Medicines, their uses and mode of administration : including a complete conspectus of the three British pharmacopoeias, an account of all the new remedies, and appendix of formulae / by J. Moore Neligan ; with notes and additions, conforming it to the pharmacopoeia of the United States, and including all that is new or important in recent improvements by David Meredith Reese.

John Neligan

Date:: 1851

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 appendix of formulae / by J. Moore Neligan ; with notes and additions, conforming it to the pharmacopoeia of the United States, and including all that is new or important in recent improvements by David Meredith Reese. 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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C. P.—Black hellebore root contains a volatile oil, an acrid, vol- atile acid, and other unimportant substances. Both water and al- cohol extract its active properties, which probably depend on the volatile acid. Adulterations.—Various other roots are substituted for, or inter- mixed with, black hellebore root on the Continent, but, in conse- quence of the limited employment of the drug, the fraud is not practised in this country. The root should be constantly renewed, as it loses its medicinal properties by keeping. Th. E.—This substance is classed among the vegetable irritant poisons, but in medicinal doses it operates as a drastic cathartic ; and although little esteemed in modern practice, it Was highly pri- zed by the ancients, as a purgative in cerebral and nervous disor- ders, and in dropsy; it was also said to possess emmenagogue and anthelmintic properties. D. & M. of Adm.—In powder, gr. iij. to gr. xij. Tinctura Helle- bori, D. L. (Black hellebore root, in coarse powder (bruised, L.), giv. (§v., L.) ; proof spirit, by measure, ftij. (Oij., L.); macerate for 7 (14, L.) days, and strain.) Dose, f3i. to f3ij. Hydrargyrum cum creta, D. L. E. [and U. S. P.]—Mercury with chalk. P. P.—A grayish, heavy, insoluble powder; void of odour, but having an astringent, metallic taste. C. P.—According to the recent investigations of many celebra- ted chemists, this preparation appears to consist of metallic mercury in a state of minute division, suboxyde of mercury, and carbonate of lime, combined mechanically; but in what proportion the metal and oxyde exist has not yet been ascertained. On the addition of the stronger acids to the powder, effervescence takes place ; and by exposure to heat, the mercury is volatilized. Prep.—Dub. Take of purified mercury and manna, of each, two parts ; prepa- red chalk, one part; triturate the mercury and manna in an earthenware mortar, adding a few drops of water, to give the mass the consistence of sirup ; as soon as the globules disappear, add an eighth of the chalk ; all being well mixed, add 16 parts of water, agitate, and after resting, when the sediment falls, pour off the liquor ; let the washing be repeated again, and a third time, so as to remove all the manna; mix with the moist powder the rest of the chalk, and dry on blotting paper. Lond., Edin. Triturate together mercury, jiij., and prepared chalk, §v., till the globules disappear. In the Dublin formula, the manna is employed to effect the minute di- vision and oxydation of the mercury. Th. E.—A gentle cathartic and alterative, peculiarly adapted for infancy and childhood, promoting and improving the secretions of the liver, pancreas, and intestines. In combination with rhubarb, it is employed with much benefit in the diarrhoea of children when the stools are clay-coloured, and when there is acidity of the prima? vise. Prescribed with dry carbonate of soda, it is our most useful alterative in the cutaneous affections of infancy and child- hood. D. & M. of Adm.—In powder, gr. ij. to gr. v., for children ; it is seldom prescribed for adults ; the dose would be from gr. x. to 3ss. Incomp.—The mineral acids ; acetic acid ; alum : and all sul- phates.

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