A treatise of the materia medica and therapeutics (Volume 2).

  • John Eberle
Date:
1830
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise of the materia medica and therapeutics (Volume 2). 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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    can be so managed as to be given a short time before the paroxysm. Dr. Fothergill says, that in epilepsies that come on from the sudden influence of terror, or those which proceed from violent pain, as is sometimes the case in dysmenorrhoea, opium may be resorted to with much advantage.* It ought never, howe^'er, to be em- ployed where there are marks of strong congestion in the vessels of the head ; and Richter states expressly that it is wholly inapplicable to congenital cases, or such as depend on a hereditary predisposition.! In hysteria, the good effects of opium, as a palliative, are much less equivocal. During the paroxysm it may often be advantageously exhibited in combination with musk, valerian, aether, the volatile alkali, castor, asafoe- tida, &c. It is especially indicated where the patient suffers violent pains, as is frequently the case when the disease manifests itself chiefly in the abdominal viscera, or where the convulsions are violent and obstinate.:]: I recently saw a case attended with exceedingly violent convulsions. Bleeding, emetics, asafoetida, and aether were given in large doses, but all in vain. During the intermission of the convulsions she suffered excruciating pains in the abdomen. After the disease had continued for about six hours unmitigated, it was promptly arrest- ed by an enema containing ten grains of opium. Opium is said to be more efiicacious in spasmodic affections when given in union with sal tartari, than when used by itself.^ * Med. Observ. and Inquir. vol. vi. p. 80. I Specielle Therapie, vol. vii. p. 682. X Odier, Manuel de M6dicine-pratique, p. 202. § Bibliothek der Pract. Heilkunde, voi) C. HufeUnd and E. Osann.—June, 1822, p. 331.