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.

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    When flatulency is accompanied with costiveness, a tea-spoonful of this powder may be taken once or twice a-day, according to circumstances. Saline Laxative Powder.—Take of soluble tartar, and cream of tartar, each one drachm ; purified nitre, halfadrachm. Make them into a powder. In fevers and other inflammatory disorders, where it is necessary to keep the body repeated occasionally. Steel Powder.—Take filings of steel, and loaf sugar, of each two ounces; ginger In obstructions of the menses, and other cases where steel is proper, a tea-spoonful of this powder may be taken twice a-day, and washed down with a little wine and Sudorific Powder.—-Take purified nitre and vitriolated tartar, of each half an ounce : opium and ipecacuanha, of each one drachm. Mix the ingredients, and reduce them to a fine powder. This is generally known by the name of Dover’s Powder. It is a powerful sudorific. In obstinate rheumatisms, and other cases where it is necessary to excite a copious sweat, this powder may be administered in the dose of ascruple or half a drachm. Some patients will require two scruples. It ought to be accompanied with the plen- tiful use of some warm diluting liquor. Worm Powder.—Take of tin reduced into a fine powder, an ounce 3 ithiops min- eral, two drachms. Mix them well tegether, and divide the whole into six doses. One of these powders may be taken in a little syrup, honey, or treacle, twice a-day. After they have been all used, the following anthelmintic purge may be proper. Purging Worm Powder.—Take the powdered rhubarb, a scruple; scammony and calomel of each five grains. Rut them together in a mortar for one dose. For chil- dren, however, these doses must be lessened according to their age. If the powder of tin be given alone, its dose may be considerably increased. The late Dr. Alston gave it to the amount of two ounces in three days, and says, when thus administered, that it proves an egregious anthelmintic. He purged his patients both before they took the powder and afterwards. Powder for the Tape Worm.—Early in the morning the ‘Aa tee is to take in any liquid two or three drachms, according to his age and constitution, of the root of the male fern reduced into a fine powder. About two hours afterwards, he is to take of edlomel and resin of scammony, each ten grains; gum gamboge, six grains. These ingredients must be finely powdered and given in a little syrup, honey, treacle, or any thing that is most agreeable to the patient. He is then to walk gently about, now and then drinking a dish of weak green tea, till the worm is pasged. If the powder of the ey produces nausea or sickness, it may be removed by sucking the juice of an orange or lemon. This medicine, which had been long kept a secret abroad for the cure of the tape- worm, was some time ago purchased by the French king, and made public for the ben- efit of mankind. Not having had an opportunity of trying it, I can say nothing from experience concerning its efficacy. It seems, however, from its ingredients, to be an active medicine, and ought to be taken with care. The dose here prescribed is suffi- cient for the strongest patient; it must, therefore, be reduced according to the age and constitution. ; SYRUPS. SYRUPs were some time ago looked upon as medicines of considerable value. They are at present, however, regarded chiefly as vehicles for medicines of greater efficacy, and are used for sweetening draughts, juleps, or mixtures ; and for reducing the light- er powders into boluses, pills, and electuaries. As all these purposes may be answer- ed by the simple syrup alone, there is little occasion for any other ; especially as they are seldom found but in a state of fermentation ; and as the dose of any medicine giv- en in this form is very uncertain. Persons who serve the public must keep whatever their customers cal] for; but, to the private practitioner, nine-tenths of the syrups usually kept in the shops are unnecessary. Simple Syrup--Is made by dissolving in water, either with or without heat, about double its weight of fine sugar. 3 aks... If twenty-five drops of laudanum be added to an ounce of the simple syrup, !t will supply the place of diacodium, or the syrup of poppies, and will be found a more safe and certain medicine. ; The lubricating virtues of the syrup of marshmallows may likewise be supplind, by adding to the common syrup a sufficient quantity of mucilage of gum arabic.