Enquire Within Upon Everything Part 79

761. Expectorants.

Expectorants are medicines given to promote the secretion from the windpipe, &c. They consist of antimony, ipecacuanha, squills, ammoniac.u.m, and tolu.

762. Ammoniac.u.m

Ammoniac.u.m is an expectorant, antispasmodic, diuretic, and deobstruent.

It is _used externally_ as a discutient, and is given _internally_, with great benefit in asthma, hysteria, and chronic catarrh.

_Dose_, from ten to twenty grains.

763. Tolu

Tolu is an excellent expectorant, when there are no inflammatory symptoms.

It is given _internally_ in asthma and chronic catarrh.

_Dose_, of the _balsam_, from five to thirty grains, combined with mucilage and suspended in water; of the _tincture_, from a half to one drachm; of the _syrup_, from a half to four drachms.

764. Sialogogues.

These are given to increase the flow of saliva or spittle. They consist of ginger and calomel, pellitory of Spain, tobacco, the acids, and some others.

765. Ginger

Ginger ia a sialogogue, carminative, and stimulant.

It is _used internally_ in flatulent colic, dyspepsia, and to prevent the griping of medicines. When chewed, it acts as a sialogogue, and is therefore useful in relaxed uvula.

_Dose_, from ten to twenty grains of the _powder_; of the _tincture_, from ten minims to one drachm.

[TO-DAY, HIS BEAUTEOUS VISAGE WE EXTOL.]

766. Epispastics and Rubefacients.

These are remedies which are applied to blister and cause redness of the surface. They consist of cantharides, ammonia, Burgundy pitch, and mustard.

767. Cantharides, or Spanish flies

Cantharides, or Spanish flies, when used internally, are diuretic and stimulant; and epispastic and rubefacient when applied externally.

_Mode of application._--A portion of the blistering plaster is spread with the thumb upon brown paper, linen, or leather, to the size required; its surface then _slightly_ moistened with olive oil and sprinkled with camphor, and the plaster applied by a _light_ bandage: or it is spread on adhesive plaster, and attached to the skin by the adhesive margin of the plaster.

_Caution._--If a blister is to be applied to the head, shave it at least ten hours before it is put on; it is better to place a thin piece of gauze, wetted with vinegar, between the skin and the blister.

If a distressing feeling be experienced about the bladder, give warm and copious draughts of linseed tea, milk, or decoction of quince seeds, and apply warm fomentations of milk and water to the blistered surface. The _period required_ for a _blister_ to remain on varies from eight to ten hours for adults, and from twenty minutes to two hours for children: as soon as it is removed, if the blister is not raised, apply a "spongio-piline" poultice, and it will then rise properly. When it is required to act as a rubefacient, the blister should remain on from one to three hours for adults, and from fifteen to forty minutes for children.

_To dress a blister._--Cut the bag of cuticle containing the scrum at the lowest part, by snipping it with the scissors, so as to form an opening like this--V; and then apply a piece of calico, spread with spermaceti or some other dressing. Such is the ordinary method; but a much better and more expeditious plan, and one that prevents all pain and inconvenience in the healing, is, after cutting the blister as directed above, to immediately cover it with a warm bread and water poultice for about an hour and a half, and on the removal of the poultice to dust the raw surface with violet powder; apply a handkerchief to retain the powder, and lastly dust the part every two hours. It will be healed in twelve hours.

_Caution._--Never attempt to take cantharides internally, except under the advice of a medical man, as it is a poison, and requires extreme caution in its use.

768. Burgundy Pitch

Burgundy Pitch is warmed and spread upon linen or leather, and applied over the chest in cases of catarrh, difficult breathing, and hooping cough; over the loins in debility or lumbago; and over any part that it is desirable to excite a mild degree of inflammation in.

769. Chemical Remedies.

These comprise refrigerants, antacids, antalkalies, and escharotics.

770. Refrigerants.

These are medicines given for the purpose of suppressing an unnatural heat of the body. They are Seville oranges, lemons, tamarinds, nitre, and cream of tartar.

771. Seville Oranges

Seville Oranges and sweet oranges are formed into a refrigerant beverage, which is extremely grateful in febrile diseases.

The _rind_ is an agreeable mild tonic, carminative, and stomachic.

_Dose_, of the _tincture_, from one to four drachms; of the _infusion_, from one to two ounces.

[TO-MORROW, LOATHSOME IN THE SIGHT OF ALL.]

772. Lemons

Lemons are used to form a refrigerant beverage, which is given to quench thirst in febrile and inflammatory diseases,

Lemon _juice_ given with carbonate of potash (half an ounce of the juice to twenty grains of the salt), and taken while effervescing, allays vomiting; a tablespoonful, taken occasionally, allays hysterical palpitations of the heart, it is useful in scurvy caused by eating too much salt food, but requires to be taken with sugar.

The _rind_ forms a nice mild tonic and stomachic in certain forms of dyspepsia.

_Dose_ of the _infusion_ (made the same as orange peel), from one to two ounces.

773. Antacids.