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1833
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
FOUNDED  1836
WASHINGTON, D. C.
GPO  16—67244-1 
 
 
                 THE
     IMPROVED AMERICAN
  FAMILY  PHYSICIAN;
                 OR,
     Sick Man's Guide to Health:
               CONTAINING
       A COMPLETE THEORY
                OF THE       i ,
vBOTANICjPRACTICE of MEDICINE,
     '           niu TTT1S              *   »^
             ON THE
   Thomsonian and Hygeian System,
     WITH ALTERATIONS AND IMPROVEMEKTS.
           To which is Appended,
     A CONCISE FORMULA  ,„
3?OR COMPOUNDING MEDICINES FOR THE CURE OP EVERV
    COMPLAINT INCIDENT TO HUMAN NATURE.   <*  '
                            - - *o
           ALSO, A COMPLETE  '~f fy> *' **,«
   DIGEST OF MIDWIFERY,
     So that the Old Proverb may be verified, that
" EVERY MAN MAY BE HIS OWN PHYSICIAN."


                1833. 
■\MBJ 
PREFACE.
  The Publisher of this little, though complete manual,
of Materia Medica, considers the important advantages
resulting to the community from its perusal, paramount
to every other private interest. The knowledge imparted
in these pages is not wholly original with him; but, from
the nature of the improvements made in the application
of those remedies, as well as those of his own invention,
it would not appear consistent with itself, were the latter
to be published without reprinting the original, or base,
upon which the improvements are founded.
  It is, no doubt, well known, that Dr. Samuel Thomson
was the original discoverer of the most important part of
this system j but from an examination into the practical
results to the community, both as regards the improve-
ments and other additions, as the extent of the circulation
of those discoveries, it would appear to every Philan-
thropist, at the present day, that discoveries so important
to the  life, happiness, and health of every living being
have been made, it matters not by whom, that they
should be made known, and the means of disseminating
their utility in the relief of our fellow-beings.   The best
means known to the publisher, is to print a great number,
and sell them to all who wish to purchase, at a moderate
price.   There  are many  cases,  and  particularly of
female weakness, in which Dr. Thomson's system  is
less safe, and injudicious  in the  extreme.   For the
benefit of those who  purchase  this werk, I will here
give my opinion in a few words  concerning his system ;
you will observe, by reading this work throughout, that
Dr. Thomson's course of practice is in every instance of
indisposition, no matter how trifling, to give a course of
Medicine as laid down in this publication.  This of itself
is rather conflicting with the feelings of people generally, 
I*                   PREFACE.
 that is, to be steamed, put to bed, and made sick bj
 taking an emetic; then to take  an injection,  and  be
 steamed again for a pain in the toe, head, stomach, &c.
 My opinion is,  that nature will not misguide the physi-
 cian, if he follows close to her symptoms, (to wit,) when
 a person is sick at the stomach, it indicates that there is
 something  offensive to health lodged there, which it is
 desirous of discharging; in such cuse, an emetic given
 as directed in this work, would be proper.   Again, if a
 person taking a cold, and  the  pores  of the  skin, and
 other evacuants, become  stopped, which is known  by
 fever, or an increased and disturbed state of the natural
 heat of the body, which produces shivering of a  hot day,
 or pains in the joints, bones, &c. these symptoms indi-
 cate diaphoretics, such as  the  emetic,  and afterwards
 fever powders, as directed in this work, until the patient
 sweats freely, which now may be used with or without
 the steam, according to the exigency  of the case.   But
in  all chronic cases, where the  patient has been under
the effects of mercurial  and other poisons,  a  regular
 course of medicine should not be  dispensed with; in-
 deed, in all complaints of long standing, a regular course
is very necessary to lay the foundation for a radical cure,
 and should be repeated once or twice a week, until well.
 In Uterine Hemorrhoids^ Dr. Thomson's medicines are
not as good as  the other  medicines  prescribed in this
work, although a lobelia -emetic  has  a very good effect
 in  restraining this bloody flow, yet  the other medicines
which are given in a regular course, are too stimulating
 in  my opinion, and  will  but  increase the  discharge.
 Again, there are persons in full and plethoric habits, in
 which case the aromatic powder taken once or twice a
 week for a short time,  (at  the same time take the  wine
 bitters,) will remove the cause of severe fits of sickness,
 and often the cause of death; but in complaints of chil-
 dren, and persons of a weak and lax habit, and feeble
 constitution who have taken too much physic  already,
 the injections or clysters are always to be used, and in
 all cases of inflammation in the bowels, injections made
 of one table spoonful of  calcined  charcoal in flaxseed,
 or slippery elm tea, sweetened with molasses should be 
PREFACE.                     V
administered every hour, until a discharge is produced,
and relief obtained.  At the same time, give a portion or
dose of the aromatic pills, and  dilutant and  warming
teas, or the colic powders in  warm teas, and use the
steam if necessary to produce perspiration,  if attended
with severe pain,  apply a cloth wet with salt and water,
every fifteen minutes, till relief is obtained.  For the use
of those persons who wish more mild treatment in ordi-
nary indisposition, I have added a class of formulas, or
recipes, for almost all complaints, which may be used
alone, or in conjunction with  or  at  the  same  time the
patient is undergoing the regular courses; that is, be-
tween the periods of taking  the  courses.  But  if the
patient is costive  at the time of taking the Thomsonian
course, let the injection be given first before the emetic,
and  after the first steaming.
  It will soon be  perceived, however, that the Botanic
Practice of Medicine, as laid down in this book, upon
the Thomsonian principle, is extremely simple in itself,
and  only requires a person  to use ordinary discretion
and judgment, at  the same time observing the general
principles of cold and heat, and the philosophical appli-
cation of those principles to the human system in their
administration, so as to  regulate their effect to suit the
constitution of the patient, in bringing about that  salu-
tary result, productive of health and happiness.
  Another important ingredient in the use of those, as
well as of all the other vegetable preparations spoken of
in this work,  is  that of perseverance „ without  which
persons  labouring  under  chronic  complaints cannot
expect to be cured.  All chronic diseases are a long
time accumulating upon the patient; it must, therefore,
necessarily take some considerable time to wholly era-
dicate them from  the system.
  The compiler of this work has given to the public, the
invaluable Botanie Treatment of Child-bearing women,
from one of the best botanic works now extant, as also
the experience of  Dr. Thomson in his  hot medicine, as
applicable to the  use of women in the most extreme
cases of labour; as also the course  he pursues in their
treatment generally, both before and  after delivery.-—
                                 1* 
VI                    PREFACE.
 There is certainly a very striking contrast between th«
 two systems, yet no doubt, if properly and skilfully ad-
 ministered, at the proper time, both systems are equally
 beneficial; for the treatment pursued by Dr. Thomson,
 in this case,  is calculated to revive  and  renovate the
 whole frame  of the patient, and is therefore particu-
 larly serviceable in those cases of debility and inactivity
 of the parts where nature has become, in a measure,
 exhausted, and unable to perform her natural operations,
 which are certainly  very  much assisted  by  those
 strengthening, warming and stimulating  medicines.-—
 Yet, in ordinary cases, where the strength of the woman
 is sufficient, the other mode of  treatment is, no doubt,
 the most agreeable and pleasant, and pr< bably the most
 safe.  I consider that the practitioner, with these two
 methods before him, can accomplish his object, in every
 instance, with the utmost success.
  The Practitioner will readily discover that the Thom-
sonian and Hygeian Systems are productive of the same
happy result, that of cleansing the system of all impuri-
ties.  The Thomsonian course tends directly to remove
through the pores of the skin, and from the stomach and
bowels, the morbid and gross humours with which the
 system abounds to a degree of superabundance,  which
causes obstruction, disease, and  death. On the  other
hand, the Hygeian course acts upon the same principle,
by removing from the stomach and bowels, the morbid
and gross  humours that are thrown there from all parts
of the human frame, like so many ditches  dug through
a wet field, in which all the watery secretions flow, until
the field becomes drained and fertile.  For this purpose,
I have made known a valuable recipe for making Pills,
denominated  in this work the Aromatic Hygeian  Pills,
fifteen of which taken in the morning,  one  hour hefore
eating or drinking, will promptly act upon the Hygeian
principle, and remove, in an unaccountable manner, the
gross  humours from all parts of the system, through the
intestinal  canal.  These  Pills  may  be used  once or
twice  a week, with the same beneficial  effect as any
 Hygeian Medicine extant, and they may be taken in all
 cases of disease, except where too much physic has been 
fRFFACE.                   Vll
already administered ; then they are to be used once or
twice in the first two or three weeks, and the Thomso-
nian course substituted in their place ;  but in full, ple-
thoric, and ordinary constitutions, both of these remedies
may be used at the same time in effecting a cure.
  It is a remarkable fact, as well as a striking  coinci-
dence in the phpsical world, that Samuel Thomson, of
America, and James Morison, of Great Britain,  should
find out by their own experience, at different parts of
the  world, remedies so diametrically opposite in their
administration, ending  in the same fortunate and happy.
result to mankind.
  Dr. Thomson says in his theory, give me no physic;
whilst Dr. Morison, the Hygeist, says, give me nothing
else but physic, and both of them mean to effect the same
object. The reasoning on the part of Dr. Thomson, is
founded upon the fact, that all physic known in his day,
is not  calculated to remove disease, but  to  increase it,
merely acting upon the outer coating  of the  intestinal
canal, without removing or loosening those morbid secre-
tions and obstructions, the cause of disease ;  he, there-
fore, recommends  his Hot Medicine  to  warm  and
strengthen the stomach and bowels, thereby assisting
and raising the natural heat of the body, (which  he con-
tends is  life,)  to  digest and carry off by the renewed
efforts of nature, those morbid, cold, and gross humours,
which clogged up the machinery, and caused the  natural
 motion to be impeded.  In order, therefore, to  accom-
plish his object, he raises  the inward above the outward
heat, causing a copious evacuation through the pores of
the skin, and  from the stomach,  which every person
knows by experience, gives immediate relief in all cases,
if produced in this  natural way.  I am of opinion that
both systems are good, and founded upon the laws and
principles of nature; but  they  require to be used pro.
 perly, that is, when the stomach is clogged up, it should
 be emptied;  when the  bowels are overcharged with
 mucus,  slime, and  acrimonious  matter, they should be
 cleansed; if  the pores of the skin are stopped, or any
 other evacuant by obstructions, they should be removed,
 always paying a proper attention to the crisis, or symp- 
Viii                  PREFACE.
tomatic indications,  and there will  be no difficulty in
removing every obstruction from every part of the sys-
tem, by the application of bo'th the Thomsonian and
Hygeian Principles.
  N. B  This Manual has been carefully selected from
rare and valuable Botanic Medical Publications ; and,
although in a condensed form, will be found to contain,
with its original  improvements, the very essence of
works published at an expense of at least twenty times
its price. ' Every Man may now be his own Physician,'
by consulting the contents of this edition, which contains
multum inparvo, and which will fully sustain the title of
The Sick Man's Friend.'
COPY-RIGHT  SECURED. 
               THE


IMPROVED  AMERICAN




             &c.  &c.
                INTRODUCTION.

  The following preliminary observations are from the
pens of Dr. Samuel Thomson, and others.  The reader
will perceive that the system Dr. T.  bas brought into
such successful  operation, possesses  infinite advantages
over the old school practice  of medicine ;
  " There are three things which have  in a greater or
less degree, called  the attention of men, viz:  Religion,
Government and Medicine.   In ages past, these things
were thought by millioRs to belong  to three  classes of
men, Priests,  LaAvyers and  Physicians.  The  Priests
held the things of religion in their own hands and brought
the people to their terms;  kept the scriptures in the
dead languages, so  that the common  people  could not
read them.   Those days of darkness  are done away.
Scriptures are translated into our own language, and
each one is taught to read for himself.  Government
was once considered as belonging to  a few, who thought
themselves " born only to rule."  The common people
have now  become acqnainted with the great  secret of
government, and know that all men  are born free and
equal, and that magistrates are put in  authority or out by
the voice of the people, who choose them for their public
servants.    While  these  and many other things are 
 10        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.

brought where "common people" can understand them,
the  knowledge  and use of medicine, is in a great
measure concealed in a dead language; and a sick man
is often obliged to risk his life where he would not risk a
dollar, and should the apothecary or his apprentice make
a mistake, the sick man cannot correct it, and thus is
exposed to receive an instrument of death, instead of that
which would restore him to health, had  he  known good
medicine."
   " It may be alleged,  fsaid Dr. Buchan,) that laying
medicine more open to  mankind,  would  lessen  their
faith in it.  This indeed would be the  case with regard
to some, but it would have a quite contrary effect upon
others.  I know many people who have the utmost dread
and horror of everything prescribed by a physician, who
will  nevertheless, very readily take a medicine which
they  know,  and  whose qualities  they are  in  some
measure acquainted with."
   " Nothing ever can, or  will  inspire mankind with  an
absolute confidence in  physicians,  but  by  their being
open, frank, and undisguised in their behaviour."
   14 The most effectual  way to destroy quackery in any
art or science, is to diffuse the knowledge  of it among
mankind.  Did physicians write  their prescriptions  in,
the common language of the country, and explain their
intentions to the patient, as far as he could understand
them, it would enable them to know  when the  medicine
had the desired effect;  would inspire him with absolute
confidence in the physician ; and would make him dread
and attest every man who pretended to cram  a secret
medicine or poison  down his throat."
   " It is true that muck of what is  at  this day called
medicine is deadly poison ;  and were  people  to know
what is offered them of this kind,  they would absolutely
refuse ever to record it is a medicine.  This I have long
seen and known to be true, and have  laboured  hard for
many years to convince them of the evils that attend such
a mode of procedure with the sick ; and  have turned my
attention to those medicines that  grow in  our  country,
which Nature has prepared for the  benefit  of  mankind.
Long has a general medicine been sought for, and  I am 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.         H
confident I have found such as are universally applicable
in all cases of disease, and which  may  be used with
safety and success in  the  hands of the people.  After
thirty years study and  repeated successful trials of the
medicinal vegetables of our country, in all the diseases
incipent to our climate, I can with well-grounded assur-
ance, recommend my system of practice and medicines
to the public, as salutary and efficacious."
   44 Great discoveries and improvements have been made
in various arts and  sciences since the first settlement
of our country, while its medicines have been very much
neglected.   As these medicines, suited to every disease,
grow spontaneously upon  our  own soil; as they are
better adapted to the constitution ; as  the  price  of im-
ported drugs is very high; it follows, whether we consult
health which is of primary importance,  or expense,  a
decided preference  should  be given to the former, as an
object of such magnitude  as no  longer to be neglected.
Yet the introduction of those medicines has  been vio-
lently opposed, and the theory and practice condemned,
notwithstanding the  demonstrative proofs in their favor.
But those who thus condemn  have taken no pains to
throw off prejudice, and examine the subject with can-
dor and impartiality.— Such  as  have, are thoroughly
satisfied of their utility and superior excellence.
   " From those who measure a man's understanding and
ability to  be beneficial to his fellow-men only  from  the
acquisition he has made in literature from books ;  from
sueh  as are governed by outward appearance, and who
will not stoop to examine a system on the ground gf its
intrinsic merit, I expect not encouragement, but opposi
tion.   But  this will not discourage me.  I consider the
discovery I have made, of inestimable value to  mankind,
and intended for the great benefit of those who are
willing to receive it.
   " Being born in a new country, at that  time almost an
howling wilderness, my  advantages  for an  education
were very small; but possessing a natural gift for exami-
ning the things of Nature, my  mind  was left entirely free
to follow that inclination, by enquiring into the meaning
of the great variety of objects  around me. 
12        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN*
  41 Possessing a body like other men, I was led to inquire
 into the nature of the component parts of what  man is
 made.  I found  him composed  of the four elements—
 Earth, Water, Air, and Fire.  The earth and water I
 found were the solids ; the air and fire the fluids.  The
 two first I found to be the component parts; the two
 last kept him in motion.  Heat, I found, was life ;  and
 Cold, death.  Each one who  examines into it, will find
 that all constitutions are alike.   I shall now describe  the
 fuel which continues the fire,  or life of  man.   This is
 contained in two things—food and medicines; which  are
 in harmony with each other ;  often  grow  in the same
 field, to be used by the same  people.  People  who  are
 capable of raising their food,  and preparing  the same,
 may as  easily learn to collect  and prepare  all their me-
 dicines  and  administer the same,  when  it is needed.
 Our life depends on heat; food is the fuel that  kindles
 and continues that heat.  The digestive powers being
 correct,  causes the food to consume ;  this continues the
 warmth  of the body, by continually supporting the fire.
  44 The stomach is the deposit from  which the  whole
 body  is  supported.  The heat is maintained  in  the
 stomach by consuming the food;  and all the body and
linbs receive their proportion of  nourishment and heat
 from that source ;  as  the whole room is warmed by the
fire which is consumed in the fire place.   The greater
the quantity of  wood consumed  in the fire place,  the
greater the heat in the room.  So in the body ; the more
food well digested, the more heat and support through the
 whole man.  By  constantly  receiving  food into  the
stomach, which is sometimes  not suitable for the best
 nourishment, the stomach becomes foul, so that the food
 is not well digested.  This causes the body to lose  its
heat—then the appetite fails  ; the bones ache, and the
man is sick in every part of the whole frame.
  " This situation  of the body shows  the need of medi-
 cine, and the kind needed ; which is  such  as will clear
the stomach and bowels, and restore the digestive powers.
 When this is done, the food will  raise the heat again,
 and nourish  the whole man.   All  the art  required  to
 this is, to know what medicine will  do it,  and  hovr  to 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        13
administer it, as a person knows how to clear a stove
and the pipe when clogged with soot, that the fire may
burn freel and the whole room be warmed as before.
  44 The body, after being cleared of whatever clogs it,
will consume double the food, and  the food will afford
double the nourishment and heat that it did before.  We
know that our life depends on food, and the stomach be-
ing in a -situation to receive and digest it.  " When the
stomach and bowels are clogged, all needed is, the most
suitable medicine to remove the obstruction in the sys-
tem.   All disease is caused by clogging the system ; and
all disease is  removed by restoring the digestive powers,
so  that  food  may  keep up that  heat on which life
depends.
  441 have found by experience, that the learned doctors
are wrong in considering fever a disease or enemy ; the
fever is a friend, and  cold  the enemy.   This I found
by their practice in my family, until they had five times
given them over to die.   Exercising my own judgment,
I followed after them, and relieved my family every time.
After finding a general principle respecting fevers, and
reducing that to practice, I  found it sure in all diseases,
where there was any nature left to build on, and in three
years' constant practice, I never lost on-e patient.
  ,(I attended on all the fevers peculiar to our country,
and always used it as a friend, and that  returned the
gratitude to the patient.  I soon began to give this infor-
mation  to the  people, and convinced many that  they
might as certainly relieve themselves of their disease, as
of their hunger.  The expense to  them  to be  always
able to felieve themselves  and fajnilies, would  be but
small; and the medicine they may procure and prepare
themselves.
   44 This greatly disturbed the learned doctors, and some
of  them undertook to destroy me, by  reporting  that I
used  poison ;  though they made no mention of my using
their instruments of death, Mercury, Opium, Ratsbane,
Nitre, and the Lancet.  I considered it my duty to with-
Itand  them, though I found my overthrow  was what they
aimed  at. A plan  was  once laid  to take me  in the
night, but I escaped.   Next I was indited, as though I
                                        2 
14        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
had given poison, and a bill brought against me for wilful
murder.   1 was bound in irons and thrust into prison, to
be kept there through the winter, without being allowed
bail.  I petitioned for, and obtained a special court to try
the. cause, and was honourably acquitted after forty days'
imprisonment.   I maintained my integrity in the place
where my persecution began. In five years, while vindi-
cating this new an useful discovery, 1 lost five thousand
dollars, besides all the persecution, trouble, loss of health,
and reproach which has been in connexion with thelosses.
  44 It has been acknowledged,  even by those  who are
unfriendly to me and my practice, that my medicine may
be good in some particular cases, but not in  all.  But this
is an  error.  For  there are two great principles in  the
constitution of things, whether  applied to the mind or
body; the principle  of life and  the  principle of death.
That  which contains the principle of life, can never be
tortured into an administration of death.* If, then, a me-
dicine is good  in any case, it is because it is agreeable to
nature,  or this  principle of life, the very  opposite of
disease.   If it is agreeable in one case, it must be abso-
lutely so in all.  By the active operation of nature, the
whole animal economy is carried on : and  the  father of
the healing  art, Hippocrates, tells us, what is an obvious
truth, that Nature is Heat.  The principle is the same in
all, different only in  degree.  When disease invades the
frame, it resists in proportion to its force, till overpowered
into submission, and when extinguished, death  follows,
and it ceases to operate alike in all.  If then, heat is life,
and its extinction is death, a diminution of this vital flame
in every instance, constitutes disease, and is an approxi-
mation  to death.  All then, that medicine can do in the
expulsion of disorder, is to kindle up the decaying spark,
and restore its wanted energy  till  it glows  in all its
wonted vigor.  If a direct administration  can be made
to produce this effect, (and it can,) it is evidently imma-
terial what is the name, or colour of the disease, whether
 bilious, yellow, scarlet or spotted ; whether it is simple
 or complicated,  or whether nature has one  enemy or*
 more.  Names are arbitary things, the knowledge of a
    * By propei application. 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        15
name is but the cummin and anis, but in the knowledge
of the origin  of a malady,  and its  antidote,  lies the
weightier matters of this science.  This knowledge makes
the genuine physician ; all without it is real quackery.
  44 It has been a general opinion that extensive study and
great erudition, are necessary to  form the eminent  phy-
sician.  But all this may bo as Paul  saithv but science,
falsely so called.   A man may have a scientific know-
ledge of the human frame, he may know the names in
every language of every medicine, mineral and vegeta-
ble, as well as every disease, and  yet  be a  miserable
physician.   But there have been men  without this to
boast of, from the earliest ages  of the world, who have
14 arisen, blest with the sublimer  powers of genius, who
have as it were, with one look pierced creation, and with
one comprehensive view, grasped  the whole  circle of
science, and  left learning  itself,  toiling after them in
vain."  A  man never can be great without intellect, and
he never can more than fill the measure of his capacity.
There is a power beyond the reach of art, snd there are
gifts that study and learning can never rival.
  44 The practice of the regular physicians, that is,  those
who get a diploma, at the present  time, is not to use
those means which would be most likely to cure disease ;
but to try  experiments  upon what they have read in
books, and to see how much a patient can bear without
producing  death.  After pursuing this plan during their
lives, they know just  about as much  as they did  when
they  began to practice, of what is really useful  to man-
kind.   If a patient dies under their hands, why, it is the
will of GoJ, and they are sure to get  extravagantly paid
for their trouble, and  nothing more is said about it; but
if one out of hundreds of my patients  die, and where the
doctors have given them over as incurable, they at once
cvy out, that it  is qunckery, that I gave them  poison,
&c, for the purpose of running me  and my  medicines
down, and  to prevent its being used by the people.  The
fact   is  well  known  to thousands who have used  my
medicine, and to which they are  ready to attest, that it is
perfectly harmless, and I defy the faculty to produce one
instance wherein it has had any bad effects* 
1*5         THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
  44 It is true that the study of anatomy, or structure of the
human  body,  and of  the  whole  animal economy, is
pleasing and useful ; nor is there any objection to this,
however minute and critical, if it is not to the neglect of
first great principles, and the weightier matters of know-
ledge.  But it is no more necessary to mankind at large,
to qualify them to administer relief from pain and sick-
ness,  than to a cook in preparing food to satisfy hunger
and nourishing the body.  There is one general cause of -
hunger, and one  general supply of  food;  one general
cause  of disease, and one general remedy.   One can be
satisfied, and the other removed, by an infinite variety of
articles, best adapted to those different purposes.—That
medicine, therefore, that will open obstruction, promote
perspiration,  andjrestore  digestion, is suited to eveiy
patient,  whatever form  the  disease assumes, and  is
universally applicable.  And acute disorders, such as
fevers, colic?, and dysenteiy, may be relieved thereby,
in twenty.four or forty-eight hours, at most."
            REMARKS ON FEVERS.

   44 Much has been said and written upon fevers by the
professedly learned Doctors of Medicine, without throw-
ing the most profitable light on the subject,  or greatly
benefitting mankind.  They have been abundantly fruitful
in inventing names for disease, and with  great care and
accuracy distinguished the different symptoms ; but they
appear quite barren as to the knowledge of  their origin
and remedy.   To the first but little  importance, com-
paratively speaking, can be attached ; the latter is of the
highest importance to all classes of people.
   According to the writings of learned physicians, there
are a great variety of fevers,  some more  and some  less
dangerous.  But to begin with a definition of the Name.
What is fever?  Heat, undoubtedly, though a disturbed
operation of it.   But is there in the human frame, more
than one kind of heat? Yes, says the physician, (strange
as it may appear,) there is the pleuretic heat, the  slow 
           THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.         17

nervous heat, the putrid heat, the hectic heat, the yellow
heat, the spotted, or cold heat,  the  typhus, or ignorant
heat, and many other heats; and sometimes, (calamitous
to tell) one poor patient has the most,  or  the whole of
these fevers, and dies at last for want of heat.
  44 Is fever or heat a disease ?  Hippocrates, the acknow-
ledged father of physicians, maintained that nature is
eeat; and he is correet.  Is nature  a disease ?  Surely
it is not. What is commonly called fever, is the effect,
and not the cause of disease.  It is the struggle of nature
to throw off disease.   The  cold causes an obstruction,
and fever arises in consequence of that obstruction  to
throw it off.  This is  universally the case.  Remove the
cause,  the effect will cease.  No person ever yet died of
of a fever ! for as death approaches, the patient grows
cold, until in death, the last spark of heat is extinguished'.
This, the learned doctors cannot deny ; and' as this is
true, they ought,  in justice, to acknowledge that their
whole  train of depletive remedies, such  as bleeding,
blistering, physicking, starving, with all their refrigera-
tives ;  their opium, mercury, arsenic, antimony, nitre,
&c.  are so many deadly engines,  combined with  the
disease, against the constitution and life of the patient.
If cold, which is the commonly received opinion, (and
which  is true^ is the cause of fever, to repeatedly bleed
the patient, and administer mercury, opium, nitre, and
other refrigerants to restore him to health, is as though a
man should", to increase a fire in his room, throw a part
of it out of the house, and  to increase  the remainder,
put on water, snow and ice !'
   44 As it is a fact, that cannot be denied, that fever takes
its rise from one  great  cause  or  origin, it follows  of
course, that one method of removing  that cause, will
answer in all cases ; and the  great principle is to assist
nature which is heat.
   44 At the commencement of a fever, by direct and pro-
per application of suitable medicine, it can be easily and
speedily removed, and the patient need not be confined
long.   Twenty-fpur or forty-eight hours, to the extent
are sufficient, and often short of that time, the fever may
be removed, or that which is the cause of it.   But where
                                      2* 
18        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
 the patient is left unassisted, to struggle with the disease,
 until his strength is  exhausted,  and  more  especially,
 when the most unnatural and injurious administrations
 are made, if a  recovery is  possible, it must of necessity
 take a longer time.   These declarations  are true, and
 have been often proved, and can be again, to the satis-
 faction of every candid person, at  the hazard  of any
 forfeiture the faculty may challenge.
   44 Notwithstanding all these things, how true are the
 words  of the intelligent Dr. Hervey, who  says, 4l By
 what unaccountable  perversity in our frame does it ap-
 pear, thot we set ourselves so much against any  thing
 that is new?  Can any one behold, without scorn, such
 drones of physicians, and  after  the space  of so many
 hundred years' experience  and practice  of their prede-
 cessors, not one single medicine has been detected, that
 has the least force  directly to prevent, .to oppose, and
 expel a continued fever ?  Should any, by a more sedu-
 lous observation, pretend to make the least step towards
 the discovery of such remedies,, their hatred and envy
 would  swell against him, as a legion  of devils  against
 virtue; the whole society will  dart  their  malice at him,
 and torture  him with all  the calumnies  imaginable,
 without sticking at any thing that  should  destroy  him
 root and branch.  For he who professes to be a reformer
 of the art of physic, must resolve to run the hazard of
 the myrtyrdom of his reputation, life and estate."
   44 The treatment which the writer has received from
 some of the learned physicians since  his  discovery of
 the remedy for the, fever, and  various other diseases, is
 a proof of the truth of this last saying of  Dr. Hervey.
 They have imprisoned bim, and charged him with every
 thing cruel and unjust;  though upon a fair trial their
 violent dealings have come down  upon their  heads ;
 while he has not only been proved innocent before the
 court,  but  useful;  having relieved many  which  the
 other physicians had given  over to  die.
   441 will now  take  notice  of the  yellow fever.  The
 cause of this fatal disease is similar to : he spotted fever.
The cause of death in the latter, is  in consequence of its
 producing a balance  by  cold, outward and inward ; and) 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
19
in the former there is a balance of heat outward and
inward; both produce  the same thing, that is, a total
cessation of motion, which is death. The colour of the
skin has given name to both theee diseases.   The yellow
is caused by the obstruction of the gall; instead of being
discharged through its proper vessels, it is forced and
diffused through the pores of the skin.   The same ef-
fects that are produced by these  two fevers may^be ob-
served in the motion  of the sea ; when the tide is done
running up, there is what is called slack water, or  a
balance of power, and the same thing takes place when
it is done running down ; when  the fountain is raised,
the water runs from it; but when it is lowered the water
runs towards it.   The  same cause produces  the same
effects in the spotted and yellow fevers;  for when a ba-
lance of power between  the outward and inward heat
takes place, death follows.
   44 Having described the two kinds of fever which are
the most alarming,  they  being most fatal, I shall pass
over those of a less alarming nature, and merely observe,
that there is no other difference in all cases of ftver, than
what is caused  by the  different degrees of cold, or loss
of inward  heat, which are two adverse  parties in one
body, contending for power.  If the heat gains the vic-
tory,  the cold will be  disinherited, and health will  be
restdred : but on the other hand, if cold gains the ascen-
dency, heat will be dispossessed of its empire, and death
will follow of course.   As soon as life ceases, the body
becomes cold, which is conclusive evidence that its gain-
ing the victory is the cause of death.  When the power
of cold is  nearly equal to that of heat, the fever or strife
between the two parties,  may continue for a longer or
shorter time, according to circumstances; this is what
is called a long fever,  or fever  and ague.  The battle
between cold and heat will take place periodically, some
times every day,  at other times, every other day, and
they will leave off about  equal, heat keeping a little the
upper hand.   In attempting to cure a  case of this kind,
we must consider whether the fever is  a  friend or an
enemy ; if it  is  a friend, which I hold  to be the fact,
when the fever fit is on, increase the power of heat, in 
20
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
order to drive off the cold, and life will bear the rule;
but, on the contrary, should cold be considered a friend,
when the cold fit is on, by increasing its power, you drive
off the heat, and death must ensue.  Thus you may pro-
mote life or death, by tempering cold and heat.
  44 Much has been said by the doctors concerning the
turn of a fever, and how long a time it will run.  When
it is said that a fever will turn at such a time, I presume
it must mean that it has been gone; this is true, for it is
then gone on the outside, and is trying to turn again and
<ro inside, where it belongs.   Instead of following the
dictates of nature, and aiding it to subdue the cold, the
doctor uses all his skill to kill the fever.  How, would I
ask in the name  of common sense,  can any thing turn
when killed?   Support the fever, and it will return in-
side;  the  cold, which is the cause of disease, will  be
driven out, and health will be restored.  In all cases
called fever, the cause is the same  in a greater or less
degree,  and may be relieved  by one general remedy.
The cold causes canker, and before the canker is seated,
the strife will take place between cold and heat; and
while the hot  fashes and cold chills  remain,  it is evi-
dence that the canker 'u not settled, and the hot medi-
cine alone, occasionally assisted by steam, will'throw it
off; but as the contest ceases, the heat is steady on the
outside ; then canker assumes the power inside ;  this  is
called a settled fever.   The truth is, the canker is fixed
o*n the inside and will ripen and come offin a short time,
if the fever is  kept up so as to overpower the cold. This
idea is new and never was  known till my discovery.  By
raising the fever with Nos. I and 2, and taking off the
canker with No. 3, and the same given by injections, we
may turn a fever when we please; but if this is not  un-
derstood, the canker will ripen and come off itself, when
the fever wi'l  turn and go inside  and the cold will  be
driven out; therefore they will do much better without
a doctor than with.  The higher a fever runs,  the
sooner the cold will be subdued; and  if you contend
against the heat, the longer will be the run of the fever,
and when killed, death follows.
  44 When a patient is bled, it lessens the heat and gives 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
21
double power to the cold ; like taking out of  one side of
the scale and putting it in the other, which  doubles the
weight, and turns the scale in favour of the disease.  By
giving opium, it deadens the feelings ;  the small doses of
nitre  and calomel lend to destroy what heat remains,
and plants  new crops of canker, which will stand in
different stages in the body, the same  as corn planted in
the field every week, will keep some in all stages : so is
the different degrees in canker.   This is the reason why
there are so many different fevers as are named ; when
one fever turns another sets in, and so continues one after
another until the harvest is all ripe, if the season is long
enough ;  if not the cold and frost take them  off—then it
is said they died of a fever.   It might with as much pro-
priety be said that the corn killed with  frost died with
the heat.   The question, whether the heat or cold killed
the patient, is easily decided, for that power which bears
rule in the body after death,  is  what killed  the patient,
which is cold—as much as that which bears rule when
he is alive is heat.   When a  person  is taken sick, it is
common to say, I have got a cold, and am  afraid I am
going to have a fever ; but no fears are expressed of the
cold  he has taken ; neither  is it mentioned when the
cold  left him.  The fashionable  practice is  to fight the
remains of beat till the patient dies, by giving cold the
victory ; in which  case  is  it not a fact that the doctor
assists the cold to kill the patient ?   Would  it not have
been more reasonable, or likely to have cured them, when
the fever arose to throw off the cold,  to have helped the
fever, and give nature the victory over its enomy, when
the health would be  restored the same as  before  they
took the cold.
   We frequently  see in the newspapers  accounts of
 people dying in consequence of drinking  cold water
 when very warm.   Some fall dead instantly, and others
 linger for several  hours, the doctors have not been  able
 to afford any relief when called.   The principal symp-
 toms are chills, and shivering with cold, which is viewed
 with  astonishment  by those who witness  it.  Proper
caution should always be observed by pesons when very
 warm  and thirsty, who go to   a pump to  drink, by 
22        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
swallowing something hot before di inking the water, and
swallowing a little at a time, which will prevent any fatal
effects.
  14 This strange circumstance of being cold on a hot day,
and which has never been accounted for in a satisfactory
manner to the public, I shall endeavour to explain in as
comprehensive and plain lansnage as I am capable. The
component parts of animal bodies  are earth and water,
and life and motion are  caused by  fire and air.   The
inward  heat is the  fountain of life, and as much as  that
has the  power above the outward heat, so much we have
life and strength, and when we lose this .power of heat,
our strength and faculties decay in proportion ; and  it 19
immaterial  whether we lose this power by loosing tbo
inward heat or raising the outward heat above it, as the
effect is the same.  If you raise the stream level with the
fountain, it stops the current, and all motion  will cease,
and the same effects will follow by lowering the fountain
to a level with the stream.   When the outward heat be-
comes equal with the inward, either by the one  being
raised or the other being lowered, cold assumes  the
power, and death takes place.
  44 The cause of the fatal effects by drinking cold water,
is because the fountain of life is lost by the stream being
raised above the fountain, or the inward heat lowered by
throwing into the stomach so large a  quantity of cold
water as to give the outward heat the power of bala ncing
the inward, and in proportion as the one approaches to an
equality with  the other,  so the strength is  diminished,
and when equal, they die.
  41 I shall now make somo further remarks  on this and
other subjects, with a hope that  it may be beneficial to
mankind.   The reason why  these  extraordinary cases
appear so wonderful to  the  people is because they are
unacquainted with the cause.  Why should we w< nder
at a person being cold  on  a  hot day when  we are  not,
any more than we should wonder at another  being hun-
gry, when we have just been eating; or that others can
be in pain, when we are enjoying good health ? The one
is as plain and as simple as the other, when  understood.
The want of inward heat is the cause of their being cold, 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
23
just as much as the want of food is the cause of hunger,
or the want of health is the cause of pain.  One person
■may have lost the natural power of heat,  by an  effect
which others in similar situations may  not have experi-
enced, and will suffer the consequences of cold in pro-
portion to the loss of inward heat; this is manifest in the
different degiees of sickness.  If the-inward heat loses
its balance of power suddenly, death is immediate;  which
is the case  in spotted fever, and in drowned  persons,
when the  inward  and outward cold  is balanced,  life
ceases, and the blood being stopped in its motion,  settles
in spots, which  appearance has given name  to what is
called spotted fever.   The same appearances take place
on drowned persons, and from the same cause.
   44 The practice  of bleeding for the purpose of curing
 disease, 1  consider  most unnatural   and injurious.—
 Nature never furnishes the body with  more blood than
 is  necessary  for  the maintenance of  health ; to take
 away part of the blood, therefore, is taking away just so
 much of their life, and is  as  contrary  to  nature, as  it
 would.be to cut away part of their flesh.  Many experi-
 ments have been tried by the use of the lancet in fevers ;
 but I believe it will be allowed by all, that most of them
 have proved fatal; and several eminent physicians have
 died  in consequence of trying the experiment on them-
 selves.  If the system is diseased, the  blood  becomes as
 much disordered as any other part; remove the cause of
 the disorder and the  blood  will  recover  and become
 healthy as soon as any other part;  but  how taking part
 of it  away can help to cure what remains, can  never be
 reconciled with common sense.
    14  There is no practice used by the physicians,  that I
 consider more inconsistent with common  sense, and at
 the same time more inhuman than blistering  to remove
 disease ; particularly insane persons, or what the doctors
 call dropsy on the Jarain; in which case they shave the
 head and draw a blister on it.  Very few patients,  if any,
 ever survive this application.  What would be thought
 if a scald should be caused  by boiling  water to remove
 disease ?  Yet there is no difference between this and a
 blister made by flies.  I have witnessed many instances 
24         THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.

where  great distress and  very bad  effects have  been
caused by the use of blisters ;  and believe I can truly sa^"
that I  never knew any benefit derived from  their use.
It very frequently causes stranguary, when the attempted
remedy becomes much worse than the disease.'
  '4 In support of my opinions on the subject, I will give
the following extract from the writings of Dr. Hillary, an
eminent physician of London: —
  141 have long observed that blisters are too frequently
and too often improperly used, as they are now so much
in fashion.   It is very probable,  that  we  have no  one
remedy, in all the Materia Medica, that is  so frequently,
and so often improperly applied, not only in too many
cases, where they cannot possibly give  any  relief, but
too  often where they must unavoidably increase the very
evil, which they are  intended to remove or relieve.
Hew often do we see them applied, and sometimes seve-
ral of  them, by pretended  dabblers in physic, not only
where  there are no indications for applying  them,  but
where the true indications are against their application ;
as, in  the beginning of most fevers,  and especially those
of the inflammatory, and of the putrid kind, where,  in
the first, the stimulus of the acrid salts of the cantharidest
which  pass into the blood,  must  unavoidably increase
both the  stimulus,  and the  momentum of the blood,
which  were too great before, and so render the fever in-
flammatory, and all its symptoms worse.
  14 And  it is well known that the cantharides contain a
quantity of alkaline  semi-volatilesalts, which pass into
the  blood, though  they are  applied externally;  and
attenuate, dissolve, and hasten and increase its putrefac-
tion, which is  also confirmed by the  putrid alkaline
acrimony which they produce in the urine, with the heat
and stranguary, which it gives to the urinary passage."
  The foregoing remarks of Dr. Thomson on Fever are
perfectly philosophical, and only require the additional
administration  of the  Fever Powders, together with the
Aromatic Pills as laid down in this work, to afford relief
in all cases, whether fever, dysentery,  colic, or other
acute disorders. 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        25
44 ON STEAMING.
   44 Steaming is a very important branch of my system
 of practice, which would, in many cases, without  it,  be
 insufficient to effect a cure.  It is of great importance in
 many cases considered by the medical faculty as despe-
 rate ; and they would be so under my mode of treatment,
 if it was not for this manner of applying heat to the body,
 for the purpose of reanimating the  system, and aiding-
 nature in restoring health. I bad but little knowledge of
 steaming, to add heat or life to the decaying spark ; and
 with it I was enabled, by administering such vegetable
 preparations as I then had a knowledge of, to effect a
 cure  in cases where the regular practitioners had given
 them over.
   14 In all cases where the heat of the body is so far ex-
 hausted as not to be rekindled by using the medicine, and
 being shielded from the surrounding air by a  blanket,  or
 being in bed, and chills and stupor attend the  patient,
 then  applied heat by steaming  becomes  indispensibly
 necessary ; and heat caused by steam in the manner that
 I use it,  is more natural in producing perspiration, than
 any dry  heat that can  be applied  to the body in any
 other manner, which  will only serve to dry the air and
 prevent perspiration in^many cases of disease, where a
 steam by water or vinegar would promote it, and add a
 natural  warmth to the body, and thereby increase the
 life and motion, which have lain silent in consequence of
 the cold.
  4,Dr. Jennings has contrived a plan to apply heat to the
 body by a dry vapour, caused by burning spirit, which he
 calls  a vapor bath, the idea of which was, 1 have no
doubf, taken from hearing of my steaming to raise the
heat of the body.  It  may answer in some cases, and
stages of disease; but in a settled fever, and other causes
where there is a dry inflammation on  the surface of the
body, it will not answer  any good purpose, and I think
would be dangerous, without the use of my medicine to
s 
26        THE BOTANIC  FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
first raise a free perspiration ; for when the surface of
the body is  dry, the patient cannot bear it, as it  will
crowd to the head and cause distress, the same as is pro-
duced by burning charcoal, or from hot stoves in a tight
room, and will bring on a difficulty in  breathing, which
is  not the case in steaming in my way. This machine
can only be used in bed, where the vapour cannot*be ap-
plied to the body equally at the same time, therefore is
no better than a hot dry stone put on each side and to the
feet of the patient, for  he can turn himself and get  heat
from them as well as to have all  the trouble of burning
spirit and turning to the vapor of it, to'get warm by this
dry heat.  When the patient stands over a  steam raised
by putting a hot stone in water, which gives a more equal
heat all  over the body than can be done  in any other
manner; it can be raised higher, and may be tempered
at pleasure by wetting  the face and stomach  with  cold
water as occasion iequires.
   4( The method adopted by me, and which has always
answered the desired object, is as follows :  take  several
stones of different sizes, and  put them in the fire  till red
hot, then take the smallest first and put one of them into
a  pan or kettle of hot water, with the stone about half im-
mersed—the patients must be undressed, and a blanket
put around them, so as  to shield the whole body from the
air,  and then place them  over the steam, change the
stones as often as  they grow cool, so  as  to  keep up  a
lively steam, and keep them over it;  if they are faint,
throw a little cold water on the face and stomach, which
 will let  down the outward heat and restore the strength
 —after  they have  been over the steam long enough,
 which will  generally  be about 15 or  20 minutes,  they
 must be washed all over with cold water or spirit, and be
 put in bed, or may  be dressed, as the circumstance of the
 caso shall permit.   Before  they are placed over the
 steam, give a dose of No. 2 and 3, or Composition,  to
 raise the inward heat.  When the patient is too  weak
 to stand over the steam, it may be done in bed,  by heat-
 ing three stones, and put them in water till done hissing ;
 then wrap them in a number of thicknesses of cloths wet
 with water, and put one on each side, and one at the feet, 
          THE BOTANIC  FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        27

occasionally wetting the face^-and  stomach with  cold
water, when faint.
  44 Many other plans may be contrived in steaming,
whieh would  make less trouble and be more agreeable
to the patient, especially where they are unable to stand
over the steam.  An open worked chair may be made, in
which they might sit and be steamed very conveniently;
or a settee might be made in the same manner, in which
they^might be laid  and  covered  with  blankets, so  as to
shield them from the surrounding air.  Such contrivances
as these would  be very convenient in cases where the
patient would have to be carried through a course of me-
dicine, and steamed a number of times, as is frequently
necessary, particularly in complaints  that have been of
long  standing.
   44 As I have frequently mentioned a regular course of
medicine, I will here state  what is meant by it, and the
most proper way in which it is performed.   .Firstly, give
No.  2 and  3, or  Composition, adding a teaspoonful of
No  6, then steam, and when in bed  repeat it, adding No.
 1, which will  cleanse the stomach, and assist in keeping
a perspiration J  when this has done operating, give  an
injection made with the same  articles. Where there are
symptoms of  nervous affection or spasms, put half a lea
spoonful of the  nerve powder into each dose given, and
 into  the injection.  In violent  cases, where immediate
 relief is needed,Nos. 1, 2,3 and 6, may be given together.
 Injections may be administered at all times, and  in all
 cases of disease, to advantage ; it can never do harm, and
 in  many cases,  they are indispensibly necessary,  espe-
cially where  there is  canker and  inflammation in the
 bowels, and there is danger of mortification, in which case
 add  a teaspoonful of No. 6.   In cases of this kind, the
 injection should be given first, or at the same time of
 giving the composition, or  No. 3.
   44 The use of steaming is good in preventing sickness as
 well as in curing it. When a person has been exposed to
 the cold, and  is threatened with disease,  it may be pre-
 vented, and long sickness and expense  saved by a very
 little trouble,  by standing over a steam, and following the
directions before given, till the cold  is thoroughly thrown 
28        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
 off and a lively perspiration takes place ; then go to bed,
 taking the  stone from the kettle, and wrap it  in wet
 cloths, and  put it to the feet.  This may be done without
 the medicine, when it cannot.be had ; but it is much better
 to take something  to raise the inward heat at the same
 time.  A tea made of mayweed or summer-savoury, or
 ginger and  hot water sweetened, may be given, or any
 thing that is warming.  This  advice is for the poor, and
 those who have not the knowledge of the medicine; and
 will many times save them much  trouble and long sick-
 ness.
   44 Steaming is of the utmost importance in cases of
 suspended animation, such as  drowned  persons; in which
 case place the body over a moderate steam, shielded by
 a blanket from the  weight of  the external air, and rari-
 fying the air immediately around with  the steam.  Pour
 into the mouth some of the tincture of  Nos.  1, 2, and 6 ;
 and if there is any internal  heat remains,  there will be
 muscular motion about the eyes and in the extremities. If
 this symptom appears, repeat the dose several times, and
 renew the hot stones, raising the heat by degrees ; if the
 outward heat is raised too sudden, so as\o  balance the
 inward, you  will fail of the desired object, even after life
 appears. This is the only danger of any difficulty taking
 place—always bear in mind to keep the fountain above
 the stream., or the inward heat  above the outward, and all
 will be sale.   After life is restored put them in bed, and
 keep the  perspiration  free for .twelve hours,  by hot
 stones wrapped in cloths wet with water, and occasionally
giving the tincture as before mentioaed, when the cold-
ness, and obstructions are thrown off, and the patient will
be in the enjoyment of his natural strength.  Beware of
bleeding, or blowing in the  mouth with a bellows, as
either will generally prove fatal.
  14 In many cases  of spotted fever, steaming is as neces-
 sary as in  drowned persons; such as when they fall
 apparently dead ; then the same treatment is necessary
 to lighten the surrounding air till you can raise the inward
 heat, so as to get the determining  power to the surface.
 Begin with a small stone, and as life gains, increase the
 steam as the patient can bear it; if the distress is great, 
           THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        2S)

give more hot medicine inside, and as soon as an equili-
brium takes place, the pain will cease.  In all cases of
this kind, the  difficulty cannot  be removed without ap-
plying heat to the body, and is more natural by steam than
by any other means that can be made use of.  In cases
of long standing, where the patients have been run down
with  mercury, and left in a cold and obstructed state,
liable to rheumatism and  other similar complaints, they
cannot be cured with medicine without applying heat by
steam, as nothing will remove mercury but heat.
  44 When a patient is  carried through a course of my
medicine  and  steamed,  who  has  been  long  under
mercurial treatment; and  while under the operation of
the steam, when the heat  is at the highest, the face will
swell, in consequence of the poisonous vapour being con-
densed by the air, the face being open to it.  To relieve
this, put him in bed, and  take  a net stone wrapped in
several thicknesses of cloth wet with water, pouring on
a little vinegar, and making a lively steam ; put it in the
bed and cover the head with the clothes, and  let him
breathe the steam as hot as can be borne, until the sweat"*
covers the swelled part.  This will  in about fifteen or
twenty minutes  throw out*the  poison and the swelling
will abate.  This method also is  of great  service in
agues and teethache caused  by cold; and many other
cases of  obstruction  from the  same cause, especially
young children stuffed on  the lungs.
   44 To steam small children, the best way is to let them
sit  in the lap of  a person,  covering  both  with afblanket
and set  over  the  steam,  pouring a little  vinegar on the
stone: or it may be done in bed with a hot stone, wrap-
ped in cloths wet with water, putting on a little vinegar:
and covering them with the bed clothes laid loosely over
them; but in  this way  you cannot exercise so good
judgement in tempering the  steam,  as when you are
steamed with them.   If  the child appears languid and
faint, the outward  heat is  high enough ; put a little cold
water on  the  face or  breast,  which will restore the
strength, then rub them  in  a cloth wet with  vinegar,
spirit or  cold water, put  on clean clothes, and put it
in  bed,  or let  it sit up  as it3  [strength will  permit.
                         3* 
30
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN,
This  is safe in all cases of cold and obstructed perspi-
ration.  It ought always to be borne strongly in mind,to
give a child drink often, when  under  the  operation of
medicine,  or while steaming ; if this is not done, it will
suffer much, as it cannot ask for it.
  44 In all cases of falls or bruises, steaming is almost
infallible ;  and is much  better  than  bleeding, as is the
common practice, which only tends to destroy life, instead
of promoting it.  If  the person is not able to stand over
the steam, it must be done in bed, as has been described.
Give the hottest medicine inside that you have, and keep
the perspiration free till the pain and  soreness  abates,
and the strength will be soon restored.   If the advanta-
ges of this mode of treatment were generally known,
bleeding in such cases, or any other, to remove disease,
would never be resorted to by the wise and prudent.
  44 The use of steaming is to apply heat to the body
where it is deficient,  and clear of obstructions caused by
cold, which the operation of the medicine will not raise
heat enough to do;  for  as  the natural  heat of the body
becomes thereby lower than the natural state of health,
it must by art be raised  as much above as it has been
below; and this must  be  repeated until  the digestive
powers are restored, sufficient to hold the heat by digest-
ing the food, then the health of the patient will be  re-
stored by eating and  drinking such things as the appetite
shall require.  In this way the medicine removes disease,
and food,  by being properly digested, supports natnre and
continues  that.heat on which life depends.
   44 Some who practice according to my system, boast of
carrying their patients throngh in a  shorter time without
the trouble of  steaming ; this is easily accounted for;
steaming  is the most laborious  part of the  practice for
those who attend upon  the sick, and the most useful to
the patient; as one operation of steaming will be more
effectual in removing disease,  than  four courses without
it; and to omit it is throwing the labour upon the patient,
with  the expense of three or four operations more of the
medicine  than would be needed, did the person who at-
 tends to his duty faithfully."
   The best method for  steaming  in  administering,a 
           THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        31

course on the Tuomsonian system is to those who intend
practising the healing art.  In the first place, to build a
small box two feet long at the base as high up as  the
knee jont, above rhat gently sloping up to the height of
six feet six inches, and the length of twelve inches at
the top, and about eighteen inches in width from the bot-
tom to the top, then let the front of the box be enclosed
with  two strips of baze flannel with hooks on it, which
may be locked up as far  as the neck, letting the head
remain outside through the two pieces of baze, while
steaming the patient; let the box be covered with a board
with a great many small gimlet holes in it; that when
the patient has gone through the course, and after the last
Eleaming, to take away the steam pipe,* and throw half a
gallon of cold water upon the top of the box. The patient
having stripped off his clothes before entering the box,
will be washed off by the operation, and the only thing
to be done then, is to wipe dry and put on a clean shirt.
The  method of conveying the steam  into the box is at
the bottom of the box through a small hole, by a pipe one
inch  in  diameter, leading to the engine, which may be
easily constructed witb a thermometer attached thereto,
 or which will do as well, set a teakettle filled with water
 to the spout and  no higher, upon a small furnace filled
 with ignited charcoal, closing the lid  tight by a cloth, so
 that no steam can pass, except through the spout into the
 tin pipe, which must be fitted on to it: in the centre of
 the box must be placed a  seat for those patients who are
 too weak to stand up during the steaming operation.   A
 little less expensive plan  instead of the box, is to leave
 the shirt on, and wrap a blanket around the patient,  let-
 ting tne stearn pass under the blanket between  the  feet
 from a cup four inches in diameter and 3 in height fastened
 to the extteme  end of the steam pipe, with a lid full of
 holes to let the steam pass through.   But for small chil.
 dren, the plan of using the small stones, as reccommended
 by Dr.  Thomson, is  probably better and easier to be
 used.  The general  directions, as laid  down  by  Dr.
 Thomson  in giving  the  medicine while undergoing a
 course, are to  be  observed,  except that  in case  tha
 patient  is costive at the  time, he  roust have an injec- 
32        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
 tion first,  administered after the first steaming, then in
 half an hour or so, give the emetic, and so on as usual.
    Instead of the steam  made use of by Dr. Thomson,
 take a cup full of  New-England rum,  or high  wines,
 place it under the door of the box after setting fire to it,
 and let it remain there as long as the patient can bear it,
 and until the  patient sweats freely, then wash off the
 whole body with spirits.  This  method of steaming is
 far more agreeable and efficacious than the former; if the
 patient is so weak as not to be able to set up,  let him lay
 in bed, and put over  him first a frame extending from
 head  to foot, (leaving the head out) about two feet high,
 with  a  foot  board perforated with a hole to admit  the
 pipe,  then cover the frame  over with blankets;  place
 3'our cup or  vessel  containing the alcohol or rum on the
 floor, and have your pipe  fastened thereto with a wide
 circular reflector  like a tunnel  attached to convey  the
 steam into the pipe; set the liquid on fire, and let it burn
 as long as the patient can bear ; if the cup burns out, fill
 it again according  to the nature of  the case,  when the
 frame may be removed, and* the patient left covered up
 as long as he  continues to sweat, then  bathe him off
 with  spirits, tjand put on  clean dry clothes.  For the
 rheumatism, give first the emetic and injection as stated
in this work, then  use the steam last mentioned, either
way, according to the strength of the  patient;  afterwards
bathe the joints if stiff, or pained, with  the  vegetable
elixir, black liniment, or compound liniment, three times
a day, wearing a flannel over the part  until  well, and
take the vegetable composition powders three times a
day;  also  the elixir, one or  two teaspoonsful in  each
glass of the bitters, which should be taken three times a
day.  The  use of alcohol is  cheifly the practice of Dr.
Elisha Smiih, a contemporary of Dr. Thomson, which
he says, he  learnt of Dr. Jennings of Baltimore, and is
far preferable to any  course pursued  by  Dr. Thomson,
and may be  used dai'y. 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        33
      "ON GIVING POISON AS MEDICINE.

   •'The practice of giving poison as medicine, which is so
common among the medical faculty at the present day,
is of the utmost importance to the public ; and is a sub.
ject that I wish to bring home to the serious consideration
of the whole body of the people of this country, and en-
force in the strongest manner on  their minds the perni-
cious  consequences that have happened, and are daily
taking place by reason of giving mercury, arsenic, nitre,
opium, and other deadly poisons, to cure disease.   It is
admitted by those who make use of these things, that the
introducing them into  the system is very dangerous, and
that they often prove fatal During thirty years'practice,
I have had opportunity  to gain much experience on this
subject,  and am ready to declare that I am perfectly and
decidedly convinced, beyond all doubt, that there can be
no possible good  derived from using in any manner or
form whatever, those poisons ; but  on the other hand,
there  is a great deal of hurt done.   More than one-tenths
of the-chronic cases that have-come under my care, have
been  such as  had been run down with some one or the
whole of the  above  named medical poisons;  and the
greatest difficulty I have had to encounter in removing
the complaints which my patients laboured  under,  has
been to clear the system of mercury, nitre, or opium, and
bring them  back to the same state they were in before
taking them.   It is a  very easy thing to get them into
the system, but very hard to get them out again.
   " Those who make use of these things as a medicine,
seem to cloak the administering them under the specious
pretence of great skill and  art in preparing and using
them ; but this kind of covering will not blind the people,
if they  would  examine  it- and think for themselves, in-
stead  of beleiving  that every thing said or done by a
learned man must be right; for poison given to the sick
by a person of the greatest skill,  will have exactly  the
same effect as it would if given by a fool.—The fact is, the
Operation-of it is diametrically opposed to nature, and
every particle  of it  that is taken  into the system, w.ill
strengthen the power of  the enemy to health- 
        34        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.

          41 If there should be doubts in the minds of any one, of
        the  truth of what I have said concerning the articles I
        have named being poisonous and destructive to the con-
        stitution and  health of man,  I  will  refer them to the
        works published by those who recommend  their  use;
        where they will find evidence enough  to satisfy the most
        credulous, of  the dangerous  consequences  and  fatal
        effects, of giving them  as medicine.  "To remove all
        doubts of their being poison,  I will make a few  extracts
        from standard medical works, as the best testimony that
        can be given in the case.
          '-Muriate of Mercury, is one of the most violent poisons
        wiith which we are acquainted.  Externally it acts as an
        hescarotic or  a Caustic ; and in solution, it  is used for
        destroying fungus flesh, and for removing hepatic erup-
        tions ; but even externally, it must  be used*with  very
        great caution."   Yet,  reader, this active poison is  used
        as medicine, and by being prepared  in a diffeent form;
        and a new name given it, (Calomel,) its good qualities are
        said to be invaluable, and a  certain cure  for  almost
        every disease.
          (-lOxi/d of Arsenic, is one of the most sudden and vio-
*'       lent poisons  we are  acquainted  with.  In  mines,  it
        causes  ihe destruction of numbers of those who explore
        them ; and it is frequently the instrument by which vic-
        tims are sacrificed, either by the  hand of wickedness or
        imprudence—The fumes of Arsenic  are so  deleterious
        to the lungs, that the  artist ought to be on his guard to
        prevent  their  exhalation by the mouth ; for  if  they be
        mixed  and swallowed with the saliva, effects will take
        place, similar to  those which follow its introduction  into
        the stomach in a saline state ;  namely, a sensation of  a
        piercing, gnawing, and burning kind, accompanied  with
        an acute pain in the stomach and intestines, which last
        are violently contorted ; convulsive vomiting ;  insatiable
        thirst, from the parched and rough state of the tongue and
        throat; hiccough, palpitation of the heart and a deadly
        oppression of the wbole breast, succeed next; the matter
        ejected by the mouth, as well as the stools, exhibit" a
        black, foetid, and putrid  appearance; at length with the
gjgi*,    mortification of the bowels, the  pain  subsides.and death
- - :t f •»£, 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.          35
terminates the sufferings of the patient."—4t When the
quantity is so very small as not to prove fatal, tremors,
paralysis, and lingering hectic succeed."
  44 Notwithstanding this terrible description of the  fatal
effects of this article, the author says,44 though Ihe most
violent of mineral poisons, arsenic, according to Murray,
equals, when properly administered, the first medicines
in the class of tonics."   4' Of all the diseases, ('says Dr.
Duncan) in which white Oxyd of Arsenic has been  used
internally, there is none in which it  has been so fre-
quently and so successfully employed,  as in the cure of
intermittent fevers.   We have now the most satisfactory
information, concerning this article, in the Medical Re-
ports, of the  effects  of 'arsenic in  the  cure  of agues,
remitting fevers,  and  periodical  headaches,   by  Dr.
Fow]er of Stafford."  4l Such are  the  powers 0f this
medicine, that two  grains of it are often sufficient to cure
an  intermittent that has continued for weeks !"__" As
an  external remedy, arsenic has long been known as the
basis of .the celebrated cancer powders ;—" Arsenic has
even been applied in substance, sprinkled upon  the ulcer;
but this mode of using it is  exceedingly painful, and ex-
tremely dangerous.   There have been fatal effects  pro-
duced from its  absorption."—No other  escharotic  pos-
sesses equal  powers in cancerous affections- it  net un.
frequently amends the  discharge,  causes the  sore  to
contract in size, and cases have been related of its having
effected a cure."—But,says Dr. Willich, 4-we are on the
combined testimony of many medical practitioners,  con-
spicuous for their professional zeal and integrity, irresis-
tibly induced to declare our opinion, at least, against the
internal use of this active and dangerous medicine."
  441 shall leave it to the reader  to reconcile, if he  can
the inconsistencies and absurdities of the above state-
ments, of the effects of ratsbane; and  ask  himseif the
question, whether it can be possible, for an ai tide, the
use of which is attended with such consequences, to be
in  any shape  or form,  proper  to be  used as medicine •
yet it is a well known fact, that this poison is in constant
use among the faculty, and forms the principal ingredient
in most of those nostrums sold tbronghout the country 
36         THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
  under the names of drops, powders, washes, balsams, &C.
  and there can be no doubt that thousands either die, or
  become miserable invalids in consequence.
    44 Antimony, in the modern nomenclature, is the name
  given to a peculiar metal.—The antimonial metal is  a
  medicine of the greatest power of any know^n substance ;
  a quantity too minute to  be sensible in the most delicate
  balance, is capable of producing violent effects, if  taken
  dissolved, or in  a soluble state."—41 Sulphureted  anti-
  mony was employed by the ancients in Collyria, against
 inflammation of  the eyes, and for staining the eyebrows
 black.  Its internal use does not seem to have been esta-
 blished till the end of the fifteenth century; and even at
 that-time it was by many looked upon as poisonous."—
 All the metallic preparations are uncertain, as it entirely
 depends on the state of the stomach, whether they have
 no action at all or operate with dangerous violence.'—
 "The principal general medicinal application of antimony
 has been given for the use of febrile affections."—In the
 latter stage of fever, where debility  prevails, its use ia
 inadmissible." Of the propriety of using this metal as
 medicine, I shall leave it to the. reader to judge for him-
 self.
   "Nitre.   Salt   Petre.  This salt  consisting of nitric
 acid and potash, is found ready formed on the  surface of
 the soil in warm cimates."—" Purified nitre is  prescribed
 with advantage in numerous  disorders.   Its virtues are
 those of a refrigerant  and diuretic.   It is  usually given
 in doses from two or  three grains to a scruple, being a
 very cooling and  resolving medicine, which by relaxing
 the spasmodic rigidity of  th« vessels, promotes not only
 the secretion of urine, but at  the same time  insensible
 perspiration, in febrile  disorders  ; while it  allays thirst
and abates heat, though in malignant cases in  which the
pulse is low, and the patient's strength exhausted, it pro-
duces contrary effects."—This  powerful  salt, when in-
advertently taken in too large quantities, is one  of the
most fatal poisons."   For  some interesting observations
relative to the deleterious properties of salt  petre, the
reader is referred to Dr. Mitchell  s letter to Dr.  Priestly,"
  441 have  found from a series of practical experiments 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
37
for many years, that saltpetre has the most  certain and
deadly effects upon the human system, of any drug that
is used as medicine.  Although  the effects produced by
it are not so immediately  fatal  as many others, yet its
Whole tendency is to counteract the principles of life, and
destroy the operation of nature.   Experience has taught
me that it is the most powerful enemy to health, and that
it is the  most difficult opponent to encounter,  with any
degree of success, that I have ever met with.  Being in
its nature cold, there cannot be any  other  effects  pro-
duced by it, than to increase the power of that enemy of
heat, and to lessen its necessary influence.
   44 Opium, when taken  into  the stomach, to such an
extent as to have any sensible effect, gives rise to pleasant
serenity  of the mind, in general proceeding to  a certain
degree of languor, and drowsiness."—*• It excites thirst*
and rem'ers the mouth dry and parched,"—(4Taken into
the stomach in a large dose, gives rise to confusion of the
head and vertigo.   The powers of all stimulating causes
of making  impressions on  the body are diminished ; and
even at times, and in  situations,  when a  person  would
naturally be awake, sleep is irresistably induced.  In still
larger doses, it acts in the same manner  as the narcotic
poisons,  giving rise to vertigo,  headache, tremors, de-
lirium and  convulsions; and these terminating in a state
of stupor, from which the  person cannot be roused.  This
Itupor is accompanied with slowness  of the pulse,  and
with stertor in breathing,  and the scene is terminated in
death, attended with the same appearance* as take place
in an apoplexy."—<4 In tntermittents it is said to have
been used with good effect."—'4 It is often of very great
service in fevers of the typhoid type."—44 In small pox,
when the convulsions before eruption are frequent and
considerable, opium is liberally used."—'4  In  cholera and
pyrosis, it is almost the only  thing  trusted to."—,4The
administration of opium to the unaccustomed,  is some-
times very  difficult.   The requisite quantity of opium is
wonderfully different in different persons,  and in differ-
ent states of the same person.  A quarter of a grain will
in one adult, produce effects which ten times the quantity
wiil not  do in another.  The lowest fatal dose to the un*
                                    4 
W         TDM BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
 accustomed as mentioned by authors,  seems to  be foar
 grains : hut a dangerous dose is so apt to puke, that it has
 Seldom time to occasion death."
   "From the above extracts it will readily be seen that
 the  use of  opium  as  medicine,  is very dangerous, at
 least, if not destructive to health : its advocates, it will
 be observed, do not pretend that it will cure any disor-
 der, but it is used as a palliative for the purpose of easing
 pain, by destroying sensibility.  Pdin is caused  by dis-
 ease, and there can be no other way  to relieve it, but by
 removing the cause.    Sleep produced  by  opium is
 unnatural,  and  affords no relief to  the  patient, being
 ■othing more than a suspension of his  senses; and it
 might with  as much  propriety he  said,  that a state of
 delirium is beneficial,  for a person  in that  situation it
 not sensible of pain.  The fact is, opium is a poison, and
 when  taken  into the system,  produces no other effect
 than t'» strengthen ihe  power of the enemy to health, by
 deadening the sensible organs  of the  stomach and intes-
 tines, and preventing them from performing iheir natural
functions so  important  to the maintaining of health and
 life.  In all the cases that have come within my know-
 ledge, where  the patient has  been  long in the habit of
taking opium, I have found  it  almost impossible, after
 removing the disease, to restore the  digestive powers of
the stomach.
   41 1 have made the foipgoing extracts on the subject of
 peisons, for the purpose of giving a more plain and simple
 view  of the pernicious consequences  caused by their
 being given as medicine, than I  could do in any other
 manner. In this short  address it is impossible to  do that
justice to the subject that I could wish, and which its im-
 portance demands; but  I am not  without  hope, that
 what is here given will satisfy  every candid  person who
 reads it, of the truth  of those principles which it has been
 at all times rny endeavor to inculcate, for the benefit of
 mankind, and convince them,  that what has a tendency
 to destroy life, can  never be useful in restoring heallh.*1 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        $9
  •*THE DOCTORS WITHOUT A SYSTEM.

  " That the doctors have no system is a fact  pretty
generally acknowledged by themselves;  or at least they
have none that has been fixed upon as a general rule for
their practice.  Almost every  great man  among them
has had a system of his own, which has been followed
by their adherents till some other one is btought forward
more fashionable.  This is undoubtedly a great evil, for
it makes everything  uncertain : where it  is constantly
changing, there can be no dependence on anything, and
the practice must always be  experimental; no  useful
knowledge can be obtained by the young  practitioners,
as they will be constantly seeking after new theories.
What should we say of i carpenter who should undertake
to repair a building without having any rule to work by,
and  should for want of one,  destroy the half of all he
undertook  to repair.   The  employers would soon lose
all confidence in him, and dismiss him  as  an  ignorant
blockhead.  And is it not of infinitely more importance
for those who undertake  to repair  the human body, to
have some correct rule to work by ?  Their practice is
founded on  visionary theories,  which are so uncertaim
and contradictory, that it is impossible to form any<:orrect
general rule as a guide to be  depended upon.  In order
to show the opinions of others, as well  as my  own, I
shall make a tew extracts from the latest writers on the
•abject.  Speaking of the revolutions of medicines, one
says :
  44 We have now noticed the principal revolutions of
medicine, and we plainly perceive that the theory of
medicine,  not only has been, but  is yet, in an unsettled
■tale, that its practical application is wavering, fallacious,
and extremely pernicious; and taking  a survey  of  the
various fortunes of the art, we may well say wiih  Bacon,
that medicine is a science that hath been more professed
than laboured, and yet more  laboured  than advanced,
the labour "having been in a  circle, but not in progres-
sion."
  " Theories  are but the butterflies of  the day—they 
to
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
 buzz for a while,  and then expire.  We can trace for
 many centuries past, one theory overturning another, yet
 each in its succession promising itself immortality."
   44 The application of the rules which the practitioner
 lays down to himself is direct, and in their choice, no one
 can err with impunity.  The least erroneous view leads
 to some consequence.  We must remember the lives of
 our ftdlow-creaturc-8 are at stake.  For how many cruel
 and premature deaths, how  many impaired and  debili-
 tated constitutions have paid for the folly  of theories !
 Follies, which have  proved almost always fascinating.
 The study of a system is more easy  than an investigation
 of nature ; and in practice, it  seems to smooth every
 difficulty."
   'In my lectures on the art of phvsic, (says Dr. Ring,)
 both  theoretical and practical,  I have fully proved that
 there is no necessity for* that bane of the profession, con-
jecture or hypothesis; and if I were asked whether,  if I
 myself were  dangerously ill, I would suffer any hypo-
 thetical, however plagsible physician, to  prescribe  for
 my malady, my answer would be no, assuredly no, unless
 I wished to   risk  the loss  of my  life.  I  could  give a
 remarkable in-tance of this.
   44 Speculation and  hypothesis are always at variance
 with sound experience  and successful practice."
   4t The above extracts evince  the  pernicious effects of
 false theory  and hypothesis, which  at the  present day,
 constitute nearly ihe whole art of physic.
   " The  fol'owing just remarks  are copied from  thn
 writings of the llev. John Wesley :
   44 As theories increased, simple medicines were more
 and mors disregarded  and disused ; till, in a course of
 years, the greater part of them were  forgotten, at least
 in the more  polite nations.  In the room of these, abun-
 dance of new ones were introduced, by reasoniug, spec-
 ula) ive men ; and those more and mo~e  difficult to  bo
 applied, as being more remote from  common observation.
 Hence rides for the application of these,  and medical
 books were immensely multiplied ; till at length physio
 became an abstruse  science, quite  out of  the reach of
 ordinary men.  Physicians now began to  be  held in 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PUYSrCIAN.         4i
admiration, as persons who were something more thai
human.  And profit attended their employ, as well  as
k on our.  So that they had now two weighty reasons for
keeping the bulk of mankind at a distance,  that they
might not pry into the mysteries of their profession. To
this  end they increased those difficulties, by  design,
which were in a manner by accident.   They filled their
writings with abundance of technical terms, utterly un-
intelligible to plain men.
  *'Those  who understood only how to restore the sick
to health,  they branded with the  name of Empirics.
They introduced into practice abundance of compound
medicines,  consisting of so many ingredients,  that it
was scarce possible for common people to know which
H was that wrought a cure.   Abundance  of exotics,
neither the  nature or names of which their own country-
men understood."
  " The history of the art of medicine in all  affes," says
Dr. Blane,  so teems with the fanciful influence  of
superstitious observances, the  imaginary virtues of me-
dicines, with nugatory, delusive, inefficient,  and  capri-
cious practices, fallacious and sophistical reasonings, as
to render it little more than a chaos of error, a  tissue of
deceit unworthy of admission among the useful arts and
liberal pursuits of man,"
4* 
DESCRIPTION
                        OF

THE VEG;  TABLE MEDICINE, USED IN THE
      BOTANIC SYSTEM OF PRACTICE.
   Dr. Thomson  makes ihe_following observations:—
 44 In deseribing these medicines which I make use of in
 rernoving disease and restoring the health of the patient,
 agreeably to my system of pr <ctice, I shall mention those
 only which I have found most useful by a long series of
 practical knowledge ; and  in the "use of -which I have
 been successful in effecting the desired object.   A great
 number of  articl ts in 'he vegetable kingdom, that are
 useful as mpdicine. might be described, and their medical
 virtues pointed out, if I thought it would be beneficial,
in fact, I am confident the e  ire very few vegetable pro-
 ductions of our country, that I have not a tolerable good
 knowledge of, it  having been my principal study for
above thirty years ; but to undertake to describe them all
 would  be useless and  unprofitable to my readers, and
 could UmJ  to no good result.  The  plan  that  I  have
 adopted in describing such articles as I have thought ne-
cessary  to mention, and giving-directions how to  prepare
and administer them, is to class them under the numbers
which form my system of practice ; this  was thought to
be the best way to give a correct and full understanding
of the whole  subject.  Each number-is  calculated to
effect a  certain object, which is stated in the heading to
each as they  are introduced ; every  article, therefore,
that is useful in promoting such object, will be described
as applicable  to the number under which it is  classed.
The three first are  used  to  remove disease and the
others as restoratives.  There are a number of prepara-
tions and compounds, that 1 have made use of and found
good in curing various complaints;  the directions for
making them, and a description of the articles of which 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.         43
they are composed are  given as far as was deemed  ne-
cessary.   The manner of applying them will be  here-
after more particularly slat-d, when I.come to give an
account of the manner of treating some of the most
important cases of disease which have come under  my
eare.

44 No. 1—To cleanse the  Stomach, overpower the cold,
  and promote a free pzrspination.

   44 Emetic Herb-  Lobelia* Inflata of Linnceus.
   14 The Emety; Heib may  be found in the first stages of
its growth at all times through the summer, from the big-
ness of a six cent piece to that  of a dollar, and larger,
lying flit on the grouud, in  a  round form, like  a rose
pressed flat, in order to bear the weight  of snow which
lays on it during the winter,  and  is subject to bo winter-
killed like wheat. In the spring it looks yellow and pale,
like other things suffering from wet and cold ; but when
the returning sun spreads forth its enlivening rays upon
it, lifts up its leaves and shoots forth a stalk to the height
of from twelve to fifteen inches, with a number of branch-
es,  carrying up its leaves  with its growth.  In  July it
puts forth small pointed pale blue blossoms, which are
followed by small  pods about the size of a white  bean,
containing numerous very small seeds.   This pod  is an
exac* resemblance of the human stomach, having an inlet
aud outlet  higher than the middle; from the inlet it re-
ceives nourishment, and  by the outlet discharges the  *
seeds.  It comes to maturity about the first of September,
when the leaves and pods  turn a little yellow ; this is the
best time to gather it.   It is what is called by botanis'.s
a biennial plant, or of only two years' existence.
  44 This plant is  common in all parts  of this country.
Wherever the land is fertile enough to yield  support for
its inhahiiants it may be found.   It is confined to no soil
which is fit for cultivation, from the highest mountains to
the lowest valleys.   In hot and wet seasons it is most
plentiful on dry and warm lands—in hot and dry seasons
bu clayey and heavy lands.   When the  season is cold,
either wet or dry, it rarely makes its appearance; and if 
44        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
   the summer and fall is very dry, the seed does not corns
   up, and cf course there will be very little to be found thd
   next season.   I have  been in search of this herb from
   Boston to Canada, and was notable to collect more than
   two pounds; and in some seasons I have not been able
   to collect any.  I mentiom ihisto show the uncertainty of
   its growth, and to put the people  on  their guard to bs
   careful and lay up a good stock of it when plenty.  In
   the year 1807, if I had offered a reward of a thousand
   dollars for a pound of this herb, I  should not have been
   able to  have  obtained  it.  I have seen the time that I
   would  have given two dollars for an ounce of the powder,
   but there was none to be had ; which necessarily taught
   me to  lay up all I  could obtain when it was plenty.
     44 In seasons when this herb is plenty it may be found
   growing  in highways and pastures, by the side  of  old
   turnpikes, and in stubble land, particularly where it has
   been laid down to grass the year before ;  when grass is
   scarce it is eaten by cattle, and is  hard to be found when
   full grown.  It is a wild plant, and a native of this coun-
   try ; but there is no doubt of its being common to other
   countries.  It may be transplanted  and cultivated in
   gardens, and will be much larger and more vigorous than
   when growing wild.  If some stalks are left, it will sow
   itself, and probably may be produced from the seed ; but
   how long the  seeds remain  in the ground before they
   come up, I do not know, never having made any experi-
   ments  to ascertain the  fact.  It is  certain that it ts
 •  produced from the seed, and there is no good reason to
  suppose that it may not be cultivated in gardens from tha
   seed as well as other vegetables;  I think it most  proba-
   ble, however, from the nature of the  plant,  that  it will
   not come up till the seeds have lain at least one winter
  in the ground.
    *4 This p'.ant is different in  one very important particu-
  lar, from all others  that I  have a knowledge of, that tha
  ■ame quantity will produce the same effect in all  stages
  ef its growth, from its  first appearance till it comes to
  maturity; but the  best time  for  gathering  it,  as  has
. before been mentioned, is when  the leaves and pods
  begin to turn yellow, for then the seed is Tipe and  yoa 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.         ii
have all there can be of it.   Ft  should  then be cut and
kept clean, and spread in a laige chambei or loft to dry,
where it is open to the air in the day time and to be shut
from the damp air during the night. When perfectly dry,
soak out the seed, and  sift it through a  common  meal
sieve, and preserve it by itself; then beat off the leaves
and. pods  from the  stalks,  and preserve  them clean.
This  herb may  be  prepared  for use in three different
ways :—viz.  1st. The powdered leaves  and pods.  2d.
A tincture made  from the green herb with spirit.  3d,
The seeds reduced to a fine powder, and  compnundnd
with Nos 2 and 6
   44 I. After the  leaves and  pods are separated from the
stalks, pound or grind them  in a. mortar  to fine powder,
sift it thiough a fine  sieve, and preserve  it  irorn the air.
This is the  most  common preparation,and  may be given
in many different ways, either by itself or compounded
with other articles.  For a  common dose  take a tea-
spoonful of this powder with the same quantity of sugar'
in half a tea-cupful  of warm water, or a tea ot  No.  3
may be  used instead of the water;  this  dose  may  be
taken all at one time, or at three times, at  intervals of ten
minutes.   For a  yo-mg  child strain  off  the liquor  and
give a part as circumstances shall require.  -There  is'hut
one way  in which this heib can  be prepared that it will
refuse its services, and  that is when boiled or scalded ;
it is therefore important to bear in mind  that there  must
never be any thing put to it warmer than a blood heat.
   44 2. To prepare theatincture, lake the green herb in
any stage of its growth, (if the small plants are used tike
roots and all) put them  into a mortar, and pound  them
fine, then add the same quantity of  good spirits;  when
well pounded aud worked together,  strain it  through  a
fine cloth, and squeeze and press it hard to get out all the
juice ;  save the liquor in bottles, close stopped, for use.
Good vinegar, or pepper-sauce may  be  used instead of
the spirit.  Prepared in this manner it is  an effectual
counter-poison, either taken, or externally applied.  It is
also an excellent  medicine for  the  asthma and all com-
plaints of the lungs.   This is ihe only way  in which the
doctors have made use of the Emetic Herb,- and  they 
4fi         THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
acknowledge it to be one of the best remedies in many
Complaints, that  has been found, though they know but
little  about  it.   For  a  dose take from half to a tea-
fpoonful.   Its effect will be more certain  if about  the
same quantity of No. 2, is added, and in all cases whera
there are nervous symptoms,  add half a tea-spoonful of
nerve powder, (Umbil) to the dose.
  44 3  Reduce the seeds  to a fine powder in  a mortar, and
take  half an ounce of this  powder, or about  a targe*
Spoonful, with the same quantity  of  No 2, made  fine,
and put them in a gill t.t No. 6, adding a tea-spoonful of
Umbil; to be kept close stopped in a bottle  for  use;
when taken to be well shaken together. This -prepara-
tion is for the most  violent attacks of  disease,  such  aj
lock-jaw, bite of mad dog, drowned persons, fiis, spasms,
and in all cases of suspended  animation, where  the vita!
spark is nearly  extinct,   It  will go through the system
like  electricity,  giving heat and life to every  part.  la
cases  where  the  spasms are  so  violent that  they are
stiff, and the jiws become set, by pouring some of this
liquid into the mouth between the cheek and  teeth, as
soon as d touches the glando at the roots of the tongue,
the spasms will relax, and the jaws will become loosened,
so that the mouth will open; then give a dose of ir, and
as soon as the spasms have abated, repeat it,  and  after-
Wards give a tea of No  3, for canker.   This course I
never  knew  fail  of giving relief.  It is  good in less
violent ciSes, to bung out the measles and  small  pox$
and if applied to pimples, warts, &c. will remove them.
I have cured three dogs  with this preparation, who were
Under the most violent symptoms of hydrophobia; one
Of my agents cured a man with it who had been bitten
by a mail dog ;  and I  have not the  least  doubt of its
being a specific for that  disease.   For a dose lake a tea.
spoonful
  44 Much has been said of the power of the Emetic Herb,
and some have expressed fears of it on that account j
but 1  can assure the public, that there is not  the  leas*
danger in using  it;  I have given  it to children from one
day old to persons of 80  years.  It is  most poweiful in
removing disease, but innocent on nature.  Its operation 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY rHYSIClAN;         4"fr
in different persons, is according to their different tem-
pers, moving with the  natural current Of the  animal
spirits.  There are two cases where this medicine will not
operate, viz. when the patient is dying* and where thert
is no death.  There can be no war where there  isnd
•nemy.  When there  is no  cold  in  the body there is
nothing to contend against, and when  there is no heat
In the body there is nothing to kindle ; in either Case
therefore this medicine is silent and harmless.. It is cal-
culated to  remove the cause and no  more, as food  re-
moves hunger, and drink  thirst.  It clears all obstruc-
tions to the extremities, without regard to  ihe  names of
disease, until it produces an equilibrium in the system,
and will be felt in the fingers and toes, producing a prick-
ling feeling like that caused by  a  knock of the elbow j
this symptom is alarming to those  unacquainted with its
operation ;  but is  always favourable,  being  a certain
indication of the turn of the disorder, and they generally
gain from that time.
   ,4 In regard to  the quantity to be given as a dose, jt is
matter of  less  consequence than is generally imagined.
The most important thing is to give enough to produce
the desired effect;—if too little is given it will worry tha
patient, and do little good ;  if more is given than what is
necessary,  the snrplus will  be  thrown  off, and is a waste
of medicine.  I have given directions what I consider
as a proper dose in common cases, of the  different pre-
parations,  but  still it  must be left to the judgment of
those who use it, how much to give.  The most safe way
will be to give  the smallest  prescribed dose first, then
repeat it till it produce the wished for operation. In  cases
where the stomach is cold and very foul, its operation will
be slow and uncertain ;  in  which case give No. 2, which
will assist it in doing its work.
  44 When  this medicine  is  given to patients that are in
a decline, or are labouring under a disease of longstand-
ing, the symptoms indicating a crisis will not take place
till they havo been carried through from three to  eight •
courses of the medicine ;  and  the lower  they have been
the more alarming will be the symptoms.   I  have seen
some who would lay and job  like a child that  had been 
48        the Botanic family physician*
  punished, for two hours,  not able to speak or to raise
  their hand to their head :  and the next day be about, and
  soon got well.  In cases  where they haue taken consid*
  erable opium, and  this medicine  is administered, it will
  in its operation produce the same appearances and symp*
  toms that is produced by  opium when first given, which
  having lain dormant,  is  roused  into aciion by the en-
  livening  qualities of  this medicine,  and ihey  will be
  thrown into a senseless state ;  the whole system will be
  one  complete mass  of confusion, tun bling in  every
  direction ; will take two or three to hold them on the bed ;
  they grow cold as though  dying;  remaining in this way
  from two to eight hours, and then awake, like one from
  sleep after a good night's rest;  be entirely calm and sen-
  sible as though nothing had  ailed them.  It is  seldom
  they ever have more than one of these turns ; a« it is the
  last  struggle  of the disease, and they generally  begin
  to recover from that time.   I have been more particular
  in describing these effects  of the  medicine, as they are
  very alarming to those unacquainted with them, in order
  to show that there is no danger to be apprehended, as it
  is certain evidence of a favourable turn of the disease.
    The Emetic herb is of great value in preventing sick-
  ness a» well as curing it;  by  taking a  dose when first
  attacked by  any complaint it will  throw  it off, and fre-
  quently prevent  long sickness.  It not only acts as an
  emetic, and throws off the stomach  every thing that
  nature does  not require for support of the system, but ex«
  tends its effects to every part of the body.   It is search-
  ing,  enlivening, quickening, and has a  great  power in
  removing all obstructions; but  it  soon exhausts itself,
  and if not followed by some other medicine  to hold  the
  vital heat till nature is able to support itself by digesting
  the food, it will not be sufficient to  remove a disease that
  has become  seated.  To effect this important object put
  ine to rauch  trouble ; after trying many experiments to
_get something that would answer the purpose, I found
 that  what described under No. 2,  was  the best and only
  medicine  I  have a knowledge of, that would hold the
 heat in the stomach, and not evaporate ; and by giving
  No. 2 to remove the canker, which is the great cause of 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.       40
disease; and then following with Nos. 4 and 5 to correct
the^iWir restore the digestion, and strengthen the system,
rhavejjjlttle trouble in effecting a cure.   Directions for
preparing these will be hereafter given.

if JVo. 3.—Toretain the internal vital heat ofthesystm,
  and cause a free perspiration.

                Cayenne—Capsicum.
  »»I never had any knowledge of Cayenne being useful
 as  medicinej or that it had ever been used as such, till I
 di9Coveredrit by accident, as has beenjhe case with meet
 other articles  used by me.   AftenJsljhad fixed upon a
 iysterrt  for my government inr*wfelicer  I found much
 difcculry In gettflfg something tnnt.would notaomly pro-
 duce a strong neat in  the body.;  but regain iw till the
 canker *couId be removed  and  the  digestive ^pow^m
 restored, so that the food by being properly  digested*
 would mairttatri the natural heat.   I tried a great num-
 ber of articles that were of a hot nature;  but could find
 nothing that would hold the he.it any length of time.   I
 made use of ginger, mustard," horseradish, peppermint,
 butternut bark,  and manyEdfi\er  hot things;  but they
 were all more or less volatile, and would not have the
 desired effect.  With these,  however, and tad Emetic
 Herb, together with the aid of steam, I was enabled to
 practice with pretty general success.  In tfe# fill of. the
 year 1B05,1 was out ittiearch of Umbil, on a mountain,
 in  Walpole, N. H.   I went into a house at the foot of
 the mountain, to inquire for some rattlesnake oil; while
 in the house I saw a large string of red peppers hanging
 in the room, which put me in  mind of what I had been a
 long time in search of,  to retain  the internal  heat;   I
 knew them to be very hot;'- but did not  know of what
 nature.  I obtained the?e peppers,  carried them home,
 reduced  them to powder, and took some  of the powder
 myself, and found it to answer the purpose better than
 any thing else I made use of.   I put it in  spirit with the
 Emetic Herb, and gave the tincture mixed in a tea of
 witch-hazle leaves, and  found that it would retain the
 heat in  the stomach after puking, and preserve the 
W        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
 strength of the patient in proportion. I made use of it in
 different ways  for two years, and always with good
 success.
   *' In the fall of 18071 was in Newburyport, and saw a
 bottle of pepper sauce, being the first I had ever seen;
 I bought it and carried it home;  got some of the  same
 kind of pepper that was dried, which I put into the bot-
 tle, this made it very hot. On my way home was taken
 unwell, and was quite cold;  I took a swallow from the
 bottle, which caused violent  pain for a  few minutes,
 when it produced perspiration, and I soon grew easy. I
 afterwards tried it, and found that after it  had expelled
 the cold, it would not cause pain.  From these experi-
 ments, I became convinced that this kind of pepper was
 much stronger, and would be better for medical use than
 the common red-pepper.  Soon after this, I  was again in
 Newburyport, and made enquiry and found some Cay-
 enne ; but it was prepared with salt for table use, which
 injured it for medical purposes.   I tried it by tasting,
 and selected that which had the least salt in it.  I after-
 wards made use of this article, and found it to answer all
 the purposes wished, and was the very thing I had long
 been in search of. The next year I went to Portsmouth,
 and made inquiries concerning Cayenne, and from those
 who dealt in the  article, I learned that it was brought to
 this country from Demarara and Jamaica, prepared only
 for table use, and that salt was put  with-it to preserve it
 and make it more palatable.  I became acquainted with
 a French gentleman who had  a brother in Demarara ;
 and made arrangements with him to send to his brother,
 and request him to procure some, and have it prepared
 without salt.   He did so, and sent out a box containing
 about eighty pounds, in a pure  state.  I  sent also by
 many others,  that were going to the  places where it
 grows, to procure  all they could: in consequence  of
 which l.irge quantities were imported into  Portsmouth,
 much no> ;'?hrm there was immediate demand for.   I
was not ;     ■> purchase but a small part of what was
brought, ;.mi ii was bought up by others  on speculation,
and sent to 'oston ; the consequence was that the price
 was so mvoh reduced, that it  would not bring the first
\ 
THE  BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
51
cost, which put a stop to its being imported, and it has
since been very scarce.
  « When I first began to use this article, it caused much
talk  among the people in Portsmouth and the adjoining
towns;  the doctors tried to frighten them by telling that
I made  use^of Cayenne pepper as a medicine, and that
it would burn up the stomach and lungs as bad as vitriol.
The people generally, however, became convinced by
using it, that all the doctors  said about  it was false,
and  it  only proved  their ignorance  of  its medical
virtues,  and their malignity towards me.  It soon came
into  general use, and the knowledge of its being useful
in curing disease was spread all through the country. I
made use of it in curing the spotted fever, and where it
was known, was the only thing depended on for that dis-
ease. I  have made use of Cayenne in all kinds of disease,
and  have given it to patients of all  ages  and under every
circumstance that has come under my practice; and can
assure the puhlic, that it is perfectly  harmless, never
having  known it to produce any bad effects whatever.
It is, no doubt, the most powerful stimulant known : its
power is entirely congenial to nature, being powerful
only in  raising and maintaining that heat on which life
depends.  It is extremely pungent, and.when taken sets
the mouth, as it were, on fire;  this lasts, however,  but a
few  minutes, and consider it essentially a benefit, for its
effects on the  glands cause the saliva to flow freely, and
leave the mouth clean and moist.
   4(  The only preparation necessary, is to have it ground
or pounded to a fine powder.  For a dose from half to a
tea-spoonful may be taken in hot water, sweetened, or
the same quantity may be mixed with either of the  other
numbers when tafcen.  It will produce  a free  perspira-
tion, which should  be kept up by repeating the  dose,
until the disease is removed.  A spoonful, with an equal
quantity of common salt put into a gill of vinegar, makes
a very good sauce,  to be eaten on meat, and will  assist
the appetite and strengthen the digesture.   One spoon-
ful of this preparation may be taken to  good advantage,
and  will remove faint, sinking feelings,  which some are
subject to, especially in  the spring of the year.  Pepper 
63        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN*
sauce is good for the same purpose.  A tea-spoonful of
Cayenne may be taken in a tumbler of cider, and is
much better than ardent spirits.   There is scarce any
preparation of medicine that I make use of in which I do
not put some of this article.   It will cure the ague in the
face, by  taking a dose, and tying a small  quantity in
fine cloth,  and put it between the cheek  and teeth on
the side that is affected, sitting by the fire covered with
a blanket.  It is good to put on old sores.

                   Red  Peppers.
  "These are plentiful in this country, being cultivated
in gardens, and are principally made use of for pickling;
for which purpose the pods are gathered when green and
preserved in vinegar.  It is of the same nature as Cay-
enne pepper, but not so strong; and is the best substitute
for  that article, of any thing I have  ever found.  For
medioal use tbey should not be gathered till ripe, when
they are of a bright red colour; should be reduced to a
fine powder, and may be used instead of  Cayenne,
when that article cannot be obtained.

                     GlNSER.
  "Thisis a root which is brought from foreign countries,
and is  too  weil known to need any farther description.
It is a very good article, having a warming and agreeable
effect on the stomach.  It is a powerful stimulant, and is
not volatile like many other hot articles; and is the next
best thing to raise the inward heat and promote perspi-
ration ; and may be  used with good success for thai
purpose, as a substitute for Cayenne, when that or the
red peppers cannot  be had.   It is sold  in  the shops
ground, but is  sometimes mixed with the other articles
to increase the quantity, and is not so strong.  The best
way is to get the roots and grind or pound them to a fine
powder.   The dose must be regulated according to cir-
cumstances ; if given to raise the internal heat and cause
perspiration,  it must be repeated till it has the desired
effect. It makes an excellent poultice, mixed with pound-
ed  cracker, or slippery elm  bark, for which I make
otse of it. .To keep a piece of the root in the mouth, and! 
           THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        63

 chew it like tobacco, swallowing the juice, is very good
 for  a  cough, and those of a consumptive habit; and
 this 'should be also done by all who are exposed to any
 contagion, or are attending on the sick, as it will guard
 the stomach against taking the disease.  It may be taken
 in hot water sweetened, or in a tea of No. 3.

                   Black Pepper.
   14 This may be used to good advantage as a substitute
 for  the foregoing articles, when they are not to be had,
 and may be prepared and  administered in  the same
 manner.   These four that I have mentioned, are all the
 articles I have been able to find, that would hold the heat
" of the body for any length of time : all the others that I
 have tried- are so volatile that they do little good.
" No. 3.—To scour the Stomach and Bowels, and remove
   the Canker.

   41 Under this head I shall describe such vegetable pro-
ductions as are good for Canker,  and which I  have
found to be the best in  remoying the thrush from the
throat, stomach and bowels, caused by cold: and there
will  be  more or less of it in all cases  of disease; for
when cold gets the  power over the inward heat, the
stomach and bowels become coated  with canker, which
prevents  those  numerous little  vessels  calculated to
nourish the system, from performing their  duty. A cure,
therefore, cannot be effected without removing this  diffi-
sulty, which must be done  by such things as are best
calculated to scour off the canker and leave the juices
flowing free.  There are many articles which are good
for this, but J shall mention only such as I have found to
be the best.  Several things that are used for canker are
too binding, and do more hurt than good,  as they causa
obstructions.  I have adopted a rule to ascertain what is
good for canker, which I have found very useful;  and
shall here give it as a guide to others; that is, to chew
some of the article, and if it causes the  saliva to flow
                              5* 
54
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
freely, and leaves the mouth clean and moist, it is good;
but, on the other hand, if it dries up the juices, and leaves
the mouth rough and dry, it is bad and should be avoided.

            Bayberry, or Candlebekry.
   14This is a species of the myrtle from which wax is ob*
tianed from the berries, and grows common in  many parts
of this country.   It is a shrub growing from two to four
feet high, and  is easily  known by the berries which it
produces annually, containing wax in abundance;  these
grow on the branches close to them,similar to the juniper;
the leaves are of a deep green.   The bark of the roots is
what is used for medicine, and should be collected in the
spring before it puts forth its leaves, or in the fall, after it
is done growing, as then the sapigjin the roots; this should
be attended to in gathering all kinds of medical roots ; but
those things  that the tops are  used, should be collected
in the summer when neaily full grown, as then the sap is
in the top.  The roots should be dug and cleaned from
the dirt, and  pounded with a mallet or club, when the
bark  is easily separated from the stalk, and r.iay be ob-
tained with little trouble.  It should be dried in a chamber
or loft, where it is not exposed to the  weather; and  when
perfectly dry, should be ground or pounded to a fine pow-
der. It is an excellent medicine either taken by itself,  or
compounded  with other articles; and is the best thing;
for canker of any thing I have ever found.  It is highly
stimulating and very pungent,  pricking the glands and
causing the  saliva  and  other  juices to flow  freely.   Is
good  used as tooth powder, cleanses the teeth and gums,
and removes  the scurvy; taken as snuff, it clears the head
and relieves the head-acb. It may be taken to advantage
in a relax, and all disorders  of the  bowels.   When the
stomach is very  foul, it will  frequently  operate as  an
emetic.  For a dose, take a  tea spoonful in hot water
sweetened.

           White Pond  Lily—the Root.
   "This is well known from the beautiful flower which it
bears, opening only to the sun and closing again at night
It grows in fresh water ponds, and Is common in all parts 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY rHYSICIAN.
55
of this coanrry where I have been.   The  best time to
gather it is in the fall of the year when dry and the water
in the ponds is low, as it may then be obtained with little
difficulty.  It has large roots, which should be dug, wash-
ed clean, split into strips, and dried as has been directed
forl'the  Bayberry  root bark.  When perfectly dry, it
should be pounded in a  mortar,  and preserved for use.
This article is  a  very good medicine for canker and all
complaints of the bowels, given in a  tea alone, or mixed
with other articles.

             Hemlock—The inner  Bark.
  44 This is the common Hemlock tree, and grows in all.
parts of New England.  The best for medicine is to peel
the bark from the young tree and shave the ross from the
outside, and preserve only the inner rind ; dry it  care-
fully, and pound or .grind it to a powder.  A tea made
by putting boiling water to this bark, is a good medicine
for canker and many otber complaints.  The first of my
using the Hemlock bark as medicine was in 1814; being
in want of something for canker, I tried some  of it  by
chewing,  and found it to  answer, made use of it to good
advantage.  Since then, have been in constant use of it,
and have always found it  a very good medicine, both for
canker and other complaints of the bowels and stomach.
A tea made of  this bark is very good, and may be used
freely;  it is good  to give the emetic and No. 2Un, and
may be  used  for drink in all cases of sickness, especially
when going through a course of medicine and steaming.
This with Bayberry bark and the Lily root, form No. 3,
or what has been commonly called coffee,  though many
other things may be added, or either of them may be
used to advantage alone.  The boughs, made into a tea,
are very good for gravel  and other  obstructions of the
urinary passages, and for rheumatism.

             Marsh Rosemary— The Root.
  "This article is very well known in  all parts of this coun-
try, and has been made use of for canker and sore mouth.
I have made use of it with Bayberry bark as No. 3 in my
practice, for many years with good success;  but after 
5f5        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
finding that the Lily root and Hemlock bark were better
have mostly laid it aside.  It is so binding in its nature
that it is not safe to use it without a large proportion of
the Bayberry bark.

       Sumach—the Bark, Leaves and Berries.
  "This appears to be a new article in medicine, entirely
unknown to the medical faculty, as no mention is made of
it by any author. The first of my knowledge that it was
good for canker was  when at Onion  River  in 1807,
attending the dysentery ; being in want of something to
clear the stomach  and bowels in  that complaint, found
that the bark, leaves or berries answered the  purpose
extremely well, and have made much use of it ever since.
It is well known, and is found in all part of the country;
some of it grows from eight to twelve feet high, and has
large  spreading branches; the berries grow  in large
bunches, and when ripe are a deepjred colour,"of a plea-
sant sour taste, and are used by the country people to dye
with.   The leaves and young sprouts are made use of in
tanning Morocco leather. For medicine, the bark should
be peeled when full of sap, the leaves, when full grown,
and the berries, when ripe; they should be carefully dried,
and when used as part of No. 3, should  be pounded and
may be used altogether or either separate.  A tea made of
either or altogether, is very good and may be given with
safety in almost aH complaints, or put into the injections
It will scour the  stomach  and bowels,  and is good for
stranguary, as it promotes urine and relieves difficulties,
in the kidneys, by removing obstructions and strengthen-
ing those parts.  I have been in the habit of late years,
of making use of this article with Bayberry bark and Lily
root, or Hemlock bark, equal parts, of No. 3, or coffee,
and it has always answered a good purpose.

             Witch-hazle—the Leaves.
   "I found '.he use of this article as medicine-when I was
quite young; and  have made  much use of it is all my
practice.   It is too well known in the country to  need
ony description ; is a small tree or bush and grows very
 common, especially in new land.  A tea make of the 
          THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.          St

 leaves, is an excellent medicine in many complaints, and
may be freely  used to advantage.  It is the best thing for
Weeding at the stomach of any article I have ever found,
either by giving a tea made of the dry leaves, or chewing
them when  green; have cured several with it.   This
coinplaint is caused by canker eating off the small blood-
vessels, and this medicine will remove the  canker and
 stop  the bleeding.   I have  made much use of the tea
 made strong for injections, and found it in all complaints
 of the bowels  to be very serviceable.  An injection  made
of this tea with a little No. 3, is good for piles and many
complaints common to femalesjand in bearing-down pains
it will afford immediate relief, if properly administered.
These leaves  may be used in No. 3, to good advantage,
as a substitute for  either of the other articles, or  alone
for the same purpose.

            Red Raspberry—the Leaves.
   14 This is an excellent article, and  I believe was never
made use of as medicine, till  discovered by me.  When
atEastport.Ihadno article with me good for canker, and
resorted to my old rule  of tasting,  and found that these
leaves were  good for that complaint; made into a strong
tea, it answered every  purpose wished.  I gathered a
large quantity  of the leaves, and dried  them, and have
been  m constant use of it as a medicine  ever since, and
have  found  it  an excellent  article, both for canker and
many other  complaints; for relax and other bowel com-
plaints of children, it is the best thing that Ihave found ;
by giving the lea and using it in the injections, it affords
immediate relief.   A tea made of the leaves sweetened,
with milk in it, is very pleasan', and  may bo used  freely.
It is the best thing for women in travail,  of any article I
know of.  Give a strong tea  of it,  with a little  No.  2,
sweetened, andjt will regulate every thing as  nature
requires. If the pains are untimely, it will make all quiet,
if timely and lingering, give more No. 2, and umbil in the
tea.  When the child is born, give it some ofthe tea  with
sugar and milk in it; this prevents sore mouth ; and tho
tea is good to  wash sore nipples with. A poultice made
with this tea and cracker, or slippery elm bark, is very 
88         the Botanic family physician.
good for burns or scalds;  if the skin is off, by applying
this poultice, or washing with the tea, it will.harden and
stop smarting.  It may be used in No. 3, as a substitute
for other articles, or alone, to good effect.

       So^uaw-wekd—Indian  name  Cocash.
 'This is known in the country by the name of frost weed,
or meadow scabish. It is a wild weed, and grows in wet
land, by the side of brooks; it has a stalk that grows four
or five feet high, which is rough and woolly with a harrow
leaf;  and bears  a blue blossom late  in  the fall, which
remains till the frost kills it.  The root lives through tho
winter, and in the spring puts forth a new stalk; the leaves
at the bottom remain green  through  the winter.   The
roots  and top are  used for medicine;  it  has  a fragrant
taste and smell, like lovage.  It was the first thing I  ever
knew used for canker, and was  given to me when I had
the canker-rasb, being considered then the best article
known for canker; I have  frequently used it for  that
complaint, and found it very good. Take the green roots
and leaves,  bruise them,  and pour on hot water;  give
this tea sweetened. It may be kept by adding a little
spirit, and is good for rheumatism and nervous affections.
   " It is perfectly harmless and  may be used freely.   It
makes a very good bitter tinctured wtth hot water and
spirit, and is good for dizziness and cold hands and feet.
No. A.—Bitters, to correct the Bile and restoreDigesiion.

            Bitter Herb, or Balmony.
  14 This herb grows in wet mowing land by the side of
brooks; it is about the size of mint, the leaves somewhat
larger; the  leaves are of a dark  green, of a  sweetish
bitter taste.   It bears a white blossom of singular form,
resembling a snake's head with the mouth  open.  This
herb is very good to correct the bile, and create  an appe-
tite.   A tea of it may be used alone, or it may be added
to the other articles described under this number, which
are all calculated to restore the digestive powers. 
the botanic FAMILY physician.        09
                   Poplar Bark.
 "There are several species of the-poplar tree, that grow
eommon in this country.   One kind is called the white
poplar,  and another stinking poplar;  the bark of both
these kinds are good for  medicine ; but the latter is  the
best, being the most bitter.  It has  tags hanging on  tha
limbs, which remain on till it leaves out, which is about a
week later  than.-the  other kind.   It has short brittle
twigs, which are extremely bitter to the taste. The inner
bark giveD in tea is one of the best articles to regulate  the
bile and restore the digestive powers, of any thing I have
ever used.   The bark may be taken  from the body of the
tree, the limbs, or the roots,  and the  outside shaved off
and preserve the inner bark, which  should be dried and
carfully preserved for  use.  To make the bitters, fNo.4)
it should be pounded or ground fine, and mixed with  the
other articles, or it may be  used alone for the same pur-
pose. To make a tea, take a handful of the bark pounded
or cut into small strips, and put into a  quart mug, and fill
it with boiling water, which, if taken freely, will relieve a
relax, headach, faintness at the stomach, and many other
complaints  caused  by bad digestion.  Is  good for  ob-
structions of the  urine, and weakness in the loins : and
those of a consumptive  habit will  find great relief in
using this tea freely.

               Barberry—the  Bark.
  "This is a well known shrub, producing red berries of
a pleasant sour taste, which are much used as a pickle,
and are also preserved  with sugar or molasses.  The
bark of the root or top is a good bitter, and  useful to cor-
rect the bile, and assist the digesture.  The bark should
be collected at the  proper season,  carefully dried and
pounded, or ground  to fine powder;  and is used as a part
of the bittars (No. 4.)  A tea made of this bark is very
good for all cases of indigestion, and may be freely used.

    Bitter-Root, or Wandering Milk-Weed.
  44 This valuable vegetable grows  in meadows and in
hedges, and in appearance is something like buckwheat,
having similar white blossoms; when the stalk is broken 
  08         the botanic family physician.

  it discliaages a milky substance; it  has two small pods
  about the size of the cabbage seed pods, with a silky
  substance.  This herb  is wandering, that is, the root
  r,uns about  under ground to a considerable distance, and
  produces many stalks, which  grow up  from different
  parts of the root to the height of about two feet.  The
  kind that is commonly known by the name of wandering
  milk-weed, grows only  in upland ; there is another kind
  which grows near rivers and on highlands, where high
  water flows over it,  this differs  some from the other in
  appearance; the roots run deep in the sand; it has leaves
  and pods like the first, and both  are  good for medicine.
  The bark of the root is used.   The roots should be dug
  and dried ;  and when perfectly dry may be pounded in a
  mortar, when the bark is easily separated from the woody
  part.  This root is very bitter, and is one of the greatest
  correctors  of the bile I know of; and is an  excellent
  medicine to remove  costiveness,  as it will  cause the
  bowels to move in a natural manner.  A strong decoc-
  tion  of  this root, made by steeping^ it in hot water,  if
  drank ireely,.will operate as a cathartic, and sometimes
  as an emetic;  and is most sure  to throw off a fever in
  its first stages.  It should be used in all cases of costive*
  ness.

      Ctobden Seal, oi'Ojho Kercuma—the Root.
    44 This article grows only in the western country 5 lam
  not well enough acquainted with-the herb  to give a
  description of it;  but of the medical virtues of the root I
  have had a sufficient experience  to..recommend it as a
  y&iy pleasant bitter,  and  in cases where  the food in the
- stomach of weak p»tients causes disuess, a tea-spoonful
  of the  powder given in hot water' sweetened, will give
  immediate relief.  It if an excellent corrector of the bile*
  and may- be  used for  that purpose, alone,  of with the
  bitter rsot, or may be compounded  with either, or  all
  the articles described under this number, to restore the
  digestive powers,                     ' '-
              .'          '• .■
    " The purpose for which the articles described under
  this head a re used, is to regulate ihe stomach, so that the 
the  botanic family physician.        61
food taken itno it may be properly digested ; and I have
mentioned enough to enable those who make use of the
practice to effect that  object, if properly attended  to.
This is a very important part of the system of practico,
for  unless the food is digested, it is impossible to keep
up that heat upon which life depends.
 44 No. 5. Syrup for the Dysentery, to strengthen the Sto-
   mach and Bowels, and restore weak patients.

   44 The articles used in this preparation are the bark of
 poplar and bayberry, (which have been described) peach
 meats, or meats of cherry-stones, sugar and brandy.

                    Peach Meats.
   44 The meats tkat are in the peach stones  have  long
 been used as medicine, and need but little  to be said
 aboul them, except  that  they are  of great value to
 strengthen the stomach and bowels, aad restore the di-
 gesture ; for which  purpose I have made much use of
 them, and  always to good advantage.  Made  into a cor-
 dial,  with other articles, in the manner as will be here-
 after directed, forms one of the best remedies I know of,
 to  recover the natural tone of the stomach  after  lono-
 sickness; and  to  restore  weak patients,  particularly in
 dysentery.   A tea  made of the leaves of  the  peach tree
 is very good  for bowel complaints in children  and young
 people, and will remove colic.
                                  •**■'
                  Cherry StoneS.
  44 The meats of  the wild cherry-stones are  very good,
 and may be used instead of the peach-meats, when they
 cannot be had.  Get  these  stones as clean as possible
 when well dried,  pound them  in a mortar, and separate
 the  meats  from the stones, which is done  with  little
 trouble ; take the same quantity  as  is directed of the
 peach-meats, and it will answer equally as well.   A  tea
 made of the cherries pounded with the stones and steep-
ed in hot water, sweetened with loaf sugar,  to which add
                                 6 
62        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
                                                   <
a little brandy, is good to restore the digestive powers,
and create an appetite.
  14 Bitter almonds may be used as a substitute for ihe
peach-meats or cherry-stones, when they cannot be had.
No. 6.—Rheumatic Drops, to remove pain, prevent morti-
  fication, and promote a natural heat.

  14 The principal articles used in this preparation, are
high wines, or 4th proof brandy, gum myrrh  and Cay-
enne ;  for external application, spirits  of turpentine is
added, and sometimes gum camphor.   The  manner of
preparing will be hereafter given.

                   Gum  Myrrh.
  44 This is'a gum obtained from a tree which grows in
the East-Indies, and is brought to this country and sold
by the apothecaries for medical u^es:  there is nothing
sold by them that possesses more useful and medical pro-
perties  than this article ;  though the Doctors seem to
have but little knowledge  of its virtues.   All those who
I have heard express an opinion upon it, consider it uf
very little  value.  When  I obtained my patent, Dr.
Thornton, the clerk of the  Patent Office, said it was good
for nothing ;  all this, however, does not lessen its value.
The first knowledge I had of it, was  when I was laid up
with my lamp ankle at Onion River,  as has been before
related  in  my  narrative.  An old man  from Canada,
passing that  way* and hearing of my case, called to see
me, and observing the putrid  state I was  in, told my
father that gum myrrh would  be good for me, as it  was
an excellent article to prevent mortification.   He imme-
diately obtained some of the tincture, and not having a
syringe, he took  some in his mouth, and  squirted  it
through a quill into the wound ; the smarting was severe
for a short time.   By taking it himself, and finding it a
pleasant bitter,  he gave  me some to take ;  by using it
there was  a favourable alteration, both in  my bodily
health and in the state of  my  wound.  After this I  had 
           THE  BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.       63

 great faith in this article,  and was seldom without it.
 When  I  came  to  have a family I made much use of
 myrrh; it was one of the principal articles used  in re-
 storing my wife, when  given  over by the midwife, as
 related in my narrative.  In several case of bad wounds
 and old sores, it afforded great relief;  and in what the
 doctors call worm complaints in children, by giving the
 tincture when such symptoms appeared, it removed them.
 I used it at this time by making a tincture with spirit; but
 after having a knowledge of Cayenne, I put some of this
 with it,  which made it much better.  I  found out by
 accident that boiling st would prevent the  fumes of the
 spirit from rising to the head, which would otherwise, in
 some cases,  produce bad effects,  particularly in such as
 were  subject  to  hysterical affection.   This was  the
 origin of  my rheumatic drops,  a  preparation which  has
 proved more generally useful than any one compound I
 make use of.  In selecting myrrh for use, take that of a
 light brown colour somewhat transparent, and of a bitter
 taste,  a little pungent.   It should be reduced  to a fine
 powder, by being pounded in a mortar, before used.

              Spirit of Turpentine.
  4( This  article is too well known to need any descrip-
 tion, being used by painters.  The only way in which I
 use it is in such preparations as are intended for external
 application, in which I have found it useful.   A propor-
 tion of it  should be added to the rheumatic drops, when
 used for the itch, or other bad humours.  It is a powerful
 article, and should be used  with caution,

                   Gdm Camphor.
  44  I  shall say but little about this article, as I never
found aay very great advantages from its use, though I
never knew it to do any harm.  It is made much use of,
and I think there is more credit given  to it than what it
deserves.   I  have been in the habit of adding some of it
to the rheumatic drops, when used for bad sprains, and
in such cases have found it useful; and I have n0 doubt
but  that it may be sometimes given to advantage to warm
(the  stomach,  and  relieve  pain; but there  are other 
64        TnE E0TAN1C FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.

articles which I  make use of for that purpose,  that are
much better.
                   Nerve Powder.
American Valerian, or Ladies' Slipper ; sometimes
     called Umbil, or Male and Female Nervine.
  "There are four species of this valuable vegetable, one
male and three female ; the male is called yellow umbil,
grows  in swamps and  wet land; has  a large  cluster
of fibrous roots malted together, joined to a solid root,
which puts forth several stalks that grow about two feet
high; it has leaves something resembling the poke leaf.
The female kinds are distinguished by the colour of the
blossoms, which are red, red and white,  and white. The
red has but two  leaves, which grow out  of the ground,
and lean over to the right and left, between which a single
stalk shoots up  to the height of from eight to ten inches,
bearing on its top a red blossom of a very singular form,
that gives it the name of female umbil.  This kind  is
found on high ledges and  in swamps.   The red  and
white, and white umbil, grows only in swamps, and is  in
larger clusters of roots than the yellow, but in a similar
form ;  its top is similar to the red, except the colour  of
the blossom.  The yellow and red are the best for medi-
cine ; the roots should  be dug  in the  fall when done
growing, or  in the spring before the tops put forth.   If
dug when growing, the roots will  nearly  all dry up.
When  the roots are .dug,  they should be washed clean,
carefully dried, and pounded or ground to a fine powder,
sifted through a fine sieve, and preserved from the air for
use.
   " This powder is the best nervine  known;  I have
made great  use of it, and have always found it  to  pro-
duce ihe most  beneficial effects,  in all cases of nervous
affection, and in hysterical symptoms;  in  fact it would
be  difficult to get along with my practice, in many cases,
without this important article.   It is perfectly harmless,
and may be used in all cases of disease with safety ; and
is much  better than opium, which is  generally given  in 
          THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.       65

cases of spasmodic affection, and which only deadens the
feelings, and relieves pain only by destroying sensibility,
without doing any good.  It  has been supposed by the
doctors to be of a narcotic nature; but this is a mistake.
They  have  drawn this conclusion, I  suppose, from its
tendency to  promote sleep; but this is altogether owing
to its quieting the nerves, and  leaving the patient at ease,
when nature requires sleep to  recover the natural tone
of the system.  Haifa tea-spoonful may be given in hot
water sweetened, and the dose repeated, if necessary ;
or the same  quantity may be mixed with a dose of either
the other numbers, when given,  and put into the injec-
tions ; and where there is nervous symptoms, it  should
never be dispensed with.
6* 
DIRECTIONS
             FOR PREPARING AND USING

VEGETABLE  MEDICINE,
                No. 1.—Emetic Herb.

   " The preparation of  this herb has been sufficiently
 described,   ft is prepared and used  in three different
 ways, viz :
   441. The powdered leaves and pods. This is the most
 common form of using it; and from half to a tea-spoon-
 ful may be taken in warm water sweetened; or the same
 quantity may be put into either of the  other numbers
 when taken ; to cleanse the stomach, overpower ihe cold,
 and promote a free perspiration.
   44 2. A tincture made  from the  green herb in spirit.
 This  is used to counteract the effects of  poison ; to be
 either internally or externally used ; and for asthma and
 other complaints of the  lungs.   For a dose take a tea-
 spoonful, adding about  the  same quantity of No. 2,  in
 half a  teacupful of warm water sweetened, and in all
 cases of nervous affection add half a tea spoonful of nerve
 powder.  For the external  effects of poison,  take the
 above dose, and bathe the parts affected with the tincture,
 repeating it till cured.
   44 3.  The seeds reduced to a  fine powder and mixed
with Nos. 2 and 6.  This is for the most violent attacks
 of spasms and other complaints, such as lockjaw, bite of
 mad dog, fit.3, drowned persons, and all cases  of suspen-
 ded animation, where the vital spark is nearly extinct.
 For a dose  give a tea-spoonful, and repeat it till relief is
 obtained ; then follow with a tea  of No. 3, for canker.
   41 For children, the dose must be regulated according
 to their age.  If very young, steep a dose of the powder
 in half a teacup  full of warm water* or tea of raspberry
• 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        67
leaves,  and give a  tea  spoonful at a time  of the tea,
strained]through a fine cloth and sweetened, repeating
the dose every ten  minutes, till it operates; and give
pennyroyal, or some other herb tea for drink.

                   No. 2.— Cayenne.

   "This is.a medicine of great value in the practice, and
may be safely used in all cases of  disease, to raise and
retain the internal vital heat of the  system, cause  a free
perspiration, and  keep the  determining  powers to the
surface.  The  only preparation is to have it reduced to a
fine powder.   For a dose take from half to a tea-spoonful
in hot water, or a tea of No. 3, sweetened ;  or the same
quantity may be mixed with a dose of either the other
numbers  when  taken.   The dose should be repeated
every  ten  or  fifteen minutes till  the desired object  is
effected, and continued occasionally till health is restored.
When this number is given, the patient should be kept
warm, by sitting by  the fire, covered with a blanket, or
in a warm bed.

                No. 3.—For Canker.

   " Take Bayberry root bark,  white pond Lily root, and
the inner bark of Hemlock,  equal parts of each pounded
and well mixed together; steep one ounce of the powder
in a pint of boiling water, and  give for a dose a common
wine glass full, sweetened.
   44 If the above cannot be had, take as a substitute
sumach bark, leaves or berries, red raspberry or witch-
hazle leaves,marsh rosemary ,or either of the other articles
described under the head of No. 3 ; they are  all good for
canker, and may be used together or separate.
   44 When the violence of the disease requires a course of
medicine, steep one ounce of the above mentioned pow-
der, No. 3, in a pint  of  boiling water, strain  off a wine
glass full while hot, and add a  tea-spoonful of No  2, and
the same quantity of sugar ; when cool enough to take,
add a  tea-spoonful of No.  1, and half that  quantity of
nerve powder.  Let  this dose be given three times>  at 
 63      THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.

 intervals of fifteen minutes ; and let the same compound
 be given by injection, and if the  case requires it, again
 repeated. If mortification is apprehended, a tea-spoonful
 of No.6 may be added to each dose and to the injections.
   44 After the patient has recovered sufficiently from the
 operation of  the  medicine, which is  usually in two or
 three hours, place them over the steam  again.
   44 This operation is sufficient for one time, and must be
 repeated each day,  or every other day, as the circum-
 stances of the case may require, till the disorder is re-
 moved.  Three  times will generally be  sufficient,  and
 sometimes once or twice will answer  the purpose ;  but
 in bad chronic cases  it may be necessary to continue to
 carry them through  a regular course two or three times
 a week, for a considerable length  of time.
   " Great care  must be  taken to keep up an internal
 heat, so as to produce perspiration,  after they have been
 through the operation, by giving occasionally No. 2, or
 the composition powder, for if this is not attended to  the
 patient may have a relapse, in which case it will be very
 difficult to raise it again, as they will fall as much below
 a  natural heat  as they have been raised  above it by
 artificial  means.
   41 During  the  operation give milk  porridge, or gruel,
 well seasoned, with a little cayenne on it; and after it is
 over the patients  may eat any kind o'f nourishing food
 that the appetite may crave.
   44  Atea-cup full of the tea No. 3, should be taken night
 and  morning, to prevent a relapse  of the disease,  and
 during the day drink frequently of a tea made of poplar
 bark ;  and if costive  use the bitter root.
   44 As soon as the disorder is  removed, use the bitters,
 (No. 4) to correct the bile and restore the  digesture ; and
 half a wine  glass full of the syrup, [No. S] may be
 taken two or three times a day, which  will strengthen
 the stomach and assist in regulating  the digestive powers.
   f4 The foregoing directions are calculated for the more
 violent attacks of disease, and such as have become set-
 tled ; but those of  a  violent nature must be treated
according to circumstances.   In  the first  stages of a
disease it may be most generally thrown off by a dose of
the emetic herb,  with No. 2 to raise a free perspiration 
           THE  BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN,        69

followed by a tea  of No. 3, to remove the canker,  and
the  bitters  or a tea  of poplar bark to regulate the di-
gesture.   For a sudden cold,  take a dose of the compo-
sition powder on  going to bed, and put a hot stone,
wrapped in wet cloths, at the feet,  which  will in most
cases remove the complaint; but if these applications do
not  answer the purpose, the patient should be carried
through a course as soon as possible.—Steaming is  safe
and  will always do good, and the injections must not be
neglected,  particularly where  the bowels are disordered.
In consumption, and  all old lingering complaints, give
the composition  powder, for two or three days,  before
going through a regular course.

                  No.  4.—Bitters.

   14  Take  the  Bitter  Herb, or Balmony, Barberry  and
Poplar bark, equal parts,  pulverised, one ounce  of the
powder  to a pint of hot  water and half a pint  of  spirit.
For  a dose take half a wine glnss full.   For hot bitters,
add  a teaspoonful of No. 2.
  "  This preparation is calculated to correct  the bile  and
create an appetite by restoring  the digestive powers ;  and
may  be freely used both as a  restorative and to prevent
disease.
  41  When the above article cannot be had,  either of those'
that have been before described under No. 4, which  are
all good for the. same purpose, may be used  as a substi-
tute.

                  No.  5—Syrup.

  lt  Take poplar bark, and bark of the root of Bayberry,
one pound each, and boil them in two gallons of water,
strain off,  and  add seven  pounds of good sugar; then
scald and skim it, and add half a pound of peachmeats ; or
the same quantity  of cherry stone meats,  pounded fine.
When cool  add a gallon of brandy ; and keep it in bottles
for use.   Take half a wine  glass full, two or three times,
a day. 
70         THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
   "Any other quantity may be prepared by observing the
same proportion of the different articles.
   " This syrup is  good  to  strengthen  the stomach and
bowels, and to restore weak patients ; and is particularly
useful in the dysentery, which leaves  the stomach and
bowels in a sore state.   In  a relax,  or  the first stages of
the dysentery, by using a tea of No. 3 freely, and giving
the syrup,  it will generally-cure it, and will also prevent
those exposed from taking the disease.

             No. 6.—Rheumatic Drops.

   *' Take one gallon of good fourth proof brandy, or any
kind of high wines, one pound  of gum myrrh pounded
fine, one ounce of No. 2, and put them into a stone jug,
and boil it a few minutes in  a kettle of water, leaving the
jug unstopped.   When settled, bottle  it up for use.  It
may be prepared without boiling, by letting  it stand in
the jug for five or six days, shaking it well every day,
when it will be  fit  for use.
   44 These  drops are to remove pain  and prevent mortifi.
cation ; to  be taken,  or  applied externally, or put  into
the injections.   One or two tea spoonfuls of  these drops
may be given alone, or the same quantity may be put
into a dose of either of the  medicines before mentioned  ;
and may be also used to bathe with in all cases of exter-
nal swellings or pains.  It is  an excellent remedy for
rheumatism, by taking a dose and bathing the parts affec-
ted with it.  In the head ach by taking a swallow,  and
bathing the head, and snuffing a little up the nose, it will
remove the pain.   It is good for bruises, sprains, swelled
joints, and old sores, as  it will allay the inflammation,
hfing down swelling, ease pain, and produce a tendency
to heal—in fact, there is hardly  a complaint  in which
this useful  medicine cannot  be used to advantage.   It is
the best preservative against mortifications of any thing
1 have ever found.
   For bathing, in rheumatism, itch, or other humours, or
in any swelling or external  pain, add one quarter part of
spirits of turpentine;  and for sprains and bruises, a little
gum camphor may be added. 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHXaiCIAN.
71
                   Nerve Powder.
  14 This is the American Valerian, or Umbil, and the
preparation has been sufficiently described, for which seo
page 61.  This powder is a valuable and  safe medicine,
and may be used  in all cases without danger ; and when
there are nervous symptoms, it must never be  dispensed
with.   For a dose take half a tea-spoonful in hot. water,
sweetened; or  the same quantity  should be  put into a
dose of either of  the other medicines, and also into the
injections, in all nervous ca3es.

         Composition, or Vegetable Powders.
  4' Take two pounds of the bayberry root bark, 1 pound
of the inner bark of hemlock, one  pound of ginger, two
ounces  of cayenne,  two ounces of  cloves, all  pounded
fine, sifted  through a fine sieve, and well mixed together.
For a dose take a tea-spooi.ful of  this powder, with an
equal quantity of sugar, and put to  it half a toa-cupful of
boiling  water ; to be taken as soon as sufficiently cool,
the patient being  in bed, or by the  fire,  covered with et
blanket.
  44 This composition is calculated for the first stages and
in less violent attacks  of diseases.   It is a medicine of
much value, and  may be safely used in  all complaints
of male or female, an! for children.   It is good for lelax,
dysentery, pain in the stomach and bowels, and to remove
all obstructions caused by cold,  or loss of  inward heat ;
by taking a dose on going to bed, and putting a hot stone
to the feet, wrapped in wet cloths, it will cure a bad cold,
and will generally throw off a disease in its first stages, if
repeated two or three times,  if the symptoms are violent,
with much  pain, add to each dose a tea spoonful of No.
6, and half a tea-spoonful of No.  1 ; and in nervous symp-
toms add half  a  tea-spoonful of nerv* powder ; at the
same time give an injection of the same.   If these should
not answer the purpose,  the patient must be carried
through a regular coarse  of the medicine, as has been
before described.
                   Cough Powder.
  " Take four tea-spoonfuls of Skunk Cabbage, two of
Hoarhcund, one  of Wake-robin, one  of No. 1, one of 
72        THE  BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICI-itf;
 No. 2, one of Bayberry bark, one of Bitter root, and one
 of nerve powder, all made fine and well mixed  together.
 When taken to be  mixed with molasses.   Take  half a
 tea-spoonful of the  powder on  going to bed ; keep warm
 and continue taking it till relief is  obtained, particularly
 on going to bed.
   •' Where the cough has been of long standing, it will
 be best while  taking  this prescription,  to go through a
 regular course of the medicine, and repeat it if necessary.

                   Cancer  Plaster.
   44 Take the heads of red clover, fill a brass kettle, and
 boil them  in water for one hour ; then take them out and
 fill the kettle again with fresh ones, and boil them as be-
 fore in the same liquor.   Strain it off and press the heads
 to get out all the juice ; then simmer  it over a slow fire
 till it is about the consistence  of  tar, when it will be fit
 for use.  Be careful not to let  it burn.  When  ussd,  it
 should be  spread on a piece  of bladder, split and  made
 soft.   It is good to cure cancers,  sore  lips, and  all old
 sores.

                        Salve.
   44 Take one pound of Beeswax, one do. of salt Butter,
 one and  a half  do of  Turpentine,  twelve ounces of
 Balsam-fir ; melt and simmer them together ; then strain
 it off into a bason, and keep  it  for use.  It may ba used
to heal fresh wouuds, burns,  scalds and all bad sores, after
 the inflammation is allayed, and the wound cleansed.

               Strengthening Plaster.
   44Take Burdock leaves and Mullen leaves, bruise them
 and put them in a kettle, with  a  sufficient  quantity of
 water and  boil them  well ; then strain off the liquor, press
or squeeze the leaves and boil  it down till about half as
 thick as molasses ; then add three parts of rosin and one
of turpentine, and simmer well together until the water is
evaporated ; then pour it off into cold water and work it
 with the hands like shoemakers' wax ; if too hard  put in
more turpentine, when  it  will be fit for use.   It should be
spread on  soft leather and applied to the part affected ; 
TEE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        73
 and it is  good to  strengthen weakness in the back and
 other parts of the  body.

                   Volatile  Salts.
   14Take crude sal ammoniac one oz., pearlash two oz.,
 and pound each by itself,  mix them well together, and
 keep it close stopped in a bottle for use.  By damping it
 with  spirit or essence will increase the strength.   Thi*
 applied to the nose is good for faintness, and to remove
 pain in the head ;  and is much better than what is gene-
 rally sold by the apothecaries.

                   Nerve  Ointment.
   44 Take the bark of the root of bitter-sweet two  parts ;
 of wormwood and camomile, each equal, one part, when
 green, or if dry, moisten it with hot water; which put
 into horse, porpoise, or liver oil, or  any kind  of soft
 animal oil, and simmer over a slow fire for twelve  hours,
 then strain it off, and add one ounce of spirits of turpen-
 tine to each pound of ointment.  To be used for a bruise,
 sprain, callous, swelling, or for corns.

                      Poultice.
   41 Make a strong tea of raspberry leaves, or of No. 3 ;
 take a cracker pounded fine, and slippery elm bark pul-
 verised, with ginger,  and make a poultice of the same.
 This is good for old sores, whitlows, felons, and for bad
 burns, scalds, and  parts frozen. Apply this poultice, and
 renew it, at least as often as every twelve or twenty-four
 hours, and wash with soap-suds at every renewal*; wet-
 ting it in the  interim  with cold water, or a tea of rasp-
 berry leaves till rt discharges; then apply the salve tiil a
 cure is effected.

               Injections, or Clysters.
 "This mannerof administering medicine is of the  great-
est importance to the  sick ; it will  frequently give relief
when all other applications fail.  It is supposed that the
use of them is of great antiquity;  whether this he true
or not, the using them to relieve the sick, was certainly a
very valuable discovery; and no doubt thousands of lives 
?4        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
have been saved by it.  The doctors have long been in
the practice of directing injections to be given to theil'
patients, but they seem to have no other object in admi-  -
nistering them, than to cause a movement in the bowels;
therefore it was immaterial what they are made of.
   44 Accordiug to the  plan which I have adopted,  there
are certain important  points aimed at in the administra-
tion of medicine to remove disease, viz. to raise the inter*
nal heat, promote perspiration,remove the canker, guard
against  mortifications, and  restore  the digestion.  To
accomplish these  objects, the medicine necessary to re.
move the complaint, must be applied to that part where
the disease is seated,  if in the stomach only, by taking
the medicine it may be removed ;  but if in the bowels,
the same compound must be administered  by injection.
Whatever is good to  cure disease when taken into the
stomach, is likewise for the same purpose if given by in-
jections, as the grand  object is to warm the bowels, and
remove  the  canker.  In all cases  of dysentery,  colic, .
piles, and other complaints, where the bowels are badly
affected, injections  should  never  be  dispensed  with.
They are perfectly safe in all cases, and better that they
be used  ten times when not needed, than once neglected
when they are.  In  many  violent  cases,  particularly
where there is  danger  of mortification, patients may be
relieved by administering medicine in this way,  when
there  would be no chance in any other.  1 do, therefore,
most seriously  advise that these considerations be always
borne in the  mind  ;  and that  this important way of
giving" relief be never neglected,  where there is  any
chance for it to do good.  In many complaints peculiar
to females, they are of the greatest importance in giving
relief, when properly attended t®. For further important
particulars relative to  Female Complaints, the reader is
referred to page 114.
  The common preparation for an Injection or Clyster,
is to take a tea cupful of strong tea made of No.  3, strain
it off when hot, and add half a tea-spoonful of No. 2, and
a teaspoonful of No. 6 ; when cool enough to give, add
half a ■tea-spoonful of No. 1, and the same quantity of
nerve powder.   Let it be given with a large syringe made 
THE  BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        75
for that purpose, or where that cannot be had, a bladder
and pipe may be used.  They must be repeated as occa
sion may require, till relief is obtained.
  Many other articles may be used to advantage in the -
injections; a tea of witch-hazle and red-raspberry leaves,
either or both together, are very good in many cases. For
eanker, a tea of either of the  articles described und ,.r the
head of No. 3, will answer a  good purpose.  When the
canker is removed, the bowels will be left sore, in which
case,  give  injections of witch-hazel  or raspberry leaf
tea, with slippery-elm bark.   When injections are used
to move the bowels only,  No. 1 should be left out.  It is
always safe to add the Nerve Powder, and if there are
nervous symptoms, it must never be omitted.

          Stock of 31edicine for a Family.
       1 oz. of the Emetic Herb,
       2 ozs. of Cayenne,
       1-2 lb. Bayberry root  bark in powder,
       1 lb. of Poplar bark,
       lib. of Ginger,
       ] pint of the Rheumatic Drops.
  This stock will be sufficient for a family for one year,
and with sueh articles  as they can easily procure them-
selves when wanted, will enable them to cure any disease
which  a family of common size may be afflicted with
during that time.  The expense will be small, and much
better than  to employ a doctor and have his extravagant
bill to pay. 
        GENERAL DIRECTIONS
                        IN
    CURING OR  PREVENTING DISEASE.

  l' 1. Be careful to always keep the determining powers
to the surface, by keeping the inward  heat above the
outward, or the fountain above the stream, and all will
be safe.
  44 2.  It must be recollected that heat is life, and cold
is death, that fever is a friend and coid the enemy ;  it is
therefore necessary  to  aid the friend and oppose the
enemy, in order to restore health.
  44 3. That the  construction and organization of the
human frame, is  in all men essentially the same ; being
formed  of the four elements.  Earth and water consti-
tute the  solids of the body, which  is made active by fire
and air.  Heat in  a peculiar manner,  giaes life  and
motion  to the whole; and when entirely overpowered
from whatever cause by the other elements, death ensues.
  44 4. A perfect state of health arises from a due balance
or temperature of the elements;  and when it is by any
means destroyed, the body is more or  less disordered.
When this  is the case,  there is always a diminution of
heat, or an increase of the power of cold, which is its
opposite.
   44 5. Ail disorders are caused by obstructed perspira-
tion, which may be produced by a great variety of means?
that medicine, therefore must be administered, that is
best calculated  to remove  obstructions and  promote
perspiration.
   •4 6. The food taken into the stomach and being well
digested, nourishes the system and keeps up that heat
on which  life  depends; but by constantly taking food
into the stomach, which is sometimes  not suitable for
nourishment, it  becomes foul, so that  the food is  not
well digested; this causes the body to lose its heat, and
disease follows.
   44 7. Canker is caused by cold, and there  is always
»■&! 
THB BOTANIC  FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
T7
  more or less of it in all  cases of disease;  continue  to
  make use of such articles as are calculated to remove  it,
  as long as there is any appearance of disorder.
    44 8. When the disease is removed make free use  of
  those things that are good  to restore the  digestive pow-
  ers, not forgetting to keep up the inward  heat by giving
  occasionally No. 2.
    44 9. Keep always in mind, that an ounce of preventa-
  tive is better than a pound of cure; and give medicine on
  the first appearance of disorder, before it becomes seat-
 ed ; for it may be then easily thrown off, and much sick-
  ness and expense prevented.
   4* 10.  In case of a fever, increase the  internal heat by
  giving hot  medicine so as to overpower the cold, when
  the natural heat will return inwardly, and the cold will
 pervade the whole surface  of the body  as the heat  had
 done before; this is what is called the turn of the fever.
   "11.  If No. 1 should sicken and not puke, there may
 be two causes for it, viz :  the coldness or acidity of the
 stomach; for the first give No. 2  more freely, and for
 the latter, dissolve a piece of pearl-ash about the size of
 a large pea in a wine glass of water, and let them take it,
 which will counteract  the acidity.  If  this fails,  make
 use of the steam, which will open the pores, extract the
 cold, and set the medicine into operation.     ;      *
   4412.  In giving medicine to children, give about one
 half, a little more or less according to their age,  of the
^quantity directed for a grown person.  Be particular to
 offer them drink  often, especially young  children who
 cannot ask for it.
   44 13.  Dysentery is caused by canker on the bowels
 for which make free use of the tea of No. 3, with No. 2,
 and give the same by injection, in the first of the disease
 and afterwards give the syrup, (No. 5,) to strengthen
 the stomach  and bowels,  and  restore the digestive
 powers.
  4414. The piles is canker below the reach of medicine
given in the usual way,  and must be cured by using a
wash of  No. 3, made strong, and by giving injections
of the same, with No. 2.  What is called bearing down
pain in women, is from  the  same cause  ;  and must be
                                   7* 
78        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
relieved by injections made of witch-hazle or red rasp-
berry leaf tea, steeped strong, with No. 2, strained.  If
this does not give relief, go through a fegular course of
medicine.
  4115. Women in a state of pregnancy, ought to be
carried through a regular course of the medicine, espe-
cially when near the time of delivery.  When in travail,
give raspberry leaf tea, with a tea-spoonful of the com-
position powders, or No. 2, and keep them in a perspi-
ration.  Afuy; delivery keep  up  the  internal heat, by
giving the composition powder, or No. 2.  This will pre-
vent cold and after pains ; if there should be symptoms
of fever,*carry them through  a regular course of the
medicine, which will guard against all alarming com-
plaints, peculiar in such cases.
   ,( 16.  In all cases of a burn, scald, or being frozen,
wrap up the part in wet cloths wet with cold water, often
wetting them with the same, to prevent their  Becoming
dry, and be careful to give hot medicine, such as No. 2,
or the composition powders, to keep up the inward heat.
 Pursue this plan for twelve hours ;  and then, if the skin
 is off, apply the poultice, or salve.   If there  should be
 convulsions, or fever, a regular course of the medicine
 must without fail  be attended to.
   44 17. When a scald is  over the whole or a greater
 partjof the body, apply cotton cloth of several thickness-
 es to the whole body, wet with a tea of raspberry leaves,
 thoroughly wetting it with the same to prevent it from
 becoming dry ;  and give the hot medicine.   When the
 scald is under the stocking, or any other tight garment,
 let it remain on, adding more cotton cloths, and wet the
 whole with cold water as ofteh as the smart of the burn,
 returns.                   *
   44 18. If the skit: is off, of in case of an old burn,  to
 guard against canker,  apply a poultice of cracker and
 slippery elm bark, made with a tea of raspberry leaves ;
 washing it with soap suds, when the poultice is changed,
 and then  with the same tea.  When arjy part is frozen,
 the same  method must be taken, as for a burn.
    44 19. For a fresh wound, cut, or bruise, wash imme-
 diately with cold water and bind up in cloths wet with the 
          TUG BOTANIC FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.        7&

same; keep a hot stone at the feet, and take medicine
to raise a gentle perspiration ;  continue this till  the in-
flammation is allayed and the wound perfectly cleansed,
then apply the  poultice or salve  till healed.   The air
must be kept from all wounds or sores, as it will  cause
pain and prevent them from healing.
   " 2'J. In sudden and deadly attacks, such as spotted or
yellow  fever, fits, drowned persons, croup, &,c. the heat
and activity of the patient is so much diminished, that
the common administration will not give relief: the de-
termining power to the surface, being so small, through
the los-s of internal heat, that it will not give the medicine
 operation, as its effects are resisted and counterbalanced
 by the pressure of the external air.  To counteract this-
 prcssure, keep the room, by aid of a good fire, about as
 warm  as a summer heat; and more fully to rarify and
 lighten the air, and aid the  operation of the medicine,
 make a free use of the steam bath ; and keep the patient
 shielded by a blanket, at the same time give occasionally
 Nos. 1 and 2.  This course should be unremittingly per-
 severed in till the patient is relieved.
   ** ? 1. If the glands are dry, so that there is no moisture
 in the  mouth, or if the patient  is much pressed for
 breath, give a strong tea of No. 2, sweetened, and repeat
 it till the mouth  becomes  moist.  No. 3 should  not be
 used while the mouth is dry ;, if any is used, add a large
 portion of No. 2.
   44 22. Be careful not to have the outward heat too high,
 by too mauy clothes or fire ; for if this is the case, it will
 cause  a balance of the outward  and inward  heat, and
 will prevent the medicine from operating, by stopping
 the circulation;  and the patient will be very much dis-
 tressed.  When this happens, throw cold vinegar on the
 face and stomach, and give more  hot medicine, which
 will let down the outward heat and raise the inward.
  ' 44 23. If the patient is restless, wet the  head  and body
 with cold  vinegar; and  if  there are convulsions or
 spasms, give th^ nerve powder with No. 2,   Injections
 must also be used.
   44 24. Never make use of physic in cases where there
 is canker inside, for it will draw- the determining powers- 
80          THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.

inward, and increase the disease.  I have seen many bad
effects from giving  physic, that I have disapproved the
use of it altogether ; but if any is given, after the opera-
tion, be careful to keep up the  inward heat, so as to
cause a free perspiration.
   41 25. Avoid all minerals used as medicine, such as
mercury, arsenic, antimony, calomel, preparations of
copper or lead;  and also  nitre and opium.  They are
all poison and deadly energies to health.
   44 26. Beware of bleeding and blisters, as they can
never do  any good, and  may be productive of much
harm ; they are contrary to nature,  and strengthen the
power of the enemy  to health.  Setons and issues should
also be avoided,  as they  only tend to waste away the
strength of the patient, without doing  any good ;  it is a
much better.way to  remove the cause by a proper admi-
nistration  of medicine, which will be more certain and
safe in its effects.
   44 27. Be careful not to  make use of saltpetre in any
way whatever ; it i? the greatest cold of any that can be
taken into the stomach, and was never intended for any
other purpose than to destroy life.   It  is  a very bad
practice to put it on meat, for it  destroys all the juices,
which is the nourishing part, and leaves the flesh hard
and difficult to digest.
   44 28. Never eat meat that is tainted, or any ways in-
jured, as it will engender disease ;  for one ounce in the
stomach, is worse than the effluvia of a whole  carcase.
Eat salt provisions in hot weather, and fresh in cold.
   44 29. Be careful about drinking 'cold water  in very
hot weather, as it willjend to let down the inward heat
so suddenly as to give full power to the cold.  If this
should happen,  its  fatal  effects may be prevented  by
giving the hot medicine to raise  the inward heat  above
the outward.  Be careful also not to cool suddenly, after
being very warm in consequence of uncommon exercise.
   4> 30. Remember  that regularity in diet is very impor-
tant to preserve health; and that  if more food is taken
into the stomach, than is well digested, it clogs the sys-
tem and causes disease.   Therefore be ceutious no* to
eat too much at a time, and have your food well cooked. 
           THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        81

This is very important  to those who have weakly con-
stitutions;.
  44 31. Ardent spirit is slow poison ;  it is taken  to sti-
mulate, but this effect is soon over, and much use of it
destroys the tone of the  stomach,  injures the  digestive
powers, and causes disease.   It is therefore much better,
when the feelingj require any thing of the kind, to make
use of stimu!a;mg  medicine, such  as Nos. 2 and 6, for
these will answer a far better purpose.
  44 By a strict observance of the  foregoing directions,
you may save much pain and expense, and enjoy good
health and long life, which  is  the earnest wish of the
writer.
              To make Milk Porridge.
  Put a quart of water in a kettle, with a proper quan-
tity of salt, and while heating, mix a gill of flour in a
bowl with water, made thick, and when the  water is
boiling hot, drop this into it with a spoon  ; let it be well
boiled, then add half a pint of milk.   This is to be eaten
while under the operation of the medicine ; and is also
good food for the sick at any other time, especially while
the stomach is weak.
               To make Chicken Broth.
  Take a chicken and cut it in pieces ; put the gizzard
iu with it, opened and cleansed, but not peeled.  Boil it
till the meat drops from the bone.   Begin  to  give  the
broth as soon as there is any strength in it; and when
boiled eat some of the meat.   Let it be well seasoned.
This may be given instead of the milk porridge, and is
very good for weak patients, particularly in cases of the
dysentery.
  44 When the operatien of the medicine is gone through.
I have said that the patient may eat any kind of nourish-
ing food his appetite should crave ; but the best thing is
to take a slice of salt  pork broiled, or beef steak, well
done, and eat it with pepper sauce ;  or  take  cayenne,
vinegar and salt, mixed together, and eat with  it, which
is very good  to  create an appetite, and assist the d\-
gesture. 
DESCRIPTION
OF SEVERAL CASES OP DISEASE, WITH DIRECTIONS HOW
               THEY MAY BE CURED.

                      Felons.
  This sore always comes on a joint, and is often caused
by some strain or bruise, which makes a leek in the joint
or muscle,  and the sooner it has vent, the better.  If it is
brought to  a head by poulticing, the skin being so thick
that it will often be caused to break through the back of
the hand, before it can get through the skin on the inside.
The best way to give it vent, that I have ever found, is to
burn a small piece of punk, the bigness of a half pea, on
the place affected.  If you think the flesh is dead down
to the matter, you may prick the point of a needle into
the dead skin, and raise it up and cut out a piece under
the needle sufficient to  let out the matter; then apply
poultice or salve.—If painful, wrap it in cloths of several
thicknesses, wet with cold water, and repeat this as often
as it becomes hot or painful.  Take the composition or
warm medicine, to keep an inward heat.
  If the sore has been several days coming, and appears
nearly ripe, apply a piece  of unslaked lime to the  part
affected, wrap it up and wet the oloth with cold water,
till the lime is slaked; and repeat this till the skin looks
of a purple colour: then open it as before  directed.
This method is more safe and quick in causing a cure,
than laying it open with a knife, as is  the practice of
some doctors.  By cutting the live flesh,  forms a leak
and often spoils the joint;  but by searing Ihem by either
of the above modes, it secures and prevents  the  leak,
and makes a  speedy cure.

                 Freezes and Burns.
  These two  names of disorder are one and the same
thing, and  require the  same  treatment.   Take a cloth
wet in cold water, and wrap several thicknesses round
or laid on the part, to be kept wet  as often as the pain
increases.  Give warm medicine inside.  If the scald is
dangerous, carry them through a regular course of me- 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.           63
dicine as  though they had a fever, or any other acute
disorder ; keep the cloth or poultice on to secure it from
the air, from  12 to 14 hours, till the soreness or pain is
entirely gone.   If the skin is off, a poultice of flour bread
wet with any of the articles composing No. 3, and keep
it wet with this tea or water till the sore discharges, then
wash with soap suds ;  when dressed, wash with the tea
of No. 3, and continue the poultice, or salve until a cure
is effected.
   A freeze is direct cold, and a burn is attracted cold ;
for as much as  the heat opens the pores more than usual,
the cold follows and closes them as much more than they
were before the operation of the heat—this stops  the
perspiration from going through the surface, and  the
water collects under the grain of the skin, which is call-
ed blistering ; the water applied in the cloth on the out-
side, open> the pores and lets the water out by perspira-
tion, and the grain adheres to the skin—the pain ceases
and  the Cure is completed.
            Case of a Boy badly Scalded.
   A lady took off from the fire a tea-kettle  filled with
.boiling water, when  her  little son,  about 6  years old,
stepped on the pail and turned the contents on to both
his feet, and falling, one hand went into the kettle ; both
feet and one hand were very badly scalded. I happened
to be present, and  immediately tore up cloth sufficient
to do up each part, wetting them with cold water. I then
put him in bed and give him some warm medicine, put
a warm stone at his feet, and wet the cloths as often as
he complained of pain.  In  about  two hours he fell
asleep, after which two or  three times wetting  the cloths,
kept him  easy through the night,  In  the morning  on
taking off the cloths there was no appearance of blisters
nor any skin broken;  and  he put on his shoes and stock-
ings,  and  appeared as well as before the accident hap-
pened. It had been the declared opinion of the family
the night  before, that  the boy would not be able to go to
school for a fortnight, but on finding  him well  in the
morning,  were  hardly willing to  believe  their own
senses, or that the child had been scalded. 
84        THE  BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
             General  Remarks on Burns.
   " Burns are the most easily cured, if rightly managed
 and understood, of any wounds I ever attended-; and are
 the  most difficult and dangerous,  when not understood,
 and wrongly treated. How often have we seen these sores
 continue all winter, and could  not be healed ? as also,
 burns caused by blisters made with Spanish flies,  which
 amount  to the  same thing.  By not being treated in a
 proper manner in season, the canker gets in and eats out
 the flesh, after which what is called proud flesh fills up
 the sore.   The  doctor  applies his sugar  of lead, vitriol,
 and  red precipitate, to eat out the dead flesh, that affects
 the cords and draws them out of shape, and many times
 makes a sore that they cannot cure, which terminates in
 a mortifying canker sore.—My friends,  if you wish to
 avoid all this trouble,attend to what belongs to your peace
 and  comfort, before it.is hidden from your eyes ; that is,
 to attend to the canker, which always awaits such  cases,
 and  where the skin is off, in all cases of burns or blisters,
 apply a poultice  of crackers, or elm bark wet with a tea of
 No. 3, until the canker is gone. Sometimes add ginger;
 if the inflammation is high, add  a little of No. 2, with the
 ginger, keeping  the poultice wet with cold water;  when
 the sore discharges, apply salve till a cure is effected.
  441 shall continue my remarks on burns, by showing
 the evil consequences arising from blistering.  Not long
 since I knew a  case where a doctor drew a blister on a
 child's breast  up to the  neck,?for being stuffed at the
 lungs.  It lingered with the scald near its vitals,  about
 a week.  I was then called to visit the child, and found it
 to be dying. The mother asked me what I thought was
 the matter with  it;  I took off the dressing, and showed
 her the mortified flesh  all over the blister, and told her
 that  was the disorder. She seemed  much surprised; ana
 I then asked her  if the child had been scalded, and  it had
 mortified in like manner, whether she would have had
 any doubt of ife being the cause of her child's death 1 she
said that she should not.   I gave her my opinion, that it
 was exactly a similar case, and that  the child's death was
 caused as much  by the  blister as it would  have been by a
scald.  The child died before morninc.  I had declined 
THB  BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
85
doing any thing for it, as I was satisfied that I could do it
no good ; and if I had made the attempt, it would have
been said that  I killed it.
 "I have seen many cases where I was perfectly satisfied
that the patients died in consequence of blisters, not only
on the stomach but on the head.  In many that I have
witnessed, where a blister was drawn on  the head, a?
soon as it began to draw their senses were then gone,
and did not return till they died raving, or stnpified.
More than half the cases where the head was shaved and
blistered, that have come Within my knowledge,  have
died.  I never could see  any reason why a scald on the
head or body, done on purpose should have a tendency
to effect a ciire, when the person is  sick, and the same
thing happening to them  by accident, when well, should
destroy their health or cause their  death.   If a person
should have  their head or stomach so badly scalded as
to take off the skin, we would consider them in the most
dangerous condition: nothing is said about it when.drawn
on purpose.   1 shall leave it to the reader to reconcile,
if he can, this inconsistency.  I have known most dan-
gerous stranguaries caused by blisters on the sides and
limbs, and  those who applied  them did not know the
cause, and I have been applied  to for relief.

             Mortifications of the Limbs.
 "I  was called on to go on board a vessel at Eastport, to
see a young man who had a block fall  from  the mast
head on his foot, weighing 13 1-2 lbs. which bruised all
his toes to pieces, except the little  one.  The accident
happened on Friday and  I did not see him till the Tues-
day following; during which hehad neither ate, nor slept.
His nerves were much affected,[and had spasms and con-
vulsions through the whole system.  I took off the dress-
ing from his foot and found it black, and the smell very
offensive.   The captain  of the vessel appeared to be
very anxious about him, asked me if I could help his
foot—I  told  him that I  must try to save  his  life, for
his whole body was as much disordered as his foot. He
requested me to do what I thought best  I put a poultice
of meal on his foot, and wet the cloth with cold water
                                         8 
86        THE  BOTANIC FAMILY FHYSIClAS.

to allay the heat;  then give him medicine the same as
though he had been attacked with a nervous fover.  The
captain attended himthro' the night, I went to see him the
next morning, and found him much better.  The captain
said he was astonished at the operation of the medicine,
for that his vomiting and sweating had  caried off all the
pain in his body and foot, and had also  reconciled the
nerves.
   «41 undid his foot and found that the black and yellow
streaks up the  leg had disappeared, and on the foot all
the flesh that was alive seemed to receive fresh support
from the body;  and the living and dead  flesh appeared
as though two colours  were paintetl by the side of  each •
other.  I then, made a ley of pearlash in warm water, and
soaked his foot in it, which caused a slimy glaze all over
his foot;  this took away all the  offensive smell; and  I
washed it with  vinegar to kill the alkali and keep it from
irritating  the skin.  The acid  cleared off all the. slimy
matter, so that it wiped clean. I then cut off the great
toe at the middle joint, and the two next  at the upper
joint,  and set the next which  was broken.   I cut  none
of the flesh but what was dead, to stop in  part the putre-
faction.   I then put on another poultice,  and ordered  it
to be kept wet with cold water, and a warm stone wrap-
 ped in a wet cloth,  to be put to his feet to keep a steam ,
giving him warm medicines inside to  keep up the inward
heat;  and by wetting the foot  with cold water it kept the
determining power to the surface ; thus raising tne  foun-
tain and lowering the stream. By.this treatment it becomes
impossible that mortifications can go from  the limbs to the
body, a-iy more than a log that floats over the dam, can
go back  again into the pond,  when the fountain is kept
full. The next day  I dressed his foot and found that the
dead flash had digested very much ; I again soaked it in
pearlash and then washed in vinegar as before, which was
of "Teat service in allaying the bad smell.  I then caused
bim to be carried through a regular course, which  com-
pletely restored his  bodily health ; his appetite was  good,
and all pain and soreness abated,  so that  he took food
regularly and lost no sleep  afterwards, till he got well.
which was in about four weeks.  The captain was a very 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
87
good nurse, and was faithful in attendance on the young
man till he got well; and expressed the highest gratitude
for my attention and success ; and as a proof of confi-
dence in the medicine, he purchased a right, for which he
paid me twenty-five dollars, observing at the same time,
that he never paid for any thing with more satisfaction.

           Old Canker Sores on the Legs.
   u When I was a young man,  I was  much troubled
through the winter for  many years,  with sores on my
legs. At the commencement of cold weather,  if I broke
the grain of my skjn, it would  become a bad  sore and
continue through the winter.; the canker would get into
it and eat to the bone, and sometimes spread  under the
grain like a burn, aud feel the  same, being extremely
sore with stings and twinges like a cancer. These sores
were  so troublesome, that it led me to invent a cure,
finding the cause to be canker, 1 took some  of the ar-
ticles composing No. 3, steeped strong and washed the
part affected with it; if  there  was a bad smell, I first
washed the sore with strong soap suds, taking  off all the
loose skin, which was blistered  with cankery humour,
and then washed with a tea of No. 3, to destroy the can-
ker and harden the  sore:  sometimes wetting it with the
drops.  If the inflammation ran high and the sore spread
fast, I put into  it a pinch  of  fine  No. 2;  then put on a
poultice of white bread  and ginger, wet with  the above
tea, wrapping it up with several thicknesses of cloths wet
with cold water ; wetting them as often as dry, so as to be
painful; and not let the sore come to the air for 24 hours,
In this  time, if kept well wet and warm, it will  discharge
lipe matter, and the inflammation  and canker will abate.
When next dressed, wash first with soap suds as before,
then with  ihe  tea; if the soreness is gone,  you may
apply the  healing salve,  with the wet cloths, if going to
bed, to Jceep out the air;  put occasionally a hot stone
wrapped in wet cloths, to the feet to keep up a steam, and
wetting the sore if painful  with cold water.  Take medi-
cine to keep up the inward heat; such as composition, or
hot bitters, and when these do not answer the purpose,
gQ through a course of the medicine, and repeat as occa* 
88        THK BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.

sion may require..  This method, if persevered in, I seldom.
knew to fail of success.
   411 was called to attend a case of this kind, not long
since, where the inflammation and  pain  was very great,
and fast  spreading under the grain of the skin ; there
had been applied an elm and ginger poultice, made with
tea of No. 3.  I  opened and only added a pinch of No.
2, and laid on. the poultice again, putting on a wet cloth,
and ordered  il kept with cold water till  next morning;
when on dressing it found the inflammation abated,, the
sore discharged ripe matter, and by two dressings more
of the same, the cure was completed.
             Bad wound in the eye cured.
   44 While I  was aiEastport, Maine, a man was cutting
lurf about twelve miles from that place, and accidentally
had a pitchfork stuck into one  of his  e}'es, by a person
who was pitching the turf near him.  It passed by the
eyeball and stuck fast in the  skull,  so that it was  wifh
considerable  exertion that  he could draw it out.   The
eye swelled and. closed up immediately, and, the people
were much frightened and sent for me ; but it so hap-
pened that I could not go.  I gave directions  to the man
who  came after  me to return and carry  hjm through a
course of medicine as soon as possible, keeping several
thicknesses of cloth  wet with cold water on his eye, and
not open it for twelve hours : and to keep him in a per-
spiiation the  whole  time.  This was faithfully attended
to ; and on opening the wound after the above time, the
swelling was all  gone, the eye  was open, and a large
quantity of blood was in the wet cloth, which had been
drawn from the eye.  They continued  the wet cloth, and
gave him warm medicine inside, keeping him in a gentle
perspiration for the  next twenty-four hours, which.clear-
ed the  eye of ill  the blood,,  restored  the  sight,, and
amended his health,  that he was well in about a week, to
the astonishment  of all who siw him.
                   Cancer Sores.
  44 A concise and general treatise on  this violent and
ofJLen fatal disease; may convey some useful ide.as on the. 
 »         THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.         89

subject.  The cause of this sore, is very little understood.
In all sores of an eating nature there is more or less can-
ker according to their violence. A Cancer is ttye highest
degree of canker, being the powerful effects of cold, and
consequently the greatest degree of inflammation, there-
fore the remedies ought to  be those of a warming nature,
as  the  greatest preventives against-canker.  Whenever
a violent inflammation is discovered, it is supposed that
heat causes the difficulty;  but the fact is, it is only evi-
dence of war oetween heat and cold ; for there is no in-
flammation where there is perfect health, because  heat
then bears complete rule; and no disease can take place
until the cold makes an attack on the body, which causes
an unnatural heat to oppose an unnatural cold ; ".wherever
the cold takes possession the inflammation shows  itself,
by stopping the circn'ation ;  the effect is swelling, in-
flamed callous, arising  from some leak, caused by  the
natural course  being  stopped.  If it|suppurates and dis-
charges,  it is called ulcer, bile, and the like, and  the
canker  goes off with the putrefaction.  If the leak is so
slow as  to callous as fast as the discharge, it becomes a
hard  dead lump of flesh, and not  having  circulation
enough  to support  it, k  begins to rot; here the canker
shows its eating nature ; being seated on the dead flesh,
arid eating on the live flesh, which is intermixed with it,
causes  pain  and distress,  is proportion as  the  body is
filled with coldness and canker; if this is sufficient to
keep the power above the natural circulation, the patient
will continue in this distressed situation,  being eaten up
alive, until  worn out with the pain, death comes as a
friend to relieve them.   This is the natural termination
of this dreadful malady ; which is far better than to com-
bine with it, the common form of practice in using arsenic,
whieh only helps to eat  up and distress the patient.
   14 In order to give a more correct idea of the dangerous
effect of making use of arsenic in cancers, I shall make a
short extract hom. Thatcher's  Dispensatory, on  the sub-
ject.—4l Arsenic has long been known to be the  basis of
the celebrated cancer powder.  It  has been sprinkled in
substance on the ulcer ; but this mode of using it is ex-
cessively painful and extremely dangerous ; fatal effects
                                  8* 
90
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
 have been  produced from its absorption.  This  fact I
 have known  in  several  instances,  where  Davidson's
 agents, and others  who  have  undertaken to fdraw out
 cancers when the patient would absorb enough of-this
 poison, which seating on  the lungs, caused them to die
 with the consumption in  the course of the year."  My
 wish in exposing this nostrum, is to benefit those who may
 be ignorant of the imposition ;  for it  may be relied on
 as a truth, that there is more or less poison in all those
 burning plasters,  used to cure cancers ; and I would ad-
 vise all to beware of them ; it will be much safer to risk
 the cancer than the cancer quack.
   The principal object aimed at is to take out the bunch,
 and in doing that by the above method, a worse evil is
 inoculated which is more fatal than the cancer.   The
 tumor is a mixture of live and  dead flesh, and  is often
 under a live skin ; if it is necessary to make an incision
 through the live skin in order to dissolve the dead flesh,
'the best way is to burn a piece of punk on the place, and
 repeat it till the flesh is dead enough to suppurate.  The
 smart will be but two or three minutes and not so painful,
 as the arsenic for the same time.which will last for twelve
 hours.  Where the tumour is small, the cancer balsam
 will be found  sufficient, by repeating the  plaster for two
 or three weeks, to take out the dead  flesh, and remove
 the canker; after this  is done, apply a ginger and elm
 poultice wet with a lea of No. 3.  If the system appears
 to be generally affected with the cancer  humour, carry
 them through a common course of medicine, and repeat
 the same  while attending the sore.
  44I had a cancer on my foot about the bigness of an In-
 dian corn, which had troubled me twice, by acute darting
 pains and twinges.   I  cured it by applying a plaster of
 the cancer  balsam ; repeating it twice at each  time..:
 When there  is dead flesh  under the skin, it is best to
 burn the punk first and  then applythe poultice or balsam;
 and it is also recommended  to always give medicine to
 eradicate the canker from the system, both  before and
 after the operation on the sore.
   44 Three  cancers on  the breast have come under my
 care,  that I  could not cure.  One of them was as large 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.           9£
 as a half peck measure, and grew fast to the breast bone.
 I carried the woman through a course of medicine several
 times and applied a poultice of butternut shucks,  to dis-
 solve the dead flesh, and continued this course for some
 months, until  the^bunch had more than half dissolved,,
 and had grown off from the bone, so that it was quite
 loose ;  and  I was in hopes to have effected a cure ; but
 she  was taken  with  a fever in  my absence, and^ died.
 The other two I could relieve and  keep them free'from
 pain, making them  comfortable as long as they lived ;
 but nature was too far exhausted to complete a cure,  f
 have had under my care many other cases of cancers on
 the breast and other parts of the body, which I had no
 difficulty in  cuiing in the manner before stated.
  441 shall  conclude this subject by a few general re-
 marks, viz:  Guard thoroughly against canker-and cold-
 ness—Attend to the canker by a course of medicine, and
 repeat it—-use the  ginger poultice if the inflammation is
 great, putting some No. 2, raw in  the sore, then apply the
 poultice, keeping it wet  with cold water—not forgetting
 the composition and No. 2.inside, at the same lime—Let
 all pcUonous drugs, burning plasters,  and caustics alone
 —attend faithfully to the directions here given—honour
your own judgment—keep your money—and bid defiance
to doctor*.
                   Piles—how  cured*
   " I  was  called to attend an  elderly man in South
 Reading, who had been confined to the house, and much
 of  the time to his bed, for seven weeks with the Piles..
 Seven doctors attended him before I was sent for, and he.
 had continued to grow worse. The doctors had operated
 on  one side, rnd  said they must on  the  other; it was
•"^heir opinion, as well as his, that he was in a  decline.
 The side that they had operated upon was much worse
 to cure than the other.  I carried him through a regular
 course of medicine twice  in three days,  when  he was
 able to go out of doors. The injection composed of No.
 2, was used ; warm   tallow was applied  freely  several
 times in the dav, sometimes washing externally  with the
 same tea. He had beenidieted very low; I restored his. 
92
THE  BOTANIC FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.
 digestive powers, and recovered his appetite ;  his sores
 healed, his general health  amended to ^uch  a degree,
 that he was no more confined with that complaint.  A
 little tallow used when going to bed, prevents  piles and
 chafes in young and old-   Remember this.

        Sore heads in Children, (Scald  Heads.)
   44 This sore often  comes after having the itch : ker-
 nels form in the neck ; it is contagious, being caused by
 canker and putrefaction.  The most effectual way to
 cure this  disease, is to carry them through a  course of
 medicine  several times, as the case may require, pre-
 vious to which  the head should be oiled, and covered
 with cabbage leaves ; or draw a bladder over  the  he,ad
 to keep out the cold air.   The head should be covered
 so as to make it sweat as much as possible,, in order to
 dissolve the hard scabs.  After laying all night the smell
 will be offensive ;  wash the head in soap  suds ; when
 clean, wash it also with a tea of No. 3, after which wash
 with  a tea of No.  1.  Sometimes anoint it  with the
 Rheumatic drops and nerve ointment—let it come to the
 air by degrees.   Be careful to guard  the stomach by
 giving composition, warm  bitters, &c.  The  ointment
 drops and No. 1, in powder or juice, may be occasionally
 used together or separate.   Continue to wash with soap
 suds, and then with No. 3, occasionally, until a cure is
 effected.
                     Sore  Breasts.
   " Some women suffer very much from this complaint,
 which is caused by^cold, occasioning obstructions in the
• glands of the breasts.  When they are swelled, bathe with
 the rheumatic drops, or pepper vinegar ; if this does not
 remove the swelling, and it should be necessary to bring
 it to a head, apply a poultice of lily root made thick with
 ginger or slippery elm bark ; at the same time give the
 composition  powder or No. 2, to keep up the  inward
 heat.  If the woman is sick, carry her through  a regular
 course of the medicine which will remove the complaint
 and restore her  to health ir: a short time.   I have cured
 many who were very bad, by pursuing  the above plan 
          THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        93

and  never met with difficulty.  I attended a woman in
Portsmouth, who had both breasts badly swelled.  She
was sitting by the window with  it up, and could hardly
get her breath ; she could not bear to have any fire in the
room, complaining that it  made her faint.  1 told her
that if I could not make her bear heat, I could do her no
good. I gave her some No. 2, to rise the inward heat,
and  caused a good fire to be made in the  room.   The
inward  heat gained as fast as the outward, and in one
hour she could bear as warm a fire as 1 could.  1 carried
her through three regular courses of the medicine in five
days, and  at the same time  applied the  l;Jy poultice,
which  brought them to a head  without pain ;  and ska
was soon well.
                 To stoj) Bleeding.
  14 Internal Bleeding is from the stomach or lungs, and
is caused by canker or soreness of the stomach ; it often
takes piace very  suddenly, and  creates much alarm.
The patient sometimes trembles  with fright and often
has fits of the ague, which is caused by the cold increas-
ing in  proportion to the loss of blood!  In the first place
shield them from the air with a blanket, by the fire, and
give the hottest medicine you have; if nothing better can
be had, give hot water or any kind of hot tea ; and get
a perspiration as soon as possible ; then apply the steam
bath ;. giving ginger tea, or No. 2, if you have it, if not,
black pepper.  As soon as there is an equilibrium in the
circulation, there will be no more pressure of the blood
to the stomach or lung?, than to the extremities, and the
bleeding will cease,   it has been my practice in cases
of this kind to give some of the rheumatic drops, shield
ihem from the  air with a blanket,  placed by the fire ;
•jhen give a dose of the composition powders, and No. 2 ;
and if this does not answer the  purpose, give a  dose of
No. 1, which with the  steam, I never knew fail of stop-
ping the blood ; and by giving medicine to remove tie
canker and restore the digestive powers, 1 have always
been able to effect a cure.   The same  application  will
answer for other weakening and alarming complaints in
women. 
94        THE BOTANIC  FAMILY PHYSICIAN.

  44 External bleeding caused by wounds in the limbs,
may be stopped by placing the wound higher than the
body.  One of my sons cut his leg very badly, I placed
him on the floor and took his foot in my lap; as soon as
the wound was higher than the body the bleeding ceased.
I then poured on cold water till the wound was white;
then put in a few drops  of No. 6,  took two or three
stitches to^.bring  the  wound together, dressed it  with
salve, and it soon got well  with very little soreness.
Another case of a little girl, who cut off the main artery
of the middle finger, and it bled  very fast.  I  put my
thumb above  the  wound and stopped the blood, then
poured on cold water with my other hand and washed the
wound well; then  placed her  hand above her head,
which prevented  it from  bleeding, till I could get ready
to dress the wound,   ll bled no more and soon got well.

                     Rupture.
   4: This difficulty is caused by a hurt or strain, which
makes a breach in the tough film, or  membrane,  that
supports the bowels in their place, and the intestines
come down into  the cavity between the membrane and
the skin ; being  sometimes very painful and  difficult to
be got back ; and have to be kept from coming down by
a truss.  When the bowels come  down and remain any
length of time, they become swelled, and are very pain-
ful, causing great distress and danger;  and  sometimes
have proved fatal, as they cannot be got up again till the
swelling is removed.   This may be effected by  a course
of the medicine without danger.
   14 A Mr. Woodbury, of Durham, was troubled with a
rupture ; his bowels came down,  swelled, and was very
painful; a doctor was sent for from  Portsmouth, who
applied a bag  of snow,  which drove the pain to the
stomach and caused  puking.   The swelling increased
and became very hard.  The  case now becoming  des-
 perate, and the family being alarmed, I was sent for, and
 on hearing the circumstances, sent some medicine, and
 gave directions to  sweat him as soon  as possible.—My
directions were faithfully attended to, and as soon as he
 became warm, the nerves slackened, the swelling abated, 
THE  BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.        96
    all appe#ance of mortification disappeared, the bowels
0   went back, and in twelve hours he was restored from a
    dangerous situation, to almost his  usual state of health.
    In this case may be seen  the difference between  the
    artificial doctor, and nature's physician,  which  is  the
    same as between fire and snow.
                 Ague in the  Face.
  44 This is caused by  cold in the glands of the mouth,
which keeps back the  saliva till it causes  swelling and
soreness; the canker becomes prevalent at the same time,
which causes  severe pain in the face  and  throat.   The
sooner a cure is attempted the better ;  to effect this, take
a aose of the tea of No. 3, with a tea-spoonful of No. 6
in it, for the canker; then tie a small  quantity of No. 2
in a fine piece of cloth, wet with No.  6, and put it be-
tween the teeth and cheek, on the side where the pain is;
set by the fire  covered with a blanket,  and breathe the
warm air from the five  ; this will prick the glands and
cause the saliva to flow freely, which will take out the
soreness and relieve the pain.   The face may be bathed
at the same time with  No. 6.  If the case is of long
st inding, so that the system is affected, and this does not
remove  the  complaint, give a dose  of No.  1.  If it  is
caused by decayed teeth, fill the hollow with cotton  wool,
wet with oil of Summer savory, or spirits of turpentine,
which will  deaden the nerve, and stop  ks aching.  This
is good in all cases of  the teeth ache and will generally
effect a  cure without extracting.
        To  relax the muscles in setting a bone.
  44 This may bs done by bathing the  part with warm
water, and is much better th m the method  that is gene-
rally practised, of exteading the muscles by the strength
of several persons, which weakens the parts so much that
the bones are liable to get out  of place  again;  besides
the operation causes severe pain to the  patient, and
much trouble to the operator, which  is all obviated  by
my method.  In cases where a joint is put out, or a bone
broken, give a dose of No. 2, or the composition powder
with half a tea-spoonful of nerve powder, which will pro- 
t)6        THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.

mote  a perspiration,  prevent fainting,  and quiet the
nerves; then wrap the part in cloths wet with water as
hot as  it can be borne, and  pour on the warm water,
placing a pan underneath to catch it)) for a short  time,
when the muscles will become relaxed, so that the bones
may be put in their place with little trouble.
  441 was once c-dled to a woman who had  her elbow
out of joint by a fall from her horse.   It was badly  out,
being twisted about one quarter the way round.   I or-
dered  some water to be made hot immediately, stripped
her arm, and as soon as the water was hot,  put a towel
in a large tin pan and poured the hot water on it till well
wet;  as soon as cool enough, wrapped it round her arm
from  her wrist to her  shoulder;  then placed the  pan
under her arm, and poured on the water from a pitcher,
as hot as she could bear it, for about fifteen  minutes.  I
then took off the towel and directed one, person to. take
hold of the arm above the elbow and another below, to
steady it; and then placed my fingers against the end of
the bone on the under sidt, and my thumb  against  that
on the upper side, and by a gentle  pressure each  way,
set the joint without pain, or force on the muscles, to the
astonishment of all present, who calculated that it would
require the strength of several men.  I then wrapped it
up with the same towel, which had  become cold  ; this
breughl the muscles to their proper tone, and kept the
joint firm in its place ; put her arm in a  sling,  and she
walked home that "night, about a  mile, and the next day
was well enongh to knit all day.
  44 In case  a shoulder is outof joint, I relax the muscles
in the  same manner, and put the arm over  my  shoulder
and lift up, which has always put the joint in its place.
without any danger, and with very little pain to the pa-
tient; and then by applying cold water, the muscles will
become  braced, bo that there  will  be no danger  of its
getting out again.  I knew of a case where a  man had
his hip turned out, and several doctors had exhausted all
their skill in vain to set it; and when one  ef my agents*
being present, undertook it  by my plan of treatment,
and after he had relaxed the muscles sufhciently, put his
knee against the hip joint, and placing his hand on the 
THE  BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
97
inside of the knee, turned the leg out and crowded  the
joint into its place without any difficulty.

                      Measles.
  41 This disease is very common, especially among chil-
dren, and is often attended with bad consequences, when
not properly treated.  It is a high state of canker and
putrefaction ;  and if tha determining powers are kept to
the surface, it will make its appearance on the outside,
and go off itself;  but if cold overpowers the inward heat,
so as to turn the determining powers  inward, the disease
will not make  its appearance,  and  the patient will be-
come much distressed, frequently producing fatal conse-
quences, if some powerful stimulant is not administered
to bring the disorder out.  To give physic in cases of
this kind is very dangerous, as it strengthens the power
of cold, and keeps the canker  and putrefaction  inside,
which sometimes seats upon the lungs and causes con-
sumption ;  or  turns to the stomach and bowels, when
they die suddenly, as has been the ca^e with hundreds for
a few years past   1 have attended a  great many cases of
the measles in the course of my practice, and never lost
one; and never have known of any that havedied of this
disorder, who were attended by any of my agents. When
the symptoms  make their appearance, give a dose of the
composition powder, or  of No 2 ;  and give the tea of
No. 3, to guard against canker, and add some No. 2, to
overpower the cold ;  and wheu^ho second_dose is given,
add No. 1, to clear the stomach ; nd promote perspira-
tion ; as soon as this has taken place, the disorder will
show itself on tht> outside.  By conf' niing to keep upon
the surface, nature will take its regu^:  course, and  the
disease will go off without injuring the constitution.   If
the bowels appear to be  disordered,  give  an  injection ;
and be careful to keep the patient warm.
  I once had a case of a young woman who had  the
measles ; she  lingered with the symptoms four or five
days, and then become very sick, turned of a dark pur-
ple colour,  and high fever, when I was called to attend
her.   I gave her a strong dose of No. 3, steeped, and put
in it a spoonful of the third preparation of No. 1, which 
98        TnE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
caused such a.violent struggle that I had to hold her in
bed ; but it was soon over, for in about ten minutes she
vomitted, and a perspiration  took  place, which was fol-
lowed by the measles coming out, that  she was com-
pletely covered with the eruption.  She was soon well
and about her work.  .
                    Small Pox.
  44 This disease is the highest state of canker and putre-
faction, which the human body is capable of receiving,
and is the most contagious, being taken in with the breath,
or may be communicated by inoculation, in wbich case it
is not so violent and dangerous  as  when  taken in the
natural way.  The distressing and often fatal consequen-
ces that have happened in cases of the small-pox, are
more owing to the manner in which it has been treated
than to the disease. The fashionable mode of treatment
in this disease, has been to  give physic, and reduce the
strength, by starving the patient and  keeping the  cold.
This is contrary to common sense, as  it weakens the
friend  and strengthens  the enenay ; and the same cause
would produce similar effects in any other disorder. All
that is necessary is to assist nature to drive out the canker
and putrefaction, which is the cause of the disease,, by
keeping the determining powers to the surface, in wbich
case there will  be no  danger.   The same manner of
treatment should be  used in this complaint as has been
directed for the measles.  The canker-rash, and all kinds
of diseases that a person is not  liable to have but once,
such as chicken-pox, swine-pox, &c. are frci the same
cause, and must be treated in a similar manner.

                       Cough.
   41 The general opinion is that cough is  an enemy to
health, and ought to  be treated  as such ; but this idea I
ho|d to be altogether an error, for it is the effect and not
the cause of disease.  When the  lungs are diseased, there
will be a collection of matter, which must be thrown off;
and the cough is like the pump of a skip, which dischar-
ges the water and prevents her from sinking;  so also
the cougK throws off what c*llects on the lungs, which if 
          THE BOTANIC  FAMILY PHYSICIAN.     '  99

suffered to remain there,  would soon putrify nnd cause
death.  It is a common saying, that I have a bad cough,
and get nothing to stop it; and the doctor often says, if I
could stop your cough, I  should have hopes of a cure,
but this is as unreasonable as it would be to stop the
pumps of a ship, which would cause her  to sink  the
sooner.   Ask a sailor what he would do, and he would
say, keep the pump going till you can stop the leak, and
when that is stopped the  pump will  become useless, as
there will be nothing to throw off Such medicine should
be given as will promote the cough till the cause can be
removed, which is cold and canker on the lungs, after
this is done there will  be no more cough.  If a coutrh is
caused by a sudden cold,  it may be removed by  taking
the composition powder on going to bed, with a hot stone
wrapped in wet cloths put to the feet to produce a pers-
piration, and at the same time take the cough powder,
which will make the patient raise easy, and also help
to remove the  cause.   When the  cough has become
seated, and the lungs  are diseased, they must be carried
through a regular course  of the medicine, repeating  the
same as occasion  may require, till a cure is  effected, at
the same  time giving the  cough  powder, especially on
going to bed.
  " Whooping-cough  most be treated in the same man-
ner ; continue to give the cough powders till cured.
                     Jaundice.
  44 Much has been said about the bile, or gall, being an
enemy in case of sickness ; but this is a mistake, for it is
a friend, and should be treated as such.  It is the main-
spring to life, and the regulator of health,  as without it
the food could not be digested. -When people have what
is called the jaundice, it  is the prevailing  opinion that
they have too much bile,  and it is said they are bilious ;
this is a mistaken notion, for there  is no such thing as
being too much  gall, it would be  more correct to say
there was not enough.  The difficulty is caused by the
stomach being cold and foul, so that the food is not di-
gested; and the bile not being appropriated  to its natural
use, is diffused through the pores of the skin> which be- 
100       THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
comes of a yellow colour.   The symptoms are want of
appetite, costiveness, faintness, and the patient will be
dull and sleepy ;  these are evidences of bad  digesture,
and loss of inward heat.   The only way to effect a cure
is to promote perspiration jdeanse the stomach, and restore
the digestive powers, which will cause the bile to be used
for the purpose nature designed it.
   "Nature has contrived that each part of the body should
perform its proper duty in maintaining health, and if there
is no obstruction there wou'd never be disease. The gall
bladder grows on the liver, and is placed between that and
the stomach, so that when ihe latter is filled with food,
the bile is discharged into the stomach to digest.  The
bile never makes disorder, for it  is  perfectly  innocent,
being nature's friend; and those appearances called bili-
ous, show the effect of disease and not the cause. The gall
is a very bitter substance, and it is the practice of the doc-
tors to order bitter medicine to  cure the jaundice,  and
this seems to be the universal opinion, which is correct;
but it certainly contradicts the notion that  there is too
much bile, for if there is too much, why give medicine to
make more?  I have attended many cases of this kind,
and never had any difficulty in effecting  a cure.   My
method is to give No. 2, or the composition powders, to
raise the internal heat, and No. 1 to cleanse the stomach,
and promote perspiration; then give the bitters (No.4) to
regulate the bile and restore  the  digestive t  wers.   If
the complaint has been of long standing,and the system is
much disordered, they must be carried through a regular
course of medicine, and repeat it as occasion may require,
at the same  time give the bitters two or three times a day
till the appetite is good and the digesture res ored.  Any
of the articles described under the head  of No. 4,  aro
good, and may be freely used for all bilious complaints.

                      Worms.
   41A great deal is said about worms causieg sickness, and
there is scarcely a disease that children are afflicted with,
but what is attributed 10 worms.  The doctors talk about
worm  complaints, worm  fevers,  colics,  dbc.  and  give
medicines to destroy the worms ; by  so  doing  tbey fre- 
THE  BOTANIC FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.       101
quently destroy their  patients.   There was never  a
greater absurdity than their practice, and the universal
opinion about worms causing disease.  The fact is they
create  and exist in the stomach and.bowels for a useful
purpose, and are friendly to health, instead of being an
enemy ; they are bred and supported by the cold phlegm
that collects  in the stomach  and bowels; this is  their
eiemeut •  and the more there is of it, the more there
will be of the worms; they never cause disease, btit are
caused by it.  Those who are in heahh are never troubled
with worms, because they are then quiet and exist in
their natural  element;  everyone  has more  or  less  of
them;  and the reason  why chiidien are more troubled
with what is called worm complaints, is because  they
are more  subject to be disordered in their stomach and
bowels than grown persons. When children are sick and
their breath smell ? bad, it is said  they have worms, and
every thing is laid to them ; but this is owing to disease
caused by canker, for there is nothing in the nature of
worms that can affect the breath.  In cases of this kind,
the only thing necessary is to cleanse the  6tomach by
getting rid of the cold.phlegnx,  and restoring the digestive
powers, when there will be no difficulty with the worms.
  4tThe common practice of the doctors is to give calomel
and other poisons to kill the  worms;  this must appear
to any one who  examines into the subject to  be  very
wrong as  well as dangerous ; for the worms cannot be
killed by it, without poisoning the whole contents of the
stomac'.i.  I once knew of a  case of a child who  after
eaiiiig  a breakfast of bread and milk, was taken sick ;  a
doctor  was sent for, who said it was caused by worms,
and gave a doseof calomel to destroy them, which caused
fits ; the ^,:,d vomited and threw  up  its breakfast;  a
dog that .lapvaied to be in the room ate what the  child
threw  up  ; ho was soon taken sick and died  ; the  child
got well.  The fortunate accident of the child's throwing
off its stomach what it had taken, probably saved its life,
for it there was poisoi enough to kill a dog^it musthave
killed the  child. The absurdity of such a practic is like the
story related by Dr. Franklin,of a man who was troubled
with a weasle in his barn,  and to get rid of the weasle he 
102      TUB BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
 sat fire to his barn and burnt it up.   I had the following
 relation  from the doctor who attended the cases; three
 children had What he called a worm fever; and he under-
 took to kill the worms. One of them died, and he reques-
 ted liberty to open it to see what would destroy worms,
 in order to know how to cure the others; but the parents
 would not consent.   The second died, and the parents
 coHRRoted  to have it opened ; but  after  searching the
 stomach and bowels, to their surprise no worms could be
 found. The third soon after died.  The fact  was their
 deatii was causedlby canker on the Momach and bowels,
 and the medicine given increased the difficulty by draw-
 ing the determining powers inward, which added the
 cold to promote the canker. Where children die by such
 treatment,  the blame is all laid  to the worms,  and the
 doctor escapes censure..
   41 I have had a great deal of experience in  what are
 called worm complaints; and after having become ac-
 quainted with the real cause, I have had no difficulty in
 curing all that 1 have undertaken w ith. I began with my
 own children. One of them was troubled with what was
 supposed to be  worms ; I  employed  a doctor, who gave
 pink root, and then physic to carry it off with the worms.
 It would shortly after have another turn, which wonld be
 worse ;  he went on in  this way, and the worms kept
 increasing, till I became satisfied-that he was working on
 the effect, and neglected the cause, when I dismissed him
 and undertook the cure myself. I first gave the  warmest
 medicine I then knew of to clear oft' the cold phlegm ;
 and gave bitter medicine,such as poplar-bark,worm wood,
 tansy,and physic madeofthe twigs of butternut,to cleanse
 the stomach *>"d to correct the bile.   By pursuing this
 plan the ch Id soon got well, and was no more  troubled
 with worms. A child in the neighborhood where I lived,
 about six years  old.  was taken sick in the morning, and
 the doctor was sent for, who gave medicines for worms ;
 it soon after had fits,and continued in convulsions during
 theday,and at night died. I was satisfied that its deathwas
 hastened if notcauseo by that given. When tho stomach
is diseased, or when poison is taken into it, the worms
try to flee from  their danger, which causes distress, and, 
THE  BOTANIC FAMILY I'HYsICIAN..       103
they sometimes get into knots, and stop the passage to
the stomach. Much more might be said on this subject;
but enough has been stated to put those who attend to it
on their guard against the dangerous practice of giving
medicine to kill worms.
 4% My practice has been,and shall recommend to others
to do, in case of what is called worm complaints, to give
the composition powders, or No. 2 to warm the stomach,
a tea of No. 3, to remove the canker and the bitters or
either of the articles  described under No. 4, to correct
the bile. If they are bad, carry them through a course of
medicine, and give the bitters. When there are  nervous
symptoms give the nerve powder. Injections should also
be frequently given.  The butternut syrup is very good.
If there should be danger of mortification, make use of
No. 6, both in the medicine given and the injection.
  The tapeworm is from the same cause as other worms,
and may be cured in the same manner.  They are, when
single, abost half an inch long and one-third as wide ;
they join together and appear like tape, ond often come
away in long pieces of several yards.  I was once trou-
bled with them, and  used to be faint and have no appe
tite : I  cured  myself by taking the butternut physic,
which  brought away several yards at a time; and by
taking the bitter medicine tocorrect the bile, I was never
troubled with it again.
 "I have often heard about people having a greedy worm,
but this is a mistaken notion,for there was never any Such
thing. The difficulty is the stomach being cold  and dis-
ordered, so that the food is not properly digested, passes
off without nourishing the system, and this creates an
unnatural appetite. Remove the canker by warming the
stomach and correcting the digestive powers, and there
will be no farther difficulty.  In the year 1805, I was
called to see a young woman who it was supposed had a
greedy  worm.  It was thought to be very  large, and
would frequently get into her throat and choke  her, al-
most stop her breaih.  Her  mother told me that  the day
before one of the neighbors was in, and told a story about
a person having a monster in their stomach, which was.
taken in by drinking at a brook ; this terrible account so 
104       THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHVKICUN,

frightened her daughter,  that  the worm  rose into her
throat and choked her so bad that she had fits.   I look
the girl home  wi.h me and gave her a dofe of hot bitters,
with  some  of the  nerve  powder that night ; the next.
morning I carried  her through a course of medicine aa
well  as  I knew at that time, which cleared the stomach
and bowels and strengthened the nervous system. I told
her there was no worm that troubled her, and she had
faith in  what 1 said. I gave her medicine to correct the
bile  and restore the digesture, and  she  soon got well,
being no more troubled about the worm.   The difficulty
was  caused  by a disordered  stomach and  throat.
                    Consumption
  "This complaint is generrlly caused  by same acute
disorder not being removed, and the patient heing run
down by the  fashionable practice, until nature makes a
compromise with disease, and the house becomes divided
against itself.   There is a constant warfare kept up bed
tween ihe inward heat and cold, the flesh wastes away in
consequence of not digesting the  food, the canker be-
comes seated on the stomach and bowels, and then takes
hold of the  lungs. When they get  into this situation, it
is called a seated consumption, and is pronounced by the
doctors to be  incurable.  I have  had a great many cases
of this kind and have in all of  them, where there was
life enough left to build upon, been able to effect a cure
by my system of practice.   The most important thing is
to raise the inward heat and get a  perspiration,.clear the
system of canker, and restore the digestive powers, so
that food will nourish the body and  keep up the heat on
which life depends.  Tim must be done by the regular
course of nedicine, as has  been directed  in all violent
attacks of disease, and persevering in it till the cause is
removed.
   44 This complaint is called by the doctors a hectic fe*
ver, because  they are subject to cold chills and hot flash-
es on the surface; but this is an  error,  for there  is no
fever about it; and this is the greatest difficulty, if there
was it would have a crisis and  nature would be able to
drive out the cold and effect a cure; the only difficulty 
          THE BOTANIC  FAMILY PHYSICIAN.       105

is to raise a fever, which must be done by such medicine
as will raise and hold the inward heat till nature has the
complete command.  When  the patient is very weak
and low, they will have what is called cold sweats ;  the
cause  of this is not understood ; the water that collects
on the skin does not come through the pores, but it is at-
tracted from the air in the room, which is warmer than
the  body, and condenses  on the surface  ; the same may
be seen on the outside of a mug or tumbler on a hot day,
when filled with cold  water, which is from  the same
cause.   It is of more importance to attend to the pre-
venting this complaint than to cure it.   If people would
mate use of those means which I have recommended,
and cure themselves of disease in  its first  stages,  and
avoid all poisonous drugs, there would  never  be a case
of consumption or any other chronic disorder.
                       Fits.
  41 These are produced by the same cause as other com-
plaints, that is cold and obstructions ; and may be cured
by a regular course of the medicine, which overpowers
the cold, promotes perspiration, and restores the diges-
tive powers.  Poison, or any thing else, which gives the
cold power over the inward heat, will cause fits,  because
the natural tone of the muscular power is thereby des-
troyed, which produces violent spasms on  the whole
system.  So  much has already been said on the subject,
that it is unnecessary  to say more, to give a correct idea
of the manner of cure.
  P St. Anthony's Fire, Nettle Spring, or  Surfeit.
  44 These are all caused by overheating the system and
cooling too suddenly, which leaves the pores obstructed,
and then by taking more cold will bring on the warfare
between cold and heat, when they break out and itch and
smart, as if stung by an insect.  When the heat gets a
little the upper  hand, so as to produce perspiration,  it
will disuppear till they get another cold.  The only way
to effect a cure is to give the medicine, and steam till
they are brought to the same state of heat as that which
first caused the disease, and then cool by degrees,  This 
      106       THE BOTANIC FAMILY THYSICIAN.

      I have proved in several instances, and never had any
      difficulty:.in entirely removing the cause  in this way.
      Make use of a tea of No. 3' for canker, and the bitters
      to correct the bile} and a little nerve powder to quiet the
      nerves, and they will soon be  restored to perfect health.

                    Stranguary, or Gravel.
       44 This disorder is  often caused by hard  labour, and
      exposure to cold in the early part of life ;. and when they
      grow old their heat diminishes, the bile becomes thick,
      and a sediment collects in the bladder, which obstructs
      thepassages ; ihe glands through which the urine passes,
      are clogged and become diseased, so that there is a diffi-
      culty m voiding the water, which causes  great pain ;
      but relief  may  be obtained by a course of the medicine,
      and making free use of the poplar bark tea-  A tea of the
      hemlock boughs is very good  , and also 1 have known
      great relief from using the wild lettuce and pipsissewa,
      the tops and roots bruised and steeped  in hot  water.
      Many other articles  that are good  to promote the urine
      may be used to  advantage.   Gravel weed in decootion.

                           Dropsy.
     p  "There are  two kinds of  this complaint; one  is
     caused by losing the inward heat so  as to stop the natural
**   perspiration,, which causes the water  that is usually
     thrown off in this way, to collect in the body and limbs.
     This may  be eVired  by raising the internal heat, and
     causing  a profuse perspiration, when the water will pass
     off in a natural  way ; then  make use of such medicine
     as will remove canker and restore the digestive powers,
     when the food being  digested  will  keep up the natural
     heat of the body and  continue the perspiration.  The
     other kind is caused by cold arid obstruction; but instead
     of the water  collecting  and remaining in  the body and
     limbs, a leak forms in  the  glands  and lets  it into the
     trunk of the body,  where there is no vent to let it off.
     This cannot be cured without tapping, and is very seldom
     completely  cured.   I have  never known  but two who
     were in this situation to be perfectly  restored. One was a
     girl whom I attended ; I tapped  bcr and took away seven.- 
THE BOTANIC  FAMILY PHYSICIAN.       107
leen pounds of water; then swathed her up close, and
gave medicine to keep up a perspiration ; and did not fill
again, and was completely cured.  The other was a man,
he had been  tapped twice.  1 carried him  through the '
course of medicine several  times, and give the juniper
ashes with molasses and  gin,  which carried off large
quantities of  water,  and he entirely recovered from the
disorder.   I have cured a nnmberwho had the first men-
tioned complaint,  by the common course, of medicine;
one woman was cured by taking the wild lettuce, bruised
and  steeped in hot water.   Mention has been made  of
several cases of this disease in my narrative, which were
cured ; and enough has been said to give an idea of the
cause and manner of treatment.

                    Bilitus Colic.
   41 The name of this complaint is erroneous, for bilious
means the bile, and no one ever heard of a bile colic or
pain caused by gall, as it is a friend to health, and never
causes disease or death. This pain is caused by a disor-
dered stomach and  want of digesture; the stomach is
filled  with canker, which gets into the narrow  passage
from the stomach,  when the action of the bowrels cease ;
after the pain subsides, those parts where it  was are very
sore.  To  cure it, raise the inward heat by giving the hot
medicine,  remove the canker with No  3, and give the
bitters to correct  the  bile, and repeat it,  till  a cure is
effected.    If the  case  is  bad, carry them through a
course of the  medicine, and often give injections.
                    Pleurisy.
  44 This  is a distressing complaint and is caused by
cold, or want of inward heat; I never had any difficulty
in curing it  by common  practice.   The only  remedy
made use of-by the doctors is to bleed ; this only increases
disease, by reducing the strength of the patient, without
removing  the cause.  I was once called to a soldier at
Eastport, who had a violent pain in hisside; the doctor
that  attended  him had bled him five times, without re-
moving the pain, which made him so weak that  it was
with difficulty he could be held up in  bed.  I relisved 
 108    THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.

 him in one hour by a common  course of medicine, and
 bathing his side with the rheumatic drops.  It took three
 weeks to get up his  strength, which might  have been
 done in three days if he had not been bled. I was called
 to another case of this  kind, of a soldier at the same
place.  He had been bled, and a large blister put on his
side to remove the pain, which caused a stranguary and
he was in great distress.  I declined doing any thing for
him without the  consent of his commanding officer, who
was not present.   The soldier begged of me to tell him
what to do for the latter  complaint, as he could not live
so.  I told him to take off the blister, which  was imme-
diately done, and it gave instant relief. By carrying them
through a course of medicine, as has been directed  for
other violent attacks, will cure all cases of this complaint
without danger;  and is much  better than bleeding or
blisters, which increase the difficulty.
                       Relax.
  "This complaint is caused by'indigestion, or loss of the
powers of the gall, which becomes thick, in consequence
of cold,  or loss of the inward heat, when  the  stomach
will be sour.  The best remedy is to give No. 2, which
will thin the gall; cleanse the stomach with No. 1, and
give the bitters to correct the digesture.  A dose of the
composition powders with a tea-spoonful of No. 6, in it
will in most cases effect a cure.   The bayberry and pop-
lar bark is  good, and also many other articles that have
been described as good  to restore the digestive  powers.
                    Dyentcry.
   " This is a distressing complaint, and is very common,
especially among children ; although much has already
been said  on this subject; yet its importance will justify
some further  directions.   It is caused by cold, which
gets the ascendency over the inward heat so as to draw
all the determining powers inward ; the stomach is dis-
ordered, the digestive powers are lost, the bowels become
coated with canker, the food is not digested so as to af.
ford any nourishment or heat to the system, and all  the
juiceB flow inward and  pass off by the common passage. 
          THE' BOTANIC  FAMILY PHYSICIAN.       109

The canker makes the bowels very sore, and when any
thing passes them, it causes excruciating pain. The best
plan of treatment is to carry the patient through a regular
course of  medicine, and repeat it, if occasion should re-
quire, every day till  relief is  obtained.   During the
operation  give the chicken broth, and after ihe disease is
checked, give occasionally a little brandy and loaf sugar
burned together, and a strong tea of poplar bark.   Give
the syrup, (No. 5) two or three times a day until entirely
recovered  ; and the bitters (No. 4) may be  given  night
and  morning  to  restore the digesture.  Care must be
taken to keep up the inward heat in the interim,by giving
occasionally No. 2 in a tea of No. 3, sweetened. Steam-
ing is very  important in this complaint, and  injections
must often be administered.
                    Rheumatism.
   " This complaint is caused  by cold obstructing the na-
tural  circulation, which causes pain and swelling   It
often  affects  the joints so that  thoy grow out of shape.
A cure is easily effected, if timely and  properly attended
to, which must be done by such medicine as will cause
perspiration and remove obstructions.  In common cases
by taking the rheumatic drops, and bathing the part af-
fected with the same will remove the complaint. When
the case is bad, carry them through a course of the medi-
cine and bathe it with the drops, repeating it as occasion
may require,  till cured.  At the same time give a tea of
poplar bark or hemlock bows : and many other articles
which have  been described as good for the complaint
may also be used to advantage.
   14 The gout is from the same cause,  and the  stomach
being greatly disordered, and very sour, which produces
a burning sensation.  I have cured several cases by the
common course of medicine, and giving the bitters to re-
store the digestive.powers.

                     Sore Lips.
   " They are common  in very hot or cold  weather,
when there is nearly a balance of the power of outward
and inward heat, or outward and inward cold, which pro*
                                     10 
 HO"         THE BOTANie FAMILY PHYSICIAI?.

 duces canker.   To cure it take a strong dose of tea of
 No 3, with a tea spoonful of No. 2 in it, when  going to
 bed, and wash them with the same, then wipe them dry
 to take off the matter collected; then wet them again
 with the tea,  and put on as much ginger as will slick, re-
 peat the same again for two or three times, till the coat
 is sufficient to keep out the air,  when this comes off,
 repeat the same processTagain, until the soreness is gone,
 then wash again with the  tea  and wipe thetn dry,  and
 apply warm tallow till a cure is completed.

                     Sore Eyes.
  44 These are  generally caused by being exposed to sud-
 den changes  of heat and cold, which  produces canker,
 and where this is there will be inflammation.  There are
many things good for this  complaint; but the best that I
have found is white pond lily root, marsh roseinary,witch-
 hazle and red raspberry leaves ; make a strong  tea with
all or either, and add  one third as much of No. 6, with a
little No. 2 ; bathe the eyes several times in a day ; every
morning put your face in cold water, open and shut the
eyes till well  washed; repeat this till a cure is  effected.
At  the  same time take the tea  to clear the system  of
canker.
                    Head-Ache.
   M This pain proceeds  from a foul  stomach, the bile
loses  its powers, the food clogs by not being digested,
and the effect is felt in the head, which is the fountain of
sense.   Sometimes  there is sickness at the.  stomach ;
when this happens it is called  sick head-ache, and when
they vomit the head is relieved.  This  proves that the
cause is in the stomach.   It must be cured by cleansing
the stomach and restoring the  digestive powers.  A dose
of composition powders,  silting by the fire wrapt in a
blanket, will generally give relief;  but if it should not,
take a dose of No. 1 in a tea of No. 3-, and take the bit-
ters to correct  the bile; No.  2 should also be taken  to
warm  the stomach, and if it  is sour take  the  pearlash
water.  It is very fashionable with  the doctors to tell
about dropsy in the head, but in  this I have no belief; 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSWIAN.         Ill
for there is no disease  in the head but what proceeds
from the stomach, except from external injury.  If they
understood the real case and would give the proper me-
dicine  to remove it, there would  be  no difficulty  in the
head ;  but  when a child is sick they give calomel and
other poisons, which increases the disease ; and if they
die it is laid to the dropsy in the head, and this is satis-
factory because the doctor says so.
                        Corns.
   " These come on the joints of the toes, and are very
 troublesome.  They may be cured by soaking the foot
 in warm water till the corn is soft, shave it thin, take a
 strip of bladder or skin of suet, eight or ten inches long,
 and half an inch wide, rub it till soft; then supple it well
 in  rattlesnake's oil, or  the  nerve ointment; wrap it
 round the toe, and keep it on till worn out; if this does
 not cure  ; repeat the same till the corn is removed.1 have
seldom known this to fail of a cure.
                       Venereal.
    *4 The disease that is called by this name is more com-
  mon in seaports than in the country,  because there  is a
  more promiscuous and illicit intercourse of the sexes,
—than in other places.  It is a very high state of canker
  and putrefaction, which takes hold of the glands of those
  parts that  are first affected with it; and if not  checked
  the  whole system  will become diseased by the venereal
  taint.  It is more common among seafaring men,  be-
 cause of their being long absent at sea, and on coming
 on shore they give free scope to their passions, without
  being very scrupulous about the manner of their  indul-
  gence. It originates probably with those commonwomen
 who have connection with many different men, and going
 beyond  the impulse of nature;  this impure connection
 eauses* uncieanhness which produces the disease, and
 when seated is eontagious.
   41  The reason why this disease causes so much fright
 and alarm,  is owing to two  causes ;  the first is  the dis-
 grace that is attached to the dishonesty in getting it; and
 the other is the manner in which it has  generally been 
 112      THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.         N

treated in givihg mercury  to cure it; the remedy be-
comes worse than the disease. That this disorder cannot
be cured by any other means is altogether an error; for
I have cured a number of cases  by very simple means.
 The first symptoms felt is a scalding  sensation and pain
when voiding the urine ; and within  twenty-four hours
after this is experienced, it may be cured in that time, by
applying cold water and making use of  the rheumatic
drops ; if there is much soreness, make use of the tea of
No. 3, with the drops in it; which must be taken as well
as applied to the parts.  If the disease has been of long
standing and the whole system has become a fleeted, they
must  be  carried through  a course   of the  medicine.
Where there has been mercury made use of, and there Is
all  the attendant consequences of such treatment, it is
much more difficult to effect a cure ; and is only  done
\>y a full course of the medicine, and repeating it for a
number of times ; raising the heat by steam each time as
high as they can bear, to throw out the mercury and re-
move the canker, at the same time applying the poultice ;
shen give the bitters  to correct the bile.
  I had a case of a woman who was brought to me on a
bed fifteen miles.   She was in a very bad state, and as
bad as she could well be, with all the  consequences that
are caused by being filled with mercury.  Different deco-
 lors had attended  her for  eleven months, and she had
constantly  been growing  worse.  She had been kept
ignorant of her disease till a few days before brought to
ma, on account of her husband.   I carried  her through
 five courses of the medicine in two weeks, and applied a
 poultice of white bread and ginger made with a  tea of
 No. 3.   This completely broke up the disorder, and by
 giving melicine to correct the bile and restore the diges-
 ture, she was  cured and returned home  in three weeks
 after  coming  to me.  By  taking things  to restore her
 strength, has  enjoyed good health ever since.  Another
 woman was cured in the same manner, who had been in
 this way for six years, and  unable to do any business.  I
 attended her  three  weeks, when  she was restored to
 health and returned home.  In less than a year after she 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
113
 had two children at a birth, and has enjoyed good health
 to this day.
   This disease may be produced by other  means than
 what have been described.  It may be taken in with the
 "breath by being much exposed in attending on those who
 are in a very putrid state of the  complaint; or may be
 communicated to parts where the skin is broken, and in
 many other ways ; they will have many of the symptoms
 the same as when taken in the common way.  Children
 will sometimes be affected with the venereal taint, whose
 parents have the disease. A disease similar in appearance
 with much the same symptoms, may be brought on over-
 doing and being  exposed to the  cold.   I once had the
 case of a young married man, who by straining himself
 from loading mill logs and being exposed to wet and cold,
 caused  a weakness in the back and loins,  and he had
 what is called a gleet, and an inflammation,  with all the
 symptoms  common in the venereal.   His wife became
 affected in the same manner ; they continued in this situ-
 ation three months, when I was called to attend  them ■
 and by making uselif such  things as I then had a know-
 ledge of, to strengthen the loins and  remove the canker,
 was able to cure both in a short time.  The man had all
 the symptoms that appear in the  verfcreal, except hard
 bunches in thegroins, called buboes. These,I am satisfied,
 are caused  by mercury, for I never  knew any to have
 them except they had taken mercury.   By syringing
 with mercury and sugar of lead, affects the glands, con-
 tracts the passage, and stops the discharge, when  the
 putrid matter instead of going off, collects in the groin
 and forms hard tumours, which remain a long time, and
 have to  be brought to a head to let off the putrid matter.
 Bunches of a similar kind often come in different parts
 of the body caused by mercury.
  44 Much  more might be  written on  this subject; it is
 difficult  to find proper terms to convey all the directions
 that may be necessary in  all  cases.  Enough has been
said to give 10 those  who are so unfortunate as to have
 the disease,  a general knowledge of the nature of  the
 complaint and the best manner of effecting a cure ; and
to those who are fortunate enough to escape it, any thing
 further will be unnecessary.                10* 
114       THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
                 MIDWIFERY.
  "This is a very difficult subject to write upon,as I know
of no words, that would be proper to make use of, to con-
vey the necessary information *o enable a male person to
attempt the practice with safety.  The grcflt importance
of the subject, however, induces me not L be silent; and I
shall  endeavour to  make known  to the public such
thoughts and conclusions as long experience and much
solicitude has enabled me to form concerning those who
are suffering, and are constantly liable to  suffer from
this erroneous and most unnatural practice ; midwifery
at this time, appears to be altogether a  matter of specu-
lation with the medical faculty, by their exorbitant price
for attendance.  The tax on the poor classes  is very hea-
vy ; and this is not the greatest grievance that they have
to bear, for  they are often deprived of  their wives  and
children, by such ignorant and unnatural practice as is
very common in all parts ejffhe country.
  41 Thirty  years ago the'practice of midwifery was
principally in the hands of experienced women who  had
no difficulty ; and there was scarce an instance known in
those days of a woman dying in child-bed, and it was
very uncommon for  them to lose  the child ; but at the
present time these things are so common that it is hardly
talked about. There must be some cause for this differ-
ence, and 1 can account for it in no other way than the
unskilful treatment they experience from the doctors, /who
have now got most  of the practice into their own hands.
In the country where I was born and where I brought up
a family of children, there was no such  thing thought of
as calling the assistance of a doctor ; a midwife was all
that was thought necessary, and the instances were very
rare that they were not successful, for they used no art,
but afforded such  assistance as nature requires ; gave
herb tea to keep them in a perspiration and to quiet the
nerves ; their price  was one dollar.   When the doctors
began to practice midwifery in the country, their price
was three dollars, but they soon afterwards raised to five,
and now they charge from twelve to twenty dollars.  If
they go on  in this ratio, it will soon  take all the money
people can  earn to pay for their children. 
THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.       115
  45 All the valuable instruction I ever received was from
a woman in the town where I lived, who had practiced
as a midwife for twenty years ; in an interview of about
twenty minutes she gave me more useful instruction than-      ">t
I ever gained  from any other source ; I have piactised
considerably in this line, and have always had very good
success.  It  is very important to keep up the strength of       ii
wornen in a state of pregnancy* so that  at the time of       ''■')
delivery they  may be in possession of all their  natural       0
powers ; they  should be carried through a course of the       '-1
medicine  several times,  particularly a little before  de-    «  -;>M
livery, and keep  ihem in a perspiration during and after
delivery, which will  prevent after  pains and other com-
plaints common  in such cases.   Beware of bleeding,
opium, and cold baths ; invigorate  all the faculties of  the
tody and  mind,  to exert the most laborious efforts that
nature is  called  upon to perform, instead of stupifying
and substituting art for nature.  1  will relate a case that
I was knowing to, which will give a pretty fair view of
the practice of the doctors.   A woman was  taken in
travail, and the midwife could not come, a doctor was       4
sent for ; when he came the prospect was that she would
be'delivered in two hours, he gave her some  medicine
which caused vomiting: and  turned  the  pains to  the
stomach,  she continued in this situation for twelve hours
when her strength was nearly gone ; he then  bled her,
acd to stop the puking, gave so much opium as to cause
such a  stupor that  it required all the exertions of  the
women to keep the  breath of life in her  through  the     ^M
night; in the morning she remained very weak, and con-# .,  ^H
tinued so  till the afternoon, when she was delivered with
instruments.  The child was dead, and the woman came
 very near dying, and it was six months before she got her
 strength again.  Many more cases might be given of the
 bad success of bleeding and giving opium to stupify, and
 making use of art, instead of assisting nature  to do her
 work.  And if  all  married  men would purchase  this
 work, and pursue the course   herein laid  down, it
 would be much  more proper and safe than  to trust
 their wives in the hands of young inexperienced doctors,
 who have little knowledge except what  they get from 
 116      the Botanic  family physician.

 their books, and their practice is to try experiments, their
 cruel and harsh treatment in many instances would in-
 duce the husband to throw them out of the window^, if
 permitted to be present; but this is not allowed for the
 very same reason.
   Dr. Thomson relates several cases in which he was
 successful in  giving relief to persons who had been in
 travail for many days, and could not be delivered by the
 learned doctors ; one case of which he states that he was
 called eighty  miles from his home,  to see a woman who
 had been ten  days in travail ; when he arrived, he saw
 several  people  with the  doctors standing  around the
 patient's bed ; they seemed to be all filled with  gloom;
 when the sick woman exclaimed, it is haid to suffer here
 for ten  days, then to die after ahV; they  then asked him if
 he could do any thing for her, he said he was willing to
 try, and do all he could for her. He then took as he says,
 one tea-spoonful of composition, one half tea-spoonful of
 cayenne pepper in a tea cup full of No. 3, and one tea-
 spoonful of sugar, and one lea-spoonful of nerve powder,
 and gave it to the patient to drink ; in fifteen minutes the
 woman was delivered of a fine son ; after which he gave
 hsr a course of  medicine : after which  she eot up, and
 walked from the bed  to  the fire  the same  day.   In
two days after she  went some distance in a waggon to
 see her friends, and returned some what fatigued; he then
 the next day  gave her another course, which with ihe
 use of bitters No.  4, restored her to health.  Another
 case he states in which the water  had been discharged
 four days, and she could not  be delivered by the doctors,
 when he was sent for: he gave her  a similar dose to the
 other  case above  meniioned, which soon  restored her
 exhausted stiength, brought on her pains as before, and
 in half an hour, as soon as  he could raise the internal
 heat so as to  produce a natural warmth through the sys-
 tem, the child  was born, but without anyappearanceof life.
 He then as he says, took hold of the umbilical cord, and
followed it to  the placenta, and carefully brought it away
before cutting the string.  He then took the child and the
 placenta to the  fire, and  placed the after birth upon a.
 shovel; laid on the coals;  as soon as the fire had heated
tit./-. H.T ■____________,*» 
the  botanic  family physician,       11T
the placenta,  he communicated the heat through the
umbilical cord to the child by stripping the heat upwards
to the child, while laying in his lap, which soon warmed
the child, and gave  it that natural heat which it had lost
from the length  of time the  water had been  discharged
before  it was born,  and restored the child to life again.
He then preparedand cut the cord after lying it up, and
handed it over to the  nurse; he  then gave her a course
of the medicine, and in a fevdays restored her to health.
He further states that he always gives in case of violent
flooding, the dose first mentioned, and repeat  it if neces-
sary, adding No. 1,  and afterwards take them through a
course  of his medicine, and  repeat  it until well.   But
to those who have not faith or experience in the  above"
treatment, I will mention a  more pleasant or agreeable
medicine for stepping the bloody flow.  That is, take a
handful of the herb scabious, and make a strong tea, and
drink freely, it will be sure to stop it; and I would here
recommend to all women in the family way, todrink daily
of the partridgeberry  vine tea,  for a month before the
time of delivery,  and all things will go easy, and they will
not need any physician, other than woman's  help.
   O^'This philanthropic and enterprising  Dr. Thomson,
took out a patent right for the  exclusive use  of Lobelia,
Cayenne Pepper, and Steam, some years  ago, which he
has heen and  still  is, selling  to others  for  the sum of
twenty dollars, to exercise the same right.  This would
appear to me to  be rather oppressive to the poorer class
of our fellow.beings especially, whan the constitution of
theUnited States gives a universal franchizetotAmericans
to enjoy life, liberty, and to pursi'.e hr>ppinesss. Nature,
too, amidst the profuse bounteousness of her productions,
has furnished man, as well as every other living creature,
with the  free use and enjoyment of every  vegetable that
grows from the earth.   Are not the earth, air, fire; and
water, the component  part of  our nature, and of our
bodies ?  Shall we not. then, use fire and water to mako
steam?   Shall we not use the  herbs of the field, (upon
which alone God has  commanded us to eat and subsist)
without paying Dr. Thomson, or any other njan or per-
son, for the use thereof, (for  the preservation  ofourowq 
118       THE BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.
  and our neighbors' life) the sum of twenty dollars.  It is
  therefore, in order to save this heavy tax or barrier up-
  on the progress and  use of these, and cnher  botanic
  remedies, which I conceive to be more useful than the
  former to cure disease, that I have compiled  this work,
  and brought the expense to meet all classes of men.  Al-
  though 1 am of opinion, ('notwithstanding the insufficien-
  cy of Hygeian  medicines alone, for I know from ex-
  perience, that too much  physic is  very hurtful to the
  stomach and bowels,) that (avoiding the extreme of Dr:
  Thomson's practice,  of withholding the use of physic
  on the one hand, and the extreme of Dr. Morison on the
  other, of giving  nothing but physie)"the practitioner ac
. cording to this work, may wisely combine both systems
  together with the alterative and medicinal  course laid
  down in the use of the recipes hereunto annexed, and
 ' never fail in any case where there is foundation to build
  on to effect a cure.—Again, any person of ordinary dis-
  cretion and judgement can apply  the hot medicines  of
  Dr. Thomson to  the  use  of female complaints, by
  observing the rules laid down in this work:  that is,  to
  keep up the strength of the patient,  you may give  the
  mediciue as directed by him.  And in case of flooding, if
  those medicines do not stop it, use the scabious tea and
  o.her remedies mentioned in this book.   In a word, the
  practitioner has  all the advantages of the ^different and
  best methods and medicines generally made use of by
  all the most celebrated Botanic Physicians at the present
  day, laid down before him  in this manuel, and  they are
  to be used according  to his judgement, and the circum-
  stances which goveroi in  each case, of which the prao-
  titioner is to judge, after reading and well understanding
  the whole of this work, which  from the concise manner
  of its compilation,  may be  soon acquired to perfection by
  eveiy man or  woman  of  ordinary capacity and under-
  standing.
             Exodus, 1st chapter 19/h verse.
    " For they are lively and are  delivered, ere the midwives come
                      in unto them."
    In reading the context, as well as thetext of this chap-
  ter, the reader will infer  whether men or  women per-
  formed this pariicular branch of nature's business, that of
  assisting  Nature in  producing her own species.  Did. 
THI  BOTANIC FAMILY PHYSICIAN.       1 l9
 mankind  and  womankind know the  vast  evils  which
 result to the whole human family, by the change which
art has  produced in this first and most important part
of natural  operations,  they  would discard  the regular
physician,  who practices by force ; who instead  of aid-
ingand  assisting the works and laws of nature,  to- bring
forth in the most easy and natural manner, makes use of
the forceps, and other  death-like instruments,  both  in-
ward and outward, to expel by force End compulsion.
   It never  was intended that a man should perform these
services, neither was it  the practice according to Moses's
writings.   The women in those days were sprightly and
lively in the production of their offspring, and were deli-
vered by midwives in case any assistance should be wan-
ting.  See the contrast  in those days, when mercury,  the
lancet,  the forceps, the knife, opium, ergot, and lincensed
Doctors were not known, the people lived to Some hun-
dred years  of age, whereasat the present time, the length
of life is less than fifty, yes, less than thirty average years.
What is the cause of this ?  There must be some  reason
for it. Account  for it any other way ifyou can, other than
by the introduction of a doctor into your family.  Much
might be said upon this 9ubject,but the limits of this work
will not permit us to say  more than  a few words by way
of caution.   Fathers beware  of those who pretend to
have the right to examine your wives, and your  daugh-
ters, to know their secret complaints,  which are kept
from your observation, and when your children are/born
be present yourself,and see that the doctors do not butch-
er your wives and kill your children; beware of so many
private  interviews with your family,  under pretencefof
prescribing for that which you are kept ignorant of: be
the father of your own children, see them safely delivered
into the world, give them the medicines prescribed in this
work, and bo your own doctor. Wives attend well to the
directions given in this  work.and doctor your own  daugh-
ters, and trust  them  not  to the fallacious pretenders of
physic, who will ifyou  suffer it, take  more liberties under
the garb of an M D. or learned doctor, than he can beof
any benefit to any person, which undoubtedly only serve
to embolden and  make  more barefaced and  common 
120        THE  BOTANIC FAMILY  PHYSICIAN.

that which would otherwise be considered  and kopt by
them  during life,  as  innocent, decent,  and  reserved.
How  often do we hear of wives say they have not been
well since they  had their last child, or such a child, when
they were confined so long and had such a time.  This is
because the  doctors give wrong direction or prescriptions,
and they follow them  ; therefore  in   future,  be  careful
whenever  a doctor tells you  to  take physic  as  Dr.
Thomson  says,  and of the necessity of which you  are to
judge ;  to take, a sweat and an injection—to lose a little
blood—to  keep  your blood, and take medicine to purify it
—to keep cool—to take  plenty  of hot  medicine—to  eat
little or nothing—to eat whatever jour appetite  craves.
CONTENTS.
Remarks on Feveis  •      -     16
On Stenming                  25
A regular course of Thomsonian
  Medicine   -     -      .     27
On giving  Poison 33 Medicine-    33
Eii-lie Hi'ib  ...     43
Cayenne P< p; er     -      •     49
Red Pepper   -                52
Ginger                       52
Black Pepf er                  53
Bayberry                     51
Whiiu Pundlily                54
Hemlork                     55
Ma»h Rosemary               53
Sumach                      56
Witch Hazel                  5fi
Red Raspberry                 57
Squaw Weed                  58
Bluer Herb                   5S
Poplar Bark                   59
Bayberry                     59
Bliter Knot                   50
Oolcicn Stnt                   60
Peach /-T.  its                  61
Cherry Stones                 61
Gum ftlyrrh                   C2
Spirits of Turpentine            63
Gum Camphor                 63
Valerian                      61
Directions for usins; and preparing
   Vegetable Medicine, No. 1    66
Nos. 2 and 3                  67
No. 4—Bitters                  69
No. 5—Syiup                  69
No. 6—Rheumatic Drops         70
Nerve, Composition, Cough Powders71
Cancer Plaster—Salve           72
Strengthening Plaster            72
Volatile S-ilb; Nerve Ointment   73
Poultice ; Injections             73
Stock of Aleliciue for a Family    75
General Directions for curing or Pre.
    venting Disease             76
Milk Porridge;  Ckicken Broth    81
Felons; Freezes and I'.urns       b_>
Case of a boy badly scabied       83
General lematks on Burns        84
Mortification of ihe Limbs        8")
Old Canker  <„ies 011 the Ltgg     87
Bad wound  in the Kje cured     8 8
Cancer Sores                 Si
Piles, how cured               90
Sore He.-.ds in Children ; Sore BreasU.91
To stop bleeding               92
Kupiure                      93
Ague in the Face               91
Torelax the muscles in setting a bone95
Measles                      95
Small Pox;  Cough             97
Jaundice                     98
VVnims                      ]00
Consumption                  104
Fits, St. An h my'sFire         105
Stranguaryor Gravel: Dropsy    106
Bilious Colic; Pleurisy          107
Relax : Dysentery              108
Rheumatism ; Sore l.ips         109
Sore Eyes;  Headache           110
Corns,  Venereal               111
Midwifery                    m 
 
NLM031936608