V2t 5 &-> m / F MEDICINE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE NATIONAL lllnii 1 1VNOI1VN 3NOI03W JO A 8V««II 1VNOI1VN 3NI3IQ3W JOAJH 1 1VNOI1VN 3 N I 3 I 0 3 W JO t««lllt 1 V NO I 1 V N 3 N I 3 10 3 W JO IK F MEDICINE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE NATIONAL L I IIII OF MEDICINE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE NATIONAL LIBRA HI IVNOIIVN 3NI3IQ3W JO A » V a a I 1 IVNOIIVN 3NI3I03W JO A II V dr V'3J/.; * THE EXPERIENCED BOTANIST OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN BEING A NEW SYSTEM OP PRACTICE POUNDED ON 1* A description of medicinal plants—their proper. ties, &c. and the method of preparing and using them 2. A treaties on the causes symptoms and cure of dis- eases incident to the human frame ; with a safe and sovereign mode of treatment. FOB THE TJSE 01? JAMILIES AMD PKACTITIOSSHS. By J. W. Cooper Experienced Botanist or Indian Physician. Printed bj Casas & Scorr, Ebensbuxg» Pa. 1333. C777e WESTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, TO "WIT; BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the 31st. day of January Anno Domini, 18S3, J. \V. Cooper, of the said District, hath deposited in this Office the title of a Book, the title of which is in the words following, to wit: The Experienced Botanist or Indian Physician being a new system of practice founded on Botany. , 1. A description of medicinal plants their properties Etc, and the method of preparing and using them. 2 A treatise on the causes symptoms and cure of dis- eases incident to the Human frame, with a safe and sov- ereign mode of treatment. For the u9e of families and practitioners, by J. W. Cooper Experienced botanist, or Indian Physician. The right whereof he claims as Author, ift conformi- ty with an act of Congress, entiled "An act to amend the several acts respecting copy-rights. E. J. ROBERTS. Clerk of the Western District of Pennsylvania. PREFACE Ever since the introduction of moral evil into the world^jnan has been a subject of misery and dis- ease ; for sickness, pain and death are the very fruits of sin. All have sinned and have come short of the glory of God, inasmuch, that every subject of sin is more, or less a subject of disease. That the present privileged system of medicine, with all its modern improvements, is, in theory still imperfect, and in practice often productive of disas- trous consequences, I need not here revive the complaint of the thousands and the tens of thousands who after having suffered many things from phys- icians and having spent all their living upon them were nothing bettered, but rather grew worse. I have he^rd the widely extended complaints of hu« w PREFACE. man sufferers, smarting under the hand of/cystem- atic cruelty, wasting away by poison administered as medicine and pining in despair, when the last penny has gone as a fee to rich practitioners. In view of such facts did I conceive no desire to pro- duce a reform, I should be unwoit.. v the name of a man. On the other hand when I observe the means of health scattered so profusely around us, in almost eveiy field and forest, placed as ;t were within the reach of every hand that will deign to accept it; it is natural to wish that the kind efforts of nature be seconded, that her gifts be received and applied to useful purposes. I believe the public welfare requires a better system than has hereto- fore appeared. A system more simple in its princi- ples and details, more agreeable to common sense, better adopted to popular apprehensions and wants^ in order that such as need most the kind relief of charity, may not suffer from most authorised oppres- sion. Were people generally aware of the enormous disproportion, between the expenses of medicine and medical services, and the price of other articles, PREFACS. V were they apprised of the adulteration and other impositions practiced in the importation of foreign drugs?, there would be one united voice against the use of such drugs, against encouraging such ser- vices. Does it reflect honor on that kind Provi- dence, who supplies the wants of all creatures, to suppose that the science of health, in which every child of Adam is so deeply concerned, must ne- cessarily bet he exclusive privilege of a few ; that it should be locked up in an unknown language, or merged in a mass of learned lumber, requiring an age of study to explore ai:d apply its principlea to useful purposes 1 A reference to the Aborigi- nes of our country is sufficient to refute such doc trine. Is it credible that diseases peculiar to our climate and our country can find no remedies nearer than Foreign countries 1 Is it creditable that the thousands of vegetables that beautify and perfume our fields and groves have no valuable use in rela- Uon to the health and comfort of man? A belief in the wisdom of the Creator, who does nothing in t. PREFACE. vain, must lead us to a different conclusion. In fact the more the medical properties of vegetables have boen explored the more they have been found to furnish supplies for the nourishment and health of the animated part of Creation. Exotic vegeta- bles may perhaps prove useful, especially if natural- ized by cultivation in our own soil, in our own cli- mate, but it is at least probable, if not certain, that our own native plants arc abundantly sufficient to answer all the medical demands of our country; and ought not every man so to value his own health and the gifts of Providence for preserving and restoring health, as to make this a part of his study?— Has it not occurred even to physicians of the learned order, that every man may and ought, at a proper age, and to a certain extent, to be- come his own physician ? This cannot be ques- tioned, when we consider how much depends on diet, temperance and exercise; and may I not be allowed to suggest that every woman, every mother especially ought to be a physician as well as nurse in her own family! Surely those char- PREFACE. vjj itable ladies whose plans of beneficence go be- yond mere theory; who have hands capable of doing good, as well as minds for devising good, will not find their feelings revolt at my sugges- tion. Many I know act on this plan already and to better effect than the most scientific prac- titioner; and to their own families at least they become emphatically beloved physcians. While in the enjoyment of health the reader may think a work of this description is of but lit- tle importance; but let him be confined to the bed of sickness, and he will esteem it as one of the greatest treasures of the kind, that ever had a place in his family desk. EXTRACT from the writings of the Rev. John Wesley. The healing art was first brought into use in a very natural and simple manner. In the earli- es t age of the world mankind, by various experi- Vllt PREFACE. ments or accidents; discovered that certain plants, roots and barks possessed medicinal properties. These were found sufficient to remove their dis- eases. The application of these remedies waa plain and easy; but in process of time many be- gan to make a profession of medicine, and to strip it of its simplicity; they began to enquire into the operations of such remedies, why and they preformed sjich cures. They examined the human frame, and all its parts, the nature of the flesh, ar- teries, nerves, the structure of the brain, heart, lungs , stomach , bowels &c, with the springs of the several animal functions. They explored the several kinds of animal and mineral, as well as vegetable substances, and hence the whole order of phys'c was subverted and founded upon hypothesis. They formed the- ories of diseases and their cures, and substituted these in place of experiments. As theories increased simple medicines won* more and more disregarded and disused, till iu the FREFACR. a course of years the greater part of them were forgotten, at least in the more polite nations. In the room of these abundance of new ones were in- troduced by reasoning specula tive men, and those more and more difficult to be applied, as being more remote from common observation. Hence rules for the application of these, and me- dical books were immediately multiplied, till at length physic became an abstruse science, quite out of the reach of ordinary men. Physicians now began to be held in admiration as persons who were something more than human; And profit attended their employ as well as honour, so that they had now two weighty reasons for keeping the bulk of man- kind at a distance, that they might not pry into the mysteries of their profession. To this end they in- creased those difficulties by design which were in a manner by accident. They filled their writings with abundance of technical terms, utterly unin- telligible to plain men. They affected to deliver their rules and to reason upon them, in an ab" X PHEFACE. struse and philosophical manner, they represented the critical knowledge of anatomy, natural philos- ophy (and what not,) some of them insisting on that of astronomy and astrology too, as necessary previous to the understanding the art of healing. Those who undersootd only how to restore th^ sick to health, they branded with the name of Empiricks. They introduced into practice abun- dance of compound medicines , consisting of so many ingredients that it was scarce possible for common people to know which it was that wrought a cure. Abundance of exotics, neither the nature or names of which their own countrymen under- stood ; of chemicals, such as they neither had skill, nor fortune, nor time to prepare yea and; of dangerous ones, such as they could not use without hazarding life, but by the advice of a physician. And thus both their honour and gain were secu- red, and a vast majority of mankind being utterly ^ut off from helping either themselves or their PREFACE. XI neighbors or once daring to attempt it. Yet there has not been wanting from time to time, some lovers of mankind who have en- deavoured (even contrary to their own interest) to reduce physic to its ancient standard; who have labored to explode out of it all hypothesis and fine spun theories, and to make it a plain in- telligible thing, as it was in the beginning, hav- ing no more mystery in it than this—such a me- dicine removes such a pain. These have demonstrably shown, that neither the knowledge of astrology, astronomy, natural philosophy, nor even anatomy itself is absolute- ly necessary to the quick and effectual cure of most diseases, incident to the human body, nor yet any chemical, exotic or compound medicine, but a simple plant or root duly applied; so that any man of common sense (in ordinary cases) may prescribe to himself or hisneighbor,and may be very secure from doing harm, even where hecan do no good. Even to the last age, there was something of this kind done, particularly by Dr. Sydenham. XU PRKFACH- And in the present, by his pupil Dr. Dover, who has pointed out simple medicines for many diseases. And some such may bo found in the writ- ings of the learned and ingenious Dr. Chcyne who doubtless would have communicated many more to the world, but for the melancholy reason lie gave one of his friends, that pressed him with some passages in his works which too much coun- tenanced the modern practice. " Oh , sir, we must do something to oblige the faculty or they will tear us in pieces!" PULMONARY CONSUMPTION % CURED. One of the most astonishing cases of pulmon- ary consumption on record was lately cured *in this county. My wife was severely afflicted with the pulmonary consumption for twelve years, and for three years and six months she was not a- ble to be out of her bed, requiring a nurse all that time. » I had applied to seven doctors ; they all failed and thought it impossible to cure her. She pined away to nothing but the appearance of skin and bones; all hopes for her recovery were despaired of by all who had seen hor, which were not a few. Hearing of Dr. J. W. Cooper, Indian Physici- XTl PREFACE. Adam Fockler, Stephen Snow, John L, Heyser, Mrs. Ann Cotney. We do hereby certify, that Patrick Handling was so severely cramped from taking a vomit of tartar emetic, that he was not able to move hand or foot, nor received a bit of solid food for nine days; all that time suffering the most excruciating pain. We took him on the township and^employed Dr. J. W. Cooper, Physician. He cured him in two weeks and four days. William Fields, William Barnett. • Overseers of the Poor. Johnstown Nov. 30th, 1832. We hereby certify, that we employed Dr. J* W. Cooper ,Physician for the poor of Conemaugh township, during the summer of 1832. He had diseases of various kinds and of the most danger. ous character to treat. He performed perfect cures on them all. William Fields, William Barnett Overseers of the Poor. PREFACE. XT11 We the citizens of Johnstown, do certify, that Dr. J. W. Cooper's compound pills have proved effectual in all cases of Ague and Fever within our knowledge. J. M' Mullen, M. D. Peter Levergood, William Barnett, Adam Fockler, Michael M'Gran, Shepley Priestley, Thomas Laird, ' Benjamin Haynes, Allen Rose, Jacob Dritt, J. K. Buckman, John L. Heyser, Samuel Douglass, Robert Lockard, William Huber, J. C. M'Gill, George W. Kern, William Larden, Thomas Fream, Lewis Fream, Robert Barnett, Peter Mineely, Joseph Burgoon,jr. John Hamilton, Henry Sutton, Wm Tombinson, Robert Hamilton, Richard Treanor, Jacob Levergood, C. S. Pershing, John Mathews, Archibald Mathews, Costlow B. Thompson, William Graham, Joseph Berry, Hiram Craver? X^iVl PREFACE Jo'm O'Neill, Joseph Chamberhia. P. O'Neill, Phi:^ Muprhy, Johnstown, Nov. 14,1832 We do hsreby make known, that Dr. J. Vf. Cooper by his Indian mode of practice, for th» last seven mcnlhs, lost but three patients *Ait of ■oven or eight hundred case.-). A great portion of them was of the most dangerous character. William Fields, Joseph Burgoon, jiv L-.-.vi.--. Fream, William C. Hayes, ., Johnstown, Dec. 14, 1832. We do hereby certify, that a daughter of ours was severely affiicted for some time with the dis- ease of the liver and a swelling of the abdomen; we applied to a mercury D<;c'.or. He gave hor more mercury than would have salivated nine men, but all to no effect. TI13 gir) got worse. She ph> od away to nothing tut the appcaranco of skin and bones, ly theus9 of ths mercury. She beer ma stooped halt double, and her abdomen becnme hard aod mote »welh*i, ani of a blueiah colons. Aft PREFACE. Xl» hopes for her recovery were despaired of; but a} last we were persuaded to employ Dr. J. W* Coop- er. He gaw: her medicine, and in two weeks a small orifice opened near the navel and discharged corrupted matter, in such a degree that it spun clear across the room. The smell was zo bad that we could scarcely stay in the room. In the course of four months she had discharged four gallons of matter. Near the last of the discharge there carne small worms with the matter. She continu- ed to take medicine and in five months she waa perfectly well and straight. We have reason to thank God that we have the pleasure to give this true statement to the public. Thosias Cotney, axn cotney. Tunnel, near Johnstown, Nov. 3'J 1832 A* I do hereby certify, that I was severely afflict- ed with the disease of the liver for three years, and was most part of that time confined to bed I had applied to three Doctors and could not find XX PBBTACE. any relief. The last Doctor of the three said it was of no use to give me medicine, for I would never get out of my bed, until I was carried out a corpse. I then applied to Dr. J. W. Coo. per. He gave medicine which had the most hap" py effects. I have got perfectly well of my dis* ease, and am able to do work of any kind. JULIANNA M'DUEMIT. Johnstown Jan. 12, 1833. I do hereby certify, that I was attacked with the Scarlet Fever, and when I was recovering from it I unfortunately got cold, and a tumor form- ed internally in my system,[and a pain in my side, I was so low that all hopes for my recovery were despaired of by all that had seen me. Dr. J. W. Cooper gave me medicine, and the tumor bursted and run off one gallon of corrupt matter, from my nostrils and mouth in twenty-four hours, and one gallon in the course of two weeks af- ter this. I continued to get well and have recov- ed my health. I will ever feel thankful to Dr. J. W, PREFACE. XXI Cooper as an instrument in the hands of the Al- mighty in curing me of .this dreadful disease. Daniel S. Goughenour. Johnstown Jan. 12, 1833. I do hereby certify, that I was severely afflict- ed with the Dyspepsia for six years, and at last 1 was so severely attacked that I was confined to bed, and all hopes for my recovery were despaired of by my friends. I sent for Dr. J. W. Cooper. He gave me medicine for two or three weeks, which has cured me sound and well. James Spencer. Johnstown, Dec. 2, 1832. I hereby certify, that I was severely afflicted and lay insensible under convulsive fits for eight hours. Dr. J. W. Cooper administered to me his celebrated specific, which relieved me instanta- neously I got well in the course of afewmiuutes. Sarah Jones. Liverpool, Pa I hereby certify, that I John Dimond, was se- tXll PBEFACE. verely afl-cted with the Ague and Fever for nlna months. I applied to four of tl.c most rcspectaMo doctors; tiny all failed,"and ii was the opinion of many that I wculd lose my life, but at last I em- ployed Dr. J. W. Cooper, cf Johnstown, he cur- ed me in three days. I have enjoyed perfect health for nine nxxths without any r.\ ~\ t u:i.ce of a relapoa JtILN Dijiond, Jolmstcwn, Nov. 16, 18i>2' We, the subscribers, do certify that Dr. J. \f. Cooper has cured a number cfcai.es similar to tlie above mentioned John Dimond's case, and has not failed in a;.y case to our knowledge. William Fields, Willia»i Hayes. Johnstown. Nov. 14, 1832. I do hereby certify, that a Iajge green fly got in- to my ear, and in attempting to get it out the fly was killed. My ear healed and I was out of my head two nights. All the reinidies I cculd possi- bly get fuiWJ, until I applied to Dr. J. W. Cooper ph&face xxili H; put some medicine in my ear and there cam» fire hundred small wormr, fron my car. I got well in a few hours. Dr. J. W. Hiooer also cured ma rfa severe stage of the chronic Rh?uniati3m» John Irwin. Johnstown, Dec. 12, 1832. I hereby certify, that I, David Hay, wns severe- ly afflicted with the Agm aw 1 Fever f r nine month* and was ail that time unabiO to work: I applied to Dr. J. W. Coopar and got one box of his compound Pills, and use 1 them according to direction, and was cured in three days. I have enjoyed perfect health for nine montlis without any appearance of a relapse. D.wid Hay. Johnstown, Nov. 3rd, 1822. I hereby certify, that my wife was severely a* ducted with Ague and Fever fjr 15 months, I em" ployed several doctors of Maryland ar.d Pennsylva- nia, but could not got tho Aguestoppal longer than two weeks. Siie got worse every month. A few XX1Y PREFACE. days before I sent for Dr. Cooper, we had expect. ed her to die, but as soon as Dr. J. W. Cooper gave her his compound pilb she got well and has enjoy- ed better health for the last ten months than she had for years previous. Michael Silk. Johnstown, Dec. 7th, 1832. I hereby certify, that I, George Mcrriraan was severely afflicted with the Ague and Fever. I sent to Dr. J. W. Cooper ^and got one box of his com- pound pills and used them according to direction, and was cured in three days. I returned to the Ju- niata and worked all the fall. The ague never has returned. George Merriman. Johnstown, January 29th, 1833. I do certify, that I was severely afflicted with the Rheumatism for twenty-five years. I employ- ed Dr. J. W. Cooper, he gave me medicine which has cured me sound and well. PeterLevergqop. March 15th, 1833. THB EXPERIENCED BOTANIST OR [ INDIAN PHYSICIAN? Health is a vigorous capacity in the system of man, which enables him tojprform all motions and exertions that he is capable of, to a certain degree, without fatigue, such as his accustomed labour, &c. and nature requires a fresh supply of food to sap- port the system, generally three times in twenty- four hours. A plain simple diet is most suitable f as different dishes at the same meal have a tenden- cy to encourage luxury, which unavoidably create* disease in a greater or less degree, and causes inac- tivity of body and mind, which depends on the ex» K5 w:>;aiiENCKn botanist1. tent to whb!' ■ . is encouraged. Food that haa y been damage !. <■■• -poorly cooked, would also b» injurious to r r.iy, nv mi if no great quantity were received ato >•->, as such f>od cannot be properly digested b^ ■ c it sour:; or putrcfio?. Food should bo talcsn as >\:ni.irly as possible, with regard to the time and u ; ■'. itily. Those who labour requira more solid f»• i I'-r-m others, but even in that case, uo more sh nil:! be talwn than is necesasry to sup- port their shwi ;V\. Tiioso who lead a sodentary Lfj, will fi '! th -ir mental f.i-uliis greatly increas- ed by livi-.i. < ;i a -pare vcgctaj'.a dk't, as their minds will h'Mn.iro irlo for contemplation. Pura water should a; ways be preferred for beverage, un- less medic: le is ueoded ; in that case use such arti- cles as ap;»oar necessary, which should be discon- tinued, as joonus health is rost;rcd. Many article of our cou •■' / production are much more for tha health of its inhabitants, for a beverage at meals, and wcul. b: equally ra la'able, if not more so, than those imoorioJ, if Uii;J a short time, and also much cheaper,—T:iis is admitted by all who have given OB INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 97 them a fair trial. The clothing should be suitably adapted to the ciiar^.ps of the seasons; but care must be taken not to change a thick warm dress too suddenly, for a light one, but change by degrees, to prevent the danger of taking cold. When a per- son is unavoidably exposed tu the wet, he should by no means Lj pursuaded to change his dress ; but if he is cold, apply warm garments around him, and by all means keep his feet warm until the sys- tem is again restored to its natural warmth and vig- our, and the clothes rave become dry. In this way the system is secAd from the air until na- ture is guarded against tli^ affects of cold, which otherwise would bo apt 11 close the pores. When the bowels are regular, the excrements are gener- ally discharged once in twenty-four hours, but in case of disei.se, the bowels are generally either re- laxed cr c\,:-: ive, in cither case it should not be ne" glected;—keep the bowels as regular as possible, and the foe l warm and dry. If we wish to enjey good health and long hue, we must be temperate ia every respect. Ia examining ancient history, wa 28 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST. find that some lived almost a thousand years; and now but few can be found one hundred years old !— How happens this surprising difference? Are not those things that were provided by our creator, as plenty and pure now as then ? or is it because man has become too proud to follow the path of self deni- al, which leads directly to health,rlong life and hap- piness 1 We find those who live the longest, have been the most temperate, which should encourage us to follow the same path, as good health, and long life are the most desirable of any earthly en- joyments. When we fi^jLour health begins to fail, we should enquire into the cause, and apply suita- ble medicines which will soon restore the ener- gies of the system. But when disease is suffered to continue, the system becomes universally disor. dered; digestion is impaired; the nervous system becomes weak, and the motion of the blood i3 fee- We and irregular. This situation is truly distres- sing, and requires immediate and long attention, which many times conies short of doing as much good as one potion of phy sick wculd have done at or Indian pnrsioiAX. 29 first. Delays are often dangerous, if you would a- void the evils of an impaired constitution, be tem- perate in all respects, and take medicine when you first need it. Have regular hours for rest and ex- ercise. Then a part of your time can be spent in useful study, for the benefit of yourself and family, which is a much greater treasure than riches: for that prepares the mind for all of the changes of fortune; this raises us above ourselves and neighbours. # SO EXPERIENCED BOTANIST. DESCRIPTION OF MEDICINAL PLANT* Agrimony, This herb grows on m^t kinds of soils from om to three feet high, accd^B^ to the fertility of th» soil. The stalk is irrc^u'ar, of a purplish colour and fbrry, with leaves, that resemble strawberry lcavep. The topis divided into long branches, which bear bright yellow flowers in Ju'.y and August, which ore succeeded by small burs. This herb is good for Gravel and Stone and Bloody Urine. A^uz Weed. This grows on rich wet lands, but most abunthrav ly on new land that is partly cleared. A hairy OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. t\ stalk rises from two to four fvt, passing through, and from six to ten inches long, and osscning grad- ually each way from the cer.'re to a idim point. It has a bushy flat top, which bears white flowers th» latter part of summer. It is u~efal in almost aD diseases. It should be used in tea, or prepared in axkacU. Crow Foot. This is very common on ^^>st kinds of soil ia this country, in woods, m^Pws, and pasture* that have not been ploughed. A number of hairy 'io early in the spi ing, to the height k o;m» '' -i. or less, according to the fertility rf :W vfl.( '.-. ' ""umber of leaves and purple ?' ".tr?, o *c'; ra^. . xtnd at all times through <^r, ?>i-:jmos.-. otiful in May and June. j.i .: ••c~i1 ■■•: v, a kind of spike, some. • ) . The root is an excellent . .'.tj*.-*•« ne'i-finger, fleshy, aad ?* ■ inc «!ona. 82 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST' Bitter Sweet. This well known vine grows, on rich, loose land, in woods, and bushy places in fields.—The bark of the root, which is of a deep yellow, has been much used for a long time in ointments, salves,&c, for which it is very good. This is also very valuable as an internal medicine. Blad^merry. This is a common forest tree, and bears the well known and much esteem black cherries. The bark of its body or roots is the part chiefly used for medicine. It an excellent stimulant. Rattle Weed. This commonly grows on moist ri anumber of stalks rise annually fr which divide into branches, one fot OE INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 33 the ground. A single stalk is continued two or more feet above this division, bearing on its top a tassel of white flowers, succeeded by s.nall shells, which contain the seeds. The root is externally black, and has many large fibres, which are an * active stimulant, and useful in many complaints Shaking Asp. This tree is very common, and is seldom large. It has thick brittle limbs, and almost round leaves which keep, much of dfe time, in motion, for which reason, it is calledshaking asp. The bark is the part used for medicine, which is an excellent stimulant. Blood Root. This grows on rich moist lan-l in woods, new meadows, and pastures. In some places it is abun- dant. It grows up early in the spring, from fonr to »ight inchea high and bears small white flowers 1 54 EXPERIENCED BOTAEIJT. The root is the part used for medicine. A broken end of a dried root turns red also [when wet. It is cal- 'ed Indian paint by some. It is an excellent expecto- rant, possessing emetick and cathartick qualities mad is a powerful stimulant. This with may apple root, equal quantities, finely pulverised is good to sprinkle sores, to remove scurf, fungus flesh &c or for "snuff for polypus in the note. Blue Vervain* It is common where A ground is rich, in the streets and pastures. It has a square stalk that ri- ees three or f >ur feet high, is divided near the top into a number of short branches which terminate in slim stems several inches long, which are sur- rounded from one end to the other, with small blue flowcr3, which are succeeded by the seeds. The main root is surrounded by a great number of long fibres, which are a good cleansing stimulant mecfi- cine. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 35 Dog Wood. This is a very small forest tree, and grow„ on rich moist land, has a rough bark and large white flowers. The bark of the root and Iflow" ors are a powerful stimulant, and is tho part * ■sod for medicine. Burdock. This is well known; tiba burs being very trou- blesome to man, and beast as they stick fast to any thing with which they come in contact. It grows on many farms in this country near barns and other rich places. The roots and seeds are cleansing medicine. The leaves make good draught.. Calamus. This is a species of flag, and grows no we* 36 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST. marshv gronnd, and is well known as it is much used as a carminative by chewing the root, which is exceeding hot and causes a free discharge of saliva. Catnip. There are but few mothers in this country who have not given a tea 'of this to their young children, for wind or pains in the stomach, for which it is very good ; also to cause perspiration. .Chamotnile* This ; is--cultivated in Tuany gardens, and is much esteemed for its fine odour, and medicine. The flowers aro sold by the apothecaries for a tonick. .:'0 OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 37 Charcoal, This is a good antiseptick, and may be'used finely pulverized, as a poultice, moistened with vinegar, or taken internally. Columho. This grows on rich oak land, from four to eight feet high, has a number of branches at each joint, and long smooth leaves. The root is large, long, and smooth, a little yellow, and a pleasant bitter. It is a good stimulant. Colick Root. This grows on cak and pine timbered land has several leaves close to the ground that are smooth and pale green ; a stalk rises from the cen- tre of these, ten or twelve inches high, the top of which is a tassal of white flowers; these ap- S8 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST. pear in July, and are good for snuff. The row is white, hard fibres, which are useless as medicine; the root is the part chiefly used. Castor Oil. It is well known that this is made from the Castor bean, and is a good cathartick. Cucumber Tree. It grows on rich ground, is tall and slim in the forest, but bushy in the fields. It lraves (in shape like those of an appie-trce) are from six to ei«rht inches long and four or five wide, of a dark green, and smooth. It bears a fruit about three inches long, called from its shape a cucum- ber, which contain the seed. These firm bunches by their growth which crack open, and a red seed about tho size of a white bean drops out when it comes to maturity, the fruit and bark is tho part ased for medicine. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN*.' SO Dandeloin. This iscommon on all kinds of soil which is not too wet; has a smooth, round, hollow stem that rises from the centre of a number of leaves that grow close to the ground, and varies in height from one inch to eighteen, bearing on its top a yellow flower which is succeeded by a kind of down that forms a round ball. The roots and tops are good for medicine—they are cleansing, Cumfrey* This is so common that a description would be useless. The root is the part used for medicine Elecampane. This requires rich, moist, cultivated land, that 40 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST. that is not disturbod by ploughing. A number of Tirge leaves rise annually from the root; fr om tha centre rises a stalk three or four feet high, bearing leaves all the way up, and flowers at the top re. sembling those of the garden sunflower, but mucq smaller. The root is white, divided into a number of branches, aud runs deep. The green root ha» B pleasant spicy small, but consderably pungent and uupleasent to the taste, the root is the part used for medicine, which is very cleansing and stimulating. Featherfcw. This is very common in many gardens, a tea of the herb is often used for female obstructions, for which it is very good. Garlick, This is cultivated in gardens. The root, which the part used in medicine, resembl es oaioas V2. INMAN PHYSICIAN. 41 a little in taste, but is much stronger. It is a good vermifuge. Ginger* The root of ginger already prepared for use is sold by the principal part of the merchants and grocers, in this country. It is good to r»- raove obstructions, is also good on a cold stomach. Giugseng. This grows on moist and rich timbered land, and the same height as sarsaparilla, and is divided in a similar manner. The root, which is the part us- ed, short and thick, and tapers gradually to a point at the lower end. It is good to strength* en the nerves. Ginseru This grows in the greatest abundance on iatervafe 42 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST where the ground is very rich. A number of stalks rise annually from the root, which is also divided into a number of branches and has a woody pith. Tho leaves grow in opposite pairs all the way up. A berry grows above the leaf which is yellow when ripe. The bark of the root is the part used for medicine, which is a good laxative and stimulant. Gold Thread. This is an evergreen, grows on small rising spots of ground, in cold swamps, &c. The tops are small and smooth. The root is thread like,yelk>w and bitter. It is a good stimulant. Golden Seal. This grows on rich moist land. A stalk rise* from eight to twelve inches, which is purple at the bottom, but changes to green towards the top, and OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 43 sometimes divides into two branches, which are two or three inches long, with a leaf on each which generally terminates in five points. One of the branches is sometimes continued about three fourths of an inch above the leaf which bears a berry con- taining the seed, that is red when ripe. The root is irregularly shaped, of a bright yellow, and has many fibres. The root is a good cleansing laxa- tive, and stimulant. Good for sore mouth. Gravel Root. It grows on rich low meadow land, from three to five feet high. From four to six large leaves grow round each joint. The top is divided into a number of branches, bearing at their extremities small pale red flowers. The root forms a large bunch of dark coloured fibres, which surround the main root. The fibres are mostly used and are an excellent Diuretick. 44 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST. Hemlock Tree. This is a common forest tree. It has very small leaves and twigs which are a good sudorific The gum is good in salves and strengthening plas- ters. Hopt. These are well known to all who make beer, which should be preferred to water when that is not pure ; but all do not know that a tea made of hops is good for worm complaints. Horse Radish. This is well known in this country, as it is used by many in the spring of the year, being V .grated while it is green and mixed with vineget to be eaten at meal time, and is very good to quicken the blood and appetite. It is also a OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 4,0 good stimulating medicine; the leaves when ap. plied as draughts draw powerfully. May Apple Root. This is found in abundance in some places. A smooth green stalk rises early in the spring of the year, one foot or more, which carries up the on- ly leaf or leaves about it- At the division of the stalk that bears two leaves, a stem puts out that supports a white flower, which is succeeded by tho apple, and when ripe it is yellow, of an a- grseable smell and admired by many to eat. The root is the part used for medicine Indian Physick. This grows on low intervals, and at the edge of marshes. It rises from too to five feet, has a pur- plish stalk, and thin smooth leaves. The flowers nearly resemble those of buck-wheat succeeded by slim pods, four or five inphes loDg. The roots or 4ft EXPERIENCED BOTANIST branches discharge a milky substance if divided when green. The root is dark coloured and has a woody pith. Tho bark of the root is a good cathar- tick. Timely pulverized it is an excellent snuff t° remove obstructions in the head, aud will many times relieve pain. Lady Slipper. > There are four kinds that are called by this name, a hich differ more in their appearance, than in their medical virtues. The different kinds may be found on moist kinds of soil. The flower of one is red, another yellow, another white, tho fourth red and white. The flowers of all are at the top of the stalk, and are in form like a round bag, with a small entrance into it near where it joins to t\ie stem. Some have leaves all the way up others but two, which are near the ground. The main root is small and is surrounded by a great many fibres which are the parts used. It is to strengthen tha erves, 1133d in tea or powders. u CTE INDIAN PHYSICIAN- 47 Lemon Balm. It is cultivated in gardens by those who are ac- qainted with its virtues, as few articles are equal to it as a sodorifick. It branches out a little above the top of the ground if it stands singly, and forms a large thick bunch from one to two feet high. It has smooth narrow leaves, very notched, and set thick all the way up each branch.1 Six purple flow ere grow at each joint, succeeded by a husk, which contain the seed. The husks are about half an inch long, and terminate in five points, three up, and two down. The leaves and flowers make pleasant drink in all diseases, especially those of a bilious nature. Spikenard. This is generally knewn, as it grows commonly in woods and fisld^on loose rich ground. The stalfc rises from two to five feet. Of a greenish brown* and is divided into a number of largo spreacuag 43 EXPERIENCED BOTAEIST. branches. The leaves are handsomely proportion- ed to the size of the stalk, and are notched round the edge. At the division of kthe branches, a main stem puts out, from three to six inches long, which is surrounded by small ones. The end of these is surrounded by small berries, placed in a round form, about the size of an ounce ball, which, when ripe, are about the colour of the s.talk, and are good to eat. The root, which is the part used for medicine, is divided into a number of about equal branches, which are smooth, and keep their size sometimes two or three feet. The pith of the root should be taken out while it is green. The outside of the root is cleansing and strengthening- Lobelia Infiata. Indian Tobacco. This herb grows on most kinds of soils, from six inches to two feet high, according to the fer- tility of the soil. The stalk is irregular and fu- ry, with pale green leaves, standing singly at a OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 49 little distance apart, on the main stalk and its branches. These are also furry on the under side, but free from it on the upper side. The edge of the leaf appears as if small pcints projected out all of the way round. The flowers, which are towards the top of the stalk, and its branches, are pale blue. These terminate in five points.—'■ Two turnup, and three down. \ small pod ap- pears at the bottom of the blossom, which in- creases in size as the blossom decays. These. readily yield to pressure, are the same colour as the leaves, and Cuntain a great many very sitall •eeds. The whole herb is very pungent to the taste, for a short time. The leaves, pods, and ■eeds are all good as an emetic, and expector- ant- Man Root. This is very plenty in some places. , It has a number of vines from each root, sevfral feet long « which bear large leaves, and bell shaped white B* 50 EXPERIENCED BOTAKI3T, flowers. It has a large white root, which runs deep into the ground, and is useful as a stimu- lant. Meadow Cabbage. This grows on low meadow land, by the side of streams, dec, several large, smooth, green ifi*Yisg»ris& early in the spring from the main r^,, which runs straight "into the ground, and ii baTtouno'id by^^cat number of large wrinkly fibre's. The seed is contained in a small ball close to the ground, which is surrounded by a kmd of sheath; the whole of this has a strong scent, re- Bembling that of a skunk. The main root is the part used for medicine, which is very pungent- It is a powerful antispasmodic^ useful in colicks and griping pain in the bowels, fits and spasms, cougba, rheumatisms, and all nervous affections. * OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 51 Mounting Mint. It grows on a rich sandy soil, and rises two or •three feat high, has a square green stalk with lon<* branches, which bear at their extremities, large reddish flowers. The leaves and flowers are ex- ceedingly hot to the taste, and are a good sudor- ifick. Mullen. This is well known, as it grows common on*. farms generally. The leaves make good draughts. The flowers are a good laxative for children. L *ea made of the heart of the young plant, boiled in milk and water, is good to relieve griping pains in the bowels. Rue. This U cultivated in many gardens, and is an 52 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST evergreen, of a nauseous bitter tast3, the herb ia a good emmenagoguc, stimulant, and vermifuge. Mustard. The seed of this is well known, being much ne- ed with food, mixed with vinegar. It is a good ar- ticle for draughts, when mixed with flour; it should be finely pulverized for either; and for an emetic, for which it is said to be much used in England as a counter poison. The dose recommendad is a small table spoonful in a tumbler full of warm wa- Jpr, drank at one draught. Its effects are said to instantaneous. Flour mixed with vinegar, and reade into a plaster, and sprinkled over with fine mustard seed and applied to the pit of the stomach, will generally relieve the most obstinate vomiting. Onions. These are commonly raised in all gardens in (his country, are very good for draughts. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 3S Pleurisy Root. This grows on warm sandy land. A number of furry stalks rise annually from each root, from one to two feet high, which is thickly set with single narrow leaves all the way up, these are also furry on the under side. The top is divided into short branches, which bear bright yellow flowers in July and August, which are succeeded by pods, that re- semble those of the common milk weed, except that these are smaller and turn up. The roots are externally pale yollow. internally paler, or almost white. Some of the roots have small black veins running promiscuously over their external surface. The root is a good antispasmodic, carminative, ex- pectorant, and sudorifick. Pipsisway. The description of the small kind of wild let- tuce is applicable to this, as to the place of its 54 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST growth, stem, roots, and leaves, except these are thicker, and more notched around the edge, and narrower. It possesses much the same virtue. Peach Tree. This is a common fruit tree. The nuts of the f ruit are good to relieve pain in the stomach, caused by weakness. Five or six may be eaten at a time, three or four times a day; or a tinctnre made of them, and the bark of the root for costiveness. The leaves are an excellent laxative for children: The .bark of the root is good for worms. Pearl Ash, When mingled with cider, vinegar and water or clear water, is very good for those who are troubled with acidity, or slime in the stomach. If the vinegar is good, it should be mixt with water, equal quantities. To a gill of this, or good old ct- OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 55 der, add half of a teaspoonful of pearl-ash; stir it quick, and drink it while it is foaming, and throw away what settles. A piece the size of a large pea, ie as much as should be taken at once in water. Pennyroyal 6f Peppermint, Is generaly known. A tea made of either, is good in all diseases. It will cause a free perspira- tion, if drank freely. Bitch^Pinp. It is well known that tar is made from this; tar water is very opening and cleansing to the system, which should be made, by adding a quart of boiling water, to a quart of pure tar, and stir the whole together; then let it stand and cool. After it has separated, the water shculd be kept in bottles for use. From one to four table-spoonful should be taken three times in a day on an empty stomach ■ ft is a useful medicine in cases of debility. 56 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST Prickly Ash. This I believe, is so well known as to render a description unnessary. The bark and berries ara good stimulrnts to quicken the action of the fluids. The berries are exceedingly pungent, aromatic, and much more powerful tlian tho bark. Red Cedar. This is well known whero it grows, being much esteemed for its durability jf©* fence posts, &c. The cedar apple has of laWfceen recommended m highly, I am induced to believe that it possess** uncommon veruiuligo proporties, The following was taken from a njvvspapsr, soon aft^r it was first published : it is however greatly abridged. ri'hey may b-i f jund all ssasoas of tho year, on tho smrvl boughs, or twigs, of tin red cedar tree, from the size of a hazle nut to that cf a black wall nut. They possess the san:o virtue after they are dry, m « INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 57 when green; but are not so bitter. It was stated that a number of them had been eaten with safety although a small quantity had produced the desired effect; th9y may be pulverized and mixed with molasses. Rush* This grows on rich, moist land, from one to twe feet high, and has neither leaves nor branches.— It is generally known, as it is much used by womae for scouring. It is good m all cases of gravel- Sage. This herb is much used for seasoning savoury meat, especially sausages. It is alsq good to re- move obstruction, but care must be taken, or the patient will take cold after using it, as it leaves the pores re'axed. The herb powdered is much es- teemed by many in worm complaints for children- M EXPERIENCED BOTANIST Saffron- The flowers of saffron are justly and highly es- teemed, as a laxative for children. They are a good stimulant, and useful in all billious complaints. Sarsaparilla. Vhis grows on different kinds of soil, and old decayed logs. A stalk rises from twelve to eigh* leen inches, and divides near the top, into thre#e- qual branches, which bear a number of pale leaves finoly notched around the edges. The root is a- bout the size of a goose quill, and continues the same size a number of yards. The root tastes a little like spikenard. Sassafras. This is a common small forest tree, and is ger.e»r- ally known, as the bark of the root is much admire OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 59 ed by most people, for its agreeable taste. When made into a weak tea, it is very pleasant with food; it is also good in poultices, for which it should be pulverized and combined with other medicine, or it may be used as snuff, mixed with Indian physick. Scoke. This grows on rich moist upland, by the side of highways, die, and is generally four or five feet high, or more. The stalks are large, (several of which generally grow from one root) and divide in- to many branches; these bear long clusters of ber- ries, that are black when ripe. A tincture made of the berries is much esteemed by some for the rheumatism. The root is good for draughts. Slippery Elm. This is a forest tree, and is easily known from the other elm trees, as the inner bark of this ** 00 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST a mucilage, which is the part used for medicin*. It is good in poultices, syrups, and teas, for whieh it should be pulverized. Smart Weed. This hot herb grows verry common by the sids of highways, and other uncultivated land, and is so well known as to render a description unnecessary. It is an excellent antiseptick emmenagogue, stimu- lant and sudorific'*. Snake Head. This grows by the side of streams, and wet pla- ces, from one to three feet high ; bearing leaves at each joint, of a dark green. The stalk is partly square at the bottom, but round towards the top. The leaves are the part used for medicine, and have a nauseous bitter taste. It has a white blossom waich resembles a snake's head with its mouth part- OR rNDIAN PHYSICIAN. fll ly open. It is a good stimulant and sudorifick- Sornl. This may be found on every farm in this coun- try, and has a pleasant sour taste. The leaves roasted and applied to a swelling, assist very much in causing suppuration. Spearmint. Is good to make a tea for those who are aflicted with sickness at the stomach, or at other times for constant drink, or to cause perspiration; for whieh it should be used freely. Summer Savory. This is cultivated in gardens, and needs no dis- cription. It may be used as a sudorifick- 63 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST Spice Bush, Is common on low forest ground, and grows from four to eight feet high. It bears berries which are red when ripe. These, together with the leaves and bark have a pleasant spicy taste. The leavos and bark are a good sudorifick. Spotted Plantain, Grows on beach and maple land, on small ri- sing spots of ground, generally a number of plants together. A number of smooth, oval evergreen leaves grow close to the ground, pale green on the under side; the upper side is deeper green and has light coloured lines running in various directions over it. The root grows on the top of the ground, with fibres on the under side, and are exceedingly hard to dry. The tops and roots when green are good for poultices, or for oint- ment. ©E INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 63 Stinking Chamomile. This grows by theside of highways, and on hard uncultivated places on farms, one foot or more high, and has leaves and flowers resembling those of the garden chamomile. It is a good sudorifick. « Shumack. This shrub grows on farms, by the side of fences and fields, where other bushes are sufier" ed to grow, if the ground is light and mellow. The branches frequently terminate in a clump of berries, which are red when ripe, and of a plea- sant sour. It makes a pleasant drink; in fevers. The bark, leaves, and berries, are a good astrin- gent. Tansey. This is very common, on almost every faro, and is useiul in female complaints. g4 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST Swamp Snake Root. This is an evergreen, and grows by the side of ■treams, and in swamps. The kavcs are sup- ported by foot stalks six or eight inches high, (many of which have light coloured lines running in va- rious directions,) and are notched about the edge. The root grows on the top of the ground, and is a- bout the size of a goose quill, or smaller, from two to six inches long, with fibres ontli3 underside.— The root has a spicy taste, a little like wild ginger, externally of a purplish green, the inside is purple. Sometimes a stalk rises, all the way up. The seeds succeed yellow flowers at the top; the leaves and roots are used, which arc very cleansing either internally or externally. Swamp Sassafras* This shrub grows on rich wild land, most com- monly a number together. The top is generally OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 65 thick and flat, and has white blossoms, which grow in clusters like white elder blows, succeeded by small berries. The leaves are oval, and end in a slim point, and sometimes turn red after they are fall grown. The bark of the young sprouts is green, but gradually changes to a gray, until that is predominant; but the green sprouts can generally be found where it grows. The bark is a cleansing astringent. Sweet Birch. This small forest tree grows mostly in cold cli- mates. The bark tastes a little like wintergreem and is admired by many to eat. It is good to quick- en the blood, when made into tea or syrup. Tag Alder. This shrub is generally known; the bark, oi G Q6 EXPERIENCED BOTAIUST.J tags, are a very cleansing medicine, internally or externally as a wash to sores, &c. Sweet Fern. This grows in abundance in some particular parts of this country, and is generally known where it grows, being much esteemed to put into beer, die.; the bark, leaves, and twigs are good astringents, and cleansing to the blood. Tamarack. The gum and balsam of this well known tree is very useful as medicine, when dissolved in alcohol. Red Raspberry. This grows about the edges of fields, and other places not disturbed by ploughing. The stalk grows generally three or four feet high, and differs, OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN . 67 from black raspberry, by being more erect and more thickly set with smaller prickles: the leaves differ but little, neither do the berries, except in colour, the thimbleberry being red and the black raspberry black. The leaves are an excellent as- tringent and diuretick. Thyme. This is an evergreen, cultivated in gardens, and s used by many instead of summer savory, in cooking. A number of small stems rise from the same root, six or eight inches high, and form a bunch, like sage, or hysop. It is a good emrae nagogue. White Ash. The bark of the root, or bsdy of this web known forest tree, makes an excellent quick phy- sick. Put what you wish to prepare into a kettle. 08 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST and cover it with water; boil it sufficiently to get out the strength, then strain the liquor, and boil it down as thick as tar; add a sufficient quantity of flour to make it in a stiff mass for pills; make the pill the size of a pea : three pills or more is a dose. Vine Maple. It grows on rich moist land in woods, and some- times by the side of fences. A smooth woody vine, fifteen or twenty feet long, springs up from a long slim root, which is about the size of a goose quill, of a bright yellow, and is a pleasant bitter. The young vines are green, the older ones of a greenish brown, and still older ones gray. These bear scattering leaves, a little hard maple leaves, but do not terminate in so many points. Tho stem which supports the leaf is three or four inches ong, and generally unites with the leaf about the fourth of an inch from its edge. The root i« a good carminative and stimulant, good fox Dyspepsia. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 69 Walnut. The walnut tree bears a nut with a thick shell, Which is easily separated from it after it comes to maturity, but not before. The leaves of this tree are good for draughts, and the bark a good vermi- fuge. White Cohush Grows in forests of beech and maple timber, is divided into a number of branches, a foot or more from the ground; from the centre of the branches, a stem rises, which bears a cluster of white berries at the end. The main root is not as good as the fibres, on account of its de- cay. The root and berries are a good carmi- native medicine. White Elder. This is too well known to require a description: 70 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST the bark is good for ointments, the flowers are a good laxative, the green leaves are good for sores that are inflamed. White Poplar. This is one of the handsomest forest trees out country affords : the bark of the root is an excel- lent carminative and stimulant medicine. White Lily. The root of this is large, and grows at the bot- tom of ponds and bogs, where the water is not too deep. Long stems from this support large leaves, and a beautiful white flower, at the top of tb° water. The root is a good astringent, particularly in poultices. White Pine. The inner bark of this tree is good in poultices :. 0E INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 71 tea made of the buds, when full grown, is good to strengthen the urinary organs of those who cannot hold their water through the night. The turpentine is good in salves and strengthening plasters. White Vervain. The appearance of this is something like blue vervain, except that it does not generally grow so high. The stems which the flowers grow on, lie more horizontally than those of the blue. The flowers are white. It is a good cleansing stimulant, good in liver complaints. Wild Ginger. This grows in the greatest abundance on hem- lock timbered land, but may be found on beech and maple land. The leaves are supported on foot etalks four or five inches long, and are in shape some like the bottom of a colt's foot, but broader. 72 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST At die end of the root, a ball puts out a short stem, from between the foot stalks, which con- tain the seed. The ball is half an inch in dia- meter, or a little more. The root is about the size of a gooze-quill, very aromatick and stimu- lating. It is good in snuff. Indian Turnip. This turnip shaped root grows on low wild land, and is so well known that a description is needless The root is a good antispasmodick expectorant and vermifuge. Wild Mint. This grows on low ground, from one to two feet high, with two leaves at each joint, and branches a bove each leaf, which are short near the bottom ut longer towards the top, until the branches dis- appear, and small burs, which encircle the stalk occupy their place. Burs of a similar descriptioei OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 73 occupy all of the joints of the branches, except the first from the stalk. The stalk is square and furry . the joints from one to two inches apart at the bot- tom, but shorter all the way up. This herb resem- bles pennyroyal in taste and smell, as well as in its virtues. Wild Lettuce. There are two kinds of this, that grow common on uncultivated upland. The large kind has sho rt foot stalks, which spring from the root. The other kind has a stem about four inches high, which supports its leaves near the top. The roots of both are slender and white, and run from one plant to smother, sometimes a number of yards. They are very cleansing and purifying to the blood. Winter Brake. This evergreen brake grows on rich upland, and puts forth a cumber of branches every spring, at 74 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST which time the old ones decay down to the surface of the ground. The branches are short and do not stand erect. The leaves are thick and of a deep green. The root is a good astringent and styptick. Yarrow. This grows in pastures, and other improved land which has not been disturbed by ploughing for a year or two. It has five slender leaves, and a flat top of wild flowers, about a foot and a half high. The herb is a good stimulant sudorifick and styp- tic. Wintergreen. This grows on warm dry land, four or five inches high, and has red berries. The young plants are ▼ery pleasant to eat; the herb is good for Gravel- CS INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 7fl Witch Hazel. This grows ten or fifteen feet high, on rich unim- proved lands where large timber is not thick, gene- rally a number together. It has a great many whke spots, which sometimes encircle the body and limbs. For this reason it is called, by some, spotted alder. The leaves are a good astringent, and will sometimes stop.internal bleeding. Worm Wood. This is cultivated in many gardens, and is so well known as to render a description un- necessary. The herb is a good stimulant and vermifuge. Yellow Dock. This grows in gardens and ploughed fields, where the ground is rich. The leaves are nar- row, and much esteemed by some for greens. 76 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST The root is very cleansing to the blood, used as a tea, or externally as a wash or ointment. Yellow Lily. This does not differ much from the white lily in appearance, except in the colour of the blos- som, which is yellow. The root is an excel- lent article in poultices. Balsam of Fir. This is obtained from blisters that form in the bark of the fir tree, which is found in many parts of the United States—good for tinctures. Angelica. This is often cultivated in gardens, and also grows »vild in many parts of this country. It sometimes rises to the height of four or five OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 7T feet, dividing into many branches, bearing at their top seeds resembling those of the common parsnip. The root is divided into a number of branches. The seeds and roots have an aro- g*. )'ri matick,'pungent taste, very much alike, either of which is a good carminative medicine. Avcns Root. This grows on wet ground: the tops resem- ble those of the common field turnip, . and re- main green through the winter. The root is nearly as large as that of the Crow Foot, is also fleshy, and externally of a dark brown. It is an excellent astringent. Balm of Gilead. This is cultivated by many for a shade tree, and in many places grows wild, and i~ gene- rally known where it grows. It is a species of 78 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST poplar, has large buds containing a kind of bal- sam, which is the most useful part. The buds must be warmed and pressed to extract the balsam. Barberry. This shrub is cultivated by many in their gar- dens, yards, &c. The bark of the root has long been used in cases of jaundice. It is an excellent stimulant. It bears small, long, red berries, tin juice of which is a very sharp acid. Linn Wood. This is a common forest tree on low lands. The inner bark of the young tree, scraped and pounded, makes an excellent poultice. Bayberry, This shrub crows ia v arious kinds of soil, ©■ 79 OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. hills, and in swamps, bearing berries close to its branches, from which the well known Bayberry tallow is made. A further description is unne- cessary. The bark of the root is a powerful and safe astringent. Black Alder. This grows on wet swampy ground to the height of eight or ten feet. It bears abundance of ber- ries, which are red when ripe. If these are chewed, they turn the spittle yellow. The bark is thickly covered with white specks, and is the part used for medicine. It is a very g«i physick and vermifuge. Black Maple. This small forest tree grows on cold hei nock timbered land, has a streaked greenish bark, thv, leaves are large, and terminate ia*severai ooiaw 80 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST like the maple leaf. The.bark is an excellent eleansing medicine for the blood. Clove Root. Thisgrowd from twelve to twenty inches high. on rich land, and i3 divided into a number of branches, bearing ours at their extremities, which, when dry, resemble a dry red clover head. A number of rough leaves grow close to the ground. The root is the part used for medicine, which is surrounded by a number of fibres—good for cleans- ing the blood. Spanish Needles. This grows in gardens, ploughed fields, and in wet places. A square stalk rise3 from two to four feet, has a number of branches in opposite pairs, bearing at their extremities a round ball-like flower, whi !i is succeeded by forked seeds, abon OR INDIAN PIIYHCIAN. 81 half an inch long: thaso aro a;>t to stick to clothes. The leaves aai saoJs acj t:u parts used for medi. eine which is good for Gravel. Dwarf Elder. This grows on hemlock timbered land, has a rough stalk from ojo to t.vj fjjt hi <\ aol bears bunches of bluaterrioj: tluroot is the part used for medicina, which \3 c!oa.i3i;ig to the blood. Garden Parsnip. The root and seeds aro gaol in all cases of Gravel. Quassia. This is s:>Id by thjapoth3cari3S,and 13 good f>- the Whiles. 22 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST Marsh Mallcics. This is generally known, and is good for Gravel. Centaury' This is well known whore it grows, being much esteemed for its tonick properties: it isgoodinall cases of obstructed Menses. Iron Weed. This is generally known, and is good in cases of Dropsy. Savin. This is well-known where it grows, and m good in obstructed Menses. Huckleberry Leaves, Dry, are good in all cases of Gravel. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN . #$ Hysop. This is a garden herb, and is good in all cases of Influenza. Liverwort. This is generally known, and is good in all cases of Liver and, Consumptive diseases. Wallinki This is generally known where it grows, being much esteemed for its physick properties;"for chil- dren, a teaspoonful of the juice- Wildwillow. This grows bythe side of streams, and is used* by the powder-makers for tne manufacturing wf q4 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST powder. A strong tea, nirde tf the inner bark, will cure any stage ofthe Venereal disease. Horehound. This is generally known where it grows. Motherwort. This generally grows on rich ground, and ia bunches like that of horehound, but the leaves aro a deep gteen and much larger. Swamp Allebcr. This grows on low meadow land, by the side of streams, &c. It resembles the meadow cabbage. The fibres ofthe root arc gocd„ simmered in hogs* fat, foi the Itch. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. gj Pills No. 1. Mayapolo root, 1 partj Gamble, 1 partj B!oo I root, 1.2 part, Lobalia Inflata herb, 1-4 parf, made into a fine powder, and well mixed with mo- lasses t j form a stiff mass. Make the pills the size of a pea—doso from four' to sevsn pills; children in proportion. This is the best physick I have ever used. If the stomach be foul, they will act as an emetick. Pilh No. 2. Take th.3 bark of the root of White Ash, put what vou w'.s'i to prepare into a kettle, a:id cover it with wator: b>il it sifniaitly to g?t out the stroogt'i, tho \ struo t'io liquor and boil it down ra t:-iic« a? tir; all a saTi-irit qimtify of flour to make it i i a s'jiT.n in for pilh : mikn tho pills the SlZ3of a ).M—liir;; pills or ;\\ i\> h a d jr,2. 86 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST Compound Ague Pills. Quinine, best Peruvian Bark, of each equal parts by weight: mix them well together; add sufficient water or book-binders' pasto to make a stiff mass—make the pills of common size. Emetick ?Io. 1. Take ipecacuana 25 grains to 4 tableppoonsful of warm water; mix them together, and take a tablcspoonful every five'minutes, until it acts freely: work it off with warm water. Emetick No. 2. Lobelia inflata, two parts; meadow cabbage, one part: these should be made hue and well mix- ed. A teaspoonful of this may be mixed in a tea- cup half-full of warm or cold water: stir it well together, and take a teaspccnful of it; and if it OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN, #7 should not cause distress in the stomach in five minutes, a fourth of it may be taken at a time, once in fifteen minutes, and the same quantity re- peated in the same way, if it should not operate in thirty or fifty minutes after the last is given. Erne- ticks should never bo given until costiveness is removed ; if it be, excruciating pain may be the co:iicquence. Expectorant Powders. Take mayappb root two parts, meadow cabbage Poparts, blood root one part, lobelia inflataone part, all made fine and well mixed together—dose from a quarter to a half teaspoonful, in a table- spoonful of fresh water. Antispasmodick Powders. Take meadow cabbage, Indian turnip, and plqurisy root, equal quantities, all made line aud 88 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST well mixed together—dcse fr ma quarter to three quaiters of a ten^poonful: if all the roots cannot be had, tl-cy may be used separately. Given in a tablespoonful of water. Slrcngtlicning Plaster. Hemlock mm, 2 pounds, Mutton tallow, 2 pounds, Bees' wax, 2 pounds, Burgundy pitch, 3 pounds. Melt the whole together, and strain it clear when about blood warm : add 1-2 pound pulverized cumfrey, and mix them well by stirring until cold* These make an excellent strengthening plaster. Oin'ment No. 1. Bitter sweet bark ofthe root, hogs' fat, of each equal parts: simme.- it over a slow fire for several hours, as hot as it ca i hi without crisping the ar« OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 89 tides ; then press cut the ointment, and preserve it from the air for use. Ointment No. 2. r Swamp alleber root, yellow deck root, of each equal parts : simmer it well in fresh butter without salt, for several hours. This is the best ointment for Itch I ever used. Ointment No. 3. Take Ointment No. 2, C parts, Salt Petre made fine, 2 parts, Gunpowder made fi:;e, 1 part, Chalk ma J j fine, 1 part. Unite them well together. This is the bestoiot- «nent for Tetter 1 have seen. 90 EXPERIENCED BOTANI*f Ointment No. 4. Bees' wax, 1 pound, Mutton tallow, 2 pound*, Cut and dry, '.' pounds, Cider, 1 gallon. Put all into a pot, boil it to half a gallon ; then at rain. This ointment is good in all cases of V/hitc Swellings. Valve for Fellon. t Take fine salt, and burn it on a shovel;' cover it wi'h sheet iron, to prevent it from flying; add Cas- tile soap and'spirits of turpentine, aria unite them well together, to make it the consistency of salv.e. Tincture of Hemic-':. Half an ounce of the oil of hemlock, half an ounce cf hemlock gum, half an ounce of gum OS INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 01 guaiacum; add this compound to three half pints of alcohol—digest for six days. Tincture for Rheumatism. (; T^ke country gensen root, prickly ash berries, spikenard, scoke berries, equal parts: to half a pound of this compound add one quart of rye wliiskey, or good French brandy—dose from half to a wineglassful three times a-day in bad cases. . 1 *? Liniment for Rheumatism. Take . 1 gill of Beef-gall, ^ 1 gill of Spirits Turpentine, 1 gill of Whiskey, 1 gill of Fine Salt: Boil them until they unite. This has cured Rheu- matisms of twenty years' standing. It is good to remove pain of any kind. This liniment is rubbed externallv. 93 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST Oil of Fish Wjrms. Tikofi;'i w>r.n;, w u'.i tho.n, put tharn into a strong bottb, or; it tijjht; than put dough round tho bottle, pla^j it ii ilnovjj: whoa tho dough has ba'cil ton crut, t.i\- it out, strain and bottle for u.*!. Taid oil ii good for stiff joints and con- tacted siae.vj. Uj U by rubbing on externally. Tiiciurz of Lobzlia Injlata. Take 1 >')-;:ii ii.lita, one pint, rye whiskey, one gallon; digest si* days, than strain. Dose from one teast;oj.ifol to a tablcspuonful. IIj".:;-rick Tine',ire. Tik'tinc'-i-' '>fl>'i!!ii hit'., 12 pirts, sul- phuric et!i:;-, :\ pi.-N, li-utj.-., .tf.iijofjstida, 3 partj: d.»- m, t.a :p>>.ifol. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 99 Tincture for Sore Brcist. Take hemlock ti icture, lobelia iuflata tincture, equal parts. Strengthening Bit'crs. Goldenseal, * 1-2 part, Gias-ig, I part, Giuso.i, 1 part, Cham:> nib flowers, 1 part, Lemon prsl, 1 Par'* One ouico of this compound is t> be put in a quart of wine or w.iiskoy. Djj3 half a wiae- glassful. TjoIIi Powlzrs. Bayberry bark, 1 part, Tanners' bark, 1 part, Black Alder bark, 1 part, V Wild Ginger, 1 part, all pulverized ar.d well mixed. Q£ ' ' EXPERIENCED BOTANIST 4' Vermifuge. ' Castor oil, K parts, Wormseed oil, ' 1 part, Spirits Turpentine, 1 part,t well mixed together. Dose one teaspoonful to a child one year old, age in proportion. •« • • No. 1. Cancer Salve. H Take a sufficient quantity of ashes of white ash ^»ark, to an ounce of mutton tallow; add to this half ♦a gill of French brandy: mix them well togethoT to form a salve. No. 2. Salve. Bitter sweet, 2 parts, Cumfrey, 1 part, Mutton tallow, 2 parts,, Bees' wax, 1-2 part. Simmer this compound well for twelve hour* - / then strain. - > OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 05 Syrup No. 1. 4 For a common syrup afteT a disease, take ague weed, elecampane, spikenard, meadow cabbage, swamp Make root,.and sweet fern, of each two' tablespoonfuls, and four tablespoonfuls of Unn wood; put the whole into an ifron kettle, with three quarts of pure water; simmer it away. one. half, then strain and sweeten it sufficiently to make ikpa^ata; ble, and add one pint of spirits to keep i^Rm sour- ing : when about blood warm, add two rabteBpoon- - fuls of Indian turnip. Dose one tablespoonful three ? i nos a-day. Syrup No. 2. Rattle Root, 6 parts, Indian physick, 2 parts, Rhubarb fine, 2 parts, Meadow cabbage, 3 parts, Spikenard, 2 par&. Put this compound into a pot; add' a sufficient quantity of pure water! boil down one half, then « 4tram; add a sufficient quantity of spirits to keep *it from souring. Dose one tablesnoonful. 06 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST Definitions of Terms. AntisepficJcs—Asfiiast putrefaction. A Antispasmxlicks—A medicine to quiet the irri- tation of the u:tvos. Aro:mticJci—Spicy, strong scented. Atiri'ireyts—Bindug, contracting. Balsanrb*— Gu.nmy tinctures. Carmtoalioz:i— •-!•; licine to dispel wind. Cit-fiir!lc\-i—M'jJiciae to purge downwarl, phyaick. Dz'er?en*3—Cleansing medicine to the blood. Diure i.•/.•«—! 1.ivi.ig power to increase the dis- charge cf urine. " Emetic.cs—Medicine which causes vomiting. <2 Emmciugoghe*—.Medicine to cause menstrua* tion. '' Expectorants—Medicine which increases t'o discharge of mucin from the lungs. Laxatiocr,—Mild physick. Stimulant*—Medicine that excites sensation. S.'yplicks—.dediciae that stops bleeding. OR INDIAN PHYSICIA N. . with an allevintion of the spmptoms. Sometimes blood only on; e;i away with the Stools; but at other times a consi lerable, constant di.char_-c alarms the p .Jrat. This auction is apt to return at stated intervals, and to increase, Management—All the causes, as for as possi- ble, are to bo avoided, and temperance i .strictly to OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. • 12T be observed by the plethoric": light vegetable food and cool acid drinks are proper during the affection. Much attention should be given to regularity, and especially in keeping the bowels in a proper state. In lean patients, a flannel shirt is oft?n necessary. Cure.—Apply a strengthening plaster to the small of the back ; make a tea of crow-foot-r-of this take a wineglassful once a day. Mix Castile soap and cintment No. 1—cf this take a pill, the size of a cherry, once a day. If the tumor should appear externally, apply ointment No. 1 three times a day. Pleurisy. The true pleurisy is an inflammation of that membrane called the pleura, which lines the inside of the breast. It is distinguished into the moist and dry: in the former, the patient spits freely ; but, in the latter, little or none at all. There is likewise a spocies of this disease wh ich is called tha spurious or bast&rd pleurisy, in which the pain ia 128 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST more external, and chiefly affects the muscles be- tween the ribs. The pleurisy prevails among la- bouring people, especially such as work without doors, and are of a sanguine constitution. Causes.—The pleurisy may be occasioned by whatever obstructs the perspiration; as cold northerly winds, drinking cold liquors when the body is hot, sleeping without doors on the damp ground, wet clothes; &c die. Symptoms.—This, like most other fevers, gene- rally begins with chilness and shivering, which are followed by heat, thirst, and restlessness. To these succeeds a violent pricking pain in one ofthe sides, among the ribs. Sometimes the pain extends to- wards the back oone, sometimes towan s the fore part ofthe breast, and at other times towards the shoulder-blade. The pain is generally the most violent when the patient draws in his breath. The pulse in this disease is commonly quick and hard, the urine high-coloured, and, if blood be let, it is covered with a tough crust, or bufiy coat. The OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 12Q patient's spittle is at first thin, but afterwards it becomes streaked with blood. Manaueme\t.— The patient'sdiet must be Jight and easy to digest. Cure.—Bathe the feet, and apply mustard draughts to them; then give a vomit of No. 1; four hours after, give a dose of pills No. 1; then give expectorant powders every three hours- continue them as long as the stomach can bear them ; apply a blister to the side; make a tea of eycamore bark, white beech bark, and pleurisy joot, for constant drink. Bastard Pleurisy. That species of pleurisy, which is called the bastard or spurious, generally goes off by keeping warm for a few days, and drinking plenty of the tea recommended for Pleurisy. Symptoms.—It is known by a dry cough, a quick pulse, aud a difficulty of lying on the af- |30 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST fected side; which last does not alwajs happen in the true pleurisy. Immolerate Flowing of the Menses. C.VU3E3.—High living, excess in drink and yenery, shocks from falls, dancing, passions, neglecting abstinence in time of menstruating, inflammatory fevers, other evacuations checked, costiver.eu, cold applied to the foet, frequent rr.i carriage*, difficult labours, neglecting to nur^e, living too warm, drinking much tea or coffee, purging, &c. &c. Symptoms.—An immoderate flowing is usually preceded by head-ache, giddiness, and difficult breathing: a shuddering immediately precedes the discharge—with this, also, a pain in the back and feverishnefs frequently attend. Altera largo 'discharge, a general debility endues; the pulso becomes weak, the stomach sick, respiration difficult upon tho lca3t motion, the feet cold and OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN . 131 swoln, especially towards evening, when a fever takes place of the hectic kind. Palpitations, fainting, aai foarfulness are not uncommon symp- toms : the Whites frequently follow. Management.—The causes of this complaint discover to us that it may take place in two states of the system—one when it is overloaded or pie- thoric, the other when it is debilitated ; each of which requires separate management. In tho former case, cold, abstinence, and cool drinks ■hould be used, with vegetable diet in the in- tervals ; in the la.tcr, good nourishing food, port wine, and exercise are to be used. In all cases, the causes are to be removed; motion, in time of flowing, is to be strictly avoided. Cuke.—In the intervals, the management prescribed will be sufficient. In the period, the patient should be kept cool. A tea made of yarrow, and used cold for drink, will regulate the flowing of the menses. 182 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST The Whites. Symptoms.—A discharge of whitish muciw flows instead of the menses, or after them, and continues longer and longer until it becomes pretty constant. Management.—As, when this case takes place, debility is generally present, a nourishing diet may be used, with port wine and water, (more or less, in proportion to the debility,) and gentle, regular exercise. Cure.—iJse a tea made of quassia—one wine- glassful three times a day. Obstructed Menses. Causes.—Cold is one of the most common causes, either when applied to the body during menstruation, or when it has, at a preceding time, brought on a corr;'; in* called a cold; diseases of much pain or action in other parts, OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. lSfl debility, excessive evacuations, and low passions of the mind, are also causes. As the disorder Is so well marked, I need not mention the •ymptoms that ensue in those who have once had the menses, but shall confine myself to the symptoms that take place in girls who have never had them, although they have pa: =ed over the prober time. This is called, properly, a retention cf the menses. The patient, after the age of thirteen, (but how long after is uncertain,) is affected with a I053 of appetite, sluggishness, lassitude, and de- bility ; the countenance becomes pale or swarthy, and the body universally flaccid; the legs swell, especially at night, and the belly sometimes swells also; whilst pains affect the head, back, and other parts: respiration is generally labori- ous. Cure—?Iake use of expectorant powders three times a day ; make a tea of rue, tansey, and smart weed, for constant drink, us dwnrm; grata horse-radish, a;d put it in port wine—take 134 BXPERIENCED BOTANIST of this one winoglassful every morning. It is somatimss necessary to U3e a tea made of bitter sweet and burdock, for the first two weeks. Injlammation of the Eye. Causes.—These act either externally or inter- nally, though frequently both take place in pro- ducing tho affection. The externals are, violence, dust, cold winds, changes from heat to cold ; view- ing minute objects or bright bodies; metallic fumes; great heat, especially when accompanied with moisture ; night reading, &c. The internal causes are, checked excretions, as the menses, &c.; repulsion of some eruptive disorders ; long continued ulcers dried up; immoderate use cf spi- rituous liquors and spices ; fevers, measles, scrofu- la, venereal disease, &c. Ate. Symptoms.—Redness, swelling, stiffness and pain cf the ball ofthe eye, or the lids—both,from an inflamnv^ion ofthe vessels that pass over and through them, being filled with too much blood, OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 133 or with red blood, instead of tha fine whits parts of it. When th? ina'rnrmtion isconsilerable, a fever attends ; and insu^h casas thsre isadangarof the effects, unless speedily prevented by curing the disease. Cure.—The patient should take one pill No. 1 every night : take French brandy,, one gill, fresh water, a half pint, lobelia intlata herb, one gill— mix the three together, and bathe the eyes three times in the day. Injlammxtion of the Brain. This is either a symptomatic disorder, as when it follows in tho course of a primary affection ; or it is original, being primary itself: of this alone I shall treat, that requiring the treatment of the concomitant disorder. It usually nttacks, in the heat of summer, those of an irascible temper, who are in their youth and given to study. 1M EXPERIENCED BOTANIST Causes.—Drunkenness, watching, long expo- sure to the sun, anger, excessive cogitation, grief, care, vehement desires, external violence, certain poisons, and suppressions of particular discharges, as the piles, the discharge after parturition. Symptoms.—It begins witii rigors, which aro followed by heat, pain and throbbing of thb head, disturbed sleep, noise within the head and cars, inflammation and pain in the eyes, wilh inability to bear the light and noise, and a bloated counte- nance ; the pulse is low, oppressed, and quick— often weak as well as low, though sometimes it is hard; the patient continues without any sleep for a long time—sometimes till the eighth day ; the arteries along the neck perceptibly throb, and blood sometimes issues by drops from the nose ; great debility, anxiety, and si;;:tu:g attend, yet the patient is subject to anger, fierce delirium, startings and convul ions. When I he disorder has ceased, a swimming and hcaviue^i of tho he:J, weak eyes, and great delicacy of hearing, attend for a considerable time. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 137 Management.—The patient should be con- fined in an airy, darkened, silent, and cool room ; his bed should be hard, and his head somewhat raised upou it; he should have plenty of acid, cool drinks, without any mixture of spirit; his food should be liLht and easy to digest. Cure.—The patient should be bled pretty freely, and this may be repeated again and again, in le$« quantities, during the firat forty-eight hours, pro- vided the symptoms demand it, and the patient be able to bear it. The pulse will usually be the best guide; for, if this does not sink very low, there will be no danger from bleeding. A dose of pills No. I should be given after tho first bleeding, and it may be necessary to repeat this the next day. Apply a blister to the back of the neck and to the annles : draughts of mustard, applied to the feet, are sometimes of great ser- vice. A ncurishing diet and the use of wine should be gradually entered into, idterthe symp- tom-. <>i'danger are pjrfoctly gone, in order to pre, vent the succeed;,ig .symptoms of c'eblity. Great 133 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST care will be necessary to avoid the causes of thil disorder, as slighter ones may causa a relapse. Quinsy. C.vus'9.—The applhution of cold to the neck or throat; a stream of cool air applied with force to tlu very part, a> in ri ling anJ running ; (these caussi produce thnr e.fut m >re certainly when preceded by hint ;) exercising the parts that suf- for, a* in si iging ail loul speaking; suppressed evaouiM) is,, or artificial evacuations, that have basn Ixig u;ed, negfocted. SvMProin.—This complaint usually appears with relness and swelling of the glands situated on each s'ub of t!i3 palate: one is U3uilly most swelled in tin beginning, and, as this declines, the other increas3s; a pain that shoots towards tha ear attend, with feverish symptoms, and a stung, foil, quick pulse; the patient feels a •disagreeable clamminess, and the tumour is usu- OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 13| ally tipped with whitish mucus. In some cases, the external parts are much swelled ; sometimes scarcely any tumour is to be perceived by look. ing into the mouth, and at the same time the difficulty of swallowing, and pain, may be very considerable : in the worst cases, the breathing becomes very difficult, the tumours closing up the passage almost entirely; then the patient ■its with his mouth open, his drink regurgitates through his nostrils, and he is ready to strangle every minute for want of a free respiration* which is totally impeded when the patient dies. Mavagehevt.—The patient should be kept neither hot nor cold; he should have a light vegetable diet, of a fluid preparation ; his drink should be of the acid kind, and net cold or warm, but just aired. His head shculd be kept up in bed, or he may sit up altogether. Speak- ing, and every exertion cf the threat, should be avoided. Curk.—Warm water and vinegar should be in- spired from a proper machine for the purpose, or 140 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST from a funnel put over a wooden bowl of water and vinegar; the mouth sh mid be frequently garglod with ateamn le of goldenseal; a blister should b« applied under the throat, of a slim form, so that it may reach IVoni car to car; the bowels should bo regularly kept open with castor oil : make use of balm tea for constant drink ; this may 'on the first medicine. If the patient is liable to frequent returns of this affection, f would aclvi e him to wash his neck daily with cold water, and habituate hiiiiself to wear nothing but a very thin stock or ribband, instead of a large neckcloth. Croup, or Hives. Causes.—Foregoing disorders, as the mcnsloj and the hooping cough; cold mont air f.om tha water. It 1110 ;t frequently happsns to such as live in seaport towns, and to children, from the tiros they are weancl to thsir twelfth year. Symptoms.—It so ne imes comes on with the symptoms of a common cold only ; bit the particu" OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 141 < Jar symptoms are a hoarseness, and a ringing sound of the voice—it the same time there is an uneasi- ness or pain in the throat, and a whizzing ncise-iin brea'diing, as if the passage was too much straitened for the an-; the pa'.ient has a couyh, that is either dry or accompanied with the discharge of flakes cf phi:,:.!, lil: j a membrane ; the pulse is quickened, and an uneasy sense of heat attends. By looking into th3 throat, a redness and flakes of phlegm, like those discharge:!, may sometimes be perceived. It has happened that the patient has been taken off, with scarcely any complaining, in three, four, or five days. Cur a.—The patient should take a puke as quickly as possible, of No. 1: the puke must be regulated according to the age of the patient.— Onions should be roasted, and applied to the pit of the stomach; the br east should be oiled over with ben or goose oil; tho feet should be bathed, and draughts applied to them: a dose of castor oil would also be beneficial. 143 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST • The Mumps. Coxtation isths cause of this complaint. Smirroiu.—It makes its appearance with ths usual febrile symptoms, of chills succeeding heat* and quickened pulse: these arc shortly followed by a swelling at the corner of the lower jaw, of a moveable glanJular nature ; in a little time, it dif- fuses itsalf over tli3 whole nack—.sometimes both sides are affiscteJ. It continues increasing til| about the fourth day, and then declines with the fever. As ths swelling recedes, some tumour is apt to take place in the testes of males, and in the breasts of women. Sometimes, when this has not taken pla:c, or when it has been repelled by im- prudent applications, the fover has continued, or increased with delirium. Mavaos is r.—The patient should be kept upon a I vv v j^e'ahle diet, an 1 n>t expo93 himself to col'l. T'n a'rwj, in general, will be sufficient; but, wheithe cire i )3*.a:ic3 t.iviti irisd t<\kesplace, OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 143 it will b3 necessary to direct something more than the above for a Cur p.—We should apply warm stewed bitter herbs, cr warm bread and milk poultices, to the parts: tin patient shoill take a puke of No. 1. Besides this or th333, it nmy bo necessary to ap- ply a blister to the buck of the neck: ia slighter cases, the puke and fomentations will be sufficient. In all ca?e3, costiveness should be prevented by castor oil: Bitter sweet ointment No. 1 is also good,applied lothe part alleeted. Spasmodick Stitch of the Side. This complaint is prevalent when the changes of weather are frequent, as in the spring or fall. It usually attacks the young—those under forty years —those who are of a delicate, effeminate constitu- tion, rather than t'hose of a broken state of health. Exposure to cold, more especially after heat, and damp cloudy woatdior, arc the causes. 144 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST Symptom?.—Ti begins with a lancinating pain, most freqdentlv about the ribs of one side; this remits awhile, and then returns again, so as almost to make the patient scream out. After awhile it becomes fixed, and does not abate, though it is apt to extend, and even to change its place, so that the muscles ofthe breast aie frequently attacked, and there are pains in other parts that point out a rheu- matic auection : with the above a liver, somttimes pretty smart, at other times less attends. Fre- quently a cough attends, which is apt to increase towards the end of the other symptom's ; at which time it is accompanied with spitting ofyellow,tough mucus: some degree of costiveness usually attends, and most ofthe symptoms are worse at night. The breathing is not in general affected so much jjs in pleurisy; the head is usually much affected with pain. Management.—The patient should be kept on a vegetable, moderate diet. Cure.—If the patient be pretty'ft 1 of blood, and to bis pulse tolerably strong, jt will then be prudeQ* OR INDIAN PHY3ICIAW. 143 and useful to take away half a pint or more of blood. A blister should be laid over the part af- fected, and a dose of pills No. 1 should be given to open his bowels: if the pain continues, some proper sweating medicine should be given, such as balm, pleurisy root, or ague weed. ' For tho cough, take one of .he expectorants three timea in tho day, in a tablespoonful of cold water; this should bs continued until the cough ia cured. * Inflammation of the Intestines. Causes.—Besides most of the causes of the „ preceding disease, may be added, cold applied to the belly, long and violent cholic, and her- nia, commonly termed a rupture. Symptoms.—A fixed pain, sometimes spread- ing over the belly, at other times fixed about the navel; fever, costiveness, and vomiting. Management—The patient should have light liquid preparations of vegetables for food, and* E* . % 146 SXPERISNCSD BOTAJCIST his drink should be jelly and water, or apphv water, or molasses and water with a little vino* gar: th-"«, or ai.y of them, may be taken, plentifully. Curf.—He should be bled as quickly asposst« Lie ; the quantity should be pretty large, propor- tioning it to the habit of the prii%.:it: this may b» repeated in eight hours, if the symptoms demand it, and the pulse allow it. After the first bleeding a blister should be applied over the pain, and a clyster of the tea made of slippery elm, smart weed, and ague weed, equal parts, injected : this may be repeated every three or four hours, if tha inflammation should suppurate and discharge mat* ter downwards. Nothing should be used but th^ mildest, nourishing spoon-diet of broths, &c Aiute Inflammation of the Liver. Cause?.—External violence, from bruises and •oatusions, e'spei u-ily such as have occasioned • Oil INDIAN PHYSICIAN . 147 fracture ofthe skull at the same time; violent passion^, excessive summer .heats, too much ex- ercise, col 1 applied externally or internally. Symitoms.—A pungent pain of tho right side, shooting up to the shoulder; a cough, for ths most part dry ; tension of the right side over the liver; hard, dry gums; vomiting, weakness, difficulty of breathin;.;, watching, costiveness, hiccough, and a hard, full, quickened pulse. Sometimes there is a difficulty of lying on th« left side : sometimes the eyes, tongue, and urinu are tinged with bile. Ma^a'jement.—Th3 causes should be attend- ed to, and removed as fir a3 possible. ' Light vegetable food and acid drinks should compos^ the patient's diet. He should be kept cool and ■till. . Cure.—The patient should take a dose of pills No. 1 ; the next day he may take a puke of No. 1. A strengthening plaster should be applied over the pained part: the patient should take expectorant powders three times in the day 143 sxterienced botanist for three or four weeks; and make use of a ten of vervain, pipsisway, and liverwort, for constant drink. After the patient has recovered in somo measure from his disease, he may make use of rattle-root in tea. Obstruction of the Liver. Causes.—Intermitting and remitting fevers, exposure to frequent colds, sitting up of nights, &c. Symptoms.—A dull, heavy sensation and tension ofthe right side, little or no fever, difficulty of lying upon the left side, • yellow eyes, and cos- tiveness. MANAGEMENT.^-Avoid or remove the causes: live upon a simple vegetable diet, and watery drinks. Cure-—The patient should take a dose of pills No. 1 ; the next day he may take a puke of No. 2, which may be continued, at the dis- tance of three days, for several times. H» OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 149 should take expectorant powders four times in the day, and continue them for three weeks; the side should be frequently fomented with a warm decoc- tion of bitter herb3, as mallows, horehound, wormwood, dec. ; and a tea made of ague-weed, vervain, pipsisway, and liverwort, should be used for constant diink. After the patient has somewhat recovered from his disease, he may use a tea made of rattle-root for two or three weeks. Inflammation of the Kidneys. Causes.—External contusions; violent, long- eontinued riding; strains of the back; Spanish flies, taken inwardly or applied outwardly on a blister ; stones, that have formed in the cavities of the kidney, passing out. Symptoms.—.ever; pain about the part, which may be distinguished from rheumatism, by the for" mer not being much increased by motion; a re- daction of the testicle on the same side ; a numb- ness of tho thigh and leg on the same side; 150 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST vomiting, cholic pains, costivncss, redness of the urine, and small discharges of it at a time. Management.— Vvoid or remove the causes: live upon a simple vegetable diet, and watery drinks. Cure.—The side should bo fiv^nontly fo- mented with a warm decoction of bitter herbs, as mallows, horehound, wormwood, die.; a pill No. 1 should be taken night and morning, to prevent costiveness; a tea made of acrimony and gravel-root should bo u-;ci for coiutast drink. Acute Rheumatism. This attacks at all seasons, but rarely at any other time than the spring and fall, when tho vicissitudes of the weather arc great. CAUSES.-r-Cold applied to the body, when un- usually warm, or cold applied partially to tho body. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN* 131 Symptoms.—A pain affects some of ths joints and sometimes the muscles, so as to extend from «ne joint to another. Sometimes almost every joint in the body is affected, and then the com- plaint come3 on with chill and fever, with a strong pulse, for the most part full. In some easss, the fever precedes the pains; at othe* timos, it is tho contrary : the joiats affected bo- «oiri3 red and swelled ; the fever and pains usu- ally increase at night. If the general affection •ontinucs lon^, the patient's senses become somewhat impaired for awhile. Mavacement.—The patient should be kept •ool, except when under the operation of sweating medicine—then he should lie between blankets; ho should be kept from all but light vegetable food, an 1 cool acid or warm horb drinks, which may ba given plentifully; aud, when the complaint ha. gone off, he should wear flannels till warm weather returns. Cure.—The patient should be sweated with a l»a made of hemlock leaves and pleurisy root: he 162 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST should also take a dose of pills No. 1. Rub th* pained parts with the liniment for Rheumatism. Chronic Rheumatism. The former disease is apt to terminate in this, especially when the patient is advanced in ye ars,— Cold is the common cause of it. Symptoms—A pain in some of the joints, or about the junction of the. bones, with a stiffness of the part. No redness or swelling, like that from inflammation, affects the part; although, after a long continuance, an enlargement of the jc int.* i» apt to take pla„e. LUtle or no fever attends here * heat lessens the pain, and cold increases it—quits contrary to what takes place in the ; r^ : ilin^ com- plaint. When the" [Kims fix about the small of the back, the affection is termed u lumbago; when about the hip, (in which case the patient becomes somewhat lame,) a sciatica. Management.—The part affected, if possible, should be constantly wrapped in li nnel. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. I5J Cure—The patient should take the tincture for Rheumatism three times in the day, and rub the part affected with the liniment for Rheumatism, by the fire. Tooth Ache. Causes.—A general cold ; cold applied to ths cheeks in an unusual and sudden manner : besides these, thera are certain disposing causes, under which, the usual exposure we are constantly liable to is a sufficient cause ; as a nerve being laid bare by the rotting or evtraction of a tooth, pregnancy &c. Cure.—In the first case, it will be the best way to aim at the removal of tho cold, by giving a tea made of hemlock loaves and balm: after this, a aniaW blister applied to the part will be most effec- tual ; or, instead of tins, sweating the. part with hoi herns, or a hot stone : line lure of hemlock is also good, by putting it in the hollow qf,the tooth ; or red-hot glass put in whiskey, and holding it in the mouth as long as you can bear it. BXPEKIENCED BOTANIST The Gout. The causes of the gout, for better comprehend- ing them, may bo placed under four heads. Is;. Tne prim; causes; which are the use of excessive quantities of high-seasoned animal food, and the liberal use of wine and other spiritnnus li- quors. These are supposed to produce their affect by causing an action in the extreme vessels, (which are employed in nutrition,) in degree and constancy above what they were constructed to bear; so that, as soon as soon as the body ceases to yield, whirls is at the end of growih, the vessels, from being over-excited, are overcome, and^sufler an indirect debility and relaxation. 2nd. The predisposing cwses; under which a less degree of the above brings on the complaint, because tli3y aim at the same pjint: they are indo- lence, hereditary delicixy of the parts that suffer rh the gout, (from ageueral similarity to the pa- rent,) and that tendency in the animal economy which produces a robust and gross habit. Those OR INDIAN PHY3ICIAN. 155 causes would, when they had proceeded to a con- tain extent, bring on the gout; bit it is seldom th* •use, that it is not helped on by what may be callqd 3rd. The exciting causes ; as venery, debauch- ery, cold applied to the feet, indigestion, much application of mind, night watching, passions, ex- cessive evacuations, changing of habits, debilitat- iug diseases, bruises or strains of the parts that suffer in gout, the use of acids and acid fruits, &c. All these act by debilitating generally or topically; and this, being always accompanied with a relaxa- tion, exposes the injured parts to the irritation of the air in an uncommon maimer. The irritation of the air brings about 4re freqimf, till at length, after somo years, tho patient is never clear of it, exeep' a month or so in tho summer seaso... After the gout has continued, the pain <\oss not remain in one joint, but shifts about untU it iiasattacked almost every joint in ths body. After a fit is over, the patient fools himself re» •ruited in body and mind. As the gout proceeds, the pains become Icssse- vere and more continued, and the other affection* are- more con ! I. ;^ jic, so that the stomach is very •audi affected with sidtsees. After fl12fir.it fi» j of the gout, the joints remain supple ; bat in the advanced state they become stifl an; motionless, with earthy concretijns. in th.so wiu have suiiered much with the.gout, a complaint ofthe kidneys frequently alternates with the gouty affections. Managm.-imxt B::twee:.v the Fits.—If it bt •arly in tho complaint, or the patient notdebili- OR INDIAN PnYSICIAW. !3& tated, gentle continued bodily exercise, and a diet of vegetables and milk, should be used ; but if tho patient is already much injured by it, neither of the above will be safe, hi* exercise should then be gestation, for walking wculd injure the parts too much, and other exercise would be fatiguing. His diet should be ofthe most nourishing vegeta- bles, milk, and light meats; which last may be used more and in proportion to the debility, and, if this be consderalle, it will be nescssary to uso good Madeira, diluted,' for drink—otherwise, all spirituous liquors should be abstained from. The causes mentioned should, as much as possible, ba avoided, and the patient should keep his bowel*. regular with a little castor oil. In general, it will be found useful, after a.fit, not to rise soon, but to keep warm in bed moat of the morning, and to go to bad oav'y- Trkatmint in thk. Fit.—Rub the part afTecfc. sd well with the liniment for Rheumatism : thisv should be continued in or out of the fit- Tha wau 160 BXPERIENCED BOTAWIST tient should take one wineglassful of the tinctam for Rheumatism three times in the day. Gout of the Stomach. In such patients as have brought the gout on themselves, this paculiarity seldom happens till late in the disorder, when the system is generally debilitated, and there is little disposition to inflam- mation. In such a state, the stomach is usually much debilitated, and liable to be acted upon by a elighter cause than would bring on an aflectiohof a joint. From the above circu instances cf debility* , general and» topical, as well as from the stomach being defended from the application of the common air, (which produces the re-action, on inflamma- tion in the regular gout,) it happens that the goul of the stomach is a very different affection from the rsgular gout—being a case of deficient and irre- gular action ofthe part, instead of an inflammation And excessive action, as in the regular gout OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 161 Symptoms.—Loss of appetite, indigestion, fla- tulency, nausea and vomiting, acid eructations, pains and cramps in different parts, which yield upon the discharge of wind ; costiveness, thouo-h sometimes looseness; cholic pains and hypo- chondriac symptoms, which consist in a great attention to the slightest symptoms, and an ap- prehension of danger; an absence of in(lami3> tory affections cf the joints, and of fe.er Management.—The patient's food should be a mixture of animal and vegetable, of the most nutritive and digestible kind, taken rather at many limes than in large quantities- Wine and water, or spirit and water, should be his drink. . >It will be of jrreat advantage to keep dose to the bed, except when the patient is able, and the weather good ; then he should ride in a carriage daily. Curk.—Tim patient should make use of the strengthening 1 iuers three limes in the day, for some lime. Sometimes a pake of No. 2, in the commencement, is of great use. Costiveness should be removed by small doses of castor oil F 162 EXl'ERlENCED BCTArtlST The Small Pox. The small pox is of two kinds—the distinct and the confluent. As ihcy demand a very differ- ent treatment, I shall not confound them, but treat of uVmi separately. The Distinct Small Pox. The cause of this is a specific contagion. SvmiiuMs.—About eight days after inoculation, and probably ihe same lime after taking it tho natural way, a fever appears, of the continued in- flammatory kind: alter this has combined about three days, a distinct eruption of small pimples, like flea-bites, appears on the face ; these increase and extend, so that, about the end of the fifth day, the eruption is completed and extended to the extremities. From the first eruption, the fever usually declines, and, at ihe finishing ofthe eruption, it ceases. During the fever, children OR INDIAN TIIYSICIAN . 163 are frequently aTected with starting, and, if kept warm, with fis. About the eighth day after the eruption, these pimples have increased to sphe- roidal pustules, filled with matter, with a red margin aroind each. Before the pustules are quite filled, t a swelling of the face lakes place, which sa'isi.ies as soon as the pustules are filled: a swelling of the wrists and feet succeeds the above, just in the progression of the eruption. During this period, a aore throat is common. After the pustules a>-e f.dly ripe and yellow, they then either pour out the matter, from a small rupture at their top, or the matter is usually the case with those on the face ; the latter with those on the arms and thighs. In this way they decline till they arc perfectly dried up, which takes place from eight to sixteen davs from the time they begin to decline, according to the size and number of the pustules : pits are frequently left behind. Management.—The patient should be kept cool, botf. by going into the air and thinning his 164 EXPERIENCED BCTAMST clothing: however, the custom of exposing to bad weather, extreme cold, and pulling off from children the flannels which they have been long used to, has occasioned the worst consequences ; a medium, therefore, is to be observed. Those who are in a good state of health should livo chiefly on vegetables ; what meat tht'y do use should by all means be fresh : but those who aro weakly should not alter their food, so as to weaken themselves, but only choose such as they always should, viz. digestible, mild food. This should be the management until the fever com- mences, when they should use nothing but light spoon food, such as gruel, panada, custard, jelly, &c. Spirituous drinks should be altogether avoided: at the time of the fever, such drinks as the following may be taken, more or less, \n pro- portion to the height ofthe fever, viz. lemonade • cieam oftartardissolved in water, end sweetened ; jelly and water; apple tea, niade by pouring boiling water on undressed., red-streaked apples sliced very thin: the drink. t0 be sweetened. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. IQg These drinks and vegetable food, with the di- rections for keeping ths patient" cool, may be ob- served until the number of pocks and favour of the disease be determined, after which they may be gradually relinquished—the exposure firsthand then these, and the proper .habits returned to. The first week in May is probably the best time * for inoculation, in the States of Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland ; farther southward April ; farther northward, the latter end of May. Cure.—To those who are*pretty heart/, or of a full habit, between the time of inocahition and fevei, two doses of glauber salts, or cream of tar- tar, sufficient to procure four or five stools, and not more, may be given ; lr.it to those who are lean or weakly, no purgatives should be given, only costiveness should be removed by taking a pill of No. 1, night and momirrr. If, at the commencement of the fever, the patient feels much oppression at the stomach, uneasiness and giddi- ness, it will be proper to administer an emetic of No. 1 ; at the same time he shoulct'have fresh 16G EXPERIENCED BOTANIST air. If the eruption appear numerous, and the pulse be usually strong, a dose of salts will be of use, as it will bring many of the pimples lo no- thing. After this, nothing more will be neces- sary, hut to keep the bowels regular with small doses of any mild medicine. The Confluent Small Pox. Symptoms.—In this the fever is more violent than in the former, ihe pulse being quicker and more contracted : a disposition to coma, or a deep drowsiness, is al o: t always present with the incipient lever, and a dehnui,. is a licquent symptom. Infants are frequently attacked with fits in ihe first uuy> ; vomiting is here a common symptom. Early in ihe third day, the pimples break out in clusters, and these are frequently preceded or accompanied with a redness of the skin, like St. Anthony's fire. When the erup- tion is completed, it is found to be much mora numerous in-the face than on the body: the OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 167 pocks are less eminent. At the end ofthe erup- tion, the fever does not go off, but only remits, to increase with more violence when the pocks i have acquired their sum nit: this is called tho secondary^ fever. The pimples soon turn to Vesicles filled with whitish or brown water, in- stead of yellow matter, as in'the distinct: the pocks are very ii regular, and run into one an- other in many places, sons to form one large flat pock, covering almost the whole face; wherever there is any space between them, it is not florid, btrt pile and shrivelled. The swelling of the face, that sometimes attends the distinct, is here always present at an earlier period, and rises to a greater height: the discharge of saliva-is gene- rally great about the same time; both subside about the tenth nr eleventh day, counting from the attack ofthe incipient fever. With infants a lax is common, instead of salivation. The pocks over the body, though distinct, ars generally flat, and, upon the whole, there is a great tendency to putrefaction. 168 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST The Management of this should be much tha same as that directed for the Distinct Small Pox, except that, towards the latter end, when the pa- tient grows weak, and symptoms of putridity prevail, he should have for drink sixty drops of elixir of vitriol, to one pint of spirits ar.d water, or wine and water, and a moderate degree of warmth should be kept up. fiicat attention* should be given to keep the room clean and sweet, as directed for the Putrid Fever. Cure.—When the symptoms appear a3 laid down, with considerable fever, give two gn.ins of ipecacuana in apple-tea, or common drink of any kind, every hour. From the fifth day on- ward, till the eruption be completed, give twenty drops of laudanum, every night and morning, taking care to remove the costiveness it occasions, by giving cream of tartar or castor oil daily, if necessary, When the secondary fever comes on, the same treatment with ipecacuana and laudanum should be used, until the symptoms of putrefaction and OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 169 weak pulse take place, then all should be dropped for bark and port wine, which may bo given every hour, so that the patient may take a pint of wine and one ounce of bark, from morn- ing till bed-time. From the eighth day till the eleventh, when the fever is violent, blisters should be laid on successively, without any respect to the pocks ; the wrists, thighs, back of the neck, and breast, are proper places : when the swelling in the throat threatens suffocation, a blister should be applied over the throat, and the throat gargled with a mixture of one drachm of elixir of vitriol, half a pint of sage tea, and a little honey; or, instead of this, with vinegar and water. If the fits, that usually r.itrxk children, happen but once or twice, nothing, need be done but to keep them cool: but, if they are frequent, they are likely to destroy the patient; then a teaspoon- ful of the tincture of lobelia inflata should be given, and continued as often as there are fits. 170 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST The bark, with the vitriol and water, should bo continued for a considerable time after the dis- ease, to strengthen the system, though it should be used in a less quantity. The Chicken Pox. This disorder appears to arise from a specific contagion in the air : like the small pox, it never returns. Symptoms.—The patient is generally, for one or two nights, or nights and i\a\*, affeet'd with fever, which is almost always slight: at no cer- tain period, though perhaps always before the third day, the pocks appear ot the face anil over the body ; they are never very numerous, though sometimes pretty large. In the. conrse of four days, they are at their summit, when they are about the size of a large blister shot, and much of the same f:>rm, filie.l with yellowish or while water. T.isy son .ti.nss o j.iu out successively, instead of a great many at once. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 171 Management —The patient should be kept cool, especially when in bed : light vegetabb food, aud cooling acid drinks, should be used* Cure.—It' ihe fever be worthy attention, the bowels should be opened with a dn-e of cream of tartar or of salts, every day, till it ceases, and the acid drinks given plentifully. The Measles. This disorder arises from specific contagion, and never has been known to alaek the same person twice. It usually makes its appearance about January, and again ceases at Midsum- mer. Symptoms.—It comes on like a common fjver, with a cold stage succeeded by a hot one: a nausea, anxiety, and vomiting, are pretty gene- rally attendants. Sometimes, at the hegvining, Ijie fever is si arp and violent; but, before ths eruption, it is most generally so, which happens 172 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST about the fourth day. With th-?e, a hoarseness' courdi, di'hVult breathing, swelling ofthe eyelids, acrid discharge from the eyes and nose, with sneezing, take place : generally, a drowsiness attends the beginning. Tim eruption appears first on the Ihep, in small points like floe.-bites, which soon may be observed, by sight or fee! hi?- in cl'.i. trr;. spreading themselves over the whole body : the face appears a little turgid during the first two days of the eruption; after thin, ths eruption changes Us color from a scarlet to a brown, and soon goes ofl* entirely, leaving a tcurf. The fever sometimes goes ofl", when this desquamation takes place, but more commonly continues with the cough for some time after the disorder has gone through its stages ; and not unfrequently the cough and difficulty of breathing increase towards the end, so as to mark an in. flammalion of the lungs. After the desquamation, a lax or sweating usually takes place, and conti- nues for some time. Management.—The patient should avoid 0P. INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 17g heat; but, on the other hand, should not expose himself so much to the cool air, as in the Small Pox. lie should live on a low vegetable diet, and cool acid drinks, such as lemon juice ; bailey water boi'ed with prunes is also very good, especially fur the cough. Cure.—The feet should be bathed; and mus- tard draughts applied to them; then give a puke •f No. 1 ; four hours nher, a dose of piils No. 1 should be given,- a tea of lemon balm or penny- royal may be given, to keen the fluids active ; expectorant powders should be given three limes in the day, fi,r the cough. Great care should bo exercised with regard to taking cold, as it is al- ways attended with serious consequences/ Vomiting of Blood. Causes.—Obstructed menses, and other evacu- ations suppressed ; enlargement of the spleen or lifer, and violent straining to vomit. 174 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST Svmptjm. —Soma pain abonl the stomach, anxiety, an.I vomiting of black, grumous blood, without coughing. M.yxaolimsnt.—Th" patient who is subject to this should live regularly and abstemiously, and endeavor by every m :a;is to counteract such causes as admit of assistance, aud use proper me licines fir the same purpose. In time of a discharge, ilu patient should retire from all close places, into cool and fresh air. Cim;;.—Whatever may be the cause, we are to use the sane means to stop an excessive dis- charge. n.:siJes the treatment mentioned before, we may use g.mtle astringen' medicines, as crow foot, yarrow, a nl wr.eh hazel, made into a strong tea, and given plentifully. When vomiting is the cause, a few drops of laudanum in mint water will pat a stop to it. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 175 Consumption. Causes.— \ hereditary, natural, or acquired debility of the lungs, may be looked upon as the cause of this fatal disorder: under surli eircum. stances, almost any irritation upon those parts will establish the consumption; and it is some- what doubtful if any cause will do the same without the predisposition. Symptoms.—Corgh, pjiTn about the breast,. spilling of nauseous*- matter at 'all times of the day, which is sometimes streaked with blood; a fever, which c mes on at noon, frequently with shivering, and almost always with coldness, which remits towards the afternoon, to exacerbate cr renew its violence at night—continuing with the other affections, and after awhile Leing followed in its second fit, towards morning, with a copious sweat. The pulse in this fever, which is a hectic, is quick, and most generally weak, 176 EXPEHIENCUn BOTANIST though in :!> fust attack some degree of hardness is to be felt. The f-ver is always kindled by takinff much food at a time. Towards the end of the consumption, a lax takes place, gwhich generally carri s o(f the patient. Manaurmknt.—The patient should live upon a light, digestible diet: milk, vegetables, spoon meat-;, puddings, pies,t&e. arc proper ; these ■hould be taken in small quantities at a time, and used the oftener on that ace innl. The teas and drinks prescribed for ff Vers are the proper drinks to be used. Exercise in a carriage, or sailing, is almost in- dispensably necessary. The country air is so far preferable to the town, that the former will sometimes alone peifcct a cure, and the latter resist every urians. Cold should be guarded against, and, for this as well as other reasons, a flannel shirt should be worn. Cure,—The patient should take a puke of No. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 177 1, once a-week, and make use of a tea made of bitter sweet, burd )ek root, and yarrow, for con- stant drink, and the syrup No. 2 twice in the day —one tablespoonful, night and morning. Erysipelas, or St. Anthony's Fire. Causes.—A hereditary disposition thereto, ora peciliar delicacy ofthe membrane that suffers the inflammation; passions cf the mind ; a sudden cooling of the body after being heated by the sun; spirituous liquors, taken freely; hotdrinksor hot baths; cheek:'J evacuations^ moist air, and per" spiralion in any way'stopped, generally excite tho disease in those predisposed. Symptoms.—It commonly comes on with shivering and succeeding heat, with* fever; the pulse is generally quick—sometimes hard and full; a confusion of ths head and some degree of delirium frequently attend, but a drowsiness al- most always, which sometimes increases to a comatose state. After theso symptoms have con* F* 178 rVPERIENCED BOTANIST inued from one to three days, a redness (most commonly on tho face) appears, which increases with a swelling, that turn-; white upon being pressed with the finger. This goes on to increase, though it commonly abates in one part a little, to in-'ease in another: in this manner it sometimes extends all over the head, and swells tho eye-lids, 60 as to produce temporary blindness. It is not an uncommon case for blisters to arise on tho swell- ing, filled with a yellower whitish serum, which brctk after awhile, and leave the part underneath blackish, and very ready to turn gangrenous : the skin between tir.se blisters peels off; matter is sometimes discharged from the eyelids; the in- flammation and fever usually centime: about ten days, and then go off: when tne Ce,er goes on vio- lently, anq" the inflammation extends, it is apt to produce an apoplexy. These are th" symptoms of a perfect disease, but slighter nfibi tions arc not unfrequant, even with little or r:o fcx<>r. JvfANA'jRMF.vT—Tin: patient ;di< aid be kept coo), in proportion to the greatness cf the fever: OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN . 179 ccid drinks and vegetable diet should be used throughout. Curu.—The pathn' should take a puke cf No. 1 ; four hours after, he may take a dose of pills No. 1 ; and, three days after the first dose, he may take one dose of pills more. The patient should use a tea made of burdock root for constant drink : the tincture of lobelia inHata should be ■sed as awash, externally, to the part affected. The Nettle Rash. This generally attacks those of a delicate con- stitution, especially such as have a fine skin, tho excessive irritability of which appears to be a cauac of the disease. From the above, it would appear that women and children are the chief sub- jects of it—which is agreeable to obsei vation. Symptoms.—It usually comes on in the night, producing great restlessness an.: itching. In the morning, considerable red eminences ara to be 180 expekii:n- i:n botanist observed on some parts of the body, usually about the upper part of the arms, neck, and breast : their forms are irregular, some being liko the stroke of a whip, others like the sting of a bee. I: is not tmdeque.','., with them to disappear in the course of the day, and return again at night: ths time of continuance is varkais, as they sometimes continue for a week, and sometimes f r a year or more. They have never been known to have any drmgerou; efihet, the itching being all that i:s disagreeable ; which, at timer, i.;: o trouble- some as to prevent sleep. Management.—Tho patient should r.so exer- cise, and evevy proper means to remeu; such a delicacy of constitution. (.inn-.—The patient should use a tea made of tag-alder bark, f;r-constant drink; and the tincture of lobelia inflate., externally, as a wash to the part affected. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 181 Bleeding at the Nose. This complaint requires attention, cr it will soon be accompanied with very disagreeable circum- stance:;. Symptom:.-- A head-ache, redness of the eyes, florid countenance, and throbbing cf the temporal arteries, usually precede the effusion fr awhile, but, immediately before it, a fulness of the face and itching at the nose take place: besides these, frequently, more general symptoms are observable; as costiveness, pale urine, cclJncss of the feet, and shivering. This is a description which suits the most perfect state of the com- plaint. Man vgeme.w .---At the time the bleeding comes on, the patient should be placed in a stream of cold air, and bo supported erect; ho should avoid talking, or blowing his nose.. In the intervals, he should avoid heat, stooping his head, or walking fast, more especially after eating: his exorcise 182 EXPimiENCED nOTANIST should be gentle and constant. The cold bath may be used daily. He should live upon a vege- table diet chiefly, and use ccid water fir his con- stant drink. Cruc.—When tho bleeding comes on, it may be suffered to continue till fiur ounces have been discharged, proviiV 1 the patient be full of blood, but, ifothprwise, it should be stopped immediately, by pouring cold water on his head and the bach of his neck, and by drinking cold water: at tho same time using dossils of lint, dipped in a strong solution of alum and water, or in any commou astringent, and applied up the nose : a piece of sponge is sometimes of service. A weak solution of milestone has sometimes storped the bleeding after other things have failed. But, in many CU33S, neither of the ab >vo will answer; then tho patient's lifo is in dtnger, and the following simple method may bo u >e .!' by any common per-;; n, who has the least degree of presence of mind : Take a needleful of silk ; wa\ if, and tie to one end of it a dossil of well-scraped lint, about as lar^e as your OV INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 183 thumb ; get a piece of cat-gut string, several incho long, and grease it a litlla ; push this cat-gut through the bleeding nosJ nl into the mouth, till you observe it come out near the throat; lay held of it with a pair of narrow pincers or forceps, or, in their place, with a dull pair of scissors, and draw it till you have bath ends in your hands; tie a knot in the end that you hive drawn through, an>l to this knot fasten your silk, and draw Lack the cat-gut till you have drawn the dossil of lint a< ainst the orifice of the passage that leads into t!t9 throat; then you need only stop up the nostril with another dossil of lint, which will shut up the passage altogether, and prevent any more blood from coming out. The lint should be kept in for three or four days. The cat-gut is only for the purpose of getting the silk through, which is too limber cf itself. In pushing the cat-gut through, you aro not to push it upwards, as the nostrils ap- parently lead, but direct'y backward, aiming at tho uppor part of the throat, where it comes 184 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST out: the nostrils turn at about half an inch after you have pushed it upwards. By the stated returns of this complaint, and the habit of the patient, as well as by the quantity, you may easily distinguish it from what is termed a passive flowing of blood from the ii"<;e. In this complaint, the u.tia! topi- cal applications for the other kind arc sufficient; but with this the cold bath may be used, which is an eflectual remedy. Spitting of Blood. Cause:;.—Besides the predisposition mentioned in the preceding chapter, we may consider, as ex- citing causes, suppressed evacuations, iudcien changes of tho air from heavy to lighter, violent efforts, compre^-ipn indifferent parts, c"-;c. Symptoms.—After some general disorder, as flatulency, chilis, &c, a f.il.ms is often felt about theel C3t. From the blood being poured out, an irritation is mule, to relievo whieh the patient hawks or ceu ,h-, by which means he discharges a OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 185 little frothy, reddish, and s n.ewhat saltish spittle : this sensation often returns again, and ihe spittle is thrown out, of a deeper reJ. In this manner the patient ue,nlly discharges the blood far some hours or da\«, when it ceases for that period. But it sometimes happens that the rapture is more con- siderable, and the pure blood is di. charged in such quantities as tc excite vomiting: in such a case, the patient's life is in immediate danger. A cough usually follows the bleeding, which returns sornc- tiniee, every week, and so on at every period be- tween that and a year. Managk-i nt.—This .should be exactly as de- scribed for the preceding disorder, only that the cold bath should not be u e', as we have not suffi- cient c.v rience to recommend it; and the cold dieu'd be here very morleiLt^, as, when it is se- vere, it determines the blood to the lungs, which is to bo avoided. Cuke.—The patier.t should use a tea made of yarrow: glaubcr salts should be used to p;cve::i eostivep.ee;:. 1S6 BXPERIENCED BOTANIST Of Bloody Urine. Causes.—The passage of a stone, hard riding, blows on the small of the back, suppression of ths piles, acrid medicines, as cantharidcs, taken in- ternally, or absorbed from a blister or sonic putrid diseases, as the confluent small pox. Symptom <.—A quantity of red or coffee-colored, blackish urine is div;barged, sometimes with pieces of clotted blood, like a worm; sometimes the blood is diffused through the urine, and remains so ; at other tim-•<, much pain attends, as when a stone iu passing along the ureters—at other timer, thcra is none. CtRE.—The patient should use a tea made of agrimony and smart-weed, for his constant drink, till he is well. Cold. Cause.—Cold applied partially or generally to the body,especially after an in.rease cf heat. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 187 Symptoms.—It frequently makes its appearance with a difficulty of breathing through the nostrils, and a sense of fulness and stoppage there; this is followed with a pain in the forehead, stiffness and redness of the eyes, and a discharge from the nose. When the affection is any worse, the patient is sub- ject to chills and feverishness, which arc consider- able towards evening; a hoarseness, sere threat, flying or tmed pei is in different pars, and not un- frequently some difficulty of respiring. The cough in the beginning is usually dry, but, as ths other symptoms give way, it becomes moist, more easy, and attended with a discharge cf whitish or yellow mucus, whieh is most freqm-nt: this gees off at different periods, r.ceord'mg to the patient's age, state, &c. Management.—The patient should confine himself to the house, in a temperate room, and live upon vegetable diet. Cure.—The patient should take a sweat of lemon balm or hemlock leaves, and a physick of 188 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST pills No. 1 : h? s'm.ild alao take expectarant pow- ders, to remove the cough. L'fli.nr..:. The cause of this is a specific contagion, pro- ceeding from some very general alteration in the air. There i.; no doubt cf its being communicated from one person to mother. Symptoms-.—The most ordinary symptoms are these' of tho common cold described above, attack- ing a while room or neighborhood at once: but that i.i net its e instant form ; for sometimes it puta on the n[ p-arance ofa pleurisy, with natron-; pulse; at other '.mes a p;:v nervous fever. M.vNA-Eiii.-.r.—Ssc management for Cold. Curs.—The patient th-nuki take a puke cf N'o. 1, and the sweat rccemmended for Cold. Tho syrup Ivi. 2 should be used three times in the day, m desesof a tmhlcspoonful. CE INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 188 Flux. Symptoms.—Sometimes a fever makes the at- tack ; at other times, the bowels are primarily af- fected—first with costiveness and flatulency, then with gripes and frequent painful efforts to stool, when nothing of a natural sort is discharged, but slime of a whitish, bloody, or blackish colour, in considerable quantities. In some fhw ie.sine.eef;, a lax has p-eeedeJ. Whatever is voided in the natu- ral way, is generally m small han! balis. Tho Stomach in general is disordered, and that from the beginning ; but it goes off' a■; the compl?.int pro- ceeds downwards, "..Inch it generally does, till all is fixed in the lower end cf the last gut, where it produces that troublesome cilhr; of it, called tc-** nesmin. Tiia feveri.a symptoms continue a con- siderable time, remitting and then acceding again. Whenever tho disease takes a putrid turn, which it is apt to do, it may be known by the bleckness of the disc barges, alowness of the pulse, and general debility. 190 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST edANAGEM ■ ■ t.—Great attention should be paid to cleanliness, by removing the chamber furni- ture, and shifting the bed clothes often. The pa- tient should live upon digestible vegetables, as rice, barley, &c, and milk preparations, as thickened milk, li;;ht puddings; chicken water rwid light broths may be used, if the patient is fond of them. Ore.—To procure regular natural stools, is half the cure ; for which nirpase, castor oil is to be given every other day, f >r several times, as thepatient may require: after this, if the patient it very sick, ten grains ol ipcarmma may be given; afrcr which. Mire? grains of ipeee.c.iana may be administered every two hour.-:, sore- not to • .interfere with the oil, as long as the lever la ■■'». After the use of tlv-se medicines for earn" time, tho tincture of hemlock may he given m doses cf a teavioanful, three times ia the day, to relieve ths pain. When the ceenpiaint he; a pairid turn, sa well as to remove the debility, n.-o a tea made of slippery elm and charcoal, fir constant drink. If Cn INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 191 the disease leaves a looseness, a tea of crow-foot, or boiled in sweet milk, should be used. Apoplexy. This disorder most commonly attacks the aged; such as have large beads, corpulent habits, and indolent dispositions; who have fed high, and used much strong drink. If, in addition to this, they have had a suppression of any evacuation, as the piles, they can scarcely expect to escape an apo- plexy. SveuTOMs.—Sometimes a bead-ache and swim- ming of tho eyes, with other affections of the head, precede ; at other times, it suddenly attacks f the patient ;.s he reclines his head,cr makes soms effort, with a loss cf internal or external sense, and almost total deprivation of voluntary metier. Tho patient's face often becomes flushed and swoln, his eyes rod, bis r.ulss full and slew, ' :s breathing somewhat difficult, with snoring. T— *in- taat 192 EXPERIENCED BCTANIST this state lasts is uncertain : y.imelimes the paticnl comes to his senses in a few hours, \.ith a vomit- ing and sweat; at other times, he lies for days, ami frequently never recovers. Ma.\ag.-mf,.\t.—The patient should be laid on a bed, with his head rai-rea as high as it conveniently can be ; his neck-cloih thauld be .-tripped off, and he should be placed in a cool room. IiMie fit con- tinue Ion/.;, a !i;t!e water may be poured down his throat, if possible, two or three times a-clay: when he i.; on the recovery, his diet should ba as light a3 possible. There are some cases that may be terme:! ;,;> 'piexy, whi ;h demand treatment only from tha snrje on, ai v. .he;, it depondj upon a fracture cf the skull. Cur:.--The patient should be bled as Crcoly as his c institution will allow. Thin may be done at different limes, rather thin >! once. After bleed- ing, a cly;ter, of Ca tile soap di.sdvej ii •♦ater, should bo giver.—one drachm cf soap to a pint of water. This may ba used every six hours, fa" OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 193 several times. If these do not bring him to him- 6clf, a large blister should be applied to the back of his neck, and mustard draughts to the soles of his feet. Castor oil may be given, to prevent costiveness. Genlie exercise should soon be used, and increased till the patient is perfectly well. Proper exercise and abstinence are the only securities against a return. When the dis- order ends in a palsy, which it sometimes does, the cure directed for Palsy is to be followed. Palsy. Causes.—Compression of a nerve in its ori- gin or course; certain m in; a tics, taken internally; exhalations from lead and arsenic in their prepa- rations ; excessive verery, old age. dsc. Symptoms.—a loss cf sensation or ability of motion in tl*e part affected, which is sometimes one half of the patient, as ths right side, or from &e hips downwards ; at other times, only a 194 F.XPKR1ENCEO BOTANIST small part is affected, as the hand, the arm, ths leg. Manaoemext.—This is to be accordingly ths patient's habit. If he is full, a low diet i3 to bs used : if he is low, a stimulating diet and spiritu- ous drinks should be used. The cruises are, if possible, to be removed. Cure.—Electricity should be the first applica- tion : the patient should have his Uce sprinkled trith cold water, and his hands, arms, and legs rsbbed, in the direction of the circulation—that is, towards the heart. Hartshorn should be ap- plied to the nose and tcinplrs, aud twenty or thirty drops given internally. Au soon as ths patient begin* to recover, a little <,-»:<>d wins •hould be given him; and, if much debility remains afterwards, it should be removed by ths •tre:igthe«iing bitters. Costiveness should bs removed, by taking one piil No. I every other night. OR IN3IAN PHYSICIAN . 19«j Dyspcpsy, or Indigestion. Causes.—The large use of coffee, tea, or any warm watery drinks; of tobacco, ardent spirits, opium, spices, and acids ; putrescent food, over- eating, frequent unnecessary vomiting or purging; some disorders, as ajjues, fluxes, &c; an indo- lent life, much application of mind, excessive ve- nery, long exposure, without exercise, to cold moist air. Symptoms.—The great variety of symptoms is this affection, together with the causes, is the reason that no two parsons are identically alike affected; but, neverthele«s, the goneral or funda- mental symptoms are always Mike. These I shall set down : a loss of appetite ; distension of the stomach with wind ; eructations, after eating sspecially ; heart-burns, sometimes a vomiting, »nd often a dejected mind. Management.—Avoid all the causes; use ths most digestible meat, in small quantities at a time; avoid all flatulent vegetables; use gentle, con^ ICG exi'Erii:n< 1 ii cotanist slant, and varied cxrrcisi, taking care to avoid exposure in cold or dam;) weather. Cinr..—The patient should use the strength- ening bitters three times in the day, belhre eating —from a half to one wineglassful at. a time. For the costiveness, the patient should use the pills No. I ; one pill every night, or every other night. Locked Jaw. Causes.— Sudden application of cold to the body, when warm and much relaxed ; lacerations of the tendons or nerves of the foot, and of some other parts ; expitsure of the muscles to the air, after the skin has been taken off by a gangrene or otherwise. Symptoms.—A stiffness of the lower jaw, and pains abcut the breast and back, generally pre- cede, and increase till the jaw becomes firmly closed, and the muscles of the back, or of tho OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 1 97 sore parts, are violently constricted, so as to bend the patent into a bow. After this state has con- tinued for some lime, he is seized with convul- sions. Management.—if any substance is lodged in the parts primarily affected, it should be removed immediately. The patient shoeld be kept warm, and fed upon such food as can he got down. In some cases, it would be advisable to draw a lower tooth, to make a passage for ihe food : wine and water is the most proper drink. Cure.—Ths patient should be bathed in ley and warm water, and-lake one tablespoonful of the tincture of lobelia inflata : if the fit goes off, the tincture may be given, in doses of a half tea- spoonful, lh.ee limes in the day. Epilepsy, or Common Fits. Causes.—Wounds and bony protuberances of the skull; ossification of the membranes of ths 188 experienced dotanist brain; acrimony of the fluid.--, from contagion, degeneiacv, &c; passions, as anger and fear; strong imagination of disagreeable objects, and the sight of such ; congestion of blond in ths brain, produced by a pltthotic stntc, by long continued sun-heat on the head, b_\ intoxication, die.; irritations proceeding from worms ; teeth- ing; splinters in the flesh; fractured bones; Btones in the kidney; the matter of ulcers; poisons, &c. : and, lastly, large evacuations of blood. It will readily appear, that many o( the above causes do not produce fits generally; and hence there must be a predisposition in those in whom they will occasion 'hem. A predispo- •ition consists cither in a great mobility of the muscular syslem, or in a relaxed stale of the vessels of the brain, which allows of their being easily forced beyond their power, and admitting of congestion. Svmptoms.—Sometimes the patient fee's indis- posed for some time before the attack, with head-ache, giddiness, fulness of the head, slug- OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 199 gishness, &c. ; at other times, the fits attach without warning : the patient falls down, and is variously agitated—sometimes one side more mas the other; his tongue is often thrust out of hi* mouth, and by that means is bit almost or quit* through. After continuing some minutes ir. la is state, his convulsions cease, and he lies for some time in a sleepy state, and then returns to hint- ■elf, not knowing what has passed. Management.—It will be proper to hold tha patient, so as to keep him from hurting himself, «nd to put a piece of thick leather between his teeth, to keep him from injuring his tongue. It is seldom or nevei necessary to prescribe any diet for the patient, except in tire intervals, when it is to be suited to his state. If fulness is the cause of the fits, or he is of a full habit, a low vegetabla diet, with hard exercise, should be used ; but, for a contrary state, a nourishing diet, and con- stant, gentle exercise, are to be used. Cure.—The patient should take as much of die powder of meadow-cabbage as will lie on a 200 EXPERIENCED nOTANIST sixpence, night and morning, and one table- spoonful of the tincture of lobelia in (lata, every time the fit is on the patient. When you have used the meadow cabbage for two weeks, take of Indian turnip as much as wi'l lie on a twelve and a half cent piece, night and norning, for two weeks more—changing every two weeks, to prevent the power of habit. St. Vitus'; Dance. This is a convulsive affection, partly under the influence of the will. It afiVcts the in.limit's leg or arm, or both. It makes him limp along ; and ni taking a cup of water, or applying it to his mouth, he usually performs some uncommon gcet'.:res, carrying it quickly one; way and then another, before he gets it tit his mouth. It is apt to terminate in p;,hy. Children from eight to twelve are the suhjecs of it. Management.—The patient should use a low vegeteblediet. OR IXOr.VN PHYSICIAN. 201 Cure.—The patient should use pills No. 1, to remove costiveness : besides this, cold bathing, and a vomit of No. 1. taken two <:,.- uuee times, will be of service. Take as much, of the powder of meadow-eabbage as will lie on hall'an inch of a narrow bladed knife, night and morning. Some- limes electricity is of service. Pa'pl'atio n rf the Heart. It is not when this is a symptom, but only when it is a primary affection, that it belongs to this head. Causes.—Obstructions in tho large blood- vessels, excessi.e irrit.niou or mobility of the heart, affections of the mind, and crcccssive eva- cuations. MANAcs?:::NT.---Thc patient should live on a nourishing diet, if he is weak habitually, or has been weakened by disorder: much motion, sud- den starts, straiuh g, and all exposure, should bs avoided 202 EXPERIENCKD BOTANIST Cur?1.—When it is ceitain that an obstruction in the large vessels is the cause, there run be no eure expected, only palliative, atul that by •voiding all excess and f xtromes. In the oibrr cases, strengthen the habit with plimulant teas, such as man-root, dug-wood, co- lumbo, black cherry, tansey, worm-wood, and chamomile, used separately, a wtek about, K> prevent the power of habit. Hooping Covgh. This often begins like a common cold, but pro- seeds on till the cough becomes more like a con- vulsion : the patient's breath is so forced out of his lungs, that it returns with a whizzing or hoop; after which, he often pukes, and finds relief. After some time there is a considerable discharge of mucus. Management.—The patient, if full, should live on a low diet for some time. Milk, in its va- OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 203 rious preparations, is proper, and should form the chief of the patient's diet. Gentle riding is of service in good weather. Cure.—Gentle pukes of No. 1 should bs given every two or three day?, for several times ' after which, small doses of Pills No. 1 e\ery morning, to keep the bowels open. After ths patient has done taking the pukes, he should take •yrup No. I three times in the day, before eating. When the cough has continue;! for some time, and the patient grows weak, he should lake anti- •pasmodick powders three tim?s in the day. Coliclc. Causes.—Costiveness, cold applied to the belly or feet, indigestible food, acrids, &c. Symptoms.—Pain in the belly, usually about the navel, with costiveness, flatulency, and often vomiting. Cure.—Take of colick root, made fine, one Jsaspoonful, and of burdock seeds, made finsi 204 EXPERIENCED EOTANIST half a tablespnouful; mix them together, and take them in half a gill of flC^h water. After the pain has left tho patient, ho should take pills No. 1 to keep the hovels open, to prevent a re- lapse. He should avoid all food that has a ten- dency m flatulency, or lo produce costiveuess. Cholera Morbus. This violent disorder happens at the end of summer, usually after loading the stomach with acid fruits. Svp.mtojis.—Nature is compelled to make an effort to free herself from such a burthen ; a violentpi.'.ingand purgin? arc the eonseu.-.mnce, whieh a/ogen-inlly co.r.immd by the irrimionof bile thai is brojght int.) the stomach by v miking after the food appears to he remove 1. The pa- tient should take large doses of chamomile, or balm, or mim tea, to wash out the stomach. If this does not Inn- the closed thva, a blister CE INDIAN PIIVCICIAN. 205 should be laid on the brtast, and a large bundle of mint, stewed in wine or spirits, laid over and about it. Management.—The patient should be kept as warm as he can be, so as not to bo disagreeable. Great care should lie taken to avoid the night air and acid fruits, whieh rather promote the secre- tion of bile, than correct it when secreted. Lax, or Looseness. Causes.—Over-eating, bad food or water, largo quantities of sweets or acids, poisons, over" purging, bile in the summer time, matter dis- charged into the intestines, cold applied to the belly or feet, teething, passions of the mind, &c Management.— The cause?, as far as possible, should be removed : ihe patient should avoid damp or cold air, by dressing warm, as with flannel next the skin : all food that has a laxative quality •Jiould be avoided. 206 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST Cure.—Ta'.ie two or three small doses of pill* No. 1; the first d se in the mornin», fasting, ths second on going to bed, and the third the next morning. After the operation of the pills is over, the patient may us? astringents, such a« crew-font boiled in sweet milk, till the cure is performed. Hystericks. These likewise belong to the numerous tribe of n*r/ous diseases, which may justly be reckoned tha reproach of medicine. Women of delicate habit, whose stomach aud intestines are relaxed, ani whose nervous system is extremely sensible are mo«t suVect v> »:TSt«rie complaints. In such persons, an hy»."ric fit, us ii is called, may bs brought *n by an irritation of the nerves of ths stomach or intestines, by wind, acu.l humour, or the like. A sudden suppression ofthe menses often gives rim to hysteric fits. They may like- On INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 207 fcise be excited l>y violent passions or affection* of the mind, as fear, grief, anger, or great dis- appointments. It appears under such various shapes, imitates so many other diseases, and is attended w'th such a variety of symptoms, thatit is difficult to give a just character or definition of it; and it is only by taking the aggregate of its appearance!!, that a proper idea of it can be con- veyed to others. Sometimes the hysteric fit resembles a swoon. Or fainting fit, during which the pnti m. lies as in a sleep, only the breathing is so low as scarcdy to be perceived : at other times, the patient ie affected wiih catching-* and strong convulsions. The symptoms which precede hysteric fits are likewise various in different persons. Sometimes the fits come on with coldness ofthe extremities, yawning and stretching, lowncis of spirits, op- pression, and anxiety: at other times, the ap- proach of the fit is foretold by a feeling, as if there were a ball at the lower nut of lie; belly, •which gradually rises towards the stomach, 209 EXPERIENCED 110TANIST where it occasions inflation, tsicknees, and soine- times vomiting; afterwards, it rises into the throat, and oecauions a degree of suffocation, to whieh qaiek breathing, palpitation of the heart, giddiness of tho hsao, dimness ol' the sight, loss of heating, with convuhivc motions of lim ex- tremities and other pails of the body, Miccced. The I'.y.iterin paroxysm is often introdu id by an immoderate (it of laughter, and sometimes it goes off by crying. .Indeed, there is not much difljr- encu between the laughing and crying of an hys- teric lady. Cure.--Apply mustard draughts to the soles of the feet and to the wrists. The patient should take oie tablespomiful of the tinctnre of lobelia inflata ; ibis should be taken when the fit is on : given by first opening the teeth. A teaspoonful will slop the fit, if taken before the fit comes on- Antispasmodic powders should be taken, morn- ing and evsiiing, to prevent a relapse : hysteric tincture is also good to assist the powder in pre- venting a relapse. UR INDIAN PHYSICIAN . 200 Bi:c of a Mad Dog. Symptoms.—The wound festers, and after some time, (sel loin under a week or two,) the patient becomes languid and dejected. He then begins t:> dread water, and cannot swallow it without great agonies and convulsions of the face : after s nne time, he ca mot bear :he si^ht of it. Ho dozes, and every now and then starts from his slumber ; and sometimes raves so a.* to need con. fine men t. Cdk".—The wound should be cut out, if it is on a part that admits of it; if not, let it be filled with gunpowder, and that burned: after which, it should be kept open for a month, bv sprinkling it with red precipitate, and dressing it with a salve made cf wax, oil, and rosin. The patient should drink plentifully of balm and sar>apnrilia tea, to> keep the fluids active, so tl.at the alnrp hnmours may pass from the system through, tho pores, ia- C* 210 EXPERIENCED Bf.TANIST stead of gathering to the wound. Tho chicken weed is recommended by Dr.Stoncy, and I belicvo it to be a sure remedy. Dropsy. Cause?.—Obstrti-lions of tho liver, compres- sion r.f the blood-vessels from any cause, largo cv:.euaiions, e.upprcss-d natural evacuations, cold nnd moisture 'long nppliel, hard drinking, general debility, particular debility of what ij called tho lymph':', io svstj.m, rupturo of a lymphatic, &c. ^v--,i'To:t3.—A suppression bad, rise child recovers aa lo grow?, till hi rsooverj all but htsshaoc. 21t KXPKEH'.NrKD ROTA > 1ST Management.—The child should not be kept longer than ujuu! at the hrt-n.st : he should haven portion t»f meat fr bis diet; n.udi tea should bo uvoided. He should be carried tut c\cry day for exercise, when the weuther permits; and great attention should be paid to keeping him clean. Ci ke.—If the weather is rot tery cold, let the child be dipped every morning in water immedi- ately from the well : give him a tettspoonful of tho tincture of Peruvian baik, three times n-day, if ho can be prevailed upon to take it. Jaundice. Cause.—Concretions of the bile stopping np> the duct, tumours, spasms of the gut into which the bile i* emptied, as in colick and obstructions iof the liver. SvJiPTO^is.—An universal yellowness, which begins in tho whue of the e;-2s, whitish stools, puing about tho right side, and sometimes a swell- h[: at die Bamo place- on FNIUV* PHYslletAN. 213 Cure.—Agu3 weed, one part, vervain, two parts, lemon balm, twt» pirts, b.iyberry, one part, and a small quantity of saffron flowers ; one or two tablespoon»ful of this compound should be mads into a tea daily, fer constant drink. After using these four or five days', a physic of pills No. 2 should bo take i: a puke of \\>. 2 should bj taken in the first place. Sore Breast. This om ohi.it, if properly attended to at first, is generally of hjt littfe consequence ; but, if neg- lected, may b<3 very distressing. Cloths, moist- ened in a str > lg decoction of bitter sweet or smart weed, apphed an I properly continued, will com- monly afthrd immo liute rJief. The breast should bo well auaiated with the ointment No. 1. 214 EXPERIENCED HOTANIST iJi.Vr. These are caused by a diseased state of tho blood, and nro very painful. The blood should bo cleansed by a tea of bitter sweet or sarsapanlla. A routed onion is an excellent appliciti. n before it breaks, and honey and flour, and salve No. 2, afterward.-. Brvises and Fails Arc gcr.oriMy productive of worse consequences thin wound.. T'u^dnngcr from them docs not appear immediately; by which means, it often happens that they nro ncgicetoJ. It U mecdleir.; to give any definition of v. disease so universally knewn: we i hail therefore p^ccad to point out the method of treating it. Cta::.—When tir bruise i.-■ very violent, tho patbi:t ought immo.liaJc'.y to hi bled, and put upon a proper diet: the ;>e..ts bruised shculd bo bathed with the tenure of hemlock. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 213 Burns and Scalds Can generally be immediately relieved, by bathing the part with the tincture of hemlock ; if the skin be o.T, apply the ointment No. 1, or linseed oil. Cazc:r. This disease is at first a small swelling in the gland, or aflhe'.ed part, unaccompanied by pain. The tumour increases gradually in size and hard- ness, Decora.;.? knotty an 1 irregular, and, when ths powers of the system begin to fed, it is attended with an excruciating pain, as if pierced with a sharp instrument. Tho tumour increases until, at length, the skin changes to a purple, and so con- tinues to change, until it becomes \cry dark, and tho part is attended with much pain and a burning heat; when it breiks, an.ldi;eh^rg.es a thin aeri- m onions matter, which sometimcj cuts ofi' blooi 216 RxrRRjENcrn botantst vessels. In this case, blood will be discharged with the matter. If it be still neglected, tho whole system becomes diseased, wiih symptoms thatuttend other diseases. Cue-.—The system should be cleansed by a tea of pipsissiway : then apply the cancel salve No. 1» and continue it until it performs a cure. Catarrh. This complaint is caused by a cold, that rests on theglands about the head and throat, and comistg in a discharge of sharp serum therefrom. CuBi..---Mtike use of a snufT, several times in a day, made of Indian physick and wild ginger, equal parts. Chapped Hands. Apply n liitte tincture if lobelia to the affected prut, at bed-time, and con'b.ue it until u cure ii performed. OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 217 Corns. These are cuuscd by wearing shoes which are too tight. In the fir>t place, a calus ii f rmcd, which, by constant pres lire, frequently extends to the bone: they are then diflicult to cure. Rattle-snake or mud-turtle oil will, if applied a few nights at bed-time, generally (-indicate them. The occasional use of the «l feruis into hard bodies, and is not dioeharged every .\»\, as it should ha 218 EXPERIENCED IJCTANIST but varie3 from two to three or four days, and sometimes longer. In order to effect a cure in this case, such nudicinc should be made use of as will cause a general net ion through the wholo system, in as mild a way as possible ; for, it' a powerful cafhartiek be given, it will cause a pow- erful action Ihr a short time i:: those obstructed glands, and then leave thtmi more debilitated than they were be fere. Thij fe ofton the cause of the complaint. Cure—Taker, pill of No. 1 every other morn- in~, until the bo vels ure regular. The diet should be ligiV, and easy to digest. Cough. This is a sun hi con'mcticn or ccarulsicn, of ths lungs, by whieh th ;.:.• h, :he;n is suddenly forcod ou.\ r.rrl cm e ; ,t noise which,fiko all other sound.; of the huu ti v-dee, is occasioned by tho motion of the gUti?. 1» ;. toaanocly caused by CR INDIAN rilYSICIAN. 219 a cold, which, if noglccted, or improperly treated at first, may soon end in a consumption, especially if the blood be out of order. Ct;nn.—Antispasmodick and expectorant povv- dcrs should be taken, morning and evening : anti- spasmodick powders should be used for one week; then th) expectorant powders, changing a week about. The patient should wear flannel r.c::t to the skin. Cramp. This distressing complaint is caused by an invo- luntary contraction cf the muscles. It can gene- rally be relieved in a short lime, by b.-.thingths feet, and using antispasmodic!: powders. Apply draughts aUo, keep the feet wcrm, and at the same time hold a lump of brimstone in each hand. Ex- ternal friction to the part affected is also very benc- ficial. J23 kxi-rrienceo noTANisr Dsafness. This complaint is occasioned by a defect in tho fjrruation of ths organs «-f hearing; in which case, thepiti-iiit lemams deaf for life, nod many times dum.» also, owing to a similar defect in the organs of speech. Ii is sometime*: caused by tho inspiration of the fluids of the head, in coiise" quence of disease; in which ens*', electricity would bs very pr.ip-r: sometime-; by an ulcer in the ear; iirthis case, keep both ears filled with cottonwool, wet with the tincture of lobelia inflata. If deafness proceed from debility of the nervous system, make us« of nntispismodiek powders twice in the day, and diop one drop of rattle-snake oil in the car3 once in the day. Teething. This, i-> i'self, •-■ net a ohmwo, but is frequently ettended with i>ixr .1 h.g «yir pt-uu«. a ic'i a* a relax 0« INDIAN physician. 221 which evhnn.ts tin strength, wastes the flesh, and wacc.imp.Hihi! with fever, die. VV|„.n this is not the cas;, medici 10 is tut generally required : but, when it is re pure J, as little should be given as the case will ai.nit of. Tne gu.ns should be scored with a pmknife, or somo other sharp instrument. Castor oil shoul! oe given in small doses. Bath- ing the child i 1 w.irm milk and water should never be negleeted, i i case the symptoms are alarming, such as lUa, die. Fuin:ings. In this complaint tlnro is a diminished action of ths heart and lungs, and som-times a suaden and total suspension of all tho f'mcfi j.is of the cystem, accompanied by a ceath-like paleness. It origi. nates ia various causes. Persons cf a delicata constitution are mo.it liable to such an attack. Tho patient should bs laid in a horizontal position in thmf.io.i $-Uc■ratio?: ofa Bone. i"~ " lhnsTSrAii:.—A peculiar obtuse, deep-seated, aching p.ii-i, e.liemeiy digressing t0 the patient, whieh :3 );m a'fect.; the health to a remarkable de- gree. At length the parts swell, und a tumour forms, possessing great haufeee.s; ihe skin be- comes red and c.vtronmly tender; liicrc is nn in- civ.isa cf heef, und o'.hei symptoms of inflamma- tion." T.ns is ofi en caused by a severe bruise, whfeh affeets b >t'i che flesh an! the 'tone; and is r;o:ne!i;n;j caurfi iiy a gm.-rn! dijen.v) beccmiag a Jee-1 0.10. I.: hi! cases cf this ki.vJ, I think tho CR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. ' 223 Hood should be prepared by a tea of bitter-sweet and sarsaparilla : a poultice of sorrel should bo applied for a few limes ; then make use of ointment Nc. 1, till a cure is perferm >J. Giddiness of ihz Head, or Vertigo. This complaint frequently originates in a foul stomach, which sh v.ild be cleansed by an emetick No. I : afcerthis, a doss of piils No. 1, followed by antispasmodick powders, taken morning and evening. Frost-billzn. Cure.—Boil white oak le.wes ass ring as ycu possibly can ; then b:ilhe the part affected in it for one hour, aswarrj as yen can bear it. 824 EXCEniKNCED DUTANIST Gravel and Stone. Those disorders are the consequence of a pecu- liar disp s.tiou ofthe fluids, and more particularly the secretion ofthe kid.ievs, to ferm u calculous matter; and have b-en Mipposed t» be owing to ths presence of an acid principle in them, called the uric acid —1.1 opinion which seems to be con- firmed by the benefit derived from a course of al- kaline medicines. Wnen smill stones are lodged hi the kidneys, or disehnrguJ with the urine, ths patient is said to be affihete.l with the gravel. If one of thc30 stones haoptjii to make a Judgment in the bladder f >r some time, it accumulates fresh matter, and at length bee »m-;s too largo topasj ofi'with the urine- Ia this e ise, ihe peaient i3 sai J tu'havo th« rjtoae. Cc/nn.—Make use of a tc-.i made of agrimony and gravel-root, u week about, for a length of time,, which will perforin a cure. OR INDIAN PIIYSICZA N . 223 Ilcad-aclic. This is most generally caused by costiveness, Foul stomach, obstructions in the head, or by its fulness of blood. -It' by costiveness, make ust of medicine for that complaint: if by foul stomach, take a puke of No. 2 : if by obstruc- tions in the head, use snuff recommended for Catarrh: if by too mueh blood in the head, tha patient should be bled, bathe his feet, apply mustard draughts to tlicrn, and bathe his head with vinegar or cold waler. Ileau-aehe some- times proceeds from too much sleep, too much watching, aud too close application to study. Such excesses mast be avoided, in order to ob- tain relief. If it proceeds from nervous debility, use antispasmodic!;, powders night and morning, and keep ths bowels in good order, by the use of laxative*, &c. The diet should be light, and easy to digest. II 126 EXPERIENCED lloTANIST "•*"* - -v. 1 I • Heartburn. : Take a puke of No. r: : tin pills No. 1 may7 be taken once every other day, for a short lime* II ccough. t ' This uneasy and often distressing complaint consists in a convulsive or i-pic-modick affection of the musrles mbscm.-ut to deglutition, and tie midriff or diaphragm, which many times severely affects the whole system. It arises from any Ootue which irritates those parts, ouch as swal. lowing dry cub sum err. <>r powerful siisv.ilsnls, poisons, &c.; or fn m a v. ;.i.; of nourishment in the tismseh. I» i" i" im« >*e slarn.ing in a slate Of Health, as it not afTord relief, gule nee of h:) h-(;. tr.d r. Ha of pennyroyal OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 227 Incontinent of Urine. *« In this disease there is an involuntary evacu- dtion of urine, from an inability to retain it, owing to various causes, which give rise to a weakness or paralytick condition of the sphincter muscle of the bladder. Somoumes it arises from calcu- lous concretions irritating the nee*, of the bladder, or from injury done to the parts in the operation of culling for the stone; from pressure of the womb during a prcgniat state, and, now and then, from injury clone to the bladder during la- bour. Too frequent a u«! of spir'Mito".- liqaors, excess in venery, and the practice of on3n.sm, ar8 frequently ihe exciting causes of an inconti* penCi! of urine." If tho complaint should be cau??u by corere. liens in the bladder, observe the directions given for Gravel and Stone. If it proceed from de. bility, take a dm increase, until the patient finds relief from mtdicit t. Strict attention should be paid tc cleanliness! diet and drink. Tl.«; pills No.*l should be taken three times in the da\—morning, noon, aud night; s»y wie or two pilli at a time. Half a teatpaonful of the tincture of hemlock may b9 taken once in ihe «?.««. If cl.errtiion uko place in the pas?»^«", or under the prince, first cleanse the pari with Hue soap-suds, by a syiinge ; then by a tea of swamp snake or sw.im.>»ii'afr*s,with a small •quantity of the titie-.uro of nemlock added to it: and, after the **..i,i the- matter thai has onco beon thrown out ■: « n'v lurches ihe ground villi the lip ^f bis !«.'!-, iM.c! ihe limb hccomc3 stiff • 840 Exi'f.ttir.Ncr.D botanist 1 and crooked. Tie ^e are the appearances in iTisT first stage. At length the diseased jomt appears of an enormous size —the skin not much altered, but smooth and sl.i.iitij;, with a few red veins running over it. Some openings appear, and discharges fr bg, fasting, u good to prevent 3. rotura of tlw worms. OR INDIAN I'HYSICIAN. 249 Exr~Ache. This disordar chie.'ly afEicts the membrane which lines tho inner cavuy ofthe ear. It in often ■o violent as to occasion great resllejauess, anxiety, and even delirium. Curb,—Wet cotton with the tincture of lobelia inflata, and put it in the cars: repeat it often, if necessary. Fretted or Chapped Nipples. When the nipples aro fretted or chapped, they may be bathed sjveral times in the day with a mix- ture of tincture of hemlock, and tincture of lobe- lia inflata, equal parts. Cramp of t7:e Stomach, This disease often seizes people suddenly, is very dangerous, ani require* immediate assist. ,244 KXl'RMENCEfl B0T*i*TST ance. If the patient has any inclination to vomit, he ought to take some drau0htsof warm water, or weak chamomile tea, to cleanse his stomach. Aferthis if be has been ccstive, a clyster may be given. The juice of lansey should be taken freely, until the crump subsides. Bite of a Snake. Cures.—Teke the plant called lion's heart* pound it, mix it with milk, apply a poultice to the wound, and chink some of the same ; ur diink half an ounce of sweet oil, and apply seme of tho came to the wcund. Strains. Strains are often attended with mere serious consequences than broken bones. The reason is obvicus: they are genejally neglected. When a bone'is broken, the patient u obliged to keep tho OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 245* member easy, because he cannot make use of it; but when u joint is only st'ained, the person, find- ing ho cm still make u shift to move it, is sorry to 'ose hi* time for so trilling an ailment. In this way he deceives himself. Country people gene- rally immerse a strained limb in cold water. This is very proper, provided it be done hnmediately, and not kept in too long; but the custom of keeping the part immersed in cold water f >r a long time is certainly dangerous. It relaxes instead of bracing the part, and is more likely to produce an evil than remove one. Bathing the strained part with tho tincture of hemlock, and wrapping a garter, or some other bandage, pretty light about it. is a great assistance in performing the cure. It helps to re- store the proper tone of the vessels, and prevents the action of the parts from increasing the disease. It should not, however, be applied too tight. 246 EXPERIENCED BOTANIST Tetter. Cure.—Anoint the part affected with ointment No. 8, and continue until it is cured. Sometimes blood-root, sliced and put in strong uncgar, u good. The blrod should be cleansed by a tea of bitter sweet and burdock root. Convulsion Fits. Cure.—Take a dose of tho tincture of lobelia inflata, and repeat, it if r.ecesrary. Contracted Sinews. Citre.—Rub with the oil of fish-worms. Mortification. The symptoms of an incipient mortification nr» —first, a sudden dimbuh'en of the pain,tnd eyra- ofi indian rnYsiciA*. 847 * pathetic fover; secondly, a livid discolouration of the part, which, from bsiuj yellowish, becomes of a greenish hua; thirdly, detachment of the cuticle, under which a turbid fluid is elfused; fourthly, Ih-jsWclli.-i^, tension, and hardness sub- side, and, on touehing the part, a crepitus 13 per- ceptible, owing to the ge-nerahaiof air in the cel- lular subst.inee. While tha disease is in this stage, it is termed Gangrene. When the part has become quite black and fi- brous, and destitute of motion, sensation, and natural heat, the disease is denominated Sphacelus. An unpleasant hiccough commonly attends tha occurrence of gangrene and sphacelus. The blood coagulate; in the large v: ssels leading to tho mortified paet, fir some distance fiom the slough; and this u the reason why the separation of a rnnrtiiisa limb h seldom followed by hemorrhage. Who-.! any part of the bed) mortifies, the con- stihiiin suTers immediately a considerable dejec- I ,n ; the parent's countenance suddenly assumes u wild, cadaverous look ; luc pu!."* becomes small, 248 EXPERIENCED liOTANlST rapid, and sometimes inceidur; cold pcrspira- tions, diarrhua, and even oehriuu , occur. Cur::.---If tho mortifi cation is internal, make use of u tea of slippery ehn and si,:uit-wecd. If it should be external, bi.the tlic part with the tinc- ture < f hemlock, ar.d apj ly a p<:u',ticc of slippery elm and smar.--weed: tho ti oturo should be ap- plied always before the poultice. Miliary Fever. This fever takes its name from the small pustules or bladders which appear on the:,kin, resembling, in shape and sizo, the sveds of millet. The pm- tulesare cither red or while, aud sometimes both are mixed together. Thf> whole body is sometimes covered with pus- tales; but they are generally more numerous whero the sweat is most abundant, as on the breast, the back, &c. A gentle sweat or moisture on the skin, greatly promotes the eruption but when OR INDIAN PHYSICIAN. 249 the skin is dry, the eruption is both more painful and cae;». r< u-\ Finetin.es this is a primary disease ; but it is mm h <.fiener only u symptom of some other n.ulac'y, as the small pox, u.easlcs, ardent, putrid, or nmwus fever, &c. In c'i ih se ca^es, it is generally the effect o* too hot a. ivr in,en or medicines-. The imliaiy fever chiefly mlacks the idle and the phlegmatic, or persons if a relaxed hi.bit. The young ai.d the aged are more'liuble to it than these in ihcvigcur and prime of life. It is likewise more incident to women than men, especially the delicate and the indolent, who, neglecting exercise, keep ccntinu- ally within doors, and live upon weak^ watery diet. Such females are extremely liable to be seized with this diseuse in child-bed,and often lose their lives by it. Cause.—The miliary fever is sometime3 ccca" sioned by violent pn^his or affections ofthe mind, as excessive grief, anxiety, thouglthilness, &c. It may likewise be occasioned by excessive watch- ing, g/eat evacuations, a weak, watery diet, rainy 259 K\rKWI*.X«:roD UCiTANIHT seasons, eating too fre.ly of col I, crulo, unrip* fruit, a* phi n , ohorries, cucumbers melons, etc* Impura wati»r.<, or provision:* whieh have been spoiled by -".iny sea.»om», long keeping, e*c;., may likewise caiu • miliary fevers. They may aliiobe occasioned by the stopps.re of any .-ustounry eva- cuation, as ij.-,i s, :;«tons, ulcers, the Heeding piles in men, or the m«/-«i lal flux m woman, „ be occasioned by their excessive U£9 of green Lash, and o, her unwholesome things, in which pregnant ,v ihake, with often a burning heat in the palms; and in child- bed women the milk geiic.-aily goes away, and tho other tischar^es slop. The path-i i ihels an itch- ing or pricking pain under the »kln ; hfter which, innumerable bm.1! ptst.let, of a red or white colorr, begin to appear : upon thi:, the symptoms generally abate, the p-ils*> becomes more full and soft, the bhin grows mooter, ar.d the sweat, as the disease advances?, bc-«ji;> to have a peculiar foetid smell ; the g-eet load on the breast, and op- pression of th.3 nhrhi, g e.c.ally gooff, and the customary evacuations grnduuly return. About the sixth or seventh day from the eruptim, the pustules bigiu tod-y and f ill off, which occasions a very disagreeable i'.ehin^'.n Ihi sen. It h imp*ho.'? ;n ascertain inn exact time when tin prsluies will either appear or go off. They £<: .p.r.liy corr.o out i: the third cr fcunh day, when the e.m;yior. is critical; bur, when synsp* }53 EWEIMKNCKH Hi>T4M*T tomitieil, t'i'y appear at anv tioi" ofthe disease* Som "lines the pu^inlcs appear an i *a .ijh b\ turns. Wheei t'at iitlie cas-, ru"n- i^ al -va\s danger ; but when they go i'.i si l.le ily, a id do not appear agnie., the rlmgar is vjry gmii. In child-bed women, tli; pmtub's are cunni'ii'v at first filled with clear water ; nfcrwnnh, tlv y crow yellow- ish. Si;mtime> they are interspersed with pus- tules '.f a red eel >ur: wh°n these only p.ppear, the diseas" goes by the niiffli <-f a Ua-di. IWan".\(:::m::nt—In nil eruptive fevers, of whatever kind, thn chl^f point is to prevent tho sudden (h evo^arintr of ihe pustules, and to pro- mote t'Hr rra'ira'ion. p,ir this purpose, tho pntioet nut'! !>e !;ept in such a temperature as neither to pu h out the eruvtinn too fist, nor to came it ti retrf et prmralurely. The diet and drink ought therefore to be in a moderate degree nourishing and cordial, but neither strong nor heating. Tii3 patient's chamber ought neither to be kept too hot nor too cold ; and he should not be too rau-h coverod with clothej. Above all, the mind on f>:i>u\ rnvsiriA^. 253 is to be kop» msy and cheerful.. Nothing so cer- tainly nnk -s an erapti m jlfV! cf which may be added asp'unfi' ortw>of ..'iae, us the piuu\u"s strength requires, with a Jh.v grains of salt and a little su- gar. Gjod apples?, rotuted or boiled, with < ther ripe fruits of a i opening and cooling nature, may be euten. The drink may be suited to the state of the patients strength and spi.its. If these be pretty g i;>d, the drink ought to be weak, no watcr- gruel, ba!m-tea, or ihe tea of sarsaparilla. Some- times the miliary fever approach:^ towa.-ds a pu- trid nature ; in which case, the patient's strength must be supported with gn;o:v,us cordials, j.-ined with aci Is ; and, if the degvee of putrescence be groat, tho Peruvian bark miist be administered. If the head be much atlheted, tie body must be kept open by clysters. Cuuk.—If the fe-od and drinlc be properly regu- ated, there will be little occasion for medicine in 854 liXPKWIKNr.KD neTAMST this disea*"*. Should the cn:pri »n, however, not riso, or the spirit* liag, it will not only be neces- sary to support the patient with cordials, luj likewise to apply strengthaning plasters. Tho most proper cordial in thi.- ca^e is good wine, which may Se taken eilUr in the patient's food or drink ; and, if there be signs cf putrescence, tho bark may Le mixed with the wine. Tlu* miliary (ever, like other eruptive diseases, requires gentle purging, which *hnuld not be negw lected, as soon asi the fev^r h-i* gono off, and ths» patient's sirength will permit- To prevent this dissas.^, a pre. dry air, sufB- cient exercise, and whjJesomu food, arc necessary. Pregnant woman Uiouh4/guard against costiveness, and take dally as mixh eaercts'j as they can bear —avoiding all grer,^ trachy fruits, and other un" wholesome things.; and, when in chila-bed, thiy' ought strictly t.t observe a cool diet. There is rot any fever in which the symptom* ought to be/ cn>ro carefully v/atched than .a this* rr. in:>: n i'kvsictaiv. 2£3 changes aro frequent nnd r pi i, rvvl the fever itself often as.surrn.-s a cpiite diTt-renf character. It is, therefore, of the utmost iinptn tar cc, upon ruch occashns, lo change the met and mcdicinci, and adapt them to the new symptoms. Puerperal Ftvcr. Tho most fatal disorder consequent upm delivery is tho puerperal or child-bed fever. It generally Wakes Hs attack upon ilu second or third day after leli»ery. S mistimes, indeed, it comes on tooncr, and at olh^r limes, though raroly, it do«t. not ap- pear bsf^re the fi'h or sixth day. It begins, liko most either fhvers, with a cold cr shivering fit, which is cueceeded by r-js-tlesimcs*, pain of tha heaf, great sicy.'ie:;« at the stomach, and bilic* vomiting. Th." pu'.sa i» Ksnerally quick, the tongue dry, an! thn/e. i* a remi-kiU-i depression of spirit■( ne! loss of strength. A a \ hi cha 153 i 1 the qu ntity or quality of th : 1 >e ii 1 ul.i > t ik :« p'.ici, ail I it ; pi'ie.it is frequ to g) tr> 'to .1. Th3 uci.y\ which is very highly c I o-H, it discliar ;e I is mil quantifies, and gener. I y with pai;i. T.i.; belly s.cuctimes swell* to a c ->.im icr- able bao<, an 1 becomss susceptible of pain from he sligiteir. ;>,i • 1. Wan the lever Inn conti- nued Ihr u i'.Vc'.r s, (he symptoms ofi illumination usu.it!y b.i >.-h.le, a;il the disease acquired a mora putrid i'i.'..;. At this period, if not sooi.cr, a biliitu -ar p vrid looseness, of an obsti -u-.u.i and dangerous nature, co.ncs on, and accoii!j:.ii.ie--jtho dis^as • throuath all its future progress. Tn^re is; not a :y msc e-e t .at rqiir-s to he trM'fd with more .skiii aul attention than this; consequently, the b'>t a-ia's'ii ice 011 g.ut always to bs obtained as eoo;i as p.).-.-able. In women of plethoric c nstitu- tion-?, bleeding will geneially be proper at the be. giunmg: it ought, ho-.vever, to be used with caution, and not tj b? reputed, ualoj.* where the omxniA n physician . 25T signs of iufVnmati..n ri-c high ; in which can-?, it will also be necessary to apply a blistering plaster to the region of ihe womb. During the rigour, or cold fit, proper mm,]S should be used to abate its violence, and shorten its duration. For thi* purpose, ihe patient may drink treely of warm diluted liquors, and, if low, make la'ie now and then a cup of wine- whey : warm application* iu Ihe extr«aiities, as healed bricks, hotilo* or bladders filled with warm rater, and such like, may also bv taken with advantage. Clysters of milk and water, or of cbieken water, ought- lo be frequently administered through die ourse of tli« disease. Yhese r;rovs beuenVial, by proinniiug a discharge from tho intestines, and also by acting as a i.truily fouien. tation U> the, *omb and parts adjacent. Gn-ucare- Lowever, is le-ju -;iie in giving ihc.n, oe, i<* pH'f-:. : ■ c-;i rn> cr. vtuil thinv <>r foi-.y drops t.|" la .....n .: ■ ■:<■ it, u.-y ba ari«i.inistt-reil as >•• c:\-i,m -' : ! -/*-(• • *?f* ; :uid lh« dr;nk m'V l->e r.oe-wa <■;-. y'h' t ■ I e-e> elxsitfra fail, rfconrse niu-'. H'» ' <-:oM, or O'liumi i'olumbo-n-o: ci-n t <• :.-.•-' ir. dc-sea c' ten srrains, r.iui « ',- ..rwin. The *h in gcrna! the f.,..1 . .•£'■ * |" bf hj.ii;. and i>.e drink dilute 1. y*i, wh m -V ■•'' •••'c has been l,iijr pr.-lriiel-it. and th- ps.'.c.H I- -veMily spent bv e< :ir,;aiion«. it will '(<■" iii(">^..rv fit sa,«pcrt h*r with nouri^r.iiiij d' « -u: ; • m*rr anv kind of no'ir.hhrneni. ihe p.K'fu m.«y he s:ip;v>rted for aw; um-% i\V cijster* of bcf-tei c-r chiefcen- brote. To avoid this fever, etsry woman in child-bei ought lo be kept perfectly r^-J : hv-r' food should be light and simple, an 1 h"r bed chamber rool aud properly ventilated. Ttnvr is not any thin:j More hurtful to a woman in this situation, than OKIWDIAW fETSICIAJT. 259 keing kept too warm. She ought rot to have her body too light, nor to rise too soon from bed after delivery : catching cold i» also to be avoided ; and a proper atientiou should be paid to cleanli. Milk Fever. To prevent the milk fever, the breasts outht to be frequcmly drawn ; and, if ihey are filled previous to the onset of • fever, ihey sluu.ld upon iis first appr.::«uce, i^ limwn, to prevent •the mill, from incoming >ierid, and being absorbed in this •«■■::. •;,.■..,■!!,>. 1. ■likewise w hi avoided : ilu- will be huM e.V.-j,-1 >,y ins like of mild clyM*^ ;.r.,i -6 l.tXrii-e di» : \v'e shad coii'-huie o:■-chser»■*;ions on child-bed women, by rcc^ivi). icl'.ij.- 1 : iVi.,. aho/e ill things, ti t.'.v ,i two, om:-tenth. Below one year, a iwelfiii. A woman, ge.ierally, should take a Utile lesi than a man. .'•** * ON THE IPsmiciiWi £$~-*'2s of J%Iercu}*y, JA'ISl IIAMILTCIT, M.Ji. .Fetfjw of the Jlr-i/ui Cjiugs f Physicians, and Professor of Midwifery in the Uni- versity of Edinburgh, Among the numerous poisons which hare been used fur the cure cr ■dlevhuiori of disease;, thera are few which po«.*es? morj active, and of course more clangorous powurs te.m Mercury. J>ei tho simplest m: t miMest forms of thu mineral exert a most extensi'.e itidecnce over ihe human frame, nnd many ..f i * chemical preparation* 2C4 EFFFCTS OF MERCURY. are so delete riom", thai in ihe umallesl dosei they speedily destroy life. The bile Dr. Parr, in his Medical Dictionary, (Vol. 1. page 177,) thus expai-ites on ihe virtues and uses of that mi ier.il. '• As a medicine, there is scarcely an indication thai mercury eannot supply. Theie i.i no more certain and active emetic than the mercurm* vitrinlatus; a more powerful 1'xaive in: the 'alomel; a more ef- fectual and steady diaphoretic HiHrhnunuJaiil if,an the merciiriiis nr.iriaUi.v; a more cert-.tin emmena- gogvi» than ralomel ; a more elFeetivo errhine than the lurpeth mineral: a more perfect siala- gogue than eithpr of its preparations." Practitioners ofthe first raspei ta'ulity prescribe on every trifling occasion calomel, or the blue pill. Thus, calomel is now -aim' s. the universal opening medicine recommended for infants and children, nnd a course of the l.-'ue pi'l (which is one of •hi* r»il \n*,: pro;; •■r,-.:\.>■■■> .>f mercury) ii fJ'/L."' >M«it ;• .<■•!, for the EEFLCTS OF JKERCCRY. 265 cure of trifling irregularities of digestion in grown person". Dr. Fiilcouar of Hath, (in a papei insered in the first volume of the Transactions of the Medi- cal Society of London, dated May, 1809.) has in stroi.g language reprobated ibis practice, and lias pointed om many of the dangerous- effects of the iudi.Mriminate use cf merenn . His, warning voice, however, has noi been listened to ; for the employment of mercurial medic, nes has, for several \ears, become more and more extensive. Dut when the o.Tccts of mercury upon the hu- man body are accurately investigated and duly considered, it cannot fail lo appear that infinite injury must accrue from lis use. It is the object of ihe airhor, in the following pages, to illustrate those propositions; and, in doing so, he readily avails himself of the record- ed facts and observations of those respectable members of ihe profession, to whom propel dufe.--j.npft '.n dttc. *66 nrT-vr"-' of it'enc-env. In det iiling ihe chvv''S pr--hce I •• pon th.^ •ys'cm by pre^aiatiotis of •* •ri'iii -•, it n vecrf ■ary to premise ihe well M.miii f„ct. ,,^ai there are sooni i..dv;fKi!s'o-\ whom s-.vh ol- h mips, tho-'om ••ontiiui-,1 for a ronKi-hri-hte hii'ifi of tin,. have hulo cr :n> ■•erccp-.il/o ii.'..o er-e, ur> h..- ; ihe activity of their for.;:, <■.■ in*- :. ■.i^-nimda • f i':-ir do--", b* calc.ihic 1 to fj-i.i,- in.e.ei'iate •fleet.*. F--r e*-- 'ripitf, wh.:c> i-i i,1.. cm., i eition rr he per-.' m-iy he, a wr\ fe- »..vi i.. of ths me ixif 'f eieriVny, c,vcn m j-;»»*ri;.r:> •■. prove ra'-i.i; .*-i . ;d Ijr^e cc;-t »• ol r.«- .•, ■< i.ieriutf arc ';! ',•.:}' iVlowe i jy voiiiiU'^' .me (urging. O'l . • •..tile.' ';.),1 hidUu.'e., of ■ou-.-KirhotlS whi.;i *r.i ii,'.-..ncep'e>i.- »:' :;.,•. L.'i :!•.. c of lha ordie.iv' do*.' *mi p.-i'fM.-n, >e,s ..>, .;, -n : vy, are terv : v o, • ...;.,..(...un v. uh t:..;*:.• :.•:•:•. ar«j af. fee: • i ::y ihe .'nallte:: quaii'-.tv ;.!' :um .1 i-.Bral. Pre;jn:»t!i-.,:i of u,treiiry. .•x'v"ile..' either in- ter Mii\ or ox^rni'l v !'■. r : ;;. i;e(je: il (,•;: *ciioo e'-e- heirt and artei es, and produce s-i';\ ;.!.<•<>, . ihv/jd by '.•rvr-.rr.' of mercjhy. 2G7 emiria'ieM •> i ! l-'ilirv, with an extremely ii ritr*. ble ?tv,-> .'' ■' - wioh-t-t'fa Thp-f ?'"-■'.■•.* of rrfrcorv n-c frvtfs'v men- tioned, ot viftoii'lv arlnr tf/. hv every rmihor' ■ancient and t~o>r/». who has dimpled it* ose ; an:' it vwy[ •i»'.>ii> verv extraordinarv that '.heir full mflupnfrt s^rvih* have hern mhtindersnood, or at lc"«'. '•">' '(..fTi'-i-'i'tlv recorded. The f:r^t cfrcf. ennmcroed is rn isv-rased action of '.he heart and nr eries. thru i'.t hi ;V\e!;vh di.T-rc'.-.:.■ there :? r either any uppaiv.u'. cfMC-ge-..noti <];(■ fer-Ssbe ^mlitios cf tho bhioc',. 'to.-- ■■}<■•.',• iiri'_?r d flow of me ordinary Becrethois;; v Pudency »• 1 j • • '■ ■ I nnst H npi.:!y limfcriw-nei , ■■■■■' • :.-eration» in any part of ih- '< ••'• t ■■ •• ' • -<<\re.u:ily de;;e.i"!-:i'■ inio ol *li" «n -■•••' •'>>•• •'•ere J sur- faces :o s'.,r tic«tion • n,u? o'y 01 i-u »- .t-e.-e tf.e living po•■•■!• .irf noivl' *.'.« ,.- til. Ex.■ericr.ee lu.- ;>ro.« ! :itv i»ality of *cch aoiic'ii.sio.'i«, bul prrjmli*:* • ■ '. n • r%ta >: Oivtsr- Tali >ii l.-d o«:n ;>!.ic..|,ounjri» o; s-.i-er-Cii reputa- tion 10 tiurih \t i ni-,» c'S->/>• of • rcio•« to other e«;i>es. till M>\ .*l.ilh •• ■tn.».ii.c. . •■ his v^i.iabls yc in ok * on -^'iii he ;c ,«•• ;*i* .nvp-u iul Jiaeaso. ■Th-i«, before .Mr. .\L:m*/„ uul>!ical;oe, ihj> injurious etT'.-cls of •.ercur'v i« ten e ♦ ph;I lis eases were attrl'oiied to ih« ori; i ial virja ope- rstiujr on fi-rol'iiloioi. or c»i rrous, or s'oibuUjj coi-iieetioo*. or to so or complication or anomaly Whi< h wic ine».il(C4hlt; Mr. Maihiw* "-.it »..»^i'»ocally shewn, that cer- tain il-mgL'toui ci,» »^»« upon ulcerations originally svphiiiiic, and certain der a-.i^e instils of health, occur whenever mercury has been administered i:?-»ii « <« ?',iHcr:;v. 27P i*i too »'rid . ;•■:■;', « r to too larc~ i quantity; kiul hi-; rei«.o.i«.» .,i • r.o;-;- i:,.V. '•-<, :',e experiencf 0. e\;iv |-r."-ii,'.o! fr v. ho ie--». with extettfiva • poorli.piti. ' of \ ! -rrvn.i..r. '-en', eeetitive to tht plieum-ena. !i' m..•;'"*"■■* "-';'; •'■' 'hot; of thtf jncK'erv in Moh (•,«.*> '.« ot ;> .-, < ■ me or peculiar nituic ; it uoe* p-ol.aMy, i:..-v?,-ver, is me-ejy hn an itKo'-lion'.e or t Tv•«■->:ve ro:v to cold, bodily hiiev.*, an! irr« • •! -»r i * j '•.• o;'i!;«t. particu- larly iii'ivd^re.cc i • int>?. c^m* li'.,<;. ■•>, lave ag- gr*wed l!>' ?*■• * -i't and oi. !;'*iar <•<- of syphi- litic ul.-err.t'nn?. nb■?■.'. —: prhnnrc *- «pcT!il;\ry. But. as all llic.5!» (li.T'irut c.itooK ,• dirur only ia one. vef r,'»-t, vi?. in eK<"iti,>.i» i:i'e?in'naiion. it IS evident t'e»: mercury. *5 en it nS" ;• oir »yst;.*.« ni.tul he productive of eeualh. hvii- «> ■•? char;ss upon the ulc.Taiiorjf n .j-.o =t on /.nd upon the general h*«hh. hce.ii;** it pro! • »iv indices a IDnrr? violent degree of ;e[la',.'0:,-,:i'>:i that; expo- sure to cold or irregularities of diet. J72 EFvnrT< ov mercury. Upon the same principle may b« explained the fact noticed ny all practical writers, tint scrofu- lous sores, and ^-irlious tumours, and cancerous •.flections, in errUiin -u^a of their jon/rcs, ar* much aggravated h< pre,^ration* iff mercury. Dr. Blackall ri»s •!ie*n that, from the same cause, ihickeni'i*: »»f Kri'«u* in:'in«r.i um, particu- Urlt the p-ric«.-.!.iiiu »).l pleura '-oralis, has ens,led ; an.I il u iio;v than proh»hl.*, ih*t tho •chin^ p c*ften follow courses of taercury *re owing to partial a J Vuotvin.l thicken- ing of ihe c.-haUr m'.uujM* in evil*'! <* ith the fwcu ini eitiv.'.ities 4 Dr. Black-.!!'* c«tse*, to.), ih^reis r^as,) i to bel.evo that the inflammatory dia h as induced by mercury may continue for a coir* titrable time af:«sr the mercury has been Uil aside, and with ml any manifest signs. Whfti individual* iti this »:aU: ure sab- cctet! to acci.ieit o exposure to cold, or indulge in irrcgjl'rify of litin ■;, a violent nnj anomalous tad's;.- K«itioti lakes place, which is apt to termi* 50 EFFECTS OF MERCURY. 273 minate fatally, or to occasion a broken state of health. Secondly—Salivation, or an excessive and un- usual flow of saliva, in general follows the in- creased action of the heart and arteries, and is preceded by a certain metallic taste in the mouth, and is attended with a peculiar odour of the breath, different from what is ever perceived in any natural disease. When 'an increase of any of the ordinary secretions takes place during the course of inflam- matory affections, the local complaints may be relieved. But the excessive flow of saliva, in consequence of mercury, is accompanied with more or less local inflammation of all the parts within the mouth. In some cases, besides the ordinary ulceration of the gums, and loosening and final separation ef the teeth, the tongue, moveable palate, &c. swell and ulcerate to a frightful degree. Thirdly—Emaciation so commonly follows a •ourse of mercury, that several eminent physi- I* 274 EFFECTS OF MEROURT. cians, about the begin ping of last centnry imagined that mercury had a natural tendency to destroy the fatty particle*. The celebrated Van Swieten (§ 147) says, " All the pinguid humours are dissolved by the action of mercury, all the viscid are attenuated, and discharged out of the body, through various outlets, together with the virus adhering to them; ih-rei'.re, when the patient's body is totally emaci tied," if,c. This emaciation ha« general!' heft;: supposed to pioceed, partly lorn the. diminisl.e I appetite for food, and chiefly IV. m the incr^e.; secretions and exeietions; but, ae ilr; ol.sen-»:i ms of Di. Blackall have proved ih«t the »hpi.u of the bleed pastes off with the ttrin*. it i* tu'ic than proba- ble that the excesfiVe rapi .Vy of tho emacialio* is occasioned by lion circut.si.'.i,c«. /bwr//7t/—Debi!iti. u-ith an irritable state ofthe whole cysiero, arc >mpsniea ihe emacia- tion, and of course occurs i i varocs degress ia different individuals. To* iae Mr. Benjamin Eell, whose practical Ieouled^c was so fvz EFFECTS OV MBRCURT. 273 «sninent, comprehends in one short paragraph (page 188 of the second volume of his valuable Treatise on tho Lues Venerea) an emphatic list of those effects of mercury. Hs remarks that, besides the usual symptoms of fever, " mercury is apt to exeite restlessness, anxiety, general debility, and a very distressful irritable state of ths whole system." The consequences of this effect upon the nerves are diderent upon different subjects. In some, temporary delirium takes place—in othsrs, nalsy or epilepsy supervenes, and in many the memory and judgment are more or less perma- nently impaired. Instances, too, have occarred, where eudde.n death has supsrvened, apparently in consequence of a very trifling exertion or afitalion. Mr. Pearson has well described such eases under the title of Ereihismus. He says, this state "is characterised by great depiessiea of strength, a sense of anxiety about the precor- dia, irregular action of ths heart, frequent sigh- ing, trembht.7, prrial or universal, a small, 876 EFFECTS OF MERCURY. quick, and sometimes intermitting pulse, occa- sional vomiting, a pale contracted countenance, a sense of coldness ; but the tongue is seldom furred, nor are the vital or natural functions much disordered." It may be alleged that these are extreme cases, and it must be admitted that, in many instances, those very violent effects do not fol- low. Delicate individuals, however, particularly those who have been accastomed to a sedentary life, and therefore, in an especial degree, femalts, generally experience, after a course of mercury, various modifications of disordered feelings, communicating the idea of imaginary diseases, which unfit them for the duties of life, and render existence a burden. Among the anomalous complaints arising from this cause, may he enumerated, impaired or ca- pricious appetite for food, with all the ordinary symptoms of indigestion, particularly retellings in the morning, and flatulency—disturbed sleep, with frightful dreams—-impaired or depraved EFFECTS OF MERCURY. 277 vision—frequent aches and pains in different parts of the body—occasionally such sudden failure of strength, as if just dying, and at other times violent palpitations at the heart, accompa- nied with difficulty of breathing. Along with all these complaints, there is such a wretchedness of look, with such a propensity to brood over their miserable feelings,' that it is extremely difficult to persuade the relations or the attendants of the patient that tbere is no serious indisposition.— Indeed, medical practitioners, who are not ac- customed to weigh with mature deliberation all the complications of symptoms, are generally deceived in such cases, and involuntarily add to the alarm both ofthe unhappy sufferer and ofthe attendants. " I might cite all writers on the Materia Medica," Dr. Falconar, in the paper alluded to, (page 110,) says, " for authorities th3t the long continued and frequent use of mercury is not free from danger; that, among other ill effects, it tends to produco tremors and paralysis, and not 878 EFFECTS OF MERCURY. unfrequently incurable mania. I hare myself seen repeatedly, from this cause, a kind of ap- proximation to these maladies, that embittered life to such a degree, with a shocking depression of spirits, and other nervous agitations will which it was accompanied, as to make it more than commonly probable, that many of the sui- cides, which disgrace our country, were occa- sioned by the intolerable feelings that result from auch a stale of the nervous system." To ths truth of these remarks every unprejudiced phy- sician, who ha.3 been in extensive practice, must bear testimony. Such are the ordinary and we'll known effects of mercury, when given in sufficient quantity to act upon ths human body ; but in many cases other deviations from health ensue. Of these, the most common are excessive diarrhoea, accompanied often with discharges of blood from t' e bowels. This is bo apt to occur insomciuuivhl.nl.-?, even tho t^h the mercury be administerod by being rubbed upon tho surface, EFFECTS OF MERCURY. 279 that every writer upon " Lues Venerea" has mentioned this effect as one, of the great obstacles to the cure of the disease. The random experiments of speculative phy. siciani upon patients labouring under scrofulous affections have proved, that in some cases ulcera- tion3 of the soft part?, and caries of the bpnes> originally arising from ill-conditioned states ofthe system, are much accelerated in their progress by mercurial medicine. Of this many melan. choly examples might be cited. A boy about 11 years ol 1 had a sore on one cheek, with an affection of the jaw, which were attributed to the m^oieeisjerempntofa dentist in extracting a carious tooth. A physielan was consulted, (after the patient "had suffered for some 'months,) who immediately prescribed a regular and full course of mercury. In a'short time ulcerations in the throat appeare.1, the nose sunk, and one of the eyes was nearly destroyed, while the general health became so seriously injured, that death 280 EFFECTS OF MERCURV followed in a few months. Can it be for a moment deubted, that all those morbid changes proceeded from the inflammatory action of the mercury ? Mental derangement, with eventual fatuity, has sometimes followed a course of mercury; and the probable reason why it does not do so more 4 frequently is, that the irritable state of mind which usually precedes actual derangement com- monly alarms the attendants, and leads to active precautionary measures. Another consequence ofthe use of mercury is a very violent affection of the skin, origimlly hinted at by Mr. Benjamin Bell, and, more lately, pi-, ocularly described by Dr. Alley of Dublin, Dr. Spens of Edinburgh, nnd Mr. Pearson of London. It has hern ;-t!ed hydrar- gyra by Dr. Alley, erythema rnercuriale by Dr Spens, and aczema rnercuriale by Mr. Pearson. This eruption is usually preceded by heat and itching of the skin, a frequent pulse, and a whit. EFFECTS OF MERCURY. 281 tongue. Most commonly it begins on the inside of the thighs, or about the flextures of the arms ; and Mr. Pearson asserts, that it generally attacks the anterior parts of the body before the posterior. The parts affected are first of a faint red colour, and gradually the shade becomes deeper. The eruption proceeds by slow degrees over the whole surface, accompanied with an evident tumefaction of the skin, with great ten- derness and heat, and most troublesome itchings. Examined by a magnifying glass, the eruption appears distinctly vesicular, though the vesicles are so minute that they cannot be distinguished by the naked eye. These minute vesicles contain at first a pellucid fluid, and are each surrounded by a circular redness. From the great itching they are soon and inevitably ruptured, and dis- charge a thin acrid fluid, which irritates and excoriates the surface, and aggravates greatly ths patient's sufferings. In this way the disease proceeds from one part to another, till the wholo person becomes affected. •82 EFFECTS OF ME.ICURY. When the resides are fir.-t ruptured, the fluid which exudes, thojgii thin, siihlms ihe linen, but after a few days the dischar.-ro becomes thick. and emits a most offensive smell. As the differ- ent parts of the body are atit\.'.tij in succession, the exudation is thin in one part, and thiek and adhesive in another. In a day .•>/ ,wo the adhesive discharge ceases, thy c.itii.■!•• loyjuus, assuming firstapale brown colour, and th-m ioniing nearly black, when it separates ii la.-^'e l.ikta, leaving a faint redness on the ni«i>. 1 surfou Sometimes this desqua.ra'ion is suecc- Jed by a second or •third, in the form ef white «r- - . !i!«» farina- ceous powl«r. In some cane•« = ir and ;. ren the nails Im? ah--? separated ,uih the epidermis. The di.nt.r;:, of tho riiaeasi- •,* from a fortnight to c..::,f 01 leu week,. . ■ -e ■. lung--. Dr. Alley has^crbefl tiir - , . ... -,xr.j .^ .: ,:igna_ aadruiofKr.; >-.:i£:s, ....; ,.!2„^ EFFECTS 01? MERCCRY. 288 within ten years, eight paints died. Far a snore particular account of t'u-3 loathsome and distressing affection, the reader if referred to Dr. Spens' Observations, already quoted, Dr. Alley oil Hydrargyria, Mr. Peanmn, (seeo id edition, page 166,) and Dr. Batsmen peg: 254. These morbid effects of mercury do rot seem to depend entirely upon the qumtiiv or mode of preparation of that medicine which may be administered to the individual; foi while it is an established fact, that the mildest preparations employed externally, if exhibited in too large doses, or continued for too great' a length of time, are followed by some of the bad effects above enumerated, it is also notorious, that very small qe, itities of mercury have suddenly proved eqiallv injurious. Thus, in a lady (whom the author attended some year* ago along with his intelligent friend, TK Farqiijjarson) who had had such ?ma:i doses of the bine* pill, combined with opium, for ihres nights successively, that the 29 i EFFECTS OF MERCURY. whole quantity amounted to no more than five grains of the mass, salivation began on the fifth day, and, notwithstanding every attention, the tongue and gums became swelled to an enormous degree, bleeding ulcers of the mouth and fauces took place, and such excessive debility followed, that for nearly a whole month her life was in the utmost jeopardy. Every practitioner must have met with similar cases. Another common consequence of a very small dose of mercury, is an excessive bowel com- plaint. In many individuals, a permanent irrita- bility of the stomach and intestinal canal has followed the accidental exhibition of a few grains of calomel. Various other anomalous affections have been known to succeed the use of mercury. Thus. Dr. Falconar mentions, (Memoirs ofthe Medical Society of London, Vol. III. page 381,) that he once saw a dropsy of the breast produced by the use of a mercnjrial remedy for a redness in the face, which it effectually removed, but in- EFFECTS OF MERCURY. 289 stantly produced a dropsy of the chest, terminating in death. Dr. Blackall has recorded similar in- stances. In his observations on the hydrargyria, page 40, Dr. Alley asserts that he had seen " that eruption appear over the entire body of a boy about seven years old, for whom but three grains of calomel had been prescribed ineffectually as a purgative." Many other instances of violent effects from a small dose of mercury might be cited. Besides, the following seems to prove that mercury may remain inert for a considerable time in the habit, and afterwards, by some inexplicable circum- stance, may become active. A lady, the mother of four children, in the twenty-eighth year of her age, had a bad miscarriage at the end of the fourth month. When the author was called, she was very much reduced from the loss of blood, and required the ordinary palliative remedies. Three days after the first vivit, she complained of a bad taste ia ggfj EFFECTS OF MFRCURY. her mouth, with soreness of her gums, and o» i>i.:.i.i.v, C9 Ecu':iti,ms of Terms, 96 D^ Wood, Dw.-.if EUcr, ✓ 33 81 FiLWAtfPVNK, 39 E';.«,(;•< Nos. 1 andO, 66 E-p.-clor.mt Pwders, 87 Ee iTnE::: ::v/, 40 ^..) VPA23;,:-,, 81 40 Index to the Plants. 291 Gin~or, 41 Gin**, • 41 Gi:i>-;n'T, 41 €..i.:■■:-. Seal, 42 t3ol i Thread, 42 Gravel Root, 43 ^I.-..■!LOCK TkEE, 44 1EI j.).s, 44 El xi;h mnd, 84 filer--; Radish, 44 Il'.mkhmsrry Leaves, 82 Hyssop, 83 Ily.v.eti-j-c Tincture, 92 Inji/.n Physick, 45 I. v:hiinV Turnip, 72 Ir.ci V/cc-d, 82 L il»Y 'i\Lvjet ihixh, 05 fchveet Fern, G3 Syrup Ncs. 1 and 2, 95 Taw Aldlr, 65 Tansey, 63 T- nriclx, GG Th.. wfr G7 Th-. *if«-r Rheumatism, 01 f r ?, >re Urcaot, 93 i.jhimlock, CO l: ''' Lobelia Taflata, 92 hdex to the Plants. 295 Tooth Powders, 93 VEUX!"UG^, Vine ?.:.ip:e, Walnut, WhiU' A Anno v, Yclbw Dock, Yellow Lily, 94 68 83 69 67 69 69 70 70 70 71 71 73 72 83 73 74 75 75 74 75 7(1 TmWtBSL TO THE DISEASES, ore. VMig. AcCTIiLm/.ilJIATION OP theLivi:t;, 146 Acuti; Rheumatism, 150 Apoplexy, 191 Asthma, 124 Bui:-, 214 Bilious Fever. 119 Bito cf ft Mad Lbff. 209 B:'t.:of aSn&kc, 244 Bleeding at tho Nose, 181 Blcc/Jy Urine, l'hi Bruges cimi Falls, 214 Burr.: .-.nd Scalds, 215 Cav.-ix, 215 Caiarr.i, L'LG Cbapnei Funds, 216 Chiciv. ?i fox, 170 Cholcm Mo.-I.ii.?, 204 Index to the Disease*, Chronic Rheumatism, G.id, Colick, Ccnfluont Small Pox, Consumption, Contracted Sinews, Convu's-cu I-'its, Corns, Cos'ivoness, Cough, Cramp, Cramp of the Stomachy Croi.p, or Fti'. ::s, DBAVSE3\, Distinct lvir-M Pox, Dropsy Dyjpcpi;,, or Indigestion,. ]-)5 213 197 221 100 297 15J 1--0 203 1G8 175 240 2iG 217 217 218 219 2i'i 140 'J20 162 210 Ear-A«.'_m:., Epik^y.y. ;>;• Cjr.r.ion Fits, FyVNx/r.-n-i. Fevers m GL.-sn'', Fever Sjrf, in-l'«r.r.j.^ion, dec- . 223 298 Index to the Diseases. Flux, 169 Fretted or chapped IS ipples, 243 Frost-bitten, 228 GiDDINKSS OF TUE HeA-D, OR VERTIGO, 223 Gout, 154 Gout of tho Stomach, 1G0 Gravel a'rl Lhona, 224 Hf.ad-Aoiie, L'v'5 Hearth-i r.', 220 Hiccou h, 226 Hoopiuj Cou^li, 202 Hysterh-s, 206 I.irTom.K \tg Fi. >-.vino or tiie Menses, 130 Iucon'ir>..!':-• < f • ■ ; i"S 227 Inflt ■ :. t: i -■'' t'r'i ISrah, 1G5 '• r,:.., 131 " '•' ' >* r- tillOT, 145 •• ^[unoyp, 140 Inr.-.v.-.:a.:-ry i" . :-. 105 Ia.t-.-,z,. 140 Ir. .mity, or D^r.Ki^sntfTjt of Mis«J, T;29 117 Index to the Diseases. 299 ! Itch, (VCV Javm, 213 Lax, '•<•. L> -..• i:sf.zs, 205 Locked Jaw, 19G ^ Me.i>j. 171 Miliar, !'ever, 248 Milk F ■■.-.:r, 259 Mortiih atiun, 246 Mump.-;, 142 . NtUVOLT; F;-vei:, 1C7 Nettlo Ra: 't, 179 Nightmare, 228 Obstru -tt) Menses, 132 Obstruction ofthe Li) *er, 148 Palpitation of tzis [Ieart, £01 Palsy, 193 Pile:?, 125 Pleurisy, Is-7 (Bastard) 129 Puerperal Fever, 215 Putrid Fccr. 115 " Sore Throat, .121 300 Lircx Ic (n-: Diseases. QriN3v, 1!'8" llKMiUETT Ftf.VZi:, 114 ilickrts, 21! Ruptures, 230 S.'.IT l\U:-'iZl, 2151 Scahi H«>ad, 23i Scarlet Fcv r, 123 Sc.clhla, or King's Evil, 232 Small Pox, 162 Sor^j i>r,-iil, 213 " Met.t'.i, 233 SpasmuJx Stitch of the Side, 143 Spilling -!* Bloc. 1, iii St. Ai;'li«;r,y'.< Fire, 177 Strait: v. 5-i4 St. V :,xr-, 200 Tun 216 T.;'.J. 153 Tl.Gfi- .' ' : 153 Vu-.. 234 Vegjm . iVo » r, 231 Ventrti. :. 230 Index to the Diteaut. 301 Vomiting of Blood, *73 Waxts, 234 Whites, 138 Whito Swellings, 239 Whitlow, or Felon, 240 Worms, * 241 Talli: of Doses, 261 Efiects of M^nc^Ry, 263 ;^J962 0 a^ ■- NOI1VN 1NI3IQ1W JO AIVIII1 1VNOI1VN JNI3IQ1W JO AIYIII1 S #51 EDICINE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF *T~ ^ : i y \ N O I \ !A/ i NO IJ. V N IN I D 10 3 W JO 11*1111 lVNOUVN 1NI3I01W JO »I*I1I1 ifT -F "W-^^S * ^ p r » ^ s»€? 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