Lectures on the American eclectic system of surgery / by Benjamin L. Hill.

  • Hill, B. L. (Benjamin L.)
Date:
1850
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Lectures on the American eclectic system of surgery / by Benjamin L. Hill. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, Lamar Soutter Library, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Lamar Soutter Library at the University of Massachusetts Medical School.

    650/684 (page 644)
    G44 ^^^ REiMEDIES. EXTRACTS FROM A PAPER BY WM. S. MERRILL, A. M. (Read hy request before the Eclectic Medical Convention.) * * * * The most important class of these now agents is the Picsinoids. We call them Resinoids, that is. as the word imports, resem- bling resins. Ljie the pure resins they are neutral in their chemical character, i. e, neither alkaline nor acid, so that they are not disposed to combine directly either with acids or alkalies, except with the latter iu the same manner as oils do, forming saponaceous compounds. They are, like resins, softened by heat, and when cold and dry, (unless combined with an oil as many are,) break with a vitreous fracture. Still they are not properly resins, for they are not perfectly lic^uified by heat alone, nor are they fully soluble in essential oils as the pure resins are. The process for procuring these is in theory very simple. It is in general to obtain a saturated alcoholic tincture of the root. To this add a large quantity of water, and distill off the alcohol. The watery men- struum holds in solution the gum, mucilage, extractive and most of the coloring matter, while the rcsinoid substance subsides, and is collected, washed and dried. Still the process requires in many points no little skill, and pharmaceutical experience for its success. '• The yield of these resinoids, from different roots, varies considerably as might be expected, but the average of these principles is from two to four per cent., or from half an oz. to one oz. from the pound of powdered root. * * * =i^ The names by which I have designated these resinoids is found fault with. Some contend that they should be denominated the Resin of Podo- phyllum, of Macrotys, of Iris, &c., while others claim for them no higher appellation than that of extracts, but both denying their right to the termi- nation of in or ine. Well, what is a name but an abbreviation to avoid the prolixity of a description of that which we wish to designate V In records of abstract science it may be well enough to designate a thing by a description of its chaiacter, but when that thing becomes one of commerce and daily use, convenience requires that it be indicated by a single word, or at least, by the fewest practicable. Now I claim to have as good a right to give names to things as any one else, especially if they are m_y own offspring. But I have not acted without authority.* * * * * For the sake of perspicuity, I propose this as the mode, in part, of naming the proximate principles of vegetables, viz: that the names of the alkaloids uniformly terminate in a, after the analogy of the alkalies and alkaline earths, soda, potassa, magnesia, &c. Thus we should have Quinia, Morphia, Strichaia, Vfratria, c^'c. But that the names of the resinous principles or resinoids, should be made to terminate in in, after the analogy of the generic substance, resin or rosin, and accordingly * With respect to the final c in these names, good aulhorities fliffer, some adding and others omitting it. [I am ghid to find this note by Mr. Merrill, inasmuch as the preceding Lectures may be noticed to differ from themselves. Having regard to the ingenious analogy suggested by Mr. M. and the good authority of his labels, I at first left out the final e, which I had before been in the habit of writing in these words ; but found too much difficulty in getting the printers to appreciate the differ- ence between podophylii« and podophyllum. As it is of some consequence that there should be a marked distinction in the sound as well as appearance of these two words, at least, I finally concluded to spell as well as pronounce p6do- phyllfne, and to retain the final vowel on the analogous words.]