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.)
96/504
![venting a return of the attack, most practitioners agree that the em- ployment of colchicum renders the system more predisposed to the disease, indeed, frequently gives rise to irregular or atonic gout. In acute rheumatism, the employment of colchicum requires the greatest caution, and indeed is very seldom admissable ; but in some of the chronic forms of the disease especially gouty rheumatism, it is often used in robust constitutions with benefit. Owing to its effect on the secretion of uric acid, it is employed with the best possible effect in diseases of the uninary orgaas in which oxalate of lime is present in the urine. Colchicum has been also employed as a cathartic and diuretic in dropsy, and as an antiphlogistic in febrile and inflammatory diseases ; but in the present day its use is almost entirely confined to gout and rheumatism. Dose and Mode of Administration.—In the administration of colchicum or any of its preparations, we should always begin with small doses and increase them very gradually, as no medicine varies more in its action on different persons, and besides the pharmaceutical preparations differ much in activity. It is seldom used in the form of powder, the dose is from gr. ij. to gr. viij.; the powder of the seeds should be preferred to that of the cormus, as being more uniform.— Acetum Colchici, [U. S.] D. L. E. (Fresh colchicum cormns, sliced, §i. [Colchicum root bruised, U. S.] ; distilled vinegar, fgxvj. ; proof spirit, f§i. [f§ss. U. S.]; macerate the colchicum in the vinegar for three days [seven days U. S.] in a covered glass vessel; press, strain, and set aside that the dregs may subside ; add the spirit to the clear liquor). This preparation is preferred by Scudamore to any other for gout; he recommends magnesia to be combined with it, to saturate the acid. It is, however, of very uncertain strength, in con- sequence of being frequently prepared with the dry bulb. Dose, f3ss. to f3ij-> frequently repeated.—JExtractum Colchici (cormi), L.— (Fresh colchicum cormus, ft»j.; bruise with a little water in a stone rnortar, press out the juice and evaporate it unstrained, to a proper consistence). Dose, gr. j., every three or four hours; not much used.—Extractum Colchici (cormi) aceticum, L. E. (Fresh colchi- cum cormus, Hbj. ; acetic (pyroligneous, E.) acid, f§iij-; bruise the cormus, gradually adding the acid, express the juice, and evaporate it in a porcelain vessel not glazed with lead, (over the vapour bath, E.), to a due consistence). Dose, gr. i. to gr. iij., two or three times a day. Made into pill with an equal quantity of extract of colocynth, it forms an excellent cathartic in gouty and rheumatic affections.— Oxymel Colchici (cormi), D. (Fresh colchicum bulb, cut into thin slices, §i. ; distilled vinegar, fgxvj. ; clarified honey, by weight Ibij.; macerate the colchicum with the vinegar in a glass vessel for two days, express strongly, strain, and add the honey : and boil down the mixture to the consistence of a syrup, frequently stirring with a wooden spatula). Dose, 3i-5 gradually increased to 5ij-, twice a day; not much used.—Tinctura Colchici (seminum), [U. S.J D. L. E. (Colchicumseeds, (bruised, L., ground finely in a coffee mill, E.), §ij. (§v., L. Wf\ proof spirit, fgxvi. (Oij., L. E.); macerate for 14 days and strain, D. L., to be prepared like tincture of cinchona, and perco- lation is much more convenient and speedy than digestion, E.). Dose, f3i. gradually increased to f5ij., twice daily.—'Tinctura Col- chici composita, L. (Colchicum seeds, bruised, §v. ; aromatic spirit](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21143602_0096.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
