A dictionary of practical surgery: containing a complete exhibition of the present state of the principles and practice of surgery, collected from the best and most original sources of information, and illustrated by critical remarks (Volume 1).

  • Samuel Cooper
Date:
1810
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A dictionary of practical surgery: containing a complete exhibition of the present state of the principles and practice of surgery, collected from the best and most original sources of information, and illustrated by critical remarks (Volume 1). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    the globe of the eye itself; cases, which originate from violent anger, deep sor- row, fright, excessive fulness of the stomach, a foul state of this viscus, general plethora, or the same partial affection of the head, suppression of the menses, habitual bleedings from the nose, piles, &c. great loss of blood, nervous debility, not too inveterate, and in young subjects, are all, general- ly speaking, curable. Amaurosis is al- so, for the most part, remediable, when produced by convulsions, or the efforts of difficult parturition ; when it arises during the course, or towards the ter- mination of acute, or intermittent fe- vers ; and when periodical, coming on at intervals, such as every day, every three days, every month, &c. The accurate observers, Schmucker and Richter, have found, that the cura- ble imperfect amaurosis commonly de- pends on some disease, or irritation, existing in the gastric system, and, in some instances, complicated with gen- eral nervous debility, in which the eyes participate. Hence, the chief indica- tion, in the majority of cases, is to free the stomach and prima; viae from all ir- ritating matter, to strengthen the gas- tric organs, promote digestion, and re- animate the nervous system in general, and the nerves of the eye in particular. Emetics and internal resolvents an- swer the first purpose, and tartar emetic should be preferred to every pharmaceutical preparation. When af- terwards administered, in small re- peated doses, it also acts as a resol- vent remedy, which operation may be rendered stronger by joining it with gummy, saponaceous substances. Dissolve three grains of the antimo- nium tartarizatura, for an adult, in six ounces of water, and give a spoonful of tliis solution, every half hour, until nausea and copious vomiting are pro- duced. The next day exhibit some resolvent powders,, consisting of an ounce of cream of tartar, and one grain of tartar emetic, divided into six equal parts. The patient must take one of these in the morning, another four hours afterwards, and a third in the evening, for eight or ten days in suc- cession. This remedy will create a lit- tle nausea, a few more alvine evacua* tions, than usual, and, perhaps, in the course of a few days, vomiting. If the patient, during the use of these resol- vent powders, should make vain efforts bo vomit, complain of bitterness in his mouth, loss of appetite, and no renova- tion of sight, the emetic, as at first di- rected, is to be prescribed again. This is to be repeated a thud, and fourth time, should the morbid state of the gastric system, the bitter taste in the mouth, the tension of the hypochon- dria, the acid eructations, and the in- clination to vomit, make it necessary. The first emetic often produces only an evacuation of an aqueous fluid, blended with a little mucus ; but, if it be repeated, a few days after the resol- vent powders have been administered, it then occasions a discharge of a con- siderable quantity of a yellow, green- ish, matter, to the infinite relief of the stomach, head, and eyes. The stomach having been thus emp- tied, Schmucker's* or Richter's,| re- solvent pills are to be ordered. *R Gum.. Sagapen. ~\ Galban. Can. 2jj- Sap. Venet. j Rhei optim. Jiss. Tart. Emet. gr. xvi. Sue. liquerit 3jj bant pilula: gran, quinque. Three of these pills to be taken every morning and evening for a month, or six weeks. f]£ Gum. Ammoniac. 1 Ass. foetid. Sap. Venet. >aa Jij. Rad. Valer. s. p. I Summit. Amice J Tart. Emet. gr. xviij. fiant pilulae gran, quinque. Six to be taken thrice a day for several weeks. The pills are here directed to be made larger, than Schmucker and Richter order, that the number in one dose may be diminished. To prescribe 15 pills three times a day would seem absurd to the generality of patients in this couu- tTV.