\NBA BK.y*y, -;;*,. v,.■/■.%"- B>..„. «t«*o FAMILY PHYSICIAN: DESIGNED TO ASSIST Heads of Families, Travellers and Sea-Faring People IN DISCERNING, DISTINGUISHING AND CURING diseases: WITH DIRECTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION AND USE OF A NUMEROUS COLLECTION OF THE BEST AMERICAN REMEDIES, TOGETHER WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF VALUABLE RECEIPTS FOR MAKING PLASTERS, OINTMENTS, OILS, POULTICES, DECOCTIONS, SYRUPS, OR WATERS MADE OF HERBS, THE TIME OF GATHER- ING ALL HERBS, THE WAY OF DRYING AND KEEPING THE HERBS ALL THE YEAR, ALSO THE WAY OF MAKING AND KEEPING ALL KINDS OF USE- FUL COMPOUNDS MADE OF HERBS. BY JOHN FRISBEE. l"8 4 7 : f PUBLISHED BY JOHN FRISBEE. Hewes & Watson's Print.—60 Congress St. BOSTON. V \N&ft r~VU Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, by JOHN FRISBEE, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts. PEEFACE. Every mortal is liable to be thrown into suffering by accident, or by disease, and»no situation in life exempts any one from the com- mon lot. Physicians cannot be present in every place, nor can they alone do everything which should be done for those to whom they are called. The sick must depend much on nurses and attendants ; and almost every individual thing which is done for the sick, is influenced by the notions or prejudices of the attendants. How important, then, that the means of information relating to the healing art be extended to every one who may suffer, or who can watch. There are cases, also, where medical aid cannot be obtained ; and shall the sufferer lie without relief ? In the following work I have attempted, in the plainest language, to inform the reader 4 PREFACE. what he should do, when he is a witness to pain and sickness, and no one present better informed than himself. I have endeavored to describe what every man may do, (and they may do much in many cases,) until effectual assistance may be afford- ed, where people are now idle, and frequently life may be staid till a physician arrives. * What is said of American Remedies, I think maybe relied upon. The collection is sufficient- ly numerous to answer every purpose of medi- cine in common hands ; they should always be preferred, where they can be obtained. FAMILY PHYSICIAN. DISEASES. The knowledge of diseases does not depend so much on scientific principles as many imagine. It is chiefly the result of experience and observation. By attending the sick, and carefully observing the vari- ous occurrences in diseases, a great degree of accu- racy may be acquired, both in distinguishing their symptoms, and in the application of medicines; hence sensible nurses and other persons who wait upon the sick, often discover a disease sooner than those who have been bred to physic. We do not, however, mean to insinuate that a medical education is of no use ; it is doubtless of the greatest importance, but it can never supply the place of observation and expe- rience. Every disease may be considered an assemblage of symptoms, and must be distinguished by those which are most obvious and permanent. By a due attention to these, the investigation of diseases will be found to be less difficult than is generally imagined. In the cure of diseases much may be done by diet alone; many patients think the more drugs they swallow the better they should do ; this makes peo- ple trust to drugs and neglect their own endeavors; besides it discourages all attempts to relieve the sick when medicines cannot be obtained. Every disease weakens the digestive powers, therefore the diet should be light and easy of digestion. Exercise, in many cases, may be considered as medicine; sailing, or riding on horseback, will be of more service than medicines in consumptions and nervous affections. 1* O FAMILY PHYSICIAN. TO TREAT A FEVER OF ANY KIND. Fevers are caused by colds, which generally pro- duce a pain in the head, with sickness at the stomach,, and frequented with cold chills over the body; as the fever increases the pain increases. Reason teaches us that cold must be subdued by heat; therefore the first thing to be done is to soak the feet in warm water, add half pint of salt to the water, so as to make a pickle—at the same time, give peppermint, or mayweed, or pennyroyal; if you wish you can add a little cayenne. The teas must be given freely until the patient is caused to sweat freely !n the temples; as the water cools add more hot water; as the sweat begins to flow in the temples, take a puke of ipecac, or lobelia—this must be done •while the feet are in the water. In all cases be sure •and puke the patient, until the patient bring up the bile or bitter from the stomach, so as to taste the bit- ter in the mouth ; when this is done, wash out the feet with cold vinegar or rum, give a glass of worm- wood tea to .correct the bile, then put the patient in bed, give a portion of senna and manna, if you have not the manna give the senna alone. You will then keep the patient in a gentle sweat until the pain is all removed from every part of the body, and the legs become warm, and the redness disappears in the face. To keep the sweat flowing you must place a hot stone at the feet, wrapt in a cloth, damped with vinegar or water, then give a tea made of mayweed, peppermint, or pennyroyal, which may be given freely until the patient is caused to sweat, which must be continued as directed above. Great care must be taken to keep the inward heat the highest; if a true balance of heat is kept, the patient will lay •and sweat with the greatest ease. If the patient is restless and does not sweat, more hot tea must be given to bring a true balance; but if restless, and sweats at the same time, some of the clothes must be taken off, so that the patient may rest easy; at the same time while sweating, give gruels of any kind that the appetite of the patient craves. After the FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 7 fever is all gone, the patient must be washed all over with vinegar or rum and wiped dry, then dressed in clean and dry (woollen) clothes, after which great care must be taken to prevent taking cold. Then make a tea qf wormwood and peach-leaves—take one third the quantity of peach-leaves there is of the wormwood—it must be taken morning, noon and night to help the appetite, strengthen the stomach and bowels, help the digestion, and put the body in health. The above is what I term a course of medicine. If it is found necessary, you will give an injection of - a stimulating kind, so as to keep up the perspiration - the composition tea will be of great use in keeping up the perspiration, and will assist in cleansing the stomach. [See Injections and Restoratives and Syr- ups, Thorough wort and Wormwood.] ERYSIPELAS. Character.—The swelling diffused, of a bright scar- let color tinged with yellow, not very prominent. Erysipelas is prone to spread rapidly to a great ex- tent ; the swelling is neither so hard, so elevated, nor so prominent as that of common inflammation; when pressed with the finger the color leaves the skin, but soon returns ; the pain is of a burning, itching kind. Sometimes this disease in its course changes its seat entirely, leaving one part for another—frequently little blisters arise, called St. Anthony's Fire, not dangerous if other symptoms are mild. Favorable symptoms.—Absence of fever, or if pres- ent, assuming the inflammatory form, bright red color, strength little diminished. [See American Remedies.] Treatment.—Take one pint of French brandy, five oz. of common table salt, put it in a bottle, and let it stand fifteen or twenty hours; let the patient take two table-spoonfuls three times a day, in a tea-cup of lukewarm water; he may sweeten it to make it palatable, if he chooses. Rub the parts affected with the liquid, four or five times a day, on and 8 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. above and below the affected part. The medicine is harmless and a sure cure. [Gardner.] CURE FOR ST. ANTHONY'S FIRE. If St. Anthony's Fire should set in with the Ery- sipelas, drink every morning, fasting,'a gill or a half pint of elder flower tea, and the same quantity in the afternoon; it may be drank warm or cold, as best suits the stomach. I have recommended this tea from my experience of it. A sufficient quantity of those flowers should be gathered in a dry day, and dried with great care for use. The tea is made by pouring a quart of boiling water, on two handfuls of elder flowers when green; when dry, a less quantity will do. [See American Remedies.] TYPHUS FEVER. Symptoms.—The attack is much more sudden than that of nervous fever; the strength gone, the horror and anxiety beyond expression, the skin cold, or of burning acrid, almost stinging heat, the pulse quick, small, sometimes halting, at others wiry, nausea and bilious vomiting, internal pain in the head, ringing in the ears, throbbing in the temples, beating of the arteries visible in the neck, fiery red- ness of the eyes, furious delirium, tongue dry, black and encrusted, breath hot and offensive, black crusts on the teeth, urine at first pale, thin, high colored, offensive, or depositing a black sediment. As the disease advances, bleedings take place from different parts of the body; red, blue, purple, or black spots, appear under, without raising the skin, involuntary evacuations extremely offensive; pulse sinks and in- termits ; extremities grow cold; hickup, convulsions. Distinguished from all other fevers by symptoms which cannot be mistaken ; always dangerous, more especially if it proceed to the coming on of the symp- toms mentioned in the advanced stage. Favorable symptoms.—Rising of the pulse, return of sleep and reason, the spots being of a florid color. Treatment.—By the rule laid down for fevers. In the early stage of typhus fever we should administer FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 9 a course of medicine, and if the patient is carried through a regular course, as he should be, you will remove the disease before the constitutional powers have been seriously impaired. The sick chamber should be ventilated frequently, without exposing the patient to currents of air. The chamber should also be kept perfectly clean and sweet in other respects, and the bed-clothes, as well as the patient's linen, changed often. Light, nour- ishing diet. [See Sick Diet.] After the disease has abated, and the patient in a fair way of recovery, he should be cautioned not to make any sudden exertion of his strength ; the typhus fever and likewise all other fevers should be watched with great care, and taken with their first symptoms, and proceed according to the directions laid down for fevers; by so doing you will find no difficulty in throwing off the disorder in six or eight hours. I have never failed in one single instance of throwing off a fever, by the rule laid down for fevers. The diarrhoea which often occurs in typhus fever, may be checked by the use of composition tea. If delirium or stupor occurs, give a portion of senna and manna; then give freely of wormwood tea three or four times, followed by two or three drachms of thoroughwort tea, then give the wormwood tea, until the cause is removed, which will be in about ten or twelve hours, when sleep and reason will return to the patient. There are cases of typhus fever which bid defiance to all human means by neglecting the disorder too long. As soon as the fever is entirely subdued, the bitter or restorative medicines are to be employed to increase the tone of the stomach. [See Bitters and Restoratives.] Attention to diet, both as to quantity and quality, is of the utmost importance in the treatment of dis- eases, and quite as necessary as the administration of suitable medicines; persons should never overload their digestive powers, in using tea, coffee, butter, or fat meat, and other articles of food which are cal- culated to derange the stomach and bowels. 10 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. Diet.—Light boiled rice, stewed apples, prunes or gooseberries, soft boiled eggs, egg beat up in sugar, arrow root, bread water, calf's feet jelly, chicken broth, beef tea, unbolted wheat bread, and wheat gruel, or gruel made of the flour of elm. SIMPLE INFLAMMATORY FEVER. Symptoms.—Weariness, anxiety, chills and flushes alternately, terminating in a violent heat; face flush- ed, eyes and skin red, pulse frequently strong, hard, and irregular; great thirst, white tongue, scanty high colored urine, exquisite sensibility, hurried breathing, and intolerance of the usual impressions; sometimes delirium. Favorable.—Moisture of the skin, nose bleed, sores around the mouth, diarrhoea, soft pulse. Unfavorable.—High delirium, high pulse, laborious breathing, hickup, twitchings, involuntary evacua- tions. Distinguished from typhus, by full, strong pulse. From inflammation of the brain, by there being no delirium at the first attack. Cause.—Sudden exposure to cold after violent ex- ercise ; intemperance; suppressed evacuations; vio- lent passion ; most commonly suppressed perspiration. Treatment.—Take the rule laid down for fevers. [See American Remedies.] Cool air, sprinkling the floor with vinegar and water, ligrft bed-clothes and sitting up. A restorative after the fever is subsided : Take of wormwood, thoroughwort, of each half handful; balmony, half handful of the blows and leaves, then take of pulverized poplar bark, half an ounce, sage, one handful; put them all into a conve- nient vessel, add two quarts of boiling water, steep twenty minutes, strain it off, add two pounds of sugar, steep fifteen minutes; while steeping, take off the scum that rises and strain again ; if convenient, add half pint of good brandy, and it is fit for use. By taking from a half glass to a glass of this syrup, morning, noon and night, fifteen minutes before eat- ing, will help the appetite, strengthen the stomach and bowels, help the digestion, and put the body in health. [See American Remedies and Syrups.] FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 11 INTERMITTENT FEVER. Symptoms.—Cold stage.—Languor, listlessness, yawning and stretching; pulse small, frequent, and irregular; breathing, anxious and short; the patient feels cold, first in the back, then over the whole body, followed by a universal shaking or ague. Hot stage.—After the shaking, flushes come on, succeeded by a steady high heat; soreness of the flesh; acute sensibility; pain in the head, and flying pains over the whole body; pulse quick, strong and hard; white tongue ; great thirst; scanty high col- ored urine; costiveness. Sweating stage.—At length a moisture appears, then a sweat, first in the face, and proceeding down- ward to the feet. The heat abates; the pulse be- comes slow, full and free; the bowels move; the breathing is free, and all the functions are restored to their natural standard. After an interval of twen- ty-four, forty-eight, or seventy hours, the ague and fever returns with nearly the same symptoms as be- fore, and this distinguishes intermittent from all other fevers, viz. a time»between the fit when the patient is free from fever. Causes.—Exposure to the vapors arising from stagnant waters after fatigue, or any thing which debilitates; as poor food, fear, anxiety, disappoint- ment, &c. Treatment.—See direction for fevers, with the ad- dition of a tea made of camomile, and dandelion roots and tops, and mustard tea. [See American Remedies and Syrups.] NERVOUS FEVER. Called also, Slow Fever, Long Fever, Mild Typhus Fever. Symptoms.—General languor and lassitude, alter- nate chills and flushes, dejection of mind, loss of ap- petite, confusion of thought, giddiness, pain in the head, aching pain in the back, limbs, and flying over the whole body ; nausea and vomiting; short, anx- ious breathing; pulse weak, quick, often intermitting; tongue at first white, moist, covered with slime, bor- 12 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. der indented with the teeth, afterwards dry, brown, and tremulous, little thirst, urine pale, low muttering delirium. As the disease advances, the heat becomes intense, tongue dry, brown, and morbidly red; delirium with suffused redness of the eyes, flushed countenance, throbbing of the arteries of the neck and temples, urine scanty, high colored and fetid; sometimes drenching sweats, profuse diarrhoea, starting of the tendons, lethargic sleep, involuntary evacuations, cold extremities, convulsions. Such is usually the progress of this disease. Sometimes, however, the patient gradually, almost imperceptibly, sinks; no threatening symptoms, no anxiety, no pain, or dis- tress ; yet in such cases the arteries are seen to trem- ble or throb under the chin, and a dark rose or peony colored spot appears on one of the cheeks, while the limbs are apt to be cold. Favorable symptoms.—About the seventh, four- teenth, or twenty-first day, the tongue peeling and becoming moist, showing a conical point and vigor of motion when put out and quickly retracted ; moist skin, gentle diarrhoea, pulse becoming slow and full; sores about the mouth and nose. Unfavorable.—When no crisis appears on one of the above days ; all of the symptoms enumerated in the second, or advanced stage. Cause.—Exposure to a damp, cold atmosphere, depressing passions, fear, grief, anxiety, exhaustion from fatigue, more especially in persons of delicate habit, accompanied with irritability and sensibility, of sedentary life, of poor living and indolence. Dis- tinguished from malignant typhus, by its attack being more gradual, the succession of symptoms being less rapid, less urgent. [See Malignant Ty- phus.] From inflammatory fever by the pulse being quick, weak and feeble. Treatment.—[See Typhus Fever.] Drink freely of composition powders, poured off from the dregs. If there should be pain in the stomach, take a tea- spoonful of hot drops as often as needed. By observ- FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 13 ing the rule laid down for fevers, and strictly follow- ing them, you may break up the fever before it is seated. Diet.—Light nourishing. [See American Reme- dies, and see Syrups, No. 1, 2, 3, 4.] YELLOW FEVER. Many of the symptoms of this fever are common with this and the fevers above described. Those in some measure peculiar to yellow fever, seem to be pains in the eyeballs and lower part of the forehead; the saliva is viscid, large quantities of frothy bile is thrown up by vomiting; the eyes, face and breast of a deep yellow tinge; a peculiar delirium, with per- manent dilations of the pupils of the eyes; delusive remissions which promise speedy recovery. Soon, however, the disease returns with redoubled violence; the patient suddenly becomes giddy, loses his sight, or the eyes are much inflamed, watery, protruding and wildly rolling; anxiety, vomiting of yellow or black matter, sweats of a yellow color, and highly offensive; bleedings, severe pains, more especially in the testicles and calves of the legs ; livid spots in the skin; the patient in an agony throws out and draws back his extremities in violent succession; black fetid stools, hickup, sunk pulse, death. Such are the usual appearances; yet so irregular and so varied is this disease, that the most eminent physicians consider it only as a remittent fever, de- ranged as to its form, by appearing in subjects unac- customed to hot climates; so that if all would stay in their native climate this disease would disappear. Causes.—Exposure to noxious exhalations from swamps, rivers, lakes, ponds and marshes, or the filth of cities and towns, accumulated under a burn- ing sun. The poison is assisted by an irregular life, intemperance, exhaustion of the system from what- ever cause. Treatment—By the rule laid down for typhus fever. Drink, a tea made of saffron will be found very beneficial in this fever. All the obstructions of the 2 16 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. feet, damp rooms, hallowing, blowing on wind instru- ments, &c. Treatment.—The first thing to be performed, is to soak the feet in juniper water, steeped from the flat juniper bush; while the feet are soaking give a draft or two of stimulating tea, then take some of the juniper water, put the same in some convenient vessel, put a hot rock in the liquor, then throw a coverlid over the head, so as to retain the steam under the coverlid. The person ought to inhale the steam into the lungs, as much as possible, while in the steam; the steam should be kept up until the person should perspire well all over the body, then wash the patient all over with vinegar or rum—do not omit the head;—then dress in clean woollen clothes, give an emetic of ipecac; after the emetic is done operating give a half or a whole glass of wormwood tea, then give a gentle physic; make a tea of the blackberry leaves, hyssop, lovage, each a handful, add half a tea-spoonful of fine salt, one sprig of wormwood, one quart of boiling water, steep fifteen minutes, strain off, add one glass of honey ; a table spoonful of this may be given every fifteen or twenty minutes, as the case may require. External applications to the throat are important; for this purpose take of wormwood, strip- ped from the stalks, simmer in vinegar, add two tea- spoonsfuls of table salt, one tea-spoonful of hogs fat, apply it to the throat with a woollen cloth; rub it ten or fifteen minutes; then apply the wormwood as a bath, upon the neck ; repeat several times a day; it will be well to add a little cayenne to the liquor. The composition tea will be found useful in this com- plaint. An injection in this complaint will also be found very beneficial, composed of a sprig or two of lobelia, one tea-spoonful of flour of elm, a small hand- ful of thoroughwort, one tea-spoonful of composition to a pint of water, steep fifteen minutes, strain off; add for a child one tea-spoonful of caster oil, or one tea spoonful of hogs lard. Administer the decoction blood warm. [See American Remedies.] FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 17 SCARLET FEVER. This fever is most commonly inflammatory, but sometimes either at its commencement, or in its pro- gress, symptoms of typhus appear. About the fourth day the face swells and spots of a florid red color appear, scattered through the skin, which at length run together, and after three days disappear; the scarfskin peeling off in branny scales; in severe cases the nails peel off with the skin. It is not unfrequently succeeded by a dropsical swelling of the whole body. When the disease has symptoms of typhus fever, it appears like malignant quinsey, often the same affec- tion of the throat, when it is to be treated like the quinsey, or typhus. [See those Diseases.] Scarlet fever is distinguished from measles, by absence of cough, sneezing, flow of tears; the eruption is more diffused like a blaze, and not sensible to the touch. Treatment.—The first thing to be performed is to soak the feet in hot water, add a little salt to the water, give stimulating teas so as to bring on a per- spiration over the whole system; then give warm mustard tea until the patient vomits freely ; this must be done while the feet are in the water. When the patient is done vomiting give a glass of wormwood tea to correct the bile; then wash the feet in cold vinegar or spirits; take a portion of physic, and go to bed ; put a hot stone at the feet, keep the patient in a gentle perspiration for the space of four or six hours; then wash or rub the patient all over with cold vinegar, then dress in clean dry clothes. Mustard or hop poultice is a good application to the throat; a strip of the rind of pork has been found of great service, by renewing it as often as it becomes heated Take one pint of new rum, add to it three ounces of sulphur, shake it well together; dose, one table-spoonful three or four times a day ; in the inter- vals, take of the composition tea to keep up a moisture upon the surface. [See American Remedies.] During convalescence the patient must avoid exposure to cold, and recruit his energies by the use of the bitter or restorative medicines; and a light, nourishing diet. 2* 18 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. Unbolted wheat meal gruel should be eaten, to regu- late the bowels ; gentle exercise in the open air, pro- vided the weather is mild and pleasant, will have an invigorating effect. 'Exercise is necessary to invigo- rate the body, but in the case of an invalid, should neither be taken in the damp, cold air, nor to the ex- tent of producing fatigue. In lung complaints breath- ing a cold atmosphere is very injurious, even though the body is well protected by clothing. The feet, in walking, should be kept warm and dry. Exposure to the night air should be avoided, both in summer and winter; and a patient should be careful not to stand, for any length of time, on the cold ground or pavement. As we proceed into the air, while the body is warm, we should, by a brisk pace, endeavor to keep up that degree of animal heat with which we set out, and that determination to the surface of the :body, which is so effectual in preventing affections of any internal organ. Exercise quickens the circula- tion, exhilarates the mind, creates an appetite, and renovates the whole system. MALIGNANT QUINSEY. This disease is a kind of ulcerous sore throat, at- tended with typhus fever and quick pulse; and re- quires the treatment of typhus, with the addition of gargles frequently used. [See American Remedies and Syrups.] CROUP, OR RATTLES. This disease, generally of children, creeps on im- perceptibly, with a hoarse dry cough ; wheezing; at first the breathing sounds like blowing through mus- lin ; then a rattling in the throat; soon it is like the • croaking of a fowl when caught in the hand. Treatment.—Stimulating teas should be given to the extent of producing perspiration, together with a warm bath or a sweat; give an emetic of mustard or ipecac ; after the emetic is done operating, give a glass of thoroughwort tea, followed by a portion of senna; add to the senna one tea-spoonful of ginger; give freely of the composition tea ; take one tea-spoonful FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 19 of composition, one tea-spoonful of sugar, to a cup- ful of boiling water; after it steeps, strain off; then administer the same Avarm to keep the skin moist; and at night, on retiring to bed, a heated stone should be placed at the feet wrapped in a cloth damp- ed with vinegar. The diet should be light and easy of digestion. It is important to keep up a uniform tem- perature in the sick room, for those who have had the management of croup, know that as soon as the fire is neglected, or the air in the apartment becomes chilly, there is a return, or increase of the malady. Note.—In diseases, terrible as the two last describ- ed, and many others incident to human nature, no time should be lost, but medical aid obtained as quick as possible: yet something should be done while the physician is coming, and more especially if he cannot come at all. In a work of this kind, most should be written on the more manageable diseases. [See American Remedies.] MUMPS. This is commonly a mild disease, requiring only that the patient avoid all causes of cold. Should fever appear, treat it as simple inflammatory fever. If swelling of the testicles in men, and the breasts in women, or delirium supervene, treat it as brain fever, mustard paste to the feet, fomentations to the parts affected. The philanthropic Dr. Rush, of Philadelphia, said that there was no disease so trifling, but at one time or other it had proved an avenue to death; and there are times or rather cases, in which this disease puts on a frightful aspect. PLEURISY. Symptoms of inflammatory fever, accompanied with a sense of weight in the chest, which in a short time becomes acute; pain shooting into the side, thence to the breast bone, or through to the shoulder blade; breathing difficult, and increases the pain. The patient cannot lie on the affected side; cough, frequent, hard, contracted pulse, vibrating under the 20 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. finger like the tense-string of a musical instrument. White tongue, high colored urine, and indeed all the symptoms of inflammatory fever. Caused most frequently by exposure to vicissitudes of temperature; violent exercise of body, or exertions of the voice. Treatment.—This complaint should be taken in hand with the first symptoms. Put the patient to bed, give warm stimulating teas, put a hot rock at the feet, bring on a perspiration of the whole body— then give an emetic to cleanse the stomach ; after the emetic is done operating, give a glass of wormwood tea, or thoroughwort tea; in fifteen minutes give a portion of physic. Apply boiled potatoes, put them in a flannel bag. lay them on the pained side—it will shortly remove the pain from that place to another. You must follow the pain and apply the potatoes, until you chase it away. The potatoes must be ap- plied as hot as they can be borne, and renew them as often as they get cool, and the sweat must be con- tinued, if possible, until the pain is removed. Drink freely of a syrup composed of thoroughwort, hoar- hound, sage, each a handful; steep fifteen minutes; then add about one great spoonful of saffron ; if you have it, add a little colt's foot; if it be colt's foot, it must be added with the rest at the commencement of boiling; if saffron, steep a few minutes before you add it. Then strain off, add half pound of sugar, steep fifteen minutes, strain off; three pints of water will be sufficient to steep it in. By taking a half glass of this syrup, as often as every hour or two, it will wonderfully open the obstructions of the stom- ach, liver and spleen, and assist in raising from the lungs. In the intervals use the composition tea. [See American Remedies and Syrups.] After the disease is removed, the patient should not expose himself to cold, until his lungs become strong. LUNG FEVER. This disease has, seemingly, for a number of years in New England, taken the place of pleurisy. It differs from pleurisy, in the pains being less acute FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 21 and more steady ; a greater sense of oppression and weight all around the chest; the face is flushed, sometimes almost purple ; pulse not hard, but quick. It sometimes comes on by cold chills, followed by a hot and dry skin, hurried and laborious breathing, tightness of the breast, distressing cough, scanty and high colored urine, and dull pain in some part of the chest, which is increased by coughing, or taking a long breath. The tongue is often dry, and of a dark color. Treatment—By the rule laid down for levers. Drink freely of thoroughwort tea. [See Syrups and their direction.] If the patient is too weak to soak the feet, it will be necessary to sweat the patient in bed. The patient should be nourished with some light gruel, which will not oppress the stomach ; make free use of the restorative medicine during con- Slight cases of lung fever are not difficult of cure, yet it sometimes appears with symptoms, which bid defiance to all common means. A mottled skin, a cadaverous smell, and the skin, to the examiner, feel- ing like that of a negro's, flabby, or rather like one that is dead, but not quite cold. INFLAMMATION OF THE STOMACH. Fever, anxiety, heat and pain in the region of the stomach, increased when any thing is swallowed, aggravated by pressure on the stomach, vomiting, hickup; pulse hard and small; great prostration of strength. Caused by indigestible food, draughts of cold water when the body is heated, and exposure to damp or chilly atmosphere. It also follows in the train of other affections. Treatment.—By the rule laid down for fevers. After the course, the patient should be kept in a gen- tle perspiration, and for this purpose, a heated stone wrapped in a damp cloth may be placed at the feet, and stimulating teas given to keep up the perspira- tion; while the stomach is inflamed, the digestive process is partially, if not wholly arrested. It is im- 22 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. portant, that the patient should refrain from the use of solid food until a recovery has taken place. The food must be light and easy of digestion, and every thing avoided which has a tendency to derange or oppress the stomach. The physical drops com- bined with the lung syrup. [See Syrups and Amer- ican Remedies.] INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS. Acute pain in the bowels increased by pressure, and shooting and twisting round the navel; obstinate costiveness, belly tense, frequent inclination to stool; vomiting bilious, dark and fetid matter. Fever, pulse quick, hard and contracted; great prostration of strength, high colored urine. A terrible disease. Distinguished from colic, by the pain in colic being relieved by pressure ; absence of fever in colic, and the pulse is not affected. Treatment.—This is a disease of considerable dan- ger, and should be met at the outset with prompt and energetic treatment. A thorough course of medicine should be given, according to the directions on page 6 and 7. For the pain in the stomach, give thor- oughwort and poppy tea, of the leaves or blows; take a small handful of thoroughwort, half as much of poppy leaves or blows; add half pint of boiling water, cover over the vessel, let it stand fifteen min- utes ; strain off, give half a glass every fifteen or twenty minutes, or until the pain is removed; then give a portion of senna and manna. The patient should be kept in a gentle perspiration with stimu- lating tea. Injections should not be omitted, and should be repeated often if it is found necessary ; a hot tansy bath should be applied to the bowels, often repeated ; bathe the bowels with hot drops. [See American Remedies and Syrups.] The patient should restrict himself to light, nour- ishing diet, and avoid exposure to the cold. INFLAMMATION OF THE LIVER. Tension and pain near the short ribs of the right side, more or less acute, shooting to the top of the FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 23 shoulder, and through to the shoulder blade ; increas- ed by lying on the left side; fever, dry cough, sal- low countenance, high colored urine; sometimes hickup and vomiting. Causes.—Violent emetics, hot climates, violent passions, intemperance, and all the causes of inflam- mation. Treatment.—The treatment should be the same in this disease, as in inflammation of any other internal part. We must endeavor to restore the circulation of blood to the whole system; for this purpose it will be necessary to give composition teas, given often to keep the skin moist. After the stomach and bowels are sufficiently warm, and the skin moist, give a por- tion of physic to cleanse or clear the bowels. Then commence with the Syrup, No. 1; bathe the side or pained part often with rheumatic drops; then apply a plaster to the place pained, raise the plaster once a day, and bathe with the drops, then replace the plas- ter again, and so continue until the pain is removed. On going to bed a heated stone should be placed at the feet, and composition tea given to keep up a moisture upon the skin, which is of the greatest con- sequence. The patient should avoid taking cold, and the feet kept dry. A light and nourishing diet; avoid damps and colds. [See Syrups and American Remedies, and Physical Drops.] INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEY. Fever, pain in the loins, shooting to the bladder, drawing up .of the testicle, numbness of the thigh, high colored urine, vomiting, costiveness, and colic pains. There is a frequent desire to pass water, which is scanty, and is often red. If both kidneys are inflamed, the urine is entirely suppressed, in which case the perspiration soon acquires a urinous smell. This symptom is a bad one, and requires ac- tive treatment; for if the urine is suffered to remain in the blood, it will give rise to drowsiness and stupor. Sickness at the stomach and vomiting are not unu- sual symptoms. Causes.—Are external injuries, strains of the back, 24 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. lifting heavy weights; the presence of gravel in the kidney. Treatment.—Relief may be obtained by keeping the patient in a perspiration. For this purpose a heated stone wrapped in damp cloths should be ap- plied to the feet; mayweed tea given freely until a perspiration is brought on ; a tea made of smartweed should be given until the pain is moderated; then give for physic one table-spoonful of castor oil, one table-spoonful of honey, one tea-spoonful of spirits of turpentine; stir them together—it is a portion for an adult or grown person. The small of the back, or where the pain is seated, should be bathed with hot drops with the addition of fifteen or twenty drops of spirits of turpentine; then a plaster should be applied to the small of the back. [See American Remedies and Syrups and Bitters.] Every attention should be paid to diet. « INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDER. Fever, acute pain in the region of the lower belly; soreness and pain increased by pressure ; painful dis- charge of urine, frequent inclination to stool; vomit- ing. Treatment.—Same as in inflammation of the kid- neys. In both cases may be used, after the fever is subsided, winter green, sassafras, wormwood and peach-tree gum. [See Spice Bitters and Syrups.] RHEUMATISM. Chills, followed by heat and fever, with hard, full, and quick pulse, obstinate costiveness. After one, two, or three days, tumor and pain, with inflamma- tion, attack one or more of the large joints, and they become extremely tender to the touch ; tongue white, urine high colored; sometimes profuse sweating, without relief. In rheumatism the pain shoots along the courses of the muscles, and often changes its seat. Rheumatism often runs into a chronic state, i. e. the fever abates, and the pain or soreness continues. FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 2-) Sometimes chronic rheumatism is not preceded by the acute. Causes.—Obstructed perspiration, damp rooms, damp linen, exposure to cold after exercise. v Treatment—A mild attack of the complaint may often be cured by rubbing the part affected two or three times a day with the rheumatic liniment. [See Liniment and Composition.] In case of chronic rheumatism, it will be necessary to administer a course of medicine, giving for physic the same as directed for the inflammation of the kid- ney—or, take of the leaves of fiana; it is also called pyrola, winter green, and the same quantity of fur bark there is of fiana; put them together and make a strong tea of them when going to bed; take one glass and a half of good brandy; then take of the tea until the sweat starts freely ; then continue the sweat in a moderate manner from twelve to fifteen hours, or till the cause is removed ; then wash all over in warm rum, and dress in clean woollen clothes, and be careful and not take cold. It often proves a sure cure. [See Rheumatic Liniment.] NETTLE RASH. An eruption of the skin, resembling that produced by the stinging of nettles, hence its name; suddenly appearing and vanishing, or changing its seat. The part affected is frequently considerably swelled; in the eruption appear little white lumps resembling bites, or stings of insects ; sometimes long wheals, like the strokes of a whip-lash. These lumps or wheals do not contain any fluid, and itch intolerably. All the symptoms increase at night. The parts which have been affected with this disease, peel off branny scales on recovery. Treatment.—Laxatives, cream of tartar, senna, and ginger; composition tea to produce a perspiration. If it strike in and occasion nausea and distress, teas of peppermint, saffron with spirit. In case of drow- siness, or nausea, an emetic should be given to cleanse the stomach. Cool, vegetable diet. [See American Remedies.] 3 26 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. THRUSH, OR CANKER. The mouth becomes redder than usual; tongue swelled and rough; white specks or spots invade the palate, almonds of the ear, and inside of the cheeks, gums and jaws. The disease sometimes spreads to the stomach and bowels; they frequently disappear in a day or two and a new crop succeeds. But this is more favorable than to have the first crop con- tinue. While the spots remain white or yellow, and the parts between of a florid red and moist, there is no danger ; but if there is hickup, oppression, pain in the stomach, and sense of suffocation, and the spots turn brown or black, with great prostration of strength, it is nearly allied to malignant quinsey, and to be treated as such. Treatment.—Give thoroughwort tea, until the stom- ach and bowels get warm, or the patient vomits. If it does not cause the patient to vomit, give an emetic to cleanse the stomach. To one pint of new rum, add three ounces of sulphur; shake it well together till it is fit for use—take one table-spoonful at a time three or four times a day. It never has failed to effect a cure. [See American Remedies.] COLDS. A common cold is caused by suppressed perspira- tion, and is cured as soon as an equable perspiration is again restored. Abating from animal food, drink- ing freely of cold water when 'going to bed, or tepid herb drinks, as thoroughwort tea, hoarhound, mother- wort, flax-seed tea, if the symptoms run high. [See Influenza and Cough Syrup.] INFLUENZA. An epidemic cold ; whole countries are sometimes affected with it. It has been thought contagious, but its progress is too quick, and its effects too general. Contagion is slow. It seems to depend on a peculiar state of the air, and sweeps whole nations at a blast. Symptoms.—Fever, weight and pain in the head, oppression of the chest and difficulty of breathing; FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 27 sense of fulness and stopping of the nose; watery inflamed eyes; chills and flushes; soreness of the jaws and wind-pipe; cough, pain in the chest, shoot- ing pains in the head and back; running of a scald- ing fluid from the nose. Treatment.—Soak the feet in juniper water, give stimulating teas; take some of the juniper water, put the same into some convenient vessel, throw a cover- lid over the patient's head; bring the vessel under the coverlid, quench a stone in the water, so as to raise a steam. Steam the head and breast well for twenty or twenty-five minutes; then wash the head and breast and feet in vinegar or spirits. Give a portion of physic composed of one table-spoonful of castor oil, one of honey, two thirds of a table-spoon- ful of spirits of turpentine—mix them all together for one portion—this is a portion for an adult or grown person. Put the patient to bed, put a heated stone to the feet; keep the patient in a gentle perspiration, until the pain is all removed; then wash all over with spirit or vinegar; dress in clean woollen clothes. Great care must be taken to prevent taking cold, in case a cough should attend. [See Syrups and Tonic] CONSUMPTION. Symptoms.—Regular consumption usually begins with a short, dry cough, so slight as to become ha- bitual before it excites the attention of the patient. The breathing is more easily hurried by bodily mo- tion; the patient becomes languid and indolent, and gradually loses his strength. The pulse is small, soft and quicker than usual. At length, from some fresh exciting cause, the cough becomes more consid- erable, and is peculiarly troublesome during the night; the breathing more anxious; sense of strait- ness and oppression of the chest is experienced, and arising from the lungs of a frothy mucus, and is most considerable in the morning; afterwards becoming more copious, viscid and opaque. • The breathing becomes more and more difficult; the emaciation and weakness go on increasing; pain arises in some part 28 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. of the chest—at first, generally under the breast- bone; but as the disease advances, it is felt in one or both sides, is increased by coughing, and is sometimes so acute as to prevent the patient from lying down on the affected side. The face now begins to flush, the pulse becomes quick and hard, the urine is high colored, and deposits a branny sediment; the palms of the hands and soles of the feet are affected with burning heat; the tongue from being white is pre- ternaturally clean and red ; the matter raised is now like that from a boil, dull white, or turned of yellow and green; all the symptoms are increased towards evening, and the fever assumes the hectic form. Hectic fever has two exacerbations in a day ; the first about noon and inconsiderable, and is soon fol- lowed by a remission ; the other in the evening which gradually increases till after midnight. Each exac- erbation is commonly preceded by chills, and is ter- minated by a profuse perspiration, and the urine de- posits a sediment. The appetite often now amends ; the white of the eyes assume a clear, pearly color. During the rise of fever a red spot appears on each cheek. At other times the face is pale and dejected; food is vomited up; a diarrhoea comes on, and gener- ally alternates with drenching sweats; the emacia- tion is extreme, the countenance sunk, the cheeks prominent, the eyes hollow and languid; the hair falls off and the nails are hooked ; the feet and legs swell; thrush in the throat. Still, the appetite re- mains entire, and the patient flatters himself with hope of speedy recovery, and is often vainly forming distant projects of amusement, when death puts a period to his existence. Cause.—Hereditary predisposition, marked by long neck, prominent shoulders, narrow chest, slender fingers, scrofulous constitution—known by fine, clear skin, fair hair, delicate rosy complexion, large veins, thick upper lfp, weak voice, and great sensibility. Caused also by some diseases; a bleeding at the lungs, pleurisy, catarrh, asthma, king's evil, venereal disease, small pox and measles. The dust of certain FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 29 trades, as of stone-cutters, millers, &c, fumes of burning poisonous metals ; intemperance, profuse evacuations, natural or artificial; depressing pas- sions, damps, colds, &c. Treatment.—In this complaint, if the system is cold or inactive, it will be necessary to give stimulating teas, composition and the spiced bitters, a day or two—then give a gentle sweat in bed, for the space of two or three hours, as the case may require. The patient then should take an emetic, then rub all over the body with cold vinegar, using a piece of coarse .woollen cloth; then dress in clean woollen clothes. ^Great care must be taken to prevent taking cold. After the patient has been rubbed out, give one tea- spoonful of the physical drops in half a glass of the cough syrup named below. The warming and in- vigorating medicines should be employed according to the circumstances of the case. Syrup must be used, composed of the following herbs and roots. Hoarhound, one handful; half that quantity of thoroughwort; dandelion roots and tops, one handful; sage, one handful; life of man, one handful; St. Johnswort, one handful; juniper ber- ries, one gill; pulverize the bark and berries before you steep; put them all into an earthern pot, add two quarts of water, boil down to one quart; strain off through a coarse woollen cloth; then add one and a half ounces of gum Arabic, two pounds of sugar; steep fifteen minutes; let it stand until it is cold; then put the syrup in glass bottles till it is fit for use. The manner of use is as follows, viz. Take of the syrup three times a day, morning, noon and night, one hour before eating. If the cough should be hard it may be used oftener. You will commence with one glass of the syrup ; add to it one tea-spoonful of the physical drops. It will not be necessary to add the physical drops oftener than every three or four days unless the patient is costive. The diarrhoea may be relieved by composition teas, and the cholera syrup. [See Syrups.] A tea-spoonful of the hot 30 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. drops will be found beneficial by adding it to the composition or the syrup. The meals should be taken at regular hours, and nothing eaten in the intervals. The diet should be light and nourishing; fat meat, butter, and all oily or greasy substances should be avoided, as they tend to produce a morbid state of the stomach. Tea and coffee should be excluded also. Moderate exercise, either by swinging, riding on horseback, or by sail- ing; carefully guarding against cold, by wearing flannel next, the skin—a sea voyage, but not the sea shore. The air at sea is favorable to consumptive^ patients: but the changes on the shore, in conse- quence of the sea and laud breezes, are unfavorable, so that inland situation, or to be fairly out of sight of land, should be the object of a hectic patient. [See American Remedies.] DYSENTERY. This disease sometimes comes on with cold shiver- ings and fever ; at others, the complaints of the bow- els first show themselves. Costiveness, flatulence of the bowels, severe gripings, frequent inclination to stool, with small feted evacuations of slime and blood; or a fluid resembling beef brine ; loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting; quick and weak pulse, sense of burning heat and intolerable bearing down of the parts; febrile heat and dry skin, hickup, livid spots on the breast, and not unfrequently fatal termination. Favorable symptoms.—Moist skin, stools becoming easy and natural, sediment in the urine, strength not much diminished. Treatment.—Take this disease on its first attack. If the attack should be mild, nothing more is neces- sary to be given than the composition tea, and the leaves of the thornbush made into a tea. If the dis- ease assumes a cronic form, take two thirds of a wine glass full of vinegar, add to it two thirds of a table- spconful of salt, stir the same five or six minutes- strain off; take the same at one draft; in about fifteen minutes take half a glass of flaxseed; tea sometimes FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 31 one portion will be sufficient to effect a cure. If the first portion should not effect a cure, you should re- peat it every eight or ten hours, until it effect a cure. If the disorder should be checked before the bowels are healed, and the patient should experience pain in the bowels, make a tea of poppy leaves, or flowers, and thoroughwort; take of thoroughwort half a hand- ful ; poppy leaves, or flowers, half that quantity, add half a pint of boiling water, steep ten minutes; give two or three table-spoonfuls at a time until the pain is removed. I have administered the above medicine ^ in a great number of cases, and I have not known it to fail in one single case. I administered the medi- cine to Doctor Taft, of Portsmouth, N. H.; he recover- ed from the complaint in forty-eight hours; in one week enjoyed good health. He had been under the medical treatment for a considerable length of time, previous to taking my medicine. I would likewise recommend new churned butter, without salt, just skimming off the curdy part: when melted over a clear fire, give two spoonsful of the clarified two or three times a day to the person, and this has never failed to make almost an instant cure. In dysentery and bloody flux, if it is found necessary, and the disorder is not checked, give an injection. [See Injection and American Remedies, Fleabane, or Colt's Tail.] The patient, while in bed, should be kept in a gentle per- spiration, and for this purpose a heated stone wrap- ped in a damp cloth may be placed at the feet. The diet should be light and nourishing, and easy of di- gestion. [See Diet.] PILES. Piles are most common to persons in middle period of life, and rarely occur in youth ; pregnant women are very liable to them, and also persons of weak and relaxed habits of body. Caused by a sedentary life, the frequent use of strong coffee, lifting or carrying heavy burthens, and by long continued costiveness. Treatment—Take three pounds of oil-nut bark, add to it eight quarts of spring water, and reduce it, 32 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. by boiling, to one pint and a half; strain off; then add to it one and a half pints of brandy, one half pound of loaf sugar, two ounces cream of tartar, one ounce of annisseed, and two ounces of manna. The man- ner of use is as follows, viz. Take a wine glass full every morning, which generally proves a sure remedy. This I know by my own experience. BLEEDING FROM THE NOSE. Treatment.—Erect position of the body, with the head falling a little backward; free exposure to cold air; cold water applied to the head, back of the neck, t or genitals; lint dipped in alum water. If there is fever with strong pulse, headache, &c., give physic, and sweating medicine. [See American Remedies.] BLEEDING FROM THE STOMACH. In this disease the blood is puked up, of a dark color. A free use of cooling purgative medicines, followed by composition tea. [See American Reme- dies, Shepherd's Purse, Black Birch, Raspberry.] PALSY. Palsy is characterized by a loss of motion and sen- sibility, and usually attacks one entire side of the body; but is sometimes confined to a particular part, as a hand, an arm, or a leg; particular nerves are occasionally palsied, so that the patient is deprived of one or more of the senses. When the lower part of the body is the seat of the disease, the patient is apt to lose the control of the bladder and rectum. Causes.—Anything which impairs the nervous powers, whether it acts on the brain or injures the nerves in their course. Treatment.—In debilitated constitutions, and in old age, with the head little affected, powerful stimu- lants will be proper to be given. [See Rosemary.] From the following treatment, I have had great suc- cess. If the patient is in bed, warm stimulating teas should be given, a heated stone wrapped in a damp cloth should be placed at the feet, so as to bring on a perspiration ; the affected part should be rubbed con- FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 33 tinually with hot mustard tea, using a piece of wool- len cloth; this should be continued until there is a warm glow on the surface of the whole body. After the patient begins to experience a warmth of the body, administer a portion of senna and ginger ; the whole body should be rubbed often with a coarse woollen cloth. Flannels wet with the hot drops, and warm- ed by the fire, should be applied to the small of the back, and all the means kept up until the sensibility is restored. Exercise, and light and nutritious diet. BURNS AND SCALDS. Instantly plunge the part in cold water. If the part is not blistered, wrap in cotton bats, or wash in alum whey or vinegar; taking, at the same time, stimula- ting tea. Fir balsam and sweet oil have been found very beneficial; also lime water, sweet oil, or linseed oil. The best application that I have ever found, is white lead and linseed oil, made into a thin salve; apply once a day, which generally effects a speedy and effectual cure, without leaving any mark. Also, fresh grease, such as lard or fresh butter, with one third soot, will almost instantly remove the fire. CHILBLAINS. Chilblains are red tumors commonly about the heels, occasioned by suddenly exposing a cold part to the fire; or a heated part to intense cold. They are accompanied with intolerable heat, itching, pain, and soreness; after a while they burst and form ulcers, slow to heal, sometimes turn black and mortify. Treatment.—When chilblains first appear, they should be bathed with a liniment, composed of sweet oil, one table-spoonful; fir balsam, one tea-spoonful; of. brandy, or spirits, half a glass; spirits of camphor, one table-spoonful; mix and bathe the place affected. By so doing many have found relief. CANCER. Puckering of the skin, lead color, feeling knotted and uneven, darting pains; the skin adhering to the parts beneath distinguish a cancer before ulceration. 34 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. Before the tumor has arrived to a very large size, it commonly ulcerates, throwing out some sloughs and a mixture of matter, leaving a large chasm, the bot- tom of which is uneven and ragged; the edges thick, hard, gaged, and painful. The ulcer sometimes spreads rapidly, with alarming bleedings and great debility. At other times the ulcer seerns to be heal- ing for a while, but the new flesh shoots out fungus and bleeding lumps, which cannot be controlled. At length other parts are affected ; cough and difficulty of breathing come on, and death. Treatment.—When a cancer has proceeded to ul- ceration, a cancer plaster should be applied, and the » sore washed every night and morning with soapsuds, followed by a wash of bayberry tea, to render it per- fectly clean, before you apply the plaster again. Take strong potash, made of the ashes of red oak bark, boiled down to the consistence of molasses, to cover the cancer with; and in about an hour afterwards cover it with a plaster of tar, which must be removed after a few days; and if any protuberances remain in the wound, apply more potash to them, and the plaster again, until they shall disappear. After which heal the wound with a salve. This treatment has effected a speedy and perfect cure when the knife had been previously used in vain. Another.—Take of wood sorrel, any desirable quantity, pound it in a. mortar, and press out the juice; dry this in the sun until it is of the consist- ence of thick honey. This is to be spread on a piece of linen, or soft leather, and applied to the cancer, removing it occasionally if it is painful. When the cancerous tumor is extracted, other applications may be applied, such as poultices, or healing salve, until the cancer is healed. MORTIFICATION. Symptoms.—If it supervene on inflammation, an excessive, acute and constant pain, great anxiety, often delirium, followed by a sudden cessation of all inflammatory symptoms. The part before tense now FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 35 becomes flaccid, of a livid color, losing its heat and sensibility. Blisters are formed, under which appeal brown spots; the parts soon become black, and ac- quire a fetid smell. If the event prove favorable, the mortified portion is completely surrounded by a white line, about which pus matter is formed. The dead part now loosens and sloughs out, leaving a suppu- rating ulcer. If, on the contrary, the termination be fatal, the mortification rapidly extends, great con- stitutional irritation arises; the pulse becomes small, rapid and irregular; there is a fixed flush on the countenance, with great anxiety and prostration of • strength, and death soon ensues. Mortification is sometimes produced without previous inflammation, by blood vessels being choked by pressure; long con- tinued cold; long continued pressure, violent bruises, &c. Treatment.—Make free use of the composition tea, so as to warm and invigorate the whole system; after which use nervines, tonics, and injections. The patient should be kept in a gentle perspiration; for this purpose a heated stone should be placed at the feet, and never suffer the skin to grow cold. If any other unfavorable symptoms arise, an emetic should be given, followed by a portion of physic. The strength should be sustained by a light nourishing diet. A poultice made with yeast and oatmeal or bran; common bread and milk poultice, with pow- dered charcoal in it. A poultice made of life of man seldom fails to effect a cure. After the slough, or separation of the dead parts, treat it as an ulcer, or use the healing salve. STRAINS, OR SPRAINS. Strains are often attended with worse consequences than broken bones; the reason is obvious, they are generally neglected. When a broken bone is to be healed, the patient is compelled to keep quiet, because he cannot do otherwise. But when only a joint is strained, the person finding he can still make a shift to move it, is sorry to lose his time for so trifling an 36 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. accident; in this way he deceives himself, and con- verts into an incurable evil what might have been removed by keeping the part easy for a few days. External applications are to be applied to the parts, such as wormwood, vinegar, and salt. Bathe the part in the warm liquor, then apply the bath; and, when removed, the bathing with wormwood, &c., to be renewed. Also bathe with the rheumatic liniment. [See Rheumatic Liniment.] What we would recom- mend above all is rest. It is more to be depended upon than any medicine, and seldom fails to remove the complaint. FEVER SORE. ' Inflammation and ulceration of a bone. It most generally makes its appearance in the leg. j Take red lead, beeswax, and honey, of equal parts, mix them together, by warming them on hot ashes ; stir them until they form into a salve. Great care must be had that you do not scorch or burn it; if it should be too thick and hard, add more honey ; if too soft, add more beeswax. Before you apply the plas- ter, lay a piece of gauze on the sore ; then apply the plaster; and renew once a day until the cure is made. It seldom fails of producing a cure. NERVOUS AFFECTIONS. Loss of appetite, distention of the stomach, belch- ings, nausea, heart-burn; costiveness, or looseness; i small slow pulse, quickened upon the least exertion; < palpitation; tongue white and dry in the morning; limbs cold, sallow countenance, senses depraved or impaired; sadness; want of resolution, timidity as to future events; dread of impending evil; particular attention to the health; and, upon every unusual feeling, which the patient is sure to have, a fear of imminent danger, and even death itself; disturbed sleep and frightful dreams. In respect to all these feelings and apprehensions, the patient is most obsti- nate in his belief and persuasion. Treatment.—Change every habit of life, and every FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 37 train of thought in the mind. Abandon the use of opium, and the immoderate use of ardent spirit and tobacco; give up tea, coffee, and chocolate; get up, and go to bed early; use moderate exercise in the open air; engage in new and interesting pursuits. It has been unfortunate for the medical profession, as well as patients themselves, that persons laboring un- der nervous disorders have expected too much from the prescription of the physician, and neglected what is only to be obtained from their own caution and cir- cumspection. We thus find most of them ready and greedy to swallow every medicine that is recommend- ed ; but stubborn and untractable in all that relates to breaking in upon established habits and customs, whether of luxurious living, depraved appetites, in- dolence of body or mind, or indulgence of any kind inconsistent with health. Many of these habits, it is true, are so far interwoven with the constitution, as to make some changes almost impracticable; but as indisposition is so frequently brought on, or aggra- vated by the patients themselves, the physician can- not be too much on his guard, in demonstrating to them all that belongs to their own government and demeanor. The adviser, therefore, who observes the most disinterestedness towards his friends, will often be the first one to be dismissed; while the selfish dissembler, however ignorant, will become a favorite, and engross the emolument. On such an occasion, the virtuous mind of a liberal physican would know where to look for approbation. Nervous people are commonly endued with acute feelings, liable to act from the first impression and impulse, and easily de- ceived by the designing and interested ; and should they fall into the hands of a gossip physician, or a wheedling apothecary, these personages become a kind of appendage to their establishment, if not fixtures in their houses. Being singular in the choice of their friends, they seldom mix in company; seden- tary from habit, they go little abroad; their amuse- ments and recreations are thus limited, and such as possess the talent of bringing news, and telling a 4 38 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. story, are at all times welcome guests. But as the tale of their own complaints engrosses so much of their conversation, a medical gossip, before all others, is the most acceptable. Nevertheless, let the nervous and valetudinary beware how they trust their health and purse in such hands. Exercise and recreation in the open air, even to labor and fatigue, and always till it produce a moist skin, if not a profuse sweat, is of great benefit. Riding on horseback, is universally acknowledged to be beneficial; a journey should be taken, and if possible with some business, or object in view. Medicine.—Nervous patients should begin with soaking the feet, in smartweed liquor, as warm as the patient can bear; give stimulating teas, at the same time, until a perspiration is brought on; then give an emetic, to cleanse the stomach; then give a portion of physic, followed by a draft of wormwood tea. Bathe the patients' feet and legs with cold vinegar, or cold water; then rub them until they are perfectly dry, with a piece of woollen cloth; which should be continued until there is a glow aud warmth over the whole. When the above is all performed, and the physic has had its operation, give of the ner- vine teas, motherwort, camomile, thoroughwort, (by some it is called boneset.) The infusion of boneset, in small and repeated doses, induces a free perspira- tion ; and, on this account, has acquired considerable reputation in the treatment of ague and fever, and in almost all the complaints, to which poor human nature is liable. The tea is made by taking a small handful of the blows and leaves; add to it a half pint of boiling water, let it stand ten or fifteen minutes, strain off; give one or two table-spoonfuls at a time. Scullcap is one of the best nervines in use. The warm infusion may be drank freely through the day; a heaped tea-spoonful of the powdered leaves, with about as much sugar, steeped in a tea-cupful of boil- ing water, may be taken at a dose, and repeated as often as it is found necessary. The feet, hands and arms, should be rubbed upon going to bed, with a FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 39 coarse woollen cloth ; again in the morning; finally the whole body should be rubbed, until there is a warmth and a glow of heat over the whole. After this is performed, it will be well to apply the shower bath. Commence in the morning when the patient first rises from bed, with one quart of water, that is drawn over night; the head, neck, and shoulders should be exposed until the water has been poured upon the head. Before the water is administered, the patient should drink a draft of composition tea, without the dregs, or some other warm tea; after the shower, the patient should be rubbed perfectly dry before dressing. Every other day, if the weather be fair, use the shower bath, and every time increase the quantity of water; soon the patient will bear the full dash of a pailful; he then may plunge and swim, and exercise in the cold bath; it will increase the strength, and have a beneficial effect. The momen- tary application of the water does not occasion a chill, but quickens the circulation, and causes the blood to flow in an increased quantity into the vessels of the skin, giving it warmth, fulness, and a bright glowing color. If the patient is of a cold habit, the chill should be taken off the water. In all cases after the shower, the patient should be rubbed briskly from head to foot, a few minutes, with a coarse cloth; when he is perfectly dry he may dress. ST. VITUS' DANCE. Symptoms.—Convulsive motions of the side of the body. A kind of lameness in one of the legs, which the person draws after him in an odd and ridiculous manner; nor can he hold the arm of the affected side one moment still. If he is desirous of drinking. he uses many gesticulations before he can carry the cup to his mouth, when he pours the liquor down his throat with great haste, as if to divert the by-stand- ers. The eye loses its lustre and intelligence, and the countenance is pale and vacant; the flesh wastes. and the appetite and digestion are impaired. Treatment.—If the complaint has been of long 40 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. standing, a course of medicine should be given; or put the patient in bed, place a heated stone at the feet, give stimulating teas to bring on a perspiration; continue the sweat gently for the space of an hour or more; then administer one glass of thoroughwort tea, then wash the patient with cold vinegar or spirit, and rub dry; dress in clean dry woollen clothes—and a change of bed-clothes. If the patient's stomach is foul, an emetic should be given to cleanse the same; then give the thor- oughwort tea two or three times. If the bowels prove costive, a portion of senna may be given to clear them ; after which, give a tea made of scullcap; repeat, or take of the scullcap tea, morn- ing, noon and night, and one hour before eating, and again in the evening—continue this for two days or more. Then make a syrup composed of the follow- ing :—One handful of thoroughwort, one ounce of scullcap, life of man two ounces; queen of the mead- ow, two ounces; sun-dew, one handful; winter-green or pyrola, one ounce ; pulverize, then steep in two quarts of water, till reduced to one quart; strain off through a woollen cloth; then add one and a half pounds of sugar, steep fifteen minutes; strain oft' when cold; put the syrup in bottles till it is fit for use. Take one glass of the syrup three times a day, awhile before eating. In the intervals the scullcap tea should be taken. If at any time the patient should be costive, he will add to the syrup one tea- spoonful of the physical drops, which will move the bowels in a gentle manner. [See Physical Drops and American Remedies.] ASTHMA. Symptoms.—Paroxysms, generally coming on in the night, in which there is frequent and extremely anxious breathing, with wheezing noise and tight- ness across the chest; propensity to cough, with sense of immediate suffocation, starting up from an hori- zontal position, as if to get air; the face turgid, or livid, or pale and shrunk. Towards morning, the FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 41 patient is relieved by raising freely from the lungs, and falls asleep. The tightness of the chest remains for some days, with a return of the distress at night. Treatment.—No remedy affords such immediate relief in asthma, as the following :—Take one table- spoonful of castor oil, one of honey, two thirds of a spoonful of spirits of turpentine ; mix them together, and administer the same at one dose. Patients labor- ing under the most violent paroxysms, will breathe freely in a (e\v minutes. The above portion is for an adult. Take also one gill of juniper berries, put them into one pint of Holland gin ; after the berries are pulverized, let it steep awhile and it will be fit for use. By taking one table-spoonful twice a day,— and in the intervals the patient should take ten or twelve drops of spirits of turpentine, dropped on a little sugar or in honey,—it will allay the cough, ex- pand the lungs, open all the obstructions of the wind- pipes, and settle the vitals in their proper place. causing free circulation of air through the wind-pipes ; finally, it will open all the obstructions of the stomach. liver, spleen, and kidney; and bring on a healthy motion to the whole body or system. The patient should eat eight or ten juniper berries every morning, fasting. He should also dress warmly, exercise in the open air, when the weather is clear, and pay par- ticular attention to his diet. [See Diet and American Remedies.] Lobelia inflata has of late come into great repute for the cure of asthma. A tea-spoonful of the infu- sion, or tincture, repeated till it pukes, or sweats, may be given. WHOOPING COUGH. Convulsive, strangulating cough, with whooping, relieved by vomiting. Contagious. Treatment.—Emetics given frequently will mode- rate the symptoms. Keep the bowels open with mild laxatives. [See American Remedies.] 4* 42 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. COLIC. Pain in the b?lly, and twisting round the navel ; "vomiting; costiveness. Treatment.—A tea made of thoroughwort and poppy-leaves or blows should be given as soon as you feel the pain coming on. In most cases it will effect a cure, by repeating it several times. If it should not check the disorder, no time should be lost; put the patient to bed, and place a heated stone at the feet, wrapped in a cloth damped with vinegar; give a large portion of castor oil; then give freely of a tea of summer-savory, or pennyroyal, or tansy. Con- tinue until the patient sweats freely; bathe the bow- els often with the hot drops. Immediately give an injection composed of a tea made of thoroughwort, castor oil and a table-spoonful of ginger, free from the sediments; the tea should be administered blood warm. The injection should be repeated often, if the case requires it. A flannel bag filled with salt, and heated in a pan, and put upon the bowels, will ease the pain in a short time. Persons who are subject to the bilious colic, or painters' colic, should always keep on hand thorough- wort, poppy-leaves or blows, ready for use. Take one pint of pure Holland gin, and a piece of aloes as large as a walnut; pulverize, and add it to the gin, with two spoonfuls, or a handful of juniper berries pounded fine ; let them stand awhile and it is fit for use. By taking one or two table-spoonfuls, when you first begin to feel the pain, it will be prevented. It should be kept on hand so that you may have it ready when needed. COSTIVENESS. In this disease, the excrementitious contents of the bowels are retained an inordinate length of time. This may happen in firm, rigid constitutions, in which case the matter accumulates in large hard dry masses, with little or no pain; or in slender weakly habits, tended with irritation, when the matter dis- charged is small, hard, in button-like divisions, scarcely affording relief. Those who would avoid this troublesome complaint, should observe regularity FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 43 in going to stool, and this particularly after the full- est meal of the day. There is one thing further to be said, which may be of consequence to those who have not studied the animal economy, viz. There is a disposition in all the hollow muscles, (like the stomach, bowels, blad- der, &c.) to assume regular periodical movements, and defying compulsion during the interval. Witness the process of parturition, and even tartar emetic will not make the stomach vomit, but at periods of from ten to twenty minutes, and the interval is left to re- pose ; so the bowels will move with very little assist- ance from the voluntary muscles, provided time is given them, and a proper attention is paid to the daily intimations of nature. Ill-timed straining at stool, does mischief in more ways than one. It not only deranges the excretory functions generally; hinders the return of the blood from the lower parts through the veins, and thus causes piles; but it tends to open the joinings of the abdominal muscles, and so paves the way to rupture. Persons who are subject to costiveness, should subsist principally upon vegetable food, take their meals at regular hours, eat moderately, and dispense with tea and coffee. They should exercise in the open air. Treatment.—By taking one glass of thoroughwort tea, morning, noon and night, just before eating, and so continue for a few days, will regulate the bowels, and cause the stool to be natural. The tea should be sweetened with molasses. [See Dyspeptical Syrup.] Instead of tea and coffee, drink balm tea, with your meals. DIARRHCEA. Copious and frequent discharges by stool; each motion is usually preceded by murmuring of the bow- els and griping; sense of weight, wind and uneasi- ness in the lower belly, which ceases for a time after > a discharge ; frequently sickness and vomiting ; pale sallow countenance ; thirst, bitter taste in the mouth, yellowness of the tongue ; dry rigid skin; if the dis- ease continues, great emaciation. 44 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. Treatment.—In ordinary cases, a cure may be effected by the use of composition tea; add to it a little poplar bark and one spoonful of the hot drops ; the usual dose is a half tea-cupful; repeat the dose every hour until the diarrhoea is checked. The dysentery syrup is also an excellent remedy.' Exposure to cold should be avoided, and the feet kept warm and dry. Attention should be paid to the diet. The diet should be light and nourishing, such as the unbolted wheat meal gruel, or wheat bread, flower of elm, mutton broth, chicken broth, &c. [See Dysentery Syrup.] DROPSY. A preternatural collection of a watery fluid in some of the cavities, or diffused over the whole body; the latter pitting on pressure of the finger. In this dis- ease, the urine is high colored and scanty; costive- ness, insatiable thirst; skin pale and sallow, unless it is inflamed, when it is red, smooth and shining; cough, slow fever. Treatment.—In mild cases of dropsy, the follow- ing will be found very beneficial:—Juniper berries, bruised, two table-spoonfuls; one tea-spoonful of the powder of poplar bark ; one handful of cleavers ; add one quart of boiling water; steep, and sweeten to suit the taste. Add to the tea when taken, one tea- spoonful of Holland gin. The tea should be kept warm by the fire. The whole may be taken in the course of twenty-four hours. Injections should also be employed, or a portion of physic given, to evacu- ate the bowels. If the patient should not find -relief from the above treatment, you must have resort to more powerful means. Put the patient in bed; put a heated stone at the feet, wrapped in a damp cloth; give juniper or pennyroyal tea, until the patient sweats, which, at first, must be very gentle; and if the patient will bear it, raise the heat to a profuse sweat. Before raising the sweat to a high profusion give an emetic; after the operation of the emetic give physic, or an injection, so as to evacuate the bowels. The patient should remain in the sweat, for the space FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 45 of two hours, if it can be borne with any degree of ease. If the patient should experience languor or faintness in the bath or sweat, dash half a tumbler of cold water over him. He must then be washed out of the bath with pepper-sauce and vinegar, and the skin should be rubbed dry. [See American Reme- dies.] Continue the use of the tea and the sweats as often as every other day. The food should be light and nourishing. INSANITY. Erroneous judgment from imaginary perceptions, attended with agreeable emotions; or a perception of false relations—exciting the passions, and producing unreasonable actions or motions, with terrors of mind in pursuing a train of thoughts ; and in running from one train of thought to another; attended with inco- herent and absurd speech, called raving; violent im- patience of either contradiction or restraint; without fever. Maniacs have frequently lucid intervals, hence they are called lunatics. Treatment.—Much depends on gaining the confi- dence of the patient by gentle treatment; or more frequently by inspiring awe and dread ; of correction tempered with mildness and humanity; diverting the attention; frequent change of scene; spare diet. The patient should commence by taking two or three doses of thoroughwort tea; then commence with wormwood tea, and continue drinking it three times a day for two days, morning, noon and night, one hour before eating; then commence with the shower-bath, which must be continued every morn- ing when the weather is fair—likewise the wormwood tea, until sense and reason returns. After the shower the patient should be rubbed dry with a woollen cloth, and dressed in dry woollen clothes. JAUNDICE. Languor, inactivity, loss of appetite, yellow color of the skin, especially of the eyes; bitter taste in the mouth; yellow tinge communicated to the linen by the urine; white or clay colored stools; dryness of 46 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. the skin; and if long protracted, ulcers, bleedings, and all the symptoms of the scurvy. Jaundice is caused by whatever interferes with the flow of bile from the liver into the intestines. Hence it may be produced by disease of the liver, by inflam- mation of the biliary ducts, or by the presence of gall- stones in these passages ; or the bile may become too thick to be discharged through its natural channels. Inflammation of the inner coat of the duodenum, also, by obstructing the mouth or orifice of the biliary duct, may give rise to the malady. Treatment.—Drink freely of the composition tea to warm and invigorate the system ; then a portion of physic should be given to clear the bowels, followed by the jaundice bitters composed as follows :—Take one gallon of cider, add to it a quarter of a pound of the powdered bark of barberry; half pound of wild cherry tree bark; half a pound of bayberry bark; pulverize before you add them to the cider ; the bark should be dried before they are pulverized. Let them steep in a closely covered vessel by the fire for several days, when the liquid will be fit for use. Half a tea- cupful of the liquor, with sugar or molasses to suit the taste, may be taken three or four times a day. It should be given morning, noon and night, one hour before meals. [See American Remedies.] ITCH. The itch is a contagious eruption of small pustules, with a hard hot base, and watery looking top. Too well known to need a minute description. Treatment.—The best application is an ointment of brimstone and tar. Other remedies have been used, such as a strong decoction of juniper berries, or of hellebore, or solution of ten grains of corrosive subli- mate of mercury, in a pint of rose-leaf tea ; these are to be applied as a wash to the part three times a day. An ointment of hellebore, or of twenty grains of cor- rosive sublimate, ground into two ounces of lard have also been used. Great attention to cleanliness, and frequent washings in soap and water, are necessary FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 47 during the cure. Also frequent change of linen throughout. [See American Remedies.] WORMS. Unwholesome food, with bad digestion, seem to be the principal cause of worms. They appear most frequently in those of a relaxed habit, and whose bowels contain a great quantity of mucus or slimy matter. Children are most subject to suffer from worms, but adults are affected sometimes to a high degree. Symptoms.—Variable appetite, fetid breath, sour belching, pain in the stomach, grinding of the' teeth, picking of the nose, swelled hard bowels, griping pains of the bowels, paleness, emaciation, slow fever, con- vulsive fits. Treatment—Castor oil and spirits of turpentine, as follows :—Castor oil, one table spoonful; spirits of turpentine, two tea-spoonfuls; this portion is for an adult. The best form of the medicine for children is to drop from ten to twelve or fifteen drops of the spirits on a little sugar. This form answers a very good purpose according to their age. SUSPENDED ANIMATION. It is certain that life, when to all appearance lost, may often, by due care, be restored. Accidents fre- quently prove fatal, merely because proper means are not used to counteract their effects. In consequence of drowning, suffocation, and strangulation, a check is given to the principle of life without wholly ex- tinguishing it. In drowning, the circulation of blood becomes slow and feeble, air is discharged from the lungs and water drawn in; a struggling comes on, succeeded by convulsions; the breast ceases to rise, and the breath stops; soon the skin, especially about the face and neck, becomes of a purple or blue color, and the body sinks. When a person dies from suf- focation, the symptoms are nearly the same as in apoplexy. In strangulation, convulsions are joined to apoplectic symptoms. Livid dark spots on the face, stiffness and coldness of the body, a glassy ap- 48 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. pearance of the eyes, and a flaccid state of the skin, denote a perfect extinction of life. Actual putrefac- tion, however, is the only certain sign of death. The noble machine may be stopped, yet the spring retain its elastic vigor. The following are the means to be employed for the recovery of persons recently drown- ed :—As soon as the body is taken out of the water, it is to be conveyed with as little tossing and agitation as possible to the nearest house, where it is quickly to be stripped of the wet clothes, and wiped perfectly dry; then to be laid between warm blankets, and on the right side; the head to be covered with a warm woollen cap, and bags filled with warm sand, or bricks heated and wrapped in flannel are to be ap- plied to the feet and sides. The doors and windows are to be thrown open in order that the pure air may be freely admitted, and no persons but such as are necessary in the operation, should be allowed to enter. We should, in the next place, endeavor to expand the lungs, and, if possible, make them re- sume their office. This may be done by inserting the tube of a bellows in one nostril, and stopping the other, as also the mouth, and gently forcing the air into the lungs till the chest is raised; then with the hand depressing the breast, and thus imitating natu- ral breathing. A strong person, with a tube in the nostril, or by putting his mouth in contact with that of the sufferer, may raise the lungs. The lungs being inflated, rub every part of the body with salt and with flannel cloths, carefully avoiding the access of cold, and gradually increasing the warmth as symp- toms of life seem to return. Should the friction with flannel fail, apply flannels wrung out of very hot water to the region of the heart, and sides of the chest—or put the patient into a warm bath. Apply hartshorn to the nose, and with it wipe the temples. Stimulating clysters to the intestines, but not of to- bacco. As soon as the person can swallow, a cordial may be given. By perseverance in such means, per- sons have been restored, long after all signs of life had become extinct. Their use should not be given up, FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 40 till four or five hours have elapsed. In all cases of suspended animation, on the smallest appearance of respiration, or restoration to life, wine cordials, or a little brandy and water should be conveyed into the stomach, in small quantities at a time, and frequently repeated. When the patient comes perfectly to him- self, he should be allowed every benefit from repose. CHOKING. As soon as any person is observed to be choked, and more particularly children, the obstructing body should be felt for with a finger at the top of the throat. It is possible, many times, to remove it di- rectly ; but should we fail in this, the puking excited by the finger frequently removes the offending body. Food and foreign substances are sometimes lodged in the top of the wind-pipe and produce immediate suffocation; help in this case must be afforded at the moment by introducing the finger. Unless the offending body can be seen, any apparatus is unsafe except in the hands of an experienced surgeon. Pres- ence of mind will, however, enable a person to do much in all cases of casualty, and particularly in this; and the directions above are sufficient. The finger, and the vomiting which it is sure to produce, will do much more at the instant than is commonly thought. FALLS. The concussion or shock of a sudden fall from an eminence is such, as to leave the sufferer breathless ; and here there is often apparent death, though no destruction of parts has taken place. In this case the person should be turned to an easy posture of body and the air freely admitted, or waved into his face. Should the breath not return, the lungs should be filled as in cases of drowning; a cordial should also be given; in falls from fainting, the head should not be raised, nor persons crowd around. A little water spinkled in the face is commonly sufficient; hartshorn, lavender, ether, &c. may be administered; 5 50 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. FEMALE COMPLAINTS—MONTHLY PERIOD. The age at which the monthly evacuation com- mences varies not only in different climates, but also in different individuals, in the same place. It usually appears about the fourteenth year, and continues for a period of thirty years. In some instances this change takes place without any previous indispo- sition or uneasy feelings; but frequently it is preceded by various affections of the stomach and bowels, with pain in the back, and the health seems to decline; and not unfrequently a train of nervous or hysterical symptoms occur. ITS FIRST APPEARANCE PROTRACTED. With regard to the management of the constitutions of young women, about the time when this evacua- tion commences, I would observe, that that which insures general health, prepares the way for the happy establishment of this important change in the female constitution. If the health decline, with a disordered state of the stomach and bowels, the sur- face of the body should be kept warm by wearing a flannel shirt and drawers ; the use of the warm bath every second night; moderate but regular exercise; food easy of digestion; keeping the bowels regular by laxative medicines, &c. It will be useful to employ tonic remedies, if there appear symptoms which indicate an approaching consumption ; it will also be necessary to have early recourse to a prac- titioner. If the system seems to be simply lax and debilitated, the general remedies for strengthening are the best. Riding in a wagon, or on horseback, should be practised. Sometimes girls, robust, florid, and healthy, suffer from a protracted appearance of the periodical evacuation, and complain of uneasi- ness, headache and flushes; such should observe a spare, vegetable diet; keep the bowels loose, and avoid violent exercise, particularly in Crowded rooms. The most effectual remedy is to soak the feet in warm water, adding a little salt to the water, and take hot stimulating teas made of pennyroyal or FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 51 summer-savory, or southern wood, or partridge bush. Injections into the rectum, will accomplish much in procuring a flow of the menses, as they exercise a salutary influence over the uterine organs. The pa- tient should keep her feet warm and dry, and avoid exposure to cold or damp atmosphere. When the weather is mild, exercise in the open air will be ben- eficial. The food should be light and nourishing. [See American Remedies.] SUPPRESSION. In temporary and accidental suppression, or stop- page from cold, soak the feet; or adopt the common practice of setting in, and over decoctions of herbs, and drink freely of catnip or motherwort teas on going to bed. [See American Remedies.] DEFICIENCY. A deficiency and painful turn is, with some women, very distressing. In such cases they should carefully avoid the cold and every thing which tends to dis- turb the general health. They should keep in the house, drink freely of warm teas, especially on going to bed; should also keep a moist skin, and use the warm bath. PROFUSE DISCHARGE. A more frequent and more serious complaint is a profuse flowing -at the period, or an appearance at too short intervals. Such women should confine themselves to a horizontal posture on a hard bed or mattrass, and take cold drinks. Astringents are to be preferred, such as rose-leaf tea, oak bark, and the like. [See American Remedies.] Composition, or spice tea, will be found very beneficial. WHITES, OR SEXUAL WEAKNESS. This is a disease in which women have a thin white glairy discharge; in its mildest form resem- bling thin starch, and if attended with no pain is easily cured by removing the irritating cause. When, however, the discharge is of a yellow, brown or green 52 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. color, and acrid or fetid, it then is certainly a consti- tutional disease, and should receive immediate atten- tion. If the disease be of long standing, and the health is much impaired, and the strength much reduced, the stomach should be cleansed by a vomit; then should follow cordials and bracing medicines, such as the spice bitters and syrup. Thus we should en- deavor to effect a cure by remedies which tend to re- establish health. But local remedies should not be long omitted, such as injections of tea or oak bark, but more particularly a solution of half an ounce of alum in a quart bottle of soft water; these should be fre- quently thrown up in the passage by means of a proper syringe. [See American Remedies.] DISEASES OF INFANTS. It is frequently said little can be done for infants laboring under disease, because they can give no his- tory or statement of their feelings and symptoms. Their diseases are simple and uniform; and to an experienced examiner, sufficiently apparent. Their signs of suffering cannot be mistaken, or pass un- heeded, by any one of sagacity or feeling. Their language is that of nature; they never cheat us ; they have no imagination of their own. As soon as convenient after a child is born, it should be put to its mother's breast. • If circumstan- ces forbid this, let it be fed with a little clear molasses and water; the best substitute for the first of its mother's milk, which is laxative. Its dress should in no way make it uncomfortable. It should be suffered to sleep much of the first months, and when awake, carefully dandled for exercise. When the bowels do not move in time, after the molasses has been given, give a tea-spoonful of castor oil, and re- peat it in three hours; should it be ineffectual, or vomited up, take a little senna and manna, boiled in a gill of water, and administer freely till the bow- els move. The physic may be assisted by injections. When convulsions are present, put the child into a FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 57 NO. 3—DYSENTERY SYRUP. Take two ounces of fir bark ; two ounces of black birch bark; two ounces of poplar bark; wormwood, one handful; all pounded fine; add three quarts of water; boil them for half an hour in a covered ves- sel ; then strain through a coarse cloth; add three pounds of sugar to the liquid, and boil again until the scum has done rising; take the vessel from the fire, and add to it one ounce of cinnamon and one of cloves ; stir them in ; let them stand until they cool, and then add one pint of good brandy; stir it in; strain a second time and bottle. This syrup is an excellent remedy for the diarrhoea or dysentery. From a half to a whole wine-glassful may be taken at^a time, repeating every two hours, until the cure is effected. It is also useful in pains and soreness of the stomach and bowels. NO. 4—SYRUP FOR OLD CHRONIC COMPLAINTS. Winter-green, one handful pulverized; poplar bark, two ounces, pounded fine; juniper berries, one gill, pounded fine; annisseed, one ounce, pounded fine; fir bark, two ounces, stripped up fine; scullcap, two ounces; life of man, two ounces; one handful of five finger leaves; one ounce of hoarhound; one handful Of wormwood; blood-root, half an ounce, pulverized. Steep them all in six quarts of water; boil gently until it is reduced to three quarts; strain off; add four pounds of sugar, or three pints of molasses; boil again fifteen minutes; strain off; add, if you wish, half a pint of hot drops. After it is cold, bottle for use. This syrup is an excellent remedy in chronic and rheumatic complaints, debilitated habits, jaundice, weak stomach, loss of appetite, disturbed sleep, night sweats, &c. HOT DROPS. Take two quarts of the best fourth proof cognac brandy; put it into a stone jug, or glass bottles; add one ounce of cayenne pepper; shake them well to- gether, and then the drops are fit for use. For a larger or less quantity, observe the same proportions. These drops are useful in all cases of pain, applied to 58 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. the outside or taken inwardly. In case of common headache, it will generally relieve in a few minutes by applying to the head, and snuffing into the nose. In case of pain in the stomach or bowels, take from a half to a whole table-spoonful; the pain will soon be removed. Bathing the sides and bowels with it, will also remove pain in a short time. SPICED BITTERS AND RESTORATIVES. Take of balmony or wormwood, three ounces; pul- verized poplar bark, one pound; cloves, four ounces; ginger, four ounces; lemon balm, three ounces; cay- enne, half an ounce ; mix thoroughly, and sift. These bitters are one of the best medicines for re- storing the tone of the stomach or digestive organs, and creating an appetite, of any in use. It is also good for the jaundice, dyspepsia, headache, giddi- ness, pains in the stomach and bowels, and consump- tion ; likewise an excellent restorative after a fever. Mode of administration.—Take a heaped tea-spoon- ful of the powder, and double the quantity of sugar ; stir them together; add a tea-cupful of boiling water; drink when sufficiently cool. The best time to take the bitters, is a half hour before each meal. INJECTION, OR CLYSTERS. A pint of gruel or broth, to which may be added a spoonful of common salt. When there is tender- ness of the bowels, or in the parts adjacent, infusions of tansy, or roots of motherwort may be used. For the dysentery, take the leaves from the puss or bush wiJlow made into a tea; administer half a pint; repeat if necessary. [See Willow, American Remedies and Hardhach.] DRINKS FOR THE SICK. Barley water, toast water, oat meal gruel, rice gruel, ginger, apple tea, lemonade, tamarind bever- age, lemon balm, spice bush and cream of tartar. SICK DIET. Light boiled rice, stewed apples, prunes, or goose- berries, soft boiled eggs, egg beat up in sugar, arrow- FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 59 root, bread water, calf's feet jelly, chicken broth, beef tea, cauliflower, turnip; unbolted wheat bread should be used instead of the white bread; a small quantity of tender beef steak, roasted mutton, at noon; sago, ripe fruits, Indian meal gruel, and slip- pery elm. COMPOSITION. Take of ginger, one pound; bayberry, half a pound; cayenne, half an ounce; cloves, one fourth of a pound; scullcap, two ounces; all pulverized; mix thoroughly and sift. In diarrhoea and dysen- tery, there should be two ounces of hemlock bark pulverized, added to the above. It is a gentle stimu- lant, equalizing the circulation, and strengthening the digestive organs. It also relieves costiyeness, produces a moist skin, operates in harmony with the laws of the human system, and therefore may be safely employed in every form of disease. It is like- wise good in sudden colds, hoarseness, sore throat and stomach, pains in the stomach or bowels, or other parts of the body, diarrhoea, dysentery, cold hands and feet, colic, hysterics, mumps, headache, jaundice, nervous disorders and measles. LINIMENT OF OIL AND LIME. Take of linseed oil and lime water, of each, equal parts; mix them. This liniment is extremely useful in burns and scalds: effectual in preventing inflam- mation. RHEUMATIC LINIMENT. Take the best of hard soap, one ounce ; camphor, one ounce; very strong spirit, one pint; mix the soap with the spirit, and let them stand in a moderate heat until the soap is dissolved, occasionally shaking the phial; then add the camphor, and one tea-spoon- ful of cayenne, and also one tea-spoonful of spirits of turpentine; shake the vessel until the whole is dis- solved. Useful in sprains, bruises and rheumatic pains. Good to disperse swellings, tumors, and the like. 60 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. TINCTURE OF FIR BALSAM. Take of balsam, one ounce; alcohol, one pint; di- gest till the balsam be dissolved; then add one glass of the syrup of sugar. Taken internally, it is a rem- edy for coughs, soreness of the stomach and bowels, night cough and consumption. The dose is a tea- spoonful. BITTERS. Take one half a pint of juniper berries; two ounces of camomile flowers; one ounce of annisseed ; pound the seeds fine; put them all into a bottle ; add to it one pint and a half of good gin; let it steep ten hours. By taking two or three spoonsful in the morning, re- peated at ten o'clock, again at five in the afternoon, it wonderfully helps to remove wind from the stom- ach and bowels, dizziness of the head, and puts the body in health. STRENGTHENING AND ADHESIVE PLASTER. Take of rosin, half a pound; white pine turpentine, half a pound; beeswax, one ounce; fresh lard, one ounce; melt them together. When the different arti- cles are thoroughly mixed, pour them into a vessel of cold water, and work them with the hands as a shoemaker works his wax. This compound, spread on soft leather, is to be applied to weak backs, or any other part of the body which is in a state of debility. It is also used as an adhesive plaster, to confine the lips or edges of wounds together. For this purpose, it should be spread on linen or cotton cloth, which is cut into strips, warmed by the fire, and applied across the wound. It is likewise useful for confining poul- tices to different parts of the body, which it might be inconvenient to bandage. POULTICES. Take of the life of man, roots pounded fine; boil them in water until they are soft; then add a little meal if you wish, or use them without. Their use is to ease pain, to break sores, to cool inflammations, to dissolve hardness and dissipate swellings. This FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 61 poultice is an excellent remedy to prevent mortifica- tion, for women's breasts, and for hard swellings and tumors. Use no poultices if you can help it, that are of a healing nature, before you have first cleansed the body, because they are subject to draw the hu- mors to the part affected from every part of the body. Common bread and milk poultice, with powdered charcoal in it. is a good application to mortification, or mortified wounds: A very good poultice is made of chickweed, for boils and ill-conditioned sores. TAR OINTMENT. Take of tar and mutton suet, of each, half a pound; melt them together and strain. This is successfully employed in some eruptions of the skin, especially scald head. A SALVE TO STOP ANY EATING SORE. Take beeswax, half a pound, and half a pound of bayberry tallow; one pound of mutton tallow ; three ounces of turpentine ; melt them together, and it is fit for use. This salve is an excellent application to any eating or running sore. SALVE FOR A SCALD OR BURN. Take white lead and linseed oil, and make a salve. This salve is an excellent application to scalds and burns, leaving them without scar. TO CURE A FELON. Take fine salt and chimney soot, of equal parts, and pound them together; then mix them with the yolk of an egg, and apply it to the felon when it first begins, and it commonly effects a cure. DIRECTIONS FOR HEADS OF FAMILIES. Persons who have the care of families should watch them with the greatest care, and endeavor to ascer- tain the first symptoms of a disease; especially in colds and coughs, which is most commonly the com- mencement of almost all the fevers that we are liable to. A flushed and swelled face and pain in the head, are the first symptoms of a fever, and should be attended 6 62 family physician. to without delay. First soak the feet in warm water, give pennyroyal or composition tea, so as to bring on a perspiration. If there should be oppression in the stomach, give an emetic. If not, rub the feet well with vinegar; put on dry socks; give a portion of physic on going to bed; place a heated stone at the feet, wrapped in a damp cloth. This treatment, in most cases, will effect a cure, especially in children. These simple remedies will save a great deal of trouble, time, and cost, and prevent a fit of sickness. The composition tea and the tincture of fir balsam will be found very beneficial in coughs and colds. N. B. It is of great importance that heads of fami- lies provide themselves with such medicines, and other necessaries, that may be needed in case of sick- ness. Every family should also be provided with a syringe; one that will cost seventy-five cents will be sufficient. It is likewise very important, that the following medicines, set down under the head of Fam- ily Dispensary, should be kept on hand by every family, that they may have them ready for use. FAMILY DISPENSARY. Ipecac.—It should be kept in a dry phial, stopped tight. Dose for an adult, one tea-spoonful; one half of which is to be given in about three table-spoons- ful of lukewarm water, the other half to be given in fifteen or twenty minutes. Senna and Manna.—Dose for an adult, one table- spoonful, a little rounding, with a small piece of man- na added to the senna ; steep in a half cupful of water. Castor Oil.—Dose for an adult, one table-spoonful. Physical Drops should always be kept on hand. Composition.—Dose for an adult, one tea-spoonful of the powders and two tea-spoonsful of sugar to a tea-cupful of boiling water. Let it stand a few min- utes ; administer without the dregs. Cough Syrup; Annisseed; Spiced Bitters; Flax- seed : Hot Drops ; Ginger ; Saffron ; Cloves ; Spirits of Turpentine; Honey; Juniper Berries; Poplar family physician. 53 warm or tepid bath. It removes spasms, and helps cathartics. Do not omit injections in this case. [See American Remedies.] TRUSH OF INFANTS. This needs no description. It is sometimes with, and sometimes without fever. An emetic of ipecac should be given. After the stomach is cleared, give a tea-spoonful of castor oil. After the stomach and bowels are free, gargle with a tea made of wood sor- rel and blackberry root. It should be the. bark of the root of the high bush, sweetened with loaf sugar. When the mouth is washed, give a tea-spoonful to the child to swallow. RED GUM. Red gum is an eruption of fine pimples, of a red color, affecting infants mostly within the first month. Give saffron and snakeroot teas, to keep out the eruption; and magnesia to move the bowels and keep them free. DIARRHOEA. A diarrhoea often follows infants and children, in consequence of bad diet, damp rooms and negligence. In attempting the cure, we should be careful to avoid all causes which are obvious, and pay particular at- tention to the diet. It is frequently the case that the diet is offensive to the stomach, or badly digested, when we least suspect it. Consequently we should watch carefully what food agrees, and not fail to in- spect the stools. There are a variety of remedies which may be used with advantage in this complaint; such as an infusion of golden rod, raspberry leaves, black birch bark, thornbush leaves, composition tea, the dysen- tery syrup. A dose of a tea-spoonful, repeated every hour or two, will generally arrest the discharge. In- jections should not be forgotten. Take a strip of the bark from a fir-tree as large as your hand; cut it up fine; steep slowly in about a pint of water, in a cov- ered vessel, for a quarter or half an hour; strain the 5* 54 family physician. decoction, and sweeten with loaf sugar. Children will take this tea freely, and it is particularly valu- able in the bowel complaints with which they are so often affected. It seldom fails of producing a cure in the very worst cases. It diminishes the pain and soreness of the bowels, and gradually checks the dis- order. By adding a little slippery elm, it will be found highly beneficial in coughs, asthma, soreness of the lungs, &c. In case the stomach should be foul, an emetic should be given. The tepid bath is useful in moistening the skin. VOMITING. Vomiting is very common to healthy children, who eat or drink more than is necessary. This needs no medication of course. Children bear pukes better than adults, and they should not be dreaded in croup, hooping-cough, &c. MEDICINES COMPOSED OF ROOTS AND HERBS, AND OTHER ARTICLES. PHYSICAL DROPS. Take of good Turkey myrrh in powder, half an ounce; fir balsam one table-spoonful. Dissolve the gum and balsam in half a pint of alcohol, together with half of an ounce of powdered aloes; take annis- seed, one ounce; saffron, two ounces: life of man- root, two ounces; pulverize the seeds and bark ; add the saffron; add to them one and a half pints of boil- ing water; steep down to one pint; strain off; add both compounds together ; they are then fit for use. These drops are calculated to be used with the difler- ent syrups. As they improve the tone of the stom- ach and bowels, and invigorate the digestive powers by opening the obstruction of the liver and spleen, they are therefore good for costiveness, dyspepsia, and a train of other maladies. When combined with the different syrups, a tea-spoonful may be added to one glass of syrup. If taken alone, two or three tea- spoonsful will be sufficient, to operate as physic; it should be taken in a little sweetened water. TINCTURE OF WOOD SORREL. Take of wood sorrel, quarter of a pound, bruised; the bark of the root of standing blackberry pulverized, one ounce; add one pint of cognac brandy; let it steep four days; strain off; add half a pint of the syrup of loaf sugar ; let it stand one day in a warm place; shake the vessel often. This tincture is an excellent wash and gargle for sore mouth. A tea- spoonful taken at a time and swallowed, is excellent in sore throat and stomach. It seldom fails of a cure. 56 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. NO. 1—SYRUP FOR THE INFLAMMATION OF THE LIVER. Take two ounces of hoarhound; two ounces of the leaves and blows of thoroughwort; half a pint of ju- niper berries, pounded fine; two ounces of poplar bark pulverized; two ounces of lemon balm; one ounce of elder blows. Add to them six quarts of water; steep down to three quarts, and be careful to keep the vessel covered while steeping; strain off; add two ounces of gum Arabic and three pounds of sugar, or two pints and a half of molasses; steep again until it is reduced to about one pint; strain off and bottle for use. For a greater or a less amount observe the same rules. Dose, half a glass. If the patient is costive, add a tea-spoonful of the physical drops to the draught the patient is to take. The physical drops need not to be repeated, unless the patient is costive. The syrup should be taken three times a day, morning, noon and night, half an hour before taking the meals. This syrup is an excellent remedy in the liver com- plaint, dyspepsia, jaundice, consumption, piles, and pain in the stomach. It is also a laxative, and keeps the bowels gently open. It is likewise an excellent remedy in coughs and colds, lung fever, and typhus fever, dyspepsia, indigestion, &c. • NO. 2.—COUGH SYRUP. Take of hoarhound, one ounce; thoroughwort, two ounces; juniper berries, half pint; hyssop, one hand- ful ; two table-spoonsful of flaxseed; steep in three quarts of water, till reduced to three pints; strain off; add three pounds of sugar, or three pints of molasses, and two ounces of gum Arabic; steep again, till re- duced to three pints. This syrup is a laxative and tonic, and is an excellent remedy in coughs and colds, hoarseness and soreness of the lungs. A wine-glass- ful may be taken three or four times a day. From one to two tea-spoonsful of the physical drops should be taken in the syrup every morning, which will keep the bowels gently open through the day, and work off the cold. FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 63 Bark : Cayenne; Cinnamon; Cream of Tartar; The Flower of Elm; Gum Myrrh; Gum Aloes; Gum Arabic; Soda ; Opodeldoc and Sweet Nitre. Doses of the above reduced for persons under twen- ty-one years of age, as follows:—For fourteen years, two thirds; seven years, one half: five years, one third : three years, one fourth ; twenty-eight months, one fifth; fourteen months, one eighth; seven months, one twelfth. In addition to the above, gather and preserve all the herbs in their seasons, that they may be ready for use in sickness, according to the directions in the fol- lowing chapter. DIRECTIONS FOR Preserving and Collecting Plants, &c, HERBS. Herbs should be gathered in clear, dry weather. when there is no dew upon them, and spread thinly upon the floor of a chamber or loft, where there is a free circulation of air; they should be turned fre- quently. Herbs when they are sufficiently dry, such as have large stalks, like wormwood and thorough- wort, should be stripped from the stalks, then put in paper bags, made for that purpose, and kept in a dry place. All other herbs should be kept in the same way. If they are exposed to the air during winter. they will turn dark and lose their strength. Herbs are generally in the greatest perfection, just before or during the flowering period, and should be gathered about that time. ROOTS. Roots should be collected in spring, before the sap rises, or in the autumn. They are to be freed from dirt, and dried in the sun. Roots that are large or juicy should be cut in slices before they are dried. The bark of bayberry should be taken off as soon as the root is collected, and dried for use. BARKS. Barks should be collected in the spring and autumn. The bark of young trees is the best. They should be dried in the same way as roots. FLOWERS. Flowers, which is the beauty of the plant, should FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 65 be gathered while in bloom, in a clear, dry day, and well dried and put in paper bags, to keep them fresh and from the air. JUICES. Juices are to be pressed out of herbs. When they are tender, like wood sorrel, bruise them well in a mortar, and put them into a cloth and ring or press out the juice ; then take and clarify it. The manner of clarfying is this: put the juice into a skillet, or some such thing, and set it over the fire; when the scum rises, take it off. When you have your juice clarified, cast away the scum, and boil it over the fire, until it becomes the thickness of honey. This is most commonly used for diseases of the mouth, and often compounded with other medicines for that purpose. For a cancer, the juice that you press out of sorrel should be dried in the sun, until it is hard enough to spread on a plaster for that purpose. SYRUPS. A syrup is a medicine of a liquid form, composed of infusions and decoctions. Syrup, by infusion, is usually made of flowers, and of such as soon lose their color and strength by boiling, as roses, violets, peach flowers, &c. Having picked your flowers clean, to every pound add three pints of water. First, put your flowers into a pewter pot with a cover, then pour the water on them; the water must be boiling hot; then put on the cover, let it stand by the fire, to keep hot ten or twelve hours, and then strain it out. To every pint add one pound of sugar, which being melted over the fire, without boiling, will make the syrup. Syrup made by decoction is composed of com- pounds ; yet may any simple herb be converted into a syrup as follows :—Take the herb, root, or flowers you wish to make into a syrup, and bruise them ; then boil them in a sufficient quantity of water; (a handful of the herb or root, is a sufficient quantity for a pint of water.) Boil it until half the water is consumed; then strain off through a woollen cloth. 6* 66 FAMILY PHVS1CIAN. To every pint of this decoction add one pound df sugar, and boil again over the fire till it comes to syrup, which will be in ten or fifteen minutes; take off the scum as it rises; then strain again through a woollen cloth. Thus you have your syrup. Keep it either in glass or stone pots, and bind paper closely ever the mouth. All syrups, if well made, continue good eight or ten months. DECOCTIONS. All the difference between decoctions and syrups. is this :—Syrups are made to keep ; decoctions only for present use, and will not keep more than five or six days. Decoctions are of most use in such dis- eases as lie in the passage of the body, as the stomach, bowels, kidneys, passage of the urine and bladder:* they pass quicker to those places than any other form of medicine. You may sweeten them with sugar, or molasses. Keep all decoctions in glass bottles close stopped, in a cool place. The usual dose to be given at one time, is a wine- glassful, and so down according to the age and strength of the patient, the season of the year, strength of the medicine, &c. TO MIX MEDICINES FOR ANY DISEASE. With the disease, regard the cause, and the part of the body afflicted. For example; suppose you are subject to wind; look for that complaint in the table and you will see how many herbs are useful. By the same rule, you may learn the medicinal virtues of all the herbs, touching any case. You may compound them, or use them made into a common tea. In all diseases strengthen the part of the body affected. Be sure always to fortify the part of the body affected by sympathetical remedies. Regard the heart, keep that in order, because it is the seat of life. TONICS. Tonics are bitter restorative medicines, and are used in loss of appetite, feeble digestion, and general FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 67 weakness or debility. They act first upon the stom- ach, then upon the body, imparting to the whole system an increase of strength and vigor. Tonics are generally bitter; the leading ones are wormwood, wild cherry-tree bark, balmony, poplar bark, unicorn. the leaves of peach-trees and kernels of peach-stones, thoroughwort, barberry bark, hardhach, mayweed, peppermint, spearmint, tansy, raspberry leaves, yar- row, scullcap, elecampane, witch-hazel leaves, birth- root, and camomile. They are of no advantage where the stomach is much disordered. After it has been cleansed by an emetic, in severe disorders, as fevers and inflammations, they should not be employ- ed until the disease has subsided. In chronic disease, they may be used freely, and always with benefit, if the stomach is not too much encumbered with morbid matter. They should not be employed after the ap- petite is sufficiently restored. NERVINES. These have the effect to still the nerves, without impairing the sensibility. They include camomile, scullcap, lady's slipper, cocash, ginseng, cayenne, the roots of frostweed, yarrow, pipsisewa, &c. PURGATIVES. Purgatives are agents which quicken the motion of the bowels, and increase the secretions of fluids from their mucus or inner coat. They include thorough- wort, barberry, butternut, bitterroot, camomile, blood- root, hoarhound, sumac bark, and yellow dock. RECEIPTS. FOR THE STONE AND GRAVEL, SUPPRESSION, AND DIF- FICULTY OF PASSING URINE. Treatment—Great relief may be found by drink- ing smartweed tea; or. steep smartweed, take one pint of the decoction, and add to it half a pint of Hol- land gin. By taking half to a whole wine-glassful, two or three times a day, it wonderfully helps the complaint, and assists in dissolving the stone. The tincture of fir balsam, will also be found very benefi- cial. Take one tea-spoonful three or four times a day. The herbs, &c, that are good for the same com- plaint, are camomile; winter-green or pyrola tea; solution of gum Arabic; juniper berries in Holland gin; gravelweed tea ; spirits of turpentine in Holland gin. In every difficulty of urine, live a temperate life and avoid every irregularity. TO CURE A SWELLING IN THE THROAT. Let a person who is troubled with risings in the throat, as soon as he feels the soreness coining on, take dry onion tops and smoke freely. This will not nauseate like tobacco, but will produce a very copious discharge of the saliva; hence the removal of the gathering difficulty. This remedy has been applied to many persons long afflicted with risings, and they have never found it to fail helping them when resort- ed to in season. Persons also will find relief from this remedy in case of severe tickling in the throat which often produces troublesome coughing, especi- ally in the night, when they have taken a cold. CROUP. Cut onions into thin slices; between and over them FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 69 put brown sugar ; when the sugar is dissolved, a tea- spoonful of the syrup will produce almost instantane- ous relief. CONSUMPTION. Haifa pint of new milk, mixed with a wine-glass- ful of the expressed juice of green hoarhound, taken every morning, is said to be an effectual remedy for consumption, if resorted to in time. One who tried it says, " Four weeks use of the hoarhound and milk relieved the pains of my breast; enabled me to breathe deep, long, and free; strengthened and harmonized my voice, and restored me to a better state of health than I had been in for years." Our own experience enables us to state, that hoarhound is an excellent specifip for coughs or colds. [American Farmer.] FOR THE DYSENTERY. Boil a pint of milk, which thicken with an egg; add one large spoonful of salt, and the same quantity of allspice. Take it twice or thrice a day, and in a few days the most obstinate dysentery may thus be cured. FOR SORE THROAT. The medical journal has the following:—"We have known several instances in which this distress- ing complaint, even in its worst stages, has been im- mediately alleviated, and speedily cured, by the following remedy: mix a pennyworth of pounded camphor with a wine-glass of brandy ; pour a small quantity on a lump of sugar, and allow it to dissolve in the mouth every hour. The third or fourth time of using it generally enables the patient to swallow with ease." FOR THE PILES. Mix one table-spoonful of sulphur with half a pint of milk; to be taken the last thing every day, until favorable symptoms appear; and then occasionally. as the case may require. The above is a cheap and simple, but most infallible cure for this most painful and unpleasant disorder. 70 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. FOR THE TOOTH ACE. The National Forum says, " the toothache can be cured by mixing equal parts of alum and salt, pulver- ized; then wet a small piece of cotton so that the mixed powders will adhere to it, and insert it in the hollow of the tooth." FOR A COUGH. Take one large turnip and cut it into slices; put it into a quart mug, then fill the mug with molasses and simmer it till the turnip becomes soft and then it is ready for use. Take two table-spoonsful at a time, three times a day; it often gives immediate relief. FOR THE WHOOPING COUGH. Take a white-tailed hornets nest, make a tea by steeping it in water, and use it for a constant drink; it is also no less effectual in relieving the phthisic. FOR THE AGUE IN THE FACE AND TEETH. Take onions, cut them fine, boil them in water till they become soft; then stir in Indian bran or hulls of Indian meal, until it is suitable for a poultice; apply this poultice to the face as warm as it can be borne, and renew it as often as it becomes cool. It takes away the complaint. FOR A SORE MOUTH AND THROAT. Take one large handful of wood sorrel; about one table-spoonful of the bark of the root of the high blackberry; steep them together until the strength is out; then strain it; add one table-spoonful-of sugar (loaf sugar is best;) wash the mouth and gargle it in the throat, three or four times a day. Each time you use the wash, drink one or two tea-spoonsful of the liquor. It seldom fails of a cure. FOR A SCALD OR BURN. Take white lead and linseed or sweet oil; make a salve; spread it on a piece of cotton cloth, and apply it to the scald or burn. Renew it twice a day, until FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 71 the cure is made. I have never known it to fail of a perfect cure in a short time, and that without a scar. FOR COLD FEET. Cold feet is generally attended with the headache, cold hands, and frequently a pain in the stomach, which often causes a bleeding at the stomach, by the blood not having a free circulation to the feet and hands. Therefore the pressure of blood is so great at the stomach that it causes the head to ache, and sometimes it even bursts the blood vessels in the stomach. Make a strong tea of smartweed, a suffi- cient quantity to soak the feet. Put the feet in it as hot as it can be borne; rub them with a brush until the water is almost cold, and wrap them in a warm flannel; then make a tea of peppermint and drink: all of which must be done about the time of going to bed. If the patient is costive, he should take a por- tion of physic. After which take of horseradish roots one handful; one half gill of mustard seed pounded fine; put them into two quarts of good cider; let it stand twelve or fifteen hours. Take of the same one glassful every morning; it will quicken the blood; and by continuing it, will cause a free circulation of the blood through the whole system, producing a genial warmth to every part of the body. It is also excellent for the health. ITCH OINTMENT. Take one ounce of red precipitate; eleven ounces of fresh butter : and two ounces of the spirits of tur- pentine ; mix them together cold and it is fit for use. Anoint the joints, the hollow of the arms, the hams, rubbing the inside of the hands, &c. The time to apply it is when going to bed. One ounce of this ointment is sufficient to cure two persons. TO QUICKEN THE BLOOD AND RELIEVE NUMBNESS. Take sage and steep it in good brandy, near the fire, for twelve or fifteen hours. One tea-spoonful is a medium dose as often as the case may require. 72 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. TO MAKE A CORDIAL FOR WEAKLY CHILDREN. Take one ounce of the meats of peach-stones ; one ounce of gum myrrh, pounded fine, and four ounces of sugar; mix these articles together; add to them one pint of good brandy; let it stand two or three days. Give one tea-spoonful two or three times a day. KITTREDGE OINTMENT, SO CALLED. Take of tobacco leaves bruised, one pound; steep them one night in red wine; then add half a pound of hog's lard; boil it until the wine.be consumed; strain it, and add a quarter of a pound of the juice of tobacco ; two ounces of rosin; boil it to the consump- tion of the- juice. While boiling, add cue ounce of the powder of birthwort, and one ounce of rosin. Virtues.—It cures ulcers, tumors, wounds, blotches, scabs, itch, wounds, botches, scalds, burns made by lightning, ulcers in the legs, though the bone be af- fected, and brings up the flesh from the bottom. By anointing the face with it, the redness and pimples will soon disappear. A wound dressed with it will never putrify. By applying it to the stomach no in- firmity will harbor there, and it will prevent consump- tion of the lungs, asthma, &c. FOR A COUGH. Take two onions and eight garlics, of common size, and cut them fine; put them into three pints of water, and boil until they are reduced to one pint; then strain through a cloth, and add one third part honey and a half pint of gin. By taking one or two spoons- ful at a time when you have your spells of coughing, it will give relief beyond conception. [Dr. She°pard.'] FOR A SCALD OR BURN. Take a piece of unslacked lime, as large as an egg ■ put it into three gills of spring water and let it slack: after slacking, take a part of the water and add sweet oil equal to the quantity of water; stir them until they are properly mixed together; after which spread FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 73 it on a linen cloth. Apply it to the scald or burn and it gives relief. [Chase.] WEAKLY HABITS AND BILIOUS COMPLAINTS. Take peach leaves one handful; dandelion roots and tops one half peck; one large handful of Roman wormwood; double the quantity of five fingered leaves there is of the wormwood; one half peck of the bark of elder roots; put them into a two pail pot, and boil them together until you get the strength; then strain it and reduce it by boiling to three quarts; when cold add one pint and a half of good gin; after which put it into bottles, keep it from the air, and it is fit for use. This is extremely good for all weakly habits or bilious complaints, headache, cold feet, &c. TO CURE A FELON. Take fine salt and chimney soot, of equal parts, and pound them together; then mix them with the yolk of an egg; apply to the felon when it first begins, and it commonly effects a cure. RISINGS IN THE FLESH. Take life of man pounded fine; boil it in milk; apply it to the place affected, and renew it often; it frequently effects a cure. FOR THE RHEUMATISM. Take balsam of copaiva; white pine turpentine and saltpetre of equal parts; mix them together; after which, make it into pills as large as a pea; take one at night and one in the morning. This will generally afford relief. TO STRENGTHEN THE NERVES AND JOINTS. Take half a pint of neatsfoot oil; half a pint of brandy; half a gill of the oil of turpentine; oil of annis, ten drops; simmer the brandy and the neats- foot oil together; then stir the turpentine in with it, and it is fit for use. Anoint the place affected from 7 . 74 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. time to time as the case may require. This is called the Kittridge nerve ointment. TO TURN SICKNESS, OR STOP PUKING. Take peppermint tea; spearmint tea ; or hogweed tea. STIFF JOINTS AND SINEWS. Take angle worms, neatsfoot oil, and brandy, of each one gill; simmer them together moderately and it is fit for use ; anoint the place affected morning and night by the fire; after which keep it wrapped up, and it seldom fails of producing a cure. DYSENTARY AND VARIOUS OTHER COMPLAINTS. Take bald spruce bark and boil it strong. In case of dysentary take two table-spoonsful at a time, once every hour, until the cause is removed. It is also exceeding good for all swellings, sores, and green wounds, when washed therewith. TO STOP THE MENSES, OR TOO MUCH FLOWING OF WOMEN'S COURSES. Take half an ounce of picra ; add to it one pint of gin, and it is fit for use. Take half of a wine-glassful every morning, and it seldom fails of effecting a cure. Take bald spruce balls and make a strong tea; drink once an hour; it will also, it is said, relieve the dis- tress. FOR A COUGH. Take dragon root, flaxseed, the top of new milk, and honey, of each one tea-spoonful; mix them to- gether, and it is fit for use. Take it as follows: If the cough is hard, one tea-spoonful once an hour; if not hard, once in two or three hours. FOR A ROSE CANCER. Take garget plums, full ripe; simmer them in cream moderately; anoint the cancer two or three times a day till it comes out. FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 75 FOR THE WHOOPING COUGH. Take a white-tailed hornet's nest, steep it in water, and make a tea; use it for a constant drink. It is likewise no less effectual in relieving the phthisic. It should be the comb that is steeped. STRENGTHENING PLASTER. Take white pine turpentine; put it into a thin fcloth or bag and boil it; squeeze it as it boils ; skim it off as it rises on the top of the water, and pour it into cold water; then work it in the same manner as you would work wax, until it becomes white. This is au excellent plaster for sprains and bruises, black and blue spots, and a weak back. It also proves very effectual in healing green wounds or cracks on the hands. FOR THE WIND COLIC. Make a strong tea of smartweed; add a small sprig of lobelia, which will expel the wind, kill the cold, and cause the pain to subside in a few hours. FOR SALT RHEUM. Take the bark of elm roots and boil it in water until the water becomes a strong tea; then strain it from the bark, and it is fit for use. A small quantity of it must be drank in the morning, again at eleven o'clock, and again at bed-time. Wash the sores with the same tea as often as you drink the tea; and so continue for several days together. It will give great relief. 1 have known it to cure this complaint when the patient was, as it were, all over a mange; in the course of ten or twelve days the skin will become perfectly natural. FOR A PAIN IN THE SIDE. Take potatoes; boil them soft; put them into a flannel bag; lay them on the pained side when going to bed ; at the same time take a draft of wormwood tea. By continuing this poultice several nights to- gether, many have found relief beyond conception. 76 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. FOR AN EMETIC. Mustard mixed in the usual way, and taken into the stomach, is a very speedy emetic; especially for young children, attacked with scarlet fever, and for ejecting poisonous substances. AMERICAN REMEDIES. HERBS, PLANTS, &c. ALL HEAL. Worms, Gout, Cramp, Joints, Lethargy, Obstructions of the Liver and Spleen and Toothache. It is called all heal, Hercules' all heal, and Hercu- les' woundwort. Description.—Its root is long, thick, and exceed- ingly full of juice, of a hot and biting taste ; the leaves are large and winged, similar to that of the ash-tree, and are somewhat hairy. Each leaf consists of five or six pair of wings set one against the other upon foot-stalks, broad below, but narrow towards the end; one of the leaves is a little deeper at the bottom than the other, of a fair, yellowish, fresh green color; they are of a bitterish taste when chewed in the mouth. From among the leaves arises a stalk, green in color, round in form, large and strong in magni- tude, five or six feet high, with many joints and some leaves thereon. Towards the top comes forth umbels of small yellow flowers ; after these are passed away may be found whitish and yellow short flat seeds, bitter also in taste. Place.—I have given the above description of the herb from the bottom to the top. that you may not mistake it because there are other herbs called by this name. It is easily to be had in the gardens in many places. Government and virtues.—li kills worms, helps the gout, cramp and convulsions, provokes urine, and is good for pains in the joints. It helps cold affections of the head, the vertigo, falling sickness, lethargy, the wind colic, obstructions of the liver and spleen, stone in the kidneys and bladder. It assists the terms, expels the dead birth, and is excellent for the 7# 78 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. sinews; also for itch and toothache, an;%vomen's courses, helps to expel the dead child, and causes the hair to become black." It stays the bleeding of wounds, and cleanses foul ulcers and sores. The FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 217 decoction made in wine, takes away the itching of the cods if they be bathed therewith. Orpheus says, " Three spoonsful of the juice of sage taken fasting, with a little honey, does presently stay the spitting or casting of blood in them that are in a consump- tion." The following pills are highly recommended: Take of spikenard, ginger, of each two drachms; of the seed of sage toasted at the fire, eight drachms; of the long pepper, twelve drachms; all these being brought into powder, put thereto so much juice of sage as may make them into a mass of pills. Take a dose of them every morning fasting, and so like- wise at night, drinking a little pure water after them. It is very profitable for all manner of pains in the head coming of cold and rheumatic humors; also for all pains of the joints, whether inwardly or outward- ly, and therefore helps the falling sickness, the leth- argy, such as are dull and heavy of spirit, the palsy ; and is of much use in all defluxions of rheum from the head, and for the diseases of the chest or breast. The leaves of sage and nettles bruised together, and laid upon the imposthume that rises behind the ears, assuages it much. The juice of sage taken in warm Avater, helps a hoarseness and a cough. The leaves soddened in Avine, and laid upon the place affected Avith the palsy, helps it much, if the decoction be drank. Also, sage taken Avith wormAvood, is good for the bloody flux. Pliny says, (; It procures wo- men's courses, and stays them coming down too fast; helps the stinging and biting of serpents, and kills the worms that breed in the ear, and in sores." Sage is of excellent, use to help the memory, warming and quickening the senses; and the conserve made of the flowers is used for the same purpose, and also for all the former recited diseases. The juice of sage drank with vinegar, has been of good use in the plague at all times. Gargles likewise are made with sage, rosemary, honey-suckles and plantain, boiled in wine or water, with some honey or alum put thereto, to wash sore mouths and throats, cankers, or the secret parts of men or women, as need requires. It is much 19 218 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. recommended for the stitch, or pains in the side com- ing of Avind, if the place be fomented Avarm Avith the decoction thereof in wine, and the herb also after boiling be laid thereunto. SOLOMON'S SEAL. Wounds and Sores, Vomiting, Running of the Reins, Knit Joints and Broken Bones, Beautify the Face. Description.—The common Solomon's seal rises up with a round stalk half a yard high, bowing or bending doAvn to the ground, set with single leaves one above another, someAvhat large, and like the leaves of the lily-convally, or May-lily, with an eye of bluish upon the green, with some ribs therein, and more yelloAvish underneath. At the foot of every leaf, almost from the bottom up to the top of the stalk, come forth small, long, Avhite and hollow pen- dulous flowers, someAvhat like the floAvers of May- lily, but ending in five long points, for the most part two together, at the end of a long footstalk, and sometimes but one, and sometimes also tAvo stalks, Avith floAvers at the foot of a leaf, Avhich are Avithout any scent at all, and stand on one side of the stalk. After they are past, there come in their places small round berries, great at the first, and blackish green, tending to blueness, Avhen they are ripe, Avherein lie small Avhite, hard, and stony seeds. The root is of the thickness of one's finger or thumb, Avhite and knotted in some places, a flat round circle, representing a seal, Avhereof it took the name, lying along under the upper crust of the earth, and not groAving doAvn- Avards, but Avith many fibres underneath. Government and virtues.—The root of Solomon's seal is found by experience to be available in Avounds, hurts, and outAvard sores, to heal and close up the lips of those that are green, and to dry up and restrain the flux of humors to those that are old. It is singu- larly good to stay vomitings and bleeding Avhereso- ever, as also all fluxes in men or women, Avhether whites or reds in women, or the running of the reins in men; also to knit any joint, which by Aveakness is FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 219 often out of place, or will not stay in long when it is set; also, to knit and join broken bones in any part of the body, the roots "being bruised and applied to the places ; yea, it has been found by late experience, that the decoction of the root in Avine, or the bruised root put into wine or other drink after a night's infu- sion, strained forth hard and drank, has helped both man and beast, whose bones have been broken by any occasion, and is the most assured refuge of help to the people of the land that they can have. It is no less effectual to help ruptures and burstings, the decoction in wine, or the powder in broth, or drink, being inwardly taken, and outwardly applied to the place. The same is also available for iiiAvard or out- Avard bruises, falls or blows, both to dispel the con- gealed blood, and to take away both the pains and the black and^lue marks that abide after the hurt. The same also, or the distilled water of the whole plant, used on the face, or other parts of the skin, cleanses it from morphew, freckles, spots, or marks whatsoever, leaving the place fresh, fair and lovely. SANICLE. Green Wounds, Inward Bleedings, Ulcers, Throat, Mouth and Pri- vates, Ulcers in the Kidneys, Running of the Reins. Description.—Ordinary sanicle sends forth many great round leaves, standing upon long broAvnish stalks, every one someAvhat deeply cut or divided into fiAre or six parts, and some of these also cut in somewhat like the leaf of croAvsfoot, or dovesfoot, and finely dented about the edges, smooth, and of a dark shining color, and sometimes reddish about the brim; from among Avhich arise up small, round, green stalks, without any joint or leaf thereon, saving at the top, where it branches forth into flowers, having a leaf divided into three or four parts at. that joint, Avith the flowers, Avhich are small and Avhite, starting out of small, round, greenish yellow heads, many standing together in a tuft, in Avhich afterwards are the seeds contained, which are small round burrs, somewhat like the leaves of cleavers, and stick in the same 220 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. manner upon anything that they touch. The root is composed of many blackish strings or fibres, set to- gether at a little long head, Avhich abides with green leaves all the winter, and perishes not. Place.—It is found in many shadowy woods, and other places of this land. Time.—It floAvers in June, and the seed is ripe shortly after. Government and virtues.—It heals green wounds speedily, or any ulcers, imposthumes, or bleedings inward, also tumors in any part of the body; for the decoction or poAvder in drink taken, and the juice used outAvardly, dissipates the humors ; and there is not found any herb that can give such present help either to man or beast, when the disease falls upon the lungs or throat, and to heal up putrid malignant ulcers in the mouth and throat, by gargling or wash- ing with the decoction of the leaves and roots made in water, and a little honey put thereto. It helps to stay women's courses, and all'other fluxes of blood, either by the mouth, urine, or stool, and lasks of the belly; the ulcerations of the kidneys also, and the pains in the bowels, and running of the reins, being boiled in wine or water, and drank. The same also is no less powerful to help any rupture or burstings, used both inwardly and outwardly; and, briefly, it is as effectual in binding, restraining, consolidating, heating, drying and healing, as comfrey, bugle, self- heal, or any other of the vulnerary herbs whatsoever. SARACEN'S CONFOUND, OR SARACEN'S WOUND-WORT. Obstructions, Yellow Jaundice, Dropsy, Ulcers of the Reins, Mother, Ulcers in the Mouth or Throat, Sores in the Privy Parts. Description.—This grows high sometimes, with brownish stalks, and other whites Avith green, to a man's height, having narrow green leaves snipped about the edges, someAvhat like those of the peach- tree, or willow leaves, but not of such a Avhite green color. The tops of the stalks are furnished with many yelloAV, star-like flowers, standing in green heads, which, when they are fallen, and the seed FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 221 ripe, Avhich is somewhat long, small, and of a brown color, wrapped in doAvn, are therewith carried away Avith the wind. The root is composed of fibres set together at a head, which perishes not in Avinter, al- though the stalks'dry away, and no leaf appears in the Avinter. The taste is strong and unpleasant, and so is the smell also. Place.—It grows in moist and wet grounds, by wood-sides, and sometimes in moist places of shad- owy groves, as also by the Avater-side. Time.—It flowers in July,'and the seed is soon ripe, and carried aAvay with the Avind. Government and virtues.—This herb boiled in Avine, and drank, helps the indisposition of the liver, and frees the gall from obstructions; whereby it is good for the yelloAV jaundice, and for the dropsy in the beginning of ijt; for all inAvard ulcers of the reins, mouth or throat, and inAvard Avounds and bruises, likewise for such sores as happen in the privy parts of men or women. When steeped in Avine, and then distilled, the Avater thereof drank is singularly good to ease all gnawings in the stomach, or other pains of the body, as also the pains of the mother; and when boiled in water, it helps continual agues; and the said Avater, or the simple Avater of the herb dis- tilled, or the juice or decoction, are very effectual to heal any green Avound, or old sores or ulcers, cleans- ing them from corruption, and quickly healing them. WINTER AND SUMMER SAVORY. Colic, Mother, Provokes Urine, Tough Phlegm, Dull Sight, Deafness, Singing in the Ears, Stingirfg of Bees. Both of these are so well knoAvn that they need no description. Government and virtues.—There is not a better- herb for the colic than this herb. Keep it dry by you all the year, and make conserves and syrups of it for your use, and withal, take notice that the sum- mer kind is the best. They are both of them hot and dry, especially the summer kind, Avhich is both sharp and quick in taste, expelling wind in the stom- 19* 222 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. ach and bowels, and is a present help for the rising of the mother produced by Avind ; provokes urine and women's courses, and is much recommended for women with child to take inwardly, and to smell of often. It cures tough phlegm in the chest and lungs, and helps to expectorate it the more easily; quickens the dull spirits in the lethargy, the juice thereof being snuffed up into the nostrils. The juice dropped into the eyes, clears a dull sight, if it proceed of thin cold humors distilled from the brain. The juice heat with oil of roses, and dropped into the ears, eases them of the noise and singing in them, and of deaf- ness also. Outwardly applied Avith Avheat flour, in manner of a poultice, it gives ease to them, and takes away their pains. SMALLAGE. Liver and Spleen, Urine and Women's Course^, Jaundice, Sore Throat, Worms and Stinking Breath. This is also very well known, and therefore I shall not trouble the reader with any description thereof. Place.—It groAvs naturally in dry and marshy ground, but if it be sown in gardens it there prospers very Avell. Time.—It is green all the winter, and seeds in August. Government and virtues.—Smallage is hotter, drier, and much more medicinal than parsley, for it much more opens obstructions of the liver and spleen, rari- fies thick phlegm, and cleanses it and the blood withal. It provokes urine and Avomen's courses, and is singularly good for the yellow jaundice, ter- tain and quartan a:gues, if the juice thereof be taken, but especially if made up into a syrup. The juice also put in honey of roses and barley-water, is very good to gargle in the mouth and throat of those that have sores and ulcers in them, and will quickly heal them. The same lotion also cleanses and heals all other foul ulcers and cankers elseAvhere, if they be Avashed therewith. The seed is especially used to break and expel wind, to kill worms, and to help a stinking breath. The root is effectual for all the pur- FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 223 poses aforesaid, and is held to be stronger in opera- tion than the herb, but especially to open obstructions and to rid away any agues, if the juice thereof be taken in wine, or the decoction thereof in Avine be used. SORREL. Cools Inflammations, Quenches Thirst, Provokes Appetite, Kills Worms, Women's Courses, Inward Ulcers and Itch, Jaundice, Tetters and Ringworms. Our ordinary sorrel, which grows in gardens, and also Avild in the fields, is so well known, that it needs no description. Government and virtues.—Sorrel is prevalent in all hot diseases, to cool any inflammation and heat of blood in agues, pestilential or choleric, or sickness and fainting, arising from heat, and to refresh the overspent spirits, with the A'iolence of furious or fiery fits of agues; to quench thirst, and procure an appe- tite in fainting or decaying stomachs; for it resists the putrefaction of the blood, kills Avorms, and is a cordial to the heart, which the seed does more effec- tually, being more drying and binding, and thereby stays the hot fluxes of women's courses, or of humors in the bloody flux, or flux of the stomach. Both roots and seed, as Avell as the herb, are held as pow- erful to resist the poison of the scorpion. The de- coction of the roots is taken to help the jaundice, and to expel the gravel and the stone in the reins or kid- neys. The decoction of the flowers, made Avith wine and drank, helps the black jaundice, as also the in- ward ulcers of the body and bowels. A syrup made with the juice of sorrel and fumitory, is a sovereign help to kill those sharp humors that cause the itch. The juice thereof, Avith a little vinegar, serves well to be used outwardly for the same cause, and is also profitable for tetters, or ringworms. It helps also to discuss the kernels in the throat; and the juice gargled in the mouth helps the sores therein. The leaves wrapped in a colewort leaf and roasted in the embers, and applied to hard imposthumes, blotch, boil, or plague sore, both ripens and breaks it. The distilled Avater of the herb is of much good use for all the purposes aforesaid. 224 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. WOOD SORREL. Ulcers, Inflammations, Procures Appetite, Fevers, Hot Swellings, Cankers, or Ulcers in the Mouth, Wounds, Scabs. Description.—This groAvs upon the ground, having a number of leaves coming from the root made of three leaves, like a trefoil, but broad at the ends, and cut in the middle, of a yellowish green color, every one standing on a long footstalk, which at their first coming up are close folded together to the stalk, but opening themselves afterwards, and are of a fine sour relish, and yielding a juice Avhich will turn red Avhen it is clarified, and makes a most dainty clear syrup. Among these leaves rise up divers tender, Aveak, foot- stalks, Avith every one of them a flower at the top, consisting of five small pointed leaves, star fashion, of a Avhite color in most places, and in some dashed over with a small show of bluish, on the back side only. After the floAvers are past, folloAV small round heads, with small yelloAV seed in them. The roots are nothing but small strings fastened to the end of a small long piece ; all of them being of a yellowish color. Place.—It grows in many places of this land, in Avoods and Avood-sides, Avhere it is moist and shadow- ed, and in other places not too much open to the sun. Time.—It flowers in April and May. Government and virtues.—Wood sorrel serves for all the purposes that the other sorrels do, and is more effectual in hindering putrefaction of blood, and ulcers in the mouth and body, and to quench thirst, to strengthen a Aveak stomach, to procure an appetite, to stay vomiting, and is very excellent in any con- tagious sickness or pestilential fevers. The syrup, made of the juice, is effectual in all the cases afore- said, and so is the distilled water of the herb. Sponges, or linen cloths, Avet in the juice, and applied out- wardly to any hot swelling or inflammation, does much to cool and help them. The same juice taken and gargled in the mouth, and after it is spit forth, FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 225 taken afresh, Avonderfully helps a foul stinking canker or ulcers therein. It is singularly good to heal wounds, or to stay the bleeding of thrusts or wounds in the body. SOW THISTLE. Pains in the Ears and Stomach, Wheezing, Stinking Breath, Speedy Delivery, Singing in the Ears. Sow thistles are generally so well known that they need no description. Government and virtues.—Sow thistles are cooling, and somewhat binding; and are very fit to cool a hot stomach, and ease the pains thereof. The hexb, boiled in wine, is very helpful to stay the dissolution of the stomach, and the milk that is taken from the stalks when they are broken, given in drink, is beneficial to those that are short-winded, and have a wheezing. The juice or distilled water is good for all hot inflammations, wheals and eruptions or heat in the skin. The juice boiled or thoroughly heat in a little oil of bitter almonds, in the peel of a pome- granate, and dropped into the ears, is a sure remedy for deafness and singings. Three spoonsful of the juice taken, warmed in white wine, and some wine put thereto, causes Avomen in travail to have so easy and speedy delivery, that they may be able to Avalk presently after. SOUTHERN WOOD. Ruptures, Convulsions, Strangury, Women's Courses, Inflamed Eyes, Worms, Splinters, Old Sores, Private Parts, Stone, Mother. Southern wood is so Avell known that it needs no description. Government and virtues.—Tt is said that the seed bruised, and heat in warm water, and drank, helps those that are ruptured, or troubled Avith cramps or convulsions of the sinews, the sciatica, or difficulty in making water, and bringing doAvn women's courses. The same taken in wine is an antidote, or counter poison, against all deadly poison, and drives away serpents and other venomous creatures; as also the 226 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. smell of the herb, being burnt, does the same. The oil thereof anointed on the backbone, before the fits of the ague come, takes them away. It takes away inflammations in the eyes, if it be put with some part of roasted quince, and boiled with a few crumbs of bread, and applied. Boiled with barley-meal, it takes away pimples, pushes, or Avheals that arise in the face, or other parts of the body. The seed, as well as the dried herb, is often given to kill'worms in children. The herb bruised and laid on, helps to draw forth splinters and thorns out of the flesii. The ashes mingled with old salad oil, helps those that haAre hair fallen off, and are bald, causing the hair to groAV again either on the head or beard. The distilled .water of the herb is said to help them much that are troubled Avith the stone, as also for the diseases of the spleen and mother. STRAWBERRIES. Cool's the Liver, Quenches the Stomach, Inflammations, Stays Bloody Flux, Panting of the Heart, Privates, Loose Teeth, Catarrhs, Red Face, Deformities in the Skin, Films over the Eyes. These are so well known that they need no de- scription. Government and virtues.—StraAvberries, when they are green, are cool and dry: but when they are ripe they are cool and moist. The berries are excellent to cool the liver, the blood, and the spleen, or an hot choleric stomach ; to refresh and comfort the fainting spirits, and quench thirst. They are good also for other inflammations; yet it is not amiss to refrain from them in a fever, lest by their putrifying in the stomach they increase the fits. The leaves and roots boiled in wine and Avater, and drank, likeAvise cool the liver and blood, and assuage all inflammations in the reins and bladder, provokes urine, and allay the heat and sharpness thereof. The same also when drank, stay the* bloody flux and women's courses, and help the swelling of the spleen. The Avater of the berries, carefully distilled, is a sovereign remedy and cordial in the panting and beating of the heart, and FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 227 is good for the yellow jaundice. The juice dropped into foul ulcers, or are Avashed therewith, or the decoction of the herb and root, wonderfully cleanses and helps to cure them. Lotions and gargles for sore mouths, or ulcers therein, or in the privy parts or elseAvhere, are made with the leaves and roots there- of; which is also good to fasten loose teeth, and to heal spongy foul gums. It helps also to stay catarrhs, or defluxions of rheum in the mouth, throat, Jeeth, or eyes. The juice or Avater is singularly good for hot and red inflamed eyes, if dropped into them, or they are bathed therewith. It is excellent for alL pushes, Avheals and other breakings out of hot and sharp humors in the face and hands, and other parts of the body, to bathe them Avith, and to take away any red- ness in the face, or spots, or other deformities on the skin, and to make it clear and smooth. Some use this medicine as follows:—Take as many strawberries as you shall think fit, and put them into a distillatory, or body of glass fit for them, Avhich being Avell closed, set it in a bed of horse dung for your use. It is an excellent water for hot inflamed eyes, and to take aAvay a film, or skin that begins to grow over them, and for such other defects in them as may be helped by any outward medicine. GARDEN TANSY. Dysury, Strangury, Reins, Kidneys, AVind, Womb, Miscarriages, Stone, Stomach, \Vorms, Cramps. Garden tansy is so well knoAvn that it needs no de- scription. Government and virtues.—This herb bruised and applied to the navel, stays miscarriages. I know no herb like it for that use. Boiled it* ordinary beer, and the decoction drank, does the like; and if the Avomb be not as you Avould have it, this decoction will make it so. Also it consumes the phlegmatic humors, the cold and moistness that Avinter most usu- ally affects the body of man Avith, and that was the first reason of eating tansies in the spring. The decoction of common tansy, or the juice drank in 228 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. wine, is a singular remedy for all the griefs that come by stopping of the urine, helps the strangury, and those that have weak reins and kidneys. It is also very profitable to dissolve and expel wind in the stomach, belly, or bowels, to procure women's courses, and expel windiness in the matrix, if it be bruised and often smelled of, as also applied to the lower part of the belly. It is also very profitable for such women as are given to miscarry in child-bearing, to cause them to go their full time. It is used also for the stone in the reins, especially in men. The herb fried with eggs, which is called a tansy, helps to digest and carry downward those bad humors that trouble the stomach. The seed is very profitable when given to children for the worms, and the juice in drink is as effectual. Being boiled in oil, it is good for the sinews shrunk by cramps, or pained with colds, if thereto applied. SUCCORY. Choleric Humors, Jaundice, Hot Reins, Dropsy, St. Anthony's Fire, Inflamed Eyes, Too much Milk. Description.—The garden succory has longer and narrower leaves than the endive, and more cut in or torn on the edges, and the root abides many years. It bears also blue flowers like endive, and the seed is hardly distinguished from the seed of the smooth>or ordinary endive. The Avild succory has divers long leaves lying on the ground, very much cut in or torn on the edges, on both sides, even to the middle rib, ending in a point; sometimes it has a rib down to the middle of the leaves, from among which rises up a hard, round, woody stalk, spreading into many branches, set wfth smaller and lesser divided leaves on them up to the tops, where stand the flowers, which are like the garden kind, and the seed is also; the root is Avhite, but more hard and woody than the garden kind. The Avhole plant is exceedingly bitter. Place.—This grows in many places of our land, in waste, until led, and barren fields. The other in gaxdens. FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 229 Government and virtues.—A handful of the leaves, or roots, boiled in wine or water, and a draught thereof drank fasting, drives forth choleric and phleg- matic humors, opens obstructions of the liver, gall and spleen ; helps the yellow jaundice, the heat of the reins and of the urine; the dropsy also, and those that have an evil disposition in their bodies, by rea- son of long sickness or bad diet. A decoction thereof made with wine, and drank, is very effectual for long lingering agues; and a drachm of the seed in powder, drank in Avine, before the fit of the ague, helps to drive it aAvay. The distilled Avater of the herb and floAvers (if you can take them in time) has the like properties, and is especially good for hot stomachs, and in agues, either pestilential or of a long continu- ance ; for swooning and passions of the heart, for the heat and headache in children, and for the blood and liver. The said water, or the juice, o? the bruised leaves applied outwardly, allays swellings, inflam- mations, St. Anthony's fire, pushes, wheals and pim- ples, especially used Avith a little vinegar. It is also very effectual for sore eyes that are inflamed with redness, and for nurses' breasts that are pained by the abundance of milk. The Avild succory, as it is more bitter, so it is more strengthening to the stomach and liver. WILD TANS.Y, OR SILVER WEED. Flux, Stops Terms, Vomiting, Whites, Bellyache, Sciatica, Loose Teeth, Sore Legs, Freckles, Sun-Burnings. This is also so Avell known that it needs no descrip- tion. Government and virtues.—Wild tansy stays the lasks, and all the fluxes of blood in men and women, Avhich some say it will do, if the green herb be worn in the shoes, so it be next the skin; and it is true enough, that it will stop the terms, if worn so, and the Avhites too, for aught I know. It stays also spit- ting or vomiting of blood. The powder of the herb taken in some of the distilled water, helps the whites in women, but more especially if a little coral and 20 230 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. ivory in powder be put to it. It is also recommended to help children that are burst and have a rupture, by being boiled in water and salt. Boiled in water and drank, it eases the pains of the bowels, and is good for the sciatica and jointaches. The same boiled in vinegar, Avith honey and alum, and gargled in the mouth, eases the pains of the toothache, fastens loose teeth, helps the gums that are sore, and settles the palate of the mouth in its place, when it is fallen doAvn. It cleanses and heals ulcers in the mouth or secret parts, and is very good for inAvard Avounds, and to close the lips of green Avounds, and to heal old, moist, and corrupt running sores in the legs or else- where. The distilled water cleanses the skin of all discolorings therein, as morphew, sun-burnings,'as also pimples and freckles; and dropped into the eyes, or cloths Avet therein and applied, takes away the heat and inflammations in them. THE BLACK THORN, OR SLOE BUSH. Binds, Cools, Dries, Bloody Flux, Gnawing in the Bowels, Sore Mouth and Throat. It is so well known, that it needs no description. Place.—It groAvs in every county, in the hedges and borders of fields. Time.—It floAvers in April, and sometimes in March, but the fruit ripens after all other plums Avhatsoever, and is not fit to be eaten until the au- tumn frost mellows them. Government and virtues.—All the parts of the sloe bush are binding, cooling and dry, and all effectual to stay bleeding at the nose and mouth, or any other place; the lask of the belly or stomach, or bloody flux; the too much abounding of Avomen's courses, and helps to ease the pains of the sides, bowels, and intestines, that come by overmuch looseness, to drink the decoction of the bark of the roots, or more usually the decoction of the berries, either fresh or dried. The distilled water of the flowers, first steeped in sack for a night, and draAvn therefrom by the heat of the balnum angelice, or broth, is a most certain FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 231 remedy, tried and approved, to ease all manner of gnaAvings in the stomach, the sides and boAvels, or any griping pains in any of them, to drink a small quantity when the extremity of the pain is upon them. The leaves also are good to make lotions to gargle and Avash the mouth and throat, Avherein are SAvellings, sores, or kernels; and to stay the deflux- ions of rheum to the eyes, or other parts; as also to cool the heat and inflammations of them, and ease hot pains of the head, to bathe the forehead and tem- ples therewith. THOROUGH-WAX, OR THOROUGH-LEAF. Bruises, Wounds, Ulcers, Ruptures, Navel sticking out. Description.—Common thorough-Avax sends forth a strait round stalk, tAvo feet high, or better, whose lower leaAres being of a bluish color, are smaller and narroAver than those up higher, and stand close there- to, not compassing it; but as they grow higher, they more encompass the stalk, until it wholly passes through them, branching toward the top into many parts, where the leaves groAv smaller again, every one standing singly, and never two at a joint. The flowers are small and yellow, standing in tufts at the heads of the branches, where afterwards groAv the seed, being blackish, many thick thrust together. The root is small, long and Avoody. perishing every year, after seed-time, and rising again plentifully of its own soAving. Place.—It is found groAving in many corn-fields and pasture-grounds in this laud. Time.—It flowers in July, and the seed is ripe, in August. Government and virtues.—Thorough-wax is of singularly good use for all sorts of bruises and Avounds, either inward or outward, and old ulcers and sores likewise, if the decoction of the herb with Avater and AArine be drank, and the place washed thereAvith; or the juice of the green herb bruised or boiled, either by itself or Avith other herbs, in oil or hog's grease, be made into an ointment to use all the year. The 232 FAMILY PHYSICIAN. decoction of the herb, or powder of the dried herb, taken inwardly, and the same, or the leaves bruised, and applied outwardly, is excellent for all ruptures and burstings, especially in children before they are too old. Being applied Avith a little flour and wax to children's navels, that stick out, it helps them. The decoction of the dried herb is very good for the jaundice. It often causes vomiting and purging in an easy and gentle manner, and it is a safe medicine to be taken by yQung as Avell as old people. It helps the piles, and an ointment made of this herb and hog's grease, is good to anoint the fundament or any inflammation on any part of the body. THYME. Lungs, Chincough, Safe and Speedy Delivery, Expels Wind, It is in vain to describe an herb so commonly known. Government and virtues.—It is a noble strength- ener of the lungs, as notable a one as grows; neither is there scarce a better remedy growing for that dis- ease in children which they commonly call the chin- cough, than this. It purges the body of phlegm, and is an excellent remedy for shortness of breath. It kills Avorms in the belly, and provokes the terms; gives safe and speedy delivery to Avomen in travail, and brings aAvay the after-birth. An ointment made of it takes aAvay hot swellings and Avarts, helps the sciatica and dulness of sight, and takes aAvay pains and hardness of the spleen. It eases pains in the loins and hips. The herb taken any Avay inAvardly, comforts the stomach much, and expels Avind. MEADOW TREFOIL, OR HONEYSUCKLES. Bellyaches, Inflammations, Web in the Eyes, Whites, Swellings, Imposthumes. It is so Avell known, especially by the name of honeysuckles, Avhite and red, that I need not describe them. Government and virtues.—The leaves and flowers are good to ease the griping pains of the gout, the FAMILY PHYSICIAN. 233 herb being boiled and used in a clyster. If the herb be made into a poultice, and applied to inflammations, it Avill case them. The juice dropped in the eyes, is a familiar medicine Avith many people, to take'away the pin and web in them. The herb also bruised and heat between tiles, and applied hot to the sore parts, causes them to make Avater who had it stopped before. It is held likeAvise to be good for Avounds, and to take aAvay seed. The decoction of the herb and flowers, with the seed and root, taken for some time, helps Avomen that are troubled Avith the Avhites. The seed and flowers boiled in water, and afterwards made into a poultice Avith some oil, and applied, helps hard swellings and imposthumes. GARDEN VALERIAN. Dysury, Strangury, Stitch, Provokes Terms, Breast, Cough, Pesti- lence, Headache, Splinters, Thorns. Description.—This has a thick, short, greyish root, lying for the most part above ground, shooting forth on all other sides such like small pieces of roots, Avhich have all of them many long green strings and fibres under them in the ground, whereby it draAvs nourishment. From the head of these roots spring up many green leaves, Avhich at first are someAvhat broad and long, Avithout any divisions at all in them, or dented on the edges; but those that rise up after, are more and more divided on each side, some to- gether on a stalk, and those upon a stalk, in like manner more divided, but smaller towards the top than below ; the stalk rises up to be a yard high or more, sometimes branched at the top. Avith many small, Avhitish flowers, sometimes dashed over at the edges, Avith a pale purplish color of a little scent, which passing aAvay, there follows small, broAvnish Avhite seed, that are easily carried aAvay Avith the Avind. The root smells more strong than either leaf or floAver, and is of more use in medicines. Place.—