetum ,aromaticum40 ,the repute of this preparation as a prophylactic in contagious fevers is said to have arisen from the confession of four thieves1 who1 during the plague of ,marseilles1 plundered the dead bodies with perfect security1 and1 upon being arrested1 stated on condition of their lives being spared1 that the use of ,aromatic ,vinegar had preserved them from the influence of contagion4 ,it is on this account sometimes called 8,le ,vinaigre des quatre voleurs40 ,it was however long used before the ,plague of ,marseilles1 for it was the constant custom of ,cardinal ,wolsey to carry in his hand an orange1 deprived of its contents1 and filled with a sponge which had been soaked in vinegar impregnated with various spices1 in order to preserve himself from infection1 when passing through the crowds which his splendour or office attracted4 ,the first ,plague raged in #afdi1 whereas ,wolsey died in #aeca4 ,the ,french ,codex has a preparation of this kind1 consisting of an acetic infusion of various aromatic herbs and camphor1 which is termed 8,acetum ,aromaticum ,alliatum10 seu 8,antisepticum0 vulgo 8des ,quatre ,voleurs40 p4 #ajh4 ,the ,german ,dispensatories abound with ,medicated ,vinegars1 chiefly aimed against ,pestilential ,diseases4 ,footnote #cda3 ,the more familiar of these are ,bitter ,almonds1 the ,cherry ,laurel 7,lauro ,cerasus17 the leaves of the ,peach tree1 the kernels of fruit1 pips of apples1 c4 ,the prussic acid would appear to be most abundant in the thin pellicle that envelopes the kernel2 the fleshy parts of these fruits do not contain it1 and even the berries of the ,lauro ,cerasus may be eaten with impunity2 and yet the distilled water1 and oil of this plant are the most destructive of all narcotic poisons1 as was evinced by the murder of ,sir ,theodosius ,broughton1 by ,laurel ,water2 and by the untimely fate of ,dr4 ,price1 of ,guildford1 in the year #aghb1 who professing to convert ,mercury into ,gold1 offered to repeat his experiments before an adequate tribunal1 but put a period to his existence before the appointed day1 by a draught of ,laurel ,water4 ,consistent with theory1 the watery extract of ,laurel is harmless1 a fact easily explained1 since the narcotic acid is entirely volatilized before the fluid can assume the consistence of an extract4 ,the ,laurel ,water as a medicinal agent appears to have been long known4 ,linnus1 informs us that it was frequently used in ,holland1 in pulmonary consumption4 7,amnitat4 ,academ4 vol4 iv4 p4 #dj47 ,the ,bark of the ,prunus ,padus1 or ,bird ,cherry ,tree1 was ascertained to contain ,prussic acid1 by ,m4 ,bergemann1 in #ahaa1 and it is certainly a curious fact1 as ,dr4 ,granville has observed1 that superstitious people should have selected the berries of this shrub to form necklaces1 which are hung round the neck of children to prevent fits and allay cough from teething4 ,for farther information upon this subject1 the reader may consult 8,the ,chronological recapitulation respecting the ,introduction of the ,prussic acid into the ,practice of ,physic10 in the work of ,dr4 ,granville1 above cited4 ,footnote #cdb3 ,see ,journal of ,science and the ,arts1 ,no4 xxv4 ,the following table comprehends their results4 ,quantity of liquid ,acid4 ,specific ,gravity4 ,real ,acid per ,ct4 #ajjj #jiegj #af #fff #jigfh #ajf #egj #jihae #ia #ejj #jihdj #hj #ddd #jihgj #gc #djj #jihij #fd #cfd #jiijj #eh #ccc #jiiad #ec #cjh #jiibc #ej #bhf #jiicj #df #bej #jiidj #dj #bbb #jiide #cf #bjj #jiieb #cb #ahb #jiieh #cj #aff #jiifd #bg #aed #jiifg #be #adc #jiigj #bc #acc #jiigc #ba #abe #jiigd #bj #aah #jiige #agg #aje #jiigh #afh #ajj #jiigi #afj ,footnote #cdc3 ,for a detailed account of this poison1 see my work on ,medical ,jurisprudence1 vol4 ii4 p4 #cih4 ,footnote #cdd3 ,it seems to be a contest for a shadow4 ,footnote #cde3 ,we agree with our author in the general estimate which he forms of the ,prussic ,acid4 ,the experience of practitioners in this country has by no means confirmed the high expectations originally entertained of this article4 ,ed4 ,footnote #cdf3 ,the only mineral substances in which this acid has been found is the ,fer ,azur of ,haiiy1 and a new substance which is found accompanying ,welsh ,culm1 and of which ,i have given an account in the first volume of the ,transactions of the ,royal ,geological ,society of ,cornwall1 although in this latter instance it is probably a product1 not an educt4 ,footnote #cdg3 ,the following is the chemical reasoning upon which this process is founded4 8,the prime equivalent of prussic acid is exactly one-eighth of that of the mercurial peroxide4 ,but as the prussiate of mercury consists of two primes of acid to one of base1 or is in its dry crystalline state a ,by-cyanide1 we have the relation of one to four in the formation of that salt1 when we act on the peroxide with cold prussic acid40 ,hence is derived the above simple rule of analysis4 7,journal of ,science and the ,arts47 ,upon the same principle it has been already stated1 that the quantity of real acetic acid1 in any given sample of distilled vinegar may be discovered by the test of carbonate of lime1 see ,acid4 ,acetic4 ,fort4 ,they furnish beautiful illustrations of the practical importance of the doctrine of ,definite ,proportions4 ,footnote #cdh3 ,this offers a striking example of the confusion produced by the constant changes in chemical nomenclature2 in the former editions of this work1 the term ,hydro was prefixed to ,muriatic ,acid1 as an epithet expressive of the presence of water1 whereas the same word is now used to denote the existence of ,hydrogen as one of its elements4 ,footnote #cdi3 ,dr4 ,powell directs only two parts of acid2 but this is evidently too little1 for it appears by ,dr4 ,wollaston's scale1 that #c parts of salt require #b of oil of vitriol for their decomposition2 and in addition to this1 the oxide of manganese will require a farther addition to convert it into a sulphate4 ,footnote #cej3 ,as ,chlorine is by pressure condensable into a liquid1 tubes containing a small quantity of it1 and hermetically sealed1 might be very usefully employed for this purpose1 since by breaking off the extremity1 the chlorine would instantly assume the gaseous state1 and diffuse itself through the apartment4 ,footnote #cea3 ,there is a curious illustration of this fact in the ,german 8,ephemerides20 the case of a person is described who had taken so much ,elixir of ,vitriol that his keys were rusted in his pocket1 by the transudation of the acid through his skin6 ,footnote #ceb3 ,nitric acid may be considered as one of the most efficient agents in our possession for exciting prompt vesication4 ,for this purpose1 we believe it was first used in the epidemic ,cholera of the ,east ,indies1 and the success which attended it in that fatal disorder suggested its application in a variety of other diseases4 ,the mode of using it is to rub the surface intended to be vesicated1 with the pure acid1 and as soon as pain is produced1 to neutralize the acid by washing the part with a solution of salt of tartar4 ,if the object is to continue the irritation1 a common blister may be laid upon the part4 ,ed4 ,footnote #cec3 ,nitrous acid gas is a combination of nitrous gas and oxygen4 ,footnote #ced3 ,,elixir ,,of ,,vitriol4 ,the preparation sold under this name is the ,acid3 ,sulph3 ,aromat3 ,e4 and is imperfectly therial in its nature4 ,it is a grateful medicine4 ,a spurious article is often sold for it1 which is nothing but the diluted acid1 coloured by the addition of a tincture4 ,i will take this occasion to state1 that the term ,elixir is of ,arabian origin1 viz4 ,elechschir1 or ,elikscir1 i4 e4 an ,essence1 or pure mass without any dregs4 ,footnote #cee3 ,the ,dublin college1 on the authority of ,willdenow1 admits the ,a4 ,neomontanum1 as the species of ,aconite which has always been used in medicine2 although the other colleges1 in consequence of a botanical error of ,sterck1 who introduced it into practice1 direct the ,a4 ,napellus4 ,footnote #cef3 ,see note under the article opium4 ,footnote #ceg3 ,axunge1 from its being used as the grease of wheels1 ab ,axe rotarum qu unguuntur4 ,footnote #ceh3 ,,dr4 ,,smellone',s ,,ointment ,,for ,,the ,,eyes4 ,it consists of half a drachm of ,verdigris finely powdered and rubbed with oil1 and then mixed with an ounce of yellow ,basilicon1 7,ceratum ,resin1 ,p4 ,l47 ,footnote #cei3 ,alcohol is a term of ,alchemical origin1 and signified the pure substance of bodies1 separated by sublimation from the impure particles1 as ,alcohol ,antimonii1 c4 ,footnote #cfj3 ,garlic1 leeks1 and onions constitute a tribe of culinary vegetables that has undergone great vicissitudes in reputation3 amongst the ,egyptians the onion and leek were esteemed as divinities1 thus ,juvenal1 8,o sanctas gentes quibus hc nascuntur in hortis ,,numina60 while by the ,greeks1 garlic was detested1 although their husbandmen had been from the most remote antiquity in the habit of eating it1 which milius ,macer explains by supposing that its strong odour was useful in driving away the venomous serpents and insects by which they were infested4 ,horace alludes to this custom in his #c;d ,epode1 which he composed in consequence of having been made violently sick by garlic at a supper with ,macnas4 8,cicutis ,allium nocentius ,o dura ,messorum ilia60 ,the most powerful antidotes to the flavour of this tribe of vegetables are the aromatic leaves and seeds of the ,,umbellifer2 thus the disagreeable odour of a person's breath after the ingestion of an onion is best counteracted by parsley2 and if leek or garlic be mixed with a combination of aromatic ingredients1 its virulence will be greatly mitigated and corrected1 nor does the fact seem to have escaped the observation of the husbandman in ,virgil1 8,allia1 ,serpyllumque1 herbas contundit olentes40 ,eclog4 #b4 line #aa4 ,and the fact itself offers an additional illustration of the important principle of combination1 discussed at page #adh4 ,footnote #cfa3 ,,taylor',s ,,remedy ,,for ,,deafness4 ,garlic infused in oil of almonds1 and coloured by alkanet root4 ,footnote #cfb3 ,dr4 ,sibthorpe1 in his ,flora ,grca1 states that the ,aloe ,vulgaris is the true ,aloe described by ,dioscorides4 ,footnote #cfc3 ,from the action which aloes exercises over the large intestines it has long been supposed that the continued use of it caused the production of hemorrhoids4 ,it would seem hardly possible that an opinion1 so generally received1 could be without some foundation2 and1 no doubt1 in many cases it may produce such an effect4 ,in my own experience1 however1 ,i do not recollect to have met with it in a single instance1 even where its use had been continued for several months in succession4 ,ed4 ,footnote #cfd3 ,,anderson',s ,,pills consist of the ,barbadoes ,aloes with a proportion of ,jalap1 and ,oil of ,aniseed4 ,,hooper',s ,,pills4--,pil4 ,ales cum ,myrrha1 7,pil4 ,rufi7 ,sulphate of ,iron1 and ,canella ,bark1 to which is added a portion of ,ivory ,black4 ,,dixon',s ,,antibilious ,,pills4--,aloes1 ,scammony1 ,rhubarb1 and ,tartarized ,antimony4 ,,speediman',s ,,pills4--,aloes1 ,myrrh1 ,rhubarb1 ,extract of ,chamomile1 and some ,essential ,oil of ,chamomile4 ,,dinner ,,pills--,,lady ,,webster',s1 ,,or ,,lady ,,crespigny',s ,,pill4 ,these popular pills are the 8,pilul ,stomachic10 vulgo1 8,pilul ante cibum0 of the ,codex ,medicamentarius ,parisiensis4 ,editio ,quinta1 ,a4,d4 #ageh4 viz4 4 ,aloes optim vj1 ,mastiches1 et ,rosarum rubrarum ij1 ,syrupi de ,absinthio q1 s1 ut fiat massa1--the mass is divided into pills of #c grains each4 ,the operation of this pill is to produce a copious and bulky evacuation1 and in this respect experience has fully established its value4 ,it is difficult to explain the modus operandi of the ,mastiche1 unless we suppose that it depends upon its dividing the particles of the ,aloes1 and thereby modifying its solubility4 ,,fothergill',s ,,pills4--,aloes1 ,scammony1 ,colocynth1 and ,oxide of ,antimony4 ,,peter',s ,,pills4--,aloes1 ,jalap1 ,scammony1 and ,gamboge1 equal part ij--,calomel i4 ,,radcliffe',s ,,elixir--4 ,aloes ,socot3 vi1 ,cort3--,cinnamon et ,rad3 ,zedoar3 ss--,rad3 ,rhei i4--,coccinel3 ss--,syrup3 ,rhamni fij--,spirit3 ,tenuior3 oj--,aqu ,pur fv4 ,,beaume ,,de ,,vie1 see ,decoct3 ,aloes compositum4 ,,the ,,elixir ,,of ,,longevity1 of ,dr4 ,jernitz of ,sweden4 ,this is an aromatic tincture1 with ,aloes4 ,footnote #cfe3 ,the best mode of using alum as a styptic is that of a tepid saturated solution4 ,in this form it proves much more efficacious in arresting hemorrhage than in the usual way of applying it4 ,dr4 ,scudamore1 to whom we are indebted for this observation1 has detailed some striking and interesting experiments satisfactorily proving its correctness4 ,see 8,scudamore on the ,blood40 p4 #aeg4--;,ed4 ,footnote #cff3 ,,godfrey',s ,,smelling ,,salts4 ,this highly pungent preparation is obtained by resubliming the common sub-carbonate of ammonia with pearlash1 and a proportion of rectified spirit4 ,the sub-carbonate of potass in this case1 abstracts a fresh portion of carbonic acid from the ammoniacal salt4 ,its atomic composition has not yet been ascertained1 but it will probably be found to consist of equal atoms of carbonic acid and ammonia1 and must therefore be a true ,carbonate4 ,footnote #cfg3 ,it appears that this is not the only article that has suffered in its quality by the cheap materials which have been brought into the market from those works4 ,i understand that the practical chemist can obtain little or no ,naphtha from the ,barbadoes ,tar1 owing to its adulteration with the residue of the gas light process4 ,footnote #cfh3 ,,noyau4--,crme de ,noyau4 ,bitter ,almonds blanched #a oz4 ,proof spirit half a pint1 ,sugar #d oz4 ,it is sometimes coloured with cochineal4 ,the foreign ,noyau1 although differently prepared1 is indebted to the same principle for its qualities4 ,it is a liqueur of a fascinating nature1 and cannot be taken to any considerable extent without danger2 the late ,duke ,charles of ,lorraine nearly lost his life from swallowing some 8,eau de ,noyau10 7water distilled from ,peach kernels7 too strongly impregnated4 ,journal des ,debats1 #bb1 ,decembre1 #ahad4 ,footnote #cfi3 ,,almond ,,paste4 ,this ,cosmetic for softening the skin and preventing chaps1 is made as follows3 ,bitter almonds blanched #d oz42 the white of an egg2 rose water and rectified spirit1 equal parts1 as much as is sufficient4 ,footnote #cgj3 ,for the derivation of this term1 and remarks thereon1 see p4 #ch4 7,note74 ,footnote #cga3 ,the fecula of various grains are employed as articles of diet for the sick1 e4 g4 ,,sago1 prepared from the pith of the ,cycas ,circinalis1 its granular form is imparted to it by passing it1 when half dry1 through a coarse sieve4 ,,salop1 from the ,orchis ,mascula4 ,,tapioca from the root of the ,jatropa ,manhiot4 ,by expressing the root of this plant1 the juice of which is extremely acrid1 and baking the cake that is left1 an alimentary substance is prepared called ,,cassava1 the peculiar merit of which1 like tapioca1 is to swell and soften in water1 and thus to make an excellent pudding4 ,,arrow ,,root is from the ,maranta ,arundinacea4 ,the arrow root however1 usually sold1 is the fecula of potatoes2 #ajj lbs4 of which would yield about #aj lbs4 of fecula1 and it is worthy of remark that for this purpose frozen potatoes answer as well as those not spoiled by the frost4 ,dr4 ,ainslie1 in his ,materia ,medica of ,hindostan1 informs us that 8an excellent ,arrow root1 if it may be so called1 is now prepared in the ,travancore country from the root of the ,curcuma ,angustifolia1 no way inferior to that obtained from the ,maranta ,arundinacea40 ,footnote #cgb3 ,the method of deducing the value of seeds1 from their relative weights1 appears to have been one of the earliest instances of the art of taking specific gravities2 thus ,pliny 7,nat4 ,hist4 lib4 xviii47 estimated the relative weights of several species of grain4 ,footnote #cgc3 ,,chamomile ,,drops4 ,the nostrum sold under this name is a spirit flavoured with the essential oil of ,chamomile4 ,it is very obvious that it cannot possess the bitter tonic of the flowers4 ,footnote #cgd3 ,,the ,,everlasting ,,pill of the ancients consisted of metallic ,antimony1 which being slightly soluble in the gastric juice was supposed to exert the property of purging as often as it was swallowed4 ,this was economy in right earnest1 for a single pill would serve a whole family during their lives1 and might be transmitted as an heir-loom to their posterity4 ,we have heard of a ,lady who having swallowed one of these pills1 became seriously alarmed at its not passing2 upon sending however for her physician1 he consoled her with the assurance that it had already passed through a hundred patients with the best effect4 ,footnote #cge3 ,the manner of doing it among the ,turks1 is described by ,shaw and ,russel4 ,chateaubriand also remarks1 8,the women of ,athens appear to me smaller and less handsome than those of the ,morea1 their practice of painting the orbits of the eyes blue1 and the ends of the fingers red1 is disagreeable to the stranger40 ,dr4 ,badham has also given us an interesting note upon this subject in his learned ,translation of ,juvenal4 ,sat4 ,,ii4 #a4 #ada4 ,see also the present work1 p4 #di4 ,footnote #cgf3 ,the ,sulphuret of ,antimony is an ingredient in ,,spilsbury',s ,,drops4 ,see ,hydrargyri ,oxy-murias4 ,dr4 ,duncan also observes that it seems to constitute a quack remedy which has acquired some reputation in ,ireland for the cure of cancer1 where it is used as an external application to the sore4 ,footnote #cgg3 ,this saline body was first made known by ,adrian de ,mynsicht in his ,thesaurus ,medico-chymicus1 published in #afca2 although it appears probable that the preparation was suggested by a treatise1 entitled 8,methodus in ,pulverem10 published in ,italy in #afbj4 ,this book1 written by ,dr4 ,cornachinus1 gives an account of a method of preparing a powder which had been invented by ,dudley1 ,earl of ,warwick1 and which had acquired considerable celebrity in ,italy2 this powder was composed of ,scammony1 ,sulphuret of ,antimony1 and ,tarter1 triturated together4 ,footnote #cgh3 ,there is a ,tartrate of ,antimony1 but it can scarcely be made to crystallize2 it easily assumes a gelatinous form2 and it may be here observed that ,antimony is one of those metals whose oxides seem to combine with difficulty1 and to form compounds of little permanency with acids1 unless there be present at the same time an alkali or earth2 and their solutions1 in most cases1 yield1 on dilution1 a white precipitate4 ,footnote #cgi3 ,the compound of ,tartarized ,antimony and ,bark1 is said to purge1 and to constitute the 8,bolus ad ,quartanas0 of the ,french physicians4 ,footnote #chj3 ,the ,sugar is added with a view to prevent the ointment from becoming rancid4 ,footnote #cha3 ,,norris',s ,,drops4 ,a solution of tartarized antimony in rectified spirit1 and disguised by the addition of some vegetable colouring matter4 ,i am credibly informed that the original recipe contained opium1 but that which ,i have examined1 and which was procured from a respectable agent1 yielded no indications of its presence4 ,footnote #chb3 ,hard water has a tendency to produce diseases in the spleen of certain animals1 especially sheep3 this is the case in the eastern side of the island of ,minorca1 as we are informed by ,cleghorn4 ,the mischievous tendency of bad water1 where it cannot be corrected by some chemical process1 would seem to be best counteracted by bitter vegetables4 ,virey supposes that this circumstance first induced the ,chinese to infuse the leaves of the tea plant4 ,footnote #chc3 ,alpini informs us that ,elephantiasis is endemial in ,egypt2 ,galen ascribes it to the impure waters of the ,nile1 and ,lucretius adopted the same opinion4 8,est ,elephas morbus1 qui propter flumina ,nili ,gignitur gypto in ,medio40 ,footnote #chd3 ,dr4 ,percival observes that bricks harden the softest water1 and give it an aluminous impregnation2 the common practice of lining wells with them1 is therefore very improper1 unless they be covered with cement4 ,footnote #che3 ,the same strumous affection occurs at ,sumatra1 where ice and snow are never seen2 while1 on the contrary1 the disease is quite unknown in ,chili and ,thibet1 although the rivers of these countries are chiefly supplied by the melting of the snow with which the mountains are covered4 ,the trials of ,captain ,cook1 in his voyage round the world1 prove the wholesomeness of ,ice water beyond a doubt2 in the high southern latitudes he found a salutary supply of fresh water in the ice of the sea2 8this melted ice10 says sir ,john ,pringle1 8was not only sweet but soft1 and so wholesome as to shew the fallacy of human reasoning unsupported by experiments40 ,footnote #chf3 ,i take this opportunity of observing that ,i have made analyses of several of those springs in ,cornwall1 which have from time immemorial enjoyed a reputation in the neighbourhood for curing diseases1 amongst which were the waters of ,holywell1 so named from its supposed virtues1 and those of ,permiscen ,bay1 equally extolled for their medicinal qualities4 ,but ,i have only been able to detect minute quantities of carbonate of lime1 derived from infiltration through banks of calcareous sand4 ,see ,transactions of the ,royal ,geological ,society of ,cornwall1 ,vol4 ,i4 ,footnote #chg3 ,see 8,remarks on the ,pump water of ,london10 by ,w4 ,heberden1 ,m4 ,d4 in the #ast4 vol4 of the ,medical ,transactions2 also1 ,acad4 ,royale des ,scienc4 #agjj1 ,hist4 pag4 #eh4 ,perrault ,vitruve4 ,l4 ,,viii4 c4 #e4 ,footnote #chh3 ,i am informed by a respectable chemist in this town1 that he sells a large quantity of alum for this very purpose1 as well as to publicans for the sake of clearing their spirituous liquors2 for the same end1 we are told1 that the wine merchants in ,paris put into each cask of wine as much as a pound of alum4 ,footnote #chi3 ,this is particularly the case with respect to the water of the ,river ,thames2 for as it contains but a small proportion of saline matter1 it is remarkably soft1 although it holds suspended mud1 and vegetable and animal debris1 which occasion it to undergo a violent change on being kept3 a large volume of carburetted and sulphuretted hydrogen gases is evolved1 and it becomes black and insufferably offensive2 upon racking it off however into large earthen vessels1 and exposing it to the air1 it gradually deposits a quantity of black slimy matter1 and becomes as clear as crystal1 and perfectly sweet and palatable1 and is exceedingly well adapted for sea store4 8,,the ,,new ,,river ,,water0 contains a small proportion of muriate of lime1 carbonate of lime1 and muriate of soda2 it differs also in its gaseous contents3 #ajj cubic inches of ,new ,river ,water contain #bbe of carbonic acid1 and #abe of common air1 whereas the water of the ,thames contains rather a large quantity of common air1 and a smaller proportion of carbonic acid4 ,footnote #cij3 ,the law which determines such combinations has been investigated with singular ingenuity and success by ,dr4 ,murray1 7,transactions of the ,royal ,society of ,edinburgh1 #ahaf74 ,berthollet had already established the important fact1 that combinations are often determined by the force of cohesion1 in such a manner1 that in principles acting on each other1 those on which this force operates most powerfully1 in relation to the fluid which is the medium of action1 are combined together2 hence from a knowledge of the solubility of the compounds which substances form1 we may predict what combinations will be established when they act on each other1 those always combining which form the least soluble compounds4 ,it is for the extension of these views1 and for the useful application of them1 that we are indebted to ,dr4 ,murray1 who justly observes that if the force of cohesion can so far modify chemical attraction1 as to establish among compound salts dissolved in any medium1 those combinations whence the least soluble compound are formed1 we are entitled to conclude that the reverse of this force1 i4 e4 the power of a solvent1 may produce the opposite effects1 or cause the very reverse of these combinations to be established1 so that in a concentrated medium the least soluble will be formed1 and in a dilute one1 the more soluble compounds will be established4 ,hence follows the simple rule by which the actual state in which saline bodies exist in a solution may be determined1 viz4 that in any fluid containing the elements of compound salts1 the binary compounds existing in it will be generally those which are most soluble in that fluid1 and the reverse combinations will only be established by its concentration favouring the influence of cohesion4 ,it appears that by simply evaporating a saline solution we may produce changes in its composition1 and obtain products which never existed in its original state of dilution2 thus1 suppose muriate of magnesia and sulphate of soda to be dissolved in water1 as is actually the case in the water of the ocean1 and the solution to be concentrated by evaporation from heat2 the combinations of sulphate of magnesia and muriate of soda1 being on the whole less soluble in water1 this circumstance of inferior solubility1 or the force of cohesion thus operating1 actually determines the formation of these compounds2 and the production of sulphate of magnesia from the bittern is to be explained upon this principle4 ,since it appears therefore that the influence of solubility is most important1 temperature1 to whose dominion it is under all circumstances subject1 must necessarily be alike powerful2 let us exemplify this fact by the action of the very salts under consideration2 it has been just stated that muriate of magnesia and sulphate of soda decompose each other in a concentrated solution at a high temperature1 producing muriate of soda and sulphate of magnesia1 but at temperatures below #cb the reverse actually takes place1 muriate of soda and sulphate of magnesia reacting1 and being converted into sulphate of soda and muriate of magnesia2 a fact evidently owing to the relation of the solubility of these salts to temperature4 ,muriate of soda has its solubility scarcely altered1 either by heat or cold2 sulphate of soda is1 in these respects1 completely the reverse2 hence at an elevated temperature1 muriate of soda is the least1 and sulphate of soda the most soluble salt1 whilst at a low temperature1 the reverse of this happens4 ,all the circumstances of this investigation are most interesting2 the medical practitioner will at once perceive its importance1 as enabling him to appreciate the real nature of saline solutions1 and even in many instances to preserve their identity4 ,see ,aqu ,minerales4 ,footnote #cia3 ,there is a precaution respecting the preservation of these waters for analysis with which the chemist ought to be acquainted2 it will be fully explained by the relation of the following anecdote4 ,m4 ,wurza1 on examining some bottles of ,chalybeate water1 could detect no signs of iron in them1 and on seeking for the cause of this circumstance1 he discovered it in the astringent nature of the corks which had combined with the metallic substance1 and abstracted it from the water4 ,footnote #cib3 ,the ,mineral ,springs in the ,united ,states more especially deserving of notice1 are those of ,saratoga and ,ballston in the ,state of ,new-,york1 and of ,schooley's ,mountain in ,new-,jersey4 ,of the two first1 various analyses have been published by different chemists1 but with so little uniformity of result as to leave their true chemical character still in a state of uncertainty4 ,an account of these discrepancies may be seen in the ,new-,england ,journal of ,medicine and ,surgery for #ahag4 ,as the analyses of ,dr4 ,steel appear upon the whole to be most satisfactory1 we shall quote them4 ,one gallon of the water was the quantity used in the experiments4 ,,ballston4 #a4 ,public ,spring4 ,temperat4 #ej ,fahr4 ,muriate of ,soda1 #aei4 ,carbonate of ,soda1 #i4 ,carbonate of ,lime1 #ge4e ,carbonate of ,magnesia1 #b4e ,carbonate of ,iron1 #g4 ---------- #bec4 grs4 ,carbonic ,acid #baj cubic inches4 #b4 ,low's ,spring4 ,temperat4 #eb4 ,muriate of ,soda1 #adb4 ,carbonate of ,soda1 #aj4 ,carbonate of ,lime1 #fd4e ,carbonate of ,magnesia1 #a4e ,carbonate of ,iron1 #f4 ---------- #bbd4 grs4 ,carbonic ,acid #bbj cubic inches4 #c4 ,new ,spring4 ,temperat4 #ej4 ,muriate of ,soda1 #ade4 ,carbonate of ,soda1 #ab4 ,carbonate of ,lime1 #fa4e ,carbonate of ,magnesia1 #i4 ,carbonate of ,iron1 #g4e ---------- #bce4 grs4 ,carbonic ,acid #aei4e4 cubic inches4 ,,saratoga4 #a4 ,congress ,spring4 ,temperat4 #ej4 ,muriate of ,soda1 #dga4e ,carbonate of ,lime1 #agh4dgf ,carbonate of ,soda1 #af4e ,carbonate of ,magnesia1 #c4cef ,carbonate of ,iron1 #f4afh -------------- #fgf4 grs4 ,carbonic ,acid #cdc cubic inches4 ,more recently this ,spring has been analyzed by the late ,professor ,,dana1 and1 according to him1 the constituents in one quart of water are the following3 ,bi-carbonate of ,lime1 #ea4jhj grs4 ,bi-carbonate of ,soda1 #ah4dgh ,chloride of ,sodium1 7common salt17 #ig4jhj ,chloride of ,magnesium1 7,mur4 of #i4adj ,magnesia17 ,silex1 with a trace of ,iron1 #a4ejj -------------- #agg4bgh grs4 ,uncombined ,carbonic ,acid ,gas1 #cf4ij cubic inches4 ,azote1 #a4hj ---------- #ch4gjcic #b4 ,columbian ,spring4 ,temperat4 #ej4 ,muriate of ,soda1 #bja4e ,carbonate of ,soda1 #bb4e ,carbonate of ,lime1 #aba4 ,carbonate of ,magnesia1 #a4e ,carbonate of ,iron1 #g4e ---------- #ced4 grs4 ,carbonic ,acid #bcf cubic inches4 #c4 ,high rock ,spring4 ,temperat4 #dh4 ,muriate of ,soda1 #baj4 ,carbonate of ,soda1 #ah4 ,carbonate of ,lime1 #aae4 ,carbonate of ,magnesia1 4#e ,carbonate of ,iron1 #d4e ---------- #cdh4 grs4 ,carbonic ,acid #bdc cubic inches4 ,,schooley',s ,,mountain4 ,according to the analysis of ,dr4 ,m#8,nevin1 these waters consist of ,extractive1 #j4ib ,muriate of ,soda1 #j4dc ,muriate of ,lime1 #b4dj ,muriate of ,magnesia1 #j4ej ,carbonate of ,lime1 #g4ii ,sulphate of ,lime1 #j4fe ,carbonate of ,magnesia1 #j4dj ,silex1 #j4hj ,carbonated ,oxyd of ,iron1 #b4jj ,loss1 #j4da ---------- #af4ej ,the diseases in which the ,ballston and ,saratoga waters have been recommended are dyspepsia1 hypochondriasis1 hysteria1 dropsy1 paralysis1 chronic gout1 rheumatism1 chlorosis1 suppression of the menses1 and diseases of the bladder and kidneys4 ,the waters of ,schooley's ,mountain1 besides their general utility in diseases of the digestive organs1 have proved eminently successful in calculous affections4 ,ed4 ,footnote #cic3 ,new-,york ,med4 and ,phys4 ,journal1 ,no4 #ba4 p4 #gc4 ,footnote #cid3 ,for the same purpose the ,french employ a pomatum prepared with the oxide of bismuth1 and it is said to answer the intention4 ,footnote #cie3 ,,permanent ,,ink ,,for ,,marking ,,linen4 ,this preparation is a solution of nitrate of silver1 thickened with sap green1 or cochineal4 ,the preparing liquid1 or ,pounce liquid1 as it is technically called1 with which the linen to be marked is previously wetted1 is a solution of soda1 boiled with gum1 or some animal mucilage4 ,it is a curious circumstance1 that if potass be used for this purpose1 the marking ink will run4 ,footnote #cif3 ,nitrate of ,silver is commonly called an ,escharotic4 ,this1 however1 gives no just idea of the properties of this valuable article1 or of the uses to which it may be applied4 ,as a local application in cases of external inflammation1 punctured wounds1 and ulcers1 ,i have found it a remedy of surpassing utility4 ,it is to ,mr4 ,higginbottom that we are indebted for the full developement of this subject4--,see 8,an ,essay on the use of ,nitrate of ,silver1 in the cure of ,inflammation1 ,wounds1 and ,ulcers40 ,ed4 ,footnote #cig3 ,horse-radish2 horse-mint2 bull-rush2 c4 ,these epithets are ,grecisms2 and 1 i4 e4 horse and bull1 when prefixed to any word1 signified no more than great2 thus the great ,dock1 ,hippo-lapathum1 and the horse of ,alexander from the size of his head was named ,bucephalus4 ,footnote #cih3 ,an infusion of horse-radish is a very ancient remedy in disorders of the stomach4 ,in ,paulus gineta we shall find a letter written by ,carytius ,antigonus1 in which it is highly recommended for such a purpose4 ,footnote #cii3 ,the chemist may satisfy himself of this fact by heating some arsenious acid on a piece of platinum foil1 and alternately raising and depressing it into the blue flame of the spirit1 when corresponding changes in odour will take place4 ,footnote #djj3 ,it will probably afford a satisfactory explanation of the circumstance mentioned by ,dr4 ,percival1 that the workmen who solder silver filligree with an arsenical alloy1 are never affected by the fumes4 ,dr4 ,percival does not appear to have been in the least aware of the probable reason of this fact2 he says1 8,this solder is melted by the flame of a lamp directed by a blow-pipe2 the greatest part of the arsenic is evaporated by the blast and flame1 and some part also of the rest of the solder1 and yet the men appear to enjoy as good health1 and to live as long as other artists6 ,amongst other examples of the truth of this observation1 ,i lately saw in the manufactory at the ,soho at ,birmingham1 a man of more than fifty years of age1 who had soldered silver filligree for thirty-five years1 and had regularly1 during that period1 passed from eight to ten hours daily in his occupation1 and yet he was fat1 strong1 active1 cheerful1 and of a complexion by no means sickly2 neither he nor his brother artists use any means to counteract the effect of their trade40 ,dr4 ,rotheram1 in a letter to ,dr4 ,percival1 comments upon this fact1 and says1 8how far the fluxes used in soldering the filligree may fix the parts of the arsenic1 or from what cause these workmen might escape1 ,i dare not say1 but ,i should notwithstanding strongly suspect the fumes of this very volatile and caustic mineral to be very prejudicial40--,i have shewn above that arsenious acid is readily decomposed when heated in contact with an oxidable metal1 and ,i apprehend that this fact will explain the reason why the fumes of the alloy in question are disarmed of their virulence4 ,footnote #dja3 ,in my work on ,medical ,jurisprudence1 7,vol4 ii4 p4 #baf7 the reader will find a very full account of the symptoms produced by this poison4 ,footnote #djb3 ,,plunkett',s ,,ointment1 consists of arsenious acid1 sulphur1 and the powdered flowers of the ,ranunculus ,flammula1 and ,cotula ,ftida1 levigated and made into a paste with the white of an egg1 and applied1 on a piece of pig's bladder1 to the surface of the cancer4 ,,pate ,,arsenicale4 ,this favourite remedy of the ,french surgeons consists of #gj parts of cinnabar1 #bb of sanguis draconis1 and #h of arsenious acid1 made into paste with saliva1 at the time of applying it4 ,this combination1 observes a periodical writer1 is similar1 with the exception of the ashes of the soles of old shoes1 to that recommended by ,father ,cosmo under the name of 8,pulvis ,anti-carcinomatosa40 ,,davidson',s ,,remedy ,,for ,,cancer1 arsenious acid1 and powdered hemlock4 ,footnote #djc3 ,in the ,journal de ,medicine1 the following case of a woman is related who was killed by her husband having insinuated powdered arsenic into the vagina1 at the moment of enjoying the conjugal rites4 8,a woman at ,leneux1 department de l',ourthe1 aged #dj1 having died after a short illness1 attended with considerable tumefaction of the genital parts1 uterine hemorrhage1 vomiting1 and purging1 the body was inspected by order of the mayor1 when the surgeons reported that they found the vulva in a state of gangrene1 the abdomen much distended with air1 and the intestines inflamed and gangrenous4 ,the culprit was arrested1 convicted1 and executed40 ,in the ,acts of the ,society of ,medicine of ,copenhagen1 a similar crime is recorded1 committed also by a peasant2 in this latter case1 although some small pieces of arsenic were found within the vagina1 yet1 some doubting the possibility of this species of poisoning1 the magistrates consulted the ,college of ,medicine of ,copenhagen1 who decided the question in the affirmative1 by instituting a series of experiments upon horses4 ,,singleton',s ,,eye ,,salve1 ,,or ,,golden ,,ointment4 ,under this name is sold a preparation which consists of sulphuret of arsenic 7orpiment7 with lard1 or spermaceti ointment4 ,the ,unguentum ,hydrargyri ,nitrico ,oxydi of the ,london ,college is also sold under the same title4 ,,delcroix',s ,,poudre ,,subtil1 8for removing superfluous hair in less than ten minutes406 ,this fashionable depilatory appears upon examination to consist of ,quick-lime and ,sulphuret of ,arsenic1 with some vegetable powder4 ,it is1 however1 so unequally mixed1 that in submitting it to analysis1 no two portions afforded the same results4 ,it can scarcely be necessary to state1 that such a composition is incapable of fulfilling the intention for which it is so confidently vended4 ,in ,paris1 arsenic forms the basis of several blistering cerates4 ,such applications cannot be safe4 ,footnote #djd3 ,this substance may be considered as consisting of charcoal1 in a state of extremely minute division1 and the sub-carbonate of potass4 ,it is prepared by deflagrating1 in a crucible1 two parts of ,super-tartrate of ,potass with one part of ,nitrate of ,potass4 ,footnote #dje3 ,in order to close the end of the tube1 where a blow-pipe is not to be procured1 the end is to be placed in a common fire1 until it is completely softened1 and a pair of small tongs being at the same time made red hot1 the tube is to be withdrawn from the fire1 and then heated and pinched by the tongs1 and at the same time bent up at an acute angle1 so as to be brought parallel to the body of the tube4 ,the tube is then to be heated a second time1 and being again firmly pinched by the hot tongs1 the end will be found to be completely impervious4 ,where a glass is not at hand ,mr4 ,r4 ,phillips says a common draught phial may be made to answer the purpose1 especially a ten drachm phial1 for it is long in proportion to its diameter4 ,in using it1 however1 care must be taken that the suspected powder and black flux do not reach the bottom1 for1 on account of its thickness1 it will readily break on the application of heat4 ,the phial must therefore be heated laterally by means of a spirit lamp4 ,footnote #djf3 ,dr4 ,bostock has informed us that the best proportions for this coating are one part of common pipe clay1 to three parts of fine sand2 which are to be well kneaded together1 and reduced to such a state of tenacity that the lute will readily adhere to the tube1 and its different parts unite1 without forming a visible seam1 7,edinb4 ,med4 ,surg4 ,journ4 ,april1 #ahji47 ,footnote #djg3 ,should the operator be unable to procure a spirit lamp1 a very convenient substitute may be provided in the following manner4 ,let a piece of tin plate1 about an inch long1 be coiled up into a cylinder of about ths of an inch in diameter1 and1 if the edges be well hammered1 it is not necessary to use solder4 ,perforate a cork1 previously fitted to a phial1 and put a cotton wick through the short tin tube1 and the tube through the cork4 ,the lamp is now complete1 and will afford a strong flame1 taking care of course not to prevent the rise of the spirit by fitting the cork too closely4 ,footnote #djh3 ,in the celebrated case of ,kesler1 who was tried in the state of ,new-,york some few years ago1 for having poisoned his wife with arsenic1 this very question was agitated1 and gave rise to much learned controversy4 ,the physicians originally called to examine the body of the deceased1 found1 on dissection1 the stomach and intestines highly inflamed1 and on the inner surface of the stomach1 particles of a vitreous appearance4 ,these particles were subjected to various chemical tests1 all of which very strikingly concurred in confirming the suspicion that they were arsenic4 ,upon this1 in connexion with the other testimony adduced in the case1 the prisoner was found guilty and condemned to death4 ,the minutes of the trial were transmitted by the presiding judge 7,yates7 to ,governor ,clinton1 who submitted the professional part of them to ,dr4 ,m#8,nevin of ,new-,york1 for his opinion in relation to it4 ,thus called upon1 ,dr4 ,m4 seems to have considered that his only duty was to find fault4 ,objections were accordingly raised against every test hitherto employed by the best chemists for the detection of arsenic4 ,they were all pronounced to be uncertain1 and 8the only thing to be relied on10 according to him1 was 8the exhibition of the metal itself in its metallic lustre and state40 ,in consequence of this difference of opinion1 the execution of ,kesler was suspended by the ,governor1 and the whole case referred by him to the ,legislature4 ,that distinguished body appointed a committee to investigate the business1 and the result was that the original verdict of the jury was confirmed by the ,legislature1 and the criminal was executed4 ,it must furnish a source of the purest gratification to the medical witnesses concerned in this case1 to find their opinions so unequivocally and so justly confirmed by an authority so high as ,dr4 ,paris4 ,for a detailed account of this trial we refer to ,beck's ,medical ,jurisprudence1 vol4 #b1 p4 #bci4--;,ed4 ,footnote #dji3 ,if any trifling opacity occur in a simple solution of arsenic1 when assayed by the nitrate of silver1 it may be considered as the effects of some casual impurities2 this is further demonstrated by bringing over the surface of the arsenical liquid1 a piece of blotting paper1 or a stopper1 moistened with a solution of ammonia1 when there will instantly form a copious yellow precipitate of arsenite of silver4 ,if this experiment be performed on a surface of glass1 laid over white paper1 the result is very striking and beautiful4 ,footnote #daj3 ,annals of ,philosophy1 vol4 x1 p4 #fj4 ,footnote #daa3 ,london ,medical and ,physical ,journal1 ,january1 #ahah4 ,footnote #dab3 ,in ,wine and ,porter1 the solvent is probably ,tartaric acid1 for the ,arsenite of ,silver is soluble in this as well as in the acetic and nitric acids4 ,in ,tea the solvent would appear to be ,tannin4 ,the ,arsenite of ,silver is likewise dissolved by the ,tartaric acid1 and also1 but not so readily1 by the ,citric and ,acetic acids4 ,footnote #dac3 ,this opinion has lately received ample confirmation from the experiments of ,dr4 ,christison1 7,edinb4 ,med4 and ,surg4 ,journal1 ,july1 #ahbd7 who has shewn that the process of ,orfila is objectionable on the three following grounds1 viz4 #ast4 ,the colour is very seldom so entirely destroyed but that the precipitates produced by some of the tests still deviate to a certain degree from their characteristic tints2 and although the colour of the fluid be even destroyed entirely1 it often re-appears in the precipitates4 #b;d4 ,although the ,chlorine destroys the colour1 it does not also take from the fluid its solvent action on the arsenical precipitates4 #c;d4 ,in fluids decolorized by ,chlorine1 and containing no ,arsenic1 some of the tests produce precipitates1 not only precisely the same with those which they cause in the decolorized solutions of ,arsenic1 but likewise very similar in appearance to those caused in a pure aqueous solution of ,arsenic4 ,footnote #dad3 ,the experiments by which ,i ascertained this fact were made soon after the publication of ,mr4 ,phillips's paper1 and long before ,i saw ,dr4 ,christison's communication in the ,edinburgh ,journal4 ,i merely mention this circumstance to add greater weight to the experimental evidence1 for when different persons arrive at the same conclusion without any communication with each other1 the strongest possible testimony is afforded4 ,i may also add that my suspicions were raised to the probability of the fact by a knowledge of the action of charcoal upon lime water4 ,in a philosophical point of view the fact is one of great interest2 it seems to connect the phenomena of mechanical and chemical attraction4 ,we have evidently a body removed from the state of solution by mechanical means4 ,footnote #dae3 ,the following is the formula for its preparation4 ,dissolve ten grains of lunar caustic in ten times its weight of distilled water1 to this add1 guttatim1 liquid ammonia1 until a precipitate is formed3 continue cautiously to add the ammonia1 repeatedly agitating the mixture until the precipitate is nearly redissolved4 ,the object of allowing a small portion to remain undissolved is to guard against an excess of ammonia4 ,wherever the test is used1 the liquid to which it is added ought to be quite cold4 ,footnote #daf3 ,this is very important1 for an excess of ammonia redissolves the yellow precipitate1 and therefore defeats the object of the test4 ,the fixed alkalies1 in excess1 have not such a property4 ,footnote #dag3 ,the great impression made upon the public mind in ,cornwall1 by the above trial1 produced a disposition to regard the cause of every sudden death with more than usual jealousy4 ,see a ,report of this trial in the ,appendix of our work on ,medical ,jurisprudence4 ,footnote #dah3 ,in consequence of a report having arisen that a young woman had died after an illness of forty-eight hours1 and been hastily buried at ,madron1 the magistrates of that district issued their warrant for the disinterment of the body1 and requested my attendance at the examination4 ,it appeared upon dissection that the immediate cause of death had been inflammation of the intestines2 the stomach was found to contain a considerable portion of liquid1 which was carefully collected and examined2 no solid matter could be discovered in it4 ,it appeared to consist principally of the remains of a quantity of penny-royal tea1 which had been the last thing administered to the deceased4 ,this was divided into several portions1 and placed in separate wine glasses1 and submitted1 in the presence of the sheriff and other gentlemen1 to a series of experiments1 amongst which the following may be particularized1 as bearing upon the question at issue4 #ast4 ,a few drops of a solution of sub-carbonate of potass were added to the liquid1 in one of the glasses1 when its colour1 which was before of a light hazel1 was instantly deepened into a reddish yellow2 the sulphate of copper was then applied1 when a precipitate fell down1 which every one present immediately pronounced to be of a vivid green hue1 but in pouring off the supernatant liquid1 and transferring the precipitate upon white paper1 it assumed a blue colour1 without the least tinge of green2 the explanation of the phenomenon1 and the fallacy to which it gave rise1 was obvious3 the yellow colour1 imparted to the liquid by the alkali1 was the effect of that body upon vegetable extract1 and will generally take place on adding it to the infusions of vegetable substances4 #bnd4 ,to another portion of the liquid1 the ammoniaco-nitrate of silver was added2 a slight turbidness arose1 but no yellow precipitate occurred4 #crd4 ,after adding a fixed alkali1 the surface of the liquid was touched with a stick of lunar caustic1 but no yellow precipitate was produced4 #dth4 ,the liquid was next assayed in a watch-glass1 for a phosphate of soda1 by endeavouring to form a triple salt with magnesia and ammonia1 as suggested by ,dr4 ,wollaston2 the result proved that phosphate of soda was not present4 ,it is unnecessary to pursue the relation of the experiments2 ,i conceive that sufficient evidence has been adduced to establish the truth of the explanation4 ,i have frequently repeated the first experiment1 substituting for the gastric infusion1 a decoction of onions1 and with similar results4 ,footnote #dai3 ,this explanation applies equally to the objection lately advanced by ,dr4 ,porter1 of the ,university of ,south ,carolina1 who in observing on the tests for arsenic1 remarks1 that an appearance similar to ,scheele's ,green1 is produced by the carbonate of potass when added to a solution of copper containing coffee1 but without arsenic1 more striking than if a weak solution of arsenic be used4 ,silliman's ,journal1 iii4 #cfe4 ,footnote #dbj3 ,annals of ,philosophy1 ,new ,series1 ,no4 ,,iii4 for ,march1 #ahba4 ,footnote #dba3 ,the habitudes of arsenious acid with the nitrates were first observed by ,kunkel2 nitrous vapour is disengaged1 part of the oxygen being absorbed by the arsenious acid1 by which an arsenite of potass is formed4 ,footnote #dbb3 ,dr4 ,bostock confesses that where less than three-fourths of a grain were used1 he could not say that the metallic crust was clearly perceptible2 and ,dr4 ,black considered that one grain was the smallest quantity which could be distinctly recognised by such a process4 ,dr4 ,jaeger 7,dissertatio ,inauguralis1 ,stuttgard1 #ahjh7 also observes1 that he has been enabled to recognise the tenth of a grain of arsenious acid1 although mixed with sugar1 by its odour1 when thrown upon burning coals6 ,i must be allowed to question this fact2 ,dr4 ,jaeger1 no doubt1 believed that he recognised the alliaceous odour1 but it must have been the effect of imagination4 ,dr4 ,bostock observes that1 if ,arsenic be mixed with either an animal or vegetable substance1 the smoke and smell arising from those bodies1 when heated1 will altogether prevent our recognising its odour4 ,he found that when a quantity of ,arsenic was mixed with an equal weight of flour1 and placed upon iron at a low red heat1 so as not to cause the flour to inflame1 the suffocating smoke that arose from the latter could be alone perceived2 nor was it possible to discover that any thing had been mixed with it 7,edinb4 ,med4 ,journal47 ,this objection of ,dr4 ,bostock is true in fact1 although it admits of a different explanation1 for at a low temperature the ,arsenious acid would be volatilized without decomposition2 in which case no alliaceous odour can be developed4 ,dr4 ,traill has lately asserted 7,annals of ,philosophy1 ,feb4 #ahbd7 that he has recognised the alliaceous odour during the volatilization of #a_/ghth of a grain of the metal4 ,i do not question the truth of this assertion1 but there must have been an address in the manipulation which we cannot expect to find in ordinary experimenters4 ,footnote #dbc3 ,assaftida was used by the ancients as a condiment1 under the name of 1 ,laserpitium1 7,pliny72 and according to ,kempfer1 the ,persians use it for the same purpose4 ,the ,arabian writers on the materia medica class this article among their ,mobehyat 7,aphrodisiaca74 ,the term ,assaftida is derived from the monks of the ,salernian school2 some of the writers of the middle ages call it ,opium ,cyrenaicum1 i4 e4 the ,juice from ,cyrene4 ,footnote #dbd3 ,,tolu ,,lozenges4 ,sugar #h oz4 ,cream of ,tartar #a oz4 ,starch #b drachms4 ,tinct4 ,toluifer ,balsami ,e4 one fluid-drachm1 mucilage of ,gum ,tragacanth q4 s4 ,footnote #dbe3 ,belladonna1 so called from the juice of its berries being used as a cosmetic by the ,italian women1 to make their faces pale4 ,footnote #dbf3 ,the root of this plant seems to partake of the same qualities as the leaves1 but is perhaps less virulent3 8,or have we eaten of the insane root1 ,that takes the reason prisoner40 ,macbeth4 ,the ,belladonna is supposed by ,sauvage to be the plant that produced such extraordinary effects upon the ,roman ,soldiers during their retreat1 under the command of ,anthony1 from the ,parthians1 when they are said to have 8suffered great distress for want of provisions1 and were urged to eat unknown plants2 among others they met with a herb that was mortal3 he that had eaten of it lost his memory and his senses1 and employed himself wholly in turning about all the stones he could find1 and after vomiting up bile1 fell down dead40 7,plutarch's ,life of ,anthony47 ,the ,scotch historian ,buchannan relates1 8that the ,scots mixed a quantity of the juice of the ,belladonna 7,solanum ,somniferum7 with the bread and drink which by their truce they were to supply the ,danes with1 which so intoxicated them that the ,scots killed the greater part of ,sweno's army40 ,footnote #dbg3 ,,fumigating ,,pastilles4 ,benzoin generally constitutes the chief ingredient in these compositions1 to which may be added any variety of odoriferous substances2 the following formula may be offered as a specimen3 4 ,benzoin j1 ,cascarill ss1 ,myrrh j1 ,olei nuc4 moschat4 ol4 ,caryophyll4 gr4 x4 potass nitratis ss1 carb4 ligni vj4 mucilag4 gum4 ,trag4 q4 s4 ,footnote #dbh3 ,,virgin',s ,,milk4 ,a spirituous solution of ,benzoin mixed with about twenty parts of rose water1 forms a cosmetic long known by this name4 ,under the same title also a very different preparation is sold1 vid4 ,liquor ,plumbi sub-acetatis4 ,,friar',s ,,balsam1 ,,wade',s ,,drops1 ,,jesuit',s ,,drops4--,these preparations are nothing more than the ,tinctura ,benzoini composita4 ,,pectoral ,,balsam ,,of ,,honey4--,is merely the tincture of ,benzoin1 or that of ,tolu4 ,,essence ,,of ,,coltsfoot4--,this preparation consists of equal parts of the ,balsam of ,tolu1 and the ,compound ,tincture of ,benzoin1 to which is added double the quantity of rectified ,spirit of ,wine2 and this forsooth is a ,pectoral for ,coughs6 ,if a patient with a pulmonary affection should recover during the use of such a remedy1 ,i should certainly designate it as a lucky ,escape1 rather than as a skilful ,cure4 ,footnote #dbi3 ,the ,pearl ,powder of ,perfumers is obtained from the nitric solution of ,bismuth1 by adding a proportion of muriatic acid1 and then precipitating by a small quantity of water4 ,in this way it is obtained in the form of minute scales of a pearly lustre4 ,footnote #dcj3 ,the gas which arises from the combustion of mineral coal will produce the same effect4 ,it is related of a lady of fashion1 who had incautiously seated herself too near the fire1 at a quadrille party1 that her countenance changed on a sudden from a delicate white to a dark tawney1 as though by magic4 ,the surprise and confusion of the whole party had such an effect upon the disfigured fair one1 that she was actually dying from apprehension1 when the physician dispelled their fears by informing his patient that nothing more was necessary than for her to abstain from the use of mineral cosmetics1 and to trust in future to those charms which ,nature had bestowed upon her4 ,footnote #dca3 ,l4 ,f4 ,jacobi de ,bismutho4 ,erford1 #afig4 ,footnote #dcb3 ,journal de ,medicine1 #aghf1 ,t4 #fh4 p4 #di4 ,footnote #dcc3 ,vol4 iv4 p4 #aef4 ,footnote #dcd3 ,in this country ,bismuth has enjoyed for some years a reputation exceedingly high4 ,dr4 ,samuel ,w4 ,moore1 of ,new-,york1 was the first to call the attention of the ,american medical public to it1 in a valuable dissertation which was published in the year #ahaj4 ,in this ,essay are recorded a number of cases illustrative of the salutary effects of this medicine in spasmodic pain and other troublesome affections of the stomach4 ,in addition to its use in gastric disorders1 ,dr4 ,carmichael1 of ,virginia1 has administered it with success in the treatment of ,intermittents4 ,ed4 ,footnote #dce3 ,very lately our attention has been particularly called to this plant by ,dr4 ,e4 ,g4 ,ludlow of ,new-,york1 who speaks of it in terms of high commendation4 ,he says 8the diseases in which ,i have used it are exclusively those of the ,chylopoietic viscera1 as dyspepsia1 diarrha and cholera4 ,for the removal of pain and flatulence in the bowels1 which may be enumerated among the most frequent and distressing symptoms of the first stage of indigestion1 ,calamus is superior to any other carminative2 by virtue of its aroma it creates a strong sensation of warmth in the stomach1 increasing its action without sensibly augmenting the force of the circulation1 while its powerful bitter principle gives permanent tone to the relaxed state of the fibres40 ,new-,york ,med4 ,phys4 ,journal1 ,no4 #aa4 p4 #cba4 ,the ,tincture is the preferable form of administering the ,calamus4 ,the dose is from ss to j4 ,ed4 ,footnote #dcf3 ,,the ,,specific ,,of ,,herrenschwand1 which formerly excited so much interest in ,germany1 consisted of #aj grains of ,camboge with #bj of ,sub-carbonate of ,potass2 although it is said1 that on its being analyzed by order of ,elizabeth of ,russia1 there were also found in it both ,mercury and ,arsenic4 ,camboge is also the basis of the ,,specific ,,of ,,clossius4 ,,golden ,,spirit ,,of ,,scurvy ,,grass4 ,this is merely a solution of ,camboge in the ,spir3 ,armoraci comp3 ,footnote #dcg3 ,although the ,camphor of commerce is generally furnished by the ,laurus ,camphora1 yet it is abundantly yielded by many other plants4 ,it is said that what is imported from ,sumatra is the product of the ,dryobobans ,camphora4 ,it is also contained in the roots of the ,cinnamon1 ,cassia1 and ,sassafras laurels1 and in those of ,galangale1 ,zedoary1 and ,ginger2 in ,cardamom seeds and ,long ,pepper4 ,the essential oils of ,lavender1 ,sage1 ,thyme1 ,peppermint1 ,rosemary1 and those of many other labiate plants yield camphor by distillation4 ,camphor may be also artificially formed by driving a stream of muriatic gas through oil of turpentine2 this factitious product1 however1 is to be distinguished from native camphor in not being soluble in weak nitric acid1 and also in not being precipitated by water from its solution in strong nitric acid4 ,footnote #dch3 ,the collection of the ,materia ,medica at the ,college of ,physicians contains a beautiful specimen of native ,camphor in the wood3 having selected from it as perfect a crystal as ,i could find1 ,i requested my friend and publisher ,mr4 ,w4 ,phillips1 well known for his researches in crystallography1 to undertake its examination2 and he observes that 8,the crystal of native ,camphor 7in the wood7 appears as a flat octohedron2 but the primary form is a right rhombic prism of #ea #cf and #abh #bd4 by measurement with the reflective goniometer on cleavage planes3 the octohedral appearance arises from the deep replacement of four of the solid angles of the prism1 by as many planes40 ,footnote #dci3 ,,an ,,odontalgic ,,remedy in great repute consists of a solution of camphor in oil of turpentine2 a fluid-ounce of which will dissolve two drachms4 ,footnote #ddj3 ,although the ,london ,college1 for reasons sufficiently weighty1 were induced on a former occasion to transfer the ,blistering fly from the genus ,cantharis to that of ,lytta1 the ,committee for revising the late ,pharmacopia determined1 on the authority of ,latreille1 to restore it to its former genus4 ,the work of ,latreille1 8,genera ,crustaceorum et ,insectorum0 holds the highest rank in ,entomology of any hitherto published4 ,footnote #dda3 ,cantharidin may be obtained by the following process3 ,boil the cantharides in water until all the soluble parts are extracted2 filter the decoction1 and evaporate to the consistence of an extract4 ,digest this extract in concentrated alcohol1 then pour off the alcohol and evaporate it2 if sulphuric acid be then added to this extract1 it will take up the ,cantharidin1 which may be obtained in a tolerably pure state by evaporation4 ,the crystalline plates may be afterwards freed from the adhering colouring matter by alcohol4 ,footnote #ddb3 ,annales de ,chmie1 tom4 lxxvi4 ,footnote #ddc3 ,it forms the basis of the once celebrated diuretic of ,tulpius1 called ,lithonthrypticum ,tulpii1 from its supposed efficacy in stone4 ,the other ingredients were ,cardamoms1 made into a ,tincture with ,rectified ,spirit1 and ,spirit of ,nitric ther4 ,footnote #ddd3 ,he was cited before the censors of the ,college of ,physicians in #afic1 and committed to ,newgate by a warrant from the ,president2 but he was acquitted upon the plea that--bad practice must be accompanied with a bad intention to render it criminal4 ,he published his vindication in a small tract1 entitled 8,de tuto ,cantharidum usu interno40 ,the issue1 says ,dr4 ,quincey 7,pharm3 p4 #aeb7 ruined the unhappy ,doctor1 but taught his prosecutors the safety and value of his practice4 ,the following was his formula4 ,of egg-shells calcined ss2 ,camphor j2 ,spanish flies ss2 and ,venice turpentine q1 s1 to make nine pills2 three of which were to be swallowed every three hours4 ,footnote #dde3 ,not less than sixteen species of the genus ,cantharis have already been discovered in this country1 by the industry of our ,entomologists2 most1 if not all1 of which possess vesicating powers4 ,of these the most common is the ,lytta vittata1 or potatoe fly4 ,the medicinal virtues of this insect were first discovered in #agig1 and found to be fully equal to those of the ,spanish fly4 ,dr4 ,barton says 8from frequent employment of the two articles1 ,i cannot hesitate to prefer the ,american to the foreign fly4 ,long keeping1 provided it be carefully kept1 does not materially impair the blistering property of the ,lytta vittata4 ,at the end of three or four years after being collected1 ,i have found it equal in power to the shop ,cantharides40 ,by the late ,dr4 ,dana1 ,prof4 of ,chemistry in the ,college of ,physicians and ,surgeons of ,new-,york1 the ,lytta vittata was made the subject of analysis1 and found to contain ,cantharidin4 ,ed4 ,footnote #ddf3 ,journal de ,physique1 p4 #agc1 #ahbj4 ,footnote #ddg3 ,,rymer',s ,,cardiac ,,tincture4 ,in the earlier editions of this work an erroneous account of this medicine has been given1 in consequence of a spurious specimen having been examined3 the following analysis is now confidently presented to the profession4 ,it is an infusion of ,capsicum1 ,camphor1 ,cardamom seeds1 ,rhubarb1 ,aloes1 and ,castor in ,proof ,spirit1 with a very small quantity of ,sulphuric acid4 ,footnote #ddh3 ,,lardner',s ,,prepared ,,charcoal consists of cretaceous powder1 or chalk finely powdered1 rendered grey by the addition of charcoal1 or ,ivory black4 ,footnote #ddi3 ,,concentrated ,,solution ,,of ,,charcoal4 ,a preparation is sold under this absurd name for cleaning the teeth1 and is nothing more than a tincture of ,catechu4 ,the name was probably suggested by the experiments of ,mr4 ,hatchett1 who succeeded in producing artificial tannin by the action of ,nitric acid upon ,charcoal4 ,footnote #dej3 ,in cases of obstinate constipation of the bowels1 charcoal is one of the most efficient remedies in the whole ,materia ,medica4 ,many cases have yielded to it which had resisted every other cathartic medicine previously used4 ,dr4 ,daniell1 of ,savannah1 to whom we are indebted for an interesting paper on this subject1 states as the result of his experience1 8that the most speedy1 as well as the most certain relief1 is to be obtained from the free use of ,charcoal4 ,if it does not wholly relieve1 it always very much mitigates the pain in six or eight hours from the period of its first administration2 and within my observation10 he adds1 8the patient has always been entirely composed before the operation of the medicine upon the bowels40 8,in relation to the dose of this medicine10 he states that 8the rule which ,i have pursued is to give it as freely and as frequently as the stomach will allow4 ,the quantity required is considerable4 ,it has a happy influence in lulling the irritability of the stomach1 when nothing else which ,i have used1 would control the nausea and vomiting of the patient2 thus fulfilling the double intention of first alleviating a very distressing symptom1 and then removing the disease itself4 ,i usually give from one to three table-spoonsful of ,charcoal every half hour or hour3 whenever the stomach becomes overcharged with the medicine1 the excess is thrown off1 and the stomach is again quiet4 ,i give it in lime water1 milk1 or water alone--the vehicle having appeared to me unimportant40 ,philadel4 ,journal of ,med4 and ,phys4 ,science1 ,vol4 #e4 p4 #abj4 ,ed4 ,footnote #dea3 ,see an account of ,charcoal1 as a test for ,arsenic1 and remarks thereon1 p4 #cjh4 ,footnote #deb3 ,dr4 ,maton in a learned critical and botanical note to a paper on the ,cardamom1 by ,mr4 ,white1 ,surgeon of ,bombay1 7,trans3 ,lin3 ,soc3 v4 x1 #bbi17 called the genus1 of which it consists1 ,elettaria1 a nomenclature which was accordingly adopted by the ,college in their late ,pharmacopia2 but1 says ,sir ,james ,smith1 as this name is of a barbarous origin1 7viz4 from ,elettaria1 the ,malabar name of the plant47 we should greatly prefer that of ,matonia2 a suggestion which has been since adopted by ,mr4 ,roscoe of ,liverpool1 in his description of the ,scitamine4 ,the ,college has therefore the gratifying task of erasing the term ,elettaria from their ,materia ,medica1 and of substituting for it a name no less known than respected by the ,medical profession4 ,footnote #dec3 ,,essence ,,of ,,coffee4 ,the ,cassia pulp is said to form the basis of this article4 ,footnote #ded3 ,the ancients erroneously considered them as the testicles of the beaver1 and sop relates that the animal bit them off1 when pursued by the huntsman1 whence some have derived its name1 a castrando2 the true origin however of the word is from 1 i4e4 animal ventriculosum1 from his swaggy and prominent belly4 ,footnote #dee3 ,,bateman',s ,,pectoral ,,drops consist principally of the ,tincture of ,castor1 with portions of camphor and opium1 flavoured by anise seeds1 and coloured by cochineal4 ,footnote #def3 ,it was formerly supposed to be a mineral production3 and hence the term ,terra ,japonica4 ,hagedorn and ,boulduc were among the first who opposed this error1 and who established the fact of its vegetable origin 7,mem4 de l',acad4 des ,sciences de ,paris1 ,a4 #agji4 p4 #bbh47 ,footnote #deg3 ,so called from ,chiron the ,centaur1 who is said to have employed it to cure himself of a wound accidentally received by letting one of the arrows of ,hercules fall upon his foot4 ,footnote #deh3 ,,kirkland',s ,,neutral ,,cerate4 ,is formed by melting together viij of ,lead ,plaster with fiv of olive oil1 into which are to be stirred iv of prepared chalk2 when the mixture is sufficiently cooled fiv of acetic acid1 and iij of pulverized ,acetate of lead are to be added1 and the whole is to be stirred until nearly cold4 ,,marshall',s ,,cerate4 4 ,palm4 ,oil v4 ,calomel i1 ,acetate of ,lead ss1 ,nitrate of ,mercury ij4 ,,cold ,,cream 7,ceratum ,galeni47 ,ol3 ,amygdal3 j1 ,cer alb3 iv2 melt1 pour into a warm mortar1 and add1 gradually1 ,aq3 ,ros2 oj4 ,it should be very light and white4 ,gray's ,supplement4 ,footnote #dei3 ,there are no less than twenty-five distinct species of ,cinchona1 independent of any additions which we may owe to the zeal of ,humboldt and ,bonpland2 and ,mr4 ,a4 ,t4 ,thomson1 in his ,london ,dispensatory1 states that in a large collection of dried specimens1 of the genus ,cinchona1 in his possession1 collected in #ahje1 both near ,loxa and ,santa ,f1 he finds many species which are not mentioned in the works of any ,spanish botanist4 ,footnote #dfj3 ,see ,london ,medical and ,physical ,journal4 ,vol4 v4 p4 #cc4 ,footnote #dfa3 ,,essential ,,salt ,,of ,,bark4 ,it is highly necessary that the public should know that the preparation sold under this empirical title1 has no relation whatever to the late discoveries of ,pelletier4 ,it is merely an extract prepared by macerating the bruised substance of bark in cold water1 and submitting the infusion to a very slow evaporation4 ,footnote #dfb3 ,the designation of ,cinchonin1 consistent with the principles of chemical nomenclature1 must now have a termination in a1 and the name ,cinchonia appears preferable to that of ,cinchonina4 ,footnote #dfc3 ,the following is the process by which ,cinchonia may be prepared4 ,take a pound of ,pale ,bark1 bruised small1 and boil it for an hour in three pints of a very dilute solution of pure ,potass4 ,after the liquid has cooled1 it must be strained through a fine cloth with pressure1 and the residuum be repeatedly washed and pressed4 ,the cinchona1 thus washed1 is to be slightly heated in a sufficient quantity of water1 adding muriatic acid gradually until litmus paper is slightly reddened4 ,when the liquid is raised nearly to the boiling point1 it is to be strained1 and the cinchona again pressed4 ,to the strained liquor1 while hot1 add an ounce of sulphate of magnesia1 and after this add a solution of potass1 till it ceases to occasion any precipitate4 ,when the liquor is cold1 collect the precipitate on a filtre1 wash and dry it1 and dissolve it in hot alcohol4 ,on evaporation of the spirit1 the cinchona will crystallize4 ,footnote #dfd3 ,thus1 as we have stated1 #ajj parts of ,cinchonia unite with #acjba of ,sulphuric acid1 while the same weight of ,quina requires for saturation not more than #ajia of the same acid4 ,footnote #dfe3 ,,sulphate ,,of ,,quina4 ,as this preparation is considered the most active form of the salifiable principle of bark1 ,i have subjoined the most approved formula for its preparation4 ,boil for half an hour two pounds of the appropriate bark in powder1 in sixteen pints of distilled water1 acidulated with two fluid-ounces of sulphuric acid2 strain the decoction through a linen cloth1 and submit the residue to a second ebullition in a similar quantity of acidulated water2 mix the decoctions1 and add by small portions at a time1 powdered lime1 constantly stirring it to facilitate its action on the acid decoction4 7,half a pound is near the quantity requisite47 ,when the decoction has become slightly alkaline it assumes a dark brown colour1 and deposits a reddish brown flocculent precipitate1 which is to be separated by passing it through a linen cloth4 ,the precipitate1 is to be washed with a little cold distilled water and dried4 ,when dry it is to be digested in rectified spirit1 with a moderate heat for some hours2 the liquid is then to be decanted1 and fresh portions of spirit added till it no longer acquires a bitter taste4 ,unite the spirituous tinctures1 and distil in a water-bath till three fourths of the spirit employed has distilled over4 ,after this operation there remains in the vessel a brown viscid substance covered by a bitter1 very alkaline and milky fluid4 ,the two products are to be separated and treated as follows4 ,to the alkaline liquid add a sufficient quantity of sulphuric acid to saturate it2 reduce it by evaporation to half the quantity2 add a small portion of charcoal1 and after some minutes ebullition1 filter it whilst hot1 and crystals of ,sulphate of ,quina will form4 ,the brown mass is to be boiled in a small quantity of water1 slightly acidulated with sulphuric acid1 which will convert a large portion of it into ,sulphate of ,quina4 ,the crystals are to be dried by bibulous paper4 ,two pounds of bark will1 it is said1 yield #e to #f drachms of the sulphate2 of which eight grains are considered equivalent to an ounce of bark4 ,it has been prepared in this country by several manufacturing chemists1 especially by ,mr4 ,pope of ,oxford ,street1 whose zeal and industry in ,pharmaceutic experiments entitle him to great commendation4 ,the superior price of the bark1 however1 from the duty in this country1 as well as that of alcohol1 must prevent us from entering into competition with the ,french in its manufacture1 and it has accordingly been found more conomical to import1 than to prepare it4 ,footnote #dff3 ,journal de ,physiologie4 ,no4 #a1 p4 #ij4 ,footnote #dfg3 ,upon this point however a difference of opinion has existed2 ,m4 ,halle entertained considerable fears on the subject1 which were supported by ,m4 ,m4 ,larrey1 ,emery1 ,duponchel1 and others1 who communicated to the ,socit ,mdicale d',emulation1 facts which excited their apprehensions4 ,the question1 however1 has been set at rest both in this country and on the ,continent4 ,they are perfectly harmless4 ,footnote #dfh3 ,cinchonia has been detected in other vegetables besides the ,bark1 as in the root of ,cusparia1 and in the berries of ,capsicum1 while in the bark of ,cascarilla1 a substance bearing a much nearer relation in medicinal effect to the ,bark1 its presence has not yet been discovered4 ,it is said that experiments have been lately made by ,m4 ,m4 ,robiquet and ,petroz on the ,bark of the ,carapa1 which has been successfully used in several parts of ,america in the cure of agues1 and that they have found in that bark a salifiable basis analogous to ,quina4 ,footnote #dfi3 ,in ,brande's ,journal for ,january #ahcj1 it is announced that ,serturner has discovered other vegeto-alkalies in the ,bark1 besides the ,cinchonia and ,quinia4--,one in particular he has ascertained1 which he calls ,chinioidia1 existing in combination with a resinous sub-acid substance4 ,this exists in the red and yellow bark with the ,cinchonia and ,quinia4 ,it has more alkaline power and capacity of saturation1 as well as greater medical power than any other vegeto-alkali in the ,cinchona1 but it resembles them in its insolubility in water1 its colour and taste4 ,according to ,serturner1 the febrifuge power of the ,chinioidia is as superior to that of the ,cinchonia and ,quinia as these are to the ,bark4--,in his hands it succeeded in many cases where the ,sulphate of ,quinia had failed4 ,ed4 ,footnote #dgj3 ,it was under this form that the celebrated empiric ,talbor used to administer it in the paroxysms of ,intermittents1 and so successful was his practice1 that ,louis ,,xiv4 was induced to purchase at a large price the secret of his specific2 and ,charles the ,second very unjustly protected him against the power of the ,college1 and appointed him one of his physicians4 ,footnote #dga3 ,mr4 ,thompson has suggested the probability of this circumstance having arisen from the admixture of a species of bark1 lately introduced into ,europe from ,martinique1 resembling the ,cinchona ,floribunda1 and which1 by an analysis of ,m4 ,cadet1 was found to contain iron4 7,london ,disp4 ,edit4 #c4 p4 #bdg47 ,footnote #dgb3 ,this plant is found in abundance in ,piedmont1 principally in the marshes1 where of course it is most needed4 ,nature is very kind in this respect1 for the particular situation which engenders endemic diseases1 is generally congenial to the growth of the plants that operate as antidotes to them4 ,footnote #dgc3 ,dr4 ,davy1 in a letter to me upon this subject1 says1 8there are two kinds of oil of cinnamon procured in ,ceylon1 one of greater1 the other of less specific gravity than water4 ,in distillation they come over together4 ,on what the difference depends ,i do not know1 nor am ,i aware that the subject has yet been investigated40 ,footnote #dgd3 ,from experiments made with ,veratria1 it appears that its effects on the human system are analogous to those of the ,colchicum itself4 ,in chronic rheumatism comparative trials to a great extent were instituted by ,dr4 ,bardsley1 and with very similar results4 ,the ,veratria was generally administered in doses of from #a_/d gr4 to gr4 three times a day4 ,ed4 ,footnote #dge3 ,with this opinion ,mr4 ,a4 ,t4 ,thomson coincides1 for in the #c;d edition of his ,dispensatory1 he says1 8the thick old bulb begins to decay after the flower is perfectly expanded1 and the new bulbs1 of which there are always two formed on each old bulb1 are perfected in the following ,june2 from which time until the middle of ,august1 they may be taken up for medicinal use40 ,footnote #dgf3 ,,eau ,,medicinale ,,de ,,husson4 ,after various attempts to discover the active ingredient of this ,parisian remedy1 it is at length determined to be the colchicum autumnale which several ancient authors1 under the name of hermodactyllus1 have recommended in the cure of gout1 as stated in the historical preface to this work4 ,the following is the receipt for preparing this medicine4 ,take two ounces of the root of colchicum1 cut it into slices1 macerate it in four fluid-ounces of ,spanish white wine1 and filter4 ,see ,veratri ,radix 7note74 ,dr4 ,,wilson',s ,,tincture ,,for ,,the ,,gout4 ,this is merely an infusion of colchicum1 as ,dr4 ,williams of ,ipswich has satisfactorily shewn4 ,since the discovery of colchicum being the active ingredient of the ,eau medicinale1 numerous empirical remedies have started up1 containing the principles of the plant in different forms4 ,the expressed juice of the colchicum is used in ,alsace to destroy vermin in the hair3 it is very acrid1 and excoriates the parts to which it is applied4 ,footnote #dgg3 ,dr4 ,davy1 however1 informs me that he is acquainted with a fatal instance from an excessive dose of these seeds1 viz4 j1 taken by a medical man for gout4 ,on dissection1 most of the viscera1 more especially the brain and intestines1 exhibited great sanguineous turgescence1 and appearances of inflammation4 ,footnote #dgh3 ,this preparation1 or the ,seeds1 may be procured for trial1 from the house of ,savory1 ,moore1 and ,davidson1 of ,new ,bond ,street4 ,footnote #dgi3 ,,ward was originally a footman1 and1 during his attendance upon his master on the ,continent1 obtained from the ,monks those receipts which afterwards became his nostrums4 ,it may be observed that this ,confection appears to be well adapted for the cure of that species of ,piles which probably attended the sedentary and luxurious habits of the monks4 ,footnote #dhj3 ,dr4 ,chapman recommends the liberal use of the ,copaiva in the very commencement of ,gonorrha1 disregarding ardor ruin1 chordee1 and every other symptom of inflammation that may be present4 ,than this1 we do not know a medical precept more erroneous in theory1 or more mischievous in practice4 ,we are convinced that a great majority of gleets may be traced to the premature use of balsam ,copaiva1 and other stimulating articles in the inflammatory stage of the disease4--,ed4 ,footnote #dha3 ,cbba--,indis ,cubab2 ,avicenn ,kebba4 ,it makes short the penultima1 because ,actuarius and other modern ,greeks call it 1 1 and 4 ,footnote #dhb3 ,see 8,practical ,observations on the use of ,cubebs1 in the cure of ,gonorrha10 by ,h4 ,,jeffreys1 ,esq4 ,footnote #dhc3 ,it is very questionable whether ,cubebs is entitled to any other preference over the copaiva1 than that it is not so liable to derange the digestive organs4 ,as a specific for gonorrha it has received praise altogether too unqualified4 ,the most convenient form in which it can be given is that of ,tincture4 ,ed4 ,footnote #dhd3 ,cminum makes long the penultima1 thus-- 8,rugosum ,piper et pallentis grana ,cumini30 ,pers3 ,sat3 v4 ,this line of the satirist also records an opinion which is worthy notice1 that ,cumin will make those who drink it1 or wash themselves with it1 or as some say1 who smoke it1 of a pale visage4 ,this belief is mentioned by ,dioscorides2 and ,pliny informs us that the disciples of ,porcius ,latro1 a famous master of the art of speaking1 were reported to have used ,cumin1 in order to imitate that paleness which their master had contracted by his studies2 thus too ,horace1 ----,proh si 8,pallerem casu1 biberent exsangue ,cuminum40 ,epist4 #ai4 ,lib4 #a1 lin3 #ah4 ,footnote #dhe3 ,it may be here observed that ,copper1 in its metallic form1 exerts no action on the system4 ,a most striking instance of this fact occurred during my hospital practice1 in the case of a young woman who swallowed six copper penny-pieces with a view of destroying herself2 she was attended by ,dr4 ,maton and myself in the ,westminster ,hospital for two years1 for a disease which we considered visceral1 but which was evidently the effect of mechanical obstruction1 occasioned by the coin4 ,after a lapse of five years she voided them1 and then confessed the cause of her protracted disease1 during the whole course of which no symptom arose which could in any way be attributed to the poisonous influence of copper4 ,dr4 ,baillie1 in his morbid anatomy1 relates a case1 in which five halfpence had been lodged in a pouch in the stomach1 for a considerable time1 without occasioning any irritation2 and ,theodore ,gardelle1 after his conviction for the murder of ,mrs4 ,king1 in ,leicester ,square1 swallowed a number of halfpence1 for the purpose of destroying himself1 but without producing any ill effects4 ,mr4 ,a4 ,t4 ,thomson relates also two cases of halfpence being swallowed by children1 in one of which the copper coin remained six months in the intestines1 and in the other two months4 ,the filings of copper were formerly a favorite remedy in rheumatism1 a drachm of which has been taken with impunity for a dose4 ,it appears therefore that metallic copper does not undergo any change in the digestive organs by which it is converted into a poison1 notwithstanding the presence of substances1 which1 out of the body1 would at once render it destructive1 as we have too many cases to shew1 from the careless use of copper utensils in cookery4 ,it is1 however1 a very important fact1 that copper cannot be dissolved while tin is co-existent in the mixture1 hence the great use of tinning copper utensils2 and farther1 it is asserted that untinned coppers are less liable to be injurious when pewter spoons are used for stirring1 than when silver ones are employed for that purpose2 the explanation of this fact is to be sought for in the well-known principle of ,electro-,chemistry1 and which has lately been applied with so much ingenuity by the illustrious ,president of the ,royal ,society1 for the protection of copper on the bottom of ships1 by the juxta-position of small discs of ,tin or ,iron4#dhf ,for the same reason1 ,m4 ,proust has shewn that the tinning of kitchen utensils1 which consists of equal parts of tin and lead1 cannot be dangerous from the presence of the latter metal1 since it is sufficient that the lead should be combined with tin1 in order to prevent it from being dissolved in any vegetable acid4 ,m4 ,guersent therefore is wrong when1 speaking of the tinning of copper vessels1 he says1 8it is a light veil1 which conceals the danger1 instead of being a true preservative1 and that it only inspires a security often fatal40 ,some recent experiments however1 of ,dr4 ,bostock1 have shewn that1 in consequence of the volatility of acetic acid1 copper is not protected by the juxta-position of discs of tin2 since the acid under such circumstances ceases to form a part of the galvanic circle4 ,the poisonous effects of the salts of ,copper have been strikingly illustrated during the prosecution of ,sir ,h4 ,davy's experiments above alluded to1 for it is found that when the copper sheathing of ships is not protected by the contact of another metal1 they are uniformly free from marine animals1 but that where the solution of the copper is prevented by galvanic action1 the bottoms soon become covered with every species of sea insect4 ,footnote #dhf3 ,for a further explanation of this curious fact the student may consult my work on ,medical ,chemistry4 ,footnote #dhg3 ,,bates',s ,,aqua ,,camphorata4--,sulphate of copper is the base of this preparation1 which was strongly recommended by ,mr4 ,ware4 ,the following was his recipe3 4 ,cupri ,sulph4 ,boli ,gallic1 a4 a4 gr4 xv4 ,camphor gr4 iv4 solve4 in aq4 fervent4 fiv1 dilueque cum aqu frigid oiv ut fiat ,collyrium4 ,footnote #dhh3 ,it is said to have been introduced into this country from ,ceylon4 ,see the observations made upon the subject of the narcotics used by the ,indians1 page #i4 ,footnote #dhi3 ,the seeds undoubtedly contain1 in an eminent degree1 all the properties of the plant4 ,it was in the seeds that ,brandes first discovered the ,daturia4 ,footnote #dij3 ,the oriental beverage1 ,sherbet1 from the ,arabic word ,sherb1 to drink1 so celebrated in eastern song1 is a decoction of barley-meal and sugar1 perfumed with roses1 orange flower1 violet1 or citron4 ,footnote #dia3 ,,lisbon ,,diet ,,drink4 ,decoctum ,lusitanicum4--4 ,sarsap3 concis3 ,rad3 ,chin1 j--,nucum ,jugland3 ,cortice ,siccatarum1 ,no4 xx4 ,antimonii ,sulphureti ij4 ,lapidis ,pumicis pulverisat2--,aqu distillat3 lib3 x4--,the powdered antimony and pumice stone are to be tied in separate pieces of rag1 and boiled along with the other ingredients4 ,the use of the pumice stone is merely mechanical1 to divide the antimony4 ,footnote #dib3 ,it is said that ,m4 ,royer has lately succeeded in obtaining from ,digitalis its active basis2 to which he has given the name of ,digitalin4 ,it was procured by digesting the plant in ther1 and treating the solution with hydrated oxide of lead4 ,it appears as a brown pasty substance1 capable of slowly restoring the blue colour of reddened litmus paper2 very bitter1 and deliquescent4 ,it was difficult to obtain it crystallized1 but a drop of its solution in alcohol1 evaporated on glass1 over a lamp1 when examined by the microscope1 exhibited abundance of minute crystals4 7,bib4 ,univ4 xxvi4 #ajb47 ,farther experiments1 however1 are required to establish the truth of this statement4 ,footnote #dic3 ,see ,london ,medical ,repository1 ,vol4 xii4 ,no4 #fg4 ,footnote #did3 ,a person of the name of ,,sterry1 in the ,borough1 prepares a plaster of this description1 which is sought after with great avidity4 ,what a blessing it would be upon the community1 if every nostrum were equally innocuous6 ,footnote #die3 ,pharmacopia ,chirurgica1 p4 #hi4 ,footnote #dif3 ,diachylon1 a et succus1 i4 e4 a ,plaster prepared from expressed juices4 ,it has been asserted that all the pharmaceutical names beginning with ,dia1 are of ,arabian origin1 this however is not the fact2 we frequently meet with the expression in ,galen1 1 c4 c4 ,footnote #dig3 ,at ,apothecaries' ,hall1 this plaster1 as well as others1 is made in a steam apparatus which is so well regulated1 that a uniform temperature of #baj ,fah4 is insured during the whole process4 ,footnote #dih3 ,,baynton',s ,,adhesive ,,plaster4 7,strapping47 ,differs only from this preparation in containing less resin1 six drachms only being added to one pound of the litharge plaster4 ,this excellent plaster is sold ready spread on calico4 ,,court ,,plaster4 ,sticking ,plaster4 ,black ,silk is strained and brushed over ten or twelve times1 with the following preparation4 ,dissolve ss of ,benzoin in fvi of rectified spirit3 in a separate vessel1 dissolve j of ,isinglass in oss of water2 strain each solution1 mix them1 and let the mixture rest1 so that the grosser parts may subside2 when the clear liquor is cold1 it will form a jelly1 which must be warmed before it is applied to the silk4 ,when the ,plaster is quite dry1 in order to prevent its cracking1 it is finished off with a solution of ,terebinth3 ,chia1 iv1 in ,tinct3 ,benzoes fvj4 ,,corn ,,plaster4 ,the green coloured plaster sold under this title is usually composed of #c parts of wax1 #d of ,burgundy pitch1 and #b of common turpentine2 to which is added one part of verdegris4 ,footnote #dii3 ,mystery is rarely practised but as the cloak of imposture2 it is therefore unnecessary to add1 that ,mr4 ,barry made no difficulty in stating the following to be the formula by which it was prepared4 ,a tincture of ,bark1 made with rectified spirit1 was distilled until the whole of the spirit was driven off1 the remaining solution was then left to cool1 after which the resin that floated on the surface was removed1 and the residuum inspissated at a low temperature4 ,footnote #ejj3 ,,barclay',s ,,antibilious ,,pills4 ,take of the ,extract of ,colocynth ij1 ,resin of ,jalap 7extract ,jalap7 j1 ,almond ,soap jss1 ,guaiacum iij1 ,tartarized ,antimony1 grs4 viij1 essential oils of ,juniper1 ,carraway1 and ,rosemary1 of each gtt4 iv1 of syrup of ,buckthorn1 as much as will be sufficient to form a mass1 which is to be divided into sixty-four pills4 ,footnote #eja3 ,,refined ,,liquorice4 ,this article1 which is sold in the form of cylinders1 is made by gently evaporating a solution of the pure extract of liquorice with half its weight of gum arabic1 rolling the mass1 and cutting it into lengths1 and then polishing1 by rolling them together in a box3 many impurities however are fraudulently introduced into this article1 such even as glue1 c4 ,footnote #ejb3 ,the juices of the ,iris root1 and ,bryony root1 and those of many other plants1 allow their medicinal elements to separate and subside in a similar manner1 leaving the supernatant liquid perfectly inert2 if we must have a generic name to express such a substance1 it should be termed a feculence1 rather than a fecula4 ,footnote #ejc3 8,observations on the nature and preparation of the ,elaterium10 read at the ,medical ,society of ,london1 ,april #bd1 #ahai1 and which were published in the ,medical ,repository1 vol4 xii1 ,no4 #fg4 ,footnote #ejd3 ,when it has a dark green colour1 approaching to black1 is compact1 and very heavy1 and breaks with a shining resinous fracture1 we may reject it as an inferior article4 ,since the publication of my experiments upon the ordinary ,elaterium of ,commerce1 ,i have been favoured by ,mr4 ,barry with the results of his trials upon the ,elaterium made by ,w4 ,allen 4 ,co4 according to the improved process of ,dr4 ,clutterbuck2 of the first sample1 he found that out of ten grains1 #ee were soluble in spirit of the specific gravity #hji1 of the second #fb1 and of the third #fd2 of that prepared by the same process at ,apothecaries' ,hall1 #f grs4 were soluble4 ,the residue1 insoluble in the spirit1 was administered to a patient1 and ascertained to be perfectly inert4 ,this report confirms beyond a doubt the great superiority of the ,elaterium when prepared1 without pressure1 according to the suggestion of ,dr4 ,clutterbuck4 ,footnote #eje3 8,i have the ,cos ,lettuce planted about eight inches asunder in rows1 between which there is sufficient space to enable persons to pass up and down without injuring the plants4 ,i commence my operations just before the plant is about to flower1 by cutting off an inch of the stem2 the milky juice immediately exudes1 and is collected on pieces of ,wove ,cotton1 about half a yard square4 ,as soon as this becomes charged1 it is thrown from time to time into a vessel containing a small quantity of water1 which when sufficiently impregnated is evaporated at the common temperature of the atmosphere1 by exposure in a number of shallow dishes4 ,the ,,lactucarium1 in a few hours1 is found adhering to the vessels in the form of an ,extract1 but differing from every other in all its sensible properties3 this method enables me to collect ,,lactucarium with great facility and dispatch1 but it is still attended with considerable expense1 as the proportion of milky product is necessarily very small1 and the price of the medicine consequently high1 and therefore not within the reach of general practice4 ,this consideration led me to make farther experiments1 for the purpose of ascertaining whether an ,,extract might not be obtained from the plant possessing all the properties of ,,lactucarium1 when administered in large doses1 and which could be introduced at a comparatively trifling cost4 ,in prosecuting this enquiry1 ,i found that the plants contain most of the milky juice when they have flowered and the leaves are beginning to assume a yellow hue1 and ,i observed that when cut down1 the milky juice assumes for the most part a concrete form1 having subsided in the bark of the stalk and in the old leaves1 a circumstance which accounts for the extreme bitterness of these parts4 ,i was naturally led from these circumstances to choose the above period for my operations1 and to select those parts only of the plant for my extract1 rejecting the substance of the stalk1 and the young sprouts4 ,my method of procuring the extract is as follows4 ,i first macerate the parts in water1 for twenty-four hours1 and then boil them for two1 after which ,i allow the clear decoction to drain through a sieve1 without using any pressure2 this is then evaporated1 as far as it can be done with safety1 and the process is finished in shallow dishes1 in the manner above described1 for obtaining ,lactucarium4 ,this extract1 which ,i have called 8,,extractum ,,lactuc ,,concentratum10 is of course less powerful than ,lactucarium1 but it possesses all the properties in larger doses1 and it has been found equally useful in a number and variety of cases1 and is not more than a sixth part of the price40 ,mr4 ,probart has retired from trade1 but ,i have just learnt that the same article is now prepared1 by a similar process1 by ,mr4 ,selway1 ,chemist1 of ,new ,cavendish ,street1 and the specimens which ,i have received authorise me to recommend it for trial4 ,a concentrated tincture is also prepared4 ,the 8,succus ,spissatus ,lactuc sativ10 of the shops1 must of necessity be almost inert1 since it is commonly prepared at that period when the plant contains none1 or very little of the milky juice2 and even if the ,lettuce be employed at a more mature season1 it must still fail to afford an extract of any strength1 as it is merely the expressed juice1 and that too of the whole plant indiscriminately1 and will be found to contain a very minute proportion of ,lactucarium1 the great bulk being nothing more than inspissated green juice4 ,footnote #ejf3 ,doctor ,eights of ,albany has related two cases of ,neuralgia1 in which the use of the ,carbonate of ,iron was attended with complete success4 ,see ,new-,york ,medical and ,physical ,journal1 ,vol4 ,i4 p4 #cbc4 ,,ed4 ,footnote #ejg3 ,this fact furnishes the ,pharmaceutic ,chemist with an easy and effectual mode of cleansing the green crystals from the yellow peroxide which forms upon their surface1 viz4 by washing them in spirit4 ,footnote #ejh3 ,by a parity of reasoning1 ,mr4 ,carmichael is led to prefer the phosphate of iron to any other preparation of that metal1 in cancer1 because he thinks iron1 combined with an animal acid1 enters the system in greater quantity1 and unites more intimately with the juices4 ,,aromatic ,,lozenges ,,of ,,steel4 ,these consist of sulphate of iron with a small proportion of the tincture of ,cantharides4 ,footnote #eji3 ,,forge ,,water4 ,this popular remedy as a lotion for ,aphth and other similar diseases1 ,i am well satisfied possesses considerable efficacy4 ,it may1 perhaps1 be necessary to state that ,forge-water is that in which the ,blacksmith has plunged his hot iron1 for the purpose of refrigeration4 ,it is to be taken early in the morning1 when1 all the mechanical impurities having had time to subside1 it is beautifully limpid4 ,upon examining some of this water ,i found it to contain sulphate of iron4 ,the sulphuric acid was probably derived from the sulphur of the coals4 ,footnote #eaj3 ,besides the preparations of ,iron mentioned by our author1 there is another which has recently been introduced into practice1 by ,dr4 ,zollickhoffer of ,maryland1 and this is the ,prussiate of ,iron1 or ,prussian ,blue4 ,like the other forms of iron it acts as a powerful tonic1 and as a remedy in intermitting and remitting fevers1 ,dr4 ,z4 conceives it to possess many advantages over ,cinchona4 ,these he states to be the following3 8#a4 ,it is void of taste1 and may therefore be much more readily exhibited than the ,cinchona ,officinalis1 which to some is extremely unpleasant4 #b4 ,it may be given in every stage of the disease1 while the administration of bark is confined to the apyrexi4 #d4 ,the dose is much smaller1 being from four to six grains twice or thrice in twenty-four hours2 or at morning1 noon and night2 while bark1 to be effectual1 must be given in much larger doses4 #d4 ,it never disagrees with the stomach1 or creates nausea1 even in the most irritable state of this viscus2 while bark is not unfrequently rejected4 #e4 ,in its effects as a remedy calculated to prevent the recurrence of future paroxysms1 it is more certain1 prompt1 and effectual1 than the justly celebrated ,cort4 ,peruvian4 #f and lastly1 ,a patient treated with this article will recover from the influence of intermitting and remitting fevers1 in the generality of cases1 in much less time than is usual in those cases in which bark is employed40 ,in using the ,prussiate of ,iron1 ,dr4 ,zollickhoffer directs that care should be taken to select that which is of a very dark blue colour1 approaching to a black1 having a shining coppery fracture1 and adhering firmly to the tongue4 ,,ed4 ,footnote #eaa3 ,,mathieu',s ,,vermifuge4 ,this consisted of two distinct ,electuaries1 the one for killing1 the other for expelling the ,tapeworm4 ,the former of these was composed of an ounce of ,tin ,filings1 six drachms of the ,fern root1 half an ounce of ,semina ,santonici1 a drachm of the resinous extract of ,jalap1 and of ,sulphate of ,potass1 and a sufficient quantity of ,honey to make an ,electuary1 of which a tea-spoonful was taken every three hours for two days2 after which the latter electuary was given in the same dose1 and consisted of two scruples of powdered ,jalap1 and ,sulphate of ,potass1 one scruple of ,scammony1 and ten grains of ,gamboge1 made into an ,electuary with ,honey4 ,the inventor of this receipt received the title of ,counsellor of the ,court1 as well as a large pension for life1 from the ,king of ,prussia1 for making it public6 ,footnote #eab3 ,seguin first proved that gallic acid1 and tannin or the astringent principle1 are different substances2 it is to the former that the property of giving a black colour to the solutions of iron is owing4 ,mr4 ,hatchett has shewn that tan or tannin may be artificially produced by the action of nitric acid upon various vegetable substances4 ,footnote #eac3 ,by ,dr4 ,bardsley the same quantity was taken and with similar results4 ,in many cases of ,dyspepsia1 attended with an irritability of stomach that does not admit of the employment of bulky medicines1 gentiania may be used with much advantage4 ,the preferable form is that of pill1 given in doses of one grain to be repeated two or three times a day4 ,unlike the plant from which it is obtained1 ,gentiania has no tendency to keep the bowels open4 ,ed4 ,footnote #ead3 ,it takes its name from ,,gentius1 king of ,illyria1 its discoverer1 who was vanquished by ,anicius the ,roman ,prtor1 ,a4 ,u4 #ehe4 i4 e4 ,a4,c4 #afg1 so that it is neither to be found in ,hippocrates nor ,theophrastus4 ,footnote #eae3 ,,brodum',s ,,nervous ,,cordial consists of the tinctures of ,gentian1 ,calumba1 ,cardamom and ,bark1 with the ,compound ,spirit of ,lavender1 and ,wine of ,iron4 ,,stroughton',s ,,elixir4 ,is a tincture of ,gentian1 with the addition of ,serpentaria1 ,orange ,peel1 ,cardamoms1 and some other aromatics4 ,footnote #eaf3 ,,pectoral ,,balsam ,,of ,,liquorice4 ,the proprietor of this nostrum gravely affirms that fiss contains the virtues of a whole pound of ,liquorice root2 but upon investigation it will be found to consist principally of ,paregoric ,elixir1 very strongly impregnated with the ,oil of ,aniseed4 ,footnote #eag3 ,,the ,,chelsea ,,pensioner4 ,an empirical remedy for the rheumatism is well known under this name2 it is said to be the prescription of a ,chelsea ,pensioner1 by which ,lord ,amherst was cured2 the following is its composition--,gum ,guaiac j--,powdered ,rhubarb ij--,cream of ,tartar j--,flowers of ,sulphur j4--,one ,nutmeg finely powdered2 made into an ,electuary with one pound of ,clarified ,honey4 ,two large spoonsful to be taken night and morning4 ,,walker ,,wessel',s ,,jesuit ,,drops4 ,this is nothing more than the ,elixir ,antivenereum of ,quincey1 consisting of ,guaiacum1 ,balsam of ,copaiba1 and ,oil of ,sassafras1 made into a ,tincture by ,spirit4 ,,hatfield',s ,,tincture4 ,guaiac and ,soap1 equal parts1 ij--,rectified ,spirit oiss4 ,,hill',s ,,essence ,,or ,,bardana4 ,guaiac j--,spirit fiij4 ,footnote #eah3 ,,matthew',s ,,pills1--,,starkey',s ,,pills4 ,of the ,roots of ,black ,hellebore1 ,liquorice1 and ,turmeric1 equal parts1 purified ,opium1 ,castille ,soap1 and ,syrup of ,saffron1 the same quantity1 made into pills with ,oil of ,turpentine4 ,,bacher',s ,,tonic ,,pills4 ,these are composed of equal parts of the ,extract of ,hellebore1 and ,myrrh j1 with iij of powdered ,carduus ,benedictus3 which are made into a mass1 and divided into pills1 each weighing one grain2 from two to six of which may be given three times every day1 according to the effects they produce4 ,footnote #eai3 ,whence the decoctions of this substance have been termed ,ptisans1 from decortico1 to peel4 ,footnote #ebj3 ,a ,compound1 consisting of ,extract of ,quassia and ,liquorice1 is used by fraudulent brewers to economise both malt and hops1 and is technically called 8,,multum40 ,an ,extract of ,cocculus ,indicus is sold under the name of 8,,black ,,extract10 for imparting an intoxicating quality to the ,beer4 ,footnote #eba3 of the ,greeks1 from its fluidity and colour4 ,quicksilver4 ,quick in the old ,saxon tongue signifies living1 an epithet derived from its mobility4 ,mercury4 ,mythologists inform us that he was the winged messenger of the ,gods1 and the ,patron of ,thieves1--,what name therefore could be more appropriate for the metal in question than that of this ,deity8 for it is not only distinguished from all other metals by its mobility1 but its universal agency has rendered it the resource of those worst of ,thieves--,quacks and ,nostrummongers4 ,footnote #ebb3 ,there is indeed another purpose to which pure quicksilver has been applied that deserves notice4 ,its administration has been proposed in cases where silver coin has been swallowed1 with a view of forming with it an amalgam that would speedily pass through the alimentary canal4 ,footnote #ebc3 ,foder 7,med4 ,leg4 ,t4 iii4 p4 #dee7 states that he has seen water1 in which mercury has been boiled1 become purgative and vermifuge2 and yet the metal1 in such cases1 has not lost any of its weight4 ,footnote #ebd3 ,if the quantity of ,lime water be small1 the precipitate will assume a red colour1 and will be found to be a ,submuriate of the peroxide4 ,footnote #ebe3 ,as this salt has been supposed to arrest the progress of syphilis more rapidly1 and at the same time1 to excite the salivary glands less than any other preparation of mercury1 it generally forms the basis of those dangerous nostrums1 which are advertised for the cure of ,syphilis without ,mercury4 ,the contrivers hope also to elude detection by the density and colour of the preparation4 ,,gowland',s ,,lotion1 ,is a solution of sublimate in an emulsion formed of bitter almonds1 in the proportion of about gr4 jss to fj4 ,a solution of this mercurial salt in ,spirit of ,rosemary1 is also sold as an empirical cosmetic4 ,,norton',s ,,drops4 ,a disguised solution of corrosive sublimate4 ,,ward',s ,,white ,,drops4 ,this once esteemed ,anti-,scorbutic was prepared by dissolving mercury in nitric acid1 and adding a solution of carbonate of ammonia2 or frequently it consisted of a solution of sublimate with carbonate of ammonia4 ,,spilsbury',s ,,antiscorbutic ,,drops4 ,of ,corrosive ,sublimate ij1 ,prepared ,sulphuret of ,antimony j1 ,gentian root and ,orange peel1 equal parts ij1 ,shavings of ,red ,saunders1 j1 made with a pint of proof spirit into a tincture1 which is to be digested and strained4 8,,the ,,antivenereal ,,drops10 so famous at ,amsterdam1 were analysed by ,scheele1 who found they were composed of muriate of iron1 with a small proportion of corrosive sublimate4 ,,marsden',s ,,antiscorbutic ,,drops4 ,a solution of sublimate in an infusion of ,gentian4 ,,green',s ,,drops4 ,the basis of these also is sublimate4 ,,solomon',s ,,anti-,,impetigines4 ,a solution of sublimate4 ,,rob ,,anti-,,syphilitique1 par ,m4 ,laffecteur1 ,medicin ,chemiste4 ,this popular nostrum of the ,french contains as a principal ingredient1 corrosive sublimate4 ,a strong decoction of ,arundo ,phragmitis 7the bull rush7 is made1 with the addition of sarsaparilla and aniseeds towards the end1 which is evaporated1 and made into a rob1 or syrup1 to which the sublimate is added4 ,,sirop ,,de ,,cuisiniere4 ,this consists of decoctions of sarsaparilla1 burrage flowers1 white roses1 senna1 and aniseed1 to which sublimate is added1 and the whole is then made into a syrup with sugar and honey4 ,,terre ,,feuilletee ,,mercurielle of ,pressavin4 ,this is ,tartarized ,mercury1 for it is made by boiling the oxyd of mercury 7obtained by precipitating it from a nitric solution1 by potass7 with cream of tartar4 ,,velno',s ,,vegetable ,,syrup4 ,there has been a great obscurity with respect to the genuine composition of this nostrum2 it has generally been supposed to consist of sublimate rubbed up with honey and mucilage4 ,i have lately received from my friend ,mr4 ,brodie a formula1 by which a medicine perfectly analogous in its sensible characters1 and medicinal properties1 to the ,syrup in question1 may be prepared2 and ,i am assured that1 wherever it has been tried1 its effects are in every respect similar to those produced by the original nostrum4 ,take of ,burdock root 7young and fresh7 sliced1 ij2 ,dandelion root i2 ,spear ,mint 7fresh7 j2 ,senna ,leaves1 ,coriander ,seeds 7bruised71 ,liquorice ,root 7fresh7 of each iss2 ,water oiss3 boil gently until reduced to oj2 then strain1 and1 when cold1 add of lump sugar1 and boil it to the consistence of a syrup1 and add a small proportion of the solution of ,oxy-muriate of ,mercury4 ,swediaur says that volatile alkali enters into this nostrum as an ingredient2 this alkali was proposed by ,dr4 ,peyrile1 as a substitute for mercury1 and it constitutes the active ingredient of the following composition1 which was proposed by ,mr4 ,besnard1 ,physician to the ,king of ,bavaria4 ,,tinctura ,,antisyphillitica4 ,sub-carb4 potass1 j4 dissolved in ,aq4 ,cinnam1 oj4 ,opii puri1 ij4 dissolved in ,spir4 cinnamom4 fiv4 mix these separate solutions1 and put them on a water-bath for three weeks1 taking care to shake the vessel frequently2 to this add ,gum arabic ij1 ,carb4 ,ammoni j1 dissolve in ,aq4 ,cinnamomi2 mix1 filter1 and keep for use4 ,dose1 twenty-four drops three times a day1 in a glass of the cold decoction of ,marsh ,mallow root4 ,the external use of these drops is also advised for local syphilitic complaints6 ,footnote #ebf3 ,by this simple and beautiful test1 the late ,mr4 ,archdeacon ,wollaston identified the presence of ,sublimate in the yeast dumplings by which ,michael ,whiting was poisoned at ,ely2 a case which ,i have recorded in my work on ,medical ,jurisprudence1 ,vol4 ,,ii4 p4 #bfe4 ,footnote #ebg3 ,ann4 de ,chimie et ,phys4 iv4 #ccd4 ,footnote #ebh3 ,for a more elaborate account of the various tests of ,corrosive ,sublimate1 see ,beck's ,medical ,jurisprudence1 ,vol4 #b1 p4 #bfg4--;,ed4 ,footnote #ebi3 ,for the origin of the term ,calomel1 see note1 page #dj4 ,footnote #ecj3 ,mr4 ,william ,phillips has favoured me with a model of this crystal cut in wood2 it is a rectangular prism whose solid angles are deeply replaced by planes4 ,footnote #eca3 ,many of the nostrums advertised for the cure of worms1 contain ,calomel as the principal ingredient1 combined with scammony1 jalap1 gamboge1 or some other purgative2 they are uncertain and dangerous medicines2 the method of exhibiting them in the form of lozenges 7worm cakes17 is also attended with inconvenience1 for the sugar and the gum generating an acid1 by being kept in damp places1 may considerably increase the acrimony of the mercury2 besides which1 the calomel is frequently diffused very unequally through the mass1 one lozenge may therefore contain a poisonous dose1 whilst others may scarcely possess any active matter4 ,,ching',s ,,worm ,,lozenges4 ,these consist of yellow and brown lozenges1 the former are directed to be taken in the evening1 the latter the succeeding morning4 ,,the ,,yellow ,,lozenges4 ,take of ,saffron ss1 of water oj1 boil1 and strain2 add of ,white ,panacea of ,mercury 7,calomel washed in spirit of wine7 j1 white sugar1 #bh1 mucilage of ,tragacanth as much as may be sufficient to make a mass1 which roll out of an exact thickness1 so that each lozenge may contain one grain of ,panacea4 ,,the ,,brown ,,lozenges4 ,panacea vij1 resin of jalap1 iijss1 white sugar ix1 mucilage of tragacanth q4 s4 each lozenge should contain gr4 of panacea4 ,,story',s ,,worm ,,cakes4 ,calomel and jalap made into cakes and coloured with cinnabar4 ,footnote #ecb3 ,for the origin of this term see page #ci4 ,footnote #ecc3 ,,chamberlain',s ,,restorative ,,pills4 8,the most certain cure for the ,scrofula1 or ,king's ,evil1 ,fistula1 ,scurvy1 and all ,impurities of the ,blood40 ,my attention has been particularly directed to these pills1 in consequence of having lately seen1 during the course of my professional duty1 several highly respectable persons1 who had been induced to make trial of their efficacy4 ,their inventor1 if ,i am rightly informed1 resides at ,ipswich1 where1 for the benefit of suffering humanity1 he prepares these wonderful pills1 and1 with the alacrity of his patron deity1 ,mercury1 transmits them to every corner of the ,united ,kingdom4 ,it appears from the printed directions which accompany the 8,restorative ,pills10 that their use must be continued for a very long period2 but upon this occasion we must allow the ,doctor to speak for himself4 8,it may be necessary to observe1 that in some cases of ,scrofula1 especially when the seat of the disease is in the feet1 ancles1 or hands1 it may take a long time to effect a cure1 even two years1 and it may be twelve or sixteen months1 with seeming little or no improvement1 yet the cure is certain by perseverance40 ,what--two years6 and to be taken during a period of sixteen months without any sensible benefit6 ,is it possible that persons can be found with sufficient credulity and resolution to submit to so preposterous a proposal8 we have no doubt that ,mr4 ,chamberlain can produce as great a portion of cures after such an ordeal1 as was adduced in former times1 in proof of the efficacy of the ,royal ,touch1 and for the same obvious reason4 7,see page #af47 ,upon examining these said pills1 ,i find them to consist of ,cinnabar1 ,sulphur1 ,sulphate of ,lime1 and a little vegetable matter1 perhaps gum4 ,each pill weighs a fraction less than three grains2 upon dividing one with a penknife1 and examining the cut surface through a lens1 it exhibited the appearance of scori of a brick red colour1 having small yellowish masses imbedded in its substance4 ,when exposed on a piece of platinum foil to the action of the blow-pipe1 it yielded vapours of a strong sulphureous smell1 and left a residuum of a pearly white matter1 which consisted almost entirely of ,sulphate of ,lime4 ,upon submitting a portion of the pill1 in a glass tube1 to the heat of a spirit lamp1 two distinct sublimates were produced1 the first consisting of ,sulphur1 the second of ,cinnabar2 and a small carbonaceous deposit remained4 ,the ,pill was then assayed1 via humida2 distilled water dissolved the ,sulphate of lime1 which was identified by appropriate tests1 and left sulphur and cinnabar on the filtre4 ,by the above experiments ,i feel warranted in considering the composition of this pill as fully ascertained4 ,,boerhaave',s ,,red ,,pill4 ,the basis of this nostrum is ,cinnabar4 ,footnote #ecd3 ,the anatomist employs it for giving colour to his injections2 for this purpose it is very essential that it should be quite free from red lead1 or his preparations will in a short time lose their splendour1 and ultimately become black4 ,this has unfortunately happened with some preparations which ,dr4 ,baillie presented to the ,college of ,physicians4 ,mr4 ,accum1 in his work entitled 8,death in the ,pot10 states a case of poisoning from cheese which had been coloured with adulterated ,vermillion4 ,i am ready to admit1 however1 that the source of this information is of very doubtful authority2 never did a work appear which so little merited the attention it received2 even the title1 which seemed to have some claim to originality1 was borrowed from a work by ,mouchart1 called 8,mors in ,olla40 ,footnote #ece3 ,,anodyne ,,necklaces4 ,the roots of ,hyoscyamus are commonly strung in the form of beads1 and sold under this name1 to tie round the necks of children1 to facilitate the growth of their teeth1 and allay the irritation of teething4 ,the application of medicated necklaces is a very ancient superstition4 ,see page #ac4 ,such remedies were sometimes called ,periapts1 4 ,footnote #ecf3 ,in many cases it is essential that the water should be at the boiling point1 a few degrees even less than this will often prove a source of failure2 this is well exemplified by the familiar fact of the weakness of our ,tea1 when made by water that does not quite boil4 ,the ,monks of ,st4 ,bernard1 in the ,alps1 complain that they cannot make good ,bouillie2 the case is simply this1 that from the altitude of their monastery1 the water boils before it can arrive at a sufficiently high temperature4 ,whence we may deduce this important inference1 that the solvent powers of water are affected by a very slight range of temperature4 ,see a fuller account of this subject in my work on 8,medical ,chemistry40 ,footnote #ecg3 ,where the vegetable matter contains much starch1 if the water be of a temperature higher than #afe1 instead of dissolving1 it will coagulate the starch1 and produce a very untractable mass4 ,this fact is well known to ,brewers1 who are extremely cautious in avoiding a too high temperature4 ,footnote #ech3 ,,madden',s ,,vegetable ,,essence4 ,is little else than the ,infusum ,ros comp3 with an increased proportion of ,acid4 ,footnote #eci3 ,this fact has been lately confirmed by ,m4 ,f4 ,cartier1 who found #d gr4 of oxide of iron in #ajjj gr4 of red roses4 ,footnote #edj3 ,a valuable paper upon this subject is to be found in the first volume of 8,the ,reports of the ,philomatic ,society of ,paris30 by ,bouillon ,la ,grange4 ,it has been lately supposed1 but without much probability1 that the griping property of ,senna depends upon its admixture with some foreign leaf4 ,footnote #eda3 ,,selway',s ,,prepared ,,essence ,,of ,,senna4 ,this is a concentrated infusion of ,senna1 in combination with an alkali4 ,footnote #edb3 ,the plant yielding the ,ipecacuanha of the shops1 is more probably a species of ,viola than that of ,callicocca4 ,according to ,linnus1 it is not unfrequently obtained from the ,psycotria ,emetica4 ,the word ,ipecacuanha signifies any emetic substance4 ,footnote #edc3 ,a formula for its preparation is introduced into the new ,,codex of ,paris1 being the one used by ,m4 ,pelletier2 it is as follows4 ,let i of the powder of ,ipecacuan be macerated in ij of ther with a gentle heat for some hours1 in a distilling apparatus2 let the portion which remains be triturated and boiled with iv of alcohol2 it having been previously macerated in it2 filter and let the remainder be treated with fresh portions of alcohol1 as long as any thing is taken up from the root2 mix these alcoholic solutions and evaporate to dryness2 let this alcoholic extract be macerated in cold distilled water1 in order that every thing soluble in that menstruum may be dissolved2 filter1 and evaporate to dryness2 this extract is ,emetine4 ,in this state however it contains a small quantity of gallic acid1 but which is too inconsiderable to affect its medicinal qualities4 ,footnote #edd3 ,we agree with the author in his estimate of the value of ,emetine4 ,as a general remedy1 it possesses no advantage over the ,ipecacuanha itself1 and will probably never supersede it4 ,cases may occur1 however1 in which its use will be desirable1 and it may then be given in the following doses4 ,as an ,emetic1 from four to five grains dissolved in a couple of ounces of some aromatic water2 as a ,diaphoretic1 about half a grain repeated every four hours2 and as an ,expectorant1 one-fifth or one-fourth of a grain repeated every two or three hours4 ,these doses apply only to the impure or coloured ,emetine1 the form in which it is commonly found4 ,ed4 ,footnote #ede3 ,,ipecacuanha ,,lozenges4 ,each ,lozenge contains half a grain of ,ipecacuanha4 ,footnote #edf3 ,,sapo ,,jalapinus4 ,it is prepared by taking equal parts of ,castille ,soap and of resinous extract of ,jalap1 and digesting them in a sufficient quantity of alcohol1 with moderate heat1 and evaporating to the consistence of a conserve4 ,footnote #edg3 ,the plant which yields ,kino is at length satisfactorily proved to be the ,pterocarpus ,erinacea2 the ,london ,college have accordingly made the alteration which ,i anticipated in the former edition of this work4 ,footnote #edh3 ,dr4 ,pemberton makes the interesting statement in relation to the operation of ,kino upon the system1 that unless ,diarrha be actually present1 8it appears to have no tendency to confine the bowels4 ,in this drug1 therefore10 he adds1 8you have a medicine which exerts its powers to restrain the discharges of the glands when they are secreting too much1 without exerting any such powers over them when they are acting naturally40 ,practical ,treatise on the various diseases of the abdominal viscera1 p4 #aab1 ,am4 ,ed4 ,,ed4 ,footnote #edi3 ,it was known to be a remedy for this disorder at least two hundred years ago2 for1 in a work entitled1 8,the ,surgeon's ,mate1 or ,military and ,domestic ,medicine10 by ,john ,woodall1 master in ,surgery1 ,london1 #afcf1 the author concludes his eulogium of lemon juice1 by saying1 8,i dare not write how good a sauce it is at meat1 lest the chief in the ship should waste it in the great cabin to save vinegar40 ,footnote #eej3 ,,essential ,,salt ,,of ,,lemons4 ,see ,potass ,super-tartras4 ,footnote #eea3 ,,ward',s ,,essence ,,for ,,the ,,head-,,ache4--,nothing more than ,liniment4 ,camph4 ,comp4 ,footnote #eeb3 ,,steer',s ,,opodeldoc4--,castille ,soap j1 ,rectified ,spirit1 fviij1 ,camphor iiiss1 ,oil of ,rosemary fss1 ,oil of ,origanum fj4 ,solution of ,ammonia fvj4 ,,bates',s ,,anodyne ,,balsam4--,it consists of one part of ,tincture of ,opium1 and two of ,opodeldoc1 i4 e4 ,liniment4 ,sapon4 comp4 ,,freeman',s ,,bathing ,,spirits4--,liniment4 ,saponis comp4 coloured with ,daffy's ,elixir4 ,,jackson',s ,,bathing ,,spirits differs from the former in the addition of some essential oils4 ,,lynch',s ,,embrocation4--,olive oil impregnated with ,bergamot and some other essences1 and coloured with ,alkanet root4 ,footnote #eec3 ,since the last edition of this work1 ,mr4 ,dalton has discovered the very curious fact1 that lime is more soluble in cold than in hot water1 and has given a table of quantities from which he concludes that the quantity held in solution by water at #cb ,fah3 is nearly double that retained by water at #bab4 ,mr4 ,phillips has lately taken up the subject1 and confirmed the statement of ,mr4 ,dalton4 thus #aj4jjj gr4 of water1 at #bab1 dissolve #g4h of lime #aj4jjj gr4 of water1 at #cb1 -------- #ae4b -------- ,mr4 ,phillips attempts to account for this apparent anomaly 8from the effect which heat sometimes produces of increasing instead of diminishing the attraction of cohesion4 ,in the present case1 he continues1 the affinities which are brought into play are1 the attractions of aggregation of the particles of the lime upon each other1 the attraction of the lime to form a hydrate with a small portion of the water1 and the mutual affinity existing between that hydrate and the water of solution40 ,and at the high temperature he thinks that the former affinities may be so heightened as to overpower the latter4 ,footnote #eed3 ,upon this fact ,dr4 ,alton founded his ingenious process for preserving water from putrefaction2 in the first place he impregnated the water with lime1 which from its antiseptic property answered the purpose of keeping it most completely1 and then1 in order to get rid of the lime1 he merely added the carbonate of magnesia1 which by transferring its carbonic acid1 rendered the lime insoluble1 and consequently the water tasteless and fit for economical purposes4 ,mr4 ,henry1 however1 proposed the introduction of a current of carbonic acid into the cask1 and this expedient has been found equally effective1 and far more economical4 ,footnote #eee3 ,,mrs4 ,,stephen',s ,,remedy ,,for ,,the ,,stone consisted of lime1 which was produced by calcining the shells of eggs and snails1 and made into pills with ,soap4 ,a decoction was also administered1 consisting of ,chamomile1 ,fennel1 ,parsley and ,burdock1 together with a portion of ,alicant ,soap4 ,this is a very rational practice1 and is very much what the practitioners of the present day depend upon3 the observations of ,mrs4 ,stephens respecting their administration1 are equally judicious4 8,if10 says she1 8these medicines produce pain1 it will be necessary to give an opiate with them1 and it must be at all times a principal care to prevent a looseness1 for if this should happen it would carry off the medicines2 under such circumstances the quantity of the ,decoction1 since it is laxative1 must be diminished1 and other suitable means must be taken by the advice of a ,physician40 ,the credit of introducing alkaline medicines for the cure of calculous disorders1 does not however rest with ,,mrs4 ,,stephens4 ,it has been before stated in this work1 that ,basil ,valentine employed a fixed alkaline salt in such cases2 and ,i may here add1 that ,,sennertus1 in his ,praxis ,medica1 mentions a lithonthryptic that was in great esteem and general use in his time1 which consisted of one ounce of ,salt of ,tartar dissolved in a pint of parsley water1 and afterwards tinged yellow with orange peel4 ,footnote #eef3 ,,virgin',s ,,milk4 ,a preparation is sold under this name1 which is a ,sulphate of ,lead1 and is prepared as follows4 ,to a saturated solution of ,alum1 add of ,goulard's extract one third part4 ,shake them together2--see ,benzoinum for a very different cosmetic bearing the same name4 ,footnote #eeg3 ,,hankay',s ,,lotion1 ,,or ,,preventive ,,wash4 ,this famous nostrum for the prevention of venereal infection1 was nothing more than a solution of caustic potass4 ,footnote #eeh3 ,,dr4 ,,chittick',s ,,remedy ,,for ,,the ,,stone4 ,this celebrated nostrum consisted of a fixed alkali in veal broth2 the broth was usually made by his patients1 and sent to him fresh every day1 in order to be medicated4 ,a4 ,d4 #agff4 ,footnote #eei3 ,magnesia was originally a general term1 expressive of any substance which had the power of attracting some principle from the air1 from ,magnes1 the ,loadstone4 ,the peculiar body which we now denominate ,magnesia1 was first sold as a panacea1 by a canon at ,rome1 in the beginning of the seventeenth century1 under the title of ,magnesia alba1 or ,count ,palma's ,powder4 ,footnote #efj3 ,,dalby',s ,,carminative4 ,this consists of carbonate of magnesia ij1 oils of ,peppermint1 j1 of ,nutmeg1 ij1 of ,aniseed iij1 of the tinctures of ,castor xxx1 of ,assaftida xv1 ,tincture of ,opium1 v1 ,spirit of ,pennyroyal xv1 of the ,compound ,tincture of ,cardamoms xxx1 ,peppermint water fij4 ,there are cheaper compositions sold under the same name4 ,in examining the pretensions of this combination1 it must be allowed that it is constructed upon philosophical principles2 this however is no reason why the physician should recommend it2 the mischievous tendency of a quack medicine does not depend upon its composition1 but upon its application2 we ought to remember1 says an eminent physician1 that in recommending this nostrum we foster the dangerous prejudices of mothers and nurses1 who are unable to ascertain the circumstances under which it should be given1 or even the proper doses2 if its composition is judicious1 why do not physicians order the same in a regular prescription1 rather than in a form in which the most valuable remedy will be abused8 ,footnote #efa3 8,manna1 vox chaldaica est1 admirantis interjectio1 deducta ab ,hebraico ,manhu1 sive quid est hoc80 ,chrystom4 ,magneni ,exercitat4 de ,manno4 ,footnote #efb3 ,,honey ,,water4--,the article usually sold under this name is a mixture of ,essences coloured with ,saffron2 some add a small quantity of ,honey1 the effect of which is to communicate a clamminess which retains the scent longer4 ,footnote #efc3 ,,essence ,,of ,,peppermint4--,a spirituous solution of the ,essential ,oil1 coloured green by ,spinach leaves4 ,footnote #efd3 ,if the ,gum arabic be adulterated with that of the ,cherry-tree1 the solution will be ropy1 in consequence of the presence of ,,cerasin4 ,see ,mucilago ,tragacanth4 7,note47 ,footnote #efe3 ,the mucilage is at the same time converted by this salt into a beautiful peach blossom colour4 ,footnote #eff3 ,this variety of gum1 which is characterised by its gelatinizing1 but not dissolving1 in water1 occurs in several vegetable substances2 and as it predominates in the ,cherry-tree1 ,dr4 ,john has distinguished it by the name of ,,cerasin2 but as ,tragacanth consists almost entirely of this substance1 the term ,,tragacanthin would have been much more appropriate4 ,although ,cerasin will not dissolve in pure water1 it undergoes solution in that menstruum1 at the temperature of ebullition1 provided a portion of a mineral acid be added4 ,footnote #efg3 ,sir ,hans ,sloane published a ,paper in the ,philosophical ,transactions1 ,no4 #bdi1 ,vol4 xxi4 p4 #dd1 entitled 8,an account of the ,nux ,pepita1 or ,st4 ,ignatius's ,bean 7,ignatia ,amara1 ,lin47 ,a ,simple in common use in the ,philippine ,islands1 as a ,tonic medicine40 ,footnote #efh3 ,that the active principle of the ,nux ,vomica expends its virulence upon the spinal marrow has been already noticed4 ,page #acc4 ,footnote #efi3 ,m4 ,henry has given us the most simple formula for the preparation of this substance4 ,it consists in boiling ,nux ,vomica in water1 and evaporating the decoction until it acquires the consistence of ,syrup2 lime is then added1 which unites with the acid1 and liberates the ,strychnia2 which may then be separated by means of alcohol1 from which it may be obtained by crystallization4 ,footnote #egj3 ,ann3 de ,chimie et de ,phys4 x4 #aec4 ,footnote #ega3 ,m4 ,majendie has killed a dog with one eighth of a grain1 and the editor of the ,edinburgh ,med3 ,surg3 journ3 has seen one die in two minutes after the injection of one sixth of a grain into the cavity of the pleura4 ,the celebrated ,java poison owes its activity to ,strychnia4 ,footnote #egb3 ,strychnia was obtained from the beans of ,st4 ,ignatius by the following process3 a portion of the beans being grated was heated in a close vessel1 under pressure1 with sulphuric ther1 by which an oily matter was dissolved2 the residuum then yielded by the action of alcohol1 a yellowish brown1 very bitter substance1 which being boiled in pure magnesia and filtered1 the colouring matter was washed out1 and the ,strychnia and magnesia1 in a state of mixture1 remained on the filtre4 ,the ,strychnia was then separated by alcohol1 and thus obtained in a state of great purity4 ,footnote #egc3 ,see note under the article ,opium4 ,footnote #egd3 ,with regard to the use of ,strychnia in paralysis1 experiments sufficiently numerous have now been made to enable us to judge of its true value and efficacy4 ,like all other remedies it is by no means infallible4 ,in some cases it does no good1 while in others it causes effects which no other remedy is capable of producing4 ,every thing depends upon the nature of the case4 ,whenever paralysis is the result of some organic derangement of the brain1 such as tumors pressing upon the substance of that organ1 diseased alterations in its structure1 or extravasations of fluid which cannot be absorbed1 then this remedy will be of no avail4 ,on the other hand1 where the paralysis depends upon simple diminished nervous excitement1 it may and has been completely cured by the use of this article4 ,in paraplegia it has generally been found more successful than in hemiplegia4 ,the first effects of the remedy in all cases are convulsive twitchings of the paralyzed parts1 and no benefit is derived from its use until this effect is produced and continued for some time4 ,if plethora should be present1 this is to be corrected by venesection1 purgatives1 and other appropriate treatment4 ,it is a great advantage attending the use of this powerful agent that it does not at all impair the tone of the stomach2 on the contrary1 it has a tendency to increase the appetite and promote digestion4 ,in having recourse to the ,strychnia1 the best way is to commence with small doses1 increasing them gradually according to the effect produced--one-eighth of a grain twice a day is sufficient to begin with4 ,this may be cautiously increased to #a_/f1 #a_/d1 or even a grain twice a day4 ,should any unpleasant symptoms occur1 of course its use should be discontinued2 and when the symptoms subside1 it may again be resumed4 ,by observing these general precautions there is no danger in using this otherwise potent agent4 ,the best form of giving it is in that of pill1 made up with conserve of roses4 ,from experiments made with ,brucia1 it is found to exert an influence analogous to that of the ,strychnia1 only less energetic--one-fourth of a grain of the latter equals in effect about six grains of the former4 ,it occasions violent tetanic attacks1 and acts upon the nerves without affecting the brain or the intellectual functions4 ,from the inferior energy of the ,brucia1 it may be used in cases where the ,strychnia would not be proper4 ,the dose to begin with is gr4 j4 twice a day1 increased to three or four times a day4 ,unless it does some good in five or six weeks its use should be discontinued4--,,ed4 ,footnote #ege3 ,,huiles ,,antiques4 ,the basis of the best of these oils1 is the oil of ,ben1 from the nuts of the ,guilangia ,moringa1 or oil of hazel1 which is a very good substitute1 since it is inodorous1 colourless1 and may be kept for a considerable period without becoming rancid3 it is therefore well adapted to receive and retain the odour of those vegetables that yield but a small proportion of essential oil4 ,footnote #egf3 ,,oil ,,of ,,bricks4 ,so called because this empyreumatic oil was sometimes obtained by steeping hot brick in oil1 and submitting it to distillation4 ,footnote #egg3 ,,roche',s ,,embrocation ,,for ,,the ,,hooping ,,cough4 ,olive oil mixed with about half its quantity of the oils of cloves and amber4 ,,struve',s ,,lotion ,,for ,,the ,,hooping ,,cough4 ,this once famous nostrum consisted of j of ,tartarized ,antimony1 dissolved in fij of water1 to which was added fj of ,tincture of ,cantharides4 ,footnote #egh3 ,the editors have also unaccountably retained the ,oleum de ,lumbricis6 ,footnote #egi3 ,if the plates of the press be heated1 the fixed oil from the bitter almond will be odorous4 ,footnote #ehj3 ,,essence ,,or ,,bitter ,,almonds4 ,the preparation sold under this name1 for the purposes of perfumery1 c4 consists of one part of this essential oil1 and seven parts of ,rectified spirit4 ,footnote #eha3 ,for such reasons there are but few wholesale houses who profess to distil it4 ,i have1 however1 through the civility and attention of ,mr4 ,johnson1 chemist in ,oxford-street1 who frequently conducts the process on a large scale1 had several opportunities of witnessing the interesting phenomena to which it gives rise4 ,so powerful is the odour developed upon these occasions that it fills the premises with an almost insupportable atmosphere1 occasioning head-ache1 sickness and cough2 so that we may safely observe1 that1 whatever miracles the prussic acid may perform1 when applied to the coats of the stomach1 its application in the form of vapour to the lungs proves highly irritating to those organs4 ,the concentrated vapour of this essential oil is almost instantly destructive to animal life4 ,i have seen flies drop lifeless to the floor as they have passed over the still2 thus1 as it were1 realizing in miniature the fabled powers of ,avernus4 8,quam super haud ull poterant impune volantes ,tendere iter pennis3 talis sese halitus atris ,faucibus effundens supera ad convexa ferebat40 n4 ,,vi4 v4 #bci4 ,footnote #ehb3 ,some authors have considered the olibanum as the quasia ,oleum ,libani1 7,thus7 of the ancients1 but ,dr4 ,maton has observed that he cannot find any passage in the ancient authors sufficiently precise to corroborate this conjecture4 ,see ,abietis ,resina4 ,footnote #ehc3 ,the ,greeks and ,romans attached a very different meaning to the terms ,,opium and ,,meconium4 ,the former signified the pure juice 7 succus7 that flowed from the scarified poppies2 the latter1 the juice obtained by bruising and pressing the poppy heads4 ,footnote #ehd3 ,annales de ,chimie1 vol4 #de4 ,derosne first obtained a crystalline substance from ,opium in the year #ahjc1 which dissolved in acids2 but he did not determine its nature or properties4 ,footnote #ehe3 ,in #ahjd ,seguin 7,ann4 de ,chim4 vol4 #ib7 discovered another crystalline body in opium1 and although he described most of its properties he never hinted at its alkaline nature4 ,footnote #ehf3 ,sertuerner at ,eimbeck1 in ,hanover1 had at the same time as ,derosne and ,seguin1 obtained these crystalline bodies1 7,ann4 de ,chim4 et de ,phy4 ,t4 v47 but it was not until the year #ahag1 that he first unequivocally proclaimed the existence of a vegetable alkali1 and assigned to it the narcotic powers which distinguish the operation of opium2 to this body he gave the name of ,morphia1 and it appears to be the same as the essential salt noticed by ,seguin4 ,the salt of ,derosne1 now more usually denominated ,narcotine1 is quite a different principle1 although it was constantly mistaken for one of the salts of ,morphia1 till ,m4 ,robiquet 7,ann4 de ,chim4 de ,phy4 ,t4 v47 pointed out its distinctive properties4 ,it is an azotized substance1 crystallizing in beautiful pearly prisms or tables2 soluble in fixed oil1 and still more so in ther and the acids2 insoluble in water1 and little soluble in alcohol2 destitute of action on the vegetable colours1 and incapable of neutralizing acids4 ,there still exists1 however1 very considerable confusion with respect to this salt1 and farther experiments are required to ascertain its chemical nature1 as well as its physiological action4 ,footnote #ehg3 ,the discovery of an alkaline body in opium induced the ,french and ,german chemists to examine the composition of other active vegetables1 with a view to detect the existence of an analogous principle2 and their labours have been rewarded with unexampled success4 ,they have accordingly obtained ,,strychnia from the nut of the ,strychnos nux vomica2--,,brucia from the bark of the ,brucea ,anti-dysenterica 7,false ,angustura ,bark7 ,,veratria from the ,veratrum album1 ,v4 ,sabadilla and ,colchicum ,autumnale2--,,cinchonia from the bark of the ,cinchona ,oblongifolia 7,red ,bark72--,,quina 7or ,kina7 from that of the ,cinchona ,cordifolia 7,yellow ,bark72--,,emeta from the ,callicocca ,ipecacuanha2--,,delphia1 from the ,delphinium ,staphisagria2--,,picrotoxa from the ,menispermum ,cocculus2--,,solana from the ,solanum ,nigrum1 and ,s4 ,dulcamara2 ,,gentia1 from ,gentiana lutea2--,,atropia from the ,atropa ,belladonna2--,,hyoscyama1 from ,hyoscyamus ,niger4 ,besides which1 ,capsicum1 ,piper nigrum1 and ,,senna1 have been said to yield analogous principles of a salifiable character4 ,with respect to most of these alkaline bodies farther experiments are required to establish our confidence2 it is more than probable that several of them will turn out to be disguised modifications of each other2 it has already been questioned whether ,,quina and ,,cinchonia be not varieties of one alkali2 indeed it is possible that all these bodies may have the same alkaline base1 and that they differ from each other in consequence of their combination with other principles1 derived from the vegetable in question1 and impressing upon the salt its characteristic virtues2 and this idea receives material support from the fact1 that they are neutralized by a very small proportion of acid4 7,see a paper on this subject in the #gjth number of the ,edinburgh ,med4 and ,surg4 ,journ47 ,they have all many properties in common1 such as a degree of bitterness varying in intensity in different species2 they are inodorous2 are not altered by air or light1 but are decomposed by a moderate heat2 most of them enter into fusion1 but at different temperatures1 some for instance at below #bab ,fahr4 others not until they are about to be decomposed2 ,,hyoscyama will even resist a low red heat4 ,they are very sparingly soluble in water1 but they are in general rendered more so by the presence of resinous matter4 ,they are nearly all highly soluble in alcohol4 ther readily dissolves ,,delphia1 ,,veratria1 ,,emeta1 ,,quina1 and ,,gentia2 but ,,morphia1 ,,cinchonia1 and ,,picrotoxa1 are very sparingly soluble3 and ,,strychnia and ,,brucia are nearly insoluble in it2 they combine with the acids2 and1 in general1 form neutral salts2 but it appears that ,,veratria and ,,emeta always unite with an excess of acid4 ,all the combinations with the mineral acids1 excepting the salts of ,,picrotoxa1 are exceedingly soluble in water2 and1 with the exception of ,,nitrate ,,of ,,cinchonia1 and all the salts of ,,veratria1 they are crystallizable4 ,the acetates too1 with a few exceptions1 are also soluble1 and they are disposed to form super-salts4 ,all the oxalates1 except that of ,,picratoxa1 which is the most soluble of its salts1 and all tartrates1 are rather insoluble1 and have likewise a tendency to unite with an excess of acid4 ,the action of concentrated nitric acid on these alkaline bodies is very peculiar1 converting the greater number of them into artificial tannin2 but it appears to peroxidate ,,morphia1 ,,strychnia1 and ,,brucia1 rendering them less powerful as salifiable bases1 and diminishing or destroying their action on the animal body4 ,see ,edinburgh ,med4 ,surg4 ,journ4 supra citat4 ,by analysis1 with the deutoxide of copper1 these alkalies yield carbon1 hydrogen1 and oxygen2 but no azote1 unless they have been obtained by precipitation with ammonia1 as in the process of ,sertuerner4 ,it would appear that these bodies exist in their native plants1 in combination with peculiar acids2 some of them are found in the state of ,malates4 ,with respect to their physiological action it may be stated1 that they would appear to concentrate in themselves the characteristic properties of the vegetables to which they belong1 and yet1 although their effects are much greater than those of the undecomposed vegetables1 the same quantity of alkali is not so powerful in its pure form1 as in its natural state of combination4 ,thus one grain of morphia produces no more effect than two grains of ,turkey opium1 which do not contain more than a sixteenth part of the alkali4 ,to explain this loss of efficacy which usually attends our attempts at concentration1 the reader is referred to the observations which have been already offered upon this subject in the first part of this work1 page #aec4 ,footnote #ehh3 ,the manufacture1 however1 of ,indian ,opium has been of late years greatly improved by ,dr4 ,fleming1 under whose superintendance that important department was placed by the ,marquis ,wellesley4 ,footnote #ehi3 ,forty thousand pounds weight of ,opium are annually imported into the ,port of ,london4 ,footnote #eij3 ,it has been stated in the ,historical ,introduction to this work1 7page #h7 that the nepenthe1 which ,helen mixed with wine1 and gave to the guests of ,menelaus1 was probably opium2 such was the opinion of ,sprengel1 expressed in his ,history of ,botany4 ,other authors have entertained a different belief4 ,delile1 in his 8,flora ,egyptiaca10 considers it to have been a preparation of hyoscyamus albus4 ,dr4 ,christen1 in his late elaborate ,dissertation on ,opium1 agrees with ,forbes1 who states1 in his ,oriental ,memoirs1 that in ,hindostan ,bendsch1 i4 e4 nepenthe is prepared from the cannabis sativa of ,linnus4 ,linder informs us that bangue is prepared from the dried leaves of the wild cannabis1 the smoke of which is said to be more narcotic than even that of opium4 ,there seems1 however1 to be good reason for supposing that ,indian bangue is a compound of several ingredients4 ,ray says that he learned from ,sir ,hans ,sloane1 that the principal ingredient was not hemp1 but a plant somewhat like it4 ,footnote #eia3 ,the operation of ,opium is not unfrequently attended with an itching1 or sense of pricking of the skin1 which is sometimes terminated by a species of miliary eruption4 ,footnote #eib3 ,opium is the ,quack's sheet anchor4 ,the various nostrums advertised as 8,cough ,drops1 for the cure of colds1 asthmas1 catarrhs1 c40 are preparations of ,opium very similar to paregoric elixir4 ,,pectoral ,,balsam ,,of ,,liquorice1 and ,,essence ,,of ,,coltsfoot1 are combinations of this kind4 ,,grindle',s ,,cough ,,drops1 are a preparation of the same description1 only made with ,rectified1 instead of ,proof ,spirit1 and consequently more highly charged with stimulant materials4 8,the mischief10 says ,dr4 ,fothergill1 8that has proceeded from the healing anodynes of quacks can be scarcely imagined2 for in coughs1 arising from suppressed perspiration or an inflammatory diathesis1 ,opiates generally do harm40 ,,squire',s ,,elixir4 ,opium1 camphor1 serpentaria1 sub-carbonate of potass1 anise and fennel seeds1 made into a tincture1 and coloured with cochineal4 ,,ford',s ,,balsam ,,of ,,horehound4 ,this nostrum may very properly be classed under the present head4 ,it consists of an aqueous infusion of horehound and liquorice root1 with double the proportion of proof spirit or brandy2 to which is then added1 opium1 camphor1 benzoin1 squills1 oil of aniseed1 and honey4 ,footnote #eic3 ,,liquor ,,morphii ,,citratis4 4,opii ,crudi ,optimi iv2 ,acidi ,citrici 7,cryst37 ij2 semel in mortario lapideo contunde1 dein aqu distillat bullientis oj affunde2 et intime misceantur2 macera per horas viginti quatuor2 per chartam bibulosam cola4 ,footnote #eid3 ,,the ,,black ,,drop1 or ,the ,lancaster1 or ,quaker's ,black ,drop4 ,this preparation1 which has been long known and esteemed1 as being more powerful in its operation and less distressing in its effects than any tincture of opium1 has until lately been involved in much obscurity2 the papers however of the late ,edward ,walton1 of ,sunderland1 one of the near relations of the original proprietor1 having fallen into the hands of ,dr4 ,armstrong1 that gentleman has obliged the profession by publishing the manner in which it is prepared1 and is as follows3--8,take half a pound of opium sliced2 three pints of good verjuice 7juice of the wild crab17 and one and a half ounce of nutmegs1 and half an ounce of saffron4 ,boil them to a proper thickness1 then add a quarter of a pound of sugar1 and two spoonsful of yeast4 ,set the whole in a warm place near the fire1 for six or eight weeks1 then place it in the open air until it becomes a syrup2 lastly1 decant1 filter1 and bottle it up1 adding a little sugar to each bottle40 ,one drop of this preparation is considered equal to about three of the ,tincture of ,opium4 ,p4 ,l4 ,it would appear that an ,acetate of ,morphia is formed1 which is more active1 and less distressing in its effects1 than any other narcotic combination4 ,the ,french ,codex contains directions for preparing a compound very similar to the ,black ,drop2 viz4 ,,vinum ,,opiatum ,,fermentatione ,,paratum1 or ,gutt seu ,laudanum ,abbatis ,rousseau4 ,take of white honey twelve ounces2 warm water1 three pounds2 dissolve the honey in the water1 pour it into a matrass1 and set it aside in a warm place3 as soon as fermentation has commenced1 add four ounces of good opium1 having previously dissolved1 or rather diffused it in twelve ounces of water2 allow them to ferment together for a month1 then evaporate until ten ounces only remain1 filter1 and add four ounces and a half of alcohol4 ,,liquor ,,opii ,,sedativus4 ,under this name1 ,mr4 ,battley1 a manufacturing druggist1 of ,fore-street1 ,london1 has offered for sale a narcotic preparation1 which it is generally supposed owes its efficacy to the acetate of morphia2 on being kept1 however1 ,i found that it underwent some important change1 during which so much air was disengaged as to blow out the cork from the bottle with violence4 ,this is an objection to its admission into practice1 unless we can ensure recently prepared portions as often as they may be required4 ,in publishing the above statement1 ,i have unfortunately been the cause of much unnecessary ,,ink-,,shed4 ,a letter1 by ,mr4 ,battley1 has been industriously circulated through the different ranks of the profession1 purporting to be an apology for his preparation1 but after a careful perusal of it1 instead of being able to discover any argument in its favour1 we receive a full acknowledgment of the validity of the objection above stated4 8,i explained to ,dr4 ,paris1 that the liability of the solution to undergo change1 ,,was ,a ,,defect in the preparation1 but that the addition of a little spirit would prevent decomposition10 and yet in the next sentence he tells us that in those cases in which it is most beneficial1 8the addition of spirit would be highly improper40 ,see ,medical ,repository1 vol4 xiii1 p4 #bgc4 ,but the circumstance which has excited the greatest indignation in the mind of ,mr4 ,battley1 is my having applied the term ,,nostrum to his preparation4 ,every medicine that is prepared by a secret process1 and sold for the private advantage of an individual1 is properly designated a ,,nostrum4 ,and ,i am at a loss to discover any feature in the present case that can entitle it to be considered as an exception to this general rule2 but perhaps ,mr4 ,battley is inclined to be hypercritical1 and as the preparation is not indebted to him1 but to ,wedelius or ,le ,mort1 for its origin1 is prepared to exclaim with the ,roman ,poet3 8,qu non fecimus ipsi vix ea ,,nostra ,,voco40 ,mr4 ,battley also complains bitterly of my having inserted his preparation under so odious a motto as 8,arcana ,revelata ftent10 for my own part ,i cannot conceive any thing more appropriate to the case1 viz4 ,arcana1 these secret preparations1 revelata1 exposed to the air1 ftent1 grow ftid4 ,but1 notwithstanding the objections which ,i have thus felt it my duty to offer1 ,i am disposed to speak favourably of its mild and uniform effects1 and in justice to ,mr4 ,battley1 ,i will further state the same opinion has been formed by a great number of respectable practitioners4 ,the late ,mr4 ,haden1 who during his protracted illness took a large quantity of this preparation1 states1 in his ,translation of the ,formulary of ,dr4 ,majendie1 that it is devoid of exciting1 and almost of constipating1 properties4 ,he made a very good substitute1 8by macerating the dregs1 remaining after making tincture of opium1 in a solution of ,tartaric acid40 ,the preparation formed a tolerably deep tincture1 and #dj drops acted1 he thought1 in all respects1 like #bj of the liquor opii sedativus4 ,it neither stimulated1 nor produced costiveness4 ,footnote #eie3 ,,godbold',s ,,vegetable ,,balsam4 ,in the specification of the ,patent for this nostrum forty-two different vegetables are directed to be distilled 8for the purpose of extracting their essences1 which are to be preserved separately and apart from each other1 in syrups1 and are to be mixed with the following gums and drugs1 viz4 ,gum ,dragon1 ,gum ,guaiacum1 ,gum ,arabic1 and ,gum ,canada1 these being dissolved in double distilled vinegar1 with a quantity of ,storax dissolved in ,spirits of ,wine and ,oil of ,cinnamon4 ,it is to be bottled off1 and kept three years before it is fit to be administered for the ,,cure of ,consumption1 or any ,asthmatic ,complaint40 ,it is hardly necessary to observe1 that no such directions ever are1 or indeed ever could be followed2 in short the 8,,balsam0 is little else than simple oxymel4 ,it is1 however1 not a little curious that amongst the forty-two plants enumerated1 there should be several that would on distillation yield ,prussic acid1 such as the ,bays4 ,we wonder that this accidental circumstance has not been noticed1 and turned to account1 by some of those worthy disciples of ,esculapius who live by the credulity of mankind1 and1 as ,falstaff expresses it1 8,turn diseases to a commodity40 ,footnote #eif3 8,it is in this manner1 ,i apprehend1 that stimulating syrups will frequently remove hoarseness40 ,footnote #eig3 ,although it has been long known that the seeds of the poppy1 and the oil obtained from them by expression1 do not possess any of the narcotic properties of the plant1 and that they were even baked into cakes and used as an article of food by the ancients1 yet has there been in later times very considerable contention respecting the propriety and safety of using such oil4 ,the cultivation of the ,poppy for the sake of the oil of its seeds1 as an article of food1 has been long carried on in ,france1 ,brabant1 and ,germany2 and more recently in ,holland4 ,at about the beginning of the #agth century1 the opposition to this use of the ,poppy manifested itself in ,france1 and became so violent1 that the ,lieutenant ,general of the ,police of ,paris ordered the medical faculty of that city to make the strictest examination concerning this point1 and they accordingly reported that1 as there is nothing narcotic or prejudicial to health in the oil1 the use of it might be permitted4 ,but this decision was unsatisfactory2 and popular clamour determined the ,court to pass a decree in #agah1 prohibiting the sale of ,poppy ,oil1 whether mixed or unmixed6 ,the sale of the article1 however1 notwithstanding this most singular decree1 was clandestinely encouraged1 and it gradually increased until the year #agce1 when the ,court issued a severe decree1 enjoining the superintendent to mix a certain quantity of the extract of ,turpentine1 with every cask containing #aajj lbs4 of this oil1 of which no less than #bjjj casks were consumed in ,paris alone4 ,but the secret demand for it increased until #aggc1 when a ,society of ,agriculture undertook to examine the question1 and the result of their labours had the effect of reversing the prohibition1 and of convincing the multitude that their fears were entirely unfounded1 and that there was really no narcotic power1 nor any secret mischief in the article4 ,footnote #eih3 ,as these pills are liable to become hard and insoluble by being kept1 it is better to keep the ingredients in powder1 and to form them extemporaneously with a little syrup4 ,footnote #eii3 ,the ,pix ,arida of the late ,pharmacopia4 ,footnote #fjj3 ,tar water was also at one period celebrated as an antisiphylitic remedy4 ,m4 ,acharius1 in his work 8,on the ,use and advantages of ,tar ,water in ,venereal ,complaints10 enumerates the cases of a number of patients cured by this remedy alone in the ,hospital of ,stockholm1 without any ,mercury4 ,footnote #fja3 ,dr4 ,mudge in the year #aghb had recommended the fumigation of balsams1 in a pamphlet on the subject of his ,inhaler2 little or no notice however was taken of this recommendation1 a circumstance which cannot excite our surprise when we consider the extravagant terms in which the pretensions of the remedy were supported4 8,i believe10 says he1 8that much of the benefit which consumptive persons experience from sea voyages1 is derived from the tar vapour constantly present on board a ship60 ,a ,radical and ,expeditious ,cure for a recent ,catarrhous ,cough4 ,by ,j4 ,mudge1 ,plymouth1 #aghc4 ,footnote #fjb3 ,litharge4 ,the word is derived from 1 ,lapis1 a stone1 and 1 ,argentum1 ,silver2 from the fact of the lead being thrown off in this state during its application for the refinement of ,silver4 ,footnote #fjc3 ,that the oak cask imparts astringent matter to the contained spirit1 is shewn by the facts enumerated under the history of ,brandy1 see ,spiritus ,tenuior4 ,footnote #fjd3 ,sir ,george ,baker considered the dry-belly-ache1 which is common to drinkers of new ,rum1 in the ,west ,indies1 entirely referable to its contamination with ,lead4 ,footnote #fje3 ,see next ,note4 ,footnote #fjf3 ,i uniformly adopt this plan2 the acetic acid is the best guard that can be selected to protect the salt from decomposition2 even the ,tartrate of ,lead1 which is so insoluble in water1 forms with vinegar a soluble triple salt4 ,footnote #fjg3 ,,royal ,,preventive4--,this pretended prophylactic against venereal virus is a solution of ,acetate of ,lead4 ,footnote #fjh3 ,peroxide of ,potassium is produced by heating the metal in a considerable excess of oxygen4 ,it is an orange-coloured body1 which1 upon being put into water effervesces1 and gives off oxygen1 and is thus reduced to the state of protoxide4 ,footnote #fji3 ,potass forms the basis of many of those preparations1 sold as ,depilatories2 in some instances combined with ,lime4 ,,colley',s ,depilatory appears to consist of ,quick-lime1 and a portion of ,sulphuret of ,potass4 ,footnote #faj3 ,sal ,prunelle4 ,nitre1 when coloured purple like a plum1 has been long esteemed in ,germany as a powerful medicine1 under this name4 ,m4 ,chevreul supposes the urinous taste attributed to fixed alkaline bases not to belong to these substances1 but to the ammonia1 which is set at liberty by their action on the ammoniacal salts contained in the saliva2 the proofs of which1 he says1 may be derived from the facts that the sensation disappears upon pressing the nostrils2 and that the same odour is perceived when we smell to a mixture of recent saliva and fixed alkali1 made in a small glass or porcelain capsule4 7,see my work on ,medical ,chemistry1 #h47 ,footnote #faa3 ,see my 8,elements of ,medical ,chemistry10 p4 #aeg4 ,footnote #fab3 ,ibid4 p4 #fje4 ,footnote #fac3 ,i may take this opportunity to state that ,sulphuretted ,hydrogen1 in a state of simple solution1 or in combination with other bodies1 possesses considerable powers as a remedy in many cutaneous disorders of a chronic character4 ,the 8,gas-,water10 or that which remains after the gas1 used for illumination1 has passed through the purifier1 and which consists of ,hydro-,sulphuret and ,hydro-bi-,sulphuret of ,lime1 has been used with great success in such cases4 ,footnote #fad3 ,it may be termed a ,boro-tartrate4 ,footnote #fae3 ,,essential ,,salt ,,of ,,lemons4 ,the preparation sold under this name1 for the purpose of removing iron moulds from linen1 consists of cream of tartar1 and super-oxalate of potass1 or salt of sorrel1 in equal proportions4 ,footnote #faf3 ,see page #ahc4 ,footnote #fag3 ,his specification1 lodged in ,chancery1 is as follows4 8,take ,antimony1 calcine it with a continued protracted heat1 in a flat unglazed vessel1 adding to it from time to time1 a sufficient quantity of any animal oil and salt1 dephlegmated2 then boil it in melted nitre for a considerable time1 and separate the powder from the nitre by dissolving it in water40 ,,james',s ,,analeptic ,,pills4 ,these consist of ,james's powder1 gum ammoniacum1 and the pill of aloes with myrrh1 7,pil4 ,rufi7 equal parts1 with a sufficient quantity of the tincture of castor to make a mass4 ,footnote #fah3 ,in consequence of the antimonial powder having proved inert in the hands of ,dr4 ,elliotson1 although exhibited to the amount of a hundred grains for a dose1 ,mr4 ,phillips was induced to examine more particularly into the nature of the oxide which enters into its composition4 8,after the well established fact10 says he1 8that peroxide of antimony is nearly or totally inert1 it appears to me1 that if proof could be obtained1 that the oxide of antimony is in this state1 the deficiency of power in the ,pulvis ,antimonialis would be accounted for40 ,he then proceeds to detail his experiments1 from which he deduces the composition of this preparation to be as follows3 ,peroxide of ,antimony #ce ,phosphate of ,lime #fe ------ #ajj which exist together in a simple state of mixture4 ,until the subject be elucidated by farther experiments1 it will be difficult for the chemist to persuade the physician1 that he can never have derived any benefit from the exhibition of ,antimonial ,powder1 although ,i am by no means inclined to concede to it that extraordinary degree of virtue1 which many practitioners are so eager to maintain4 ,footnote #fai3 ,this plant is esteemed by the ,american ,indians as a universal remedy1 and is always carried about with them4 ,the members of the profession have doubtless heard of an irregular practitioner1 who has persuaded a certain number of persons in this metropolis1 that he possesses remedies1 obtained from the ,american ,indians1 by which he is enabled to cure ,scrofula in its worst forms2 it is to this ,empiric that ,i alluded in the note at page #cc2 and it may be worthy of notice that the plant upon which he relies for success1 is the ,pyrola ,umbellata4 ,footnote #fbj3 ,philosophical ,transactions1 #agii4 ,footnote #fba3 ,,warner',s ,,cordial4 ,rhubarb bruised j2 ,senn ss2 ,saffron j2 ,powdered ,liquorice iv2 ,raisins pounded j2 ,brandy oiij2 digest for a week and strain4 ,,moseley',s ,,pills4 ,the stomachic ,pills which are sold under this name1 consist merely of ,rhubarb and ,ginger4 ,footnote #fbb3 ,dr4 ,rehman asserts that it is the root of the same species as that which produces the ,turkey variety1 but that it is prepared with less care4 ,footnote #fbc3 ,the seeds of this plant1 from which the oil is expressed1 are variegated with black and white streaks1 resembling in shape as well as colour1 the insect ,,ricinis or ,tick1 whence the name4 ,these seeds1 from the acrid juice in their skins1 are very drastic and emetic2 they were however used by ,,hippocrates4 ,,mathiolus attempted to correct their emetic quality by torrefaction1 but without success4 ,,gulielmus ,,piso proposed a tincture of them1 but the preparation is not only uncertain1 but unsafe in its operation4 ,see ,tiglii ,semina4 ,footnote #fbd3 ,for the derivation of the name ,castor oil1 see p4 #ci4 ,footnote #fbe3 ,the sugar cane is called in ,arabic ,lukseb4 ,the produce of it1 ,assakur1 hence ,sugar4 ,some authors have attempted to derive the word from ,succus a juice2 this is obviously an error4 ,footnote #fbf3 ,for this purpose it may be added to certain ointments to prevent their becoming rancid4 ,for the reasons1 however1 above stated1 it must not be boiled with the ingredients1 but added after they are cold4 ,footnote #fbg3 ,in those districts where ,soap is generally made from wood ashes1 or from ,russian or ,american potass1 unless ,salt were added in large quantities1 it would not have any consistence4 ,as ,kelp and common ,barilla contain a sufficient quantity of it1 no further addition is required4 ,footnote #fbh3 ,,transparent ,,soap is made by carefully evaporating the alcoholic solution4 ,the solution itself is sold under the name of ,,shaving ,,liquid1 or 8,,essence ,,royale ,,pour ,,faire ,,la ,,barbe40 ,footnote #fbi3 ,when a solution of soap and sub-acetate of lead are added together1 the potass of the former combines with the acetic acid of the latter1 and the fat and oxyd of lead are disengaged2 the one rising to the surface1 while the other is precipitated2 and yet notwithstanding this complete decomposition1 some surgeons are in the habit of using an application which consists of a drachm of the ,liquor ,plumbi ,sub-,acetatis1 and two ounces of the ,linimentum ,saponis6 ,we cannot have any hesitation in deciding upon the inefficacy of such a mixture4 ,footnote #fcj3 ,,godfrey',s ,,cordial4 ,the following receipt for this nostrum was obtained from a wholesale druggist1 who makes and sells many hundred dozen bottles in the course of a year4 ,there are however several other formul for its preparation1 but they are not essentially different4 ,infuse ix of ,sassafras1 and of the seeds of ,carraway1 ,coriander1 and ,anise1 of each j1 in six pints of water1 simmer the mixture until it is reduced to four pints2 then add vj of ,treacle1 and boil the whole for a few minutes2 when it is cold1 add fiij of the tincture of ,opium4 ,the extensive and indiscriminate use of this nostrum in the nursery1 is a subject of national opprobrium1 and is so considered by foreign writers4 ,see ,fodr1 ,medicine ,legale1 vol4 iv4 p4 #bb4 ,footnote #fca3 ,m4 ,virey says1 8,on observe que des acides chtrent1 pour ainsi parler1 tout l'energie de la ,scammone40 ,footnote #fcb3 ,,count ,,warwick',s ,,powder4 ,the purgative long known and esteemed under this name1 consisted of ,scammony1 ,oxide of ,antimony1 and ,cream of ,tartar4 ,it is much extolled by ,baglivi1 and by ,van-,swieten1 as an efficacious purgative in intermittent fevers4 ,footnote #fcc3 ,the ,english physicians do not do justice to this valuable article4 ,in this country it enjoys a high and deserved reputation4 ,as a remedy in ,croup it has long been esteemed as one of our most efficient resources1 and more recently it has been very warmly recommended as a powerful emmenagogue4 ,in ,croup1 it should not be given until after the use of venesection and other evacuants4 ,it may then be administered in the form of decoction1 prepared from half an ounce of the bruised root boiled in eight ounces of water down to four4 ,of this a tea spoonful is to be taken every hour or half hour as circumstances may require4 ,when used as an emmenagogue1 the decoction is to be prepared by simmering in a close vessel j of the bruised root in a pint of boiling water1 until it is reduced about one third--of this four ounces are to be taken daily1 and to be increased as far as the stomach will bear1 at the menstrual period4 ,ed4 ,footnote #fcd3 ,it enters into the composition of ,stoughton's ,elixir1 for which see ,gentian ,radix4 ,footnote #fce3 ,it is for this reason that the cake left after expression is so much more pungent than the seeds1 for the fixed oil can be easily separated by pressure4 ,footnote #fcf3 ,,whitehead',s ,,essence ,,of ,,mustard4--,this consists of oil of turpentine1 camphor1 and a portion of spirit of rosemary2 to which is added a small quantity of flour of mustard4 ,,whitehead',s ,,essence ,,of ,,mustard ,,pills4--,balsam of ,tolu1 with resin6 ,,ready ,,made ,,mustard4--,this is made up with currant wine1 and sugar2 formerly ,must1 or grape juice1 was employed for this purpose1 whence the name ,mustard4 ,footnote #fcg3 ,this term is also applied to the ,sub-carbonate of ,ammonia4 ,the objection to its use depends upon the solecism which it involves2 the division of an atom1 which1 according to chemical principles1 is indivisible2 but this objection may be answered by stating1 that the term is one merely of convenience1 and serves to express the proportions of the acid and its base4 ,the chemical difficulty is at once solved by multiplying each by two1 which will make the proportions as #c to #b4 instead of #a to #a4 ,footnote #fch3 ,,sodaic ,,powders4--,contained in two distinct papers1 one of which is blue1 the other white2 that in the former consists of ss of the carbonate of soda1 that in the latter of grs4 xxv of tartaric acid4 ,these powders require half a pint of water4 ,it is very evident that a solution of these powders is by no means similar to 8,soda ,water10 which it is intended to emulate2 for in this latter preparation1 the soda is in combination only with carbonic acid2 whereas the solution of the 8,sodaic ,powders0 is that of a neutral salt1 with a portion of fixed air diffused through it4 ,,patent ,,seidlitz ,,powders4--,these consist of two different powders2 the one1 contained in a white paper1 consists of ij of ,tartarized ,soda1 and ij of ,carbonate of ,soda2 that in the blue paper1 of grs4 xxxv of tartaric acid4 ,the contents of the white paper are to be dissolved in half a pint of spring water1 to which those of the blue paper are to be added2 the draught is to be taken in a state of effervescence4 ,the acid being in excess renders it more grateful1 and no less efficacious as a purgative4 ,this preparation cannot be said to bear any other resemblance to the mineral water of ,seidlitz1 than in being purgative4 ,the water of this spring1 which was discovered by ,hoffman about a century ago1 contains ,sulphate of ,magnesia as its active ingredient1 together with ,muriate of ,magnesia1 and ,sulphate1 and ,carbonate of ,lime4 ,in the ,codex ,medicamentarius of ,paris there are two formul for the preparation of a water which may resemble that of ,seidlitz1 the one differing from the other merely in the proportion of its ,sulphate of ,magnesia4 ,footnote #fci3 ,our ,english ,salt is generally thus contaminated2 for which reason it is unfit for the curing of several kinds of fish2 this will not appear strange1 says ,mr4 ,parkes1 when it is considered that merely its own weight of water is all that is necessary for the complete solution of muriate of magnesia2 a circumstance which renders it impossible to preserve such salt for any length of time in a dry state4 ,this muriate however might be separated from common salt1 on a large scale1 for one shilling per cwt4 ,by exposing the salt to a gentle heat in reverberatory furnaces1 the muriatic acid of the magnesian muriate will fly off1 and the magnesia 7on a subsequent solution of the salt7 will be precipitated4 ,it is well known that muriate of magnesia begins to part with its acid at a temperature a little higher than that of boiling water4 ,footnote #fdj3 ,the annual quantity of salt raised from the ,salt ,mines and ,springs in ,europe1 is estimated at from #be to #cj millions of cwt4 ,footnote #fda3 ,the respect paid to ,salt amongst ,eastern nations is very remarkable1 and may be traced to the highest antiquity4 ,homer gives to it the epithet of 1 ,il4 ix4 p4 #bad4 ,footnote #fdb3 ,in addition to the numerous instances cited by these authors1 ,i may here introduce one which has been just communicated to me by my friend ,mr4 ,john ,taylor1 the agent of the ,london ,company for working the ,real del ,monte ,silver ,mines in ,mexico4 ,he states that the ore1 which consists of the ,sulphuret of ,silver1 is1 together with ,mercury1 amassed in heaps with iron pyrites and common salt2 and that such is the greediness of the ,mules employed in the works for the ,salt1 that they are constantly licking the materials2 the consequence is that a portion of the ,silver ,amalgam is introduced into their stomachs2 the animals1 however1 suffer no inconvenience2 but1 after death1 on opening their stomachs1 it is not unusual to find considerable masses of ,silver1 the mercury having escaped1 or been dissolved by the gastric juice4 ,footnote #fdc3 ,the celebrated ,indian ,tonic for ,dyspepsia and ,gout1 called ,bit laban1 is prepared by fusing together muriate of soda and some other ingredients4 ,see ,dr4 ,fleming's ,catalogue of ,indian ,medicinal plants and drugs1 p4 #ed1 #ee4 ,footnote #fdd3 ,i have myself witnessed the bad effects of a diet of unsalted fish2 and in my examination before a ,committee of the ,house of ,commons in #ahah1 appointed 8for the purpose of inquiring into the laws respecting the ,salt ,duties10 ,i stated the great injury which the poorer classes in many districts sustained in their health1 from an inability to procure this essential article4 ,lord ,somerville 7in his address to the ,board of ,agriculture7 gave an interesting account of the effects of a punishment which formerly existed in ,holland4 8,the ancient laws of the country ordained men to be kept on bread alone1 ,,unmixed ,,with ,,salt1 as the ,,severest punishment that could be inflicted upon them in their moist climate2 the effect was horrible3 these wretched criminals are said to have been ,,devoured ,,by ,,worms1 engendered in their own stomachs40 ,,salt was an object of taxation at a very early period in this country2 ,ancus ,martius1 #fdj years before our era #8,salinarum ,vectigal instituit4' ,this tribute was continued on the ,britons when our ,isle was possessed by the ,romans1 who worked the ,droitwich ,mines1 and who made salt part of their soldiers ,salarium1 or salary4 ,hence the custom at the ,eton ,montem of asking for salt4 ,the great advantages which must ultimately accrue to this nation in its fisheries1 agriculture1 manufactures1 and commerce1 from a late remission of the odious and impolitic tax upon salt1 are incalculable4 ,the government of ,france appears to have been as impolitic with regard to this tax as the ,english4 ,buonaparte abolished the collection of turnpike dues2 and imposed a tax on salt1 payable at the ,salt-pans1 in its stead4 ,it is not perhaps generally known1 that by the aid of this tax he was enabled to complete the grand entrance into ,italy1 over the ,simplon2 so that it may be fairly observed1 that if ,,hannibal was enabled to cross the ,alps by the aid of ,,vinegar--,,buonaparte1 by the assistance of ,,salt1 succeeded in constructing a public road over the same mountains4 ,footnote #fde3 ,,cheltenham ,,salts4--,a factitious compound has been long vended1 as a popular purgative1 under this name2 it is formed by triturating together the following salts4 ,sulphate of ,soda1 grs4 #abj4 ,sulphate of ,magnesia1 grs4 #ff4 ,muriate of ,soda1 #aj4 ,sulphate of ,iron1 gr4 4 ,as a purgative it is very efficacious1 and superior probably to that which is actually obtained by the evaporation of the ,cheltenham water itself2 for notwithstanding the high pretensions with which this latter salt has been publicly announced1 it will be found to be little else than common ,glauber's ,salt4 ,this fact has been confirmed by the experiments of ,mr4 ,richard ,phillips1 7,annals of ,philosophy1 ,no4 lxi17 who observes1 that the 8,,real ,,cheltenham ,,salts contain no chalybeate property1 but are merely sulphate of soda1 mixed with a minute quantity of soda1 and a very small portion of common salt40 ,it could not be imagined that the salt should contain oxide of iron even in a state of mixture1 much less in combination1 for carbonate of iron is readily decomposed by ebullition1 and the oxide of iron is precipitated before the salt can be crystallized4 ,a preparation1 under the name of ,thomson's ,cheltenham ,salts1 is accordingly manufactured in ,london1 by evaporating a solution consisting of sulphate of soda and sub-carbonate of soda4 8,,efflorescence ,,of ,,real ,,cheltenham ,,salts40 ,the preceding salt deprived of its water of crystallization4 8,,efflorescence ,,of ,,real ,,magnesian ,,cheltenham ,,salts10 ,,made ,,from ,,the ,,waters ,,of ,,the ,,chalybeate ,,magnesian ,,spa4 ,this is asserted to be a sub-sulphate from nature1 which combines both a pure and a sub-sulphated magnesia in its composition2 8but10 says ,mr4 ,phillips1 8neither nature nor art has ever produced such a combination2 in truth1 it consists of ,epsom ,salt1 with small portions of magnesia1 and muriate of magnesia or muriate of soda40 ,,murio-,,sulphate ,,of ,,magnesia ,,and ,,iron4 ,the preparation thus named by ,mr4 ,thomson1 was found by ,mr4 ,phillips to consist of ,epsom ,salt1 deprived of part of its water of crystallization1 and discoloured by a little rust of iron1 and containing a small portion of muriate of magnesia4 ,thus it appears1 that not one of these preparations is similar to the water which is drank at the ,spa2 in order to remedy this difficulty1 ,mr4 ,thomson prepared the 8,,original ,,combined ,,cheltenham ,,salts10 by evaporating the waters to dryness3 but a very small share of chemical penetration is required to satisfy us that no process of this description can remedy the defect described1 for as ,mr4 ,phillips has observed1 the chalybeate properties of the water must be essentially altered by such an operation4 ,footnote #fdf3 ,,hungary ,,water4 ,aqua ,regin ,hungari4 ,this article1 when genuine1 is a pure spirit distilled from the ,rosemary1 and is strongly scented with the rich perfume of that aromatic plant4 ,footnote #fdg3 ,i apprehend that the peculiar flavour of ,cogniac depends upon the presence of an thereal spirit1 formed by the action of ,tartaric or perhaps ,acetic acid upon ,alcohol2 it is on this account that ,nitric ther1 when added to ,malt spirits1 gives them the flavour of ,french ,brandy4 ,the same flavour is also successfully obtained by distilling ,british spirits over wine lees1 or by distilling a spirit obtained from ,raisin ,wine1 which has become acescent4 ,in new brandy there also appears to be an uncombined acid1 giving to it a peculiar taste and quality1 which are lost by age4 ,this explains the reason why the addition of five or six drops of 8liquor ammoni10 to each bottle of new brandy1 will impart to it the qualities of that of the oldest date4 ,footnote #fdh3 ,,taylor',s ,,red ,,bottle1 commonly called the ,whitworth ,doctor4 ,british ,brandy coloured with ,cochineal1 and flavoured with oil of ,origanum4 ,footnote #fdi3 ,mr4 ,parkes1 in his ,chemical ,essays1 has the following remark3 8an ingenious friend assures me that if new rum be exposed for a night to a severe frost1 and then removed to a heated room1 and thus alternately treated for a week or two1 it will in that short time have acquired a flavour equal to fine old spirits40 ,the mischievous effects of new rum1 as drank in the ,west ,indies1 would seem to depend upon the presence of ,lead2 see ,plumbi ,acetas4 ,footnote #fej3 ,mock ,arrack4 ,the author of #8,apicius ,redivivus1' directs1 for the purpose of making a mock ,arrack1 that two scruples of ,benzoic acid be added to every quart of ,rum4 ,by a receipt of this kind the celebrated ,punch of ,vauxhall is prepared4 ,footnote #fea3 ,the famous ,helvetian ,styptic1 described in page #hc1 depended wholly on this accidental contamination for its colour1 and it was no small mortification to our chemists1 when this nostrum was first introduced amongst us1 that they could not prepare it with our own spirits1 but were obliged to be at the expense of true ,french ,brandy4 ,our own ,spirits1 although equally coloured1 would never produce a violet tincture2 at length1 however1 the mystery was discovered1 and the gall nut imparted to the tincture that characteristic colour which was so long considered essential to its efficacy2 but the discovery threw discredit upon the nostrum1 and it fell into disuse4 ,footnote #feb3 ,if any additional argument were necessary1 we might repeat1 that ,arsenic in its metallic state is not poisonous4 ,as it is almost impossible to reduce metallic arsenic to a state of powder1 without its becoming oxidized1 ,m4 ,renault had recourse to its alloys for deciding the question2 and he found that ,mispickel 7an alloy of iron and arsenic17 when given to the extent of two drachms1 had no apparent effect2 this result agrees with the conclusion of ,bayen in his work on ,tin1 and proves that the arsenic which may be contained in that metal cannot produce any medicinal effect1 as it exists in its metallic state4 ,recherches ,chimiques sur l',etain1 par ,bayen et ,charlard1 #agha4 ,footnote #fec3 ,,guy',s ,,powder ,,or ,,ethiopia4 ,this once celebrated remedy consisted of pure rasped ,tin1 ,mercury1 and ,sublimed ,sulphur1 triturated together4 ,,blaine',s ,,powder ,,for ,,the ,,distemper ,,in ,,dogs4 ,the basis of this nostrum is the ,aurum ,musivum1 or ,sulphuret of ,tin1 and which has been said to be more efficacious in cases of ,tnia than the simple metal4 ,,mathieu',s ,,vermifuge was indebted to ,tin for its efficacy1 see ,filicis ,radix4 ,footnote #fed3 ,,sulphur ,,lozenges4 ,sublimed ,sulphur one part1 sugar eight parts1 ,tragacanth mucilage q4 s4 used in ,asthma1 and in ,hmorrhoids4 ,footnote #fee3 ,sugar1 perfectly free from the extractive matter with which it exists in combination in nature1 and which constitutes that compound to which the name of ,sweet ,principle has been given1 will not1 however diluted1 undergo any kind of fermentation2 for it is the presence of this peculiar extractive matter1 the natural leaven of fruits1 that enables it to undergo that process2 since1 however1 all clayed sugars1 or modifications of sugar which are short of perfect purity1 still contain a small proportion of this extractive1 they are capable of fermenting1 when sufficiently dilute2 ,dr4 ,maccullough1 in his essay on the art of making wine1 observes1 that by the addition of a very small quantity of the ,sulphite of ,potass1 the fermentation of syrups and preserves may be effectually prevented2 he states also1 that the same object may generally be attained by the use of ,oxy-muriate of ,potass1 a salt absolutely tasteless1 and easily procured4 ,footnote #fef3 ,the ,damask ,rose1 ,rosa ,centifolia1 of which this ,syrup is composed1 was imported into this country by ,linacre1 on his return from ,italy4 ,footnote #feg3 ,,major ,,cochrane',s ,,cough ,,medicine4 ,white poppy heads without seeds1 are made into a decoction1 which is strained1 and boiled again with vinegar and brown sugar1 until it assumes the consistence of syrup1 which is then acidified by elixir of vitriol4 ,footnote #feh3 ,it would appear that there are two principles of activity in ,tobacco1 an essential oil1 and nicotin1 either of which are1 individually1 capable of producing death1 but by a very different physiological action1 the former by its effects on the brain1 the latter by its influence on the heart6 ,see page #acb4 ,footnote #fei3 ,it seems very probable that the 8juice of cursed hebenon10 by which1 according to ,shakespeare1 the king of ,denmark was poisoned1 was no other than the essential oil of ,tobacco3-- ----8,sleeping within mine orchard1 ,my custom always of the afternoon1 ,upon my secure hour thy uncle stole1 ,with juice of cursed hebenon in a vial1 ,and in the porches of mine ears1 did pour ,the leperous distilment40 ,in the first place1 the learned commentator ,dr4 ,grey1 observes that the word here used 7hebenon71 was more probably designated by a metathesis1 either of the poet or transcriber1 for henebon1 i4 e4 henbane4 ,now it appears from ,gerarde1 that 8tabaco0 was commonly called henbane of ,peru1 7hyoscyamus ,peruvianus17 and when we consider how high the public prejudice ran against this herb in the reign of ,james1 it seems very likely that ,shakespeare should have selected it1 as an agent of extraordinary malignity4 ,no preparation of the hyoscyamus1 with which we are acquainted1 would produce death by application to the ear1 whereas the essential oil of ,tobacco would1 without doubt1 occasion a fatal issue4 ,the term distilment has also called forth a remark from ,steevens1 which is calculated to support this conjecture2 surely1 says he1 this expression signifies1 that the preparation was the result of a distillation4 ,footnote #ffj3 ,see 8,an ,essay on the means of lessening ,pain1 and facilitating certain ,cases of difficult parturition1 by ,w4 ,p4 ,dewes1 ,m4,d4 #ahjf4 also ,med4 ,journ4 vol4 xviii40 ,footnote #ffa3 ,,cephalic ,,snuff4 ,the basis of this errhine is powdered ,asarum1 diluted with some vegetable powder4 ,footnote #ffb3 ,tamarind1 from ,timmer a ,date1 and ,hend ,india1 ,timmerhend1 i4 e4 ,date of ,india4 ,footnote #ffc3 ,various substances have been proposed at different times as substitutes for ,coffee4 ,in the 8,fourth ,century of ,observations0 in the 8,miscellanea ,curiosa10 we find a critical dissertation on the 7,cahve7 ,coffee of the ,arabians2 and on ,european ,coffee1 or such as may be prepared from grain or pulse4 ,dillenius gives the result of his own preparations made with ,pease1 ,beans1 and ,kidney ,beans1 but says that that made from ,rye comes the nearest to true ,coffee1 and was with difficulty distinguished from it4 ,this fact is curious1 in as much as a spurious ,coffee has been lately vended1 which is nothing more than roasted ,rye4 ,the article is well known by the name of 8,,hunt',s ,,conomical ,,breakfast ,,powder40 ,footnote #ffd3 ,see 8,some account of the ,medicinal and other ,uses of various ,substances prepared from ,trees of the genus ,pinus1 by ,w4 ,g4 ,,maton1 ,m4,d4 c4 being a ,supplement to ,mr4 ,lambert's splendid work on that genus40 ,footnote #ffe3 ,the of ,theophrastus 7lib4 #c4 c4 #c47 and ,dioscorides2 7lib4 #a1 c4 #gf7 from which the word ,terebinthus seems to have been derived4 ,footnote #fff3 ,the term ,balsam is very improperly applied to this substance1 since it contains no ,benzoic ,acid4 ,footnote #ffg3 ,the product of the ,amyris ,gileadensis1 and probably the ,balsamum ,judaicum1 ,syriacum e ,mecca1 ,opobalsamum1 c4 of the older writers4 ,footnote #ffh3 ,a fluid extract1 prepared by decoction from the twigs of this species of ,fir1 is the well known ,essence of ,spruce1 which1 when fermented with melasses1 forms the popular beverage1 called 8,spruce ,beer10 7,cerevisia ,pini ,laricis47 ,,true ,,riga ,,balsam1 ,beaume de ,carpathes1 from the shoots of the ,pinas ,cembra1 previously bruised1 and macerated for a month in water4 ,this same fir also affords ,,brian,,on ,,turpentine4 ,,hungarian ,,balsam4--,a spontaneous exudation from the ,p4 ,pumilio1 or ,mugho ,pine4 ,footnote #ffi3 ,lib4 #af1 c4 #aj4 ,footnote #fgj3 ,prax4 ,med4 ,lib4 #ad4 c4 #a4 ,footnote #fga3 ,,starkey',s ,,soap4 ,this compound is effected by a long and tedious trituration of alkali and oil of turpentine4 ,footnote #fgb3 ,this case was occasioned by a violent whirling of the body in a frolic6 the circumstances attending it are so interesting1 that ,i shall take an opportunity of submitting the details to the profession4 ,see ,dr4 ,yeat's work on ,hydrocephalus4 ,footnote #fgc3 ,see 8,a ,memoir on the employment of ,terebinthinous ,remedies in ,disease1 by ,james ,copland1 ,m4,d40 in the ,medical and ,physical ,journal for #ahba1 p4 #ahe4 ,footnote #fgd3 ,kaauw de ,persp4 ,n4 #dcj4 ,footnote #fge3 ,,the ,,guestonian ,,embrocation ,,for ,,rheumatism4 4 ,ol4 ,terebinth3 fiss--,ol3 ,oliv3 fiss--,acid3 ,sulph4 dilut3 fiij4 ,footnote #fgf3 ,,scouring ,,drops4 ,the peculiar odour which distinguishes oil of turpentine1 may be destroyed by the addition of a few drops of some fragrant volatile oil1 as that of lemons3 a combination of this kind is commonly sold under the name of ,scouring ,drops1 for the purpose of removing paint1 oil1 or grease from cloth4 ,footnote #fgg3 ,,dutch1 or ,,haerlem ,,drops4 ,the basis of this nostrum consists of the residue of this redistillation1 which is a thick1 red1 resinous matter1 to which the name of ,balsam of ,turpentine has been given2 a preparation1 however1 is frequently vended as 8,dutch ,drops10 which is a mixture of oil of turpentine1 tincture of guaiacum1 spirit of nitric ether1 with small portions of the oils of amber and cloves4 ,serapion1 the younger1 one of the earlier ,arabian writers on the ,materia ,medica1 describes them as bearing some analogy to 8,pine nuts40 ,footnote #fgh3 ,the reader will find an account of the ,botanical ,literature of this plant1 by ,j4 ,frost1 ,director of the ,medico-,botanical ,society1 in the #agth volume of the ,medical ,repository1 p4 #dfa4 ,footnote #fgi3 ,rumphius1 7,herb3 ,amboinense7 in speaking of the ,grana ,molucca1 observes that women who are desirous of getting rid of their husbands1 give them four grains at one dose4 ,footnote #fhj3 ,see ,ainslie's ,materia ,medica of ,hindostan4 ,footnote #fha3 ,i state this fact on the authority of a communication made by order of the ,court of ,directors of the ,east ,india ,company1 to the ,college of ,physicians1 enclosing the extract of a letter from ,mr4 ,conwell4 ,footnote #fhb3 ,journal of ,science and ,arts4 ,no4 xxvi4 ,footnote #fhc3 ,i understand that to the ,veterinary ,surgeon this oil has proved an article of great utility1 as it uniformly purges the horse1 and may be employed1 for that purpose1 in those cases in which ,aloes would be inadmissible4 ,footnote #fhd3 ,in making such a tincture we should employ a fluid-drachm of ,rectified ,spirit1 to two drops of the oil4 ,they should be digested for some time and then filtered4 ,with all the care that can be used1 a certain portion of the spirit will be evaporated1 and half a fluid-drachm of the tincture may be thus considered as nearly equivalent to a drop and a half of the oil4 ,footnote #fhe3 ,the object of this preliminary step is to saturate the alcohol with a fixed oil1 that it may not dissolve any portion of that in the ,tiglium1 and thus confuse the results4 ,the quantity of fixed oil which alcohol is capable of dissolving is extremely small1 and will not in the least degree injure the alcoholic solution for subsequent medicinal use4 ,footnote #fhf3 ,the change of colour which ,guaiacum undergoes by admixture with other bodies1 not only affords a test by which we may appreciate its purity1 but at the same time it becomes a reagent by which we may assay the virtues of other vegetable substances4 ,according to the experiments of ,m4 ,taddey and ,rudolphi1 it appears that ,,guaiacum in powder1 is an excellent test for vegetable gluten1 forming with it a fine blue colour1 whence it affords the means of determining the quality of wheat flour4 ,from the experiments of ,m4 ,planche1 it moreover appears that there is a series of vegetable roots which1 when fresh1 are capable of producing a blue colour1 if introduced into an alcoholic solution of ,guaiacum3 so that we may hereafter be furnished with a chemical test that will at once appreciate their freshness1 which is undoubtedly one of the greatest desiderata of pharmaceutical science4 ,a communication has appeared from ,mr4 ,a4 ,t4 ,thomson1 in which he proposes ,guaiacum as a test for the freshness of ,colchicum4 ,i have1 however1 never been able to succeed with it1 to my satisfaction4 ,footnote #fhg3 ,,hudson',s ,,preservative ,,for ,,the ,,teeth ,,and ,,gums4 ,equal parts of ,tincture of ,myrrh1 ,tincture of ,bark1 and ,cinnamon water1 to which are added ,arquebusade and ,gum ,arabic4 ,,greenough',s ,,tincture ,,for ,,the ,,teeth4 ,the following receipt is given on the authority of ,mr4 ,gray4 ,of ,bitter ,almonds1 #b oz4 ,brazil ,wood and ,cassia ,buds1 equal parts1 half an ounce2 root of the ,florentine ,iris1 #b dr43 of ,cochineal1 ,salt of ,sorrel1 and ,alum1 equal parts1 one drachm2 ,rectified ,spirit1 #b pints2 ,spirit of ,horse ,radish1 half an ounce4 ,,ruspini',s ,,tincture ,,for ,,the ,,teeth4 ,this consists of the root of the ,florentine ,iris1 eight ounces2 ,cloves1 one ounce2 ,rectified ,spirit1 two pints2 ,ambergris1 one scruple4 ,footnote #fhh3 ,from lenio1 to assuage pain4 ,footnote #fhi3 ,,matthew',s ,,injection4 ,this once celebrated remedy for ,fistula in ,ano1 was nothing more than a diluted ,tincture of ,cantharides4 ,footnote #fij3 ,,solomon',s ,,balm ,,of ,,gilead4 ,an aromatic tincture1 of which ,cardamoms form a leading ingredient1 made with brandy4 ,some practitioners have asserted that ,cantharides enter its composition4 ,footnote #fia3 ,,daffy',s ,,elixir4 ,this is the ,tinctura ,senn ,composita1 with the substitution of treacle for sugar candy1 and the addition of aniseeds and elecampane root4 ,different kinds of this nostrum are sold under the names of ,,dicky',s ,,daffy1 and ,,swinton',s ,,daffy2 but they differ merely in some subordinate minuti1 or unimportant additions4 ,footnote #fib3 ,the following remarks1 with which ,i have lately been favoured by ,dr4 ,davy1 appear interesting4 8,in the few cases which ,i have tried this remedy for the retention of urine1 ,i have seen no good effects produced1 until it excited nausea4 ,for this purpose ,i have found it advantageous to give it in a little tepid water3 upon chemical examination ,i could not discover that it ever passed off by the urine2 the fces1 however1 are uniformly coloured black by it1 whence ,i conclude it must be evacuated through the bowels4 ,in order to prevent its tendency to constipate the bowels1 ,i have found it necessary to give some aperient1 as castor oil1 speedily after its exhibition40 ,may not this latter circumstance explain the reason of his not having detected it in the urine8 7,see p4 #ie47 ,footnote #fic3 ,,de ,,la ,,motte',s ,,golden ,,drops4 ,an thereal solution of ,iron4 ,footnote #fid3 ,it has1 for this reason1 been substituted for oak bark in the tanning of leather4 ,footnote #fie3 ,,british ,,herb ,,tobacco4 ,the basis of which is ,coltsfoot2 this appears to have had a very ancient origin1 for the same plant was smoaked through a reed in the days of ,dioscorides1 for the purpose of promoting expectoration1 and was called by him 1 from 1 tussis1 whence ,tussilago4 ,,essence ,,of ,,coltsfoot4 ,for an account of this nostrum1 see page #cad4 ,footnote #fif3 ,in the first edition of this work1 ,i stated the probability of the ,veratrum being the active ingredient of the ,,eau ,,medicinale1 and1 upon the authority of ,mr4 ,james ,moore1 ,i inserted a formula for its preparation2 subsequent enquiry1 however1 has shewn the fallacy of this opinion2 but the fact of the medicinal efficacy of the ,veratrum1 when combined with opium1 in the cure of gout1 remains incontrovertible4 ,one of the two ,sweating ,powders of ,,ward was a combination of the ,veratrum and ,opium1 it is certainly a very singular coincidence1 that recent experiments should have shewn that the active principle of colchicum is identical with that which gives efficacy to the hellebore1 viz4 ,gallate of ,veratria4 ,the fact itself offers a striking instance of medical experience having anticipated the discoveries of chemistry1 while it affords a powerful case in support of the arguments which ,i have urged in the first part of this work1 p4 #ee4 ,footnote #fig3 ,,edinburgh ,,ointment4 ,the principal ingredients of which are the ,white ,hellebore and ,muriate of ,ammonia4 ,footnote #fih3 ,for an account of which the reader is referred to a most ingenious and interesting ,essay by ,dr4 ,macculloch1 entitled 8,remarks on the ,art of making ,wine1 with suggestions for the application of its principles to the improvement of ,domestic ,wines40 ,footnote #fii3 ,this may also explain why bitters1 under certain circumstances1 have been found to counteract the effects of wine1 as in the instance of the 8,poculum ,absinthiatum10 of which the ancients entertained so high an opinion4 ,see page #fh4 ,footnote #gjj3 8,resinata bibis vina1 ,falerna fugis4--,martial40 ,pliny 7lib3 #ad4 c4 #ad47 mentions a ,wine under the name of ,myrrhina1 which was so called on account of its being impregnated with ,myrrh4 ,this custom explains the origin and meaning of the ,thyrsus of ,bacchus1 which appears to have been a spear entwined with leaves or a fillet1 and surmounted with a ,fir cone2 thus1 ,illustration ,footnote #gja3 ,see ,dioscorides1 lib4 #e1 c4 #ce1 #cf1 #cg1 #ch1 #ci4 ,footnote #gjb3 ,an interesting and highly embellished work upon the subject of ,wines1 has lately been published by ,dr4 ,henderson4 ,footnote #gjc3 8,o ,nata mecum consule ,manlio40--,od3 xxi4 ,lib3 #c4 ,the ,odes of ,horace abound with manifestations of the same taste1 thus1 8,i pete---- ,et ,cadum ,marsi memorem duelli40--,od3 xiv4 ,lib3 #c4 ,here ,horace sends his ,slave for a cask of the wine on which the ,marian war was recorded1 and which must therefore have been sixty-eight years old4 ,in ode xxviii4 book #c1 we find him calling for 8,bibuli ,consulis amphoram40 ,now as the poet was born in the ,consulate of ,manlius1 as above stated1 which happened ,a4 ,u4 ,c4 #fhh1 and ,bibulus was ,consul in #fid1 the wine must have been hoarded from the time ,horace was six years of age4 ,wine however might1 according to the opinion of our ,poet1 be too old2 he terms wine of this description 8,languidiora ,vina10 and ,plautus compares old wine which has lost its relish and strength1 to a man who has lost his teeth by age1 8,vinum vetustate edentulum40 ,nestor's wine was eleven years old4 ,od4 4 #cij4 ,the ,romans had their wine cellars at the top of their houses2 thus ,horace1 8descende ,corvino jubente40 ,the object of such an arrangement was that the wine might ripen sooner by the smoke1 for their fires were made in the middle of their rooms1 with an opening above to let out the smoke1 which is described as rolling to the top of the house1 in the ,eleventh ,ode of the ,fourth ,book4 8,rotantes vertice fumum40 ,footnote #gjd3 ,from the noxious effects which some persons experience from potations of ,champagne1 it has been conjectured that this wine must possess some narcotic principle like that which exists in many species of ,fungi4 ,this1 however1 is extremely improbable4 ,footnote #gje3 signifies dry4 ,this is a curious coincidence4 ,footnote #gjf3 ,the ,sack of ,shakespeare was probably ,sherry2 a conjecture which receives additional strength from the following passage4 ,falstaff4--8,you rogue1 here's lime in this ,sack too3 ,there is nothing but roguery to be found in villainous man3 yet a coward is worse than a cup of sack with lime in it2 a villainous coward40 ,huldrick ,van ,speagle1 in his 8,famous ,historie of most ,drinks01 says 8,sack is no hippocrite1 for any man who knows what an ,anagram is will confesse that it is contained within the litteral letters and limmits of its own name1 which is to say4 ,,cask1 i4 e4 ,sack40 ,see ,taylor's ,translation of the 8,work of the painful and industrious ,huldricke ,van ,speagle1 a grammatical ,brewer of ,lubeck4 ,a4,d4 #afcg40 ,footnote #gjg3 ,expose equal parts of sulphur and powdered oyster shells to a white heat for fifteen minutes1 and when cold1 add an equal quantity of cream of tartar2 these are to be put into a strong bottle with common water to boil for an hour2 and the solution is afterwards to be decanted into ounce phials1 adding #bj drops of muriatic acid to each4 ,this liquor will precipitate the least quantity of lead from wines in a very sensible black precipitate4 ,as iron might be accidentally contained in the wine1 the muriatic acid is added to prevent its precipitation4 ,footnote #gjh3 ,lead will not only correct the acidity of wines1 but remove the rancidity of oils3 a property which is well known to ,painters1 and which affords an expedient for making an inferior oil pass for a good one4 ,footnote #gji3 ,the quantity of rectified spirit and water ordered will be found on admixture to produce a spirit nearly of the above strength4 ,footnote #gaj3 ,,ward',s ,,red ,,drop4 ,a strong vinous solution of ,tartarized ,antimony4 ,footnote #gaa3 ,,ford',s ,,laudanum4 ,this is similar to the ,vinum ,opii of the present ,pharmacopia4 ,footnote #gab3 ,laudanum4 ,paracelsus first bestowed the term ,laudanum upon a preparation of ,opium1 a ,,laudata ejus efficacia1 ,,laudatum medicamentum4 ,footnote #gac3 ,according to the experiments of ,m4 ,vogel1 ,annales de ,chimie1 7t4 lxiv4 p4 #bbj7 this ointment is nothing more than metallic mercury mixed with grease1 the division of which has been carried to such an extent as to impart a blackish colour to the mixture4 ,footnote #gad3 ,it is to be hoped that a quantity of the ointment will be prepared according to these views1 and be submitted to a more extended series of experiments4 ,the oxide may be procured by decomposing ,calomel by a solution of pure potass1 or by pouring a solution of the nitrate of mercury into a caustic alkaline solution2 this oxide should be at first triturated with a little lard1 in the cold1 to make the penetration complete1 taking care that the lard be quite free from common salt1 or else ,calomel will be the ultimate result3 the mixture is then to be submitted to the action of heat1 and it is very important to attend to the necessary temperature1 for at #bab the oxide and lard will not unite1 at #fjj the oxide will be decomposed and the mercury volatilized1 at #ejj and #djj the oxide is partially decomposed1 some red oxide being formed and mercury reduced2 the proper temperature is between #cjj and #cbj1 at which it should be maintained for an hour1 and the ointment should be stirred until cold4 ,footnote #gae3 ,four ounces1 troy1 of mercurial ointment1 prepared six months before1 were kept at #bab1 when it separated into two distinct strata1 viz4 the upper one which was light grey1 and extremely active as a medicine1 and the under one1 which upon being triturated with magnesia1 yielded a large proportion of metallic mercury1 and which was not found to possess any activity4 ,footnote #gaf3 ,whenever it is our object to direct the mercurial impression to any particular organ1 we should if possible rouse its excitability by some specific stimulus4 ,an exception1 however1 to this doctrine would seem to offer itself in the fact1 that children at the period of dentition are not readily salivated2 a priori1 we should have certainly supposed that a predisposition to a flux of saliva would have produced a contrary effect4 ,as it is1 we can only conclude that those organs are not disposed to take on any action that may be incompatible with1 or adverse to1 that of dentition4 ,footnote #gag3 ,the ,unguentum ,werholfii1 so long celebrated on the ,continent1 was a combination of this kind4 ,footnote #gah3 ,basilicon1 i4 e4 the ,royal ,ointment4 ,,bailey',s ,,itch ,,ointment4 ,this is a very complicated combination2 containing ,nitre1 ,alum1 ,sulphate of ,zinc1 and ,cinnabar1 made into an ointment with ,olive oil and ,lard1 and perfumed with the essential oils of ,anise ,seeds1 ,origanum1 and ,lavender2 and coloured with ,alkanet root4 ,the ,indians use an ointment in inveterate itch1 which is said to prove very successful1 and consists of finely powdered ,cocculus ,indicus mixed with a little warm ,castor oil4 ,footnote #gai3 ,i have been lately informed by a practical chemist1 that he has occasionally found his hydrogen1 when produced by zinc and dilute acid1 to contain a portion of ,arsenuretted hydrogen2 a fact which confirms the assertion of ,roloff4 ,footnote #gbj3 ,the various quack remedies advertised for the cure of the hooping cough are either ,opiates1 or medicines composed of sulphate of zinc4 ,the nostrum1 sold under the name of ,anti-pertussis1 contains this metallic salt as its principal ingredient4 ,footnote #gba3 ,,oxley',s ,,concentrated ,,essence ,,of ,,jamaica ,,ginger4--,a mere solution of ,ginger in ,rectified spirit4 ,,ginger ,,beer ,,powders4--,white sugar1 j ij1 ginger grs4 v4 sub-carbonate of soda grs4 xxvj1 in blue paper4 ,tartaric acid grs4 xxx1 in each white paper4 ,these proportions are directed for half a pint of water4 ,,ginger ,,beer4--,the following is the receipt by which this popular beverage is prepared4 ,take of lump sugar half a pound2 of cream of tartar half an ounce2 ,bruised ,ginger an ounce2 boiling water one gallon4 ,ferment for twenty-four hours with yeast4 ,,preserved ,,ginger4--,that from ,india is almost transparent1 while that manufactured in ,europe is always opaque and fibrous4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,transcriber',s ,,notes #a4 ,p4 ix1 changed 8notorius ,quack ,medicines0 to 8notorious ,quack ,medicines04 #b4 ,p4 #ba1 changed 8antisyphylitic powers0 to 8antisyphilitic powers04 #c4 ,p4 #bh1 changed 8,ipecacuhan had been imported0 to 8,ipecacuan had been imported04 #d4 ,p4 #hb1 changed 8absosolute and relative remedies0 to 8absolute and relative remedies04 #e4 ,p4 #agd1 changed 8mucus of the uretha0 to 8mucus of the urethra04 #f4 ,p4 #ahi1 changed 8erysipelatous efflorence0 to 8erysipelatous efflorescence04 #g4 ,p4 #bgi1 changed 8brused seeds0 to 8bruised seeds04 #h4 ,p4 #bih1 changed 8,desgrangs 7,recueil ,period3 de la ,societ0 to 8,desgranges 7,recueil ,period3 de la ,socit04 #i4 ,p4 #cjb1 changed 8alkaline phospate0 to 8alkaline phosphate04 #aj4 ,p4 #cjg1 8#ajjj1jjj0 is unchanged from the original4 #aa4 ,p4 #caa1 changed 8,myroxylon ,pruiferum0 to 8,myroxylon ,peruiferum04 #ab4 ,p4 #cbi1 8,sp4 ,grav4 #idcc0 is grossly overstated4 #ac4 ,p4 #ccc1 changed 8opothecary at ,annecy0 to 8apothecary at ,annecy04 #ad4 ,p4 #chf1 changed 8forms of ,desentery0 to 8forms of ,dysentery04 #ae4 ,p4 #cih1 changed 8tatarized antimony0 to 8tartarized antimony04 #af4 ,p4 #djc1 changed 8when administed0 to 8when administered04 #ag4 ,p4 #dad1 changed 8,saturine applications0 to 8,saturnine applications04 #ah4 ,p4 #dcd1 split the three part footnote with three anchors into three distinct footnotes4 #ai4 ,p4 #ded1 changed 8iron1 and maganese0 to 8iron1 and manganese04 #bj4 ,p4 #dfg1 changed 8suphate of zinc0 to 8sulphate of zinc04 #ba4 ,p4 #dgf1 changed 8hexaedral prisms0 to 8hexahedral prisms04 #bb4 ,table of ,contents added by transcriber4 #bc4 ,silently corrected punctuation errors and variations in spelling4 #bd4 ,archaic1 non-standard1 and uncertain spellings retained as printed4 #be4 ,footnotes were re-indexed using numbers and collected together at the end of the last chapter4 #bf4 ,enclosed italics font in underscores4 #bg4 ,enclosed bold font in equals4 #bh4 ,superscripts are denoted by a caret before a single superscript character or a series of superscripted characters enclosed in curly braces1 e4g4 ,mr4 or ,mister4