The action of medicines in the system, or, On the mode in which therapeutic agents introduced into the stomache produce their peculiar effects on the animal economy : being the prize essay to which the Medical Society of London awarded the Fothergillian Gold Medal for MDCCCLII / by Frederick William Headland.

  • Headland, Frederick William.
Date:
1863
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The action of medicines in the system, or, On the mode in which therapeutic agents introduced into the stomache produce their peculiar effects on the animal economy : being the prize essay to which the Medical Society of London awarded the Fothergillian Gold Medal for MDCCCLII / by Frederick William Headland. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    action would be the depressing effect, and it is on the most prominent action that denominations such as these are usually based. But it is well urged by Dr. Thomson that in the case of true Sedatives there is no stimulant action whatever; and it is manifestly unreasonable to sup- pose that the depressing effect follows as a consequence on the primary stimulation, when the latter is so inconspicuous. At any rate such an arrangement as that of Dr. Murray can be of little practical utility in its original form. A man would be considered to be indulging in the wildest and most dangerous fancies who would run through the catalogue of Narcotics when he desired to produce a general stimulant effect. To this system it might further be objected, that Alteratives are agaia entirely omitted ; and that the class of Mechanical agents would seem to belong to the division of Irritants, included among Local Stimulants. Dr. Murray classes Refrigerants among Chemical reme- dies, for which, when I come to speak of Acids, I hope to show that there are good reasons. II. Opinions concerning the Local Tendency of Medi- cines, and Classifications founded upon this. Here another step is made in the explanation of the action of medicines. They are said to have particular tendencies to- wards certain parts of the body, over which parts they exert a peculiar and special influence. It is thought that we shall make an advance in our knowledge of the subject, if we can discover what these tendencies are. An arrangement of medi- cines may be made accordingly. It is certainly more scientific than a merely empirical arrangement; and it will be so far of use that it will enable us, when we wish to make an impres- sion on a certain organ or set of organs, to select those medi- cines which especially influence it or them. There is no doubt whatever of the existence of these local tendencies. There is no doubt that some medicines, such as Iodine, Bromine, Mer- cury and Iron, tend especially to affect the blood and the blood-making organs, as the liver and spleen, rather than to act on the nervous or glandular systems; that some tend particularly towards the nerves, and prefer individually diffe- rent parts of the nervous system, as Opium acts on the brain, 4