Domestic medicine. Or, A treatise on the prevention and cure of diseases, by regimen and simple medicines; with observations on sea-bathing, and the use of the mineral waters to which is annexed, a dispensatory for the use of private practitioners / From the 22d English ed., with considerable additions and notes.

  • Buchan, William, 1729-1805
Date:
1828
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Domestic medicine. Or, A treatise on the prevention and cure of diseases, by regimen and simple medicines; with observations on sea-bathing, and the use of the mineral waters to which is annexed, a dispensatory for the use of private practitioners / From the 22d English ed., with considerable additions and notes. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    516/542 (page 520)
    POULTICES. THROUGH some oversight, this article was omitted in the earlier editions, though it relates to a class of medicines by no means unimportant. Poultices are often bene- ficial, even in the most simple form ; but more so, when employed to retain more ac- tive medicines,—to keep them in contact with the skin,—and to fit it for their absorp- tion. Every nurse knows how to make a poultice. A poor woman who had received a very dangerous wound in the tendons of her thumb from a rusty nail, called upon'me some little time since. As her case properly belonged to the department of surgery, I advised her to apply to the hospital ; but the oflicial hirelings there refused to take her in, though | always understood that they were obliged to take in accidents. It seems, however, that some very confined meaning was annexed to this word by the surgeon on duty, and that he did not think the danger of a locked jaw to be an accident as deserving of his pity and immediate assistance, as a broken arm, or dislocated ancle.. The poor woman came back to me; and, as her situation became every moment more and more alarming, the pain and in- hand and arm a large poultice, with an ounce of Jaudanum sprinkled over it, and to renew the poultice twice a-day. This she did with so much success, that the thumb is now quite well, though the accident did not happen above three weeks ago. Alarming as the case was, [ had some reason to rely on the efficacy of the poultice, from a former trial somewhat similar. One of those girls, who are employed by book- binders in stitching the sheets, having wounded her finger with the three-edged needle used on such occasions, soon felt the pain shoot upwards with deadly tendency. I ordered her to apply the same sort’ of poultice with laudanum, which had the same happy effect. Both these patients made use of the Common Poultice ; but I prefer one made of linseed flour, which is more easily prepared, and keeps moist longer than any other. POWDERS. Tus is one of the most simple forms in which medicine can be administered. Many medicinal substances, however, cannot be reduced into powder, and others are too disagreeable to be taken in this form. The lighter powders may be mixed in any agreeable thin liquor, as tea or water-gruel. The more ponderous will require a more consistent vehicle, as syrup, conserve, jelly, or honey. Gums, and other substances, which are difficult to powder, should be pounded along with the drier ones ; but those which are too dry, especially aromatics, ought to be sprinkled during their pulveriza- tion with a few drops of any proper water. Aromatic powders are to be prepared only in small quantities at a time, and kept in glass vessels closely stopped. Indeed, no powders ought to be exposed to the air, or kept too long, otherwise their virtues will be in great measure destroyed. _ Astringent Powder.—Take of alum and Japan earth, each two drachms. Pound them together, and divide the whole into ten or twelve doses. In an immoderate flow of the menses, and other hemorrhages, one of these pow- ders may be taken every hour, or every half-hour, if the discharge be violent. Powder of Bole.--Take of Bole armenic, or French Bole, two ounces ; cinnamon, One ounce; tormentil root and gum arabic of each six drachms ; long pepper, one drachm. Let all these ingredients be reduced into a powder. This warm, glutinous, astringent powder is given in fluxes, and other disorders where medicines of that class are necessary, in the dose of a scruple, or half a drachm. If a drachm of opium be added, it will make the Powder of Bole with Opium, which is a medicine of considerable efficacy. It may be taken in the same quantity as the former, but not above twice or thrice a-day. Carminative Powder.—Take of coriander-seed, half an ounce; ginger, one drachm ; nutmegs, half a drachm ; fine sugar, a drachm anda half. Reduce them into powder for twelve doses, This powder is employed for expelling flatulencies arising from indigestion, particu- larly those to which hysteric and hypochondriac persons are so liable. It may like- wise be given in smal] quantities to children in their food, when troubled with gripes. Diuretic Powder.—Take of gum arabic four ounces ; purified nitre, one ounce. Pound them together, and divide the whole into twenty-four doses. During the first stage of the venereal disease, one of these cooling powders may be taken three times a-day, with considerable advantage. Aromatic Opening Powder.—Take the best Turkey rhubarb, cinnamon, and fine su- gar, each two drachms Let the ingredients be pounded, and afterwards mixed well