7
Materia
Medica










1st Deobst      1
Iodine
Sources 1st The ocean 2d certain springs
as Saratoga & [illegible] 3d spec. of silv. ore
from Mexico 4th in peat 5th Several marine
plants 6th certain zoophytes as sphargia off. & 
perhaps others & in [gorgones] 7 Some of the naked
& testaceous mollusca It is found
in the plants salsole kali & soda Testera marina
triglochin. mar. eryugium marit.
atriplex several species of [fuce] F. vesicalosus,
palmatus etc. ulva sedia? Dipsacus
[fullo???] Found in zoophytes in 
ostricae? etc.
Spongia off. this is classed among the zoophytes
shd be burnt by a smothered fire iodine 
is formed many suppose it exists in the form 
of iodide of sodium its med. powers are
owing to iodine.
Fucus reticulosus (a bladder wrack) affords
the most iodine of the fuci & is more
powerful than sponge
Fucus helminthocorton Bonaparte before
being emp. first called attention 


to this which is abundant in Corsica. It is 
the most active of all the fuci. It was given
in Corsica for worms, in decoc, infus. or syr.
It is most active when burnt
Iodine when given in moderate
doses & in appropriate cases & carefully 
watched will
1st moderately augment the appetite & digestive
powers & increase muscular & arterial
strength, but not in a degree sufficient for its
use as a tonic in cases of mere exhaustion
2nd It will gradually effect a resolution 
of acute subacute & chronic inflammations
and gradually remove morbid enlargements
of the glands, particularly the thyroid 
the mammae testes & ovaria. It will cure
many of the lepidotic eruptions. It will
increase the cetamenial secretion when
deficient & restrain it when excessive
3 In lean persons it will increase the 
deposition of fat in the cell. substance, & 
in the corpulent it will diminish it


Dr S. B. Woodward has seen erythema
vesiculare the same as from merc. or 
arsen. produced by a long continued use
of iodine in a single case. It disappeared
or withdraw in the article & applying ac. lead
It has been alledged that it will 
cause absorption or diminution of the mammae
& testes when perfectly healthy Majendie
never witnessed such an effect
neither has Elliotson who used it 18 mo.
(in one case?) The latter says, we must
suspend it when it purges, nauseates or produces
pain. The evidence on the subject of 
this absorption is by no means sufficient.
The effect has only been observed
in Switzerland where the article has been 
used extensively & inordinately in bronchocele.
Diseased glands are far
more susceptible to its influence. I 
have seen a diseased testicle reduced by 
it in a case of sarcoma medull. A part
of it pared away with a scalpel.


In inordinate doses iodine produces
great irritation & exhaustion. The most common
effect of one however is gastrodynia
Opium is the only effectual remedy for this
gastrod. & the disease will yield 
if regularly continued
The remedies for inord. doses are narcotics
hyscyam. conium but above all opium
Opium shd be given in combination
with iodine. I have thus combined
it for several years Laudanum acts on 
the iodine, but opium acts after the iodine 
has taken effect then it is wanted
Begin with iod. in small quan & 
increase gradually & contin. 3 mo. if a
cure is not effected before A less time
would not be a fair trial. If unpleasant
sympt. occur suspend it or diminish
the dose
Like calomel it requires a certain 
range of the system to obtain its specific 


effects. If there be too great irrit. conjoin
opium digitalis or conium
The test that it has been continued a sufficient
length of time is the cure of the disease
or the failure to produce beneficial effects
If it does not destroy the appetite & digestive
powers & musc. strength, while at the same
time it improves the case it shd be continued
It requires large doses to produce dangerous
effects. Under judicious management they
 very rarely occur
When we enter on a full & continued
use of iodine opium shd be conjoined with it 
in all cases But the opium shd be given in 
substance This is a perfect preventive of
all its bad effects With opium more
iodine can be taken & thus its power is
heightened by the combination. Iodine
is contraindicated in entonic, atonic or even
irritative cases unless the state is relieved
by appropriate remedies


The primary effects of iodine are
1st Deobstruent 2d Tonic 3d Epispastic
perhaps also cathartic, for with me it has
always had that effect, when given freely,
perhaps in the same manner as cinchona
The secondary effects of its deobst.
power are 1st Resolvent 2d Antispsoraic
3d Emmenagogue 4th Discutient
The tonic oper. of iod. is probably indirect
Pharmaceutic Preparations
1st Substance into pills I do 
not think this very eligible
2d Alcohl. tinct. 3d Ether of iodine
4th Ointment 5th Plaister
1st Pills of iod. are made in Europe
with powd. liquorish or gentian & syrup
of sugar. Dose gr fs morning & evening. This
does is too small. If you give the subst.
I think the iodides are best, as of pot. or soda
2 Tinct. is the best form
Rx Iod: grs 48 to alc. off. zi I think there 


must be a mistake here. I could never 
make zi of alc. dissolve more than 24 grs
You shd know the sp. gr. of your alc. or you 
will have variable preparations. Our best alc.
is of .835 sp. gr. Of this mixture 20 m
will weight (equal?) [illegible] Dose of this 2-30 
m 3 or 4 times a day I have used it for 6 
yrs. At first it had no effect. I then increased
the dose & it had the desired effect.
The French used pure alcohol. To make the
tinct. put the articles together & shake; they 
unite by solution immediately Rx alc. (sp. gr. 
.835) zi & iod. grs 24. Perhaps
the tinct. shd be recently prepared & the 
bottle perfectly tight, for it at length deposites 
crystals on the bottom whose nature
however is not perfectly settled.
3d Ether of iodine I have never seen it 
used It should be a saturated solution & 
the dose shd contain gr i of iod. [illegible] is variable
triturate wd, with lard. But this is too 
soft when applied to the body as it will 




melt & run down.  I make it thus Rx
the requisite quantity of iod. & a little cerate
& rub thoroughly in a mortar then add the rest
Make it extemporaneously the strength pro r
re nata. I have used it a good deal. The 
proper strength is zfs – zii to zi cerate
Melting together wd volatilize the iodine
As this ointm. leaves a stain continuing till the cuticle comes off apply to parts
exposed to view an oint. of iod. pot. or soda
Compounds of iodine 1st acidum
hydriod. the only one known with hydrog.
It is said that this ac. will dissol. an addit. por. of iodine
2d Protiodides & periodides of potassium & sodium & 
periodide? of protoxide of zinc & mercury 
Their powers are disputed Some say the protiodides
& others the periodides are the strongest.
I think that iod. preserves its powers
unchanged in composition & that the compds which
contain most iod. are the strongest It is
not so with mercury
Protiodide of potassium was long called
hydriodate of potassa & scrof soca, but s



2nd Deobst
there is abundant proof that the hydracids do
not form salts with oxides All agree that in the
dry state they are iodides. This compd is in 
opaque milky cubes. It is deliquesc. dissolves
in 1.43 part of water & 5 of alcohol
Periodide of potassium 2 iod. + 1 pot.
Majend. says it is less powerful than the port-iod.
I do not think so, but think the periodides
the strongest All are used in pill
in sol. in wat. & in tinct. Pure iod. is
the best for internal use. Protiodides of zinc
& merc. may be exceptions, as the metals are
powerful & the compd may united the properties 
of each I do not know whether this is the 
case. It should be enquired into
The iodides are less active than 
pure iodine. Of course you require a greater
quantity to obtain greater strength, as sometime
you want a caustic & sometimes only 
a rubefacient. Vary the strength of your plaister
accordingly.
Iodine is more powerful, given in 
an empty stomach, but liquids food? make it sit well


There are two iodides of calcium employed
in medicine, though the books acknowledge
but one.
Therapeutic Application
Dysphegia constricta
Limoris dyspepsia with atony & in great irritab.
of stom. & aff. of liver & no derangement
of the bowels. Yet opium? is better in such cases
Case connected with coryza chronica I improved
the appetite & digestion & increased the bile
Colica callosa & proctica callosa (stricture of
the rectum) very serviceable in early stages when 
they are more sequels of colic ileus I have cured cases
Parabysmata shd be administered with conium
Buboes syphilitic & others & many of a 
strumous origin I have cured by [discussion]
Here the ointment of protiodide of merc. shd be used
When Good wrote of iodine it was not as well known
Asthma humidum said to have been cured by it
Dysentery with no febrile action but bring 
discharges & tenesmus I conjoin opium
Ophtlalmitis strumosa 


Purulent ophthalmia of infants Dr Fuller
of Columbia says he has often cured by an internal
use of iodine
Strumous infl. of the glands of the neck
also of axilla & groin of a strong hardness
In such cases there are neuralgic pains & 
sometimes diarrhoea if so give opium If no 
diarrh. give conium & if debility, quinine
Gout used in France with opium
freely & as is said with great success also
externally. It acts like colchicum. Conjoin
stimulating remedies
Acute rheumatism think it would be useful 
have known it gradual but certain benefit in
chronic stage when acute conjoin conium
It may be used externally & internally
Phlogotica in general atonic ac. & subacute
I think it wd be of service
Struma vulgaris & mesenterica (Majendi)
Old scrofulous ulcers & glandular enlargements
L. mesenterica is cured by iodine
Phthisis (it is of the following form 1st Membranific
2d Strumous or tuberculous 3d Apistematous 



4th Hemorrhagic not necessarily attended with hemor. from 
the lungs, it may be from some other part but most commonly
from the lungs it leaves the part from which it 
comes a weak spot, slight causes renew the hemorr.
& the pat. runs down not mentioned in books
5th Laryngical phth. the lungs in a pretty good 
condition it is an aff. of the mm. of the larynx occurs
most commonly among those of strumous habits
& is undoubtedly connected with such habits
Iodine is said to have effectually cured
Laryngeal phthisis shd be accomp. with con.
Membranific hysteritis not considered
of much consequence except during the catom. 
period then give cal. & op. During the
intervals a free use of iod. & con. will cure it.
(N.B. membranific infl. are of the fauces, trachea,
lower intestines, bladder & uterus this
kind of infl. often occurs)
Mesenteritis strumosa has been cured
with first stages but when advanced it
is incurable. In order to judge of the progress
of the disease notice the function of
nutrition. if this be disturbed the dis. is far advanced 



Dysenteria chronica Dr Brera says he
has cured it with iodine there is no such dis.
the cases are mere sequels of acute dysentery & 
there are undoubtedly ulcerations & chronic
thickenings of the m.m. of intest. with savious
discharges, but this is not dysentery
White swellings of the knee, ankle & elbow
have been often cured by iod exterrn. & intern.
when amputation has been advised
Bucmemia tropica (not the same as sperganosis)
shd be used exterm. & intern.
Lues syphilis & syphilodes Iod & con. will cure
Exangia varis (varicose veins) sd to have been cured
Sarcoma S. medullare (F. Haematodes)
correctly described in the books. I believe
iod. obviates in some cases the general affection 
of the system & then the topical aff. disappears
The F. haemat. if not situated in a gland appears
at first in a small tumour & is vascular
if in a gland, it puts on a milky appearance.
It destroys life by inanition from 
loss of blood the pat. becomes cachectic
Case situated in the testis made a free 



use of iod. & con. The deobst. have more power
in such insulated glands than when the fungus
is situated among the muscles
Sarcoma schirrosum take for cancer of 
fem. breast it is more easily extirpated without
danger of return. The latter (true cancer)
begins on one side of the nipple, draws in the
nipple & becomes a phagedenic ulcer. The sarcoma
schirrosum is a tumour & appears to be
a topical disease, while the card. vulg.
is a constitutional one. Hence the applic. to 
the former shd be topical & sufficiently strong
to destroy the part if the vitality of the part is destroyed
you shd not apply the knife to remove
it the absorbents will do this with less
disturbance to the system.
Carcinoma vulgaris of Good cancer
of fem. breast. Here iod. has cured. Dr
Cogswell of Hartf. used iod. of potassium externally 
& con.  & iron internally for 8-10 weeks
In the early stages too early for the knife 
iod. cures by resolution in the latter, when 


the knife wd do no good, it cures by sloughing.
In other states I think it not so useful
Carcinous tumours, when cured by a judicious
use of iod. by sloughing are less likely 
to return than when removed by the knife
While applying the caustic give at the same
time e3xt. con. cinchona, iron wine or
opium In the first place, if the health is
low improve it & use the caustic in such a
way as not to enfeeble the powers of life.
More may be done by the internal use of 
medicine than usually is. The writings of
Storck are well worth reading on this subject
There is a choice in caustics for cancers
You shd adapt the strength of the caustic to 
the strength of the vitality of the part. Use
at the same time antirritant & supporting
remedies. Apply the caustic slowly & gradually 
Epilepsy this has also been cured
Chorea also]
Parapsis acris probably prurigo too
Hydrops abdominis thoracis & ovarii
Hydrops articuli dropsy of a joint 



Vitiated & obstinate ulcers of the leg, not
connected with varicose veins. I have often
used iod. successfully in them. Horizontal
posture & bandaging shd be conjoined Iodide
of potassium in solution or in ointment, but not
to prove caustic. Smart vomiting with turpeth
mineral previous to topical application
has been found useful. With this treatment they wd heal
Eutasia loxia (wry neck) Prof. Smith
cured many cases of wry neck from rigidity of
one or more muscles, with iodine
Leucorrhea senescentium very obstinate
said to have been cured by an injection 
of solution of protiodide of calcium. You 
shd inject 3 or 4 times a day. It will cure
in about a week or fortnight.
Leucorrhea communis has often been cured in this way
Chlorosis inops (green sickness)
Paramenia difficilis & obstructionis, when
idiopathic have often been cured by iod. & 
particularly in leucophlaegmatic habits
Iodine is an excellent substitute for iron &
is said to be the best emmenagogue 


3d Deobst
known in Po. obstructionis. Immense mischief
is often done by emmenagogues Remove the general
disease & then the suppression will be removed.
It is best that the discharge shd be 
suppressed till the disease is cured Iodine iron?
myrrh & veg. tonics & opium in such cases
restore the health and then the suppression 
will be removed of itself
Scaly eruptions You shd ascertain
whether they are constitutional or local if
local the topical applic of iod. may cure if
constit. the intern. use of iod may cure
Lepidosis pityriasis var. vesicular 
in this nit. silver is a very effectual remedy
Lepidosis psoriatis iodine & con. have
cured many very inveterate cases
Lepidosis ictyhiasis shd think iod. might
cure this too. IT is however a very obstin. dis.
Ecpyesis impetigo called salt rheum
(but salt rheum means everything) I have 
often cured with this but it is apt to return
You should keep curing it till the [tendency]
to return is subdued. It is worse in winter


than in summer. It is sometimes irritable
and will irritate & ulcerate. Now this state
of irritation shd be overcome before you apply
the remedy. Many phys. fail in curing
these eruptions & ulcers so long as the irritable
state continues you cannot cure
Overcome this by antirritants & then use iodine
Ecpyesis impetigo var. herpetica. Depends
on a deranged state of the digestive
functions & arsenic if persisted in is a 
sure remedy for it. Continue it 6 mo. if
necessary. A less time will hardly be a fair
trial. Shd think iod. might be of service
Ecpyesis porrigo several varieties 
that which covers the head with a crust
must have that soaked off before applying 
the iod
In my opinion most of the cutaneous eruptions
are capable of being cured by iod
externally if topical & internally if constit.
Conium shd be conjoined
Bony tumors incipient osteosarcoma
case of Dr Barry (vide my notes)


Iodine is perhaps applicable to as great
a range of dis. as merc. It stands at the
head of deobst. & shd be tried farther
in secondary syphilitic affections
Bromine
Possesses the same powers as iodine in a 
less degree 60 gtts are sd to be fatal
Bromide of potassium
Stands in the same relation to bromine as
iodide of pot. to iodine Has been used
Deuto bromide of potassium
Said to cure syphilis & primary syphilitic 
ulcers & to prevent the constitutional aff.
Bromine possesses the same assemblage
of properties as iodine but in a 
less degree & may be a substitute


Chlorine
Its medicinal powers even to this time
are not fully understood
Its effects are those of a weak
deobstruent compare with those of iodine
& bromine. It is supposed to be slightly tonic
Its common form is solution in water
2 vol. [illegible] to 1 water shd be kept stopped tight
Dose from zfs to zi a day is thought to be
sufficient. I think it too small
Diseases Dyspepsia
Jaundice Cutaneous eruptions
In syphilis I have found it a deobstruent
It is used in dyspepsia both externally 
& internally
Calcium & Sodium (Savage)
Chlorides of Lime & Soda?
chloroxides of calcium & sodium
Erythem. infl. of the fauces in roaslia It is
said they act as deobstruents taken internally
They are most valuable as external applications
to ill conditioned ulcers. Labarraque’s
disinfect. liq. is the best form as being most soluble


There is no proof of the disinfecting power
of any of these preparations. Coldwell quoted
on disinfection etc. vide my notes
Nitric muriatic & nitirc chloric acids
These are weak deobst. compared with iod.
& bromine & about equal to chlorine. The
same laws are applicable to them
Said to be tonic also to be refrigerant
Diseases lues cachetic dis. & in short
the same as under chlorine. They are mere
auxiliaries
Chlorides of Barium, Calcium 
& Gold & the salt formed by 
the chloride of gold as an acid & the chloride
of soda. Chloride of calcium
was many years ago introduced as a remedy 
for scrofula, in small doses just large enough 
to fall short of producing pain after taking
take 3 times in 24 hours & persevered in 
for a considerable time It is said to be
tonic. I have never seen this effect I have
commonly conjoined vegetable tonics with it 


Thus used it is good in stouma, in aff. of mesenteric 
glands etc. in short in about the same
dis. as chlorine. This salt is found in the shops
Dissolve it in twice its weight in water & you have
the liquid Chloride of barium
requires less doses Excessive doses produce
tormina, pain in the stomach etc.
Chloride of gold is more active than either
& requires a less quantity. The best form is
chloro aurate of chloride of sodium, mentioned
above
These all increase the biliary & urinary
secretion


Protoxide of Mercury
Peroxide of merc. sub-nitrate of m. red precipitate
proto-chloride of merc or
corrosive sublimate & chloro-hydrarguret
of ammonia or white
precipitate These all are deobstruent & 
possess no cathartic powers. In this respect
they differ from calomel in operation
& also in that being applied externally they 
produce
Red prec. & corr. sub. do not produce
ptyalism unless the pat. is very susceptible
They have the preference therefore 
when a mere deobstruent effect is wanted 
1st Corrosive Sublimate
When there is dryness of the mouth in 
dyspepsia or in chronic diseases, corr. sub.
in 1/8 gr. doses When there is colliquative
sweating in typhus corr. sub. has proved
very effectual in suppressing it Rx corr. sub.
zfs alcoh. 1 pt sometimes a little calomel
This is applied as warm as the pat. can 
bear it, under the bed clothes, to exclude the 


air 2 to 5 times a day. It will dry the skin
& suppress the sweating
Corr. sub. is also used as an emetic in croup
in small doses at short intervals it changes the
secretions & excites the absorbents so as to cure
the disease it is given at such short intervals
as to produce quick vomiting
It is given for cutaneous diseases, with tonics
& com. mac. And with tonics of com. mac.
it excites the biliary secretions & changes the
state of the chylopoietic viscera, in dyspepsia,
better than calom, or any other article
In atonic cases of fever which become chronic
& when the secretions are deranged corr.
sub. in doses of 1/8 gr. 3 or 4 times a day is
very effectual in obviating the condition of 
the system. IT in short will produce the
desired effect when the system is below
the range of action for calomel
In peristhmitis typhodes in p. membranifica 
& in rosalia corr. sub. is an emetic
in the following form


6th Deobst.
Rx for a child 5 to 15 yrs old corr. sub. gr j
hydrochlorate of ammonia gr ji mucil. of
acacia zi aqua pura sufficient to
Dose a teasp. f. once in half a
hour? as an emet. once in 4 h. as a deobst.
Corr. sub. is frequently used
as an injection in to abscesses to promote healthy
granulations & healing
It has been the practice in N. York to rely
on this article in the cure of syphliis
Topically applied it will easily cure
chancres. I have succeeded perfectly 
in curing buboes by inject. corr. sub.
A course of purging for some
length of time with mercurials will produce
amenorrhea Corr. sub. has done it
2nd Red precipitate. Its uses are
very much the same as those of corr. sub.
except that it is not so soluble
In Blenorrhea, when there is continued
discharge from the urethra & tenderness
of the testis. I have cured by red prec. internally



It shd be combined with opium
From ¼ to ½ gr is a medium dose & 1 gr of
opium. Give about 3 times a day. I have
succeeded perfectly in this way. This treatment
shd be continued some time after the 
complaint is cured or it may return
The ointment of this article is
very good. It is bad as prepared in the
pharmacopoeia. Shd not be made with 
heat, to prevent changing [illegible]
Rx Reduce it to a perfectly fine powder
Its colour will be changed to orange yellow,
but the composition will not be changed
When so reduced, incorporate it with the
cerate & let the strength be as occasion
shall require. It is valuable in porrigo
& impetigo laminosa about the fingers
& back of the hands. Washes? of red prec. will
cure. It is better in porrigo but if the
ulcers are irritable & sore this state shd be
previously obviated
3d Chlorohydrarguret of ammonia
Rx white prec. zii corr. sub grs x oil of lemons mxii
white cerate zii rub together For porrigo, impetigo
etc.


Of late years I have substituted red prec. & 
corr. sub. for cal. They are the best preparations
for syphilis, being equally certain, 
more speedy & not producing salivation
I have not used cal. or the protoxide for 
12 yrs in syphilis. I think corr. sub. the
most eligible but red prec. is just as powerful.
They are better also in jaundice except 
as a cathartic at the commencement
I think their use might be extended to other
diseases. I would not used them in fevers
though some have used them here instead of
calomel & blue pill. May be used as emetic 
In rosalia it succeeds but I prefer bi-per.
sulph. copper


Dis-oxide of Mercury
Blk oxide protoxide “Blue Pill”
Mercury cannot be so well oxidated mechanically,
even by a steam engine as in London,
but that some globules will remain.
Boiling cal. with quicklime is faulty
But the blk oxide can be formed with carb.
pot. perfectly pure protoxide of merc. will
then be the only insoluble product.
Rx calom. & carb. pot. aa zfs add 1 pt of
distilled water & f ziii off. alcohol. The latter
expedites the precipitation of the protoxide.
Dry the sum & keep excluded from the light 
The cal. & carb. pot. shd be first carefully triturated
In this manner all the merc. is oxidized & the
product cannot be distinguished in its operation
from calomel, in power or quality.
½ a gr. is enough for a pill & as strong
as 1 gr. of the blue pill of the pharmacopoeias
For merc. ointment also this method
is better & then add lard in proper proportions
but less than the pharmac. vide Paris
s


Calomel
(additional to my notes)
By speedy sublimation a dull
white semitransparent cake is obtained. By 
a slow, it crystallizes in 6 sided acicular
crystals. It is important that the practitioner
shd know that this is the best form. It phosphoresces
in the dark (by rubbing?) When it 
is rubbed between two pieces of glass it
will scratch them & hence it is distinguished
from corr. sub. Light & air turn it 
brown Nitric acid dissolves it,
changing it into corr. sub. Pure alkalies
decompose it, forming carbonates 
This fact shd be known (though the cathartic
& deobst. powers are not altered) as
some practitioners make it into pills with
soap. Chlorine changes it into corr.
sub. Boiled with sal. ammoniac it
changes into metallic mercury & corr. sub.
does so by boiling with perchloride of sodium 





The symptoms which precede actual ptyalism
are a cupreous taste in the mouth more
or less distention of the gums, a sloughy white ness & 
slight erosion of their margins soreness & slight
feeling of looseness in the teeth a peculiar fleecy
appearance of the tongue, a peculiar fetor
of the breath usually called mercurial
Thus far the effects of mercury may be 
remedial without amounting at all to disease.
But if farther pushed the severe disease
called ptyalsimus acutus var. hydrargyratus
will follow characterized
by heat, irritation & soreness in the mouth 
swelling of the salivary glands tongue & throat
profuse secretion of saliva ulceration of the
inner part of the gums, cheek, tongue & throat
irritation of the whole system loss of appetite
soft frequent & weak pulse and a peculiar
affection of the skin called erythema
vesiculare var. hydrangyratum
There is ptyalism not produced
by merc. which is an idiopath. dis about
as much but epidemic as puerperal fever 



If the affection is severe opium must be
relied on more than any other single remedy
It diminishes all the secretions but that of the
skin. (if given in single full doses at long
intervals it will produce torpor of the
liver) It must be given regularly about
4 doses in 24 hours. For the secondary stages
a watery solution of opium is very good as
a wash, but sometimes it irritates (add
camphor then? Savage) Even in these cases
however it is good internally
The most useful local applic. I know 
of is nit. silver. It allays irritability. Begin 
with it weak & increase apply
4 times in 24 hours It is often 
useful to change the washes The pat. wishes
to take something frequently into his mouth
I have not found demulcents of much use
they contribute to keep up the relaxation
of the muc. mem. of the mouth



Erythema vesiculare var. hydrargyratum
Perhaps not distinct from var. corrosivum
for I can perceive no difference Eczema
rubrum of Bateman Hydrargyria of many authors
called also e. mercuriale supra
mercuriale (Carmichael) E. mercuriale (Dr [illegible])
All the erythematu are attended
with minute vesicles visible with a magnifier,
except e. fugax of Bat. & Wil no called
erythema by others. Erythema & erysipelas I consider perfectly synonymous
The aff. called erysipelas is
classed by many among the exanthematia
This is an error. It is primarily an erythematic 
infl. of the membranes of the brain which 
is clearly denoted by the symptoms, such as
tendency to coma delirium, peculiar
headache etc. These symptoms indicate it
at first and they are precisely the same
as when the affection arises from injury of
the scalp etc. The disease is primarily an 
erythematic cephalitis When there is an
erythema of the viscera, erythema of the 


[illegible] Deobst.
surface follows in two or three days.
Erythem of the brain may occur without an
eryth. of the face. This aff. then is not an exanthem.
Erythematic infl. of the fauces
not rosalia is followed in two or three
days by a rubefaction on the neck. Erythematic
infl. of the stomach intestines & 
‘liver is followed by an erythema of the
extremities. Erythematic infl. of the face
alone may exist, the brain not being affected.
This is a trifling disease & must not be
confounded with erythema cephalitis. There
is no headache, not burning pain, not 
coma, no calor mordax This aff. however
may spread over the scalp and at
length affect the brain. Others agree with
me in this opinion
Sun burns, scalds caustics etc.
produce an erythema
The first degree of the
e. vesic. var hydrarg. is confined to the
tender parts under the arm elbow & 
knee & is produced by the application 


if citrine ointment (pernitrate of merc.)
for the cure of itch. It yields readily 
to ablutions & datura ointment. Sometimes
mingling carb. lead with datura ointment
hastens the cure I have lately used with
benefit lotions of inf. of digitalis
Citrine ointment shd be made with
heat, that one of the pernitrates may 
be formed. If the merc. & nit. acid be
mingled at once in the cold one of the
protonitrates is formed not the di-protonitrate
either, the uni-or bi-protonitrate
The protonitrate differs as much in power 
from the pernitrate as the protoxide & 
peroxide or protochloride & parchloride
The citrine ointment shd be one of the per-nitrates
with lard hence the difference of opinion
respecting its power. I have
found those who apply heat in making it
succeed best with it though they do so only with 
the view of expediting the process. If
kept also a long time in the lard the citrine 



ointment never will abstract oxygen & 
reduce the merc. to a protonitrate.
Citrine ointment, used freely produces
an erythema which is perfectly local & 
gives no inconvenience. I used to prescribe 
it for scabies.
In the cure of the universal
erythema (vide my notes) I have also used
brandy with advantage. Wine is preferable
if it does not sour on the stomach (to prevent’
this add spice & carb. amm. Dr I.
Sav.) notwithstanding the direction
to give nothing stimulating. Cinchona is
very important next to opium. Ablutions 
of warm milk & water may be used just to 
wash off the discharge. Cinch. & sarsaparilla 
are given in the latter stages
The sarsap. shd not be boiled merely 
pour on boiling water & let it stand an
hour. Cinch. & sulph. quin. & 
sarsap. are highly useful in ptyalism
The sarsap. is a highly useful gargle
in ptyalism


Mercurial rheumatism I a 
case where ac. merc. was given for 12 or
18 mo. merc. rheum. came on emaciation
greasy sweat, oil appearance of the skin
paralysis of the lower extremities. It was a
bad case. Opium relieved.
Actaea wd probably do goo but it wd
not cure so summarily as in other varieties
for there is very frequently a marasmus
Arsen. ac. is more useful with op. than
any other article. Alternate it with sub.
quin. Amm. & camphor are important
remedies. High stimulation will 
prevent the ill effects of exposure to wet & 
cold after the use of calomel.
The rheum. from sulphur & 
from merc. is common in the U.S.
Therapeutic applic. Odontia
dentitionis var. lactantium Cal. is a 
valuable article but judgment is required
not indicated in all cases. [Four]
abuse cal. or giving too much where 


one falls short. Much mischief is done
by purging with cal. in dentition according
to the Eng. books It is villainous practice
One full dose retained by op. 12-15 hours may
do more good than a dozen purges One cath.
is enough it may be continued in eccoprotic
doses for a few days in many cases. Antirritants
are necessary at the same time. Some
prefer protoxide in these cases. I did not
first but have changed my opinion. There
is no perceptible difference for cal. is given
in doses 3 or 4 times too large


Pure Veg. Deobstruents
Leontodon Taraxacum
A pure, but moderate & mild deobst. has
no other power. All parts are active but
the root is most so. The forms are decoct.
& extract. The recent exp. juice
has been used but has no advantage.
The ext. shd be preferred, as the dec. varies in
strength of course
The books direct 2 to 4 z of decoct. 2 to 3
times in 24 h. & of ext. zfs twice a day.
This wd produce no effect. You cannot
rely on the article unless zii to ziv of ext.
are taken 3 or 4 times a day diffused in q 
wine glass of some bitter infusion. From 
using the dose in the books I was led to think
it inert, but found by pushing the article
that it was decidedly efficacious in moderate
cases. It is not unpleasant. Add sugar
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia it is recc. by the mot
respectable practitioners of Europe 



The secretions are changed by it, especially 
those of the liver. If the liver is torpid the
skin will be dry & the bowels costive. Therefore
a dry skin & torpid bowels are indications
for its use, provided the vital energies are
not so much exhausted that it wd offend
from its bulk & be rejected. Recc. by W. Philips
but he says it must be taken in large quantities
& when the stom. is not very weak
Jaundice. Some prefer it to every other
remedy. I know several who give cal. at
the outset & perhaps an emetic & then 
enter upon the decoction alone In mild cases
it will effect a cure, but I prefer
conium
“Chronic infl. of the Liver” I never
say any such disease. All the cases that
I have seen of chronic hepatitis were mere
dyspepsia with tenderness under the short
ribs more frequently of the right side & in
the epigastrium. Such cases examined
after death give no traces of infl.



It is mere morbid irritability & sensibility
& is precisely the parapsis acris var. teneritudo
of Good. Such a sensation is often
experienced over the shole body after
taking cold though it has nothing to do with
catarrh. I once thought dandelion wd
cure chronic hepatitis but I mistook the case
It is said to be useful as a diuretic
in dropsy Its diuretic operation
is secondary & not very prominent
Pierson says it is not ineff. deobst.
in jaundice dropsy & the visceral obstructions


6th Deobst.
Rubia Tinctoria
R. peregrina R. sylvestria R. major erythrodium
of the Greeks & Romans rubiaciae
S. of Europe cultivated in Holland etc. & 
in America
The offic. part is the rhizoma, which is long
slender, round, articulated, rather larger than
a goose quill externally bright red yellow
in the centre. It shd not be collected
till the autumn of the third summer. Dry 
it speedily & exclude the air as it attracts
moisture
Taste bitter & rough hardly astring.
Snell slightly disagreeable.
It contains at least two coloring principles 
a red & a yellow of which the red is deposited
in the bones. Both are sd to be “extractive
matter” i.e.  soluble? in wet. & alc. By 
standing a pellicle forms on the surface of
the solution & subsides
It does not appear that the red col. mat.
which is carried into the circ. is the seat
of its med. power. What the active principle 



is is unknown. The idea is now
abandoned that veg. owe their powers to 
a combin. of all their principles. Recent
discoveries render the contrary probable
There is no proof that madder acts by being
taken into the cird. It imparts its sensible
properties to wat. & alc. & gives a rec col.
to ess. oils The red princ. tinges the
urine, milk, serum of the blood & the bone
sometimes the perspirable matter never 
the soft solids The external hard part
of the bone is first tinged & if continued,
the whole substance. By intermissions the
bones may be tinged in layers. It is said 
to colour no part where there is not phos. of
lime that being the mordant
Madder is called deobstruent & when
persevered in aperient, by which term the
old writers intended a power of promoting
the fluid secretions, as halitus of lungs
[illegible] matter & urine. In Cullen’s 


time it was applied to the promotion of the
uterine secretion. With us it often means
merely a laxative power As applied to 
madder it means that it acts on all the secretories
Some have declared that madder possesses
no med. pow. & at the same time
however called poisonous which is a 
contradiction in terms. Writers for & 
against the artic. are nearly equally divided
in respectability but not, I think in experience
It removes torpor increases the secretion
of the liver & all the gland. viscera
relieves dysthetic & cachetic diseases,
without affecting the art. system or producing
evacuations. Hence deobst.
This is Dr Ives’s opin. who also thinks it 
a certain emmen & a diuretic
Cullen though it more useful to
the dyer than the phys. It is disputed
whether it is astringent or resolvent. Parr
& Hooper call it useless. B. S. Barton 


calls it unsafe in uterine aff. particularly 
retention. Eberle says not
It is not an article of first rate
activity. It is slow & gradual but very 
certain in its effect. It is a pure
deobst. in torpor & viscid secretions, having
probably no other power
IT is used in subst. or decoct.
Dose of subst. for children 5-15 grs
for adults 20 to 60 grs 3 or 4 times a day
Probably larger doses wd be preferable
Decoct. Rx zi root to 2 or 3 pts water
& boil to 1 pt. dose f zi – fziii
3 or 4 times a day. It shd fall short of nausea
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia with visc. secr. & torp. of liv.
Dr Ives thinks highly of it
Parabysma coactum partic. of liv & 
spleen. Dr I. thinks it acts on all the [illegible] vis.
Simple idiopathic cough in the 2d
stage after expectoration has commenced



“All [pituitous] diseases of the lungs” recc.
Peripneumonia notha & catarrh in the secondary 
stages with a tendency to become
chronic & protracted & when there is danger
of membranous phthisis
Acute Dysentery rec. highly by Gerhard
Dysthetic & cachectic diseases & marasmus
atrophias var. infantum recc. by 
some & objected to by others as having a natural
tendency to produce the disease emaciation
in the healthy subject. It emaciates
animals when given to colour their bones
but there is no evidence that it wd have 
[live] this effect, properly given in disease
Cyrtosis rhachina (ricketts)
Echphronia melancholia (monomania)
recc. in probably the cases were
hypochond. a combination of dysp. & mal.
param. obstruc. retent. suppres. diff.
Highly recc. by diff. authors. Good discusses 
its power. zfs has produced a sudden
discharge in cases of amenorrhea.
Paris states that it cured excessive paramenia 


but did no good in p. obstruct. & p. [erroris]
Dropsy more doubtful here unless in’
that connected with parabysma
Lithia renalis discrepancy of testimony
Parunia of diff. sorts
Nodes old writers testify that it removes
them
Parotia flexilis etc. They say it has a 
tendency to produce diseases of the bones
One source of failure in the
use of rub. tinct. is using a bad article
The madder of the dyers loses its power 
by age & drying. When
recent I have found it to answer a 
good purpose & it is valuable in its place 


Fumaria officinalis
Cultivated in our gardens.
Bitter & inodorus. Expr. inspissated juice
An over dose produces pain in the stom. etc.
It excites biliary secr. removes torpor etc.
It is said to have the power of curing cutan. dis.
Adlumia cirrhosa (Rafinesque)
(Fumonia fungosa corydalis fung.)
An ornamental plant & cultivated among us
The recent root is bitter & acrid. Powd. of root is
used Powers the same as fam. off.
Corydalis bulbosa
Corydalis glauca (Furm. sempervireus,
Linn) Common in our forests. They 
have similar powers
Dyclytra cucullaria (corydalis)
Called in N. Eng. Dutchman’s breeches
In some part of the country called colic weed
Root is used bitter & acrid somewhat
mucilaginous. Said to ally pain & to be
anodyne & soporific & in large doses to produce
vertigo (vide my notes)


Saponaria officinalis
Root sweetish bitter & acrid. Watery ext.
is its form in use. though the expressed juice
has been used. Alcoh. extracts its virtues
better than wat. but too much wd be required
It is given as an auxiliary in dyspepsia
jaundice etc.
Lues syphilodes & second. stag. of l Syphilis
it is a good restorative after a merc.  course
Scaly eruptions & impetiginous eruptions
adapted to most of the cased in which
sarsaparilla & L.  tarax. are useful
Ext. is the best for 1-2 drams
Decoc. zii root to 2 pts. wat. boiled to 1 pt
the whole to be taken in 24 hours
Used also in scrof aff.
The bruised roots form with
water a good swab for washing. This 
is worth investigating into. Perhaps a 
combination of an alkali & mucilages


7 Deobst.
Scrophularia Marylandica
Called sometimes fig wort & pig wort (i.e.
the scroph. nodosa of Eur.?)
Its most important use is in 
struma 
Practica marisca decoc. of root, freely internally 
& a cataplasm of the leaves externally
Boil zii in 2 pts wat. to 1 pt & take
the whole in 24 hours. Continue for some
time, as it is used in chronic derangements
Diseases same as preced. Lues etc.
Chronic derangements of dig. organs
S. Nodosa (Europe)
Pretty much the same as S. Mar.
(vide my notes)
Agrimonia Eupatoria
A pure deobst. decidedly inferior to the preceding.
There is some difference of opinion as to 
its powers, but it resembles dandelion
most Dr Ives has used it Employed in ext. & decoction
A. odorata native of Italy supposed
to be more elegant. A. suaveoleus
is allied to it & cultivated among us


Agathosma crenatum
Vide my notes Probably analogous
to the rhododendraceae It is used in infusion
& tinct. Rx infus. f zvi tinct f zfs
tinct. cubebs f zfs. misce. This compd
preparation is used Give f zi ter in die
Jas. Johnson says it must be persevered in 
Diseases dyspepsia Dr McDowel says
infus. f zii bis in die cured a young man 
Irritable infl. of bladder most celebrated in 
Membranif.  cystitis Jas Johns thinks highly of it
“Chronic rheumat.” McDowel
Lithia renalis Dr McD. cites a cas
vide my notes



Aperient Deobst
Asclepias tuberosa Linn.
White root flax root pleurisy root butterfly weed
Nothing equals this root in its
diaphoretic power (see B.S. Barton) It is
the most certain article? for this purpose. Take
the recently dried root, recently pulvd & it is
very effectual
A variety of operations are attributed
to it by different authors. All
agree that it is escharotic, applied
to ulcers to restrain spongy granulations
Its primary operation is that of 
a moderate deobstruent especially promoting
the fluid secretions of the lungs
skin & kidneys & it is powerfully diaphoretic
less diuretic & is expectorant
It increases the secretions of the liver & 
all the secretions poured into the al. canal
relieves tenderness under the short ribs 
cures cutaneous diseases & is hence antipsoraic
& will carry off catarrh & 


sub-acute pneumonia without expectoration
whence we conclude it to be resolvent
As an antipsoraic it is better than
sarsaparilla adapted to scaly eruptions
It regulates & increases the secretion of bile
in dyspepsia
It is not astringent & I have never perceived
any tonic effect from it
Dose as a diaph. & expect. 20-30 grs some
say zi in powder. A strong infusion is recc.
and Thacher directs a tea cupfull. This is too 
bulky. zfs -zi is sufficient, if as strong as I
make it. W. D. C. Berton recc. in diseases
converted with dentition, as a laxative & diaphoretic,
zii pulvd root boiled in zxviii milk
down to zxii dose zi 2 or 3 times in 24 hours it
excites copious perspiration & gentle catharsis
& is good
Diseases
Dyspepsia continued used cases of torpor
Common & especially epidemic catarrh
pneumonitis sub acute (which is the 


commencing stage of one form of membranous
phthisis) see various authors upon it in this
disease
Pneumonitis typhodes also called peripneumonia notha
by W. Philip not the P.
notha of all authors
Cholera infantum in mild cases. This 
is no cholera at all but a specific
infl. of the muc. mem. of the al. canal
& the vomiting is sympathetic with this infl.
Dysentery fever synochus & non malignant
very useful. In moderate cases it will
cure of itself in severe ones is a useful auxiliary
to opium & calomel
Acute rheumatism Eberle
I think this species of [illegible]
is the most valuable in the treatment
of all disease to which it is applicable except
dropsy, in which A. Syriaca is 
preferable.


Asclepias Syriaca Linn.
A pubescans A apocynum apocynum majus
A. Syriacum. Linn supposed it a native of
Syria
I have used it sufficiently to satisfy
myself that it is a deobst. of considerable
power but as such have not employed
it extensively
I have employed it very extensively 
as a diuretic in dropsy & this
is its most prominent operation
I have used two preparations
1st Rx ziv of the root water lbii & boil in 
a lightly covered vessel to lbj strain & 
add gin or the tinct. from ziv to zviii
acc. to the season, to make it keep.
Dose zii 4-8 times in 24 h. Diuresis
is sometimes produced in the first 24 hours
& sometimes not till several days. It 
generally produces a little nausea before
it proves diuretic , but too much 
nausea renders it liable to fail 


No article is so certain & powerful a diuretic
alone. Some combinations are
better, but still this has succeeded when
they have failed
2. I have also used the following ziv root
to lbiv of water boiled to lbjs. I wish to 
have the decoct. saturated & this may be
so. Of late I prefer the first preparation
Besides its diuretic power it is
expectorant & diaphoretic in many cases
under diaph. regimen. Freely given
it proves laxative to adults & purgative
to children. It is emetic in large 
doses
A practitioner well acquainted
with indigenous M.M. considers 
A incarnatu more diaphoretic but less
diuretic than A. Syriaca
It is said to be anodyne i.e. allaying
irritation, not pain
Diseases
Dyspnea exacerbans zi a day in divided doses 


Catarrhal affections with typhus
Hydrops cellularis most useful in
H. thoracis has been used
H. Abdominum ahs been used in some cases
In dropsy we expect by diuretics to remove
the fluid, not to cure. The cure is effected
by stimulants & tonics. If there is great distention
I first purge with hyd. cathartics
& then diuretics will take hold. In some
cases sympathetic with diseased liver,
first perform paracentesis & then diuretics
will take hold. After evacuating
the fluid, prevent its accumulation by 
articles that will obviate the state of the 
system



Asclepias incarnata 
More acrid than the other species, somewhat
like tobacco & has been used for 
lobelia inflata
It has been employed as a substitute
for sarsaparilla in lues syphilis
& syphilodes & in scaly eruptions
In pulmonary diseases as an
expectorant it has been said to be better
than A. tuberosa 




Aperient Deobstruents
Collinsonia Canadensis
Vide my notes The discrepancy of opinion 
may arise from bad modes of preparation,
mismanagement etc.
Root said to be injured by drying if kept
buried out doors said to be preserved (but
then it will grow E.D.N.) but may be transplanted
at any season. Large quantities shd
be kept in the garden & then it may be had
at any time 
It may be referred to the class aperient
deobst. of which sarsaparilla is the type
It has a moderate degree of deobst. power
perhaps producing its greatest affect in the
kidnies Dr I. thinks it a moderate deobst.
sub astring & sub tonic. It is much 
used in veterinary medicine
Drs Beers & Hooker say the infusion
of the raspings is better than the decoction
Dropsy of diff. sorts say Drs B. & Hooker
Dr Beers says equal to any other article alone
has employed it in failure of the other diuretics 


Dr Hooker says he has found it to prevent
that increase of liquor [amnii] which 
sometimes almost amounts to dropsy
Dr Ives does not think much of it in dropsy
vide my notes
Aralia Kudicaulis
Christophoriena Am. False sarsaparilla
Canada to N. Orleans
Root bitter & aromatic & less resinous than A.
racemosa. It is sold in the shops for the
true sarsaparilla Its powers are similar
Drying impairs its powers
It is an aperient Deobstruent #
The U.S. Phar. directs Rx for decoct. Recent’
contused root zvi aq. pur. 8 pts Digest
for 4 hours then boil to 4 pts, express & strain 
Diseases
Cutan. erupt. herpes adapted to 
all cases for which sarsap. ([illegible] off.) A., racem.
& S. symphilitica are useful
# That is it promotes the watery secretions as
perspirable matter, halitus from lungs & urine 


Aralia racemosa
Spikenard life of man wild liquorice
Canad. to S. America
Tastes mucilag. bitterish sweet & arom.
It is good in recent state
The root & berries are aperient deobst.
Shd be continued long. Better adapted to 
secondary stages of disease
Rx Recent cont. root 2 oz off. alc. f ziv aq.
ferv. 1 pt. First our the alc. on the root & 
let it stand about 12 hours in a close vessel.
Then add the water boiling hot, let it
stand 12 hours & add sugar Dose zi – ii
4-8 times a day 
Diseases
Simple idiop. cough better with a little SS.
chronic dyspnea Catharrhal aff 2nd stage
Sub acute pneumonitis
Milder varieties of psoriasis & various cut. erup.
Pururia stillatitia var. mucosa
The expres. juice is used in aphtha
old ulcers sloughing sores from fire & frost
The bruised root is made into a plaister 



Aralia hispida (Michaux)
Can. to S.A. Dwarf elder (in Conn.) though
the dwarf elder of Eur. is sambucus ebulus
prickly ash (but this name properly belongs
to the xanthoxylum fraxineum) wild elder
The root is used & is more active when recent
Shd be gathered in autumn  after the fall of the leaves
In large doses it is emetic. Said
to be hydrag. cath. in doses short of vom. & continued
I have never seen this effect & it is my
practice to continue it in doses just short
of emesis Managed in this way is 
a very efficient diuretic 
Sd to be similar in this respect to senega
don’t see how It seldom proves diuretic
till nausea begins, & if vomiting
[illegible] on it fails as a diuretic
It has not been managed so as to 
prove expect. emmenag.  etc. but from 
analogy I think it might
It has not proved narcotic as yet
It has been used in decoct. & tinct.


Rx for decoct. cont. root 2 oz. boil. wat. [illegible]
boil to 1 pt Dose f z 2-4 – 4-8 times in 24 hr.
Rx for tinct rec. cont. root 4 oz off. alc. 1 pt.
Dose zfs 4-8 times in 24 h. The proof spirit
tinct. is more active than the alcoholic
The tinct. has a slightly aromatic smell & 
bitter taste
Diseases hydrops cellularis. If the article
is good it is effectual in this disease. Dr
Reed of E. W.  has employed it successfully 
It best adapted to anasarca. Give the decoc.
or tinct. in doses short of nausea & repeated
every 3 or 4 hours In 36 hours it begins 
to nauseate & produces diuresis. Diminish
a little & continue till the fluid is evacuated
It is not stimulant nor tonic
Aralia octophylla (Cochin China)
Ascandeus & apalmata used 
in dropsy & cutaneous diseases 



Aralia spinosa (Linnaeus)
It has no spines however but prickles The 7
species of aralia that have been examined are
found to resemble each other in med. prop. & 
to differ only in degree A. sinosa is the most
active A. hispida next.
Nat. ord. araliaceae (Juss. & Decond.) 
Angelic tree in this region Hercules club toothache tree
pellitory Often confounded with xanth. frax.
Habitat middle south & west, parts of U.S.
Cultivated as an ornam. shrub in N. Eng.
It is not the prickly ash of the north states though
Bigelow considers it as such 
(Hiatus) The bark (of the root?) is sd
to be the most active The berries shd be
collected just before ripening. The bark of
the trunk & branches is not inactive
The immediate effect of the bark
of the root in doses short of nausea are languor
& lassitude a sensation of weakness (not
real debility) a pricking & burning sensation
all over the body, especially in the feet & 


8 Deobst.
hands dimin. of nat. freq. of pulse in health
& especially dimin. of irritative preternat.
frequency Diaphoresis drowsiness & sleep
continuing (the sleep?) 3 or 4 hours after the
last dose is taken in health & for a much
shorter time in disease
Given in moderate doses & repeated it is deobst.
& proves hydrag. cath.
In large doses it is emetic & is said to operate
similarly to ipecac but I doubt it.
IT sometimes produces urticaria like copaiba
As a cath. or em. merely it will 
not be good unless a deobst. oper. is wanted 
along with the other
It is sedative & the parts of its sedative operation
are antirritation anodyne & soporific
Dr McBride in Elliott says
it is the best emet. found among us. He
uses the decoc. zii bruised bark of root to 
1 pt wat. boiled down to ½ pt. Of this ½ or
the whole acted as an emetic
It is given in dropsy in deobst. doses i.e.
just short of nausea. It is diuretic at first 


but at length passes off by the bowels as a 
hydrag. cath.
Sometimes we give more active doses e.g. [illegible]
which is a full cath. dose. Give 1 dose
in the evening 2 during the night & 1 next
morn. this will operate kindly & freely as
a hydragogue
By obviating disease it restores the
functions of the stom. the circul. & the musc.
systems but it is not tonic
In a case of atonic sub-acute
rheumatism from bathing in a state of 
perspiration which had lasted by paroxysm 
for 1 ½ yrs zi of  tinct. was given every 
3 hours for 24 hours & then zii till 3 doses had
been given, when narcosis & catharsis was
brough on & in 48 h. the rheum. was cured
It is a valuable addition to the M. M.
Its primary effects are 1st deobstruent
2nd emetic 3d hyd. cath. 4th acrid narc.
5th epispastic (rubefacient) in ointment
The secondary effects of its deobst. operation
are 1st expect. 2d diuretic 3d diaph. 4th chola


5th resolvent 6th antipsoraic 7th discutient
It is antirritant anodyne & soporif. as parts of
its narcotic operation
It is a hydragogue. Probably it will 
be found an emmenagogue
It is errhine often called escharotic
It is not tonic nor stimulant
Pharmac. Preparations
1st powder 2d pill (with ext. con. mac. which
coincides with it) 3d decoction zii to 2 pts
wat. boiled to 1 pt in a covered vessel
4th tinct. (ziv of the bark of root & berries to 
1 pt off. alc.) macerate a week, decant & strain 
5th extract (I have never used this) Rx
T lbj wat. lbs 8 boil away ½ - strain through
a coarse cloth, express & evaporate in a water
bath to avoid burning
6th Ointment Dr Strobel uses one of T ziv
coarse powdd bark of root to lbj of sim. cer.
simmer for ½ hour & express. There shd
be as much bark as the cerate will cover
Add it as long as it will be absorbed



Therap. applic.
Acute subac. & chron. rheumatism most especially useful
Lues syphilis & syphilodes
As an emetic in intermittents
Sick headache at the south bites & stings
Delirium trem. (I think little of fem. in this dis.)
Idiopathic paramenia attended
with flushed faces pains in the back etc.
They bleed this is wrong You can cure it
with blk helleb. blood root etc. But they 
will do nothing after V.S.
Pneumonia typhodes synochous type 
pulse bounding I can break up half
the cases with deobstruents Can do
nothing with them if you bleed. If there
is too much entonic action however you 
must deplete & if there is too little you 
must deplete & if there is too little you 
must stimulate to bring the system within
the range of the deobstruents
In “Ague in the Face” a decoc. or init.
produces relief. In fixed topical inflammation
embrocation, fomentations & bathings
Lues syphilodes It has acquired consid. rep.
zi every 2 hours internally & the ointm. externally 
as practiced by Dr Strobel 


Baptisia Tinctoria (R. Brown)
Sephoria (Linn.) podalyria tinct. indigweed
Nat. ord. sequiminosae (Decand.)
Root perennial, cylindrical, branching
¼ inch in diam. cortic. & lign. part equal
When chewed for some time it is acrid, bitter
& virose, leaving a sensation of fullness in the
fauces
It is said to be diaphoretic. It is
not directly so. It is expect. under certain 
circumstances in certain stages of 
infl. of bronch. mem. it hastens the mucopur8ulent 
secretion, which is the natural 
termination of such infl. It facilitates expectoration
also in the latter stages 
is by obviating irritation but it 
wd not be of service when there is great atony
It is said to be alexipharmic in 
mild cases of # bites of the rattle snake. I
am informed by a phys. from inter. of N.Y.
that it is decidedly beneficial. [Drench] the 
pat. with it.




It is not astringent as it does not contain
tannin
It is a valuable discutient. I have
often applied it to infl. of fem. breast
It will allay irritation in wounds & promote
their healing, & will indirectly prevent
gangrene & is therefore called antiseptic
In this sense also it is valnerary in contused
& punctured wounds
Its primary operations are
1st deobstruent 2d acrid narcotic
3d emetic 4th hydrag. cathartic
The second. op. is a deobst. [illegible] cholag.
expectorant resolvent discutient
It is also escharotic
It has not been found to be emmenagogue,
diuretic, diaph. nor sialag.
It is not excitant tonic nor astringent
Said to be febrifuge. It is applicable only 
to the synochus form of fever
Pharmac. Preparations It is
used in substance, infusion decoction
& tincture



For the decoc. I generally take zii recently 
dried root to lbjs wat. & boil down to lbj
For tinct. Rx ziv bruised recently dried root
to lbj alc. Dose f zi or a little more to be
repeated acc. to the urgency of the case the
susceptibility of the pot. & the time the med.
is to be continued. If it occasions much
evacuation, check with opium or diminish
the dose
As a discutient it may be used
in decoct. or in cataplasms. For a
cataplasm, boil the root, pound it to
a pulp & add q.s. of maize meal
Ointment simmer the root in cream
butter or lard & add wax
Baptisia tinctoria shd be collected
at the proper season & its virtues
are much impaired by keeping & drying
Therapeutic application
Atonic paristhmitis
Acute subac. aton. rheum. I have seen
it efficac in large number of cases less so with chronic



9 Deobst.
Dyspnea exac. & asthma humidum
Pneumonia typhodes not with great atony
but of that form when the fever is synochus & the
topical aff. an erythema. It allays the
irritative heat & dryness of the skin & the irritative
action of the lungs & when given early it
effects a great resolution in moderate cases. When
the dis. is more advanced, it accelerates the
muco-pur. secretion the wat. termin. of the dis.
Dysentery I have used it to some extent,
conjoined with opium I think the [baptisi]
assisted in the cure shd not be given as a cath.
The decoct. is applied, cool or warm
to sub-ac. aton. infl. of the eyes to infl. & 
ulcerate. of fem. breast to burns & scalds, with 
benefit, or in cataplasm It is very good for 
sore nipples. It is a popular remedy for
aphtha. Externally to punctured & contused
wounds. Sprained joints immerse
the joint in the decoct. as long as convenient
This article possesses considerable
activity & may be turned to a good account
It has not been investigated so thoroughly 
as others which resemble it.



Apocynum cannabinum
Indian hemp dogs bane Canada to Car.
Lactescent furnishes a variety of caontchonc
Bark twice as strong as hemp & easily whitened
Nat. ord. apocymeae
Roots 5-6 ft long horizontal. Taste
sub acrid & bitter
Bigelow describes a species which 
he calls A. cann. which is in fact A. [pubescens]
& I am not sure but this is the article
I have used. Probably there is no difference
between the species
The ligneous & medullary portions of
the root are said to be equal in virtue 
to the cortical shd think from analogy this
must be incorrect. I use only the cortical
part It is easily separated in a mortar & 
pulverized 
The extractive matter is precipitated
by alum & salts of tin & is used for coloring
linen & muslin, but not flannel, a
[fustic] yellow This has no med. power.
Apocynine is analogous to emetine
or as it is now called, cephaeline but resembles 


[cytisime] more. It is slightly deliquescent
& leaves a sensation as if the lips &
tongue were swollen. It is soluble in wat.
& alc. 6 grs of it are said to vomit.
A. cannabinum is employed in 
powder, infusion & decoction
Rx for decoc. zfs to lbj ii wat boil med.
dose zii
Substance in powd is the best form
It takes about 30 grs for an emetic. As
such it is rather slow in its operation
produces free vomiting & is not followed
like tart. em. by languor & exhaustion 
In moderate doses repeated it obviates
heat & dryness of the skin.
Its primary operations are
1st deobst 2d acrid narcot. 3d emetic
4th hydrag. cathartic
It is diuretic & if long continued
proves eccoprotic & laxative & purgative.
Its narcotic power is greater
composed with its other operations than 


that of sanguinaria, with which its powers
are the same with the addition of being
cathartic
It is resolvent & will probably 
prove emmen.  antipsoraic & expectorant
Perhaps its escharotic & stermalatory 
powers shd be considered as primary 
Its deobst. op. is the most
important. It has had considerable
reputation in curing dyspepsia of bystanding
given till it vomits & purges. But it
will be contraindicated by extreme irritability
of the stom. or of the system by 
acrimony of the secretions or that stage
which diarrhoea is threatened.
Icterus vulgaris parat. coactum
Best given in an eccoprotic with opium
in doses short of nausea
Dyspnea exacerbans chronics
most used for this dis. In 1822 Dr
Todd remarked that it was the most
effectual remedy he had ever tried 


It is to be given in moderate emetic doses,
at intervals of 10-15 min. till it produces
vomiting. It may be used between
the paroxysms in doses short of nausea
I think there is danger of doing injury
I prefer lobelia and the other articles
which have no tendency to prod. purging
Articles which produce hydrag. cath. will
sooner or later injure the system.
Catarrhis communis not malignant
pneumonitis typhodes
Acute & subac. rheumat.
Hydrops cellul. & abdominis
It is probably adapted to 
nearly all the cases to which colchicum is 
adapted
Apocynum pubescens
very similar to A. cann. Perhaps I 
have used them indiscriminately 


apocynum androsaemifolium
Silk weed milk weed snake’s milk called
in Virg. “Scissors plant” Am. ipecac.
I think this species less active than A. cann.
The part used is the root which is perennial
& creeping smell verose taste
peculiar both. bitter & sour, with some 
acrimony
The tinct. is not rendered turbid
by water Soluble in alc. wat. & ether
I presume contains apocynine, but the
fact is not ascertained
The old root is stronger than the young 
the plant shd be at least 3 yrs old
Zollickoffer says it is diaph.
like ipecac & gives a formula similar
to the pulv. ipec. comp.
Bigelow & Zollickoff say it is
tonic & direct to give of the dried root 16 to
20 grs 3 times a day; but less than this 
of A. cann. will vomit
Dr Heale of Troy says it is narcotic 



Kaln in his travels says it is poisonous
applied to tender parts & even by handling it
when covered with dew forming vesicles
which break & ulcerate somewhat like
those of rhus rem.
I think its powers the same as
those of A cann. & pubes. but less in degree
Its primary operations are
1st deobst. 2d acrid narc. 3d emetic
4th hyd. cath
Secondary effects are 1st expect.
2d cholag. in reg. doses 3d Dialag. 4th diaph.
probably diuretic resolvent 
Discut. applied to infl. probably? breasts Antispsoraic
ruebfac escharotic & sternutatory probably?
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia-in-laxat. & eccoprot. doses
Dyspnea exacerbans as an [antirrit] etc.
Synochus antirrit. [illegible]?
Hydrops cell. thoracis & abdominis
freely given as a cathartic It has been 
tried by Dr Jac. Porter of Plainfield Mass 



The discrepancy respecting the article
arises from the manner or time of collecting
it & manner of prescribing
Dr Todd used it in dyspnea
exac. powd. of root a tea sp. once
in 25 min. 2 or 3 doses relieves
Apocynum Hypericifolium
Probably similar in virtues to the preceding
species
A. juventus (of Cochin China)
Said to be like ginseng mucilaginous,
aromatic, bitter & saccharine
It is a good demulcent like liquorice
or ginseng


10 Deobst.
Phytolacca decandra (Linn.)
Before the time of Linn. P. vulgaris ([Dillenius])
P. amer. (Boerh.) solanum Am. (Ray) S. Virginianum
(Plukenet) garget cocum
coke, poke scoke, Americ. night shade
pigeon berry jalap etc. Nat. ord. atriplicene
Nat. country not known it follows civilization
Said by Europ. authors to be a native of
America, but this is doubtful
The root, leaves & berries are
all used in medicine
The recent root has a nauseous, bitter,
sub acrid taste but when dried the taste
is mild & somewhat mintish. Its properties
are impaired by age, but not lost
by mere drying. Its virtues are said
to depend on an “extractive principle”
The active principles of this article
are extracted by water, wine & alcohol
but the degree of solvent power of each
is not settled
There is great discrepancy of 


opinion respecting this article, but if collected
at the right season, prepared & injudiciously
administered it will be found to 
be certain in producing its effects
I consider it an acrid narc. deobst.
Some years since I experimented with it & 
found that in certain doses it nauseated & 
vomited. Short of this & repeated, it increases 
the biliary secretions & promotes expect.
sometimes in health but in some diseases
it decidedly increases the secretion of mucus
It increases the secretions from the skin 
generally in a well subject even, but especially 
in the diseases to which it is adopted
Given in acute & subac. aton. rheum. & certain 
other phlogotica it speedily effects a resolution
of the topical infl.
given in repeated doses it produces vertigo
somnolency, indistinct vision, stupor,
I have never pushed it so as to determine
how much narcosis it was capable of producing
Continued for some time in small & freq.
doses it produces active hydrag. catharsis 


Topically it wd [illegible] phlegm. infl.
change vitiated & gangrenous ulcers
It cures cutaneous diseases & proves rubef.
Its primary & independent effects
are 1st deobst. 2d acrid-narcotic
3d hyd. cath. 4th emetic
Secondarily it is 1st resolv. 2d cholag.
3d expect. 4th diaph. We may add
5th discutient
It is a popular anthelmintic in many 
places. I have never witnessed this power
but other acrid narcotics have it
It is rubefac. & sternutatory. Should 
think that under diuretic regimen it wd
prove diuretic but I have never seen
diuresis from it. From analogy I shd
expect it to prove emmenagogue
It has been supposed stimulant, but
is not neither tonic
15 to 20 grs of the recently powdd root
are a mild but effectual emetic, requiring
1-2 hours for operating & continuing
longer then, than ipecac



It is not eligible as a cath. or emet.
except when these operations are wanted
in connection with its deobstruent. It is effectual
in croup by its deobst. & emet. power
I generally give a full dose & if it fails
of vomiting it is of no consequence as it is
more effectual by remaining long on the
stomach. If the vomiting continues
too long it can be checked by horizontal 
posture, quiet, & a dose of opium, one or all three
Commonly very little nausea precedes
the vomiting sometimes it is attended with
vertigo etc. but these are in some cases
desirable The decoct. wine & tinct. are 
emetic in doses from zfs to zii The decoct.
& wine are better than the tinct. unless the 
state of the system requires that a diffusible
stimulant precede the operation. I have
ever prefer the powder for an emetic
The recently dried leaves are 
supposed to be active, but they are less
certain & effectual than the root



For the wine Rx zii coarsely powd & rec. dried
root zii off. alc. zxiv wht. wine. In very
warm weather the alc. will hardly prevent
fermentation & souring
The tinct. of the leaves & berries
fully grown but not quite ripe, is acrid narcotic
& deobst. I add to them dil. alc.
enough to cover them, macerate 10 days,
decant, express & filter. This is less emetic
than the other preparations
The expressed inspissated juice
is very active & is followed generally by 
narcosis. Externally it is caustic.
Given internally in doses of 5-10-15 grs
no one of the acrid narcotic deobst. has
succeeded so well with me in chronic
rheumatism unless it be aralia spinosa 
& it is not inferior to that. 5 grs are ordinarily 
sufficient if repeated at short
intervals. Opium shd generally be conjoined
with it to allay pain & procure sleep
but less quantity will be necessary 



than if a deobst. not narcotic were taken
Frequently deobst. will not act till
pain & watchfulness are obviated
An ointment of the root is used
Take of the recent bruised root add melted
simple cerate enough to cover it simmer
15 min. & express. It is antirritant,
discutient, antipsoraic & sometimes rubefacient.
The recent root roasted
& bruised is sometimes applied to the fat 
with how much success I know not
Therap. Applic.
Helminthia lumbric. commonly employed 
at the south, in form of pulvd root, in doses
short of nausea 4 times a day & then to
give a cath. if the article does not purge
Practica marisca often effectual apply
a decoction? of the recent bruised bruised
leaves to the part. When this has failed, an
enema of the decoct. of the root has relieved
immediately. Dr Woodd of Vt. [cures] with 
this article the most urgent symptoms in 
24 or 36 hours


Anthrax topically in the secondary
stages, in cases where there is not much
constit. eff. it is very beneficial Apply 
the bruised leaves or the cerate when the
part is spongy & porous & has been laid open
otherwise it will have little effect.
Early in my practice I thought this the best
application in the secondary stages I have
never employed it in the early & forming stages
Croup I have used it as a deobst. emetic
Let it remain sometime in the stomach,
if it does not vomit give some other emetic
I use the powder, diffused in the wine & follow
with ipecac. No mere emetic can 
be relied on unless it be turpeth min. & 
that can be assisted by this article
Ac. & subac. rheum. Early in my practice
I used it in these alone in the acute
& with opium in the subac. It was perfectly 
successful. It seemed to have the
same effect as guaiacum being acrid
mercurial sub-ac. rheum highly 


beneficial give either the extract of berries or the
tinct. of those, conjoining opium
Chronic rheum. from its acrimony it is better
than most of the deobstruents. I use the sat. tinct.
of the leaves & berries or the expressed, inspissated
juice, either with or without opium
Lues syphilis second & protracted stages cases
in which guaiac. mezereon & sarsapar.
are indicated & I think this altogether superior
to these articles
S. Syphilodes decidedly useful
Ulcers a great variety indolent & insusceptible,
with callow edges strumous ulcers
that are usually indolent & will not heal 
apply the ext. or the leaves especially the
former
Cancer palliated by the ext. or inf.
this article relieves the pain, changes the
condition & secretions & even brings it for a time to a healing
but it is soon worn out
Blenorrhea [illegible] diff. opinions as to 
its success, owing to diff. modes of using it.



11 Deobst
The disease is often obstinate but this article
is as frequently successful as any other. I use
it freely internally. The wine is recc. but
I prefer the ext. or tinct. of the berries. Those
who have failed with it have found it to produce
vom. or purg. It shd be given in doses
short of nausea at reg. interv. & opium
given to prevent purg. It succeeds as often
as any article unless copaiba. I have used
it most in the second stages of obstinate cases 
Enlargement of the prostate Dr Woodd of Vt.
uses the inf. or decoc. of zi coarsely powdered
root to lbj wat. or lbii boiled to lbj thrown
into the rectum in the quantity of ½ or 1 gill
with a pipe & bladder that it may not 
pass high up If it cannot be relieved add
SS. He prefers the infus. & that prepared
from the recently dried root. He often succeeds 
in reducing the enlarged prostate
very considerably. He used it only when
when troublesome symptoms arise, or stoppage
of urine, impossibility of passing the 


catheter etc. He does not state that he has
cured the disease but that he has relieved the
paroxysm
Itch it has been employed I direct a
strong dec. of the root, perhaps zii to lbjfs of
wat. boiled down to lbj & touch the part night & 
morn. It cures in a majority of cases It 
sometimes irritates so much that it cannot
be continued. If you wish to keep this preparation
add to 3 parts of it 1 part of the
tinct. bottle it & attach a sponge to the cork
There is a species in the W. I. called
P. dodecandria which is probably the same as
ours It is recc. by [Dawsen]? as a kind & effect.
emetic dose zfs – zi of the wine, made zi to lbj
The real P.dodec. is a native of Abyssinia
but cultivated elsewhere
P. dodecandria is most
probably the “mustard” of the N. Test.
Jonah’s gourd is a ricinus. The mandrake
is an orchis


Veratrum Sabadilla (Linn.)
Nat. ord. melanthaceae R. [ilegible] [Jussin]
Hordens exoticum causticum of Caspar Bankin
the name is a diminutive of sper. sebado “burley”
& the colloquial appelation is a corruption of
the name is spelt 11 different ways commonly 
called cevadille
Itr is offic. in all the pharmac. of cont. Europe
From it almost exclusively veratrine is obtained.
It is the most active of the genus
& of the nat. ord. to which it belongs. It also
possesses in a concentrated form all the properties
of the other veratrans except v. vind
which has some peculiarities
Heb. colder regions of Mexico it is said
also China & S. Am. the last is doubtful
It might be cultivated in N. England
The Mexican name signifies dog-kill
The seeds are exported in the pericarp
which resembles an ear of barley, but they
are not larger than lintseed, hence its
name. As found in the shops it is of 


a dun colour, capsule smooth, seeds shining
semicylindrical, oblong, acute, of a 
dark brown colour & compared to nice dung
It is sold in France in powder & called
capuchin powder. The capsules are probably 
inert, tho this has been disputed
The seeds have no odor, but have
an intensely bitter, acrid, glowing taste, leaving
a sense of burning which water will not
carry off & remaining longest in the fauces
which is the fact with all the deobstruents
According to Meisner, besides the
alkaline salifiable base veratrina, the 
subadilla contains an acid recently e3xamined
& called subadic acid, in union not with 
veratrim but perhaps with lime. Veratrina
is in union with 2 prop. of gall;
acid, forming bi-gallit of veratrine
None of the other prox [illegible] are of
importance unless the bitter princ. may 
have some med. prop.
Veratrine is an inodorous white 


powder, very acrid but not bitter & the taste is
permanent. It is a weaker base than morphine,
quinine or strychnine very soluble
in alcohol, rather less soluble in ether, soluble
in 1000 parts of wat. at 212 [degrees] & becomes
acrid to the taste melts at 120 [degrees] & on
cooling forms an amber coloured & translucent
mas. Composit. carb. hyd. ox.
nitrog. All its salts are crystallizable
& appear like gum except the sulphate
The sulphate bi sulphates & hydro chlorates
have been examined & used. Nitric ac.
also combined with veratrine, but if added
in excess it effects a change analogous
to that upon strychnine & brucine
The acetate is its most active salt
and this will apply generally to the reg. salif.
bases, but there are some exceptions
Strong solutions of the salts are decomposed
by the water & veratrine falls
down, hence they shd be prepared extempore
Iodine & chlorine appear to combine


with veratine but the nature of the
compounds is not well understood & they appear
to be inert. We shd imagine there was
a decomposition but the iod. & chlor. can be
obtained in a separate state. When given
uncombined therefore veratrine shd never
be accompanied with iod. or chlor. 
but they will not act on the salts of veratrine
The seed of veratrum sabadilla
approach nearer to veratrine than any 
other natural product, containing it in 
a more concentrated form. The only other
plants now known to contain veratrine
are V. album & colchicum autumnali
in which it exists in form of bi-gall. of verat.
Perhaps it will be discovered in other species
& in some species of [Lois]? But we
can draw no co0nclusion from botan. [affinities]
Veratrum viride is affirmed in the
books of chemistry to contain bi-gall. of verat
but I do not believe it, for this is not cath. & 
the others are hydrag. cath.



A certain dose producing speedy active 
& sometimes distressing vomiting. A dose
short of nausea & repeated will prod. hydr. cath
& drastic purging, continuing 12-24 or 36 hours
A still smaller dose often repeated exerts a general
deobst. influence in cholag. diuretic & 
sometimes sialag. in certain diseases of the
lungs it increases the secretion & increases the 
natural mucous secretion even if there be no disease expectorant
In certain forms of [illegible] obst. it is emmenagogue
I have not know it prove diaphoretic
It is used as a resolvent in aton. ac.
infl. phlegmonus & especially arthritic for 
which purpose it must be given so as to evacuate 
the al. can. powerfully,  but its effect does 
not depend on the evacuation for in some cases
it cures without
It is antipsoraic, curing certain
lepidotic scaly & herpetic eruptions, when 
used freely & for some time but without acting
on the bowels
Given freely it is moderately soporific. If there 


is pain it is anodyne
It is said that when the system
is under some powerful disease, as tetanus or
lyssa canina, without much exhaustion, a very
large dose produces coma & a state which can
hardly be distinguished from death continuing
12-24 hours, when the pat. will revive & vomit
powerfully & the disease be removed without 
any material inconvenience following
It is one of the most efficient anthelmintics
for the second species of tenia & 
fasciola. The European books recc. it 20 yrs
ago, but the English have lately struck it out
& it seems at present not to be fashionable 
as an anthelm.
It acts as a rubefacient, applied
to the tender skin of infants & to parts unprotected
by the cutis
It changes the action & condition
of spongy etc. ulcers promoting absorption of spongy
granulations increases their sensibility if
indolent & if employed freely it destroys vitality
& produces a slough hence called caustic


[illegible] Deobst.
Sometimes when applied to ulcers it exerts its power
over the system & produces vertigo, epigastric
uneasiness, cloud before the sight, tormina & 
even catharsis
If snuffed it irritates powerfully
the scnheid. mem. produces violent sneezing
copious mucus & irritation & atonic infl. of the part
Hence it is errhine. When chewed it is
sialogogue
From its acrimony & narcotic
power a decoct. of the seeds is employed to destroy
[pediculi] of the head body or pubes & bedding.
But occasionally it thus produces
alarming symptoms vertigo convulsions etc.
The seeds of sabadilla are almost as
active as veratrine
Stimulant powers have been attributed
to it. IT is irritating rather In 
excessive doses it produces parched mouth
& throat, head of the stomach & intestines a
great irritation & atonic erythematic infl. of m. m. of al. can.
hyperemesis, tormina, hyper catharsis 


hemorrhage from the bowels vertigo, cloud
before the sight extremely weak small wiry
pulse cold extrem. (but not uniformly) 
[letanic] convulsions & death. A very large
dose of sabadilla transcends vomiting &
produces the other effects immediately
Ed. & Vav. call this article dangerous
& say it shd be abandoned but its danger
is obviated by a proper use. It may be
made to act as kindly as any article.
The activity of an article is never a good objection
to its employment. Those who object
to the seeds as dangerous yet recc. the 
salts of veratrine which are still more active
Primary operations 1. deobst.
2d acrid-narcotic 3d emetic 4th cathartic
5th epispastic
Pharmac. prep.
It is used on the cont. of Eur. in fine powder
of seeds infl. decoct. tinct. watery & 
alc. extract by enema ointment



For a sat. tinct. I shd put 4 oz to 1 pt.
perhaps 2 oz will saturate
It is said that the pulverised seeds
soon lose their strength but retain it when 
whole. This is true of colchicum. The veratrine
produces exactly the same effects 
at the seed, but the dose is very small
1-2 grs prod. viol. em. & catharsis & a
few grs. tetanus & coma. It seems to 
be more active than strychnine & operates
in less quantity. ¼ gr doses (repeated?)
produce violent evacuations without vom.
Probably 1/16 gr. once in 3 hours wd be sufficient 
to give as a deobst. & shd be
conjoined with opium to prevent cath. & 
emesis too soon. It may effect a cure
with opium without producing evacuation
but in severe diseases it must be pushed
far enough to evacuate. It is there fore
always inadmissible when copious evacuations 
are not admissible & useful
It is a substitute for the seeds of the v. sabad
v. alb. & colchicum & is more uniform 


& certain in its operation
The recently pulvd seeds of sabad.
v. alb. & colch. are useful in costiveness
of old age with great accumulation of
feces. Extremely minute quantities obviate
costiveness better than any other article
For the ointment Rx veratrine
4 grs sim. cer. zi mix by trituration
Diseases
Helminthia of all forms especially tenia
fasciola asc. verm. & lumbric. It is said
to be perfectly successful but caution is necessary 
in its use Dose for a child 2-4 yrs
2 gr of the seeds from 8-12 yrs, 10 grs
Honey blunts its activity a little & renders
its effect more slow It is said that it shd
be followed by no cath but aloes. I see no reason for this
Pneumonitis shd not think it good here
Gout more especially used in this particularly
the reg. kind. It is adapted
only to Cullen’s atonic kind. I never 


saw any other. If given early in time I 
shd think it wd cure it, but in a case of long
standing I shd think it unsafe from its tendency
to produce violent catharsis
Rheumatism recc. with the same limitation
It is useful in entonic cases after depletion
& in atonic from the first. But we must ascertain
if the case will admit of active evacuation 
for we can do but little with the article
without it. I shd be loth to use it in the 
chronic forms & for old patients
Vitiated & gangrenous ulcers recc. topically 
as a substitute for corr. sub. & the
actual cautery.  The mode of applying it
is to sprinkle a little of the powder of the
seeds over the part and cover it with lint
dipped in the infusion
Lyssa canina the authority is rathe 
apocryphal, but I shd expect as much
from it as from any other article. The
pat. is sd to be thrown into a profound sleep
of 12-24 or even 48, revives, vomits & purges &  



in 15 min., is free from all disease but weakness
Cellular dropsy as a hydr. cath. in small
doses at short intervals. Under diuretic reg. it
will produce diuresis before it purges.
Cutaneous eruptions Itch A weak watery 
prep. is used. In my early practice I
employed it with almost invariable success
add ¼ of the sat. tinct. to the inf. to make it
keep or use the sat. tinct. & add camphor
to it
Malis pediculi of Good applied in ointment
highly celebrated
Pediculi penetrantis chigo chigre in the
feet. I have had many cases never had
much trouble with them I apply acrid
or caustic substances to the tumors & they 
always do well. These cases are said to 
require great caution & skill. Perhaps
they may be dangerous in tropical climates


Veratrum album
Hellebore white hellebore
Russia Sibaria Italy Grece cultiv. in
England, first it is said by Gerard
[illegible] peram. an inch thick a bulb the upper
half tunicated the lower solid.
The root is the part used. When recent it is
sd to have an acrid taste & peculiar odor, which
it loses by drying. It is invariably brought
to us in powder & as found in our shops is
good for nothing Vide A.T. Thom Dispensat.
Bi-gallate of veratrine An acid
like the cebadic a yellow extractive
matter etc. are its active principles. There 
seems to be nothing medicinal in it but the 
bi-gall verat.
A.T.T. says it is a violent cath.
& emet. irritant & sternulatory but very efficient
merely as such. These operations
are merely circumstances in regard to its
administration but they are all that the
books ascribe to it. Dr Ware of Boston experimented 



with it & found that 8 grs were
a med. dose for an emetic [illegible] seems 
to have tried v.  album most effectually 
He found that a med. em. dose was about 8 grs
& in some cases [illegible] was required
The essential & most important effects
are 1. deobst. 2. [acridness] & em. 4. hyd.
cath. epispastic & sternut. by virtue 
of its irritant effects.
Secondarily it is 1. resolv. 2. antipsor. cholag.
expect. diuret. emmen. sialogogue (topically 
& occasionally when taken internally) it is not
diaphor. nor stimulant, but irritant
Pharm. ac. prep. 1. infus. zfs – sii to the pt. 
acc. to circumst. 2. decoct a bad
mode for many of these articles, decomposing them
I prefer the infus.
In 1810 a French nostrum called
eau medicinale was very popular. An Englishman
imitated in the following which was
considered the same Rx 8 oz recently dried
root finely cut 1 ½ 11 ½ pts sherry wine macerate 



[15] Deobst
10 days shake occasionally & filter To two parts
of this was added 1 part of Sydenham’s vinum
opii compositum Dose 1-3 f z about 4 times
a day for an urgent case oftener It did
cure many cases of acute rheum. & gout the
more acute the case the better the medicine operated
in my hands. I arrested many cases
I used the v. [viridi] instead of the v. album
& gave teas. f. doses At first I used Sydenhams
laud. but finding the prep sour
I substituted SS. & soon used instead of
both the tinct. of verat. vir.  3 parts to 1 part
SS
Tinct. 8 oz to 2 ½ pts N.Y. Ph.
Ointment Rx 2 oz of the impalpable powder of
the root to 8 oz lard (or better sim. cer.) Add
q.s. ol. lemons to flavor it (Lond. Ph.) Some
direct to mix by trituration
Diseases
Struma in the neck externally shd not
be given in cases debilitated or requiring tonics
Gout & rheumatism most celebrated
There are two modes of giving purgative 



deobstruents 1st in full doses, then waiting
to see whether it purges & going on again
illegible] in small doses & longer? intervals
in both cases I suppose opium conjoined
If you give much of the cath. deobstruents
indiscriminately you will be apt to accumulate 
them on the system till they pass of in 
a diarrhoea, runs down the pat. & carry him
off even in spite of opium. Better give
them in full doses at short? intervals & wait
This article is most successful in regular
gout, but is more or less so in irregular
I have not succeeded in rheumatalgia or
the forms of rheumatism unattended with
redness & swelling. In the early part of
my practice I employed the wine of the
v. album v. vir.? (vide supra) in other arthritic
complaints the misplaced & metastastic
ones, but the external arthritic aff. are 
more under the control of deobstruents than
any other The dose shd be as large as can
be taken without vom. & repeated


Elephantiasis celebrated in various
cutaneous aff.
Mania has been employed in different forms
of it. I do not think it very well adapted, & 
still less to hypochondria
Epilepsy & various convulsive diseases
Lyssa canina recc. in sabadilla in
lethargic cases
Paropsis aneurosis sd to be good in think
not idiopathic cases
Woodville says it is best for the
diseases of the skin Stouma prurigo herpes
pediculi internally & externally
Impetigo porrigo & scabies intern. & extern.
The powder & ointment have been
applied to old ill condit. ulcers
The intern. has been applied to burns
before vesic. has come on & thus prevented vesic.


Colchicum autumnale Linn.
Meadow saffron
Hiatuses
There are several species of C.
root perennial top annual
Root bulbous acrid & pungent. Active principle
veratrine Said to lose its activity by 
long keeping. If taken out of the ground 
before the plant flowers it affords farinaceous
matter & loses its acrid principle by boiling, &
may be eaten
The root & seeds are the parts employed in medicine.
It is said the seeds shd be collected in 
hay harvest & the root in latter part of July & in Aug. 
The root is sliced (I shd think it ought not to be) & then
dried in the sun. If taken inordinately it
will prove a deadly poison
The test by which you can ascertain
whether its activity is lost is said to be the following.
Rub 10 grs of the root with 16 m of distilled
vinegar dropped on it the vinegar
will dissolve the gluten. Then add 16 m
of the alc. tinct. of guaiacum if the colch.
is a good fine cerulean blue color will be produced 



Bi-gallate of veratrine is the act. princ.
This article was introduced by Baron
Storck who made a syrup with vinegar
& used it as a diuretic
There is much discrepancy of 
testimony as to the active powers of this article
all however arising from the diff. manner
of drying it the season in which it is collected
the age of the root & its diff. preparations
The seeds are not affected by drying
or age Perhaps they are not quite so strong as
the recent root but still they are sufficiently
so for all medicinal purposes 
The accounts given in the books
respecting the operation of colchic. are in 
the main correct.
Primary Operations
2. deobst. 2. acrid narcotic – less so than
most of the other deobstruents? 3d hyd. cathartic
4th emetic 5 probably vital irritant or epispastic
Secondarily it is 1. resolve. 2. antips. 3. chol.
4. expec. 5. diuretic not emmen.
not diaph. not sialag. internally 


not tonic or stimulant
It leaves the stom. & intest. in a 
peculiarly bad condition and hence even
as a mere emetic it will not answer, still less
as a cath. After vomiting it leaves great exhaustion
It relieves irritative not entonic arterial
action Dr Williams’s cases were synochous
It is one of the most precarious & uncertain
though one of the most powerful & effectual
deobstruents that we have. I think
there is no case in which some other & more certain
article will not answer just as well.
Orfila calls it a corrosive poison
a bad term he means that it irritates, inflames
& ulcerates. Its deleterious
effects in an inordinate dose are slight nausea
then extreme vom. & purg. fainting exhaustion
coma & death It produces direct
exhaustion even before purging begins
Dr T. doubts Majadie’s account of the 
poisonous effect. He thinks the m. men. of intest.
is never inflamed but it does often kill 


Colchicum will in certain doses, with
some persons produce the desired effect, while
the same dose will perhaps cause death in others
The purging often takes place after the exhaustion
comes on & then increases it
Orfila’s antiphl. mode of
treating its poisonous effects is the worst imaginable
Pharmac. prep.
1. powder some think it the best 1 z 3 or 4 
times a day in ½ pt warm water. But drying
impairs its strength bad form
2. Infusion must be extemporaneous bad
3. Wine a good form There are two 
1st of the seeds 2d of the root The Phil. Ph.
directs to powder the seeds, but a stronger wine
may be made of the unbruised seeds
I have used the following Rx entire seeds zii
off. alc. f zii madeira wine f zxiv mad. 1 or 2 wks
& strain I have kept this for years unimpaired.
I know of no other in the
books but what will sour
Wine of the root. Rx bruised root 8 oz
wine 1 pt This is as good as any I wd use 


f zxiv wine & f zii off. alc. But the wine of the seeds
is the best
4. Tincture zii root to ziv dil. alc. If you 
must use the root I wd use the tinct.  
but I prefer the seeds. Some however prefer
5. Vinegar of colch. If the root is used
by all means take 8 oz to 1 pt dist. vinegar
If the seeds, zii to the pint of vinegar
6. Syrup. Take the acetum 
Diseases Limosis gastrodynia recc.
highly by Dr Williams of Ipswich & in other painful aff.
Helminthia tenia f zi once a day for 
3 or 4 days is said to have cured from analogy
shd think it might be good
Dyspnea exacerbans highly efficacious
give a full dose say f zi with a full dose
of opium if necessary give another dram
but one is generally sufficient in a parosxysm 
my? usual dose is 1 teas.  f. to 2 of SS. commonly
supposed that purging vom. will relieve
this disease not so. colch. relieves it by 
its narcotic & deobst. powers. Squills will 


[?4] Deobst
often relieves it but better with SS. Lobelia
infl. I consider better than colch. in this disease
Entonic phlogotica only after depletion
Atonic phlogotica resolves the
topical infl. less atonic the better
It may be laid down as a general rule that the
phlogotica of the brain are less relieved by deobstruents
than those of the joints I usually 
give 3 to 5 f z & so as not to produce
hyd. catharsis for phl. of brain.
Pneumonitides I have used it successfully 
particularly P. notha but the inconveniences
attending its uses are worse perhaps than 
those of the disease. In that form of
pneumonitis attended with a topical
erythemat. infl. fever synochus it is better
than in any other form
Podagia gout there is more risk in a 
broken down pat. in an induced
case, or one brought on by high living
than in a hereditary one There should
be no preparatory process of bleeding or 


purging for the colch. will reduce difficulty
Entonic acute rheum. shd think colch. wd
be better in this than any other entonic pyhlogoticum.
Shd bleed here first shd always
look out that it does not purge giving f zi
once in three or four hours till it begins to 
purge or vomit preceding? with a free use
of opium
Arthritis rheumatalgia var. acuta most
applicable in the acute, next in the subacute
also var. sciatica & (hiatus)
Neuralgia faciei said to be very successful
rule to give it till it affects the
bowels except cath. is restrained by opium 
Hydrops cellul. thorac. & abdom. are
said to be successfully treated with it if
used in dropsy it had better be given as a
diuretic, not as a hydr. cath.
Exomia prurigo var. senilis said to 
have been perfectly cured by zfs of the
wine of colch. 3 times a day for 3 weeks
Here shd come in andeira inermis



Veratrum viride
Green hellebore swamp hell. Indian [unicas]
Indian poke pokeweed bearweed itchweed
tickleweed. Hab. the whole U.S. nat. ord.
Melanthaceae
Probably the best article on it is that
of Dr Bigelow. It is better than all the rest of 
the Med. Bot. put together. His acc.  of the therap.
applic is sufficiently full but his nat. hist. of 
it is deficient
The root is the part used It is
thick & fleshy, the upper half tunicated, the
lower solid, (which is an anomaly) & with large
fibrillae shooting from it. Taste bitter
 but more acrid than bitter, leaving a [durable]
in the mouth & especially in the fauces
if chewed & swallowed. It does not contain
veratrine. It is not cathartic
Bigelow calls it stimulant It is irritant
Big. calls it sedative He shd have specified
It is ill adapted to the purposes of an
emetic unless a deobstr. emet. is wanted


Dr War gave it in 30 cases as a pure
emetic in 10 out of 15 6 grs produced
kind & effectual vomiting. The operation
he says is not so severe as that of tart. em.
though more so than that of ipecac
It requires a long time for its operation as
an emetic & this is the case with all the
emetic deobstruents
Dr Big. says “Some patients obtain
relief from moderate doses without nausea
or other unpleasant effects. Others require
larger doses (zii) & experience nausea, vomiting
a sense of prostration & exhaustion, 
impaired vision & even total insensibility”
These bad effects arise from bad management
If smaller doses at shorter intervals
had been given they would have been avoided
Taken in excessive doses Dr Big
says it produces “distressing vertigo. tremors
sinking of the pulse, cold sweats, cold extremities,
syncope, convulsions & death 


Taken in too large doses at once it produces
hyper emesis, hyper catharsis, great tormina & 
hemorrhage from the intestines but the cath.
eff. is prod. however from a sort of cholera
& this is no proof of its being cathartic, for
many articles well known to possess no such 
power may induce a cholera & of course
catharsis follows
A strong infusion of fruit galls is
recommended as an antidote, to combine
with the supposed veratrine This in the
case of v. album must be useless for the
veratrine is in a state of bi-gallate already
Opium is the only effect. rem. for 
an overdose
Primary Operations
1. deobst. 2. Acrid-narcotic 3. emetic
4. epispastic from its irritant powers proving
rubefac. 5 errhine from its irritant pow.
Its secondy eff. are 1. resolv. 2. antipsoraic
3d. sialag. 4. expect 5. discut. sternut.
I do not know that it has been ascertained 



positively to be diuretic or emmenagogue
but from the fact that v. alb is so, we
might expect it. It is not diaph. except
by its emetic operation which will of itself
produce diaphoresis. It possesses not a
particle of cathartic power
It is less liable to leave the
stom. & intest. in a bad & irritable state
the most of the other deobst. as colch. etc.
No other article resembles sanguinaria
so nearly. It is more like it than like
its [illegible] v. alb. Of deobst. I prefer
those which have no cath. power 
It is contraindicated in phlog. diathesis
Pharmac. Pres.
1. Recently pulvd root. The roots of whole 
will return their power for some time If kept
in powder they lose it in some degree.
I do not think much of this preparation
think you wd fail of producing a deobst.
effect. Big. says 2-6 grs is an emetic
dose. The powder is best for an emetic 


except in comp & dyspnea, where the
wine is the best emetic form
2. Decoction best form only for act. applic.
It shd be boiled in a closely covered vessel
& I think it is injured by too much boiling
Rx coarsely pulv root zi off. alc. f zii
boil. water 1 pt.
3. Wine by far the best. Put the rec.
root cut fine into a bottle & add sufficient
wht wine to cover it Big directs zviii
of the root to lbiijs wht. wine but I think it 
can be much stronger & lbj is enough for zviii
just enough to cover it.
To make a prep. that will keep 
Rx root recent. cut zviii off. alc. zii wht wine
zxiv Of the first recipe zi is a medium
dose especially in acute diseases but 
it wd be a large dose of my recipe, unless
the dis. was very severe, few [illegible]
tolerating more than zfs. Bigelow says
“add to 3 parts of the wine 1 of wine of opium
& of this from 20 gtts to zi is a med. dose”



I never succeed unless the pat. can take
more than 20 gtts but sometimes as with sanguin.
20 gtts will irritate & be rejected when 
30 or 60 will sit well
The dose shd be repeated 4-6-8 times in 
24 h. If 6 or 8 doses have been given the
article cannot be continued by & it will 
not be necessary
It has been proposed not to use the article
till the “sediment” has subsided, as it is the
less violent in its action, but will the med.
power be diminished precisely in the
same degree? as is the case with colchicum 
4. Ointment Rx rec. root pulvd zii
lard ([illegible] cer. is better) zvjii oil of lemons 10 m
It is better not to beat the lard. Add the
oil to the powder
Verat. viride used externally 
is discutient & antipsoraic. It has produced
nausea & vom. & other constit. eff
when applied to ulcers on the legs & to 
cutaneous eruptions. But this eff. has 



15 Deobst.
been produced only when there were ulcerations
Big. asks “may it not do good externally appl.
in gout.” I answer no extern. applic.
shd be made in gout or ac. rheum. so long
as it is erratic ten chances to one you drive
it to the heart, lungs or brain
I prefer ver. vir. to v. alb or
to colch because it does not purge. It is
analogous to sanguinaria in its operation
& I have substituted it for sanguin in 
cases where there was a prejudice against
it. I never cd perceive any difference 
in their effects
Diseases
Dyspepsia with torpid liver & clay cold stools
Simple idiop. cough v. vir. like sang.
is very useful in early stages when there is 
no expectoration & also after it has taken place
The pathology of this affection is not well
understood. It is not an infl. nor febrile
aff. but deobst. will cure it. It is probably 
connected with a morbid condition


of the secretions of the bronchial mem.
It is occasionally relieved by narcotics
as opium & hyoscyamus These act on the
secretions also but not in the same manner
as the deobstruents I usually conjoin this
article more or less with opium & find it
very efficient. I have not employed it as
much as blood root
Dyspnea exacerbans At the commencement
of the paroxysm I give a full dose of
the wine about zi with 15-20 gtts of SS
acc. to circumstances I repeat the wine
at short intervals & ¾ of the cases are 
relieved without vomiting or narcosis
but some require a continuance till
vomiting takes place. It is the deobst. operation
that effects the cure
Phlysis paronychia (whitlow) I have
seen decided benefit from it. Take a
strong infusion or decoction immerse the
part 1 or 2 hours in it as warm as can be borne
& repeat 2 or 3 times a day. The earlier it 



is used the better & the greater the prospect of
cure. AT more advanced stages it merely palliates,
but relieves the pain much. If opened
frequently no suppuration is found but the
incision is of service
Pneumonitis typhodes var. Notha I first
give a full dose of calomel, & opium suffic.
to allay the pain which is usually severe
I proportion the cal. to the opium & make
it remain in the al. can. 12-18 hours. I then?
apply a blister & enter immediately on the 
use of verat. vir. in full doses at intervals of
1 or 2 hours If it vomits it is not much matter
though I prefer that It shd not the vom.
does no hurt. I most usually give
f zi every hour for 12 hours & by that time it
usually occasions some nausea & retching
I then give the same dose every 2 hours
for 12 hours more & when the cal. operates
the disease melts away the vomiting help
the deobst. power. Always give enough opium
with it to meet the symptoms & allay
the pain s


Dysentery v.v. will of itself cure this 
disease Cal. & op. is usually given first & the
calomel retained 15-18 hours & followed up 
by varatrum only in non-malignant cases 
Sparganosis puerperarum Moderate cases
are easily overcome by it, conjoined with opium
In severe & violent cases & those following profuse
hemorrhage it would not answer. I 
have had no experience with it in this disease
Gout has been employed with much success.
It was first used for the “eau medicinale”
(vide v. alb.) I have never treated a
true case of gout but only those [illegible]
between gout & rheumatism & approaching
the former. In one case there were
chalky concretions inability to move etc.
& it had resisted a great variety of 
medicines. I gave wine of v.v. 3 parts wine
of opium 1 part dose zi every hour at the
commencement of a paroxysm till it produced
narcosis or vomiting It cured speedily
& perfectly & by a subsequent use
kept off the paroxysm 9 mo. The pat. 



then gave it up his health improved & 
the swelling decreased. Dr Big. says it is
used in gout very successfully in Boston
We shd increase the frequency of the dose
rather than the dose itself. If narcosis or
other symptoms appear decrease the dose
I have never succeeded unless the pat.
cd take more than 26 gtts
Acute atonic rheumatism equally if
not more successful
Rheumatalgia or that kind of rheum.
aff. [illegible] is usually unattended with 
any topical swelling ore redness usually 
occurring in young persons. Shd push it
so as to produce narcosis or vomiting.
No matter if the pat. does vomit once or 
twice, it will do him good & heighten the
deobst. effect
In genuine chronic rheumatism it is
recommended I have not succeeded 
well with it in this. What is often
called chronic is acute. The more acute 


the better I have succeeded. Dr Big.
says he has succeeded in obstinate cases
“he pushed it till vomiting
narcosis or relief was produced” Perhaps
I have not pushed it far enough
When verat. vir. is given in acute
rheumatism it allays morbid irritability
& irritation, morbid sensibility & sensation
it obviates pain & restlessness, even if it
fails of effecting a cure all this by its narcotic
power. The Europeans suppose 
that colch. & v. album cure by 
their evacuation, but v. viride never purges
& we give it short of the vomiting point
& yet a cure is accomplished
Dr Big. supposes the v. viride “cures by 
the strong impression that it makes”
But if he gives only 15-20 drops & no 
sensible operation follows we cannot suppose
any very strong impression to be produced.
v. viride like other deobst.
cures topical infl. by acting on the 


[illegible] & absorbents The absorbents must
remove the disease. This principle shd be
better understood. The reviewers have 
mentioned with a note of exclamation that
I have stated that sanguinaria will remove
infl. independent of vomiting!
Porphyra hemorrhagica or simplex & nautica
recc. in we shd not at first expect this
but it is a dis. of the [secern] [illegible] absorbents perhaps
exclusively. Kaln says it is externally & internally 
Indolent Ulcers especially those recurring
in strumous habits & probably originally 
connected with syphilis the ulcers 
deep concave, hemispherical dry or secreting 
an icherous matter. In cases where 
nit. silver, sulph. copper etc. had done
no good I have applied veratrum which
produced a secretion of “laudable pus” & 
the ulcer put out granulations & healed.
Of late I have used blood-root for this
purpose. There is not much difference
I apply the powder & over than an 



adhesive plaster. Any indolent
ulcer may be benefitted in this way
Sick Headache Given in sufficient season
it will prevent & carry off the paroxysm
but if given too late it will accelerate the
attack of the paroxysm given very much 
as in dyspepsia
Comatose affections the result of slight concussions.
Early in my practice I used it in 
these so freely as to produce vomiting
The coma came on a week after the accident
in these cases. Almost any thing
that makes a strong impression will cure
as an active cathartic. The veratrum is as 
effectual as any other article
Apoplexy certain forms occurring in 
young persons the face as crimson as in 
the sanguineous, but pale & livid (not exactly 
the serous apoplexy of Cullen) 
pulse weak extremities cold. Here I 
give stimulants and apply warmth to the 
extremities till they become warm 


[16] Deobst.
I then give the wine of v. v. in repeated doses
at short intervals so that it may produce 
vomiting If four doses do not vomit I then
give ipecac Then I use stimulants.
This form of apoplexy is most common with 
me No one who regards symptoms wd
think of V.S. I have seen two patients
die under the act of v.s. These cases
will recover only under the use of stimulants
& emetics & these are infallible unless the
constit. is broken down. The deobstruent
emetics are most proper & far preferable
It is contrary to the books to give emetics
in head affections. The brain is not so
much affected by deobstruents as the other
viscera. It is affected however to some extent
Carus Paralysis or peral. not connected
with organic derangement. I have seen
great effects from it in paraplegia
Cutaneous eruptions Bateman & Good
recc. the acrid deobst. especially v. album 
but v. viride is far preferable 



Psoriasis inveterata I have used it in the
early stages
Impetigo laminosa salt rheum If in an
irritable state, emollients shd be first applied
& this state overcome or your applications will do no good
Porrigo galeato for this however I prefer 
the red oxide of mercury
Ecpyresis scabies (Ich) I have used v. v. 
internally & externally in all the above
but not in itch.
But I lay little stress on internal remedies’
in porrigo galeaga In 
periosis inveterata the internal use shd be 
conjoined with the use of the decoct. or ointm.
externally. In impetigo laminosa I 
place more reliance on the external applic.
but think the internal administration of it useful 
It will not succeed perhaps in a majority of 
cases. The mercurials are perhaps better.
I do not use it internally in porrigo galeata
but the strong decoct. or ointment.
There are better remedies but I have succeeded
with this when other remedies had failed


In scabies I use a strong decoction & to make it keep
add ¼ of the sat. tinct. zviii will cure
Apply it by a sponge fixed to the cork of the
vial It shd be applied to the affected
part for a week. If not so speedy in 
its cure as some other applications it is far
more agreeable than sulphur & I think
very favorably of it. It is injured by simmering
in cerate the heat of the boiling water
is as much as it will bear I suspect the 
ointment wd be a better mode zii of the
impalpable powder of the root in zi sim. cer.
I prefer an ointment of mercury to any 
thing else, but it is too liable to be abused
for common use
Burns & scalds if neglected are apt to 
become vitiated ulcers, livid & threatening
gangrene. For these the ointm. or cloth
wat with the strong decoct. is an excellent application
If applied early, before the skin is 
removed, it has the power of preventing 


the vesication, but it is not the best article
for that purpose
The therapeutic application of verat.
viride is almost precisely like that o f
sanguinaria
Kaln says the Indians soaked
their corn in a strong decoct. of verat.
vir. to protect it from the birds, which if
they ate of it became giddy & fell down
& though it does not kill them the others were thus
deterred


Perhaps there may [come]
Andeira inernis which resembles
colchic. & v. sabadilla anthelmintic
like the latter








16 ½ Deobst.
Andeira inernis
Allied to colchicum & may be used
for the same purposes A large dose at
once produces nausea & vomiting.
Short of nausea & repeated with diuretic
regimen it is diuretic. In moderate
doses at short intervals it is narcotic
The test of any overdose is 
nausea & vomiting. That of too frequent
repetition is narcosis. That of 
too long continuance is catharsis
Properties acrid-narcotic. emetic
hyd. cathartic & deobstruent
being diuretic, resolvent probably 
cholagogue & expectorant
The proper remedies for an
overdose are opium to check the
evacuations & stimulants to support 
the powers of life. There is no proof
on record that lime juice will counteract
the effects of the acrid narcotics


This article is most used in the
W.I. & in the Spanish prov. as an anthelmintic.
The powder of the bark is
given as a nauseating emetic, narcotic
& cathartic beginning with small
doses & increasing till nausea is produced
& then continuing short of nausea
The medium doses for a strong
healthy adult is zfs This is large
if it is to be repeated. It is better to 
begin with smaller doses & let them 
remain some time in the al. can. to 
act on the worms. Dose for a 
pat. 14 or 15 grs = [illegible] of 10 grs – 15 grs
2-3 grs = 10 grs – 1 gr. = 5 grs Vary 
acc. to circumstances
Pharmaceutical Preparations
1st decoct. Rx zi recently dried bark
to lbji water boil till colour of madeira
wine strain & use immediately 
Dose for an adult, about zii


2nd Extract Rx lbj rec. dried bark
coarsely powdered to wat. lbviii boil
till half is evaporated strain & evaporate
toa proper consistence in a salt
water bath, stirring frequently that the
resin may not rise to the top Dose
for an adult 3 grs 14 or 15 yrs = 2 grs
10 yrs = 1 ½ grs 2-3 yrs = 1 gr – 1 yr = ½ gr
For ordinary purposes this is the best preparation
3d Syrup Rx Take of the decoction
as above made any quantity, & dissolve
in it while hot twice its weight of 
white sugar. If there be sugar
enough it will not ferment. Dose
for a strong adult zii & [illegible] for other 
ages
Diseases Helminthia, as caridis
lumbricoidis Use the decoction
It is a powerful anthelmintic




1st Sanguin
17 Deobst
Sanguinaria Canadensis ([Linnaeus])
Called mor appropriately by Salisbury S. [vernalis]
Previous to Linnaeus it was called S. minor & S.
major called by Plukenet papaver corniculus
chelidonium [illegible] ranunculus virg.
Blood root or wort (the same is root) the
[illegible] of hieracum venosum,. Puccoor
(Indian name) also Indian paint, Indian
turmeric Nat. order Papaveraceae
Polygonus [illegible] is called sanguinaria
in some of the continental medical works
the root is the part used it is bitter & 
extremely acrid it is said to lose [70] pr ct its
weight in drying. I have not found the loss
of weight so great. much depends on the season
in which it is gathered, which should be late
in autumn. Water added to the tinct.
causes a milky appearance
PRox. princ. sanguinaria discovered by 
A Hayes of Windsor Vt. macerate the rec
root in 3 times its weight of cold water acidulate
with about 1/80 its weight of strong sulphuric



acid after remaining 3 or 4 days
in a cool room, decant & filter repeat
the process with additional diluted acid to
the same parcel of root & put the filtered
fluids together. Add pure aqua amm. till
the water is slightly alkaline & the [sanguinarine]
is precipitated. Wash the precip.
with water slightly alkaline with ammon, as
long as it is coloured & afterwards with
pure rain water to remove the ammon
Redissolve with sulph. ac. decompose
the sulph. & wash to filter as before & 
you remove impurities. macerate in 
alcohol at the common temperature, shaking
frequently to take up the sanguinaria filter
& dissolve the remainder in more alcohol
& then as long as any is taken up put the filtered
fluid together in a retort over a common
furnace fire distil off ¾ of the bulk till
the sanguin. begins to precip. then dash in 4 times
its bulk of cold water 7 the whole will be
precipitated. This precip. washed & dried



will be pretty pure [sanguinarine]. For A.
Hayes original proc. vide sil.. chem. His
acid is a little stronger, but my process is
essentially the same. This is the best way to 
obtain most of the veg salifiable bases,
if they are insoluble in water. Sulph. ac.
supersedes all the veg. acids Sulph. quin.
may thus be procured
Sanguinarine thus obtained is at first
white but becomes brown or buff coloured
by keeping, from absorption of cab acid
as is said but if kept in sealed vial it
will undergo the same change. It has 
an acrid taste, turns turmeric brown & veg.
blues green hence an alkali If from
a precip. with tinct. galls which is a tartrate
or gallate or both of sanguinarine
Insoluble or sparingly soluble in water
Soluble in sulph ether, vinegar & alcohol
It forms coloured salts, red crimson or 
scarlet. their color is a diagnostic [none]
thus far resembling the exc. the salts of 



Strychnine & brucine. The hydrochlorate, 
sulphate, nitrate, phosph. acetate
& tartate are all used vide Silliman
The acetate is most soluble The tartrate
oxalate & hydrochl. are very soluble
The acetate is most acrid but the tartrate
is most active. Those that have the strongest
sensible qualities are most active
those that are most soluble are most speedy
in their activity
Silicate of potassa & tinct. iodine may 
perhaps be incompatible with it
It is probable that the sulphate formed by 
macerating the root, filtering & drying wd 
answer all ordinary purposes in medicine
I have tried it & it was deliquescent probably
from excess of acid
The colouring matter of the plant is the active
principle. IT a native salt with an 
unascertained acid one however which 
has great affinity with the malic & will
probably prove to be so this being the ac.


most commonly found in union with the
veg. alkalies
Potassa, soda magn. calcia ammon. & lithia
decompose the veg. salts, precipitated their loss
and render most of these bases weaker. Some
they only weaken, others they affect not at all
They weaken sanguinarine No acids weaken
it except the gallate. Hence avoid giving veg.
astring. with prep. of sanguin. The gallates
(exc. the bi gall. of veratrine) are generally 
comparatively inert
Tincture of sanguinaria, in appropriate
cases excites the secretions of the
chylopoietic viscera, liver etc. changes the 
condit. of the [secern.] & absorb. systems, resolves
atonic acute & sub. ac. infl. of the
thorac. & abdom. viseara & arthritis infl.
of muscles & joints increases the appetite
& digest. powers indirectly increases force
& frequency of pulse excites muco-purulent
secretions from bronch. mem. & the
catar. secretion & has even occasioned hem.


from the [uterus]
In larger doses it nauseates, obviates
irrit. heat & dryness of skin sometimes
occasions vomiting, burning at the stomach,
vertigo, impaired vision, reduction
of force & frequency of pulse, palpitation
& irrig. action of heart & arteries, great prostration
of strength, convulsions & stiffness
of the limbs Pushed farther if vomits & 
produces great anxiety & narcosis
It leaves the stom. & intest. in a good
condition not disturbed & irritable as after
colchicum & squills
Externally applied to eruptions it irritates,
promotes absorption & changes condition 
for the better
The decoction is a discutient in 
inflam. affections
The powder is an errhine
The tartrate of sanguinarine in
moderate doses at short intervals, allays
irritative secret. of bronch. frequency of pulse 



& cough in pneumonitis. In larger doses it
produces vertigo, cloud before the sight
dilated pupils, haggard counten. cold sw.
pulse slow & irreg. These symptoms appear
in ¼ hour & disappear in 3 hours
5 grs have produced this effect Some cannot
take ½ gr From grfs to griii is a
medium dose A. R. Terry took 20 grs
It did not vomit him
Sanguinaria sometimes prod. unpleasant
affections of head or stomach. or both destroying
the appet. & dim. the pulse. Sometimes
in such a case the tartrate will agree 
It is less emetic than the other preparation
The seeds are sd to be more narcotic
like those of datura (?) The leaves are sd to 
be active & worthy of investigation’
Hence this article is
1st deobstruent 2nd acrid narcotic
3d emetic 4th escharotic 5 errhine
As a deobstruent it is 1st cholagogue
2nd resolv. 3d expect. 4th emmena 5th anti-psoraic


6th discutient
It is neither stimulant, tonic, diaphoretic 
diuretic, sialagogue, nor cathartic
Its colog. oper. has been denied but 
it is perfectly evident & is uniform always
taking place when the violence of the disease
does not prevent it
The strong narcot. effects are produced in persons
of great susceptibility not idiosyncracy by in 30 or 40 
As a mere emetic it is inconvenient, uncertain
& ineffectual & shd be given only for
the shock & as a deobst. for the liver & lungs in certain diseases. It will not
abate entonic action, but in proper dis.
is more effectual than any other emetic 
As an escharotic is improves vitiated ulcers etc.
It is a powerful sternutatory.
Its continued used in full doses obviates
costiveness by increased flow of bile hence
it is indirectly eccoprotic. Small doses
do not cause a secretion of bile
As a deobstruent its resolvent powers
are the most important. For many years 


2nd Sanguinaria
18 Deobst.
relied on it in acute rheumatism
Its acrid narcotic effects are next in importance
Pharmaceutic preparations
1 powder of root 2d pill with [illegible] [roses]
dose 5 gr. to a pill, repeated
3d Infusion of bruised root zj to lbjs. dose
zfs to a gill as an emetic
4th Decoction same prop. infus. is better
boiling seems to injure such articles 
Dr Tally’s recipe of sanguin. for dyspepsia
modified by Dr Todd Rx coarsely powdered 
root of sanguin. ziii Ext. leont. taraxac.
zviii (thick enough to pill) Dried leaves
of eupat. perfol. zjv Ginger in powd. zii
cloves powd. zfs aq. pura lbvj
Boil all but the cloves to 3 pints then add
the cloves & 1 pt of molasses & simmer
20 minutes. This prep. is tonic
deobstruent & eccoprotic to preserve it
add ½ pt of spirit & keep in a close bottle
Found very useful in many cases. Vid p.
Diseases dyspepsia


Compound syrup of sanguinaria
Rx rad. sanguin. coarsely powdered
Rad. recent. contus. araliae racem. (spikeweed)
Pan. quinquif. (gineng) coarselypowd. aa zj
Semin. contus. anisi zii misce
Add alcohl. dilut. lbjs
Aquae ferventi lbj
Digest 6 hours in a closely covered vessel strain
through flannel & add sugar to form a
syrup. Very successful in consumpt. & cough vid. p. (cough)
These [forms] may be varied to suit cases
The following formula is much used as an emmenagogue
& is highly useful in dyspeptic cases
as a tonic deobst. & laxative 
Rx Pulv. rad. sang. zjs
Sulph. zinc & ext. aloes aa zi
muc. acac. ver. q.s ft. mas. in 120 pil. div.
Dose 1, 2, or more pill ;3 or 4 times a day falling
short of nausea & purging IT may act as an eccoprotic
Drs Beers & Hooker have used them. The
former thinks very favorably of them (1830)
The soft resin of pinus australis or strobus 


would perhaps be a better constituans than gum
arabic, as it dissolves more slowly & in this
way perhaps mor sanguin. might be borne without
producing nausea. Bals. copaib. might
also be used. Proto sulph. of iron is better
than sulph zinc. Vid. dis ([param??]) page
Officinal Preparations
Tinct. sang. Rx rad. san. cont. zii
Diluted alcohol ([illegible] spt.) lbj. If the
root is good this will saturate. Digest
10 days in a warm place & filter. Dose
as a resolvent cholag. emmen. or expect. is
30m, increased rapidly to zj or zii
Wine of sanguine Rx bruised root
zii off. alc zii wht. wine f zxiv. Dig.
10 days & filter. Dose, same as tinctures.
Properties the same. The alc. is added to 
make it keep but it will sometimes sour in 
hot weather notwithstanding
Vinegar of sang. Rx bruised root zii
off. alc. f zii purified vinegar f zxiv macerate
for a while in the vinegar, then express 



the fluid & add the alc. to make it keep
This is decidedly more active than the tinct.
as we have an acetate of sanguinarine
Purify the vinegar by filtering through animal
charcoal. This vineg. of sang. is
a valuable preparation when the stom. is weak
& irritable. To some it is more nauseous. To others
less so. Those who object to tinctures prefer the
vinegar. Dose, same as of the tincture
Tinct. of sanguin. & acorus calamus
Rx bruised root sang zii ac. calam. zj
diluted alcoh. lbj mac. express & strain
The calamus disguises the taste of the sanguinaria,
but it is perceived in 10 or 15 min.
This prep. is an effec. emmen especially 
useful when the stom. is weak & irrit. & is
less likely to do injury than the other preparations
The calamus is supposed to enhance
the emmenag effect A valuable preparation
when an aromatic united with an acrid narcotic
is wanted
Vide sage. Diseases paramus obstruct


For an acrid narcotic, deobstruent, eccoprotic
& laxative preparation
Rx bruised root sang zii aloes zii dil. alc. lbj 
An excellent emmen. when the bowels are 
torpid. If the aloes act too much add the
tinct sang. & calamus. Better without
the aloes if the bowels are not rapid vid. p.
Syrup of vinegar of sanguin.
Rx vineg sang. lbj white sugar lbj. Dissolve
by a gentle heat. Similar to the prep
of squills. Preferable to any other preparation
of sanguin if an acrid deobst & saccharine
demulc. are both indicated. It is 
one of the most elegant expectorant syrups.
Taken well by children. Shd be kept by
every practitioner
Expressed inspissated juice of root
This is more active than the tinct. or powd.
less so than the tartrate. Can be given in 
pill Deobstruent dose 2 to 3 grs. Will
undoubtedly supersede the other preparations
Bruise the recent root express & inspissate 



in the [illegible] The root yields about ½ its weight
of ext. An ext by decoct. is made by the
Shakers at N. Leb. Prof. T. has taken [48] pills
of 4 grs. each at a dose no more effect than
from bread pills
Ointment
Rx Root pulvd & sifted zii Simple cer. zviii
[Carefully] rub together & add 20m oil lemon
The ext.  might be used & less wd be required
This is good in scaly & pustular eruptions, impetigo
[illegible] vid. p. Diseases
The tartrate is the only salt prof.
T. has used. The others have nearly the same powers 
The tartr. in small doses is as liable to produce
vomiting as the root, but with less nausea. It 
does not oppress a weak stomach. In large
doses it is less likely to operate as an emetic & 
more as a narcotic. The last probably prevents
its em. oper. Worth nothing as a mere
emetic Med. deobst. dose is [1/4] to 3 gr. once in 
2 hours More than 3 grs is rarely tolerated 


By using the tartrate you get rid of the acrid
disagreeable taste. Not worth while to use the
liquid preparations. The advantages of this
form are as great as those of quinine over bark
As an external applic. for all conditioned
ulcers the powdered root is the best
They are rendered less irritable & healthy pus
is promoted
Prof. T. has succeeded better with the liquid
than the solid prep. of sanguinaria
Greater effect is produced. minute division
is of great consequence in all remedies He finds
by calculation that in acute rheum. sanguin.
in a solid form will fail in 2/3 of the cases 
while the liquid form will fail in only ¼. ‘So
too of jaundice. As an emetic the powder
is too soon thrown off & does not act on the secretion
The infusion & decoct. are to be given in the same
doses as the tinct wine & vinegar q.v.
In some cases 20 or 30m may nauseate & zi or
zii sit well. In such cases any thing that
makes a strong impression will sit well.



Dose of the compd tinctures same as of simple
Dose of compd decoction ½ gill gradually increased
to 1 gill 3 times a day Dose of
compd syrup 1 or 2 tables. f. increased to 3 
or 4 4 times a day An emetic dose of
the powder is 10 grs to zi of the dec. or inf.
zii to ziv every 10 min.
Opium is often a valuable adjuvant. It 
will prevent nausea when the deobstruent & acrid
narcotic effect is wanted, while the sanguinaria
promotes the soporific effect of the opium
They produce modified action on each other
& not the combined effect of the two. The tartrate 
is as much improved by opium as the other preparations.
Internally in severe acute diseases
of adults give 1 part opium & 3 of wine
or tinct sangjuin.
The unpleasant effects are nausea
vertigo coldness tremors etc. mentioned above
For these give stimulants, but opium is the
most useful.
The emetic powers of sanguin.



3d Sanguinaria
19 Deobst.
by age, the deobst. are more permanent
The strength of the root depends much on the soil
season when gathered etc. Collect it in the autumn
That which grows in low ground loses its powers
most by drying
Blood root was first used in Conn.
by J. [Hoadly] of Middlefield (par. of mid. town) who
employed it as early as 1755 as an emetic in croup. Dr J.
Potter of Wallingford disseminated the information
in regard to its powers, ad at that time
he had the greatest [illegible] of country practice
in this state
Therapeutic Applications
Dyspepsia with torpor, vitiated or deficient
secretions & not much exhaustion. The following
is equal to the formula already given on p.
& is more convenient. Rx Take an infusion
of some bitter tonic agreeably aromatized & 
dissolve in it q.s. of ext. of dandelion & at
the same time that he takes a dose of this but the
pat take the requisite dose of tinct. sanguin.
Marasmus some cases in children 


Jaundice moderate caes may be cured
by it as an emetic in others continue its use
good in all forms as an auxiliary. In a severe
case begin with a single full dose of calomel
& retain it 12 or 15 hours, then give full doses
short of nausea, of the tinct. sanguin. Conium
is well combined. I prefer corr. subl. in 
this disease. Take the follow. Rx corr. sub gri
ext conium 40 60 grs tinct. sang. f zi
water f ziii First dissolve the sub. in the water
Dose f ziv once ion 6 hours. Vary this formula
acc. to circumstances
Parabysma coactum conjoin conium 
Simple idiopath. conch before or after effect
has begun combine with a narcotic as conium
Dyspneal cough I have cured it perfectly 
It may return. Sometimes the tartrate has
succeeded when the other prep. have field
the pat. not being able to take enough of them
Bex convulsiva either as an emetic or as 
an acrid narc.-deobst. As an emetic it is
far better than antim. or squills


Dyspnoea exacerbans lobelia infl. with conium is
better I have arrested a part with sang. & 
op. a tables. f. may be needed
Asthma humidum a rare disease shd think
sang. wd be good wd give some tonic in the [illegible]
Atonic forms of quinsy used sometimes
by an emetic in the more modern erythem.
infl. of fauces as a gargle.
Croup of high value, chiefly as a debost.
may be used as an emetic it may be mede
to cure without vomiting The fever of croup
is synochus. Tart. emet. is a bad article
in this disease; sure to create a fever. Turpenth
min. is the best emetic
When first called I give 1-2 tables s. f. of
tinct sanguin. If this does not vomit in
the course of 10 or 15 minutes I give a 
dose of turpenth min. Push the vomiting
till the coagulable lymph is evacuated
then follow up with deobst. Give calomel
freely better that it shd not purge hence
if necessary give opium to prevent it


I have given a dram of cal. in 24 hours to 
a child 4 yrs old in this way. I know of no 
article besides calom. so important as sang.
in croup. But I do not trust to it alone
Epidemic catarrh (influenza)
Pneumonitis difft forms particularly p. notha
1st give a single full dose of cal. with opium 
then follow freely with sang. in doses of
1-3 teas. f. shd not suffer it to vomit more
than once or twice as much as this will do
no harm Not good in very low cases.
Pneumonitis subacuta
Phthisis membranosa in early stages 
Phthisis dyspeptica if not too much exhaustion
Phthisis [tuberculoris], good in early stages
good with opium in advanced stages the
greater the exhaustion the less chance of benefit
Ophthalmitis of the conjunctive I have
known a severe case of this cured in 36 hours 
by a large dose at first, & following up
with it freely Others have sent me similar
facts Also chronic cases. Though once 


I shd not have believed it, I now think ophthalmia
may be better cured by deobstruents
than by any other class of remedy
Atonic acute & subacute rheumatism. [Actea]
has now [surpassed] sanguin. with me. I gave
it as I now do actea for some years q.v.
Chronic Rheum. without much swelling & pain
I have not succeeded so well with 
Gout severe fits of it have been arrested by 
sang. given freely with opium
Dysentery give opium freely for the
pain & follow with blood root Cures like
cal. as a deobst. Do not rely on it in 
low cases
Hysteritis membranifica. Dr Woodward
of Vt has cured several cases with sanguin
gave opium freely in the paroxysms of pain
& also conjoined it with the sanguin.
Impetigo laminosa. Dr Thatcher of
Mass. has cured many cases partic. that
with scaly eruptions.
Bites & stings not much to be relied S



or in bad cases. From the earliest practice
nothing has been found better than diffusible
stimulants. This is well understood in 
India & S. Am. enough shd be given
Leucorrhea
Blenorrhea [cenodes] simplex & chronica
Paramenia obstructionis idiopathic
In this it is very valuable with suitable
auxiliaries vide the preced. formulae p.
Indolent & irritable ulcers Apply 
the powder and over that an adhesive
plaister Any indolent or irritable
ulcer may be benefitted thus.s






20 Deobst.
Styllingia sylvatica Gordon & Linn
Queen’s delight yaw weed pox root
[cock] up nut Nat. ord. Euphorbiae juss.
Root perenn. top ann. hab. pine barrens & 
sandy soils There are 3 spec. known
S. ligustrium, shrub Car. & Geo. S sebifera
native of China but naturalized on the sea shore
of the southern states, the seeds of which are encrusted
with wax, resembling that of myrica
cerifera except in colour, & used in China
for making candles S. sylv.
The root is the only part used
in medicine. It is impaired by drying 
& age, but not always in an equal degree
It has kept for 2 years & sometimes is  impaired
in 3 or 4 months
In doses short of the nauseating
point & repeated it produces more or less purging
& vomiting & is hydragogue
In sufficient quantities it will
produce vomiting. In small doses it
is eccoprotic & laxative acc. to the dose 


It increases the biliary secretion when
the liver is in a torpid state, relieves
dysthetic & cachectic diseases & [causes] cutaneous 
eruptions. It is resolvent in aton.
ac. & subac. rheum.
Primary Operations
Deobstruent acrid narcotic in a slight
degree cathartic & emetic
If given freely so as to purge
it is generally or always hydragogue & I
believe cholagogue. Unless excessive
emesis or catharsis is produced it leaves
the stomach & bowels in an improved 
state
It is sialagogue from local action
on the mouth
I do not know whether it is emmen.
duretic or diaphoretic
Diseases
Dyspepsia in cases not attended with 
atony or exhaustion of vit. energ. of stom.
but with torpor of the liver & al. canal


quite celebrated at the south & called queen’s
delight
Rheumatism sub-ac. & chronic. With proper
management & auxiliaries it will surely 
relieve acute rheumatism, but the liquid
preparations shd be used as they act more 
speedily
Struma used at the south
Lues syph & syphilosis especially adapted
to the 2d stage when merc. ceases to be useful
It is chiefly used there for this & dyspepsia
It is useful in dyspepsia from its
aromatic acrimony & from its deobst. & 
laxative & eccoprotic powers Case of
a clergyman chewed a piece of the’
root as large as a ½ cent 3 times a day
produced a little nausea at first & 
cured by persevering Might begin with 
smaller doses & increase daily
This article is probably contraindicated
in phlog. diath.
Forms of preparation tincture much 


used at the south Rx not ziv opium 
zi dil. alc. lbj digest 10 days & filter
Dose zfs 3 times a day Observe that each
dose contains 1 1/8 grs of opium
I have used the decoction or infusion. It is
probable that water is a proper menstruum
The tincture keeps better 4 or 5 years
Styllingia sylvatica has
not been properly investigated


Polygala Senaga
Hiatus 
The root is the only part used 
in medicine It is thick, irregular & contorted,
varying in size from a goose quill
to a mans finger. The cortical part only 
has power. When dry it is destitute of
smell, has but little taste at first, but 
soon begins to exhibit its acrimony, particularly
in the back part of the mouth & the
fauces
It is not injured by boiling & shd be
long boiled to obtain its greatest power
A principle, supposed to be its active 
one has been obtained by a person named
Gelen & called polygagina the accuracy 
of this analysis I do not know
There is much [contrariety] of opinion 
as to its med. powers
S. Berton calls it emetic stimulant,
diaph. cath. diuret. sialag. etc.
Big. says it is sudorif. expect.
emetic & cath. & stimulant
W.P. C. Berton & Ed. & Vav. say 


decidedly that it is stimulant. But this
stimulation is nothing but irritation
Notwithstanding all the testimony
I have never been able to obtain any 
direct diaph. operation from this article
You may produce diaphoresis by drinking
large quantities with heat etc. applied so 
you may with alcohol under the same circumstances
If you depend on it as a diaphoretic 
you will be disappointed
I have never seen any salivation
from it except by topical application
like any other irritant
It is expectorant under certain
circumstances of the system but is ill adapted
to phlogistic & low atonic diathesis
It is an efficient emmenagogue
in certain states of the system but only 
in cases of idiopathic amenorrhea
It is unquestionably an efficient
diuretic most so if given in such doses as
to purge in 2 or 3 days the diuretic effect
does not take place during the operation of 



purging, but just preceding it. It is only in 
such doses that it is an efficient diuretic
It is purgative if given in doses
short of emesis it is a hydragogue. The
substance is more likely to purge than
the infusion says Dr Ives
It is emetic. But it can never
be used as a mere emetic or cathartic. It
may be pushed to cath. or vom. for the sake
of some other operation
It is extremely liable to produce
abortion when used freely by gravid women
Primary Operations
1st mainly deobstruent 2d hydr. cathart.
3d emetic
Secondarily it is 1st resolvent 2d cholag.
3d expectorant 4th emmenag. 5th diuretic
If sialagogue it is only so occasionally.
I do not know that it is 
antipsoraic It is not diaphoretic
It is not stimulant & yet it is
contraindicated in phlog. diath 1st because



it does no good 2d it irritates & irritation
is as bad in phlog. diseases as stimulation
for aught I know, if this effect is prominent
ON the other hand it is contraindicated in low
atonic diseases, because it will if long
used produce a bad tone of the stom. & 
intest. canal
Of late years I have used it only in 
dropsy
Pharmac. Prep.
1 powder or pill 20 grs will purge
2. an infusion is mentioned but this extracts
its powers very imperfectly
3. decoction zi dried root to 1 pt. water
boiled away to ½ pt This is the rule of Dr
Archer who introduced the article into 
the medical use & I think it is the best. A
little madeira wine will remove its
unpleasant taste & irritation
4. wine z4 coarse powdd root to lbj of wine
dose 2-3 tablesp. In some cases probably 
better than the decoction



21 Deobst
5. Tincture I do not know a formula
rheum. is the only dis. I know of in which tinct.
wd be preferable
6. Syrup ziv root wat. 1 pt. sug. 1 lb
The compd syrup is used but
it has done great injury. It is in the U.S. Ph. of
1820. I have known many dyspeptic cases 
produced by it. It is called compd sys.
of squills. It used to be kept in families
in Conn. but is now exploded except in 
N. Haven. It was used in simple cough. I 
can conceive of no worse prescription for a
cough than this
Extract I think this wd be one of the
best forms. It shd be made in the mode
commonly practised when heat does not
injure. Rx To every lb of root add 8 lbs
of water. This is to be boiled to ½ & strained
through a coarse cloth. It is then to be
reduced to a proper consistence for pilling
in a water bath, to prevent its burning 


Diseases
Asthma so called i.e. dyspn. [illegible]
Ophthlamia conjunctive It is used in Eur.
in pill for acute cases of ophth. pill a bad form
Epidemic catarrh or influenza treated
successfully by drenching the pat. with it
It may be better treated by cal. op. camph. etc.
Sub acute pneumonitis is probably what
Ed. & Vav. mean by 
Paristhmitis typhodes not good in atonic
when the infl. is phlegmonoid & the fever synochus
it may be successful
[Bronchle??mitis] membranifica croup
B. S. Barton says it is very important & reposes
more confidence init than in any other article
says he uses a strong decoction (vide 
Dr Archer’s formula) shd use it till it vomits
& throws off the coag. lymph. He sometimes
uses calomel with it & sometimes ipecac
Dr T says this is undoubtedly all true as
regards the beneficial effects calomel
shd be conjoined with it. But Dr T does 


not use it now because it leaves the stom.
& bowels in a bad condition leaves a tendency
to diarrhea& destroy the  appetite
The earlier the stage of croup, the better will
be the operation of senega, before the membrane
is formed. When this is formed the
case is an unhopeful one, not on account
of the membrane, but because the infl is
so far advanced as to reach the bronchial
ramifications. Avoid bleeding by all
means if you use polygala senega for it
will prove sufficiently evacuating reducing? without
V.S. It is in the earlier stages it shd
be used & given freely in large doses.
Dr Archer gave a tea s. f. every half
hour & repeated it till it operated as
an emetic or cath. Dr Tully says
this is not a sufficient quantity
Pneumonitis typhodes v. notha P. typh.
v. sub acute & P. typh. v. arthritica are
the three varieties in which P. senega is used
It should be used in the advanced stages 


The discrepancy of opinion in respect to the beneficial
operation of this article arises from the theory
that infl. is an unit, & from want of discrimination
in different forms of diseases. It 
answers only with the not very high entonic
nor low atonic cases of pneumonitides. Bleeding
is not indicated when P. senega is. It shd be
given in the early stages & in irritative cases
only. It is applicable to the 3 forms of pneumonitis
just mentioned & will cure, but I have
pretty much abandoned the use of it in these
diseases, on the same account as in croup
blood-root & actea are better
Casteritis membranifica same objections 
Arthritis rheumatismus acute & subacute
forms that which is accompanied with redness,
pain swelling & febrile action the
more acute the better shd be given so as
to vomit & purge but other articles are better
A. rheumatalgia that form not attended
with febrile action redness or swelling
not emetic in this the tincture is best
& if large doses are wanted, add the decoction


Syphilis if not advanced so far as to effect
the constitution I do no know whether it has been
used
Rabies do not think much of it in this
Carus lethargus
Paramenia suppressionis idiopathic
decoction beginning about two weeks previous
to the usual appearance of the menses. It
is undoubtedly an emmenagogue but not a 
desirable one, there are better articles.
Many cases of amenorrhea in which this article
has been used have undoubtedly been symptomatic,
but in such cases it is bad practice 
to bring on the catamenial secretion
Hydrops thoracis abdom. & cellularis
In dropsy we have no good substitute
for this article though many article are as
good yet we require an interchange
It shd be given in decoct & in conjunction
with squill or [copaiv] in doses short of
nausea & in such quantities during
the 24 hours that not violent purging will 


take place during that time better keep
off the purging 2-3 days & then an efficient
diuretic effect will take place Some patients
require twice as large doses as others 
Bit of the rattlesnake It is undoubtedly
sometimes efficient, by drenching the pat.
with it you may cure slight cases Dr
McBride says you may cure slight cases 


Ornithogalum Squilla
O. maritimum scilla maritimum Linn. S. vulgaris
Nat. ord. [coronaride] Linn. aspholdeli juss.
hab. shores of Medit. Spain & Sicily
Scilla is Greek Squilla is Latin
P. senega & squilla are more nearly
allied to each other than to any other article
Squill is one of the few medicines used by 
the Greeks & now retained
The bulk is the part employed
& in its native countries grows to the
size of a man’s head. It shd be collected
in the autumn, after the decay of the top
It is dried in slices and diminishes about 
4/5 in the process. It shd be quickly dried
& excluded from the light & air.
In its recent state it is acrid &
intensely bitter, but destitute nearly of
smell. Said to be composed of scillatine
tannin, a small quantity a little
gum saccharine matter lignine etc.
Scillatine is supposed to be its active princ. 


it is white & friable But I am somewhat
doubtful whether it contains such a principle
Operative effects
Called by Good & others, stimulant
It is irritant
It is deobstruent expectorant
emetic, resolvent do not know exactly that it
is cholagogue, but believe it is know not
positively that it is antipsoraic, but think i
probable that it is do not know positively 
that it is emmenagogue think it probably is
I think it not directly diaphoretic, though 
I have turned my attention to that point
It is a cathartic but ineligible as such
It is said to be narcotic, I do not believe
it possesses a particle of this power
It is well known to be expectorant
Good says it does not prove
so till it begins to vomit but this is denied
by some. It however produces its greatest
expectorant effect if pushed to its greatest



22 Deobst
possible extent without producing nausea. This
is Good’s meaning. Entonic action must be
reduced & atonic raised
It is emetic but uncertain
The recent root is epispastic but there is no
evidence that the dried root is so
Squill is agreed on all hands
to b e a powerful & in many cases a valuable
medicine, but it is subject to the same objections
as senega, leaving the stom. & bow.
in a bad condition. There are but few 
cases in which some other article is not better
It shd be given conjoined with some other 
article & to get its best effects you shd
give it in doses just short of nausea push
it till this is produced, then fall short & 
continue it. If pushed sufficiently far
to produce its deobst.  effect it is extremely 
liable to purge too much. As a general’
rule those deobstruents are best
which do not purge or vomit.


Primary Operations
1. deobst. 2. emetic rarely used as such
3. hyd. cath. not often used as such
4. epispastic recent root
Secondarily it is
resolvent, expectorant diuretic 
probably cholag. & emmenag. not diaphoretic
not narcotic not known to be antipsoraic
Pharmac. Preparations
1. Substance, in powder or pill E & Vav. say
the dose is 10 grs This is too much from ½ gr
to 2 grs is suffic. as a medium dose in powder
This should be an extemporaneous prescription 
as if kept in pills it soon loses its power
2. Wine 3. Tincture 4 oz to pt. better
made of diluted alcohol
4th Acetum sq. 4 oz. off. alc. f zii acet. f zxiv
5th Syrup vineg of sq zii 3bls clarified
honey or 3 ½ lb of sugar
Therap. Applic.
Icterus vulgaris not the most eligible not
when there is irritability of stomach 



Bex convulsiva useful by its deobst. operation
other articles are better
Dyspn. exac. asthma [siocum] & A. humidum
paroxysms are said to be arrested by it
I usually give a full dose of the syrup of 
squills ½ to 1 teas. f. (1. tea s.f. wd be large)
conjoined with a full dose of opium & repeated
the squills once in 10 min. in smaller
doses, till it relieves, vomits, or runs off by 
the bowels but there are much better
articles the lobelia infl. is far preferable
Pneumonitis when the entonic diathesis is
reduced it may be used in a case atonic
from the outset (P. typhodes ver. notha) it
may be used at the outset so too in P. 
typhodes var. sub-putrida
Tubercular affections say E. & Vav.
probably meaning tuberc. phthisis may 
possibly do in the early stages
Hydrops cellularis thoracis & abdominis
are the diseases in which squill 
is most valuable. It must be managed 



as P. senega give as large quantities as
possible without nausea It shd be given conjoined
with something else may be combined
with senna calomel, digitalis, cantharides etc.
the combination being varied acc. to 
circumstances & the habits of the patients
the general rule is the same as for P.
senega calomel frequently enhances 
the operation of these articles.


Dirca Palustris Linn.
Moose wood leather wood Nat. ord. [Thymellum]
Belongs to the same group of deobstruants? as daphne mezereon
The bark & seeds are used
The acrid principle is most effectually extracted
by boiling in alcohol in a Florence
flask (over a lamp) loosely stopped & not
continued very long (or you will lose the alc.)
& filtering. If this is evaporated it will give
an extract equal in weight to 1/24 of the bark
in substance. This alcoholic extract is
the best preparation & the bark in 
substance next.
The other preparations are
medicinally inert they however extract the
bitter principle & are tonic
Of the recent bark 6 or 8 grs
produce heat int eh stomach & after
some time vomiting. 10 grs are powerfully 
emetic & sometimes cathartic
The fresh root bark? moistened in
vinegar will vesicate in 36 hours & 



prove a rubefacient in 24 hours
The fruit is an acrid narcotic
producing nausea vertigo, stupor, dilated
pupils & insusceptibility
This article is emetic, cathartic,
epispastic & the fruit at least is narcotic
but it is not proper for either effect merely 
It is more useful as a deobstruent & 
when this effect is contraindicated, dirca is
of little use
It has been employed in numerous
diseases
Dyspepsia supposed to act by its tonic
power probably it acts by its tonic & acrid
excitant power better adapted to cases of torpor etc.
Coprostasis with torpor
Diarrhoea certain kinds
Parab. coact. of liver & spleen a substitute
for daphne & sarsaparilla highly spoken of
Simple & [illegible] cough considerable reputation
cases accompanied with relaxation of
bronchial membrane & irritation of excessive 


secretions of mucus Drs Woodd & Hale speak highly of it
Spasmodic cough dyspneal & in sequel
of hooping cough
Dyspnoea chronica palliative nothing
will cure except galvanism
Asthma humidum good
Pneumonitis connected with erythematic inflammation 
& peripneumonia notha. Especially 
adapted to arthritis phlogotica
Membranous phthisis Dr Woodd of Vt. has
long used it. He takes zii of the recently
dried bark boiling water lbjfs let it stand
at a scalding heat in a close vessel 1 or 2
hours till it has dried away to lbj this
prep. will be but little acrid, in considerably 
bitter & somewhat mucilaginous
he gives 1 pt in 24 hours, in very frequent
moderate doses, that it may not
distend the stomach & may keep up a 
continued action. He considers it a deobst.
checking the profuse secretions changing & improving
their quality & obviating laxity
Struma to be continued sometime Palsy chlorosis
leucorrhea dropsy as an auxiliary acrid & not as
a diuretic Cutaneous eruptions particularly scaly 


Leontice Thalectroides Linn
Blue cohost pappoose root blake snake root
& hence mistaken for Actea racemosa
Nat. ord. Barberideae jussieu
The root is the only part supposed to be medicine.
If chewed an acrimony is perceived which continues 
some time
Operative effects
In moderate 
quantities with diuretic regimen it proves diuretic
It is emetic nauseating & vomiting actively if freely 
given I have never seen catharsis or narcosis
from it. I suspect it is narcotic
Its primary operation is probably 
deobstruent being adapted to cases of
pneumon. typhodes with little exhaustion
It is used in decoction zii coarse powd root to 
lbjs water boil lbj & strain
The tincture is also used. Rx ziv rec. dried root
off. alc. lbj dose zi
Some recc. the powder of the root in teas. f. doses
Diseases colica ileus [paristhnati] atonic
I suppose croup 2d stages given like
senega Celebrated in rheumatism in tinct. what
form is not mentioned aphtha 
decoction Hysteria strong infusion
Epilepsy contind use in the intervals
Param. obstr. (I presume idiop.) celebrated
Leucroohea highly recc.
Blenorrhea cerodes much celebrated
Dropsy recc. This article requires further
investigation. Its powers are not yet settled
























































7
Materia
Medica










1st Deobst      1
Iodine
Sources 1st The ocean 2d certain springs
as Saratoga & [illegible] 3d spec. of silv. ore
from Mexico 4th in peat 5th Several marine
plants 6th certain zoophytes as sphargia off. & 
perhaps others & in [gorgones] 7 Some of the naked
& testaceous mollusca It is found
in the plants salsole kali & soda Testera marina
triglochin. mar. eryugium marit.
atriplex several species of [fuce] F. vesicalosus,
palmatus etc. ulva sedia? Dipsacus
[fullo???] Found in zoophytes in 
ostricae? etc.
Spongia off. this is classed among the zoophytes
shd be burnt by a smothered fire iodine 
is formed many suppose it exists in the form 
of iodide of sodium its med. powers are
owing to iodine.
Fucus reticulosus (a bladder wrack) affords
the most iodine of the fuci & is more
powerful than sponge
Fucus helminthocorton Bonaparte before
being emp. first called attention 


to this which is abundant in Corsica. It is 
the most active of all the fuci. It was given
in Corsica for worms, in decoc, infus. or syr.
It is most active when burnt
Iodine when given in moderate
doses & in appropriate cases & carefully 
watched will
1st moderately augment the appetite & digestive
powers & increase muscular & arterial
strength, but not in a degree sufficient for its
use as a tonic in cases of mere exhaustion
2nd It will gradually effect a resolution 
of acute subacute & chronic inflammations
and gradually remove morbid enlargements
of the glands, particularly the thyroid 
the mammae testes & ovaria. It will cure
many of the lepidotic eruptions. It will
increase the cetamenial secretion when
deficient & restrain it when excessive
3 In lean persons it will increase the 
deposition of fat in the cell. substance, & 
in the corpulent it will diminish it


Dr S. B. Woodward has seen erythema
vesiculare the same as from merc. or 
arsen. produced by a long continued use
of iodine in a single case. It disappeared
or withdraw in the article & applying ac. lead
It has been alledged that it will 
cause absorption or diminution of the mammae
& testes when perfectly healthy Majendie
never witnessed such an effect
neither has Elliotson who used it 18 mo.
(in one case?) The latter says, we must
suspend it when it purges, nauseates or produces
pain. The evidence on the subject of 
this absorption is by no means sufficient.
The effect has only been observed
in Switzerland where the article has been 
used extensively & inordinately in bronchocele.
Diseased glands are far
more susceptible to its influence. I 
have seen a diseased testicle reduced by 
it in a case of sarcoma medull. A part
of it pared away with a scalpel.


In inordinate doses iodine produces
great irritation & exhaustion. The most common
effect of one however is gastrodynia
Opium is the only effectual remedy for this
gastrod. & the disease will yield 
if regularly continued
The remedies for inord. doses are narcotics
hyscyam. conium but above all opium
Opium shd be given in combination
with iodine. I have thus combined
it for several years Laudanum acts on 
the iodine, but opium acts after the iodine 
has taken effect then it is wanted
Begin with iod. in small quan & 
increase gradually & contin. 3 mo. if a
cure is not effected before A less time
would not be a fair trial. If unpleasant
sympt. occur suspend it or diminish
the dose
Like calomel it requires a certain 
range of the system to obtain its specific 


effects. If there be too great irrit. conjoin
opium digitalis or conium
The test that it has been continued a sufficient
length of time is the cure of the disease
or the failure to produce beneficial effects
If it does not destroy the appetite & digestive
powers & musc. strength, while at the same
time it improves the case it shd be continued
It requires large doses to produce dangerous
effects. Under judicious management they
 very rarely occur
When we enter on a full & continued
use of iodine opium shd be conjoined with it 
in all cases But the opium shd be given in 
substance This is a perfect preventive of
all its bad effects With opium more
iodine can be taken & thus its power is
heightened by the combination. Iodine
is contraindicated in entonic, atonic or even
irritative cases unless the state is relieved
by appropriate remedies


The primary effects of iodine are
1st Deobstruent 2d Tonic 3d Epispastic
perhaps also cathartic, for with me it has
always had that effect, when given freely,
perhaps in the same manner as cinchona
The secondary effects of its deobst.
power are 1st Resolvent 2d Antispsoraic
3d Emmenagogue 4th Discutient
The tonic oper. of iod. is probably indirect
Pharmaceutic Preparations
1st Substance into pills I do 
not think this very eligible
2d Alcohl. tinct. 3d Ether of iodine
4th Ointment 5th Plaister
1st Pills of iod. are made in Europe
with powd. liquorish or gentian & syrup
of sugar. Dose gr fs morning & evening. This
does is too small. If you give the subst.
I think the iodides are best, as of pot. or soda
2 Tinct. is the best form
Rx Iod: grs 48 to alc. off. zi I think there 


must be a mistake here. I could never 
make zi of alc. dissolve more than 24 grs
You shd know the sp. gr. of your alc. or you 
will have variable preparations. Our best alc.
is of .835 sp. gr. Of this mixture 20 m
will weight (equal?) [illegible] Dose of this 2-30 
m 3 or 4 times a day I have used it for 6 
yrs. At first it had no effect. I then increased
the dose & it had the desired effect.
The French used pure alcohol. To make the
tinct. put the articles together & shake; they 
unite by solution immediately Rx alc. (sp. gr. 
.835) zi & iod. grs 24. Perhaps
the tinct. shd be recently prepared & the 
bottle perfectly tight, for it at length deposites 
crystals on the bottom whose nature
however is not perfectly settled.
3d Ether of iodine I have never seen it 
used It should be a saturated solution & 
the dose shd contain gr i of iod. [illegible] is variable
triturate wd, with lard. But this is too 
soft when applied to the body as it will 




melt & run down.  I make it thus Rx
the requisite quantity of iod. & a little cerate
& rub thoroughly in a mortar then add the rest
Make it extemporaneously the strength pro r
re nata. I have used it a good deal. The 
proper strength is zfs – zii to zi cerate
Melting together wd volatilize the iodine
As this ointm. leaves a stain continuing till the cuticle comes off apply to parts
exposed to view an oint. of iod. pot. or soda
Compounds of iodine 1st acidum
hydriod. the only one known with hydrog.
It is said that this ac. will dissol. an addit. por. of iodine
2d Protiodides & periodides of potassium & sodium & 
periodide? of protoxide of zinc & mercury 
Their powers are disputed Some say the protiodides
& others the periodides are the strongest.
I think that iod. preserves its powers
unchanged in composition & that the compds which
contain most iod. are the strongest It is
not so with mercury
Protiodide of potassium was long called
hydriodate of potassa & scrof soca, but s



2nd Deobst
there is abundant proof that the hydracids do
not form salts with oxides All agree that in the
dry state they are iodides. This compd is in 
opaque milky cubes. It is deliquesc. dissolves
in 1.43 part of water & 5 of alcohol
Periodide of potassium 2 iod. + 1 pot.
Majend. says it is less powerful than the port-iod.
I do not think so, but think the periodides
the strongest All are used in pill
in sol. in wat. & in tinct. Pure iod. is
the best for internal use. Protiodides of zinc
& merc. may be exceptions, as the metals are
powerful & the compd may united the properties 
of each I do not know whether this is the 
case. It should be enquired into
The iodides are less active than 
pure iodine. Of course you require a greater
quantity to obtain greater strength, as sometime
you want a caustic & sometimes only 
a rubefacient. Vary the strength of your plaister
accordingly.
Iodine is more powerful, given in 
an empty stomach, but liquids food? make it sit well


There are two iodides of calcium employed
in medicine, though the books acknowledge
but one.
Therapeutic Application
Dysphegia constricta
Limoris dyspepsia with atony & in great irritab.
of stom. & aff. of liver & no derangement
of the bowels. Yet opium? is better in such cases
Case connected with coryza chronica I improved
the appetite & digestion & increased the bile
Colica callosa & proctica callosa (stricture of
the rectum) very serviceable in early stages when 
they are more sequels of colic ileus I have cured cases
Parabysmata shd be administered with conium
Buboes syphilitic & others & many of a 
strumous origin I have cured by [discussion]
Here the ointment of protiodide of merc. shd be used
When Good wrote of iodine it was not as well known
Asthma humidum said to have been cured by it
Dysentery with no febrile action but bring 
discharges & tenesmus I conjoin opium
Ophtlalmitis strumosa 


Purulent ophthalmia of infants Dr Fuller
of Columbia says he has often cured by an internal
use of iodine
Strumous infl. of the glands of the neck
also of axilla & groin of a strong hardness
In such cases there are neuralgic pains & 
sometimes diarrhoea if so give opium If no 
diarrh. give conium & if debility, quinine
Gout used in France with opium
freely & as is said with great success also
externally. It acts like colchicum. Conjoin
stimulating remedies
Acute rheumatism think it would be useful 
have known it gradual but certain benefit in
chronic stage when acute conjoin conium
It may be used externally & internally
Phlogotica in general atonic ac. & subacute
I think it wd be of service
Struma vulgaris & mesenterica (Majendi)
Old scrofulous ulcers & glandular enlargements
L. mesenterica is cured by iodine
Phthisis (it is of the following form 1st Membranific
2d Strumous or tuberculous 3d Apistematous 



4th Hemorrhagic not necessarily attended with hemor. from 
the lungs, it may be from some other part but most commonly
from the lungs it leaves the part from which it 
comes a weak spot, slight causes renew the hemorr.
& the pat. runs down not mentioned in books
5th Laryngical phth. the lungs in a pretty good 
condition it is an aff. of the mm. of the larynx occurs
most commonly among those of strumous habits
& is undoubtedly connected with such habits
Iodine is said to have effectually cured
Laryngeal phthisis shd be accomp. with con.
Membranific hysteritis not considered
of much consequence except during the catom. 
period then give cal. & op. During the
intervals a free use of iod. & con. will cure it.
(N.B. membranific infl. are of the fauces, trachea,
lower intestines, bladder & uterus this
kind of infl. often occurs)
Mesenteritis strumosa has been cured
with first stages but when advanced it
is incurable. In order to judge of the progress
of the disease notice the function of
nutrition. if this be disturbed the dis. is far advanced 



Dysenteria chronica Dr Brera says he
has cured it with iodine there is no such dis.
the cases are mere sequels of acute dysentery & 
there are undoubtedly ulcerations & chronic
thickenings of the m.m. of intest. with savious
discharges, but this is not dysentery
White swellings of the knee, ankle & elbow
have been often cured by iod exterrn. & intern.
when amputation has been advised
Bucmemia tropica (not the same as sperganosis)
shd be used exterm. & intern.
Lues syphilis & syphilodes Iod & con. will cure
Exangia varis (varicose veins) sd to have been cured
Sarcoma S. medullare (F. Haematodes)
correctly described in the books. I believe
iod. obviates in some cases the general affection 
of the system & then the topical aff. disappears
The F. haemat. if not situated in a gland appears
at first in a small tumour & is vascular
if in a gland, it puts on a milky appearance.
It destroys life by inanition from 
loss of blood the pat. becomes cachectic
Case situated in the testis made a free 



use of iod. & con. The deobst. have more power
in such insulated glands than when the fungus
is situated among the muscles
Sarcoma schirrosum take for cancer of 
fem. breast it is more easily extirpated without
danger of return. The latter (true cancer)
begins on one side of the nipple, draws in the
nipple & becomes a phagedenic ulcer. The sarcoma
schirrosum is a tumour & appears to be
a topical disease, while the card. vulg.
is a constitutional one. Hence the applic. to 
the former shd be topical & sufficiently strong
to destroy the part if the vitality of the part is destroyed
you shd not apply the knife to remove
it the absorbents will do this with less
disturbance to the system.
Carcinoma vulgaris of Good cancer
of fem. breast. Here iod. has cured. Dr
Cogswell of Hartf. used iod. of potassium externally 
& con.  & iron internally for 8-10 weeks
In the early stages too early for the knife 
iod. cures by resolution in the latter, when 


the knife wd do no good, it cures by sloughing.
In other states I think it not so useful
Carcinous tumours, when cured by a judicious
use of iod. by sloughing are less likely 
to return than when removed by the knife
While applying the caustic give at the same
time e3xt. con. cinchona, iron wine or
opium In the first place, if the health is
low improve it & use the caustic in such a
way as not to enfeeble the powers of life.
More may be done by the internal use of 
medicine than usually is. The writings of
Storck are well worth reading on this subject
There is a choice in caustics for cancers
You shd adapt the strength of the caustic to 
the strength of the vitality of the part. Use
at the same time antirritant & supporting
remedies. Apply the caustic slowly & gradually 
Epilepsy this has also been cured
Chorea also]
Parapsis acris probably prurigo too
Hydrops abdominis thoracis & ovarii
Hydrops articuli dropsy of a joint 



Vitiated & obstinate ulcers of the leg, not
connected with varicose veins. I have often
used iod. successfully in them. Horizontal
posture & bandaging shd be conjoined Iodide
of potassium in solution or in ointment, but not
to prove caustic. Smart vomiting with turpeth
mineral previous to topical application
has been found useful. With this treatment they wd heal
Eutasia loxia (wry neck) Prof. Smith
cured many cases of wry neck from rigidity of
one or more muscles, with iodine
Leucorrhea senescentium very obstinate
said to have been cured by an injection 
of solution of protiodide of calcium. You 
shd inject 3 or 4 times a day. It will cure
in about a week or fortnight.
Leucorrhea communis has often been cured in this way
Chlorosis inops (green sickness)
Paramenia difficilis & obstructionis, when
idiopathic have often been cured by iod. & 
particularly in leucophlaegmatic habits
Iodine is an excellent substitute for iron &
is said to be the best emmenagogue 


3d Deobst
known in Po. obstructionis. Immense mischief
is often done by emmenagogues Remove the general
disease & then the suppression will be removed.
It is best that the discharge shd be 
suppressed till the disease is cured Iodine iron?
myrrh & veg. tonics & opium in such cases
restore the health and then the suppression 
will be removed of itself
Scaly eruptions You shd ascertain
whether they are constitutional or local if
local the topical applic of iod. may cure if
constit. the intern. use of iod may cure
Lepidosis pityriasis var. vesicular 
in this nit. silver is a very effectual remedy
Lepidosis psoriatis iodine & con. have
cured many very inveterate cases
Lepidosis ictyhiasis shd think iod. might
cure this too. IT is however a very obstin. dis.
Ecpyesis impetigo called salt rheum
(but salt rheum means everything) I have 
often cured with this but it is apt to return
You should keep curing it till the [tendency]
to return is subdued. It is worse in winter


than in summer. It is sometimes irritable
and will irritate & ulcerate. Now this state
of irritation shd be overcome before you apply
the remedy. Many phys. fail in curing
these eruptions & ulcers so long as the irritable
state continues you cannot cure
Overcome this by antirritants & then use iodine
Ecpyesis impetigo var. herpetica. Depends
on a deranged state of the digestive
functions & arsenic if persisted in is a 
sure remedy for it. Continue it 6 mo. if
necessary. A less time will hardly be a fair
trial. Shd think iod. might be of service
Ecpyesis porrigo several varieties 
that which covers the head with a crust
must have that soaked off before applying 
the iod
In my opinion most of the cutaneous eruptions
are capable of being cured by iod
externally if topical & internally if constit.
Conium shd be conjoined
Bony tumors incipient osteosarcoma
case of Dr Barry (vide my notes)


Iodine is perhaps applicable to as great
a range of dis. as merc. It stands at the
head of deobst. & shd be tried farther
in secondary syphilitic affections
Bromine
Possesses the same powers as iodine in a 
less degree 60 gtts are sd to be fatal
Bromide of potassium
Stands in the same relation to bromine as
iodide of pot. to iodine Has been used
Deuto bromide of potassium
Said to cure syphilis & primary syphilitic 
ulcers & to prevent the constitutional aff.
Bromine possesses the same assemblage
of properties as iodine but in a 
less degree & may be a substitute


Chlorine
Its medicinal powers even to this time
are not fully understood
Its effects are those of a weak
deobstruent compare with those of iodine
& bromine. It is supposed to be slightly tonic
Its common form is solution in water
2 vol. [illegible] to 1 water shd be kept stopped tight
Dose from zfs to zi a day is thought to be
sufficient. I think it too small
Diseases Dyspepsia
Jaundice Cutaneous eruptions
In syphilis I have found it a deobstruent
It is used in dyspepsia both externally 
& internally
Calcium & Sodium (Savage)
Chlorides of Lime & Soda?
chloroxides of calcium & sodium
Erythem. infl. of the fauces in roaslia It is
said they act as deobstruents taken internally
They are most valuable as external applications
to ill conditioned ulcers. Labarraque’s
disinfect. liq. is the best form as being most soluble


There is no proof of the disinfecting power
of any of these preparations. Coldwell quoted
on disinfection etc. vide my notes
Nitric muriatic & nitirc chloric acids
These are weak deobst. compared with iod.
& bromine & about equal to chlorine. The
same laws are applicable to them
Said to be tonic also to be refrigerant
Diseases lues cachetic dis. & in short
the same as under chlorine. They are mere
auxiliaries
Chlorides of Barium, Calcium 
& Gold & the salt formed by 
the chloride of gold as an acid & the chloride
of soda. Chloride of calcium
was many years ago introduced as a remedy 
for scrofula, in small doses just large enough 
to fall short of producing pain after taking
take 3 times in 24 hours & persevered in 
for a considerable time It is said to be
tonic. I have never seen this effect I have
commonly conjoined vegetable tonics with it 


Thus used it is good in stouma, in aff. of mesenteric 
glands etc. in short in about the same
dis. as chlorine. This salt is found in the shops
Dissolve it in twice its weight in water & you have
the liquid Chloride of barium
requires less doses Excessive doses produce
tormina, pain in the stomach etc.
Chloride of gold is more active than either
& requires a less quantity. The best form is
chloro aurate of chloride of sodium, mentioned
above
These all increase the biliary & urinary
secretion


Protoxide of Mercury
Peroxide of merc. sub-nitrate of m. red precipitate
proto-chloride of merc or
corrosive sublimate & chloro-hydrarguret
of ammonia or white
precipitate These all are deobstruent & 
possess no cathartic powers. In this respect
they differ from calomel in operation
& also in that being applied externally they 
produce
Red prec. & corr. sub. do not produce
ptyalism unless the pat. is very susceptible
They have the preference therefore 
when a mere deobstruent effect is wanted 
1st Corrosive Sublimate
When there is dryness of the mouth in 
dyspepsia or in chronic diseases, corr. sub.
in 1/8 gr. doses When there is colliquative
sweating in typhus corr. sub. has proved
very effectual in suppressing it Rx corr. sub.
zfs alcoh. 1 pt sometimes a little calomel
This is applied as warm as the pat. can 
bear it, under the bed clothes, to exclude the 


air 2 to 5 times a day. It will dry the skin
& suppress the sweating
Corr. sub. is also used as an emetic in croup
in small doses at short intervals it changes the
secretions & excites the absorbents so as to cure
the disease it is given at such short intervals
as to produce quick vomiting
It is given for cutaneous diseases, with tonics
& com. mac. And with tonics of com. mac.
it excites the biliary secretions & changes the
state of the chylopoietic viscera, in dyspepsia,
better than calom, or any other article
In atonic cases of fever which become chronic
& when the secretions are deranged corr.
sub. in doses of 1/8 gr. 3 or 4 times a day is
very effectual in obviating the condition of 
the system. IT in short will produce the
desired effect when the system is below
the range of action for calomel
In peristhmitis typhodes in p. membranifica 
& in rosalia corr. sub. is an emetic
in the following form


6th Deobst.
Rx for a child 5 to 15 yrs old corr. sub. gr j
hydrochlorate of ammonia gr ji mucil. of
acacia zi aqua pura sufficient to
Dose a teasp. f. once in half a
hour? as an emet. once in 4 h. as a deobst.
Corr. sub. is frequently used
as an injection in to abscesses to promote healthy
granulations & healing
It has been the practice in N. York to rely
on this article in the cure of syphliis
Topically applied it will easily cure
chancres. I have succeeded perfectly 
in curing buboes by inject. corr. sub.
A course of purging for some
length of time with mercurials will produce
amenorrhea Corr. sub. has done it
2nd Red precipitate. Its uses are
very much the same as those of corr. sub.
except that it is not so soluble
In Blenorrhea, when there is continued
discharge from the urethra & tenderness
of the testis. I have cured by red prec. internally



It shd be combined with opium
From ¼ to ½ gr is a medium dose & 1 gr of
opium. Give about 3 times a day. I have
succeeded perfectly in this way. This treatment
shd be continued some time after the 
complaint is cured or it may return
The ointment of this article is
very good. It is bad as prepared in the
pharmacopoeia. Shd not be made with 
heat, to prevent changing [illegible]
Rx Reduce it to a perfectly fine powder
Its colour will be changed to orange yellow,
but the composition will not be changed
When so reduced, incorporate it with the
cerate & let the strength be as occasion
shall require. It is valuable in porrigo
& impetigo laminosa about the fingers
& back of the hands. Washes? of red prec. will
cure. It is better in porrigo but if the
ulcers are irritable & sore this state shd be
previously obviated
3d Chlorohydrarguret of ammonia
Rx white prec. zii corr. sub grs x oil of lemons mxii
white cerate zii rub together For porrigo, impetigo
etc.


Of late years I have substituted red prec. & 
corr. sub. for cal. They are the best preparations
for syphilis, being equally certain, 
more speedy & not producing salivation
I have not used cal. or the protoxide for 
12 yrs in syphilis. I think corr. sub. the
most eligible but red prec. is just as powerful.
They are better also in jaundice except 
as a cathartic at the commencement
I think their use might be extended to other
diseases. I would not used them in fevers
though some have used them here instead of
calomel & blue pill. May be used as emetic 
In rosalia it succeeds but I prefer bi-per.
sulph. copper


Dis-oxide of Mercury
Blk oxide protoxide “Blue Pill”
Mercury cannot be so well oxidated mechanically,
even by a steam engine as in London,
but that some globules will remain.
Boiling cal. with quicklime is faulty
But the blk oxide can be formed with carb.
pot. perfectly pure protoxide of merc. will
then be the only insoluble product.
Rx calom. & carb. pot. aa zfs add 1 pt of
distilled water & f ziii off. alcohol. The latter
expedites the precipitation of the protoxide.
Dry the sum & keep excluded from the light 
The cal. & carb. pot. shd be first carefully triturated
In this manner all the merc. is oxidized & the
product cannot be distinguished in its operation
from calomel, in power or quality.
½ a gr. is enough for a pill & as strong
as 1 gr. of the blue pill of the pharmacopoeias
For merc. ointment also this method
is better & then add lard in proper proportions
but less than the pharmac. vide Paris
s


Calomel
(additional to my notes)
By speedy sublimation a dull
white semitransparent cake is obtained. By 
a slow, it crystallizes in 6 sided acicular
crystals. It is important that the practitioner
shd know that this is the best form. It phosphoresces
in the dark (by rubbing?) When it 
is rubbed between two pieces of glass it
will scratch them & hence it is distinguished
from corr. sub. Light & air turn it 
brown Nitric acid dissolves it,
changing it into corr. sub. Pure alkalies
decompose it, forming carbonates 
This fact shd be known (though the cathartic
& deobst. powers are not altered) as
some practitioners make it into pills with
soap. Chlorine changes it into corr.
sub. Boiled with sal. ammoniac it
changes into metallic mercury & corr. sub.
does so by boiling with perchloride of sodium 





The symptoms which precede actual ptyalism
are a cupreous taste in the mouth more
or less distention of the gums, a sloughy white ness & 
slight erosion of their margins soreness & slight
feeling of looseness in the teeth a peculiar fleecy
appearance of the tongue, a peculiar fetor
of the breath usually called mercurial
Thus far the effects of mercury may be 
remedial without amounting at all to disease.
But if farther pushed the severe disease
called ptyalsimus acutus var. hydrargyratus
will follow characterized
by heat, irritation & soreness in the mouth 
swelling of the salivary glands tongue & throat
profuse secretion of saliva ulceration of the
inner part of the gums, cheek, tongue & throat
irritation of the whole system loss of appetite
soft frequent & weak pulse and a peculiar
affection of the skin called erythema
vesiculare var. hydrangyratum
There is ptyalism not produced
by merc. which is an idiopath. dis about
as much but epidemic as puerperal fever 



If the affection is severe opium must be
relied on more than any other single remedy
It diminishes all the secretions but that of the
skin. (if given in single full doses at long
intervals it will produce torpor of the
liver) It must be given regularly about
4 doses in 24 hours. For the secondary stages
a watery solution of opium is very good as
a wash, but sometimes it irritates (add
camphor then? Savage) Even in these cases
however it is good internally
The most useful local applic. I know 
of is nit. silver. It allays irritability. Begin 
with it weak & increase apply
4 times in 24 hours It is often 
useful to change the washes The pat. wishes
to take something frequently into his mouth
I have not found demulcents of much use
they contribute to keep up the relaxation
of the muc. mem. of the mouth



Erythema vesiculare var. hydrargyratum
Perhaps not distinct from var. corrosivum
for I can perceive no difference Eczema
rubrum of Bateman Hydrargyria of many authors
called also e. mercuriale supra
mercuriale (Carmichael) E. mercuriale (Dr [illegible])
All the erythematu are attended
with minute vesicles visible with a magnifier,
except e. fugax of Bat. & Wil no called
erythema by others. Erythema & erysipelas I consider perfectly synonymous
The aff. called erysipelas is
classed by many among the exanthematia
This is an error. It is primarily an erythematic 
infl. of the membranes of the brain which 
is clearly denoted by the symptoms, such as
tendency to coma delirium, peculiar
headache etc. These symptoms indicate it
at first and they are precisely the same
as when the affection arises from injury of
the scalp etc. The disease is primarily an 
erythematic cephalitis When there is an
erythema of the viscera, erythema of the 


[illegible] Deobst.
surface follows in two or three days.
Erythem of the brain may occur without an
eryth. of the face. This aff. then is not an exanthem.
Erythematic infl. of the fauces
not rosalia is followed in two or three
days by a rubefaction on the neck. Erythematic
infl. of the stomach intestines & 
‘liver is followed by an erythema of the
extremities. Erythematic infl. of the face
alone may exist, the brain not being affected.
This is a trifling disease & must not be
confounded with erythema cephalitis. There
is no headache, not burning pain, not 
coma, no calor mordax This aff. however
may spread over the scalp and at
length affect the brain. Others agree with
me in this opinion
Sun burns, scalds caustics etc.
produce an erythema
The first degree of the
e. vesic. var hydrarg. is confined to the
tender parts under the arm elbow & 
knee & is produced by the application 


if citrine ointment (pernitrate of merc.)
for the cure of itch. It yields readily 
to ablutions & datura ointment. Sometimes
mingling carb. lead with datura ointment
hastens the cure I have lately used with
benefit lotions of inf. of digitalis
Citrine ointment shd be made with
heat, that one of the pernitrates may 
be formed. If the merc. & nit. acid be
mingled at once in the cold one of the
protonitrates is formed not the di-protonitrate
either, the uni-or bi-protonitrate
The protonitrate differs as much in power 
from the pernitrate as the protoxide & 
peroxide or protochloride & parchloride
The citrine ointment shd be one of the per-nitrates
with lard hence the difference of opinion
respecting its power. I have
found those who apply heat in making it
succeed best with it though they do so only with 
the view of expediting the process. If
kept also a long time in the lard the citrine 



ointment never will abstract oxygen & 
reduce the merc. to a protonitrate.
Citrine ointment, used freely produces
an erythema which is perfectly local & 
gives no inconvenience. I used to prescribe 
it for scabies.
In the cure of the universal
erythema (vide my notes) I have also used
brandy with advantage. Wine is preferable
if it does not sour on the stomach (to prevent’
this add spice & carb. amm. Dr I.
Sav.) notwithstanding the direction
to give nothing stimulating. Cinchona is
very important next to opium. Ablutions 
of warm milk & water may be used just to 
wash off the discharge. Cinch. & sarsaparilla 
are given in the latter stages
The sarsap. shd not be boiled merely 
pour on boiling water & let it stand an
hour. Cinch. & sulph. quin. & 
sarsap. are highly useful in ptyalism
The sarsap. is a highly useful gargle
in ptyalism


Mercurial rheumatism I a 
case where ac. merc. was given for 12 or
18 mo. merc. rheum. came on emaciation
greasy sweat, oil appearance of the skin
paralysis of the lower extremities. It was a
bad case. Opium relieved.
Actaea wd probably do goo but it wd
not cure so summarily as in other varieties
for there is very frequently a marasmus
Arsen. ac. is more useful with op. than
any other article. Alternate it with sub.
quin. Amm. & camphor are important
remedies. High stimulation will 
prevent the ill effects of exposure to wet & 
cold after the use of calomel.
The rheum. from sulphur & 
from merc. is common in the U.S.
Therapeutic applic. Odontia
dentitionis var. lactantium Cal. is a 
valuable article but judgment is required
not indicated in all cases. [Four]
abuse cal. or giving too much where 


one falls short. Much mischief is done
by purging with cal. in dentition according
to the Eng. books It is villainous practice
One full dose retained by op. 12-15 hours may
do more good than a dozen purges One cath.
is enough it may be continued in eccoprotic
doses for a few days in many cases. Antirritants
are necessary at the same time. Some
prefer protoxide in these cases. I did not
first but have changed my opinion. There
is no perceptible difference for cal. is given
in doses 3 or 4 times too large


Pure Veg. Deobstruents
Leontodon Taraxacum
A pure, but moderate & mild deobst. has
no other power. All parts are active but
the root is most so. The forms are decoct.
& extract. The recent exp. juice
has been used but has no advantage.
The ext. shd be preferred, as the dec. varies in
strength of course
The books direct 2 to 4 z of decoct. 2 to 3
times in 24 h. & of ext. zfs twice a day.
This wd produce no effect. You cannot
rely on the article unless zii to ziv of ext.
are taken 3 or 4 times a day diffused in q 
wine glass of some bitter infusion. From 
using the dose in the books I was led to think
it inert, but found by pushing the article
that it was decidedly efficacious in moderate
cases. It is not unpleasant. Add sugar
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia it is recc. by the mot
respectable practitioners of Europe 



The secretions are changed by it, especially 
those of the liver. If the liver is torpid the
skin will be dry & the bowels costive. Therefore
a dry skin & torpid bowels are indications
for its use, provided the vital energies are
not so much exhausted that it wd offend
from its bulk & be rejected. Recc. by W. Philips
but he says it must be taken in large quantities
& when the stom. is not very weak
Jaundice. Some prefer it to every other
remedy. I know several who give cal. at
the outset & perhaps an emetic & then 
enter upon the decoction alone In mild cases
it will effect a cure, but I prefer
conium
“Chronic infl. of the Liver” I never
say any such disease. All the cases that
I have seen of chronic hepatitis were mere
dyspepsia with tenderness under the short
ribs more frequently of the right side & in
the epigastrium. Such cases examined
after death give no traces of infl.



It is mere morbid irritability & sensibility
& is precisely the parapsis acris var. teneritudo
of Good. Such a sensation is often
experienced over the shole body after
taking cold though it has nothing to do with
catarrh. I once thought dandelion wd
cure chronic hepatitis but I mistook the case
It is said to be useful as a diuretic
in dropsy Its diuretic operation
is secondary & not very prominent
Pierson says it is not ineff. deobst.
in jaundice dropsy & the visceral obstructions


6th Deobst.
Rubia Tinctoria
R. peregrina R. sylvestria R. major erythrodium
of the Greeks & Romans rubiaciae
S. of Europe cultivated in Holland etc. & 
in America
The offic. part is the rhizoma, which is long
slender, round, articulated, rather larger than
a goose quill externally bright red yellow
in the centre. It shd not be collected
till the autumn of the third summer. Dry 
it speedily & exclude the air as it attracts
moisture
Taste bitter & rough hardly astring.
Snell slightly disagreeable.
It contains at least two coloring principles 
a red & a yellow of which the red is deposited
in the bones. Both are sd to be “extractive
matter” i.e.  soluble? in wet. & alc. By 
standing a pellicle forms on the surface of
the solution & subsides
It does not appear that the red col. mat.
which is carried into the circ. is the seat
of its med. power. What the active principle 



is is unknown. The idea is now
abandoned that veg. owe their powers to 
a combin. of all their principles. Recent
discoveries render the contrary probable
There is no proof that madder acts by being
taken into the cird. It imparts its sensible
properties to wat. & alc. & gives a rec col.
to ess. oils The red princ. tinges the
urine, milk, serum of the blood & the bone
sometimes the perspirable matter never 
the soft solids The external hard part
of the bone is first tinged & if continued,
the whole substance. By intermissions the
bones may be tinged in layers. It is said 
to colour no part where there is not phos. of
lime that being the mordant
Madder is called deobstruent & when
persevered in aperient, by which term the
old writers intended a power of promoting
the fluid secretions, as halitus of lungs
[illegible] matter & urine. In Cullen’s 


time it was applied to the promotion of the
uterine secretion. With us it often means
merely a laxative power As applied to 
madder it means that it acts on all the secretories
Some have declared that madder possesses
no med. pow. & at the same time
however called poisonous which is a 
contradiction in terms. Writers for & 
against the artic. are nearly equally divided
in respectability but not, I think in experience
It removes torpor increases the secretion
of the liver & all the gland. viscera
relieves dysthetic & cachetic diseases,
without affecting the art. system or producing
evacuations. Hence deobst.
This is Dr Ives’s opin. who also thinks it 
a certain emmen & a diuretic
Cullen though it more useful to
the dyer than the phys. It is disputed
whether it is astringent or resolvent. Parr
& Hooper call it useless. B. S. Barton 


calls it unsafe in uterine aff. particularly 
retention. Eberle says not
It is not an article of first rate
activity. It is slow & gradual but very 
certain in its effect. It is a pure
deobst. in torpor & viscid secretions, having
probably no other power
IT is used in subst. or decoct.
Dose of subst. for children 5-15 grs
for adults 20 to 60 grs 3 or 4 times a day
Probably larger doses wd be preferable
Decoct. Rx zi root to 2 or 3 pts water
& boil to 1 pt. dose f zi – fziii
3 or 4 times a day. It shd fall short of nausea
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia with visc. secr. & torp. of liv.
Dr Ives thinks highly of it
Parabysma coactum partic. of liv & 
spleen. Dr I. thinks it acts on all the [illegible] vis.
Simple idiopathic cough in the 2d
stage after expectoration has commenced



“All [pituitous] diseases of the lungs” recc.
Peripneumonia notha & catarrh in the secondary 
stages with a tendency to become
chronic & protracted & when there is danger
of membranous phthisis
Acute Dysentery rec. highly by Gerhard
Dysthetic & cachectic diseases & marasmus
atrophias var. infantum recc. by 
some & objected to by others as having a natural
tendency to produce the disease emaciation
in the healthy subject. It emaciates
animals when given to colour their bones
but there is no evidence that it wd have 
[live] this effect, properly given in disease
Cyrtosis rhachina (ricketts)
Echphronia melancholia (monomania)
recc. in probably the cases were
hypochond. a combination of dysp. & mal.
param. obstruc. retent. suppres. diff.
Highly recc. by diff. authors. Good discusses 
its power. zfs has produced a sudden
discharge in cases of amenorrhea.
Paris states that it cured excessive paramenia 


but did no good in p. obstruct. & p. [erroris]
Dropsy more doubtful here unless in’
that connected with parabysma
Lithia renalis discrepancy of testimony
Parunia of diff. sorts
Nodes old writers testify that it removes
them
Parotia flexilis etc. They say it has a 
tendency to produce diseases of the bones
One source of failure in the
use of rub. tinct. is using a bad article
The madder of the dyers loses its power 
by age & drying. When
recent I have found it to answer a 
good purpose & it is valuable in its place 


Fumaria officinalis
Cultivated in our gardens.
Bitter & inodorus. Expr. inspissated juice
An over dose produces pain in the stom. etc.
It excites biliary secr. removes torpor etc.
It is said to have the power of curing cutan. dis.
Adlumia cirrhosa (Rafinesque)
(Fumonia fungosa corydalis fung.)
An ornamental plant & cultivated among us
The recent root is bitter & acrid. Powd. of root is
used Powers the same as fam. off.
Corydalis bulbosa
Corydalis glauca (Furm. sempervireus,
Linn) Common in our forests. They 
have similar powers
Dyclytra cucullaria (corydalis)
Called in N. Eng. Dutchman’s breeches
In some part of the country called colic weed
Root is used bitter & acrid somewhat
mucilaginous. Said to ally pain & to be
anodyne & soporific & in large doses to produce
vertigo (vide my notes)


Saponaria officinalis
Root sweetish bitter & acrid. Watery ext.
is its form in use. though the expressed juice
has been used. Alcoh. extracts its virtues
better than wat. but too much wd be required
It is given as an auxiliary in dyspepsia
jaundice etc.
Lues syphilodes & second. stag. of l Syphilis
it is a good restorative after a merc.  course
Scaly eruptions & impetiginous eruptions
adapted to most of the cased in which
sarsaparilla & L.  tarax. are useful
Ext. is the best for 1-2 drams
Decoc. zii root to 2 pts. wat. boiled to 1 pt
the whole to be taken in 24 hours
Used also in scrof aff.
The bruised roots form with
water a good swab for washing. This 
is worth investigating into. Perhaps a 
combination of an alkali & mucilages


7 Deobst.
Scrophularia Marylandica
Called sometimes fig wort & pig wort (i.e.
the scroph. nodosa of Eur.?)
Its most important use is in 
struma 
Practica marisca decoc. of root, freely internally 
& a cataplasm of the leaves externally
Boil zii in 2 pts wat. to 1 pt & take
the whole in 24 hours. Continue for some
time, as it is used in chronic derangements
Diseases same as preced. Lues etc.
Chronic derangements of dig. organs
S. Nodosa (Europe)
Pretty much the same as S. Mar.
(vide my notes)
Agrimonia Eupatoria
A pure deobst. decidedly inferior to the preceding.
There is some difference of opinion as to 
its powers, but it resembles dandelion
most Dr Ives has used it Employed in ext. & decoction
A. odorata native of Italy supposed
to be more elegant. A. suaveoleus
is allied to it & cultivated among us


Agathosma crenatum
Vide my notes Probably analogous
to the rhododendraceae It is used in infusion
& tinct. Rx infus. f zvi tinct f zfs
tinct. cubebs f zfs. misce. This compd
preparation is used Give f zi ter in die
Jas. Johnson says it must be persevered in 
Diseases dyspepsia Dr McDowel says
infus. f zii bis in die cured a young man 
Irritable infl. of bladder most celebrated in 
Membranif.  cystitis Jas Johns thinks highly of it
“Chronic rheumat.” McDowel
Lithia renalis Dr McD. cites a cas
vide my notes



Aperient Deobst
Asclepias tuberosa Linn.
White root flax root pleurisy root butterfly weed
Nothing equals this root in its
diaphoretic power (see B.S. Barton) It is
the most certain article? for this purpose. Take
the recently dried root, recently pulvd & it is
very effectual
A variety of operations are attributed
to it by different authors. All
agree that it is escharotic, applied
to ulcers to restrain spongy granulations
Its primary operation is that of 
a moderate deobstruent especially promoting
the fluid secretions of the lungs
skin & kidneys & it is powerfully diaphoretic
less diuretic & is expectorant
It increases the secretions of the liver & 
all the secretions poured into the al. canal
relieves tenderness under the short ribs 
cures cutaneous diseases & is hence antipsoraic
& will carry off catarrh & 


sub-acute pneumonia without expectoration
whence we conclude it to be resolvent
As an antipsoraic it is better than
sarsaparilla adapted to scaly eruptions
It regulates & increases the secretion of bile
in dyspepsia
It is not astringent & I have never perceived
any tonic effect from it
Dose as a diaph. & expect. 20-30 grs some
say zi in powder. A strong infusion is recc.
and Thacher directs a tea cupfull. This is too 
bulky. zfs -zi is sufficient, if as strong as I
make it. W. D. C. Berton recc. in diseases
converted with dentition, as a laxative & diaphoretic,
zii pulvd root boiled in zxviii milk
down to zxii dose zi 2 or 3 times in 24 hours it
excites copious perspiration & gentle catharsis
& is good
Diseases
Dyspepsia continued used cases of torpor
Common & especially epidemic catarrh
pneumonitis sub acute (which is the 


commencing stage of one form of membranous
phthisis) see various authors upon it in this
disease
Pneumonitis typhodes also called peripneumonia notha
by W. Philip not the P.
notha of all authors
Cholera infantum in mild cases. This 
is no cholera at all but a specific
infl. of the muc. mem. of the al. canal
& the vomiting is sympathetic with this infl.
Dysentery fever synochus & non malignant
very useful. In moderate cases it will
cure of itself in severe ones is a useful auxiliary
to opium & calomel
Acute rheumatism Eberle
I think this species of [illegible]
is the most valuable in the treatment
of all disease to which it is applicable except
dropsy, in which A. Syriaca is 
preferable.


Asclepias Syriaca Linn.
A pubescans A apocynum apocynum majus
A. Syriacum. Linn supposed it a native of
Syria
I have used it sufficiently to satisfy
myself that it is a deobst. of considerable
power but as such have not employed
it extensively
I have employed it very extensively 
as a diuretic in dropsy & this
is its most prominent operation
I have used two preparations
1st Rx ziv of the root water lbii & boil in 
a lightly covered vessel to lbj strain & 
add gin or the tinct. from ziv to zviii
acc. to the season, to make it keep.
Dose zii 4-8 times in 24 h. Diuresis
is sometimes produced in the first 24 hours
& sometimes not till several days. It 
generally produces a little nausea before
it proves diuretic , but too much 
nausea renders it liable to fail 


No article is so certain & powerful a diuretic
alone. Some combinations are
better, but still this has succeeded when
they have failed
2. I have also used the following ziv root
to lbiv of water boiled to lbjs. I wish to 
have the decoct. saturated & this may be
so. Of late I prefer the first preparation
Besides its diuretic power it is
expectorant & diaphoretic in many cases
under diaph. regimen. Freely given
it proves laxative to adults & purgative
to children. It is emetic in large 
doses
A practitioner well acquainted
with indigenous M.M. considers 
A incarnatu more diaphoretic but less
diuretic than A. Syriaca
It is said to be anodyne i.e. allaying
irritation, not pain
Diseases
Dyspnea exacerbans zi a day in divided doses 


Catarrhal affections with typhus
Hydrops cellularis most useful in
H. thoracis has been used
H. Abdominum ahs been used in some cases
In dropsy we expect by diuretics to remove
the fluid, not to cure. The cure is effected
by stimulants & tonics. If there is great distention
I first purge with hyd. cathartics
& then diuretics will take hold. In some
cases sympathetic with diseased liver,
first perform paracentesis & then diuretics
will take hold. After evacuating
the fluid, prevent its accumulation by 
articles that will obviate the state of the 
system



Asclepias incarnata 
More acrid than the other species, somewhat
like tobacco & has been used for 
lobelia inflata
It has been employed as a substitute
for sarsaparilla in lues syphilis
& syphilodes & in scaly eruptions
In pulmonary diseases as an
expectorant it has been said to be better
than A. tuberosa 




Aperient Deobstruents
Collinsonia Canadensis
Vide my notes The discrepancy of opinion 
may arise from bad modes of preparation,
mismanagement etc.
Root said to be injured by drying if kept
buried out doors said to be preserved (but
then it will grow E.D.N.) but may be transplanted
at any season. Large quantities shd
be kept in the garden & then it may be had
at any time 
It may be referred to the class aperient
deobst. of which sarsaparilla is the type
It has a moderate degree of deobst. power
perhaps producing its greatest affect in the
kidnies Dr I. thinks it a moderate deobst.
sub astring & sub tonic. It is much 
used in veterinary medicine
Drs Beers & Hooker say the infusion
of the raspings is better than the decoction
Dropsy of diff. sorts say Drs B. & Hooker
Dr Beers says equal to any other article alone
has employed it in failure of the other diuretics 


Dr Hooker says he has found it to prevent
that increase of liquor [amnii] which 
sometimes almost amounts to dropsy
Dr Ives does not think much of it in dropsy
vide my notes
Aralia Kudicaulis
Christophoriena Am. False sarsaparilla
Canada to N. Orleans
Root bitter & aromatic & less resinous than A.
racemosa. It is sold in the shops for the
true sarsaparilla Its powers are similar
Drying impairs its powers
It is an aperient Deobstruent #
The U.S. Phar. directs Rx for decoct. Recent’
contused root zvi aq. pur. 8 pts Digest
for 4 hours then boil to 4 pts, express & strain 
Diseases
Cutan. erupt. herpes adapted to 
all cases for which sarsap. ([illegible] off.) A., racem.
& S. symphilitica are useful
# That is it promotes the watery secretions as
perspirable matter, halitus from lungs & urine 


Aralia racemosa
Spikenard life of man wild liquorice
Canad. to S. America
Tastes mucilag. bitterish sweet & arom.
It is good in recent state
The root & berries are aperient deobst.
Shd be continued long. Better adapted to 
secondary stages of disease
Rx Recent cont. root 2 oz off. alc. f ziv aq.
ferv. 1 pt. First our the alc. on the root & 
let it stand about 12 hours in a close vessel.
Then add the water boiling hot, let it
stand 12 hours & add sugar Dose zi – ii
4-8 times a day 
Diseases
Simple idiop. cough better with a little SS.
chronic dyspnea Catharrhal aff 2nd stage
Sub acute pneumonitis
Milder varieties of psoriasis & various cut. erup.
Pururia stillatitia var. mucosa
The expres. juice is used in aphtha
old ulcers sloughing sores from fire & frost
The bruised root is made into a plaister 



Aralia hispida (Michaux)
Can. to S.A. Dwarf elder (in Conn.) though
the dwarf elder of Eur. is sambucus ebulus
prickly ash (but this name properly belongs
to the xanthoxylum fraxineum) wild elder
The root is used & is more active when recent
Shd be gathered in autumn  after the fall of the leaves
In large doses it is emetic. Said
to be hydrag. cath. in doses short of vom. & continued
I have never seen this effect & it is my
practice to continue it in doses just short
of emesis Managed in this way is 
a very efficient diuretic 
Sd to be similar in this respect to senega
don’t see how It seldom proves diuretic
till nausea begins, & if vomiting
[illegible] on it fails as a diuretic
It has not been managed so as to 
prove expect. emmenag.  etc. but from 
analogy I think it might
It has not proved narcotic as yet
It has been used in decoct. & tinct.


Rx for decoct. cont. root 2 oz. boil. wat. [illegible]
boil to 1 pt Dose f z 2-4 – 4-8 times in 24 hr.
Rx for tinct rec. cont. root 4 oz off. alc. 1 pt.
Dose zfs 4-8 times in 24 h. The proof spirit
tinct. is more active than the alcoholic
The tinct. has a slightly aromatic smell & 
bitter taste
Diseases hydrops cellularis. If the article
is good it is effectual in this disease. Dr
Reed of E. W.  has employed it successfully 
It best adapted to anasarca. Give the decoc.
or tinct. in doses short of nausea & repeated
every 3 or 4 hours In 36 hours it begins 
to nauseate & produces diuresis. Diminish
a little & continue till the fluid is evacuated
It is not stimulant nor tonic
Aralia octophylla (Cochin China)
Ascandeus & apalmata used 
in dropsy & cutaneous diseases 



Aralia spinosa (Linnaeus)
It has no spines however but prickles The 7
species of aralia that have been examined are
found to resemble each other in med. prop. & 
to differ only in degree A. sinosa is the most
active A. hispida next.
Nat. ord. araliaceae (Juss. & Decond.) 
Angelic tree in this region Hercules club toothache tree
pellitory Often confounded with xanth. frax.
Habitat middle south & west, parts of U.S.
Cultivated as an ornam. shrub in N. Eng.
It is not the prickly ash of the north states though
Bigelow considers it as such 
(Hiatus) The bark (of the root?) is sd
to be the most active The berries shd be
collected just before ripening. The bark of
the trunk & branches is not inactive
The immediate effect of the bark
of the root in doses short of nausea are languor
& lassitude a sensation of weakness (not
real debility) a pricking & burning sensation
all over the body, especially in the feet & 


8 Deobst.
hands dimin. of nat. freq. of pulse in health
& especially dimin. of irritative preternat.
frequency Diaphoresis drowsiness & sleep
continuing (the sleep?) 3 or 4 hours after the
last dose is taken in health & for a much
shorter time in disease
Given in moderate doses & repeated it is deobst.
& proves hydrag. cath.
In large doses it is emetic & is said to operate
similarly to ipecac but I doubt it.
IT sometimes produces urticaria like copaiba
As a cath. or em. merely it will 
not be good unless a deobst. oper. is wanted 
along with the other
It is sedative & the parts of its sedative operation
are antirritation anodyne & soporific
Dr McBride in Elliott says
it is the best emet. found among us. He
uses the decoc. zii bruised bark of root to 
1 pt wat. boiled down to ½ pt. Of this ½ or
the whole acted as an emetic
It is given in dropsy in deobst. doses i.e.
just short of nausea. It is diuretic at first 


but at length passes off by the bowels as a 
hydrag. cath.
Sometimes we give more active doses e.g. [illegible]
which is a full cath. dose. Give 1 dose
in the evening 2 during the night & 1 next
morn. this will operate kindly & freely as
a hydragogue
By obviating disease it restores the
functions of the stom. the circul. & the musc.
systems but it is not tonic
In a case of atonic sub-acute
rheumatism from bathing in a state of 
perspiration which had lasted by paroxysm 
for 1 ½ yrs zi of  tinct. was given every 
3 hours for 24 hours & then zii till 3 doses had
been given, when narcosis & catharsis was
brough on & in 48 h. the rheum. was cured
It is a valuable addition to the M. M.
Its primary effects are 1st deobstruent
2nd emetic 3d hyd. cath. 4th acrid narc.
5th epispastic (rubefacient) in ointment
The secondary effects of its deobst. operation
are 1st expect. 2d diuretic 3d diaph. 4th chola


5th resolvent 6th antipsoraic 7th discutient
It is antirritant anodyne & soporif. as parts of
its narcotic operation
It is a hydragogue. Probably it will 
be found an emmenagogue
It is errhine often called escharotic
It is not tonic nor stimulant
Pharmac. Preparations
1st powder 2d pill (with ext. con. mac. which
coincides with it) 3d decoction zii to 2 pts
wat. boiled to 1 pt in a covered vessel
4th tinct. (ziv of the bark of root & berries to 
1 pt off. alc.) macerate a week, decant & strain 
5th extract (I have never used this) Rx
T lbj wat. lbs 8 boil away ½ - strain through
a coarse cloth, express & evaporate in a water
bath to avoid burning
6th Ointment Dr Strobel uses one of T ziv
coarse powdd bark of root to lbj of sim. cer.
simmer for ½ hour & express. There shd
be as much bark as the cerate will cover
Add it as long as it will be absorbed



Therap. applic.
Acute subac. & chron. rheumatism most especially useful
Lues syphilis & syphilodes
As an emetic in intermittents
Sick headache at the south bites & stings
Delirium trem. (I think little of fem. in this dis.)
Idiopathic paramenia attended
with flushed faces pains in the back etc.
They bleed this is wrong You can cure it
with blk helleb. blood root etc. But they 
will do nothing after V.S.
Pneumonia typhodes synochous type 
pulse bounding I can break up half
the cases with deobstruents Can do
nothing with them if you bleed. If there
is too much entonic action however you 
must deplete & if there is too little you 
must deplete & if there is too little you 
must stimulate to bring the system within
the range of the deobstruents
In “Ague in the Face” a decoc. or init.
produces relief. In fixed topical inflammation
embrocation, fomentations & bathings
Lues syphilodes It has acquired consid. rep.
zi every 2 hours internally & the ointm. externally 
as practiced by Dr Strobel 


Baptisia Tinctoria (R. Brown)
Sephoria (Linn.) podalyria tinct. indigweed
Nat. ord. sequiminosae (Decand.)
Root perennial, cylindrical, branching
¼ inch in diam. cortic. & lign. part equal
When chewed for some time it is acrid, bitter
& virose, leaving a sensation of fullness in the
fauces
It is said to be diaphoretic. It is
not directly so. It is expect. under certain 
circumstances in certain stages of 
infl. of bronch. mem. it hastens the mucopur8ulent 
secretion, which is the natural 
termination of such infl. It facilitates expectoration
also in the latter stages 
is by obviating irritation but it 
wd not be of service when there is great atony
It is said to be alexipharmic in 
mild cases of # bites of the rattle snake. I
am informed by a phys. from inter. of N.Y.
that it is decidedly beneficial. [Drench] the 
pat. with it.




It is not astringent as it does not contain
tannin
It is a valuable discutient. I have
often applied it to infl. of fem. breast
It will allay irritation in wounds & promote
their healing, & will indirectly prevent
gangrene & is therefore called antiseptic
In this sense also it is valnerary in contused
& punctured wounds
Its primary operations are
1st deobstruent 2d acrid narcotic
3d emetic 4th hydrag. cathartic
The second. op. is a deobst. [illegible] cholag.
expectorant resolvent discutient
It is also escharotic
It has not been found to be emmenagogue,
diuretic, diaph. nor sialag.
It is not excitant tonic nor astringent
Said to be febrifuge. It is applicable only 
to the synochus form of fever
Pharmac. Preparations It is
used in substance, infusion decoction
& tincture



For the decoc. I generally take zii recently 
dried root to lbjs wat. & boil down to lbj
For tinct. Rx ziv bruised recently dried root
to lbj alc. Dose f zi or a little more to be
repeated acc. to the urgency of the case the
susceptibility of the pot. & the time the med.
is to be continued. If it occasions much
evacuation, check with opium or diminish
the dose
As a discutient it may be used
in decoct. or in cataplasms. For a
cataplasm, boil the root, pound it to
a pulp & add q.s. of maize meal
Ointment simmer the root in cream
butter or lard & add wax
Baptisia tinctoria shd be collected
at the proper season & its virtues
are much impaired by keeping & drying
Therapeutic application
Atonic paristhmitis
Acute subac. aton. rheum. I have seen
it efficac in large number of cases less so with chronic



9 Deobst.
Dyspnea exac. & asthma humidum
Pneumonia typhodes not with great atony
but of that form when the fever is synochus & the
topical aff. an erythema. It allays the
irritative heat & dryness of the skin & the irritative
action of the lungs & when given early it
effects a great resolution in moderate cases. When
the dis. is more advanced, it accelerates the
muco-pur. secretion the wat. termin. of the dis.
Dysentery I have used it to some extent,
conjoined with opium I think the [baptisi]
assisted in the cure shd not be given as a cath.
The decoct. is applied, cool or warm
to sub-ac. aton. infl. of the eyes to infl. & 
ulcerate. of fem. breast to burns & scalds, with 
benefit, or in cataplasm It is very good for 
sore nipples. It is a popular remedy for
aphtha. Externally to punctured & contused
wounds. Sprained joints immerse
the joint in the decoct. as long as convenient
This article possesses considerable
activity & may be turned to a good account
It has not been investigated so thoroughly 
as others which resemble it.



Apocynum cannabinum
Indian hemp dogs bane Canada to Car.
Lactescent furnishes a variety of caontchonc
Bark twice as strong as hemp & easily whitened
Nat. ord. apocymeae
Roots 5-6 ft long horizontal. Taste
sub acrid & bitter
Bigelow describes a species which 
he calls A. cann. which is in fact A. [pubescens]
& I am not sure but this is the article
I have used. Probably there is no difference
between the species
The ligneous & medullary portions of
the root are said to be equal in virtue 
to the cortical shd think from analogy this
must be incorrect. I use only the cortical
part It is easily separated in a mortar & 
pulverized 
The extractive matter is precipitated
by alum & salts of tin & is used for coloring
linen & muslin, but not flannel, a
[fustic] yellow This has no med. power.
Apocynine is analogous to emetine
or as it is now called, cephaeline but resembles 


[cytisime] more. It is slightly deliquescent
& leaves a sensation as if the lips &
tongue were swollen. It is soluble in wat.
& alc. 6 grs of it are said to vomit.
A. cannabinum is employed in 
powder, infusion & decoction
Rx for decoc. zfs to lbj ii wat boil med.
dose zii
Substance in powd is the best form
It takes about 30 grs for an emetic. As
such it is rather slow in its operation
produces free vomiting & is not followed
like tart. em. by languor & exhaustion 
In moderate doses repeated it obviates
heat & dryness of the skin.
Its primary operations are
1st deobst 2d acrid narcot. 3d emetic
4th hydrag. cathartic
It is diuretic & if long continued
proves eccoprotic & laxative & purgative.
Its narcotic power is greater
composed with its other operations than 


that of sanguinaria, with which its powers
are the same with the addition of being
cathartic
It is resolvent & will probably 
prove emmen.  antipsoraic & expectorant
Perhaps its escharotic & stermalatory 
powers shd be considered as primary 
Its deobst. op. is the most
important. It has had considerable
reputation in curing dyspepsia of bystanding
given till it vomits & purges. But it
will be contraindicated by extreme irritability
of the stom. or of the system by 
acrimony of the secretions or that stage
which diarrhoea is threatened.
Icterus vulgaris parat. coactum
Best given in an eccoprotic with opium
in doses short of nausea
Dyspnea exacerbans chronics
most used for this dis. In 1822 Dr
Todd remarked that it was the most
effectual remedy he had ever tried 


It is to be given in moderate emetic doses,
at intervals of 10-15 min. till it produces
vomiting. It may be used between
the paroxysms in doses short of nausea
I think there is danger of doing injury
I prefer lobelia and the other articles
which have no tendency to prod. purging
Articles which produce hydrag. cath. will
sooner or later injure the system.
Catarrhis communis not malignant
pneumonitis typhodes
Acute & subac. rheumat.
Hydrops cellul. & abdominis
It is probably adapted to 
nearly all the cases to which colchicum is 
adapted
Apocynum pubescens
very similar to A. cann. Perhaps I 
have used them indiscriminately 


apocynum androsaemifolium
Silk weed milk weed snake’s milk called
in Virg. “Scissors plant” Am. ipecac.
I think this species less active than A. cann.
The part used is the root which is perennial
& creeping smell verose taste
peculiar both. bitter & sour, with some 
acrimony
The tinct. is not rendered turbid
by water Soluble in alc. wat. & ether
I presume contains apocynine, but the
fact is not ascertained
The old root is stronger than the young 
the plant shd be at least 3 yrs old
Zollickoffer says it is diaph.
like ipecac & gives a formula similar
to the pulv. ipec. comp.
Bigelow & Zollickoff say it is
tonic & direct to give of the dried root 16 to
20 grs 3 times a day; but less than this 
of A. cann. will vomit
Dr Heale of Troy says it is narcotic 



Kaln in his travels says it is poisonous
applied to tender parts & even by handling it
when covered with dew forming vesicles
which break & ulcerate somewhat like
those of rhus rem.
I think its powers the same as
those of A cann. & pubes. but less in degree
Its primary operations are
1st deobst. 2d acrid narc. 3d emetic
4th hyd. cath
Secondary effects are 1st expect.
2d cholag. in reg. doses 3d Dialag. 4th diaph.
probably diuretic resolvent 
Discut. applied to infl. probably? breasts Antispsoraic
ruebfac escharotic & sternutatory probably?
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia-in-laxat. & eccoprot. doses
Dyspnea exacerbans as an [antirrit] etc.
Synochus antirrit. [illegible]?
Hydrops cell. thoracis & abdominis
freely given as a cathartic It has been 
tried by Dr Jac. Porter of Plainfield Mass 



The discrepancy respecting the article
arises from the manner or time of collecting
it & manner of prescribing
Dr Todd used it in dyspnea
exac. powd. of root a tea sp. once
in 25 min. 2 or 3 doses relieves
Apocynum Hypericifolium
Probably similar in virtues to the preceding
species
A. juventus (of Cochin China)
Said to be like ginseng mucilaginous,
aromatic, bitter & saccharine
It is a good demulcent like liquorice
or ginseng


10 Deobst.
Phytolacca decandra (Linn.)
Before the time of Linn. P. vulgaris ([Dillenius])
P. amer. (Boerh.) solanum Am. (Ray) S. Virginianum
(Plukenet) garget cocum
coke, poke scoke, Americ. night shade
pigeon berry jalap etc. Nat. ord. atriplicene
Nat. country not known it follows civilization
Said by Europ. authors to be a native of
America, but this is doubtful
The root, leaves & berries are
all used in medicine
The recent root has a nauseous, bitter,
sub acrid taste but when dried the taste
is mild & somewhat mintish. Its properties
are impaired by age, but not lost
by mere drying. Its virtues are said
to depend on an “extractive principle”
The active principles of this article
are extracted by water, wine & alcohol
but the degree of solvent power of each
is not settled
There is great discrepancy of 


opinion respecting this article, but if collected
at the right season, prepared & injudiciously
administered it will be found to 
be certain in producing its effects
I consider it an acrid narc. deobst.
Some years since I experimented with it & 
found that in certain doses it nauseated & 
vomited. Short of this & repeated, it increases 
the biliary secretions & promotes expect.
sometimes in health but in some diseases
it decidedly increases the secretion of mucus
It increases the secretions from the skin 
generally in a well subject even, but especially 
in the diseases to which it is adopted
Given in acute & subac. aton. rheum. & certain 
other phlogotica it speedily effects a resolution
of the topical infl.
given in repeated doses it produces vertigo
somnolency, indistinct vision, stupor,
I have never pushed it so as to determine
how much narcosis it was capable of producing
Continued for some time in small & freq.
doses it produces active hydrag. catharsis 


Topically it wd [illegible] phlegm. infl.
change vitiated & gangrenous ulcers
It cures cutaneous diseases & proves rubef.
Its primary & independent effects
are 1st deobst. 2d acrid-narcotic
3d hyd. cath. 4th emetic
Secondarily it is 1st resolv. 2d cholag.
3d expect. 4th diaph. We may add
5th discutient
It is a popular anthelmintic in many 
places. I have never witnessed this power
but other acrid narcotics have it
It is rubefac. & sternutatory. Should 
think that under diuretic regimen it wd
prove diuretic but I have never seen
diuresis from it. From analogy I shd
expect it to prove emmenagogue
It has been supposed stimulant, but
is not neither tonic
15 to 20 grs of the recently powdd root
are a mild but effectual emetic, requiring
1-2 hours for operating & continuing
longer then, than ipecac



It is not eligible as a cath. or emet.
except when these operations are wanted
in connection with its deobstruent. It is effectual
in croup by its deobst. & emet. power
I generally give a full dose & if it fails
of vomiting it is of no consequence as it is
more effectual by remaining long on the
stomach. If the vomiting continues
too long it can be checked by horizontal 
posture, quiet, & a dose of opium, one or all three
Commonly very little nausea precedes
the vomiting sometimes it is attended with
vertigo etc. but these are in some cases
desirable The decoct. wine & tinct. are 
emetic in doses from zfs to zii The decoct.
& wine are better than the tinct. unless the 
state of the system requires that a diffusible
stimulant precede the operation. I have
ever prefer the powder for an emetic
The recently dried leaves are 
supposed to be active, but they are less
certain & effectual than the root



For the wine Rx zii coarsely powd & rec. dried
root zii off. alc. zxiv wht. wine. In very
warm weather the alc. will hardly prevent
fermentation & souring
The tinct. of the leaves & berries
fully grown but not quite ripe, is acrid narcotic
& deobst. I add to them dil. alc.
enough to cover them, macerate 10 days,
decant, express & filter. This is less emetic
than the other preparations
The expressed inspissated juice
is very active & is followed generally by 
narcosis. Externally it is caustic.
Given internally in doses of 5-10-15 grs
no one of the acrid narcotic deobst. has
succeeded so well with me in chronic
rheumatism unless it be aralia spinosa 
& it is not inferior to that. 5 grs are ordinarily 
sufficient if repeated at short
intervals. Opium shd generally be conjoined
with it to allay pain & procure sleep
but less quantity will be necessary 



than if a deobst. not narcotic were taken
Frequently deobst. will not act till
pain & watchfulness are obviated
An ointment of the root is used
Take of the recent bruised root add melted
simple cerate enough to cover it simmer
15 min. & express. It is antirritant,
discutient, antipsoraic & sometimes rubefacient.
The recent root roasted
& bruised is sometimes applied to the fat 
with how much success I know not
Therap. Applic.
Helminthia lumbric. commonly employed 
at the south, in form of pulvd root, in doses
short of nausea 4 times a day & then to
give a cath. if the article does not purge
Practica marisca often effectual apply
a decoction? of the recent bruised bruised
leaves to the part. When this has failed, an
enema of the decoct. of the root has relieved
immediately. Dr Woodd of Vt. [cures] with 
this article the most urgent symptoms in 
24 or 36 hours


Anthrax topically in the secondary
stages, in cases where there is not much
constit. eff. it is very beneficial Apply 
the bruised leaves or the cerate when the
part is spongy & porous & has been laid open
otherwise it will have little effect.
Early in my practice I thought this the best
application in the secondary stages I have
never employed it in the early & forming stages
Croup I have used it as a deobst. emetic
Let it remain sometime in the stomach,
if it does not vomit give some other emetic
I use the powder, diffused in the wine & follow
with ipecac. No mere emetic can 
be relied on unless it be turpeth min. & 
that can be assisted by this article
Ac. & subac. rheum. Early in my practice
I used it in these alone in the acute
& with opium in the subac. It was perfectly 
successful. It seemed to have the
same effect as guaiacum being acrid
mercurial sub-ac. rheum highly 


beneficial give either the extract of berries or the
tinct. of those, conjoining opium
Chronic rheum. from its acrimony it is better
than most of the deobstruents. I use the sat. tinct.
of the leaves & berries or the expressed, inspissated
juice, either with or without opium
Lues syphilis second & protracted stages cases
in which guaiac. mezereon & sarsapar.
are indicated & I think this altogether superior
to these articles
S. Syphilodes decidedly useful
Ulcers a great variety indolent & insusceptible,
with callow edges strumous ulcers
that are usually indolent & will not heal 
apply the ext. or the leaves especially the
former
Cancer palliated by the ext. or inf.
this article relieves the pain, changes the
condition & secretions & even brings it for a time to a healing
but it is soon worn out
Blenorrhea [illegible] diff. opinions as to 
its success, owing to diff. modes of using it.



11 Deobst
The disease is often obstinate but this article
is as frequently successful as any other. I use
it freely internally. The wine is recc. but
I prefer the ext. or tinct. of the berries. Those
who have failed with it have found it to produce
vom. or purg. It shd be given in doses
short of nausea at reg. interv. & opium
given to prevent purg. It succeeds as often
as any article unless copaiba. I have used
it most in the second stages of obstinate cases 
Enlargement of the prostate Dr Woodd of Vt.
uses the inf. or decoc. of zi coarsely powdered
root to lbj wat. or lbii boiled to lbj thrown
into the rectum in the quantity of ½ or 1 gill
with a pipe & bladder that it may not 
pass high up If it cannot be relieved add
SS. He prefers the infus. & that prepared
from the recently dried root. He often succeeds 
in reducing the enlarged prostate
very considerably. He used it only when
when troublesome symptoms arise, or stoppage
of urine, impossibility of passing the 


catheter etc. He does not state that he has
cured the disease but that he has relieved the
paroxysm
Itch it has been employed I direct a
strong dec. of the root, perhaps zii to lbjfs of
wat. boiled down to lbj & touch the part night & 
morn. It cures in a majority of cases It 
sometimes irritates so much that it cannot
be continued. If you wish to keep this preparation
add to 3 parts of it 1 part of the
tinct. bottle it & attach a sponge to the cork
There is a species in the W. I. called
P. dodecandria which is probably the same as
ours It is recc. by [Dawsen]? as a kind & effect.
emetic dose zfs – zi of the wine, made zi to lbj
The real P.dodec. is a native of Abyssinia
but cultivated elsewhere
P. dodecandria is most
probably the “mustard” of the N. Test.
Jonah’s gourd is a ricinus. The mandrake
is an orchis


Veratrum Sabadilla (Linn.)
Nat. ord. melanthaceae R. [ilegible] [Jussin]
Hordens exoticum causticum of Caspar Bankin
the name is a diminutive of sper. sebado “burley”
& the colloquial appelation is a corruption of
the name is spelt 11 different ways commonly 
called cevadille
Itr is offic. in all the pharmac. of cont. Europe
From it almost exclusively veratrine is obtained.
It is the most active of the genus
& of the nat. ord. to which it belongs. It also
possesses in a concentrated form all the properties
of the other veratrans except v. vind
which has some peculiarities
Heb. colder regions of Mexico it is said
also China & S. Am. the last is doubtful
It might be cultivated in N. England
The Mexican name signifies dog-kill
The seeds are exported in the pericarp
which resembles an ear of barley, but they
are not larger than lintseed, hence its
name. As found in the shops it is of 


a dun colour, capsule smooth, seeds shining
semicylindrical, oblong, acute, of a 
dark brown colour & compared to nice dung
It is sold in France in powder & called
capuchin powder. The capsules are probably 
inert, tho this has been disputed
The seeds have no odor, but have
an intensely bitter, acrid, glowing taste, leaving
a sense of burning which water will not
carry off & remaining longest in the fauces
which is the fact with all the deobstruents
According to Meisner, besides the
alkaline salifiable base veratrina, the 
subadilla contains an acid recently e3xamined
& called subadic acid, in union not with 
veratrim but perhaps with lime. Veratrina
is in union with 2 prop. of gall;
acid, forming bi-gallit of veratrine
None of the other prox [illegible] are of
importance unless the bitter princ. may 
have some med. prop.
Veratrine is an inodorous white 


powder, very acrid but not bitter & the taste is
permanent. It is a weaker base than morphine,
quinine or strychnine very soluble
in alcohol, rather less soluble in ether, soluble
in 1000 parts of wat. at 212 [degrees] & becomes
acrid to the taste melts at 120 [degrees] & on
cooling forms an amber coloured & translucent
mas. Composit. carb. hyd. ox.
nitrog. All its salts are crystallizable
& appear like gum except the sulphate
The sulphate bi sulphates & hydro chlorates
have been examined & used. Nitric ac.
also combined with veratrine, but if added
in excess it effects a change analogous
to that upon strychnine & brucine
The acetate is its most active salt
and this will apply generally to the reg. salif.
bases, but there are some exceptions
Strong solutions of the salts are decomposed
by the water & veratrine falls
down, hence they shd be prepared extempore
Iodine & chlorine appear to combine


with veratine but the nature of the
compounds is not well understood & they appear
to be inert. We shd imagine there was
a decomposition but the iod. & chlor. can be
obtained in a separate state. When given
uncombined therefore veratrine shd never
be accompanied with iod. or chlor. 
but they will not act on the salts of veratrine
The seed of veratrum sabadilla
approach nearer to veratrine than any 
other natural product, containing it in 
a more concentrated form. The only other
plants now known to contain veratrine
are V. album & colchicum autumnali
in which it exists in form of bi-gall. of verat.
Perhaps it will be discovered in other species
& in some species of [Lois]? But we
can draw no co0nclusion from botan. [affinities]
Veratrum viride is affirmed in the
books of chemistry to contain bi-gall. of verat
but I do not believe it, for this is not cath. & 
the others are hydrag. cath.



A certain dose producing speedy active 
& sometimes distressing vomiting. A dose
short of nausea & repeated will prod. hydr. cath
& drastic purging, continuing 12-24 or 36 hours
A still smaller dose often repeated exerts a general
deobst. influence in cholag. diuretic & 
sometimes sialag. in certain diseases of the
lungs it increases the secretion & increases the 
natural mucous secretion even if there be no disease expectorant
In certain forms of [illegible] obst. it is emmenagogue
I have not know it prove diaphoretic
It is used as a resolvent in aton. ac.
infl. phlegmonus & especially arthritic for 
which purpose it must be given so as to evacuate 
the al. can. powerfully,  but its effect does 
not depend on the evacuation for in some cases
it cures without
It is antipsoraic, curing certain
lepidotic scaly & herpetic eruptions, when 
used freely & for some time but without acting
on the bowels
Given freely it is moderately soporific. If there 


is pain it is anodyne
It is said that when the system
is under some powerful disease, as tetanus or
lyssa canina, without much exhaustion, a very
large dose produces coma & a state which can
hardly be distinguished from death continuing
12-24 hours, when the pat. will revive & vomit
powerfully & the disease be removed without 
any material inconvenience following
It is one of the most efficient anthelmintics
for the second species of tenia & 
fasciola. The European books recc. it 20 yrs
ago, but the English have lately struck it out
& it seems at present not to be fashionable 
as an anthelm.
It acts as a rubefacient, applied
to the tender skin of infants & to parts unprotected
by the cutis
It changes the action & condition
of spongy etc. ulcers promoting absorption of spongy
granulations increases their sensibility if
indolent & if employed freely it destroys vitality
& produces a slough hence called caustic


[illegible] Deobst.
Sometimes when applied to ulcers it exerts its power
over the system & produces vertigo, epigastric
uneasiness, cloud before the sight, tormina & 
even catharsis
If snuffed it irritates powerfully
the scnheid. mem. produces violent sneezing
copious mucus & irritation & atonic infl. of the part
Hence it is errhine. When chewed it is
sialogogue
From its acrimony & narcotic
power a decoct. of the seeds is employed to destroy
[pediculi] of the head body or pubes & bedding.
But occasionally it thus produces
alarming symptoms vertigo convulsions etc.
The seeds of sabadilla are almost as
active as veratrine
Stimulant powers have been attributed
to it. IT is irritating rather In 
excessive doses it produces parched mouth
& throat, head of the stomach & intestines a
great irritation & atonic erythematic infl. of m. m. of al. can.
hyperemesis, tormina, hyper catharsis 


hemorrhage from the bowels vertigo, cloud
before the sight extremely weak small wiry
pulse cold extrem. (but not uniformly) 
[letanic] convulsions & death. A very large
dose of sabadilla transcends vomiting &
produces the other effects immediately
Ed. & Vav. call this article dangerous
& say it shd be abandoned but its danger
is obviated by a proper use. It may be
made to act as kindly as any article.
The activity of an article is never a good objection
to its employment. Those who object
to the seeds as dangerous yet recc. the 
salts of veratrine which are still more active
Primary operations 1. deobst.
2d acrid-narcotic 3d emetic 4th cathartic
5th epispastic
Pharmac. prep.
It is used on the cont. of Eur. in fine powder
of seeds infl. decoct. tinct. watery & 
alc. extract by enema ointment



For a sat. tinct. I shd put 4 oz to 1 pt.
perhaps 2 oz will saturate
It is said that the pulverised seeds
soon lose their strength but retain it when 
whole. This is true of colchicum. The veratrine
produces exactly the same effects 
at the seed, but the dose is very small
1-2 grs prod. viol. em. & catharsis & a
few grs. tetanus & coma. It seems to 
be more active than strychnine & operates
in less quantity. ¼ gr doses (repeated?)
produce violent evacuations without vom.
Probably 1/16 gr. once in 3 hours wd be sufficient 
to give as a deobst. & shd be
conjoined with opium to prevent cath. & 
emesis too soon. It may effect a cure
with opium without producing evacuation
but in severe diseases it must be pushed
far enough to evacuate. It is there fore
always inadmissible when copious evacuations 
are not admissible & useful
It is a substitute for the seeds of the v. sabad
v. alb. & colchicum & is more uniform 


& certain in its operation
The recently pulvd seeds of sabad.
v. alb. & colch. are useful in costiveness
of old age with great accumulation of
feces. Extremely minute quantities obviate
costiveness better than any other article
For the ointment Rx veratrine
4 grs sim. cer. zi mix by trituration
Diseases
Helminthia of all forms especially tenia
fasciola asc. verm. & lumbric. It is said
to be perfectly successful but caution is necessary 
in its use Dose for a child 2-4 yrs
2 gr of the seeds from 8-12 yrs, 10 grs
Honey blunts its activity a little & renders
its effect more slow It is said that it shd
be followed by no cath but aloes. I see no reason for this
Pneumonitis shd not think it good here
Gout more especially used in this particularly
the reg. kind. It is adapted
only to Cullen’s atonic kind. I never 


saw any other. If given early in time I 
shd think it wd cure it, but in a case of long
standing I shd think it unsafe from its tendency
to produce violent catharsis
Rheumatism recc. with the same limitation
It is useful in entonic cases after depletion
& in atonic from the first. But we must ascertain
if the case will admit of active evacuation 
for we can do but little with the article
without it. I shd be loth to use it in the 
chronic forms & for old patients
Vitiated & gangrenous ulcers recc. topically 
as a substitute for corr. sub. & the
actual cautery.  The mode of applying it
is to sprinkle a little of the powder of the
seeds over the part and cover it with lint
dipped in the infusion
Lyssa canina the authority is rathe 
apocryphal, but I shd expect as much
from it as from any other article. The
pat. is sd to be thrown into a profound sleep
of 12-24 or even 48, revives, vomits & purges &  



in 15 min., is free from all disease but weakness
Cellular dropsy as a hydr. cath. in small
doses at short intervals. Under diuretic reg. it
will produce diuresis before it purges.
Cutaneous eruptions Itch A weak watery 
prep. is used. In my early practice I
employed it with almost invariable success
add ¼ of the sat. tinct. to the inf. to make it
keep or use the sat. tinct. & add camphor
to it
Malis pediculi of Good applied in ointment
highly celebrated
Pediculi penetrantis chigo chigre in the
feet. I have had many cases never had
much trouble with them I apply acrid
or caustic substances to the tumors & they 
always do well. These cases are said to 
require great caution & skill. Perhaps
they may be dangerous in tropical climates


Veratrum album
Hellebore white hellebore
Russia Sibaria Italy Grece cultiv. in
England, first it is said by Gerard
[illegible] peram. an inch thick a bulb the upper
half tunicated the lower solid.
The root is the part used. When recent it is
sd to have an acrid taste & peculiar odor, which
it loses by drying. It is invariably brought
to us in powder & as found in our shops is
good for nothing Vide A.T. Thom Dispensat.
Bi-gallate of veratrine An acid
like the cebadic a yellow extractive
matter etc. are its active principles. There 
seems to be nothing medicinal in it but the 
bi-gall verat.
A.T.T. says it is a violent cath.
& emet. irritant & sternulatory but very efficient
merely as such. These operations
are merely circumstances in regard to its
administration but they are all that the
books ascribe to it. Dr Ware of Boston experimented 



with it & found that 8 grs were
a med. dose for an emetic [illegible] seems 
to have tried v.  album most effectually 
He found that a med. em. dose was about 8 grs
& in some cases [illegible] was required
The essential & most important effects
are 1. deobst. 2. [acridness] & em. 4. hyd.
cath. epispastic & sternut. by virtue 
of its irritant effects.
Secondarily it is 1. resolv. 2. antipsor. cholag.
expect. diuret. emmen. sialogogue (topically 
& occasionally when taken internally) it is not
diaphor. nor stimulant, but irritant
Pharm. ac. prep. 1. infus. zfs – sii to the pt. 
acc. to circumst. 2. decoct a bad
mode for many of these articles, decomposing them
I prefer the infus.
In 1810 a French nostrum called
eau medicinale was very popular. An Englishman
imitated in the following which was
considered the same Rx 8 oz recently dried
root finely cut 1 ½ 11 ½ pts sherry wine macerate 



[15] Deobst
10 days shake occasionally & filter To two parts
of this was added 1 part of Sydenham’s vinum
opii compositum Dose 1-3 f z about 4 times
a day for an urgent case oftener It did
cure many cases of acute rheum. & gout the
more acute the case the better the medicine operated
in my hands. I arrested many cases
I used the v. [viridi] instead of the v. album
& gave teas. f. doses At first I used Sydenhams
laud. but finding the prep sour
I substituted SS. & soon used instead of
both the tinct. of verat. vir.  3 parts to 1 part
SS
Tinct. 8 oz to 2 ½ pts N.Y. Ph.
Ointment Rx 2 oz of the impalpable powder of
the root to 8 oz lard (or better sim. cer.) Add
q.s. ol. lemons to flavor it (Lond. Ph.) Some
direct to mix by trituration
Diseases
Struma in the neck externally shd not
be given in cases debilitated or requiring tonics
Gout & rheumatism most celebrated
There are two modes of giving purgative 



deobstruents 1st in full doses, then waiting
to see whether it purges & going on again
illegible] in small doses & longer? intervals
in both cases I suppose opium conjoined
If you give much of the cath. deobstruents
indiscriminately you will be apt to accumulate 
them on the system till they pass of in 
a diarrhoea, runs down the pat. & carry him
off even in spite of opium. Better give
them in full doses at short? intervals & wait
This article is most successful in regular
gout, but is more or less so in irregular
I have not succeeded in rheumatalgia or
the forms of rheumatism unattended with
redness & swelling. In the early part of
my practice I employed the wine of the
v. album v. vir.? (vide supra) in other arthritic
complaints the misplaced & metastastic
ones, but the external arthritic aff. are 
more under the control of deobstruents than
any other The dose shd be as large as can
be taken without vom. & repeated


Elephantiasis celebrated in various
cutaneous aff.
Mania has been employed in different forms
of it. I do not think it very well adapted, & 
still less to hypochondria
Epilepsy & various convulsive diseases
Lyssa canina recc. in sabadilla in
lethargic cases
Paropsis aneurosis sd to be good in think
not idiopathic cases
Woodville says it is best for the
diseases of the skin Stouma prurigo herpes
pediculi internally & externally
Impetigo porrigo & scabies intern. & extern.
The powder & ointment have been
applied to old ill condit. ulcers
The intern. has been applied to burns
before vesic. has come on & thus prevented vesic.


Colchicum autumnale Linn.
Meadow saffron
Hiatuses
There are several species of C.
root perennial top annual
Root bulbous acrid & pungent. Active principle
veratrine Said to lose its activity by 
long keeping. If taken out of the ground 
before the plant flowers it affords farinaceous
matter & loses its acrid principle by boiling, &
may be eaten
The root & seeds are the parts employed in medicine.
It is said the seeds shd be collected in 
hay harvest & the root in latter part of July & in Aug. 
The root is sliced (I shd think it ought not to be) & then
dried in the sun. If taken inordinately it
will prove a deadly poison
The test by which you can ascertain
whether its activity is lost is said to be the following.
Rub 10 grs of the root with 16 m of distilled
vinegar dropped on it the vinegar
will dissolve the gluten. Then add 16 m
of the alc. tinct. of guaiacum if the colch.
is a good fine cerulean blue color will be produced 



Bi-gallate of veratrine is the act. princ.
This article was introduced by Baron
Storck who made a syrup with vinegar
& used it as a diuretic
There is much discrepancy of 
testimony as to the active powers of this article
all however arising from the diff. manner
of drying it the season in which it is collected
the age of the root & its diff. preparations
The seeds are not affected by drying
or age Perhaps they are not quite so strong as
the recent root but still they are sufficiently
so for all medicinal purposes 
The accounts given in the books
respecting the operation of colchic. are in 
the main correct.
Primary Operations
2. deobst. 2. acrid narcotic – less so than
most of the other deobstruents? 3d hyd. cathartic
4th emetic 5 probably vital irritant or epispastic
Secondarily it is 1. resolve. 2. antips. 3. chol.
4. expec. 5. diuretic not emmen.
not diaph. not sialag. internally 


not tonic or stimulant
It leaves the stom. & intest. in a 
peculiarly bad condition and hence even
as a mere emetic it will not answer, still less
as a cath. After vomiting it leaves great exhaustion
It relieves irritative not entonic arterial
action Dr Williams’s cases were synochous
It is one of the most precarious & uncertain
though one of the most powerful & effectual
deobstruents that we have. I think
there is no case in which some other & more certain
article will not answer just as well.
Orfila calls it a corrosive poison
a bad term he means that it irritates, inflames
& ulcerates. Its deleterious
effects in an inordinate dose are slight nausea
then extreme vom. & purg. fainting exhaustion
coma & death It produces direct
exhaustion even before purging begins
Dr T. doubts Majadie’s account of the 
poisonous effect. He thinks the m. men. of intest.
is never inflamed but it does often kill 


Colchicum will in certain doses, with
some persons produce the desired effect, while
the same dose will perhaps cause death in others
The purging often takes place after the exhaustion
comes on & then increases it
Orfila’s antiphl. mode of
treating its poisonous effects is the worst imaginable
Pharmac. prep.
1. powder some think it the best 1 z 3 or 4 
times a day in ½ pt warm water. But drying
impairs its strength bad form
2. Infusion must be extemporaneous bad
3. Wine a good form There are two 
1st of the seeds 2d of the root The Phil. Ph.
directs to powder the seeds, but a stronger wine
may be made of the unbruised seeds
I have used the following Rx entire seeds zii
off. alc. f zii madeira wine f zxiv mad. 1 or 2 wks
& strain I have kept this for years unimpaired.
I know of no other in the
books but what will sour
Wine of the root. Rx bruised root 8 oz
wine 1 pt This is as good as any I wd use 


f zxiv wine & f zii off. alc. But the wine of the seeds
is the best
4. Tincture zii root to ziv dil. alc. If you 
must use the root I wd use the tinct.  
but I prefer the seeds. Some however prefer
5. Vinegar of colch. If the root is used
by all means take 8 oz to 1 pt dist. vinegar
If the seeds, zii to the pint of vinegar
6. Syrup. Take the acetum 
Diseases Limosis gastrodynia recc.
highly by Dr Williams of Ipswich & in other painful aff.
Helminthia tenia f zi once a day for 
3 or 4 days is said to have cured from analogy
shd think it might be good
Dyspnea exacerbans highly efficacious
give a full dose say f zi with a full dose
of opium if necessary give another dram
but one is generally sufficient in a parosxysm 
my? usual dose is 1 teas.  f. to 2 of SS. commonly
supposed that purging vom. will relieve
this disease not so. colch. relieves it by 
its narcotic & deobst. powers. Squills will 


[?4] Deobst
often relieves it but better with SS. Lobelia
infl. I consider better than colch. in this disease
Entonic phlogotica only after depletion
Atonic phlogotica resolves the
topical infl. less atonic the better
It may be laid down as a general rule that the
phlogotica of the brain are less relieved by deobstruents
than those of the joints I usually 
give 3 to 5 f z & so as not to produce
hyd. catharsis for phl. of brain.
Pneumonitides I have used it successfully 
particularly P. notha but the inconveniences
attending its uses are worse perhaps than 
those of the disease. In that form of
pneumonitis attended with a topical
erythemat. infl. fever synochus it is better
than in any other form
Podagia gout there is more risk in a 
broken down pat. in an induced
case, or one brought on by high living
than in a hereditary one There should
be no preparatory process of bleeding or 


purging for the colch. will reduce difficulty
Entonic acute rheum. shd think colch. wd
be better in this than any other entonic pyhlogoticum.
Shd bleed here first shd always
look out that it does not purge giving f zi
once in three or four hours till it begins to 
purge or vomit preceding? with a free use
of opium
Arthritis rheumatalgia var. acuta most
applicable in the acute, next in the subacute
also var. sciatica & (hiatus)
Neuralgia faciei said to be very successful
rule to give it till it affects the
bowels except cath. is restrained by opium 
Hydrops cellul. thorac. & abdom. are
said to be successfully treated with it if
used in dropsy it had better be given as a
diuretic, not as a hydr. cath.
Exomia prurigo var. senilis said to 
have been perfectly cured by zfs of the
wine of colch. 3 times a day for 3 weeks
Here shd come in andeira inermis



Veratrum viride
Green hellebore swamp hell. Indian [unicas]
Indian poke pokeweed bearweed itchweed
tickleweed. Hab. the whole U.S. nat. ord.
Melanthaceae
Probably the best article on it is that
of Dr Bigelow. It is better than all the rest of 
the Med. Bot. put together. His acc.  of the therap.
applic is sufficiently full but his nat. hist. of 
it is deficient
The root is the part used It is
thick & fleshy, the upper half tunicated, the
lower solid, (which is an anomaly) & with large
fibrillae shooting from it. Taste bitter
 but more acrid than bitter, leaving a [durable]
in the mouth & especially in the fauces
if chewed & swallowed. It does not contain
veratrine. It is not cathartic
Bigelow calls it stimulant It is irritant
Big. calls it sedative He shd have specified
It is ill adapted to the purposes of an
emetic unless a deobstr. emet. is wanted


Dr War gave it in 30 cases as a pure
emetic in 10 out of 15 6 grs produced
kind & effectual vomiting. The operation
he says is not so severe as that of tart. em.
though more so than that of ipecac
It requires a long time for its operation as
an emetic & this is the case with all the
emetic deobstruents
Dr Big. says “Some patients obtain
relief from moderate doses without nausea
or other unpleasant effects. Others require
larger doses (zii) & experience nausea, vomiting
a sense of prostration & exhaustion, 
impaired vision & even total insensibility”
These bad effects arise from bad management
If smaller doses at shorter intervals
had been given they would have been avoided
Taken in excessive doses Dr Big
says it produces “distressing vertigo. tremors
sinking of the pulse, cold sweats, cold extremities,
syncope, convulsions & death 


Taken in too large doses at once it produces
hyper emesis, hyper catharsis, great tormina & 
hemorrhage from the intestines but the cath.
eff. is prod. however from a sort of cholera
& this is no proof of its being cathartic, for
many articles well known to possess no such 
power may induce a cholera & of course
catharsis follows
A strong infusion of fruit galls is
recommended as an antidote, to combine
with the supposed veratrine This in the
case of v. album must be useless for the
veratrine is in a state of bi-gallate already
Opium is the only effect. rem. for 
an overdose
Primary Operations
1. deobst. 2. Acrid-narcotic 3. emetic
4. epispastic from its irritant powers proving
rubefac. 5 errhine from its irritant pow.
Its secondy eff. are 1. resolv. 2. antipsoraic
3d. sialag. 4. expect 5. discut. sternut.
I do not know that it has been ascertained 



positively to be diuretic or emmenagogue
but from the fact that v. alb is so, we
might expect it. It is not diaph. except
by its emetic operation which will of itself
produce diaphoresis. It possesses not a
particle of cathartic power
It is less liable to leave the
stom. & intest. in a bad & irritable state
the most of the other deobst. as colch. etc.
No other article resembles sanguinaria
so nearly. It is more like it than like
its [illegible] v. alb. Of deobst. I prefer
those which have no cath. power 
It is contraindicated in phlog. diathesis
Pharmac. Pres.
1. Recently pulvd root. The roots of whole 
will return their power for some time If kept
in powder they lose it in some degree.
I do not think much of this preparation
think you wd fail of producing a deobst.
effect. Big. says 2-6 grs is an emetic
dose. The powder is best for an emetic 


except in comp & dyspnea, where the
wine is the best emetic form
2. Decoction best form only for act. applic.
It shd be boiled in a closely covered vessel
& I think it is injured by too much boiling
Rx coarsely pulv root zi off. alc. f zii
boil. water 1 pt.
3. Wine by far the best. Put the rec.
root cut fine into a bottle & add sufficient
wht wine to cover it Big directs zviii
of the root to lbiijs wht. wine but I think it 
can be much stronger & lbj is enough for zviii
just enough to cover it.
To make a prep. that will keep 
Rx root recent. cut zviii off. alc. zii wht wine
zxiv Of the first recipe zi is a medium
dose especially in acute diseases but 
it wd be a large dose of my recipe, unless
the dis. was very severe, few [illegible]
tolerating more than zfs. Bigelow says
“add to 3 parts of the wine 1 of wine of opium
& of this from 20 gtts to zi is a med. dose”



I never succeed unless the pat. can take
more than 20 gtts but sometimes as with sanguin.
20 gtts will irritate & be rejected when 
30 or 60 will sit well
The dose shd be repeated 4-6-8 times in 
24 h. If 6 or 8 doses have been given the
article cannot be continued by & it will 
not be necessary
It has been proposed not to use the article
till the “sediment” has subsided, as it is the
less violent in its action, but will the med.
power be diminished precisely in the
same degree? as is the case with colchicum 
4. Ointment Rx rec. root pulvd zii
lard ([illegible] cer. is better) zvjii oil of lemons 10 m
It is better not to beat the lard. Add the
oil to the powder
Verat. viride used externally 
is discutient & antipsoraic. It has produced
nausea & vom. & other constit. eff
when applied to ulcers on the legs & to 
cutaneous eruptions. But this eff. has 



15 Deobst.
been produced only when there were ulcerations
Big. asks “may it not do good externally appl.
in gout.” I answer no extern. applic.
shd be made in gout or ac. rheum. so long
as it is erratic ten chances to one you drive
it to the heart, lungs or brain
I prefer ver. vir. to v. alb or
to colch because it does not purge. It is
analogous to sanguinaria in its operation
& I have substituted it for sanguin in 
cases where there was a prejudice against
it. I never cd perceive any difference 
in their effects
Diseases
Dyspepsia with torpid liver & clay cold stools
Simple idiop. cough v. vir. like sang.
is very useful in early stages when there is 
no expectoration & also after it has taken place
The pathology of this affection is not well
understood. It is not an infl. nor febrile
aff. but deobst. will cure it. It is probably 
connected with a morbid condition


of the secretions of the bronchial mem.
It is occasionally relieved by narcotics
as opium & hyoscyamus These act on the
secretions also but not in the same manner
as the deobstruents I usually conjoin this
article more or less with opium & find it
very efficient. I have not employed it as
much as blood root
Dyspnea exacerbans At the commencement
of the paroxysm I give a full dose of
the wine about zi with 15-20 gtts of SS
acc. to circumstances I repeat the wine
at short intervals & ¾ of the cases are 
relieved without vomiting or narcosis
but some require a continuance till
vomiting takes place. It is the deobst. operation
that effects the cure
Phlysis paronychia (whitlow) I have
seen decided benefit from it. Take a
strong infusion or decoction immerse the
part 1 or 2 hours in it as warm as can be borne
& repeat 2 or 3 times a day. The earlier it 



is used the better & the greater the prospect of
cure. AT more advanced stages it merely palliates,
but relieves the pain much. If opened
frequently no suppuration is found but the
incision is of service
Pneumonitis typhodes var. Notha I first
give a full dose of calomel, & opium suffic.
to allay the pain which is usually severe
I proportion the cal. to the opium & make
it remain in the al. can. 12-18 hours. I then?
apply a blister & enter immediately on the 
use of verat. vir. in full doses at intervals of
1 or 2 hours If it vomits it is not much matter
though I prefer that It shd not the vom.
does no hurt. I most usually give
f zi every hour for 12 hours & by that time it
usually occasions some nausea & retching
I then give the same dose every 2 hours
for 12 hours more & when the cal. operates
the disease melts away the vomiting help
the deobst. power. Always give enough opium
with it to meet the symptoms & allay
the pain s


Dysentery v.v. will of itself cure this 
disease Cal. & op. is usually given first & the
calomel retained 15-18 hours & followed up 
by varatrum only in non-malignant cases 
Sparganosis puerperarum Moderate cases
are easily overcome by it, conjoined with opium
In severe & violent cases & those following profuse
hemorrhage it would not answer. I 
have had no experience with it in this disease
Gout has been employed with much success.
It was first used for the “eau medicinale”
(vide v. alb.) I have never treated a
true case of gout but only those [illegible]
between gout & rheumatism & approaching
the former. In one case there were
chalky concretions inability to move etc.
& it had resisted a great variety of 
medicines. I gave wine of v.v. 3 parts wine
of opium 1 part dose zi every hour at the
commencement of a paroxysm till it produced
narcosis or vomiting It cured speedily
& perfectly & by a subsequent use
kept off the paroxysm 9 mo. The pat. 



then gave it up his health improved & 
the swelling decreased. Dr Big. says it is
used in gout very successfully in Boston
We shd increase the frequency of the dose
rather than the dose itself. If narcosis or
other symptoms appear decrease the dose
I have never succeeded unless the pat.
cd take more than 26 gtts
Acute atonic rheumatism equally if
not more successful
Rheumatalgia or that kind of rheum.
aff. [illegible] is usually unattended with 
any topical swelling ore redness usually 
occurring in young persons. Shd push it
so as to produce narcosis or vomiting.
No matter if the pat. does vomit once or 
twice, it will do him good & heighten the
deobst. effect
In genuine chronic rheumatism it is
recommended I have not succeeded 
well with it in this. What is often
called chronic is acute. The more acute 


the better I have succeeded. Dr Big.
says he has succeeded in obstinate cases
“he pushed it till vomiting
narcosis or relief was produced” Perhaps
I have not pushed it far enough
When verat. vir. is given in acute
rheumatism it allays morbid irritability
& irritation, morbid sensibility & sensation
it obviates pain & restlessness, even if it
fails of effecting a cure all this by its narcotic
power. The Europeans suppose 
that colch. & v. album cure by 
their evacuation, but v. viride never purges
& we give it short of the vomiting point
& yet a cure is accomplished
Dr Big. supposes the v. viride “cures by 
the strong impression that it makes”
But if he gives only 15-20 drops & no 
sensible operation follows we cannot suppose
any very strong impression to be produced.
v. viride like other deobst.
cures topical infl. by acting on the 


[illegible] & absorbents The absorbents must
remove the disease. This principle shd be
better understood. The reviewers have 
mentioned with a note of exclamation that
I have stated that sanguinaria will remove
infl. independent of vomiting!
Porphyra hemorrhagica or simplex & nautica
recc. in we shd not at first expect this
but it is a dis. of the [secern] [illegible] absorbents perhaps
exclusively. Kaln says it is externally & internally 
Indolent Ulcers especially those recurring
in strumous habits & probably originally 
connected with syphilis the ulcers 
deep concave, hemispherical dry or secreting 
an icherous matter. In cases where 
nit. silver, sulph. copper etc. had done
no good I have applied veratrum which
produced a secretion of “laudable pus” & 
the ulcer put out granulations & healed.
Of late I have used blood-root for this
purpose. There is not much difference
I apply the powder & over than an 



adhesive plaster. Any indolent
ulcer may be benefitted in this way
Sick Headache Given in sufficient season
it will prevent & carry off the paroxysm
but if given too late it will accelerate the
attack of the paroxysm given very much 
as in dyspepsia
Comatose affections the result of slight concussions.
Early in my practice I used it in 
these so freely as to produce vomiting
The coma came on a week after the accident
in these cases. Almost any thing
that makes a strong impression will cure
as an active cathartic. The veratrum is as 
effectual as any other article
Apoplexy certain forms occurring in 
young persons the face as crimson as in 
the sanguineous, but pale & livid (not exactly 
the serous apoplexy of Cullen) 
pulse weak extremities cold. Here I 
give stimulants and apply warmth to the 
extremities till they become warm 


[16] Deobst.
I then give the wine of v. v. in repeated doses
at short intervals so that it may produce 
vomiting If four doses do not vomit I then
give ipecac Then I use stimulants.
This form of apoplexy is most common with 
me No one who regards symptoms wd
think of V.S. I have seen two patients
die under the act of v.s. These cases
will recover only under the use of stimulants
& emetics & these are infallible unless the
constit. is broken down. The deobstruent
emetics are most proper & far preferable
It is contrary to the books to give emetics
in head affections. The brain is not so
much affected by deobstruents as the other
viscera. It is affected however to some extent
Carus Paralysis or peral. not connected
with organic derangement. I have seen
great effects from it in paraplegia
Cutaneous eruptions Bateman & Good
recc. the acrid deobst. especially v. album 
but v. viride is far preferable 



Psoriasis inveterata I have used it in the
early stages
Impetigo laminosa salt rheum If in an
irritable state, emollients shd be first applied
& this state overcome or your applications will do no good
Porrigo galeato for this however I prefer 
the red oxide of mercury
Ecpyresis scabies (Ich) I have used v. v. 
internally & externally in all the above
but not in itch.
But I lay little stress on internal remedies’
in porrigo galeaga In 
periosis inveterata the internal use shd be 
conjoined with the use of the decoct. or ointm.
externally. In impetigo laminosa I 
place more reliance on the external applic.
but think the internal administration of it useful 
It will not succeed perhaps in a majority of 
cases. The mercurials are perhaps better.
I do not use it internally in porrigo galeata
but the strong decoct. or ointment.
There are better remedies but I have succeeded
with this when other remedies had failed


In scabies I use a strong decoction & to make it keep
add ¼ of the sat. tinct. zviii will cure
Apply it by a sponge fixed to the cork of the
vial It shd be applied to the affected
part for a week. If not so speedy in 
its cure as some other applications it is far
more agreeable than sulphur & I think
very favorably of it. It is injured by simmering
in cerate the heat of the boiling water
is as much as it will bear I suspect the 
ointment wd be a better mode zii of the
impalpable powder of the root in zi sim. cer.
I prefer an ointment of mercury to any 
thing else, but it is too liable to be abused
for common use
Burns & scalds if neglected are apt to 
become vitiated ulcers, livid & threatening
gangrene. For these the ointm. or cloth
wat with the strong decoct. is an excellent application
If applied early, before the skin is 
removed, it has the power of preventing 


the vesication, but it is not the best article
for that purpose
The therapeutic application of verat.
viride is almost precisely like that o f
sanguinaria
Kaln says the Indians soaked
their corn in a strong decoct. of verat.
vir. to protect it from the birds, which if
they ate of it became giddy & fell down
& though it does not kill them the others were thus
deterred


Perhaps there may [come]
Andeira inernis which resembles
colchic. & v. sabadilla anthelmintic
like the latter








16 ½ Deobst.
Andeira inernis
Allied to colchicum & may be used
for the same purposes A large dose at
once produces nausea & vomiting.
Short of nausea & repeated with diuretic
regimen it is diuretic. In moderate
doses at short intervals it is narcotic
The test of any overdose is 
nausea & vomiting. That of too frequent
repetition is narcosis. That of 
too long continuance is catharsis
Properties acrid-narcotic. emetic
hyd. cathartic & deobstruent
being diuretic, resolvent probably 
cholagogue & expectorant
The proper remedies for an
overdose are opium to check the
evacuations & stimulants to support 
the powers of life. There is no proof
on record that lime juice will counteract
the effects of the acrid narcotics


This article is most used in the
W.I. & in the Spanish prov. as an anthelmintic.
The powder of the bark is
given as a nauseating emetic, narcotic
& cathartic beginning with small
doses & increasing till nausea is produced
& then continuing short of nausea
The medium doses for a strong
healthy adult is zfs This is large
if it is to be repeated. It is better to 
begin with smaller doses & let them 
remain some time in the al. can. to 
act on the worms. Dose for a 
pat. 14 or 15 grs = [illegible] of 10 grs – 15 grs
2-3 grs = 10 grs – 1 gr. = 5 grs Vary 
acc. to circumstances
Pharmaceutical Preparations
1st decoct. Rx zi recently dried bark
to lbji water boil till colour of madeira
wine strain & use immediately 
Dose for an adult, about zii


2nd Extract Rx lbj rec. dried bark
coarsely powdered to wat. lbviii boil
till half is evaporated strain & evaporate
toa proper consistence in a salt
water bath, stirring frequently that the
resin may not rise to the top Dose
for an adult 3 grs 14 or 15 yrs = 2 grs
10 yrs = 1 ½ grs 2-3 yrs = 1 gr – 1 yr = ½ gr
For ordinary purposes this is the best preparation
3d Syrup Rx Take of the decoction
as above made any quantity, & dissolve
in it while hot twice its weight of 
white sugar. If there be sugar
enough it will not ferment. Dose
for a strong adult zii & [illegible] for other 
ages
Diseases Helminthia, as caridis
lumbricoidis Use the decoction
It is a powerful anthelmintic




1st Sanguin
17 Deobst
Sanguinaria Canadensis ([Linnaeus])
Called mor appropriately by Salisbury S. [vernalis]
Previous to Linnaeus it was called S. minor & S.
major called by Plukenet papaver corniculus
chelidonium [illegible] ranunculus virg.
Blood root or wort (the same is root) the
[illegible] of hieracum venosum,. Puccoor
(Indian name) also Indian paint, Indian
turmeric Nat. order Papaveraceae
Polygonus [illegible] is called sanguinaria
in some of the continental medical works
the root is the part used it is bitter & 
extremely acrid it is said to lose [70] pr ct its
weight in drying. I have not found the loss
of weight so great. much depends on the season
in which it is gathered, which should be late
in autumn. Water added to the tinct.
causes a milky appearance
PRox. princ. sanguinaria discovered by 
A Hayes of Windsor Vt. macerate the rec
root in 3 times its weight of cold water acidulate
with about 1/80 its weight of strong sulphuric



acid after remaining 3 or 4 days
in a cool room, decant & filter repeat
the process with additional diluted acid to
the same parcel of root & put the filtered
fluids together. Add pure aqua amm. till
the water is slightly alkaline & the [sanguinarine]
is precipitated. Wash the precip.
with water slightly alkaline with ammon, as
long as it is coloured & afterwards with
pure rain water to remove the ammon
Redissolve with sulph. ac. decompose
the sulph. & wash to filter as before & 
you remove impurities. macerate in 
alcohol at the common temperature, shaking
frequently to take up the sanguinaria filter
& dissolve the remainder in more alcohol
& then as long as any is taken up put the filtered
fluid together in a retort over a common
furnace fire distil off ¾ of the bulk till
the sanguin. begins to precip. then dash in 4 times
its bulk of cold water 7 the whole will be
precipitated. This precip. washed & dried



will be pretty pure [sanguinarine]. For A.
Hayes original proc. vide sil.. chem. His
acid is a little stronger, but my process is
essentially the same. This is the best way to 
obtain most of the veg salifiable bases,
if they are insoluble in water. Sulph. ac.
supersedes all the veg. acids Sulph. quin.
may thus be procured
Sanguinarine thus obtained is at first
white but becomes brown or buff coloured
by keeping, from absorption of cab acid
as is said but if kept in sealed vial it
will undergo the same change. It has 
an acrid taste, turns turmeric brown & veg.
blues green hence an alkali If from
a precip. with tinct. galls which is a tartrate
or gallate or both of sanguinarine
Insoluble or sparingly soluble in water
Soluble in sulph ether, vinegar & alcohol
It forms coloured salts, red crimson or 
scarlet. their color is a diagnostic [none]
thus far resembling the exc. the salts of 



Strychnine & brucine. The hydrochlorate, 
sulphate, nitrate, phosph. acetate
& tartate are all used vide Silliman
The acetate is most soluble The tartrate
oxalate & hydrochl. are very soluble
The acetate is most acrid but the tartrate
is most active. Those that have the strongest
sensible qualities are most active
those that are most soluble are most speedy
in their activity
Silicate of potassa & tinct. iodine may 
perhaps be incompatible with it
It is probable that the sulphate formed by 
macerating the root, filtering & drying wd 
answer all ordinary purposes in medicine
I have tried it & it was deliquescent probably
from excess of acid
The colouring matter of the plant is the active
principle. IT a native salt with an 
unascertained acid one however which 
has great affinity with the malic & will
probably prove to be so this being the ac.


most commonly found in union with the
veg. alkalies
Potassa, soda magn. calcia ammon. & lithia
decompose the veg. salts, precipitated their loss
and render most of these bases weaker. Some
they only weaken, others they affect not at all
They weaken sanguinarine No acids weaken
it except the gallate. Hence avoid giving veg.
astring. with prep. of sanguin. The gallates
(exc. the bi gall. of veratrine) are generally 
comparatively inert
Tincture of sanguinaria, in appropriate
cases excites the secretions of the
chylopoietic viscera, liver etc. changes the 
condit. of the [secern.] & absorb. systems, resolves
atonic acute & sub. ac. infl. of the
thorac. & abdom. viseara & arthritis infl.
of muscles & joints increases the appetite
& digest. powers indirectly increases force
& frequency of pulse excites muco-purulent
secretions from bronch. mem. & the
catar. secretion & has even occasioned hem.


from the [uterus]
In larger doses it nauseates, obviates
irrit. heat & dryness of skin sometimes
occasions vomiting, burning at the stomach,
vertigo, impaired vision, reduction
of force & frequency of pulse, palpitation
& irrig. action of heart & arteries, great prostration
of strength, convulsions & stiffness
of the limbs Pushed farther if vomits & 
produces great anxiety & narcosis
It leaves the stom. & intest. in a good
condition not disturbed & irritable as after
colchicum & squills
Externally applied to eruptions it irritates,
promotes absorption & changes condition 
for the better
The decoction is a discutient in 
inflam. affections
The powder is an errhine
The tartrate of sanguinarine in
moderate doses at short intervals, allays
irritative secret. of bronch. frequency of pulse 



& cough in pneumonitis. In larger doses it
produces vertigo, cloud before the sight
dilated pupils, haggard counten. cold sw.
pulse slow & irreg. These symptoms appear
in ¼ hour & disappear in 3 hours
5 grs have produced this effect Some cannot
take ½ gr From grfs to griii is a
medium dose A. R. Terry took 20 grs
It did not vomit him
Sanguinaria sometimes prod. unpleasant
affections of head or stomach. or both destroying
the appet. & dim. the pulse. Sometimes
in such a case the tartrate will agree 
It is less emetic than the other preparation
The seeds are sd to be more narcotic
like those of datura (?) The leaves are sd to 
be active & worthy of investigation’
Hence this article is
1st deobstruent 2nd acrid narcotic
3d emetic 4th escharotic 5 errhine
As a deobstruent it is 1st cholagogue
2nd resolv. 3d expect. 4th emmena 5th anti-psoraic


6th discutient
It is neither stimulant, tonic, diaphoretic 
diuretic, sialagogue, nor cathartic
Its colog. oper. has been denied but 
it is perfectly evident & is uniform always
taking place when the violence of the disease
does not prevent it
The strong narcot. effects are produced in persons
of great susceptibility not idiosyncracy by in 30 or 40 
As a mere emetic it is inconvenient, uncertain
& ineffectual & shd be given only for
the shock & as a deobst. for the liver & lungs in certain diseases. It will not
abate entonic action, but in proper dis.
is more effectual than any other emetic 
As an escharotic is improves vitiated ulcers etc.
It is a powerful sternutatory.
Its continued used in full doses obviates
costiveness by increased flow of bile hence
it is indirectly eccoprotic. Small doses
do not cause a secretion of bile
As a deobstruent its resolvent powers
are the most important. For many years 


2nd Sanguinaria
18 Deobst.
relied on it in acute rheumatism
Its acrid narcotic effects are next in importance
Pharmaceutic preparations
1 powder of root 2d pill with [illegible] [roses]
dose 5 gr. to a pill, repeated
3d Infusion of bruised root zj to lbjs. dose
zfs to a gill as an emetic
4th Decoction same prop. infus. is better
boiling seems to injure such articles 
Dr Tally’s recipe of sanguin. for dyspepsia
modified by Dr Todd Rx coarsely powdered 
root of sanguin. ziii Ext. leont. taraxac.
zviii (thick enough to pill) Dried leaves
of eupat. perfol. zjv Ginger in powd. zii
cloves powd. zfs aq. pura lbvj
Boil all but the cloves to 3 pints then add
the cloves & 1 pt of molasses & simmer
20 minutes. This prep. is tonic
deobstruent & eccoprotic to preserve it
add ½ pt of spirit & keep in a close bottle
Found very useful in many cases. Vid p.
Diseases dyspepsia


Compound syrup of sanguinaria
Rx rad. sanguin. coarsely powdered
Rad. recent. contus. araliae racem. (spikeweed)
Pan. quinquif. (gineng) coarselypowd. aa zj
Semin. contus. anisi zii misce
Add alcohl. dilut. lbjs
Aquae ferventi lbj
Digest 6 hours in a closely covered vessel strain
through flannel & add sugar to form a
syrup. Very successful in consumpt. & cough vid. p. (cough)
These [forms] may be varied to suit cases
The following formula is much used as an emmenagogue
& is highly useful in dyspeptic cases
as a tonic deobst. & laxative 
Rx Pulv. rad. sang. zjs
Sulph. zinc & ext. aloes aa zi
muc. acac. ver. q.s ft. mas. in 120 pil. div.
Dose 1, 2, or more pill ;3 or 4 times a day falling
short of nausea & purging IT may act as an eccoprotic
Drs Beers & Hooker have used them. The
former thinks very favorably of them (1830)
The soft resin of pinus australis or strobus 


would perhaps be a better constituans than gum
arabic, as it dissolves more slowly & in this
way perhaps mor sanguin. might be borne without
producing nausea. Bals. copaib. might
also be used. Proto sulph. of iron is better
than sulph zinc. Vid. dis ([param??]) page
Officinal Preparations
Tinct. sang. Rx rad. san. cont. zii
Diluted alcohol ([illegible] spt.) lbj. If the
root is good this will saturate. Digest
10 days in a warm place & filter. Dose
as a resolvent cholag. emmen. or expect. is
30m, increased rapidly to zj or zii
Wine of sanguine Rx bruised root
zii off. alc zii wht. wine f zxiv. Dig.
10 days & filter. Dose, same as tinctures.
Properties the same. The alc. is added to 
make it keep but it will sometimes sour in 
hot weather notwithstanding
Vinegar of sang. Rx bruised root zii
off. alc. f zii purified vinegar f zxiv macerate
for a while in the vinegar, then express 



the fluid & add the alc. to make it keep
This is decidedly more active than the tinct.
as we have an acetate of sanguinarine
Purify the vinegar by filtering through animal
charcoal. This vineg. of sang. is
a valuable preparation when the stom. is weak
& irritable. To some it is more nauseous. To others
less so. Those who object to tinctures prefer the
vinegar. Dose, same as of the tincture
Tinct. of sanguin. & acorus calamus
Rx bruised root sang zii ac. calam. zj
diluted alcoh. lbj mac. express & strain
The calamus disguises the taste of the sanguinaria,
but it is perceived in 10 or 15 min.
This prep. is an effec. emmen especially 
useful when the stom. is weak & irrit. & is
less likely to do injury than the other preparations
The calamus is supposed to enhance
the emmenag effect A valuable preparation
when an aromatic united with an acrid narcotic
is wanted
Vide sage. Diseases paramus obstruct


For an acrid narcotic, deobstruent, eccoprotic
& laxative preparation
Rx bruised root sang zii aloes zii dil. alc. lbj 
An excellent emmen. when the bowels are 
torpid. If the aloes act too much add the
tinct sang. & calamus. Better without
the aloes if the bowels are not rapid vid. p.
Syrup of vinegar of sanguin.
Rx vineg sang. lbj white sugar lbj. Dissolve
by a gentle heat. Similar to the prep
of squills. Preferable to any other preparation
of sanguin if an acrid deobst & saccharine
demulc. are both indicated. It is 
one of the most elegant expectorant syrups.
Taken well by children. Shd be kept by
every practitioner
Expressed inspissated juice of root
This is more active than the tinct. or powd.
less so than the tartrate. Can be given in 
pill Deobstruent dose 2 to 3 grs. Will
undoubtedly supersede the other preparations
Bruise the recent root express & inspissate 



in the [illegible] The root yields about ½ its weight
of ext. An ext by decoct. is made by the
Shakers at N. Leb. Prof. T. has taken [48] pills
of 4 grs. each at a dose no more effect than
from bread pills
Ointment
Rx Root pulvd & sifted zii Simple cer. zviii
[Carefully] rub together & add 20m oil lemon
The ext.  might be used & less wd be required
This is good in scaly & pustular eruptions, impetigo
[illegible] vid. p. Diseases
The tartrate is the only salt prof.
T. has used. The others have nearly the same powers 
The tartr. in small doses is as liable to produce
vomiting as the root, but with less nausea. It 
does not oppress a weak stomach. In large
doses it is less likely to operate as an emetic & 
more as a narcotic. The last probably prevents
its em. oper. Worth nothing as a mere
emetic Med. deobst. dose is [1/4] to 3 gr. once in 
2 hours More than 3 grs is rarely tolerated 


By using the tartrate you get rid of the acrid
disagreeable taste. Not worth while to use the
liquid preparations. The advantages of this
form are as great as those of quinine over bark
As an external applic. for all conditioned
ulcers the powdered root is the best
They are rendered less irritable & healthy pus
is promoted
Prof. T. has succeeded better with the liquid
than the solid prep. of sanguinaria
Greater effect is produced. minute division
is of great consequence in all remedies He finds
by calculation that in acute rheum. sanguin.
in a solid form will fail in 2/3 of the cases 
while the liquid form will fail in only ¼. ‘So
too of jaundice. As an emetic the powder
is too soon thrown off & does not act on the secretion
The infusion & decoct. are to be given in the same
doses as the tinct wine & vinegar q.v.
In some cases 20 or 30m may nauseate & zi or
zii sit well. In such cases any thing that
makes a strong impression will sit well.



Dose of the compd tinctures same as of simple
Dose of compd decoction ½ gill gradually increased
to 1 gill 3 times a day Dose of
compd syrup 1 or 2 tables. f. increased to 3 
or 4 4 times a day An emetic dose of
the powder is 10 grs to zi of the dec. or inf.
zii to ziv every 10 min.
Opium is often a valuable adjuvant. It 
will prevent nausea when the deobstruent & acrid
narcotic effect is wanted, while the sanguinaria
promotes the soporific effect of the opium
They produce modified action on each other
& not the combined effect of the two. The tartrate 
is as much improved by opium as the other preparations.
Internally in severe acute diseases
of adults give 1 part opium & 3 of wine
or tinct sangjuin.
The unpleasant effects are nausea
vertigo coldness tremors etc. mentioned above
For these give stimulants, but opium is the
most useful.
The emetic powers of sanguin.



3d Sanguinaria
19 Deobst.
by age, the deobst. are more permanent
The strength of the root depends much on the soil
season when gathered etc. Collect it in the autumn
That which grows in low ground loses its powers
most by drying
Blood root was first used in Conn.
by J. [Hoadly] of Middlefield (par. of mid. town) who
employed it as early as 1755 as an emetic in croup. Dr J.
Potter of Wallingford disseminated the information
in regard to its powers, ad at that time
he had the greatest [illegible] of country practice
in this state
Therapeutic Applications
Dyspepsia with torpor, vitiated or deficient
secretions & not much exhaustion. The following
is equal to the formula already given on p.
& is more convenient. Rx Take an infusion
of some bitter tonic agreeably aromatized & 
dissolve in it q.s. of ext. of dandelion & at
the same time that he takes a dose of this but the
pat take the requisite dose of tinct. sanguin.
Marasmus some cases in children 


Jaundice moderate caes may be cured
by it as an emetic in others continue its use
good in all forms as an auxiliary. In a severe
case begin with a single full dose of calomel
& retain it 12 or 15 hours, then give full doses
short of nausea, of the tinct. sanguin. Conium
is well combined. I prefer corr. subl. in 
this disease. Take the follow. Rx corr. sub gri
ext conium 40 60 grs tinct. sang. f zi
water f ziii First dissolve the sub. in the water
Dose f ziv once ion 6 hours. Vary this formula
acc. to circumstances
Parabysma coactum conjoin conium 
Simple idiopath. conch before or after effect
has begun combine with a narcotic as conium
Dyspneal cough I have cured it perfectly 
It may return. Sometimes the tartrate has
succeeded when the other prep. have field
the pat. not being able to take enough of them
Bex convulsiva either as an emetic or as 
an acrid narc.-deobst. As an emetic it is
far better than antim. or squills


Dyspnoea exacerbans lobelia infl. with conium is
better I have arrested a part with sang. & 
op. a tables. f. may be needed
Asthma humidum a rare disease shd think
sang. wd be good wd give some tonic in the [illegible]
Atonic forms of quinsy used sometimes
by an emetic in the more modern erythem.
infl. of fauces as a gargle.
Croup of high value, chiefly as a debost.
may be used as an emetic it may be mede
to cure without vomiting The fever of croup
is synochus. Tart. emet. is a bad article
in this disease; sure to create a fever. Turpenth
min. is the best emetic
When first called I give 1-2 tables s. f. of
tinct sanguin. If this does not vomit in
the course of 10 or 15 minutes I give a 
dose of turpenth min. Push the vomiting
till the coagulable lymph is evacuated
then follow up with deobst. Give calomel
freely better that it shd not purge hence
if necessary give opium to prevent it


I have given a dram of cal. in 24 hours to 
a child 4 yrs old in this way. I know of no 
article besides calom. so important as sang.
in croup. But I do not trust to it alone
Epidemic catarrh (influenza)
Pneumonitis difft forms particularly p. notha
1st give a single full dose of cal. with opium 
then follow freely with sang. in doses of
1-3 teas. f. shd not suffer it to vomit more
than once or twice as much as this will do
no harm Not good in very low cases.
Pneumonitis subacuta
Phthisis membranosa in early stages 
Phthisis dyspeptica if not too much exhaustion
Phthisis [tuberculoris], good in early stages
good with opium in advanced stages the
greater the exhaustion the less chance of benefit
Ophthalmitis of the conjunctive I have
known a severe case of this cured in 36 hours 
by a large dose at first, & following up
with it freely Others have sent me similar
facts Also chronic cases. Though once 


I shd not have believed it, I now think ophthalmia
may be better cured by deobstruents
than by any other class of remedy
Atonic acute & subacute rheumatism. [Actea]
has now [surpassed] sanguin. with me. I gave
it as I now do actea for some years q.v.
Chronic Rheum. without much swelling & pain
I have not succeeded so well with 
Gout severe fits of it have been arrested by 
sang. given freely with opium
Dysentery give opium freely for the
pain & follow with blood root Cures like
cal. as a deobst. Do not rely on it in 
low cases
Hysteritis membranifica. Dr Woodward
of Vt has cured several cases with sanguin
gave opium freely in the paroxysms of pain
& also conjoined it with the sanguin.
Impetigo laminosa. Dr Thatcher of
Mass. has cured many cases partic. that
with scaly eruptions.
Bites & stings not much to be relied S



or in bad cases. From the earliest practice
nothing has been found better than diffusible
stimulants. This is well understood in 
India & S. Am. enough shd be given
Leucorrhea
Blenorrhea [cenodes] simplex & chronica
Paramenia obstructionis idiopathic
In this it is very valuable with suitable
auxiliaries vide the preced. formulae p.
Indolent & irritable ulcers Apply 
the powder and over that an adhesive
plaister Any indolent or irritable
ulcer may be benefitted thus.s






20 Deobst.
Styllingia sylvatica Gordon & Linn
Queen’s delight yaw weed pox root
[cock] up nut Nat. ord. Euphorbiae juss.
Root perenn. top ann. hab. pine barrens & 
sandy soils There are 3 spec. known
S. ligustrium, shrub Car. & Geo. S sebifera
native of China but naturalized on the sea shore
of the southern states, the seeds of which are encrusted
with wax, resembling that of myrica
cerifera except in colour, & used in China
for making candles S. sylv.
The root is the only part used
in medicine. It is impaired by drying 
& age, but not always in an equal degree
It has kept for 2 years & sometimes is  impaired
in 3 or 4 months
In doses short of the nauseating
point & repeated it produces more or less purging
& vomiting & is hydragogue
In sufficient quantities it will
produce vomiting. In small doses it
is eccoprotic & laxative acc. to the dose 


It increases the biliary secretion when
the liver is in a torpid state, relieves
dysthetic & cachectic diseases & [causes] cutaneous 
eruptions. It is resolvent in aton.
ac. & subac. rheum.
Primary Operations
Deobstruent acrid narcotic in a slight
degree cathartic & emetic
If given freely so as to purge
it is generally or always hydragogue & I
believe cholagogue. Unless excessive
emesis or catharsis is produced it leaves
the stomach & bowels in an improved 
state
It is sialagogue from local action
on the mouth
I do not know whether it is emmen.
duretic or diaphoretic
Diseases
Dyspepsia in cases not attended with 
atony or exhaustion of vit. energ. of stom.
but with torpor of the liver & al. canal


quite celebrated at the south & called queen’s
delight
Rheumatism sub-ac. & chronic. With proper
management & auxiliaries it will surely 
relieve acute rheumatism, but the liquid
preparations shd be used as they act more 
speedily
Struma used at the south
Lues syph & syphilosis especially adapted
to the 2d stage when merc. ceases to be useful
It is chiefly used there for this & dyspepsia
It is useful in dyspepsia from its
aromatic acrimony & from its deobst. & 
laxative & eccoprotic powers Case of
a clergyman chewed a piece of the’
root as large as a ½ cent 3 times a day
produced a little nausea at first & 
cured by persevering Might begin with 
smaller doses & increase daily
This article is probably contraindicated
in phlog. diath.
Forms of preparation tincture much 


used at the south Rx not ziv opium 
zi dil. alc. lbj digest 10 days & filter
Dose zfs 3 times a day Observe that each
dose contains 1 1/8 grs of opium
I have used the decoction or infusion. It is
probable that water is a proper menstruum
The tincture keeps better 4 or 5 years
Styllingia sylvatica has
not been properly investigated


Polygala Senaga
Hiatus 
The root is the only part used 
in medicine It is thick, irregular & contorted,
varying in size from a goose quill
to a mans finger. The cortical part only 
has power. When dry it is destitute of
smell, has but little taste at first, but 
soon begins to exhibit its acrimony, particularly
in the back part of the mouth & the
fauces
It is not injured by boiling & shd be
long boiled to obtain its greatest power
A principle, supposed to be its active 
one has been obtained by a person named
Gelen & called polygagina the accuracy 
of this analysis I do not know
There is much [contrariety] of opinion 
as to its med. powers
S. Berton calls it emetic stimulant,
diaph. cath. diuret. sialag. etc.
Big. says it is sudorif. expect.
emetic & cath. & stimulant
W.P. C. Berton & Ed. & Vav. say 


decidedly that it is stimulant. But this
stimulation is nothing but irritation
Notwithstanding all the testimony
I have never been able to obtain any 
direct diaph. operation from this article
You may produce diaphoresis by drinking
large quantities with heat etc. applied so 
you may with alcohol under the same circumstances
If you depend on it as a diaphoretic 
you will be disappointed
I have never seen any salivation
from it except by topical application
like any other irritant
It is expectorant under certain
circumstances of the system but is ill adapted
to phlogistic & low atonic diathesis
It is an efficient emmenagogue
in certain states of the system but only 
in cases of idiopathic amenorrhea
It is unquestionably an efficient
diuretic most so if given in such doses as
to purge in 2 or 3 days the diuretic effect
does not take place during the operation of 



purging, but just preceding it. It is only in 
such doses that it is an efficient diuretic
It is purgative if given in doses
short of emesis it is a hydragogue. The
substance is more likely to purge than
the infusion says Dr Ives
It is emetic. But it can never
be used as a mere emetic or cathartic. It
may be pushed to cath. or vom. for the sake
of some other operation
It is extremely liable to produce
abortion when used freely by gravid women
Primary Operations
1st mainly deobstruent 2d hydr. cathart.
3d emetic
Secondarily it is 1st resolvent 2d cholag.
3d expectorant 4th emmenag. 5th diuretic
If sialagogue it is only so occasionally.
I do not know that it is 
antipsoraic It is not diaphoretic
It is not stimulant & yet it is
contraindicated in phlog. diath 1st because



it does no good 2d it irritates & irritation
is as bad in phlog. diseases as stimulation
for aught I know, if this effect is prominent
ON the other hand it is contraindicated in low
atonic diseases, because it will if long
used produce a bad tone of the stom. & 
intest. canal
Of late years I have used it only in 
dropsy
Pharmac. Prep.
1 powder or pill 20 grs will purge
2. an infusion is mentioned but this extracts
its powers very imperfectly
3. decoction zi dried root to 1 pt. water
boiled away to ½ pt This is the rule of Dr
Archer who introduced the article into 
the medical use & I think it is the best. A
little madeira wine will remove its
unpleasant taste & irritation
4. wine z4 coarse powdd root to lbj of wine
dose 2-3 tablesp. In some cases probably 
better than the decoction



21 Deobst
5. Tincture I do not know a formula
rheum. is the only dis. I know of in which tinct.
wd be preferable
6. Syrup ziv root wat. 1 pt. sug. 1 lb
The compd syrup is used but
it has done great injury. It is in the U.S. Ph. of
1820. I have known many dyspeptic cases 
produced by it. It is called compd sys.
of squills. It used to be kept in families
in Conn. but is now exploded except in 
N. Haven. It was used in simple cough. I 
can conceive of no worse prescription for a
cough than this
Extract I think this wd be one of the
best forms. It shd be made in the mode
commonly practised when heat does not
injure. Rx To every lb of root add 8 lbs
of water. This is to be boiled to ½ & strained
through a coarse cloth. It is then to be
reduced to a proper consistence for pilling
in a water bath, to prevent its burning 


Diseases
Asthma so called i.e. dyspn. [illegible]
Ophthlamia conjunctive It is used in Eur.
in pill for acute cases of ophth. pill a bad form
Epidemic catarrh or influenza treated
successfully by drenching the pat. with it
It may be better treated by cal. op. camph. etc.
Sub acute pneumonitis is probably what
Ed. & Vav. mean by 
Paristhmitis typhodes not good in atonic
when the infl. is phlegmonoid & the fever synochus
it may be successful
[Bronchle??mitis] membranifica croup
B. S. Barton says it is very important & reposes
more confidence init than in any other article
says he uses a strong decoction (vide 
Dr Archer’s formula) shd use it till it vomits
& throws off the coag. lymph. He sometimes
uses calomel with it & sometimes ipecac
Dr T says this is undoubtedly all true as
regards the beneficial effects calomel
shd be conjoined with it. But Dr T does 


not use it now because it leaves the stom.
& bowels in a bad condition leaves a tendency
to diarrhea& destroy the  appetite
The earlier the stage of croup, the better will
be the operation of senega, before the membrane
is formed. When this is formed the
case is an unhopeful one, not on account
of the membrane, but because the infl is
so far advanced as to reach the bronchial
ramifications. Avoid bleeding by all
means if you use polygala senega for it
will prove sufficiently evacuating reducing? without
V.S. It is in the earlier stages it shd
be used & given freely in large doses.
Dr Archer gave a tea s. f. every half
hour & repeated it till it operated as
an emetic or cath. Dr Tully says
this is not a sufficient quantity
Pneumonitis typhodes v. notha P. typh.
v. sub acute & P. typh. v. arthritica are
the three varieties in which P. senega is used
It should be used in the advanced stages 


The discrepancy of opinion in respect to the beneficial
operation of this article arises from the theory
that infl. is an unit, & from want of discrimination
in different forms of diseases. It 
answers only with the not very high entonic
nor low atonic cases of pneumonitides. Bleeding
is not indicated when P. senega is. It shd be
given in the early stages & in irritative cases
only. It is applicable to the 3 forms of pneumonitis
just mentioned & will cure, but I have
pretty much abandoned the use of it in these
diseases, on the same account as in croup
blood-root & actea are better
Casteritis membranifica same objections 
Arthritis rheumatismus acute & subacute
forms that which is accompanied with redness,
pain swelling & febrile action the
more acute the better shd be given so as
to vomit & purge but other articles are better
A. rheumatalgia that form not attended
with febrile action redness or swelling
not emetic in this the tincture is best
& if large doses are wanted, add the decoction


Syphilis if not advanced so far as to effect
the constitution I do no know whether it has been
used
Rabies do not think much of it in this
Carus lethargus
Paramenia suppressionis idiopathic
decoction beginning about two weeks previous
to the usual appearance of the menses. It
is undoubtedly an emmenagogue but not a 
desirable one, there are better articles.
Many cases of amenorrhea in which this article
has been used have undoubtedly been symptomatic,
but in such cases it is bad practice 
to bring on the catamenial secretion
Hydrops thoracis abdom. & cellularis
In dropsy we have no good substitute
for this article though many article are as
good yet we require an interchange
It shd be given in decoct & in conjunction
with squill or [copaiv] in doses short of
nausea & in such quantities during
the 24 hours that not violent purging will 


take place during that time better keep
off the purging 2-3 days & then an efficient
diuretic effect will take place Some patients
require twice as large doses as others 
Bit of the rattlesnake It is undoubtedly
sometimes efficient, by drenching the pat.
with it you may cure slight cases Dr
McBride says you may cure slight cases 


Ornithogalum Squilla
O. maritimum scilla maritimum Linn. S. vulgaris
Nat. ord. [coronaride] Linn. aspholdeli juss.
hab. shores of Medit. Spain & Sicily
Scilla is Greek Squilla is Latin
P. senega & squilla are more nearly
allied to each other than to any other article
Squill is one of the few medicines used by 
the Greeks & now retained
The bulk is the part employed
& in its native countries grows to the
size of a man’s head. It shd be collected
in the autumn, after the decay of the top
It is dried in slices and diminishes about 
4/5 in the process. It shd be quickly dried
& excluded from the light & air.
In its recent state it is acrid &
intensely bitter, but destitute nearly of
smell. Said to be composed of scillatine
tannin, a small quantity a little
gum saccharine matter lignine etc.
Scillatine is supposed to be its active princ. 


it is white & friable But I am somewhat
doubtful whether it contains such a principle
Operative effects
Called by Good & others, stimulant
It is irritant
It is deobstruent expectorant
emetic, resolvent do not know exactly that it
is cholagogue, but believe it is know not
positively that it is antipsoraic, but think i
probable that it is do not know positively 
that it is emmenagogue think it probably is
I think it not directly diaphoretic, though 
I have turned my attention to that point
It is a cathartic but ineligible as such
It is said to be narcotic, I do not believe
it possesses a particle of this power
It is well known to be expectorant
Good says it does not prove
so till it begins to vomit but this is denied
by some. It however produces its greatest
expectorant effect if pushed to its greatest



22 Deobst
possible extent without producing nausea. This
is Good’s meaning. Entonic action must be
reduced & atonic raised
It is emetic but uncertain
The recent root is epispastic but there is no
evidence that the dried root is so
Squill is agreed on all hands
to b e a powerful & in many cases a valuable
medicine, but it is subject to the same objections
as senega, leaving the stom. & bow.
in a bad condition. There are but few 
cases in which some other article is not better
It shd be given conjoined with some other 
article & to get its best effects you shd
give it in doses just short of nausea push
it till this is produced, then fall short & 
continue it. If pushed sufficiently far
to produce its deobst.  effect it is extremely 
liable to purge too much. As a general’
rule those deobstruents are best
which do not purge or vomit.


Primary Operations
1. deobst. 2. emetic rarely used as such
3. hyd. cath. not often used as such
4. epispastic recent root
Secondarily it is
resolvent, expectorant diuretic 
probably cholag. & emmenag. not diaphoretic
not narcotic not known to be antipsoraic
Pharmac. Preparations
1. Substance, in powder or pill E & Vav. say
the dose is 10 grs This is too much from ½ gr
to 2 grs is suffic. as a medium dose in powder
This should be an extemporaneous prescription 
as if kept in pills it soon loses its power
2. Wine 3. Tincture 4 oz to pt. better
made of diluted alcohol
4th Acetum sq. 4 oz. off. alc. f zii acet. f zxiv
5th Syrup vineg of sq zii 3bls clarified
honey or 3 ½ lb of sugar
Therap. Applic.
Icterus vulgaris not the most eligible not
when there is irritability of stomach 



Bex convulsiva useful by its deobst. operation
other articles are better
Dyspn. exac. asthma [siocum] & A. humidum
paroxysms are said to be arrested by it
I usually give a full dose of the syrup of 
squills ½ to 1 teas. f. (1. tea s.f. wd be large)
conjoined with a full dose of opium & repeated
the squills once in 10 min. in smaller
doses, till it relieves, vomits, or runs off by 
the bowels but there are much better
articles the lobelia infl. is far preferable
Pneumonitis when the entonic diathesis is
reduced it may be used in a case atonic
from the outset (P. typhodes ver. notha) it
may be used at the outset so too in P. 
typhodes var. sub-putrida
Tubercular affections say E. & Vav.
probably meaning tuberc. phthisis may 
possibly do in the early stages
Hydrops cellularis thoracis & abdominis
are the diseases in which squill 
is most valuable. It must be managed 



as P. senega give as large quantities as
possible without nausea It shd be given conjoined
with something else may be combined
with senna calomel, digitalis, cantharides etc.
the combination being varied acc. to 
circumstances & the habits of the patients
the general rule is the same as for P.
senega calomel frequently enhances 
the operation of these articles.


Dirca Palustris Linn.
Moose wood leather wood Nat. ord. [Thymellum]
Belongs to the same group of deobstruants? as daphne mezereon
The bark & seeds are used
The acrid principle is most effectually extracted
by boiling in alcohol in a Florence
flask (over a lamp) loosely stopped & not
continued very long (or you will lose the alc.)
& filtering. If this is evaporated it will give
an extract equal in weight to 1/24 of the bark
in substance. This alcoholic extract is
the best preparation & the bark in 
substance next.
The other preparations are
medicinally inert they however extract the
bitter principle & are tonic
Of the recent bark 6 or 8 grs
produce heat int eh stomach & after
some time vomiting. 10 grs are powerfully 
emetic & sometimes cathartic
The fresh root bark? moistened in
vinegar will vesicate in 36 hours & 



prove a rubefacient in 24 hours
The fruit is an acrid narcotic
producing nausea vertigo, stupor, dilated
pupils & insusceptibility
This article is emetic, cathartic,
epispastic & the fruit at least is narcotic
but it is not proper for either effect merely 
It is more useful as a deobstruent & 
when this effect is contraindicated, dirca is
of little use
It has been employed in numerous
diseases
Dyspepsia supposed to act by its tonic
power probably it acts by its tonic & acrid
excitant power better adapted to cases of torpor etc.
Coprostasis with torpor
Diarrhoea certain kinds
Parab. coact. of liver & spleen a substitute
for daphne & sarsaparilla highly spoken of
Simple & [illegible] cough considerable reputation
cases accompanied with relaxation of
bronchial membrane & irritation of excessive 


secretions of mucus Drs Woodd & Hale speak highly of it
Spasmodic cough dyspneal & in sequel
of hooping cough
Dyspnoea chronica palliative nothing
will cure except galvanism
Asthma humidum good
Pneumonitis connected with erythematic inflammation 
& peripneumonia notha. Especially 
adapted to arthritis phlogotica
Membranous phthisis Dr Woodd of Vt. has
long used it. He takes zii of the recently
dried bark boiling water lbjfs let it stand
at a scalding heat in a close vessel 1 or 2
hours till it has dried away to lbj this
prep. will be but little acrid, in considerably 
bitter & somewhat mucilaginous
he gives 1 pt in 24 hours, in very frequent
moderate doses, that it may not
distend the stomach & may keep up a 
continued action. He considers it a deobst.
checking the profuse secretions changing & improving
their quality & obviating laxity
Struma to be continued sometime Palsy chlorosis
leucorrhea dropsy as an auxiliary acrid & not as
a diuretic Cutaneous eruptions particularly scaly 


Leontice Thalectroides Linn
Blue cohost pappoose root blake snake root
& hence mistaken for Actea racemosa
Nat. ord. Barberideae jussieu
The root is the only part supposed to be medicine.
If chewed an acrimony is perceived which continues 
some time
Operative effects
In moderate 
quantities with diuretic regimen it proves diuretic
It is emetic nauseating & vomiting actively if freely 
given I have never seen catharsis or narcosis
from it. I suspect it is narcotic
Its primary operation is probably 
deobstruent being adapted to cases of
pneumon. typhodes with little exhaustion
It is used in decoction zii coarse powd root to 
lbjs water boil lbj & strain
The tincture is also used. Rx ziv rec. dried root
off. alc. lbj dose zi
Some recc. the powder of the root in teas. f. doses
Diseases colica ileus [paristhnati] atonic
I suppose croup 2d stages given like
senega Celebrated in rheumatism in tinct. what
form is not mentioned aphtha 
decoction Hysteria strong infusion
Epilepsy contind use in the intervals
Param. obstr. (I presume idiop.) celebrated
Leucroohea highly recc.
Blenorrhea cerodes much celebrated
Dropsy recc. This article requires further
investigation. Its powers are not yet settled
























































7
Materia
Medica










1st Deobst      1
Iodine
Sources 1st The ocean 2d certain springs
as Saratoga & [illegible] 3d spec. of silv. ore
from Mexico 4th in peat 5th Several marine
plants 6th certain zoophytes as sphargia off. & 
perhaps others & in [gorgones] 7 Some of the naked
& testaceous mollusca It is found
in the plants salsole kali & soda Testera marina
triglochin. mar. eryugium marit.
atriplex several species of [fuce] F. vesicalosus,
palmatus etc. ulva sedia? Dipsacus
[fullo???] Found in zoophytes in 
ostricae? etc.
Spongia off. this is classed among the zoophytes
shd be burnt by a smothered fire iodine 
is formed many suppose it exists in the form 
of iodide of sodium its med. powers are
owing to iodine.
Fucus reticulosus (a bladder wrack) affords
the most iodine of the fuci & is more
powerful than sponge
Fucus helminthocorton Bonaparte before
being emp. first called attention 


to this which is abundant in Corsica. It is 
the most active of all the fuci. It was given
in Corsica for worms, in decoc, infus. or syr.
It is most active when burnt
Iodine when given in moderate
doses & in appropriate cases & carefully 
watched will
1st moderately augment the appetite & digestive
powers & increase muscular & arterial
strength, but not in a degree sufficient for its
use as a tonic in cases of mere exhaustion
2nd It will gradually effect a resolution 
of acute subacute & chronic inflammations
and gradually remove morbid enlargements
of the glands, particularly the thyroid 
the mammae testes & ovaria. It will cure
many of the lepidotic eruptions. It will
increase the cetamenial secretion when
deficient & restrain it when excessive
3 In lean persons it will increase the 
deposition of fat in the cell. substance, & 
in the corpulent it will diminish it


Dr S. B. Woodward has seen erythema
vesiculare the same as from merc. or 
arsen. produced by a long continued use
of iodine in a single case. It disappeared
or withdraw in the article & applying ac. lead
It has been alledged that it will 
cause absorption or diminution of the mammae
& testes when perfectly healthy Majendie
never witnessed such an effect
neither has Elliotson who used it 18 mo.
(in one case?) The latter says, we must
suspend it when it purges, nauseates or produces
pain. The evidence on the subject of 
this absorption is by no means sufficient.
The effect has only been observed
in Switzerland where the article has been 
used extensively & inordinately in bronchocele.
Diseased glands are far
more susceptible to its influence. I 
have seen a diseased testicle reduced by 
it in a case of sarcoma medull. A part
of it pared away with a scalpel.


In inordinate doses iodine produces
great irritation & exhaustion. The most common
effect of one however is gastrodynia
Opium is the only effectual remedy for this
gastrod. & the disease will yield 
if regularly continued
The remedies for inord. doses are narcotics
hyscyam. conium but above all opium
Opium shd be given in combination
with iodine. I have thus combined
it for several years Laudanum acts on 
the iodine, but opium acts after the iodine 
has taken effect then it is wanted
Begin with iod. in small quan & 
increase gradually & contin. 3 mo. if a
cure is not effected before A less time
would not be a fair trial. If unpleasant
sympt. occur suspend it or diminish
the dose
Like calomel it requires a certain 
range of the system to obtain its specific 


effects. If there be too great irrit. conjoin
opium digitalis or conium
The test that it has been continued a sufficient
length of time is the cure of the disease
or the failure to produce beneficial effects
If it does not destroy the appetite & digestive
powers & musc. strength, while at the same
time it improves the case it shd be continued
It requires large doses to produce dangerous
effects. Under judicious management they
 very rarely occur
When we enter on a full & continued
use of iodine opium shd be conjoined with it 
in all cases But the opium shd be given in 
substance This is a perfect preventive of
all its bad effects With opium more
iodine can be taken & thus its power is
heightened by the combination. Iodine
is contraindicated in entonic, atonic or even
irritative cases unless the state is relieved
by appropriate remedies


The primary effects of iodine are
1st Deobstruent 2d Tonic 3d Epispastic
perhaps also cathartic, for with me it has
always had that effect, when given freely,
perhaps in the same manner as cinchona
The secondary effects of its deobst.
power are 1st Resolvent 2d Antispsoraic
3d Emmenagogue 4th Discutient
The tonic oper. of iod. is probably indirect
Pharmaceutic Preparations
1st Substance into pills I do 
not think this very eligible
2d Alcohl. tinct. 3d Ether of iodine
4th Ointment 5th Plaister
1st Pills of iod. are made in Europe
with powd. liquorish or gentian & syrup
of sugar. Dose gr fs morning & evening. This
does is too small. If you give the subst.
I think the iodides are best, as of pot. or soda
2 Tinct. is the best form
Rx Iod: grs 48 to alc. off. zi I think there 


must be a mistake here. I could never 
make zi of alc. dissolve more than 24 grs
You shd know the sp. gr. of your alc. or you 
will have variable preparations. Our best alc.
is of .835 sp. gr. Of this mixture 20 m
will weight (equal?) [illegible] Dose of this 2-30 
m 3 or 4 times a day I have used it for 6 
yrs. At first it had no effect. I then increased
the dose & it had the desired effect.
The French used pure alcohol. To make the
tinct. put the articles together & shake; they 
unite by solution immediately Rx alc. (sp. gr. 
.835) zi & iod. grs 24. Perhaps
the tinct. shd be recently prepared & the 
bottle perfectly tight, for it at length deposites 
crystals on the bottom whose nature
however is not perfectly settled.
3d Ether of iodine I have never seen it 
used It should be a saturated solution & 
the dose shd contain gr i of iod. [illegible] is variable
triturate wd, with lard. But this is too 
soft when applied to the body as it will 




melt & run down.  I make it thus Rx
the requisite quantity of iod. & a little cerate
& rub thoroughly in a mortar then add the rest
Make it extemporaneously the strength pro r
re nata. I have used it a good deal. The 
proper strength is zfs – zii to zi cerate
Melting together wd volatilize the iodine
As this ointm. leaves a stain continuing till the cuticle comes off apply to parts
exposed to view an oint. of iod. pot. or soda
Compounds of iodine 1st acidum
hydriod. the only one known with hydrog.
It is said that this ac. will dissol. an addit. por. of iodine
2d Protiodides & periodides of potassium & sodium & 
periodide? of protoxide of zinc & mercury 
Their powers are disputed Some say the protiodides
& others the periodides are the strongest.
I think that iod. preserves its powers
unchanged in composition & that the compds which
contain most iod. are the strongest It is
not so with mercury
Protiodide of potassium was long called
hydriodate of potassa & scrof soca, but s



2nd Deobst
there is abundant proof that the hydracids do
not form salts with oxides All agree that in the
dry state they are iodides. This compd is in 
opaque milky cubes. It is deliquesc. dissolves
in 1.43 part of water & 5 of alcohol
Periodide of potassium 2 iod. + 1 pot.
Majend. says it is less powerful than the port-iod.
I do not think so, but think the periodides
the strongest All are used in pill
in sol. in wat. & in tinct. Pure iod. is
the best for internal use. Protiodides of zinc
& merc. may be exceptions, as the metals are
powerful & the compd may united the properties 
of each I do not know whether this is the 
case. It should be enquired into
The iodides are less active than 
pure iodine. Of course you require a greater
quantity to obtain greater strength, as sometime
you want a caustic & sometimes only 
a rubefacient. Vary the strength of your plaister
accordingly.
Iodine is more powerful, given in 
an empty stomach, but liquids food? make it sit well


There are two iodides of calcium employed
in medicine, though the books acknowledge
but one.
Therapeutic Application
Dysphegia constricta
Limoris dyspepsia with atony & in great irritab.
of stom. & aff. of liver & no derangement
of the bowels. Yet opium? is better in such cases
Case connected with coryza chronica I improved
the appetite & digestion & increased the bile
Colica callosa & proctica callosa (stricture of
the rectum) very serviceable in early stages when 
they are more sequels of colic ileus I have cured cases
Parabysmata shd be administered with conium
Buboes syphilitic & others & many of a 
strumous origin I have cured by [discussion]
Here the ointment of protiodide of merc. shd be used
When Good wrote of iodine it was not as well known
Asthma humidum said to have been cured by it
Dysentery with no febrile action but bring 
discharges & tenesmus I conjoin opium
Ophtlalmitis strumosa 


Purulent ophthalmia of infants Dr Fuller
of Columbia says he has often cured by an internal
use of iodine
Strumous infl. of the glands of the neck
also of axilla & groin of a strong hardness
In such cases there are neuralgic pains & 
sometimes diarrhoea if so give opium If no 
diarrh. give conium & if debility, quinine
Gout used in France with opium
freely & as is said with great success also
externally. It acts like colchicum. Conjoin
stimulating remedies
Acute rheumatism think it would be useful 
have known it gradual but certain benefit in
chronic stage when acute conjoin conium
It may be used externally & internally
Phlogotica in general atonic ac. & subacute
I think it wd be of service
Struma vulgaris & mesenterica (Majendi)
Old scrofulous ulcers & glandular enlargements
L. mesenterica is cured by iodine
Phthisis (it is of the following form 1st Membranific
2d Strumous or tuberculous 3d Apistematous 



4th Hemorrhagic not necessarily attended with hemor. from 
the lungs, it may be from some other part but most commonly
from the lungs it leaves the part from which it 
comes a weak spot, slight causes renew the hemorr.
& the pat. runs down not mentioned in books
5th Laryngical phth. the lungs in a pretty good 
condition it is an aff. of the mm. of the larynx occurs
most commonly among those of strumous habits
& is undoubtedly connected with such habits
Iodine is said to have effectually cured
Laryngeal phthisis shd be accomp. with con.
Membranific hysteritis not considered
of much consequence except during the catom. 
period then give cal. & op. During the
intervals a free use of iod. & con. will cure it.
(N.B. membranific infl. are of the fauces, trachea,
lower intestines, bladder & uterus this
kind of infl. often occurs)
Mesenteritis strumosa has been cured
with first stages but when advanced it
is incurable. In order to judge of the progress
of the disease notice the function of
nutrition. if this be disturbed the dis. is far advanced 



Dysenteria chronica Dr Brera says he
has cured it with iodine there is no such dis.
the cases are mere sequels of acute dysentery & 
there are undoubtedly ulcerations & chronic
thickenings of the m.m. of intest. with savious
discharges, but this is not dysentery
White swellings of the knee, ankle & elbow
have been often cured by iod exterrn. & intern.
when amputation has been advised
Bucmemia tropica (not the same as sperganosis)
shd be used exterm. & intern.
Lues syphilis & syphilodes Iod & con. will cure
Exangia varis (varicose veins) sd to have been cured
Sarcoma S. medullare (F. Haematodes)
correctly described in the books. I believe
iod. obviates in some cases the general affection 
of the system & then the topical aff. disappears
The F. haemat. if not situated in a gland appears
at first in a small tumour & is vascular
if in a gland, it puts on a milky appearance.
It destroys life by inanition from 
loss of blood the pat. becomes cachectic
Case situated in the testis made a free 



use of iod. & con. The deobst. have more power
in such insulated glands than when the fungus
is situated among the muscles
Sarcoma schirrosum take for cancer of 
fem. breast it is more easily extirpated without
danger of return. The latter (true cancer)
begins on one side of the nipple, draws in the
nipple & becomes a phagedenic ulcer. The sarcoma
schirrosum is a tumour & appears to be
a topical disease, while the card. vulg.
is a constitutional one. Hence the applic. to 
the former shd be topical & sufficiently strong
to destroy the part if the vitality of the part is destroyed
you shd not apply the knife to remove
it the absorbents will do this with less
disturbance to the system.
Carcinoma vulgaris of Good cancer
of fem. breast. Here iod. has cured. Dr
Cogswell of Hartf. used iod. of potassium externally 
& con.  & iron internally for 8-10 weeks
In the early stages too early for the knife 
iod. cures by resolution in the latter, when 


the knife wd do no good, it cures by sloughing.
In other states I think it not so useful
Carcinous tumours, when cured by a judicious
use of iod. by sloughing are less likely 
to return than when removed by the knife
While applying the caustic give at the same
time e3xt. con. cinchona, iron wine or
opium In the first place, if the health is
low improve it & use the caustic in such a
way as not to enfeeble the powers of life.
More may be done by the internal use of 
medicine than usually is. The writings of
Storck are well worth reading on this subject
There is a choice in caustics for cancers
You shd adapt the strength of the caustic to 
the strength of the vitality of the part. Use
at the same time antirritant & supporting
remedies. Apply the caustic slowly & gradually 
Epilepsy this has also been cured
Chorea also]
Parapsis acris probably prurigo too
Hydrops abdominis thoracis & ovarii
Hydrops articuli dropsy of a joint 



Vitiated & obstinate ulcers of the leg, not
connected with varicose veins. I have often
used iod. successfully in them. Horizontal
posture & bandaging shd be conjoined Iodide
of potassium in solution or in ointment, but not
to prove caustic. Smart vomiting with turpeth
mineral previous to topical application
has been found useful. With this treatment they wd heal
Eutasia loxia (wry neck) Prof. Smith
cured many cases of wry neck from rigidity of
one or more muscles, with iodine
Leucorrhea senescentium very obstinate
said to have been cured by an injection 
of solution of protiodide of calcium. You 
shd inject 3 or 4 times a day. It will cure
in about a week or fortnight.
Leucorrhea communis has often been cured in this way
Chlorosis inops (green sickness)
Paramenia difficilis & obstructionis, when
idiopathic have often been cured by iod. & 
particularly in leucophlaegmatic habits
Iodine is an excellent substitute for iron &
is said to be the best emmenagogue 


3d Deobst
known in Po. obstructionis. Immense mischief
is often done by emmenagogues Remove the general
disease & then the suppression will be removed.
It is best that the discharge shd be 
suppressed till the disease is cured Iodine iron?
myrrh & veg. tonics & opium in such cases
restore the health and then the suppression 
will be removed of itself
Scaly eruptions You shd ascertain
whether they are constitutional or local if
local the topical applic of iod. may cure if
constit. the intern. use of iod may cure
Lepidosis pityriasis var. vesicular 
in this nit. silver is a very effectual remedy
Lepidosis psoriatis iodine & con. have
cured many very inveterate cases
Lepidosis ictyhiasis shd think iod. might
cure this too. IT is however a very obstin. dis.
Ecpyesis impetigo called salt rheum
(but salt rheum means everything) I have 
often cured with this but it is apt to return
You should keep curing it till the [tendency]
to return is subdued. It is worse in winter


than in summer. It is sometimes irritable
and will irritate & ulcerate. Now this state
of irritation shd be overcome before you apply
the remedy. Many phys. fail in curing
these eruptions & ulcers so long as the irritable
state continues you cannot cure
Overcome this by antirritants & then use iodine
Ecpyesis impetigo var. herpetica. Depends
on a deranged state of the digestive
functions & arsenic if persisted in is a 
sure remedy for it. Continue it 6 mo. if
necessary. A less time will hardly be a fair
trial. Shd think iod. might be of service
Ecpyesis porrigo several varieties 
that which covers the head with a crust
must have that soaked off before applying 
the iod
In my opinion most of the cutaneous eruptions
are capable of being cured by iod
externally if topical & internally if constit.
Conium shd be conjoined
Bony tumors incipient osteosarcoma
case of Dr Barry (vide my notes)


Iodine is perhaps applicable to as great
a range of dis. as merc. It stands at the
head of deobst. & shd be tried farther
in secondary syphilitic affections
Bromine
Possesses the same powers as iodine in a 
less degree 60 gtts are sd to be fatal
Bromide of potassium
Stands in the same relation to bromine as
iodide of pot. to iodine Has been used
Deuto bromide of potassium
Said to cure syphilis & primary syphilitic 
ulcers & to prevent the constitutional aff.
Bromine possesses the same assemblage
of properties as iodine but in a 
less degree & may be a substitute


Chlorine
Its medicinal powers even to this time
are not fully understood
Its effects are those of a weak
deobstruent compare with those of iodine
& bromine. It is supposed to be slightly tonic
Its common form is solution in water
2 vol. [illegible] to 1 water shd be kept stopped tight
Dose from zfs to zi a day is thought to be
sufficient. I think it too small
Diseases Dyspepsia
Jaundice Cutaneous eruptions
In syphilis I have found it a deobstruent
It is used in dyspepsia both externally 
& internally
Calcium & Sodium (Savage)
Chlorides of Lime & Soda?
chloroxides of calcium & sodium
Erythem. infl. of the fauces in roaslia It is
said they act as deobstruents taken internally
They are most valuable as external applications
to ill conditioned ulcers. Labarraque’s
disinfect. liq. is the best form as being most soluble


There is no proof of the disinfecting power
of any of these preparations. Coldwell quoted
on disinfection etc. vide my notes
Nitric muriatic & nitirc chloric acids
These are weak deobst. compared with iod.
& bromine & about equal to chlorine. The
same laws are applicable to them
Said to be tonic also to be refrigerant
Diseases lues cachetic dis. & in short
the same as under chlorine. They are mere
auxiliaries
Chlorides of Barium, Calcium 
& Gold & the salt formed by 
the chloride of gold as an acid & the chloride
of soda. Chloride of calcium
was many years ago introduced as a remedy 
for scrofula, in small doses just large enough 
to fall short of producing pain after taking
take 3 times in 24 hours & persevered in 
for a considerable time It is said to be
tonic. I have never seen this effect I have
commonly conjoined vegetable tonics with it 


Thus used it is good in stouma, in aff. of mesenteric 
glands etc. in short in about the same
dis. as chlorine. This salt is found in the shops
Dissolve it in twice its weight in water & you have
the liquid Chloride of barium
requires less doses Excessive doses produce
tormina, pain in the stomach etc.
Chloride of gold is more active than either
& requires a less quantity. The best form is
chloro aurate of chloride of sodium, mentioned
above
These all increase the biliary & urinary
secretion


Protoxide of Mercury
Peroxide of merc. sub-nitrate of m. red precipitate
proto-chloride of merc or
corrosive sublimate & chloro-hydrarguret
of ammonia or white
precipitate These all are deobstruent & 
possess no cathartic powers. In this respect
they differ from calomel in operation
& also in that being applied externally they 
produce
Red prec. & corr. sub. do not produce
ptyalism unless the pat. is very susceptible
They have the preference therefore 
when a mere deobstruent effect is wanted 
1st Corrosive Sublimate
When there is dryness of the mouth in 
dyspepsia or in chronic diseases, corr. sub.
in 1/8 gr. doses When there is colliquative
sweating in typhus corr. sub. has proved
very effectual in suppressing it Rx corr. sub.
zfs alcoh. 1 pt sometimes a little calomel
This is applied as warm as the pat. can 
bear it, under the bed clothes, to exclude the 


air 2 to 5 times a day. It will dry the skin
& suppress the sweating
Corr. sub. is also used as an emetic in croup
in small doses at short intervals it changes the
secretions & excites the absorbents so as to cure
the disease it is given at such short intervals
as to produce quick vomiting
It is given for cutaneous diseases, with tonics
& com. mac. And with tonics of com. mac.
it excites the biliary secretions & changes the
state of the chylopoietic viscera, in dyspepsia,
better than calom, or any other article
In atonic cases of fever which become chronic
& when the secretions are deranged corr.
sub. in doses of 1/8 gr. 3 or 4 times a day is
very effectual in obviating the condition of 
the system. IT in short will produce the
desired effect when the system is below
the range of action for calomel
In peristhmitis typhodes in p. membranifica 
& in rosalia corr. sub. is an emetic
in the following form


6th Deobst.
Rx for a child 5 to 15 yrs old corr. sub. gr j
hydrochlorate of ammonia gr ji mucil. of
acacia zi aqua pura sufficient to
Dose a teasp. f. once in half a
hour? as an emet. once in 4 h. as a deobst.
Corr. sub. is frequently used
as an injection in to abscesses to promote healthy
granulations & healing
It has been the practice in N. York to rely
on this article in the cure of syphliis
Topically applied it will easily cure
chancres. I have succeeded perfectly 
in curing buboes by inject. corr. sub.
A course of purging for some
length of time with mercurials will produce
amenorrhea Corr. sub. has done it
2nd Red precipitate. Its uses are
very much the same as those of corr. sub.
except that it is not so soluble
In Blenorrhea, when there is continued
discharge from the urethra & tenderness
of the testis. I have cured by red prec. internally



It shd be combined with opium
From ¼ to ½ gr is a medium dose & 1 gr of
opium. Give about 3 times a day. I have
succeeded perfectly in this way. This treatment
shd be continued some time after the 
complaint is cured or it may return
The ointment of this article is
very good. It is bad as prepared in the
pharmacopoeia. Shd not be made with 
heat, to prevent changing [illegible]
Rx Reduce it to a perfectly fine powder
Its colour will be changed to orange yellow,
but the composition will not be changed
When so reduced, incorporate it with the
cerate & let the strength be as occasion
shall require. It is valuable in porrigo
& impetigo laminosa about the fingers
& back of the hands. Washes? of red prec. will
cure. It is better in porrigo but if the
ulcers are irritable & sore this state shd be
previously obviated
3d Chlorohydrarguret of ammonia
Rx white prec. zii corr. sub grs x oil of lemons mxii
white cerate zii rub together For porrigo, impetigo
etc.


Of late years I have substituted red prec. & 
corr. sub. for cal. They are the best preparations
for syphilis, being equally certain, 
more speedy & not producing salivation
I have not used cal. or the protoxide for 
12 yrs in syphilis. I think corr. sub. the
most eligible but red prec. is just as powerful.
They are better also in jaundice except 
as a cathartic at the commencement
I think their use might be extended to other
diseases. I would not used them in fevers
though some have used them here instead of
calomel & blue pill. May be used as emetic 
In rosalia it succeeds but I prefer bi-per.
sulph. copper


Dis-oxide of Mercury
Blk oxide protoxide “Blue Pill”
Mercury cannot be so well oxidated mechanically,
even by a steam engine as in London,
but that some globules will remain.
Boiling cal. with quicklime is faulty
But the blk oxide can be formed with carb.
pot. perfectly pure protoxide of merc. will
then be the only insoluble product.
Rx calom. & carb. pot. aa zfs add 1 pt of
distilled water & f ziii off. alcohol. The latter
expedites the precipitation of the protoxide.
Dry the sum & keep excluded from the light 
The cal. & carb. pot. shd be first carefully triturated
In this manner all the merc. is oxidized & the
product cannot be distinguished in its operation
from calomel, in power or quality.
½ a gr. is enough for a pill & as strong
as 1 gr. of the blue pill of the pharmacopoeias
For merc. ointment also this method
is better & then add lard in proper proportions
but less than the pharmac. vide Paris
s


Calomel
(additional to my notes)
By speedy sublimation a dull
white semitransparent cake is obtained. By 
a slow, it crystallizes in 6 sided acicular
crystals. It is important that the practitioner
shd know that this is the best form. It phosphoresces
in the dark (by rubbing?) When it 
is rubbed between two pieces of glass it
will scratch them & hence it is distinguished
from corr. sub. Light & air turn it 
brown Nitric acid dissolves it,
changing it into corr. sub. Pure alkalies
decompose it, forming carbonates 
This fact shd be known (though the cathartic
& deobst. powers are not altered) as
some practitioners make it into pills with
soap. Chlorine changes it into corr.
sub. Boiled with sal. ammoniac it
changes into metallic mercury & corr. sub.
does so by boiling with perchloride of sodium 





The symptoms which precede actual ptyalism
are a cupreous taste in the mouth more
or less distention of the gums, a sloughy white ness & 
slight erosion of their margins soreness & slight
feeling of looseness in the teeth a peculiar fleecy
appearance of the tongue, a peculiar fetor
of the breath usually called mercurial
Thus far the effects of mercury may be 
remedial without amounting at all to disease.
But if farther pushed the severe disease
called ptyalsimus acutus var. hydrargyratus
will follow characterized
by heat, irritation & soreness in the mouth 
swelling of the salivary glands tongue & throat
profuse secretion of saliva ulceration of the
inner part of the gums, cheek, tongue & throat
irritation of the whole system loss of appetite
soft frequent & weak pulse and a peculiar
affection of the skin called erythema
vesiculare var. hydrangyratum
There is ptyalism not produced
by merc. which is an idiopath. dis about
as much but epidemic as puerperal fever 



If the affection is severe opium must be
relied on more than any other single remedy
It diminishes all the secretions but that of the
skin. (if given in single full doses at long
intervals it will produce torpor of the
liver) It must be given regularly about
4 doses in 24 hours. For the secondary stages
a watery solution of opium is very good as
a wash, but sometimes it irritates (add
camphor then? Savage) Even in these cases
however it is good internally
The most useful local applic. I know 
of is nit. silver. It allays irritability. Begin 
with it weak & increase apply
4 times in 24 hours It is often 
useful to change the washes The pat. wishes
to take something frequently into his mouth
I have not found demulcents of much use
they contribute to keep up the relaxation
of the muc. mem. of the mouth



Erythema vesiculare var. hydrargyratum
Perhaps not distinct from var. corrosivum
for I can perceive no difference Eczema
rubrum of Bateman Hydrargyria of many authors
called also e. mercuriale supra
mercuriale (Carmichael) E. mercuriale (Dr [illegible])
All the erythematu are attended
with minute vesicles visible with a magnifier,
except e. fugax of Bat. & Wil no called
erythema by others. Erythema & erysipelas I consider perfectly synonymous
The aff. called erysipelas is
classed by many among the exanthematia
This is an error. It is primarily an erythematic 
infl. of the membranes of the brain which 
is clearly denoted by the symptoms, such as
tendency to coma delirium, peculiar
headache etc. These symptoms indicate it
at first and they are precisely the same
as when the affection arises from injury of
the scalp etc. The disease is primarily an 
erythematic cephalitis When there is an
erythema of the viscera, erythema of the 


[illegible] Deobst.
surface follows in two or three days.
Erythem of the brain may occur without an
eryth. of the face. This aff. then is not an exanthem.
Erythematic infl. of the fauces
not rosalia is followed in two or three
days by a rubefaction on the neck. Erythematic
infl. of the stomach intestines & 
‘liver is followed by an erythema of the
extremities. Erythematic infl. of the face
alone may exist, the brain not being affected.
This is a trifling disease & must not be
confounded with erythema cephalitis. There
is no headache, not burning pain, not 
coma, no calor mordax This aff. however
may spread over the scalp and at
length affect the brain. Others agree with
me in this opinion
Sun burns, scalds caustics etc.
produce an erythema
The first degree of the
e. vesic. var hydrarg. is confined to the
tender parts under the arm elbow & 
knee & is produced by the application 


if citrine ointment (pernitrate of merc.)
for the cure of itch. It yields readily 
to ablutions & datura ointment. Sometimes
mingling carb. lead with datura ointment
hastens the cure I have lately used with
benefit lotions of inf. of digitalis
Citrine ointment shd be made with
heat, that one of the pernitrates may 
be formed. If the merc. & nit. acid be
mingled at once in the cold one of the
protonitrates is formed not the di-protonitrate
either, the uni-or bi-protonitrate
The protonitrate differs as much in power 
from the pernitrate as the protoxide & 
peroxide or protochloride & parchloride
The citrine ointment shd be one of the per-nitrates
with lard hence the difference of opinion
respecting its power. I have
found those who apply heat in making it
succeed best with it though they do so only with 
the view of expediting the process. If
kept also a long time in the lard the citrine 



ointment never will abstract oxygen & 
reduce the merc. to a protonitrate.
Citrine ointment, used freely produces
an erythema which is perfectly local & 
gives no inconvenience. I used to prescribe 
it for scabies.
In the cure of the universal
erythema (vide my notes) I have also used
brandy with advantage. Wine is preferable
if it does not sour on the stomach (to prevent’
this add spice & carb. amm. Dr I.
Sav.) notwithstanding the direction
to give nothing stimulating. Cinchona is
very important next to opium. Ablutions 
of warm milk & water may be used just to 
wash off the discharge. Cinch. & sarsaparilla 
are given in the latter stages
The sarsap. shd not be boiled merely 
pour on boiling water & let it stand an
hour. Cinch. & sulph. quin. & 
sarsap. are highly useful in ptyalism
The sarsap. is a highly useful gargle
in ptyalism


Mercurial rheumatism I a 
case where ac. merc. was given for 12 or
18 mo. merc. rheum. came on emaciation
greasy sweat, oil appearance of the skin
paralysis of the lower extremities. It was a
bad case. Opium relieved.
Actaea wd probably do goo but it wd
not cure so summarily as in other varieties
for there is very frequently a marasmus
Arsen. ac. is more useful with op. than
any other article. Alternate it with sub.
quin. Amm. & camphor are important
remedies. High stimulation will 
prevent the ill effects of exposure to wet & 
cold after the use of calomel.
The rheum. from sulphur & 
from merc. is common in the U.S.
Therapeutic applic. Odontia
dentitionis var. lactantium Cal. is a 
valuable article but judgment is required
not indicated in all cases. [Four]
abuse cal. or giving too much where 


one falls short. Much mischief is done
by purging with cal. in dentition according
to the Eng. books It is villainous practice
One full dose retained by op. 12-15 hours may
do more good than a dozen purges One cath.
is enough it may be continued in eccoprotic
doses for a few days in many cases. Antirritants
are necessary at the same time. Some
prefer protoxide in these cases. I did not
first but have changed my opinion. There
is no perceptible difference for cal. is given
in doses 3 or 4 times too large


Pure Veg. Deobstruents
Leontodon Taraxacum
A pure, but moderate & mild deobst. has
no other power. All parts are active but
the root is most so. The forms are decoct.
& extract. The recent exp. juice
has been used but has no advantage.
The ext. shd be preferred, as the dec. varies in
strength of course
The books direct 2 to 4 z of decoct. 2 to 3
times in 24 h. & of ext. zfs twice a day.
This wd produce no effect. You cannot
rely on the article unless zii to ziv of ext.
are taken 3 or 4 times a day diffused in q 
wine glass of some bitter infusion. From 
using the dose in the books I was led to think
it inert, but found by pushing the article
that it was decidedly efficacious in moderate
cases. It is not unpleasant. Add sugar
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia it is recc. by the mot
respectable practitioners of Europe 



The secretions are changed by it, especially 
those of the liver. If the liver is torpid the
skin will be dry & the bowels costive. Therefore
a dry skin & torpid bowels are indications
for its use, provided the vital energies are
not so much exhausted that it wd offend
from its bulk & be rejected. Recc. by W. Philips
but he says it must be taken in large quantities
& when the stom. is not very weak
Jaundice. Some prefer it to every other
remedy. I know several who give cal. at
the outset & perhaps an emetic & then 
enter upon the decoction alone In mild cases
it will effect a cure, but I prefer
conium
“Chronic infl. of the Liver” I never
say any such disease. All the cases that
I have seen of chronic hepatitis were mere
dyspepsia with tenderness under the short
ribs more frequently of the right side & in
the epigastrium. Such cases examined
after death give no traces of infl.



It is mere morbid irritability & sensibility
& is precisely the parapsis acris var. teneritudo
of Good. Such a sensation is often
experienced over the shole body after
taking cold though it has nothing to do with
catarrh. I once thought dandelion wd
cure chronic hepatitis but I mistook the case
It is said to be useful as a diuretic
in dropsy Its diuretic operation
is secondary & not very prominent
Pierson says it is not ineff. deobst.
in jaundice dropsy & the visceral obstructions


6th Deobst.
Rubia Tinctoria
R. peregrina R. sylvestria R. major erythrodium
of the Greeks & Romans rubiaciae
S. of Europe cultivated in Holland etc. & 
in America
The offic. part is the rhizoma, which is long
slender, round, articulated, rather larger than
a goose quill externally bright red yellow
in the centre. It shd not be collected
till the autumn of the third summer. Dry 
it speedily & exclude the air as it attracts
moisture
Taste bitter & rough hardly astring.
Snell slightly disagreeable.
It contains at least two coloring principles 
a red & a yellow of which the red is deposited
in the bones. Both are sd to be “extractive
matter” i.e.  soluble? in wet. & alc. By 
standing a pellicle forms on the surface of
the solution & subsides
It does not appear that the red col. mat.
which is carried into the circ. is the seat
of its med. power. What the active principle 



is is unknown. The idea is now
abandoned that veg. owe their powers to 
a combin. of all their principles. Recent
discoveries render the contrary probable
There is no proof that madder acts by being
taken into the cird. It imparts its sensible
properties to wat. & alc. & gives a rec col.
to ess. oils The red princ. tinges the
urine, milk, serum of the blood & the bone
sometimes the perspirable matter never 
the soft solids The external hard part
of the bone is first tinged & if continued,
the whole substance. By intermissions the
bones may be tinged in layers. It is said 
to colour no part where there is not phos. of
lime that being the mordant
Madder is called deobstruent & when
persevered in aperient, by which term the
old writers intended a power of promoting
the fluid secretions, as halitus of lungs
[illegible] matter & urine. In Cullen’s 


time it was applied to the promotion of the
uterine secretion. With us it often means
merely a laxative power As applied to 
madder it means that it acts on all the secretories
Some have declared that madder possesses
no med. pow. & at the same time
however called poisonous which is a 
contradiction in terms. Writers for & 
against the artic. are nearly equally divided
in respectability but not, I think in experience
It removes torpor increases the secretion
of the liver & all the gland. viscera
relieves dysthetic & cachetic diseases,
without affecting the art. system or producing
evacuations. Hence deobst.
This is Dr Ives’s opin. who also thinks it 
a certain emmen & a diuretic
Cullen though it more useful to
the dyer than the phys. It is disputed
whether it is astringent or resolvent. Parr
& Hooper call it useless. B. S. Barton 


calls it unsafe in uterine aff. particularly 
retention. Eberle says not
It is not an article of first rate
activity. It is slow & gradual but very 
certain in its effect. It is a pure
deobst. in torpor & viscid secretions, having
probably no other power
IT is used in subst. or decoct.
Dose of subst. for children 5-15 grs
for adults 20 to 60 grs 3 or 4 times a day
Probably larger doses wd be preferable
Decoct. Rx zi root to 2 or 3 pts water
& boil to 1 pt. dose f zi – fziii
3 or 4 times a day. It shd fall short of nausea
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia with visc. secr. & torp. of liv.
Dr Ives thinks highly of it
Parabysma coactum partic. of liv & 
spleen. Dr I. thinks it acts on all the [illegible] vis.
Simple idiopathic cough in the 2d
stage after expectoration has commenced



“All [pituitous] diseases of the lungs” recc.
Peripneumonia notha & catarrh in the secondary 
stages with a tendency to become
chronic & protracted & when there is danger
of membranous phthisis
Acute Dysentery rec. highly by Gerhard
Dysthetic & cachectic diseases & marasmus
atrophias var. infantum recc. by 
some & objected to by others as having a natural
tendency to produce the disease emaciation
in the healthy subject. It emaciates
animals when given to colour their bones
but there is no evidence that it wd have 
[live] this effect, properly given in disease
Cyrtosis rhachina (ricketts)
Echphronia melancholia (monomania)
recc. in probably the cases were
hypochond. a combination of dysp. & mal.
param. obstruc. retent. suppres. diff.
Highly recc. by diff. authors. Good discusses 
its power. zfs has produced a sudden
discharge in cases of amenorrhea.
Paris states that it cured excessive paramenia 


but did no good in p. obstruct. & p. [erroris]
Dropsy more doubtful here unless in’
that connected with parabysma
Lithia renalis discrepancy of testimony
Parunia of diff. sorts
Nodes old writers testify that it removes
them
Parotia flexilis etc. They say it has a 
tendency to produce diseases of the bones
One source of failure in the
use of rub. tinct. is using a bad article
The madder of the dyers loses its power 
by age & drying. When
recent I have found it to answer a 
good purpose & it is valuable in its place 


Fumaria officinalis
Cultivated in our gardens.
Bitter & inodorus. Expr. inspissated juice
An over dose produces pain in the stom. etc.
It excites biliary secr. removes torpor etc.
It is said to have the power of curing cutan. dis.
Adlumia cirrhosa (Rafinesque)
(Fumonia fungosa corydalis fung.)
An ornamental plant & cultivated among us
The recent root is bitter & acrid. Powd. of root is
used Powers the same as fam. off.
Corydalis bulbosa
Corydalis glauca (Furm. sempervireus,
Linn) Common in our forests. They 
have similar powers
Dyclytra cucullaria (corydalis)
Called in N. Eng. Dutchman’s breeches
In some part of the country called colic weed
Root is used bitter & acrid somewhat
mucilaginous. Said to ally pain & to be
anodyne & soporific & in large doses to produce
vertigo (vide my notes)


Saponaria officinalis
Root sweetish bitter & acrid. Watery ext.
is its form in use. though the expressed juice
has been used. Alcoh. extracts its virtues
better than wat. but too much wd be required
It is given as an auxiliary in dyspepsia
jaundice etc.
Lues syphilodes & second. stag. of l Syphilis
it is a good restorative after a merc.  course
Scaly eruptions & impetiginous eruptions
adapted to most of the cased in which
sarsaparilla & L.  tarax. are useful
Ext. is the best for 1-2 drams
Decoc. zii root to 2 pts. wat. boiled to 1 pt
the whole to be taken in 24 hours
Used also in scrof aff.
The bruised roots form with
water a good swab for washing. This 
is worth investigating into. Perhaps a 
combination of an alkali & mucilages


7 Deobst.
Scrophularia Marylandica
Called sometimes fig wort & pig wort (i.e.
the scroph. nodosa of Eur.?)
Its most important use is in 
struma 
Practica marisca decoc. of root, freely internally 
& a cataplasm of the leaves externally
Boil zii in 2 pts wat. to 1 pt & take
the whole in 24 hours. Continue for some
time, as it is used in chronic derangements
Diseases same as preced. Lues etc.
Chronic derangements of dig. organs
S. Nodosa (Europe)
Pretty much the same as S. Mar.
(vide my notes)
Agrimonia Eupatoria
A pure deobst. decidedly inferior to the preceding.
There is some difference of opinion as to 
its powers, but it resembles dandelion
most Dr Ives has used it Employed in ext. & decoction
A. odorata native of Italy supposed
to be more elegant. A. suaveoleus
is allied to it & cultivated among us


Agathosma crenatum
Vide my notes Probably analogous
to the rhododendraceae It is used in infusion
& tinct. Rx infus. f zvi tinct f zfs
tinct. cubebs f zfs. misce. This compd
preparation is used Give f zi ter in die
Jas. Johnson says it must be persevered in 
Diseases dyspepsia Dr McDowel says
infus. f zii bis in die cured a young man 
Irritable infl. of bladder most celebrated in 
Membranif.  cystitis Jas Johns thinks highly of it
“Chronic rheumat.” McDowel
Lithia renalis Dr McD. cites a cas
vide my notes



Aperient Deobst
Asclepias tuberosa Linn.
White root flax root pleurisy root butterfly weed
Nothing equals this root in its
diaphoretic power (see B.S. Barton) It is
the most certain article? for this purpose. Take
the recently dried root, recently pulvd & it is
very effectual
A variety of operations are attributed
to it by different authors. All
agree that it is escharotic, applied
to ulcers to restrain spongy granulations
Its primary operation is that of 
a moderate deobstruent especially promoting
the fluid secretions of the lungs
skin & kidneys & it is powerfully diaphoretic
less diuretic & is expectorant
It increases the secretions of the liver & 
all the secretions poured into the al. canal
relieves tenderness under the short ribs 
cures cutaneous diseases & is hence antipsoraic
& will carry off catarrh & 


sub-acute pneumonia without expectoration
whence we conclude it to be resolvent
As an antipsoraic it is better than
sarsaparilla adapted to scaly eruptions
It regulates & increases the secretion of bile
in dyspepsia
It is not astringent & I have never perceived
any tonic effect from it
Dose as a diaph. & expect. 20-30 grs some
say zi in powder. A strong infusion is recc.
and Thacher directs a tea cupfull. This is too 
bulky. zfs -zi is sufficient, if as strong as I
make it. W. D. C. Berton recc. in diseases
converted with dentition, as a laxative & diaphoretic,
zii pulvd root boiled in zxviii milk
down to zxii dose zi 2 or 3 times in 24 hours it
excites copious perspiration & gentle catharsis
& is good
Diseases
Dyspepsia continued used cases of torpor
Common & especially epidemic catarrh
pneumonitis sub acute (which is the 


commencing stage of one form of membranous
phthisis) see various authors upon it in this
disease
Pneumonitis typhodes also called peripneumonia notha
by W. Philip not the P.
notha of all authors
Cholera infantum in mild cases. This 
is no cholera at all but a specific
infl. of the muc. mem. of the al. canal
& the vomiting is sympathetic with this infl.
Dysentery fever synochus & non malignant
very useful. In moderate cases it will
cure of itself in severe ones is a useful auxiliary
to opium & calomel
Acute rheumatism Eberle
I think this species of [illegible]
is the most valuable in the treatment
of all disease to which it is applicable except
dropsy, in which A. Syriaca is 
preferable.


Asclepias Syriaca Linn.
A pubescans A apocynum apocynum majus
A. Syriacum. Linn supposed it a native of
Syria
I have used it sufficiently to satisfy
myself that it is a deobst. of considerable
power but as such have not employed
it extensively
I have employed it very extensively 
as a diuretic in dropsy & this
is its most prominent operation
I have used two preparations
1st Rx ziv of the root water lbii & boil in 
a lightly covered vessel to lbj strain & 
add gin or the tinct. from ziv to zviii
acc. to the season, to make it keep.
Dose zii 4-8 times in 24 h. Diuresis
is sometimes produced in the first 24 hours
& sometimes not till several days. It 
generally produces a little nausea before
it proves diuretic , but too much 
nausea renders it liable to fail 


No article is so certain & powerful a diuretic
alone. Some combinations are
better, but still this has succeeded when
they have failed
2. I have also used the following ziv root
to lbiv of water boiled to lbjs. I wish to 
have the decoct. saturated & this may be
so. Of late I prefer the first preparation
Besides its diuretic power it is
expectorant & diaphoretic in many cases
under diaph. regimen. Freely given
it proves laxative to adults & purgative
to children. It is emetic in large 
doses
A practitioner well acquainted
with indigenous M.M. considers 
A incarnatu more diaphoretic but less
diuretic than A. Syriaca
It is said to be anodyne i.e. allaying
irritation, not pain
Diseases
Dyspnea exacerbans zi a day in divided doses 


Catarrhal affections with typhus
Hydrops cellularis most useful in
H. thoracis has been used
H. Abdominum ahs been used in some cases
In dropsy we expect by diuretics to remove
the fluid, not to cure. The cure is effected
by stimulants & tonics. If there is great distention
I first purge with hyd. cathartics
& then diuretics will take hold. In some
cases sympathetic with diseased liver,
first perform paracentesis & then diuretics
will take hold. After evacuating
the fluid, prevent its accumulation by 
articles that will obviate the state of the 
system



Asclepias incarnata 
More acrid than the other species, somewhat
like tobacco & has been used for 
lobelia inflata
It has been employed as a substitute
for sarsaparilla in lues syphilis
& syphilodes & in scaly eruptions
In pulmonary diseases as an
expectorant it has been said to be better
than A. tuberosa 




Aperient Deobstruents
Collinsonia Canadensis
Vide my notes The discrepancy of opinion 
may arise from bad modes of preparation,
mismanagement etc.
Root said to be injured by drying if kept
buried out doors said to be preserved (but
then it will grow E.D.N.) but may be transplanted
at any season. Large quantities shd
be kept in the garden & then it may be had
at any time 
It may be referred to the class aperient
deobst. of which sarsaparilla is the type
It has a moderate degree of deobst. power
perhaps producing its greatest affect in the
kidnies Dr I. thinks it a moderate deobst.
sub astring & sub tonic. It is much 
used in veterinary medicine
Drs Beers & Hooker say the infusion
of the raspings is better than the decoction
Dropsy of diff. sorts say Drs B. & Hooker
Dr Beers says equal to any other article alone
has employed it in failure of the other diuretics 


Dr Hooker says he has found it to prevent
that increase of liquor [amnii] which 
sometimes almost amounts to dropsy
Dr Ives does not think much of it in dropsy
vide my notes
Aralia Kudicaulis
Christophoriena Am. False sarsaparilla
Canada to N. Orleans
Root bitter & aromatic & less resinous than A.
racemosa. It is sold in the shops for the
true sarsaparilla Its powers are similar
Drying impairs its powers
It is an aperient Deobstruent #
The U.S. Phar. directs Rx for decoct. Recent’
contused root zvi aq. pur. 8 pts Digest
for 4 hours then boil to 4 pts, express & strain 
Diseases
Cutan. erupt. herpes adapted to 
all cases for which sarsap. ([illegible] off.) A., racem.
& S. symphilitica are useful
# That is it promotes the watery secretions as
perspirable matter, halitus from lungs & urine 


Aralia racemosa
Spikenard life of man wild liquorice
Canad. to S. America
Tastes mucilag. bitterish sweet & arom.
It is good in recent state
The root & berries are aperient deobst.
Shd be continued long. Better adapted to 
secondary stages of disease
Rx Recent cont. root 2 oz off. alc. f ziv aq.
ferv. 1 pt. First our the alc. on the root & 
let it stand about 12 hours in a close vessel.
Then add the water boiling hot, let it
stand 12 hours & add sugar Dose zi – ii
4-8 times a day 
Diseases
Simple idiop. cough better with a little SS.
chronic dyspnea Catharrhal aff 2nd stage
Sub acute pneumonitis
Milder varieties of psoriasis & various cut. erup.
Pururia stillatitia var. mucosa
The expres. juice is used in aphtha
old ulcers sloughing sores from fire & frost
The bruised root is made into a plaister 



Aralia hispida (Michaux)
Can. to S.A. Dwarf elder (in Conn.) though
the dwarf elder of Eur. is sambucus ebulus
prickly ash (but this name properly belongs
to the xanthoxylum fraxineum) wild elder
The root is used & is more active when recent
Shd be gathered in autumn  after the fall of the leaves
In large doses it is emetic. Said
to be hydrag. cath. in doses short of vom. & continued
I have never seen this effect & it is my
practice to continue it in doses just short
of emesis Managed in this way is 
a very efficient diuretic 
Sd to be similar in this respect to senega
don’t see how It seldom proves diuretic
till nausea begins, & if vomiting
[illegible] on it fails as a diuretic
It has not been managed so as to 
prove expect. emmenag.  etc. but from 
analogy I think it might
It has not proved narcotic as yet
It has been used in decoct. & tinct.


Rx for decoct. cont. root 2 oz. boil. wat. [illegible]
boil to 1 pt Dose f z 2-4 – 4-8 times in 24 hr.
Rx for tinct rec. cont. root 4 oz off. alc. 1 pt.
Dose zfs 4-8 times in 24 h. The proof spirit
tinct. is more active than the alcoholic
The tinct. has a slightly aromatic smell & 
bitter taste
Diseases hydrops cellularis. If the article
is good it is effectual in this disease. Dr
Reed of E. W.  has employed it successfully 
It best adapted to anasarca. Give the decoc.
or tinct. in doses short of nausea & repeated
every 3 or 4 hours In 36 hours it begins 
to nauseate & produces diuresis. Diminish
a little & continue till the fluid is evacuated
It is not stimulant nor tonic
Aralia octophylla (Cochin China)
Ascandeus & apalmata used 
in dropsy & cutaneous diseases 



Aralia spinosa (Linnaeus)
It has no spines however but prickles The 7
species of aralia that have been examined are
found to resemble each other in med. prop. & 
to differ only in degree A. sinosa is the most
active A. hispida next.
Nat. ord. araliaceae (Juss. & Decond.) 
Angelic tree in this region Hercules club toothache tree
pellitory Often confounded with xanth. frax.
Habitat middle south & west, parts of U.S.
Cultivated as an ornam. shrub in N. Eng.
It is not the prickly ash of the north states though
Bigelow considers it as such 
(Hiatus) The bark (of the root?) is sd
to be the most active The berries shd be
collected just before ripening. The bark of
the trunk & branches is not inactive
The immediate effect of the bark
of the root in doses short of nausea are languor
& lassitude a sensation of weakness (not
real debility) a pricking & burning sensation
all over the body, especially in the feet & 


8 Deobst.
hands dimin. of nat. freq. of pulse in health
& especially dimin. of irritative preternat.
frequency Diaphoresis drowsiness & sleep
continuing (the sleep?) 3 or 4 hours after the
last dose is taken in health & for a much
shorter time in disease
Given in moderate doses & repeated it is deobst.
& proves hydrag. cath.
In large doses it is emetic & is said to operate
similarly to ipecac but I doubt it.
IT sometimes produces urticaria like copaiba
As a cath. or em. merely it will 
not be good unless a deobst. oper. is wanted 
along with the other
It is sedative & the parts of its sedative operation
are antirritation anodyne & soporific
Dr McBride in Elliott says
it is the best emet. found among us. He
uses the decoc. zii bruised bark of root to 
1 pt wat. boiled down to ½ pt. Of this ½ or
the whole acted as an emetic
It is given in dropsy in deobst. doses i.e.
just short of nausea. It is diuretic at first 


but at length passes off by the bowels as a 
hydrag. cath.
Sometimes we give more active doses e.g. [illegible]
which is a full cath. dose. Give 1 dose
in the evening 2 during the night & 1 next
morn. this will operate kindly & freely as
a hydragogue
By obviating disease it restores the
functions of the stom. the circul. & the musc.
systems but it is not tonic
In a case of atonic sub-acute
rheumatism from bathing in a state of 
perspiration which had lasted by paroxysm 
for 1 ½ yrs zi of  tinct. was given every 
3 hours for 24 hours & then zii till 3 doses had
been given, when narcosis & catharsis was
brough on & in 48 h. the rheum. was cured
It is a valuable addition to the M. M.
Its primary effects are 1st deobstruent
2nd emetic 3d hyd. cath. 4th acrid narc.
5th epispastic (rubefacient) in ointment
The secondary effects of its deobst. operation
are 1st expect. 2d diuretic 3d diaph. 4th chola


5th resolvent 6th antipsoraic 7th discutient
It is antirritant anodyne & soporif. as parts of
its narcotic operation
It is a hydragogue. Probably it will 
be found an emmenagogue
It is errhine often called escharotic
It is not tonic nor stimulant
Pharmac. Preparations
1st powder 2d pill (with ext. con. mac. which
coincides with it) 3d decoction zii to 2 pts
wat. boiled to 1 pt in a covered vessel
4th tinct. (ziv of the bark of root & berries to 
1 pt off. alc.) macerate a week, decant & strain 
5th extract (I have never used this) Rx
T lbj wat. lbs 8 boil away ½ - strain through
a coarse cloth, express & evaporate in a water
bath to avoid burning
6th Ointment Dr Strobel uses one of T ziv
coarse powdd bark of root to lbj of sim. cer.
simmer for ½ hour & express. There shd
be as much bark as the cerate will cover
Add it as long as it will be absorbed



Therap. applic.
Acute subac. & chron. rheumatism most especially useful
Lues syphilis & syphilodes
As an emetic in intermittents
Sick headache at the south bites & stings
Delirium trem. (I think little of fem. in this dis.)
Idiopathic paramenia attended
with flushed faces pains in the back etc.
They bleed this is wrong You can cure it
with blk helleb. blood root etc. But they 
will do nothing after V.S.
Pneumonia typhodes synochous type 
pulse bounding I can break up half
the cases with deobstruents Can do
nothing with them if you bleed. If there
is too much entonic action however you 
must deplete & if there is too little you 
must deplete & if there is too little you 
must stimulate to bring the system within
the range of the deobstruents
In “Ague in the Face” a decoc. or init.
produces relief. In fixed topical inflammation
embrocation, fomentations & bathings
Lues syphilodes It has acquired consid. rep.
zi every 2 hours internally & the ointm. externally 
as practiced by Dr Strobel 


Baptisia Tinctoria (R. Brown)
Sephoria (Linn.) podalyria tinct. indigweed
Nat. ord. sequiminosae (Decand.)
Root perennial, cylindrical, branching
¼ inch in diam. cortic. & lign. part equal
When chewed for some time it is acrid, bitter
& virose, leaving a sensation of fullness in the
fauces
It is said to be diaphoretic. It is
not directly so. It is expect. under certain 
circumstances in certain stages of 
infl. of bronch. mem. it hastens the mucopur8ulent 
secretion, which is the natural 
termination of such infl. It facilitates expectoration
also in the latter stages 
is by obviating irritation but it 
wd not be of service when there is great atony
It is said to be alexipharmic in 
mild cases of # bites of the rattle snake. I
am informed by a phys. from inter. of N.Y.
that it is decidedly beneficial. [Drench] the 
pat. with it.




It is not astringent as it does not contain
tannin
It is a valuable discutient. I have
often applied it to infl. of fem. breast
It will allay irritation in wounds & promote
their healing, & will indirectly prevent
gangrene & is therefore called antiseptic
In this sense also it is valnerary in contused
& punctured wounds
Its primary operations are
1st deobstruent 2d acrid narcotic
3d emetic 4th hydrag. cathartic
The second. op. is a deobst. [illegible] cholag.
expectorant resolvent discutient
It is also escharotic
It has not been found to be emmenagogue,
diuretic, diaph. nor sialag.
It is not excitant tonic nor astringent
Said to be febrifuge. It is applicable only 
to the synochus form of fever
Pharmac. Preparations It is
used in substance, infusion decoction
& tincture



For the decoc. I generally take zii recently 
dried root to lbjs wat. & boil down to lbj
For tinct. Rx ziv bruised recently dried root
to lbj alc. Dose f zi or a little more to be
repeated acc. to the urgency of the case the
susceptibility of the pot. & the time the med.
is to be continued. If it occasions much
evacuation, check with opium or diminish
the dose
As a discutient it may be used
in decoct. or in cataplasms. For a
cataplasm, boil the root, pound it to
a pulp & add q.s. of maize meal
Ointment simmer the root in cream
butter or lard & add wax
Baptisia tinctoria shd be collected
at the proper season & its virtues
are much impaired by keeping & drying
Therapeutic application
Atonic paristhmitis
Acute subac. aton. rheum. I have seen
it efficac in large number of cases less so with chronic



9 Deobst.
Dyspnea exac. & asthma humidum
Pneumonia typhodes not with great atony
but of that form when the fever is synochus & the
topical aff. an erythema. It allays the
irritative heat & dryness of the skin & the irritative
action of the lungs & when given early it
effects a great resolution in moderate cases. When
the dis. is more advanced, it accelerates the
muco-pur. secretion the wat. termin. of the dis.
Dysentery I have used it to some extent,
conjoined with opium I think the [baptisi]
assisted in the cure shd not be given as a cath.
The decoct. is applied, cool or warm
to sub-ac. aton. infl. of the eyes to infl. & 
ulcerate. of fem. breast to burns & scalds, with 
benefit, or in cataplasm It is very good for 
sore nipples. It is a popular remedy for
aphtha. Externally to punctured & contused
wounds. Sprained joints immerse
the joint in the decoct. as long as convenient
This article possesses considerable
activity & may be turned to a good account
It has not been investigated so thoroughly 
as others which resemble it.



Apocynum cannabinum
Indian hemp dogs bane Canada to Car.
Lactescent furnishes a variety of caontchonc
Bark twice as strong as hemp & easily whitened
Nat. ord. apocymeae
Roots 5-6 ft long horizontal. Taste
sub acrid & bitter
Bigelow describes a species which 
he calls A. cann. which is in fact A. [pubescens]
& I am not sure but this is the article
I have used. Probably there is no difference
between the species
The ligneous & medullary portions of
the root are said to be equal in virtue 
to the cortical shd think from analogy this
must be incorrect. I use only the cortical
part It is easily separated in a mortar & 
pulverized 
The extractive matter is precipitated
by alum & salts of tin & is used for coloring
linen & muslin, but not flannel, a
[fustic] yellow This has no med. power.
Apocynine is analogous to emetine
or as it is now called, cephaeline but resembles 


[cytisime] more. It is slightly deliquescent
& leaves a sensation as if the lips &
tongue were swollen. It is soluble in wat.
& alc. 6 grs of it are said to vomit.
A. cannabinum is employed in 
powder, infusion & decoction
Rx for decoc. zfs to lbj ii wat boil med.
dose zii
Substance in powd is the best form
It takes about 30 grs for an emetic. As
such it is rather slow in its operation
produces free vomiting & is not followed
like tart. em. by languor & exhaustion 
In moderate doses repeated it obviates
heat & dryness of the skin.
Its primary operations are
1st deobst 2d acrid narcot. 3d emetic
4th hydrag. cathartic
It is diuretic & if long continued
proves eccoprotic & laxative & purgative.
Its narcotic power is greater
composed with its other operations than 


that of sanguinaria, with which its powers
are the same with the addition of being
cathartic
It is resolvent & will probably 
prove emmen.  antipsoraic & expectorant
Perhaps its escharotic & stermalatory 
powers shd be considered as primary 
Its deobst. op. is the most
important. It has had considerable
reputation in curing dyspepsia of bystanding
given till it vomits & purges. But it
will be contraindicated by extreme irritability
of the stom. or of the system by 
acrimony of the secretions or that stage
which diarrhoea is threatened.
Icterus vulgaris parat. coactum
Best given in an eccoprotic with opium
in doses short of nausea
Dyspnea exacerbans chronics
most used for this dis. In 1822 Dr
Todd remarked that it was the most
effectual remedy he had ever tried 


It is to be given in moderate emetic doses,
at intervals of 10-15 min. till it produces
vomiting. It may be used between
the paroxysms in doses short of nausea
I think there is danger of doing injury
I prefer lobelia and the other articles
which have no tendency to prod. purging
Articles which produce hydrag. cath. will
sooner or later injure the system.
Catarrhis communis not malignant
pneumonitis typhodes
Acute & subac. rheumat.
Hydrops cellul. & abdominis
It is probably adapted to 
nearly all the cases to which colchicum is 
adapted
Apocynum pubescens
very similar to A. cann. Perhaps I 
have used them indiscriminately 


apocynum androsaemifolium
Silk weed milk weed snake’s milk called
in Virg. “Scissors plant” Am. ipecac.
I think this species less active than A. cann.
The part used is the root which is perennial
& creeping smell verose taste
peculiar both. bitter & sour, with some 
acrimony
The tinct. is not rendered turbid
by water Soluble in alc. wat. & ether
I presume contains apocynine, but the
fact is not ascertained
The old root is stronger than the young 
the plant shd be at least 3 yrs old
Zollickoffer says it is diaph.
like ipecac & gives a formula similar
to the pulv. ipec. comp.
Bigelow & Zollickoff say it is
tonic & direct to give of the dried root 16 to
20 grs 3 times a day; but less than this 
of A. cann. will vomit
Dr Heale of Troy says it is narcotic 



Kaln in his travels says it is poisonous
applied to tender parts & even by handling it
when covered with dew forming vesicles
which break & ulcerate somewhat like
those of rhus rem.
I think its powers the same as
those of A cann. & pubes. but less in degree
Its primary operations are
1st deobst. 2d acrid narc. 3d emetic
4th hyd. cath
Secondary effects are 1st expect.
2d cholag. in reg. doses 3d Dialag. 4th diaph.
probably diuretic resolvent 
Discut. applied to infl. probably? breasts Antispsoraic
ruebfac escharotic & sternutatory probably?
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia-in-laxat. & eccoprot. doses
Dyspnea exacerbans as an [antirrit] etc.
Synochus antirrit. [illegible]?
Hydrops cell. thoracis & abdominis
freely given as a cathartic It has been 
tried by Dr Jac. Porter of Plainfield Mass 



The discrepancy respecting the article
arises from the manner or time of collecting
it & manner of prescribing
Dr Todd used it in dyspnea
exac. powd. of root a tea sp. once
in 25 min. 2 or 3 doses relieves
Apocynum Hypericifolium
Probably similar in virtues to the preceding
species
A. juventus (of Cochin China)
Said to be like ginseng mucilaginous,
aromatic, bitter & saccharine
It is a good demulcent like liquorice
or ginseng


10 Deobst.
Phytolacca decandra (Linn.)
Before the time of Linn. P. vulgaris ([Dillenius])
P. amer. (Boerh.) solanum Am. (Ray) S. Virginianum
(Plukenet) garget cocum
coke, poke scoke, Americ. night shade
pigeon berry jalap etc. Nat. ord. atriplicene
Nat. country not known it follows civilization
Said by Europ. authors to be a native of
America, but this is doubtful
The root, leaves & berries are
all used in medicine
The recent root has a nauseous, bitter,
sub acrid taste but when dried the taste
is mild & somewhat mintish. Its properties
are impaired by age, but not lost
by mere drying. Its virtues are said
to depend on an “extractive principle”
The active principles of this article
are extracted by water, wine & alcohol
but the degree of solvent power of each
is not settled
There is great discrepancy of 


opinion respecting this article, but if collected
at the right season, prepared & injudiciously
administered it will be found to 
be certain in producing its effects
I consider it an acrid narc. deobst.
Some years since I experimented with it & 
found that in certain doses it nauseated & 
vomited. Short of this & repeated, it increases 
the biliary secretions & promotes expect.
sometimes in health but in some diseases
it decidedly increases the secretion of mucus
It increases the secretions from the skin 
generally in a well subject even, but especially 
in the diseases to which it is adopted
Given in acute & subac. aton. rheum. & certain 
other phlogotica it speedily effects a resolution
of the topical infl.
given in repeated doses it produces vertigo
somnolency, indistinct vision, stupor,
I have never pushed it so as to determine
how much narcosis it was capable of producing
Continued for some time in small & freq.
doses it produces active hydrag. catharsis 


Topically it wd [illegible] phlegm. infl.
change vitiated & gangrenous ulcers
It cures cutaneous diseases & proves rubef.
Its primary & independent effects
are 1st deobst. 2d acrid-narcotic
3d hyd. cath. 4th emetic
Secondarily it is 1st resolv. 2d cholag.
3d expect. 4th diaph. We may add
5th discutient
It is a popular anthelmintic in many 
places. I have never witnessed this power
but other acrid narcotics have it
It is rubefac. & sternutatory. Should 
think that under diuretic regimen it wd
prove diuretic but I have never seen
diuresis from it. From analogy I shd
expect it to prove emmenagogue
It has been supposed stimulant, but
is not neither tonic
15 to 20 grs of the recently powdd root
are a mild but effectual emetic, requiring
1-2 hours for operating & continuing
longer then, than ipecac



It is not eligible as a cath. or emet.
except when these operations are wanted
in connection with its deobstruent. It is effectual
in croup by its deobst. & emet. power
I generally give a full dose & if it fails
of vomiting it is of no consequence as it is
more effectual by remaining long on the
stomach. If the vomiting continues
too long it can be checked by horizontal 
posture, quiet, & a dose of opium, one or all three
Commonly very little nausea precedes
the vomiting sometimes it is attended with
vertigo etc. but these are in some cases
desirable The decoct. wine & tinct. are 
emetic in doses from zfs to zii The decoct.
& wine are better than the tinct. unless the 
state of the system requires that a diffusible
stimulant precede the operation. I have
ever prefer the powder for an emetic
The recently dried leaves are 
supposed to be active, but they are less
certain & effectual than the root



For the wine Rx zii coarsely powd & rec. dried
root zii off. alc. zxiv wht. wine. In very
warm weather the alc. will hardly prevent
fermentation & souring
The tinct. of the leaves & berries
fully grown but not quite ripe, is acrid narcotic
& deobst. I add to them dil. alc.
enough to cover them, macerate 10 days,
decant, express & filter. This is less emetic
than the other preparations
The expressed inspissated juice
is very active & is followed generally by 
narcosis. Externally it is caustic.
Given internally in doses of 5-10-15 grs
no one of the acrid narcotic deobst. has
succeeded so well with me in chronic
rheumatism unless it be aralia spinosa 
& it is not inferior to that. 5 grs are ordinarily 
sufficient if repeated at short
intervals. Opium shd generally be conjoined
with it to allay pain & procure sleep
but less quantity will be necessary 



than if a deobst. not narcotic were taken
Frequently deobst. will not act till
pain & watchfulness are obviated
An ointment of the root is used
Take of the recent bruised root add melted
simple cerate enough to cover it simmer
15 min. & express. It is antirritant,
discutient, antipsoraic & sometimes rubefacient.
The recent root roasted
& bruised is sometimes applied to the fat 
with how much success I know not
Therap. Applic.
Helminthia lumbric. commonly employed 
at the south, in form of pulvd root, in doses
short of nausea 4 times a day & then to
give a cath. if the article does not purge
Practica marisca often effectual apply
a decoction? of the recent bruised bruised
leaves to the part. When this has failed, an
enema of the decoct. of the root has relieved
immediately. Dr Woodd of Vt. [cures] with 
this article the most urgent symptoms in 
24 or 36 hours


Anthrax topically in the secondary
stages, in cases where there is not much
constit. eff. it is very beneficial Apply 
the bruised leaves or the cerate when the
part is spongy & porous & has been laid open
otherwise it will have little effect.
Early in my practice I thought this the best
application in the secondary stages I have
never employed it in the early & forming stages
Croup I have used it as a deobst. emetic
Let it remain sometime in the stomach,
if it does not vomit give some other emetic
I use the powder, diffused in the wine & follow
with ipecac. No mere emetic can 
be relied on unless it be turpeth min. & 
that can be assisted by this article
Ac. & subac. rheum. Early in my practice
I used it in these alone in the acute
& with opium in the subac. It was perfectly 
successful. It seemed to have the
same effect as guaiacum being acrid
mercurial sub-ac. rheum highly 


beneficial give either the extract of berries or the
tinct. of those, conjoining opium
Chronic rheum. from its acrimony it is better
than most of the deobstruents. I use the sat. tinct.
of the leaves & berries or the expressed, inspissated
juice, either with or without opium
Lues syphilis second & protracted stages cases
in which guaiac. mezereon & sarsapar.
are indicated & I think this altogether superior
to these articles
S. Syphilodes decidedly useful
Ulcers a great variety indolent & insusceptible,
with callow edges strumous ulcers
that are usually indolent & will not heal 
apply the ext. or the leaves especially the
former
Cancer palliated by the ext. or inf.
this article relieves the pain, changes the
condition & secretions & even brings it for a time to a healing
but it is soon worn out
Blenorrhea [illegible] diff. opinions as to 
its success, owing to diff. modes of using it.



11 Deobst
The disease is often obstinate but this article
is as frequently successful as any other. I use
it freely internally. The wine is recc. but
I prefer the ext. or tinct. of the berries. Those
who have failed with it have found it to produce
vom. or purg. It shd be given in doses
short of nausea at reg. interv. & opium
given to prevent purg. It succeeds as often
as any article unless copaiba. I have used
it most in the second stages of obstinate cases 
Enlargement of the prostate Dr Woodd of Vt.
uses the inf. or decoc. of zi coarsely powdered
root to lbj wat. or lbii boiled to lbj thrown
into the rectum in the quantity of ½ or 1 gill
with a pipe & bladder that it may not 
pass high up If it cannot be relieved add
SS. He prefers the infus. & that prepared
from the recently dried root. He often succeeds 
in reducing the enlarged prostate
very considerably. He used it only when
when troublesome symptoms arise, or stoppage
of urine, impossibility of passing the 


catheter etc. He does not state that he has
cured the disease but that he has relieved the
paroxysm
Itch it has been employed I direct a
strong dec. of the root, perhaps zii to lbjfs of
wat. boiled down to lbj & touch the part night & 
morn. It cures in a majority of cases It 
sometimes irritates so much that it cannot
be continued. If you wish to keep this preparation
add to 3 parts of it 1 part of the
tinct. bottle it & attach a sponge to the cork
There is a species in the W. I. called
P. dodecandria which is probably the same as
ours It is recc. by [Dawsen]? as a kind & effect.
emetic dose zfs – zi of the wine, made zi to lbj
The real P.dodec. is a native of Abyssinia
but cultivated elsewhere
P. dodecandria is most
probably the “mustard” of the N. Test.
Jonah’s gourd is a ricinus. The mandrake
is an orchis


Veratrum Sabadilla (Linn.)
Nat. ord. melanthaceae R. [ilegible] [Jussin]
Hordens exoticum causticum of Caspar Bankin
the name is a diminutive of sper. sebado “burley”
& the colloquial appelation is a corruption of
the name is spelt 11 different ways commonly 
called cevadille
Itr is offic. in all the pharmac. of cont. Europe
From it almost exclusively veratrine is obtained.
It is the most active of the genus
& of the nat. ord. to which it belongs. It also
possesses in a concentrated form all the properties
of the other veratrans except v. vind
which has some peculiarities
Heb. colder regions of Mexico it is said
also China & S. Am. the last is doubtful
It might be cultivated in N. England
The Mexican name signifies dog-kill
The seeds are exported in the pericarp
which resembles an ear of barley, but they
are not larger than lintseed, hence its
name. As found in the shops it is of 


a dun colour, capsule smooth, seeds shining
semicylindrical, oblong, acute, of a 
dark brown colour & compared to nice dung
It is sold in France in powder & called
capuchin powder. The capsules are probably 
inert, tho this has been disputed
The seeds have no odor, but have
an intensely bitter, acrid, glowing taste, leaving
a sense of burning which water will not
carry off & remaining longest in the fauces
which is the fact with all the deobstruents
According to Meisner, besides the
alkaline salifiable base veratrina, the 
subadilla contains an acid recently e3xamined
& called subadic acid, in union not with 
veratrim but perhaps with lime. Veratrina
is in union with 2 prop. of gall;
acid, forming bi-gallit of veratrine
None of the other prox [illegible] are of
importance unless the bitter princ. may 
have some med. prop.
Veratrine is an inodorous white 


powder, very acrid but not bitter & the taste is
permanent. It is a weaker base than morphine,
quinine or strychnine very soluble
in alcohol, rather less soluble in ether, soluble
in 1000 parts of wat. at 212 [degrees] & becomes
acrid to the taste melts at 120 [degrees] & on
cooling forms an amber coloured & translucent
mas. Composit. carb. hyd. ox.
nitrog. All its salts are crystallizable
& appear like gum except the sulphate
The sulphate bi sulphates & hydro chlorates
have been examined & used. Nitric ac.
also combined with veratrine, but if added
in excess it effects a change analogous
to that upon strychnine & brucine
The acetate is its most active salt
and this will apply generally to the reg. salif.
bases, but there are some exceptions
Strong solutions of the salts are decomposed
by the water & veratrine falls
down, hence they shd be prepared extempore
Iodine & chlorine appear to combine


with veratine but the nature of the
compounds is not well understood & they appear
to be inert. We shd imagine there was
a decomposition but the iod. & chlor. can be
obtained in a separate state. When given
uncombined therefore veratrine shd never
be accompanied with iod. or chlor. 
but they will not act on the salts of veratrine
The seed of veratrum sabadilla
approach nearer to veratrine than any 
other natural product, containing it in 
a more concentrated form. The only other
plants now known to contain veratrine
are V. album & colchicum autumnali
in which it exists in form of bi-gall. of verat.
Perhaps it will be discovered in other species
& in some species of [Lois]? But we
can draw no co0nclusion from botan. [affinities]
Veratrum viride is affirmed in the
books of chemistry to contain bi-gall. of verat
but I do not believe it, for this is not cath. & 
the others are hydrag. cath.



A certain dose producing speedy active 
& sometimes distressing vomiting. A dose
short of nausea & repeated will prod. hydr. cath
& drastic purging, continuing 12-24 or 36 hours
A still smaller dose often repeated exerts a general
deobst. influence in cholag. diuretic & 
sometimes sialag. in certain diseases of the
lungs it increases the secretion & increases the 
natural mucous secretion even if there be no disease expectorant
In certain forms of [illegible] obst. it is emmenagogue
I have not know it prove diaphoretic
It is used as a resolvent in aton. ac.
infl. phlegmonus & especially arthritic for 
which purpose it must be given so as to evacuate 
the al. can. powerfully,  but its effect does 
not depend on the evacuation for in some cases
it cures without
It is antipsoraic, curing certain
lepidotic scaly & herpetic eruptions, when 
used freely & for some time but without acting
on the bowels
Given freely it is moderately soporific. If there 


is pain it is anodyne
It is said that when the system
is under some powerful disease, as tetanus or
lyssa canina, without much exhaustion, a very
large dose produces coma & a state which can
hardly be distinguished from death continuing
12-24 hours, when the pat. will revive & vomit
powerfully & the disease be removed without 
any material inconvenience following
It is one of the most efficient anthelmintics
for the second species of tenia & 
fasciola. The European books recc. it 20 yrs
ago, but the English have lately struck it out
& it seems at present not to be fashionable 
as an anthelm.
It acts as a rubefacient, applied
to the tender skin of infants & to parts unprotected
by the cutis
It changes the action & condition
of spongy etc. ulcers promoting absorption of spongy
granulations increases their sensibility if
indolent & if employed freely it destroys vitality
& produces a slough hence called caustic


[illegible] Deobst.
Sometimes when applied to ulcers it exerts its power
over the system & produces vertigo, epigastric
uneasiness, cloud before the sight, tormina & 
even catharsis
If snuffed it irritates powerfully
the scnheid. mem. produces violent sneezing
copious mucus & irritation & atonic infl. of the part
Hence it is errhine. When chewed it is
sialogogue
From its acrimony & narcotic
power a decoct. of the seeds is employed to destroy
[pediculi] of the head body or pubes & bedding.
But occasionally it thus produces
alarming symptoms vertigo convulsions etc.
The seeds of sabadilla are almost as
active as veratrine
Stimulant powers have been attributed
to it. IT is irritating rather In 
excessive doses it produces parched mouth
& throat, head of the stomach & intestines a
great irritation & atonic erythematic infl. of m. m. of al. can.
hyperemesis, tormina, hyper catharsis 


hemorrhage from the bowels vertigo, cloud
before the sight extremely weak small wiry
pulse cold extrem. (but not uniformly) 
[letanic] convulsions & death. A very large
dose of sabadilla transcends vomiting &
produces the other effects immediately
Ed. & Vav. call this article dangerous
& say it shd be abandoned but its danger
is obviated by a proper use. It may be
made to act as kindly as any article.
The activity of an article is never a good objection
to its employment. Those who object
to the seeds as dangerous yet recc. the 
salts of veratrine which are still more active
Primary operations 1. deobst.
2d acrid-narcotic 3d emetic 4th cathartic
5th epispastic
Pharmac. prep.
It is used on the cont. of Eur. in fine powder
of seeds infl. decoct. tinct. watery & 
alc. extract by enema ointment



For a sat. tinct. I shd put 4 oz to 1 pt.
perhaps 2 oz will saturate
It is said that the pulverised seeds
soon lose their strength but retain it when 
whole. This is true of colchicum. The veratrine
produces exactly the same effects 
at the seed, but the dose is very small
1-2 grs prod. viol. em. & catharsis & a
few grs. tetanus & coma. It seems to 
be more active than strychnine & operates
in less quantity. ¼ gr doses (repeated?)
produce violent evacuations without vom.
Probably 1/16 gr. once in 3 hours wd be sufficient 
to give as a deobst. & shd be
conjoined with opium to prevent cath. & 
emesis too soon. It may effect a cure
with opium without producing evacuation
but in severe diseases it must be pushed
far enough to evacuate. It is there fore
always inadmissible when copious evacuations 
are not admissible & useful
It is a substitute for the seeds of the v. sabad
v. alb. & colchicum & is more uniform 


& certain in its operation
The recently pulvd seeds of sabad.
v. alb. & colch. are useful in costiveness
of old age with great accumulation of
feces. Extremely minute quantities obviate
costiveness better than any other article
For the ointment Rx veratrine
4 grs sim. cer. zi mix by trituration
Diseases
Helminthia of all forms especially tenia
fasciola asc. verm. & lumbric. It is said
to be perfectly successful but caution is necessary 
in its use Dose for a child 2-4 yrs
2 gr of the seeds from 8-12 yrs, 10 grs
Honey blunts its activity a little & renders
its effect more slow It is said that it shd
be followed by no cath but aloes. I see no reason for this
Pneumonitis shd not think it good here
Gout more especially used in this particularly
the reg. kind. It is adapted
only to Cullen’s atonic kind. I never 


saw any other. If given early in time I 
shd think it wd cure it, but in a case of long
standing I shd think it unsafe from its tendency
to produce violent catharsis
Rheumatism recc. with the same limitation
It is useful in entonic cases after depletion
& in atonic from the first. But we must ascertain
if the case will admit of active evacuation 
for we can do but little with the article
without it. I shd be loth to use it in the 
chronic forms & for old patients
Vitiated & gangrenous ulcers recc. topically 
as a substitute for corr. sub. & the
actual cautery.  The mode of applying it
is to sprinkle a little of the powder of the
seeds over the part and cover it with lint
dipped in the infusion
Lyssa canina the authority is rathe 
apocryphal, but I shd expect as much
from it as from any other article. The
pat. is sd to be thrown into a profound sleep
of 12-24 or even 48, revives, vomits & purges &  



in 15 min., is free from all disease but weakness
Cellular dropsy as a hydr. cath. in small
doses at short intervals. Under diuretic reg. it
will produce diuresis before it purges.
Cutaneous eruptions Itch A weak watery 
prep. is used. In my early practice I
employed it with almost invariable success
add ¼ of the sat. tinct. to the inf. to make it
keep or use the sat. tinct. & add camphor
to it
Malis pediculi of Good applied in ointment
highly celebrated
Pediculi penetrantis chigo chigre in the
feet. I have had many cases never had
much trouble with them I apply acrid
or caustic substances to the tumors & they 
always do well. These cases are said to 
require great caution & skill. Perhaps
they may be dangerous in tropical climates


Veratrum album
Hellebore white hellebore
Russia Sibaria Italy Grece cultiv. in
England, first it is said by Gerard
[illegible] peram. an inch thick a bulb the upper
half tunicated the lower solid.
The root is the part used. When recent it is
sd to have an acrid taste & peculiar odor, which
it loses by drying. It is invariably brought
to us in powder & as found in our shops is
good for nothing Vide A.T. Thom Dispensat.
Bi-gallate of veratrine An acid
like the cebadic a yellow extractive
matter etc. are its active principles. There 
seems to be nothing medicinal in it but the 
bi-gall verat.
A.T.T. says it is a violent cath.
& emet. irritant & sternulatory but very efficient
merely as such. These operations
are merely circumstances in regard to its
administration but they are all that the
books ascribe to it. Dr Ware of Boston experimented 



with it & found that 8 grs were
a med. dose for an emetic [illegible] seems 
to have tried v.  album most effectually 
He found that a med. em. dose was about 8 grs
& in some cases [illegible] was required
The essential & most important effects
are 1. deobst. 2. [acridness] & em. 4. hyd.
cath. epispastic & sternut. by virtue 
of its irritant effects.
Secondarily it is 1. resolv. 2. antipsor. cholag.
expect. diuret. emmen. sialogogue (topically 
& occasionally when taken internally) it is not
diaphor. nor stimulant, but irritant
Pharm. ac. prep. 1. infus. zfs – sii to the pt. 
acc. to circumst. 2. decoct a bad
mode for many of these articles, decomposing them
I prefer the infus.
In 1810 a French nostrum called
eau medicinale was very popular. An Englishman
imitated in the following which was
considered the same Rx 8 oz recently dried
root finely cut 1 ½ 11 ½ pts sherry wine macerate 



[15] Deobst
10 days shake occasionally & filter To two parts
of this was added 1 part of Sydenham’s vinum
opii compositum Dose 1-3 f z about 4 times
a day for an urgent case oftener It did
cure many cases of acute rheum. & gout the
more acute the case the better the medicine operated
in my hands. I arrested many cases
I used the v. [viridi] instead of the v. album
& gave teas. f. doses At first I used Sydenhams
laud. but finding the prep sour
I substituted SS. & soon used instead of
both the tinct. of verat. vir.  3 parts to 1 part
SS
Tinct. 8 oz to 2 ½ pts N.Y. Ph.
Ointment Rx 2 oz of the impalpable powder of
the root to 8 oz lard (or better sim. cer.) Add
q.s. ol. lemons to flavor it (Lond. Ph.) Some
direct to mix by trituration
Diseases
Struma in the neck externally shd not
be given in cases debilitated or requiring tonics
Gout & rheumatism most celebrated
There are two modes of giving purgative 



deobstruents 1st in full doses, then waiting
to see whether it purges & going on again
illegible] in small doses & longer? intervals
in both cases I suppose opium conjoined
If you give much of the cath. deobstruents
indiscriminately you will be apt to accumulate 
them on the system till they pass of in 
a diarrhoea, runs down the pat. & carry him
off even in spite of opium. Better give
them in full doses at short? intervals & wait
This article is most successful in regular
gout, but is more or less so in irregular
I have not succeeded in rheumatalgia or
the forms of rheumatism unattended with
redness & swelling. In the early part of
my practice I employed the wine of the
v. album v. vir.? (vide supra) in other arthritic
complaints the misplaced & metastastic
ones, but the external arthritic aff. are 
more under the control of deobstruents than
any other The dose shd be as large as can
be taken without vom. & repeated


Elephantiasis celebrated in various
cutaneous aff.
Mania has been employed in different forms
of it. I do not think it very well adapted, & 
still less to hypochondria
Epilepsy & various convulsive diseases
Lyssa canina recc. in sabadilla in
lethargic cases
Paropsis aneurosis sd to be good in think
not idiopathic cases
Woodville says it is best for the
diseases of the skin Stouma prurigo herpes
pediculi internally & externally
Impetigo porrigo & scabies intern. & extern.
The powder & ointment have been
applied to old ill condit. ulcers
The intern. has been applied to burns
before vesic. has come on & thus prevented vesic.


Colchicum autumnale Linn.
Meadow saffron
Hiatuses
There are several species of C.
root perennial top annual
Root bulbous acrid & pungent. Active principle
veratrine Said to lose its activity by 
long keeping. If taken out of the ground 
before the plant flowers it affords farinaceous
matter & loses its acrid principle by boiling, &
may be eaten
The root & seeds are the parts employed in medicine.
It is said the seeds shd be collected in 
hay harvest & the root in latter part of July & in Aug. 
The root is sliced (I shd think it ought not to be) & then
dried in the sun. If taken inordinately it
will prove a deadly poison
The test by which you can ascertain
whether its activity is lost is said to be the following.
Rub 10 grs of the root with 16 m of distilled
vinegar dropped on it the vinegar
will dissolve the gluten. Then add 16 m
of the alc. tinct. of guaiacum if the colch.
is a good fine cerulean blue color will be produced 



Bi-gallate of veratrine is the act. princ.
This article was introduced by Baron
Storck who made a syrup with vinegar
& used it as a diuretic
There is much discrepancy of 
testimony as to the active powers of this article
all however arising from the diff. manner
of drying it the season in which it is collected
the age of the root & its diff. preparations
The seeds are not affected by drying
or age Perhaps they are not quite so strong as
the recent root but still they are sufficiently
so for all medicinal purposes 
The accounts given in the books
respecting the operation of colchic. are in 
the main correct.
Primary Operations
2. deobst. 2. acrid narcotic – less so than
most of the other deobstruents? 3d hyd. cathartic
4th emetic 5 probably vital irritant or epispastic
Secondarily it is 1. resolve. 2. antips. 3. chol.
4. expec. 5. diuretic not emmen.
not diaph. not sialag. internally 


not tonic or stimulant
It leaves the stom. & intest. in a 
peculiarly bad condition and hence even
as a mere emetic it will not answer, still less
as a cath. After vomiting it leaves great exhaustion
It relieves irritative not entonic arterial
action Dr Williams’s cases were synochous
It is one of the most precarious & uncertain
though one of the most powerful & effectual
deobstruents that we have. I think
there is no case in which some other & more certain
article will not answer just as well.
Orfila calls it a corrosive poison
a bad term he means that it irritates, inflames
& ulcerates. Its deleterious
effects in an inordinate dose are slight nausea
then extreme vom. & purg. fainting exhaustion
coma & death It produces direct
exhaustion even before purging begins
Dr T. doubts Majadie’s account of the 
poisonous effect. He thinks the m. men. of intest.
is never inflamed but it does often kill 


Colchicum will in certain doses, with
some persons produce the desired effect, while
the same dose will perhaps cause death in others
The purging often takes place after the exhaustion
comes on & then increases it
Orfila’s antiphl. mode of
treating its poisonous effects is the worst imaginable
Pharmac. prep.
1. powder some think it the best 1 z 3 or 4 
times a day in ½ pt warm water. But drying
impairs its strength bad form
2. Infusion must be extemporaneous bad
3. Wine a good form There are two 
1st of the seeds 2d of the root The Phil. Ph.
directs to powder the seeds, but a stronger wine
may be made of the unbruised seeds
I have used the following Rx entire seeds zii
off. alc. f zii madeira wine f zxiv mad. 1 or 2 wks
& strain I have kept this for years unimpaired.
I know of no other in the
books but what will sour
Wine of the root. Rx bruised root 8 oz
wine 1 pt This is as good as any I wd use 


f zxiv wine & f zii off. alc. But the wine of the seeds
is the best
4. Tincture zii root to ziv dil. alc. If you 
must use the root I wd use the tinct.  
but I prefer the seeds. Some however prefer
5. Vinegar of colch. If the root is used
by all means take 8 oz to 1 pt dist. vinegar
If the seeds, zii to the pint of vinegar
6. Syrup. Take the acetum 
Diseases Limosis gastrodynia recc.
highly by Dr Williams of Ipswich & in other painful aff.
Helminthia tenia f zi once a day for 
3 or 4 days is said to have cured from analogy
shd think it might be good
Dyspnea exacerbans highly efficacious
give a full dose say f zi with a full dose
of opium if necessary give another dram
but one is generally sufficient in a parosxysm 
my? usual dose is 1 teas.  f. to 2 of SS. commonly
supposed that purging vom. will relieve
this disease not so. colch. relieves it by 
its narcotic & deobst. powers. Squills will 


[?4] Deobst
often relieves it but better with SS. Lobelia
infl. I consider better than colch. in this disease
Entonic phlogotica only after depletion
Atonic phlogotica resolves the
topical infl. less atonic the better
It may be laid down as a general rule that the
phlogotica of the brain are less relieved by deobstruents
than those of the joints I usually 
give 3 to 5 f z & so as not to produce
hyd. catharsis for phl. of brain.
Pneumonitides I have used it successfully 
particularly P. notha but the inconveniences
attending its uses are worse perhaps than 
those of the disease. In that form of
pneumonitis attended with a topical
erythemat. infl. fever synochus it is better
than in any other form
Podagia gout there is more risk in a 
broken down pat. in an induced
case, or one brought on by high living
than in a hereditary one There should
be no preparatory process of bleeding or 


purging for the colch. will reduce difficulty
Entonic acute rheum. shd think colch. wd
be better in this than any other entonic pyhlogoticum.
Shd bleed here first shd always
look out that it does not purge giving f zi
once in three or four hours till it begins to 
purge or vomit preceding? with a free use
of opium
Arthritis rheumatalgia var. acuta most
applicable in the acute, next in the subacute
also var. sciatica & (hiatus)
Neuralgia faciei said to be very successful
rule to give it till it affects the
bowels except cath. is restrained by opium 
Hydrops cellul. thorac. & abdom. are
said to be successfully treated with it if
used in dropsy it had better be given as a
diuretic, not as a hydr. cath.
Exomia prurigo var. senilis said to 
have been perfectly cured by zfs of the
wine of colch. 3 times a day for 3 weeks
Here shd come in andeira inermis



Veratrum viride
Green hellebore swamp hell. Indian [unicas]
Indian poke pokeweed bearweed itchweed
tickleweed. Hab. the whole U.S. nat. ord.
Melanthaceae
Probably the best article on it is that
of Dr Bigelow. It is better than all the rest of 
the Med. Bot. put together. His acc.  of the therap.
applic is sufficiently full but his nat. hist. of 
it is deficient
The root is the part used It is
thick & fleshy, the upper half tunicated, the
lower solid, (which is an anomaly) & with large
fibrillae shooting from it. Taste bitter
 but more acrid than bitter, leaving a [durable]
in the mouth & especially in the fauces
if chewed & swallowed. It does not contain
veratrine. It is not cathartic
Bigelow calls it stimulant It is irritant
Big. calls it sedative He shd have specified
It is ill adapted to the purposes of an
emetic unless a deobstr. emet. is wanted


Dr War gave it in 30 cases as a pure
emetic in 10 out of 15 6 grs produced
kind & effectual vomiting. The operation
he says is not so severe as that of tart. em.
though more so than that of ipecac
It requires a long time for its operation as
an emetic & this is the case with all the
emetic deobstruents
Dr Big. says “Some patients obtain
relief from moderate doses without nausea
or other unpleasant effects. Others require
larger doses (zii) & experience nausea, vomiting
a sense of prostration & exhaustion, 
impaired vision & even total insensibility”
These bad effects arise from bad management
If smaller doses at shorter intervals
had been given they would have been avoided
Taken in excessive doses Dr Big
says it produces “distressing vertigo. tremors
sinking of the pulse, cold sweats, cold extremities,
syncope, convulsions & death 


Taken in too large doses at once it produces
hyper emesis, hyper catharsis, great tormina & 
hemorrhage from the intestines but the cath.
eff. is prod. however from a sort of cholera
& this is no proof of its being cathartic, for
many articles well known to possess no such 
power may induce a cholera & of course
catharsis follows
A strong infusion of fruit galls is
recommended as an antidote, to combine
with the supposed veratrine This in the
case of v. album must be useless for the
veratrine is in a state of bi-gallate already
Opium is the only effect. rem. for 
an overdose
Primary Operations
1. deobst. 2. Acrid-narcotic 3. emetic
4. epispastic from its irritant powers proving
rubefac. 5 errhine from its irritant pow.
Its secondy eff. are 1. resolv. 2. antipsoraic
3d. sialag. 4. expect 5. discut. sternut.
I do not know that it has been ascertained 



positively to be diuretic or emmenagogue
but from the fact that v. alb is so, we
might expect it. It is not diaph. except
by its emetic operation which will of itself
produce diaphoresis. It possesses not a
particle of cathartic power
It is less liable to leave the
stom. & intest. in a bad & irritable state
the most of the other deobst. as colch. etc.
No other article resembles sanguinaria
so nearly. It is more like it than like
its [illegible] v. alb. Of deobst. I prefer
those which have no cath. power 
It is contraindicated in phlog. diathesis
Pharmac. Pres.
1. Recently pulvd root. The roots of whole 
will return their power for some time If kept
in powder they lose it in some degree.
I do not think much of this preparation
think you wd fail of producing a deobst.
effect. Big. says 2-6 grs is an emetic
dose. The powder is best for an emetic 


except in comp & dyspnea, where the
wine is the best emetic form
2. Decoction best form only for act. applic.
It shd be boiled in a closely covered vessel
& I think it is injured by too much boiling
Rx coarsely pulv root zi off. alc. f zii
boil. water 1 pt.
3. Wine by far the best. Put the rec.
root cut fine into a bottle & add sufficient
wht wine to cover it Big directs zviii
of the root to lbiijs wht. wine but I think it 
can be much stronger & lbj is enough for zviii
just enough to cover it.
To make a prep. that will keep 
Rx root recent. cut zviii off. alc. zii wht wine
zxiv Of the first recipe zi is a medium
dose especially in acute diseases but 
it wd be a large dose of my recipe, unless
the dis. was very severe, few [illegible]
tolerating more than zfs. Bigelow says
“add to 3 parts of the wine 1 of wine of opium
& of this from 20 gtts to zi is a med. dose”



I never succeed unless the pat. can take
more than 20 gtts but sometimes as with sanguin.
20 gtts will irritate & be rejected when 
30 or 60 will sit well
The dose shd be repeated 4-6-8 times in 
24 h. If 6 or 8 doses have been given the
article cannot be continued by & it will 
not be necessary
It has been proposed not to use the article
till the “sediment” has subsided, as it is the
less violent in its action, but will the med.
power be diminished precisely in the
same degree? as is the case with colchicum 
4. Ointment Rx rec. root pulvd zii
lard ([illegible] cer. is better) zvjii oil of lemons 10 m
It is better not to beat the lard. Add the
oil to the powder
Verat. viride used externally 
is discutient & antipsoraic. It has produced
nausea & vom. & other constit. eff
when applied to ulcers on the legs & to 
cutaneous eruptions. But this eff. has 



15 Deobst.
been produced only when there were ulcerations
Big. asks “may it not do good externally appl.
in gout.” I answer no extern. applic.
shd be made in gout or ac. rheum. so long
as it is erratic ten chances to one you drive
it to the heart, lungs or brain
I prefer ver. vir. to v. alb or
to colch because it does not purge. It is
analogous to sanguinaria in its operation
& I have substituted it for sanguin in 
cases where there was a prejudice against
it. I never cd perceive any difference 
in their effects
Diseases
Dyspepsia with torpid liver & clay cold stools
Simple idiop. cough v. vir. like sang.
is very useful in early stages when there is 
no expectoration & also after it has taken place
The pathology of this affection is not well
understood. It is not an infl. nor febrile
aff. but deobst. will cure it. It is probably 
connected with a morbid condition


of the secretions of the bronchial mem.
It is occasionally relieved by narcotics
as opium & hyoscyamus These act on the
secretions also but not in the same manner
as the deobstruents I usually conjoin this
article more or less with opium & find it
very efficient. I have not employed it as
much as blood root
Dyspnea exacerbans At the commencement
of the paroxysm I give a full dose of
the wine about zi with 15-20 gtts of SS
acc. to circumstances I repeat the wine
at short intervals & ¾ of the cases are 
relieved without vomiting or narcosis
but some require a continuance till
vomiting takes place. It is the deobst. operation
that effects the cure
Phlysis paronychia (whitlow) I have
seen decided benefit from it. Take a
strong infusion or decoction immerse the
part 1 or 2 hours in it as warm as can be borne
& repeat 2 or 3 times a day. The earlier it 



is used the better & the greater the prospect of
cure. AT more advanced stages it merely palliates,
but relieves the pain much. If opened
frequently no suppuration is found but the
incision is of service
Pneumonitis typhodes var. Notha I first
give a full dose of calomel, & opium suffic.
to allay the pain which is usually severe
I proportion the cal. to the opium & make
it remain in the al. can. 12-18 hours. I then?
apply a blister & enter immediately on the 
use of verat. vir. in full doses at intervals of
1 or 2 hours If it vomits it is not much matter
though I prefer that It shd not the vom.
does no hurt. I most usually give
f zi every hour for 12 hours & by that time it
usually occasions some nausea & retching
I then give the same dose every 2 hours
for 12 hours more & when the cal. operates
the disease melts away the vomiting help
the deobst. power. Always give enough opium
with it to meet the symptoms & allay
the pain s


Dysentery v.v. will of itself cure this 
disease Cal. & op. is usually given first & the
calomel retained 15-18 hours & followed up 
by varatrum only in non-malignant cases 
Sparganosis puerperarum Moderate cases
are easily overcome by it, conjoined with opium
In severe & violent cases & those following profuse
hemorrhage it would not answer. I 
have had no experience with it in this disease
Gout has been employed with much success.
It was first used for the “eau medicinale”
(vide v. alb.) I have never treated a
true case of gout but only those [illegible]
between gout & rheumatism & approaching
the former. In one case there were
chalky concretions inability to move etc.
& it had resisted a great variety of 
medicines. I gave wine of v.v. 3 parts wine
of opium 1 part dose zi every hour at the
commencement of a paroxysm till it produced
narcosis or vomiting It cured speedily
& perfectly & by a subsequent use
kept off the paroxysm 9 mo. The pat. 



then gave it up his health improved & 
the swelling decreased. Dr Big. says it is
used in gout very successfully in Boston
We shd increase the frequency of the dose
rather than the dose itself. If narcosis or
other symptoms appear decrease the dose
I have never succeeded unless the pat.
cd take more than 26 gtts
Acute atonic rheumatism equally if
not more successful
Rheumatalgia or that kind of rheum.
aff. [illegible] is usually unattended with 
any topical swelling ore redness usually 
occurring in young persons. Shd push it
so as to produce narcosis or vomiting.
No matter if the pat. does vomit once or 
twice, it will do him good & heighten the
deobst. effect
In genuine chronic rheumatism it is
recommended I have not succeeded 
well with it in this. What is often
called chronic is acute. The more acute 


the better I have succeeded. Dr Big.
says he has succeeded in obstinate cases
“he pushed it till vomiting
narcosis or relief was produced” Perhaps
I have not pushed it far enough
When verat. vir. is given in acute
rheumatism it allays morbid irritability
& irritation, morbid sensibility & sensation
it obviates pain & restlessness, even if it
fails of effecting a cure all this by its narcotic
power. The Europeans suppose 
that colch. & v. album cure by 
their evacuation, but v. viride never purges
& we give it short of the vomiting point
& yet a cure is accomplished
Dr Big. supposes the v. viride “cures by 
the strong impression that it makes”
But if he gives only 15-20 drops & no 
sensible operation follows we cannot suppose
any very strong impression to be produced.
v. viride like other deobst.
cures topical infl. by acting on the 


[illegible] & absorbents The absorbents must
remove the disease. This principle shd be
better understood. The reviewers have 
mentioned with a note of exclamation that
I have stated that sanguinaria will remove
infl. independent of vomiting!
Porphyra hemorrhagica or simplex & nautica
recc. in we shd not at first expect this
but it is a dis. of the [secern] [illegible] absorbents perhaps
exclusively. Kaln says it is externally & internally 
Indolent Ulcers especially those recurring
in strumous habits & probably originally 
connected with syphilis the ulcers 
deep concave, hemispherical dry or secreting 
an icherous matter. In cases where 
nit. silver, sulph. copper etc. had done
no good I have applied veratrum which
produced a secretion of “laudable pus” & 
the ulcer put out granulations & healed.
Of late I have used blood-root for this
purpose. There is not much difference
I apply the powder & over than an 



adhesive plaster. Any indolent
ulcer may be benefitted in this way
Sick Headache Given in sufficient season
it will prevent & carry off the paroxysm
but if given too late it will accelerate the
attack of the paroxysm given very much 
as in dyspepsia
Comatose affections the result of slight concussions.
Early in my practice I used it in 
these so freely as to produce vomiting
The coma came on a week after the accident
in these cases. Almost any thing
that makes a strong impression will cure
as an active cathartic. The veratrum is as 
effectual as any other article
Apoplexy certain forms occurring in 
young persons the face as crimson as in 
the sanguineous, but pale & livid (not exactly 
the serous apoplexy of Cullen) 
pulse weak extremities cold. Here I 
give stimulants and apply warmth to the 
extremities till they become warm 


[16] Deobst.
I then give the wine of v. v. in repeated doses
at short intervals so that it may produce 
vomiting If four doses do not vomit I then
give ipecac Then I use stimulants.
This form of apoplexy is most common with 
me No one who regards symptoms wd
think of V.S. I have seen two patients
die under the act of v.s. These cases
will recover only under the use of stimulants
& emetics & these are infallible unless the
constit. is broken down. The deobstruent
emetics are most proper & far preferable
It is contrary to the books to give emetics
in head affections. The brain is not so
much affected by deobstruents as the other
viscera. It is affected however to some extent
Carus Paralysis or peral. not connected
with organic derangement. I have seen
great effects from it in paraplegia
Cutaneous eruptions Bateman & Good
recc. the acrid deobst. especially v. album 
but v. viride is far preferable 



Psoriasis inveterata I have used it in the
early stages
Impetigo laminosa salt rheum If in an
irritable state, emollients shd be first applied
& this state overcome or your applications will do no good
Porrigo galeato for this however I prefer 
the red oxide of mercury
Ecpyresis scabies (Ich) I have used v. v. 
internally & externally in all the above
but not in itch.
But I lay little stress on internal remedies’
in porrigo galeaga In 
periosis inveterata the internal use shd be 
conjoined with the use of the decoct. or ointm.
externally. In impetigo laminosa I 
place more reliance on the external applic.
but think the internal administration of it useful 
It will not succeed perhaps in a majority of 
cases. The mercurials are perhaps better.
I do not use it internally in porrigo galeata
but the strong decoct. or ointment.
There are better remedies but I have succeeded
with this when other remedies had failed


In scabies I use a strong decoction & to make it keep
add ¼ of the sat. tinct. zviii will cure
Apply it by a sponge fixed to the cork of the
vial It shd be applied to the affected
part for a week. If not so speedy in 
its cure as some other applications it is far
more agreeable than sulphur & I think
very favorably of it. It is injured by simmering
in cerate the heat of the boiling water
is as much as it will bear I suspect the 
ointment wd be a better mode zii of the
impalpable powder of the root in zi sim. cer.
I prefer an ointment of mercury to any 
thing else, but it is too liable to be abused
for common use
Burns & scalds if neglected are apt to 
become vitiated ulcers, livid & threatening
gangrene. For these the ointm. or cloth
wat with the strong decoct. is an excellent application
If applied early, before the skin is 
removed, it has the power of preventing 


the vesication, but it is not the best article
for that purpose
The therapeutic application of verat.
viride is almost precisely like that o f
sanguinaria
Kaln says the Indians soaked
their corn in a strong decoct. of verat.
vir. to protect it from the birds, which if
they ate of it became giddy & fell down
& though it does not kill them the others were thus
deterred


Perhaps there may [come]
Andeira inernis which resembles
colchic. & v. sabadilla anthelmintic
like the latter








16 ½ Deobst.
Andeira inernis
Allied to colchicum & may be used
for the same purposes A large dose at
once produces nausea & vomiting.
Short of nausea & repeated with diuretic
regimen it is diuretic. In moderate
doses at short intervals it is narcotic
The test of any overdose is 
nausea & vomiting. That of too frequent
repetition is narcosis. That of 
too long continuance is catharsis
Properties acrid-narcotic. emetic
hyd. cathartic & deobstruent
being diuretic, resolvent probably 
cholagogue & expectorant
The proper remedies for an
overdose are opium to check the
evacuations & stimulants to support 
the powers of life. There is no proof
on record that lime juice will counteract
the effects of the acrid narcotics


This article is most used in the
W.I. & in the Spanish prov. as an anthelmintic.
The powder of the bark is
given as a nauseating emetic, narcotic
& cathartic beginning with small
doses & increasing till nausea is produced
& then continuing short of nausea
The medium doses for a strong
healthy adult is zfs This is large
if it is to be repeated. It is better to 
begin with smaller doses & let them 
remain some time in the al. can. to 
act on the worms. Dose for a 
pat. 14 or 15 grs = [illegible] of 10 grs – 15 grs
2-3 grs = 10 grs – 1 gr. = 5 grs Vary 
acc. to circumstances
Pharmaceutical Preparations
1st decoct. Rx zi recently dried bark
to lbji water boil till colour of madeira
wine strain & use immediately 
Dose for an adult, about zii


2nd Extract Rx lbj rec. dried bark
coarsely powdered to wat. lbviii boil
till half is evaporated strain & evaporate
toa proper consistence in a salt
water bath, stirring frequently that the
resin may not rise to the top Dose
for an adult 3 grs 14 or 15 yrs = 2 grs
10 yrs = 1 ½ grs 2-3 yrs = 1 gr – 1 yr = ½ gr
For ordinary purposes this is the best preparation
3d Syrup Rx Take of the decoction
as above made any quantity, & dissolve
in it while hot twice its weight of 
white sugar. If there be sugar
enough it will not ferment. Dose
for a strong adult zii & [illegible] for other 
ages
Diseases Helminthia, as caridis
lumbricoidis Use the decoction
It is a powerful anthelmintic




1st Sanguin
17 Deobst
Sanguinaria Canadensis ([Linnaeus])
Called mor appropriately by Salisbury S. [vernalis]
Previous to Linnaeus it was called S. minor & S.
major called by Plukenet papaver corniculus
chelidonium [illegible] ranunculus virg.
Blood root or wort (the same is root) the
[illegible] of hieracum venosum,. Puccoor
(Indian name) also Indian paint, Indian
turmeric Nat. order Papaveraceae
Polygonus [illegible] is called sanguinaria
in some of the continental medical works
the root is the part used it is bitter & 
extremely acrid it is said to lose [70] pr ct its
weight in drying. I have not found the loss
of weight so great. much depends on the season
in which it is gathered, which should be late
in autumn. Water added to the tinct.
causes a milky appearance
PRox. princ. sanguinaria discovered by 
A Hayes of Windsor Vt. macerate the rec
root in 3 times its weight of cold water acidulate
with about 1/80 its weight of strong sulphuric



acid after remaining 3 or 4 days
in a cool room, decant & filter repeat
the process with additional diluted acid to
the same parcel of root & put the filtered
fluids together. Add pure aqua amm. till
the water is slightly alkaline & the [sanguinarine]
is precipitated. Wash the precip.
with water slightly alkaline with ammon, as
long as it is coloured & afterwards with
pure rain water to remove the ammon
Redissolve with sulph. ac. decompose
the sulph. & wash to filter as before & 
you remove impurities. macerate in 
alcohol at the common temperature, shaking
frequently to take up the sanguinaria filter
& dissolve the remainder in more alcohol
& then as long as any is taken up put the filtered
fluid together in a retort over a common
furnace fire distil off ¾ of the bulk till
the sanguin. begins to precip. then dash in 4 times
its bulk of cold water 7 the whole will be
precipitated. This precip. washed & dried



will be pretty pure [sanguinarine]. For A.
Hayes original proc. vide sil.. chem. His
acid is a little stronger, but my process is
essentially the same. This is the best way to 
obtain most of the veg salifiable bases,
if they are insoluble in water. Sulph. ac.
supersedes all the veg. acids Sulph. quin.
may thus be procured
Sanguinarine thus obtained is at first
white but becomes brown or buff coloured
by keeping, from absorption of cab acid
as is said but if kept in sealed vial it
will undergo the same change. It has 
an acrid taste, turns turmeric brown & veg.
blues green hence an alkali If from
a precip. with tinct. galls which is a tartrate
or gallate or both of sanguinarine
Insoluble or sparingly soluble in water
Soluble in sulph ether, vinegar & alcohol
It forms coloured salts, red crimson or 
scarlet. their color is a diagnostic [none]
thus far resembling the exc. the salts of 



Strychnine & brucine. The hydrochlorate, 
sulphate, nitrate, phosph. acetate
& tartate are all used vide Silliman
The acetate is most soluble The tartrate
oxalate & hydrochl. are very soluble
The acetate is most acrid but the tartrate
is most active. Those that have the strongest
sensible qualities are most active
those that are most soluble are most speedy
in their activity
Silicate of potassa & tinct. iodine may 
perhaps be incompatible with it
It is probable that the sulphate formed by 
macerating the root, filtering & drying wd 
answer all ordinary purposes in medicine
I have tried it & it was deliquescent probably
from excess of acid
The colouring matter of the plant is the active
principle. IT a native salt with an 
unascertained acid one however which 
has great affinity with the malic & will
probably prove to be so this being the ac.


most commonly found in union with the
veg. alkalies
Potassa, soda magn. calcia ammon. & lithia
decompose the veg. salts, precipitated their loss
and render most of these bases weaker. Some
they only weaken, others they affect not at all
They weaken sanguinarine No acids weaken
it except the gallate. Hence avoid giving veg.
astring. with prep. of sanguin. The gallates
(exc. the bi gall. of veratrine) are generally 
comparatively inert
Tincture of sanguinaria, in appropriate
cases excites the secretions of the
chylopoietic viscera, liver etc. changes the 
condit. of the [secern.] & absorb. systems, resolves
atonic acute & sub. ac. infl. of the
thorac. & abdom. viseara & arthritis infl.
of muscles & joints increases the appetite
& digest. powers indirectly increases force
& frequency of pulse excites muco-purulent
secretions from bronch. mem. & the
catar. secretion & has even occasioned hem.


from the [uterus]
In larger doses it nauseates, obviates
irrit. heat & dryness of skin sometimes
occasions vomiting, burning at the stomach,
vertigo, impaired vision, reduction
of force & frequency of pulse, palpitation
& irrig. action of heart & arteries, great prostration
of strength, convulsions & stiffness
of the limbs Pushed farther if vomits & 
produces great anxiety & narcosis
It leaves the stom. & intest. in a good
condition not disturbed & irritable as after
colchicum & squills
Externally applied to eruptions it irritates,
promotes absorption & changes condition 
for the better
The decoction is a discutient in 
inflam. affections
The powder is an errhine
The tartrate of sanguinarine in
moderate doses at short intervals, allays
irritative secret. of bronch. frequency of pulse 



& cough in pneumonitis. In larger doses it
produces vertigo, cloud before the sight
dilated pupils, haggard counten. cold sw.
pulse slow & irreg. These symptoms appear
in ¼ hour & disappear in 3 hours
5 grs have produced this effect Some cannot
take ½ gr From grfs to griii is a
medium dose A. R. Terry took 20 grs
It did not vomit him
Sanguinaria sometimes prod. unpleasant
affections of head or stomach. or both destroying
the appet. & dim. the pulse. Sometimes
in such a case the tartrate will agree 
It is less emetic than the other preparation
The seeds are sd to be more narcotic
like those of datura (?) The leaves are sd to 
be active & worthy of investigation’
Hence this article is
1st deobstruent 2nd acrid narcotic
3d emetic 4th escharotic 5 errhine
As a deobstruent it is 1st cholagogue
2nd resolv. 3d expect. 4th emmena 5th anti-psoraic


6th discutient
It is neither stimulant, tonic, diaphoretic 
diuretic, sialagogue, nor cathartic
Its colog. oper. has been denied but 
it is perfectly evident & is uniform always
taking place when the violence of the disease
does not prevent it
The strong narcot. effects are produced in persons
of great susceptibility not idiosyncracy by in 30 or 40 
As a mere emetic it is inconvenient, uncertain
& ineffectual & shd be given only for
the shock & as a deobst. for the liver & lungs in certain diseases. It will not
abate entonic action, but in proper dis.
is more effectual than any other emetic 
As an escharotic is improves vitiated ulcers etc.
It is a powerful sternutatory.
Its continued used in full doses obviates
costiveness by increased flow of bile hence
it is indirectly eccoprotic. Small doses
do not cause a secretion of bile
As a deobstruent its resolvent powers
are the most important. For many years 


2nd Sanguinaria
18 Deobst.
relied on it in acute rheumatism
Its acrid narcotic effects are next in importance
Pharmaceutic preparations
1 powder of root 2d pill with [illegible] [roses]
dose 5 gr. to a pill, repeated
3d Infusion of bruised root zj to lbjs. dose
zfs to a gill as an emetic
4th Decoction same prop. infus. is better
boiling seems to injure such articles 
Dr Tally’s recipe of sanguin. for dyspepsia
modified by Dr Todd Rx coarsely powdered 
root of sanguin. ziii Ext. leont. taraxac.
zviii (thick enough to pill) Dried leaves
of eupat. perfol. zjv Ginger in powd. zii
cloves powd. zfs aq. pura lbvj
Boil all but the cloves to 3 pints then add
the cloves & 1 pt of molasses & simmer
20 minutes. This prep. is tonic
deobstruent & eccoprotic to preserve it
add ½ pt of spirit & keep in a close bottle
Found very useful in many cases. Vid p.
Diseases dyspepsia


Compound syrup of sanguinaria
Rx rad. sanguin. coarsely powdered
Rad. recent. contus. araliae racem. (spikeweed)
Pan. quinquif. (gineng) coarselypowd. aa zj
Semin. contus. anisi zii misce
Add alcohl. dilut. lbjs
Aquae ferventi lbj
Digest 6 hours in a closely covered vessel strain
through flannel & add sugar to form a
syrup. Very successful in consumpt. & cough vid. p. (cough)
These [forms] may be varied to suit cases
The following formula is much used as an emmenagogue
& is highly useful in dyspeptic cases
as a tonic deobst. & laxative 
Rx Pulv. rad. sang. zjs
Sulph. zinc & ext. aloes aa zi
muc. acac. ver. q.s ft. mas. in 120 pil. div.
Dose 1, 2, or more pill ;3 or 4 times a day falling
short of nausea & purging IT may act as an eccoprotic
Drs Beers & Hooker have used them. The
former thinks very favorably of them (1830)
The soft resin of pinus australis or strobus 


would perhaps be a better constituans than gum
arabic, as it dissolves more slowly & in this
way perhaps mor sanguin. might be borne without
producing nausea. Bals. copaib. might
also be used. Proto sulph. of iron is better
than sulph zinc. Vid. dis ([param??]) page
Officinal Preparations
Tinct. sang. Rx rad. san. cont. zii
Diluted alcohol ([illegible] spt.) lbj. If the
root is good this will saturate. Digest
10 days in a warm place & filter. Dose
as a resolvent cholag. emmen. or expect. is
30m, increased rapidly to zj or zii
Wine of sanguine Rx bruised root
zii off. alc zii wht. wine f zxiv. Dig.
10 days & filter. Dose, same as tinctures.
Properties the same. The alc. is added to 
make it keep but it will sometimes sour in 
hot weather notwithstanding
Vinegar of sang. Rx bruised root zii
off. alc. f zii purified vinegar f zxiv macerate
for a while in the vinegar, then express 



the fluid & add the alc. to make it keep
This is decidedly more active than the tinct.
as we have an acetate of sanguinarine
Purify the vinegar by filtering through animal
charcoal. This vineg. of sang. is
a valuable preparation when the stom. is weak
& irritable. To some it is more nauseous. To others
less so. Those who object to tinctures prefer the
vinegar. Dose, same as of the tincture
Tinct. of sanguin. & acorus calamus
Rx bruised root sang zii ac. calam. zj
diluted alcoh. lbj mac. express & strain
The calamus disguises the taste of the sanguinaria,
but it is perceived in 10 or 15 min.
This prep. is an effec. emmen especially 
useful when the stom. is weak & irrit. & is
less likely to do injury than the other preparations
The calamus is supposed to enhance
the emmenag effect A valuable preparation
when an aromatic united with an acrid narcotic
is wanted
Vide sage. Diseases paramus obstruct


For an acrid narcotic, deobstruent, eccoprotic
& laxative preparation
Rx bruised root sang zii aloes zii dil. alc. lbj 
An excellent emmen. when the bowels are 
torpid. If the aloes act too much add the
tinct sang. & calamus. Better without
the aloes if the bowels are not rapid vid. p.
Syrup of vinegar of sanguin.
Rx vineg sang. lbj white sugar lbj. Dissolve
by a gentle heat. Similar to the prep
of squills. Preferable to any other preparation
of sanguin if an acrid deobst & saccharine
demulc. are both indicated. It is 
one of the most elegant expectorant syrups.
Taken well by children. Shd be kept by
every practitioner
Expressed inspissated juice of root
This is more active than the tinct. or powd.
less so than the tartrate. Can be given in 
pill Deobstruent dose 2 to 3 grs. Will
undoubtedly supersede the other preparations
Bruise the recent root express & inspissate 



in the [illegible] The root yields about ½ its weight
of ext. An ext by decoct. is made by the
Shakers at N. Leb. Prof. T. has taken [48] pills
of 4 grs. each at a dose no more effect than
from bread pills
Ointment
Rx Root pulvd & sifted zii Simple cer. zviii
[Carefully] rub together & add 20m oil lemon
The ext.  might be used & less wd be required
This is good in scaly & pustular eruptions, impetigo
[illegible] vid. p. Diseases
The tartrate is the only salt prof.
T. has used. The others have nearly the same powers 
The tartr. in small doses is as liable to produce
vomiting as the root, but with less nausea. It 
does not oppress a weak stomach. In large
doses it is less likely to operate as an emetic & 
more as a narcotic. The last probably prevents
its em. oper. Worth nothing as a mere
emetic Med. deobst. dose is [1/4] to 3 gr. once in 
2 hours More than 3 grs is rarely tolerated 


By using the tartrate you get rid of the acrid
disagreeable taste. Not worth while to use the
liquid preparations. The advantages of this
form are as great as those of quinine over bark
As an external applic. for all conditioned
ulcers the powdered root is the best
They are rendered less irritable & healthy pus
is promoted
Prof. T. has succeeded better with the liquid
than the solid prep. of sanguinaria
Greater effect is produced. minute division
is of great consequence in all remedies He finds
by calculation that in acute rheum. sanguin.
in a solid form will fail in 2/3 of the cases 
while the liquid form will fail in only ¼. ‘So
too of jaundice. As an emetic the powder
is too soon thrown off & does not act on the secretion
The infusion & decoct. are to be given in the same
doses as the tinct wine & vinegar q.v.
In some cases 20 or 30m may nauseate & zi or
zii sit well. In such cases any thing that
makes a strong impression will sit well.



Dose of the compd tinctures same as of simple
Dose of compd decoction ½ gill gradually increased
to 1 gill 3 times a day Dose of
compd syrup 1 or 2 tables. f. increased to 3 
or 4 4 times a day An emetic dose of
the powder is 10 grs to zi of the dec. or inf.
zii to ziv every 10 min.
Opium is often a valuable adjuvant. It 
will prevent nausea when the deobstruent & acrid
narcotic effect is wanted, while the sanguinaria
promotes the soporific effect of the opium
They produce modified action on each other
& not the combined effect of the two. The tartrate 
is as much improved by opium as the other preparations.
Internally in severe acute diseases
of adults give 1 part opium & 3 of wine
or tinct sangjuin.
The unpleasant effects are nausea
vertigo coldness tremors etc. mentioned above
For these give stimulants, but opium is the
most useful.
The emetic powers of sanguin.



3d Sanguinaria
19 Deobst.
by age, the deobst. are more permanent
The strength of the root depends much on the soil
season when gathered etc. Collect it in the autumn
That which grows in low ground loses its powers
most by drying
Blood root was first used in Conn.
by J. [Hoadly] of Middlefield (par. of mid. town) who
employed it as early as 1755 as an emetic in croup. Dr J.
Potter of Wallingford disseminated the information
in regard to its powers, ad at that time
he had the greatest [illegible] of country practice
in this state
Therapeutic Applications
Dyspepsia with torpor, vitiated or deficient
secretions & not much exhaustion. The following
is equal to the formula already given on p.
& is more convenient. Rx Take an infusion
of some bitter tonic agreeably aromatized & 
dissolve in it q.s. of ext. of dandelion & at
the same time that he takes a dose of this but the
pat take the requisite dose of tinct. sanguin.
Marasmus some cases in children 


Jaundice moderate caes may be cured
by it as an emetic in others continue its use
good in all forms as an auxiliary. In a severe
case begin with a single full dose of calomel
& retain it 12 or 15 hours, then give full doses
short of nausea, of the tinct. sanguin. Conium
is well combined. I prefer corr. subl. in 
this disease. Take the follow. Rx corr. sub gri
ext conium 40 60 grs tinct. sang. f zi
water f ziii First dissolve the sub. in the water
Dose f ziv once ion 6 hours. Vary this formula
acc. to circumstances
Parabysma coactum conjoin conium 
Simple idiopath. conch before or after effect
has begun combine with a narcotic as conium
Dyspneal cough I have cured it perfectly 
It may return. Sometimes the tartrate has
succeeded when the other prep. have field
the pat. not being able to take enough of them
Bex convulsiva either as an emetic or as 
an acrid narc.-deobst. As an emetic it is
far better than antim. or squills


Dyspnoea exacerbans lobelia infl. with conium is
better I have arrested a part with sang. & 
op. a tables. f. may be needed
Asthma humidum a rare disease shd think
sang. wd be good wd give some tonic in the [illegible]
Atonic forms of quinsy used sometimes
by an emetic in the more modern erythem.
infl. of fauces as a gargle.
Croup of high value, chiefly as a debost.
may be used as an emetic it may be mede
to cure without vomiting The fever of croup
is synochus. Tart. emet. is a bad article
in this disease; sure to create a fever. Turpenth
min. is the best emetic
When first called I give 1-2 tables s. f. of
tinct sanguin. If this does not vomit in
the course of 10 or 15 minutes I give a 
dose of turpenth min. Push the vomiting
till the coagulable lymph is evacuated
then follow up with deobst. Give calomel
freely better that it shd not purge hence
if necessary give opium to prevent it


I have given a dram of cal. in 24 hours to 
a child 4 yrs old in this way. I know of no 
article besides calom. so important as sang.
in croup. But I do not trust to it alone
Epidemic catarrh (influenza)
Pneumonitis difft forms particularly p. notha
1st give a single full dose of cal. with opium 
then follow freely with sang. in doses of
1-3 teas. f. shd not suffer it to vomit more
than once or twice as much as this will do
no harm Not good in very low cases.
Pneumonitis subacuta
Phthisis membranosa in early stages 
Phthisis dyspeptica if not too much exhaustion
Phthisis [tuberculoris], good in early stages
good with opium in advanced stages the
greater the exhaustion the less chance of benefit
Ophthalmitis of the conjunctive I have
known a severe case of this cured in 36 hours 
by a large dose at first, & following up
with it freely Others have sent me similar
facts Also chronic cases. Though once 


I shd not have believed it, I now think ophthalmia
may be better cured by deobstruents
than by any other class of remedy
Atonic acute & subacute rheumatism. [Actea]
has now [surpassed] sanguin. with me. I gave
it as I now do actea for some years q.v.
Chronic Rheum. without much swelling & pain
I have not succeeded so well with 
Gout severe fits of it have been arrested by 
sang. given freely with opium
Dysentery give opium freely for the
pain & follow with blood root Cures like
cal. as a deobst. Do not rely on it in 
low cases
Hysteritis membranifica. Dr Woodward
of Vt has cured several cases with sanguin
gave opium freely in the paroxysms of pain
& also conjoined it with the sanguin.
Impetigo laminosa. Dr Thatcher of
Mass. has cured many cases partic. that
with scaly eruptions.
Bites & stings not much to be relied S



or in bad cases. From the earliest practice
nothing has been found better than diffusible
stimulants. This is well understood in 
India & S. Am. enough shd be given
Leucorrhea
Blenorrhea [cenodes] simplex & chronica
Paramenia obstructionis idiopathic
In this it is very valuable with suitable
auxiliaries vide the preced. formulae p.
Indolent & irritable ulcers Apply 
the powder and over that an adhesive
plaister Any indolent or irritable
ulcer may be benefitted thus.s






20 Deobst.
Styllingia sylvatica Gordon & Linn
Queen’s delight yaw weed pox root
[cock] up nut Nat. ord. Euphorbiae juss.
Root perenn. top ann. hab. pine barrens & 
sandy soils There are 3 spec. known
S. ligustrium, shrub Car. & Geo. S sebifera
native of China but naturalized on the sea shore
of the southern states, the seeds of which are encrusted
with wax, resembling that of myrica
cerifera except in colour, & used in China
for making candles S. sylv.
The root is the only part used
in medicine. It is impaired by drying 
& age, but not always in an equal degree
It has kept for 2 years & sometimes is  impaired
in 3 or 4 months
In doses short of the nauseating
point & repeated it produces more or less purging
& vomiting & is hydragogue
In sufficient quantities it will
produce vomiting. In small doses it
is eccoprotic & laxative acc. to the dose 


It increases the biliary secretion when
the liver is in a torpid state, relieves
dysthetic & cachectic diseases & [causes] cutaneous 
eruptions. It is resolvent in aton.
ac. & subac. rheum.
Primary Operations
Deobstruent acrid narcotic in a slight
degree cathartic & emetic
If given freely so as to purge
it is generally or always hydragogue & I
believe cholagogue. Unless excessive
emesis or catharsis is produced it leaves
the stomach & bowels in an improved 
state
It is sialagogue from local action
on the mouth
I do not know whether it is emmen.
duretic or diaphoretic
Diseases
Dyspepsia in cases not attended with 
atony or exhaustion of vit. energ. of stom.
but with torpor of the liver & al. canal


quite celebrated at the south & called queen’s
delight
Rheumatism sub-ac. & chronic. With proper
management & auxiliaries it will surely 
relieve acute rheumatism, but the liquid
preparations shd be used as they act more 
speedily
Struma used at the south
Lues syph & syphilosis especially adapted
to the 2d stage when merc. ceases to be useful
It is chiefly used there for this & dyspepsia
It is useful in dyspepsia from its
aromatic acrimony & from its deobst. & 
laxative & eccoprotic powers Case of
a clergyman chewed a piece of the’
root as large as a ½ cent 3 times a day
produced a little nausea at first & 
cured by persevering Might begin with 
smaller doses & increase daily
This article is probably contraindicated
in phlog. diath.
Forms of preparation tincture much 


used at the south Rx not ziv opium 
zi dil. alc. lbj digest 10 days & filter
Dose zfs 3 times a day Observe that each
dose contains 1 1/8 grs of opium
I have used the decoction or infusion. It is
probable that water is a proper menstruum
The tincture keeps better 4 or 5 years
Styllingia sylvatica has
not been properly investigated


Polygala Senaga
Hiatus 
The root is the only part used 
in medicine It is thick, irregular & contorted,
varying in size from a goose quill
to a mans finger. The cortical part only 
has power. When dry it is destitute of
smell, has but little taste at first, but 
soon begins to exhibit its acrimony, particularly
in the back part of the mouth & the
fauces
It is not injured by boiling & shd be
long boiled to obtain its greatest power
A principle, supposed to be its active 
one has been obtained by a person named
Gelen & called polygagina the accuracy 
of this analysis I do not know
There is much [contrariety] of opinion 
as to its med. powers
S. Berton calls it emetic stimulant,
diaph. cath. diuret. sialag. etc.
Big. says it is sudorif. expect.
emetic & cath. & stimulant
W.P. C. Berton & Ed. & Vav. say 


decidedly that it is stimulant. But this
stimulation is nothing but irritation
Notwithstanding all the testimony
I have never been able to obtain any 
direct diaph. operation from this article
You may produce diaphoresis by drinking
large quantities with heat etc. applied so 
you may with alcohol under the same circumstances
If you depend on it as a diaphoretic 
you will be disappointed
I have never seen any salivation
from it except by topical application
like any other irritant
It is expectorant under certain
circumstances of the system but is ill adapted
to phlogistic & low atonic diathesis
It is an efficient emmenagogue
in certain states of the system but only 
in cases of idiopathic amenorrhea
It is unquestionably an efficient
diuretic most so if given in such doses as
to purge in 2 or 3 days the diuretic effect
does not take place during the operation of 



purging, but just preceding it. It is only in 
such doses that it is an efficient diuretic
It is purgative if given in doses
short of emesis it is a hydragogue. The
substance is more likely to purge than
the infusion says Dr Ives
It is emetic. But it can never
be used as a mere emetic or cathartic. It
may be pushed to cath. or vom. for the sake
of some other operation
It is extremely liable to produce
abortion when used freely by gravid women
Primary Operations
1st mainly deobstruent 2d hydr. cathart.
3d emetic
Secondarily it is 1st resolvent 2d cholag.
3d expectorant 4th emmenag. 5th diuretic
If sialagogue it is only so occasionally.
I do not know that it is 
antipsoraic It is not diaphoretic
It is not stimulant & yet it is
contraindicated in phlog. diath 1st because



it does no good 2d it irritates & irritation
is as bad in phlog. diseases as stimulation
for aught I know, if this effect is prominent
ON the other hand it is contraindicated in low
atonic diseases, because it will if long
used produce a bad tone of the stom. & 
intest. canal
Of late years I have used it only in 
dropsy
Pharmac. Prep.
1 powder or pill 20 grs will purge
2. an infusion is mentioned but this extracts
its powers very imperfectly
3. decoction zi dried root to 1 pt. water
boiled away to ½ pt This is the rule of Dr
Archer who introduced the article into 
the medical use & I think it is the best. A
little madeira wine will remove its
unpleasant taste & irritation
4. wine z4 coarse powdd root to lbj of wine
dose 2-3 tablesp. In some cases probably 
better than the decoction



21 Deobst
5. Tincture I do not know a formula
rheum. is the only dis. I know of in which tinct.
wd be preferable
6. Syrup ziv root wat. 1 pt. sug. 1 lb
The compd syrup is used but
it has done great injury. It is in the U.S. Ph. of
1820. I have known many dyspeptic cases 
produced by it. It is called compd sys.
of squills. It used to be kept in families
in Conn. but is now exploded except in 
N. Haven. It was used in simple cough. I 
can conceive of no worse prescription for a
cough than this
Extract I think this wd be one of the
best forms. It shd be made in the mode
commonly practised when heat does not
injure. Rx To every lb of root add 8 lbs
of water. This is to be boiled to ½ & strained
through a coarse cloth. It is then to be
reduced to a proper consistence for pilling
in a water bath, to prevent its burning 


Diseases
Asthma so called i.e. dyspn. [illegible]
Ophthlamia conjunctive It is used in Eur.
in pill for acute cases of ophth. pill a bad form
Epidemic catarrh or influenza treated
successfully by drenching the pat. with it
It may be better treated by cal. op. camph. etc.
Sub acute pneumonitis is probably what
Ed. & Vav. mean by 
Paristhmitis typhodes not good in atonic
when the infl. is phlegmonoid & the fever synochus
it may be successful
[Bronchle??mitis] membranifica croup
B. S. Barton says it is very important & reposes
more confidence init than in any other article
says he uses a strong decoction (vide 
Dr Archer’s formula) shd use it till it vomits
& throws off the coag. lymph. He sometimes
uses calomel with it & sometimes ipecac
Dr T says this is undoubtedly all true as
regards the beneficial effects calomel
shd be conjoined with it. But Dr T does 


not use it now because it leaves the stom.
& bowels in a bad condition leaves a tendency
to diarrhea& destroy the  appetite
The earlier the stage of croup, the better will
be the operation of senega, before the membrane
is formed. When this is formed the
case is an unhopeful one, not on account
of the membrane, but because the infl is
so far advanced as to reach the bronchial
ramifications. Avoid bleeding by all
means if you use polygala senega for it
will prove sufficiently evacuating reducing? without
V.S. It is in the earlier stages it shd
be used & given freely in large doses.
Dr Archer gave a tea s. f. every half
hour & repeated it till it operated as
an emetic or cath. Dr Tully says
this is not a sufficient quantity
Pneumonitis typhodes v. notha P. typh.
v. sub acute & P. typh. v. arthritica are
the three varieties in which P. senega is used
It should be used in the advanced stages 


The discrepancy of opinion in respect to the beneficial
operation of this article arises from the theory
that infl. is an unit, & from want of discrimination
in different forms of diseases. It 
answers only with the not very high entonic
nor low atonic cases of pneumonitides. Bleeding
is not indicated when P. senega is. It shd be
given in the early stages & in irritative cases
only. It is applicable to the 3 forms of pneumonitis
just mentioned & will cure, but I have
pretty much abandoned the use of it in these
diseases, on the same account as in croup
blood-root & actea are better
Casteritis membranifica same objections 
Arthritis rheumatismus acute & subacute
forms that which is accompanied with redness,
pain swelling & febrile action the
more acute the better shd be given so as
to vomit & purge but other articles are better
A. rheumatalgia that form not attended
with febrile action redness or swelling
not emetic in this the tincture is best
& if large doses are wanted, add the decoction


Syphilis if not advanced so far as to effect
the constitution I do no know whether it has been
used
Rabies do not think much of it in this
Carus lethargus
Paramenia suppressionis idiopathic
decoction beginning about two weeks previous
to the usual appearance of the menses. It
is undoubtedly an emmenagogue but not a 
desirable one, there are better articles.
Many cases of amenorrhea in which this article
has been used have undoubtedly been symptomatic,
but in such cases it is bad practice 
to bring on the catamenial secretion
Hydrops thoracis abdom. & cellularis
In dropsy we have no good substitute
for this article though many article are as
good yet we require an interchange
It shd be given in decoct & in conjunction
with squill or [copaiv] in doses short of
nausea & in such quantities during
the 24 hours that not violent purging will 


take place during that time better keep
off the purging 2-3 days & then an efficient
diuretic effect will take place Some patients
require twice as large doses as others 
Bit of the rattlesnake It is undoubtedly
sometimes efficient, by drenching the pat.
with it you may cure slight cases Dr
McBride says you may cure slight cases 


Ornithogalum Squilla
O. maritimum scilla maritimum Linn. S. vulgaris
Nat. ord. [coronaride] Linn. aspholdeli juss.
hab. shores of Medit. Spain & Sicily
Scilla is Greek Squilla is Latin
P. senega & squilla are more nearly
allied to each other than to any other article
Squill is one of the few medicines used by 
the Greeks & now retained
The bulk is the part employed
& in its native countries grows to the
size of a man’s head. It shd be collected
in the autumn, after the decay of the top
It is dried in slices and diminishes about 
4/5 in the process. It shd be quickly dried
& excluded from the light & air.
In its recent state it is acrid &
intensely bitter, but destitute nearly of
smell. Said to be composed of scillatine
tannin, a small quantity a little
gum saccharine matter lignine etc.
Scillatine is supposed to be its active princ. 


it is white & friable But I am somewhat
doubtful whether it contains such a principle
Operative effects
Called by Good & others, stimulant
It is irritant
It is deobstruent expectorant
emetic, resolvent do not know exactly that it
is cholagogue, but believe it is know not
positively that it is antipsoraic, but think i
probable that it is do not know positively 
that it is emmenagogue think it probably is
I think it not directly diaphoretic, though 
I have turned my attention to that point
It is a cathartic but ineligible as such
It is said to be narcotic, I do not believe
it possesses a particle of this power
It is well known to be expectorant
Good says it does not prove
so till it begins to vomit but this is denied
by some. It however produces its greatest
expectorant effect if pushed to its greatest



22 Deobst
possible extent without producing nausea. This
is Good’s meaning. Entonic action must be
reduced & atonic raised
It is emetic but uncertain
The recent root is epispastic but there is no
evidence that the dried root is so
Squill is agreed on all hands
to b e a powerful & in many cases a valuable
medicine, but it is subject to the same objections
as senega, leaving the stom. & bow.
in a bad condition. There are but few 
cases in which some other article is not better
It shd be given conjoined with some other 
article & to get its best effects you shd
give it in doses just short of nausea push
it till this is produced, then fall short & 
continue it. If pushed sufficiently far
to produce its deobst.  effect it is extremely 
liable to purge too much. As a general’
rule those deobstruents are best
which do not purge or vomit.


Primary Operations
1. deobst. 2. emetic rarely used as such
3. hyd. cath. not often used as such
4. epispastic recent root
Secondarily it is
resolvent, expectorant diuretic 
probably cholag. & emmenag. not diaphoretic
not narcotic not known to be antipsoraic
Pharmac. Preparations
1. Substance, in powder or pill E & Vav. say
the dose is 10 grs This is too much from ½ gr
to 2 grs is suffic. as a medium dose in powder
This should be an extemporaneous prescription 
as if kept in pills it soon loses its power
2. Wine 3. Tincture 4 oz to pt. better
made of diluted alcohol
4th Acetum sq. 4 oz. off. alc. f zii acet. f zxiv
5th Syrup vineg of sq zii 3bls clarified
honey or 3 ½ lb of sugar
Therap. Applic.
Icterus vulgaris not the most eligible not
when there is irritability of stomach 



Bex convulsiva useful by its deobst. operation
other articles are better
Dyspn. exac. asthma [siocum] & A. humidum
paroxysms are said to be arrested by it
I usually give a full dose of the syrup of 
squills ½ to 1 teas. f. (1. tea s.f. wd be large)
conjoined with a full dose of opium & repeated
the squills once in 10 min. in smaller
doses, till it relieves, vomits, or runs off by 
the bowels but there are much better
articles the lobelia infl. is far preferable
Pneumonitis when the entonic diathesis is
reduced it may be used in a case atonic
from the outset (P. typhodes ver. notha) it
may be used at the outset so too in P. 
typhodes var. sub-putrida
Tubercular affections say E. & Vav.
probably meaning tuberc. phthisis may 
possibly do in the early stages
Hydrops cellularis thoracis & abdominis
are the diseases in which squill 
is most valuable. It must be managed 



as P. senega give as large quantities as
possible without nausea It shd be given conjoined
with something else may be combined
with senna calomel, digitalis, cantharides etc.
the combination being varied acc. to 
circumstances & the habits of the patients
the general rule is the same as for P.
senega calomel frequently enhances 
the operation of these articles.


Dirca Palustris Linn.
Moose wood leather wood Nat. ord. [Thymellum]
Belongs to the same group of deobstruants? as daphne mezereon
The bark & seeds are used
The acrid principle is most effectually extracted
by boiling in alcohol in a Florence
flask (over a lamp) loosely stopped & not
continued very long (or you will lose the alc.)
& filtering. If this is evaporated it will give
an extract equal in weight to 1/24 of the bark
in substance. This alcoholic extract is
the best preparation & the bark in 
substance next.
The other preparations are
medicinally inert they however extract the
bitter principle & are tonic
Of the recent bark 6 or 8 grs
produce heat int eh stomach & after
some time vomiting. 10 grs are powerfully 
emetic & sometimes cathartic
The fresh root bark? moistened in
vinegar will vesicate in 36 hours & 



prove a rubefacient in 24 hours
The fruit is an acrid narcotic
producing nausea vertigo, stupor, dilated
pupils & insusceptibility
This article is emetic, cathartic,
epispastic & the fruit at least is narcotic
but it is not proper for either effect merely 
It is more useful as a deobstruent & 
when this effect is contraindicated, dirca is
of little use
It has been employed in numerous
diseases
Dyspepsia supposed to act by its tonic
power probably it acts by its tonic & acrid
excitant power better adapted to cases of torpor etc.
Coprostasis with torpor
Diarrhoea certain kinds
Parab. coact. of liver & spleen a substitute
for daphne & sarsaparilla highly spoken of
Simple & [illegible] cough considerable reputation
cases accompanied with relaxation of
bronchial membrane & irritation of excessive 


secretions of mucus Drs Woodd & Hale speak highly of it
Spasmodic cough dyspneal & in sequel
of hooping cough
Dyspnoea chronica palliative nothing
will cure except galvanism
Asthma humidum good
Pneumonitis connected with erythematic inflammation 
& peripneumonia notha. Especially 
adapted to arthritis phlogotica
Membranous phthisis Dr Woodd of Vt. has
long used it. He takes zii of the recently
dried bark boiling water lbjfs let it stand
at a scalding heat in a close vessel 1 or 2
hours till it has dried away to lbj this
prep. will be but little acrid, in considerably 
bitter & somewhat mucilaginous
he gives 1 pt in 24 hours, in very frequent
moderate doses, that it may not
distend the stomach & may keep up a 
continued action. He considers it a deobst.
checking the profuse secretions changing & improving
their quality & obviating laxity
Struma to be continued sometime Palsy chlorosis
leucorrhea dropsy as an auxiliary acrid & not as
a diuretic Cutaneous eruptions particularly scaly 


Leontice Thalectroides Linn
Blue cohost pappoose root blake snake root
& hence mistaken for Actea racemosa
Nat. ord. Barberideae jussieu
The root is the only part supposed to be medicine.
If chewed an acrimony is perceived which continues 
some time
Operative effects
In moderate 
quantities with diuretic regimen it proves diuretic
It is emetic nauseating & vomiting actively if freely 
given I have never seen catharsis or narcosis
from it. I suspect it is narcotic
Its primary operation is probably 
deobstruent being adapted to cases of
pneumon. typhodes with little exhaustion
It is used in decoction zii coarse powd root to 
lbjs water boil lbj & strain
The tincture is also used. Rx ziv rec. dried root
off. alc. lbj dose zi
Some recc. the powder of the root in teas. f. doses
Diseases colica ileus [paristhnati] atonic
I suppose croup 2d stages given like
senega Celebrated in rheumatism in tinct. what
form is not mentioned aphtha 
decoction Hysteria strong infusion
Epilepsy contind use in the intervals
Param. obstr. (I presume idiop.) celebrated
Leucroohea highly recc.
Blenorrhea cerodes much celebrated
Dropsy recc. This article requires further
investigation. Its powers are not yet settled
























































7
Materia
Medica










1st Deobst      1
Iodine
Sources 1st The ocean 2d certain springs
as Saratoga & [illegible] 3d spec. of silv. ore
from Mexico 4th in peat 5th Several marine
plants 6th certain zoophytes as sphargia off. & 
perhaps others & in [gorgones] 7 Some of the naked
& testaceous mollusca It is found
in the plants salsole kali & soda Testera marina
triglochin. mar. eryugium marit.
atriplex several species of [fuce] F. vesicalosus,
palmatus etc. ulva sedia? Dipsacus
[fullo???] Found in zoophytes in 
ostricae? etc.
Spongia off. this is classed among the zoophytes
shd be burnt by a smothered fire iodine 
is formed many suppose it exists in the form 
of iodide of sodium its med. powers are
owing to iodine.
Fucus reticulosus (a bladder wrack) affords
the most iodine of the fuci & is more
powerful than sponge
Fucus helminthocorton Bonaparte before
being emp. first called attention 


to this which is abundant in Corsica. It is 
the most active of all the fuci. It was given
in Corsica for worms, in decoc, infus. or syr.
It is most active when burnt
Iodine when given in moderate
doses & in appropriate cases & carefully 
watched will
1st moderately augment the appetite & digestive
powers & increase muscular & arterial
strength, but not in a degree sufficient for its
use as a tonic in cases of mere exhaustion
2nd It will gradually effect a resolution 
of acute subacute & chronic inflammations
and gradually remove morbid enlargements
of the glands, particularly the thyroid 
the mammae testes & ovaria. It will cure
many of the lepidotic eruptions. It will
increase the cetamenial secretion when
deficient & restrain it when excessive
3 In lean persons it will increase the 
deposition of fat in the cell. substance, & 
in the corpulent it will diminish it


Dr S. B. Woodward has seen erythema
vesiculare the same as from merc. or 
arsen. produced by a long continued use
of iodine in a single case. It disappeared
or withdraw in the article & applying ac. lead
It has been alledged that it will 
cause absorption or diminution of the mammae
& testes when perfectly healthy Majendie
never witnessed such an effect
neither has Elliotson who used it 18 mo.
(in one case?) The latter says, we must
suspend it when it purges, nauseates or produces
pain. The evidence on the subject of 
this absorption is by no means sufficient.
The effect has only been observed
in Switzerland where the article has been 
used extensively & inordinately in bronchocele.
Diseased glands are far
more susceptible to its influence. I 
have seen a diseased testicle reduced by 
it in a case of sarcoma medull. A part
of it pared away with a scalpel.


In inordinate doses iodine produces
great irritation & exhaustion. The most common
effect of one however is gastrodynia
Opium is the only effectual remedy for this
gastrod. & the disease will yield 
if regularly continued
The remedies for inord. doses are narcotics
hyscyam. conium but above all opium
Opium shd be given in combination
with iodine. I have thus combined
it for several years Laudanum acts on 
the iodine, but opium acts after the iodine 
has taken effect then it is wanted
Begin with iod. in small quan & 
increase gradually & contin. 3 mo. if a
cure is not effected before A less time
would not be a fair trial. If unpleasant
sympt. occur suspend it or diminish
the dose
Like calomel it requires a certain 
range of the system to obtain its specific 


effects. If there be too great irrit. conjoin
opium digitalis or conium
The test that it has been continued a sufficient
length of time is the cure of the disease
or the failure to produce beneficial effects
If it does not destroy the appetite & digestive
powers & musc. strength, while at the same
time it improves the case it shd be continued
It requires large doses to produce dangerous
effects. Under judicious management they
 very rarely occur
When we enter on a full & continued
use of iodine opium shd be conjoined with it 
in all cases But the opium shd be given in 
substance This is a perfect preventive of
all its bad effects With opium more
iodine can be taken & thus its power is
heightened by the combination. Iodine
is contraindicated in entonic, atonic or even
irritative cases unless the state is relieved
by appropriate remedies


The primary effects of iodine are
1st Deobstruent 2d Tonic 3d Epispastic
perhaps also cathartic, for with me it has
always had that effect, when given freely,
perhaps in the same manner as cinchona
The secondary effects of its deobst.
power are 1st Resolvent 2d Antispsoraic
3d Emmenagogue 4th Discutient
The tonic oper. of iod. is probably indirect
Pharmaceutic Preparations
1st Substance into pills I do 
not think this very eligible
2d Alcohl. tinct. 3d Ether of iodine
4th Ointment 5th Plaister
1st Pills of iod. are made in Europe
with powd. liquorish or gentian & syrup
of sugar. Dose gr fs morning & evening. This
does is too small. If you give the subst.
I think the iodides are best, as of pot. or soda
2 Tinct. is the best form
Rx Iod: grs 48 to alc. off. zi I think there 


must be a mistake here. I could never 
make zi of alc. dissolve more than 24 grs
You shd know the sp. gr. of your alc. or you 
will have variable preparations. Our best alc.
is of .835 sp. gr. Of this mixture 20 m
will weight (equal?) [illegible] Dose of this 2-30 
m 3 or 4 times a day I have used it for 6 
yrs. At first it had no effect. I then increased
the dose & it had the desired effect.
The French used pure alcohol. To make the
tinct. put the articles together & shake; they 
unite by solution immediately Rx alc. (sp. gr. 
.835) zi & iod. grs 24. Perhaps
the tinct. shd be recently prepared & the 
bottle perfectly tight, for it at length deposites 
crystals on the bottom whose nature
however is not perfectly settled.
3d Ether of iodine I have never seen it 
used It should be a saturated solution & 
the dose shd contain gr i of iod. [illegible] is variable
triturate wd, with lard. But this is too 
soft when applied to the body as it will 




melt & run down.  I make it thus Rx
the requisite quantity of iod. & a little cerate
& rub thoroughly in a mortar then add the rest
Make it extemporaneously the strength pro r
re nata. I have used it a good deal. The 
proper strength is zfs – zii to zi cerate
Melting together wd volatilize the iodine
As this ointm. leaves a stain continuing till the cuticle comes off apply to parts
exposed to view an oint. of iod. pot. or soda
Compounds of iodine 1st acidum
hydriod. the only one known with hydrog.
It is said that this ac. will dissol. an addit. por. of iodine
2d Protiodides & periodides of potassium & sodium & 
periodide? of protoxide of zinc & mercury 
Their powers are disputed Some say the protiodides
& others the periodides are the strongest.
I think that iod. preserves its powers
unchanged in composition & that the compds which
contain most iod. are the strongest It is
not so with mercury
Protiodide of potassium was long called
hydriodate of potassa & scrof soca, but s



2nd Deobst
there is abundant proof that the hydracids do
not form salts with oxides All agree that in the
dry state they are iodides. This compd is in 
opaque milky cubes. It is deliquesc. dissolves
in 1.43 part of water & 5 of alcohol
Periodide of potassium 2 iod. + 1 pot.
Majend. says it is less powerful than the port-iod.
I do not think so, but think the periodides
the strongest All are used in pill
in sol. in wat. & in tinct. Pure iod. is
the best for internal use. Protiodides of zinc
& merc. may be exceptions, as the metals are
powerful & the compd may united the properties 
of each I do not know whether this is the 
case. It should be enquired into
The iodides are less active than 
pure iodine. Of course you require a greater
quantity to obtain greater strength, as sometime
you want a caustic & sometimes only 
a rubefacient. Vary the strength of your plaister
accordingly.
Iodine is more powerful, given in 
an empty stomach, but liquids food? make it sit well


There are two iodides of calcium employed
in medicine, though the books acknowledge
but one.
Therapeutic Application
Dysphegia constricta
Limoris dyspepsia with atony & in great irritab.
of stom. & aff. of liver & no derangement
of the bowels. Yet opium? is better in such cases
Case connected with coryza chronica I improved
the appetite & digestion & increased the bile
Colica callosa & proctica callosa (stricture of
the rectum) very serviceable in early stages when 
they are more sequels of colic ileus I have cured cases
Parabysmata shd be administered with conium
Buboes syphilitic & others & many of a 
strumous origin I have cured by [discussion]
Here the ointment of protiodide of merc. shd be used
When Good wrote of iodine it was not as well known
Asthma humidum said to have been cured by it
Dysentery with no febrile action but bring 
discharges & tenesmus I conjoin opium
Ophtlalmitis strumosa 


Purulent ophthalmia of infants Dr Fuller
of Columbia says he has often cured by an internal
use of iodine
Strumous infl. of the glands of the neck
also of axilla & groin of a strong hardness
In such cases there are neuralgic pains & 
sometimes diarrhoea if so give opium If no 
diarrh. give conium & if debility, quinine
Gout used in France with opium
freely & as is said with great success also
externally. It acts like colchicum. Conjoin
stimulating remedies
Acute rheumatism think it would be useful 
have known it gradual but certain benefit in
chronic stage when acute conjoin conium
It may be used externally & internally
Phlogotica in general atonic ac. & subacute
I think it wd be of service
Struma vulgaris & mesenterica (Majendi)
Old scrofulous ulcers & glandular enlargements
L. mesenterica is cured by iodine
Phthisis (it is of the following form 1st Membranific
2d Strumous or tuberculous 3d Apistematous 



4th Hemorrhagic not necessarily attended with hemor. from 
the lungs, it may be from some other part but most commonly
from the lungs it leaves the part from which it 
comes a weak spot, slight causes renew the hemorr.
& the pat. runs down not mentioned in books
5th Laryngical phth. the lungs in a pretty good 
condition it is an aff. of the mm. of the larynx occurs
most commonly among those of strumous habits
& is undoubtedly connected with such habits
Iodine is said to have effectually cured
Laryngeal phthisis shd be accomp. with con.
Membranific hysteritis not considered
of much consequence except during the catom. 
period then give cal. & op. During the
intervals a free use of iod. & con. will cure it.
(N.B. membranific infl. are of the fauces, trachea,
lower intestines, bladder & uterus this
kind of infl. often occurs)
Mesenteritis strumosa has been cured
with first stages but when advanced it
is incurable. In order to judge of the progress
of the disease notice the function of
nutrition. if this be disturbed the dis. is far advanced 



Dysenteria chronica Dr Brera says he
has cured it with iodine there is no such dis.
the cases are mere sequels of acute dysentery & 
there are undoubtedly ulcerations & chronic
thickenings of the m.m. of intest. with savious
discharges, but this is not dysentery
White swellings of the knee, ankle & elbow
have been often cured by iod exterrn. & intern.
when amputation has been advised
Bucmemia tropica (not the same as sperganosis)
shd be used exterm. & intern.
Lues syphilis & syphilodes Iod & con. will cure
Exangia varis (varicose veins) sd to have been cured
Sarcoma S. medullare (F. Haematodes)
correctly described in the books. I believe
iod. obviates in some cases the general affection 
of the system & then the topical aff. disappears
The F. haemat. if not situated in a gland appears
at first in a small tumour & is vascular
if in a gland, it puts on a milky appearance.
It destroys life by inanition from 
loss of blood the pat. becomes cachectic
Case situated in the testis made a free 



use of iod. & con. The deobst. have more power
in such insulated glands than when the fungus
is situated among the muscles
Sarcoma schirrosum take for cancer of 
fem. breast it is more easily extirpated without
danger of return. The latter (true cancer)
begins on one side of the nipple, draws in the
nipple & becomes a phagedenic ulcer. The sarcoma
schirrosum is a tumour & appears to be
a topical disease, while the card. vulg.
is a constitutional one. Hence the applic. to 
the former shd be topical & sufficiently strong
to destroy the part if the vitality of the part is destroyed
you shd not apply the knife to remove
it the absorbents will do this with less
disturbance to the system.
Carcinoma vulgaris of Good cancer
of fem. breast. Here iod. has cured. Dr
Cogswell of Hartf. used iod. of potassium externally 
& con.  & iron internally for 8-10 weeks
In the early stages too early for the knife 
iod. cures by resolution in the latter, when 


the knife wd do no good, it cures by sloughing.
In other states I think it not so useful
Carcinous tumours, when cured by a judicious
use of iod. by sloughing are less likely 
to return than when removed by the knife
While applying the caustic give at the same
time e3xt. con. cinchona, iron wine or
opium In the first place, if the health is
low improve it & use the caustic in such a
way as not to enfeeble the powers of life.
More may be done by the internal use of 
medicine than usually is. The writings of
Storck are well worth reading on this subject
There is a choice in caustics for cancers
You shd adapt the strength of the caustic to 
the strength of the vitality of the part. Use
at the same time antirritant & supporting
remedies. Apply the caustic slowly & gradually 
Epilepsy this has also been cured
Chorea also]
Parapsis acris probably prurigo too
Hydrops abdominis thoracis & ovarii
Hydrops articuli dropsy of a joint 



Vitiated & obstinate ulcers of the leg, not
connected with varicose veins. I have often
used iod. successfully in them. Horizontal
posture & bandaging shd be conjoined Iodide
of potassium in solution or in ointment, but not
to prove caustic. Smart vomiting with turpeth
mineral previous to topical application
has been found useful. With this treatment they wd heal
Eutasia loxia (wry neck) Prof. Smith
cured many cases of wry neck from rigidity of
one or more muscles, with iodine
Leucorrhea senescentium very obstinate
said to have been cured by an injection 
of solution of protiodide of calcium. You 
shd inject 3 or 4 times a day. It will cure
in about a week or fortnight.
Leucorrhea communis has often been cured in this way
Chlorosis inops (green sickness)
Paramenia difficilis & obstructionis, when
idiopathic have often been cured by iod. & 
particularly in leucophlaegmatic habits
Iodine is an excellent substitute for iron &
is said to be the best emmenagogue 


3d Deobst
known in Po. obstructionis. Immense mischief
is often done by emmenagogues Remove the general
disease & then the suppression will be removed.
It is best that the discharge shd be 
suppressed till the disease is cured Iodine iron?
myrrh & veg. tonics & opium in such cases
restore the health and then the suppression 
will be removed of itself
Scaly eruptions You shd ascertain
whether they are constitutional or local if
local the topical applic of iod. may cure if
constit. the intern. use of iod may cure
Lepidosis pityriasis var. vesicular 
in this nit. silver is a very effectual remedy
Lepidosis psoriatis iodine & con. have
cured many very inveterate cases
Lepidosis ictyhiasis shd think iod. might
cure this too. IT is however a very obstin. dis.
Ecpyesis impetigo called salt rheum
(but salt rheum means everything) I have 
often cured with this but it is apt to return
You should keep curing it till the [tendency]
to return is subdued. It is worse in winter


than in summer. It is sometimes irritable
and will irritate & ulcerate. Now this state
of irritation shd be overcome before you apply
the remedy. Many phys. fail in curing
these eruptions & ulcers so long as the irritable
state continues you cannot cure
Overcome this by antirritants & then use iodine
Ecpyesis impetigo var. herpetica. Depends
on a deranged state of the digestive
functions & arsenic if persisted in is a 
sure remedy for it. Continue it 6 mo. if
necessary. A less time will hardly be a fair
trial. Shd think iod. might be of service
Ecpyesis porrigo several varieties 
that which covers the head with a crust
must have that soaked off before applying 
the iod
In my opinion most of the cutaneous eruptions
are capable of being cured by iod
externally if topical & internally if constit.
Conium shd be conjoined
Bony tumors incipient osteosarcoma
case of Dr Barry (vide my notes)


Iodine is perhaps applicable to as great
a range of dis. as merc. It stands at the
head of deobst. & shd be tried farther
in secondary syphilitic affections
Bromine
Possesses the same powers as iodine in a 
less degree 60 gtts are sd to be fatal
Bromide of potassium
Stands in the same relation to bromine as
iodide of pot. to iodine Has been used
Deuto bromide of potassium
Said to cure syphilis & primary syphilitic 
ulcers & to prevent the constitutional aff.
Bromine possesses the same assemblage
of properties as iodine but in a 
less degree & may be a substitute


Chlorine
Its medicinal powers even to this time
are not fully understood
Its effects are those of a weak
deobstruent compare with those of iodine
& bromine. It is supposed to be slightly tonic
Its common form is solution in water
2 vol. [illegible] to 1 water shd be kept stopped tight
Dose from zfs to zi a day is thought to be
sufficient. I think it too small
Diseases Dyspepsia
Jaundice Cutaneous eruptions
In syphilis I have found it a deobstruent
It is used in dyspepsia both externally 
& internally
Calcium & Sodium (Savage)
Chlorides of Lime & Soda?
chloroxides of calcium & sodium
Erythem. infl. of the fauces in roaslia It is
said they act as deobstruents taken internally
They are most valuable as external applications
to ill conditioned ulcers. Labarraque’s
disinfect. liq. is the best form as being most soluble


There is no proof of the disinfecting power
of any of these preparations. Coldwell quoted
on disinfection etc. vide my notes
Nitric muriatic & nitirc chloric acids
These are weak deobst. compared with iod.
& bromine & about equal to chlorine. The
same laws are applicable to them
Said to be tonic also to be refrigerant
Diseases lues cachetic dis. & in short
the same as under chlorine. They are mere
auxiliaries
Chlorides of Barium, Calcium 
& Gold & the salt formed by 
the chloride of gold as an acid & the chloride
of soda. Chloride of calcium
was many years ago introduced as a remedy 
for scrofula, in small doses just large enough 
to fall short of producing pain after taking
take 3 times in 24 hours & persevered in 
for a considerable time It is said to be
tonic. I have never seen this effect I have
commonly conjoined vegetable tonics with it 


Thus used it is good in stouma, in aff. of mesenteric 
glands etc. in short in about the same
dis. as chlorine. This salt is found in the shops
Dissolve it in twice its weight in water & you have
the liquid Chloride of barium
requires less doses Excessive doses produce
tormina, pain in the stomach etc.
Chloride of gold is more active than either
& requires a less quantity. The best form is
chloro aurate of chloride of sodium, mentioned
above
These all increase the biliary & urinary
secretion


Protoxide of Mercury
Peroxide of merc. sub-nitrate of m. red precipitate
proto-chloride of merc or
corrosive sublimate & chloro-hydrarguret
of ammonia or white
precipitate These all are deobstruent & 
possess no cathartic powers. In this respect
they differ from calomel in operation
& also in that being applied externally they 
produce
Red prec. & corr. sub. do not produce
ptyalism unless the pat. is very susceptible
They have the preference therefore 
when a mere deobstruent effect is wanted 
1st Corrosive Sublimate
When there is dryness of the mouth in 
dyspepsia or in chronic diseases, corr. sub.
in 1/8 gr. doses When there is colliquative
sweating in typhus corr. sub. has proved
very effectual in suppressing it Rx corr. sub.
zfs alcoh. 1 pt sometimes a little calomel
This is applied as warm as the pat. can 
bear it, under the bed clothes, to exclude the 


air 2 to 5 times a day. It will dry the skin
& suppress the sweating
Corr. sub. is also used as an emetic in croup
in small doses at short intervals it changes the
secretions & excites the absorbents so as to cure
the disease it is given at such short intervals
as to produce quick vomiting
It is given for cutaneous diseases, with tonics
& com. mac. And with tonics of com. mac.
it excites the biliary secretions & changes the
state of the chylopoietic viscera, in dyspepsia,
better than calom, or any other article
In atonic cases of fever which become chronic
& when the secretions are deranged corr.
sub. in doses of 1/8 gr. 3 or 4 times a day is
very effectual in obviating the condition of 
the system. IT in short will produce the
desired effect when the system is below
the range of action for calomel
In peristhmitis typhodes in p. membranifica 
& in rosalia corr. sub. is an emetic
in the following form


6th Deobst.
Rx for a child 5 to 15 yrs old corr. sub. gr j
hydrochlorate of ammonia gr ji mucil. of
acacia zi aqua pura sufficient to
Dose a teasp. f. once in half a
hour? as an emet. once in 4 h. as a deobst.
Corr. sub. is frequently used
as an injection in to abscesses to promote healthy
granulations & healing
It has been the practice in N. York to rely
on this article in the cure of syphliis
Topically applied it will easily cure
chancres. I have succeeded perfectly 
in curing buboes by inject. corr. sub.
A course of purging for some
length of time with mercurials will produce
amenorrhea Corr. sub. has done it
2nd Red precipitate. Its uses are
very much the same as those of corr. sub.
except that it is not so soluble
In Blenorrhea, when there is continued
discharge from the urethra & tenderness
of the testis. I have cured by red prec. internally



It shd be combined with opium
From ¼ to ½ gr is a medium dose & 1 gr of
opium. Give about 3 times a day. I have
succeeded perfectly in this way. This treatment
shd be continued some time after the 
complaint is cured or it may return
The ointment of this article is
very good. It is bad as prepared in the
pharmacopoeia. Shd not be made with 
heat, to prevent changing [illegible]
Rx Reduce it to a perfectly fine powder
Its colour will be changed to orange yellow,
but the composition will not be changed
When so reduced, incorporate it with the
cerate & let the strength be as occasion
shall require. It is valuable in porrigo
& impetigo laminosa about the fingers
& back of the hands. Washes? of red prec. will
cure. It is better in porrigo but if the
ulcers are irritable & sore this state shd be
previously obviated
3d Chlorohydrarguret of ammonia
Rx white prec. zii corr. sub grs x oil of lemons mxii
white cerate zii rub together For porrigo, impetigo
etc.


Of late years I have substituted red prec. & 
corr. sub. for cal. They are the best preparations
for syphilis, being equally certain, 
more speedy & not producing salivation
I have not used cal. or the protoxide for 
12 yrs in syphilis. I think corr. sub. the
most eligible but red prec. is just as powerful.
They are better also in jaundice except 
as a cathartic at the commencement
I think their use might be extended to other
diseases. I would not used them in fevers
though some have used them here instead of
calomel & blue pill. May be used as emetic 
In rosalia it succeeds but I prefer bi-per.
sulph. copper


Dis-oxide of Mercury
Blk oxide protoxide “Blue Pill”
Mercury cannot be so well oxidated mechanically,
even by a steam engine as in London,
but that some globules will remain.
Boiling cal. with quicklime is faulty
But the blk oxide can be formed with carb.
pot. perfectly pure protoxide of merc. will
then be the only insoluble product.
Rx calom. & carb. pot. aa zfs add 1 pt of
distilled water & f ziii off. alcohol. The latter
expedites the precipitation of the protoxide.
Dry the sum & keep excluded from the light 
The cal. & carb. pot. shd be first carefully triturated
In this manner all the merc. is oxidized & the
product cannot be distinguished in its operation
from calomel, in power or quality.
½ a gr. is enough for a pill & as strong
as 1 gr. of the blue pill of the pharmacopoeias
For merc. ointment also this method
is better & then add lard in proper proportions
but less than the pharmac. vide Paris
s


Calomel
(additional to my notes)
By speedy sublimation a dull
white semitransparent cake is obtained. By 
a slow, it crystallizes in 6 sided acicular
crystals. It is important that the practitioner
shd know that this is the best form. It phosphoresces
in the dark (by rubbing?) When it 
is rubbed between two pieces of glass it
will scratch them & hence it is distinguished
from corr. sub. Light & air turn it 
brown Nitric acid dissolves it,
changing it into corr. sub. Pure alkalies
decompose it, forming carbonates 
This fact shd be known (though the cathartic
& deobst. powers are not altered) as
some practitioners make it into pills with
soap. Chlorine changes it into corr.
sub. Boiled with sal. ammoniac it
changes into metallic mercury & corr. sub.
does so by boiling with perchloride of sodium 





The symptoms which precede actual ptyalism
are a cupreous taste in the mouth more
or less distention of the gums, a sloughy white ness & 
slight erosion of their margins soreness & slight
feeling of looseness in the teeth a peculiar fleecy
appearance of the tongue, a peculiar fetor
of the breath usually called mercurial
Thus far the effects of mercury may be 
remedial without amounting at all to disease.
But if farther pushed the severe disease
called ptyalsimus acutus var. hydrargyratus
will follow characterized
by heat, irritation & soreness in the mouth 
swelling of the salivary glands tongue & throat
profuse secretion of saliva ulceration of the
inner part of the gums, cheek, tongue & throat
irritation of the whole system loss of appetite
soft frequent & weak pulse and a peculiar
affection of the skin called erythema
vesiculare var. hydrangyratum
There is ptyalism not produced
by merc. which is an idiopath. dis about
as much but epidemic as puerperal fever 



If the affection is severe opium must be
relied on more than any other single remedy
It diminishes all the secretions but that of the
skin. (if given in single full doses at long
intervals it will produce torpor of the
liver) It must be given regularly about
4 doses in 24 hours. For the secondary stages
a watery solution of opium is very good as
a wash, but sometimes it irritates (add
camphor then? Savage) Even in these cases
however it is good internally
The most useful local applic. I know 
of is nit. silver. It allays irritability. Begin 
with it weak & increase apply
4 times in 24 hours It is often 
useful to change the washes The pat. wishes
to take something frequently into his mouth
I have not found demulcents of much use
they contribute to keep up the relaxation
of the muc. mem. of the mouth



Erythema vesiculare var. hydrargyratum
Perhaps not distinct from var. corrosivum
for I can perceive no difference Eczema
rubrum of Bateman Hydrargyria of many authors
called also e. mercuriale supra
mercuriale (Carmichael) E. mercuriale (Dr [illegible])
All the erythematu are attended
with minute vesicles visible with a magnifier,
except e. fugax of Bat. & Wil no called
erythema by others. Erythema & erysipelas I consider perfectly synonymous
The aff. called erysipelas is
classed by many among the exanthematia
This is an error. It is primarily an erythematic 
infl. of the membranes of the brain which 
is clearly denoted by the symptoms, such as
tendency to coma delirium, peculiar
headache etc. These symptoms indicate it
at first and they are precisely the same
as when the affection arises from injury of
the scalp etc. The disease is primarily an 
erythematic cephalitis When there is an
erythema of the viscera, erythema of the 


[illegible] Deobst.
surface follows in two or three days.
Erythem of the brain may occur without an
eryth. of the face. This aff. then is not an exanthem.
Erythematic infl. of the fauces
not rosalia is followed in two or three
days by a rubefaction on the neck. Erythematic
infl. of the stomach intestines & 
‘liver is followed by an erythema of the
extremities. Erythematic infl. of the face
alone may exist, the brain not being affected.
This is a trifling disease & must not be
confounded with erythema cephalitis. There
is no headache, not burning pain, not 
coma, no calor mordax This aff. however
may spread over the scalp and at
length affect the brain. Others agree with
me in this opinion
Sun burns, scalds caustics etc.
produce an erythema
The first degree of the
e. vesic. var hydrarg. is confined to the
tender parts under the arm elbow & 
knee & is produced by the application 


if citrine ointment (pernitrate of merc.)
for the cure of itch. It yields readily 
to ablutions & datura ointment. Sometimes
mingling carb. lead with datura ointment
hastens the cure I have lately used with
benefit lotions of inf. of digitalis
Citrine ointment shd be made with
heat, that one of the pernitrates may 
be formed. If the merc. & nit. acid be
mingled at once in the cold one of the
protonitrates is formed not the di-protonitrate
either, the uni-or bi-protonitrate
The protonitrate differs as much in power 
from the pernitrate as the protoxide & 
peroxide or protochloride & parchloride
The citrine ointment shd be one of the per-nitrates
with lard hence the difference of opinion
respecting its power. I have
found those who apply heat in making it
succeed best with it though they do so only with 
the view of expediting the process. If
kept also a long time in the lard the citrine 



ointment never will abstract oxygen & 
reduce the merc. to a protonitrate.
Citrine ointment, used freely produces
an erythema which is perfectly local & 
gives no inconvenience. I used to prescribe 
it for scabies.
In the cure of the universal
erythema (vide my notes) I have also used
brandy with advantage. Wine is preferable
if it does not sour on the stomach (to prevent’
this add spice & carb. amm. Dr I.
Sav.) notwithstanding the direction
to give nothing stimulating. Cinchona is
very important next to opium. Ablutions 
of warm milk & water may be used just to 
wash off the discharge. Cinch. & sarsaparilla 
are given in the latter stages
The sarsap. shd not be boiled merely 
pour on boiling water & let it stand an
hour. Cinch. & sulph. quin. & 
sarsap. are highly useful in ptyalism
The sarsap. is a highly useful gargle
in ptyalism


Mercurial rheumatism I a 
case where ac. merc. was given for 12 or
18 mo. merc. rheum. came on emaciation
greasy sweat, oil appearance of the skin
paralysis of the lower extremities. It was a
bad case. Opium relieved.
Actaea wd probably do goo but it wd
not cure so summarily as in other varieties
for there is very frequently a marasmus
Arsen. ac. is more useful with op. than
any other article. Alternate it with sub.
quin. Amm. & camphor are important
remedies. High stimulation will 
prevent the ill effects of exposure to wet & 
cold after the use of calomel.
The rheum. from sulphur & 
from merc. is common in the U.S.
Therapeutic applic. Odontia
dentitionis var. lactantium Cal. is a 
valuable article but judgment is required
not indicated in all cases. [Four]
abuse cal. or giving too much where 


one falls short. Much mischief is done
by purging with cal. in dentition according
to the Eng. books It is villainous practice
One full dose retained by op. 12-15 hours may
do more good than a dozen purges One cath.
is enough it may be continued in eccoprotic
doses for a few days in many cases. Antirritants
are necessary at the same time. Some
prefer protoxide in these cases. I did not
first but have changed my opinion. There
is no perceptible difference for cal. is given
in doses 3 or 4 times too large


Pure Veg. Deobstruents
Leontodon Taraxacum
A pure, but moderate & mild deobst. has
no other power. All parts are active but
the root is most so. The forms are decoct.
& extract. The recent exp. juice
has been used but has no advantage.
The ext. shd be preferred, as the dec. varies in
strength of course
The books direct 2 to 4 z of decoct. 2 to 3
times in 24 h. & of ext. zfs twice a day.
This wd produce no effect. You cannot
rely on the article unless zii to ziv of ext.
are taken 3 or 4 times a day diffused in q 
wine glass of some bitter infusion. From 
using the dose in the books I was led to think
it inert, but found by pushing the article
that it was decidedly efficacious in moderate
cases. It is not unpleasant. Add sugar
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia it is recc. by the mot
respectable practitioners of Europe 



The secretions are changed by it, especially 
those of the liver. If the liver is torpid the
skin will be dry & the bowels costive. Therefore
a dry skin & torpid bowels are indications
for its use, provided the vital energies are
not so much exhausted that it wd offend
from its bulk & be rejected. Recc. by W. Philips
but he says it must be taken in large quantities
& when the stom. is not very weak
Jaundice. Some prefer it to every other
remedy. I know several who give cal. at
the outset & perhaps an emetic & then 
enter upon the decoction alone In mild cases
it will effect a cure, but I prefer
conium
“Chronic infl. of the Liver” I never
say any such disease. All the cases that
I have seen of chronic hepatitis were mere
dyspepsia with tenderness under the short
ribs more frequently of the right side & in
the epigastrium. Such cases examined
after death give no traces of infl.



It is mere morbid irritability & sensibility
& is precisely the parapsis acris var. teneritudo
of Good. Such a sensation is often
experienced over the shole body after
taking cold though it has nothing to do with
catarrh. I once thought dandelion wd
cure chronic hepatitis but I mistook the case
It is said to be useful as a diuretic
in dropsy Its diuretic operation
is secondary & not very prominent
Pierson says it is not ineff. deobst.
in jaundice dropsy & the visceral obstructions


6th Deobst.
Rubia Tinctoria
R. peregrina R. sylvestria R. major erythrodium
of the Greeks & Romans rubiaciae
S. of Europe cultivated in Holland etc. & 
in America
The offic. part is the rhizoma, which is long
slender, round, articulated, rather larger than
a goose quill externally bright red yellow
in the centre. It shd not be collected
till the autumn of the third summer. Dry 
it speedily & exclude the air as it attracts
moisture
Taste bitter & rough hardly astring.
Snell slightly disagreeable.
It contains at least two coloring principles 
a red & a yellow of which the red is deposited
in the bones. Both are sd to be “extractive
matter” i.e.  soluble? in wet. & alc. By 
standing a pellicle forms on the surface of
the solution & subsides
It does not appear that the red col. mat.
which is carried into the circ. is the seat
of its med. power. What the active principle 



is is unknown. The idea is now
abandoned that veg. owe their powers to 
a combin. of all their principles. Recent
discoveries render the contrary probable
There is no proof that madder acts by being
taken into the cird. It imparts its sensible
properties to wat. & alc. & gives a rec col.
to ess. oils The red princ. tinges the
urine, milk, serum of the blood & the bone
sometimes the perspirable matter never 
the soft solids The external hard part
of the bone is first tinged & if continued,
the whole substance. By intermissions the
bones may be tinged in layers. It is said 
to colour no part where there is not phos. of
lime that being the mordant
Madder is called deobstruent & when
persevered in aperient, by which term the
old writers intended a power of promoting
the fluid secretions, as halitus of lungs
[illegible] matter & urine. In Cullen’s 


time it was applied to the promotion of the
uterine secretion. With us it often means
merely a laxative power As applied to 
madder it means that it acts on all the secretories
Some have declared that madder possesses
no med. pow. & at the same time
however called poisonous which is a 
contradiction in terms. Writers for & 
against the artic. are nearly equally divided
in respectability but not, I think in experience
It removes torpor increases the secretion
of the liver & all the gland. viscera
relieves dysthetic & cachetic diseases,
without affecting the art. system or producing
evacuations. Hence deobst.
This is Dr Ives’s opin. who also thinks it 
a certain emmen & a diuretic
Cullen though it more useful to
the dyer than the phys. It is disputed
whether it is astringent or resolvent. Parr
& Hooper call it useless. B. S. Barton 


calls it unsafe in uterine aff. particularly 
retention. Eberle says not
It is not an article of first rate
activity. It is slow & gradual but very 
certain in its effect. It is a pure
deobst. in torpor & viscid secretions, having
probably no other power
IT is used in subst. or decoct.
Dose of subst. for children 5-15 grs
for adults 20 to 60 grs 3 or 4 times a day
Probably larger doses wd be preferable
Decoct. Rx zi root to 2 or 3 pts water
& boil to 1 pt. dose f zi – fziii
3 or 4 times a day. It shd fall short of nausea
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia with visc. secr. & torp. of liv.
Dr Ives thinks highly of it
Parabysma coactum partic. of liv & 
spleen. Dr I. thinks it acts on all the [illegible] vis.
Simple idiopathic cough in the 2d
stage after expectoration has commenced



“All [pituitous] diseases of the lungs” recc.
Peripneumonia notha & catarrh in the secondary 
stages with a tendency to become
chronic & protracted & when there is danger
of membranous phthisis
Acute Dysentery rec. highly by Gerhard
Dysthetic & cachectic diseases & marasmus
atrophias var. infantum recc. by 
some & objected to by others as having a natural
tendency to produce the disease emaciation
in the healthy subject. It emaciates
animals when given to colour their bones
but there is no evidence that it wd have 
[live] this effect, properly given in disease
Cyrtosis rhachina (ricketts)
Echphronia melancholia (monomania)
recc. in probably the cases were
hypochond. a combination of dysp. & mal.
param. obstruc. retent. suppres. diff.
Highly recc. by diff. authors. Good discusses 
its power. zfs has produced a sudden
discharge in cases of amenorrhea.
Paris states that it cured excessive paramenia 


but did no good in p. obstruct. & p. [erroris]
Dropsy more doubtful here unless in’
that connected with parabysma
Lithia renalis discrepancy of testimony
Parunia of diff. sorts
Nodes old writers testify that it removes
them
Parotia flexilis etc. They say it has a 
tendency to produce diseases of the bones
One source of failure in the
use of rub. tinct. is using a bad article
The madder of the dyers loses its power 
by age & drying. When
recent I have found it to answer a 
good purpose & it is valuable in its place 


Fumaria officinalis
Cultivated in our gardens.
Bitter & inodorus. Expr. inspissated juice
An over dose produces pain in the stom. etc.
It excites biliary secr. removes torpor etc.
It is said to have the power of curing cutan. dis.
Adlumia cirrhosa (Rafinesque)
(Fumonia fungosa corydalis fung.)
An ornamental plant & cultivated among us
The recent root is bitter & acrid. Powd. of root is
used Powers the same as fam. off.
Corydalis bulbosa
Corydalis glauca (Furm. sempervireus,
Linn) Common in our forests. They 
have similar powers
Dyclytra cucullaria (corydalis)
Called in N. Eng. Dutchman’s breeches
In some part of the country called colic weed
Root is used bitter & acrid somewhat
mucilaginous. Said to ally pain & to be
anodyne & soporific & in large doses to produce
vertigo (vide my notes)


Saponaria officinalis
Root sweetish bitter & acrid. Watery ext.
is its form in use. though the expressed juice
has been used. Alcoh. extracts its virtues
better than wat. but too much wd be required
It is given as an auxiliary in dyspepsia
jaundice etc.
Lues syphilodes & second. stag. of l Syphilis
it is a good restorative after a merc.  course
Scaly eruptions & impetiginous eruptions
adapted to most of the cased in which
sarsaparilla & L.  tarax. are useful
Ext. is the best for 1-2 drams
Decoc. zii root to 2 pts. wat. boiled to 1 pt
the whole to be taken in 24 hours
Used also in scrof aff.
The bruised roots form with
water a good swab for washing. This 
is worth investigating into. Perhaps a 
combination of an alkali & mucilages


7 Deobst.
Scrophularia Marylandica
Called sometimes fig wort & pig wort (i.e.
the scroph. nodosa of Eur.?)
Its most important use is in 
struma 
Practica marisca decoc. of root, freely internally 
& a cataplasm of the leaves externally
Boil zii in 2 pts wat. to 1 pt & take
the whole in 24 hours. Continue for some
time, as it is used in chronic derangements
Diseases same as preced. Lues etc.
Chronic derangements of dig. organs
S. Nodosa (Europe)
Pretty much the same as S. Mar.
(vide my notes)
Agrimonia Eupatoria
A pure deobst. decidedly inferior to the preceding.
There is some difference of opinion as to 
its powers, but it resembles dandelion
most Dr Ives has used it Employed in ext. & decoction
A. odorata native of Italy supposed
to be more elegant. A. suaveoleus
is allied to it & cultivated among us


Agathosma crenatum
Vide my notes Probably analogous
to the rhododendraceae It is used in infusion
& tinct. Rx infus. f zvi tinct f zfs
tinct. cubebs f zfs. misce. This compd
preparation is used Give f zi ter in die
Jas. Johnson says it must be persevered in 
Diseases dyspepsia Dr McDowel says
infus. f zii bis in die cured a young man 
Irritable infl. of bladder most celebrated in 
Membranif.  cystitis Jas Johns thinks highly of it
“Chronic rheumat.” McDowel
Lithia renalis Dr McD. cites a cas
vide my notes



Aperient Deobst
Asclepias tuberosa Linn.
White root flax root pleurisy root butterfly weed
Nothing equals this root in its
diaphoretic power (see B.S. Barton) It is
the most certain article? for this purpose. Take
the recently dried root, recently pulvd & it is
very effectual
A variety of operations are attributed
to it by different authors. All
agree that it is escharotic, applied
to ulcers to restrain spongy granulations
Its primary operation is that of 
a moderate deobstruent especially promoting
the fluid secretions of the lungs
skin & kidneys & it is powerfully diaphoretic
less diuretic & is expectorant
It increases the secretions of the liver & 
all the secretions poured into the al. canal
relieves tenderness under the short ribs 
cures cutaneous diseases & is hence antipsoraic
& will carry off catarrh & 


sub-acute pneumonia without expectoration
whence we conclude it to be resolvent
As an antipsoraic it is better than
sarsaparilla adapted to scaly eruptions
It regulates & increases the secretion of bile
in dyspepsia
It is not astringent & I have never perceived
any tonic effect from it
Dose as a diaph. & expect. 20-30 grs some
say zi in powder. A strong infusion is recc.
and Thacher directs a tea cupfull. This is too 
bulky. zfs -zi is sufficient, if as strong as I
make it. W. D. C. Berton recc. in diseases
converted with dentition, as a laxative & diaphoretic,
zii pulvd root boiled in zxviii milk
down to zxii dose zi 2 or 3 times in 24 hours it
excites copious perspiration & gentle catharsis
& is good
Diseases
Dyspepsia continued used cases of torpor
Common & especially epidemic catarrh
pneumonitis sub acute (which is the 


commencing stage of one form of membranous
phthisis) see various authors upon it in this
disease
Pneumonitis typhodes also called peripneumonia notha
by W. Philip not the P.
notha of all authors
Cholera infantum in mild cases. This 
is no cholera at all but a specific
infl. of the muc. mem. of the al. canal
& the vomiting is sympathetic with this infl.
Dysentery fever synochus & non malignant
very useful. In moderate cases it will
cure of itself in severe ones is a useful auxiliary
to opium & calomel
Acute rheumatism Eberle
I think this species of [illegible]
is the most valuable in the treatment
of all disease to which it is applicable except
dropsy, in which A. Syriaca is 
preferable.


Asclepias Syriaca Linn.
A pubescans A apocynum apocynum majus
A. Syriacum. Linn supposed it a native of
Syria
I have used it sufficiently to satisfy
myself that it is a deobst. of considerable
power but as such have not employed
it extensively
I have employed it very extensively 
as a diuretic in dropsy & this
is its most prominent operation
I have used two preparations
1st Rx ziv of the root water lbii & boil in 
a lightly covered vessel to lbj strain & 
add gin or the tinct. from ziv to zviii
acc. to the season, to make it keep.
Dose zii 4-8 times in 24 h. Diuresis
is sometimes produced in the first 24 hours
& sometimes not till several days. It 
generally produces a little nausea before
it proves diuretic , but too much 
nausea renders it liable to fail 


No article is so certain & powerful a diuretic
alone. Some combinations are
better, but still this has succeeded when
they have failed
2. I have also used the following ziv root
to lbiv of water boiled to lbjs. I wish to 
have the decoct. saturated & this may be
so. Of late I prefer the first preparation
Besides its diuretic power it is
expectorant & diaphoretic in many cases
under diaph. regimen. Freely given
it proves laxative to adults & purgative
to children. It is emetic in large 
doses
A practitioner well acquainted
with indigenous M.M. considers 
A incarnatu more diaphoretic but less
diuretic than A. Syriaca
It is said to be anodyne i.e. allaying
irritation, not pain
Diseases
Dyspnea exacerbans zi a day in divided doses 


Catarrhal affections with typhus
Hydrops cellularis most useful in
H. thoracis has been used
H. Abdominum ahs been used in some cases
In dropsy we expect by diuretics to remove
the fluid, not to cure. The cure is effected
by stimulants & tonics. If there is great distention
I first purge with hyd. cathartics
& then diuretics will take hold. In some
cases sympathetic with diseased liver,
first perform paracentesis & then diuretics
will take hold. After evacuating
the fluid, prevent its accumulation by 
articles that will obviate the state of the 
system



Asclepias incarnata 
More acrid than the other species, somewhat
like tobacco & has been used for 
lobelia inflata
It has been employed as a substitute
for sarsaparilla in lues syphilis
& syphilodes & in scaly eruptions
In pulmonary diseases as an
expectorant it has been said to be better
than A. tuberosa 




Aperient Deobstruents
Collinsonia Canadensis
Vide my notes The discrepancy of opinion 
may arise from bad modes of preparation,
mismanagement etc.
Root said to be injured by drying if kept
buried out doors said to be preserved (but
then it will grow E.D.N.) but may be transplanted
at any season. Large quantities shd
be kept in the garden & then it may be had
at any time 
It may be referred to the class aperient
deobst. of which sarsaparilla is the type
It has a moderate degree of deobst. power
perhaps producing its greatest affect in the
kidnies Dr I. thinks it a moderate deobst.
sub astring & sub tonic. It is much 
used in veterinary medicine
Drs Beers & Hooker say the infusion
of the raspings is better than the decoction
Dropsy of diff. sorts say Drs B. & Hooker
Dr Beers says equal to any other article alone
has employed it in failure of the other diuretics 


Dr Hooker says he has found it to prevent
that increase of liquor [amnii] which 
sometimes almost amounts to dropsy
Dr Ives does not think much of it in dropsy
vide my notes
Aralia Kudicaulis
Christophoriena Am. False sarsaparilla
Canada to N. Orleans
Root bitter & aromatic & less resinous than A.
racemosa. It is sold in the shops for the
true sarsaparilla Its powers are similar
Drying impairs its powers
It is an aperient Deobstruent #
The U.S. Phar. directs Rx for decoct. Recent’
contused root zvi aq. pur. 8 pts Digest
for 4 hours then boil to 4 pts, express & strain 
Diseases
Cutan. erupt. herpes adapted to 
all cases for which sarsap. ([illegible] off.) A., racem.
& S. symphilitica are useful
# That is it promotes the watery secretions as
perspirable matter, halitus from lungs & urine 


Aralia racemosa
Spikenard life of man wild liquorice
Canad. to S. America
Tastes mucilag. bitterish sweet & arom.
It is good in recent state
The root & berries are aperient deobst.
Shd be continued long. Better adapted to 
secondary stages of disease
Rx Recent cont. root 2 oz off. alc. f ziv aq.
ferv. 1 pt. First our the alc. on the root & 
let it stand about 12 hours in a close vessel.
Then add the water boiling hot, let it
stand 12 hours & add sugar Dose zi – ii
4-8 times a day 
Diseases
Simple idiop. cough better with a little SS.
chronic dyspnea Catharrhal aff 2nd stage
Sub acute pneumonitis
Milder varieties of psoriasis & various cut. erup.
Pururia stillatitia var. mucosa
The expres. juice is used in aphtha
old ulcers sloughing sores from fire & frost
The bruised root is made into a plaister 



Aralia hispida (Michaux)
Can. to S.A. Dwarf elder (in Conn.) though
the dwarf elder of Eur. is sambucus ebulus
prickly ash (but this name properly belongs
to the xanthoxylum fraxineum) wild elder
The root is used & is more active when recent
Shd be gathered in autumn  after the fall of the leaves
In large doses it is emetic. Said
to be hydrag. cath. in doses short of vom. & continued
I have never seen this effect & it is my
practice to continue it in doses just short
of emesis Managed in this way is 
a very efficient diuretic 
Sd to be similar in this respect to senega
don’t see how It seldom proves diuretic
till nausea begins, & if vomiting
[illegible] on it fails as a diuretic
It has not been managed so as to 
prove expect. emmenag.  etc. but from 
analogy I think it might
It has not proved narcotic as yet
It has been used in decoct. & tinct.


Rx for decoct. cont. root 2 oz. boil. wat. [illegible]
boil to 1 pt Dose f z 2-4 – 4-8 times in 24 hr.
Rx for tinct rec. cont. root 4 oz off. alc. 1 pt.
Dose zfs 4-8 times in 24 h. The proof spirit
tinct. is more active than the alcoholic
The tinct. has a slightly aromatic smell & 
bitter taste
Diseases hydrops cellularis. If the article
is good it is effectual in this disease. Dr
Reed of E. W.  has employed it successfully 
It best adapted to anasarca. Give the decoc.
or tinct. in doses short of nausea & repeated
every 3 or 4 hours In 36 hours it begins 
to nauseate & produces diuresis. Diminish
a little & continue till the fluid is evacuated
It is not stimulant nor tonic
Aralia octophylla (Cochin China)
Ascandeus & apalmata used 
in dropsy & cutaneous diseases 



Aralia spinosa (Linnaeus)
It has no spines however but prickles The 7
species of aralia that have been examined are
found to resemble each other in med. prop. & 
to differ only in degree A. sinosa is the most
active A. hispida next.
Nat. ord. araliaceae (Juss. & Decond.) 
Angelic tree in this region Hercules club toothache tree
pellitory Often confounded with xanth. frax.
Habitat middle south & west, parts of U.S.
Cultivated as an ornam. shrub in N. Eng.
It is not the prickly ash of the north states though
Bigelow considers it as such 
(Hiatus) The bark (of the root?) is sd
to be the most active The berries shd be
collected just before ripening. The bark of
the trunk & branches is not inactive
The immediate effect of the bark
of the root in doses short of nausea are languor
& lassitude a sensation of weakness (not
real debility) a pricking & burning sensation
all over the body, especially in the feet & 


8 Deobst.
hands dimin. of nat. freq. of pulse in health
& especially dimin. of irritative preternat.
frequency Diaphoresis drowsiness & sleep
continuing (the sleep?) 3 or 4 hours after the
last dose is taken in health & for a much
shorter time in disease
Given in moderate doses & repeated it is deobst.
& proves hydrag. cath.
In large doses it is emetic & is said to operate
similarly to ipecac but I doubt it.
IT sometimes produces urticaria like copaiba
As a cath. or em. merely it will 
not be good unless a deobst. oper. is wanted 
along with the other
It is sedative & the parts of its sedative operation
are antirritation anodyne & soporific
Dr McBride in Elliott says
it is the best emet. found among us. He
uses the decoc. zii bruised bark of root to 
1 pt wat. boiled down to ½ pt. Of this ½ or
the whole acted as an emetic
It is given in dropsy in deobst. doses i.e.
just short of nausea. It is diuretic at first 


but at length passes off by the bowels as a 
hydrag. cath.
Sometimes we give more active doses e.g. [illegible]
which is a full cath. dose. Give 1 dose
in the evening 2 during the night & 1 next
morn. this will operate kindly & freely as
a hydragogue
By obviating disease it restores the
functions of the stom. the circul. & the musc.
systems but it is not tonic
In a case of atonic sub-acute
rheumatism from bathing in a state of 
perspiration which had lasted by paroxysm 
for 1 ½ yrs zi of  tinct. was given every 
3 hours for 24 hours & then zii till 3 doses had
been given, when narcosis & catharsis was
brough on & in 48 h. the rheum. was cured
It is a valuable addition to the M. M.
Its primary effects are 1st deobstruent
2nd emetic 3d hyd. cath. 4th acrid narc.
5th epispastic (rubefacient) in ointment
The secondary effects of its deobst. operation
are 1st expect. 2d diuretic 3d diaph. 4th chola


5th resolvent 6th antipsoraic 7th discutient
It is antirritant anodyne & soporif. as parts of
its narcotic operation
It is a hydragogue. Probably it will 
be found an emmenagogue
It is errhine often called escharotic
It is not tonic nor stimulant
Pharmac. Preparations
1st powder 2d pill (with ext. con. mac. which
coincides with it) 3d decoction zii to 2 pts
wat. boiled to 1 pt in a covered vessel
4th tinct. (ziv of the bark of root & berries to 
1 pt off. alc.) macerate a week, decant & strain 
5th extract (I have never used this) Rx
T lbj wat. lbs 8 boil away ½ - strain through
a coarse cloth, express & evaporate in a water
bath to avoid burning
6th Ointment Dr Strobel uses one of T ziv
coarse powdd bark of root to lbj of sim. cer.
simmer for ½ hour & express. There shd
be as much bark as the cerate will cover
Add it as long as it will be absorbed



Therap. applic.
Acute subac. & chron. rheumatism most especially useful
Lues syphilis & syphilodes
As an emetic in intermittents
Sick headache at the south bites & stings
Delirium trem. (I think little of fem. in this dis.)
Idiopathic paramenia attended
with flushed faces pains in the back etc.
They bleed this is wrong You can cure it
with blk helleb. blood root etc. But they 
will do nothing after V.S.
Pneumonia typhodes synochous type 
pulse bounding I can break up half
the cases with deobstruents Can do
nothing with them if you bleed. If there
is too much entonic action however you 
must deplete & if there is too little you 
must deplete & if there is too little you 
must stimulate to bring the system within
the range of the deobstruents
In “Ague in the Face” a decoc. or init.
produces relief. In fixed topical inflammation
embrocation, fomentations & bathings
Lues syphilodes It has acquired consid. rep.
zi every 2 hours internally & the ointm. externally 
as practiced by Dr Strobel 


Baptisia Tinctoria (R. Brown)
Sephoria (Linn.) podalyria tinct. indigweed
Nat. ord. sequiminosae (Decand.)
Root perennial, cylindrical, branching
¼ inch in diam. cortic. & lign. part equal
When chewed for some time it is acrid, bitter
& virose, leaving a sensation of fullness in the
fauces
It is said to be diaphoretic. It is
not directly so. It is expect. under certain 
circumstances in certain stages of 
infl. of bronch. mem. it hastens the mucopur8ulent 
secretion, which is the natural 
termination of such infl. It facilitates expectoration
also in the latter stages 
is by obviating irritation but it 
wd not be of service when there is great atony
It is said to be alexipharmic in 
mild cases of # bites of the rattle snake. I
am informed by a phys. from inter. of N.Y.
that it is decidedly beneficial. [Drench] the 
pat. with it.




It is not astringent as it does not contain
tannin
It is a valuable discutient. I have
often applied it to infl. of fem. breast
It will allay irritation in wounds & promote
their healing, & will indirectly prevent
gangrene & is therefore called antiseptic
In this sense also it is valnerary in contused
& punctured wounds
Its primary operations are
1st deobstruent 2d acrid narcotic
3d emetic 4th hydrag. cathartic
The second. op. is a deobst. [illegible] cholag.
expectorant resolvent discutient
It is also escharotic
It has not been found to be emmenagogue,
diuretic, diaph. nor sialag.
It is not excitant tonic nor astringent
Said to be febrifuge. It is applicable only 
to the synochus form of fever
Pharmac. Preparations It is
used in substance, infusion decoction
& tincture



For the decoc. I generally take zii recently 
dried root to lbjs wat. & boil down to lbj
For tinct. Rx ziv bruised recently dried root
to lbj alc. Dose f zi or a little more to be
repeated acc. to the urgency of the case the
susceptibility of the pot. & the time the med.
is to be continued. If it occasions much
evacuation, check with opium or diminish
the dose
As a discutient it may be used
in decoct. or in cataplasms. For a
cataplasm, boil the root, pound it to
a pulp & add q.s. of maize meal
Ointment simmer the root in cream
butter or lard & add wax
Baptisia tinctoria shd be collected
at the proper season & its virtues
are much impaired by keeping & drying
Therapeutic application
Atonic paristhmitis
Acute subac. aton. rheum. I have seen
it efficac in large number of cases less so with chronic



9 Deobst.
Dyspnea exac. & asthma humidum
Pneumonia typhodes not with great atony
but of that form when the fever is synochus & the
topical aff. an erythema. It allays the
irritative heat & dryness of the skin & the irritative
action of the lungs & when given early it
effects a great resolution in moderate cases. When
the dis. is more advanced, it accelerates the
muco-pur. secretion the wat. termin. of the dis.
Dysentery I have used it to some extent,
conjoined with opium I think the [baptisi]
assisted in the cure shd not be given as a cath.
The decoct. is applied, cool or warm
to sub-ac. aton. infl. of the eyes to infl. & 
ulcerate. of fem. breast to burns & scalds, with 
benefit, or in cataplasm It is very good for 
sore nipples. It is a popular remedy for
aphtha. Externally to punctured & contused
wounds. Sprained joints immerse
the joint in the decoct. as long as convenient
This article possesses considerable
activity & may be turned to a good account
It has not been investigated so thoroughly 
as others which resemble it.



Apocynum cannabinum
Indian hemp dogs bane Canada to Car.
Lactescent furnishes a variety of caontchonc
Bark twice as strong as hemp & easily whitened
Nat. ord. apocymeae
Roots 5-6 ft long horizontal. Taste
sub acrid & bitter
Bigelow describes a species which 
he calls A. cann. which is in fact A. [pubescens]
& I am not sure but this is the article
I have used. Probably there is no difference
between the species
The ligneous & medullary portions of
the root are said to be equal in virtue 
to the cortical shd think from analogy this
must be incorrect. I use only the cortical
part It is easily separated in a mortar & 
pulverized 
The extractive matter is precipitated
by alum & salts of tin & is used for coloring
linen & muslin, but not flannel, a
[fustic] yellow This has no med. power.
Apocynine is analogous to emetine
or as it is now called, cephaeline but resembles 


[cytisime] more. It is slightly deliquescent
& leaves a sensation as if the lips &
tongue were swollen. It is soluble in wat.
& alc. 6 grs of it are said to vomit.
A. cannabinum is employed in 
powder, infusion & decoction
Rx for decoc. zfs to lbj ii wat boil med.
dose zii
Substance in powd is the best form
It takes about 30 grs for an emetic. As
such it is rather slow in its operation
produces free vomiting & is not followed
like tart. em. by languor & exhaustion 
In moderate doses repeated it obviates
heat & dryness of the skin.
Its primary operations are
1st deobst 2d acrid narcot. 3d emetic
4th hydrag. cathartic
It is diuretic & if long continued
proves eccoprotic & laxative & purgative.
Its narcotic power is greater
composed with its other operations than 


that of sanguinaria, with which its powers
are the same with the addition of being
cathartic
It is resolvent & will probably 
prove emmen.  antipsoraic & expectorant
Perhaps its escharotic & stermalatory 
powers shd be considered as primary 
Its deobst. op. is the most
important. It has had considerable
reputation in curing dyspepsia of bystanding
given till it vomits & purges. But it
will be contraindicated by extreme irritability
of the stom. or of the system by 
acrimony of the secretions or that stage
which diarrhoea is threatened.
Icterus vulgaris parat. coactum
Best given in an eccoprotic with opium
in doses short of nausea
Dyspnea exacerbans chronics
most used for this dis. In 1822 Dr
Todd remarked that it was the most
effectual remedy he had ever tried 


It is to be given in moderate emetic doses,
at intervals of 10-15 min. till it produces
vomiting. It may be used between
the paroxysms in doses short of nausea
I think there is danger of doing injury
I prefer lobelia and the other articles
which have no tendency to prod. purging
Articles which produce hydrag. cath. will
sooner or later injure the system.
Catarrhis communis not malignant
pneumonitis typhodes
Acute & subac. rheumat.
Hydrops cellul. & abdominis
It is probably adapted to 
nearly all the cases to which colchicum is 
adapted
Apocynum pubescens
very similar to A. cann. Perhaps I 
have used them indiscriminately 


apocynum androsaemifolium
Silk weed milk weed snake’s milk called
in Virg. “Scissors plant” Am. ipecac.
I think this species less active than A. cann.
The part used is the root which is perennial
& creeping smell verose taste
peculiar both. bitter & sour, with some 
acrimony
The tinct. is not rendered turbid
by water Soluble in alc. wat. & ether
I presume contains apocynine, but the
fact is not ascertained
The old root is stronger than the young 
the plant shd be at least 3 yrs old
Zollickoffer says it is diaph.
like ipecac & gives a formula similar
to the pulv. ipec. comp.
Bigelow & Zollickoff say it is
tonic & direct to give of the dried root 16 to
20 grs 3 times a day; but less than this 
of A. cann. will vomit
Dr Heale of Troy says it is narcotic 



Kaln in his travels says it is poisonous
applied to tender parts & even by handling it
when covered with dew forming vesicles
which break & ulcerate somewhat like
those of rhus rem.
I think its powers the same as
those of A cann. & pubes. but less in degree
Its primary operations are
1st deobst. 2d acrid narc. 3d emetic
4th hyd. cath
Secondary effects are 1st expect.
2d cholag. in reg. doses 3d Dialag. 4th diaph.
probably diuretic resolvent 
Discut. applied to infl. probably? breasts Antispsoraic
ruebfac escharotic & sternutatory probably?
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia-in-laxat. & eccoprot. doses
Dyspnea exacerbans as an [antirrit] etc.
Synochus antirrit. [illegible]?
Hydrops cell. thoracis & abdominis
freely given as a cathartic It has been 
tried by Dr Jac. Porter of Plainfield Mass 



The discrepancy respecting the article
arises from the manner or time of collecting
it & manner of prescribing
Dr Todd used it in dyspnea
exac. powd. of root a tea sp. once
in 25 min. 2 or 3 doses relieves
Apocynum Hypericifolium
Probably similar in virtues to the preceding
species
A. juventus (of Cochin China)
Said to be like ginseng mucilaginous,
aromatic, bitter & saccharine
It is a good demulcent like liquorice
or ginseng


10 Deobst.
Phytolacca decandra (Linn.)
Before the time of Linn. P. vulgaris ([Dillenius])
P. amer. (Boerh.) solanum Am. (Ray) S. Virginianum
(Plukenet) garget cocum
coke, poke scoke, Americ. night shade
pigeon berry jalap etc. Nat. ord. atriplicene
Nat. country not known it follows civilization
Said by Europ. authors to be a native of
America, but this is doubtful
The root, leaves & berries are
all used in medicine
The recent root has a nauseous, bitter,
sub acrid taste but when dried the taste
is mild & somewhat mintish. Its properties
are impaired by age, but not lost
by mere drying. Its virtues are said
to depend on an “extractive principle”
The active principles of this article
are extracted by water, wine & alcohol
but the degree of solvent power of each
is not settled
There is great discrepancy of 


opinion respecting this article, but if collected
at the right season, prepared & injudiciously
administered it will be found to 
be certain in producing its effects
I consider it an acrid narc. deobst.
Some years since I experimented with it & 
found that in certain doses it nauseated & 
vomited. Short of this & repeated, it increases 
the biliary secretions & promotes expect.
sometimes in health but in some diseases
it decidedly increases the secretion of mucus
It increases the secretions from the skin 
generally in a well subject even, but especially 
in the diseases to which it is adopted
Given in acute & subac. aton. rheum. & certain 
other phlogotica it speedily effects a resolution
of the topical infl.
given in repeated doses it produces vertigo
somnolency, indistinct vision, stupor,
I have never pushed it so as to determine
how much narcosis it was capable of producing
Continued for some time in small & freq.
doses it produces active hydrag. catharsis 


Topically it wd [illegible] phlegm. infl.
change vitiated & gangrenous ulcers
It cures cutaneous diseases & proves rubef.
Its primary & independent effects
are 1st deobst. 2d acrid-narcotic
3d hyd. cath. 4th emetic
Secondarily it is 1st resolv. 2d cholag.
3d expect. 4th diaph. We may add
5th discutient
It is a popular anthelmintic in many 
places. I have never witnessed this power
but other acrid narcotics have it
It is rubefac. & sternutatory. Should 
think that under diuretic regimen it wd
prove diuretic but I have never seen
diuresis from it. From analogy I shd
expect it to prove emmenagogue
It has been supposed stimulant, but
is not neither tonic
15 to 20 grs of the recently powdd root
are a mild but effectual emetic, requiring
1-2 hours for operating & continuing
longer then, than ipecac



It is not eligible as a cath. or emet.
except when these operations are wanted
in connection with its deobstruent. It is effectual
in croup by its deobst. & emet. power
I generally give a full dose & if it fails
of vomiting it is of no consequence as it is
more effectual by remaining long on the
stomach. If the vomiting continues
too long it can be checked by horizontal 
posture, quiet, & a dose of opium, one or all three
Commonly very little nausea precedes
the vomiting sometimes it is attended with
vertigo etc. but these are in some cases
desirable The decoct. wine & tinct. are 
emetic in doses from zfs to zii The decoct.
& wine are better than the tinct. unless the 
state of the system requires that a diffusible
stimulant precede the operation. I have
ever prefer the powder for an emetic
The recently dried leaves are 
supposed to be active, but they are less
certain & effectual than the root



For the wine Rx zii coarsely powd & rec. dried
root zii off. alc. zxiv wht. wine. In very
warm weather the alc. will hardly prevent
fermentation & souring
The tinct. of the leaves & berries
fully grown but not quite ripe, is acrid narcotic
& deobst. I add to them dil. alc.
enough to cover them, macerate 10 days,
decant, express & filter. This is less emetic
than the other preparations
The expressed inspissated juice
is very active & is followed generally by 
narcosis. Externally it is caustic.
Given internally in doses of 5-10-15 grs
no one of the acrid narcotic deobst. has
succeeded so well with me in chronic
rheumatism unless it be aralia spinosa 
& it is not inferior to that. 5 grs are ordinarily 
sufficient if repeated at short
intervals. Opium shd generally be conjoined
with it to allay pain & procure sleep
but less quantity will be necessary 



than if a deobst. not narcotic were taken
Frequently deobst. will not act till
pain & watchfulness are obviated
An ointment of the root is used
Take of the recent bruised root add melted
simple cerate enough to cover it simmer
15 min. & express. It is antirritant,
discutient, antipsoraic & sometimes rubefacient.
The recent root roasted
& bruised is sometimes applied to the fat 
with how much success I know not
Therap. Applic.
Helminthia lumbric. commonly employed 
at the south, in form of pulvd root, in doses
short of nausea 4 times a day & then to
give a cath. if the article does not purge
Practica marisca often effectual apply
a decoction? of the recent bruised bruised
leaves to the part. When this has failed, an
enema of the decoct. of the root has relieved
immediately. Dr Woodd of Vt. [cures] with 
this article the most urgent symptoms in 
24 or 36 hours


Anthrax topically in the secondary
stages, in cases where there is not much
constit. eff. it is very beneficial Apply 
the bruised leaves or the cerate when the
part is spongy & porous & has been laid open
otherwise it will have little effect.
Early in my practice I thought this the best
application in the secondary stages I have
never employed it in the early & forming stages
Croup I have used it as a deobst. emetic
Let it remain sometime in the stomach,
if it does not vomit give some other emetic
I use the powder, diffused in the wine & follow
with ipecac. No mere emetic can 
be relied on unless it be turpeth min. & 
that can be assisted by this article
Ac. & subac. rheum. Early in my practice
I used it in these alone in the acute
& with opium in the subac. It was perfectly 
successful. It seemed to have the
same effect as guaiacum being acrid
mercurial sub-ac. rheum highly 


beneficial give either the extract of berries or the
tinct. of those, conjoining opium
Chronic rheum. from its acrimony it is better
than most of the deobstruents. I use the sat. tinct.
of the leaves & berries or the expressed, inspissated
juice, either with or without opium
Lues syphilis second & protracted stages cases
in which guaiac. mezereon & sarsapar.
are indicated & I think this altogether superior
to these articles
S. Syphilodes decidedly useful
Ulcers a great variety indolent & insusceptible,
with callow edges strumous ulcers
that are usually indolent & will not heal 
apply the ext. or the leaves especially the
former
Cancer palliated by the ext. or inf.
this article relieves the pain, changes the
condition & secretions & even brings it for a time to a healing
but it is soon worn out
Blenorrhea [illegible] diff. opinions as to 
its success, owing to diff. modes of using it.



11 Deobst
The disease is often obstinate but this article
is as frequently successful as any other. I use
it freely internally. The wine is recc. but
I prefer the ext. or tinct. of the berries. Those
who have failed with it have found it to produce
vom. or purg. It shd be given in doses
short of nausea at reg. interv. & opium
given to prevent purg. It succeeds as often
as any article unless copaiba. I have used
it most in the second stages of obstinate cases 
Enlargement of the prostate Dr Woodd of Vt.
uses the inf. or decoc. of zi coarsely powdered
root to lbj wat. or lbii boiled to lbj thrown
into the rectum in the quantity of ½ or 1 gill
with a pipe & bladder that it may not 
pass high up If it cannot be relieved add
SS. He prefers the infus. & that prepared
from the recently dried root. He often succeeds 
in reducing the enlarged prostate
very considerably. He used it only when
when troublesome symptoms arise, or stoppage
of urine, impossibility of passing the 


catheter etc. He does not state that he has
cured the disease but that he has relieved the
paroxysm
Itch it has been employed I direct a
strong dec. of the root, perhaps zii to lbjfs of
wat. boiled down to lbj & touch the part night & 
morn. It cures in a majority of cases It 
sometimes irritates so much that it cannot
be continued. If you wish to keep this preparation
add to 3 parts of it 1 part of the
tinct. bottle it & attach a sponge to the cork
There is a species in the W. I. called
P. dodecandria which is probably the same as
ours It is recc. by [Dawsen]? as a kind & effect.
emetic dose zfs – zi of the wine, made zi to lbj
The real P.dodec. is a native of Abyssinia
but cultivated elsewhere
P. dodecandria is most
probably the “mustard” of the N. Test.
Jonah’s gourd is a ricinus. The mandrake
is an orchis


Veratrum Sabadilla (Linn.)
Nat. ord. melanthaceae R. [ilegible] [Jussin]
Hordens exoticum causticum of Caspar Bankin
the name is a diminutive of sper. sebado “burley”
& the colloquial appelation is a corruption of
the name is spelt 11 different ways commonly 
called cevadille
Itr is offic. in all the pharmac. of cont. Europe
From it almost exclusively veratrine is obtained.
It is the most active of the genus
& of the nat. ord. to which it belongs. It also
possesses in a concentrated form all the properties
of the other veratrans except v. vind
which has some peculiarities
Heb. colder regions of Mexico it is said
also China & S. Am. the last is doubtful
It might be cultivated in N. England
The Mexican name signifies dog-kill
The seeds are exported in the pericarp
which resembles an ear of barley, but they
are not larger than lintseed, hence its
name. As found in the shops it is of 


a dun colour, capsule smooth, seeds shining
semicylindrical, oblong, acute, of a 
dark brown colour & compared to nice dung
It is sold in France in powder & called
capuchin powder. The capsules are probably 
inert, tho this has been disputed
The seeds have no odor, but have
an intensely bitter, acrid, glowing taste, leaving
a sense of burning which water will not
carry off & remaining longest in the fauces
which is the fact with all the deobstruents
According to Meisner, besides the
alkaline salifiable base veratrina, the 
subadilla contains an acid recently e3xamined
& called subadic acid, in union not with 
veratrim but perhaps with lime. Veratrina
is in union with 2 prop. of gall;
acid, forming bi-gallit of veratrine
None of the other prox [illegible] are of
importance unless the bitter princ. may 
have some med. prop.
Veratrine is an inodorous white 


powder, very acrid but not bitter & the taste is
permanent. It is a weaker base than morphine,
quinine or strychnine very soluble
in alcohol, rather less soluble in ether, soluble
in 1000 parts of wat. at 212 [degrees] & becomes
acrid to the taste melts at 120 [degrees] & on
cooling forms an amber coloured & translucent
mas. Composit. carb. hyd. ox.
nitrog. All its salts are crystallizable
& appear like gum except the sulphate
The sulphate bi sulphates & hydro chlorates
have been examined & used. Nitric ac.
also combined with veratrine, but if added
in excess it effects a change analogous
to that upon strychnine & brucine
The acetate is its most active salt
and this will apply generally to the reg. salif.
bases, but there are some exceptions
Strong solutions of the salts are decomposed
by the water & veratrine falls
down, hence they shd be prepared extempore
Iodine & chlorine appear to combine


with veratine but the nature of the
compounds is not well understood & they appear
to be inert. We shd imagine there was
a decomposition but the iod. & chlor. can be
obtained in a separate state. When given
uncombined therefore veratrine shd never
be accompanied with iod. or chlor. 
but they will not act on the salts of veratrine
The seed of veratrum sabadilla
approach nearer to veratrine than any 
other natural product, containing it in 
a more concentrated form. The only other
plants now known to contain veratrine
are V. album & colchicum autumnali
in which it exists in form of bi-gall. of verat.
Perhaps it will be discovered in other species
& in some species of [Lois]? But we
can draw no co0nclusion from botan. [affinities]
Veratrum viride is affirmed in the
books of chemistry to contain bi-gall. of verat
but I do not believe it, for this is not cath. & 
the others are hydrag. cath.



A certain dose producing speedy active 
& sometimes distressing vomiting. A dose
short of nausea & repeated will prod. hydr. cath
& drastic purging, continuing 12-24 or 36 hours
A still smaller dose often repeated exerts a general
deobst. influence in cholag. diuretic & 
sometimes sialag. in certain diseases of the
lungs it increases the secretion & increases the 
natural mucous secretion even if there be no disease expectorant
In certain forms of [illegible] obst. it is emmenagogue
I have not know it prove diaphoretic
It is used as a resolvent in aton. ac.
infl. phlegmonus & especially arthritic for 
which purpose it must be given so as to evacuate 
the al. can. powerfully,  but its effect does 
not depend on the evacuation for in some cases
it cures without
It is antipsoraic, curing certain
lepidotic scaly & herpetic eruptions, when 
used freely & for some time but without acting
on the bowels
Given freely it is moderately soporific. If there 


is pain it is anodyne
It is said that when the system
is under some powerful disease, as tetanus or
lyssa canina, without much exhaustion, a very
large dose produces coma & a state which can
hardly be distinguished from death continuing
12-24 hours, when the pat. will revive & vomit
powerfully & the disease be removed without 
any material inconvenience following
It is one of the most efficient anthelmintics
for the second species of tenia & 
fasciola. The European books recc. it 20 yrs
ago, but the English have lately struck it out
& it seems at present not to be fashionable 
as an anthelm.
It acts as a rubefacient, applied
to the tender skin of infants & to parts unprotected
by the cutis
It changes the action & condition
of spongy etc. ulcers promoting absorption of spongy
granulations increases their sensibility if
indolent & if employed freely it destroys vitality
& produces a slough hence called caustic


[illegible] Deobst.
Sometimes when applied to ulcers it exerts its power
over the system & produces vertigo, epigastric
uneasiness, cloud before the sight, tormina & 
even catharsis
If snuffed it irritates powerfully
the scnheid. mem. produces violent sneezing
copious mucus & irritation & atonic infl. of the part
Hence it is errhine. When chewed it is
sialogogue
From its acrimony & narcotic
power a decoct. of the seeds is employed to destroy
[pediculi] of the head body or pubes & bedding.
But occasionally it thus produces
alarming symptoms vertigo convulsions etc.
The seeds of sabadilla are almost as
active as veratrine
Stimulant powers have been attributed
to it. IT is irritating rather In 
excessive doses it produces parched mouth
& throat, head of the stomach & intestines a
great irritation & atonic erythematic infl. of m. m. of al. can.
hyperemesis, tormina, hyper catharsis 


hemorrhage from the bowels vertigo, cloud
before the sight extremely weak small wiry
pulse cold extrem. (but not uniformly) 
[letanic] convulsions & death. A very large
dose of sabadilla transcends vomiting &
produces the other effects immediately
Ed. & Vav. call this article dangerous
& say it shd be abandoned but its danger
is obviated by a proper use. It may be
made to act as kindly as any article.
The activity of an article is never a good objection
to its employment. Those who object
to the seeds as dangerous yet recc. the 
salts of veratrine which are still more active
Primary operations 1. deobst.
2d acrid-narcotic 3d emetic 4th cathartic
5th epispastic
Pharmac. prep.
It is used on the cont. of Eur. in fine powder
of seeds infl. decoct. tinct. watery & 
alc. extract by enema ointment



For a sat. tinct. I shd put 4 oz to 1 pt.
perhaps 2 oz will saturate
It is said that the pulverised seeds
soon lose their strength but retain it when 
whole. This is true of colchicum. The veratrine
produces exactly the same effects 
at the seed, but the dose is very small
1-2 grs prod. viol. em. & catharsis & a
few grs. tetanus & coma. It seems to 
be more active than strychnine & operates
in less quantity. ¼ gr doses (repeated?)
produce violent evacuations without vom.
Probably 1/16 gr. once in 3 hours wd be sufficient 
to give as a deobst. & shd be
conjoined with opium to prevent cath. & 
emesis too soon. It may effect a cure
with opium without producing evacuation
but in severe diseases it must be pushed
far enough to evacuate. It is there fore
always inadmissible when copious evacuations 
are not admissible & useful
It is a substitute for the seeds of the v. sabad
v. alb. & colchicum & is more uniform 


& certain in its operation
The recently pulvd seeds of sabad.
v. alb. & colch. are useful in costiveness
of old age with great accumulation of
feces. Extremely minute quantities obviate
costiveness better than any other article
For the ointment Rx veratrine
4 grs sim. cer. zi mix by trituration
Diseases
Helminthia of all forms especially tenia
fasciola asc. verm. & lumbric. It is said
to be perfectly successful but caution is necessary 
in its use Dose for a child 2-4 yrs
2 gr of the seeds from 8-12 yrs, 10 grs
Honey blunts its activity a little & renders
its effect more slow It is said that it shd
be followed by no cath but aloes. I see no reason for this
Pneumonitis shd not think it good here
Gout more especially used in this particularly
the reg. kind. It is adapted
only to Cullen’s atonic kind. I never 


saw any other. If given early in time I 
shd think it wd cure it, but in a case of long
standing I shd think it unsafe from its tendency
to produce violent catharsis
Rheumatism recc. with the same limitation
It is useful in entonic cases after depletion
& in atonic from the first. But we must ascertain
if the case will admit of active evacuation 
for we can do but little with the article
without it. I shd be loth to use it in the 
chronic forms & for old patients
Vitiated & gangrenous ulcers recc. topically 
as a substitute for corr. sub. & the
actual cautery.  The mode of applying it
is to sprinkle a little of the powder of the
seeds over the part and cover it with lint
dipped in the infusion
Lyssa canina the authority is rathe 
apocryphal, but I shd expect as much
from it as from any other article. The
pat. is sd to be thrown into a profound sleep
of 12-24 or even 48, revives, vomits & purges &  



in 15 min., is free from all disease but weakness
Cellular dropsy as a hydr. cath. in small
doses at short intervals. Under diuretic reg. it
will produce diuresis before it purges.
Cutaneous eruptions Itch A weak watery 
prep. is used. In my early practice I
employed it with almost invariable success
add ¼ of the sat. tinct. to the inf. to make it
keep or use the sat. tinct. & add camphor
to it
Malis pediculi of Good applied in ointment
highly celebrated
Pediculi penetrantis chigo chigre in the
feet. I have had many cases never had
much trouble with them I apply acrid
or caustic substances to the tumors & they 
always do well. These cases are said to 
require great caution & skill. Perhaps
they may be dangerous in tropical climates


Veratrum album
Hellebore white hellebore
Russia Sibaria Italy Grece cultiv. in
England, first it is said by Gerard
[illegible] peram. an inch thick a bulb the upper
half tunicated the lower solid.
The root is the part used. When recent it is
sd to have an acrid taste & peculiar odor, which
it loses by drying. It is invariably brought
to us in powder & as found in our shops is
good for nothing Vide A.T. Thom Dispensat.
Bi-gallate of veratrine An acid
like the cebadic a yellow extractive
matter etc. are its active principles. There 
seems to be nothing medicinal in it but the 
bi-gall verat.
A.T.T. says it is a violent cath.
& emet. irritant & sternulatory but very efficient
merely as such. These operations
are merely circumstances in regard to its
administration but they are all that the
books ascribe to it. Dr Ware of Boston experimented 



with it & found that 8 grs were
a med. dose for an emetic [illegible] seems 
to have tried v.  album most effectually 
He found that a med. em. dose was about 8 grs
& in some cases [illegible] was required
The essential & most important effects
are 1. deobst. 2. [acridness] & em. 4. hyd.
cath. epispastic & sternut. by virtue 
of its irritant effects.
Secondarily it is 1. resolv. 2. antipsor. cholag.
expect. diuret. emmen. sialogogue (topically 
& occasionally when taken internally) it is not
diaphor. nor stimulant, but irritant
Pharm. ac. prep. 1. infus. zfs – sii to the pt. 
acc. to circumst. 2. decoct a bad
mode for many of these articles, decomposing them
I prefer the infus.
In 1810 a French nostrum called
eau medicinale was very popular. An Englishman
imitated in the following which was
considered the same Rx 8 oz recently dried
root finely cut 1 ½ 11 ½ pts sherry wine macerate 



[15] Deobst
10 days shake occasionally & filter To two parts
of this was added 1 part of Sydenham’s vinum
opii compositum Dose 1-3 f z about 4 times
a day for an urgent case oftener It did
cure many cases of acute rheum. & gout the
more acute the case the better the medicine operated
in my hands. I arrested many cases
I used the v. [viridi] instead of the v. album
& gave teas. f. doses At first I used Sydenhams
laud. but finding the prep sour
I substituted SS. & soon used instead of
both the tinct. of verat. vir.  3 parts to 1 part
SS
Tinct. 8 oz to 2 ½ pts N.Y. Ph.
Ointment Rx 2 oz of the impalpable powder of
the root to 8 oz lard (or better sim. cer.) Add
q.s. ol. lemons to flavor it (Lond. Ph.) Some
direct to mix by trituration
Diseases
Struma in the neck externally shd not
be given in cases debilitated or requiring tonics
Gout & rheumatism most celebrated
There are two modes of giving purgative 



deobstruents 1st in full doses, then waiting
to see whether it purges & going on again
illegible] in small doses & longer? intervals
in both cases I suppose opium conjoined
If you give much of the cath. deobstruents
indiscriminately you will be apt to accumulate 
them on the system till they pass of in 
a diarrhoea, runs down the pat. & carry him
off even in spite of opium. Better give
them in full doses at short? intervals & wait
This article is most successful in regular
gout, but is more or less so in irregular
I have not succeeded in rheumatalgia or
the forms of rheumatism unattended with
redness & swelling. In the early part of
my practice I employed the wine of the
v. album v. vir.? (vide supra) in other arthritic
complaints the misplaced & metastastic
ones, but the external arthritic aff. are 
more under the control of deobstruents than
any other The dose shd be as large as can
be taken without vom. & repeated


Elephantiasis celebrated in various
cutaneous aff.
Mania has been employed in different forms
of it. I do not think it very well adapted, & 
still less to hypochondria
Epilepsy & various convulsive diseases
Lyssa canina recc. in sabadilla in
lethargic cases
Paropsis aneurosis sd to be good in think
not idiopathic cases
Woodville says it is best for the
diseases of the skin Stouma prurigo herpes
pediculi internally & externally
Impetigo porrigo & scabies intern. & extern.
The powder & ointment have been
applied to old ill condit. ulcers
The intern. has been applied to burns
before vesic. has come on & thus prevented vesic.


Colchicum autumnale Linn.
Meadow saffron
Hiatuses
There are several species of C.
root perennial top annual
Root bulbous acrid & pungent. Active principle
veratrine Said to lose its activity by 
long keeping. If taken out of the ground 
before the plant flowers it affords farinaceous
matter & loses its acrid principle by boiling, &
may be eaten
The root & seeds are the parts employed in medicine.
It is said the seeds shd be collected in 
hay harvest & the root in latter part of July & in Aug. 
The root is sliced (I shd think it ought not to be) & then
dried in the sun. If taken inordinately it
will prove a deadly poison
The test by which you can ascertain
whether its activity is lost is said to be the following.
Rub 10 grs of the root with 16 m of distilled
vinegar dropped on it the vinegar
will dissolve the gluten. Then add 16 m
of the alc. tinct. of guaiacum if the colch.
is a good fine cerulean blue color will be produced 



Bi-gallate of veratrine is the act. princ.
This article was introduced by Baron
Storck who made a syrup with vinegar
& used it as a diuretic
There is much discrepancy of 
testimony as to the active powers of this article
all however arising from the diff. manner
of drying it the season in which it is collected
the age of the root & its diff. preparations
The seeds are not affected by drying
or age Perhaps they are not quite so strong as
the recent root but still they are sufficiently
so for all medicinal purposes 
The accounts given in the books
respecting the operation of colchic. are in 
the main correct.
Primary Operations
2. deobst. 2. acrid narcotic – less so than
most of the other deobstruents? 3d hyd. cathartic
4th emetic 5 probably vital irritant or epispastic
Secondarily it is 1. resolve. 2. antips. 3. chol.
4. expec. 5. diuretic not emmen.
not diaph. not sialag. internally 


not tonic or stimulant
It leaves the stom. & intest. in a 
peculiarly bad condition and hence even
as a mere emetic it will not answer, still less
as a cath. After vomiting it leaves great exhaustion
It relieves irritative not entonic arterial
action Dr Williams’s cases were synochous
It is one of the most precarious & uncertain
though one of the most powerful & effectual
deobstruents that we have. I think
there is no case in which some other & more certain
article will not answer just as well.
Orfila calls it a corrosive poison
a bad term he means that it irritates, inflames
& ulcerates. Its deleterious
effects in an inordinate dose are slight nausea
then extreme vom. & purg. fainting exhaustion
coma & death It produces direct
exhaustion even before purging begins
Dr T. doubts Majadie’s account of the 
poisonous effect. He thinks the m. men. of intest.
is never inflamed but it does often kill 


Colchicum will in certain doses, with
some persons produce the desired effect, while
the same dose will perhaps cause death in others
The purging often takes place after the exhaustion
comes on & then increases it
Orfila’s antiphl. mode of
treating its poisonous effects is the worst imaginable
Pharmac. prep.
1. powder some think it the best 1 z 3 or 4 
times a day in ½ pt warm water. But drying
impairs its strength bad form
2. Infusion must be extemporaneous bad
3. Wine a good form There are two 
1st of the seeds 2d of the root The Phil. Ph.
directs to powder the seeds, but a stronger wine
may be made of the unbruised seeds
I have used the following Rx entire seeds zii
off. alc. f zii madeira wine f zxiv mad. 1 or 2 wks
& strain I have kept this for years unimpaired.
I know of no other in the
books but what will sour
Wine of the root. Rx bruised root 8 oz
wine 1 pt This is as good as any I wd use 


f zxiv wine & f zii off. alc. But the wine of the seeds
is the best
4. Tincture zii root to ziv dil. alc. If you 
must use the root I wd use the tinct.  
but I prefer the seeds. Some however prefer
5. Vinegar of colch. If the root is used
by all means take 8 oz to 1 pt dist. vinegar
If the seeds, zii to the pint of vinegar
6. Syrup. Take the acetum 
Diseases Limosis gastrodynia recc.
highly by Dr Williams of Ipswich & in other painful aff.
Helminthia tenia f zi once a day for 
3 or 4 days is said to have cured from analogy
shd think it might be good
Dyspnea exacerbans highly efficacious
give a full dose say f zi with a full dose
of opium if necessary give another dram
but one is generally sufficient in a parosxysm 
my? usual dose is 1 teas.  f. to 2 of SS. commonly
supposed that purging vom. will relieve
this disease not so. colch. relieves it by 
its narcotic & deobst. powers. Squills will 


[?4] Deobst
often relieves it but better with SS. Lobelia
infl. I consider better than colch. in this disease
Entonic phlogotica only after depletion
Atonic phlogotica resolves the
topical infl. less atonic the better
It may be laid down as a general rule that the
phlogotica of the brain are less relieved by deobstruents
than those of the joints I usually 
give 3 to 5 f z & so as not to produce
hyd. catharsis for phl. of brain.
Pneumonitides I have used it successfully 
particularly P. notha but the inconveniences
attending its uses are worse perhaps than 
those of the disease. In that form of
pneumonitis attended with a topical
erythemat. infl. fever synochus it is better
than in any other form
Podagia gout there is more risk in a 
broken down pat. in an induced
case, or one brought on by high living
than in a hereditary one There should
be no preparatory process of bleeding or 


purging for the colch. will reduce difficulty
Entonic acute rheum. shd think colch. wd
be better in this than any other entonic pyhlogoticum.
Shd bleed here first shd always
look out that it does not purge giving f zi
once in three or four hours till it begins to 
purge or vomit preceding? with a free use
of opium
Arthritis rheumatalgia var. acuta most
applicable in the acute, next in the subacute
also var. sciatica & (hiatus)
Neuralgia faciei said to be very successful
rule to give it till it affects the
bowels except cath. is restrained by opium 
Hydrops cellul. thorac. & abdom. are
said to be successfully treated with it if
used in dropsy it had better be given as a
diuretic, not as a hydr. cath.
Exomia prurigo var. senilis said to 
have been perfectly cured by zfs of the
wine of colch. 3 times a day for 3 weeks
Here shd come in andeira inermis



Veratrum viride
Green hellebore swamp hell. Indian [unicas]
Indian poke pokeweed bearweed itchweed
tickleweed. Hab. the whole U.S. nat. ord.
Melanthaceae
Probably the best article on it is that
of Dr Bigelow. It is better than all the rest of 
the Med. Bot. put together. His acc.  of the therap.
applic is sufficiently full but his nat. hist. of 
it is deficient
The root is the part used It is
thick & fleshy, the upper half tunicated, the
lower solid, (which is an anomaly) & with large
fibrillae shooting from it. Taste bitter
 but more acrid than bitter, leaving a [durable]
in the mouth & especially in the fauces
if chewed & swallowed. It does not contain
veratrine. It is not cathartic
Bigelow calls it stimulant It is irritant
Big. calls it sedative He shd have specified
It is ill adapted to the purposes of an
emetic unless a deobstr. emet. is wanted


Dr War gave it in 30 cases as a pure
emetic in 10 out of 15 6 grs produced
kind & effectual vomiting. The operation
he says is not so severe as that of tart. em.
though more so than that of ipecac
It requires a long time for its operation as
an emetic & this is the case with all the
emetic deobstruents
Dr Big. says “Some patients obtain
relief from moderate doses without nausea
or other unpleasant effects. Others require
larger doses (zii) & experience nausea, vomiting
a sense of prostration & exhaustion, 
impaired vision & even total insensibility”
These bad effects arise from bad management
If smaller doses at shorter intervals
had been given they would have been avoided
Taken in excessive doses Dr Big
says it produces “distressing vertigo. tremors
sinking of the pulse, cold sweats, cold extremities,
syncope, convulsions & death 


Taken in too large doses at once it produces
hyper emesis, hyper catharsis, great tormina & 
hemorrhage from the intestines but the cath.
eff. is prod. however from a sort of cholera
& this is no proof of its being cathartic, for
many articles well known to possess no such 
power may induce a cholera & of course
catharsis follows
A strong infusion of fruit galls is
recommended as an antidote, to combine
with the supposed veratrine This in the
case of v. album must be useless for the
veratrine is in a state of bi-gallate already
Opium is the only effect. rem. for 
an overdose
Primary Operations
1. deobst. 2. Acrid-narcotic 3. emetic
4. epispastic from its irritant powers proving
rubefac. 5 errhine from its irritant pow.
Its secondy eff. are 1. resolv. 2. antipsoraic
3d. sialag. 4. expect 5. discut. sternut.
I do not know that it has been ascertained 



positively to be diuretic or emmenagogue
but from the fact that v. alb is so, we
might expect it. It is not diaph. except
by its emetic operation which will of itself
produce diaphoresis. It possesses not a
particle of cathartic power
It is less liable to leave the
stom. & intest. in a bad & irritable state
the most of the other deobst. as colch. etc.
No other article resembles sanguinaria
so nearly. It is more like it than like
its [illegible] v. alb. Of deobst. I prefer
those which have no cath. power 
It is contraindicated in phlog. diathesis
Pharmac. Pres.
1. Recently pulvd root. The roots of whole 
will return their power for some time If kept
in powder they lose it in some degree.
I do not think much of this preparation
think you wd fail of producing a deobst.
effect. Big. says 2-6 grs is an emetic
dose. The powder is best for an emetic 


except in comp & dyspnea, where the
wine is the best emetic form
2. Decoction best form only for act. applic.
It shd be boiled in a closely covered vessel
& I think it is injured by too much boiling
Rx coarsely pulv root zi off. alc. f zii
boil. water 1 pt.
3. Wine by far the best. Put the rec.
root cut fine into a bottle & add sufficient
wht wine to cover it Big directs zviii
of the root to lbiijs wht. wine but I think it 
can be much stronger & lbj is enough for zviii
just enough to cover it.
To make a prep. that will keep 
Rx root recent. cut zviii off. alc. zii wht wine
zxiv Of the first recipe zi is a medium
dose especially in acute diseases but 
it wd be a large dose of my recipe, unless
the dis. was very severe, few [illegible]
tolerating more than zfs. Bigelow says
“add to 3 parts of the wine 1 of wine of opium
& of this from 20 gtts to zi is a med. dose”



I never succeed unless the pat. can take
more than 20 gtts but sometimes as with sanguin.
20 gtts will irritate & be rejected when 
30 or 60 will sit well
The dose shd be repeated 4-6-8 times in 
24 h. If 6 or 8 doses have been given the
article cannot be continued by & it will 
not be necessary
It has been proposed not to use the article
till the “sediment” has subsided, as it is the
less violent in its action, but will the med.
power be diminished precisely in the
same degree? as is the case with colchicum 
4. Ointment Rx rec. root pulvd zii
lard ([illegible] cer. is better) zvjii oil of lemons 10 m
It is better not to beat the lard. Add the
oil to the powder
Verat. viride used externally 
is discutient & antipsoraic. It has produced
nausea & vom. & other constit. eff
when applied to ulcers on the legs & to 
cutaneous eruptions. But this eff. has 



15 Deobst.
been produced only when there were ulcerations
Big. asks “may it not do good externally appl.
in gout.” I answer no extern. applic.
shd be made in gout or ac. rheum. so long
as it is erratic ten chances to one you drive
it to the heart, lungs or brain
I prefer ver. vir. to v. alb or
to colch because it does not purge. It is
analogous to sanguinaria in its operation
& I have substituted it for sanguin in 
cases where there was a prejudice against
it. I never cd perceive any difference 
in their effects
Diseases
Dyspepsia with torpid liver & clay cold stools
Simple idiop. cough v. vir. like sang.
is very useful in early stages when there is 
no expectoration & also after it has taken place
The pathology of this affection is not well
understood. It is not an infl. nor febrile
aff. but deobst. will cure it. It is probably 
connected with a morbid condition


of the secretions of the bronchial mem.
It is occasionally relieved by narcotics
as opium & hyoscyamus These act on the
secretions also but not in the same manner
as the deobstruents I usually conjoin this
article more or less with opium & find it
very efficient. I have not employed it as
much as blood root
Dyspnea exacerbans At the commencement
of the paroxysm I give a full dose of
the wine about zi with 15-20 gtts of SS
acc. to circumstances I repeat the wine
at short intervals & ¾ of the cases are 
relieved without vomiting or narcosis
but some require a continuance till
vomiting takes place. It is the deobst. operation
that effects the cure
Phlysis paronychia (whitlow) I have
seen decided benefit from it. Take a
strong infusion or decoction immerse the
part 1 or 2 hours in it as warm as can be borne
& repeat 2 or 3 times a day. The earlier it 



is used the better & the greater the prospect of
cure. AT more advanced stages it merely palliates,
but relieves the pain much. If opened
frequently no suppuration is found but the
incision is of service
Pneumonitis typhodes var. Notha I first
give a full dose of calomel, & opium suffic.
to allay the pain which is usually severe
I proportion the cal. to the opium & make
it remain in the al. can. 12-18 hours. I then?
apply a blister & enter immediately on the 
use of verat. vir. in full doses at intervals of
1 or 2 hours If it vomits it is not much matter
though I prefer that It shd not the vom.
does no hurt. I most usually give
f zi every hour for 12 hours & by that time it
usually occasions some nausea & retching
I then give the same dose every 2 hours
for 12 hours more & when the cal. operates
the disease melts away the vomiting help
the deobst. power. Always give enough opium
with it to meet the symptoms & allay
the pain s


Dysentery v.v. will of itself cure this 
disease Cal. & op. is usually given first & the
calomel retained 15-18 hours & followed up 
by varatrum only in non-malignant cases 
Sparganosis puerperarum Moderate cases
are easily overcome by it, conjoined with opium
In severe & violent cases & those following profuse
hemorrhage it would not answer. I 
have had no experience with it in this disease
Gout has been employed with much success.
It was first used for the “eau medicinale”
(vide v. alb.) I have never treated a
true case of gout but only those [illegible]
between gout & rheumatism & approaching
the former. In one case there were
chalky concretions inability to move etc.
& it had resisted a great variety of 
medicines. I gave wine of v.v. 3 parts wine
of opium 1 part dose zi every hour at the
commencement of a paroxysm till it produced
narcosis or vomiting It cured speedily
& perfectly & by a subsequent use
kept off the paroxysm 9 mo. The pat. 



then gave it up his health improved & 
the swelling decreased. Dr Big. says it is
used in gout very successfully in Boston
We shd increase the frequency of the dose
rather than the dose itself. If narcosis or
other symptoms appear decrease the dose
I have never succeeded unless the pat.
cd take more than 26 gtts
Acute atonic rheumatism equally if
not more successful
Rheumatalgia or that kind of rheum.
aff. [illegible] is usually unattended with 
any topical swelling ore redness usually 
occurring in young persons. Shd push it
so as to produce narcosis or vomiting.
No matter if the pat. does vomit once or 
twice, it will do him good & heighten the
deobst. effect
In genuine chronic rheumatism it is
recommended I have not succeeded 
well with it in this. What is often
called chronic is acute. The more acute 


the better I have succeeded. Dr Big.
says he has succeeded in obstinate cases
“he pushed it till vomiting
narcosis or relief was produced” Perhaps
I have not pushed it far enough
When verat. vir. is given in acute
rheumatism it allays morbid irritability
& irritation, morbid sensibility & sensation
it obviates pain & restlessness, even if it
fails of effecting a cure all this by its narcotic
power. The Europeans suppose 
that colch. & v. album cure by 
their evacuation, but v. viride never purges
& we give it short of the vomiting point
& yet a cure is accomplished
Dr Big. supposes the v. viride “cures by 
the strong impression that it makes”
But if he gives only 15-20 drops & no 
sensible operation follows we cannot suppose
any very strong impression to be produced.
v. viride like other deobst.
cures topical infl. by acting on the 


[illegible] & absorbents The absorbents must
remove the disease. This principle shd be
better understood. The reviewers have 
mentioned with a note of exclamation that
I have stated that sanguinaria will remove
infl. independent of vomiting!
Porphyra hemorrhagica or simplex & nautica
recc. in we shd not at first expect this
but it is a dis. of the [secern] [illegible] absorbents perhaps
exclusively. Kaln says it is externally & internally 
Indolent Ulcers especially those recurring
in strumous habits & probably originally 
connected with syphilis the ulcers 
deep concave, hemispherical dry or secreting 
an icherous matter. In cases where 
nit. silver, sulph. copper etc. had done
no good I have applied veratrum which
produced a secretion of “laudable pus” & 
the ulcer put out granulations & healed.
Of late I have used blood-root for this
purpose. There is not much difference
I apply the powder & over than an 



adhesive plaster. Any indolent
ulcer may be benefitted in this way
Sick Headache Given in sufficient season
it will prevent & carry off the paroxysm
but if given too late it will accelerate the
attack of the paroxysm given very much 
as in dyspepsia
Comatose affections the result of slight concussions.
Early in my practice I used it in 
these so freely as to produce vomiting
The coma came on a week after the accident
in these cases. Almost any thing
that makes a strong impression will cure
as an active cathartic. The veratrum is as 
effectual as any other article
Apoplexy certain forms occurring in 
young persons the face as crimson as in 
the sanguineous, but pale & livid (not exactly 
the serous apoplexy of Cullen) 
pulse weak extremities cold. Here I 
give stimulants and apply warmth to the 
extremities till they become warm 


[16] Deobst.
I then give the wine of v. v. in repeated doses
at short intervals so that it may produce 
vomiting If four doses do not vomit I then
give ipecac Then I use stimulants.
This form of apoplexy is most common with 
me No one who regards symptoms wd
think of V.S. I have seen two patients
die under the act of v.s. These cases
will recover only under the use of stimulants
& emetics & these are infallible unless the
constit. is broken down. The deobstruent
emetics are most proper & far preferable
It is contrary to the books to give emetics
in head affections. The brain is not so
much affected by deobstruents as the other
viscera. It is affected however to some extent
Carus Paralysis or peral. not connected
with organic derangement. I have seen
great effects from it in paraplegia
Cutaneous eruptions Bateman & Good
recc. the acrid deobst. especially v. album 
but v. viride is far preferable 



Psoriasis inveterata I have used it in the
early stages
Impetigo laminosa salt rheum If in an
irritable state, emollients shd be first applied
& this state overcome or your applications will do no good
Porrigo galeato for this however I prefer 
the red oxide of mercury
Ecpyresis scabies (Ich) I have used v. v. 
internally & externally in all the above
but not in itch.
But I lay little stress on internal remedies’
in porrigo galeaga In 
periosis inveterata the internal use shd be 
conjoined with the use of the decoct. or ointm.
externally. In impetigo laminosa I 
place more reliance on the external applic.
but think the internal administration of it useful 
It will not succeed perhaps in a majority of 
cases. The mercurials are perhaps better.
I do not use it internally in porrigo galeata
but the strong decoct. or ointment.
There are better remedies but I have succeeded
with this when other remedies had failed


In scabies I use a strong decoction & to make it keep
add ¼ of the sat. tinct. zviii will cure
Apply it by a sponge fixed to the cork of the
vial It shd be applied to the affected
part for a week. If not so speedy in 
its cure as some other applications it is far
more agreeable than sulphur & I think
very favorably of it. It is injured by simmering
in cerate the heat of the boiling water
is as much as it will bear I suspect the 
ointment wd be a better mode zii of the
impalpable powder of the root in zi sim. cer.
I prefer an ointment of mercury to any 
thing else, but it is too liable to be abused
for common use
Burns & scalds if neglected are apt to 
become vitiated ulcers, livid & threatening
gangrene. For these the ointm. or cloth
wat with the strong decoct. is an excellent application
If applied early, before the skin is 
removed, it has the power of preventing 


the vesication, but it is not the best article
for that purpose
The therapeutic application of verat.
viride is almost precisely like that o f
sanguinaria
Kaln says the Indians soaked
their corn in a strong decoct. of verat.
vir. to protect it from the birds, which if
they ate of it became giddy & fell down
& though it does not kill them the others were thus
deterred


Perhaps there may [come]
Andeira inernis which resembles
colchic. & v. sabadilla anthelmintic
like the latter








16 ½ Deobst.
Andeira inernis
Allied to colchicum & may be used
for the same purposes A large dose at
once produces nausea & vomiting.
Short of nausea & repeated with diuretic
regimen it is diuretic. In moderate
doses at short intervals it is narcotic
The test of any overdose is 
nausea & vomiting. That of too frequent
repetition is narcosis. That of 
too long continuance is catharsis
Properties acrid-narcotic. emetic
hyd. cathartic & deobstruent
being diuretic, resolvent probably 
cholagogue & expectorant
The proper remedies for an
overdose are opium to check the
evacuations & stimulants to support 
the powers of life. There is no proof
on record that lime juice will counteract
the effects of the acrid narcotics


This article is most used in the
W.I. & in the Spanish prov. as an anthelmintic.
The powder of the bark is
given as a nauseating emetic, narcotic
& cathartic beginning with small
doses & increasing till nausea is produced
& then continuing short of nausea
The medium doses for a strong
healthy adult is zfs This is large
if it is to be repeated. It is better to 
begin with smaller doses & let them 
remain some time in the al. can. to 
act on the worms. Dose for a 
pat. 14 or 15 grs = [illegible] of 10 grs – 15 grs
2-3 grs = 10 grs – 1 gr. = 5 grs Vary 
acc. to circumstances
Pharmaceutical Preparations
1st decoct. Rx zi recently dried bark
to lbji water boil till colour of madeira
wine strain & use immediately 
Dose for an adult, about zii


2nd Extract Rx lbj rec. dried bark
coarsely powdered to wat. lbviii boil
till half is evaporated strain & evaporate
toa proper consistence in a salt
water bath, stirring frequently that the
resin may not rise to the top Dose
for an adult 3 grs 14 or 15 yrs = 2 grs
10 yrs = 1 ½ grs 2-3 yrs = 1 gr – 1 yr = ½ gr
For ordinary purposes this is the best preparation
3d Syrup Rx Take of the decoction
as above made any quantity, & dissolve
in it while hot twice its weight of 
white sugar. If there be sugar
enough it will not ferment. Dose
for a strong adult zii & [illegible] for other 
ages
Diseases Helminthia, as caridis
lumbricoidis Use the decoction
It is a powerful anthelmintic




1st Sanguin
17 Deobst
Sanguinaria Canadensis ([Linnaeus])
Called mor appropriately by Salisbury S. [vernalis]
Previous to Linnaeus it was called S. minor & S.
major called by Plukenet papaver corniculus
chelidonium [illegible] ranunculus virg.
Blood root or wort (the same is root) the
[illegible] of hieracum venosum,. Puccoor
(Indian name) also Indian paint, Indian
turmeric Nat. order Papaveraceae
Polygonus [illegible] is called sanguinaria
in some of the continental medical works
the root is the part used it is bitter & 
extremely acrid it is said to lose [70] pr ct its
weight in drying. I have not found the loss
of weight so great. much depends on the season
in which it is gathered, which should be late
in autumn. Water added to the tinct.
causes a milky appearance
PRox. princ. sanguinaria discovered by 
A Hayes of Windsor Vt. macerate the rec
root in 3 times its weight of cold water acidulate
with about 1/80 its weight of strong sulphuric



acid after remaining 3 or 4 days
in a cool room, decant & filter repeat
the process with additional diluted acid to
the same parcel of root & put the filtered
fluids together. Add pure aqua amm. till
the water is slightly alkaline & the [sanguinarine]
is precipitated. Wash the precip.
with water slightly alkaline with ammon, as
long as it is coloured & afterwards with
pure rain water to remove the ammon
Redissolve with sulph. ac. decompose
the sulph. & wash to filter as before & 
you remove impurities. macerate in 
alcohol at the common temperature, shaking
frequently to take up the sanguinaria filter
& dissolve the remainder in more alcohol
& then as long as any is taken up put the filtered
fluid together in a retort over a common
furnace fire distil off ¾ of the bulk till
the sanguin. begins to precip. then dash in 4 times
its bulk of cold water 7 the whole will be
precipitated. This precip. washed & dried



will be pretty pure [sanguinarine]. For A.
Hayes original proc. vide sil.. chem. His
acid is a little stronger, but my process is
essentially the same. This is the best way to 
obtain most of the veg salifiable bases,
if they are insoluble in water. Sulph. ac.
supersedes all the veg. acids Sulph. quin.
may thus be procured
Sanguinarine thus obtained is at first
white but becomes brown or buff coloured
by keeping, from absorption of cab acid
as is said but if kept in sealed vial it
will undergo the same change. It has 
an acrid taste, turns turmeric brown & veg.
blues green hence an alkali If from
a precip. with tinct. galls which is a tartrate
or gallate or both of sanguinarine
Insoluble or sparingly soluble in water
Soluble in sulph ether, vinegar & alcohol
It forms coloured salts, red crimson or 
scarlet. their color is a diagnostic [none]
thus far resembling the exc. the salts of 



Strychnine & brucine. The hydrochlorate, 
sulphate, nitrate, phosph. acetate
& tartate are all used vide Silliman
The acetate is most soluble The tartrate
oxalate & hydrochl. are very soluble
The acetate is most acrid but the tartrate
is most active. Those that have the strongest
sensible qualities are most active
those that are most soluble are most speedy
in their activity
Silicate of potassa & tinct. iodine may 
perhaps be incompatible with it
It is probable that the sulphate formed by 
macerating the root, filtering & drying wd 
answer all ordinary purposes in medicine
I have tried it & it was deliquescent probably
from excess of acid
The colouring matter of the plant is the active
principle. IT a native salt with an 
unascertained acid one however which 
has great affinity with the malic & will
probably prove to be so this being the ac.


most commonly found in union with the
veg. alkalies
Potassa, soda magn. calcia ammon. & lithia
decompose the veg. salts, precipitated their loss
and render most of these bases weaker. Some
they only weaken, others they affect not at all
They weaken sanguinarine No acids weaken
it except the gallate. Hence avoid giving veg.
astring. with prep. of sanguin. The gallates
(exc. the bi gall. of veratrine) are generally 
comparatively inert
Tincture of sanguinaria, in appropriate
cases excites the secretions of the
chylopoietic viscera, liver etc. changes the 
condit. of the [secern.] & absorb. systems, resolves
atonic acute & sub. ac. infl. of the
thorac. & abdom. viseara & arthritis infl.
of muscles & joints increases the appetite
& digest. powers indirectly increases force
& frequency of pulse excites muco-purulent
secretions from bronch. mem. & the
catar. secretion & has even occasioned hem.


from the [uterus]
In larger doses it nauseates, obviates
irrit. heat & dryness of skin sometimes
occasions vomiting, burning at the stomach,
vertigo, impaired vision, reduction
of force & frequency of pulse, palpitation
& irrig. action of heart & arteries, great prostration
of strength, convulsions & stiffness
of the limbs Pushed farther if vomits & 
produces great anxiety & narcosis
It leaves the stom. & intest. in a good
condition not disturbed & irritable as after
colchicum & squills
Externally applied to eruptions it irritates,
promotes absorption & changes condition 
for the better
The decoction is a discutient in 
inflam. affections
The powder is an errhine
The tartrate of sanguinarine in
moderate doses at short intervals, allays
irritative secret. of bronch. frequency of pulse 



& cough in pneumonitis. In larger doses it
produces vertigo, cloud before the sight
dilated pupils, haggard counten. cold sw.
pulse slow & irreg. These symptoms appear
in ¼ hour & disappear in 3 hours
5 grs have produced this effect Some cannot
take ½ gr From grfs to griii is a
medium dose A. R. Terry took 20 grs
It did not vomit him
Sanguinaria sometimes prod. unpleasant
affections of head or stomach. or both destroying
the appet. & dim. the pulse. Sometimes
in such a case the tartrate will agree 
It is less emetic than the other preparation
The seeds are sd to be more narcotic
like those of datura (?) The leaves are sd to 
be active & worthy of investigation’
Hence this article is
1st deobstruent 2nd acrid narcotic
3d emetic 4th escharotic 5 errhine
As a deobstruent it is 1st cholagogue
2nd resolv. 3d expect. 4th emmena 5th anti-psoraic


6th discutient
It is neither stimulant, tonic, diaphoretic 
diuretic, sialagogue, nor cathartic
Its colog. oper. has been denied but 
it is perfectly evident & is uniform always
taking place when the violence of the disease
does not prevent it
The strong narcot. effects are produced in persons
of great susceptibility not idiosyncracy by in 30 or 40 
As a mere emetic it is inconvenient, uncertain
& ineffectual & shd be given only for
the shock & as a deobst. for the liver & lungs in certain diseases. It will not
abate entonic action, but in proper dis.
is more effectual than any other emetic 
As an escharotic is improves vitiated ulcers etc.
It is a powerful sternutatory.
Its continued used in full doses obviates
costiveness by increased flow of bile hence
it is indirectly eccoprotic. Small doses
do not cause a secretion of bile
As a deobstruent its resolvent powers
are the most important. For many years 


2nd Sanguinaria
18 Deobst.
relied on it in acute rheumatism
Its acrid narcotic effects are next in importance
Pharmaceutic preparations
1 powder of root 2d pill with [illegible] [roses]
dose 5 gr. to a pill, repeated
3d Infusion of bruised root zj to lbjs. dose
zfs to a gill as an emetic
4th Decoction same prop. infus. is better
boiling seems to injure such articles 
Dr Tally’s recipe of sanguin. for dyspepsia
modified by Dr Todd Rx coarsely powdered 
root of sanguin. ziii Ext. leont. taraxac.
zviii (thick enough to pill) Dried leaves
of eupat. perfol. zjv Ginger in powd. zii
cloves powd. zfs aq. pura lbvj
Boil all but the cloves to 3 pints then add
the cloves & 1 pt of molasses & simmer
20 minutes. This prep. is tonic
deobstruent & eccoprotic to preserve it
add ½ pt of spirit & keep in a close bottle
Found very useful in many cases. Vid p.
Diseases dyspepsia


Compound syrup of sanguinaria
Rx rad. sanguin. coarsely powdered
Rad. recent. contus. araliae racem. (spikeweed)
Pan. quinquif. (gineng) coarselypowd. aa zj
Semin. contus. anisi zii misce
Add alcohl. dilut. lbjs
Aquae ferventi lbj
Digest 6 hours in a closely covered vessel strain
through flannel & add sugar to form a
syrup. Very successful in consumpt. & cough vid. p. (cough)
These [forms] may be varied to suit cases
The following formula is much used as an emmenagogue
& is highly useful in dyspeptic cases
as a tonic deobst. & laxative 
Rx Pulv. rad. sang. zjs
Sulph. zinc & ext. aloes aa zi
muc. acac. ver. q.s ft. mas. in 120 pil. div.
Dose 1, 2, or more pill ;3 or 4 times a day falling
short of nausea & purging IT may act as an eccoprotic
Drs Beers & Hooker have used them. The
former thinks very favorably of them (1830)
The soft resin of pinus australis or strobus 


would perhaps be a better constituans than gum
arabic, as it dissolves more slowly & in this
way perhaps mor sanguin. might be borne without
producing nausea. Bals. copaib. might
also be used. Proto sulph. of iron is better
than sulph zinc. Vid. dis ([param??]) page
Officinal Preparations
Tinct. sang. Rx rad. san. cont. zii
Diluted alcohol ([illegible] spt.) lbj. If the
root is good this will saturate. Digest
10 days in a warm place & filter. Dose
as a resolvent cholag. emmen. or expect. is
30m, increased rapidly to zj or zii
Wine of sanguine Rx bruised root
zii off. alc zii wht. wine f zxiv. Dig.
10 days & filter. Dose, same as tinctures.
Properties the same. The alc. is added to 
make it keep but it will sometimes sour in 
hot weather notwithstanding
Vinegar of sang. Rx bruised root zii
off. alc. f zii purified vinegar f zxiv macerate
for a while in the vinegar, then express 



the fluid & add the alc. to make it keep
This is decidedly more active than the tinct.
as we have an acetate of sanguinarine
Purify the vinegar by filtering through animal
charcoal. This vineg. of sang. is
a valuable preparation when the stom. is weak
& irritable. To some it is more nauseous. To others
less so. Those who object to tinctures prefer the
vinegar. Dose, same as of the tincture
Tinct. of sanguin. & acorus calamus
Rx bruised root sang zii ac. calam. zj
diluted alcoh. lbj mac. express & strain
The calamus disguises the taste of the sanguinaria,
but it is perceived in 10 or 15 min.
This prep. is an effec. emmen especially 
useful when the stom. is weak & irrit. & is
less likely to do injury than the other preparations
The calamus is supposed to enhance
the emmenag effect A valuable preparation
when an aromatic united with an acrid narcotic
is wanted
Vide sage. Diseases paramus obstruct


For an acrid narcotic, deobstruent, eccoprotic
& laxative preparation
Rx bruised root sang zii aloes zii dil. alc. lbj 
An excellent emmen. when the bowels are 
torpid. If the aloes act too much add the
tinct sang. & calamus. Better without
the aloes if the bowels are not rapid vid. p.
Syrup of vinegar of sanguin.
Rx vineg sang. lbj white sugar lbj. Dissolve
by a gentle heat. Similar to the prep
of squills. Preferable to any other preparation
of sanguin if an acrid deobst & saccharine
demulc. are both indicated. It is 
one of the most elegant expectorant syrups.
Taken well by children. Shd be kept by
every practitioner
Expressed inspissated juice of root
This is more active than the tinct. or powd.
less so than the tartrate. Can be given in 
pill Deobstruent dose 2 to 3 grs. Will
undoubtedly supersede the other preparations
Bruise the recent root express & inspissate 



in the [illegible] The root yields about ½ its weight
of ext. An ext by decoct. is made by the
Shakers at N. Leb. Prof. T. has taken [48] pills
of 4 grs. each at a dose no more effect than
from bread pills
Ointment
Rx Root pulvd & sifted zii Simple cer. zviii
[Carefully] rub together & add 20m oil lemon
The ext.  might be used & less wd be required
This is good in scaly & pustular eruptions, impetigo
[illegible] vid. p. Diseases
The tartrate is the only salt prof.
T. has used. The others have nearly the same powers 
The tartr. in small doses is as liable to produce
vomiting as the root, but with less nausea. It 
does not oppress a weak stomach. In large
doses it is less likely to operate as an emetic & 
more as a narcotic. The last probably prevents
its em. oper. Worth nothing as a mere
emetic Med. deobst. dose is [1/4] to 3 gr. once in 
2 hours More than 3 grs is rarely tolerated 


By using the tartrate you get rid of the acrid
disagreeable taste. Not worth while to use the
liquid preparations. The advantages of this
form are as great as those of quinine over bark
As an external applic. for all conditioned
ulcers the powdered root is the best
They are rendered less irritable & healthy pus
is promoted
Prof. T. has succeeded better with the liquid
than the solid prep. of sanguinaria
Greater effect is produced. minute division
is of great consequence in all remedies He finds
by calculation that in acute rheum. sanguin.
in a solid form will fail in 2/3 of the cases 
while the liquid form will fail in only ¼. ‘So
too of jaundice. As an emetic the powder
is too soon thrown off & does not act on the secretion
The infusion & decoct. are to be given in the same
doses as the tinct wine & vinegar q.v.
In some cases 20 or 30m may nauseate & zi or
zii sit well. In such cases any thing that
makes a strong impression will sit well.



Dose of the compd tinctures same as of simple
Dose of compd decoction ½ gill gradually increased
to 1 gill 3 times a day Dose of
compd syrup 1 or 2 tables. f. increased to 3 
or 4 4 times a day An emetic dose of
the powder is 10 grs to zi of the dec. or inf.
zii to ziv every 10 min.
Opium is often a valuable adjuvant. It 
will prevent nausea when the deobstruent & acrid
narcotic effect is wanted, while the sanguinaria
promotes the soporific effect of the opium
They produce modified action on each other
& not the combined effect of the two. The tartrate 
is as much improved by opium as the other preparations.
Internally in severe acute diseases
of adults give 1 part opium & 3 of wine
or tinct sangjuin.
The unpleasant effects are nausea
vertigo coldness tremors etc. mentioned above
For these give stimulants, but opium is the
most useful.
The emetic powers of sanguin.



3d Sanguinaria
19 Deobst.
by age, the deobst. are more permanent
The strength of the root depends much on the soil
season when gathered etc. Collect it in the autumn
That which grows in low ground loses its powers
most by drying
Blood root was first used in Conn.
by J. [Hoadly] of Middlefield (par. of mid. town) who
employed it as early as 1755 as an emetic in croup. Dr J.
Potter of Wallingford disseminated the information
in regard to its powers, ad at that time
he had the greatest [illegible] of country practice
in this state
Therapeutic Applications
Dyspepsia with torpor, vitiated or deficient
secretions & not much exhaustion. The following
is equal to the formula already given on p.
& is more convenient. Rx Take an infusion
of some bitter tonic agreeably aromatized & 
dissolve in it q.s. of ext. of dandelion & at
the same time that he takes a dose of this but the
pat take the requisite dose of tinct. sanguin.
Marasmus some cases in children 


Jaundice moderate caes may be cured
by it as an emetic in others continue its use
good in all forms as an auxiliary. In a severe
case begin with a single full dose of calomel
& retain it 12 or 15 hours, then give full doses
short of nausea, of the tinct. sanguin. Conium
is well combined. I prefer corr. subl. in 
this disease. Take the follow. Rx corr. sub gri
ext conium 40 60 grs tinct. sang. f zi
water f ziii First dissolve the sub. in the water
Dose f ziv once ion 6 hours. Vary this formula
acc. to circumstances
Parabysma coactum conjoin conium 
Simple idiopath. conch before or after effect
has begun combine with a narcotic as conium
Dyspneal cough I have cured it perfectly 
It may return. Sometimes the tartrate has
succeeded when the other prep. have field
the pat. not being able to take enough of them
Bex convulsiva either as an emetic or as 
an acrid narc.-deobst. As an emetic it is
far better than antim. or squills


Dyspnoea exacerbans lobelia infl. with conium is
better I have arrested a part with sang. & 
op. a tables. f. may be needed
Asthma humidum a rare disease shd think
sang. wd be good wd give some tonic in the [illegible]
Atonic forms of quinsy used sometimes
by an emetic in the more modern erythem.
infl. of fauces as a gargle.
Croup of high value, chiefly as a debost.
may be used as an emetic it may be mede
to cure without vomiting The fever of croup
is synochus. Tart. emet. is a bad article
in this disease; sure to create a fever. Turpenth
min. is the best emetic
When first called I give 1-2 tables s. f. of
tinct sanguin. If this does not vomit in
the course of 10 or 15 minutes I give a 
dose of turpenth min. Push the vomiting
till the coagulable lymph is evacuated
then follow up with deobst. Give calomel
freely better that it shd not purge hence
if necessary give opium to prevent it


I have given a dram of cal. in 24 hours to 
a child 4 yrs old in this way. I know of no 
article besides calom. so important as sang.
in croup. But I do not trust to it alone
Epidemic catarrh (influenza)
Pneumonitis difft forms particularly p. notha
1st give a single full dose of cal. with opium 
then follow freely with sang. in doses of
1-3 teas. f. shd not suffer it to vomit more
than once or twice as much as this will do
no harm Not good in very low cases.
Pneumonitis subacuta
Phthisis membranosa in early stages 
Phthisis dyspeptica if not too much exhaustion
Phthisis [tuberculoris], good in early stages
good with opium in advanced stages the
greater the exhaustion the less chance of benefit
Ophthalmitis of the conjunctive I have
known a severe case of this cured in 36 hours 
by a large dose at first, & following up
with it freely Others have sent me similar
facts Also chronic cases. Though once 


I shd not have believed it, I now think ophthalmia
may be better cured by deobstruents
than by any other class of remedy
Atonic acute & subacute rheumatism. [Actea]
has now [surpassed] sanguin. with me. I gave
it as I now do actea for some years q.v.
Chronic Rheum. without much swelling & pain
I have not succeeded so well with 
Gout severe fits of it have been arrested by 
sang. given freely with opium
Dysentery give opium freely for the
pain & follow with blood root Cures like
cal. as a deobst. Do not rely on it in 
low cases
Hysteritis membranifica. Dr Woodward
of Vt has cured several cases with sanguin
gave opium freely in the paroxysms of pain
& also conjoined it with the sanguin.
Impetigo laminosa. Dr Thatcher of
Mass. has cured many cases partic. that
with scaly eruptions.
Bites & stings not much to be relied S



or in bad cases. From the earliest practice
nothing has been found better than diffusible
stimulants. This is well understood in 
India & S. Am. enough shd be given
Leucorrhea
Blenorrhea [cenodes] simplex & chronica
Paramenia obstructionis idiopathic
In this it is very valuable with suitable
auxiliaries vide the preced. formulae p.
Indolent & irritable ulcers Apply 
the powder and over that an adhesive
plaister Any indolent or irritable
ulcer may be benefitted thus.s






20 Deobst.
Styllingia sylvatica Gordon & Linn
Queen’s delight yaw weed pox root
[cock] up nut Nat. ord. Euphorbiae juss.
Root perenn. top ann. hab. pine barrens & 
sandy soils There are 3 spec. known
S. ligustrium, shrub Car. & Geo. S sebifera
native of China but naturalized on the sea shore
of the southern states, the seeds of which are encrusted
with wax, resembling that of myrica
cerifera except in colour, & used in China
for making candles S. sylv.
The root is the only part used
in medicine. It is impaired by drying 
& age, but not always in an equal degree
It has kept for 2 years & sometimes is  impaired
in 3 or 4 months
In doses short of the nauseating
point & repeated it produces more or less purging
& vomiting & is hydragogue
In sufficient quantities it will
produce vomiting. In small doses it
is eccoprotic & laxative acc. to the dose 


It increases the biliary secretion when
the liver is in a torpid state, relieves
dysthetic & cachectic diseases & [causes] cutaneous 
eruptions. It is resolvent in aton.
ac. & subac. rheum.
Primary Operations
Deobstruent acrid narcotic in a slight
degree cathartic & emetic
If given freely so as to purge
it is generally or always hydragogue & I
believe cholagogue. Unless excessive
emesis or catharsis is produced it leaves
the stomach & bowels in an improved 
state
It is sialagogue from local action
on the mouth
I do not know whether it is emmen.
duretic or diaphoretic
Diseases
Dyspepsia in cases not attended with 
atony or exhaustion of vit. energ. of stom.
but with torpor of the liver & al. canal


quite celebrated at the south & called queen’s
delight
Rheumatism sub-ac. & chronic. With proper
management & auxiliaries it will surely 
relieve acute rheumatism, but the liquid
preparations shd be used as they act more 
speedily
Struma used at the south
Lues syph & syphilosis especially adapted
to the 2d stage when merc. ceases to be useful
It is chiefly used there for this & dyspepsia
It is useful in dyspepsia from its
aromatic acrimony & from its deobst. & 
laxative & eccoprotic powers Case of
a clergyman chewed a piece of the’
root as large as a ½ cent 3 times a day
produced a little nausea at first & 
cured by persevering Might begin with 
smaller doses & increase daily
This article is probably contraindicated
in phlog. diath.
Forms of preparation tincture much 


used at the south Rx not ziv opium 
zi dil. alc. lbj digest 10 days & filter
Dose zfs 3 times a day Observe that each
dose contains 1 1/8 grs of opium
I have used the decoction or infusion. It is
probable that water is a proper menstruum
The tincture keeps better 4 or 5 years
Styllingia sylvatica has
not been properly investigated


Polygala Senaga
Hiatus 
The root is the only part used 
in medicine It is thick, irregular & contorted,
varying in size from a goose quill
to a mans finger. The cortical part only 
has power. When dry it is destitute of
smell, has but little taste at first, but 
soon begins to exhibit its acrimony, particularly
in the back part of the mouth & the
fauces
It is not injured by boiling & shd be
long boiled to obtain its greatest power
A principle, supposed to be its active 
one has been obtained by a person named
Gelen & called polygagina the accuracy 
of this analysis I do not know
There is much [contrariety] of opinion 
as to its med. powers
S. Berton calls it emetic stimulant,
diaph. cath. diuret. sialag. etc.
Big. says it is sudorif. expect.
emetic & cath. & stimulant
W.P. C. Berton & Ed. & Vav. say 


decidedly that it is stimulant. But this
stimulation is nothing but irritation
Notwithstanding all the testimony
I have never been able to obtain any 
direct diaph. operation from this article
You may produce diaphoresis by drinking
large quantities with heat etc. applied so 
you may with alcohol under the same circumstances
If you depend on it as a diaphoretic 
you will be disappointed
I have never seen any salivation
from it except by topical application
like any other irritant
It is expectorant under certain
circumstances of the system but is ill adapted
to phlogistic & low atonic diathesis
It is an efficient emmenagogue
in certain states of the system but only 
in cases of idiopathic amenorrhea
It is unquestionably an efficient
diuretic most so if given in such doses as
to purge in 2 or 3 days the diuretic effect
does not take place during the operation of 



purging, but just preceding it. It is only in 
such doses that it is an efficient diuretic
It is purgative if given in doses
short of emesis it is a hydragogue. The
substance is more likely to purge than
the infusion says Dr Ives
It is emetic. But it can never
be used as a mere emetic or cathartic. It
may be pushed to cath. or vom. for the sake
of some other operation
It is extremely liable to produce
abortion when used freely by gravid women
Primary Operations
1st mainly deobstruent 2d hydr. cathart.
3d emetic
Secondarily it is 1st resolvent 2d cholag.
3d expectorant 4th emmenag. 5th diuretic
If sialagogue it is only so occasionally.
I do not know that it is 
antipsoraic It is not diaphoretic
It is not stimulant & yet it is
contraindicated in phlog. diath 1st because



it does no good 2d it irritates & irritation
is as bad in phlog. diseases as stimulation
for aught I know, if this effect is prominent
ON the other hand it is contraindicated in low
atonic diseases, because it will if long
used produce a bad tone of the stom. & 
intest. canal
Of late years I have used it only in 
dropsy
Pharmac. Prep.
1 powder or pill 20 grs will purge
2. an infusion is mentioned but this extracts
its powers very imperfectly
3. decoction zi dried root to 1 pt. water
boiled away to ½ pt This is the rule of Dr
Archer who introduced the article into 
the medical use & I think it is the best. A
little madeira wine will remove its
unpleasant taste & irritation
4. wine z4 coarse powdd root to lbj of wine
dose 2-3 tablesp. In some cases probably 
better than the decoction



21 Deobst
5. Tincture I do not know a formula
rheum. is the only dis. I know of in which tinct.
wd be preferable
6. Syrup ziv root wat. 1 pt. sug. 1 lb
The compd syrup is used but
it has done great injury. It is in the U.S. Ph. of
1820. I have known many dyspeptic cases 
produced by it. It is called compd sys.
of squills. It used to be kept in families
in Conn. but is now exploded except in 
N. Haven. It was used in simple cough. I 
can conceive of no worse prescription for a
cough than this
Extract I think this wd be one of the
best forms. It shd be made in the mode
commonly practised when heat does not
injure. Rx To every lb of root add 8 lbs
of water. This is to be boiled to ½ & strained
through a coarse cloth. It is then to be
reduced to a proper consistence for pilling
in a water bath, to prevent its burning 


Diseases
Asthma so called i.e. dyspn. [illegible]
Ophthlamia conjunctive It is used in Eur.
in pill for acute cases of ophth. pill a bad form
Epidemic catarrh or influenza treated
successfully by drenching the pat. with it
It may be better treated by cal. op. camph. etc.
Sub acute pneumonitis is probably what
Ed. & Vav. mean by 
Paristhmitis typhodes not good in atonic
when the infl. is phlegmonoid & the fever synochus
it may be successful
[Bronchle??mitis] membranifica croup
B. S. Barton says it is very important & reposes
more confidence init than in any other article
says he uses a strong decoction (vide 
Dr Archer’s formula) shd use it till it vomits
& throws off the coag. lymph. He sometimes
uses calomel with it & sometimes ipecac
Dr T says this is undoubtedly all true as
regards the beneficial effects calomel
shd be conjoined with it. But Dr T does 


not use it now because it leaves the stom.
& bowels in a bad condition leaves a tendency
to diarrhea& destroy the  appetite
The earlier the stage of croup, the better will
be the operation of senega, before the membrane
is formed. When this is formed the
case is an unhopeful one, not on account
of the membrane, but because the infl is
so far advanced as to reach the bronchial
ramifications. Avoid bleeding by all
means if you use polygala senega for it
will prove sufficiently evacuating reducing? without
V.S. It is in the earlier stages it shd
be used & given freely in large doses.
Dr Archer gave a tea s. f. every half
hour & repeated it till it operated as
an emetic or cath. Dr Tully says
this is not a sufficient quantity
Pneumonitis typhodes v. notha P. typh.
v. sub acute & P. typh. v. arthritica are
the three varieties in which P. senega is used
It should be used in the advanced stages 


The discrepancy of opinion in respect to the beneficial
operation of this article arises from the theory
that infl. is an unit, & from want of discrimination
in different forms of diseases. It 
answers only with the not very high entonic
nor low atonic cases of pneumonitides. Bleeding
is not indicated when P. senega is. It shd be
given in the early stages & in irritative cases
only. It is applicable to the 3 forms of pneumonitis
just mentioned & will cure, but I have
pretty much abandoned the use of it in these
diseases, on the same account as in croup
blood-root & actea are better
Casteritis membranifica same objections 
Arthritis rheumatismus acute & subacute
forms that which is accompanied with redness,
pain swelling & febrile action the
more acute the better shd be given so as
to vomit & purge but other articles are better
A. rheumatalgia that form not attended
with febrile action redness or swelling
not emetic in this the tincture is best
& if large doses are wanted, add the decoction


Syphilis if not advanced so far as to effect
the constitution I do no know whether it has been
used
Rabies do not think much of it in this
Carus lethargus
Paramenia suppressionis idiopathic
decoction beginning about two weeks previous
to the usual appearance of the menses. It
is undoubtedly an emmenagogue but not a 
desirable one, there are better articles.
Many cases of amenorrhea in which this article
has been used have undoubtedly been symptomatic,
but in such cases it is bad practice 
to bring on the catamenial secretion
Hydrops thoracis abdom. & cellularis
In dropsy we have no good substitute
for this article though many article are as
good yet we require an interchange
It shd be given in decoct & in conjunction
with squill or [copaiv] in doses short of
nausea & in such quantities during
the 24 hours that not violent purging will 


take place during that time better keep
off the purging 2-3 days & then an efficient
diuretic effect will take place Some patients
require twice as large doses as others 
Bit of the rattlesnake It is undoubtedly
sometimes efficient, by drenching the pat.
with it you may cure slight cases Dr
McBride says you may cure slight cases 


Ornithogalum Squilla
O. maritimum scilla maritimum Linn. S. vulgaris
Nat. ord. [coronaride] Linn. aspholdeli juss.
hab. shores of Medit. Spain & Sicily
Scilla is Greek Squilla is Latin
P. senega & squilla are more nearly
allied to each other than to any other article
Squill is one of the few medicines used by 
the Greeks & now retained
The bulk is the part employed
& in its native countries grows to the
size of a man’s head. It shd be collected
in the autumn, after the decay of the top
It is dried in slices and diminishes about 
4/5 in the process. It shd be quickly dried
& excluded from the light & air.
In its recent state it is acrid &
intensely bitter, but destitute nearly of
smell. Said to be composed of scillatine
tannin, a small quantity a little
gum saccharine matter lignine etc.
Scillatine is supposed to be its active princ. 


it is white & friable But I am somewhat
doubtful whether it contains such a principle
Operative effects
Called by Good & others, stimulant
It is irritant
It is deobstruent expectorant
emetic, resolvent do not know exactly that it
is cholagogue, but believe it is know not
positively that it is antipsoraic, but think i
probable that it is do not know positively 
that it is emmenagogue think it probably is
I think it not directly diaphoretic, though 
I have turned my attention to that point
It is a cathartic but ineligible as such
It is said to be narcotic, I do not believe
it possesses a particle of this power
It is well known to be expectorant
Good says it does not prove
so till it begins to vomit but this is denied
by some. It however produces its greatest
expectorant effect if pushed to its greatest



22 Deobst
possible extent without producing nausea. This
is Good’s meaning. Entonic action must be
reduced & atonic raised
It is emetic but uncertain
The recent root is epispastic but there is no
evidence that the dried root is so
Squill is agreed on all hands
to b e a powerful & in many cases a valuable
medicine, but it is subject to the same objections
as senega, leaving the stom. & bow.
in a bad condition. There are but few 
cases in which some other article is not better
It shd be given conjoined with some other 
article & to get its best effects you shd
give it in doses just short of nausea push
it till this is produced, then fall short & 
continue it. If pushed sufficiently far
to produce its deobst.  effect it is extremely 
liable to purge too much. As a general’
rule those deobstruents are best
which do not purge or vomit.


Primary Operations
1. deobst. 2. emetic rarely used as such
3. hyd. cath. not often used as such
4. epispastic recent root
Secondarily it is
resolvent, expectorant diuretic 
probably cholag. & emmenag. not diaphoretic
not narcotic not known to be antipsoraic
Pharmac. Preparations
1. Substance, in powder or pill E & Vav. say
the dose is 10 grs This is too much from ½ gr
to 2 grs is suffic. as a medium dose in powder
This should be an extemporaneous prescription 
as if kept in pills it soon loses its power
2. Wine 3. Tincture 4 oz to pt. better
made of diluted alcohol
4th Acetum sq. 4 oz. off. alc. f zii acet. f zxiv
5th Syrup vineg of sq zii 3bls clarified
honey or 3 ½ lb of sugar
Therap. Applic.
Icterus vulgaris not the most eligible not
when there is irritability of stomach 



Bex convulsiva useful by its deobst. operation
other articles are better
Dyspn. exac. asthma [siocum] & A. humidum
paroxysms are said to be arrested by it
I usually give a full dose of the syrup of 
squills ½ to 1 teas. f. (1. tea s.f. wd be large)
conjoined with a full dose of opium & repeated
the squills once in 10 min. in smaller
doses, till it relieves, vomits, or runs off by 
the bowels but there are much better
articles the lobelia infl. is far preferable
Pneumonitis when the entonic diathesis is
reduced it may be used in a case atonic
from the outset (P. typhodes ver. notha) it
may be used at the outset so too in P. 
typhodes var. sub-putrida
Tubercular affections say E. & Vav.
probably meaning tuberc. phthisis may 
possibly do in the early stages
Hydrops cellularis thoracis & abdominis
are the diseases in which squill 
is most valuable. It must be managed 



as P. senega give as large quantities as
possible without nausea It shd be given conjoined
with something else may be combined
with senna calomel, digitalis, cantharides etc.
the combination being varied acc. to 
circumstances & the habits of the patients
the general rule is the same as for P.
senega calomel frequently enhances 
the operation of these articles.


Dirca Palustris Linn.
Moose wood leather wood Nat. ord. [Thymellum]
Belongs to the same group of deobstruants? as daphne mezereon
The bark & seeds are used
The acrid principle is most effectually extracted
by boiling in alcohol in a Florence
flask (over a lamp) loosely stopped & not
continued very long (or you will lose the alc.)
& filtering. If this is evaporated it will give
an extract equal in weight to 1/24 of the bark
in substance. This alcoholic extract is
the best preparation & the bark in 
substance next.
The other preparations are
medicinally inert they however extract the
bitter principle & are tonic
Of the recent bark 6 or 8 grs
produce heat int eh stomach & after
some time vomiting. 10 grs are powerfully 
emetic & sometimes cathartic
The fresh root bark? moistened in
vinegar will vesicate in 36 hours & 



prove a rubefacient in 24 hours
The fruit is an acrid narcotic
producing nausea vertigo, stupor, dilated
pupils & insusceptibility
This article is emetic, cathartic,
epispastic & the fruit at least is narcotic
but it is not proper for either effect merely 
It is more useful as a deobstruent & 
when this effect is contraindicated, dirca is
of little use
It has been employed in numerous
diseases
Dyspepsia supposed to act by its tonic
power probably it acts by its tonic & acrid
excitant power better adapted to cases of torpor etc.
Coprostasis with torpor
Diarrhoea certain kinds
Parab. coact. of liver & spleen a substitute
for daphne & sarsaparilla highly spoken of
Simple & [illegible] cough considerable reputation
cases accompanied with relaxation of
bronchial membrane & irritation of excessive 


secretions of mucus Drs Woodd & Hale speak highly of it
Spasmodic cough dyspneal & in sequel
of hooping cough
Dyspnoea chronica palliative nothing
will cure except galvanism
Asthma humidum good
Pneumonitis connected with erythematic inflammation 
& peripneumonia notha. Especially 
adapted to arthritis phlogotica
Membranous phthisis Dr Woodd of Vt. has
long used it. He takes zii of the recently
dried bark boiling water lbjfs let it stand
at a scalding heat in a close vessel 1 or 2
hours till it has dried away to lbj this
prep. will be but little acrid, in considerably 
bitter & somewhat mucilaginous
he gives 1 pt in 24 hours, in very frequent
moderate doses, that it may not
distend the stomach & may keep up a 
continued action. He considers it a deobst.
checking the profuse secretions changing & improving
their quality & obviating laxity
Struma to be continued sometime Palsy chlorosis
leucorrhea dropsy as an auxiliary acrid & not as
a diuretic Cutaneous eruptions particularly scaly 


Leontice Thalectroides Linn
Blue cohost pappoose root blake snake root
& hence mistaken for Actea racemosa
Nat. ord. Barberideae jussieu
The root is the only part supposed to be medicine.
If chewed an acrimony is perceived which continues 
some time
Operative effects
In moderate 
quantities with diuretic regimen it proves diuretic
It is emetic nauseating & vomiting actively if freely 
given I have never seen catharsis or narcosis
from it. I suspect it is narcotic
Its primary operation is probably 
deobstruent being adapted to cases of
pneumon. typhodes with little exhaustion
It is used in decoction zii coarse powd root to 
lbjs water boil lbj & strain
The tincture is also used. Rx ziv rec. dried root
off. alc. lbj dose zi
Some recc. the powder of the root in teas. f. doses
Diseases colica ileus [paristhnati] atonic
I suppose croup 2d stages given like
senega Celebrated in rheumatism in tinct. what
form is not mentioned aphtha 
decoction Hysteria strong infusion
Epilepsy contind use in the intervals
Param. obstr. (I presume idiop.) celebrated
Leucroohea highly recc.
Blenorrhea cerodes much celebrated
Dropsy recc. This article requires further
investigation. Its powers are not yet settled
























































7
Materia
Medica










1st Deobst      1
Iodine
Sources 1st The ocean 2d certain springs
as Saratoga & [illegible] 3d spec. of silv. ore
from Mexico 4th in peat 5th Several marine
plants 6th certain zoophytes as sphargia off. & 
perhaps others & in [gorgones] 7 Some of the naked
& testaceous mollusca It is found
in the plants salsole kali & soda Testera marina
triglochin. mar. eryugium marit.
atriplex several species of [fuce] F. vesicalosus,
palmatus etc. ulva sedia? Dipsacus
[fullo???] Found in zoophytes in 
ostricae? etc.
Spongia off. this is classed among the zoophytes
shd be burnt by a smothered fire iodine 
is formed many suppose it exists in the form 
of iodide of sodium its med. powers are
owing to iodine.
Fucus reticulosus (a bladder wrack) affords
the most iodine of the fuci & is more
powerful than sponge
Fucus helminthocorton Bonaparte before
being emp. first called attention 


to this which is abundant in Corsica. It is 
the most active of all the fuci. It was given
in Corsica for worms, in decoc, infus. or syr.
It is most active when burnt
Iodine when given in moderate
doses & in appropriate cases & carefully 
watched will
1st moderately augment the appetite & digestive
powers & increase muscular & arterial
strength, but not in a degree sufficient for its
use as a tonic in cases of mere exhaustion
2nd It will gradually effect a resolution 
of acute subacute & chronic inflammations
and gradually remove morbid enlargements
of the glands, particularly the thyroid 
the mammae testes & ovaria. It will cure
many of the lepidotic eruptions. It will
increase the cetamenial secretion when
deficient & restrain it when excessive
3 In lean persons it will increase the 
deposition of fat in the cell. substance, & 
in the corpulent it will diminish it


Dr S. B. Woodward has seen erythema
vesiculare the same as from merc. or 
arsen. produced by a long continued use
of iodine in a single case. It disappeared
or withdraw in the article & applying ac. lead
It has been alledged that it will 
cause absorption or diminution of the mammae
& testes when perfectly healthy Majendie
never witnessed such an effect
neither has Elliotson who used it 18 mo.
(in one case?) The latter says, we must
suspend it when it purges, nauseates or produces
pain. The evidence on the subject of 
this absorption is by no means sufficient.
The effect has only been observed
in Switzerland where the article has been 
used extensively & inordinately in bronchocele.
Diseased glands are far
more susceptible to its influence. I 
have seen a diseased testicle reduced by 
it in a case of sarcoma medull. A part
of it pared away with a scalpel.


In inordinate doses iodine produces
great irritation & exhaustion. The most common
effect of one however is gastrodynia
Opium is the only effectual remedy for this
gastrod. & the disease will yield 
if regularly continued
The remedies for inord. doses are narcotics
hyscyam. conium but above all opium
Opium shd be given in combination
with iodine. I have thus combined
it for several years Laudanum acts on 
the iodine, but opium acts after the iodine 
has taken effect then it is wanted
Begin with iod. in small quan & 
increase gradually & contin. 3 mo. if a
cure is not effected before A less time
would not be a fair trial. If unpleasant
sympt. occur suspend it or diminish
the dose
Like calomel it requires a certain 
range of the system to obtain its specific 


effects. If there be too great irrit. conjoin
opium digitalis or conium
The test that it has been continued a sufficient
length of time is the cure of the disease
or the failure to produce beneficial effects
If it does not destroy the appetite & digestive
powers & musc. strength, while at the same
time it improves the case it shd be continued
It requires large doses to produce dangerous
effects. Under judicious management they
 very rarely occur
When we enter on a full & continued
use of iodine opium shd be conjoined with it 
in all cases But the opium shd be given in 
substance This is a perfect preventive of
all its bad effects With opium more
iodine can be taken & thus its power is
heightened by the combination. Iodine
is contraindicated in entonic, atonic or even
irritative cases unless the state is relieved
by appropriate remedies


The primary effects of iodine are
1st Deobstruent 2d Tonic 3d Epispastic
perhaps also cathartic, for with me it has
always had that effect, when given freely,
perhaps in the same manner as cinchona
The secondary effects of its deobst.
power are 1st Resolvent 2d Antispsoraic
3d Emmenagogue 4th Discutient
The tonic oper. of iod. is probably indirect
Pharmaceutic Preparations
1st Substance into pills I do 
not think this very eligible
2d Alcohl. tinct. 3d Ether of iodine
4th Ointment 5th Plaister
1st Pills of iod. are made in Europe
with powd. liquorish or gentian & syrup
of sugar. Dose gr fs morning & evening. This
does is too small. If you give the subst.
I think the iodides are best, as of pot. or soda
2 Tinct. is the best form
Rx Iod: grs 48 to alc. off. zi I think there 


must be a mistake here. I could never 
make zi of alc. dissolve more than 24 grs
You shd know the sp. gr. of your alc. or you 
will have variable preparations. Our best alc.
is of .835 sp. gr. Of this mixture 20 m
will weight (equal?) [illegible] Dose of this 2-30 
m 3 or 4 times a day I have used it for 6 
yrs. At first it had no effect. I then increased
the dose & it had the desired effect.
The French used pure alcohol. To make the
tinct. put the articles together & shake; they 
unite by solution immediately Rx alc. (sp. gr. 
.835) zi & iod. grs 24. Perhaps
the tinct. shd be recently prepared & the 
bottle perfectly tight, for it at length deposites 
crystals on the bottom whose nature
however is not perfectly settled.
3d Ether of iodine I have never seen it 
used It should be a saturated solution & 
the dose shd contain gr i of iod. [illegible] is variable
triturate wd, with lard. But this is too 
soft when applied to the body as it will 




melt & run down.  I make it thus Rx
the requisite quantity of iod. & a little cerate
& rub thoroughly in a mortar then add the rest
Make it extemporaneously the strength pro r
re nata. I have used it a good deal. The 
proper strength is zfs – zii to zi cerate
Melting together wd volatilize the iodine
As this ointm. leaves a stain continuing till the cuticle comes off apply to parts
exposed to view an oint. of iod. pot. or soda
Compounds of iodine 1st acidum
hydriod. the only one known with hydrog.
It is said that this ac. will dissol. an addit. por. of iodine
2d Protiodides & periodides of potassium & sodium & 
periodide? of protoxide of zinc & mercury 
Their powers are disputed Some say the protiodides
& others the periodides are the strongest.
I think that iod. preserves its powers
unchanged in composition & that the compds which
contain most iod. are the strongest It is
not so with mercury
Protiodide of potassium was long called
hydriodate of potassa & scrof soca, but s



2nd Deobst
there is abundant proof that the hydracids do
not form salts with oxides All agree that in the
dry state they are iodides. This compd is in 
opaque milky cubes. It is deliquesc. dissolves
in 1.43 part of water & 5 of alcohol
Periodide of potassium 2 iod. + 1 pot.
Majend. says it is less powerful than the port-iod.
I do not think so, but think the periodides
the strongest All are used in pill
in sol. in wat. & in tinct. Pure iod. is
the best for internal use. Protiodides of zinc
& merc. may be exceptions, as the metals are
powerful & the compd may united the properties 
of each I do not know whether this is the 
case. It should be enquired into
The iodides are less active than 
pure iodine. Of course you require a greater
quantity to obtain greater strength, as sometime
you want a caustic & sometimes only 
a rubefacient. Vary the strength of your plaister
accordingly.
Iodine is more powerful, given in 
an empty stomach, but liquids food? make it sit well


There are two iodides of calcium employed
in medicine, though the books acknowledge
but one.
Therapeutic Application
Dysphegia constricta
Limoris dyspepsia with atony & in great irritab.
of stom. & aff. of liver & no derangement
of the bowels. Yet opium? is better in such cases
Case connected with coryza chronica I improved
the appetite & digestion & increased the bile
Colica callosa & proctica callosa (stricture of
the rectum) very serviceable in early stages when 
they are more sequels of colic ileus I have cured cases
Parabysmata shd be administered with conium
Buboes syphilitic & others & many of a 
strumous origin I have cured by [discussion]
Here the ointment of protiodide of merc. shd be used
When Good wrote of iodine it was not as well known
Asthma humidum said to have been cured by it
Dysentery with no febrile action but bring 
discharges & tenesmus I conjoin opium
Ophtlalmitis strumosa 


Purulent ophthalmia of infants Dr Fuller
of Columbia says he has often cured by an internal
use of iodine
Strumous infl. of the glands of the neck
also of axilla & groin of a strong hardness
In such cases there are neuralgic pains & 
sometimes diarrhoea if so give opium If no 
diarrh. give conium & if debility, quinine
Gout used in France with opium
freely & as is said with great success also
externally. It acts like colchicum. Conjoin
stimulating remedies
Acute rheumatism think it would be useful 
have known it gradual but certain benefit in
chronic stage when acute conjoin conium
It may be used externally & internally
Phlogotica in general atonic ac. & subacute
I think it wd be of service
Struma vulgaris & mesenterica (Majendi)
Old scrofulous ulcers & glandular enlargements
L. mesenterica is cured by iodine
Phthisis (it is of the following form 1st Membranific
2d Strumous or tuberculous 3d Apistematous 



4th Hemorrhagic not necessarily attended with hemor. from 
the lungs, it may be from some other part but most commonly
from the lungs it leaves the part from which it 
comes a weak spot, slight causes renew the hemorr.
& the pat. runs down not mentioned in books
5th Laryngical phth. the lungs in a pretty good 
condition it is an aff. of the mm. of the larynx occurs
most commonly among those of strumous habits
& is undoubtedly connected with such habits
Iodine is said to have effectually cured
Laryngeal phthisis shd be accomp. with con.
Membranific hysteritis not considered
of much consequence except during the catom. 
period then give cal. & op. During the
intervals a free use of iod. & con. will cure it.
(N.B. membranific infl. are of the fauces, trachea,
lower intestines, bladder & uterus this
kind of infl. often occurs)
Mesenteritis strumosa has been cured
with first stages but when advanced it
is incurable. In order to judge of the progress
of the disease notice the function of
nutrition. if this be disturbed the dis. is far advanced 



Dysenteria chronica Dr Brera says he
has cured it with iodine there is no such dis.
the cases are mere sequels of acute dysentery & 
there are undoubtedly ulcerations & chronic
thickenings of the m.m. of intest. with savious
discharges, but this is not dysentery
White swellings of the knee, ankle & elbow
have been often cured by iod exterrn. & intern.
when amputation has been advised
Bucmemia tropica (not the same as sperganosis)
shd be used exterm. & intern.
Lues syphilis & syphilodes Iod & con. will cure
Exangia varis (varicose veins) sd to have been cured
Sarcoma S. medullare (F. Haematodes)
correctly described in the books. I believe
iod. obviates in some cases the general affection 
of the system & then the topical aff. disappears
The F. haemat. if not situated in a gland appears
at first in a small tumour & is vascular
if in a gland, it puts on a milky appearance.
It destroys life by inanition from 
loss of blood the pat. becomes cachectic
Case situated in the testis made a free 



use of iod. & con. The deobst. have more power
in such insulated glands than when the fungus
is situated among the muscles
Sarcoma schirrosum take for cancer of 
fem. breast it is more easily extirpated without
danger of return. The latter (true cancer)
begins on one side of the nipple, draws in the
nipple & becomes a phagedenic ulcer. The sarcoma
schirrosum is a tumour & appears to be
a topical disease, while the card. vulg.
is a constitutional one. Hence the applic. to 
the former shd be topical & sufficiently strong
to destroy the part if the vitality of the part is destroyed
you shd not apply the knife to remove
it the absorbents will do this with less
disturbance to the system.
Carcinoma vulgaris of Good cancer
of fem. breast. Here iod. has cured. Dr
Cogswell of Hartf. used iod. of potassium externally 
& con.  & iron internally for 8-10 weeks
In the early stages too early for the knife 
iod. cures by resolution in the latter, when 


the knife wd do no good, it cures by sloughing.
In other states I think it not so useful
Carcinous tumours, when cured by a judicious
use of iod. by sloughing are less likely 
to return than when removed by the knife
While applying the caustic give at the same
time e3xt. con. cinchona, iron wine or
opium In the first place, if the health is
low improve it & use the caustic in such a
way as not to enfeeble the powers of life.
More may be done by the internal use of 
medicine than usually is. The writings of
Storck are well worth reading on this subject
There is a choice in caustics for cancers
You shd adapt the strength of the caustic to 
the strength of the vitality of the part. Use
at the same time antirritant & supporting
remedies. Apply the caustic slowly & gradually 
Epilepsy this has also been cured
Chorea also]
Parapsis acris probably prurigo too
Hydrops abdominis thoracis & ovarii
Hydrops articuli dropsy of a joint 



Vitiated & obstinate ulcers of the leg, not
connected with varicose veins. I have often
used iod. successfully in them. Horizontal
posture & bandaging shd be conjoined Iodide
of potassium in solution or in ointment, but not
to prove caustic. Smart vomiting with turpeth
mineral previous to topical application
has been found useful. With this treatment they wd heal
Eutasia loxia (wry neck) Prof. Smith
cured many cases of wry neck from rigidity of
one or more muscles, with iodine
Leucorrhea senescentium very obstinate
said to have been cured by an injection 
of solution of protiodide of calcium. You 
shd inject 3 or 4 times a day. It will cure
in about a week or fortnight.
Leucorrhea communis has often been cured in this way
Chlorosis inops (green sickness)
Paramenia difficilis & obstructionis, when
idiopathic have often been cured by iod. & 
particularly in leucophlaegmatic habits
Iodine is an excellent substitute for iron &
is said to be the best emmenagogue 


3d Deobst
known in Po. obstructionis. Immense mischief
is often done by emmenagogues Remove the general
disease & then the suppression will be removed.
It is best that the discharge shd be 
suppressed till the disease is cured Iodine iron?
myrrh & veg. tonics & opium in such cases
restore the health and then the suppression 
will be removed of itself
Scaly eruptions You shd ascertain
whether they are constitutional or local if
local the topical applic of iod. may cure if
constit. the intern. use of iod may cure
Lepidosis pityriasis var. vesicular 
in this nit. silver is a very effectual remedy
Lepidosis psoriatis iodine & con. have
cured many very inveterate cases
Lepidosis ictyhiasis shd think iod. might
cure this too. IT is however a very obstin. dis.
Ecpyesis impetigo called salt rheum
(but salt rheum means everything) I have 
often cured with this but it is apt to return
You should keep curing it till the [tendency]
to return is subdued. It is worse in winter


than in summer. It is sometimes irritable
and will irritate & ulcerate. Now this state
of irritation shd be overcome before you apply
the remedy. Many phys. fail in curing
these eruptions & ulcers so long as the irritable
state continues you cannot cure
Overcome this by antirritants & then use iodine
Ecpyesis impetigo var. herpetica. Depends
on a deranged state of the digestive
functions & arsenic if persisted in is a 
sure remedy for it. Continue it 6 mo. if
necessary. A less time will hardly be a fair
trial. Shd think iod. might be of service
Ecpyesis porrigo several varieties 
that which covers the head with a crust
must have that soaked off before applying 
the iod
In my opinion most of the cutaneous eruptions
are capable of being cured by iod
externally if topical & internally if constit.
Conium shd be conjoined
Bony tumors incipient osteosarcoma
case of Dr Barry (vide my notes)


Iodine is perhaps applicable to as great
a range of dis. as merc. It stands at the
head of deobst. & shd be tried farther
in secondary syphilitic affections
Bromine
Possesses the same powers as iodine in a 
less degree 60 gtts are sd to be fatal
Bromide of potassium
Stands in the same relation to bromine as
iodide of pot. to iodine Has been used
Deuto bromide of potassium
Said to cure syphilis & primary syphilitic 
ulcers & to prevent the constitutional aff.
Bromine possesses the same assemblage
of properties as iodine but in a 
less degree & may be a substitute


Chlorine
Its medicinal powers even to this time
are not fully understood
Its effects are those of a weak
deobstruent compare with those of iodine
& bromine. It is supposed to be slightly tonic
Its common form is solution in water
2 vol. [illegible] to 1 water shd be kept stopped tight
Dose from zfs to zi a day is thought to be
sufficient. I think it too small
Diseases Dyspepsia
Jaundice Cutaneous eruptions
In syphilis I have found it a deobstruent
It is used in dyspepsia both externally 
& internally
Calcium & Sodium (Savage)
Chlorides of Lime & Soda?
chloroxides of calcium & sodium
Erythem. infl. of the fauces in roaslia It is
said they act as deobstruents taken internally
They are most valuable as external applications
to ill conditioned ulcers. Labarraque’s
disinfect. liq. is the best form as being most soluble


There is no proof of the disinfecting power
of any of these preparations. Coldwell quoted
on disinfection etc. vide my notes
Nitric muriatic & nitirc chloric acids
These are weak deobst. compared with iod.
& bromine & about equal to chlorine. The
same laws are applicable to them
Said to be tonic also to be refrigerant
Diseases lues cachetic dis. & in short
the same as under chlorine. They are mere
auxiliaries
Chlorides of Barium, Calcium 
& Gold & the salt formed by 
the chloride of gold as an acid & the chloride
of soda. Chloride of calcium
was many years ago introduced as a remedy 
for scrofula, in small doses just large enough 
to fall short of producing pain after taking
take 3 times in 24 hours & persevered in 
for a considerable time It is said to be
tonic. I have never seen this effect I have
commonly conjoined vegetable tonics with it 


Thus used it is good in stouma, in aff. of mesenteric 
glands etc. in short in about the same
dis. as chlorine. This salt is found in the shops
Dissolve it in twice its weight in water & you have
the liquid Chloride of barium
requires less doses Excessive doses produce
tormina, pain in the stomach etc.
Chloride of gold is more active than either
& requires a less quantity. The best form is
chloro aurate of chloride of sodium, mentioned
above
These all increase the biliary & urinary
secretion


Protoxide of Mercury
Peroxide of merc. sub-nitrate of m. red precipitate
proto-chloride of merc or
corrosive sublimate & chloro-hydrarguret
of ammonia or white
precipitate These all are deobstruent & 
possess no cathartic powers. In this respect
they differ from calomel in operation
& also in that being applied externally they 
produce
Red prec. & corr. sub. do not produce
ptyalism unless the pat. is very susceptible
They have the preference therefore 
when a mere deobstruent effect is wanted 
1st Corrosive Sublimate
When there is dryness of the mouth in 
dyspepsia or in chronic diseases, corr. sub.
in 1/8 gr. doses When there is colliquative
sweating in typhus corr. sub. has proved
very effectual in suppressing it Rx corr. sub.
zfs alcoh. 1 pt sometimes a little calomel
This is applied as warm as the pat. can 
bear it, under the bed clothes, to exclude the 


air 2 to 5 times a day. It will dry the skin
& suppress the sweating
Corr. sub. is also used as an emetic in croup
in small doses at short intervals it changes the
secretions & excites the absorbents so as to cure
the disease it is given at such short intervals
as to produce quick vomiting
It is given for cutaneous diseases, with tonics
& com. mac. And with tonics of com. mac.
it excites the biliary secretions & changes the
state of the chylopoietic viscera, in dyspepsia,
better than calom, or any other article
In atonic cases of fever which become chronic
& when the secretions are deranged corr.
sub. in doses of 1/8 gr. 3 or 4 times a day is
very effectual in obviating the condition of 
the system. IT in short will produce the
desired effect when the system is below
the range of action for calomel
In peristhmitis typhodes in p. membranifica 
& in rosalia corr. sub. is an emetic
in the following form


6th Deobst.
Rx for a child 5 to 15 yrs old corr. sub. gr j
hydrochlorate of ammonia gr ji mucil. of
acacia zi aqua pura sufficient to
Dose a teasp. f. once in half a
hour? as an emet. once in 4 h. as a deobst.
Corr. sub. is frequently used
as an injection in to abscesses to promote healthy
granulations & healing
It has been the practice in N. York to rely
on this article in the cure of syphliis
Topically applied it will easily cure
chancres. I have succeeded perfectly 
in curing buboes by inject. corr. sub.
A course of purging for some
length of time with mercurials will produce
amenorrhea Corr. sub. has done it
2nd Red precipitate. Its uses are
very much the same as those of corr. sub.
except that it is not so soluble
In Blenorrhea, when there is continued
discharge from the urethra & tenderness
of the testis. I have cured by red prec. internally



It shd be combined with opium
From ¼ to ½ gr is a medium dose & 1 gr of
opium. Give about 3 times a day. I have
succeeded perfectly in this way. This treatment
shd be continued some time after the 
complaint is cured or it may return
The ointment of this article is
very good. It is bad as prepared in the
pharmacopoeia. Shd not be made with 
heat, to prevent changing [illegible]
Rx Reduce it to a perfectly fine powder
Its colour will be changed to orange yellow,
but the composition will not be changed
When so reduced, incorporate it with the
cerate & let the strength be as occasion
shall require. It is valuable in porrigo
& impetigo laminosa about the fingers
& back of the hands. Washes? of red prec. will
cure. It is better in porrigo but if the
ulcers are irritable & sore this state shd be
previously obviated
3d Chlorohydrarguret of ammonia
Rx white prec. zii corr. sub grs x oil of lemons mxii
white cerate zii rub together For porrigo, impetigo
etc.


Of late years I have substituted red prec. & 
corr. sub. for cal. They are the best preparations
for syphilis, being equally certain, 
more speedy & not producing salivation
I have not used cal. or the protoxide for 
12 yrs in syphilis. I think corr. sub. the
most eligible but red prec. is just as powerful.
They are better also in jaundice except 
as a cathartic at the commencement
I think their use might be extended to other
diseases. I would not used them in fevers
though some have used them here instead of
calomel & blue pill. May be used as emetic 
In rosalia it succeeds but I prefer bi-per.
sulph. copper


Dis-oxide of Mercury
Blk oxide protoxide “Blue Pill”
Mercury cannot be so well oxidated mechanically,
even by a steam engine as in London,
but that some globules will remain.
Boiling cal. with quicklime is faulty
But the blk oxide can be formed with carb.
pot. perfectly pure protoxide of merc. will
then be the only insoluble product.
Rx calom. & carb. pot. aa zfs add 1 pt of
distilled water & f ziii off. alcohol. The latter
expedites the precipitation of the protoxide.
Dry the sum & keep excluded from the light 
The cal. & carb. pot. shd be first carefully triturated
In this manner all the merc. is oxidized & the
product cannot be distinguished in its operation
from calomel, in power or quality.
½ a gr. is enough for a pill & as strong
as 1 gr. of the blue pill of the pharmacopoeias
For merc. ointment also this method
is better & then add lard in proper proportions
but less than the pharmac. vide Paris
s


Calomel
(additional to my notes)
By speedy sublimation a dull
white semitransparent cake is obtained. By 
a slow, it crystallizes in 6 sided acicular
crystals. It is important that the practitioner
shd know that this is the best form. It phosphoresces
in the dark (by rubbing?) When it 
is rubbed between two pieces of glass it
will scratch them & hence it is distinguished
from corr. sub. Light & air turn it 
brown Nitric acid dissolves it,
changing it into corr. sub. Pure alkalies
decompose it, forming carbonates 
This fact shd be known (though the cathartic
& deobst. powers are not altered) as
some practitioners make it into pills with
soap. Chlorine changes it into corr.
sub. Boiled with sal. ammoniac it
changes into metallic mercury & corr. sub.
does so by boiling with perchloride of sodium 





The symptoms which precede actual ptyalism
are a cupreous taste in the mouth more
or less distention of the gums, a sloughy white ness & 
slight erosion of their margins soreness & slight
feeling of looseness in the teeth a peculiar fleecy
appearance of the tongue, a peculiar fetor
of the breath usually called mercurial
Thus far the effects of mercury may be 
remedial without amounting at all to disease.
But if farther pushed the severe disease
called ptyalsimus acutus var. hydrargyratus
will follow characterized
by heat, irritation & soreness in the mouth 
swelling of the salivary glands tongue & throat
profuse secretion of saliva ulceration of the
inner part of the gums, cheek, tongue & throat
irritation of the whole system loss of appetite
soft frequent & weak pulse and a peculiar
affection of the skin called erythema
vesiculare var. hydrangyratum
There is ptyalism not produced
by merc. which is an idiopath. dis about
as much but epidemic as puerperal fever 



If the affection is severe opium must be
relied on more than any other single remedy
It diminishes all the secretions but that of the
skin. (if given in single full doses at long
intervals it will produce torpor of the
liver) It must be given regularly about
4 doses in 24 hours. For the secondary stages
a watery solution of opium is very good as
a wash, but sometimes it irritates (add
camphor then? Savage) Even in these cases
however it is good internally
The most useful local applic. I know 
of is nit. silver. It allays irritability. Begin 
with it weak & increase apply
4 times in 24 hours It is often 
useful to change the washes The pat. wishes
to take something frequently into his mouth
I have not found demulcents of much use
they contribute to keep up the relaxation
of the muc. mem. of the mouth



Erythema vesiculare var. hydrargyratum
Perhaps not distinct from var. corrosivum
for I can perceive no difference Eczema
rubrum of Bateman Hydrargyria of many authors
called also e. mercuriale supra
mercuriale (Carmichael) E. mercuriale (Dr [illegible])
All the erythematu are attended
with minute vesicles visible with a magnifier,
except e. fugax of Bat. & Wil no called
erythema by others. Erythema & erysipelas I consider perfectly synonymous
The aff. called erysipelas is
classed by many among the exanthematia
This is an error. It is primarily an erythematic 
infl. of the membranes of the brain which 
is clearly denoted by the symptoms, such as
tendency to coma delirium, peculiar
headache etc. These symptoms indicate it
at first and they are precisely the same
as when the affection arises from injury of
the scalp etc. The disease is primarily an 
erythematic cephalitis When there is an
erythema of the viscera, erythema of the 


[illegible] Deobst.
surface follows in two or three days.
Erythem of the brain may occur without an
eryth. of the face. This aff. then is not an exanthem.
Erythematic infl. of the fauces
not rosalia is followed in two or three
days by a rubefaction on the neck. Erythematic
infl. of the stomach intestines & 
‘liver is followed by an erythema of the
extremities. Erythematic infl. of the face
alone may exist, the brain not being affected.
This is a trifling disease & must not be
confounded with erythema cephalitis. There
is no headache, not burning pain, not 
coma, no calor mordax This aff. however
may spread over the scalp and at
length affect the brain. Others agree with
me in this opinion
Sun burns, scalds caustics etc.
produce an erythema
The first degree of the
e. vesic. var hydrarg. is confined to the
tender parts under the arm elbow & 
knee & is produced by the application 


if citrine ointment (pernitrate of merc.)
for the cure of itch. It yields readily 
to ablutions & datura ointment. Sometimes
mingling carb. lead with datura ointment
hastens the cure I have lately used with
benefit lotions of inf. of digitalis
Citrine ointment shd be made with
heat, that one of the pernitrates may 
be formed. If the merc. & nit. acid be
mingled at once in the cold one of the
protonitrates is formed not the di-protonitrate
either, the uni-or bi-protonitrate
The protonitrate differs as much in power 
from the pernitrate as the protoxide & 
peroxide or protochloride & parchloride
The citrine ointment shd be one of the per-nitrates
with lard hence the difference of opinion
respecting its power. I have
found those who apply heat in making it
succeed best with it though they do so only with 
the view of expediting the process. If
kept also a long time in the lard the citrine 



ointment never will abstract oxygen & 
reduce the merc. to a protonitrate.
Citrine ointment, used freely produces
an erythema which is perfectly local & 
gives no inconvenience. I used to prescribe 
it for scabies.
In the cure of the universal
erythema (vide my notes) I have also used
brandy with advantage. Wine is preferable
if it does not sour on the stomach (to prevent’
this add spice & carb. amm. Dr I.
Sav.) notwithstanding the direction
to give nothing stimulating. Cinchona is
very important next to opium. Ablutions 
of warm milk & water may be used just to 
wash off the discharge. Cinch. & sarsaparilla 
are given in the latter stages
The sarsap. shd not be boiled merely 
pour on boiling water & let it stand an
hour. Cinch. & sulph. quin. & 
sarsap. are highly useful in ptyalism
The sarsap. is a highly useful gargle
in ptyalism


Mercurial rheumatism I a 
case where ac. merc. was given for 12 or
18 mo. merc. rheum. came on emaciation
greasy sweat, oil appearance of the skin
paralysis of the lower extremities. It was a
bad case. Opium relieved.
Actaea wd probably do goo but it wd
not cure so summarily as in other varieties
for there is very frequently a marasmus
Arsen. ac. is more useful with op. than
any other article. Alternate it with sub.
quin. Amm. & camphor are important
remedies. High stimulation will 
prevent the ill effects of exposure to wet & 
cold after the use of calomel.
The rheum. from sulphur & 
from merc. is common in the U.S.
Therapeutic applic. Odontia
dentitionis var. lactantium Cal. is a 
valuable article but judgment is required
not indicated in all cases. [Four]
abuse cal. or giving too much where 


one falls short. Much mischief is done
by purging with cal. in dentition according
to the Eng. books It is villainous practice
One full dose retained by op. 12-15 hours may
do more good than a dozen purges One cath.
is enough it may be continued in eccoprotic
doses for a few days in many cases. Antirritants
are necessary at the same time. Some
prefer protoxide in these cases. I did not
first but have changed my opinion. There
is no perceptible difference for cal. is given
in doses 3 or 4 times too large


Pure Veg. Deobstruents
Leontodon Taraxacum
A pure, but moderate & mild deobst. has
no other power. All parts are active but
the root is most so. The forms are decoct.
& extract. The recent exp. juice
has been used but has no advantage.
The ext. shd be preferred, as the dec. varies in
strength of course
The books direct 2 to 4 z of decoct. 2 to 3
times in 24 h. & of ext. zfs twice a day.
This wd produce no effect. You cannot
rely on the article unless zii to ziv of ext.
are taken 3 or 4 times a day diffused in q 
wine glass of some bitter infusion. From 
using the dose in the books I was led to think
it inert, but found by pushing the article
that it was decidedly efficacious in moderate
cases. It is not unpleasant. Add sugar
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia it is recc. by the mot
respectable practitioners of Europe 



The secretions are changed by it, especially 
those of the liver. If the liver is torpid the
skin will be dry & the bowels costive. Therefore
a dry skin & torpid bowels are indications
for its use, provided the vital energies are
not so much exhausted that it wd offend
from its bulk & be rejected. Recc. by W. Philips
but he says it must be taken in large quantities
& when the stom. is not very weak
Jaundice. Some prefer it to every other
remedy. I know several who give cal. at
the outset & perhaps an emetic & then 
enter upon the decoction alone In mild cases
it will effect a cure, but I prefer
conium
“Chronic infl. of the Liver” I never
say any such disease. All the cases that
I have seen of chronic hepatitis were mere
dyspepsia with tenderness under the short
ribs more frequently of the right side & in
the epigastrium. Such cases examined
after death give no traces of infl.



It is mere morbid irritability & sensibility
& is precisely the parapsis acris var. teneritudo
of Good. Such a sensation is often
experienced over the shole body after
taking cold though it has nothing to do with
catarrh. I once thought dandelion wd
cure chronic hepatitis but I mistook the case
It is said to be useful as a diuretic
in dropsy Its diuretic operation
is secondary & not very prominent
Pierson says it is not ineff. deobst.
in jaundice dropsy & the visceral obstructions


6th Deobst.
Rubia Tinctoria
R. peregrina R. sylvestria R. major erythrodium
of the Greeks & Romans rubiaciae
S. of Europe cultivated in Holland etc. & 
in America
The offic. part is the rhizoma, which is long
slender, round, articulated, rather larger than
a goose quill externally bright red yellow
in the centre. It shd not be collected
till the autumn of the third summer. Dry 
it speedily & exclude the air as it attracts
moisture
Taste bitter & rough hardly astring.
Snell slightly disagreeable.
It contains at least two coloring principles 
a red & a yellow of which the red is deposited
in the bones. Both are sd to be “extractive
matter” i.e.  soluble? in wet. & alc. By 
standing a pellicle forms on the surface of
the solution & subsides
It does not appear that the red col. mat.
which is carried into the circ. is the seat
of its med. power. What the active principle 



is is unknown. The idea is now
abandoned that veg. owe their powers to 
a combin. of all their principles. Recent
discoveries render the contrary probable
There is no proof that madder acts by being
taken into the cird. It imparts its sensible
properties to wat. & alc. & gives a rec col.
to ess. oils The red princ. tinges the
urine, milk, serum of the blood & the bone
sometimes the perspirable matter never 
the soft solids The external hard part
of the bone is first tinged & if continued,
the whole substance. By intermissions the
bones may be tinged in layers. It is said 
to colour no part where there is not phos. of
lime that being the mordant
Madder is called deobstruent & when
persevered in aperient, by which term the
old writers intended a power of promoting
the fluid secretions, as halitus of lungs
[illegible] matter & urine. In Cullen’s 


time it was applied to the promotion of the
uterine secretion. With us it often means
merely a laxative power As applied to 
madder it means that it acts on all the secretories
Some have declared that madder possesses
no med. pow. & at the same time
however called poisonous which is a 
contradiction in terms. Writers for & 
against the artic. are nearly equally divided
in respectability but not, I think in experience
It removes torpor increases the secretion
of the liver & all the gland. viscera
relieves dysthetic & cachetic diseases,
without affecting the art. system or producing
evacuations. Hence deobst.
This is Dr Ives’s opin. who also thinks it 
a certain emmen & a diuretic
Cullen though it more useful to
the dyer than the phys. It is disputed
whether it is astringent or resolvent. Parr
& Hooper call it useless. B. S. Barton 


calls it unsafe in uterine aff. particularly 
retention. Eberle says not
It is not an article of first rate
activity. It is slow & gradual but very 
certain in its effect. It is a pure
deobst. in torpor & viscid secretions, having
probably no other power
IT is used in subst. or decoct.
Dose of subst. for children 5-15 grs
for adults 20 to 60 grs 3 or 4 times a day
Probably larger doses wd be preferable
Decoct. Rx zi root to 2 or 3 pts water
& boil to 1 pt. dose f zi – fziii
3 or 4 times a day. It shd fall short of nausea
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia with visc. secr. & torp. of liv.
Dr Ives thinks highly of it
Parabysma coactum partic. of liv & 
spleen. Dr I. thinks it acts on all the [illegible] vis.
Simple idiopathic cough in the 2d
stage after expectoration has commenced



“All [pituitous] diseases of the lungs” recc.
Peripneumonia notha & catarrh in the secondary 
stages with a tendency to become
chronic & protracted & when there is danger
of membranous phthisis
Acute Dysentery rec. highly by Gerhard
Dysthetic & cachectic diseases & marasmus
atrophias var. infantum recc. by 
some & objected to by others as having a natural
tendency to produce the disease emaciation
in the healthy subject. It emaciates
animals when given to colour their bones
but there is no evidence that it wd have 
[live] this effect, properly given in disease
Cyrtosis rhachina (ricketts)
Echphronia melancholia (monomania)
recc. in probably the cases were
hypochond. a combination of dysp. & mal.
param. obstruc. retent. suppres. diff.
Highly recc. by diff. authors. Good discusses 
its power. zfs has produced a sudden
discharge in cases of amenorrhea.
Paris states that it cured excessive paramenia 


but did no good in p. obstruct. & p. [erroris]
Dropsy more doubtful here unless in’
that connected with parabysma
Lithia renalis discrepancy of testimony
Parunia of diff. sorts
Nodes old writers testify that it removes
them
Parotia flexilis etc. They say it has a 
tendency to produce diseases of the bones
One source of failure in the
use of rub. tinct. is using a bad article
The madder of the dyers loses its power 
by age & drying. When
recent I have found it to answer a 
good purpose & it is valuable in its place 


Fumaria officinalis
Cultivated in our gardens.
Bitter & inodorus. Expr. inspissated juice
An over dose produces pain in the stom. etc.
It excites biliary secr. removes torpor etc.
It is said to have the power of curing cutan. dis.
Adlumia cirrhosa (Rafinesque)
(Fumonia fungosa corydalis fung.)
An ornamental plant & cultivated among us
The recent root is bitter & acrid. Powd. of root is
used Powers the same as fam. off.
Corydalis bulbosa
Corydalis glauca (Furm. sempervireus,
Linn) Common in our forests. They 
have similar powers
Dyclytra cucullaria (corydalis)
Called in N. Eng. Dutchman’s breeches
In some part of the country called colic weed
Root is used bitter & acrid somewhat
mucilaginous. Said to ally pain & to be
anodyne & soporific & in large doses to produce
vertigo (vide my notes)


Saponaria officinalis
Root sweetish bitter & acrid. Watery ext.
is its form in use. though the expressed juice
has been used. Alcoh. extracts its virtues
better than wat. but too much wd be required
It is given as an auxiliary in dyspepsia
jaundice etc.
Lues syphilodes & second. stag. of l Syphilis
it is a good restorative after a merc.  course
Scaly eruptions & impetiginous eruptions
adapted to most of the cased in which
sarsaparilla & L.  tarax. are useful
Ext. is the best for 1-2 drams
Decoc. zii root to 2 pts. wat. boiled to 1 pt
the whole to be taken in 24 hours
Used also in scrof aff.
The bruised roots form with
water a good swab for washing. This 
is worth investigating into. Perhaps a 
combination of an alkali & mucilages


7 Deobst.
Scrophularia Marylandica
Called sometimes fig wort & pig wort (i.e.
the scroph. nodosa of Eur.?)
Its most important use is in 
struma 
Practica marisca decoc. of root, freely internally 
& a cataplasm of the leaves externally
Boil zii in 2 pts wat. to 1 pt & take
the whole in 24 hours. Continue for some
time, as it is used in chronic derangements
Diseases same as preced. Lues etc.
Chronic derangements of dig. organs
S. Nodosa (Europe)
Pretty much the same as S. Mar.
(vide my notes)
Agrimonia Eupatoria
A pure deobst. decidedly inferior to the preceding.
There is some difference of opinion as to 
its powers, but it resembles dandelion
most Dr Ives has used it Employed in ext. & decoction
A. odorata native of Italy supposed
to be more elegant. A. suaveoleus
is allied to it & cultivated among us


Agathosma crenatum
Vide my notes Probably analogous
to the rhododendraceae It is used in infusion
& tinct. Rx infus. f zvi tinct f zfs
tinct. cubebs f zfs. misce. This compd
preparation is used Give f zi ter in die
Jas. Johnson says it must be persevered in 
Diseases dyspepsia Dr McDowel says
infus. f zii bis in die cured a young man 
Irritable infl. of bladder most celebrated in 
Membranif.  cystitis Jas Johns thinks highly of it
“Chronic rheumat.” McDowel
Lithia renalis Dr McD. cites a cas
vide my notes



Aperient Deobst
Asclepias tuberosa Linn.
White root flax root pleurisy root butterfly weed
Nothing equals this root in its
diaphoretic power (see B.S. Barton) It is
the most certain article? for this purpose. Take
the recently dried root, recently pulvd & it is
very effectual
A variety of operations are attributed
to it by different authors. All
agree that it is escharotic, applied
to ulcers to restrain spongy granulations
Its primary operation is that of 
a moderate deobstruent especially promoting
the fluid secretions of the lungs
skin & kidneys & it is powerfully diaphoretic
less diuretic & is expectorant
It increases the secretions of the liver & 
all the secretions poured into the al. canal
relieves tenderness under the short ribs 
cures cutaneous diseases & is hence antipsoraic
& will carry off catarrh & 


sub-acute pneumonia without expectoration
whence we conclude it to be resolvent
As an antipsoraic it is better than
sarsaparilla adapted to scaly eruptions
It regulates & increases the secretion of bile
in dyspepsia
It is not astringent & I have never perceived
any tonic effect from it
Dose as a diaph. & expect. 20-30 grs some
say zi in powder. A strong infusion is recc.
and Thacher directs a tea cupfull. This is too 
bulky. zfs -zi is sufficient, if as strong as I
make it. W. D. C. Berton recc. in diseases
converted with dentition, as a laxative & diaphoretic,
zii pulvd root boiled in zxviii milk
down to zxii dose zi 2 or 3 times in 24 hours it
excites copious perspiration & gentle catharsis
& is good
Diseases
Dyspepsia continued used cases of torpor
Common & especially epidemic catarrh
pneumonitis sub acute (which is the 


commencing stage of one form of membranous
phthisis) see various authors upon it in this
disease
Pneumonitis typhodes also called peripneumonia notha
by W. Philip not the P.
notha of all authors
Cholera infantum in mild cases. This 
is no cholera at all but a specific
infl. of the muc. mem. of the al. canal
& the vomiting is sympathetic with this infl.
Dysentery fever synochus & non malignant
very useful. In moderate cases it will
cure of itself in severe ones is a useful auxiliary
to opium & calomel
Acute rheumatism Eberle
I think this species of [illegible]
is the most valuable in the treatment
of all disease to which it is applicable except
dropsy, in which A. Syriaca is 
preferable.


Asclepias Syriaca Linn.
A pubescans A apocynum apocynum majus
A. Syriacum. Linn supposed it a native of
Syria
I have used it sufficiently to satisfy
myself that it is a deobst. of considerable
power but as such have not employed
it extensively
I have employed it very extensively 
as a diuretic in dropsy & this
is its most prominent operation
I have used two preparations
1st Rx ziv of the root water lbii & boil in 
a lightly covered vessel to lbj strain & 
add gin or the tinct. from ziv to zviii
acc. to the season, to make it keep.
Dose zii 4-8 times in 24 h. Diuresis
is sometimes produced in the first 24 hours
& sometimes not till several days. It 
generally produces a little nausea before
it proves diuretic , but too much 
nausea renders it liable to fail 


No article is so certain & powerful a diuretic
alone. Some combinations are
better, but still this has succeeded when
they have failed
2. I have also used the following ziv root
to lbiv of water boiled to lbjs. I wish to 
have the decoct. saturated & this may be
so. Of late I prefer the first preparation
Besides its diuretic power it is
expectorant & diaphoretic in many cases
under diaph. regimen. Freely given
it proves laxative to adults & purgative
to children. It is emetic in large 
doses
A practitioner well acquainted
with indigenous M.M. considers 
A incarnatu more diaphoretic but less
diuretic than A. Syriaca
It is said to be anodyne i.e. allaying
irritation, not pain
Diseases
Dyspnea exacerbans zi a day in divided doses 


Catarrhal affections with typhus
Hydrops cellularis most useful in
H. thoracis has been used
H. Abdominum ahs been used in some cases
In dropsy we expect by diuretics to remove
the fluid, not to cure. The cure is effected
by stimulants & tonics. If there is great distention
I first purge with hyd. cathartics
& then diuretics will take hold. In some
cases sympathetic with diseased liver,
first perform paracentesis & then diuretics
will take hold. After evacuating
the fluid, prevent its accumulation by 
articles that will obviate the state of the 
system



Asclepias incarnata 
More acrid than the other species, somewhat
like tobacco & has been used for 
lobelia inflata
It has been employed as a substitute
for sarsaparilla in lues syphilis
& syphilodes & in scaly eruptions
In pulmonary diseases as an
expectorant it has been said to be better
than A. tuberosa 




Aperient Deobstruents
Collinsonia Canadensis
Vide my notes The discrepancy of opinion 
may arise from bad modes of preparation,
mismanagement etc.
Root said to be injured by drying if kept
buried out doors said to be preserved (but
then it will grow E.D.N.) but may be transplanted
at any season. Large quantities shd
be kept in the garden & then it may be had
at any time 
It may be referred to the class aperient
deobst. of which sarsaparilla is the type
It has a moderate degree of deobst. power
perhaps producing its greatest affect in the
kidnies Dr I. thinks it a moderate deobst.
sub astring & sub tonic. It is much 
used in veterinary medicine
Drs Beers & Hooker say the infusion
of the raspings is better than the decoction
Dropsy of diff. sorts say Drs B. & Hooker
Dr Beers says equal to any other article alone
has employed it in failure of the other diuretics 


Dr Hooker says he has found it to prevent
that increase of liquor [amnii] which 
sometimes almost amounts to dropsy
Dr Ives does not think much of it in dropsy
vide my notes
Aralia Kudicaulis
Christophoriena Am. False sarsaparilla
Canada to N. Orleans
Root bitter & aromatic & less resinous than A.
racemosa. It is sold in the shops for the
true sarsaparilla Its powers are similar
Drying impairs its powers
It is an aperient Deobstruent #
The U.S. Phar. directs Rx for decoct. Recent’
contused root zvi aq. pur. 8 pts Digest
for 4 hours then boil to 4 pts, express & strain 
Diseases
Cutan. erupt. herpes adapted to 
all cases for which sarsap. ([illegible] off.) A., racem.
& S. symphilitica are useful
# That is it promotes the watery secretions as
perspirable matter, halitus from lungs & urine 


Aralia racemosa
Spikenard life of man wild liquorice
Canad. to S. America
Tastes mucilag. bitterish sweet & arom.
It is good in recent state
The root & berries are aperient deobst.
Shd be continued long. Better adapted to 
secondary stages of disease
Rx Recent cont. root 2 oz off. alc. f ziv aq.
ferv. 1 pt. First our the alc. on the root & 
let it stand about 12 hours in a close vessel.
Then add the water boiling hot, let it
stand 12 hours & add sugar Dose zi – ii
4-8 times a day 
Diseases
Simple idiop. cough better with a little SS.
chronic dyspnea Catharrhal aff 2nd stage
Sub acute pneumonitis
Milder varieties of psoriasis & various cut. erup.
Pururia stillatitia var. mucosa
The expres. juice is used in aphtha
old ulcers sloughing sores from fire & frost
The bruised root is made into a plaister 



Aralia hispida (Michaux)
Can. to S.A. Dwarf elder (in Conn.) though
the dwarf elder of Eur. is sambucus ebulus
prickly ash (but this name properly belongs
to the xanthoxylum fraxineum) wild elder
The root is used & is more active when recent
Shd be gathered in autumn  after the fall of the leaves
In large doses it is emetic. Said
to be hydrag. cath. in doses short of vom. & continued
I have never seen this effect & it is my
practice to continue it in doses just short
of emesis Managed in this way is 
a very efficient diuretic 
Sd to be similar in this respect to senega
don’t see how It seldom proves diuretic
till nausea begins, & if vomiting
[illegible] on it fails as a diuretic
It has not been managed so as to 
prove expect. emmenag.  etc. but from 
analogy I think it might
It has not proved narcotic as yet
It has been used in decoct. & tinct.


Rx for decoct. cont. root 2 oz. boil. wat. [illegible]
boil to 1 pt Dose f z 2-4 – 4-8 times in 24 hr.
Rx for tinct rec. cont. root 4 oz off. alc. 1 pt.
Dose zfs 4-8 times in 24 h. The proof spirit
tinct. is more active than the alcoholic
The tinct. has a slightly aromatic smell & 
bitter taste
Diseases hydrops cellularis. If the article
is good it is effectual in this disease. Dr
Reed of E. W.  has employed it successfully 
It best adapted to anasarca. Give the decoc.
or tinct. in doses short of nausea & repeated
every 3 or 4 hours In 36 hours it begins 
to nauseate & produces diuresis. Diminish
a little & continue till the fluid is evacuated
It is not stimulant nor tonic
Aralia octophylla (Cochin China)
Ascandeus & apalmata used 
in dropsy & cutaneous diseases 



Aralia spinosa (Linnaeus)
It has no spines however but prickles The 7
species of aralia that have been examined are
found to resemble each other in med. prop. & 
to differ only in degree A. sinosa is the most
active A. hispida next.
Nat. ord. araliaceae (Juss. & Decond.) 
Angelic tree in this region Hercules club toothache tree
pellitory Often confounded with xanth. frax.
Habitat middle south & west, parts of U.S.
Cultivated as an ornam. shrub in N. Eng.
It is not the prickly ash of the north states though
Bigelow considers it as such 
(Hiatus) The bark (of the root?) is sd
to be the most active The berries shd be
collected just before ripening. The bark of
the trunk & branches is not inactive
The immediate effect of the bark
of the root in doses short of nausea are languor
& lassitude a sensation of weakness (not
real debility) a pricking & burning sensation
all over the body, especially in the feet & 


8 Deobst.
hands dimin. of nat. freq. of pulse in health
& especially dimin. of irritative preternat.
frequency Diaphoresis drowsiness & sleep
continuing (the sleep?) 3 or 4 hours after the
last dose is taken in health & for a much
shorter time in disease
Given in moderate doses & repeated it is deobst.
& proves hydrag. cath.
In large doses it is emetic & is said to operate
similarly to ipecac but I doubt it.
IT sometimes produces urticaria like copaiba
As a cath. or em. merely it will 
not be good unless a deobst. oper. is wanted 
along with the other
It is sedative & the parts of its sedative operation
are antirritation anodyne & soporific
Dr McBride in Elliott says
it is the best emet. found among us. He
uses the decoc. zii bruised bark of root to 
1 pt wat. boiled down to ½ pt. Of this ½ or
the whole acted as an emetic
It is given in dropsy in deobst. doses i.e.
just short of nausea. It is diuretic at first 


but at length passes off by the bowels as a 
hydrag. cath.
Sometimes we give more active doses e.g. [illegible]
which is a full cath. dose. Give 1 dose
in the evening 2 during the night & 1 next
morn. this will operate kindly & freely as
a hydragogue
By obviating disease it restores the
functions of the stom. the circul. & the musc.
systems but it is not tonic
In a case of atonic sub-acute
rheumatism from bathing in a state of 
perspiration which had lasted by paroxysm 
for 1 ½ yrs zi of  tinct. was given every 
3 hours for 24 hours & then zii till 3 doses had
been given, when narcosis & catharsis was
brough on & in 48 h. the rheum. was cured
It is a valuable addition to the M. M.
Its primary effects are 1st deobstruent
2nd emetic 3d hyd. cath. 4th acrid narc.
5th epispastic (rubefacient) in ointment
The secondary effects of its deobst. operation
are 1st expect. 2d diuretic 3d diaph. 4th chola


5th resolvent 6th antipsoraic 7th discutient
It is antirritant anodyne & soporif. as parts of
its narcotic operation
It is a hydragogue. Probably it will 
be found an emmenagogue
It is errhine often called escharotic
It is not tonic nor stimulant
Pharmac. Preparations
1st powder 2d pill (with ext. con. mac. which
coincides with it) 3d decoction zii to 2 pts
wat. boiled to 1 pt in a covered vessel
4th tinct. (ziv of the bark of root & berries to 
1 pt off. alc.) macerate a week, decant & strain 
5th extract (I have never used this) Rx
T lbj wat. lbs 8 boil away ½ - strain through
a coarse cloth, express & evaporate in a water
bath to avoid burning
6th Ointment Dr Strobel uses one of T ziv
coarse powdd bark of root to lbj of sim. cer.
simmer for ½ hour & express. There shd
be as much bark as the cerate will cover
Add it as long as it will be absorbed



Therap. applic.
Acute subac. & chron. rheumatism most especially useful
Lues syphilis & syphilodes
As an emetic in intermittents
Sick headache at the south bites & stings
Delirium trem. (I think little of fem. in this dis.)
Idiopathic paramenia attended
with flushed faces pains in the back etc.
They bleed this is wrong You can cure it
with blk helleb. blood root etc. But they 
will do nothing after V.S.
Pneumonia typhodes synochous type 
pulse bounding I can break up half
the cases with deobstruents Can do
nothing with them if you bleed. If there
is too much entonic action however you 
must deplete & if there is too little you 
must deplete & if there is too little you 
must stimulate to bring the system within
the range of the deobstruents
In “Ague in the Face” a decoc. or init.
produces relief. In fixed topical inflammation
embrocation, fomentations & bathings
Lues syphilodes It has acquired consid. rep.
zi every 2 hours internally & the ointm. externally 
as practiced by Dr Strobel 


Baptisia Tinctoria (R. Brown)
Sephoria (Linn.) podalyria tinct. indigweed
Nat. ord. sequiminosae (Decand.)
Root perennial, cylindrical, branching
¼ inch in diam. cortic. & lign. part equal
When chewed for some time it is acrid, bitter
& virose, leaving a sensation of fullness in the
fauces
It is said to be diaphoretic. It is
not directly so. It is expect. under certain 
circumstances in certain stages of 
infl. of bronch. mem. it hastens the mucopur8ulent 
secretion, which is the natural 
termination of such infl. It facilitates expectoration
also in the latter stages 
is by obviating irritation but it 
wd not be of service when there is great atony
It is said to be alexipharmic in 
mild cases of # bites of the rattle snake. I
am informed by a phys. from inter. of N.Y.
that it is decidedly beneficial. [Drench] the 
pat. with it.




It is not astringent as it does not contain
tannin
It is a valuable discutient. I have
often applied it to infl. of fem. breast
It will allay irritation in wounds & promote
their healing, & will indirectly prevent
gangrene & is therefore called antiseptic
In this sense also it is valnerary in contused
& punctured wounds
Its primary operations are
1st deobstruent 2d acrid narcotic
3d emetic 4th hydrag. cathartic
The second. op. is a deobst. [illegible] cholag.
expectorant resolvent discutient
It is also escharotic
It has not been found to be emmenagogue,
diuretic, diaph. nor sialag.
It is not excitant tonic nor astringent
Said to be febrifuge. It is applicable only 
to the synochus form of fever
Pharmac. Preparations It is
used in substance, infusion decoction
& tincture



For the decoc. I generally take zii recently 
dried root to lbjs wat. & boil down to lbj
For tinct. Rx ziv bruised recently dried root
to lbj alc. Dose f zi or a little more to be
repeated acc. to the urgency of the case the
susceptibility of the pot. & the time the med.
is to be continued. If it occasions much
evacuation, check with opium or diminish
the dose
As a discutient it may be used
in decoct. or in cataplasms. For a
cataplasm, boil the root, pound it to
a pulp & add q.s. of maize meal
Ointment simmer the root in cream
butter or lard & add wax
Baptisia tinctoria shd be collected
at the proper season & its virtues
are much impaired by keeping & drying
Therapeutic application
Atonic paristhmitis
Acute subac. aton. rheum. I have seen
it efficac in large number of cases less so with chronic



9 Deobst.
Dyspnea exac. & asthma humidum
Pneumonia typhodes not with great atony
but of that form when the fever is synochus & the
topical aff. an erythema. It allays the
irritative heat & dryness of the skin & the irritative
action of the lungs & when given early it
effects a great resolution in moderate cases. When
the dis. is more advanced, it accelerates the
muco-pur. secretion the wat. termin. of the dis.
Dysentery I have used it to some extent,
conjoined with opium I think the [baptisi]
assisted in the cure shd not be given as a cath.
The decoct. is applied, cool or warm
to sub-ac. aton. infl. of the eyes to infl. & 
ulcerate. of fem. breast to burns & scalds, with 
benefit, or in cataplasm It is very good for 
sore nipples. It is a popular remedy for
aphtha. Externally to punctured & contused
wounds. Sprained joints immerse
the joint in the decoct. as long as convenient
This article possesses considerable
activity & may be turned to a good account
It has not been investigated so thoroughly 
as others which resemble it.



Apocynum cannabinum
Indian hemp dogs bane Canada to Car.
Lactescent furnishes a variety of caontchonc
Bark twice as strong as hemp & easily whitened
Nat. ord. apocymeae
Roots 5-6 ft long horizontal. Taste
sub acrid & bitter
Bigelow describes a species which 
he calls A. cann. which is in fact A. [pubescens]
& I am not sure but this is the article
I have used. Probably there is no difference
between the species
The ligneous & medullary portions of
the root are said to be equal in virtue 
to the cortical shd think from analogy this
must be incorrect. I use only the cortical
part It is easily separated in a mortar & 
pulverized 
The extractive matter is precipitated
by alum & salts of tin & is used for coloring
linen & muslin, but not flannel, a
[fustic] yellow This has no med. power.
Apocynine is analogous to emetine
or as it is now called, cephaeline but resembles 


[cytisime] more. It is slightly deliquescent
& leaves a sensation as if the lips &
tongue were swollen. It is soluble in wat.
& alc. 6 grs of it are said to vomit.
A. cannabinum is employed in 
powder, infusion & decoction
Rx for decoc. zfs to lbj ii wat boil med.
dose zii
Substance in powd is the best form
It takes about 30 grs for an emetic. As
such it is rather slow in its operation
produces free vomiting & is not followed
like tart. em. by languor & exhaustion 
In moderate doses repeated it obviates
heat & dryness of the skin.
Its primary operations are
1st deobst 2d acrid narcot. 3d emetic
4th hydrag. cathartic
It is diuretic & if long continued
proves eccoprotic & laxative & purgative.
Its narcotic power is greater
composed with its other operations than 


that of sanguinaria, with which its powers
are the same with the addition of being
cathartic
It is resolvent & will probably 
prove emmen.  antipsoraic & expectorant
Perhaps its escharotic & stermalatory 
powers shd be considered as primary 
Its deobst. op. is the most
important. It has had considerable
reputation in curing dyspepsia of bystanding
given till it vomits & purges. But it
will be contraindicated by extreme irritability
of the stom. or of the system by 
acrimony of the secretions or that stage
which diarrhoea is threatened.
Icterus vulgaris parat. coactum
Best given in an eccoprotic with opium
in doses short of nausea
Dyspnea exacerbans chronics
most used for this dis. In 1822 Dr
Todd remarked that it was the most
effectual remedy he had ever tried 


It is to be given in moderate emetic doses,
at intervals of 10-15 min. till it produces
vomiting. It may be used between
the paroxysms in doses short of nausea
I think there is danger of doing injury
I prefer lobelia and the other articles
which have no tendency to prod. purging
Articles which produce hydrag. cath. will
sooner or later injure the system.
Catarrhis communis not malignant
pneumonitis typhodes
Acute & subac. rheumat.
Hydrops cellul. & abdominis
It is probably adapted to 
nearly all the cases to which colchicum is 
adapted
Apocynum pubescens
very similar to A. cann. Perhaps I 
have used them indiscriminately 


apocynum androsaemifolium
Silk weed milk weed snake’s milk called
in Virg. “Scissors plant” Am. ipecac.
I think this species less active than A. cann.
The part used is the root which is perennial
& creeping smell verose taste
peculiar both. bitter & sour, with some 
acrimony
The tinct. is not rendered turbid
by water Soluble in alc. wat. & ether
I presume contains apocynine, but the
fact is not ascertained
The old root is stronger than the young 
the plant shd be at least 3 yrs old
Zollickoffer says it is diaph.
like ipecac & gives a formula similar
to the pulv. ipec. comp.
Bigelow & Zollickoff say it is
tonic & direct to give of the dried root 16 to
20 grs 3 times a day; but less than this 
of A. cann. will vomit
Dr Heale of Troy says it is narcotic 



Kaln in his travels says it is poisonous
applied to tender parts & even by handling it
when covered with dew forming vesicles
which break & ulcerate somewhat like
those of rhus rem.
I think its powers the same as
those of A cann. & pubes. but less in degree
Its primary operations are
1st deobst. 2d acrid narc. 3d emetic
4th hyd. cath
Secondary effects are 1st expect.
2d cholag. in reg. doses 3d Dialag. 4th diaph.
probably diuretic resolvent 
Discut. applied to infl. probably? breasts Antispsoraic
ruebfac escharotic & sternutatory probably?
Therap. applic.
Dyspepsia-in-laxat. & eccoprot. doses
Dyspnea exacerbans as an [antirrit] etc.
Synochus antirrit. [illegible]?
Hydrops cell. thoracis & abdominis
freely given as a cathartic It has been 
tried by Dr Jac. Porter of Plainfield Mass 



The discrepancy respecting the article
arises from the manner or time of collecting
it & manner of prescribing
Dr Todd used it in dyspnea
exac. powd. of root a tea sp. once
in 25 min. 2 or 3 doses relieves
Apocynum Hypericifolium
Probably similar in virtues to the preceding
species
A. juventus (of Cochin China)
Said to be like ginseng mucilaginous,
aromatic, bitter & saccharine
It is a good demulcent like liquorice
or ginseng


10 Deobst.
Phytolacca decandra (Linn.)
Before the time of Linn. P. vulgaris ([Dillenius])
P. amer. (Boerh.) solanum Am. (Ray) S. Virginianum
(Plukenet) garget cocum
coke, poke scoke, Americ. night shade
pigeon berry jalap etc. Nat. ord. atriplicene
Nat. country not known it follows civilization
Said by Europ. authors to be a native of
America, but this is doubtful
The root, leaves & berries are
all used in medicine
The recent root has a nauseous, bitter,
sub acrid taste but when dried the taste
is mild & somewhat mintish. Its properties
are impaired by age, but not lost
by mere drying. Its virtues are said
to depend on an “extractive principle”
The active principles of this article
are extracted by water, wine & alcohol
but the degree of solvent power of each
is not settled
There is great discrepancy of 


opinion respecting this article, but if collected
at the right season, prepared & injudiciously
administered it will be found to 
be certain in producing its effects
I consider it an acrid narc. deobst.
Some years since I experimented with it & 
found that in certain doses it nauseated & 
vomited. Short of this & repeated, it increases 
the biliary secretions & promotes expect.
sometimes in health but in some diseases
it decidedly increases the secretion of mucus
It increases the secretions from the skin 
generally in a well subject even, but especially 
in the diseases to which it is adopted
Given in acute & subac. aton. rheum. & certain 
other phlogotica it speedily effects a resolution
of the topical infl.
given in repeated doses it produces vertigo
somnolency, indistinct vision, stupor,
I have never pushed it so as to determine
how much narcosis it was capable of producing
Continued for some time in small & freq.
doses it produces active hydrag. catharsis 


Topically it wd [illegible] phlegm. infl.
change vitiated & gangrenous ulcers
It cures cutaneous diseases & proves rubef.
Its primary & independent effects
are 1st deobst. 2d acrid-narcotic
3d hyd. cath. 4th emetic
Secondarily it is 1st resolv. 2d cholag.
3d expect. 4th diaph. We may add
5th discutient
It is a popular anthelmintic in many 
places. I have never witnessed this power
but other acrid narcotics have it
It is rubefac. & sternutatory. Should 
think that under diuretic regimen it wd
prove diuretic but I have never seen
diuresis from it. From analogy I shd
expect it to prove emmenagogue
It has been supposed stimulant, but
is not neither tonic
15 to 20 grs of the recently powdd root
are a mild but effectual emetic, requiring
1-2 hours for operating & continuing
longer then, than ipecac



It is not eligible as a cath. or emet.
except when these operations are wanted
in connection with its deobstruent. It is effectual
in croup by its deobst. & emet. power
I generally give a full dose & if it fails
of vomiting it is of no consequence as it is
more effectual by remaining long on the
stomach. If the vomiting continues
too long it can be checked by horizontal 
posture, quiet, & a dose of opium, one or all three
Commonly very little nausea precedes
the vomiting sometimes it is attended with
vertigo etc. but these are in some cases
desirable The decoct. wine & tinct. are 
emetic in doses from zfs to zii The decoct.
& wine are better than the tinct. unless the 
state of the system requires that a diffusible
stimulant precede the operation. I have
ever prefer the powder for an emetic
The recently dried leaves are 
supposed to be active, but they are less
certain & effectual than the root



For the wine Rx zii coarsely powd & rec. dried
root zii off. alc. zxiv wht. wine. In very
warm weather the alc. will hardly prevent
fermentation & souring
The tinct. of the leaves & berries
fully grown but not quite ripe, is acrid narcotic
& deobst. I add to them dil. alc.
enough to cover them, macerate 10 days,
decant, express & filter. This is less emetic
than the other preparations
The expressed inspissated juice
is very active & is followed generally by 
narcosis. Externally it is caustic.
Given internally in doses of 5-10-15 grs
no one of the acrid narcotic deobst. has
succeeded so well with me in chronic
rheumatism unless it be aralia spinosa 
& it is not inferior to that. 5 grs are ordinarily 
sufficient if repeated at short
intervals. Opium shd generally be conjoined
with it to allay pain & procure sleep
but less quantity will be necessary 



than if a deobst. not narcotic were taken
Frequently deobst. will not act till
pain & watchfulness are obviated
An ointment of the root is used
Take of the recent bruised root add melted
simple cerate enough to cover it simmer
15 min. & express. It is antirritant,
discutient, antipsoraic & sometimes rubefacient.
The recent root roasted
& bruised is sometimes applied to the fat 
with how much success I know not
Therap. Applic.
Helminthia lumbric. commonly employed 
at the south, in form of pulvd root, in doses
short of nausea 4 times a day & then to
give a cath. if the article does not purge
Practica marisca often effectual apply
a decoction? of the recent bruised bruised
leaves to the part. When this has failed, an
enema of the decoct. of the root has relieved
immediately. Dr Woodd of Vt. [cures] with 
this article the most urgent symptoms in 
24 or 36 hours


Anthrax topically in the secondary
stages, in cases where there is not much
constit. eff. it is very beneficial Apply 
the bruised leaves or the cerate when the
part is spongy & porous & has been laid open
otherwise it will have little effect.
Early in my practice I thought this the best
application in the secondary stages I have
never employed it in the early & forming stages
Croup I have used it as a deobst. emetic
Let it remain sometime in the stomach,
if it does not vomit give some other emetic
I use the powder, diffused in the wine & follow
with ipecac. No mere emetic can 
be relied on unless it be turpeth min. & 
that can be assisted by this article
Ac. & subac. rheum. Early in my practice
I used it in these alone in the acute
& with opium in the subac. It was perfectly 
successful. It seemed to have the
same effect as guaiacum being acrid
mercurial sub-ac. rheum highly 


beneficial give either the extract of berries or the
tinct. of those, conjoining opium
Chronic rheum. from its acrimony it is better
than most of the deobstruents. I use the sat. tinct.
of the leaves & berries or the expressed, inspissated
juice, either with or without opium
Lues syphilis second & protracted stages cases
in which guaiac. mezereon & sarsapar.
are indicated & I think this altogether superior
to these articles
S. Syphilodes decidedly useful
Ulcers a great variety indolent & insusceptible,
with callow edges strumous ulcers
that are usually indolent & will not heal 
apply the ext. or the leaves especially the
former
Cancer palliated by the ext. or inf.
this article relieves the pain, changes the
condition & secretions & even brings it for a time to a healing
but it is soon worn out
Blenorrhea [illegible] diff. opinions as to 
its success, owing to diff. modes of using it.



11 Deobst
The disease is often obstinate but this article
is as frequently successful as any other. I use
it freely internally. The wine is recc. but
I prefer the ext. or tinct. of the berries. Those
who have failed with it have found it to produce
vom. or purg. It shd be given in doses
short of nausea at reg. interv. & opium
given to prevent purg. It succeeds as often
as any article unless copaiba. I have used
it most in the second stages of obstinate cases 
Enlargement of the prostate Dr Woodd of Vt.
uses the inf. or decoc. of zi coarsely powdered
root to lbj wat. or lbii boiled to lbj thrown
into the rectum in the quantity of ½ or 1 gill
with a pipe & bladder that it may not 
pass high up If it cannot be relieved add
SS. He prefers the infus. & that prepared
from the recently dried root. He often succeeds 
in reducing the enlarged prostate
very considerably. He used it only when
when troublesome symptoms arise, or stoppage
of urine, impossibility of passing the 


catheter etc. He does not state that he has
cured the disease but that he has relieved the
paroxysm
Itch it has been employed I direct a
strong dec. of the root, perhaps zii to lbjfs of
wat. boiled down to lbj & touch the part night & 
morn. It cures in a majority of cases It 
sometimes irritates so much that it cannot
be continued. If you wish to keep this preparation
add to 3 parts of it 1 part of the
tinct. bottle it & attach a sponge to the cork
There is a species in the W. I. called
P. dodecandria which is probably the same as
ours It is recc. by [Dawsen]? as a kind & effect.
emetic dose zfs – zi of the wine, made zi to lbj
The real P.dodec. is a native of Abyssinia
but cultivated elsewhere
P. dodecandria is most
probably the “mustard” of the N. Test.
Jonah’s gourd is a ricinus. The mandrake
is an orchis


Veratrum Sabadilla (Linn.)
Nat. ord. melanthaceae R. [ilegible] [Jussin]
Hordens exoticum causticum of Caspar Bankin
the name is a diminutive of sper. sebado “burley”
& the colloquial appelation is a corruption of
the name is spelt 11 different ways commonly 
called cevadille
Itr is offic. in all the pharmac. of cont. Europe
From it almost exclusively veratrine is obtained.
It is the most active of the genus
& of the nat. ord. to which it belongs. It also
possesses in a concentrated form all the properties
of the other veratrans except v. vind
which has some peculiarities
Heb. colder regions of Mexico it is said
also China & S. Am. the last is doubtful
It might be cultivated in N. England
The Mexican name signifies dog-kill
The seeds are exported in the pericarp
which resembles an ear of barley, but they
are not larger than lintseed, hence its
name. As found in the shops it is of 


a dun colour, capsule smooth, seeds shining
semicylindrical, oblong, acute, of a 
dark brown colour & compared to nice dung
It is sold in France in powder & called
capuchin powder. The capsules are probably 
inert, tho this has been disputed
The seeds have no odor, but have
an intensely bitter, acrid, glowing taste, leaving
a sense of burning which water will not
carry off & remaining longest in the fauces
which is the fact with all the deobstruents
According to Meisner, besides the
alkaline salifiable base veratrina, the 
subadilla contains an acid recently e3xamined
& called subadic acid, in union not with 
veratrim but perhaps with lime. Veratrina
is in union with 2 prop. of gall;
acid, forming bi-gallit of veratrine
None of the other prox [illegible] are of
importance unless the bitter princ. may 
have some med. prop.
Veratrine is an inodorous white 


powder, very acrid but not bitter & the taste is
permanent. It is a weaker base than morphine,
quinine or strychnine very soluble
in alcohol, rather less soluble in ether, soluble
in 1000 parts of wat. at 212 [degrees] & becomes
acrid to the taste melts at 120 [degrees] & on
cooling forms an amber coloured & translucent
mas. Composit. carb. hyd. ox.
nitrog. All its salts are crystallizable
& appear like gum except the sulphate
The sulphate bi sulphates & hydro chlorates
have been examined & used. Nitric ac.
also combined with veratrine, but if added
in excess it effects a change analogous
to that upon strychnine & brucine
The acetate is its most active salt
and this will apply generally to the reg. salif.
bases, but there are some exceptions
Strong solutions of the salts are decomposed
by the water & veratrine falls
down, hence they shd be prepared extempore
Iodine & chlorine appear to combine


with veratine but the nature of the
compounds is not well understood & they appear
to be inert. We shd imagine there was
a decomposition but the iod. & chlor. can be
obtained in a separate state. When given
uncombined therefore veratrine shd never
be accompanied with iod. or chlor. 
but they will not act on the salts of veratrine
The seed of veratrum sabadilla
approach nearer to veratrine than any 
other natural product, containing it in 
a more concentrated form. The only other
plants now known to contain veratrine
are V. album & colchicum autumnali
in which it exists in form of bi-gall. of verat.
Perhaps it will be discovered in other species
& in some species of [Lois]? But we
can draw no co0nclusion from botan. [affinities]
Veratrum viride is affirmed in the
books of chemistry to contain bi-gall. of verat
but I do not believe it, for this is not cath. & 
the others are hydrag. cath.



A certain dose producing speedy active 
& sometimes distressing vomiting. A dose
short of nausea & repeated will prod. hydr. cath
& drastic purging, continuing 12-24 or 36 hours
A still smaller dose often repeated exerts a general
deobst. influence in cholag. diuretic & 
sometimes sialag. in certain diseases of the
lungs it increases the secretion & increases the 
natural mucous secretion even if there be no disease expectorant
In certain forms of [illegible] obst. it is emmenagogue
I have not know it prove diaphoretic
It is used as a resolvent in aton. ac.
infl. phlegmonus & especially arthritic for 
which purpose it must be given so as to evacuate 
the al. can. powerfully,  but its effect does 
not depend on the evacuation for in some cases
it cures without
It is antipsoraic, curing certain
lepidotic scaly & herpetic eruptions, when 
used freely & for some time but without acting
on the bowels
Given freely it is moderately soporific. If there 


is pain it is anodyne
It is said that when the system
is under some powerful disease, as tetanus or
lyssa canina, without much exhaustion, a very
large dose produces coma & a state which can
hardly be distinguished from death continuing
12-24 hours, when the pat. will revive & vomit
powerfully & the disease be removed without 
any material inconvenience following
It is one of the most efficient anthelmintics
for the second species of tenia & 
fasciola. The European books recc. it 20 yrs
ago, but the English have lately struck it out
& it seems at present not to be fashionable 
as an anthelm.
It acts as a rubefacient, applied
to the tender skin of infants & to parts unprotected
by the cutis
It changes the action & condition
of spongy etc. ulcers promoting absorption of spongy
granulations increases their sensibility if
indolent & if employed freely it destroys vitality
& produces a slough hence called caustic


[illegible] Deobst.
Sometimes when applied to ulcers it exerts its power
over the system & produces vertigo, epigastric
uneasiness, cloud before the sight, tormina & 
even catharsis
If snuffed it irritates powerfully
the scnheid. mem. produces violent sneezing
copious mucus & irritation & atonic infl. of the part
Hence it is errhine. When chewed it is
sialogogue
From its acrimony & narcotic
power a decoct. of the seeds is employed to destroy
[pediculi] of the head body or pubes & bedding.
But occasionally it thus produces
alarming symptoms vertigo convulsions etc.
The seeds of sabadilla are almost as
active as veratrine
Stimulant powers have been attributed
to it. IT is irritating rather In 
excessive doses it produces parched mouth
& throat, head of the stomach & intestines a
great irritation & atonic erythematic infl. of m. m. of al. can.
hyperemesis, tormina, hyper catharsis 


hemorrhage from the bowels vertigo, cloud
before the sight extremely weak small wiry
pulse cold extrem. (but not uniformly) 
[letanic] convulsions & death. A very large
dose of sabadilla transcends vomiting &
produces the other effects immediately
Ed. & Vav. call this article dangerous
& say it shd be abandoned but its danger
is obviated by a proper use. It may be
made to act as kindly as any article.
The activity of an article is never a good objection
to its employment. Those who object
to the seeds as dangerous yet recc. the 
salts of veratrine which are still more active
Primary operations 1. deobst.
2d acrid-narcotic 3d emetic 4th cathartic
5th epispastic
Pharmac. prep.
It is used on the cont. of Eur. in fine powder
of seeds infl. decoct. tinct. watery & 
alc. extract by enema ointment



For a sat. tinct. I shd put 4 oz to 1 pt.
perhaps 2 oz will saturate
It is said that the pulverised seeds
soon lose their strength but retain it when 
whole. This is true of colchicum. The veratrine
produces exactly the same effects 
at the seed, but the dose is very small
1-2 grs prod. viol. em. & catharsis & a
few grs. tetanus & coma. It seems to 
be more active than strychnine & operates
in less quantity. ¼ gr doses (repeated?)
produce violent evacuations without vom.
Probably 1/16 gr. once in 3 hours wd be sufficient 
to give as a deobst. & shd be
conjoined with opium to prevent cath. & 
emesis too soon. It may effect a cure
with opium without producing evacuation
but in severe diseases it must be pushed
far enough to evacuate. It is there fore
always inadmissible when copious evacuations 
are not admissible & useful
It is a substitute for the seeds of the v. sabad
v. alb. & colchicum & is more uniform 


& certain in its operation
The recently pulvd seeds of sabad.
v. alb. & colch. are useful in costiveness
of old age with great accumulation of
feces. Extremely minute quantities obviate
costiveness better than any other article
For the ointment Rx veratrine
4 grs sim. cer. zi mix by trituration
Diseases
Helminthia of all forms especially tenia
fasciola asc. verm. & lumbric. It is said
to be perfectly successful but caution is necessary 
in its use Dose for a child 2-4 yrs
2 gr of the seeds from 8-12 yrs, 10 grs
Honey blunts its activity a little & renders
its effect more slow It is said that it shd
be followed by no cath but aloes. I see no reason for this
Pneumonitis shd not think it good here
Gout more especially used in this particularly
the reg. kind. It is adapted
only to Cullen’s atonic kind. I never 


saw any other. If given early in time I 
shd think it wd cure it, but in a case of long
standing I shd think it unsafe from its tendency
to produce violent catharsis
Rheumatism recc. with the same limitation
It is useful in entonic cases after depletion
& in atonic from the first. But we must ascertain
if the case will admit of active evacuation 
for we can do but little with the article
without it. I shd be loth to use it in the 
chronic forms & for old patients
Vitiated & gangrenous ulcers recc. topically 
as a substitute for corr. sub. & the
actual cautery.  The mode of applying it
is to sprinkle a little of the powder of the
seeds over the part and cover it with lint
dipped in the infusion
Lyssa canina the authority is rathe 
apocryphal, but I shd expect as much
from it as from any other article. The
pat. is sd to be thrown into a profound sleep
of 12-24 or even 48, revives, vomits & purges &  



in 15 min., is free from all disease but weakness
Cellular dropsy as a hydr. cath. in small
doses at short intervals. Under diuretic reg. it
will produce diuresis before it purges.
Cutaneous eruptions Itch A weak watery 
prep. is used. In my early practice I
employed it with almost invariable success
add ¼ of the sat. tinct. to the inf. to make it
keep or use the sat. tinct. & add camphor
to it
Malis pediculi of Good applied in ointment
highly celebrated
Pediculi penetrantis chigo chigre in the
feet. I have had many cases never had
much trouble with them I apply acrid
or caustic substances to the tumors & they 
always do well. These cases are said to 
require great caution & skill. Perhaps
they may be dangerous in tropical climates


Veratrum album
Hellebore white hellebore
Russia Sibaria Italy Grece cultiv. in
England, first it is said by Gerard
[illegible] peram. an inch thick a bulb the upper
half tunicated the lower solid.
The root is the part used. When recent it is
sd to have an acrid taste & peculiar odor, which
it loses by drying. It is invariably brought
to us in powder & as found in our shops is
good for nothing Vide A.T. Thom Dispensat.
Bi-gallate of veratrine An acid
like the cebadic a yellow extractive
matter etc. are its active principles. There 
seems to be nothing medicinal in it but the 
bi-gall verat.
A.T.T. says it is a violent cath.
& emet. irritant & sternulatory but very efficient
merely as such. These operations
are merely circumstances in regard to its
administration but they are all that the
books ascribe to it. Dr Ware of Boston experimented 



with it & found that 8 grs were
a med. dose for an emetic [illegible] seems 
to have tried v.  album most effectually 
He found that a med. em. dose was about 8 grs
& in some cases [illegible] was required
The essential & most important effects
are 1. deobst. 2. [acridness] & em. 4. hyd.
cath. epispastic & sternut. by virtue 
of its irritant effects.
Secondarily it is 1. resolv. 2. antipsor. cholag.
expect. diuret. emmen. sialogogue (topically 
& occasionally when taken internally) it is not
diaphor. nor stimulant, but irritant
Pharm. ac. prep. 1. infus. zfs – sii to the pt. 
acc. to circumst. 2. decoct a bad
mode for many of these articles, decomposing them
I prefer the infus.
In 1810 a French nostrum called
eau medicinale was very popular. An Englishman
imitated in the following which was
considered the same Rx 8 oz recently dried
root finely cut 1 ½ 11 ½ pts sherry wine macerate 



[15] Deobst
10 days shake occasionally & filter To two parts
of this was added 1 part of Sydenham’s vinum
opii compositum Dose 1-3 f z about 4 times
a day for an urgent case oftener It did
cure many cases of acute rheum. & gout the
more acute the case the better the medicine operated
in my hands. I arrested many cases
I used the v. [viridi] instead of the v. album
& gave teas. f. doses At first I used Sydenhams
laud. but finding the prep sour
I substituted SS. & soon used instead of
both the tinct. of verat. vir.  3 parts to 1 part
SS
Tinct. 8 oz to 2 ½ pts N.Y. Ph.
Ointment Rx 2 oz of the impalpable powder of
the root to 8 oz lard (or better sim. cer.) Add
q.s. ol. lemons to flavor it (Lond. Ph.) Some
direct to mix by trituration
Diseases
Struma in the neck externally shd not
be given in cases debilitated or requiring tonics
Gout & rheumatism most celebrated
There are two modes of giving purgative 



deobstruents 1st in full doses, then waiting
to see whether it purges & going on again
illegible] in small doses & longer? intervals
in both cases I suppose opium conjoined
If you give much of the cath. deobstruents
indiscriminately you will be apt to accumulate 
them on the system till they pass of in 
a diarrhoea, runs down the pat. & carry him
off even in spite of opium. Better give
them in full doses at short? intervals & wait
This article is most successful in regular
gout, but is more or less so in irregular
I have not succeeded in rheumatalgia or
the forms of rheumatism unattended with
redness & swelling. In the early part of
my practice I employed the wine of the
v. album v. vir.? (vide supra) in other arthritic
complaints the misplaced & metastastic
ones, but the external arthritic aff. are 
more under the control of deobstruents than
any other The dose shd be as large as can
be taken without vom. & repeated


Elephantiasis celebrated in various
cutaneous aff.
Mania has been employed in different forms
of it. I do not think it very well adapted, & 
still less to hypochondria
Epilepsy & various convulsive diseases
Lyssa canina recc. in sabadilla in
lethargic cases
Paropsis aneurosis sd to be good in think
not idiopathic cases
Woodville says it is best for the
diseases of the skin Stouma prurigo herpes
pediculi internally & externally
Impetigo porrigo & scabies intern. & extern.
The powder & ointment have been
applied to old ill condit. ulcers
The intern. has been applied to burns
before vesic. has come on & thus prevented vesic.


Colchicum autumnale Linn.
Meadow saffron
Hiatuses
There are several species of C.
root perennial top annual
Root bulbous acrid & pungent. Active principle
veratrine Said to lose its activity by 
long keeping. If taken out of the ground 
before the plant flowers it affords farinaceous
matter & loses its acrid principle by boiling, &
may be eaten
The root & seeds are the parts employed in medicine.
It is said the seeds shd be collected in 
hay harvest & the root in latter part of July & in Aug. 
The root is sliced (I shd think it ought not to be) & then
dried in the sun. If taken inordinately it
will prove a deadly poison
The test by which you can ascertain
whether its activity is lost is said to be the following.
Rub 10 grs of the root with 16 m of distilled
vinegar dropped on it the vinegar
will dissolve the gluten. Then add 16 m
of the alc. tinct. of guaiacum if the colch.
is a good fine cerulean blue color will be produced 



Bi-gallate of veratrine is the act. princ.
This article was introduced by Baron
Storck who made a syrup with vinegar
& used it as a diuretic
There is much discrepancy of 
testimony as to the active powers of this article
all however arising from the diff. manner
of drying it the season in which it is collected
the age of the root & its diff. preparations
The seeds are not affected by drying
or age Perhaps they are not quite so strong as
the recent root but still they are sufficiently
so for all medicinal purposes 
The accounts given in the books
respecting the operation of colchic. are in 
the main correct.
Primary Operations
2. deobst. 2. acrid narcotic – less so than
most of the other deobstruents? 3d hyd. cathartic
4th emetic 5 probably vital irritant or epispastic
Secondarily it is 1. resolve. 2. antips. 3. chol.
4. expec. 5. diuretic not emmen.
not diaph. not sialag. internally 


not tonic or stimulant
It leaves the stom. & intest. in a 
peculiarly bad condition and hence even
as a mere emetic it will not answer, still less
as a cath. After vomiting it leaves great exhaustion
It relieves irritative not entonic arterial
action Dr Williams’s cases were synochous
It is one of the most precarious & uncertain
though one of the most powerful & effectual
deobstruents that we have. I think
there is no case in which some other & more certain
article will not answer just as well.
Orfila calls it a corrosive poison
a bad term he means that it irritates, inflames
& ulcerates. Its deleterious
effects in an inordinate dose are slight nausea
then extreme vom. & purg. fainting exhaustion
coma & death It produces direct
exhaustion even before purging begins
Dr T. doubts Majadie’s account of the 
poisonous effect. He thinks the m. men. of intest.
is never inflamed but it does often kill 


Colchicum will in certain doses, with
some persons produce the desired effect, while
the same dose will perhaps cause death in others
The purging often takes place after the exhaustion
comes on & then increases it
Orfila’s antiphl. mode of
treating its poisonous effects is the worst imaginable
Pharmac. prep.
1. powder some think it the best 1 z 3 or 4 
times a day in ½ pt warm water. But drying
impairs its strength bad form
2. Infusion must be extemporaneous bad
3. Wine a good form There are two 
1st of the seeds 2d of the root The Phil. Ph.
directs to powder the seeds, but a stronger wine
may be made of the unbruised seeds
I have used the following Rx entire seeds zii
off. alc. f zii madeira wine f zxiv mad. 1 or 2 wks
& strain I have kept this for years unimpaired.
I know of no other in the
books but what will sour
Wine of the root. Rx bruised root 8 oz
wine 1 pt This is as good as any I wd use 


f zxiv wine & f zii off. alc. But the wine of the seeds
is the best
4. Tincture zii root to ziv dil. alc. If you 
must use the root I wd use the tinct.  
but I prefer the seeds. Some however prefer
5. Vinegar of colch. If the root is used
by all means take 8 oz to 1 pt dist. vinegar
If the seeds, zii to the pint of vinegar
6. Syrup. Take the acetum 
Diseases Limosis gastrodynia recc.
highly by Dr Williams of Ipswich & in other painful aff.
Helminthia tenia f zi once a day for 
3 or 4 days is said to have cured from analogy
shd think it might be good
Dyspnea exacerbans highly efficacious
give a full dose say f zi with a full dose
of opium if necessary give another dram
but one is generally sufficient in a parosxysm 
my? usual dose is 1 teas.  f. to 2 of SS. commonly
supposed that purging vom. will relieve
this disease not so. colch. relieves it by 
its narcotic & deobst. powers. Squills will 


[?4] Deobst
often relieves it but better with SS. Lobelia
infl. I consider better than colch. in this disease
Entonic phlogotica only after depletion
Atonic phlogotica resolves the
topical infl. less atonic the better
It may be laid down as a general rule that the
phlogotica of the brain are less relieved by deobstruents
than those of the joints I usually 
give 3 to 5 f z & so as not to produce
hyd. catharsis for phl. of brain.
Pneumonitides I have used it successfully 
particularly P. notha but the inconveniences
attending its uses are worse perhaps than 
those of the disease. In that form of
pneumonitis attended with a topical
erythemat. infl. fever synochus it is better
than in any other form
Podagia gout there is more risk in a 
broken down pat. in an induced
case, or one brought on by high living
than in a hereditary one There should
be no preparatory process of bleeding or 


purging for the colch. will reduce difficulty
Entonic acute rheum. shd think colch. wd
be better in this than any other entonic pyhlogoticum.
Shd bleed here first shd always
look out that it does not purge giving f zi
once in three or four hours till it begins to 
purge or vomit preceding? with a free use
of opium
Arthritis rheumatalgia var. acuta most
applicable in the acute, next in the subacute
also var. sciatica & (hiatus)
Neuralgia faciei said to be very successful
rule to give it till it affects the
bowels except cath. is restrained by opium 
Hydrops cellul. thorac. & abdom. are
said to be successfully treated with it if
used in dropsy it had better be given as a
diuretic, not as a hydr. cath.
Exomia prurigo var. senilis said to 
have been perfectly cured by zfs of the
wine of colch. 3 times a day for 3 weeks
Here shd come in andeira inermis



Veratrum viride
Green hellebore swamp hell. Indian [unicas]
Indian poke pokeweed bearweed itchweed
tickleweed. Hab. the whole U.S. nat. ord.
Melanthaceae
Probably the best article on it is that
of Dr Bigelow. It is better than all the rest of 
the Med. Bot. put together. His acc.  of the therap.
applic is sufficiently full but his nat. hist. of 
it is deficient
The root is the part used It is
thick & fleshy, the upper half tunicated, the
lower solid, (which is an anomaly) & with large
fibrillae shooting from it. Taste bitter
 but more acrid than bitter, leaving a [durable]
in the mouth & especially in the fauces
if chewed & swallowed. It does not contain
veratrine. It is not cathartic
Bigelow calls it stimulant It is irritant
Big. calls it sedative He shd have specified
It is ill adapted to the purposes of an
emetic unless a deobstr. emet. is wanted


Dr War gave it in 30 cases as a pure
emetic in 10 out of 15 6 grs produced
kind & effectual vomiting. The operation
he says is not so severe as that of tart. em.
though more so than that of ipecac
It requires a long time for its operation as
an emetic & this is the case with all the
emetic deobstruents
Dr Big. says “Some patients obtain
relief from moderate doses without nausea
or other unpleasant effects. Others require
larger doses (zii) & experience nausea, vomiting
a sense of prostration & exhaustion, 
impaired vision & even total insensibility”
These bad effects arise from bad management
If smaller doses at shorter intervals
had been given they would have been avoided
Taken in excessive doses Dr Big
says it produces “distressing vertigo. tremors
sinking of the pulse, cold sweats, cold extremities,
syncope, convulsions & death 


Taken in too large doses at once it produces
hyper emesis, hyper catharsis, great tormina & 
hemorrhage from the intestines but the cath.
eff. is prod. however from a sort of cholera
& this is no proof of its being cathartic, for
many articles well known to possess no such 
power may induce a cholera & of course
catharsis follows
A strong infusion of fruit galls is
recommended as an antidote, to combine
with the supposed veratrine This in the
case of v. album must be useless for the
veratrine is in a state of bi-gallate already
Opium is the only effect. rem. for 
an overdose
Primary Operations
1. deobst. 2. Acrid-narcotic 3. emetic
4. epispastic from its irritant powers proving
rubefac. 5 errhine from its irritant pow.
Its secondy eff. are 1. resolv. 2. antipsoraic
3d. sialag. 4. expect 5. discut. sternut.
I do not know that it has been ascertained 



positively to be diuretic or emmenagogue
but from the fact that v. alb is so, we
might expect it. It is not diaph. except
by its emetic operation which will of itself
produce diaphoresis. It possesses not a
particle of cathartic power
It is less liable to leave the
stom. & intest. in a bad & irritable state
the most of the other deobst. as colch. etc.
No other article resembles sanguinaria
so nearly. It is more like it than like
its [illegible] v. alb. Of deobst. I prefer
those which have no cath. power 
It is contraindicated in phlog. diathesis
Pharmac. Pres.
1. Recently pulvd root. The roots of whole 
will return their power for some time If kept
in powder they lose it in some degree.
I do not think much of this preparation
think you wd fail of producing a deobst.
effect. Big. says 2-6 grs is an emetic
dose. The powder is best for an emetic 


except in comp & dyspnea, where the
wine is the best emetic form
2. Decoction best form only for act. applic.
It shd be boiled in a closely covered vessel
& I think it is injured by too much boiling
Rx coarsely pulv root zi off. alc. f zii
boil. water 1 pt.
3. Wine by far the best. Put the rec.
root cut fine into a bottle & add sufficient
wht wine to cover it Big directs zviii
of the root to lbiijs wht. wine but I think it 
can be much stronger & lbj is enough for zviii
just enough to cover it.
To make a prep. that will keep 
Rx root recent. cut zviii off. alc. zii wht wine
zxiv Of the first recipe zi is a medium
dose especially in acute diseases but 
it wd be a large dose of my recipe, unless
the dis. was very severe, few [illegible]
tolerating more than zfs. Bigelow says
“add to 3 parts of the wine 1 of wine of opium
& of this from 20 gtts to zi is a med. dose”



I never succeed unless the pat. can take
more than 20 gtts but sometimes as with sanguin.
20 gtts will irritate & be rejected when 
30 or 60 will sit well
The dose shd be repeated 4-6-8 times in 
24 h. If 6 or 8 doses have been given the
article cannot be continued by & it will 
not be necessary
It has been proposed not to use the article
till the “sediment” has subsided, as it is the
less violent in its action, but will the med.
power be diminished precisely in the
same degree? as is the case with colchicum 
4. Ointment Rx rec. root pulvd zii
lard ([illegible] cer. is better) zvjii oil of lemons 10 m
It is better not to beat the lard. Add the
oil to the powder
Verat. viride used externally 
is discutient & antipsoraic. It has produced
nausea & vom. & other constit. eff
when applied to ulcers on the legs & to 
cutaneous eruptions. But this eff. has 



15 Deobst.
been produced only when there were ulcerations
Big. asks “may it not do good externally appl.
in gout.” I answer no extern. applic.
shd be made in gout or ac. rheum. so long
as it is erratic ten chances to one you drive
it to the heart, lungs or brain
I prefer ver. vir. to v. alb or
to colch because it does not purge. It is
analogous to sanguinaria in its operation
& I have substituted it for sanguin in 
cases where there was a prejudice against
it. I never cd perceive any difference 
in their effects
Diseases
Dyspepsia with torpid liver & clay cold stools
Simple idiop. cough v. vir. like sang.
is very useful in early stages when there is 
no expectoration & also after it has taken place
The pathology of this affection is not well
understood. It is not an infl. nor febrile
aff. but deobst. will cure it. It is probably 
connected with a morbid condition


of the secretions of the bronchial mem.
It is occasionally relieved by narcotics
as opium & hyoscyamus These act on the
secretions also but not in the same manner
as the deobstruents I usually conjoin this
article more or less with opium & find it
very efficient. I have not employed it as
much as blood root
Dyspnea exacerbans At the commencement
of the paroxysm I give a full dose of
the wine about zi with 15-20 gtts of SS
acc. to circumstances I repeat the wine
at short intervals & ¾ of the cases are 
relieved without vomiting or narcosis
but some require a continuance till
vomiting takes place. It is the deobst. operation
that effects the cure
Phlysis paronychia (whitlow) I have
seen decided benefit from it. Take a
strong infusion or decoction immerse the
part 1 or 2 hours in it as warm as can be borne
& repeat 2 or 3 times a day. The earlier it 



is used the better & the greater the prospect of
cure. AT more advanced stages it merely palliates,
but relieves the pain much. If opened
frequently no suppuration is found but the
incision is of service
Pneumonitis typhodes var. Notha I first
give a full dose of calomel, & opium suffic.
to allay the pain which is usually severe
I proportion the cal. to the opium & make
it remain in the al. can. 12-18 hours. I then?
apply a blister & enter immediately on the 
use of verat. vir. in full doses at intervals of
1 or 2 hours If it vomits it is not much matter
though I prefer that It shd not the vom.
does no hurt. I most usually give
f zi every hour for 12 hours & by that time it
usually occasions some nausea & retching
I then give the same dose every 2 hours
for 12 hours more & when the cal. operates
the disease melts away the vomiting help
the deobst. power. Always give enough opium
with it to meet the symptoms & allay
the pain s


Dysentery v.v. will of itself cure this 
disease Cal. & op. is usually given first & the
calomel retained 15-18 hours & followed up 
by varatrum only in non-malignant cases 
Sparganosis puerperarum Moderate cases
are easily overcome by it, conjoined with opium
In severe & violent cases & those following profuse
hemorrhage it would not answer. I 
have had no experience with it in this disease
Gout has been employed with much success.
It was first used for the “eau medicinale”
(vide v. alb.) I have never treated a
true case of gout but only those [illegible]
between gout & rheumatism & approaching
the former. In one case there were
chalky concretions inability to move etc.
& it had resisted a great variety of 
medicines. I gave wine of v.v. 3 parts wine
of opium 1 part dose zi every hour at the
commencement of a paroxysm till it produced
narcosis or vomiting It cured speedily
& perfectly & by a subsequent use
kept off the paroxysm 9 mo. The pat. 



then gave it up his health improved & 
the swelling decreased. Dr Big. says it is
used in gout very successfully in Boston
We shd increase the frequency of the dose
rather than the dose itself. If narcosis or
other symptoms appear decrease the dose
I have never succeeded unless the pat.
cd take more than 26 gtts
Acute atonic rheumatism equally if
not more successful
Rheumatalgia or that kind of rheum.
aff. [illegible] is usually unattended with 
any topical swelling ore redness usually 
occurring in young persons. Shd push it
so as to produce narcosis or vomiting.
No matter if the pat. does vomit once or 
twice, it will do him good & heighten the
deobst. effect
In genuine chronic rheumatism it is
recommended I have not succeeded 
well with it in this. What is often
called chronic is acute. The more acute 


the better I have succeeded. Dr Big.
says he has succeeded in obstinate cases
“he pushed it till vomiting
narcosis or relief was produced” Perhaps
I have not pushed it far enough
When verat. vir. is given in acute
rheumatism it allays morbid irritability
& irritation, morbid sensibility & sensation
it obviates pain & restlessness, even if it
fails of effecting a cure all this by its narcotic
power. The Europeans suppose 
that colch. & v. album cure by 
their evacuation, but v. viride never purges
& we give it short of the vomiting point
& yet a cure is accomplished
Dr Big. supposes the v. viride “cures by 
the strong impression that it makes”
But if he gives only 15-20 drops & no 
sensible operation follows we cannot suppose
any very strong impression to be produced.
v. viride like other deobst.
cures topical infl. by acting on the 


[illegible] & absorbents The absorbents must
remove the disease. This principle shd be
better understood. The reviewers have 
mentioned with a note of exclamation that
I have stated that sanguinaria will remove
infl. independent of vomiting!
Porphyra hemorrhagica or simplex & nautica
recc. in we shd not at first expect this
but it is a dis. of the [secern] [illegible] absorbents perhaps
exclusively. Kaln says it is externally & internally 
Indolent Ulcers especially those recurring
in strumous habits & probably originally 
connected with syphilis the ulcers 
deep concave, hemispherical dry or secreting 
an icherous matter. In cases where 
nit. silver, sulph. copper etc. had done
no good I have applied veratrum which
produced a secretion of “laudable pus” & 
the ulcer put out granulations & healed.
Of late I have used blood-root for this
purpose. There is not much difference
I apply the powder & over than an 



adhesive plaster. Any indolent
ulcer may be benefitted in this way
Sick Headache Given in sufficient season
it will prevent & carry off the paroxysm
but if given too late it will accelerate the
attack of the paroxysm given very much 
as in dyspepsia
Comatose affections the result of slight concussions.
Early in my practice I used it in 
these so freely as to produce vomiting
The coma came on a week after the accident
in these cases. Almost any thing
that makes a strong impression will cure
as an active cathartic. The veratrum is as 
effectual as any other article
Apoplexy certain forms occurring in 
young persons the face as crimson as in 
the sanguineous, but pale & livid (not exactly 
the serous apoplexy of Cullen) 
pulse weak extremities cold. Here I 
give stimulants and apply warmth to the 
extremities till they become warm 


[16] Deobst.
I then give the wine of v. v. in repeated doses
at short intervals so that it may produce 
vomiting If four doses do not vomit I then
give ipecac Then I use stimulants.
This form of apoplexy is most common with 
me No one who regards symptoms wd
think of V.S. I have seen two patients
die under the act of v.s. These cases
will recover only under the use of stimulants
& emetics & these are infallible unless the
constit. is broken down. The deobstruent
emetics are most proper & far preferable
It is contrary to the books to give emetics
in head affections. The brain is not so
much affected by deobstruents as the other
viscera. It is affected however to some extent
Carus Paralysis or peral. not connected
with organic derangement. I have seen
great effects from it in paraplegia
Cutaneous eruptions Bateman & Good
recc. the acrid deobst. especially v. album 
but v. viride is far preferable 



Psoriasis inveterata I have used it in the
early stages
Impetigo laminosa salt rheum If in an
irritable state, emollients shd be first applied
& this state overcome or your applications will do no good
Porrigo galeato for this however I prefer 
the red oxide of mercury
Ecpyresis scabies (Ich) I have used v. v. 
internally & externally in all the above
but not in itch.
But I lay little stress on internal remedies’
in porrigo galeaga In 
periosis inveterata the internal use shd be 
conjoined with the use of the decoct. or ointm.
externally. In impetigo laminosa I 
place more reliance on the external applic.
but think the internal administration of it useful 
It will not succeed perhaps in a majority of 
cases. The mercurials are perhaps better.
I do not use it internally in porrigo galeata
but the strong decoct. or ointment.
There are better remedies but I have succeeded
with this when other remedies had failed


In scabies I use a strong decoction & to make it keep
add ¼ of the sat. tinct. zviii will cure
Apply it by a sponge fixed to the cork of the
vial It shd be applied to the affected
part for a week. If not so speedy in 
its cure as some other applications it is far
more agreeable than sulphur & I think
very favorably of it. It is injured by simmering
in cerate the heat of the boiling water
is as much as it will bear I suspect the 
ointment wd be a better mode zii of the
impalpable powder of the root in zi sim. cer.
I prefer an ointment of mercury to any 
thing else, but it is too liable to be abused
for common use
Burns & scalds if neglected are apt to 
become vitiated ulcers, livid & threatening
gangrene. For these the ointm. or cloth
wat with the strong decoct. is an excellent application
If applied early, before the skin is 
removed, it has the power of preventing 


the vesication, but it is not the best article
for that purpose
The therapeutic application of verat.
viride is almost precisely like that o f
sanguinaria
Kaln says the Indians soaked
their corn in a strong decoct. of verat.
vir. to protect it from the birds, which if
they ate of it became giddy & fell down
& though it does not kill them the others were thus
deterred


Perhaps there may [come]
Andeira inernis which resembles
colchic. & v. sabadilla anthelmintic
like the latter








16 ½ Deobst.
Andeira inernis
Allied to colchicum & may be used
for the same purposes A large dose at
once produces nausea & vomiting.
Short of nausea & repeated with diuretic
regimen it is diuretic. In moderate
doses at short intervals it is narcotic
The test of any overdose is 
nausea & vomiting. That of too frequent
repetition is narcosis. That of 
too long continuance is catharsis
Properties acrid-narcotic. emetic
hyd. cathartic & deobstruent
being diuretic, resolvent probably 
cholagogue & expectorant
The proper remedies for an
overdose are opium to check the
evacuations & stimulants to support 
the powers of life. There is no proof
on record that lime juice will counteract
the effects of the acrid narcotics


This article is most used in the
W.I. & in the Spanish prov. as an anthelmintic.
The powder of the bark is
given as a nauseating emetic, narcotic
& cathartic beginning with small
doses & increasing till nausea is produced
& then continuing short of nausea
The medium doses for a strong
healthy adult is zfs This is large
if it is to be repeated. It is better to 
begin with smaller doses & let them 
remain some time in the al. can. to 
act on the worms. Dose for a 
pat. 14 or 15 grs = [illegible] of 10 grs – 15 grs
2-3 grs = 10 grs – 1 gr. = 5 grs Vary 
acc. to circumstances
Pharmaceutical Preparations
1st decoct. Rx zi recently dried bark
to lbji water boil till colour of madeira
wine strain & use immediately 
Dose for an adult, about zii


2nd Extract Rx lbj rec. dried bark
coarsely powdered to wat. lbviii boil
till half is evaporated strain & evaporate
toa proper consistence in a salt
water bath, stirring frequently that the
resin may not rise to the top Dose
for an adult 3 grs 14 or 15 yrs = 2 grs
10 yrs = 1 ½ grs 2-3 yrs = 1 gr – 1 yr = ½ gr
For ordinary purposes this is the best preparation
3d Syrup Rx Take of the decoction
as above made any quantity, & dissolve
in it while hot twice its weight of 
white sugar. If there be sugar
enough it will not ferment. Dose
for a strong adult zii & [illegible] for other 
ages
Diseases Helminthia, as caridis
lumbricoidis Use the decoction
It is a powerful anthelmintic




1st Sanguin
17 Deobst
Sanguinaria Canadensis ([Linnaeus])
Called mor appropriately by Salisbury S. [vernalis]
Previous to Linnaeus it was called S. minor & S.
major called by Plukenet papaver corniculus
chelidonium [illegible] ranunculus virg.
Blood root or wort (the same is root) the
[illegible] of hieracum venosum,. Puccoor
(Indian name) also Indian paint, Indian
turmeric Nat. order Papaveraceae
Polygonus [illegible] is called sanguinaria
in some of the continental medical works
the root is the part used it is bitter & 
extremely acrid it is said to lose [70] pr ct its
weight in drying. I have not found the loss
of weight so great. much depends on the season
in which it is gathered, which should be late
in autumn. Water added to the tinct.
causes a milky appearance
PRox. princ. sanguinaria discovered by 
A Hayes of Windsor Vt. macerate the rec
root in 3 times its weight of cold water acidulate
with about 1/80 its weight of strong sulphuric



acid after remaining 3 or 4 days
in a cool room, decant & filter repeat
the process with additional diluted acid to
the same parcel of root & put the filtered
fluids together. Add pure aqua amm. till
the water is slightly alkaline & the [sanguinarine]
is precipitated. Wash the precip.
with water slightly alkaline with ammon, as
long as it is coloured & afterwards with
pure rain water to remove the ammon
Redissolve with sulph. ac. decompose
the sulph. & wash to filter as before & 
you remove impurities. macerate in 
alcohol at the common temperature, shaking
frequently to take up the sanguinaria filter
& dissolve the remainder in more alcohol
& then as long as any is taken up put the filtered
fluid together in a retort over a common
furnace fire distil off ¾ of the bulk till
the sanguin. begins to precip. then dash in 4 times
its bulk of cold water 7 the whole will be
precipitated. This precip. washed & dried



will be pretty pure [sanguinarine]. For A.
Hayes original proc. vide sil.. chem. His
acid is a little stronger, but my process is
essentially the same. This is the best way to 
obtain most of the veg salifiable bases,
if they are insoluble in water. Sulph. ac.
supersedes all the veg. acids Sulph. quin.
may thus be procured
Sanguinarine thus obtained is at first
white but becomes brown or buff coloured
by keeping, from absorption of cab acid
as is said but if kept in sealed vial it
will undergo the same change. It has 
an acrid taste, turns turmeric brown & veg.
blues green hence an alkali If from
a precip. with tinct. galls which is a tartrate
or gallate or both of sanguinarine
Insoluble or sparingly soluble in water
Soluble in sulph ether, vinegar & alcohol
It forms coloured salts, red crimson or 
scarlet. their color is a diagnostic [none]
thus far resembling the exc. the salts of 



Strychnine & brucine. The hydrochlorate, 
sulphate, nitrate, phosph. acetate
& tartate are all used vide Silliman
The acetate is most soluble The tartrate
oxalate & hydrochl. are very soluble
The acetate is most acrid but the tartrate
is most active. Those that have the strongest
sensible qualities are most active
those that are most soluble are most speedy
in their activity
Silicate of potassa & tinct. iodine may 
perhaps be incompatible with it
It is probable that the sulphate formed by 
macerating the root, filtering & drying wd 
answer all ordinary purposes in medicine
I have tried it & it was deliquescent probably
from excess of acid
The colouring matter of the plant is the active
principle. IT a native salt with an 
unascertained acid one however which 
has great affinity with the malic & will
probably prove to be so this being the ac.


most commonly found in union with the
veg. alkalies
Potassa, soda magn. calcia ammon. & lithia
decompose the veg. salts, precipitated their loss
and render most of these bases weaker. Some
they only weaken, others they affect not at all
They weaken sanguinarine No acids weaken
it except the gallate. Hence avoid giving veg.
astring. with prep. of sanguin. The gallates
(exc. the bi gall. of veratrine) are generally 
comparatively inert
Tincture of sanguinaria, in appropriate
cases excites the secretions of the
chylopoietic viscera, liver etc. changes the 
condit. of the [secern.] & absorb. systems, resolves
atonic acute & sub. ac. infl. of the
thorac. & abdom. viseara & arthritis infl.
of muscles & joints increases the appetite
& digest. powers indirectly increases force
& frequency of pulse excites muco-purulent
secretions from bronch. mem. & the
catar. secretion & has even occasioned hem.


from the [uterus]
In larger doses it nauseates, obviates
irrit. heat & dryness of skin sometimes
occasions vomiting, burning at the stomach,
vertigo, impaired vision, reduction
of force & frequency of pulse, palpitation
& irrig. action of heart & arteries, great prostration
of strength, convulsions & stiffness
of the limbs Pushed farther if vomits & 
produces great anxiety & narcosis
It leaves the stom. & intest. in a good
condition not disturbed & irritable as after
colchicum & squills
Externally applied to eruptions it irritates,
promotes absorption & changes condition 
for the better
The decoction is a discutient in 
inflam. affections
The powder is an errhine
The tartrate of sanguinarine in
moderate doses at short intervals, allays
irritative secret. of bronch. frequency of pulse 



& cough in pneumonitis. In larger doses it
produces vertigo, cloud before the sight
dilated pupils, haggard counten. cold sw.
pulse slow & irreg. These symptoms appear
in ¼ hour & disappear in 3 hours
5 grs have produced this effect Some cannot
take ½ gr From grfs to griii is a
medium dose A. R. Terry took 20 grs
It did not vomit him
Sanguinaria sometimes prod. unpleasant
affections of head or stomach. or both destroying
the appet. & dim. the pulse. Sometimes
in such a case the tartrate will agree 
It is less emetic than the other preparation
The seeds are sd to be more narcotic
like those of datura (?) The leaves are sd to 
be active & worthy of investigation’
Hence this article is
1st deobstruent 2nd acrid narcotic
3d emetic 4th escharotic 5 errhine
As a deobstruent it is 1st cholagogue
2nd resolv. 3d expect. 4th emmena 5th anti-psoraic


6th discutient
It is neither stimulant, tonic, diaphoretic 
diuretic, sialagogue, nor cathartic
Its colog. oper. has been denied but 
it is perfectly evident & is uniform always
taking place when the violence of the disease
does not prevent it
The strong narcot. effects are produced in persons
of great susceptibility not idiosyncracy by in 30 or 40 
As a mere emetic it is inconvenient, uncertain
& ineffectual & shd be given only for
the shock & as a deobst. for the liver & lungs in certain diseases. It will not
abate entonic action, but in proper dis.
is more effectual than any other emetic 
As an escharotic is improves vitiated ulcers etc.
It is a powerful sternutatory.
Its continued used in full doses obviates
costiveness by increased flow of bile hence
it is indirectly eccoprotic. Small doses
do not cause a secretion of bile
As a deobstruent its resolvent powers
are the most important. For many years 


2nd Sanguinaria
18 Deobst.
relied on it in acute rheumatism
Its acrid narcotic effects are next in importance
Pharmaceutic preparations
1 powder of root 2d pill with [illegible] [roses]
dose 5 gr. to a pill, repeated
3d Infusion of bruised root zj to lbjs. dose
zfs to a gill as an emetic
4th Decoction same prop. infus. is better
boiling seems to injure such articles 
Dr Tally’s recipe of sanguin. for dyspepsia
modified by Dr Todd Rx coarsely powdered 
root of sanguin. ziii Ext. leont. taraxac.
zviii (thick enough to pill) Dried leaves
of eupat. perfol. zjv Ginger in powd. zii
cloves powd. zfs aq. pura lbvj
Boil all but the cloves to 3 pints then add
the cloves & 1 pt of molasses & simmer
20 minutes. This prep. is tonic
deobstruent & eccoprotic to preserve it
add ½ pt of spirit & keep in a close bottle
Found very useful in many cases. Vid p.
Diseases dyspepsia


Compound syrup of sanguinaria
Rx rad. sanguin. coarsely powdered
Rad. recent. contus. araliae racem. (spikeweed)
Pan. quinquif. (gineng) coarselypowd. aa zj
Semin. contus. anisi zii misce
Add alcohl. dilut. lbjs
Aquae ferventi lbj
Digest 6 hours in a closely covered vessel strain
through flannel & add sugar to form a
syrup. Very successful in consumpt. & cough vid. p. (cough)
These [forms] may be varied to suit cases
The following formula is much used as an emmenagogue
& is highly useful in dyspeptic cases
as a tonic deobst. & laxative 
Rx Pulv. rad. sang. zjs
Sulph. zinc & ext. aloes aa zi
muc. acac. ver. q.s ft. mas. in 120 pil. div.
Dose 1, 2, or more pill ;3 or 4 times a day falling
short of nausea & purging IT may act as an eccoprotic
Drs Beers & Hooker have used them. The
former thinks very favorably of them (1830)
The soft resin of pinus australis or strobus 


would perhaps be a better constituans than gum
arabic, as it dissolves more slowly & in this
way perhaps mor sanguin. might be borne without
producing nausea. Bals. copaib. might
also be used. Proto sulph. of iron is better
than sulph zinc. Vid. dis ([param??]) page
Officinal Preparations
Tinct. sang. Rx rad. san. cont. zii
Diluted alcohol ([illegible] spt.) lbj. If the
root is good this will saturate. Digest
10 days in a warm place & filter. Dose
as a resolvent cholag. emmen. or expect. is
30m, increased rapidly to zj or zii
Wine of sanguine Rx bruised root
zii off. alc zii wht. wine f zxiv. Dig.
10 days & filter. Dose, same as tinctures.
Properties the same. The alc. is added to 
make it keep but it will sometimes sour in 
hot weather notwithstanding
Vinegar of sang. Rx bruised root zii
off. alc. f zii purified vinegar f zxiv macerate
for a while in the vinegar, then express 



the fluid & add the alc. to make it keep
This is decidedly more active than the tinct.
as we have an acetate of sanguinarine
Purify the vinegar by filtering through animal
charcoal. This vineg. of sang. is
a valuable preparation when the stom. is weak
& irritable. To some it is more nauseous. To others
less so. Those who object to tinctures prefer the
vinegar. Dose, same as of the tincture
Tinct. of sanguin. & acorus calamus
Rx bruised root sang zii ac. calam. zj
diluted alcoh. lbj mac. express & strain
The calamus disguises the taste of the sanguinaria,
but it is perceived in 10 or 15 min.
This prep. is an effec. emmen especially 
useful when the stom. is weak & irrit. & is
less likely to do injury than the other preparations
The calamus is supposed to enhance
the emmenag effect A valuable preparation
when an aromatic united with an acrid narcotic
is wanted
Vide sage. Diseases paramus obstruct


For an acrid narcotic, deobstruent, eccoprotic
& laxative preparation
Rx bruised root sang zii aloes zii dil. alc. lbj 
An excellent emmen. when the bowels are 
torpid. If the aloes act too much add the
tinct sang. & calamus. Better without
the aloes if the bowels are not rapid vid. p.
Syrup of vinegar of sanguin.
Rx vineg sang. lbj white sugar lbj. Dissolve
by a gentle heat. Similar to the prep
of squills. Preferable to any other preparation
of sanguin if an acrid deobst & saccharine
demulc. are both indicated. It is 
one of the most elegant expectorant syrups.
Taken well by children. Shd be kept by
every practitioner
Expressed inspissated juice of root
This is more active than the tinct. or powd.
less so than the tartrate. Can be given in 
pill Deobstruent dose 2 to 3 grs. Will
undoubtedly supersede the other preparations
Bruise the recent root express & inspissate 



in the [illegible] The root yields about ½ its weight
of ext. An ext by decoct. is made by the
Shakers at N. Leb. Prof. T. has taken [48] pills
of 4 grs. each at a dose no more effect than
from bread pills
Ointment
Rx Root pulvd & sifted zii Simple cer. zviii
[Carefully] rub together & add 20m oil lemon
The ext.  might be used & less wd be required
This is good in scaly & pustular eruptions, impetigo
[illegible] vid. p. Diseases
The tartrate is the only salt prof.
T. has used. The others have nearly the same powers 
The tartr. in small doses is as liable to produce
vomiting as the root, but with less nausea. It 
does not oppress a weak stomach. In large
doses it is less likely to operate as an emetic & 
more as a narcotic. The last probably prevents
its em. oper. Worth nothing as a mere
emetic Med. deobst. dose is [1/4] to 3 gr. once in 
2 hours More than 3 grs is rarely tolerated 


By using the tartrate you get rid of the acrid
disagreeable taste. Not worth while to use the
liquid preparations. The advantages of this
form are as great as those of quinine over bark
As an external applic. for all conditioned
ulcers the powdered root is the best
They are rendered less irritable & healthy pus
is promoted
Prof. T. has succeeded better with the liquid
than the solid prep. of sanguinaria
Greater effect is produced. minute division
is of great consequence in all remedies He finds
by calculation that in acute rheum. sanguin.
in a solid form will fail in 2/3 of the cases 
while the liquid form will fail in only ¼. ‘So
too of jaundice. As an emetic the powder
is too soon thrown off & does not act on the secretion
The infusion & decoct. are to be given in the same
doses as the tinct wine & vinegar q.v.
In some cases 20 or 30m may nauseate & zi or
zii sit well. In such cases any thing that
makes a strong impression will sit well.



Dose of the compd tinctures same as of simple
Dose of compd decoction ½ gill gradually increased
to 1 gill 3 times a day Dose of
compd syrup 1 or 2 tables. f. increased to 3 
or 4 4 times a day An emetic dose of
the powder is 10 grs to zi of the dec. or inf.
zii to ziv every 10 min.
Opium is often a valuable adjuvant. It 
will prevent nausea when the deobstruent & acrid
narcotic effect is wanted, while the sanguinaria
promotes the soporific effect of the opium
They produce modified action on each other
& not the combined effect of the two. The tartrate 
is as much improved by opium as the other preparations.
Internally in severe acute diseases
of adults give 1 part opium & 3 of wine
or tinct sangjuin.
The unpleasant effects are nausea
vertigo coldness tremors etc. mentioned above
For these give stimulants, but opium is the
most useful.
The emetic powers of sanguin.



3d Sanguinaria
19 Deobst.
by age, the deobst. are more permanent
The strength of the root depends much on the soil
season when gathered etc. Collect it in the autumn
That which grows in low ground loses its powers
most by drying
Blood root was first used in Conn.
by J. [Hoadly] of Middlefield (par. of mid. town) who
employed it as early as 1755 as an emetic in croup. Dr J.
Potter of Wallingford disseminated the information
in regard to its powers, ad at that time
he had the greatest [illegible] of country practice
in this state
Therapeutic Applications
Dyspepsia with torpor, vitiated or deficient
secretions & not much exhaustion. The following
is equal to the formula already given on p.
& is more convenient. Rx Take an infusion
of some bitter tonic agreeably aromatized & 
dissolve in it q.s. of ext. of dandelion & at
the same time that he takes a dose of this but the
pat take the requisite dose of tinct. sanguin.
Marasmus some cases in children 


Jaundice moderate caes may be cured
by it as an emetic in others continue its use
good in all forms as an auxiliary. In a severe
case begin with a single full dose of calomel
& retain it 12 or 15 hours, then give full doses
short of nausea, of the tinct. sanguin. Conium
is well combined. I prefer corr. subl. in 
this disease. Take the follow. Rx corr. sub gri
ext conium 40 60 grs tinct. sang. f zi
water f ziii First dissolve the sub. in the water
Dose f ziv once ion 6 hours. Vary this formula
acc. to circumstances
Parabysma coactum conjoin conium 
Simple idiopath. conch before or after effect
has begun combine with a narcotic as conium
Dyspneal cough I have cured it perfectly 
It may return. Sometimes the tartrate has
succeeded when the other prep. have field
the pat. not being able to take enough of them
Bex convulsiva either as an emetic or as 
an acrid narc.-deobst. As an emetic it is
far better than antim. or squills


Dyspnoea exacerbans lobelia infl. with conium is
better I have arrested a part with sang. & 
op. a tables. f. may be needed
Asthma humidum a rare disease shd think
sang. wd be good wd give some tonic in the [illegible]
Atonic forms of quinsy used sometimes
by an emetic in the more modern erythem.
infl. of fauces as a gargle.
Croup of high value, chiefly as a debost.
may be used as an emetic it may be mede
to cure without vomiting The fever of croup
is synochus. Tart. emet. is a bad article
in this disease; sure to create a fever. Turpenth
min. is the best emetic
When first called I give 1-2 tables s. f. of
tinct sanguin. If this does not vomit in
the course of 10 or 15 minutes I give a 
dose of turpenth min. Push the vomiting
till the coagulable lymph is evacuated
then follow up with deobst. Give calomel
freely better that it shd not purge hence
if necessary give opium to prevent it


I have given a dram of cal. in 24 hours to 
a child 4 yrs old in this way. I know of no 
article besides calom. so important as sang.
in croup. But I do not trust to it alone
Epidemic catarrh (influenza)
Pneumonitis difft forms particularly p. notha
1st give a single full dose of cal. with opium 
then follow freely with sang. in doses of
1-3 teas. f. shd not suffer it to vomit more
than once or twice as much as this will do
no harm Not good in very low cases.
Pneumonitis subacuta
Phthisis membranosa in early stages 
Phthisis dyspeptica if not too much exhaustion
Phthisis [tuberculoris], good in early stages
good with opium in advanced stages the
greater the exhaustion the less chance of benefit
Ophthalmitis of the conjunctive I have
known a severe case of this cured in 36 hours 
by a large dose at first, & following up
with it freely Others have sent me similar
facts Also chronic cases. Though once 


I shd not have believed it, I now think ophthalmia
may be better cured by deobstruents
than by any other class of remedy
Atonic acute & subacute rheumatism. [Actea]
has now [surpassed] sanguin. with me. I gave
it as I now do actea for some years q.v.
Chronic Rheum. without much swelling & pain
I have not succeeded so well with 
Gout severe fits of it have been arrested by 
sang. given freely with opium
Dysentery give opium freely for the
pain & follow with blood root Cures like
cal. as a deobst. Do not rely on it in 
low cases
Hysteritis membranifica. Dr Woodward
of Vt has cured several cases with sanguin
gave opium freely in the paroxysms of pain
& also conjoined it with the sanguin.
Impetigo laminosa. Dr Thatcher of
Mass. has cured many cases partic. that
with scaly eruptions.
Bites & stings not much to be relied S



or in bad cases. From the earliest practice
nothing has been found better than diffusible
stimulants. This is well understood in 
India & S. Am. enough shd be given
Leucorrhea
Blenorrhea [cenodes] simplex & chronica
Paramenia obstructionis idiopathic
In this it is very valuable with suitable
auxiliaries vide the preced. formulae p.
Indolent & irritable ulcers Apply 
the powder and over that an adhesive
plaister Any indolent or irritable
ulcer may be benefitted thus.s






20 Deobst.
Styllingia sylvatica Gordon & Linn
Queen’s delight yaw weed pox root
[cock] up nut Nat. ord. Euphorbiae juss.
Root perenn. top ann. hab. pine barrens & 
sandy soils There are 3 spec. known
S. ligustrium, shrub Car. & Geo. S sebifera
native of China but naturalized on the sea shore
of the southern states, the seeds of which are encrusted
with wax, resembling that of myrica
cerifera except in colour, & used in China
for making candles S. sylv.
The root is the only part used
in medicine. It is impaired by drying 
& age, but not always in an equal degree
It has kept for 2 years & sometimes is  impaired
in 3 or 4 months
In doses short of the nauseating
point & repeated it produces more or less purging
& vomiting & is hydragogue
In sufficient quantities it will
produce vomiting. In small doses it
is eccoprotic & laxative acc. to the dose 


It increases the biliary secretion when
the liver is in a torpid state, relieves
dysthetic & cachectic diseases & [causes] cutaneous 
eruptions. It is resolvent in aton.
ac. & subac. rheum.
Primary Operations
Deobstruent acrid narcotic in a slight
degree cathartic & emetic
If given freely so as to purge
it is generally or always hydragogue & I
believe cholagogue. Unless excessive
emesis or catharsis is produced it leaves
the stomach & bowels in an improved 
state
It is sialagogue from local action
on the mouth
I do not know whether it is emmen.
duretic or diaphoretic
Diseases
Dyspepsia in cases not attended with 
atony or exhaustion of vit. energ. of stom.
but with torpor of the liver & al. canal


quite celebrated at the south & called queen’s
delight
Rheumatism sub-ac. & chronic. With proper
management & auxiliaries it will surely 
relieve acute rheumatism, but the liquid
preparations shd be used as they act more 
speedily
Struma used at the south
Lues syph & syphilosis especially adapted
to the 2d stage when merc. ceases to be useful
It is chiefly used there for this & dyspepsia
It is useful in dyspepsia from its
aromatic acrimony & from its deobst. & 
laxative & eccoprotic powers Case of
a clergyman chewed a piece of the’
root as large as a ½ cent 3 times a day
produced a little nausea at first & 
cured by persevering Might begin with 
smaller doses & increase daily
This article is probably contraindicated
in phlog. diath.
Forms of preparation tincture much 


used at the south Rx not ziv opium 
zi dil. alc. lbj digest 10 days & filter
Dose zfs 3 times a day Observe that each
dose contains 1 1/8 grs of opium
I have used the decoction or infusion. It is
probable that water is a proper menstruum
The tincture keeps better 4 or 5 years
Styllingia sylvatica has
not been properly investigated


Polygala Senaga
Hiatus 
The root is the only part used 
in medicine It is thick, irregular & contorted,
varying in size from a goose quill
to a mans finger. The cortical part only 
has power. When dry it is destitute of
smell, has but little taste at first, but 
soon begins to exhibit its acrimony, particularly
in the back part of the mouth & the
fauces
It is not injured by boiling & shd be
long boiled to obtain its greatest power
A principle, supposed to be its active 
one has been obtained by a person named
Gelen & called polygagina the accuracy 
of this analysis I do not know
There is much [contrariety] of opinion 
as to its med. powers
S. Berton calls it emetic stimulant,
diaph. cath. diuret. sialag. etc.
Big. says it is sudorif. expect.
emetic & cath. & stimulant
W.P. C. Berton & Ed. & Vav. say 


decidedly that it is stimulant. But this
stimulation is nothing but irritation
Notwithstanding all the testimony
I have never been able to obtain any 
direct diaph. operation from this article
You may produce diaphoresis by drinking
large quantities with heat etc. applied so 
you may with alcohol under the same circumstances
If you depend on it as a diaphoretic 
you will be disappointed
I have never seen any salivation
from it except by topical application
like any other irritant
It is expectorant under certain
circumstances of the system but is ill adapted
to phlogistic & low atonic diathesis
It is an efficient emmenagogue
in certain states of the system but only 
in cases of idiopathic amenorrhea
It is unquestionably an efficient
diuretic most so if given in such doses as
to purge in 2 or 3 days the diuretic effect
does not take place during the operation of 



purging, but just preceding it. It is only in 
such doses that it is an efficient diuretic
It is purgative if given in doses
short of emesis it is a hydragogue. The
substance is more likely to purge than
the infusion says Dr Ives
It is emetic. But it can never
be used as a mere emetic or cathartic. It
may be pushed to cath. or vom. for the sake
of some other operation
It is extremely liable to produce
abortion when used freely by gravid women
Primary Operations
1st mainly deobstruent 2d hydr. cathart.
3d emetic
Secondarily it is 1st resolvent 2d cholag.
3d expectorant 4th emmenag. 5th diuretic
If sialagogue it is only so occasionally.
I do not know that it is 
antipsoraic It is not diaphoretic
It is not stimulant & yet it is
contraindicated in phlog. diath 1st because



it does no good 2d it irritates & irritation
is as bad in phlog. diseases as stimulation
for aught I know, if this effect is prominent
ON the other hand it is contraindicated in low
atonic diseases, because it will if long
used produce a bad tone of the stom. & 
intest. canal
Of late years I have used it only in 
dropsy
Pharmac. Prep.
1 powder or pill 20 grs will purge
2. an infusion is mentioned but this extracts
its powers very imperfectly
3. decoction zi dried root to 1 pt. water
boiled away to ½ pt This is the rule of Dr
Archer who introduced the article into 
the medical use & I think it is the best. A
little madeira wine will remove its
unpleasant taste & irritation
4. wine z4 coarse powdd root to lbj of wine
dose 2-3 tablesp. In some cases probably 
better than the decoction



21 Deobst
5. Tincture I do not know a formula
rheum. is the only dis. I know of in which tinct.
wd be preferable
6. Syrup ziv root wat. 1 pt. sug. 1 lb
The compd syrup is used but
it has done great injury. It is in the U.S. Ph. of
1820. I have known many dyspeptic cases 
produced by it. It is called compd sys.
of squills. It used to be kept in families
in Conn. but is now exploded except in 
N. Haven. It was used in simple cough. I 
can conceive of no worse prescription for a
cough than this
Extract I think this wd be one of the
best forms. It shd be made in the mode
commonly practised when heat does not
injure. Rx To every lb of root add 8 lbs
of water. This is to be boiled to ½ & strained
through a coarse cloth. It is then to be
reduced to a proper consistence for pilling
in a water bath, to prevent its burning 


Diseases
Asthma so called i.e. dyspn. [illegible]
Ophthlamia conjunctive It is used in Eur.
in pill for acute cases of ophth. pill a bad form
Epidemic catarrh or influenza treated
successfully by drenching the pat. with it
It may be better treated by cal. op. camph. etc.
Sub acute pneumonitis is probably what
Ed. & Vav. mean by 
Paristhmitis typhodes not good in atonic
when the infl. is phlegmonoid & the fever synochus
it may be successful
[Bronchle??mitis] membranifica croup
B. S. Barton says it is very important & reposes
more confidence init than in any other article
says he uses a strong decoction (vide 
Dr Archer’s formula) shd use it till it vomits
& throws off the coag. lymph. He sometimes
uses calomel with it & sometimes ipecac
Dr T says this is undoubtedly all true as
regards the beneficial effects calomel
shd be conjoined with it. But Dr T does 


not use it now because it leaves the stom.
& bowels in a bad condition leaves a tendency
to diarrhea& destroy the  appetite
The earlier the stage of croup, the better will
be the operation of senega, before the membrane
is formed. When this is formed the
case is an unhopeful one, not on account
of the membrane, but because the infl is
so far advanced as to reach the bronchial
ramifications. Avoid bleeding by all
means if you use polygala senega for it
will prove sufficiently evacuating reducing? without
V.S. It is in the earlier stages it shd
be used & given freely in large doses.
Dr Archer gave a tea s. f. every half
hour & repeated it till it operated as
an emetic or cath. Dr Tully says
this is not a sufficient quantity
Pneumonitis typhodes v. notha P. typh.
v. sub acute & P. typh. v. arthritica are
the three varieties in which P. senega is used
It should be used in the advanced stages 


The discrepancy of opinion in respect to the beneficial
operation of this article arises from the theory
that infl. is an unit, & from want of discrimination
in different forms of diseases. It 
answers only with the not very high entonic
nor low atonic cases of pneumonitides. Bleeding
is not indicated when P. senega is. It shd be
given in the early stages & in irritative cases
only. It is applicable to the 3 forms of pneumonitis
just mentioned & will cure, but I have
pretty much abandoned the use of it in these
diseases, on the same account as in croup
blood-root & actea are better
Casteritis membranifica same objections 
Arthritis rheumatismus acute & subacute
forms that which is accompanied with redness,
pain swelling & febrile action the
more acute the better shd be given so as
to vomit & purge but other articles are better
A. rheumatalgia that form not attended
with febrile action redness or swelling
not emetic in this the tincture is best
& if large doses are wanted, add the decoction


Syphilis if not advanced so far as to effect
the constitution I do no know whether it has been
used
Rabies do not think much of it in this
Carus lethargus
Paramenia suppressionis idiopathic
decoction beginning about two weeks previous
to the usual appearance of the menses. It
is undoubtedly an emmenagogue but not a 
desirable one, there are better articles.
Many cases of amenorrhea in which this article
has been used have undoubtedly been symptomatic,
but in such cases it is bad practice 
to bring on the catamenial secretion
Hydrops thoracis abdom. & cellularis
In dropsy we have no good substitute
for this article though many article are as
good yet we require an interchange
It shd be given in decoct & in conjunction
with squill or [copaiv] in doses short of
nausea & in such quantities during
the 24 hours that not violent purging will 


take place during that time better keep
off the purging 2-3 days & then an efficient
diuretic effect will take place Some patients
require twice as large doses as others 
Bit of the rattlesnake It is undoubtedly
sometimes efficient, by drenching the pat.
with it you may cure slight cases Dr
McBride says you may cure slight cases 


Ornithogalum Squilla
O. maritimum scilla maritimum Linn. S. vulgaris
Nat. ord. [coronaride] Linn. aspholdeli juss.
hab. shores of Medit. Spain & Sicily
Scilla is Greek Squilla is Latin
P. senega & squilla are more nearly
allied to each other than to any other article
Squill is one of the few medicines used by 
the Greeks & now retained
The bulk is the part employed
& in its native countries grows to the
size of a man’s head. It shd be collected
in the autumn, after the decay of the top
It is dried in slices and diminishes about 
4/5 in the process. It shd be quickly dried
& excluded from the light & air.
In its recent state it is acrid &
intensely bitter, but destitute nearly of
smell. Said to be composed of scillatine
tannin, a small quantity a little
gum saccharine matter lignine etc.
Scillatine is supposed to be its active princ. 


it is white & friable But I am somewhat
doubtful whether it contains such a principle
Operative effects
Called by Good & others, stimulant
It is irritant
It is deobstruent expectorant
emetic, resolvent do not know exactly that it
is cholagogue, but believe it is know not
positively that it is antipsoraic, but think i
probable that it is do not know positively 
that it is emmenagogue think it probably is
I think it not directly diaphoretic, though 
I have turned my attention to that point
It is a cathartic but ineligible as such
It is said to be narcotic, I do not believe
it possesses a particle of this power
It is well known to be expectorant
Good says it does not prove
so till it begins to vomit but this is denied
by some. It however produces its greatest
expectorant effect if pushed to its greatest



22 Deobst
possible extent without producing nausea. This
is Good’s meaning. Entonic action must be
reduced & atonic raised
It is emetic but uncertain
The recent root is epispastic but there is no
evidence that the dried root is so
Squill is agreed on all hands
to b e a powerful & in many cases a valuable
medicine, but it is subject to the same objections
as senega, leaving the stom. & bow.
in a bad condition. There are but few 
cases in which some other article is not better
It shd be given conjoined with some other 
article & to get its best effects you shd
give it in doses just short of nausea push
it till this is produced, then fall short & 
continue it. If pushed sufficiently far
to produce its deobst.  effect it is extremely 
liable to purge too much. As a general’
rule those deobstruents are best
which do not purge or vomit.


Primary Operations
1. deobst. 2. emetic rarely used as such
3. hyd. cath. not often used as such
4. epispastic recent root
Secondarily it is
resolvent, expectorant diuretic 
probably cholag. & emmenag. not diaphoretic
not narcotic not known to be antipsoraic
Pharmac. Preparations
1. Substance, in powder or pill E & Vav. say
the dose is 10 grs This is too much from ½ gr
to 2 grs is suffic. as a medium dose in powder
This should be an extemporaneous prescription 
as if kept in pills it soon loses its power
2. Wine 3. Tincture 4 oz to pt. better
made of diluted alcohol
4th Acetum sq. 4 oz. off. alc. f zii acet. f zxiv
5th Syrup vineg of sq zii 3bls clarified
honey or 3 ½ lb of sugar
Therap. Applic.
Icterus vulgaris not the most eligible not
when there is irritability of stomach 



Bex convulsiva useful by its deobst. operation
other articles are better
Dyspn. exac. asthma [siocum] & A. humidum
paroxysms are said to be arrested by it
I usually give a full dose of the syrup of 
squills ½ to 1 teas. f. (1. tea s.f. wd be large)
conjoined with a full dose of opium & repeated
the squills once in 10 min. in smaller
doses, till it relieves, vomits, or runs off by 
the bowels but there are much better
articles the lobelia infl. is far preferable
Pneumonitis when the entonic diathesis is
reduced it may be used in a case atonic
from the outset (P. typhodes ver. notha) it
may be used at the outset so too in P. 
typhodes var. sub-putrida
Tubercular affections say E. & Vav.
probably meaning tuberc. phthisis may 
possibly do in the early stages
Hydrops cellularis thoracis & abdominis
are the diseases in which squill 
is most valuable. It must be managed 



as P. senega give as large quantities as
possible without nausea It shd be given conjoined
with something else may be combined
with senna calomel, digitalis, cantharides etc.
the combination being varied acc. to 
circumstances & the habits of the patients
the general rule is the same as for P.
senega calomel frequently enhances 
the operation of these articles.


Dirca Palustris Linn.
Moose wood leather wood Nat. ord. [Thymellum]
Belongs to the same group of deobstruants? as daphne mezereon
The bark & seeds are used
The acrid principle is most effectually extracted
by boiling in alcohol in a Florence
flask (over a lamp) loosely stopped & not
continued very long (or you will lose the alc.)
& filtering. If this is evaporated it will give
an extract equal in weight to 1/24 of the bark
in substance. This alcoholic extract is
the best preparation & the bark in 
substance next.
The other preparations are
medicinally inert they however extract the
bitter principle & are tonic
Of the recent bark 6 or 8 grs
produce heat int eh stomach & after
some time vomiting. 10 grs are powerfully 
emetic & sometimes cathartic
The fresh root bark? moistened in
vinegar will vesicate in 36 hours & 



prove a rubefacient in 24 hours
The fruit is an acrid narcotic
producing nausea vertigo, stupor, dilated
pupils & insusceptibility
This article is emetic, cathartic,
epispastic & the fruit at least is narcotic
but it is not proper for either effect merely 
It is more useful as a deobstruent & 
when this effect is contraindicated, dirca is
of little use
It has been employed in numerous
diseases
Dyspepsia supposed to act by its tonic
power probably it acts by its tonic & acrid
excitant power better adapted to cases of torpor etc.
Coprostasis with torpor
Diarrhoea certain kinds
Parab. coact. of liver & spleen a substitute
for daphne & sarsaparilla highly spoken of
Simple & [illegible] cough considerable reputation
cases accompanied with relaxation of
bronchial membrane & irritation of excessive 


secretions of mucus Drs Woodd & Hale speak highly of it
Spasmodic cough dyspneal & in sequel
of hooping cough
Dyspnoea chronica palliative nothing
will cure except galvanism
Asthma humidum good
Pneumonitis connected with erythematic inflammation 
& peripneumonia notha. Especially 
adapted to arthritis phlogotica
Membranous phthisis Dr Woodd of Vt. has
long used it. He takes zii of the recently
dried bark boiling water lbjfs let it stand
at a scalding heat in a close vessel 1 or 2
hours till it has dried away to lbj this
prep. will be but little acrid, in considerably 
bitter & somewhat mucilaginous
he gives 1 pt in 24 hours, in very frequent
moderate doses, that it may not
distend the stomach & may keep up a 
continued action. He considers it a deobst.
checking the profuse secretions changing & improving
their quality & obviating laxity
Struma to be continued sometime Palsy chlorosis
leucorrhea dropsy as an auxiliary acrid & not as
a diuretic Cutaneous eruptions particularly scaly 


Leontice Thalectroides Linn
Blue cohost pappoose root blake snake root
& hence mistaken for Actea racemosa
Nat. ord. Barberideae jussieu
The root is the only part supposed to be medicine.
If chewed an acrimony is perceived which continues 
some time
Operative effects
In moderate 
quantities with diuretic regimen it proves diuretic
It is emetic nauseating & vomiting actively if freely 
given I have never seen catharsis or narcosis
from it. I suspect it is narcotic
Its primary operation is probably 
deobstruent being adapted to cases of
pneumon. typhodes with little exhaustion
It is used in decoction zii coarse powd root to 
lbjs water boil lbj & strain
The tincture is also used. Rx ziv rec. dried root
off. alc. lbj dose zi
Some recc. the powder of the root in teas. f. doses
Diseases colica ileus [paristhnati] atonic
I suppose croup 2d stages given like
senega Celebrated in rheumatism in tinct. what
form is not mentioned aphtha 
decoction Hysteria strong infusion
Epilepsy contind use in the intervals
Param. obstr. (I presume idiop.) celebrated
Leucroohea highly recc.
Blenorrhea cerodes much celebrated
Dropsy recc. This article requires further
investigation. Its powers are not yet settled