Medicines, their uses and mode of administration : including a complete conspectus of the three British pharmacopoeias, an account of all the new remedies, and an appendix of formulae / by J. Moore Neligan.
- John Neligan
- Date:
- 1849
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Medicines, their uses and mode of administration : including a complete conspectus of the three British pharmacopoeias, an account of all the new remedies, and an appendix of formulae / by J. Moore Neligan. 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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![be detected by attending to the characters given above for the differ- ent varieties. Powdered Turkey or East India rhubarb, is very generally adulterated with British rhubarb ; the sophistication is difficult of detection, but the fresh powder of the finer sorts is always of a bright yellow colour. Therapeutical Effects.—Rhubarb acts upon the whole tract of the digestive canal as a mild tonic, cathartic, and astringent. In small doses, it manifests its tonic properties only, promoting the di- gestive process as indicated by increased appetite and an improvement in the quality of the alvine secretions. In full doses, it operates as a mild cathartic, stimulating to increased activity the muscular coat of the whole of the intestinal canal, more especially that of the duodenum, but scarcely, if at all, augmenting the secretions. Its astringent pro- perty is manifested after the cathartic action has ceased, constipation usually following its purgative effects. The combination of these pro- perties, as well as the safety and mildness of its operation, renders rhubarb a remedy of much value in many diseases. Thus in the treatment of the early stages of the diarrhoea of irritation, it is the most efficacious purgative we can employ ; it is also peculiarly adapted as a cathartic for infancy and childhood, and as a general laxative for persons with enfeebled digestion, and in all cases of debility of the digestive organs. For the same reason rhubarb is inadmissible in the treatment of febribe and inflammatory affections. Rhubarb is absorb- ed in the course of its operation, and its peculiar odour and yellow colouring matter may be recognised in the urine, in the sweat, in the serum of the blood, and in the milk of nurses, to the latter of which it parts a purgative property. Dose and Mode of Administration.—In powder, as a stomachic tonic, gr. v. to gr. x. ; as a cathartic, Bi. to 9ij. A few drops of the essent'ial oil of nutmegs rubbed up with powdered rhubarb mask its disagreeable odour.—Puhis Rhei compositus, E. (Magnesia, Ibi. ; ginger, in fine powder, §ij. ; rhubarb, in fine powder, §iv. ; mix thoroughly, and preserve in well closed bottles). A useful antacid purgative, commonly known as Gregory''s powder ; Dose, for children, gr. v. to gr. xij. ; for adults, 3ss. to 3i-—Extractum Rhei, D. L. (Rhubarb, bruised (powdered, L.), ibi. (§xv. L.) ; proof spirit, by measure ft)]. (Oj., L.) ; distilled water, by measure Ibvij. (Ovij., L.) ; macerate for four days (with a gentle heat, L.), filter, and allow the dregs to subside ; pour off the clear liquor and evaporate (when strained, L.) to a proper consistence).—E. (Rhubarb, flbj. ; water, Ov.; cut the rhubarb into small fragments, macerate for 24 hours in Oiij. of the water; filter through a cloth, express moderately ; macerate the residuum with the rest of the water for 12 hours, filter with the same cloth as before and express the residuum strongly. The liquors, again filtered if necessary, are then to be evaporated to a proper con- sistence in the vapour bath); Dose, gr. x. to 3ss.—Pilulce. Rhei, E. [U. S.] (Rhubarb, in fine powder, 9 parts ; acetate of potash, 1 part; conserve of red roses, 5 parts; beat into a proper mass). [Take of Rhubarb in powder, 3vj. ; Soap 3ij- Beat them into water into a mass, to be divided into 120 pills. U. S.] Dose, gr. v. to gr. xv.— Pilula Rhei composites, L. E. [U. S.] (Rhubarb, in fine powder, §j. (12 parts, E.) ; aloes, powdered, 3yj. (9 parts, E.); myrrh, powdered, |ss. (6 parts, E.) ; soap, 31- (6 parts, E.); (oil of caraway, f5ss., L. ;](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21143602_0117.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
