Volume 1

Medical and miscellaneous observations relative to the West India Islands / by John Williamson, M.D., fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, formerly surgeon to the Caithness Highlanders, and late of Spanish Town, Jamaica.

  • Williamson, John (Surgeon)
Date:
1817
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical and miscellaneous observations relative to the West India Islands / by John Williamson, M.D., fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, formerly surgeon to the Caithness Highlanders, and late of Spanish Town, Jamaica. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by King’s College London. The original may be consulted at King’s College London.

    107/442 (page 79)
    is expedient, when they do occur, to take the most ef- fectual and speedy means to remove or destroy them. In cases of that month, an ipecacuhana vomit, follow- ed by a dose of calomel, combined with jalap or rhu- barb, and a little crab's-eyes, was useful as a laxative. After its operation, the course of cow-itch was prescrib- ed, a remedy of singular efficacy, acting on mechanical principles, by carrying numbers of spicul^e along the stomach and intestines, which bring the worms in con- tact with them, either destroying or discharging them by stool. Clusters have been removed by these means ; and it is an additional circumstance in its favour, that, clothed in syrup, its use is perfectly safe to the young- est infants. A course of worm medicine had been followed up, in which the cow-itch was administered early every second morning, fasting ; on the intermediate mornings, a des- sert spoonful of fine Florence oil was given. This course being continued five or six times, a full dose of calomel was prescribed, combined with laxative powder; tonic bitters were frequently ordered, and vermifuge remedies repeated, if the case still indicated any necessity for them. Slave-ships, from Africa, frequently arrived, and the negroes were exposed to sale soon after. Their miads were oppressed often by an apprehensign that they were brought for the purpose of being made food for the whites. It seemed strange that such an impression was not completely removed, by the pains-taking of the cap- tain, and those under his direction, before they arrived