•J .» NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE Bethesda, Maryland / • v..;.i. , WM"X GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE, OR POOR MAN'S FRIEND, EN THE HOURS OP AFFLICTION, PAIN AND SICKNESS. THIS BOOK POINTS OUT, IN PLAIN LANGUAGE, FREE FROM DOCTORS' TERMS, THE DISEASES OF MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN, AND THE LATEST AND MOST APPROVED MEANS USED IN THEIR CURE, AND IS EXPRESSLY WRITTEN FOR THE BENEFIT OF FAMILIES IN THE WESTERN AND SOUTHERN STATES. IT ALSO CONTAINS DESCRIPTIONS OF THE MEDICINAL ROOTS AND HERBS OF THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN COUNTRY, AND HOW THEY ARE TO BE USED IN THE CURE OIT DISEASES. ARRANGED ON A NEW AND SIMPLE PLAN, BY WHICH THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE IS REDUCED TO PUiNCIPLES OF COMMON SENSE. Why should we conceal from mankind, that which relieves the distresses of our fellow-beings'? FOURTH EDITION. SPRINGFIELD, OHIO. JOHN M. GALLAGHER, PRINTER. 1835. DISTRICT OF EAST TENNESSEE, KN&XVILLE. BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the 24th day of July, in the 57th year of the Independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1832, Doctor John C. Gunn, of Knoxville, deposited in this office the title of a book, the right whereof he claims aa author, in the following words, to-wit: "Gunn's Domestic Medicine, or Poor Man's Friend, in the hours of afflictioni pain and sickness. This book points out, in plain language, free from doctors' terms, the diseases of men, women, and children, and the latest and most approved means used in their cure, and is expressly written for the benefit of families in the Western and Southern States. It also contains descriptions of the medical roots and herbs of tho Western and Southern country, and how they arc to be used in the cure of diseases :— Arranged on a new and simple plan, by which the practice of medicine is reduced to principles of common sense. Why should we conceal from mankind that which relieves the distresses of our fellow- beings?" In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled, "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing copies of maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein mentioned." W. C. MYNATT, Clerk of the United States' District Court, for the District of East Tennessee. INDEX. Page. ANGER, - a, 27 Ague and fever, ". *°* Apoplectic fits, - " «?q Asthma, - " 318 Abortion, &c. - - _ *?q After pains, - - " 459 Alum root, 524 American Columbo, - - ' j^O American Senna, - - - ^° American Ipecacuanha, - - .♦. - »°6 American Centaury, - - - ^76 Anodynes, - - ~~^ Anti-Spasmodics, - ... 622 Amputation, - - - °74 Amputation of the arm, ' jj™ Amputation of the thigh and leg, o78 Amputation of the fore-arm, fingers and toes, - - 680 Amputation, concluding remarks on, - «&• Accidents,........??? BILIOUS FEVER,......- ' 19° Breasts, inflammations of,......460 Bone Set, - .... 541 Blackberry bush, common,.....544 Button Snake root,...... 545 Balm and Rue, .......550 Blood or Puccoon root, ------ 551 Butterfly weed, or Pleurisy root, - - - 563 Blood letting,....... 593 COLD BATH, .......164 Colic, .---.--- 200 Cholera Morbus, &c. ......203 Consumption,......" 224 Catarrh or Cold,.......274 Cow pox, or Vaccination,..... 339 Clap, - -.......355 Cancer,........ 380 Corns, - - -......385 Colic, - -.....423^483 Cramp,..... * 426 Constant desire to make water, .... 427 Chills, - - - - ' " * - 459 Child-bed Fever, - -..... 463 4 INDEX. Children, diseases of, .... 473 " exercises, &c. .... 481 Constipation, .... 485 Convulsions or fits, .... 491 Croup, 493 Cholera Infantum, or puking, &c. - - 497 Cancer root, Beech drops, - - - - 539 Common Blackberry bush, ... 544 Camomile, .... 545 Columbo, American, .... 550 Castor Oil, how to make, .... 586 Clysters or Glysters, - - - 597 Clarification of medicines, &c. - - - 609 Concussion and Compression of the Brain, - 643 &, 644 Contusion or Blow, .... 642 Contused Wounds, - - - - 651 Cholera Epidemic, .... 691 Compound Accidents, .... 673 Catheter, directions for, and method of using, 682 &, 683 Cessation of the Menses, or Courses, -* 402 DISEASES OF THE LIVER, - > - 238 Dysentery or Flux, - 256 Drinking cold water when overheated, - - 272 Dropsy, ----- 277 Diseases of women, - _ 387 Directions for Midwives, - 449 Diseases of children, - 472 Dogwood, - 522 Dittany, .....537 Directions for preserving roots, &c. - - 588 Dispensatory, &c. .... 609 Dislocation, - 668 Dislocation of the lower jaw, - - - 668 Dislocation of the shoulder, collar bone and elbow, 669 Dislocation of the elbow, wrist, fingers, &c, - 670 Dislocation of the thigh, - - 671 Dislocation of the knfee pan, leg and foot, - 672 &. 673 EXERCISE, ----- 149 Eruptions of the skin, - 299 Epileptic Fits, ..... 312 Ear Ache, - 330 Exercises of children, &c. - - - - 481 Eyes, pore, ..••,• 5^^. - - - . 488 Emetics or pukes, * ■ - - - - 610 FEAR, .....22 Food, .....170 Fever, &c. ----- 178 Fits, Apoplectic and Epileptic, - - 309 &. 312 False pains, - 430 Flooding, - - - - - 431 Faintings, - . - - *■ - 458 INDEX. 5 Fit? or convulsions, ... - 491 Fever of children, ... - - 496 Friction, - 605 Fractures of the bone of the nose and lower jaw, 659 Fractures of the collar bone. - - - 660 Fractures of the arm, and bones of the fore-arm, - 681 Fractures of the wrist and of the ribs, - - 662 Fractures of the thigh, »■ 663 Fractures of the bones of the foot, - - 666 GRIEF, .... 63 Gravel and Stone, ... - 288 Great flow of urine, ... 295 Gleet, - - - 367 Gum, the Red and Yellow, - - 483 Ginseng, ... - 525 Ginger, - 578 HOPE, - - - 24 Head Ache, ... - 328 Heart burn, - - 425 Horse Mint, - - - 577 INTEMPERANCE, - - 100 Indigestion, or Dyspepsia, - - 215 Inflammation of the stomach, Intestines, &c. - 261 Itch, - - 308 Inflammations, - - - 460 Inflammation of the breasts, - - ib. Infants, treatment of, - - - 475 Incised Wounds, - - 647 Ipecacuanha, - - - 546 Indian Physic, - - - 565 Indian Turnip. - . - - 574 Issues, - - - 606 JOY, - - - - 25 Jealousy, ... 33 Jamestown weed, - - 516 Jerusalem Oak, ... 536 Jalap, .... 571 LOVE, ... 45 Lax, - - - 259 LockJaw, ... 378 Labor, - 439 Labor, Difficult, - . - 446 Labor, directions after, - ■ - 454 Lochia, - - - 457 Laxatives, - . - 616 MUMPS, . - - 330 Menses or Courses, - - . 390 Menses, obstructed, - - 494 Midwives, directions for, - - 449 Milk fever, 461 Meconium, - - 477 6 INDEX. Measles, - - 503 Mercury, - " - 632 Mortification, - - 681 May Apple, - - 537 Manna, , - * 559 NERVOUS FEVER, - - 194 ORIGINAL IMPERFECTIONS, - - 478 Ointment for sores, - - 629 Opium, - 579 PASSIONS, OF THE, - 21 Punctured Wounds, - - 649 Pulse, - - - 182 Pleurisy, - 284 Palsy, - - - 315 Piles, - 323 Putrid sore throat, - - - 325 Pox, - - 354 Poisons, - - 369 Painful affections" of the face, - 376 Pregnancy, and signs of, - 410 &. 415 Pregnancy, cautions during, and diseases of, 417 &, 418 Pain in the head, &.c - - 424 Piles, - - - 429 Puccoon root, - 551 Pleurisy root, &.c. - - 568 Prickly Ash, or tooth ache tree, - - 572 Peppermint, - - 578 Pukes or Emetics, - - 610 Purgatives, active, - - 614 RELIGION, - - 74 Remarks preliminary, &c. - - 131 Rheumatism, - - - 206 Red Gum, - - 483 Rue and Balm, - - - 550 Rhubarb, - ' „ 561 SLEEP, - - 142 Scurvy, . " 281 Suppression or stoppage of urine, - - 294 Saint Anthony's Fire, - - 301 Scald head, " - - - 303 Sore legs, - " 321 Sore eyes, - " 332 Small pox, - " d4~ Scalds and burns, . 383 Sickness of the stomach, - - 422 Swelled legs, - " 425 Stoppage of urine, - ^7 Sleep, want of - - J*» Swelled leg, 462 Still born, - 473 Snuffles, ' 4B2 INDEX. 7 Swaim's Panacea, " "33 Sudorifica, . - - 628 Sore eyes, - - " 488 Scald head, - - 497 Snake-root, Seneka, - < - - 510 Sassafras, - - 513 Sarsaparilla, - - - 514 Slippery elm, - - 535 Scarlet fever, - - - 687 Sage, ..- 549 Senna, - " - 554 Sulphurous fumigation, &c. - - 590 Stimulants, - - - 619 Sprains, - - 643 TETTER OR RING WORM, - - 302 Toothache, - - - 304 Twins, - - 447 Treatment of new born infants, - - 475 Thrush, - - - 484 Teething, - - 489 Tobacco plant, 526 Tansy, - - - 549 Tonics, b2d UVA URSI, - - 531 Urine, great flow of - - 295 VENEREAL DISEASES, - - 346 Vaccination, cow pox, - - , - 339 WARM OR TEPID BATH, - - 156 Whitlow, - - - 337 Warts, - - - 386 Whites, - - - 405 Water, desire to make, - - ' 427 Want of sleep, - - - 428 Worms, - ' 505 White walnut, - - - 560 Wild cherry-tree, - - - 575 Wounds, - - 645 Whooping Cough, - - _ 501 YELLOW GUM, - - 483 INTRODUCTION. Man, in the early days of nature, lived in a state of health, both in body and in mind: The earth produ- ced its fruits for him without culture; there were nei- ther irregularities nor inclemencies of the seasons. In a state of innocency, and under a mild and clement sky. there was nothing to produce disease; spring was perpetual. Protected by the immediate presence of the Almighty, and as yet innocent of any violations of his law, he was happy in the enjoyments which the spontaneous benevolence of nature afforded him. But he has been the artificer of his own untoward des- tinies. He has transgressed the sacred laws of his Creator—and incurred the penalties annexed to his own transgressions! His days are now shortenedi and encumbered with disease: spring is no longer per- petual ; for him now, "the earth brings forth thorns and bi'iars;" and for him the world has been visited with earthquakes, sterility, storms, and variations of i lie seasons, which blight the fruits of his labors, and bring mortal diseases and fatal maladies on their wings. Among the moral causes that have abridged the life of man, there ir- one which merits the attention of the philosopher—it is civilization! Civilization, by polish- ing man, and depriving him of his primitive rudeness, seems to have enervated him:—it seems to have made him purchase the advantage, at the expense of a mul- titude of diseases and miseries to which the first inhab- itants of the world were strangers—and with which the savages who only give way to the impulses of na- ture are still unacquainted. Man, in associating with 10 INTRODUCTION. his fellow beings in large assemblages, seems in some measures to have relaxed the strong ties on his earthly existence; society, by extending the circle of his wants, by giving greater energy to his passions, and by gener- ating those that are unknown to the man of nature, seems to have become a frightful and inexhaustible source of calamities. But was not man born for so- ciety; did not his individual weakness, and his severe and pressing wants, make him abandon at an early pe- riod the wandering life he had led in the forests in pursuit of game—and associate with his fellow-man? Could he not by associating with his fellow-beings, the better protect his existence, secure his happiness, and expand his truly astonishing faculties? There exists no country, in which men are not found in a social state; this is the case even in the most remote and frightful solitudes, from the Arabian deserts to the Po- lar regions. But cannot the social ties of* men be drawn too close? Witness our large and opulent cities, where the population is immense, and where assem- bled multitudes seem to be crowded on each other; where, although the comforts and luxuries of life are to be found in abundance, the horrors of want are ex- treme! Are not these extremes always hostile to the social nature of man; are not these large cities contin- ually the seats of mortal diseases; the abodes of crime and immorality; and are not physical and moral de- pravity, always the consequences of such enormous ac- cumulations of people? When men first united, it was in small bodies; and they passed their days in innocence and simplicity. We should not then be astonished if they were robust, and if they then arrived to a great age. They were exempt from the greater part of the diseases which INTRODUCTION. 11 affect us, because they had none but natural wants, which ^ they could always satisfy without excess. The bever- age of nature quenched their thirst without the aid of spirituous liquors, and the friendly hand of nature gave them sustenance; but, in proportion to the increase of associations, they generated a multitude of fictitious wants, which continually torment us, their offspring, and render us unhappy; whence, instead of those sim- ple foods which always prolonged life, man has the poisons of every chemical and foreign luxury served upon his table: and what are the results? Why—pre- maturely borne down with infirmities, and devoured with remorse, he dies disgusted and exhausted with ex- cesses, reflecting on innocent nature, whom he has out- raged! The greatest number of diseases and infirmi- ties are of our own begetting; because we have in- fringed the healthy laws of nature. Fifteen out of twenty cases of sickness, are produced by ourselves; it is by luxury and scandalous excesses, that we render our existence unhappy, and abridge its length. Man is a creature of habit: urged on by the propen- sities of his nature; he not only abridges the period of his life, but inflicts on himself the displeasure of his Creator. The rising morn, the radiant noon, the shad- owy eve, all tell him as they pass, that his temporal ex- istence is short, his advance to eternity rapid! When we view man in all his bearings and depend- encies, we find, and the profoundest philosophers have done no more, that he is involved in mystery. The greatest philosophers have only discovered that they live; but from whence they came, and whither they are going, are by nature altogether hidden; that im- penetrable gloom surrounds us on every side, and that we can seek in re relation alone, the only source of 12 INTRODUCTION. 4«omfort and explanation. The seasons are a memento of life. Spring, breathing into life the, new-born flow- ers; Summer, with his genial warmth, ripening his luscious fruits; Autumn, with her golden harvest, be- stowing plenty on man: and Winter, with icy mantle, sounding the requiem of the departed seasons. First comes creeping infancy; next merry boyhood and aspi- ring youth; then, resolute and industrious manhood; and last of all, decrepit, cold, and declining age; em- blematic of the winter of existence, the shortness of human life. Behold the changes that have taken place in Ten- nessee, and, in the whole western country, within the lapse of a few short years! Look for the wigwam of the poor Indian, who was once lord of the soil you now possess: it is gone, and his bones mingle with the dust of his habitation. The storm of enterprising civiliza- tion has wreaked its fury on the poor Indian; his land has passed into the hands of the white man; whose splendid mansion now rests on the graves of his an- cestors. His peaceful forests, once the abode of soli- tude and savage life, in which he unmolested traced his game, now resound with the festivities of civiliza- tion, and the business hum of labor. Those innocent and forlorn people, who received our forefathers in the spirit of friendship, instead of being fostered by the genial hand of civilization, have been driven to the feet of the Rocky or Oregon Mountains, and present a sad and solitary spectacle of their former greatness! In a few more years, the race of the poor Indian will be forever extinguished, and his council fires blaze no more: the wilderness has been subdued, and the house of God has been built, where once ascended the smoke of warlike and idolatrous sacrifice; cultivated fields INTRODUCTION. 13 and gardens extend over a thousand valleys in the west, never before since the creation reclaimed to the use of civilized man; in the enjoyment of civil and religious liberty, institutions of learning are hourly springing forth, diffusing the light of knowledge, and establishing the enjoyments and happiness of the west- ern world. A few years since, even within the mem- ory of many of the present inhabitants, this immense region was a perfect wilderness: the darkened intellect of the savage, knew God but in the winds and thun- ders; on every side, the dark foliage of the shadowy forest waved in the silent majesty of nature, and her noble rivers moved on in silence, with no other com- merce than the peltry of the hunter savage. Most of these rivers are now navigated by steamers, affording the quickest facility of transportation, and the most lu- crative commerce; supplying the remote interior of our country with the rich products of every foreign climate; our public roads are covered every year with the advance guard of civilization, and demonstrate what must in a short period be the result, under our wise, equitable and politic constitutions of government. The tree of peace spreads its broad branches from the Atlantic to the Pacific; a thousand villages are reflect- ed from the waves of almost every lake and river; and the west now echoes with the song of the reaper, until the wilderness and "the solitary place has been glad for us, and the desert has rejoiced and blossomed as the rose."—God, in the infinitude of his mercy, has stored our mountains, fields and meadows, with simples for healing our diseases, and for furnishing us with medicines of our own, without the use of foreign ar- ticles; and the discoveries of each succeeding day convince us, that he has graciously furnished man with 14 INTRODUCTION. the means of curing his own diseases, in all the differ- ent countries and climates of which he is an inhabi- tant. There is not a day, a month, a year, which does not exhibit to us the surprising cures made by roots, herbs and simples, found in our kingdom of nature, when all foreign articles have utterly failed; and the day will come, when calomel and mercurial medicines will be used no longer, and when we will be independ- ent of foreign medicines, which are often difficult to be obtained, frequently adulterated, and always command a price which the poor are unable to pay. The yet uncultivated wilds of our country, abound in herbs and plants possessing medicinal virtues, and probably thousands of them, whose virtues and qualities remain unknown. The travels of Lewis and Clarke, led to high expectations in every branch of science; the ob- servations and inquiries of these gentlemen, particular- ly of Lewis, were directed, among other things, to the diseases and medical remedies of our Indians; and they have given a large portion of interesting informa- tion on these points. Much, however, is left to be done by the wisdom of our legislative bodies on these points: for the time is rapidly approaching, when the beautiful temple of medical science, will stand divest- ed of all quackeries and superstitions, and its re- builders be rewarded by the blessings, the gratitude, and the admiration of mankind. Professional pride and native cupidity, contrary to the true spirit of justice-'and Christianity, have, in all ages and countries, from sentiments of self-interest and want of liberality, delighted in concealing the divine art of healing diseases, under complicated names, and difficult or unmeaning technical phrases. Why make a mystery of things which relieve the distresses and INTRODUCTION. 15 sufferings of our fellow-beings? Let it be distinctly understood, when I speak of professional pride and avarice, that I do not intend to cast an imputation on all my profession, for want of that heaven-born princi- ple charity, to our fellow-beings. On the contrary, we are furnished by history, with many prominent ex- amples of this divine form of humanity. Hippocrates dispensed health and joy wherever he went, and often yielded to the solicitations of neighboring princes, and extended the blessings of his skill to foreign nations. The great Boerhaave did a great deal for the poor, and always discovered more solicitude and punctuality in his attendance on them, than on the rich and power- ful:—on being asked his reason for this, he promptly replied—"God is their paymaster." Heberden's liber- ality to the poor was so great, that he was once told by a friend, he would exhaust his fortune: "no," said he, "I am afraid that after all my charities I shall die shamefully rich." Fothergill once heard of the death of a citizen of London, who had left his family in indi- gent circumstances:—the doctor immediately called on the widow, and informed her he had received thirty guineas from her husband, while he was in prosper- ous circumstances, for as many visits; I have heard of his reverse of fortune—take this purse—which contains all I received from him—it will do thy family more good than it will do me." Similar occurrences of the liberality of this great and good man, might be given almost without end: indeed it is said, that he gave away one half of the income of his extensive and profitable business, to the needy and afflicted, amounting, in the course of his life, to more than one hundred thousand pounds. What an immense interest, in celestial honor and happiness, must this sum not produce at the great 16 INTRODUCTION day of accounts—the general judgment! With what unspeakable gratitude and delight, may we not sup- pose the many hundreds—perhaps thousands, Whom he has fed, clothed, and relieved in sickness by his charities, will gaze on their benefactor in that solemn day, while the supreme judge accredits those acts as done to himself, in the presence of an assembled uni- verse! But, these good and great men, have gone where we must all shortly follow—and are now receiving the rich reward of all their virtues, in that kingdom where pain and affliction cease. When we trace the powers of human intellect, and the monuments of human great- ness, and all that genius has instituted and labor ac- complished; when we trace these things through all their grades of advancement and decline—where is the pride of man? Behold in each successive moment, the monuments of the rich, the great, and the power- ful—tumbling into their native dust—and the hand of time mingling the proud man's ashes with those of the menial slave, so that their posterity cannot distinguish them from each other! When the sable curtain of death is drawn, where is the bright intellect of genius —and where are those we have loved and honored? At the threshhold of eternity, reason leaves us and we sink, notwithstanding all our precautions, and the aid of distinguished physicians. Yet such is the course of nature, that those who live long, must outlive those they love and honor. Such, indeed, is the course of nature, and the condition of our present existence, that life must sooner or later lose its associations, and those who remain a little longer, be doomed to walk downward to the grave alone and unregarded, with- out a single interested witness of their joys or griefs! INTRODUCTION. 17 It is evident, that the decays of age must terminate in death;—yet, where is the man who does not believe he may survive another year? Piety towards God, should characterise every one who has any thing to do with the administering of medicine; nor should any individual ever administer medicine, without first imploring the Almighty for suc- cess on his prescriptions—for where is the man, who can anticipate success, without the aid and blessing of heaven? Galen vanquished atheism, for a considera- ble time, by proving the existence of a God, from the wise and curious structure of the human body. Bo- tallus, the illustrious father of blood-letting in Europe. earnestly advises a physician never to leave ^ ilOUse> without prefering a prayer to &~* *- -xa and enlighten him. Cheselden, th- famous English anatomist, al- ways impW°a t'ie a^ anc* blessing of Heaven on his hand, whenever he laid hold of an instrument to per- form a surgical operation. Sydenham, the great lumin- ary and reformer of medicine, was a religious man; and Bcerhaave spent an hour every morning in his closet, in reading and commenting on the scriptures, before he entered on the duties of his profession. Hoffman and Stahl, were not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; and, Waller has left behind him, a most eloquent defence of its doctrines. Doctor Fothergill's long life, resembled an altar from which incense of adoration and praise ascended daily to heaven; and Hartly, whose works will probably only perish with time itself, was a devout christian. To this record of these great medical men, I shall add but one remark —which is, that the authoritative weight of their names - alone, in favor of the truth of revealed religion, is suf- ficient to turn the scale against all the infidelity that 3 18 INTRODUCTION. has ever disgraced the science of medicine since its earliest discoveries. I have seen the flower of life fade, and all its fresh- ness wither; I have seen the bright eye of beauty lose its lustre; and my last and best friends, close their eyes in the cold and tranquil slumbers of death—and have said, "where are the boasted powers of medicine, the pride of skill, the vain boast of science?"—How hu- miliating to the pride of man! Let every physician put this solemn question to himself:—what will avail all the means I can use, without the aid of the Almigh- ty? All efforts, founded on years of experience and study, vanish at the touch of death; and, the hold on life pio&o^d Dy tne physician, is as brittle and slender as that possessea \^j^ Datient:—the next moment may be his, and those remedies st^ften used with SUCCess in the cases of others, will assuredly fair*^ m his own case at last. In some unexpected moment, a wavt i*, the agitated sea of life will baffle all his struggles; and he, in his turn, will be compelled to pay that debt, which nature has claimed from thousands of his pa- tients. When on the couch of death, and whilst pe- rusing the works of Rousseau, the last words of the great Napoleon were, in the language of that author: "it is vain to shrink from what cannot be avoided; why hide that from ourselves, which must at some pe- riod be found; the certainty of death is a truth which man knows—but which he willingly conceals from himself." We shall all shortly finish our allotted time on earth, if even unusually prolonged, leaving behind us all that is now familiar and beloved. Numerous races of men will succeed us, entirely ignorant that we once lived, and who will retain of our existence, not even the vestige of a vague and empty remembrance! GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. OF THE PASSIONS. All the passions of man, seem to have been bestow- ed on him by an all-wise Creator, for wise and benefi- cent purposes; and it is certainly the province of human wisdom, to keep them under due regulation. In a moral point of view, when the passions run counter to reason and religion, nationally and individually they produce the most frightful catastrophes. Among na- tions, if suffered to transcend the bounds of political justice, they always lead to anarchy, war, misrule and oppression; and among individuals, do we not easily trace the same dreadful and disastrous consequences? With monarchial and despotic governments, we fre- quently see the unruly and ungoverned passions of one man, destroying and laying waste, whole empires in a single campaign, and with democratical or republican institutions of government, have we not frequently witnessed the terrific consequences, to moral and poli- tical justice, which arise from the disorganizing and turbulent passions of the sovereign people. Individ- ually and nationally, then, the consequences of misdi- rected and uncontrolled passions are precisely the same, as regards every thing connected with political, legislative, and moral justice. But, as it is not my intention to enter into a disser- tation on the passions, farther than as they relate to man as an individual, and to their influences on the state of his physical system, I will first observe, that it is of the very highest importance to the healthy action of the human system, that the passions should be held -1 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. in due subjection. If you give way to the passions, you destroy the finest of the vital powers: you destroy digestion and assimilation; you weaken the strength and energies of the heart, and of the whole nervous system. The stomach is the workshop of the whole human frame, and all. its derangements are immediate- ly felt in the extremities, and to prove how strongly the connection exists, between the stomach and heart, the latter immediately ceases to beat, when the powers of the former sink and are destroyed. Distress of mind is always a predisposing cause of disease; while on the other hand, a calm and contented disposition, and a proper command over our passions and affections, are certain to produce consequences which operate against all predisposing causes of disease. Any com- plaint arising from great agitation of mind, is more obstinate than any occasioned by violent corporeal agitation. For instance; eating and drinking, and particularly in the case of drinking disease may be combated by rest, sleep and temperance; but neither temperance, rest, nor even sleep itself, as every one knows, can much affect those diseases which have their seat in the passions of the mind. I shall not enter into the subject of the passions at full length. FEAR. Fear is a base passion, an,d beneath the dignity of man. It takes from him reflection, power, resolution and judgment; and in short, all that dignity and great- ness of soul, which properly appertain to humanity. It has great influence in occasioning, aggravating and producing disease. It has been a matter of much GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 23 speculation with me, whether any man is born consti- tutionally a coward;—and my decided opinion is, that cowardice and courage are generally the effects of habit, and moral influence.* I have frequently seen brave men acknowledged to be such on great and important occasions during the late war, who trembled at the mere approach of danger, and acknowledged their want of firmness. The great Duke of Marlboro' was once seen to tremble on the eve of battle; being asked by a soldier the cause of it, the Duke made the following reply—"my body trembles at the danger my soul is about exposing it to?" And does it not appear surprisingly singular, but no less true, that a man shall be one day brave and the next day a coward. That there is a close affinity between the condition of the physical system and the passions there can be little doubt; the same man who under the influence of opium, would brave danger in its most giant form, is seen to shrink like a sensitive plant, when deprived of that influence. There seems to be a reciprocal exer- cis"^y the system being deranged, loses its he»lthy action, and cannot resist and throw off &><> epidemical disease. HOPE. Hope! what a source of human happiness rests in the pleasures of hope. Man cherishes it to his very tomb. Take from him hope, and life itself would be a burthen! How wisely has our Heavenly Father blended in our cup of misery, soft whispers of our fu- ture exemption from its influence. Without hope, how wretched, how miserable our existence: what a pow- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 25 erful effect it has, when laboring under pain and bodi- ly disorder' It raises the spirits: it increases the ac- tion and power of the heart, and nervous system; mod- erates the pulse, causes the breathing to be fuller and freer—and quickens all the secretions. It is therefore proper and advisable, in all disorders, to produce hope in the mind, if you wish to have any chance to effect a cure. Is there a being who lives without this balm of consolation, this hope of heavenly birth, which tells of happier days in bright anticipation! If such are the advantages of hope, as to the things of this field of thorns and briars—this vale of tears—what may we expect from that emotion, when it embraces the cer- tainty of enjoying felicity with God in eternity. When in ordinary health and engaged in the pur- suits of life, hope is attended with many favorable effects of a fortunate event, without possessing the physical disadvantages: the anticipation of happiness does not affect us So excessively as the actual enjoy- ment; yet it has frequently produced more benefit by its influence on health, than fortune realized. JOY. Tins is a beneficent passion; it produces an extra- ordinary effect, and is of infinite benefit to the consti- tution, when indulged in moderation; but, if it should be excessive, or very sudden, it frequently does serious and lasting injury to persons in good health; and to those who are weak, or afflicted with disease, it some- times terminates fatally. The following instance of the melancholy effects of the too sudden influence of joy, will fully exemplify the power of this passion on 26 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. the physical system, even when in health. It may be relied on, as it came very nearly under my own obser- vation. A gentleman in the State of Virginia, who had once been very wealthy, but whose pecuniary cir- cumstances had become much depressed, not to say desperate, as a last hope of redeeming himself and his family from distressing embarrassments, purchased a lottery ticket, for which he gave the last hundred dollars he could command. The purchase was made, under a presentiment, if such it may be called, that a certain number would draw the highest prize. All his property was then under execution. When the day of sale arrived, his father-in-law and himself took a walk into the fields, leaving his family much distressed with their misfortunes. A gentleman on horseback immediately from Richmond, rode up to the house and asked for Mr. B----, and was directed by his wife where he would be found. When the gentleman rode up to Mr. B----, without exercising the least precau- tion, he announced the fact that the ticket had drawn one hundred thousand dollars! The effect was such as might have been expected; Mr. B----, immediately fainted, and was with much difficulty and after many exertions, restored.—In the circumstance I have just related, the great influence of this passion will easily be seen; and I trust it will be as distinctly inferred from it, that excesses of joy are frequently as danger- ous to the constitution of humanity, as those of grief, if not more so. I need scarcely remark here, that to persons laboring under disease, as well as to those in merely delicate health, joyful intelligence ought al- ways to be communicated with much caution. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 27 ANGER. "Next anger rushed—his eyes on fire!"—Of this most dreadful of the human passions, had I sufficient space to allot if, much might be said that would be of high importance. There is no passion incidental to humanity, an indulgence in which leads to so many dreadful, not to say horrid and frightful consequences: "To count them all would want a thousand tongues— A throat of brass, and adamantine lungs." I have before remarked, that all our passions were intended by the God of nature, if kept under the con- trol of reason and humanity, to be beneficial to the happiness of man. This position is demonstrable by reason and sanctioned by the highest authority—the word of God himself, "who never made any thing in vain." It is not the application of our passions to their natural, reasonable, and legitimate objects, that consti- tutes crime, and ends in misery and misfortune. No— it is the abuse of-those passions by unrestrained and intemperate indulgence—and the prostitution of them to ignoble and disgraceful purposes! Was a noble spirit of resentment, for unprovoked and wanton inju- ries, ever intended by the God of nature, to degener- ate into senseless anger and brutal rage? A noble spirit of resentment, upon the strictest moral principles, was intended to punish wanton and unprovoked ag- gression, and by preventing a repetition of the deed, to reform the offender. I am perfectly aware that I here occupy a new. but by no means an untenable ground. Was the passion of love, the refined solacer of civilized life; the harbinger of successful procrea- tive power, the nurse which ushers into life successive millions of the human race, ever intended by the God of nature to degenerate into brutal lust, and to be 28 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. followed by a train of venereal diseases which cank- ers life at its very core "and visits the iniquities of the fathers, upon the children to the third and fourth gen- erations?" Was tne deep seated and natural senti- ment of self preservation, that essential safeguard of man in every stage of his moral existence, ever intended to degenerate into that childish, superstitious, base, and ignoble passion called fear? Was the elevating and ennobling passion of emulation that only seeks to rival superior excellence, so honorable to the pride of man, and so consonant to the native dignity of his soul, ever intended to degenerate into a dastard- ly passion of envy, which seeks to destroy by slander and defamation, the excellence it has not the honest virtue even to attempt to rival? Those who blindly decry the legitimate gratification of the human pas- sions, although they may do so from what to them seems the best of motives, ought to be aware that they do not arraign the wisdom of providence, for implant- ing them into the human bosom; and they ought also, in all cases, to avoid confounding the natural and legitimate uses of the passions, with the abuses of their lofty and powerful energies. The passions, con- fined to their native objects, and as I have said before, kept in due subjection to the restraints of reason and moderation, are essential to the enjoyments, the jireser- vation, and the happiness of man; they only become dangerous and criminal when permitted to produce misrule in the human breast and are placed beyond the arbitrium and control of moral virtue, which is the true science of human wisdom. I remarked in the outset, that there was no passion known to humanity, an unrestrained indulgence in which was so fatal in its consequences to the peace of GUNN'S DOMESTIC 3IEDICINE. 29 society, and the happiness of man, as anger. This deformer of the human countenance and character, is every where to be found; and its ravages seem co- extensive with its existence; in other words, it seems to live through all human life, and to extend through the whole extent of human society. It is even sometimes seen to wrinkle and deform the maiden cheek of youthful beauty with a frown! But do not my fair countrywomen know, that the passions never fail to leave their impress on the countenance, and that habitual anger will render them more disgust- ing than the witch of Endor? They may be assured, and my remarks are not founded on cursory and superficial observation, that the more of native beauty there is to be found in the female countenance, the more easily will it be deformed by the vicious passions, and particularly by that demon Anger. The female countenance is more expressive of the finer, softer, and ) more amiable passions than that of man; in other words, the female face seems to be formed from finer materials, and to have been cast in a finer mould, and it is from these causes, that the female face is more expressive of the moral feelings, and sooner betrays indications of a depraved and vicious temper. The stern countenance of man, can assume and maintain a fixture of expression, under any circumstances; and it is the consciousness of this power, that frequently tempts him to play the hypocrite and deluder:—for were he conscious that his face would always betray the emotions of his soul, he would never even attempt to deceive! To the practiced eye of philosophical research and rigid scrutiny, no expression of the human countenance ever passes unobserved. To such an eve all the wiles of the human heart stand unre- 30 GUNN'S DOMESTIC .MEDICINE. vealed; nor can any subterfuge of counterfeit expres- sion, conceal the reality from its observation. The Scripture itself sanctions this doctrine, "A man shall be known by his look—and a proud man by his gait." If my fair countrywomen would reflect well on the doctrine I have just laid down, they would always cul- tivate the softer and more benevolent feelings of the heart; and always endeavor to be in reality, what they would wish to appear; for they may receive it as a valuable truth, not to be controverted by any of the artifices of self-deception, that they were never formed by the God of nature for deception and hypoc- risy: and that the purity and elevation of their moral feelings, or the corruptions and depravity of their real characters, are as easily distinguished from each other, as is the surface of the ocean in a settled calm, from that same ocean, when lashed into mountain billows by the winds of heaven. Do we not see the ravages of this moral curse called anger, in every department of society? We see it beneath the domestic roof, embittering the enjoyments of the rich and poor; laying waste the harmonious sanctity of connubial life, and often entailing misery and misfortune on a helpless and unoffending offspring. But this is not all. We see it manifesting itself in its most horrid forms, in our halls of legislation; in our seats of legal justice; and even in our elections, in which every man ought to be permitted to act with perfect freedom, and without the least accountability to another. In all our electioneering conflicts, at least of late years, we can see the old and disgraceful max- im revived and fully acted on:—"those who are not for us are against us:"—as if a man could not exer- cise a right of selection, and prefer one man to another. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 31 without forfeiting the friendship, and incurring the enmity of all the opposite parties. If we would reflect correctly on this subject, we would soon discover, that personal friendship and personal enmity, ought to have nothing to do with the matter; we would soon distin- guish that a real statesman, or an enlightened legislator, ought to be the mere tool, for factional purposes, of no party whatever. The noble and devoted patriotism, which gave birth to our truly great political institutions, emphatically forbids, that the American people should ever sacrifice to the narrow views of party spirit, what was destined by the God of nature, for the benefit of the human race! This government presents to Eu- rope, a spectacle of no ordinary character; in which their statesmen read the future destinies of man, and the political fate of nations. We are the only people of any age or country, who have organized a truly representative government, whose experiments in legislation—diplomacy—and arms, are -to settle the important question yet undecided, whether the mass of mankind can bear the wide tolerations of political freedom; and whether man, under any circumstances, is capable of assuming and exercising the high prerog- ative of self government! For what a stake, then, against all the monarchies and despotisms of Europe and Asia, are the people and this government con- tending;—a stake, as I before remarked, in which the whole human race are interested! Before this view of the subject, my reader, how do our party squabbles and brawls at elections, dwindle down to nothing; to less than nothing! God forbid! that I should ever seem to turn censor of the age; or assume a dictato- rial tone, even in the cause of truth and moderation. 1 have been led into a slight notice of the preceding 32 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. ' subjects, by their strong connexion with the moral con- dition of man, and his too frequent subjection to the ravages of a most devastating, and I had almost said, a most damnable passion, which it seems is scarcely controllable, by all the energies of reason and moral sentiment combined. Anger was never yet an evi- dence of justice, a proof of virtue, or a demonstration of superior intellect; a mind of elevated endowments, will always endeavor to correct its sanguinary impulses and to expel its influence. The man of cool reflection, sees in its unrestrained dominion, a thousand evils which escape common observation. He sees that it frequently fills our prisons with delinquents; that it is sometimes the cause of endless remorse; and that it often loads the gallows with a melancholy victim! To speak of other than moral and religious remedies, for this dread- ful malady, would be idle and nugatory. I might tell you as a physician, to deluge your heads with water as cold as the snows of Zembla; I might tell you to open every vein in your bodies to calm the raging and un- governable impulses of anger; I might tell you that an emetic would curb the tumultuous fever of rage, and restore you to yourselves: all these remedies would produce but a temporary cure; they would be but clipping the twigs from the bohon upas, and leaving the root untouched! The only sovereign powers or remedies, if you please, which can be efficient in cor- recting the evils of anger, must be sought for in early education, and in moral and religious principles, instilled into the mind at an early period of life. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 33 JEALOUSY. This is a passion, the causes of which have seldom been investigated, although the effects of it are every- where to be found. The causes of it have generally something to do with love; but not always. The cox- comb and coquette, both of whom are incapable of genuine love, may be powerfully affected by jealousy; yet in both these cases, the lady and gentleman have only experienced a slight mortification of their vanity, and love of general admiration. The wound here is not deep, and is generally healed by the consola- tory admiration of some other jilt or jackpudding, as the case may be. I am not going to speak of the jeal- ousy of the warrior, which is sanguinary and daring; of that of the diplomatist, which is politic, cunning and circumventive; or of that of the statesman, which, is embittered by spectres and phantoms of future glory! Nor will I trouble myself with noticing the jealousy of the poet, which is harmless, though vindictive; of the historian, which is longwinded and untiring in the pur- suit of fame; or of the philosopher and man of gen- eral science, which is learnedly dull and heavily inves- tigative, in the pursuit of truths which eternally elude human researches! I shall confine myself to the sin- gle subject, of that jealousy which sometimes subsists between husband and wife, and which generally ren- ders both the objects of public curiosity, compassion, or contempt. Marriages are contracted upon various principles; such as the love of person, the love of fame, the love of money, &c. So soon as the rites and ceremonies of marriage are duly solemnised, and rendered matter of legal record, the parties individually acquire certain rights and privileges, of which it is a breach of the 5 34 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. municipal law to deprive them, as well as a violation of the law of God. If the love of money induced the lady to marry the gentleman, or the gentleman the lady, any deviation of conduct, however indecent and immoral on the one part, ought never to be complained of on the other, provided the true intent and meaning of the compact be complied with, in relation to the cash itself! The same doctrines apply, in the case of a marriage contracted on any other principles. If the fame of either of the parties, induces the other to enter into the marriage bonds, and there be no other stipulation expressed or implied, infidelity to the nup- tial bed, profligacy of conduct, and even the most indecent deviations from moral rectitude, ought never to make a breach between the parties; the tenor and spirit of the compact being complied with, there is nothing more to be said. Nor would there be in nine cases out of ten, if married persons who are induced to captiousness and disagreement, would only be par- ticular in calling to mind, the real motives which operated in inducing them to marry. If the mere love of person, without any considerations relating to temper, moral excellence, and intellectual elevation of character, were the leading principle which induced the parties to bear the yoke of life together, surely neither of them have a right to complain of the want of excellencies, which were overlooked, disregarded and absolutely undervalued in the stipulations of the compact. I think this reasoning is fair; and absolute- ly too logical to be refuted; and, as I intend this book as a, family museum of useful instruction and advice, I trust that what I have so far said on the subject of jealousy, and other causes of domestic discontent, will have its due weight. What right have parties who GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 35 have been improperly matched, or rather those who have improperly matched themselves, to disturb the peace of whole neighborhoods and communities, with their winnings, scoldings, and recriminations of each other? Will these proceedings benefit the parties themselves? Will these bickerings and brawls, di- vorce them from each other? Will their domestic disagreements, and their "fisticuff combats" if they should happen to be so far advanced in the "sweets of connubial love," reflect any respectability or honor, on their innocent and unoffending offspring? Will their neighbors endeavor to compose their strifes, and hush them into peace with a soothing lullaby? No: they will in ten cases out of eleven, be gratified at finding out, that there are others more miserable than them- selves ; and do every thing they possibly can, to inflame the contest, by taking sides. Some will take the part of the husband; these are generally the gentlemen of the little body politic; some will take the part of the wife; these are generally the lady-peacemakers of the neighborhood; and, before six months pass round, the whole country will be roused to a war of words—and resemble "a puddle in a storm," SfC S?c. But, to conclude the subject of this species of jeal- ousy, with as much seriousness as it seems to deserve; it may be remarked that the passion is generally found- ed on the tales and hints of servants, the surmises of tale-bearing gossips, and the malignant inuendoes of those who delight in the diffusion of slander and defa- mation. There is a class of people in all societies, who are seriously afflicted with a disease called by physicians "cacoetlies loquendi." It is a disease that is generated between ignorance, petty malignity, and restlessness of tongue, which forbids the repose of 36 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. society: in English, it is the "disease of talking." These people have considerable powers of invention; but, from their ignorance of the common topics of enlightened and manly conversation, they seem to be absolutely compelled to lie their way into notice! The education of these people, commences at an early period of life. When very young, just perhaps able to go on an errand to a neighboring house, they are im- mediately asked on their return home, as to every thing they saw or heard there; their answers are such as might be expected, a mixture of truths and lies. Finding at length that their parents are interested in such tales—they commence with telling fibs—and end, confirmed and malignant liars! Parents, this is espe- cially addressed to you; it is worthy of your most serious consideration. But, there is a species of jealousy, of a most ma- lignant and terrible character, such as that delineated by Shakspeare in his Moor of Venice, which some- times takes possession of the human bosom, and shakes the throne of reason to its very centre. This passion, or rather this insanity, seems to me to be founded on almost speechless and unbounded love ; a love border- ing on absolute veneration and idolatry. This is an abstruse and intricate subject, and I freely confess that I approach it with unfeigned diffidence. There certainly does exist, in the very nature of man certain strong sympathies and antipathies, for which he is absolutely unable to account on reasoning princi- ples; and which, therefore, must be referred to the native inspirations of human instinct. These sym- pathies and antipathies are every where to be found; nor do I believe there exists on earth, one single indi- vidual, male or female, arrived at mature age, who has GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 37 not strongly felt the influences of these instinctive, I will not say unerring principles. They are discover- able in our choices of dogs, of horses, of farms; in fact, they are discoverable in all cases, where the biases of self interest and ambition have no voice; and where nature herself rules the empire of election. Doctor Fell once asked Dean Swift, what was the reason, after all the advances he had made to concili- ate his friendship, that he could not gain him over; and received the following reply, which speaks a volume on the subject. "I do not like you Doctor Fell, The reason why I cannot tell, I do not like you Doctor Fell." These attractive and repulsive principles have been felt by every individual; and the probability is that their influence is stronger or weaker, in proportion to the warmth or coolness of the human temperament; for I hold it to be impossible, that so sensitive a being as man, can ever behold an object possessed of any strength of character, and feel perfectly indifferent respecting it. If these sentiments of attraction or dis- gust, existed only in cases where the character of the object portended benefit or injury to the beholder, the matter might easily be explained, upon the rational principle of self interest on the one hand, or of self preservation on the other. Such however is not the feet; every man knows from his own experience, that the first view of an object is pleasing or displeasing, attractive or repulsive; and in fact, an object of attach- ment or disgust in some degree, without the least relation to the sentiments of self interest or self pre- servation. How much stronger, then, must be our feelings of attachment or disgust for an object, when we know or believe that the character of that object is 38 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. to determine, under certain circumstances, the happi- ness or misery of our whole lives! Parents and guardians of the destinies of youth, if you can for one moment suspend the delusions which fascinate you respecting wealth and aggrandizement, I wish you to remember;—that the closer in contact you bring those who have no natural affinity for each other, the greater and more distant will be the rebound! Have you never experienced an emotion of loathing and disgust, by being merely in the presence of an object, whose native and unalterable character was repugnant to yours? In other words, have you never experien- ced a moral nausea of all the sensibilities of your nature, by being compelled to an association with a being whose feelings, whose sensibilities, whose very modes of thinking, spoke a language abhorrent to your souls! If you have, you can form some idea of the irresistible repulsions, which sometimes influence the conduct of persons in the married state; freeze the few and cold affections which habits of enforced asso- ciation may have produced; and which seldom fail, sooner or later—either to make them unfaithful to each other, or to separate them forever.—This is not a threadbare dream of the imagination, a mere chimera of the fancy; the affections of mankind are absolutely beyond their control. How often have you seen instan- ces in which the purest and strongest sentiments of parental duty, and all the efforts of reason herself, have been unable to overcome a repugnance to the marriage bond. Was this apparent contumaciousness the off- spring of wilful disobedience, and a fixed design to thwart your intentions of bestowing connubial happi- ness on your child? no—it was the struggle of nature herself in deep distress; it was the last effort she could GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 39 make, to prevent the violation of one of the most sacred of her laws! Seeing then, as I think has been clearly demonstra- ted, that human affections are not under our control, at least so far as to be influenced by sentiments of duty, or admonitions of reason, are we not to presume, from the great variety of motives which influence many to enter the marriage bond, that thousands are badly paired and worse matched? I think so; and those who doubt the fact, for their own satisfactory convic- tion of error, will do well to investigate the real causes, of so much domestic discontent as is every where to be found; of so many quarrels and connubial bickerings; and finally, of so many divorces. I assert it to be the fact, and it will be supported by the experience of thou- sands, that wedlock is a perfect hell, and the worst one we know of on earth, even when surrounded by all the splendors of wealth and trappings of power, if it is not hallowed by human affections—and I assert further, and am in no way apprehensive of experimental con- tradiction, that where wedlock is consecrated by fixed and virtuous love, it is and must be a source of high enjoyment, even surrounded by the hardships, priva- tions and daily sufferings of labor and drudgery. I have often been surprised, on going into some of our cabins on the frontiers; there was the meat hanging in the chimney; the bread-tray on the only table; the straw bed on a rude frame; the blankets and counter- panes about the floor, from which perhaps a dozen or less of healthy, ruddy children had just risen; there was the corn in the crib, the cow standing with her head in at the door, and the meal bag under the bed.- Great God, I have said to myself, is it possible that wedded love can exist in such a place as this! But I 40 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE- was soon undeceived; the whole enigma was solved satisfactorily: it had been a marriage of pure and vir- tuous love untrammeled by the calculations of avarice, the meanness of false pride, and the groveling aspira- tions of petty ambition. On the other hand, I have frequented the mansions of the great, the wealthy and the powerful; where, sur- rounded by luxury and wealth, and reclined at ease on a gilded sopha, love might have held a court superior in splendor and magnificence to that said to have been held in the fabled mansions of Jove! What did I see? I saw discontent, suspicion and prying distrust, lower- ing in every eye. I saw that the hearts of the inhabi- tants of these splendid mansions were estranged from each other. I saw the servants in varied liveries, gli- ding in solemn silence from room to room; nor did one sound of cheerfulness or festivity, break the dull monotony of this splendid solitude; this gilded, carpet- ed, and festooned hell of wedded misery! I saw the owners of all this wealth and waste of luxury, take their solitary meal; for nature had denied them off- spring, in revenge for a violation of her laws. They approached the festive board, which was loaded with luxuries of every climate, with eyes averted from each other. No social converse; no interchange of thought or sentiment, enlivened the cold and hollow splendor of the scene. The servants in attendance helped them; even the common forms of superficial politeness were unobserved; nor did they recognize the presence of each other, unless in stolen and hateful glances. They seemed to sit on thorns; and no sooner was their mis- erable repast ended, than the one betook himself to the gaming table, and probably the other to her paramour. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 41 These two delineations of life, are not mere visions of the fancy; they are to be met with in every country. They prove conclusively, that marriages contracted from improper motives, are always followed by conse- quences destructive to human happiness and the best interests of mankind. All the conflicts, discontents and jealousies of the married state, may be traced to improper motives for marriage or improper conduct after it. Perhaps there is one exception; which I shall name. The husband sometimes becomes jealous of the wife, and the wife of the husband, where there is no infidelity on either side; from a mere conscious- ness of being unworthy of an attachment. Cases of this character frequently occur; and it may generally, if not in every instance, be laid down as a fixed and settled principle in human nature, that where there is no positive demonstration of connubial delinquency, the party disposed to suspicion and jealousy, derives these surmises of deviation, from the simple fact of a consciousness of being too depraved to be an object of love! I am aware that this is a severe and degra- ding sentence, against those who entertain causeless suspicions; but the opinion is not less true than severe. The following is the routine of reasoning, usually ob- served by a man about becoming jealous of his wife. "This woman arrests much of the publiG attention. She is every where well spoken of. In all public assemblies, where I am considered a mere shadow, she commands the most unbounded respect, and I view every compliment paid to Iter beauty and accom- plishments, as an indirect satire on myself. I am un- doubtedly her inferior in every thing; and particularly in sensibility and intelligence. ] am conscious of my own meanness and depravity; she possesses too much 6 42 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. perspicacity and penetration, not to have discovered my real character—and cannot love me,—I saw her bowed to in the street; she returned the compliment with a smile. Yesterday, from my neglect and inat- tention, a gentleman of fine appearance and command- ing manners and address, handed her to her carriage; she thanked him for his polite attentions—by h----n she never did love me! At Mrs. Fidgett's ball the other night, she attracted general attention; her chair was continually surrounded by gentlemen of figure, compared with whom I felt myself a mere cipher; a gentleman bowed politely to her in passing,—angels and ministers defend me! It was the gentleman who handed her into her carriage—and I am no more thought of—I am a lost man forever." Man of fanci- ed miseries and imaginary cuckoldom, behold your portrait! This is the light in which the world beholds you. Having now in some measure accounted for the passion of jealousy, which is unfortunately too preva- lent in this country, I will conclude the subject by some general remarks. The marriage compact is entered into for two pur- poses. 1st. The happiness of the parties themselves; 2d. The rearing and educating properly, the off- spring of the marriage contract. The principles of a genuine attachment, such as ought always to be found in wedded life, can never exist in any degree of per- fection, unless there is a natural affinity between the parties—in temper, disposition, passions, taste, habits and pursuits of mind. When this congeniality is abso- lutely and entirely wanting, the parties will gradually and almost imperceptibly become estranged from each other, and finally experience the influence of indiffer- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 43 ence, and more probably of settled and confirmed hatred. In this event, if our laws would sanction the practice, and if there were no offspring to provide for, it would be much more consonant with justice and expediency, that the parties could separate and else- where form new and more agreeable engagements. It certainly is worse than useless, to compel persons to associate together, and that too in the most close and intimate manner, when they are mutually actuated in relation to each other, by sentiments of hatred and contempt. According to the present state of things, in relation to divorcement, the person wishing a release- ment from the marriage bond, must first become pub- licly and notoriously infamous; or resort, as has been proved by the several late executions of malefac- tors, to the dreadful alternative of murder. What a terrible lesson do these late executions hold out to society, on the subject of marriage, and the absolute necessity of its being based on genuine love. Many persons marry who only fancy themselves in love! A little Master or Miss, who would have been well employed in reading the fables in the spelling- book, gets hold of the "Sorrows of Werter," or Rousseau's "Eloisa"—or Petrarch's "Laura," or some other work of the same character, in which unfortu- nate love is delineated in the colors of the rainbow, and leads its unfortunate and most melancholy victims to whoredom and suicide! With a head full of such trash, and a heart as tender and susceptible, as a beef- steak that has been well beaten for the gridiron, noth- ing will do the little gentleman or lady but the very fact of falling in love; and that too, with the very first object which presents itself. Papa and mamma are cruel; they will not assent to the match and the event 44 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. is probably an elopement. Then comes the appalling discovery that the lady is not quite a goddess, nor the gentleman entirely a demigod; then comes the discove- ry, that they are badly paired, and infinitely worse matched; the gentleman becomes tired of the lady, and the lady of the gentleman; and finally, their papas and mammas have to take them home and support them. I have known many instances of this kind, which clearly prove, in addition to what I have noted above, that marriages ought to be predicated on natural con- geniality of character, and as far as possible, sanctioned by the exercise of reason and reflective power. I have mentioned the rearing and education of off- spring, as duties annexed to the married state. How can such elevated and responsible duties be performed by persons who are disqualified even from regulating their own conduct, so as to set a correct moral exam- ple? I am very willing to admit, that teachers of much ability are every where to be found; but no influence can possibly act on the infant and youthful mind in the formation of future character, with half the force, depth and durability of impression, as that derived from the precepts and example of parents: and I presume it will be admitted, that those who are destitute of the capaci- ty to make a judicious selection of partners for life, are scarcely capable of forming the infant mind. The wives of the Greeks and Romans and their domestic regulations, were truly the nurses and the nurseries of those two great races of statesmen and heroes. The best biographers of Washington, whose moral, political and military life, presents the noblest portrait of man to be found on the records of time, ascribe much of the purity, elevation and patriotism of his character, to the sound judgment and intellectual energy of his moth- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 45 er. The influence which the manners, example and precepts of a mother, exercise over the intellectual dawnings of the youthful mind and passions, can scarcely be appreciated by men of the most acute and profound observation; a proof of which, in addition to the millions of others which might be adduced, may be inferred from the remarks made by the illustrious and greatly unfortunate captive of St. Helena, on the moral and intellectual qualifications of his mother. The truth is, and I mention it with no ordinary sen- timents of regret, that the education of females in the United States, is not only viewed in too unimportant and contemptible a light, but that it is absolutely dis- graceful to the spirit of our institutions and the REAL GENIUS OF THE PEOPLE. LOVE. Tins is one of the master passions of the human soul, and when experienced in the plenitude of its power, its devotions embrace with despotic energy and uncontrolled dominion, all the complicated and power- ful faculties of man. It was implanted in the human bosom, for the noblest and most beneficent of purposes, and when restricted to its legitimate objects, and re- strained within due bounds by moral sentiment, may be called the great fountain of human happiness. No passion incidental to humanity embraces so vast a space, and such an infinite multiplicity of objects;—it com- mences in the cradle with tender emotions of filial attachment and veneration for our parents; it animates and accompanies us through all the chequered vicissi- tudes of life, attaching itself to every object which can 46 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. afford us enjoyment and happiness, and finally, in ac- companying us to the last resort of the living, it con- centrates all its pure and sublime energies at the great fountain of existence, the throne of the living god. Like all other elementary principles of human na- ture, its essence baffles the keenest researches of philo- sophy and science; and its existence can only be recognized by a consciousness of its presence, and the effects which are manifested in every department of life, by multiplied exhibitions of its energies. It attach- es the infant to its parent, and the domicil of its earli- est days of helplessness and dependence: it attaches the youth to the objects of his playful years, to the companions of his innocent and festive mirth, and to the first objects of his youthful fancy. Without its animating influence, as concentrated on objects of true glory, the hero would degenerate into a poltroon, the statesman into a political driveler, and the patriot into a mere citizen of the world, without friends-—without home—and without those endearing and sacred ties, which bind us to our native land! The beneficent and heavenly aspirations of love, are every where to be found; they bind the solitary and warlike savage to his native forests; the Moor, the Arab and the Negro, to the burning plains of the torrid zone; the Russian, the Swede, the Norwegian and Laplander, to the snows and glaciers of the polar regions, and the courtly and civilized European and American, to the refinements and comforts of the more temperate regions of the globe. Without local, relative or personal attachments, man would be eternally discontented with his condi- tion; he would become, like Cain, a fugitive and a vagabond upon the face of the globe; in fact, the deep foundations of domestic and national society would GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 47 soon be broken up, and scattered to the winds of heav- en, were it not for the strong attachments of man for the objects among which he is placed. If you require proofs of the truth of this universal doctrine of love, ask the parent what price would induce him to part with his children; ask the husband of a woman of elevated and noble character, what sum in gold or jewels he would consider equivalent to her value; ask the savage what would induce him to abandon the dangers of the chase, and the deep and silent solitudes of nature, and to reside in your crowded cities, amidst the hum of business and the confusion of assembled multitudes. Ask the Samoiede, and Laplander, what would induce them to exchange the fogs and snows of the north, for the mild and balmy temperature of coun- tries presenting eternal spring and unfading verdure? They will tell you that they love their parents, their children, their friends, their country. Man, unlike the inferior animals of creation, is indeed the citizen of every climate; and, his capacities of forming local and relative attachments, are as varied and extensive as the powers by which he overcomes difficulties, and forces nature to yield him the comforts, conveniences and positive enjoyments of existence. Philanthropy, or love of our species, is founded on favorable perceptions of the purity, the beneficence, the elevation and the true dignity of the human character; nor did ever an individual, of any age or country, be- come a confirmed misanthrope, but from contrary per- ceptions of human nature. A man who is naturally a hater of his species, without having had his character soured by the deceptions, frauds and oppressions of mankind, is by nature cowardly, timid and selfish. Nothing great, patriotic, or disinterested, can be expect- 48 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. ed from such a man; he is cruel, vindictive, avaricious^ fraudulent and roguish in the extreme; he only seems to have been placed among mankind as a sort of stand- ard of meanness and demerit, by which we are ena- bled to measure and duly appreciate the elevation of character and dignified virtues of other men. There are various degrees of misanthropy, in a descending scale from that which characterized the mind and feel- ings of "Timon of Athens," downward to the mean, sordid, and exclusive self-love, which manifests itself in taking all possible advantages of mankind, for the hoard- ing and accumulation of ill-gotten wealth. These pigmy misanthropes, or haters of mankind on a petty scale, are every where to be found. They are the scoundrels who, in all societies, cheat and swindle upon every occasion; they are the men who will sacrifice, or in other words, purchase at half its value, on an execu- tion sale, the little property of the needy, and who would not scruple to rob the widow and the orphan of the little that sickness and misfortune had spared them. You will see these swindling vagabonds, adding hypocrisy to their petty villainies, by making an absolute mockery of religion itself, at the communion table. That insa- tiable avarice is a disease of the mind, there can be no doubt, and that this disease requires a moral treatment of cure, there can be as little question. If these men would reflect on the brevity of human life; if they would consider that their ill-acquired wealth must soon pass from their possession, and that death will unload them at the gates of eternity, surely they would soon discover the folly, impolicy, and heinous immorality of such a course. The passion of love, properly so called, or that strong and indissoluble attachment which frequently GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 4tf exists between the two sexes, is one of the noblest and most powerful emotions that ever animated the human bosom. As I remarked before, under the head of jealousy, this pure and elevated attachment, is the great solacer of human life; the harbinger of successful pro- creative power; the precursor and nurturer of success- ive millions of the human race; the great moral parent of all the numerous races of men to be found in every climate of the globe. It is the native of every country that has been invaded by the enterprise of man, and is found to bloom and flourish in perfection wher- ever man has fixed his habitation. It finds a congenial soil in the booth of the hunter, the hut of the savage, the tent of the wandering Arab, the leafy bower of the African of the Gambia, as well as in the haunts of civilization and the palaces of kings. As I have remarked under another head, there exists in the human bosom, certain instinctive sympathies and antipathies, which we are unable to control, either by the force of moral sentiment or the efforts of reason; and which are absolutely inexplicable by all the boast- ed powers of human genius. The existence of these instinctive principles, are only known by our own con- sciousness, and the powerful and decisive effects they are known to produce. No two human beings, espe- cially of different sexes, and more especially if their affections were unengaged by previous prepossessions, were ever yet in the presence of each other for any length of time, without experiencing the force, in a greater or less degree, of the sympathy or antipathy before noticed. When the attraction is mutually strong, the parties soon become conscious of a congeniality of temper, disposition, tastes and sensibilities; this sympa- thetic attraction has by some writers on the subject, 50 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. been denominated "love at first sight." When on the other hand, the physical, moral and intellectual char- acters of the parties, are essentially and radically differ- ent from each other; in other words, and in more fash- ionable phraseology, when the natural characters of the parties are the antipodes, or direct opposites of each other, the repulsive powers of natural antipathy are so strongly experienced, as to produce involuntary hatred, if not fixed and unalterable sentiments of con- tempt and detestation. I am thus particular in giving my opinions on these subjects, not only because I know that their correctness will be sanctioned by the actual experience of thousands, but because I trust they will be of service to many, in disclosing the extreme danger to human happiness, which invariably arises from uni- ting those to each other, by merely artificial and factitious ties, whom God and nature have put asunder. By opposition of native character, I mean a plain and palpable dissimilitude of temperaments, taste and intel- lectual and moral pursuits. Can physical and moral beauty, be in love with physical deformity, and moral depravity of character? Can wisdom and intelligence be in love with folly and stupidity? Innocence and spotless purity, with guilt and corruption? Virtue with vice? No! "Fice is a monster, of such frightful mein, That to be hated, needs but to be seen." I am willing to admit and believe it to be strictly true, that persons who are characterized by vice, cor- ruption, guilt, stupidity, folly, moral depravity, or per- sonal deformity, may form strong attachments to persons of diametrically opposite characters:—this would be but admitting what every person knows; that vice and imperfection, under all their various forms and char- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 51 actors, if endowed with the common faculties of percep- tion, must and always will pay involuntary tributes of respect, veneration, and such lore as they are capable of experiencing, to virtue and moral purity wherever found. The love of the depraved and immoral portion of mankind, is precisely such as may always be expect- ed from such characters; it is selfish, base and ignoble; utterly devoid of tenderness and consideration for the object beloved, it is precisely such love as the wolf bears for the lamb; or the fox for the hen-roost! It has always been matter of much astonishment to me, that females of refined sensibility, lofty sentiments of moral virtue, and high orders of intellectual power, should expect a reciprocation of pure and virtuous love, from the scum and dregs of society, the off-scourings of brothels, and the hoary and depraved veterans of the gaming table! They might as well, I think, and with much better hopes of success, attempt to extract candor from confirmed hypocrites, honor from thieves, and humanity from highway robbers. There is no way of solving this enigma, that I know of, but by supposing that women of virtue and honor are incapable of dis- tinguishing the particular claims which these gentle- men have to their detestation and contempt; or by presuming that they always, by the aid of their imagina- tions, invest the characters of such men with factitious virtues, which have no existence; for I cannot suppose they can truly love them, and yet be fully acquainted with their intrinsic characters. The strength and qual- ity of an attachment, must certainly depend, in a great measure, on the physical and moral qualities of the object beloved, and on the capacities of a lover to per- ceive and appreciate those qualifies. I am perfectly convinced, and that too from experience, that a woman 52 GUNN»S DOMESTIC J MEDICINE. of moral purity of character, never excites the same impure sentiments and base passions, that arc produced or excited by a female of a contrary character, and whose countenance and deportment betray indications of immoral habits and loose desires. There is some- thing of immaculate purity; something of the very divinity of virtue, in the countenance and deportment of a woman of chaste desires, elevated moral senti- ments, and cultivated intellectual powers, that represses the low-born suggestions of lust and depravity, and awes all the vicious passions into cowardly submission to the dignity of female perfection. No man, however vicious and depraved in his habits and pursuits, ever yet had the impudence and audacity to contemplate the deliberate seduction of an accomplished and beautiful woman, unless he were under the influence of a species of libidinous insanity; had formed a contemptible opinion of the female character, or had discovered some vulnerable part in her armour of chastity and virtue. Few women, and I mention the fact with much regret, are proof against the thrilling suggestions of vanity, the allurements of flattery, and the fascina- tions attendant on a passion for general admiration; they ought early to be taught by their parents and preceptors that true pride, which is in reality dignity of character, is always hostile to the foolish and dan- gerous suggestions of vanity; that flattery, called by an old and quaint writer, "the oil of fool," is a direct and positive insult; and that a female passion for uni- versal admiration, especially in the married state, is hostile to domestic peace and absolutely at war with connubial enjoyment and happiness. That flattery is an insult, is evident from the fact GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 53 that no flatterer ever yet ventured upon the practice of his art, without first concluding that the object of his addresses was a fool; the truth is, that flattery is always addressed to our personal vanity, which in plain language means, a strong propensity to an over- estimate of our own merits and perfections. Manly and dignified pride, has always been found a specific against the frivolous passion of vanity, and hence it has been frequently said, that a man or woman may be too proud to be vain; the fact is that vanity is the false and empty pride of fools! Napoleon intended much when he expressed himself thus to some of his friends, "I had hoped and expected that the French were a proud nation, but I have found by experience that they are only vain." The passion for universal admi- ration is the distinguishing and strong characteristic of a coquette; it is the offspring of personal vanity, begot- ten upon coldness of temperament, ignorance and folly. A coquette, in the female world, is what a cox- comb is among men, a being void of sentiment, sensi- bility and intelligence, and utterly incapable of genuine love. The marriages of both coquettes and coxcombs, in conformity with the coldness and shallowness of their characters, are always predicated on other principles than those of attachment to the object. They are absolutely incapable of feeling the soft refinements, the elevated sentiments, or the deep-toned energies of real love; those people are never in danger of suffering the tortures of a broken heart, nor can they experience either much happiness or any considerable degree of misery in the married state. The love of general admiration is their master passion; and whenever this is the case, it is impossible that a concentration of 54 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. affections can take place, and be exclusively directed to a single object; fire can never be produced from the separated and scattered sun-beams, they must be concentrated by a convex glass, called a lens, before they can be rendered sufficiently intense to produce warmth, heat and combustion. The love of general admiration, was wisely implanted in the human bosom, and for the best of purposes; but wherever it gains the full possession of the female breast, it freezes all the domestic and conjugal affections, and sometimes leads to jealousy and discontent, with all their dreadful train of consequences—in other words, and I wish the sen- timent to make a well-merited and indelible impression, the married man who can prefer the admiration of other women to that of the wife of his bosom, is a traitor to all the hallowed solemnities of the marriage compact, and a cold and calculating violator of the laws of God! Nor, on the other hand, is the married woman less a traitress to connubial love, to the honor and happiness of her husband and family, and to the best interests of society and domestic enjoyment, who can prefer the shallow and superficial admiration of fools and coxcombs, to the deep and devoted attach- ments of a husband, who would not scruple to make a sacrifice of life itself to insure her happiness. "Woman alone was formed to bless The life of man, and share his care; To soothe his breast, when keen distress Hath lodged a poison'd arrow there." I have mentioned, that persons of diametrically op- posite physical, moral and intellectual characters, could never assimilate with, and become strongly attached to each other, notwithstanding the powerful attractions of the sexual instinct. By opposite natural and ac- quired characters, I do not mean mere contrasts of GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 55 mental and corporeal disposition and characteristics. 1 cannot otherwise disclose my precise meaning, re- specting things which are direct opposites, and those which are only contrasts of each other, than by citing the example of colors. Black and white, for instance, are the opposites of each other, and when placed in juxtaposition always pain the eye; but, either of those colors, when compared with any other of the primitive colors or even shades, are only considered contrasts. St. Pierre, in his studies of nature, has been explicit on this ingenious and novel subject, which is certainly worthy of much consideration. There seems to exist, between persons of opposite physical characters, a decided indifference as regards sexual communication; or if not a decided and entire indifference, there cer- tainly does not obtain between them, that arduous and passionate sexual propensity, which is found between persons who are the contrasts of each other. I have remarked in innumerable instances, the strong attach- ments which existed between persons of contrasted complexions, contrasted colors of the eyes and hair, and especially of strongly contrasted stature and di- mensions ; and I have no doubt, that the reader of this new, if not very interesting part of my reflections, will recollect very many instances, of the existence of mar- riages voluntarily entered into from the strongest of possible attachments, between persons who in point of stature and size, were perfect contrasts of each other* Ask a tall, robust and athletic man, what sort of a wife he would choose; and you will very soon ascer- tain that his choice would fall on a female, the con- trasted reverse of himself. In fact, you will always find on inquiry, that a lean man prefers a woman of size and rather large proportions—a short man, a &6 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. woman of lofty stature, and so on to the end of the chapter of contrasts in personal character. The gigantic and brawny Roman warrior, Mark Anthony, fell in love with the sylph-like and fairy form of Cleo- patra the celebrated queen of Egypt, who was remark- able for being of very diminutive proportions, though very beautiful; in fact, thousands of such instances might be cited from both ancient and modern history. The contrast of physical proportions and character, united in the marriage bond, seems to have been inten- ded by providence, to equalize the breed of mankind, and to prevent them on the one hand from running up into a race of giants, and on the other from degenera- ting into a strain of diminutive and contemptible pig- mies. But on the subject of contrasts, that is not all; con- trasts in moral and intellectual qualities, seem to be equally favorable to love; and here again I am com- pelled to resort to figurative language to convey my meaning. There are concords and discords in music: perfect concords always fall on the ear with a dull and cold monotony; whilst perfect discords always grate harshly on the auditory nerves, producing exquisite sensations which are still more unharmonious and disagreeable. It will not be necessary to say much on this subject of moral and mental contrasts; I only sug- gest, that the reader may make his own observations, respecting this singular anomaly in the human charac- ter. We know perfectly well, that persons of moder- ate intellectual powers, both male and female, provided their tempers and dispositions be gentle and amiable, are invariably the objects of love and the most tender regard, with those who possess uncommonly lofty and powerful characteristics of genius and intellect. This GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 57 fact is even so notorious in all societies, as to have be- come a proverb; and, how often have we all seen instances in conjugal life, in which fortitude has been united to despondency—fickleness and inconstancy of resolution, with the most unshaken and resolute tena- ciousness of purpose—timidity with consummate bra- very—and the highest order of moral courage, with the shrinking cowardice of superstition and childish ignorance. We know these to be facts, and can only account for them on the great scale of divine wisdom and providence, by presuming them to be intended for equalizing the human species in wisdom and moral energy—and for forming additional and indissoluble bonds in the social compacts of mankind. I have several times mentioned, and I think demon- strated, as far as the force of facts and moral reason- ing will go, that the passion of love is measurably in- voluntary, and beyond the control of moral sentiment and reason; nor can there I think exist any doubt, not only that the strength of the passion depends on the peculiar temperaments of individuals, but that the dis- tinctive characteristics of the passion or emotion called love, are essentially connected with the physical, moral and intellectual qualifications of the objects or persons beloved. If, then, the strength of the passion is in any proportion to the natural temperaments of individuals; and if its peculiar qualities or characteris- tics depend on the natural and acquired qualifications of the objects of attachment, how ridiculous, absurd, and perfectly irrational it must be for any man or woman to expect, that he or she can possibly be an object of attachment, with any person of rational and scrutinizing mind, on account of qualifications which are not possessed, and which in fact, are known and 8 5$ GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. perceived to be entirely wanting. I mention the sub- ject in this way, and place it in this light, in order to prevent the exercise of hypocrisy between the sexes, which is always dangerous in its consequences—and in order, also, that those whose happiness in life de- pends on their being-objects of esteem, friendship, ven- eration, attachment and love, may see the absolute necessity of deserving the homage of such refined and virtuous sentiments; in other words, that they may be deeply impressed with the important and eternal truth, that candor, honor, and moral virtue, are the great passports to human happiness. I have often witnessed the tremulous solicitude of females, of the most amia- ble and exalted qualities of person and mind, respect- ing the public opinion of their merits and character, and frequently been interrogated by them on the sub- ject. In these cases, I have uniformly answered in the words of an old Grecian sage, "know thyself;" and your opinions of yourself, if correct and well founded, will be precisely such as are entertained for you, by those whose esteem and approbation are of any im- portance. Genuine and rational love, commences in the natural, and if I may be allowed the expression, as applicable to human nature, the instinctive sympathies of individuals for the society of each other; it is cemen- ted and powerfully strengthened by the endearments of sexual enjoyment, of which I have before spoken; and it is crowned with both temporal and immortal dura- tion, by the mild purity and unfading lustre of the moral virtues, and the imposing splendors of genius and intellectual power. As I said before, it is confined to no particular climate, and to no exclusive region of the globe; its benign influence is experienced, as well among the polar snows of the north, as in the mild GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 59 climates of the temperate zones. It is the exclusive guest of no particular rank in life: the rich, the poor, the exalted, the base, the brave, are alike participant in its genial warmth, and heavenly influence. In the words of Lawrence Sterne, "no tint of words can spot its snowy mantle, nor chemic power turn its sceptre into iron; with love to smile upon him as he eats his crust, the swain is happier than the monarch, from whose court it has been exiled by vice and immorality." This is that undebased and genuine love, which is founded in unlimited confidence, mutual esteem, and the mild sublimities of virtue and integrity of charac- ter. It illuminates the countenance with the sparkling brilliancy of soft desire; and is in fact, the safeguard of female virtue, and of chastity itself, whenever as- sailed by unprincipled and seductive fascination. With respect to the passion of love, there is a com- mon error of female education, which will also apply to the early instruction of males, of which I must speak in plain terms in the conclusion of this subject. Eve- ry human being, at a very early period of life, from peculiar modes of instruction, and the examples pre- sented to the mind, forms some idea of the qualifica- tions which constitute human excellence. If for in- stance, at an early period, the parents and instructors of a female impress upon her mind, that the mere decora- tion of the person will render her an object of tender regard, without the cultivation of her moral and intel- lectual qualities, the result will be, and it cannot be avoided, that aiming at what she believes, to be the great excellence of the human female character, both her moral and intellectual energies will retrograde into barrenness and insipidity: in other words, she will be- come what the world denominates a pretty woman, 60 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. the idol of fools and coxcombs, but an object of com- passion, indifference or contempt, with men of lofty sentiments and distinguished characters. Peter the Great of Russia, on account of her superior intellectual endowments chose for a wife, and made her Empress of Russia, a woman of obscure and lowly origin. And in more modern times, I had the information from a person well acquainted with the facts, we find the spirit, discrimination and sound judgment of Peter the Great respecting the value of a woman of a cultivated mind, revived in the person and character of Lord Morgan. Sidney Owenson, his present wife, was the daughter of a comedian on the Dublin Stage. At an early period this youthful female discovered strong traits of genius of a literary character, and Owenson, though in impoverished circumstances, determined to educate his daughter. He did so; in consequence of which, she became an object of strong attachment with a man of distinguished mind, who preferred her to the titled and the rich, and she is now lady Morgan. Mrs. Hamilton, a lady of some celebrity, who has written much on female education, makes the following remark on women: "where there is no intellect, there is no moral principle; and where there is no principle, there is no security for female virtue." This is the truth, but not the whole truth: had Mrs, Hamilton re- cognized religion as an essential requisite in preserving the moral virtues of women, she would probably have said all that was necessary on female education. The accomplishments of women, ought always to have some relation to their future duties in life; but it is evident, that the cultivation of their minds, cannot with justice to themselves and society be dispensed with, no matter what may be their future destinies. A cultivated mind GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 61 is a never-failing passport to the best society; it always insures the extension of friendship and civility, when accompanied by correctness of conduct and a virtuous deportment; it prevents women from becoming the dupes of artifice; and the victims of seduction; it ex- pands the heart to all the principles of sympathetic feel- ing for the distresses of others, and induces a commise- ration for the misfortunes of mankind; it holds up to a distinct and scrutinizing examination, the real charac- ters of men, and enables a woman to make a judicious selection of worth, from a herd of coxcombs and fools, by which, if wealthy and distinguished by personal beauty, she may be persecuted with addresses. It fits her for the superintendence and regulation of a family, and enables her to make correct educational impres- sions on the minds of her offspring. The want of mental culture, among females of all ranks in life, has frequently led to disastrous consequen- ces. By mental culture, I do not mean those shallow and frivolous accomplishments which are sometimes taught at boarding-schools; nor do I mean by a refine- ment of the female mind, a proficiency in drawing roses which resemble a copper coin, in thrumming a waltz on the piano, or fidgeting through the lascivious gesticulations of an Italian or French fandango! I mean by mental culture, the acquisition of solid accom- plishments; those which can be rendered useful to domestic policy, be an example to society in the correct tion of its morals, and reflect honor on the national character. Such an education always represses the waywardness of the fancy, and lops away the useless and often dangerous exuberance of a powerful imagina- tion ; it affords a never failing resource of comfort in solitude, and finds a healing balm for the wounds of a 62 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. wayward and unfortunate destiny. In fine, no woman possessed of a judicious education, even under the pres- sure of the most trying misfortunes, ever yet lost the just equipoise between her strength and sensibility, or became the victim of a broken heart! The exquisite miseries which spring from disappoint- ed love, and sometimes terminate in a broken heart, (for I am well persuaded there is really such a disease,) always arise from visionary creations of the fancy, and disorders of the imagination: in other words, they are the offspring of over-strained and imaginary concep- tions, of the qualifications of the object of attachment; they are in fact, the melancholy results of an over- estimate of the virtues and perfections of human nature; of which the woman of a cultivated mind, and really philosophic acquisitions, stands in no possible danger. A woman who cultivates her imagination, by the un- limited perusal of novels and romances, at the expense of the solid qualities of her understanding, is always in danger of becoming the victim of a wayward fancy; and, should she live to have the errors of her imagina- tion corrected by practical experience, will have noth- ing of the imagination left, but the ashes of a consumed sensibility, on which no future attachment can possibly be predicated. A woman of cultivated mind, sees objects as they really are—and not as they are clothed by an inflamed and disordered fancy; she knows that human nature is not perfection itself, and expects noth- ing from it, but what appertains to the natural charac- ter of man; she knows it to be a compound of weakness and strength, virtue and vice, wisdom and folly—and never over-estimating the virtues and perfections of an object of attachment, her desires are chastened by moderation, and her loves by the high-toned philoso- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 63 phy of true wisdom! Such a woman, unlike the melan- choly victim of a morbid sensibility, and a high wrought and disordered imagination, is in no danger of sinking into the diseased apathy of disappointed love, and becoming the victim of partial or total insanity, or a disconsolate and broken heart; for which all the mere medical remedies known to human genius and science, are but miserable and inefficient palliatives. Religion, change of scenery, and attractive and interesting com- pany, in some cases have considerable influence in £ detaching the mind from the concentration of its reflec- tions on an object of deep and vital love; but, in the more numerous instances, they have all been known to fail, and even to baffle all the efforts of friendship and parental attachment. In fact, it seems to me, and I have paid much attention to the subject, that judicious education, and a well cultivated mind, acting as pre- ventatives to the disorders of the imagination, are almost the only and powerful specifics, against the occurrence of the miseries of disappointed love. GRIEF. This depressing affection of the mind, called a passion, when experienced in the extreme, sometimes degenerates into confirmed melancholy, despair and fatal insanity. It is the offspring of so many and such various causes, that it is next to impossible to enume- rate them. It is sometimes caused by cheerless and oloomv presentiments of the future; sometimes by the heavy pressure of present evils and calamities; and not unfrequently, by strong and vivid recollections of losses which can never be retrieved. Against its inroads and 64 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MED1CIN U. often fatal effects on the health of the physical system, (which are varied according to the temperament and character of the individual,) neither the internal nor external exhibition of medical drugs can have much avail. The force and effect which grief exercises and pro- duces, in deranging the functions of the physical sys- tem, seem in a great degree to depend on the poignancy and acuteness of those sensibilities which characterize the nervous system. Where the nervous system is tremulously sensible, and easily susceptible of external impressions, which is generally the case with persons of distinguished genius, there is invariably found a constitutional melancholy, which delights in retrospec- tions of the past, and serious, if not cheerless anticipa- tions of the future. At an early period of life, these persons are highly susceptible of the charms of nature, and also of her more gloomy and sombre scenery; and, being deeply sensible of the influence of what to other men would be slight impressions, their feelings always exhibit themselves in the extremes of animation or de- pression of spirits, for which they themselves are utterly unable to account. In fact, it is not unusual to witness in the varying sensibilities of these persons, and that too in the lapse of a single day, the reflective calmness and profundity of the great southern Pacific Ocean— the urbanity and cheerfulness attendant on anticipations of future prosperity and happiness—and those storms of ungovernable and unsubdued passions, whose undu- lations resemble the mountain billows of the Atlantic, when lashed by the hurricanes and tornadoes of the torrid zone! This is not only the constitutional tem- perament of true and unsophisticated genius, of which so much has been said, and so little known, but it is GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 65 also the soil which produces sensations of exquisite happiness and misery; distinguished principles of mor- al rectitude and depravity of conduct; great virtues and great vices! Seriousness, depression of spirits, melancholy, grief, despair, insanity, are but the different modifications of the same passion, or predisposition of the moral facul- ties, of whose essence we in reality know nothing ab- stractly, only differing in degree of force and effect, in proportion to the strength and weakness of operating causes. For instance; seriousness and solemnity of feeling, are always produced in a mind of sensibility and reflection, by the sight of a dead body; of the human limbs lopped away in battle; of the human mind in ruins; and of human misery exhibited to us under any form: in these cases the effects produced are only temporary, and usually pass away with the removal of the objects which excited them. If, how- ever, serious and solemn feelings be often reproduced in the mind, by reiterated exhibitions of objects capa- ble of exciting them, their impressions will become more durable, and soon produce a habimal tone of feeling, denominated depression of spirits. When this depression of spirits is habitually indulged in for any considerable lapse of time, it is apt to gain so great an ascendency over the active and resolute powers of the mind, as to dispose the person affected with its in- fluence, to seek in solitude and retirement from society, an indulgence in inactivity, irresolution and gloomy reflections, which, becoming fixed and as it were im- moveable, settles down into melancholy. Seriousness, depression of spirits, and melancholy, sometimes pro- duce mental derangements; but they are generally of ;i harmless, unobtrusive, silent, and inoffensive charac- 9 66 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. ter, where the nervous system is tremulous and exceed- ingly delicate—or where the temperament, if I may be allowed the phraseology, is characterised by weakness, irresolution, and timidity. Compared with the above affections, which seem at first view to have their seat in the imagination, and by some are denominated hypochondria in men, and hys- terics in woman—grief and despair are certainly affections of a more active and powerful character, and much sooner ending in fatuity or mental exhaustion, and outrageous or confirmed insanity. As I have somewhere mentioned, and the probability is that the fact will be acknowledged by all well-informed physicians, by which I mean those who have discover- ed how little can be essentially known on the subject of affections of the mind, the particular and direct influence which these, and other strong passions have in deranging the organization of the brain, cannot well be ascertained. All we know about the matter is, that we cannot think with accuracy and profundity of re- search, without a well-organized brain, and that any derangement of that organization and its natural func- tions, produces coequal and coextensive derangements of the intellectual or mental powers. The probability is, that refined, susceptible, and strong organizations of the brain, considered in the aggregate, have much in- fluence in imparting to the mind, those refinements of taste, suceptibilities of feeling, and superior intellectual capacities, which we call genius, for want of a term which can be more clearly understood. We are per- fectly aware, that without a well-organized eye, no defi- nite or accurate ideas can be formed of colors—forms -—dimensions—distances: that without a well-organized and susceptible ear, no clear and distinctively correct GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 67 impressions can be made, by what we call sounds, or vibrations of the air, for want of a more expressive term, on the auditory nerves: that without a well con- structed nasal organ, vulgarly denominated a nose, no clear and distinct impressions can be made on the olfactory nerves or nerves of smelling, by the effluvia arising from bodies: that, unless the portions of the nervous system which are incorporated with the tongue and its appendages, be unobstructed by malconforma- tion of the organs of taste, no distinctions of flavor could be recognized, between sugar, gall, and vinegar; and that unless the nerves which are spread over the cutaneous surface of the body, and particularly that of the hands, be perfect both in organization and tone, no adequate or correct ideas could ever be formed of the shape, solidity, &,c. of bodies, with which we come in immediate contact. The fact seems to be, and I consi- der the theoretical conjecture inferior to none which has been published by medical men, that whenever the affections of the mind derange the tone and susceptibil- ity of the senses, these derangements always bring to the censorium, or focal point of mental impression, incorrect and distorted ideas of external objects, which, as in hypochondria, make us believe in the existence of phantasmagoria of a most childish and superstitious character. This is a species of insanity, connected with unnatural and painful seriousness—habitual depression of spirits—and confirmed melancholy. On the other hand, when afflictive impressions are made upon the mind, of an unusually active and pow- erful character, and sufficient to impair and partially destroy the organization itself, as in the cases of in- tense and poignant grief, or absolute and hopeless despair, the partial dissolution of the physical struc- 68 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. ture and organization of the brain, it is not improbable, leads to offensive, mischievous, and terrific insanity, amounting to absolute phrensy, and finally terminating in dissolution. The fact is, and it is well known to physicians, that a dissolution of the organic structure of the frame, if that dissolution take place in any vital organ, particularly the brain or stomach, between which there exists a close and almost identical sym- pathy, decidedly morbid effects are produced to the whole system—-physical, moral and mental; in fact, the brain may be called the father, and the stomach the mother of the system. I have only as yet spoken of the influence which is produced upon the physical functions and system, by the passion of grief, and other strong affections of the same or a similar character. The same effects as those produced by the passions above enumerated, are sometimes the offspring of other causes, not connected in the first instance, with the passions, but which after- wards operate strongly upon them, and assist in destroy- ing the nervous, vital and moral functions and organi- zation of the system. We know perfectly well, for instance, that there are many substances which, when taken into the stomach, affect the passions strongly by irritation and excitement—produce morbid derange- ments of the physical functions—and not unfrequently, moral and mental alienations. The effect of tincture of cantharides on some of the passions, when taken into the stomach, is perfectly well known; nor do I believe, that if its application to the stomach were long continued, it would ever fail to produce morbid irrita- tions and inflammations, which would terminate in functional derangement, and actual dissolution of organ- ic structure in the brain. The effect which opium pro-. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 69 duces, where it is used in immoderate quantities, as among the Turks, is well known; and that it not unfrequently ends in derangements of the physical sys- tem, and absolute insanity with all its horrors. Nor is the intemperate use of spirituous liquors, used to such excess and in such immoderate quantities in our own country, far behind the use of opium, in producing the same deleterious effects on the brain, through the me- dium of the stomach. Every man who will tax his recollections, will find his memory furnished with innu- merable instances, in which a long train of physical diseases has been followed by derangements of the intellect, which none of the boasted powers of science or medicine could relieve or rectify, merely from the immediate use, or rather abuse of spirituous liquors. Have we not all witnessed instances, in which the abuse of spirituous liquors has produced visceral ob- structions of a most deadly character—and mental derangements which have been confirmed and render- ed durable to the end of life? How is this fixed and confirmed mental alienation to be accounted for, but upon the presumption that those stimulants, long con- tinued, affect not only the nerves, but the organic struc- ture of the brain? Do we not know that a fit of intoxication is a paroxysm of mental derangement— and that impressions often reiterated will wear their channels in the brain, injure its unrivalled and delicate organization, and render those effects durable? What are the effects which immediately follow a fit of exces- sive intoxication? Are they not the very same as those produced by the influence of the passions of which I have before spoken? Are they not seriousness, de- pression of spirits, melancholy, grief, despair, insani- ty? This is the point at which I intended to arrive. 70 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. I intended to demonstrate in a plain and simple man- ner, that disease, insanity and death, are produced as well by moral as by physical causes; and that a phy- sician ought to ascertain both the state of the body and mind, if he really intends to effect a cure or removal of the class of diseases just mentioned. I know it to be a common practice with physicians, to listen to long details of the physical symptoms of their patients, with- out the least inquiry as to the moral or mental causes of their diseases; when the fact is, that in five cases out of ten, arising among persons of sedentary, refined, luxurious, studious, and intellectual habits; and among delicate females, in seven cases of disease out of eleven, particularly those which are obstructional, the causes will be found seated in the mind and passions. I need not enlarge on this subject; every man possessed of any experience and common sense, must have observed, both on himself and others, the remarkable effects pro- duced on the physical system by the mind and passions; nor can such an individual be ignorant of the fact, that deleterious substances when taken into the stomach, fre- quently operate with immense power on the passions, as well as on the organic structure of the physical sys- tem. The truth is, that although we are well convinced of the intimate connexion of the mind and body, and also of the reciprocal influence they always exercise alternately over each other, no man has ever yet been able fully to develop the mysteries of that connexion, or the natural mediums by and through which they operate on and influence each other; in other words, all we certainly know respecting the matters under con- sideration, must be confined to the effects daily and hourly witnessed, in the reciprocal and varied action of the mind and its passions, and the body and its affec- tions, on each other. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 71 When morbid derangements of the system are de- rived from the action of the mind and passions, the consolations of religion and philosophy are of great importance; because they teach mankind, in a language not to be misunderstood, that cheerless and gloomy presentiments of the future, only unfit us for combating and vanquishing present difficulties: that the heavy pressure of present evils, and calamities which are irremoveable, are lightened of half their ponderous and depressing influence, by that masculine fortitude which is derived from the inspirations of wisdom, and that celestial hope of relief which springs from genu- ine religion: and that it is the height of human folly and weakness, unavailingly to mourn over losses which can never be retrieved! When the causes of our diseases and miseries are connected with physical prin- ciples in some degree under our control, it becomes a moral duty, so far as it be possible, to remove them— and that too by physical means: and I am decidedly of opinion, generally speaking, and a few individual cases which might be enumerated left out of view, that moral causes of disease and misery are to be combated by moral means—and that physical causes of functional derangement, and violations of organic structure deri- ved from such causes, are to be combated and over- come by physical means. I am perfectly willing to admit, that the influences of the imagination, and of the animating passions, are very considerable in pre- venting disease, and removing obstructions when not firmly seated; but I am not willing to allow, that either the imagination or the animating passions, can ren- der flexib!e tho coats of an ossified artery, or remove a stone from the bladder! The fact is, that the line of demarcafion when? moral causes cease to operate, and 72 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. where the influence of physical ones commences, is a mystery hitherto too profound and inscrutable for the boldest efforts of human genius. We are well aware that many malconformations of the human fetus take place previous to birth, such as in cases of hare-lip, external impressions on the skin, &c. but at what period of gestation such malconformations and external im- pressions cease to be made, it is absolutely impossible to conjecture with even a probability of truth. The following case of the powerful effects of imagi- nation, put by Doctor Cypricanus, is recorded in this work, to place pregnant females on their guard, and to exemplify the effects of the imagination on highly sus- ceptible materials. "A female child," says this distin- guished man, "was born with a wound in her breast above four inches in length. It penetrated to the mus- culi intercostales, and was an inch broad, and hollow under the flesh round about the wound; besides which, there was a contusion with some swelling, at the lower part of the wound inside. The child came into the world without any violence; and consequently it did not receive the wound in its birth; it was caused by the strength of the imagination; for, about two months before, the mother had by chance heard a report that a man had murdered his wife, and with his knife had given her a great wound in the breast—at which rela- tion she changed, but not excessively. It is not merely probable, but absolutely certain, that the child received the wound in its mother's body, at the very moment she was affrighted; because the wound was very sordid, and the inside as well as the outside beset with slime, proceeding from the water in which the child lies in its mother's womb—besides which, it had every appear- ance of an old wound." GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 73 The effects of grief, which is an extremely depress- ing passion, and its morbid influences on the body or physical system, are very remarkable. It diminishes bodily strength in general, and also the action of the heart in particular. It impedes the circulation of the fluids, stagnates the bile invariably, and occasions in- durations of the liver; or by throwing the bile into the circulation of the blood, it produces jaundice or dropsy. Grief also diminishes the perspiration, renders the skin sallow, aggravates the scurvy; and is particularly effective in producing and aggravating putrid fevers: it also disposes persons to being easily affected with fever, arising from excessive irritability, or constipation or costiveness of the bowels. Its effects in changing the color of the hair are well known; and many instances have occurred, in which the hair has been turned f*%» a deep black to gray in a few hours. From griW, blindness, gangrene, and even sudden death, or as it is emphatically called, a broken heart, have not unfre- quently resulted. From the excess of this passion, persons who indulge in melancholy reflections for any length of time, become peevish and fretful; and so ex- tremely irritable, that their minds find new food for sorrow in every object presented to them. Thus the whole imagination becomes seriously affected with con- firmed melancholy, sometimes producing nervous fevers, or what is still more dreadful, total insanity. The remedies usually resorted to with salutary effects, are gentle opiates taken with caution; exercise on horse back;—change of scene; the use of the swing, which has in very many instances produced signally beneficial effects; friction of the body and limbs with flannel or a flesh brush—this friction ought to be frequently resort- ed to and continued, to give impetus to the blood, when 10 74 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. the extremities become cold; washing the body with strong vinegar, &c—Mild wines temperately adminis- tered may be given, and should they produce acidity of the stomach and loss of appetite, exercise and other tonics ought to be resorted to—change of climate is often in desperate cases found beneficial, also a diver- sion of the mind from its original imaginations, and par- ticularly the frequent use of the tepid bath is recommen- ded: and in cases of suppressions of the menstrual discharge occasioned by grief, the tepid bath has inva- riably been found beneficial. The powerful influence of the mind upon the womb, when affected by grief, can scarcely be computed by the best observers; who generally attribute to merely physical causes, effects which are to be sought for in the mind. But more will be developed on this important subject, as regards female diseases, under another and more appropriate head. RELIGION. This passion or affection of the human mind, pro- perly defined and well understood, is a deeply devo- tional sentiment of awe, veneration and love, for that inscrutable Being who created the universe in his wisdom; supports it by his almighty power; and regulates the machinery of nature, in beneficence and love to his creatures. Considered merely in relation to his vital and ani- mal functions, man seems to occupy the highest point in the scale of animated nature; but notwithstanding this distinguished elevation, with some grand and distinctive exceptions to the general principles of cxis- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 75 tence, and those of a strong and decided character, lie seems in many respects to be allied to the inferior orders of creation. Like the merely animal orders of nature inferior to himself, he is animated by loves and friendships, hatreds and enmities,—and by all the other passions and propensities, incidental to the merely animal creation. In common with the elephant, the lion, the dog and the fox, his heart seems to be the seat of fife or vitality, and his brain the censorium of intel- lectual existence! Like them he is furnished with a stomach to digest his food—and a heart to propel the vital fluid through the arterial and venous systems. Like the inferior orders of creation, man is suscepti- ble of the influence of heat and cold, and all the varia- tions of temperature incidental to the changes of the seasons; like them he can be deluged by rains, frozen by the snows of winter, and melted by the heats of summer. Like them he is subjected to physical dis- eases, which can be mitigated or removed by the same means; and like them he is animated by strong senti- ments of self-preservation, and entertains an instinctive and powerful dread of both pain and dissolution! But here the parallel between man and the inferior orders of creation terminates; and he begins to take his departure from their earth-born level, which they can never emulate or even follow. Man is the only animal in creation, who can raise his contemplations to the Deity, and experience a sublime sentiment of awe and veneration, for the un- known author of his existence. The only animal in creation, capable of experiencing a strong solicitude for a knowledge of his own origin, or who can direct his views and anticipations to a future existence, beyond the boundaries of time! He is the only being absolute- 76 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. ly known to himself who can form a conception of space, which is an abstract idea of infinity; of time, which is an abstract conception of eternity; or of plastic and creative power, which leads to an abstract, but infinitely inadequate conception of the omnipo- tence of god! Man seems to unite in his moral and intellectual composition, the human extremes of strength and weakness, wisdom and folly. In infancy, or when not associated with his fellow-beings, he is a naked, defenceless, dependent and timid animal; exposed to diseases of every multiplied character-—to dangers be- yond arithmetical computation—and to death in all its varied and gigantic forms: yet, with all these incipient weaknesses, and seeming imperfections of his nature, in the plenitude of life and intellectual power, and when associated with his fellow-beings in social compact, he has satisfied his natural wants; rendered himself inde- pendent of every thing but his creator ; driven from his presence, enslaved to his purposes, or destroyed by the machinery and chemical power of his warlike inventions, all animals hostile to his life and his preser- vation; and compelled the earth, the air, the waters and the woods, to yield him the sustenance and even the luxuries of life, and to furnish him with the means of constructing his habitation. He has done more. By referring his knowledge of particular facts, to the discovery of abstract and general principles, he has measurably unfolded the elements of science; by which he measures the earth, and discloses the laws which regulate the solar system:—ascertains the distances and relative positions of the heavenly bodies; and determines the location of his own globe among them: —discloses the component parts of which the substra- tum of the earth itself is compounded, and by an effort GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 77 of microscopic vision and profound sagacity, gives you a satisfactory analysis of a physical atom! Nor is this all: from obscure and imperfect original discoveries in nautical science, he has converted the bark canoes of the wandering savage into vehicles of burthen for inter- national commerce, and imposing engines of war; and, instead of the petty barks of the ancients, by which they prosecuted an insignificant traffic along the shores and inlets of the Mediterranean, he has constructed ships of bulk and strength sufficient to master the winds of heaven and the waves of the ocean:—to discover and colonise new continents: and to make his way in secu- rity, through trackless, unknown, and almost shoreless oceans, to countries so remote as not even to be found in delineation on the mariner's chart! Nor do the greatness of his discoveries, nor the sublime elevations of his character, terminate here. The progressive improvements of man in literature, from hieroglyph- ics, which are the signs of things, to the use of letters, which are the signs or symbols of sounds, afford new and astonishing demonstrations of his powers. We have proofs before us, if we will advert for a mo- ment to the present state of mankind, of all the pro- gressive stages of improvement, through which he has passed, in arriving at his present state of moral and intellectual civilization, and scientific and literary refinements: nor need we recur to the empire of fable, nor the fictions of his early history, to arrive at the truth. A collective view of the present inhabitants of the globe, will furnish ample demonstrations of the following facts. In a state of savage and illiterate na- ture, tradition, as among the Indians of our own for- ests afforded the only means of communication, between the present and future races of mankind. But, in 78 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. proportion as man began to progress in discoveries relating to the arts and sciences, he became disgusted and dissatisfied with the errors and misrepresentations of oral tradition and sought various expedients to per- petuate to his posterity, authentic testimonials of his sagacity, and durable monuments of his intellectual powers. Hieroglyphics and pyramids were resorted to in some countries, and pillars and public edifices in others; but knowing all these to be liable to decay, and that their true meaning might be easily misunderstood or forgotten, he was not satisfied with a medium of intelligence, which would revive and perpetuate his knowledge and discoveries to future times, until litera- ture arose to record in unfading characters, the intel- ligence, the improvements in science, and the fate of past generations. The discovery of, and progressive improvements in letters, have enabled man to trace his species through all anterior ages since the creation; nor would he now, were it not for literature and the discovery of the art of printing, be enabled to profit at this advanced period of the world, by the records of history, and the divine inspirations of religion, virtue and pure morality, which are breathed forth in love and mercy to fallen man, by holy writ! It is from this divine and inspired work, that he derives a know- ledge of all the attributes of his creator; of the immor- tality of his own soul; and of all the duties he owes to God, his fellow-creatures, and himself. The reveries of all the sages and philosophers of antiquity, with the immortal Plato at their head, sink into cold insignifi- cance, when compared with the divine consolations afforded to man, by that pure and unsophisticated reli- gion, which is derived from the word of God: and while speaking of the pure and undefiled religion of GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 79 Jesus Christ, I will first show what it is not: second, the abuses of its doctrines; third, what it really is; and fourth, its benefits and consolations, in health and prosperity, sickness and misfortune. The virtues and the boasted wisdom of man, purifi- ed and improved by the highest efforts of human reason, would be nothing without the support and consolations of the doctrines of the scripture. The magnificence, splendor and sublimity of the great works of nature, from which alone, without the divine inspirations to be found in the word of God, he is ena- bled to form but an inadequate and finite conception of the attributes of an almighty creator, dazzle and confound the feeble efforts of man, in all his attempts to grasp at the divine perfections of his maker—baffle all the high-toned energies of his reason and intelli- gence—and throw him to an infinite distance below even an imaginary conception of the deity. Thus circumstanced—thus surrounded by mysteries which he cannot explain to himself—feeling a strong and deep-seated natural sentiment of immortality; and yet dreading the cold and silent horrors of the grave—the word of God, and faith in Christ alone, can afford him support and consolation in the hour of death; solve the otherwise inscrutable and sublime mysteries of his own existence; and reveal to him the dreadful enigmas of eternity! In fact, when man surveys with an attentive and philosophic eye, the vast and complicated machine- ry of the universe—when he discovers that all this complicated and boundless machinery is subject to the irresistible influence of laws infinitely beyond his con- ception:—when he essays to embody his own concep- tions of the attributes of that being, who created, and who rules and governs all:—and, in fine, when he 80 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. makes the feeble attempt, unaided by divine revelation, to identify his hopes of immortality and future happi- ness with the unchangeable laws of created nature, so vast, so boundless, and so complicated as they must be, he shrinks back upon his own insignificance, and in- voluntarily asks himself, "am I not a stranger to the eternal laws of my own destiny?—am I not a stranger to this God, the supreme creator of the universe?—am I not lost in the immensity of his works, and the bound- lessness of his power!" Mere opinions, deduced from the boldest efforts of the reasoning faculties of man, never yet produced that genuine religion which absorbs his affections, concen- trates his love and gratitude on his divine creator, regulates his moral and intellectual energies for the production of his present and future happiness, and makes him satisfied with his own prospects of futurity. These are the reasons in all probability, why the an- cient sages, who hoped for and partially believed in immortality, were unable to satisfy themselves, with rational and conclusive proofs of the future existence of the human soul: these are also probably the reasons, and they are founded in the wisdom and providence of God himself, why the great truths of immortality were veiled, in all ages, anterior to the true gospel dispensa- tion, from the boasted sagacity and reasoning powers of the philosophers and sages of antiquity:—for, could these men have arrived at any definite and certain con- clusions on the future destinies of the human race, without the moral purifications of true Christianity, the consequences would have been dreadful to society and mankind, as can be easily demonstrated. Suppose a man were enabled by the unaided efforts of reason, to demonstrate conclusively to himself, that GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 81 annihilation, or an absolute and entire negation of exis- tence, was his future and irrevocable doom:—what would be the immediate consequences of this appalling and dreadful discovery! Would he not feel that every affection of his soul was dissolved—and that existence itself was valueless? Would it not loosen every strong tie he feels on life—and sicken him with that lapse of time which must so soon reduce him to nothing! Where, under this gloomy and horrid anticipation, would be his affections for his parents, his wife, his fam- ily, his country:—what would become of the perfor- mance of his duties as a parent, a husband, a citizen and a patriot:—where would be the endearing suggestions of his own self-love, and his insatiable desires of pre- sent and future happiness, under the certain conviction that the elevated and noble energies of his soul would explode and be lost forever, when his carcase would become a clod of the valley. But, let it be supposed, that the powers of reason, unaided by the holy inspirations of scripture, were capable of arriving at the certain conviction of man's future happiness in eternity; and that the decree of the Almighty which awarded to him so auspicious a desti- ny, was absolutely irrevocable by his own conduct: and what would then be the consequences? With so brilliant a career of future happiness and celestial glory in full view, would not all the poor enjoyments of this life fade away—and even all the splendors of the visi- ble creation become to him a blank? Would he take upon himself the cares of a family; assume the labori- ous duties of providing for a numerous offspring, or feel an interest in the common affairs of mankind? Would he experience any of those affections and friendships, which, under the present predicaments of 11 82 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. life, are of such vast importance to the enjoyments of man? Can the eye which is accustomed to gazing at the sun, distinguish the darker and more sombre color- ings of earthly objects? But—with unalloyed and interminable happiness beyond the grave in full view, what in this life would be the feelings, emotions and conduct, of a man subjected to the pains of disease, the evils attendant on poverty and want, and all the great aggregate of miseries and misfortunes, with which man in the present state of things is destined to agonize through life? Would he feel disposed to encounter gratuitously, evils and sufferings from which he could escape with impunity to happier regions? And now let us suppose, that a man were enabled to distinguish nothing in his future destinies, but a sub- mission throughout eternity to the sufferings and speechless agonies of the damned; that nothing he could do would alleviate so dreadful, disastrous and horrible a destiny:—and what would be the immediate results? Where, to the eye of such a man, would then be all the charms and fascinations of nature, where all the varied and imposing splendors of the visible crea- tion? What delight could he possibly experience in the performance of his moral duties, or the practice of virtues which must terminate in a future condition in- finitely worse than annihilation itself? Would not these dark and dreadful anticipations of a period which must soon arrive, be eternally present to his imagina- tion, with all their attendant horrors? Would they not haunt his waking dreams of future misery, and disturb his midnight slumbers, with spectral phantoms of the sufferings of the damned, too frightful and tremendous for delineation! But, what, under these awful and afflicting expectations, from which there were no distant GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 83 hopes of exemption, would be the character and con- duct of this unfortunate and miserable victim? Would he not say to himself:—"what to me are all the ties of parentage, of offspring, or of kindred; what interest have I in the affairs of life, the peace and happiness of society, or the moral conduct and regulations of man- kind. Before the setting of to-morrow's sun, my eyes may close forever on the light of day, on all the objects which once were dear to my infancy and youth, and on all the varied and sublime beauties, which charac- terize with magnificence and splendor, the mystic won- ders of created nature! For me no morning sun will ever again arise; for me no vernal music of the groves will ever again awake; on my benighted soul, predestined to endless torments, no distant ray of feeble hope can ever dawn!"-------Sectarians, remorse- less fanatics, purblind bigots—you who deal with un- sparing hand and intolerant zeal, the ineffable and everlasting miseries of deep damnation to your fellow beings, merely for differing from you in opinion respect- ing modes of faith and divine worship, behold in this faithful picture, the condition to which your narrow and selfish doctrines would consign the great mass of mankind? Approach and behold a picture, which might make you shudder for your blasphemous pre- sumptions, in judging between erring and feeble man and his Maker; and wresting the high prerogative of divine and eternal justice, from the hands of the Al- mighty! If you can for a moment suspend the fiery and vindictive delusions of your intolerance and pre- sumption, I wish you to contemplate with a dispassion- ate and discriminating eye, some farther results to which your infuriated and intolerant doctrines inevita- bly tend. If you alone are right, and if all other reli- 84 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE.. gious creeds are the offspring of error, which must of necessity terminate in future misery—what allurements to religion and morality do you hold out, to those who you say are predestined from all eternity to the inflic- tions of divine wrath: and to what a penury of benefi- cence and love, do you reduce the mercy and affections of the Deity to man. Do you suppose that the doc- trines of particular and exclusive faith, are within the arbitrium or control of the voluntary powers of human intellect? In other words, do you presume that a man can believe what he wishes, without divine assistance sought with purity of heart! And that he can ever be the voluntary devotee of religious errors, thereby sin- ning against light and knowledge, and dooming himself to endless and indescribable torments? To speak in plain terms, and without any courtly affectation of lan- guage detrimental to the interests of truth, can you suppose that any rational being since the creation of man, ever yet voluntarily consigned his soul to ever- lasting misery, by the entertainment of religious opinions which he knew to be wrong: the truth is, that the supposition implies, not only a contradiction in language, but an absolute and positive contradiction in the facts themselves! But let us suppose for a moment, that your sect or persuasion alone are right in their faith and religious opinions, and that all others professing different modes of faith, and different opinions in religion, are in the entertainment of errors which must inevitably end in eternal punishments. Have you ever contemplated the absurdity of this intolerant and exclusive doctrine; have you ever viewed it with an unprejudiced and dispas- sionate eye, and traced its malignant and desolating spirit, on the past, on the present, and on future times■. and applying it to the pit of the stomach is excellent; You will then immediately, if necessary to the relief of the person afflicted, give a simple clyster, made after the following directions: a quart of thin gruel, made of corn meal and strained; to this add a table-spoonful of hog's lard, and another of common salt, which must be thrown up about milk-warm into the bowels. For further directions as to clystering, look under that head for instructions, as to the apparatus to be made use of If the pain still continue, and the person be corpu- lent or fat, bleed and give the warm bath immediately. If you have no bathing vessel, or tub large enough to put the body in, apply cloths dipped in hot water and wrung out, as warm to the belly as they can be borne. If the above remedies fail, give a table-spoonful of castor oil, and in it put fifteen or twenty grains of calomel; and if there is yet no relief, give one grain of opium and ten grains of calomel, and continue the clysters. But, if the pain does not yet abate, laudanum must be given in large doses, both by the mouth and by mixing it in the clyster. The doses of laudanum must be increased gradually until relief is obtained; and I have given as 202 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE.. much as a table-spoonful before I could effect my purpose. If the misery be excruciating, to a grown person I begin with fifty or sixty drops in mint tea— and when relief is obtained, I give a good dose of castor oil, and clyster to open the bowels: this prac- tice has been generally successful. The practice of the Baltimore Institution, as directed by Doctor Fater- son when professor there, was in desperate cases to give a simple clyster as before mentioned, omitting the salt and lard—reducing the quantity to half a pint of gruel, and putting into it fifteen or twenty grains of emetic tartar and injecting it into the bowels. This remedy I tried in Virginia, in two or three desperate cases of colic, with perfect success; but it should never be used, unless the situation and violence of the case demand its administration: it is an active and power- ful remedy, and may be relied on in urgent cases. Persons who are subject to this dangerous complaint, should be very cautious as to their diet or food, abstain- ing from every thing that disagrees with them; and above all, they ought to avoid costiveness, or in other words they ought to go to stool every day at a certain time, and solicit nature to perform her duty—for by so doing, a habit of evacution will be at length produced, which will overcome the most obstinate costiveness: and to produce a stool, a piece of hard soap about half the length of the finger, may be introduced up the passage. In all obstinate cases, which seem not to yield to common remedies, examine the passage of the fundament with the finger, so that if there be any hard lumps of excrement they may be removed—for while they remain, all your purges and clysters will be useless. A spirituous infusion of the berries or of the bark of GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 203 the prickly ash, is made use of in Virginia in violent colic, and is a good remedy. This tree is a native of Jamaica and other tropical countries, as well as of the United States, and grows to the height of sixteen feet, and is about twelve inches in diameter. It somewhat resembles the common ash, and the bark is covered with sharp prickles. The fresh juice expressed from the root, affords certain relief in colic, and what is called dry belly-ache. The important fact was dis- covered in the West Indies, by watching a female slave who collected the root in the woods, and gave two spoonsful of the juice to a negro suffering under that colic called the dry belly-ache, at intervals of two hours. It occasioned profound and composed sleep for twelve hours, when all sense of pain and suffering had vanished; and the cure was completed by giving an infusion of the expressed root in water by way of diet drink. CHOLERA MORBUS, OR PUKING AND PURGING. This disease is generally produced by the food becoming rancid or acid on the stomach; and if from an over quantity of bile, the purging and puking will show it, by the discharges being intermixed with a dark bilious matter. This disease is also produ- ced from breathing damp air; or from being expos- ed to inclement weather; or from getting the feet wet: —but mostly from eating such food as disagrees with the stomach and bowels. The mind has a powerful influence in this complaint; and I have frequently observed in my practice, that the disease was produced 204 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. in many cases of females in delicate health, by the passions of the mind, as well as by sudden stoppages of the menstrual discharge. The disease generally commences with sickness of the stomach—painful griping, succeeded by heat and thirst, quickness and shortness of breathing, with a quick and fluttering pulse. When the case is dangerous, the extremities become cold—the perspiration or sweat is clammy and cold—there is also cramp, and great changes and irregularities of the pulse, which when accompanied with hiccupping, are strong evidences of the approach of death, REMEDIES. Apply to the stomach and belly, cloths steeped in warm water, or in spirits in which camphor has been dissolved; or you may apply a warm poultice, made of garden mint stewed; or a poultice made of mustard and strong vinegar, will be found of great service applied to the stomach; or a blister of cantharides or Spanish flies: and in extremely dangerous cases, where it is not practicable to draw a blister in the usual way, do not hesitate to scald the part with boiling water—at the same time applying hot rocks or bricks to the feet. Give hot whiskey toddy, or that made of any other kind of spirit; let it be strongly mixed with peppermint, or ginger, or calamus; and let chicken water or thin gruel be freely taken by the patient. Give clysters made by pouring boiling water on the inner bark of slippery elm, or those made of flax-seed tea, either of which must be thrown up into the bowels milk-warm. See under the head of clystering, for the manner of administering this operation.—The first object in this dangerous complaint is, to cleanse the stomach and Rowels-of any offensive matter—after which the giving GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 205 of thirty-five or forty drops of laudanum in mint tea will be proper; and if these should not arrest the pro- gress of the disease, make a clyster of a table-spoonful of starch and a half a pint of warm water, in which put a tea-spoonful of laudanum, and throw it up the bowels as directed under the head "clyster." If this does not give relief in fifteen or twenty minutes, repeat it again—and again. If the person who is attacked is of a full habit, that is, fat, stout and vigorous, the loss of some blood by the arm, and the warm bath will be necessary. If the attack be moderate, a good dose of calomel will gener- ally put a stop to it—for this will evacuate the bowels, operate as a stimulus, and remove the diseased action. Very frequently this disease appears as a symptom of fever; and then of course you are to treat it as you would any other kind of fever. In all cases, after using laudanum to relieve your patient, particularly when you have used it to an extent, it is proper and necessa- ry to give, after relief, a good dose of castor oil. Per- sons who are subject to this sudden and dangerous disease, should be cautious as to what kind of food they indulge in; and should be very particular in avoid- ing the causes which produce it; because by impru- dence, the disease may return with double violence and danger. The rapidity with which cholera morbus proceeds, requires the remedies to be promptly applied; for the disease is generally speaking highly dangerous, and soon terminates the life of the sufferer, unless relief is speedily obtained. A few hours' suffering, in severe cases, weakens the patient surprisingly; and therefore you will easily see the great importance of nourish- ment, of a light stimulating, and strengthening kind, 206 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. being given. Besides attention to nourishing diet, wine with any kind of bitter ought to be given, or cold cam- omile tea three or four times a day, the dose a wine or stem glass full, or elixir vitriol, ten drops three times a day, in the tea made of black snake-root, or Virginia snake-root: besides all which, flannel ought to be put on next the skin of the patient. But, in concluding my remarks on the treatment of this complaint, I must urge the particular necessity of the warm bath and clysters, as almost certain means of relief, if properly and timely administered. RHEUMATISM. This painful and excruciating disease, in which the poor sufferer drags out a miserable and wretched exist- ence, is quite frequent throughout the western country —and particularly in East Tennesse. I shall commu- nicate respecting this disease, in which I have had much experience, such remedies as will, if properly managed, succeed in entirely removing it from the system, unless anchylosis of the joint has been formed; for, in such a case nothing can possibly be done with it. Anchylo- sis means a stiff joint: this state of the system is exhibited generally under the form of Chronic Rheumatism, of ten or fifteen years standing. In every case where the patient can, in the slightest manner, move the joint, I have no hesitation in saying the cure can be made, if attentively and properly managed, according to the various methods of treatment laid down, which are as follows. Embracing the general mode of treatment as used by physicians, and the method I have invariably followed with unbounded success in Virginia and Ten- GUNN,S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 207 nessee, hundreds are now living in both states who can attest or prove, that they have been entirely cured of this disease by me, of many years standing, after they had become entirely helpless, and unable to walk or move without assistance. There are two diseases, or rather two different stages of this disease: one of which is called inflammatory, and the other chronic—the first is accompanied with fever, and the other, the last, is nearly or quite without fever, and of long standing. Rheumatism is brought on by exposure to the cold and wet; by sleeping in damp places; by remaining too long on the damp ground; by sleeping in a current of air at night, immediately under an open window; by exposure to the night dews; by taking off a warm dress and putting on a thin one; by being greatly heated, and becoming suddenly cool, thereby checking the perspira- tion or sweat. There is a disease called by physicians, Rheumatic mercurialis, which means Rheumatism produced by the improper use of Mercury; that is, by permitting the Mercury to remain in the system, without giving the proper remedy to carry it off, which is flour of sulphur. This flour of sulphur is nothing more than Brimstone purified, and pounded or ground very fine like flour; it is the true and certain antidote against mercury; as you will find explained under the head of Sulphureous Fu- migation—or a sweat produced by the use of sulphur. First.—Inflammatory Rheumatism is to be relieved in the first stage by bleeding; as you will perceive by the fulness of the pulse, and by the person afflicted being of a robust and full habit of body: here it will be neces- sary to bleed freely from a large orifice. If the heat is great, you must proportion the loss of blood according to the violence of the symptoms; and you must repeat 208 GUNNjS domestic medicine. the bleeding on the second day, if you find it necessary from the violence or continuation of the inflammatory symptoms, which can easily be distinguished by the pulse, the feelings of the sufferer, and lastly by suffering the blood to cool. If the blood, when cool, has on its surface a buffy coat of a yellowish hue, it denotes a highly inflammatory state of the system; but, in bleed- ing, you must take care not to go so far as to produce debility: and, therefore, after the first bleeding, which must be regulated entirely by the violence of the attack, it will be proper to give an active purge of calomel and jalap, twenty grains of each, mixed well together, and afterwards with any kind of syrup. This should be carried off by gruel, or warm balm, sage, or dittany tea, if possible, to produce gentle sweat or moisture on the skin. If then the disease does not begin to yield, give another purge of ten grains of calomel and ten of jalap, mixed well, and given as before directed. This will procure purging, and a copious perspiration or sweat. You will find now, that by moderate purging, so as not to debilitate or weaken the patient, the complaint will begin to subside, or perhaps entirely cease. These mild purges must be of epsom salts, glauber salts, senna and and manna, or castor oil. If your patient at any time gets weak from purging, give warm toddy made of any kind of spirits; or if you wish effectually to check the purging, give twenty or thirty drops of laudanum or a pill of opium: see table for dose. This will arrest or put a stop to the purging; and if there is any griping, put the laudanum when you give it in some strong mint tea. When the joints are very painful, and the skin red, swelled and inflamed, cup over the parts: see under the head of cupping for the operation—which is very simple and easily performed. Cupping freely will be a GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 209 useful remedy. The inflamed or swollen parts, should be kept wet with cloths dipped in vinegar made milk warm: and at night a poultice made of rye flour, mixed with vinegar and warm water, will give much relief. If the inflammatory symptoms are considerably removed, a pill of opium or a dose of laudanum, (see table for dose,) will procure the rest or sleep so much desired in this afflicting comp'aint. The parts which are painful should be well rubbed with a liniment, made of two table spoonsful of laudanum—two of spirits of harts- horn—mixed over a slow fire in four table-spoonsful of butter without any salt in it: this being put into a bottle and corked tight, must be used three times a day, at the rate of a tea-spoonful each time, and the parts kept well covered with flannel. These remedies should be used separately or together, as they may afford the afflicted person relief The diet should be very light and cool- ing; this being a matter of great importance. By strict attention to tiiis, you will be enabled to get quickly relie- ved, and save the taking a vast deal of medicine. In fact, while inflammation prevails, the less the patient takes of nourishment the better; and solid or animal food are both to be avoided. No spirits, wines, or stimulating drinks whatever are permitted in this state of the sys- tem : and even when the afflicted person is getting better he must take only such nourishments as are necessary to support the system and recruit its powers—for by imprudence in diet a relapse may take place, of a dan- gerous and languishing nature. Second.—Chronic Rheumatism, as distinguished from that called inflammatory rheumatism, has little or no fever. Chronic means, when the fever or inflamma- tory action, has nearly, or, indeed, entirely subsided. It is sometimes brought on as a mere consequence of 27 210 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. inflammatory rheumatism—and sometimes it proceeds from cold and exposure, or from the system being pre- disposed to it by some old disease; for it frequently steals on so gradually, that the patient bears with it until the pain seats itself in some particular joint, or part, giving the most excruciating pain. When fairly seated by length of time, it usually prevents the sufferer from using his limbs, and from the misery attending it through- out, large lumps or swellings are produced by it: these are the symptoms by which you will know chronic rheu- matism. This slow, obstinate, and painful disease, must be treated as follows: First—the bowels are to be kept open by the simple laxative of sulphur. A tea-spoonful must be jgiven of a morning, mixed with honey, on an empty stomach—and one at night, if necessary to keep the bowels open. One or two purges a day will be suffi- cient: avoid the damp ground, and also getting wet while taking sulphur; because it opens all the pores of the system, and under these circumstances becomes dangerous. This medicine is truly valuable in this dis- ease, and too much can hardly be said in its favor; nor is there any danger in it, if you will but keep from the wet and damp. You may occasionally vary the treat- ment, by giving epsom salts in the room of sulphur, but it must be in moderate doses. The next object in curing this complaint is, to keep up a gentle moisture on the skin, in other words a gentle sweating; and for this pur- pose I shall give you a remedy which is very simple; and which in itself has cured hundreds, both of rheu- matism and pains generally. Take one ounce of gum guiacum and two drachms of saltpetre, put these two articles, after pounding them together, into a quart of old whiskey, and give a table-spoonful in a little cold GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 211 water, three times during the day. This dose is for a grown person. If the stomach be weak, lessen the dose in proportion—and so on for a delicate or weakly per- son. It acts as a powerful stimulant—produces gentle sweatings, &c. By continuing in the use of this simple remedy, in which there is no danger, I have effected cures in cases of long standing, several of which were considered hopeless. The principle to be pursued in removing this com- plaint is very simple: it is either by moderate or by profuse, which means large sweats. Take a blanket, or any thing which will prevent the steam from passing off, and put hoops into it, in the same manner that you would into a partridge net, so as to keep the blanket, or whatever else you use, on the stretch. Let the bottom hoop be large enough to cover a tub, or whatever other vessel you use: let the next hoop be something smaller, the next one smaller still, and so on up to the top one, which must be large enough to admit the head to be put through. This machine, or whatever else you may please to call it, must be long enough to cover the body without touching it, except at the neck, where it must fit so close as to prevent any steam from escaping, which might affect the nose, face, or any portion of the head. In this situation, the patient being enclosed in the case— naked: let him sit or stand, with hot rocks placed under him; on which so as to confine the steam to the body, let the following extract be gradually and very slowly poured. Four or live days before you wish to give this bath, take a quart of whiskey, and put into it half an ounce of saltpetre, one ounce of seneca snake-root, well bruised, and half an ounce of sulphur in a quart bottle. This liquor must be poured very slowly, or rather drop- ped through an aperture in the blanket on the rocks; by 212 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. which a powerful sweat will be produced, which must be continued for a quarter of an hour, if the patient be not too weak to bear it so long. When the patient is in this bath, if any faintness or sickness takes place, the bath is to be stopped, the patient wiped dry, and imme-< diately put to bed: and if much debility or weakness seems to exist, you must stimulate with warm toddy, made of any kind of spirits, with warm water and sugar* In my practice in Virginia, for five years I used this steam bath with unbounded success; and in some cases which I considered absolutely hopeless, cures were produced. By the effects of the vapor or steam bath, as just descri- bed, I was induced to try its effects in two cases of inflammatory rheumatism, in which one of the patients was unable to move without assistance for six months previous; all the usual remedies in that stage of the disease having been tried without any benefit. John Sypold, a man of about thirty-five years of age, of a full habit, a resident of Montgomery county, Virginia, was hauled to me in a wagon nine miles, laboring under inflammatory rheumatism. His situation was truly mis- erable, from the most severe and excruciating pains. I determined, with his consent, and after explaining to him my doubts as to the final issue of his case, to try the following experiment. I bled him freely from both arms; and his situation was such as to require five per- sons to assist me in getting him into a wooden case I had constructed for the purpose. His pain was so severe as scarcely to admit of his being turned over; but as soon as the steam was put in operation on him, he became tranquil—and in ten minutes a profuse sweat broke out on him, which produced great relief. He had continued in the bath fifteen minutes, when I pro- posed to have him removed: but the pleasantness of GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 213 his sensations induced him to desire me to let him remain: he said that those were the only moments in which he had experienced a relief from pain in six months. After continuing in the bath half an hour, he descended without assistance covered with sweat: his body was then rubbed well with coarse towels, and his joints also, with the liniment I have before described, made of hartshorn, laudanum, and butter without salt. I o-avc Mr. Sypold the bath three times, making each time shorter; in two weeks he was entirely relieved from pain, and in three months he walked to Lynch- burgh with his wagon, a distance of sixty miles, and returned, without experiencing the least return of his disease. Hundreds have since been relieved by me in Tennessee, of this disease, by this remedy of the bath, as just described—and in chronic cases, by the simple use of gum guaiacum as already mentioned. I shall now proceed to give the common remedies, as used by physicians in this complaint, many of which are valua- ble, and afford speedy and salutary relief. In all local affections, distinguished by stiffness, and want of power to move the joints without considerable pain, rub the part well with the liniment before men- tioned—or with opodeldoc—or whiskey, in which red pepper or mustard has been infused or soaked—and with these, or either of them, rub the joints or places affected with a brush, continuing the rubbing for some time, the longer the better; and use inwardly the gum guaiacum as before directed. The poke berry bounce, made by putting the ripe berries into whiskey, and using a wine glass full of it every day is of service. The seneca snake-root is also valuable in this disease, by boiling an ounce of it in a quart of water, over a slow fire or on coals; stewing it down to a pint or less, 214 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. and taking a table-spoonful of it occasionally through the day: you may increase the dose as the stomach will bear it. Fat light-wood, steeped in spirits, and taken in small quantities, is also serviceable. Tea made of sarsaparilla, and drank freely, is a good reme- dy; or take a large handful of rattle-snake root and bruise it well—put it into a quart of spirit and let it steep by the fire for several days; and of this take a wine glass full every morning. In the stage which I have lately described, which is ehronic rheumatism, the patient is frequently, by hav- ing had the disease a long time, reduced to great weakness: if so, he should use some bitters to strength- en the system; such as dog-wood bark, wild-cherry tree bark, and poplar bark, in equal quantities in whis- key, or spirit of any kind—old if possible; or if spirit disagrees, make a tea, and use it three times a day—a wine glass full; or cold camomile tea same quantity; or take eight or ten drops of elixir vitriol, in a wine or stem glass of cold water, three times a day. In this state of the system, horse-radish and mustard will be proper to use with your food. Your diet should be as usual—no change is necessary in chronic rheumatism* Exercise is important, if the patient can possibly have it r—and flannel should be worn next to the skin. The warm salt bath, as described under sea or salt bath, will be of great utility in this state of the disease; or you may use it by pouring over the body three times a day, strong salt and water, made milk-warm. If the above remedies should not relieve, after a proper and patient trial of them, recourse must be had to the French remedy, called Sulphureous Fumigation For instructions look under that head, GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 215 INDIGESTION, OR DYSPEPSIA. This common and most afflicting disease, so much disturbs and deranges our moral and physical nature, that it is difficult to determine which suffers most from its attacks, the mind or the body. From the variety of shapes which this complaint assumes, it is very difficult to describe it in a plain and comprehensive manner; in fact, it is so frequently associated in close connexion with other diseases to which it bears a strong resem- blance, particularly those of the liver and bowels, that in many cases it deceives the most experienced and intelligent physicians. This complaint, like the gout, may be said to be no respecter of persons: from the prince to the beggar, you can see misery inflicted, with- out discrimination of persons or ranks, by this demon of human suffering, indigestion—under whose influ- ence the body is tortured for years, and the mind con- tinually wrecked in a troubled sea of the most unhappy and melancholy feelings. This disease originates in a great variety of causes; among which it is often found associated with a dis- eased state of the liver. Persons who have used spirits of any kind to excess, or stimulants of any description, such as spices or highly-seasoned food, and those also who have used tobacco to great excess, by which the coats and functions of the stomach have been impaired and debilitated,, are liable to indigestion. A costive habit, acquired by permitting the bowels to remain too long without evacuation, will bring on this formidable malady; and persons who are long confined to any stationary, or sedentary business, without taking the necessary exercise, are generally submitted to this disease called Indigestion. When the complaint is firmly seated in the stomach, it is marked by eructa- 216 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. tions or belchings of wind; gnawing and disagreeblO sensations at the pit of the stomach; risings of sour and bitter acid into the throat, occasioned by the food not being properly digested; great irregularity of appe- tite, which is sometimes voracious and at other times greatly deficient; and a sinking and oppressive debility or weakness of the stomach. In addition to these symptoms of indigestion, on gratifying the appetite at any time, the stomach in a short time afterwards be- comes oppressed with sensations of weight and full- ness; the head becomes confused; the sleep very much disturbed; the bowels very irregular and costive; the urine high colored; and the poor victim commences taking medicines for relief, and brooding in dejected silence over thousands of unhappy retrospections of past life, and countless melancholy anticipations of the future, in which death in all its attendant and imagina- ry horrors, stands conspicuous and appalling. Nor are these the only miserable indications of indigestion; I have known many persons whose tempers and dis- positions have been materially affected by indigestion; so much so indeed, that they were incapable of describ- ing their own sensations; and who when ridiculed by their friends, in merely pleasant raillery, as hypochon- driacs, have wished their sufferings were ended by a close of their existence! If the liver is connected with this disease called indigestion, a dead and heavy pain will be felt in the right side: the water deposited in the urinal or pot, will have, on cooling and settling, a brick-dust colored sediment, which if permitted to remain any length of time will adhere in rings of a reddish hue to the inner sides of the urinal; a pain will be felt in the top of the shoulder and back of the neck; the feet and hands will GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 217 frequently get asleep, from want of regular and ener- getic circulation; the complexion will become of a yellowish hue or tinge; great and general uneasiness of the whole system will be felt; and sometimes, when the liver is greatly diseased, occasional puking will come on—in which last case, a diseased state of the liver being evident, I must refer the reader to that head. REMEDIES. In the removal or cure of this disease, great reliance is always to be placed in the systematic regulation of your diet, as to the times of taking food—the quantity of that food—and the qualities to be taken; and any person laboring under indigestion will soon discover^ that regularity and temperance, in fact abstemiousness in eating and drinking, will be productive of as many benefits to the sufferer, as want of system and intem- perance will be of serious injuries, and dangerous consequences. I am decidedly of opinion, with regard to dyspepsia, that by withdrawing the causes of irrita- tion from the stomach, and applying such remedies as will have the effect of lessening irritability of the gen- eral system, unless the patient be entirely too much exhausted, nature would effect a cure without the aid of that farrago of medicines generally swallowed in this complaint: and I wish it here to be distinctly understood, that unless those who are tortured with indigestion absolutely relinquish all excesses of the table and the bottle, no cure can be hoped for or expected. Doct. James Johnson, of the Royal College of Physicians, has correctly and elegantly described the remedies for indigestion, in nearly the following lan- guage; There is a great error committed almost every 28 218 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. day in this disease, which is, by flying to medicines at once, whenever the functions of the stomach and liver appear to be disordered, and the food imperfectly digested. Instead of taking purgative medicines day after day, we should lessen and simplify the food, in order to prevent the formation of such things in the body, as will assist to produce and increase the disease; but in attempting to induce a patient to adopt this rule, I am aware that great prejudices are to be overcome. The patient feels himself getting weaker and thinner; and he flies immediately to nourishing food, and tonics and strengthening medicines for a cure; but he will generally be disappointed in the end by this plan. From four ounces of gruel every six hours, under any state of indigestion, he will derive more nutri- ment and real strength, than from half a pound of animal food, and a pint of the best wine. Whenever he feels any additional uneasiness or discomfort, in mind or body, after eating, the patient has erred in the quantity or quality of his food, however restricted the one or select the other. If the food and drink irritate the nerves of the stomach, they must be redu- ced and simplified down even to the gruel diet above alluded to. I have known the dyspeptic patients gain flesh and strength, on half a pint of good gruel, taken three times in twenty-four hours, and gradually bring the stomach step by step, up to the point of digesting plain animal food. On a biscuit and a glass of water, I have known persons who were afflicted with this disease to dine for months in succession; and on this small portion of food, to obtain a degree of strength, and a serenity of mind, beyond their most sanguine hopes. You will perceive, that in all the different forms of indigestion, diet is the first thing, and the GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 219 principal cure in this disease; and rely upon it, for I assert it from sad experience in my own person, that it is absolutely vain to expect a cure, unless you have courage and perseverance to reap the fruits of such a system as I have laid down to you in diet, and not to change it, however strongly you may be tempted by the luxuries of the table, anclthe seductions of convi- vial society; and when you have escaped the miseries of this worst of human affliction, you must be extreme- ly careful how you deviate from the right diet which has restored you to health; for no disease is so liable to relapse as indigestion. An unrestrained indulgence in a variety of dishes, or in vegetable and fruit, or a debauch in drinking, will be certain of making the poor dyspeptic patient pay dearly, in suffering and wretchedness of feelings, for his straying from the cor- rect path of temperance and propriety. The least over-exertion of the stomach, caused by its being over- loaded or too highly stimulated, will be certain to cause you to be on the stool of repentance for some time afterwards. As soon as you have the least reason for supposing that you are laboring under indigestion, commence first with an active purgative consisting of ten grains of calomel, ten of rhubarb in fine powder, and ten of aloes likewise finely powdered. These three articles are to be mixed well together, and made into pills, with honey or syrup. After this purgative medicine, which is intended to clear the stomach and bowels of all their unhealthy and injurious contents, which always when present keep up a constant irrita- tion in the stomach and intestines, no more very active purges are to be given—because the frequent and almost constant employment of active purges, always do more harm than good, by unnecessarily weakening 220 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. the system: one satisfactory evacuation by stool in the course of the day is quite sufficient; and by more than this the stomach and bowels are teased, thereby produ- cing debility—rthe real parent of morbid irritation. When this state of body is avoided, and the stomach and bowels at the same time kept sufficiently easy and clear, and the temperate abstemiousness I have advis- ed strictly followed, the poor sufferer under indigestion may confidently expect an extinguishment of the flames of his torture, A little rhubarb root chewed at night—or the follow- ing simple pill will be of service. Take of rhubarb in powder half a drachm, of Castile soap one drachm, and of ipecacuanha in powder half a drachm—mix them well together in honey or any syrup, to which add a little powdered ginger to make the mixture pleasant to the stomach; make it into thirty pills, one of which you must take every morning, noon, and at night; this will give a tone to the stomach and bowels, but as an alterative; and keep them gently open—this is an innocent and most useful pill, and will afford great relief, with proper exercise and diet. A tea-spoonful or a table-spoonful of common charcoal, pounded very fine and taken three times a day in a tumbler of cold water, is an excellent remedy in this complaint. This article is made in a proper manner, by taking a lump of common charcoal made of any kind of wood, and burning it over again in an iron ladle or skillet, to a red heat: then suffering it to cool—and pounding it as before directed. This coal powder ought to be imme- diately put into a bottle and corked tightly, in order to exclude the action of the air on it—and whenever any of it is used as before mentioned, the cork ought im- mediately to be returned to the bottle. The quantity GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 221 of the charcoal used, must be regulated so as to pro- duce moderate operation by stool. I have known hundreds relieved by this simple and innocent remedy, when the diet has been properly attended to, after many other remedies had been tried in vain. Physicians call this pounded charcoal, carbo ligni, in their learn- ed prescriptions; which I have often found very pow- erful in relieving diseases of the liver, when other remedies had totally failed. Epsom salts and magne- sia, in equal quantities, ground fine in a mortar, and given in doses of a tea-spoonful in a glass of cold water, every morning on an empty stomach, is also a fine remedy in dyspepsia or indigestion—and if neces- sary at any time to have the bowels gently opened, will always be found beneficial and effective. When the stomach and bowels have been kept free from irritation for any length of time, by the mild treatment I have laid down; when the tongue becomes clean; when the sleep becomes more refreshing; and when the mind becomes tranquil, the spirits something animated, and the head clear, fresh beef made into a weak soup, may be ventured on, with a little well- boiled chicken; by this diet you may gradually try the powers of the stomach, and know by your feelings how much they will bear without injury. If it produce uneasy feelings, such as before described, to either the mind or body—or to both—within the day or night of this trial of animal food, it should be lessened in quantity. If that will not do, you must entirely relin- quish it, and resume the old diet of gruel. When animal food can be taken, without producing any pain and uneasiness, you may gradually increase it according to your feelings. Begin with one ounce of animal food, and gradually increase the quantity, but with 222 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. great caution. After a while you may venture on sim- ple food, so that by degrees your stomach may acquire some strength and firmness, which it will now do be- yond your most sanguine expectations; but you must always remember, to eat just such a quantity as will produce no uneasiness or languor after eating; no unhappy feelings of body or mind during digestion. It is quite unnecessary for me to enumerate all the kinds of food which it will be improper for you to eat; I have already explained to you, that the most simple food is the best. Milk and rye-mush is an excellent dish in this complaint; and I have known many persons, who, by using it six months together, without any ani- mal food, have been entirely and permanently cured. No hot bread is to be used at all; stale bread and biscuit, the older the better, but without any butter, are very good in this complaint. How often have I been asked by my dyspeptic patients this question: Is it impossible to cure indigestion without resorting to low and very abstemious diet? I have always said it is im- possible—and I now repeat it, for the ten thousandth time; and those who think otherwise will find, if they act up to their opinions, that after spending their money, and making apothecary shops of their bodies, that all the medical remedies in the world, without very tem- perate and abstemious living, are not worth one cent! Always have patience: there must be time for every thing, and particularly for the cure of indigestion.— Reflect on the length of time, and the great variety of causes which produce this disease, and you will soon see that it cannot be cured in a few hours, or in a few days. The stomach, like a weary traveller worn down by fatigue, requires rest, tranquility, and cooling diet, to allay the feverish state of the system, produced by GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 223 high and long-continued excitement, and perhaps by terrible excesses! Cold water is the only proper drink; and to persons who have been accustomed to the use of spirituous liquors, some gentle i bitter may be taken, but in very small quantities. But in respect to drink I am perfectly convinced that water alone is the best drink for persons afflicted with this disease of the stomach. After a com- plete change has taken place in the system, by a low, regular, and very abstemious diet for some months— the patient will find, if it will agree with his stomach, which his feelings will soon tell him, immense benefit from taking a mixture, compounded of equal quantities of the root of the poplar, the bark of the wild cherry tree, and the bark from the root of the dog-wood, with a small portion of black snake-root, made into bitters with old whiskey or very old rum. This bitters must stand four or five days before being taken; and then given in small doses, diluted with water; three times in each day—but if it occasions any unpleasantness of feeling or sensation, in the stomach or head, it must be immediately discontinued. Tonics, or strengthening medicines, are never to be given in the fever stages of indigestion, or while the slightest irritation exists, or the consequence will probably be, an inflammation which will terminate fatally. The warm or tepid bath should be frequently used in this complaint, taking particular care to rub over the stomach well with a brush in the bath, and a coarse towel immediately on leaving it. For bathing, and the manner of preparing the warm or tepid bath, look under the head warm bath. Injections or clysters of simple milk and water, luke-warm, or of warm water with a table spoonful of hog's lard mixed with it, thrown up 224 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. into the bowels, occasionally, will be of much service in this disease: because they will remove any irritable matter which may remain in the lower intestines, thereby lessening one of the greatest enemies you have to con- tend with, which is morbid irritability. For clysterd —look under that head. Clysters, constantly used with the warm bath, will obviate or do away the necessity of taking medicines by the stomach, and very much expe- dite the cure of the afflicted sufferer. In this disease,- the acid or sour belchings may be corrected or removed, by the simple use of magnesia or chalk: a tea-spoonful of either of which articles, may be taken in a wine or stem-glass of cold water. The charcoal, prepared as I have before mentioned, is also well adapted to remo- ving this unpleasant and irritable state of the stomach arising from acid. I have now given a faithful, plain, and full description of this tedious and most afflicting malady, called dyspepsia or indigestion—together with an account of the most approved remedies for its remo- val. CONSUMPTION. Consumption spreads its ravages in the haunts of gaiety, fashion, and folly—but in the more humble walks of life where the busy hum of laborious industry is heard, it is seldom known. In the last stage of this dismal waste of life, although there are many means of alleviating, in some degree, its miseries, there is neither remedy nor cure for this disease—and yet so flattering is consumption, even when very far advanced, that the unfortunate victim frequently anticipates a speedy recov^ ery, and is preparing for some distant journey for the GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 225 renovation of health, when in a few days, perhaps a few hours, his wearied feet must pass the peaceful thresh- hold of the tomb, and his body sink to everlasting rest Thousands are yearly falling in the spring-time of life by the untimely stroke of this most fatal of diseases, and although medical men have for ages been endeav- oring to put a stop to its ravages, I assert it without fear of contradiction, that in the last stage of consump- tion, there is no remedy within the whole circle of medical science, that will cure the disease, but I have no doubt the period will arrive, when this formidable enemy of the human species, will be subdued by some common and simple plant, belonging to the vegetable kingdom, which is at this period totally unknown; for I have always been impressed with a decided belief, that our wise and beneficent Creator has placed within the reach of his feeble creature man, herbs and plants for the cure of all diseases but old age, could we but obtain a knowledge of their real uses and intrinsic virtues. I wish it to be distinctly understood, with respect to what I have said of this disease, that I mean Consumption alone, and entirely unconnected with any other complaint. The cure of consumption should always be attempted in its forming state, before it pro- duces active symptoms of cough, or matter from the lungs, or inflammatory or hectic fever. I have often seen this fatal complaint cured by attention to it, in the first symptoms, but how often are they permitted to steal gradually on, creating no alarm or uneasiness, mistaking it for a simple cold, until it makes consider- able progress, and the complaint becomes permanently seated in the system. Consumption can easily be distinguished from any other disease by the following symptoms—the patient complains of weakness on the 29 226 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. least bodily exertion, the breathing is hurried, oppressed on ascending any steep place, the pulse small, and quicker than natural, a feeling of tightness as if a cord was drawn across the chest; slight, short, dry cough, becoming more troublesome at night; a spitting of white frothy spittle termed by physicians mucus. As this disease advances, the spitting becomes more copi- ous and frequent, and sometimes streaked with blood, of a tough, opaque or dark substance, solid and of a yellow or green color, having an unpleasant or fetid smell when thrown on burning coals, or if this matter is put into pure water it sinks to the bottom of the vessel, by this simple test, you can easily distinguish it from mucus which has no smell, and separates into small flakes, and floats upon the surface of the water —thereby enabling you to judge as to the progress or formation of this complaint Consumption is considerably advanced when the following symptoms occur: a pain in the chest, and in the side, which is increased by exerting the voice by long or loud talking; pulse is quick and hard, gener- ally from one hundred to one hundred and fifteen strokes in a minute; the urine or water is highly color- ed, and deposits in the urinal or pot a muddy sediment; the palms of the hands, and the soles of the feet have a dryness and burning sensation; the cheek, and fre- quently both cheeks, have a flush or reddish hue, exhibiting itself about the middle of the day. This flush lasts for one or two hours when a remission takes place until the evening, when the feverish symptoms again return, accompanied frequently by a shivering or cold sensation, continuing until after midnight, then terminating in a profuse perspiration or sweat occasion- ing great prostration or weakness. In the last stage of GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 227 Consumption, the whole countenance assumes a ghast- ly cadaverous look, the white part of the eyes have a pearly and unnatural appearance, while the eye itself beams with sparkling animation and lustre; the cheek bones are prominent, the mouth and throat resembles or looks like that of a child having the thrush; the legs swell, the nails are of a livid or purple color; frequent purging, ending in profuse sweating, cough hollow, difficulty of respiration or breathing, and the patient has a restless and disturbed slumber; during sleep a curious noise is made from the throat, like suffocation, occasioned by the collection of matter or pus, in the throat and mouth; when these last symp- toms make their appearance, the period is fast approaching, when the unhappy sufferer will lay his weary and aching head in the calm and peaceful man- sions of the dead. The alarming increase of Con- sumption in the United States, affords an ample field for medical research; the bills of mortality taken in the various cities show the immense number who die in the flower of life, by this merciless disease. In three years the number of deaths in the British me- tropolis, is stated to be fifty-two thousand, twro hundred and thirty-seven; and among these, were, under the general head of consumptions, seventeen thousand, five hundred and fifty-nine—making the number of deaths annually in London, by Consumption, three thousand. The rapid progress made in our country by this fatal complaint, is sufficient to serve as a warning to every parent, and head of a family, in order to avoid those causes, which, sooner or later, end in this unmanagea- ble disease. The causes which produce Consumption are, exposure to cold and damp air, using tobacco to excess, either by smoking, chewing, or by using it in 228 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. snuff to clean the teeth, acting as a powerful stimulant^ thereby producing irritation; the use of spirituons liquors to excess; obstructions and inflammations of the lungs; the suppression of natural discharges, par- ticularly the menstrual discharge or courses; scrofula, diseases of the liver and stomach, and unfortunately, receiving a hereditary disposition or taint to this disease from father or mother. The narrow chest and high shoulders, weakness of the voice, whiteness of the teeth, fairness of complexion, and light hair, have all been observed to accompany a predisposition to con- sumption. Much reliance, however cannot be placed upon these signs, except where a number of them con- cur in the same person. While the empire of fashion bears so arbitrary a sway, and the followers of pleasure are bound by the fascination of example, and the con- tagious influence of that spirit, which insinuates itself into the bosom of each and every one of its votaries, so long will the sage precepts of wisdom be unheeded till the emaciated form, the glassy eye, and hectic blush, speak in language too strong for utterance, that the disease is established and the yawning grave stands ready to receive its devoted victim. I hardly know an object of more tender concern to the anxious parent, or the medical adviser, than a young and beautiful female in the pride and spring of youth, and strength of intellect, borne down by the invasion of a malady, which has so often selected for its sacrifices the most amiable and interesting beings of God's creation. And when, moreover, all this can be traced to one single act of imprudence, one offering on the altar of fashion, who can forbear to utter a sigh, when they behold a lovely woman, laced to such a degree as to impede respiration or breathing. As well might the GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 229 hardy Russian or Laplander, amongst his snows pre- tend to brave the severities of his icy climate in the flowing robes of tropical indolence, as a female to indulge in the Grecian costume or dress, under the influence of such a change as we experience during the winter and spring months. This predisposing de- bility for Consumption runs in families, and may be traced from generation to generation—moving on the leaden pinions of unshaken time, without a remedy to arrest its course. REMEDIES. The cure for this formidable complaint is to be attempted by a removal to a warm climate at an early stage of the disease, and to attend to the preservation of an equal temperature in the atmosphere which the patient breathes, a sudden or frequent alteration of heat and cold is fatal to an irritable consumptive system. If possible consumptive persons should remove to a warm climate the moment a predisposition is discover- ed; a change to a warm or temperate atmosphere during the winter months, may be the means of re- moving the predisposing cause to this complaint; it is however, to be regretted that this change is often de- layed until a late period of the disease when the strength is so much exhausted that sufferers cannot take suffi- cient exercise to assist the climate in restoring health, it is then too late, and the unfortunate victim of this complaint had better remain at home, for by leaving it, he is deprived of the attention and society of his friends, and exposed to much unnecessary fatigue and anxiety of mind. If the disease is so far advanced as to prevent the patient from going out of doors in the winter months, his chamber or room should be kept warm at an even temperature by a stove; the unpleas- 230 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. ant smell which frequently arises from a stove in a close room may be removed by burning tar upon it, this fumi- gation or vapour, constantly inhaled or breathed, is considered by physicians as a valuable remedy in con- sumption ; the usual method of inhaling the vapour or steam, is by putting a small quantity of tar into a coffee- pot or earthen vessel, which is to be heated and the fumes inhaled from the stem of the vessel. This sim- ple but valuable remedy, allays the violence of the cough, and produces a free and copious discharge of mucus or matter; inhaling of the vapor arising from warm water with a little vinegar added to it, several times during the course of the day, will assist in promo- ting the discharge and tranquilize the cough. These valuable but simple remedies should not be omitted in this complaint. Bleak winds, night air, and exposure of every kind must be strictly avoided, the body should be well defend- ed by wearing flannel next the skin, also the feet properly secured from the damp; frictions, or in other words, rubbing the whole body with a brush or coarse towel from fifteen to twenty minutes in the morning, and at night, will be of great service in this disease, the friction to be continued twice a day as long as the complaint lasts, As nothing tends more to aggravate the symp- toms of a Consumption, at an early stage of it, than a desponding mind, brooding over real or imaginary calamities, every thing should be done to cheer the spir- its, such as cheerful society, music, &c. &c. Be careful to regulate the bowels, if possible by diet, and by friction (as before described,) but if recourse must be had to medicine, let it always be mild, and in no larger doses than are necessary to discharge or move the bowels; for this purpose clysters of simple milk and water thrown GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 231 up the bowels, or warm water with a tea-spoonful of hog's lard will be proper:—for clystering and the method of administering them look under that head. Rhubarb root chewed in small quantities at night will produce a motion, epsom salts and magnesia mixed and ground fine in a mortar, dose a tea-spoonful in half a pint of cold water—or a table spoonful of common charcoal pounded very fine in the same quantity of water—for the method of making and preserving this innocent but valuable medicine, read indigestion. The Consumptive patient should daily take as much exercise as his strength will admit of, except when the weather is unfa- vorable. The best exercise will be riding on horseback, but if this produces fatigue, substitute the use of some kind of carriage, or a swing, so constructed as to admit a chair in it, for the patient to recline or rest when fati- gued. In my practice I have used a large basket of a sufficient size to admit a small bed to be placed in it; the patient can lay at full length, and receive the advan- tages to be derived from the swing, without experiencing any fatigue. This basket is about six feet in length and two feet in width, having six handles by which it is sus- pended to the ceiling, with ropes, or in any convenient place, free from damp or moist atmosphere. In what- ever way exercise is taken, the greatest care must be observed to guard against cold in any manner whatever, for this important reason, tubercles or ulcers of the lungs are formed in winter in cold climates, and their progress to suppuration kept back in the summer, and this is the cause why I urge your removal to a warm climate at an early period of this disease, for when tubercles or ulcers become permanently seated in the lungs, the case may be considered incurable; but palli- ative remedies may be given with proper diet, and 232 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. change of climate, as to prolong the life of the unfortu- nate victim of the disease. I shall explain for the satisfaction of my reader what is meant by the lungs, and their structure. In anatomy it denotes the viscera or lobes in the cavity of the breast by which we breathe; they are connected with the neck, and situated on the right and left side of the heart; being furnished with innumerable cells which are formed by the descent of the wind-pipe into the lungs, those bronchial tubes com- municate with each other; and the whole appears not unlike a honey-comb. The most important use of the lungs is that of respiration or breathing, by which the circulation of the blood is supposed to be effected; the evacuation of the fseces or excrement, and urine, greatly depends on the constant action of the lungs, but like- wise the sense of smelling is enjoyed by inhaling the air; and it is chiefly by the organic structure of these vessels, that mankind are enabled to speak;—lastly, they perform the office of excretion, and expel those useless matters, which, if retained in the system, would be productive of fatal consequences. The treatment of Consumptive persons must be regulated according to the manner in which the disease shows itself; an energetic course of practice by the physician in the first stage or symptoms of this disease may be the means of saving' the life of his patient, or in other words preventing con-1 firmed consumption. If there is a pain in the side, or breast, accompanied by cough with fever, the patient should be bled immediately; the quantity of blood taken must be regulated by the constitution, strength and hab- its of the person. Bleeding should be continued every third day, if the inflammatory symptoms continue to exist, regulating the quantity of blood by the strength and feverish state of the patient. I have generally GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICLNE. 233 found in my practice, that after bleeding moderately the symptoms considerably abated, the fever diminished, less pain in the breast or side, cough relieved and the respi- ration or breathing much improved; after the inflamma- tory action is subdued, apply a blister over the breast and side, if necessary from pain; this blister is to be kept discharging or running, and should it heal, put on another; the object being to continue a drain or run- ning as much as possible—similar to a seton or rOwel--^- as you value the life of your patient, enforce a rigid and low diet, of the most simple nature, for hundreds die from imprudence in this respect who might be relieved if they could but have courage and firmness to live on gruel and milk and avoid altogether animal or stimula- ting food. I have had an opportunity of testing the effects of low diet in Consumption, and I feel fully satis- fied that it is highly essential in the cure of this disease. In the early stage of this alarming complaint give an emetic, or puke, of ipecacuanha—see table for dose; and repeat this emetic once or twice a week as the obstruction or case may require; this is to be continued through the disease, and much benefit will result from it, for I rely very much on emetics in my practice in Consumption; for the purpose of moderating the irrita- tion of the system and allaying cough and fever, give small doses of tartar emetic of half a grain dissolved in a small quantity of flaxseed tea, balm or sage tea, slippery elm tea, marsh mallow tea, any of which may be used; the tartar emetic must be gradually increased, and given at intervals until the irritation subsides; if the tartar emetic affects the stomach or bowels, add a few drops of laudanum to each dose. By a little caution the emetic tartar may be gradually increased with much 30 234 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. benefit to the patient by lessening the fever, allaying the cough, and producing expectoration, or in other words, a free discharge from the breast; as an active and valu- able expectorant, much benefit will be derived from the Indian turnip. This valuable plant is very common in the Western States, grows in meadows and swamps, six or eight inches high, purple leaves three in number, roundish berries, of a light scarlet colour; the root of this plant boiled in milk is a valuable remedy; or take of the peeled root one pound, and three pounds of loaf sugar, pound them well together in a mortar so as to make a fine powder, and take a tea-spoonful twice or thrice a day as the case may require; Gum Arabic, or peach tree gum will answer, held in the mouth to allay the cough. Cooling medicines through the whole course of the complaint will be proper, particularly nitre, equal quantities of epsom salts and magnesia mixed, pounded fine in a mortar, doses of a tea-spoonful to be given in half a pint of cold water will cool the system and keep the bowels in a laxative state; the dose to be increased if neceesary to act on the bowels. In the advanced stage of this disease the patient is usually much weak- ened by night sweats; this should be checked by administering the following pills: copperas—called by physicians, sulphate of iron,—one grain, rhubarb one grain, gum myrrh two grains, oil of cloves one drop; these pills should be repeated three or four times a day; and ten or fifteen drops of sulphuric acid, or the same quantity of elixir vitriol, taken every two or three hours in a cup of flaxseed tea, when the febrile symptoms are severe. Pills composed of sulphate of copper, one grain, ipecacuanha one grain, made into a pill, and repeated every three hours, is a valuable remedy; infu- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 235 sion of wild cherry-tree bark, made with cold water, tar water, and cold camomile tea, are all good strength- ening remedies in this stage of the complaint. A purging attends this disease which is very exhaust- ing, ending in profuse sweating, as before mentioned, for as soon as the one is stopped the other too frequently comes on, producing thereby an extreme degree of weakness. When this takes place, use opium united with a small quantity of ipecacuanha or sugar of lead, if the disease is severe:—see table for doses. An infu- sion of galls, or tormentil root, with cinnamon and gum Arabic, will check the purging. About this stage of the disease the mouth and throat are filled with sores, similar to the thrush; here astringent gargles of sage tea, a little borax and honey, to wash the mouth and throat, will be proper, aided by tonic and astrin- gent medicines, are the only hope of giving relief in this last stage of Consumption. My practice is, to give opium to a considerable extent; increasing or decreas- ing it, as the situation of the case may require. By this valuable medicine, we have it in our power to protract the period of life, and to lessen the distress of the patient. The inexpressible delight produced by opium, when the poor sufferer is prostrated, can scarce- ly be described. It always soothes the irritations of the cough, and mitigates all those symptoms which cannot be removed. The influence it exercises over the mind and imagination of the patient no human language can describe. In some constitutions, opium disagrees with the patient, and produces restless and irritable feelings. When this is the case, recourse must be had to other sedatives or soothing remedies; for instance, to garden lettuce; which is fully equal to opium in producing a mitigation of pain, and in allay- 236 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. ing inordinate action. For the manner of preparing this valuable remedy which every one is in possession of, see the head Garden Lettuce. Iceland moss, has also, for some time past in Europe, been resorted to as a valuable palliative in Consump- tion; and more recently in the United States, it has acquired considerable reputation in this disease. But like all other boasted remedies, the powers of this herb have been most probably overrated. It, how- ever, not unfrequently proves highly beneficial, by strengthening the patient, diminishing the hectic symp- toms, and allaying the cough. It has another impor- tant advantage. It strengthens the digestive powers, without producing a constipation or costiveness of the bowels. This medicine is quite innocent: the Laplan- ders use it in various ways, and among others as food. When employed as an article of diet, they bruise this moss, and steep it in several successive waters: by which means they extract its bitter qualities, and it then affords them a highly grateful food, of a soft and glutinous consistency, similar to jelly; but the method of preparing it for consumptive persons is as follows. First wash it well in clean cold water; then boil one ounce of the moss, with a quart of water, ov&r a slow fire—and while stewing, add of liquorice root, cut up very fine, two drachms, or about as much as the size of the middle finger. A teacup full of this medicine must be drank four times a day. Or—if the taste of this preparation is too disagreeable, you may boil a quarter of an ounce of the moss in a pint of milk for ten min- utes, and take the milk for breakfast and supper— always taking care, that the quantity be not disagreea- ble to the patient's stomach. For a description of this moss, and where it may be had, see Iceland moss. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 237 Lichen or lungwort, which grows on the bark of the white oak tree, and which looks like a shell or skin, is said to possess the same medical qualities as the Iceland moss. It is called Lungwort, (I had almost forgotten to remark,) because of its strong resemblance in shape to the human lung. A tea made of a handful of the lungwort to a quart of boiling water, and used as a common drink, is not only a good palliative in Consumption, but when made into a syrup with honey, is very beneficial in hooping cough. Doctor Hereford of Virginia, a gentleman of distin- guished reputation as a physician, has made some interesting communications in the newspapers, relative to a plant called Liverwort, which he presumed to be effectual in the cure of Consumption. For a descrip- tion of this plant, and the method of preparing it, look under the head Liverwort. The Doctor is certainly entitled to be considered the first who made use of it in the cure of Consumption; and his communications on the subject will entitle him to the thanks of posterity—if for no other reason, than that it has been found an excellent palliative remedy in this dreadful disease. So high was at one period the excitement of the public feeling, respecting the virtues of this little plant as a certain cure for Consumption, and so great was the demand for it, that it was frequently sold at Nashville for the enormous price of five dollars an ounce. After some time, it sunk greatly in price in this country, being discovered to be very plentiful in the mountains of Tennessee. Like all other boasted reme- dies, which have been called specific cures in Con- sumption, the Liverwort is only considered a good palliative—a mere alleviator of the miseries of the disease. 238 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. DISEASES OF THE LIVER. The liver is much more frequently the seat of dis- ease, than is generally supposed, even by many physi- cians of reputation and experience. The functions it is destined to perform, and on the regular execution of which depends not only the general health of the body, but the powers of the stomach, bowels, brain, and whole nervous system, show its vast and vital im- portance to human health. When the liver is seriously diseased, it in fact not only deranges the vital functions of the body, but exercises a powerful influence over the mind and its operations, which cannot easily be described. It has so close a connexion with other diseases; and manifests itself by so great a variety of symptoms of a most doubtful character—that it mis- leads, I am well persuaded, more physicians even of great eminence, than any other vital organ. The inti- mate connexion which exists between the liver and the brain; and the great dominion which I am persuaded it exercises over the passions of mankind, convince me, and has long since done so, that many .unfortunate beings have committed acts of deep and criminal atro- city, or become what fools term hypochondriacs, from the simple fact of a diseased state of the liver. I am well aware, that the remark just made, in allusion to the crimes of mankind, will by many be considered new and daring: to these men I answer, that my busi- ness is with truth, regardless of consequences. But to proceed with my subject:—I have long been convinced, and it may be added from experience, that more than one half of the complaints which occur in this country, are to be considered as having their seat in a diseased state of the liver. I will enumerate some of them. Indigestion—stoppage of the menses—disordered state GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 239 of the bowels—affections of the head—lowness of spirits—irritable and vindictive feelings and passions, from trifling and inadequate causes, of which we afterwards feel ashamed—and last, though not least, more than three-fourths of the diseases enumerated under the head consumption have their seat in a dis- eased liver. I will ask you, reader of the particular description for whom I write, is not this a most fright- ful catalogue? But, I will add one more of these general indications of a diseased liver, before I speak of the symptoms of those particular diseases to which I at first intended to direct my attention. Under the head "intemperance," page 55—I have spoken on that subject, in general and philosophic terms; but, I neg- lected to mention under that particular head, that a diseased liver is frequently the cause of intemperance, and sometimes the effect of it; and I will now remark, that in either case, when the disease has arrived at a great height and strength, it is next to impossible to reform the drunkard, without absolutely operating on him for a disease of the liver, by medical remedies which will actually affect his physical system. I will also remark here, that many of those men who are called confirmed drunkards, are only men laboring under a disease of the liver, whose influence they can- not possibly resist by any moral power they possess, without the means I have just mentioned; or medical aid—and this may be the reason why Doctor Rush once alleged, that drunkenness was a disease. How often do we see men, who in their moments of sobriety, confess to their friends and families their im- proper courses, with a full determination to refrain, and no doubt with every sincerity of heart, who, after refraining from liquor a certain time, become restless, 240 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. fretful or irritable, and depressed in spirits; now, I do know, that in hundreds of instances, the love of liquor is not the cause of their becoming again intemperate. You will hear those men attempt to describe the wretchedness of their feelings when they abstain from liquor; they cannot do it: Now reader, must not this be a disease, with which the mere love of liquor has nothing to do? There are two strongly marked forms of diseased liver, requiring entirely different courses of treatment to effect a cure: one is called acute, and the other chronic. The first is known by inflammatory symp- toms or fever, accompanied with slight chill, and very much resembles an attack of pleurisy, being character- ised by pain in the right side, which rises to the point of the shoulder. On pressing below the ribs on the right side, you will feel the pain more severe. There is sometimes a sharp, and sometimes a dull heavy pain about the collar-bone; you have painful and uneasy sensations on lying on the left side, difficult respiration or breathing, dry and hacking cough, sometimes a vomiting or puking of bilious matter, your bowels are costive, your urine or water of a deep saffron color, and the quantity made quite small, great thirst, tongue dry and covered with a white fur, hard and frequent pulse, from ninety to one hundred in a minute, and sometimes intermitting, skin hot and dry; and after several days continuance of the disease, the skin and whites of the eyes put on a yellow color. On a close examination of the blood drawn from the arm, you will find its appearance somewhat singular. Be- fore it begins to coagulate or congeal, and while the red part is settling to the bottom—and before the buffy or yellow coat is fully formed, it looks of a dull green GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 241 color; but, immediately after the full formation of the upper coat, it changes from a dull greenish hue to a yellow. In warm climates, the liver is more apt to be affected with inflammation, than any other part of the body; this is owing to an increased secretion of bile, from the stimulus of heat, and several other causes. The liver is the largest, and most ponderous or heavy of the abdominal viscera or entrails. In adults, by which I mean grown persons, it weighs about three pounds— and serves to purify the blood, by secreting or taking from it the bile. Its situation is immediately under, and connected with the diaphragm, generally called the midriff; this is a muscle which divides the thorax or chest, from the abdomen or belly. When inflamma- tion of this organ takes place in hot climates, it is a highly dangerous disease; which, when spoken of by physicians, is called hepatitis. When physicians only mean general disease of the liver, they call it, in equal- ly general terms, hepatic derangement. The disease of the liver sometimes terminates in the formation of matter in an abscess, which has to be discharged, of which more notice will be taken in the proper place. Chronic: a term applied to diseases which are of long continuance, and most generally without fever. It is the opposite disease to the acute. When this stage exists, the complexion and countenance put on, or rather assume, a morbid or diseased appearance. You will experience, frequently, a giddiness or swimming of the head; a general weakness, and dislike to motion or exercise; frequent headache; indigestion; flatulency, or belching of wind from the stomach, with acid taste in the throat and mouth; pains in the stomach; your «*kin and eves will be of a yellow color, similar tojaun- 31 242 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. dice; your urine will be high colored, depositing a red brick-dust colored sediment in the urinal or pot, and frequently your water will be mixed with a ropy mucus, and when left some time in the vessel, will form a pink streak round its inside; and your stools will be the color of clay. By attending to these evacuations, their color will be almost a certain characteristic or mark of this disease: observe, however, that when you chew rhubarb root, it will always give your stools this light- yellow color; you will experience a dull heavy pain in the region of the fiver, extending to the point of the shoulder, and a great loss of appetite; your whole system will be oppressed with an unusual sense of fullness; on examination by pressure, there will be felt an enlargement and hardness of the liver; and in some cases, there will be experienced great oppression of respiration or breathing. I must remark, that the symptoms which I have here described, as indicative of the chronic stage of this disease, will always depend very much on the length of time the disease has been making its ravages on the system, for it may be com- pared to the midnight assassin, who steals on your hours of rest and security, with noiseless foot—and deals you the deadly blow! The truth is, that chronic affection of the liver, is a far more common form of disease in the United States than the acute. A disease of the liver, of the acute form> is produced by all causes which excite inflammation or fever. The chronic form of this complaint, is generally produced in the United States, by the excessive and imprudent use of spirtuous liquors. A residence of any continu- ance in hot countries, or even in warm climates, where a free and unrestrained course of living is indulged, is almost] certain to produce the disease; intermittent GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 243 fevers of long continuance, are also apt to produce a chronic stage of the liver; but I am compelled to say, if I must speak with candor, that I believe more than two-thirds of the whole number of liver complaints in the United States, may be traced to intemperance. REMEDIES. For an acute inflammation of the liver, you are to depend principally on the prompt and immediate use of the lancet, by bleeding the patient freely, according to his age, his strength, and the violence of his pains. After the bleeding, give an active purge of calomel and ja]ap—see table for dose. If this does not diminish the pain, bleed again and give an active dose of calomel at night, and a dose of epsom salts in the morning. After the first copious bleeding, I have generally, by giving an active purge of calomel and jalap, succeeded in lessening the violence of the complaint; but, if it still continued severe, I pursued moderate and frequent bleedings, with doses of calomel at night, and Epsom salts in the morning, and decreased the bleeding gradu- ally until I stopped it. Apply, also, a large blister over the liver, which will assist in mitigating and lessening the pain in the side. Also, cup freely and daily over the liver; it will be of great benefit by drawing off the blood from the interior. For cupping, look under that head. Small doses of emetic tartar in this stage of the disease, given occasionally in balm or sage tea, from one to two grains, will determine to the surface, or in other words produce moisture of the skin, and thereby relieve the feverish symptoms. In this stage of the complaint particularly—and indeed through the whole course of the disease, the warm bath will be found one of the finest remedies. Indeed, too much reliance cannot well be placed on warm bathing, accompanied 244 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. by friction—by which I mean, rubbing the body well with a brush, immediately after leaving the bath: the truth is, that this friction ought, by no means, to be omitted by the patient; I can from experience vouch for its beneficial effects. After following the course of practice which I have here laid down, and the disease still continuing obsti- nate, which it frequently does when it has been of long standing, you must depend on mercury. When I speak of this medicine, do not be alarmed or frightened at its name; for, with the rules which I lay down, (read under the head Mercury,) it will be as easy to manage this medicine as a dose of Epsom salts: and the various injuries which result from this valuable medicine, for without it, it would be impossible to prac- tice medicine with any kind of success, arise from its abuse: in fact, the injuries sustained by its use are owing to a want of care, and administering it on every trifling occasion, when medicines not so active would answer a much better purpose. There are various preparations of mercury; but, at the head of this article for removing this disease, stands calomel—and thousands of empirics or quacks of the United States, who publish in every news-journal some long-named remedy to cure diseases without the use of mercury, are the very fellows who use it most in some disguised form: and indeed it becomes in this way truly dangerous; for the patient, regardless of weather or exposure, having no knowledge of what he is constantly using, destroys instead of benefits his health—or, in removing one disease, lays the founda- tion of another still worse in its consequences. This medicine is the only sure and positive remedy, that can be relied on for the removal of the diseases of the GUNN»S DOMESTIC MfclUCimE. 245 liver, when permanently seated in that organ; and so powerful and necessary is it for the correction of its disorders, that it is called by a distinguished physician —the key of the liver. In administering this medi- cine, there are various ways of introducing it into the system, which must be done according to the stage of the disease, and the symptoms of the chronic form. If violent, active mercurial preparations must be used constantly, and steadily given. If the symptoms are gradual and not dangerous, the medicine must be in pro- portion to the state of this disease, and of a milder form of mercurial preparations. By reading under the head of Mercury, you will there see the different forms in which this mineral is prepared—and that it may be given to act promptly or mildly on the system. My course of practice in this disease, has been to employ the use of calomel from an early stage of the disease, after having purged the bowels well frequently by its use alone or combined with jalap. I generally admin- istered in small doses, say from one to two grains every three hours until salivation took place: or to act with more mildness, about the size of a nutmeg of mercuri- al ointment, {oil of baze,) was rubbed over the region of the liver, every night until salivation was produced. I make use of the words, 's at the brim of the pelvis or basin, with the face and 438 GUNN»S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. belly to the back of the mother, the knees bent to its breast, and the feet towards the upper part of the womb- As, therefore, the child must ultimately be turned, this is the best time to push the head and shoulders up towards the fundus, and to turn the face of the child to the back of the mother, which is most easily done within the membranes; by this movement the feet of the child will be brought within reach of the hand, and having secured them, they may be easily brought, by a waving motion, into the vagina or birth-place. You are always to remember, that you are to pause when- ever a pain comes on. Next, you are to bring down the hips and body of the child; and take care, if it be necessary, to turn the child gently, so that when it is delivered to the arm-pits, the belly of the child shall be to the back of the mother, which is the position in which the arms and head can be most easily delivered. Now, or before this time, examine the navel string, and occa- sionally pull it down a little, so as to prevent its being stretched. If the pulsation has ceased in the cord, or if the woman floods freely, either the child or the mother may be lost by delay; and you are to finish the delivery as soon as you prudently can, in doing which, you are to remember, that gentleness, caution and dex- terity are always to be used in preference to force." There are few conditions more truly dangerous and alarming, than flooding to any excess, towards the expi- ration of the natural term of pregnancy; and I there- fore, strongly and emphatically advise, that in all such cases, where an experienced and skilful physician can possibly be had, he be immediately sent for—and espe- cially where a forced abortion is essential to the preser- vation of the life of the woman. Such cases always require skill, judgment, promptness of conduct, and GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 439 decision of resolution; he must therefore be a man who can decide coolly, and act with firmness and caution. After the delivery, or rather the abortion has been pro- duced, the womb may be assisted in its contraction, and the flooding retarded and stopped, by the means I have already noticed so plainly; in addition to which, the rest of the woman will be promoted, and her recovery much hastened, by small or weak anodynes, in some cordial julep, such as spirituous cinnamon water, or a little good weak toddy with nutmeg. These are the remedies first called for, and they are to be succeeded by small portions of nourishing diet, repeated with cau- tion whenever called for, and by strengthening articles, such as tonics in which peruvian bark has been infu- sed, and port wine, in which cinnamon bark has been infused. LABOR. The commencement of labor means, the time the woman begins to be delivered of her child. She is always warned of the approach of her time, by pains which arc called labor pains. They are produced by contraction or drawing up of the womb, which at the commencement expels or forces out a slimy matter, gen- erally colored with blood, which is called the shew. As soon as this matter is discharged, the mouth of the womb, at each pain, begins to open and widen itself, so as to permit the contents of the womb to pass. You will recollect, that I have before informed you what the womb, in pregnancy contains. These pains increase gradually, the belly diminishes in size, and the womb 140 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. seems to sink, or approach nearer to the birth-place. The pains are at first quite short, and only come on after considerable intervals; the woman is now restless, first hot and then cold, and not unfrequently sick at the stomach. She is also often griped, and frequently befches wind, or passes it off backward, which should never be restrained from false delicacy. These pains now fly quickly to the back, and then again to the bot- tom of the belly. The woman has now a great desire to urinate, or make water frequently, and to go to stool. These inclinations are always to be attended to, because emptying the bladder, and evacuating the bowels fre- quently before actual child-birth comes on, are highly important and ought never to be neglected. The pains having been sharp and some time between them, she then begins to be uneasy and fretful, and requests some- thing to be given to her, to bring on the pains more rapidly. This is the precise point of time in which so many injuries are done, by ignorance and officiousness, in attempting to force nature into premature exertions, who if let alone a little while, would in almost all cases per- form her office, according to the dictates of divine wisdom, and with safety both to the mother and child: for you may be assured that what you so much dread, is intended for your eventual benefit, by permitting the womb gradually to distend- or open, with perfect safety to the parts, and in order that you may be blessed with an easy birth, and a living and uninjured offspring. You will always know the pains I now speak of, by an irresistible desire to catch hold of every thing within your reach, such as the bedstead, a chair, and 'so on. These pains, as I have already told you, arise from the GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 44l constant efforts of nature to open the mouth of the womb, and they must and will continue, until she accomplishes her end. When this is the case, and the mouth of the womb is sufficiently widened, nature will immediately commence her efficient and powerful operations, to press down the infant, so as to empty the womb. You will immediately know this change, by a pressing down pain, if I may be allowed the expression, which gradually increases to a strong sensation of bearing down. Although these for- cing pains are powerful and strong, yet the woman will bear them with more apparent ease and fortitude, than those which were felt in the first stage of labor. At this time, the membranous bag which contains the child and the waters which surround it, and which I have before described to you, is pushed out of the womb by degrees at every pain. The distance which this bag extends out, varies in size in different women; sometimes it is very small, and sometimes of considerably large dimen- sions. It continues gradually to force open, and to widen the mouth of the womb, until it opens the parts sufficiently to permit the head of the child to pass. You will now perceive, that by these gradual exertions of nature, to arrange and prepare all things properly, those delicate parts, which by sudden and powerful exertions would have been seriously injured, are now sufficiently enlarged to permit the birth of your infant without injury. And you will also discover, by what I have disclosed to you, that if nature is hurried by an imprudent physician or midwife, by forcing the child awav before the parts are sufficiently widened, great and signal injuries must be the consequences, both to the mother and child. 56 '***. 442 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. As soon as the parts are sufficiently prepared for the birth of the child, this membranous bag bursts open, and the waters are discharged; sometimes, however, these events take place at an early stage of the labor. When this is the case, the labor is never so easy as undej other circumstances. The quantity and quality of this water, differ in different women, as I have before told you. When these waters, then, burst forth in proper time, which I have pointed out, the bearing down pain continues, and the child gradually enters into the world. As soon as the child's head passes, the woman's relief is very great, and a little rest ought to be allowed her; you are by no means to pull the body out by force, for by so doing, you will produce great injury to the soft parts, and at the same time render it very difficult to deliver the woman of the after-birth. I must here remark emphatically, that this is another stage of labor, at which thousands of women are inju- red materially and fatally, by the hurry and officiousness of midwives, in hastily forcing the birth. Give time, and I will ensure that nature will exercise sufficient power to expel the child in her own time. The body of the child is not to be pulled and forced outward; let it alone—converse with the sufferer, and cheer her spir- its, and tell her that from the time the child's head makes it appearance, she is not to force and bear down. Tell her that by so doing, she will force the child for- ward, before the par% are ready; and that the conse- quence may be, the tearing or rupturing the perineum. This is the part between the fundament and the birth-place. Tell her that such an injury would leave her in a wretched condition for life, and must be avoided by all means. It is the duty of the midwife or physi- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 443 cian, as the child's head passes, to keep one hand pressed firmly yet cautiously against the perineum, which must, of course, from distension or stretching, be very thin and easily torn; and at the same time gently press so as to incline the head of the child upward toward the pubes. When the woman has rested, and the pains again come on, the hand must again be pressed against the perineum with steadiness and care, until the shoulders and hips of the child pass, at the same time gently supporting the child, and delivery is over so far. The child being now born, you are to permit it to lie still a few minutes, without being molested. Give it fresh air, and time to breathe, and the pulsation in the navel-cord will begin to diminish. This pulsation, by all means, should be suffered to subside, before you sep- arate the child from the mother. You will then, with a waxed thread, or a small string, make a moderately firm tie about the navel-cord, about three inches from the navel of the child; then make another tie, about three inches further from the child, on the navel-cord, and cut the cord asunder between the two ties, with a scissors or sharp knife. You are now to hold steadily, but by no means, as you value the life of the mother, to pull the navel-cord which has been tied and cut off; because this cord is attached to the after-birth, which is still in the body of the mother, and is yet to be delivered. Permit me to caution you, to implore you, to commaud you, not to pull away, by force, the after-birth; for I do now know some of the finest women in the United States, who are suffering daily and hourly, and will continue to suffer during their lives, from officiously and imprudently for- cing away from them the after-birth, which nature 444 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE, herself would have effected, without risk or pain, had she been left to her own exertions. By pulling away the after-birth, before the proper time, and before nature expels it by what are called after-pains, the consequen- ces will and must always be, flooding, and great loss of blood; because you force the separation, before you give time for the contraction of the blood vessels—in other words, before the mouths of the blood vessels have had time to close. In fact, the exercise of com- mon sense cannot fail to teach you, that where the after- birth is yet connected with, and strongly adheres to the womb, force will always tear the womb from its con- nexions, and be productive of unspeakable injuries. From this plain statement of facts, and the reasoning I have employed, I am convinced you will exercise due caution, in a matter of such vast importance to the future health and safety of the mother. According to the old usage and practice, the child would be immediately washed in warm water, and not unfrequently in spirits. Either of these plans of treat- ing the infant, in fact both of them are highly improper, and have been the causes of destroying thousands of children. Warm water or spirits, ought never to be used in this manner, unless the infant be born appa- rently dead; in such a case, warm water merely is proper to be applied. For a further explanation of this important matter, look under the head "treatment of new-born infants." The woman having rested for a short time, after her separation from the child in the manner I have descri- bed to you, the after-pains may be expected to come on, for the expulsion of the after-birth. These pains arc produced by the contraction or drawing up of the womb, to deliver or expel this after-birth: they generally come GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 445 on, in the lapse of from fifteen minutes to an hour, after the child has been brought forth. You are now to remember, that none but gentle and simple measures are to be used, in order to produce the expulsion or delivery of the after-birth. You are now to rub the belly of the woman, and gently extend or pull the cord, at the same time that she blows with some force into the palms of her own hands; the policy of this blow- ing is obvious—it will cause a gentle and natural bear- ing down, without the straining which would arise from holding and forcing the breath. If the woman be healthy and strong, if she has lost no blood, and if she feels able, let her stand up, and support herself on the shoulders of the operator or physician, while he is endeavoring, by the means just pointed out, to relieve her of the after-birth. I have, however, often succeed- ed in delivering the after-birth, when the womb would not contract, and when the woman was in a lying pos- ture, by introducing the finger up the birth-place, and gently turning it around in the mouth of the womb; in this case, the sensation felt in the mouth of the womb, will generally cause it to contract, and expel the contents. If all these means fail, and an hour passes without the expulsion of the after-birth, you are to introduce your hand with great caution, the parts being very sore, and open your fingers inside and round the edge of the womb; at the same time that you feel cautiously, and slowly separate, between the edges of the after- birth and the womb, any parts which may adhere as the womb gradually closes. When the after-birth is expelled or brought away, and any great discharge of blood takes place, apply to the belly some cloths wet with cold water, and put one up the birth-place, as 446 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. directed in flooding. The woman is then to be wiped or very gently rubbed dry, and suffered to rest quietly for several hours. DIFFICULT LABOR. Most cases of tedious labor, arise among women with their first child, with women who have married late in life, and with those who are so healthy, robust, and corpulent, that the parts seem to relax so slowly, as hardly to permit the birth of the child. The loss of some blood from the arm will be proper; and, I have frequently, after bleeding, put them in warm water; in doing this however, you must be careful as to the child. I have known instances, in which women have had their children in the close-stool or pot, while in the act of endeavoring to urinate or have a stool. The warm bath and bleeding will relax the system, sufficiently in all probability for the child to be born; but take care that the child is not injured by the water, while the woman is in the bath. When convulsions or fits take place during labor, and the woman has before complained of great pain in the head, and dimness with loss of sight, remember that you are to bleed freely, and to open the bowels with clysters, or some gentle laxative medicine. The most powerful means, and the best known, for relieving tedious or difficult labor is blood letting from the arm; and it should always be done if the woman is strong, healthy, and of a vigorous constitution. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 447 TWINS. What I have already said on the subject of labors relates to cases in which nature presents the mother with but one offspring from a pregnancy. You are well aware, however, that she sometimes presents a parent with two children; and, in the western country, if rumor speaks the truth, she in more than one instance, has not even stopped at this number. In about ninety nine cases out of a hundred, the directions I have given you, which relate to the birth of one child, will be found sufficiently ample and particular; but I must not omit to instruct you also, as to cases of child-birth, in which more than one child is to be born. It is not easy to ascertain, that there are twins, or more than twins to be born, until after the birth of the first child; and if there are three to be born, not until after the birth of the second. Where twins are to be produced, the membranes of both children may be felt at the birth place, sometimes before the delivery of one of them, but not often; and sometimes, but very sel- dom, it may be distinguished on examination, that different parts of both children present themselves. Twins are always considerably smaller than single children, which generally causes their birth to be more easy and rapid; in fact, the rapidity of a first birth, generally produces the first suspicion that there are twins. Generally speaking, immediately after the birth of the first child, another may be felt by very accurate pressure on the belly of the mother. But if the womb be very capacious or large, rather than subject yourself to great uncertainty, the hand may be very cautiously and gently introduced, and the child distinguished by the touch. Where there are twins, the second child is brought forth, within about an hour of the first, and 448 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. in a position directly contrary to the first; so that when the first is presented with the head foremost, the second may always be expected, with the breech or feet fore- most. "The first child being delivered," says Doctor----, "as prescribed in single cases, sometime must be allow- ed to recruit the woman's strength, and to afford nature time for bringing on the next delivery. There are cases in which it would be necessary to wait even three or four hours. 1st.—When artificial aid was used in the first case. 2d.—When the child presents unnatu- rally. 3d.—When fits of flooding come on. "When both children present naturally, and the la- bor of the first ends without aid, and without much fatigue to the patient, I wait for the secondary pains; but should these not come on in a reasonable time, four hours, I introduce my hand cautiously, and rupture the membranes; when, commonly, the second child passes readily through the pelvis or basin. If the first labor has been natural, and the second child presents in a wrong direction, I have generally, without delay, extracted it by the feet. If the first labor has been unnatural, with but little delay, the membranes are to be ruptured; and, whether the child should be brought down immediately, and delivered by the feet or not— the operating physicians or midwife must decide. The rules applicable to twins, will equally apply to cases where there are three or more children." Where a woman has brought forth twins, or more, great care and attention are necessary to prevent her from fainting. She should, therefore, not have her head raised or elevated; and even in moving, should have herself rolled over in the bed. A broad bandage round the belly, should never be omitted in the case of GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 449 twins, to support the belly of the mother. The direc- tions I have already laid down, respecting the after-birth of single children, are fully and entirely applicable in the cases of twins, and more children even than two. DIRECTIONS FOR MIDWIVES. The following remarks are especially intended for the serious consideration and benefit of midwives; and indeed of all such as are in the practice of officiating in the delivery of pregnant women. Regularly bred and licensed physicians are always presumed to know their duties, and to perform them with skill and judg- ment, in this highly responsible department of their profession. The practice of midwifery, by those who are not regularly taught the medical profession, and who are presumed to know little or nothing about the organization of the human system, implies the assump- tion of a most awful and dangerous responsibility; especially when it is considered, that the fatal conse- quences, of ignorance and presumption, if combined with total disregard of moral feelings, duties and prin- ciples, are nearly as chargeable with criminality, as if they proceeded from voluntary and intentional viola- tions of the laws of God! There is very little differ- ence, in other words, between the disregard of those duties which are enjoined by the laws of justice and humanity, and their palpable and unconditional viola- tion. The directions which I shall lay down for your con- siderate adoption, will be plain, simple, and natural; they will be obscured by no technical language, and rendered unintelligible tc vou hv none of the mysteries 57 450 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. of the medical profession; and if you scrupulously at- tend to them, they will enable you to be successful in ninety-nine cases of midwifery out of a hundred, in which you may be engaged. If you Wish to be esteemed great and skilful in your calling, and if you desire to be an instrument in the hands of divine provi- dence, for affording consolation and relief to your sex in the hour of affliction, treasure up the salutary advice, and never lose sight of it—that you are never to force nature; that you are to give her time to perform her operations; and, if you have any doubt as to the suc- cess of the delivery, you are to run no risks, but to call in the aid of a skilful and experienced physician. By attending to this course of conduct, you will relieve yourself of dangerous responsibilities, discharge your duties to a fellow creature, and appear in the presence of your Creator, with the consciousness of having acted in obedience to the most solemn injunctions of humanity. 1st. Immediately on your being called to deliver a woman, your first enquiry of her should be, as to the state of her bowels, whether she has had a stool, and whether she is bound or constipated in her bowels. I need not tell you, that the discharge of the bowels, and also of the urine or water from the bladder, are both important and even necessary—first, in preventing in- juries to the parts, as the child enters the world—and second, to render the labor and birth more easy and safe. You will, of course, therefore, strictly attend to these evacuations, and in proper time. 2d. You are now to ascertain and determine, wheth- er actual labor has taken place or not; and, the only certain and satisfactory signs of actual labor, are such as I have before minutely described to you. The GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 451 mouth of the womb is to be felt, by introducing the finger with much tenderness up the birth-place; and if you feel that it dilates or opens, during the time that a pain takes place, the woman is in actual labor. 3d. When examining, conduct the operation with caution and tenderness; and at the same time, take care to have your nails closely and smoothly pared* because your finger will feel the membranous bladder or bag containing the waters. If the labor be not much advanced, you will only feel the mouth of the womb and its dilatation or opening at every pain. 4th. Place a pillow between the thighs of the wo- man, so as to give sufficient room for the child to pass, and for its head to rest upon as it enters into the world* and let the woman draw up her legs. 5th. As the head of the child advances, press your right hand steadily and firmly against the part between the fundament and birth-place, called by physicians perineum, so as to give it support, and prevent its rup- turing or tearing; at the same time that you incline the child's head to the pubes, which are the parts which form the arch in front. If you will recollect, and if you do not read the part over again, I have fully de- scribed and enforced the necessity, of your being extremely careful to prevent injuries to the perineum; for by its being ruptured or torn, which is sometimes the case from incautiousness and imprudence, as well as from hurrying the birth, the lower gut or fundament, and the birth-place itself, become one opening from the tearing or laceration of the perineum. On this point, then, let me again urge you to be extremely careful. 6th. If the child's head advances forward too rapid-, ly, resist or stop its passage outward, for one or two pains, with your hand; by these means yon will in-. 452 GI NN,S DOMESTIC MEDICINE, crease the powers or energies of nature in the mother, avoid all risks of injuring the perineum, and give ulti- mate facility or ease in the delivery. 7th. So soon as the head is delivered, the woman will have some respite from her sufferings. You must then converse with her, and encourage her to be patient and firm in her resolutions. Remember now, that the head of the child is to be supported, and that no force or pulling whatever is to be used. You are to wait patiently, for the next exertions of nature, who will always perform her operations in due time; the woman is by no means to strain, bear down, or force her pains. As I told you before, and gave you the reasons, she may blow strongly into the palms of her hands, but exercise impulsion or force no further. 8th. The child being born, you have now nothing to do, for a few minutes, but to give it fresh air, and per- mit it to cry. After it has had sufficient time to breathe freely, and the navel cord has in some measure ceased its pulsation, the cord is to be tied about three inches from the navel of the child, and then again about an inch and a half from the first knot, and cut asunder between the two ties, with a scissors or any other sharp instrument. But I have told you this before. 9th. When the child is separated from the mother, you are not to wash it, according to the old custom. this is a wrong and highly improper plan, and frequent- ly produces serious injuries to the child, as you will be fully informed by reading under the head," treatment of new-born infants," which you will find among the dis- eases of children. 10th. Now comes the period, in which so many women are injured for life, by ignorance and imprudent haste. Let the woman rest a short time, and await GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 453 patiently the return of the pains which are to expel the after-birth, which the womb will do by contraction. Your own good sense will teach you, that if you pull or force down the after-birth, you will also pull down the womb, or separate the after-birth before the womb has contracted, so as to stop the blood vessels from pouring out their contents. Now, if you do pull, after all the advice to the contrary I have given you, the con- sequence will be, that the woman will bleed to death. I have told you before, how to excite the womb to action, so as to bring on the pains for expelling the after-birth. You are to rub her belly; and if she is a strong woman, and feels able, you may, by assistants, raise her up by supporting her under the arms. She may then blow in her hands, a long breath, for the reasons I have already given you, As soon as an after-pain comes on, the midwife is gently to stretch the cord, but not to pull it or use any force. By the motion of the cord, or its gentle extension, the after-birth is very apt to come away. If you do not think proper to use these meas- ures, you may turn the woman over on her belly, and introduce your finger into the mouth of the womb, with much care, the parts being extremely sore; then turn- ing the finger gently round the mouth of the womb, as you would round the edge of a cup, the womb will con- tract ; now gently stretch the cord, and you will extricate the after-birth, generally speaking, with safety. An hour, an hour and a half, or two hours, may be allowed for the expulsion of the after-birth. When it cannot be delivered, proper means are to be used for its expulsion, in other words, for its discharge. These means are the following:—Let the midwife intro- duce into the birth-place, her hand, with the fingers collected into a point, and made as small as possible. 454 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. At the mouth or edge of the womb, let her open or extend her fingers, and rub them carefully round the edge. These measures will cause the womb to con- tract; then, with the fingers gently introduced between the after-birth and the womb itself, she must slowly separate them from each other, should they adhere or stick together. Recollect distinctly, that all this is to be done, while the contraction is going on. 11th. If the discharge of blood is great, after this operation, apply cloths wet with cold water to the belly of the woman, as in flooding; and push up the birth- place gently, and not too far, a soft cloth also wet with cold water, as directed in flooding. 12th. When the woman is relieved of the after-birth, let a wide bandage be placed round her, pleasantly tight, and let her also be wiped dry* The clothes which are wet, and those which were placed under her, are now to be removed, and she permitted to remain per- fectly quiet, and to take her repose. If she complains of faintness, or seems exhausted, give her some wine and water, or a little toddy on which some nutmeg has been grated. I have now given you a full description of what I intended, and I am persuaded, in such plain terms, that any woman of common sense can afford the requisite assistance in common cases of labor. DIRECTIONS AFTER LABOR. After labor, the more quiet the woman can be kept the better. The fact is, that she is to move or be moved, as little as possible, and to lie principally on her back. Her nipples are to be washed with milk-warm GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 455 water, before the infant is put to the breast, which ought to be done within twelve hours after the birth. If the woman has lost considerable blood during the labor, the milk will be longer in flowing than otherwise. When this is the case, apply bread and milk poultices warm over the nipples; these will soon cause the milk to discharge. You will frequently observe, in women who have had children, that their bellies protrude or stick out, as if they were always in a state of pregnancy. This is owing to neglect and bad management To avoid it, on the second day after child-birth, you are to apply round the whole belly, moderately tight, a broad ban- dage of ^loth or flannel; the last is the best, which is to be worn for at least one month. It is not to be too tight, but merely tight enough to support the parts pleasantly. This will prevent the woman, after having recovered, from having a large and ill-shaped belly. You are now to bear in mind, and that too, particu- larly, the advice I am about to give you, especially if you value your health, and probably the preservation of your life. On the second day after delivery, you are to take a dose of castor oil or epsom salts. More than two-thirds of the women who have been afflicted with, and finally died of child-bed fever, have owed their fate to neglecting, after the birth of their infants, to attend to the evacuation of their bowels. If you do not like to take salts or castor oil, evacuate the bowels with clys- ters:—see the head clystering. The fact is, you are not to let twenty-four hours pass, after the birth of a child, without a passage or stool. The consequences of this neglect always are, that it is not only an injury to yourself, but the child. When you have such pas- sages as I have told you are necessary, you are not to 456 GUNN»S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. exert yourself by getting out of bed, but to have a basin or other handy convenience placed under you; folding a blanket at the same time to prevent you from getting wet. In this way, without any danger or indelicacy, have these passages, from which you will receive much relief in body and mind, and derive much benefit in your recovery. You are every day, without fail, to have the birth- place washed writh milk-warm water and good clear milk. This is to be done, by putting under the bed clothing, a basin of warm water, and having your hips and thighs raised with a pillow or some bed clothes* In this situation, a common squirt made of elder or cane may be used, or a female syringe, which can be procu- red at any doctor's shop in the conntry. Every day warm water is to be thrown up the birth-place, so as to cleanse the parts; and to remove any clots of blood or matter, called by physicians the lochia, which by remaining would produce irritation and fever. If you wish to escape child-bed fever, and the whole train of afflictions incidental thereto, you are particularly to attend to these directions. In two or three days after delivery, for a short time, you may sit up in the bed, supported with a chair at your back covered with pillows; this will assist the natural discharges from the birth-place. You are not to stand up before the sixth day; and in making any change, you are to do it very gradually. You are to be kept neither too warm nor too cool; the air of the room is to be kept pleasant and agreeable: and you are never to be exposed to a current of air. Two weeks after delive- ry, is about the general time of leaving your room; this however will depend on your situation; caution must always be used in the change, so as to bring it on GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 457 gradually. Sudden changes are always dangerous, to women immediately delivery, and indeed until after they are completely restored. From the moment the woman is delivered of her child, the whole system becomes inclined to fever, and particularly for three or four days after delivery. Your own good sense will now teach you, that the practice of giving in such cases spirituous liquors, highly seasoned food, heating meats, and strengthening medicines, is directly contrary to what ought to be done: giving such matters as I have just named* keeping the woman in a constant sweat, and closing the room so as to confine all the foul air around her, are the very means of bring- ing on the fever which you ought to endeavor to escape. Therefore, let me tell you* in as plain and emphatic language as I can find, that whatever adds to the heat of the woman's body, or to the febrile or feverish action of the system, will always encourage the coming on of fever, or increase it if it has come on. On the contrary, light cooling diet must be used; the woman must neither be subjected to extremes of heat or cold; her clothing and her bed-chamber must be so attended to, as neither to oppress her with coldness nor heat; attention to these things, in ten days or two weeks, after she has had her child, will so exempt her from fever, that in a little time her health will be fully established. LOCHIA This word is derived from the Greek. It means, to bring forth, and also, the cleanings: by which are intended here, the serous or watery, and often green-col- ored discharges, that take place from the womb and 58 458 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. birth-place, during the first three or four days after delivery, when they generally subside. During the first four days, these discharges are apt to change their color, and frequently to become offensive, unless due caution and cleanliness have been observed. If they are profuse or great, and there is considerable weakness, cloths wet with cold water must be applied to the belly. There must also be cold water thrown up the birth-place, and also a clyster of cold water taken, at the same time that some laxative medicine is taken to open the bowels: as these, however, are necessary discharges, they are not to be suddenly checked, unless they seem to be going on to a dangerous extent. On the contrary, if they should stop too suddenly, they must be immediately brought on again, by a course of treatment directly opposite to that I have just laid down. Applications of a warm nature must be made to the belly; and clysters of milk-warm water, instead of cold ones, must be given—see the head clystering. Should the woman be feverish, or of a fat and full habit of body, the loss of a little blood will be proper. FAINTINGS. If the woman should faint after the delivery of her child, ascertain immediately if there is a flooding. Should this be the case, use the coldest applications, as directed under the head flooding. On examination, should there be no flooding, give her wine, or some toddy, or some spirit and water, and draw the bandage tight, for an hour or two, round her belly. If her feet and legs are cold, apply hot bricks, or other warm mate- rials to them, GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 459 CHILLS. When the woman complains of cold after her deliv- ery, or that cold chills are stealing over her, which is sometimes the case, make warm applications to her belly, feet, and legs, and give her nothing but warm balm or sage tea to drink. If the shake is very severe, let the persons round the bed, grasp with both hands her thighs and legs, and hold them firmly but tenderly until the shivering subsides. Recollect, now, that you are to give no heating spirits at this time, or you will cer- tainly produce a fever. Should the chills continue, you are to have recourse to laudanum or opium—see table of doses. These last articles are not, however, to be given, unless the chills continue, or are very severe. AFTER PAINS. These pains are brought on, by the contraction of the womb, in the exertions of expelling the clots of blood and secretions, which are contained in the womb after the birth. When not very severe, you are to let them alone; but if too excruciating and severe, you will gen- erally relieve them, by applying cloths wrung out of warm water to the back and belly. If the pains con- tinue to be severe, throw a clyster up the bowels or fundament, made of thin gruel, milk-warm, in which put a tea-spoonful of laudanum—see the head clystering, 460 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE, INFLAMMATIONS. From difficult or tedious labor, the parts frequently become inflamed and swelled; and sometimes there are quantities of blood, which form a substance in the mouth of the birth-place, which I believe has no name. Although there is no danger in this matter, yet it fre- quently produces great pain and uneasiness. These inflammations are to be relieved by cold applications, such as cold poultices of light bread and milk; bathing the parts with, and throwing up injections of cold watery or by making use of the following preparation:—In a pint of cold water, put a tea-spoonful of sugar of lead, and bathe the parts with the mixture. Or you may rub them well with sweet oil, keep them cool, and daily cleanse them with cold water. If the belly feels very sore on being pressed, bathe it often in warm water; or apply cloths to it wrung out of warm water, and rub the belly well with the following Hniment Get equal quantities of spirits of hartshorn and sweet oil: mix them well together, and rub the belly two or three times a day with this mixture. This, with the warm bathing, as just directed, will give immediate relief. INFLAMMATION OF THE SREASTS This disease generally arises from want of care after delivery; by which want of care I mean, that proper attention has not been paid to your system, in order to prevent fever, which is always produced from eating or drinking stimulating articles too freely, and before the milk has had time to secrete freely. This effect is also produced, by permitting the bereasts to remain distended GUNN,S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 461 too long with milk. In this case, great pain with in- flammation comes on; in other words, fever is the consequence of this neglect If there seems any disposition to inflammation, the best preventive is to apply, a few hours after delivery, warm poultices of light bread and milk to the breasts, for at least three hours. This will assist the natural discharge of the milk. If the child refuse to suck, fill a common black bottle with warm water, and apply the nipple to the mouth of the bottle, which will gently draw the milk, as the water becomes cooler. Bathe the breast well with sweet oil or hog's lard, at the same time. If the inflammation continue, put a tea-spoonful of sugar of lead, in a pint of cold water, and keep a cloth, wet with this mixture, constantly to the breast; but recollect, you are not to wet the nipple with this mix- ture, by which means it may get into the child's mouth. When the inflammation is severe, Doctor Physic re- commends a blister over the breast. When matter is fully formed, make a small puncture or hole with a lancet, so as to permit it gradually to escape. I have always, however, relieved by poultices and sugar of lead, as above directed, without the painful necessity of using a blister. MILK FEVER. This fever is owing to the change of the system, after the delivery of the child, by the swelling and irritation of the breasts, from the milk secreted in them. This always occasions the discharge from the womb to lessen in quantity. You will now recollect the ad- vice I have given you before, as to applying poultices 462 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. to the breasts for a few hours, anointing the breasts well with sweet oil or lard, taking some laxative medi^ cines, and living on low diet. These measures and precautions, will enable you to avoid the following unpleasant feelings: heat, thirst, head-ache, and fever. Although this fever is quite common, and may be easily removed, yet the imprudence of neglecting the above advice, may be the cause of other complaints, which I shall in their proper places mention. If the breasts are painful, take a dose of salts to cool the system: and if the fever continue, the loss of a little blood from the arm will be proper. Drink mild balm or sage tea, in which put about twenty drops of antimonial wine. This drink may be given occasionally, so as to produce a gentle moisture or sweat on the skin. Take no heating articles, and live on light cooling diet. In a few days the milk will flow, and the fever go off SWELLED LEG. This disorder takes place after child birth, and I am happy to say that it seldom occurs, when due caution and cleanliness have been observed. I am of opinion that it arises from some irritating matter being left in the womb, or at its mouth. When you discover this disorder, which is known by a pain inside of the leg, extending to the heel and the groin, the limb always begins to swell, so that the slightest motion gives great pain. The pulse becomes quick, the skin hot, the tongue white, the urine thick. There are, also, slight pains about the womb, and the discharge from the birth-place is dreadfully offensive. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 463 REMEDIES. On the appearance of this complaint, get a syringe for females, or what will answer the same purpose, make a squirt of elder or cane, and throw up the birth- place, several times during the day, some warm water to cleanse it—and in the intervals of time, some good sweet oil. Wash the parts well, with water made pleasantly warm, and rub the leg or legs with the fol- lowing ointment. Take a gill of sweet oil, a table- spoonful of laudanum, and to these add a gill of spirits in which camphor has been dissolved. With this mix- ture, rub or bathe the legs twice a day; and provided the woman has no purging of the bowels, let her take at night, and also in the morning, two grains of calomel, mixed with the same quantity of squills, and made into a pill. This is to be repeated until relief is ob- tained. CHILD BED FEVER. This disease is called by physicians puerperal fever. It generally comes on, from the fifth to the eighth day after the woman has been delivered: but its being ear- lier or later, depends very much on the woman's consti- tution, and the particular state of her system. I have before mentioned to you, that you are to be very pru- dent in your conduct, respecting your food, drink, and the state of your bowels; for on these three things depend, in a very great degree, your uniform health, and exemption from this dangerous disease, puerperal or child bed fever. This fever sometimes arises, from a stoppage of the discharge which I have described to you, called lochial discharge, and from the putrid mat- 464 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. ter which I told you it was composed of, and which I directed you to cleanse:—see the head lochia. An un- due secretion of milk, a stoppage of the lochial dis- charge, the absorption of putrid matter from the womb, exposure to too great cold or heat, all these things are capable of producing child bed fever. This fever is extremely dangerous, and requires the immediate at- tendance of an able physician; but, as you may be so situated as to be unable to obtain one, I shall explain to you clearly the symptoms of this disorder, and also the proper remedies. Child bed fever comes on, with a chill in the first instance, then a flushing heat; next, the woman be- comes restless, and a sweat breaks out. In a short time this sweat dries up, and the skin becomes dry and burning to the touch: there is now great thirst; flush- ing of the face; whiteness and dryness of the tongue; great pain in the head and back; sickness at the stom- ach, sometimes attended with puking. In a short time the belly swells, feels full, and becomes very painful; so much so, that the weight of the bed clothes, gives con- siderable increase of pain. The bowels become quite loose in some cases, and in others much constipated or bound; so much so, that it is difficult to get a passage through them. By these symptoms you are to know this fever. I must here remark, that if this fever continues for some time, it is very apt to change to a typhus fever. When this is the case, the inflammatory symptoms subside, the tongue and teeth are now covered with a dark brown coat; small sores break out in the mouth and throat, similar to those in a child that has the thrush; the breath smells very badly; the stools are dark and very offensive; and not unfrequently small GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 465 purple spots appear on different parts of the body. When the last symptoms appear, the case is certainly a very doubtful one. In the typhus stage of child bed fever refer to page 194, and you will find the remedies under the head nervous fever. The remedies in the first stage I have described, or child bed fever properly so called, are as follows. REMEDIES. While the cold stage is passing over, warm appli- cations to the feet and legs are to be made; and, when the inflammatory or hot stage comes on, as before described, the woman is to be bled from the arm, and immediately purged freely with calomel:—see table of doses. This purge of calomel, is to be followed up with a dose of epsom salts:—see table. If the woman is of a full, stout, and healthy habit of body, and tho pains and fever, in eight or ten hours do not begin to give way; and if the pains in the head and back con- tinue severe, I generally draw more blood from the arm. During this fever, obtain a phial of antimonial wine, and one of sweet spirits of nitre: mix as you can, equal quantities of these two articles, and give a tea-spoonful of this mixture every half hour* in a little water or tea: in other words* give it in such a manner as to produce a little sickness of the stomach, attended with a gentle moisture on the skin. If it be inconve- nient for you to obtain these articles, put into a pint of milk warm water, ten grains of tartar emetic, and give of this water one or two table-spoonsful, every one or two hours, so as to produce and keep up a constant sickness at the stomach. This will lessen the fever. Rub the belly well with sweet oil, and by injecting a little up the birth-place occasionally, the irritation will he greatly lessened. The application of flannel cloths, 59 466 GUNN»S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. frequently wrung out of warm water, and laid to the belly, will also be highly important in lessening the pains and inflammation.—Should the pain continue in the belly, apply a blister at the upper part of each thigh. I would advise blistering on the belly, that be- ing the proper place, but then you could not apply the warm cloths, which are highly important It will, therefore, be better to apply the blisters as directed. Clysters made of slippery elm, and about milk warm, thrown up the fundament with a proper pipe, three or four times a day, will answer a valuable purpose, and be a cooling and soothing remedy in this complaint. You will recollect particularly, that in this disease, operations must be had by the bowels, during the in- flammatory period: and, that when the disease changes its appearance and character to typhus, as it will some- times do, you are to gently keep the bowels open, but not to purge so as to weaken the patient. In this event, the continuance of mild clysters will be found truly a fine remedy. For the method of clystering, &c. see that head.—When purging comes on, so as greatly to weaken the woman, which is not unfrequently the case, you are to check it by giving a clyster, made with common starch on which hot water has been poured. This clyster must be about the thickness of gruel, and be about milk warm, in which you are to put twenty-five or thirty drops of laudanum: it must be repeated three or four times a day, as the pain and looseness may require. At the commencement of this child bed fever, the diet or food must be very cooling and light; but as the disease advances, and the woman becomes weaker, let the nourishment be increased: and if necessary, from her loss of strength in purging, or from other causes. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 467 or if the disease seems to be approaching to the typhus or nervous fever, the symptoms of which I have fully explained, it will be necessary to support her system, by the assistance of good wine or toddy, and such nourishing food as will support the enfeebled action of the system. In these cases, wine and barks may be given also; or camomile tea made strong, and taken cold, occasionally through the day; or, you may give a strong decoction of dog-wood bark, wild cherry-tree bark, and swamp-poplar bark, made from equal quan- tities of these barks boiled together and perfectly cooled, in the quantity of about a wine glass full three or four times a day. These remedies are all valuable tonics, or strengthening medicines to support the system. Remember particularly, that no tonics or strengthening medicines are to be given, until after the system has been entirely cleansed of its impurities: and also, you are most particularly to bear in mind, that tonics or strengthening medicines are never to be given, when they produce or increase fever. Spirits of turpentine.—I am induced to believe, from testimony not to be questioned, that this valuable medi- cine, spirits of turpentine, has not yet received the attention, or been employed sufficiently in child bed fever. So far as my studies and experience will enable me to form and deliver an opinion, I would prefer its use to that of the lancet in this fever, in the reduction of febrile and inflammatory symptoms. I have been in the practice, for several years past, of using spirits of turpentine as a medical remedy, and feel no hesita- tion whatever in asserting, that a fair and impartial trial of it, in a great variety of cases would entitle it to rank and appreciation among medical remedies, of the very first order. In obstinate costiveness of the boweis, 468 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. and when every other remedy had failed, I have fre- quently used it with signal success; nor is there any thing superior to it in colic, and in various inflammato- ry or spasmodic affections of the abdominal viscera. In enteritis, which means inflammation of the intes- tines; in dysentery; and in hemorrhage, which means a discharge of blood, I know from practical experience, that it is a very valuable remedy. With these remarks, which I consider amply due to the subject, I will sub- join such testimonials of the efficacy of spirits of tur- pentine, as will entitle it to much attention in the treatment of child bed fever. Says Doctor Payne, in substance, pages 98-9, of the 6th vol. Medical Recorder—"Puerperal or child bed fever, within the last fifteen years, has raged with its usual violence in many parts of this kingdom, particu- larly in the westriding of Yorkshire, when but few of those attacked by it escaped. Before the publication of Doct. Brennan appeared, recommending the oil of turpentine in this fever, blood-letting was usually resort- ed to; but, there was much less success attending it, than appears to have followed the application of the same remedy, in the cases of Doctor Campbell. After reading Brennan's work, I was glad to try a fresh remedy in child bed fever, because I had seen so little good result from blood-letting, It is now nearly eight years since I was called to visit a female, who labored under this disease; when the surgeon, who had only seen the patient a short time before, proposed giving the oil of turpentine, which was assented to, and given in doses of half an ounce every two hours. The effect was, a very copious discharge from the bowels, appear- ing to consist of a serous or watery fluid, tinged with green, in which were seen floating numerous pieces of GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 469 white matter, like coagulable lymph. Soon afterwards the patient became maniacal or deranged, and contin- ued so for several days, when her intellects were resto- red, and she gradually recovered. "Since that period," says the doctor, "I have seen several cases of child-bed fever, one of which had been attended by a surgeon, who had discontinued his visits. I believe she had not been bled. Her friends, seeing I had an unfavorable opinion of the case, called in a more experienced physician, and it was agreed to try the oil of turpentine as a last resource. Two drachms of it were given every two hours, which soon brought on a purging, of a matter of the like nature as before mentioned. I have stated, in the case first mentioned, that mania or derangement of mind had taken place from giving the oil of turpentine; and the probability is, that the largeness of the doses produced the effect, by throwing too much blood to the head. In the case I am now speaking of, two drachms only were given at a dose, and the result was, that although the patient seemed to be at the very verge of eternity, she quickly recovered." I will give but one other case. It is one communi- cated to the Medical Recorder, 6th vol. page 615, by doctor James H. Lucas, of the county of Madison, and State of Georgia. It is ably and clearly detailed, and will be highly satisfactory to the reader. "On the 15th July, I was called to a woman who had been delivered five days before of her third child, after a lingering labor of two days and nights. When I saw her, there was a wildness of expression, and great anxiety, with considerable sharpness of the fea- tures. Her pulse was from 100 to 110. She had a severe pain above the eyes, a hot and dry skin, and 470 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. great restlessness; the tongue furred in the middle, and a red appearance of the edges. There was much ten- derness of the belly, with an appearance like a ball over the pubes. Her bowels were costive; her extrem- ities cold, every morning about two o'clock, with a scarcity of the lochial discharge; the restlessness was also much more troublesome, in the afternoon. The child and placenta were both delivered as usual. As a preparatory means, ten grains of calomelwere given, to be worked off with castor oil. This relieved her con- siderably, particularly her head. The next morning, the 16th, ordered her to take two tea-spoonsful of the spirits of turpentine, in a solution of gum arabic, or beaten up with the white of an egg, with a table-spoon- ful of castor oil in the evening to assist the operation of the turpentine. On the 17th, the tenderness of the belly had nearly subsided; the pulse was less frequent; and four more stools, of a green color and offensive smell from the oil and turpentine were voided. She was ordered to continue the medicine. On the 18th, the tenderness was gone, except on pressure; and the pulse was but 90 in a minute. Three stools had been passed of a less offensive smell, and but slightly tinged with green. The skin was much cooler than on the day before. The medicine was still continued. On the 19th, the pulse was natural, with a slight perspira- tion on the surface; the tenderness of the belly was entirely gone; the lochial discharge of its proper quan- tity and color; five stools had been voided, the two last of which were of a natural appearance; and her appe- tite was good. On the 20th, I found her up, quite cheerful, and perfectly free from fever or disease, and she has continued so ever since." From these cases, which are drawn from high author- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 471 ities, the value of spirits of turpentine, as a most valuable remedy in child-bed fever will probably be acknowledged by every reader of this work. DISEASES OF CHILDREN. Surely there can be nothing more painful and dis- tressing to a mind of sensibility, than to be compelled to witness, in very many cases without being able to relieve, the various and often fatal diseases to which infants are liable. That most of them are of a mor- bidly irritative character, is probably well known to every physician who has attended to their symptoms; but what it is that particularly excites this diseased irri- tability in the intestinal canal, it would probably be difficult for even the most learned and skilful of the pro- fession to determine. The foolish and dangerous custom, of giving infants medicine the moment they are born, in order to keep them quiet, is a practice which ought always to be dis- countenanced, as laying the foundations of many disor- ders, sometimes destroying life itself, or entailing on the constitution maladies which last for life. Various med- icines are given to infants, for very foolish and frivolous reasons, which had better be let alone entirely; such, for instance, as Godfrey's cordial, Bateman's drops, &c &c. all of which contain opium, and do inconceivable injury to infants. I do not mean by these remarks, that these medicines are not sometimes beneficial; but to be constantly administering them on all occasions, and for nearly all possible purposes, must convince any person of common sense, that they are injurious bo#| to the health and the constitution. By suckling infants, then GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE 473 feeding or rather stuffing them, and then following up both by medicines, to keep them quiet, their tender stomachs are kept constantly loaded; and if they are not fortunate enough to puke up part of what they have been compelled to swallow, fermentation must and will take place, the stomach being unable to master such a mass, followed by colics and purgings. The above remarks are made in terms thus plain, that they may be distinctly understood by my readers, and that they may profit, in the treatment of their infant children, by their true meaning. STILL BORN. When an infant is born apparently dead, or giving no signs of life, it is said to be still-born. This appear- ance, however, should not prevent the midwife from making every possible exertion for the restoration of the child; by patience and perseverance, thousands of infants have been restored to life. If no pulsation or beating can be felt in the navel-cord, and if there be marks of putrefaction and decay, I need not tell you that all your efforts will be fruitless. The infant, in this case, where there is hope, ought to be separated from the mother as early as possible, and wrapped in a blan- ket made warm by the fire. As soon as possible after this, its breasts are to be bathed in warm spirits, at the same time that you gently apply to its nostrils spirits of, hartshorn. If these remedies fail to restore the circula- tion, put it in warm water, keeping its head in such a position as to prevent suffocation. You may loosen the string on the navel-cord, so as to let it bleor* about a table-spoonful, when it must be again tied. While these 60 474 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. measures are in operation, you are to prepare a clyster, made of a table-spoonful of spirits of any kind, and three table-spoonsful of warm water; and if the child does not breathe, you are to give this clyster up the bow- els with a proper instrument—look under the head clystering. The lungs are to be filled with air, by means of a common syringe, the pipe of which is to be introduced into one nostril, while the other nostril and mouth are to be carefully closed; when you are then by gentle pressure on the breast of the child to empty them: in this way the lungs are to be frequently filled and compressed until natural respiration or breath- ing takes place. Sometimes the application of a little cold water to the chest will restore children. In many instances, when the slightest action of the heart has been perceived, it would be advisable to keep up a fric- tion or rubbing over the body, for at least an hour. Cases are stated, and many of them, of infants still-born being restored by warmth and gentle rubbing, even when no signs of life had appeared for an hour or more after the birth. This should therefore encourage you to persevere, by every possible method, for the restora- tion to life of a still-born infant. There are instances, in which the child is born of a dark purple cast, in which the breathing is scarcely perceptible, and where death ensues in a few moments* When these appearances take place, the infant has generally some defect in the formation of the heart and lungs. Doctor Hosack advises, that a bath be made of oak-bark, four ounces of which is to be boiled for a few minutes in about two gallons of water. When this bath is prepared, add to it a pint of spirits of any kind, permitting it to become pleasantly warm, bathe the child up to the neck in this water. If it is convenient, GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 475 you may add to this bath occasionally a table-spoonful of spirits of hartshorn, so as to render it stimulating. When the child shows symptoms of recovery, take it out of the bath, and wrap it in warm flannels; and should the infant be taken in the same way again, you must immediately make use of the bath, after again warming it TREATMENT OF NEW BORN INFANTS. According to the old custom, the moment the child was separated from the mother, it was plunged in warm water, or washed with spirits of some kind, and well rubbed with a towel, to remove the mealy matter which adhered to it, and to prevent its taking cold, or perhaps to harden its skin. These foolish and dangerous prac- tices, have caused the death of thousands of infant children, or produced some other consequences highly detrimental to their constitutions. The consequences always are, that by washing and rubbing the child, you irritate and inflame the skin, which is at this time so tender, that nature in her wisdom has covered it with this mealy matter, to defend it from injury in entering the world, and to preserve it from irritability and inflam- mation afterward. An infant born in the winter season, has more of this mealy covering than if born during the summer; it is also more thickly covered with it at the arm-pits, the bends of the joints, and so on, which are more liable to rubbing or frictional injury during labor, than other parts of the body: and, in addition to these considera- tions, this covering is intended to protect the infant against the action of the atmospheric air. This cover- 476 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. ing is perfectly natural, and should always be permitted to remain until nature herself removes it. This will be done in a day or two, without assistance or artificial means by which the skin will be left white, soft, and beautiful, and the child exempted from innumerable dis- eases—diseases, which by the old custom of washing and rubbing would almost invariably ensue. By the old custom, the skin is greatly irritated and inflamed, then becomes of a dark red color, and afterwards breaks out with those eruptions or pimples, which usu- ally appear on children, called red gum. Every person of common sense must know, that the application of spirits of any kind, especially when rub- bed on the head and body of a grown person, will produce smarting and give pain. Now, I ask what must be the consequence to an infant, whose skin is so delicately tender, that nature herself has shielded it from the atmosphere, until it will bear the change with- out injury. In many cases of grown persons, the application of brandy to the head, and washing the body with it, have been known to produce inflamma- tion of the brain, or lungs, or bowels: the evaporation from the surface being so great, as to induce a degree of cold sufficient to stop the perspiration or sweat. In infants, this evaporation produces inflammations of the bowels, or of the lungs, and sometimes of the mem- brane which lines the nostrils, by which the child is afflicted with a disease called the snuffles. The proper plan, and the one now practised in the different lying-in hospitals throughout Europe and the United States, is simply the following. Cleanse the face with tenderness and caution, with a little milk and water made pleasantly warm: then cover the body with thin muslin, over which is to be put the flannel. In a GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 477 day or two, the mealy covering will entirely peel off, and nature in due time will exhibit a healthy, delicate, and beautiful skin, free from every disease, and entirely exempt from all those painful and eruptive diseases to which infants are usually subject, from the old method of treatment MECONIUM. When a child is first born, its bowels are filled with a dark colored greenish matter, called by physicians meconium. In a short time after its birth, or as soon as it commences sucking the first milk from the mother, which milk seems by nature to be intended to remove this dark colored or greenish matter from the bowels, for it is almost immediately discharged by a stool. This is the reason, and I think an amply sufficient one, why children should be put to the breast as early as possible after their birth. Sometimes the milk in the mother's breast is rather slow in coming; or from some particular cause, the child will not suck the breast, and consequently it will not discharge by stool, this matter from the bowels which I have described. It will then be necessary to give it something to open the bowels, such as a little molasses and water, which should be given frequently until the bowels are properly opened. Or you may obtain from any doctor's shop a small piece of manna, about the size of a walnut, and dis- solve it in a gill of boiling water, and when it becomes cool, give the infant a tea-spoonful frequently, or until it operates freely. Or you may, if these remedies fail, give a tea-spoonful of the best castor oil, which will remove the meconium immediately. The two first 478 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. being the most simple remedies, should always be used first. Sometimes, but the cases are not frequent, this necessary discharge is prevented from passing, owing to the fact of the fundament, from some defect or other cause, being stopped up. Such cases require the im- mediate aid of an able physician, to examine and remove such difficulties or obstructions. ORIGINAL INPERFECTIONS. Immediately after the birth of an infant, examine its body and limbs, and particularly its private parts: be- cause children are not all born perfect in these respects. The passages of infants are sometimes closed up with slime or tough matter, which require the aid of surgi- cal operations to open them, before they can pass either their stools or their urine. Great care and attention ought always to be paid by parents to these examina- tions. Sometimes the parts which decency forbids me to name, are entirely closed up by malconformation or deformity of those parts; these cases, however, are very rare and unfrequent; and I need not tell you, that in them no human assistance can afford relief. Ruptures are very common among new born infants, particularly about the navel. When these ruptures are very early observed, they may speedily be removed by bathing the belly frequently with cold water, and attending to the child's bowels: in other words keeping them regularly open. If the rupture should be at the navel, apply a piece of adhesive plaster, so as to give support to the parts; but by no means apply a bandage, which will do injury to the delicate and tender parts by the pressure. The fact is, that the constant application GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 179 of cold bathing, as the infant advances in age and strength, will always remove these early ruptures. Tongue tied.—In this case, the tongue is confined to the roof of the mouth, by a small cord which prevents its motion. Sometimes, indeed, the tongue is so confin- ed that the infant cannot suck. But, I have sometimes known children cut for it where it did not exist; there- fore great caution ought to be used in this operation, although it may be a very simple one. If the physi- cian, or other person, who cuts this small cord, does not understand it properly, or does it carelessly, so great a quantity of blood may be lost as to prove fatal to the child. As many women are very uneasy, re- specting their children being tongue tied, I will inform them that they are often alarmed unnecessarily, and have their children operated on when they are not tongue tied, A very simple method of discovering its situation is, by putting the end of your finger in the child's mouth: if it is able to clasp it with the same force it would the nipple, or the end of the tongue moves, it does not require cutting. Hare lip.—There are different kinds of hare lip, distinguished under the names of single and double hare lip—and not unfrequently, both lips are disfigured by the opening or space extending along the roof of the mouth. When this is the case, it has a very un- sightly appearance; and the operation of closing the lip cannot be performed, however skilful the physician, with any probability of success. But where there is only a single opening, or even double, provided it does not extend to the roof of the mouth, as I have descri- bed, the cure or operation, can be performed without much difficulty. You will bear in mind, that an opera- tion, which means endeavoring to close up the lip- 180 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. ought never to be performed on an infant, until it is a year old; requires strength to bear the operation, by which it is to be removed. In some cases, but they are very rare, the infant is unable to suck; if this is the case, the operation may be performed; but at this early stage, I should consider the success very doubtful. The method used in the country of sewing it up, is highly improper. The operation to be performed in closing up the lip, where the fissure or opening does not extend beyond the upper part of the gum, is as follows:—At any silversmith's shop, have two silver pins made, something longer than a common pin, and without any heads to them. With a sharp knife pare well the edges of the opening; then with one of these pins, pierce the lip at the upper side entirely through, in a slanting direction; then pierce through on the other side in the same way. You will recollect to take a good hold, so that it will not easily tear out; then with your thumb and finger close together the edges that have been cut; now you are to wind tight round these pins some silk, which has been properly waxed, so as to draw it together that it may heal. In six or seven days, or perhaps earlier, it will heal or adhere together; then draw out the pins, and dress it with any simple ointment or salve, and if properly performed* the scar in a few days will scarcely be perceptible. The feet of infants are sometimes deformed, by what are called club feet; if this is permitted to go on without immediate attention, the deformity will be very great, and cannot be removed after the infant is a few months old; the bones of the feet become hard and firm, whereas, at an early age, or immediately after birth, they are in a soft grisly state, when, if proper means are used, the foot or feet, by gradual compres- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 481 sion may be reduced to their natural form in a few months, if the deformity is not great: but in some cases, a longer time will be required. EXERCISE OF CHILDREN AND PURE AIR. If you are desirous of preserving your children's health, and giving them good constitutions, give them exercise, and let them be frequently in the open air, so as to accustom their bodies to the various changes of the atmosphere. By no means keep them in a close room, or cooped up as if you were afraid they would catch cold at every gentle breeze. I have never seen children thus confined whose health and constitutions were not, through life, extremely delicate, and subject to colds and various diseases, which, by a contrary course they would have entirely escaped. As an evi- dence, take two children, let one be clothed in flannel and protected from the slightest exposure or change of weather; feet constantly supplied with stockings and shoes, and not suffered to go out in the least damp or inclement weather. While the other is moderately clothed, perhaps hardly enough to cover it with decen- cy; no shoes or stockings; exposed to all kinds of weather, even during our inclement winters, without a shoe to its little feet. The first will be pale, thin, weak- ly, and of a delicate constitution through life, subject to colds on every change of the weather; perhaps not attaining the age of manhood, before a breast com- plaint commences its ravages. While the other, full of strength, vigor, and a cheek like a rose, with healthy constitution, exempt from colds, and free of every dis- order, reaches a good old age without an hour's sick- 61 482 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. ness. Are we not furnished daily with evidences of this fact. Why then take pains to throw up obstacles in the way, when, if children were permitted to exer- cise freely, and not so much unnecessary care bestowed on them after a certain age; or in other words, when able to run about themselves, parents would be blest with a more healthy and vigorous offspring, and have very little necessity for doctors or medicines. By the use of cold bathing, or in other words, washing the child in cold water, you will, in a great measure, pre- vent the galling and excoriation which frequently occur about the groins and privates, in the neck, behind the ears, &c. which are produced by the sweat or urine. The parts after being washed in cold water, should be suffered to dry, and a little fine starch dusted upon it, this will very much relieve the child. THE SNUFFLES. This stoppage of the nose is quite common to young children. It frequently prevents them from breathing freely and they cannot suck or swallow without consi- derable difficulty. This is quite a simple complaint, which will be speedily removed by giving the infant a purge of castor oil; about a tea-spoonful is the dose; and bathing its feet or body in warm water, pleasantly warm; and for a few days keeping its head a little warm. A little lard or sweet oil may be rubbed upon the nose and around the nostril. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 483 THE RED GUM. The red gum breaks out in small pimples on the skin, generally of a red, but not unfrequently, of a yellow appearance. This complaint appears princi- pally on the face and neck; but it sometimes breaks out on the hands and legs, and the pimples contain, not unfrequently, a white clear matter. It would be highly improper to use any means outwardly to remove it, for by so doing, you might suddenly drive in the complaint, and thereby destroy the life of the infant. The child while laboring under this disorder, should be prevented from being exposed to the cold air. The only danger in this disorder, is in driving it in; when this is the case, the infant is greatly distressed in the bowels, screams, and cries constantly; and not unfrequently has fits. In the management of this disorder, you are to keep the infant's bowels open with a little magnesia and rhubarb:—for the dose of either of these medi- cines, see table: or a tea-spoonful of castor oil may be given. Should the disorder suddenly disappear, and the child become sick from it, put it immediately in warm water—and give it one or two drops of antimo- nial wine, in a little sage tea. This may be repeated every hour or two, until a moisture on the skin is pro- duced, and the pimples or eruptions brought out again on the body YELLOW GUM. This is a disorder similar to the jaundice, and takes place with some infants a few days after their birth; it is known by a yellow tinge of the skin, high colored urine, and a constant desire to sleep. This simple 484 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. complaint can be removed by a gentle puke of one or two grains of ipecacuanha, mixed with a little warm water, and in a short time followed by some mild purge, THRUSH. The thrush or sore mouth, is a very common disease in early infancy. The child suffers a great deal of pain in sucking, and frequently this complaint is attended with some fever. This disorder appears in small white spots on the tongue, corners of the lips* and inside the cheeks, and by degrees spreading itself over the whole inside of the mouth and throat; and, in some cases, extending down through the stomach and navel. If the white spots on the tongue resemble coagulated milk, or in other wrords, look as if the child had been eating curds, and that some of them remained sticking on the tongue, you will know by this appearance, that the thrush or sore mouth is commencing. The thrush is produced from acidities in the stomach and bowels, occasioned from some particular quality of the milk, which disagrees with the infant, or from improper food. Those children who are raised by hand, are more sub- ject to this complaint, which shows plainly, that it is the food which disagrees with the stomach and bowels, and brings on the thrush or sore mouth. The reme- dies are then very plain and simple; attend to the stomach and bowels first, before you use any astringent washes; after which it will be proper to use a wash for the mouth, made of a little borax, honey, and alum, dissolved or mixed in a small quantity of sage tea. Then, with a rag tied to a stick, rub or wash the mouth GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 485 with this preparation, two or three times a day; regu- larly perserving in washing, while any appearance of the disease remains. To regulate the stomach and bowels, give equal quantities of magnesia and rhubarb: for doses of either of these medicines, refer to the table, CONSTIPATION. Constipation means costiveness, or being bound in the body, so that the infant cannot pass its stools. This complaint is sometimes hereditary, or natural to the child; when this is the case, and it does not exceed proper bounds, it may not require the use of any rem- edy ; but should the infant's health begin to suffer, from frequent attacks of colic, flatulence, &e. it should be strictly attended to, as it may produce convulsions or fits, inflammation of the bowels, or other diseases of a difficult and lingering nature, thereby establishing this costive habit of body for life. If the predisposition descended from a mother of the same habit, or in other words, if the mother herself is subject to being bound in her body, the child may be relieved for a short time, but it will again return. When this is the case, the mother, if possible, should change the quality of the milk, by being attentive to her diet, and to take occasionally some mild purge, which will alter the quality of her milk; for this pur- pose there is no medicine superior, or more innocent than magnesia and epsom salts, of equal quantities, mixed and ground very fine in a mortar. Of this take a tea-spoonful or two in a tumbler of cold water of a morning on an empthy stomach. When the constipa- 486 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. tion originates from the child's food, it must be changed, and simple medicines given occasionally, to act as a mild purge, such as magnesia, rhubarb, manna, sweet oil, or castor oil; either of these may be given; for doses of either of these medicines, see table. But if the costiveness is obstinate, a little aloes pounded fine and mixed with honey or molasses, will procure a pas- sage or stool. Or you may give a laxative clyster, made of a little warm water, in which put a tea-spoon- ful of lard, and with a clyster pipe or syringe, throw or squirt it up the fundament. In administering clysters, you are to recollect, that they should not be given hot, but milk warm; by giving them hot, you increase the disorder, and do serious injury to the child; this is a mistake which is often made, and the consequence both to children and grown persons, when clysters are given hot, is extremely dangerous. For directions as to clystering, look under that head. COLIC. Whenever the child cries, the general practice is to suckle it, or feed it, by which its little stomach is kept constantly loaded, and being unable to digest the food, colical pains, griping and purging are the consequen- ces. The suffering of the infant in such cases being very acute or painful, recourse is had to Bateman's drops or Godfrey's cordial, and sometimes laudanum, or paregoric, all of which contain opium, and relieve the little sufferer for a short time; when the colic or griping again returns. "From my experience in the diseases of infants,'' says a distinguished writer in the New York Medical GI NN»S DOMESTIC >11 OIL i NE. 487 Inquirer, "I am satisfied that these complaints, if not produced, are nevertheless cherished by the causes already mentioned. I have in my practice, been in the habit of administering ipecacuanha in the dose of one grain, so as to produce puking in imitation of that excited by nature; and I am happy in saying that in no instance did it fail to produce the desired effect; that in some obstinate cases, it has acted like a charm, and that the parents declared it must have contained opium. "In cases of griping, or violent pain in the bowels of infants, I have also found the application of the follow- ing anodyne plaster to the abdomen or belly, highly beneficial: "Take of gum plaster three drachms; camphor, half a drachm; opium, twenty grains; oil of anniseed, ten drops; to be made in a plaster and spread on 'soft leather.' "Professors Meyer and Reich, of Berlin, employ as a principal remedy in cases of bowel complaints of children, one drachm, of the diluted muriatic acid, in three ounces of simple syrup, of which they direct a tea-spoonful to be given about every two hours." Colic generally takes place in early infancy, from the first six weeks, to the tenth or twelfth month; and is easily known by the infant's suddenly screaming or crying, and at the same time drawing up its legs; if the complaint is severe, the child cannot urinate or make water. If the colic is slight, and arises from flatulence or wind, give one or two drops of pepper- mint, to which if necessary, you may add a drop or two of laudanum; at the same time expose the infant's belly to a warm fire, and rub it with the following mixture:— Take three table-spoonsful of spirits, in which camphor has been dissolved, add to this a tea-spoonful of lauda- 488 GUNN'S DOMESTIC 31EDICINE. num, and bathe the child's belly with it. You will also find the application of warm salt, or bathing it in warm water, valuable remedies. When the colic originates from acidity, as may be known by the bowels not being bound, and the stools of a green color and sour smell, in addition to the above means, you should give occasionally a dose of magnesia:—see table for dose; this will correct the acidity, and assist the discharge of the offending mat- ter from the bowels. You will find the infusion of rhubarb, in small doses, given so as to keep the bowels gently open, whilst at the same time, it communicates tone to the stomach and bowels, and increases the peristaltic action. The infant must be kept warm, and a flannel be applied round the belly, which gives support to the muscles, and is a valuable assistant in diseased conditions of the intestinal canal. SORE EYES. Sore eyes are very apt to make their appearance a few days or weeks after the birth of the infant, which occasions it to be fretful and uneasy, and sometimes if neglected, may produce blemishes or blindness. It is often brought on by exposure of the infant to large fires, or the imprudent practice of holding it to a light- ed candle to keep it quiet. It is also caused by cold; and when the eyes are sore at a more advanced age, it may be produced by cutting teeth.—The remedies are, to avoid cold, and exposure to too much light, particu- larly the fire; bathe the eyes three or four times a day in cold water, or make the following preparation, with which you are to bathe the infant's eyes frequently GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 43* through the day: about the size of a common pea ol sugar of lead, dissolved in a pint of cold water. Il this should not relieve it, give it a purge of castor oil The application of the lead water as mentioned, is gen- erally successful, and a valuable remedy. TEETHING. Children suffer a great many complaints, during the time of cutting teeth. Some infants suffer much less than others; but all seem, during this necessary opera- tion, to undergo pain and a disordered state of the sys- tem. The symptoms which go before and accompany the cutting of teeth are more or less violent, according to the manner in which the teeth come through the gum; or in other words, the resistance which the gum makes; and to the irritability of the infant's constitution, &/C. When the child cuts its teeth in the most easy manner, the pressure on the gums, however slight, gives pain, and produces an increased flow of the fluids furnished by the mouth; the child is fretful and restless during the night, is constantly putting its little hands or any thing that it can get hold of, into its mouth. The spittle which it is constantly discharging or slobbering from the mouth, when swallowed, produces sickness, gripes and looseness; after a short time, the corner of a tooth is perceived; but the pain and uneasiness still continue for several days, when a second tooth is cut. During the time between the cutting of the lower and upper teeth, the child generally improves in health and strength; but in a short time is again subjected to the 62 490 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. same uneasiness. In strong, healthy, or fat children, a fever generally, and that sometimes violent, comes on before, or about the time of cutting every tooth; the gums are swelled and inflamed, the eyes much disor- dered, the belly bound, the skin hot, and the child cries constantly, and sucks with much pain; sometimes it is unable to suck, and its sleep is very much disturbed. Weakly and delicate children, where teething is painful and difficult, lose their color, fret constantly, vomit or puke frequently, attended with looseness or purging, and become quite emaciated, or in other words reduced to great weakness. I have discovered that those children I have last mentioned, pass through the painful and dan- gerous process of teething, much easier, and with greater safety than those who are fat and robust; and have particularly remarked, that those children who slaver, (vulgarly called slobber) most, cut their teeth with the greatest ease. The treatment during teething, should be a particular attention to the bowels, by keeping them sufficiently open; always paying due attention to every circumstance likely to promote the general health of the child, such as pure air, exercise, strict cleanliness, food easily diges- ted in the stomach, and taken in small quantities. As the difficulties sometimes are greatly lessened and fre- quently entirely prevented, by a looseness coming on spontaneously, or more plainly speaking, of its own accord, it must not be checked, particularly in children of a fat or full habit, but permitted to go on, unless it weakens the infant too much, or runs to excess, when it may be stopped by degrees. But if the child is bound in its body, you will recollect that it should take some laxative purge, so as to produce two or three stools daily; for this purpose, give two grains of calomel, to GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 491 which add three or four grains of rhubarb or magne- sia. If necessary, the operations of this medicine may be assisted by clysters—for directions &c. as to clys- tering, look under that head. When fulness and quick- ness of the pulse, increase of heat, flushed face, frequent startings, oppressed breathing, immoderate fits of cry- ing, &c. denote fever; the irritation of the gums must be removed, which is done by cutting or lancing the gum down to the teeth, for which purpose, a gum lancet must be made use of CONVULSIONS OR FITS. Convulsions or fits, are at all times alarming and dangerous, and require a very great variety of treat- ment: therefore procure in such cases, a skilful physi- cian. But as these fits are frequently very sudden, I shall direct the means which may be used before a phy- sician can be obtained, and I will make some observa- tions as to the general causes which produce them. It is not unfrequently the case, for convulsions or fits, to come on suddenly, in others, the attack is gradual, and the symptoms so slight as to pass unobserved by the mother or nurse. In the former, the child, from being in the most perfect health, turns of a purple color, the features and eyes are changed, and the whole frame is violently convulsed or agitated. In a short time these symptoms are followed by faintings, or medically speak- ing, by a suspension of the vital powers; after which, the child gradually recovers; but for some time remains stupid and drowsy. In the latter cases, the infant shows uneasiness, changes color suddenly and fre- quently, the lips quiver, the eyes are turned upwards, 492 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. and it stretches out, the hands become clenched, when the convulsion or fit comes on. Fits are apt to be produced by any thing which affects the whole nervous system, or that which produces irri- tation of any particular nerve; and by the sudden striking in of any eruptive disease, such as the measles, or any complaint which breaks out on the skin; from improper food, or irritating substances applied to the stomach or bowels will produce this disorder. These convulsions frequently occur during the period of teeth- ing ; but I have found from particular attention to the pauses which produce convulsions or fits, that worms are very often the cause of this complaint. But if they take place frequently, and with great violence, occa- sioned from pressure on the brain, or any cause in that organ, they generally terminate fatally, or cause the child as he advances in years, to become foolish. The treatment of convulsions or fits must depend on the cause which produces them. If the sudden striking in of any complaint, as the rash, measles, &c. or the drying up of any eruption or discharge on the body, it ought to be brought out by putting the child into a warm bath, then giving a dose of Godfrey's cordial or Bate- man's drops, so as to produce to the surface, the com- plaint; if indigestion or improper food has occasioned it, give a gentle emetic or puke of ipecacuanha, or emetic tartar—-see table for dose. If the bowels are stopped, or the fits are supposed to arise from irritating matter of any kind in the body, it must be removed by purgative medicines, as two grains of calomel, mixed with five grains of rhubarb or jalap, which if neces- sary, assist with a clyster—for the method of preparing and administering a clyster, read under that head;— but if produced by teething, then scarify the gums, or GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 493 in other words, cut them down with a lancet immedi- ately over the; tooth this operation ought to be per- formed daily, until the tooth is through the gum, or the fits cease. When worms are suspected to be the cause from which the convulsions or fits are produced, the reme- dies recommended under that head must be employed. CROUP. This is a very dangerous complaint, and the rapidity with which it proceeds, requires prompt and immediate attention, or the disorder will prove fatal in a short time. Of all the diseases to which children are liable, croup is certainly the most dangerous. Every mother should understand the symptoms and treatment of this disease; as in many instances, before a physician can possibly be obtained, suffocation is the consequence. The croup comes on with a difficulty of breathing and wheezing, a short, dry cough, and a rattling in the throat when asleep. In a short time the difficulty of breathing increases, the face of the child is flushed, and the veins in the neck are very full of blood, and throb or beat very fast. The voice and coughing has a strange sharp sound, something like the crowing of a young cock; the child is very restless and uneasy, the body is hot, and attended by great thirst, and the pulse very quick. Those in whom the face is much flushed, seem over- powered by a heavy sleep, from which they are roused only by the violent fits of coughing. As the disease continues, the fits of coughing return more frequently, and are attended with an uncommon degree of agita- tion throughout the whole frame; the breathing becomes 494 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. more and more noisy; and unless relief is speedily obtained, the infant will die by suffocation. The remedy is an emetic, or puke. The moment the complaint is discovered, put six grains of emetic tartar into six table-spoonsful of warm water, and give the child about half a table-spoonful every ten or fifteen minutes. The intention is, to keep up a constant sick- ness and vomiting or puking. But if it is a violent case, you are to bleed it from the arm, and put it up to its neck in warm water. But recollect you are to keep up the sickness at the stomach, and puke it freely. I have frequently, when the croup was severe, kept the child puking occasionally, through the whole night, and using now and then, the warm bath, before relief could be given. In this complaint you will find the seneka snake root a valuable remedy; it must be given to the child frequently, made into a strong tea. After using the remedies I have already described, without success, and the disease is desperate, the best remedy is calo- mel, in doses of from forty to fifty grains. Do not be alarmed at this dose. I know by experience, in a hun- dred instances of the lives of children being preserved by large doses of calomel, which must otherwise have proved fatal. Then let me urge upon you the necessity of laying aside your prejudices against this medicine, and not to slacken your hand in this trying moment, if you wish to preserve the infant. So powerful and salu- tary is this medicine, that it frequently relieves the complaint in ten or fifteen minutes, without recourse to any other means. It acts on the stomach, bowels, and skin. Smaller doses may be given where the complaint is not very alarming; when given in smaller doses, you may add a little ipecacuanha, say two or three grains with the calomel, from which much benefit will be derived. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 495 The following simple remedy is highly recommended by Doctor John D. Goodman, an eminent physician of Charlottesville, Virginia. The simplicity of the reme- dy, and the facility of its application, entitle it to a trial. "Whenever children are threatened with an attack of croup, I direct [says the doctor,] a plaster covered with dry Scotch snuff, varying in size according to the age of the patient, to be applied directly across the top of the chest, and retained there till all the symptoms disappear. The remedy is found to be always effectu- al when applied to the first and second stages of the malady. This mode of treatment was from prejudice, neglected by me, and in one instance, in which, with very considerable difficulty, one of my children was rescued by the ordinary treatment But on being urged to make a trial of the snuff plaster, I determined to make the experiment, whenever opportunity present- ed. This was not long wanting; and when called to a child laboring under ail the symptoms of the early stage of croup, such a plaster, made by greasing a piece of linen, and covering it well with snuff, was directed to be applied to the chest. The event was most happy, the symptoms of irritation, and half crouping cough, ceased shortly after; the child fell into a profound sleep, with gentle perspiration, and by the next morning, was free from all distressing symptoms. The plaster was re-applied for a night or two following, and then discontinued. Since that time, my family has been saved from a great deal of anxiety and alarm, to which previously they were subject, as we were obliged to keep Coxe's hive syrup, tartar emetic, and all other articles resorted to, constantly ready to meet the attacks of the croup, which were very sudden and frequent in 496 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. cold wet seasons. Since then we have found nothing necessary but the snuff plaster. If a child is heard to breathe hoarsely, or cough with any thing of the dread- ful ringing sound of croup, it is only necessary to apply the snuff plaster, and we feel under no further anxiety. Instead of being obliged to watch with the child all the rest of the night, when once the snuff is applied, we go to rest again, with a feeling of entire security, which we have never had the least cause to regret." FEVER OF CHILDREN. The various complaints to which children are sub- ject, being, as I have before mentioned, of an irritative nature, will generally produce fevers, and although severe while they continue, are not frequently produc- tive of danger if properly managed. A disordered state of the stomach and bowels, teeth- ing, exposure to cold, striking in of any eruption, and in short, every thing which can excite an increased action in the heart and blood vessels, will produce more or less fever. The treatment of these complaints has already been described. When these fevers take place, cleansing the stomach and bowels will be pro- per, for which purpose, give an emetic, or puke, follow- ed by two or three grains of calomel, to which add four, five, or six grains of rhubarb:—for the dose of either of these medicines, see table; after which, Bate- man's drops, Godfrey's cordial, or paregoric, at the same time bathing the child in warm water, will greatly assist in lessening the irritability of the system, and removing the fever. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 197 SCALD HEAD. This complaint begins in brownish spots on the head, and in a few days forms a scab, and discharges a thick gluey matter, that sticks amongst the hair. The sores gradually increase, until the whole head is covered with a scab, discharging this matter, which is very offensive. You are to cut off the hair as close as possible, and wash the head well every night and morning with fresh lime water. This is easily prepar- ed, by slacking a piece of quick lime, of the size of a hen's egg, in a quart of water, and when settled, pour the liquor into a bottle and keep it corked for use. CHOLERA INFANTUM OR PUKING AND PURGING. This vomiting and purging of children, called by physicians, cholera infantum, prevails during the heats of summer; it is a dangerous and destructive disorder throughout the United States. Of all the complaints with which childhood becomes afflicted in its earlier stages, this is, at least amongst the infantile population of the western country, the most destructive; When this disease commences, it is very rapid in spreading itself through the section of country or neighborhood in which it first makes its appearance. Its desolation or fatal termination depends very much upon the sea- son, section of country, and slate of the atmosphere. This disorder generally shows itself before the middle of June, or about the commencement of our summer months, continuing its ravages through the warm sea- son, gradually lessening in violence as the cool weather approaches. Its frequency and danger are always in 498 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. proportion to the heat of the weather; children are subject to it from the third week after birth, to the second summer, at which period it is the most fatal to them. Many distinguished physicians have been disposed to consider teething as the cause of this complaint. I am, however, convinced, that this is not the cause of cholera infantum, or puking and purging. Yet, in children laboring under the irritation of cutting teeth, I have no doubt this complaint is much more severe than it otherwise would be, and that it is more easily taken by them, and that the disorder is more apt to be fatal in its consequences, I admit. But that it is brought about by the causes which I have before mentioned, will be admitted by every physician who has taken the trouble to investigate, or, in other words, to search out the original causes of this disease. As I have before told you, the digestive organs in the early stages of childhood, are liable to constant irregularities and irritations; but what excites morbid irritations in the intestinal canal, is perhaps difficult for the most learned of the profession, at the present day, to determine. Yet, whatever influence the irregulari- ties of diet, teething, or other complaints, may have in producing this disorder, I am assured from long expe- rience, that the violent heats of summer, together with sudden changes, or exposure to a moist and unhealthy state of the atmosphere, are the usual exciting causes of cholera infantum, or puking and purging. SYMPTOMS. This disorder commences generally with a purging, but when severe, the child is seized with a puking and purging at the same time, when a few moments before it appeared in the enjoyment of full health. The dis- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 4W charge, or stool is highly offensive, and colored, with a dark or yellow hue; the stools now become frequent, attended with severe griping; probably the motions will be as often as fifteen or twenty times during the twenty-four hours. So soon as the operation com- mences freely from the bowels, the vomiting or puking begins to cease; over the region of the stomach the slightest pressure will give pain, being very tender, and probably swelled; tongue white, thirst great, a constant craving for water between the times of purging, which cannot be satisfied. The skin becomes dry, and from the child falling away, which it does with great rapidi- ty, the skin is very much shrunk on the inside of the thighs; and while the feet are cold, the head and belly are hot; pulse small and quick, sometimes full; gener- ally towards evening the child is better, but after a short time the purging commences again. Countenance pale, wan, and languid; eyes sunk and dull; the child moans and sighs much; cannot sleep, is excessively irritable, sometimes attempting to bite its nurse, or rolling about its head, or constantly putting up its hands to its face; the stools become bloody. Even water itself will produce purging. The least jar or irregular motion gives it pain; noise and light cannot be endur- ed. It will scream on barely being touched. The gums are black and swelled; the lips or their edges are filled with a dark scurf; inflammation takes place; the breathing becomes hurried and laborious; the pulse quick, weak, and irregular, and death closes the suffer- ings of one of the most painful and distressing diseases. REMEDIES. When this complaint is about to make its appear- ance—which you will know by a purging, a white tongue, skin dry and hot, slight fever, attended with 500 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDlCINb. gripings, and occasionally accompanied with cramps of the abdominal and other muscles—nothing is of greater Service than a gentle emetic in the morning, followed by a dose of calomel, mixed with a small quantity of ipecacuanha, at night. For doses medicine see table. The emetic not only cleanses the stomach, but produ- ces a soft moist state of the skin. The colomel and the ipecacuanha as I have described, will greatly lessen the severity of the disease, and not unfrequently entire- ly check it. But should there continue looseness of the bowels, with a dry skin and wakefulness, you are to obtain, at a doctor's shop, a phial of wine of ipe- cacuanha—which is nothing more than the ipecacuanha steeped or mixed in wine—of this medicine, give the child a few drops through the day, in a little warm tea of any kind: this will produce a gentle moisture, or in other words, a moist sweat. At night, give a dose of paregoric. For dose of this, or any other medicine, refer to the table. The warm bath, that is, bathing the whole body of the child once or twice a day in warm water, will be found a valuable remedy, and greatly assist in the cure. Many children have entirely esca- ped this dangerous complaint by using daily the warm bath. By following the directions I have laid down, in a great many cases, the complaint will be so relieved as to render the further use of medicine unnecessary. When the remedies which I have mentioned, fail, which is sometimes the case, give occasionally a dose of calomel, to which add a little ipecacuanha. As soon as the medicine has purged the child—or in other words, it has had three or four stools—you are to give a little paregoric, in which put a few drops of the wine of ipecacuanha. This moderates the operation of the purge and brings on a gentle moisture, or sweat of the GUNNS DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 501 skin. You will find great benefit from covering the child's belly with carded cotton, over which you are to put a broad bandage, drawn moderately tight. The cotton thus borne, will check the purging. Should the child be teething when it takes this complaint, immedi- ate attention ought to be paid to the gums, and cut, if necessary, when the teeth cannot pass through them. If the emetic or puke which I have directed, should hap. pen to act too severely, you can easily stop it by giving a dose of paregoric or laudanum, in a little tea made of cin- namon. So distressing in some cases are the effects of the vomiting or puking—not from the emetic, but from the disorder itself—that you will be under the necessity of seeking means to check it; for this purpose there is nothing better than weak lime water and new milk, in which put a few drops of laudanum or paregoric, or apply green peach-tree leaves, beat up, over the stomach and the breast—this is a valuable application for put- ting a stop to bilious vomiting: sulphuric ether is also a good remedy. If these, however, should fail in remo- ving the vomiting or puking, a blister applied over the pit of the stomach will scarcely ever fail. This last remedy should not be applied until a fair trial is given those which precede it, WHOOPING COUGH. This complaint occurs only once during life, and is contagious, or catching. It prevails in the western country during the winter and spring months, and its being mild or severe, depends very much on the atmos- phere. When the winter and spring are extremely cold 502 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. and wet, the whooping cough is generally severe, but on the contrary, it appears under a much milder form. Symptoms.—Whooping cough commences like a common cold, and as it gradually advances, the breath- ing becomes more hurried and difficult, the voice hoarse, attended with cough; great thirst; after a few days, a strange whooping sound is made whenever the child draws a long breath, followed immediately by the cough. The agitation of the whole system is such at this moment, that the child lays hold of whatever is nearest, in order to support himself during the fit of coughing; after which he pukes or spits up a tough, frothy, slimy mucus, and is for a short time relieved. The treatment is quite simple:—when you discover the child to have taken it, give instantly an emetic, or puke, of antimonial wine—see table for dose;—and should this puke not lessen the severity of the complaint, you are to give a second, and if necessary, a third; if bound in its body, a dose of castor oil. To lessen the cough, give frequently the juice of garlic sweetened with honey, or a tea-spoonful of sweet oil, to which you may add a few drops of paregoric or laudanum. The whooping cough is generally most severe during night: to allay or ease the cough, the use of paregoric or laudanum will be highly necessary-r—for doses see table. I have found great benefit in my practice by using in this complaint the tincture of assafcetida— which is nothing more than a small lump of assafcetida steeped for a few days in a little whiskey, or any kind of spirits—of this tincture you are to give a few drops whenever the cough is severe, and you will find it to allay the irritation of the system, and mitigate or calm the cough. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 503 Doctor Robertson, in the January number of the London Medical Repository, states that, of all the remedies he has ever employed in whooping cough, friction—which means rubbing—on the region of the stomach with the tartarised ointment, has been the most undeviatingly useful: for as soon as the pimples begin to appear on the breast, the disorder begins to abate. This ointment is nothing more than emetic tartar mixed with a little hog's lard. For a description how to prepare it, look under the head "tartarised ointment." MEASLES. The measles generally make their appearance in the spring season. It is a contagious, or catching disorder, and like the whooping cough, attacks but once during life. Symptoms.—For a few days before they break out on the body, the child complains of sickness; seems dull and heavy; very great thirst; short, dry cough, with frequent sneezing, as if laboring under a severe cold; the eyes look red, and much inflamed. On the fourth day, the eruptions, or red pimples—which resem- ble flea-bites—make their appearance on the face and neck, which soon extend to the breast, and then cover the whole body. In three or four days they begin to go off; at the same time, the fever which always accom- panies the measles, begins gradually to decline. In some cases, the fever and cough will continue without lessening in their violence for several days or a week after the measles have entirely disappeared. 504 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. REMEDIES. As soon as the sickness or drowsiness is observed, and you have cause to apprehend, from the symptoms I have already described that your child is about to take the measles, open the bowels by castor oil, so as to pro- cure two or three stools: the next evening—for it is at this time the fever is at the highest—-give a gentle vomit, or puke, of antimonial wine. You will find, by giving gentle pukes, that the child will be greatly reliev- ed, by lessening the fever and oppression—this being the cause of the drowsiness and stupor. If the vomit should both puke and purge, so much the better, for the child will be the sooner relieved. When the fever and cough continue for a few days after the measles have entirely disappeared, a dose of castor oil will be proper, and which should be occasionally given during its con- tinuance. About this time, there is a dark and offensive matter remains in the bowels that produces this fever, and which ought and must be removed by means of these gentle purges. You will always know if the fever continues, by the dullness, thirst, and want of appetite. Sometimes the measles and whooping cough attack the child at the same time: when this is the case, a physi- cian should be immediately called, as there is consid- erable danger. The diet in this complaint ought to be low; such as mush and boiled milk, chicken soup, &c. Nothing to be taken cold or hot, but moderately warm. Exposure to cold or damp must be avoided, or the disorder may strike in, which would be very dangerous. Let the child be kept in a room neither hot nor cold, but of a pleasant temperature. And you are to recollect that spirituous liquors of any kind, administered in any way, GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 505 is highly improper. Bleeding is sometimes necessary when the inflammatory symptoms run high, or the cough is very severe; but it ought always to be performed, if possible, under the advice of a physician. Blisters applied between the shoulders or on the sides, will abate the cough, and may be safely used at any time during the complaint. WORMS. The worms which infest the human body are—the long round worm, the maw, or thread worm, the tape, or long joint worm, and the fluke worm. The long round worm is called by the physicians, the ascaris lumbri- coides, deriving its name from its slipperiness. It has three nipples at its head, and a triangular mouth in its middle. Its length is from four to twelve inches, and its thickness, when at its largest size, about that of a common goose-quill. The body is furrowed on each side, and the tail somewhat blunt This worm is quite common in children, and not unfrequently it crawls out at the mouth. It is generally of a milky, brownish, or ash color. The maw or thread worm—called by physicians ascaris vermicularis—has a blunt head; the tail of the male is blunt, but that of the female quite sharp and winding. It is generally from two to four inches long, quite small, about the size of a small thread, of a white color, and very elastic or springy. This worm is generally found in the straight gut, or fundament—most commonly in children, but not unfre- quently it is met with in grown persons also. They are frequently found in the intestines, or guts, in the form 64 506 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. of a ball so completely covered with a slimy mucus, as to prevent the medicines which are usually given for worms, from acting—or in other words—causing their discharge by stool. In women, they sometimes escape into the vagina, or womb, and thence into the urethra, or canal through which the urine passes—and they are also found in the intestines of children. The long thread worm—called, medically speaking, tricocephalus dispar—is from an inch and a half to two inches long—of a clear w7hite; the head is sharp; the body of the male is constantly in motion, in a curved or winding form. The female is straight, with a blunt head and sharp tail; they contain a brown matter, and generally inhabit the large intestines. The long tape worm—called by medical men taenia solium—is from one to six hundred feet in length: it is gifted with the power to contract or enlarge its diameter: that is, to draw up or increase its size at pleasure. It rolls itself into a round form, and falls from one side of the stomach to the other on turning, when in a recum- bent or lying position. When cramped by the position of the patient, or by hard pressure over the belly, or disturbed by food which does not agree with it, by medicine, or some disease proper to it, or tormented by the approach of death, it leaves its hold, leaps about and falls, as it were, into convulsions or fits. The broad tape worm—called, medically, bothrio- cephalus latus—the head is longer than it is broad; scarcely any neck. Its body is flat; generally, from ten to twenty feet long, and at its broadest part, from a quarter to a half an inch across, and of a white color. The fluke worm is about an inch long, and of a dirty yellowish, greenish or brownish color; you will know it by examining the worm which infests the livers of ani- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 507 mals, as the sheep, the hog, the goat, &c. being the same worm. It is extremely difficult to say what are the original causes which produce worms. It is therefore impossi- ble that any physician, however learned he may be, can determine with any kind of certainty, their origin. That improper diet or food, assists in producing worms, is correct; but it is only true so far as this improper food deranges the action of the stomach and bowels, and weakens their action; for worms seldom occur if the action of the bowels is healthy, strong and vigorous. "Few infants have worms until they are weaned, which is to be accounted for on the principle, that the bowels are in better order during suckling than afterwards, when the diet is more varied and indigestible." To the learned and distinguished Robley Dunglisom Professor of the Practice of Medicine in the University of Virginia, I am indebted for the highly valuable infor- mation on this subject. Climate, infancy, weakened state of the bowels, and improper food, favor the production of worms. That climate has a particular influence, and is favorable to the origin of certain worms, is evident. A fourth part of the inhabitants of Grand Cairo have the tape worm; and in Holland—according to Rosen—it is quite com- mon. In the United States it is quite rare. SYMPTOMS. The head is generally affected; the face is pale, and sometimes of the color of bees-wax; the lower eye lid becomes of a leaden color; itching is felt in the nose, occasionally picking it; the saliva, or spittle runs down over the pillow during sleep; the breath has a remar- kable bad foptor, or bad smell; frightful dreams; the phild cries in its sleep and awakes with great terror; 508 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. itching about the navel; creeping or tearing pain in the belly, or a pricking and gnawing about the stomach; constant hunger, and yet the system becomes weak; frequent itching of the fundament; frequent dry cough, with tickling in the throat, accompanied with slow fe- ver; these symptoms, singly or together, denote the presence of worms. REMEDIES. A great many medicines are daily employed for worms. From long experience, and an extensive prac- tice, I have had a fair opportunity of testing their virtues, at the head of which stands calomel, worm- seed oil, Carolina pink root—sometimes called Indian pink root, or pink root—and spirits of turpentine; all of which, when properly given, are valuable medicines for expelling worms. You are first to commence by giving the child a suitable dose of calomel;—for which see table of med- icines. You are occasionally to repeat this medicine as long as the stools have a very offensive smell; and look unnatural! On the days between the administer- ing the calomel, give the child a little aloes, pounded very fine, and mixed with honey.—For dose see table. "I have never known a case of failure," says a distin- guished physician, "when the patient, or child was freely purged with calomel, and then given either the worm-seed oil, agreeably to the directions on the phials in which it is sold, or the Indian pink root in tea." For a description of this root look under the head Car- olina pink root The oil should be given on an empty stomach in the morning, on a lump of sugar, and when the pink root is used make tea of it, by pouring a quart of boiling water on a handful of the roots, of which you are to give a cupful night and morning to GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 509 the child; and to cause him to take it more readily, you may add milk and sugar: by this means children will take it as soon as any other tea. Sometimes the pink root will occasion the eyes to become sore; when this is the case, you are to stop using it until the eyes are perfectly well; this is produced, as is supposed, from some other root which grows with the pink root, and is frequently gathered with ,it. After using the pink root for a week or ten days, give a dose of calo- mel or castor oil. In those species of worm which I have described as uncommon in our country, their ex- pulsion, or discharge is produced by spirits of turpen- tine, in large doses, requiring the advice and atten- dance of a physician. Mr. Cloquet, a distinguished physician of France, affirms, that he has seen the long worm, or the one to which children are most subject, evacuated, or dis- charged by stool, after the belly had been rubbed with a mixture of ox's gall and common soap, oil of tansey or of camomile, mixed with spirits in which camphor has been dissolved, or garlic; and by the application of a plaster composed of common yellow wax, lithar- age, assafcetida, and galbanum, applied to the belly. Pure air, simple digestible food, exercise, and the use of all those means by which the system is strength- ened, should be attended to; otherwise as soon as they are expelled, they will again return. For this purpose occasionally administer to the child or person subject to worms, a simple dose of charcoal in new milk. According to the latest and most enlightened experience of the Medical Schools in Europe, charcoal is highly recommended. DESCRIPTION OF MEDICINES. REMARKS. I have now given a full and general description, of the important diseases to which the human body is liable, and of the various remedies to be used in their cure. I shall now proceed to describe, as far as prac- ticable, all the valuable roots, plants, and so on, possi- ble to be included in the work. I have observed in several books, purporting to have been written for the use of families, descriptions of many plants and roots, merely calculated to fill up and increase the size of such works, without being of any benefit as medicines, or even affording any useful information to the reader. I shall therefore, mention only such as are truly useful as medicines, and whose virtues are highly important in the cure of diseases. SENEKA SNAKE ROOT. This root possesses more virtues than any one used in medicine; and of all the roots used in medicine it is by far the most valuable. It is now more than eighty years, since its virtues were made known by physicians, by Doctor John Tenant, who learned its use from the Senagaroes tribe of Indians. By rewarding them liberally, he obtained their secret remedy against the bite of the rattle-snake, which he called snake root on GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINU. 511 that account. According to their practice, it was ap- plied both outwardly and inwardly; either chewed and applied to the wound, or in the form of poultice. Doct. Tenant thought the Seneka a certain remedy against the bite of the rattle-snake, but it has since been doubt- ed. A reward was given to the doctor for this dis- covery, by the legislature of Pennsylvania. The Seneka was recommended by him, to be used in pluri- sy; and in this disease it is a truly valuable remedy, after the free use of the lancet and the warm bath. Sir Francis Millman, Doctor Percival, and many other distinguished physicians, have borne testimony in favor of its powers as a diuretic in dropsies—diuretic means whatever acts on the urinary organs, so as to produce an evacuation of the water from the bladder freely. In croup this is a valuable medicine: and the discovery of it being such, is due to Doctor Archer, of Hartford county, Maryland, who first discovered its great effica- cy in croup, that frequently unmanageable disease. My practice is, in the first instance to employ the lancet, in the next the warm bath, and in the next the Seneka snake root, as directed under the head of croup. Giv- en as a strong decoction, which is made by pouring on one or two ounces of the best root, coarsely pounded with a hammer, about a quart of boiling water, which is to be stewed down to half a pint or less, in a close vessel over a slow fire:—a tea-spoonful every hour, or indeed every twenty minutes to a child as the case may be dangerous or otherwise, will answer the effect in croup. It is of infinite service if it pukes the patient when given in this way; because it brings on a dis- charge of mucus or tough slime from the mouth and throat, which almost always relieves the person afflicted. It is proper, if the case is a dangerous one, to give a 512 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. dose of calomel w ith the snake root, adding to the cal- omel a small portion of ipecacuanha; in fact, in this disease, when very dangerous, I give large doses of calomel when I resort to this remedy: in simple and gentle cases of croup, an emetic of ipecacuanha, and the warm bath, will frequently give relief. A strong tea made of this root, and given as in croup, is an excellent remedy for the hives, or for rheumatism of an inflam- matory nature; and in violent colds, it is an admirable medicine to promote perspiration or sweating. Used in these cases, the best form is that of a handful of the root to a quart of boiling water, giving a wine-glassful of the decoction every two hours, if a grown person, and increasing or lessening the quantity as may seem to be necessary. The virtues of this root, in obstructions, or stoppages of the menses or monthly discharges, are absolutely incalculable; and every woman should return thanks to the author of all good, for giving such virtues to this root as are possessed, perhaps, by no other, in relieving this diseased state of the female system which, of all others, is probably the most dangerous. When the menstrual discharge is looked for and does not appear, four ounces of the decoction above described ought to be taken in the course of the day—indeed, as much ought to be taken as the stomach will bear without incon- venience. When sickness to puking is induced—which is sometimes the case when the stomach is weak or irri- table—add in the tea or decoction some cinnamon, or calamus, or angelica, or a little ginger; either of these in addition, will cause the stomach to retain the decoc- tion: there is no danger in the seneka snake root, for I have frequently given it in very large doses in croup. The only difficulty is, that it sometimes passes off by GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 513 stool, without being productive of its usual benefits in female cases—the remedies for which will be spoken of under the proper heads. But in dropsy, this purgative effect of the seneka snake root is of great and impor- tant service, as well as in its active and powerful influ- ence on the urinary organs. In all dropsical swellings, it ought to be used very freely, and will always be found a medicine of high and inestimable value. I will close the notice of this great root, by observing that it has the confidence of the most distinguished physicians of the United States, as well as those of Europe. The discovery of its virtues in female ob- structions, is due to Dr. Hartshorn, of Philadelphia, one of the best of men, and whose heart is devoted to the eause of suffering humanity. SASSAFRAS. A particular description of sassafras is unnecessary* being known and found in every part of the western country. The root, bark, or flowers, made into a tea, is used considerably by the people in the country. It cleanses any impurities of the blood, and if distilled, affords a valuable oil, which is a good remedy in rheu- matism. It ought to be rubbed on the afflicted parts in small quantities: and if taken inwardly, a few drops arc to be given on a lump of sugar, being highly stim- ulating. The oil rubbed on wens is considered a good remedy, and frequently removes them entirely. The sassafras bark, mixed with sarsaparilla, makes a good diet drink for cleansing impurities of the blood, &.<•. 65 514 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. SARSAPARILLA. This root was first brought into notice by the Span- iards, in the year 1563, and was for some time after- wards, considered a certain cure for venereal diseases; [see page 346, where you will see venereal described.] It, however, afterwards proved unsuccessful, either for want of proper attention, or from want of knowledge how to treat the complaint. This little root has excited a great deal of inquiry and discussion among medical men, throughout Europe and the United States, as to whether it really is or is not, a cure for this wretched disease, the venereal. It has fallen several times into almost entire neglect, and as often been again revived into use. It has, however, lately been brought forward, with much higher reputa- tion than it ever held before, and if used in the manner I have described in venereal, may be relied on as a certain cure. Years of practical experience have con- vinced me of the fact, even in the worst of the com- plaint. I will go still further, by asserting that the virtues of this root, are not yet fully known and duly appreciated: and I sincerely regret, that the limits of my work will not permit me to go more fully into the great benefits I have witnessed from its use in chronic affections of the fiver—for a description of which dis- ease, see page 241. In scrofulous sores, in all diseases of the skin, and for cleansing the blood, it will be found valuable. In rheumatism, gout, and to stop the effect of mercury, or to remove any bad consequences which have been pro- duced by its use, the sarsaparilla is also good. In weakness of the stomach called dyspepsia, [see that head.] it is an excellent remedy, by giving tone and strength to the bowels and stomach. The method of GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 515 preparing it, is by simply boiling, after washing it clean, in the proportions of an ounce of the root, split and finely cut up, to two quarts of water, which must be boiled down to one quart, and suffered to get cold be- fore it is taken. Take of it from a pint to a quart daily, or as much as the stomach will bear. The bark of the root contains the virtues. You must obtain it sound; and recollect always, that it loses its powers by being kept any length of time. The tea should always be made fresh every day. Sarsaparilla grows plenti- fully in the western country, and may be found along creeks, and on the banks of rivers. It is a small run- ning vine when torn from the ground, and extends some distance from the head, which is of a dark brown color on the outside, and a pale white within. When cut into short pieces it splits easily, and has a very bit- ter taste. The main vine is about the size of a com- mon goose-quill. It is a native of the Spanish West Indies, from whence it was formerly imported, until discovered to be also a native of the United States. The imported root is not quite as large as ours, and is of a darker color and much wrinkled on the outside. It may be considered as one of the most valuable roots in the western country, and although possessing great power, is entirely innocent. It ought most certainly to be used, in all cases in which mercury has had any effects on the system, or in which there is the least doubt that any infection lurks in the system connected \yith venereal. 516 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. JAMKSTOWN WEED. Sometimes called jimson, thorn-apple, stink-weed: and, by the learned, usually called datura stramoni- um. Whether this plant is a native of the United States or not, cannot at this late period be known; nor is it material that the fact should be ascertained, be- cause it is now found in every part of the American Union, from the state of Maine, to the Mexican gulf, and from the Atlantic sea-board, to the Rocky, or Ore- gon mountains. It was first noticed by the original settlers of Virginia, at Jamestown, from which circum- stance, it took the name which I have adopted. Be- verly, who in very early times, wrote a history of the first settlement of Virginia, thus speaks of its effects on a party of British soldiers, who had eaten of the leaves of the Jamestown weed as boiled greens. "One would blow up a feather into the air, whilst another would dart straws at it with great fury; another would sit stark naked in a corner of the room, grinning like a monkey, and making mouths at the company; whilst another would caress and paw his companions, and sneer in their faces. In this frantic condition they were confined, under the apprehension that they might destroy themselves, though it was observed that all their actions were those of innocence and good nature. They were by no means cleanly, and would have wallowed in their own excrements, had they not been prevented. After the lapse of ten or eleven days, their senses again returned, without their being able to re- member any thing that had occurred in the interim." I will give for the satisfaction of my readers, some ac- count of the first discovery of the medical properties of the Jamestown weed, and also adduce several cases in proof of those medical properties, abridged from the GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 517 account of Doctor Storck, whose authority may be relied on. "In the months of June, July and August, I observed in the neighborhood of Schcenbrun," says the doctor, "great quantities of the Datura Stramonium, or thorn- apple. I well knew that this plant was altogether out of use as a medicine, because several authors had pro- nounced it highly dangerous. On the 23d of June, 1760,1 went out very early in search of the weed, and gathered a large quantity of it, and resolved to give it a fair trial, notwithstanding all I had heard and read respecting its poisonous effects, and of its producing insanity or derangement of mind. I next cut off the roots and threw them aside; then beat the leaves, branches and stalks in a large marble mortar, and pressed out about one gallon of the juice. This I evaporated to the consistence of an extract, over a slow fire, in a glazed vessel, often stirring it with a wooden spoon to prevent its burning; and the extract, when it became cold, I found to be a black, brittle mass. I laid a grain and a half of this extract on my tongue, dissolved it against the roof of my mouth, and swal- lowed it down. It neither produced disorder of my body, nor the least derangement in my intellectual fac- ulties. After making several experiments on myself, and perceiving no manner of disorder, I concluded that the extract could be safely given to patients in small doses. We happened at that time to have a case in the hospital, in which it might be presumed this extract of thorn-apple, (which the reader will please to remember we call Jamestown weed,) would be of service. Before using it however, I consulted both ancient and modern writers, and all to no purpose. They had all laid it down in explicit terms, that it would disorder the mind. 518 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. destroy the ideas and memory, and produce convul- sions. These were all dreadful effects:—but notwith- standing a query suggested itself to my mind in the fol- lowing form: "If the thorn-apple, by disordering the mind, causes madness in sound persons, may we not try whether by changing and disturbing the ideas and com- mon sensory, it might not bring the insane, and persons bereft of their reason, to sanity, or soundness of mind? and by a contrary motion, remove convulsions in the convulsed." This notion, I confess, was far-fetched, yet it was not without some good success. The experi- ments I made were as follow: "Case 1st. A girl aged twelve years, had been disor- dered in her mind two months; she answered confusedly when asked any questions, and what words she did utter, were very imperfectly articulated. She was sul- len and refractory, and could be prevailed on by no means, to do any thing. All the medicines she had taken had produced no effect. I gave her half a grain of the extract morning and night, and made her drink after each dose, a cup of tea, or some veal broth. On the third week she began to be less sullen; returned more rational answers, and spoke distinctly. In two months time—continuing the use of the same medicine, and giving three doses each day—she began to reason extremely well, and said her morning and evening pray- ers with a clear and distinct voice; gained a good memory, and gradually recovered her understanding. "Case 2d. A woman over forty years of age, was afflicted with vertigo, or dizziness of the head, and could find no relief from any medicines; she became gradually disordered in her mind, and finally a degree of madness accompanied her vertigo. She was brought to our hospital. The medicines first prescribed gave GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 519 her no manner of relief. She began to be raving and furious; rose out of bed during the night, and by her bawling disturbed and frightened the other patients- some of whom she would forcibly pull out of bed. In this situation I gave her—says Dr. Storck—half a grain of the extract of thorn-apple twice a day. The first day she became more composed, but in the night she turned as furious as ever. The third day, I gave her one grain of the extract morning and evening, and all the symptoms became milder. She made some noise indeed, in the night, but soon fell asleep again. On the fourth day she began to give more reasonable answers, but soon fell again into raving fits. Her days and nights then became calm and quiet. On the eighth day, I gave her one grain of the extract three times, and continued these doses until the fourth week, when all her fury was laid. Her madness went off; soundness of mind, speech and judgment returned, and she slept as soundly as any of the other patients: yet the vertigo frequently and suddenly returned upon her as before, and at times with such violence as to make her fall down as if in a fit, but she always retained her presence of mind. It was enough for the purpose of my experiment, that the extract of the thorn-apple cured her madness; and perceiving that the vertigo was not removed, I forbore its further use. She lived five months in the hospital. All the functions of her mind were good and sound, but the vertigo turned gradually stronger, and the fits of it became more frequent, until at length a true fit of apoplexy carried her off. I dis- sected^ her, and found many of the blood vessels of the head distended or swelled, and one of them turned bony for the distance of an inch and a half: besides which, says the doctor, I found the two anterior ventri- 520 GUNN,S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. cles of the brain distended greatly, and filled with many hydatids of all shapes and sizes. Hydatids are little animals, formed like bladders, and distended with a watery fluid. All the viscera in the rest of the body, were in a very sound state. From these discoveries made after her death, it appears that the vertigo of this patient was an incurable disease; and it also appears, that the extract of the thorn-apple, or Jamestown weed, not only allayed her rage, but cured her madness without producing any bad symptoms." I have accompanied the discovery of the medicinal virtues of the Jamestown weed by Dr. Storck, with the two preceding cases, to prove clearly to my readers, that in the beneficence of his mercy, the great Father of the Universe, has clothed our soil with means, and those means powerful ones, of curing our diseases, with which we are measurably acquainted and with the medical properties of which it is our duty to become familiar. There is, in my opinion, nearly as much folly and stupidity in importing costly drugs at enormous expenses from foreign lands, while we have their equals at home, as there would be in importing bricks and timber from Europe to construct our habitations. Industry and science alone can develope the immense resources of this unrivalled country, and these we are personally, morally, and politically bound to employ. Every part of the Jamestown weed, exclusive of the root—of which we know nothing by experiment—when taken in considerable portions, operates as a strong nar- cotic, or stupefying poison. This is, however, no valid objection to its medical uses and properties; because some of our most powerful medicines, such for instance as opium and aqua-fortis, invariably destroy life, when injudiciously taken. I am not alone in considering this GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 521 plant as possessing high and invaluable medicinal pow- ers ; it has been spoken of in terms of high commenda tion by many of the most distinguished physicians of the present age, among whom are Barton, Fisher, Bige- low, and King, of Connecticut. Among the Indian nations, the leaves of this weed are made much use of, especially in cases of wounds* contusions or bruises, ulcerations, and the bites of rep- tiles. The extract of this weed, procured in the manner above stated by Dr. Storck, is valuable in various cases of the chronic kind; by which I mean those of long standing; also in all those kinds of epilepsy, commonly called fits—those especially, which give warning of their coming on, or those which occur at regular times. It is also a better medicine than any thing yet known* for lessening the pain in sciatica, or hip gout. The leaves of the dried plant, smoked as we do tobacco, are of great use in attacks of spasmodic asthma—which means phthisic accompanied with cramp. In making use of this medicine internally, the dried and pounded leaves may be given in doses of a single grain. If the first dose produces no sickness or vomiting, you may give a grain of the leaves three times a day, and even increase the dose each time, until the effects are felt by the patient, or relief produced. The extract, however, is always to be preferred, given as before described by Dr. Storck, the real discoverer of the medicine. The bruised or wilted leaves are valuable in painful tumors, and, indeed, in most swellings accompanied with pain. They are, in these cases, to be applied externally, and in such quantities as to preserve their moisture anainst the fever of such tumors. The ointment made from the bruised leaves, is also valuable, and is made by 66 522 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. boiling them in lard or tallow, straining it well, and set- ting it off to cool. In the abridged extract from Doctor Storck, I have shown the value of this medicine in mania, madness, or frenzy; and I now say that the value of this discov- ery in 1760, notwithstanding what has been said against it, has been amply substantiated by experiments of many distinguished men of the present age, among whom are Barton and Fisher—in fact, Barton's experimental tes- timony alone, would be quite sufficient: and here I wish it to be distinctly noticed by those afflicted with epilepsy or fits, that his testimony is clearly in its favor, as a most powerful remedy, even in deplorable cases—he has proved the fact from actual experiment. I wish the reader also to bear in mind the following facts, with regard to the value of simple medicines: the most learned sometimes decry their use, because there is not scientific mystery enough about them to excite the aston- ishment of the common people; and second, because they are often abused by quacks and pretenders, and men who have not perseverance and resolution enough to give them a fair trial. DOGWOOD. The dogwood is so common throughout the United States as to require no description whatever; it is in fact to be found in every forest in our country. The dog- wood bark is generally considered equal to the peruvian bark; but I conceive it greatly superior, not only on account of our always being able to procure it fresh from the tree, but because the peruvian bark is old GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 523 before it reaches this country, and nearly, if not always adulterated. It is among the best tonic and strength- ening medicines to be found in this or any other country. The bark of the root of the dogwood tree is the strong- est ; next in strength to which is the bark of the body and smaller branches. In all intermittent fevers—by which I mean all fevers which go off and return again —it is an excellent remedy; and the only reason why it cannot be given in other fevers, is that when given in actual fever, it increases the pulse, and by so doing does mischief; hence you will see the necessity of never giving it except when the fever is entirely off. In cases where it produces pain, or griping of the bowels, a few drops of laudanum will remove the difficulty if given with the bark. In most cases the dose in powder— which is the best way of giving this bark—is from thir- ty to thirty-five grains; and in some particular cases— mentioned under the proper heads—an addition of the snake root is to be made, in the proportions of thirty grains of the dogwood bark to six grains of the snake root, pounded to a powder. The wood itself, of the dogwood tree, is considerably used by dentists—by which I mean tooth-cleaners and setters—in putting in artificial teeth. The young branches, stripped of their bark, and rubbed with their ends against the teeth, ren- der them extremely white and beautiful. These are tooth-brushes of nature's presenting, and are infinitely better than those made of hog's bristles, and filled with snuff, and such other delightful aromatics! The negroes of the southern states, and those of the West India isl- ands, who are remarkable for the whiteness of their teeth, are in the constant practice of rubbing them with the small branches of the dogwood, or of some other tree which will answer the purpose. The ripe berries 524 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. of the dogwood, in spirits of any kind, make an excel- lent bitter for common purposes, and one well adapted to persons of weak stomachs, taken in the morning. All the Indian nations use the flowers at the proper season, in warm water, or in spirits, as a remedy in windy colic. The dogwood is an excellent remedy— boiled strong as a tea or decoction—for horses having that destructive disease, the yellow water: a distemper which carries off thousands of that useful and noble animal every year. Horses having the yellow-water, should be bled every day freely, and given nothing to drink but strong dogwood tea. The powdered bark of this tree makes an excellent ink, and the process is very simple:—Take half an ounce of the powdered bark, two drachms of copperas, two scruples of gum arabic, or cherry-tree gum, and put them into one pint of rain water; mix them together, and in a few days it will be fit for use. The medical virtues of this bark were dis- covered as early as the year 1787. It is an astringent, and also a stimulant, and the internal use of it ren- ders the pulse always quicker, and often fuller than it naturally is. ALUM ROOT. This is a native of all the North American forests, from Georgia to Maine, and from the Atlantic ocean to the Oregon, or Rocky mountains. It is a very strong vegetable astringent; by which I mean, that when applied to the human body, it makes the solids harder and firmer, by contracting their fibres. As a powerful astringent, it is usually employed in all cases of weak- ness and irritability, and report speaks favorably of its GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 525 virtues. It is generally used in external applications more than as an internal remedy: in piles, for instance —or hemorrhages from any part of the system: by which I mean spontaneous bleedings. GINSENG. This root is called by the people in the country gen- erally, for shortness, 'sang. It is found in great plenty among the hills and mountains of Tennessee, and brought into Knoxville daily for sale. Some few years back it was used as an article of commerce, and sent to the eastward in wagons as a commodity of foreign export, and afforded considerable employment and profit to the gatherers of it who resided near and among the mountains. It has latterly, however, fallen in price and value, as an article of exportation, and therefore, but little of it is brought in for sale. This root was exported to China, and afforded to the shipper a handsome profit—generally selling it in the Chinese dominions for its weight in silver. The Chinese attributed great virtues to this root; so many indeed, that at one period—1748—the price at Pekin is said to have been eight or nine times its weight in pure silver. They considered it as a sovereign remedy in all diseases incidental to their climate and country, and had no confidence in any medicine that was not combined with it: and such was its astonishing reputa- tion, that it was rarely, if ever, administered to the poor, on account of the highness of its price. They chew it, and take it in strong decoction, so as to get all the vir- tue from this precious drug. These people are remar- kable for their superstitious prejudices, civil, moral. 526 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. and religious: as a proof of which, they set a higher value on those roots which have a resemblance to the human form, and ascribe greater powers to them than to those of a different shape. The ginseng has been fully tested by the best physi- cians in the United States, and they ascribe to it noth- ing more than its being a pleasant bitter, and a gentle stimulant for strengthening the stomach. It gives all its strength and virtues by being steeped in whiskey or any other kind of spirits. TOBACCO PLANT. Called by the learned nicotiana tobacum. This very common plant, was found in cultivation by the Indian nations, when the continents of North and South America were first discovered:—these, however are not the only regions of the globe in which it is found to flourish: the East Indies have long been known to produce it. To describe the tobacco plant, would be entirely useless; it would answer as little pur- pose, as to describe on paper the countenance of an old friend, with whom we had long before shaken hands, and become perfectly familiar. I shall, therefore, con- sider it in no other light than as a medical drug. I shall first notice tobacco as a remedy for worms. I do not recollect ever to have tried it myself, but Doct. Barton expressly says—and his authority can in all cases be relied on—that "tobacco leaves pounded and mixed with vinegar, and applied^as a poultice to the breast and belly, will frequently expel worms, in cases where very powerful remedies have been resorted to in vain. In cases, also, where poisons of any kind have been taken GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 527 into the stomach, and emetics given internally, and prove deficient in their operation, the tobacco poultice, as just described, if applied to the stomach will act powerfully, and force it to discharge the contents. In cases where the bowels are obstinately constipated, in other words, where great costiveness exists, the leaves of the tobacco plant, cured in the usual manner, stew- ed in vinegar, and applied to the belly, will be attended with signal success, when the most powerful purges internally taken have failed. The last mentioned ap- plication—tobacco leaves stewed in vinegar—is a good remedy in what physicians call ascites, or dropsy of the belly—of which there are two kinds: one kind is, where the dropsical water is lodged in the great cavity enclos- ing the intestines, or guts, &c.—this is called ascites abdominalis by medical men. The other is, where the water is lodged in a membrane, suck, or tube, about the womb, and is called ascite saccatus by physicians. I will, for the satisfaction of the reader, abridge a case of the latter kind from a letter of Dr. Cutbush, physi- cian of the American Marine hospital at Syracuse. The subject of the disease presumed by Dr. Cutbush to be dropsy, was a young woman brought to him by her parents. Some of her former physicians—thirty-three of whom had been consulted in her case—were of opinion that her disease was a collection of water in the womb; others, that it was dropsy of the ovaria— these are the parts taken out of female swine when spaying—others, that it was an enlarged liver; and others still, that it was an extra-uterine fetus, which is a case of conception, in which the child is not in the womb where it should be, but in the cavity of the belly, outside of the womb. On examination, Dr. Cutbush discovered a large tumor, or swelling in the abdomen. 528 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. or belly, which extended diagonally across it from the left to the right. The swelling, or tumor, which was unusually great, had a number of inequalities on its surface, which could be easily felt, and which, when pressed upon, produced extreme pain; no fluctuation or movement of water, however, could be discovered on such pressure. The case was new to him: and'in addition greatly perplexing, because the first physicians of Naples had given contrary opinions respecting it, and had also disagreed in their practice. She had been under the free use of mercury twice—once at Naples, and once at Syracuse: at the latter place, mer- cury had been given in large quantities by a surgeon belonging to Lord Nelson's fleet, without any beneficial effect. "From this history and examination," says the Doctor, "I entertained no hopes of relieving her; but the solemn entreaties of her parents determined me to make trial of a remedy which I had found useful in obstinate tumors, and which finally proved the disease to be a dropsical affection of the womb itself, or of the right fallopian tube." [These tubes extend from the sides of the womb towards the ovaria—which I have before explained—and are supposed to grasp them in sexual communication.] "I directed the leaves of the tobacco plant, recently collected, to be stewed in vine- gar, and applied to the abdominal tumor." The first application produced sickness at the stomach, puking, vertigo, or swimming in the head, great depression of muscular strength, copious sweating, and a loose state of the bowels. Her pulse became low; and the vio- lence of the symptoms induced the doctor not to con- tinue the application long. On the succeeding day it was repeated twice—morning and evening—and pro- duced the same symptoms, but less violent; and attend- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 529 ed with an immoderate flow of water from the vagina and womb. This remedy was continued twenty days, and the patient was completely cured. No medicines were given, except a little opium, and some wine occa- sionally. In cases of dropsy generally, the tobacco plant has been found very serviceable. When given in proper quantities, it acts as a powerful diuretic—or in other words, it produces a great flow of urine—entirely dis- proportioned to the quantity of liquor taken into the stomach. This is a conclusive proof that it acts upon, and dislodges the dropsical fluid from the system. In cramps, or spasms it is also productive of much benefit: being well known to produce great relaxations of the muscular powers* and unusual prostration of strength —on which account, it may also be given with advan- tage in cases of tetanus, or locked-jaw, and in fact, in all cases where there appears to be a derangement of the muscular energies, local, or relating to a particular part, or general, and involving the whole system. When tobacco is to be taken internally, by the stomach, it ought either to be in the extract, as described by Dr. Storck, or in infusion. The infusion is made by steep- ing an ounce of tobacco leaves in a pint of boiling water, and giving it by the tea-spoonful with much cau- tion. One, two, or three table-spoonsful, in half a pint of warm milk, or thin gruel, will generally produce relief, if given in clysters, in cases of colic or very ob_ stinate costiveness, where all other medicines have proved ineffectual. If these quantities produce no relief, and there is no sickness of the stomach, the clysters must be repeated every half hour, gradually increasing the infusion until one or the other of these effects be produced. In this wav. the dangerous effects 67 530 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. of tobacco may always be avoided. I will record a case in which obstinate constipation of the bowels was relieved by an infusion of tobacco when all other rem- edies had utterly failed:—In the city of Charleston, South Carolina, some years since, and before reading medicine, I was attacked at night with severe colic, which terminated in obstinate constipation of the bow- els. The pain was so excruciating that I was com- pelled to send for a physician: it was Dr. Whitterage, a gentleman equally celebrated for his philanthropy, and his profound knowledge of medical science. Dur- ing a period of ten days, apprehending an inflamma- tion, and consequent mortification of the bowels, this gentleman resorted to almost every known and power- ful remedy, without effect. As a last resort—of which he candidly informed me—recourse was had to clysters made of tobacco. The first, which was a weak infu- sion, had no effect; and the doctor directed my nurse to give a stronger one at midnight. Her fatigue caused her to fall asleep, and it was neglected till morning. By this time—the tobacco having remained in the wa- ter all night—the infusion had become unusually strong* in which state a clyster of it was given. The immedi- ate derangement of my feelings and sensations, and the horrible nausea and sickness of the stomach I suffered, are absolutely indescribable. I perspired at every pore, and so entire was the prostration of my muscular powers, that I had to be held on the close- stool. It was with difficulty that I could draw my breath. In a few minutes, by an almost unconscious effort, an extremely foetid discharge took place from the bowels, of the color and consistence of molasses, when I was entirely relieved. Subsequent experience has taught me to believe that, had this great and good GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 531 man applied tobacco leaves, stewed in vinegar, to the abdomen, whilst I was under the operation of medi- cines taken by the stomach, I would much sooner have been relieved from my miseries. In concluding this subject, it can scarcely be necessary to advise my readers that, the tobacco plant is an active and power- fill medicine, and dangerous when used to injudicious excess. THE UVA URSI. Sometimes called the bear-berry, the bear's whortle- berry, and the wild cranberry. The uva ursi—sometimes designated by the names 1 have noted above—is a native of the mountains and cold regions of Europe, and it is said, of the north- ern parts of the United States. It is presumed, from numerous and well authenticated experiments, to be the best remedy ever yet discovered in all diseases of the urinary organs, whether of the kidnies, ureters, or bladder, and is therefore entitled to no ordinary consi- deration as a medicine. The dose usually given, of the powdered leaves of the uva ursi, in any kind of syrup, is from twenty to thirty grains, three or four times a day, which may be doubled in quantity, in cases of extreme urgency and danger. The descrip- tion of this plant, given by the celebrated Galen, which is considered the most accurate one on record, is in substance as follows:—It is a low shrub, which grows and spreads itself near the surface of the ground, and has pensile, or hanging branches; bark of a redish or pink color, and is thickly set with oblong, oval, and entire fleshy leaves. The flower is oval shaped, and 532 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. broader near the base than the mouth, which has an edge scolloped into five divisions, with small, blunt, and curled points. The fruit is a roundish, red colored berry, similar in appearance to the small wild cherry, and contains five hard bony seeds, with plain sides, and no more. It is an evergreen, and produces fruit every two years. Every part of this shrub, particularly the bark and leaves, has a bitter and astringent taste. I am thus particular in the description of it, because the bil- berry, or red myrtle, is often mistaken by good botanists for the uva ursi—they being so nearly alike as scarcely to be distinguishable from each other. The only dis- tinguishing characteristics which can be depended on are these: the flower of the uva ursi has ten stamina, more commonly known by the" name of antlers, or uprights, and the berries contain five seeds only—while the other, the bilberry, or red myrtle, has only eight stamina in the flower, and sometimes twenty seeds in the berry. I have some doubts, notwithstanding the opinion of the celebrated doctors Bigelow and Chapr man, for both of whom I entertain a high respect—that the real and genuine uva ursi of Galen, is not a native of any known and inhabited part of the North Ameri- can continent; and that its having been measurably brought into disrepute, like many other medicines, has been owing to the fact of other plants having been mis- taken for it, and used medicinally in its stead. Galen says that it is a rare plant, and is only to be found in the coldest countries, and in the neighborhood of moun- tains covered with eternal snows; and that he never met with it but upon two of the highest mountains in Europe, one of which was an Austrian Alp, called Gans, and the other a Styrian Alp, called the snowy moun- tain, six leagues from Marianstein. We have no such GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 533 mountains in North America, unless the Oregon or Rocky mountains, west of the Mississippi, of whose botanical productions we know little—perhaps nothing. But whether the uva ursi be an American plant or not, it can always be had genuine in the shops, and my prin- cipal motive for mentioning any doubts respecting its being a native of this country, is to guard those afflicted with diseases of the urinary organs, against the use of spurious or worthless plants in its stead. The following cases, abridged from a work of high authority, will show the genuine uva ursi in its true light. Case 1st. "A man «about sixty years of age, had been about twenty years afflicted, at times, with a diffi- culty of making water, which was usually voided by single drops, accompanied with exquisite torture, a foetid smell, and a mucus mixed with blood. Some- times there was a total suppression of urine, which could only be relieved by the catheter. He first took proper laxatives for the relief, of the bowels, and then commenced taking half a drachm of the uva ursi every morning. This prescription was continued for seven complete months; by which time his urine became more frequent and full of mucus, but not so foetid as before; and the pain which had tortured him so many years, was quite gone; he slept well; had a good appe- tite ; grew strong; walked well; and made water with- out any pain. Case 2d. "This was also a man about sixty years of age, who had for a long time been afflicted with exquisite pains, and a suppression of urine to so great a degree, that for seven weeks he had never passed his water but by the help of a catheter. Haifa drachm of the powdered leaves of the uva ursi was given him every morning, and a izentle dose of paregoric at night: and 534 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. after six days he had no further need of the catheter Having persevered in the use of the medicine for four- teen weeks, he was restored to perfect health. Case 3d. "A man came to us, whose name was Christian: he was afflicted with hydrocele, or dropsy of the scrotum, or bag, for which he had taken medicines usually given in such cases. When this course was finished, a defect in the urinary system began to threaten —insomuch, that in a short time his urine became of a white color; was passed with great difficulty and pain: and as soon as discharged, had a very bad and offen- sive sniell. The catheter being introduced repeatedly, evidently proved that there was a calculus, or stone in the bladder. The uva ursi was therefore given in the quantities before noticed; by which, in a short time, so great relief was obtained, that not only a due retention of urine took place, but it was also passed without pain, in smell and color perfectly natural; and I assert it— says the writer—that by^xontinuing the use of this med- icine for two months, every calculus sign and symptom was entirely removed; although by sounding him again, the calculus or stone was still found in the bladder. This is the first, and the only person, among all I have seen, who frequently made water of a healthy appear- ance whilst a stone remained in the bladder. How it came to. pass, and by what means the patient should obtain such benefit from this plant, as to be entirely exempt from pain, and all other inconveniences, when a stone still existed in the bladder, is what I must con- fess myself entirely unable to explain." GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 535 SLIPPERY ELM. This tree deserves *great attention, as being among the best remedies in our country. I have mentioned frequently, that in many diseases it should be used as a poultice, and in many others as a clyster. I shall now describe the valuable properties of this tree more at large. The inner bark must be used—and that of the young tree is preferable. As a poultice, nothing is supe- rior, particularly in old gun-shot wounds. During the revolutionary war, our surgeons used it with the happi- est effects. They applied poultices of it to fresh wounds, and always produced immediate suppuration— in other words discharge of matter—and a quick dis- position to heal. When any appearance of mortifica- tion was evident, the bark was pounded, and boiled in water, and made into a poultice. When applied, it produced immediately a surprising change for the bet- ter. In dysentery and consumptions, the inner bark boiled in water and drank freely, will be found a valua- ble medicina It is cooling and soothing to thobowels. It may be made into a fine jelly, which if taken freely, is a certain and astonishing remedy in all bowel and breast complaints, and may be freely administered to children. This mucilaginous bark is so nutritive, that it supplies the Indians with food in times of scarcity. It is one of the most cooling and pleasant remedies, and I may add, that it is not only one of the most valu- able articles we have, but deserves the confidence of every person who practises or administers medicine. 536 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. JERUSALEM OAK. From this plant—which grows plentifully throughout the State of Tennessee, and too well known by almost every person to require a description—the oil called worm seed oil is made. This oil has for some time attracted a considerable share of popular favor, as an antidote against worms in children. It is sold in almost every store, under the name of " worm seed oil;" and persons who purchase this oil or medicine, should be careful that they are not imposed upon; because it is very often adulterated with spirits of turpentine, by which they are always disappointed in their expectation of benefit. In its pure and unadulterated state there is no medi- cine preferable to the oil made from the Jerusalem oak for expelling worms from children; but it must never be given when the child has fever, because it will in that case increase the fever—the oil being highly stimulating and inflammatory. When this oil is admin- istered, from eight to ten drops must be given to a child two years old, on a lump of sugar—it ought to be given three times a day, for three days in succession; after which you must give a good dose of calomel, say five or six grains, or a dose of castor oil—the calomel, how- ever, is the most certain to produce a full discharge of worms. If no worms are discharged, and they are still suspected to exist in the system, repeat the dose again, and again, until you bring them from the child. A wine-glassful of a decoction of the Jerusalem oak, made by boiling it in milk, in the proportion of a hand- ful of the leaves to a quart of milk, is a dose for a child; but the pure oil is by far the best. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 537 DITTANY. This handsome little plant belongs exclusively to America, and is known to almost every farmer and his family in the country. It grows plentifully in Tennes- see. The dittany is always found in dry soils, and in shady and hilly places: it is used in slight fevers as a tea: every old lady in the country has more or less used dittany tea in colds. It is excellent to relieve nervous head aches, and is a good remedy in the hys- terical affections of women. In South Carolina and Georgia, the dittany is given frequently by infusing the leaves in hot water and administering it as a tea, drank as warm as possible, to produce sweating. The medi- cinal virtues of dittany are much the same as penny- royal, mint, and sage: it is a perfectly innocent plant. MAY APPLE. Sometimes called wild lemon, duck;s foot, ipecacu- anha, and by the learned, podophyllum peltatum. This plant, which possesses very important medicin- al virtues, is presumed to be an exclusive production of the North American continent: it is every where found in abundance on congenial soils, from the state of Maine to the Mexican gulf, and from the Atlantic sea-coast to the Oregon mountains. In the language of the learned, it is a perennial herbaceous plant; in other words, the roots do not perish by the frosts and snows of the winter. The May apple is well known, to almost every person in the United States: it has a plain upright stem, of a yellowish green color, about iwelvc or fourteen inches in height; two large horizon- tal leaves at the top, between which, and in the fork, 68 538 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. when in bloom, there is a white flower—which is suc- ceeded by a yellow acid fruit. Respecting the different properties of this plant, the reader is desired to recol- lect the fruit is good for food-—the leaves poisonous— and that its medicinal virtues are wholly confined to the root. The season proper for gathering the root, is late in the fall, when the leaves begin to dropt if gath- ered in the spring, it is comparatively good for nothing. The Indians dry it in the shade, and use it in powders. The American May apple root is an excellent, gen- tle, and effective purge, and is presumed by many cele- brated practical physicians, to be greatly superior to the jalap obtained in the shops. Practical experiment has proved that this root operates more gently as a purge than jalap; that it operates a much longer time; and that it is by no means so drastic and griping as jalap. It is also preferable to jalap in other respects: it is less nauseous, and more easily taken; less irrita- ting to the stomach and bowels, and may be more easily used by delicate females and persons having weak and sensitive stomachs. It may be given with much advantage in what physicians call colica picto- neum, or dry belly ache—sometimes a dangerous com- plaint—in intermittent fevers; and particularly in dropsy, on account of its producing continued and large evacuations. Taken in a small dose, say of ten or twelve grains in powder, it is a gentle and easy laxa- tive: twenty, twenty-five, or thirty grains, usually oper- ate with activity and power; and where griping is apprehended, the mixture of eight or ten grains of calomel will be of advantage. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 539 CANCER ROOT—BEECH DROPS. Called by the learned, Orobanche Virginiana. This plant is the natural growth of every part of the United States: is usually found under the beech tree, and is of a sickly yellow, or pale pink color, and entire- ly without leaves. The root, which appears blunt and round at the bottom, and is covered with twisted and matted fibres on its lower end, is of a yellow color; the stems and the branches are finely furrowed; and on the ridges formed by these furrows, there will be found. dark, purple, white and yellow stripes. Between the root and the first divisions of the stalk, there are blunt pointed and bud-like scales which stand out from the surface; and similar ones, but more resembling buds, are scattered along the branches nearly to their tops. The plant grows from eight to fifteen inches high. The reasons for my being thus particular in the descrip- tion of this plant, will be presently seen. From the best information I can collect respecting the history of the Cancer root, it appears to have been originally a cure for cancers, used by the Indians, and communicated by them to a surgeon of one of the Pennsylvania regiments many years ago, stationed at what was then called Fort Pitt. The physician to whom the secret was communicated by the Indians, afterwards came to Philadelphia, and advertised for the cure of cancers. He had been the student of Dr Rush, who speaks thus of the application. "It gave me great satisfaction to witness the efficacy of the doc- tor's applications: in several cancerous ulcers, the cures he performed were complete. But when the cancers were much connected with the lymphatic system, or accompanied with a scrophulous habit of body, his medicine always failed, and in some instances did 540 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. evident injury." The word "scrofula," is derived from scrofa, a hog—because this animal is subject to a simi- lar disorder, which means king's evil. The physician who had the secret from the Indians, died in 1784, and it was supposed the secret had died with him; but Dr. Rush procured from one of his administrators, some of the powders, and found them compounded of the dried and pounded cancer root and arsenic; the proportion of arsenic—of the pure white kind—was not more than one fortieth part of the whole compound. Most of the cures effected by these powders, were situated about the nose, forehead, and cheeks, and upon the surface and extremities of the body. Cancers, taints of the fluids of the body, or those which affect the whole lymphatic system, must be cured by diet and internal medical remedies. Dr. Rush says, that the powder compounded of cancer root and arsenic, in the proportions I have mentioned, and applied in the proper cases of cancer, produced inflammation, which separated the sound flesh from the cancerous ulcer and its roots, and that he therefore preferred the application of those powders to the use of the knife, in all such cases. I will conclude these remarks by observing, that the cancer root is a valuable remedy in old and obstinate ulcers, in which it has often been known to succeed, when all other applications had failed. It must be gathered in the month of September. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 541 BONE SET. Sometimes called thorough-wort, cross-wort, Indian sage, and perhaps more properly, by the Indians, ague weed. The learned name of it is eupatorium perfoli- atum. The boneset is a valuable plant, and cannot be too highly prized as a medicine. I regret to say, that at this time most of its medical virtues remain unknown. It has been used in the hospitals in New York with great success, given either as a tea or in powder. The limited size of my book prevents me from writing at large on the great virtues it possesses: but I will merely make this remark, that it is endowed with more real and genuine virtues than any plant now known. The stalk is heavy, and rises from two to four feet, perfora- ting or bearing the leaves at each joint. The flowers are white, and appear and July in August. The leaves at each joint are horizontal, teethed and rough, from three to four inches long, about an inch broad at their base, gradually lessening to an acute point, of a dark oreen color, and covered with short hairs. It is a native of the United States, and is every where to be found in Tennessee. It is generally found in abundance on the edges of ponds which are surrounded by thickets of brushwood; in low and damp woodlands; on the banks of small water courses, creeks and rivulets, which are deeply shaded by the close foliage of the trees; and sometimes in open meadows, and waste low lands. I do not know what the name of bone set was derived from: nor do I think it very material that the reader should be informed; because real wisdom and useful intelligence, have much more relation to the nature of things, than to the mere names of things. The medical properties of this plant are various and powerful; nor 542 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. do I believe there is one which is a native of the soil of our country, more entitled to the attention and experi- ments of medical men. The whole plant is extremely bitter to the taste, and in some degree astringent; by which I mean, that when it is applied to the tongue, or any other part of the body, it contracts the fibres and surface, without any voluntary exertion of the muscular power. It is a strong tonic or strengthener to the stomach; and always when used internally, produces an increased discharge from the skin, which, when con- densed on the surface, is called sweat: in these respects, from well attested experiments, its medical virtues are unequivocal as well as powerful. It can always be given successfully, and without danger, in violent catarrhs or colds, even when attended with some fever; because its stimulating effects are too slight to increase the fever, while the other qualities of imparting strength and causing perspiration, are in active operation. I wish the reader particularly to notice, that I mention the beneficial effects of the bone set plant, in cases of violent catarrh or cold, because it is a dangerous fore- runner of phthisis, or pulmonary consumption, in very many instances, and ought always to be removed imme- diately, if possible. This plant is also an excellent remedy in ague and fever, which is the reason of its being called by the Indians, by a name which in their language signifies ague weed. It is also a valuable remedy in all intermittent and remittent fevers—always acting as powerfully and beneficially as Peruvian bark. In fact, I think it in many cases preferable to the bark; because it can be given where there is considerable fever; in which condition of a patient, the bark cannot be administered without great danger. For this reason also—I mean because it never increases fever—it can GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 543 always be given, and has been repeatedly administered successfully, not only in remitting bilious fever, but in typhus and yellow fevers. Dr. S. G. Hopkins, of New Jersey, a physican of much celebrity, in an extensive practice of several years, during which the intermittent and remittent fevers were very prevalent, gave the bone set freely, in warm decoction, with great success. By giving the bone set very copiously, he always produced sweating to allay the fever; and in dangerous cases, pushed the remedy so far as to produce emesis, or vom- iting, and also purging. He related to several of his friends, that many of the farmers in his vicinity, without calling in a physician, had, by the liberal use of bone set tea, given warm, entirely succeeded in curing them- selves and their families of both intermittent and typhus fevers. The truth is, that in low typhus, which is very dangerous, and always attended with an unusually hot skin, the bone set is an inestimable remedy. It is always used with the best effect, in a warm decoction of the flowers and leaves, which ought to be dried in the shade, and kept for use; the warm decoction is generally preferable to the plant in substance; and from one to two table spoonfuls, given every half hour, will in most cases produce sweating without causing so much nausea of the stomach as to induce vomiting. If the fever is broken, and you wish to give strength to your patient, give the bone set in the powdered leaves and flowers, from twenty grains to a drachm, from three to six times in the lapse of twenty-four hours. Used in decoction as above stated, it is also a valuable remedy in yellow fever, as has been proved by repeated and well attested experiments. The bone set is also very efficacious in removing acute rheumatism—for descrip- tion of which, look under that head:—but it ought to 544 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. be employed in this case after blood-letting to reduce the inflammatory action. With the above commentary on the important uses of this plant in medicine, I recommend it to the serious attention of my readers. It affords another proof that Providence has given us the means of curing many of our diseases, without resorting to the adulterated drugs of foreign lands. COMMON BLACKBERRY BUSH. Called by botanists rubus villosus. This root is every where known, and therefore requires no descrip- tion. It is eminently useful in all such diseases as are to be treated with astringent medicines: the root par- ticularly, is powerfully astringent, and when used medicinally, is generally made into a tea. When the ripe fruit itself is employed, it ought to be given in the juice, or made into a syrup or jelly. The tea or decoc- tion is made by boiling a handful of the bruised roots in a pint and a half of water, until it is reduced to a pint; thus prepared, it is given with success in diarrhoeas and dysenteries—a small tea-cupful every two hours— and has often been known to effect cures when many other remedies had failed. In the disease called by physicians, cholera infantum, known by painful gri- pings and purgings of children, a weak decoction of the blackberry root may be given with good effects; but as these purgings may hi many cases be considered as the efforts of nature to remove the causes of disease, it ought to be given with much caution, and not until proper evacuations have been made to remove offensive matter from the stomach and bowels. In fact, it ought GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 545 to be given in no case of dysentery or cholera infan- tum, until all offending matter, if any is presumed to exist, he removed by gentle pukes and purges. Black* berry syrup, made from the ripe fruit, ought to be kept prepared in all families, and given freely in all cases of derangement of the bowels. BUTTON SNAKE ROOT. This is a native of all the Southern States, from the sea-board to the Mississippi; the root has a sharp, aromatic* and very bitter taste, and whenever chewed, it produces a considerable flow of saliva, or spittle. A tea or decoction of it, taken internally, produces a dis- charge from the skin, and expectoration from the throat and lungs. By many physicians of reputation, it is held in higher estimation than the Seneka snake root, which it very much resembles in its effects. CAMOMILE. The tame species is a native of Europe, but may be cultivated in most parts of the United States, and par- ticularly, in the mild climate of Tennessee. It is perennial: that is to say, its roots do not die by the frosts of winter, but shoot forth and blossom through succeeding years. The flowers are generally used for medical purposes, and sold in the shops: the single ones are the best, because they are the strongest. Infusion in water, extracts the medicinal properties of the cam- omile flower, which drank cold, is highly useful as a tonic: in other words, it will give tone and strength to 69 546 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDIC1NK. an irritable and weak stomach, repair a debilitated or lost appetite, and operate favorably on such young fe- males as labor under what is called green sickness: which means the retention or suppression of the menses. It also operates as an anti-spasmodic: that is to say, it relaxes the involuntary contractions of the muscles of all parts of the body, and particularly of the stomach, in what is commonly called cramp: it is also of service in all nervous weaknesses of females. When taken warm, and in considerable quantities, it aids materially in the operation of emetics, or pukes, &e. &c.—The camomile flowers when steeped in old whiskey, or in any good spirits, and taken two or three times a day, in moderate quantities, is an excellent medicine to give tone or strength to a weak stomach and restore the appetite: For women, given in hysterical complaints, this is a valuable remedy. IPECACUANHA This root is a native of Spanish America; and in the Spanish language, it means vomiting or puking root. The word ipecacuanha is applied to several other roots which produce vomiting or puking to any extent. The proper, or botanical name of this root is the raicilla: I have, however, adopted the name ipe- cacuanha—by which it is most commonly known to physicians. This root was first brought into Europe about the middle of the last century, but did not come into general use until about the year 1786, when it was introduced into the practice of medicine by Helvetius, under the patronage of Louis XIV. The ipecacuanha is one of the mildest and safest emetics, or pukes, with GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 547 which we are acquainted, and has this great advantage; that if it should fail to puke, it passes off by purging or sweating; and further, if by accident an over dose is taken, it is attended with no danger; as the whole of it is vomited with the contents of the stomach, as soon as it operates.—The vomiting or puking is promoted by drinking freely of warm water. The genuine ipecacuanha in its dry state, is a small wrinkled root, about the size of a hen's quill, variously twisted, and marked with projecting parts, apparently like rings—ash colored. Its taste is sickening, and slightly bitter, with little smell, and covering the tongue with a kind of mucilage. On breaking the root, the outer bark is very brittle; and it is in this brittle part that the activity and power of the root as a puke resides __the centre of the root being nearly destitute of medi- cinal virtues. This root is generally sold in the shops in a powder, that being the form in which it is used as a vomit or puke: The powder is the color of common ashes. I have now described to you the imported ipecacu- anha, or the medicine which is now used throughout all the world under that name; and I may justly re- mark, that it stands at the head of vegetable emetics, for the promptness, efficacy and safety of its operations. In powder, which is the manner in which it is gen- erally given, full vomiting or puking will be produced in a grown person, by a dose of a scruple, or half a drachm: or you may put a drachm into six table- spoonsful of warm water, and give a table-spoonful occasionally, until it operates: or you may steep it in wine, and give it in small doses, until the effect you desire, is produced 548 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINi:. The medicinal uses of this powder, when properly applied, are very great and valuable. In addition to its acting as a vomit or puke, when given in small doses, so as to produce nausea—which means sickness of the stomach-—it generally produces moisture of the skin—-or sweat*—evacuation of the bowels; and in still smaller doses, it generally stimulates the stomach, in- creases the appetite, and assists digestion. In small doses, it acts not only as a diaphoretic—which means sweating—but as an expectorant—which means a free discharge of tough mucus and spittle from the mouth and throat, It is also a valuable medicine when given in small doses, to stop spontaneous bleedings from the lungs and womb.-r-These bleedings are called hemorrh- ages,—In intermittent fevers, it has generally succeeded in stopping them, especially when given about an hour before the coming on of the fever; and also when given so as to produce vomiting at the time of the fever, or end of the cold stage. Great benefits are often derived from this medicine in continued fevers— and particularly in the commencement of typhus fever —an emetic or puke of ipecacuanha, followed with a sufficiency of this medicine in very small doses, to keep up a gentle moisture or sweat, will, if attended to in the early stage of this complaint, probably at once cut short the disease, or greatly lessen the severity and symptoms of the fever, Wine of ipecacuanha is sometimes substituted for the powder: it is, however, better suited to children. As an emetic or puke, the dose for a grown person, is one fluid ounce—which is about half a large wine or stem glassful. For a description of this wine of ipe- cacuanha look under that head. C.UNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 549 COMMON TANSY. Tansy is perennial, or perpetual, and grows wild by the sides of roads, and the borders of fields, but is most frequently cultivated in gardens, both for culinary and medicinal purposes: It flowers in July, and fre- quently in June. The leaves are generally used as a medicine, and when steeped in whiskey, or any kind of spirits, make a moderately warm, and highly valuable bitter for weak stomachs, very beneficial to children in preventing worms. It should be given to them in the morning, on empty stomachs. Some physicians have spoken highly of its virtues in hysteric disorders—par- ticularly those proceeding from a deficiency or sup- pression of the menses or courses. An infusion or tea made of tansy, and drank freely, has been strongly recommended as a preventive of the return of gout, SAGE. This valuable garden herb was once supposed by the ancients, to prolong the lives of those who would frequently use it. They dedicated to it the following maxim:—"How can a man die, in whose garden there grows sage?"—in allusion to its many virtues. It is too well known, and too much used to require a descrip- tion. It makes an excellent tea to produce sweat or moisture of the skin—and by'adding a little lemon juice or vinegar so as to make it pleasantly sour, is a good remedy in fevers. * 550 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. RUE AND BALM. Rue is also a garden herb; the leaves of which, made into tea, will produce perspiration, or sweating, quicken the circulation, and remove obstructions of the blood. It is valuable to weak and hysterical constitu- tions. Balm is also a garden herb, and affords a pleasant tea to be drank in fevers. When drank freely, it will pro- duce perspiration or sweat, and of course, is good in slight fevers. AMERICAN COLUMBO. This stately and elegant plant is a native of the United States, and is found in abundance in both Ken- tucky and Tennessee. It has various names: such as Columbia, Indian lettuce, columbo root, Marietta co- lumbo, and wild columbo. The stalk grows from eight to ten feet in height; it is strong, juicy and fleshy, near- ly square, and furrowed at the sides, and sends off its leaves, which are of a deep green color, at intervals of six or eight inches, to something more than half its length, and smaller leaves and flowering branches to the top. The root is biennial—that is, it lives two years—it is large, full of knots, plump and full, and of a yellow color: The leaves are occasionally opposite to each other; and usually grow from four to eight togeth- er: they are something sharp, anpl sometimes oblong: or in other words, oval, or egg shaped, and sharp at the points. The flowers grow in clusters, and are of a greenish yellow, or cream color. The columbo root, which is the only part to be used —is a mild, pleasant, and highly valuable bitter—act- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 551 ing as a powerful tonic, or strengthening medicine. It is valuable in dyspepsia, or indigestion, and in diarrhoea, or looseness of the bowels, arising from a redundancy of bile. It will generally check vomiting., or puking, and will always be found beneficial in colic, or cramps of the stomach, want of appetite, and cholera morbus —which means puking and purging: It may be taken in substance—by which I mean powdered—a tea- spoonful every three or four hours: or a decoction or tea, a wine glassful three or four times a day: or you may steep the root, (say two ounces) in a quart of old whiskey, which must stand for a few days, that the spirits may extract the virtues from the root. This valuable bitter may be used three or four times a day, in doses of a table-spoonful or more; and by adding a few drops of peppermint to this preparation, it is a good remedy to moderate the puking which sometimes oc- curs with pregnant women. AH persons who are sub- ject to lowness, or depression of spirits, instead of resorting to more dangerous stimulants, should use this Columbo bitter freely. BLOOD, OR PUCCOON ROOT. Sometimes called Indian paint, and red root, but learnedly denominated Sanguinaria canadenis. This plant is a native of North America, from the Canadian provinces to the Gulf of Mexico, and per- haps of no other region of the globe. It is not only a plant poculiar to the continent of North America, the virtues of which are so well known to the Indian nations, but its root is perennial: in other words, it is not destroyed by the frosts and snows of winter. It 552 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. generally grows about a foot high in rich wood lands. and varies in thickness from a quarter to three quarters of an inch in diameter—which means across. It is generally about the size and length of a finger; fleshy and round, and the end of the root has the appearance of having been cut off by a dull instrument, or as if it had been broken off in removing it from the ground- The outside color of the root is brownish, but on being cut, the juice flows of a blood-red color. The puccoon flowers early in April, bearing but single flowers on each stem. The blossoms are white the stems perfectly naked; the upper side of the leaf of a pale, sickly green, and the veins which pass through it, of an orange color. The flower bud is of a faint, or delicate rose color: the seeds, which are round and pointed are very numerous. The leaves and seeds of the puccoon plant—which is the name I have adopted—like the seeds of the stramonium, or Jamestown weed, are poisonous, and must, never be used. The root seems to contain all its medicinal qualities; and is closely allied in its effects on the human system, to the seneka snake root, and in some of its effects, to the digitalis purpuria, or fox-glove* A decoction, or tea, as it is usually called, made of the puccoon root, is highly recommended in the treatment of old and indolent ulcers—which simply means old sores that do not seem inclined to heal—and the dried and pounded root, applied a few times, in some cases of ill-conditioned ulcers, with callous edges, and an itcherous or itching discharge, seldom fails to produce a healthy state of the sores. It is an excellent remedy in croup, and must be given in doses sufficient to pro dtice vomiting, or puking; some physicians rely on it wholly in croup. It is also an excellent remedy in GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 553 dropsy of the chest—called by physicians hydrothorax— given in doses of sixty drops of the juice three times a day, and increased until nausea or sickness of the Stomach follows each dose. This root in powder, from twenty to thirty grains, is an active emetic puke. Dr. Barton, one of the professors in the Philadelphia medi^ cal college, thinks it nearly equal to the seneka, or rat- tle snake root, in cases of ulcerous sore throat, croup and hives, and diseases of this nature. It is a valuable medicine to produce a determination to the surface-— by which I mean sweating—and also in colds, pleuri- sies, rheumatism, and other inflammatory disorders. When used for these last diseases, it should be given as a tincture—Which is the root steeped for several days in spirits of any kind—and given in doses of ten drops every two or three hours, until a moisture or sweat is produced on the skin. This tincture is also valuable in jaundice, in torpor of the liver, attended with colic and yellowness of the skin, a disease com- mon to southern climates. The puccoon root, made into a tincture, and gradually and cautiously Used, will be found a valuable medicine in stoppages of the men- ses or courses in women. I have used it with great success in my practice, when every other medicine usually resorted to had failed. My usual method of preparing it is, to steep about a handful of the root sliced, in half a pint of old whiskey, letting it stand five or eight days, when the tincture is fit for use; be- ginning with ten drops, and gradually increasing the dose, as circumstances may require. But you may give it in a decoction or tea—a handful of it to a quart of boiling water—a table-spoonful every two or three hours, as the situation of the patient may require. 70 554 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. This root, powdered very fine, and snuffed up the nose, is said to be a certain cure for polypus, a fleshy teat, or grisly substance, which grows in the nostril, gradually increasing in size, until breathing becomes difficult, and which sometimes, unless removed, ends in suffocation. I have lately made experiments with this root in a disorder called tetter worm, and in several instances succeeded in curing it when other valuable remedies had failed. Steep the sliced roots in strong vinegar ten days, and wash the part affected two or three times a day. I shall conclude my remarks on this valuable root by observing, that it possesses a great many valuable qualities which are probably yet unknown. The best time to collect it for medical purposes, is when the seeds are ripe—which is about the beginning of May. SENNA. I shall first describe to you the foreign, or imported senna, generally used in the practice of medicine; after which I shall describe the American plant senna, which, on almost numberless trials, has proved to be but very little, if any, inferior to the imported, or that sold in the shops, and mostly used by physicians. I have used them both and can discover no difference. This affords another proof of a bountiful providence, in bestowing on this people, a plant of so much value, and one which, before its discovery here, we were compell- ed to import from Egypt. Here I again repeat what I have frequently said in this work, that all that is re- quired of us are industry and attention, and we will GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 555 discover in a few years, thousands of medical plants in the western country, superior in every respect to the foreign, by which we will have this further advantage: we will always have them fresh, and in full possession of their virtues. The leaves of the senna are alone used in medicines The imported plant grows in Turkey, Syria, and Per- . sia. It is commonly called Alexandria senna, because* *** it was once imported exclusively from the city of Ale^,, andria in Egypt This medicine was originally receiv-^ ed from the Arabians—and large quantities of it are now brought from Nubia, which is known in Egypt by the name of the valley or country of Barabras; it is a narrow valley through which the Nile flows, where the view is confined on two sides alternately, by a lofty chain of mountains. Senna is the chief production or commodity of this country. It is not cultivated, but grows naturally on the sides of the hills and ravines. Each person has the right of gathering what grows in his district. Two crops are annually made, the pro- ductiveness of which depends on the duration of the rains, which fall periodically every year. The first, and most fruitful crop, is that gathered at the termination of the rains—the second crop is small. No expense attends the preparation of the plants, which merely consists in cutting and spreading them on the rocks to dry. This process, in that warm climate, only occu- pies a single day. The senna is then put up in bales of one hundred pounds, and the slave merchants con- vey them by camels to Sienne and Darao, where they are sold for eleven or twelve francs a bale—which is about two dollars and twenty-eight cents. They are then carried to the farmer-general at Cairo—an officer appointed by the government to examine and purchase 556 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. them. The sum fixed by him is from thirty to thirty- three francs—which is about eight dollars and twenty- seven cents. They are then sold by them to the European factors or merchants, for one hundred and six francs each bale, which is equal to twenty dollars and fourteen cents, and by them exported to the differ- ent quarters of the world. American citizen! why will you pay such accumulated and enormous expenses to foreign governments and merchants, for an article which is furnished plentifully by the soil of your own country? The demand for this article from Europe every crop is, generally, from about fourteen to fifteen hundred quintals, of one hundred pounds each. The great de- mand for this medicine, both in Europe and the United States, has induced the Egyptian merchants to mix with it senna of an inferior quality, which sometimes occa- sions it to fail in producing the immediate effect intend- ed. Although this fraud, when practiced, does no serious injury, it frequently disappoints us in the active operation of the medicine: the inferior senna, although producing eventually the same effects, is much slower and weaker in its operation. AMERICAN SENNA. Having given you the history of the European, I shall now proceed to describe to you our own senna, which grows abundantly in the United States, and particularly in the western country. In fact, it is found plentifully about Knoxville, and on the shores of the Holston river. I have told you that I had used both, and could perceive no difference in their operation— GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 557 and I now repeat the fact, that it may be the more for- cibly impressed upon your mind. Notwithstanding this, those who prefer the foreign senna to our own, may easily gratify their preference, as the imported kind is now cultivated in North Carolina, and is found to flourish abundantly. It is evident that we do not obtain the pure plant from abroad: I have shown the manner of adulteration: why, then, should we not cul- tivate the foreign plant sufficiently for our own con- sumption, if we must and will have it? The wild senna of America, is a most beautiful plant. I will describe it in as plain terms as possible—knowing at the same time, that it is very difficult, if not utterly impossible, to delineate in mere language, what can only be known to the eye:—It has frequently several stems from the same root: these stems are, generally either entirely smooth, or furnished with a few strag- fflimr hairs. The larger sized leaves, I believe, are mostly confined to the larger branches, and are disposed in pairs opposite to each other, on the sides of those branches which run out nearly in a horizontal direction from the stem. The flowers are of a bright orange color, and are usually found on small sprays or sprigs, which shoot out in the angles formed by the stems and larger branches. Near the top, the flowers are attach- ed to the main stems. The stems rise from two to four feet in height. The leaves are rather long—green above, and pale underneath; they should be gathered about the last of August for use. Dr. Barton, an eminent physician, and professor of Botany in the University at Philadelphia, informs us that he had some experience with the American senna durin^ a term of practice in the Marine hospital of that citv. "I have," says the Doctor, "for some months 558 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. past, substituted the American for the Alexandrian senna, and very frequently employed it. I have, also, in a single instance, used it in my own family. I have had reason to confirm the high character which the American plant has long maintained." But, reader, whether you may prefer the imported or the American senna, which I consider equal in their medicinal powers, the following remarks are applicable to both, or to either of them. The senna is a valuable purge, and when good, is active in its operation, and at the same time quite in- nocent. Senna is seldom given by itself, but is always mixed with manna—a description of which will imme- ately follow this plant. When you inquire for senna as a medicine at a doctor's shop, always ask for a dose of senna and manna, because these two medicines are always given together. Sometimes a little salts is mix- ed with the senna and manna, especially if you wish to make the operation sure and active. In fevers, first giving a good dose of calomel, follow it up with the senna, manna, and salts: senna has but one fault; it is apt to gripe during the operation: this can always be prevented, however, by adding a little ginger. But, I believe, from an extensive experience, that after calomel to remove bile, if the folllowing mixture be made up and given, it is superior and more innocent than any medicine now known as a purge:—Take of senna and manna, each half an ounce; of ginger, one drachm; of salts one ounce—pour on these medicines a pint of boiling water; cover over the vessel in which you make this tea, so as to prevent the steam from esca- ping. This tea is to stand until it becomes cool. You are to give of it to grown persons, one gill every hour or two, until it operates freely. According to the age GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 559 of the person, you are to give this tea in smaller doses, and as it is quite innocent, it may be given to children occasionally in small doses until the desired effect is produced—which is a free operation as a purge. If you wish it to act as a very mild and gentle purge, you may leave out the salts. I repeat, in order that you may remember it, that whenever the bowels are ob- structed, or whenever you require an active and search- ing purge, senna, manna, and salts, in the proportions I have just mentioned, adding thereto a little ginger, are superior to any means of operating on the bowels now in use. MANNA. The word manna, means a gift; it comes from the Syrian word mano, being the food supplied by the Almighty to the children of Israel in the wilderness: or it comes from the word mahna, what is it? an ex- clamation used by the Israelites on its appearance—so say the best authorities. The manna, or medicine so called, and that which is mostly used by physicians, comes from Naples on the Mediterranean sea. The best manna is in long flakes, moderately dry, brittle and crumbling, of a pale yellow- ish color, and considerably transparent; in other words you can partially see through it If it is moist, very sticky, and dark colored, it is considered of an inferior quality, although not less purgative. The manna is principally collected in Calabria, Apulia, and Sicily, in the warmest season of the year, from the middle of June to the end of July. \ arious trees afford it: par- ticularly a kind of ash, called manna ash. It flows 560 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. from the trunk of the tree when tapped, similar to the juice or sap of our sugar tree when used in the same manner. The liquor first flows from the tree like a white froth, extremely light and of an agreeable taste. The heat of the sun, in a few days, hardens it to trie consistence we find it. Manna has something the taste of sugar, and is sickish and searching on the tongue. Its great resemblance to sugar, both in appearance and taste, induces children readily to eat it—in its effects, it acts on them as a mild purge. Manna is, however, a very feeble purgative medicine, requiring large doses for a grown person, say an ounce or two: for this rea- son, as I have before told you, and so directed, it must always be mixed with senna and salts. It ought never to be given alone, except to small children, as a mild and opening medicine. See table of doses. WHITE WALNUT. During our revolutionary war, when medicines be- came scarce, the physicians of the army, employed the inner bark of the white walnut, as a purge. In the dose of from ten to twenty grains, it operated well, by evacuating the bowels thoroughly, and was much resorted to by them as a purgative, in all bilious cases of fever. By the addition of eight or ten grains of calomel, the efficacy of the white walnut may be great- ly and beneficially increased. As I have stated to you, the medicinal virtues of this bark are confined to the inner bark; and the proper time for getting it in the full possession of its virtues, is about the month of June, because the bark is at this time considerably more powerful than at other periods. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 561 I have used the white walnut in my practice, and always found it among the best purgative medicines pos- sessed in the Western country, and have very often been surprised that the article is not kept in the family of every farmer in the country. The manner of ex- tracting the virtues of this bark, is very simple:—It is merely to be boiled in water several hours, then strained and boiled again, until it becomes about as thick as honey. Two, three, or four pills which it can be made into with a little flour, make a dose of this extract. One or two of these pills, taken at bed time, is a valuable remedy in the removal of costive habits of body, which occasion head-aches, colics, &c. &c. By increasing the dose, these pills are good in dysente- ries and bilious fevers, and will be doubly beneficial, if combined or mixed with a little calomel. RHUBARB. Rhubarb, properly so called, is the root of a plant designated by the learned, rheum palmatum. It is a native of various countries of Europe and Asia, and might be cultivated with perfect ease perhaps, in every part of the United States. Attempts have been suc- cessfully made to introduce the culture of this valuable drug into England: and it appears from authentic accounts, not only that immense quantities of it may be produced there, but that the English root is fully equal to the best rhubarb obtained from Turkey or China. The greatest difficulty seems to be in drying it proper- ly. Its cultivation is by no means difficult; it is merely to sow the seed in a light soil in the spring: to trans- plant the smaller roots the next spring, into a light soil, 71 562 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. well trenched, and set them about three or four feet apart. The third year, the plan(s will produce the flowers; but the roots are not to be raised for use until the fall of the sixth year. This is the whole process of rearing the rhubarb: a process which I am convin- ced every American farmer is fully equal to. The cultivation of this valuable medicine in the United States, ought to be considered an object of high individual and national importance. That our climate throughout the different States, particularly the Western States, is fully equal to its production, there can be no doubt, as it has been fully ascertained by actual exper- iment. That it will grow in Tennessee, I well know; be- cause it is now flourishing in abundance in the garden of Mr. Woods, fifteen miles from Knoxville. The root was originally purchased by Mrs. Woods, from some drug store in Knoxville, and planted for the pur- pose of an experiment, which has perfectly succeeded. I mention this fact in order to prove conclusively, with how much ease we might become independent of for- eign countries for thousands of medical drugs which are annually draining our country of immense sums of money. Such experiments as that made by Mrs. Woods, ought to be made by every person who has opportunity and leisure: They are duties the American people owe both to themselves and their country. There are three varieties of rhubarb found in the drug shops; the Russian, the Turkish, and the East Indian rhubarb; the two first, the Russian and Turkish, re- semble each other in qualities and appearance, whilst the East Indian is of a somewhat different character. The best Russian and Turkey rhubarb, is in roundish pieces, with a large hole in the middle of them. The GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 563 East Indian or Chinese rhubarb, comes to this country in long flattish pieces, seldom if ever, having holes in^ them. The Turkish rhubarb is the best, and is gener- ally used in this country. The marks of rhubarb being of a good quality are, the liveliness of its color, when cut; its being firm and solid, but not flinty or hard; its being easily pulverable, which means reducible to powder; and its appearing when powdered, of a fine high yellow color; and when chewed, by its imparting, to the spittle and tongue a deep saffron color. Rhubarb is one of the mildest, best, and pleasantest purgatives now in use in this or any other country; because with its purgative powers, it is also astringent and strengthening, and in this, it certainly differs from almost every other purgative of the same class known in medicine. It is superior to nearly all other purges for another reason; it may be taken with opium, and act on the bowels as well as if taken without it. This is a vast advantage; because where purging would be connected with great pain, its being combined with opium, relieves the pain, while the rhubarb is left free to do its duty. The operation of rhubarb is slower and milder than any other purges; but it is very cer- tain in its effects, when given in proper doses. It may always be given with innocence and safety,in all cases of extreme weakness, wrhere a purge to open the bow- els becomes necessary, and where violent and severe purging would be highly improper. You will find this medicine very valuable and safe, as it always acts with much gentleness in relieving the bowels. It is a com- mon and proper purge for children, even at a very early period of life, and in every situation where their bowels become disordered; particularly in dysentery or lax; 564 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. because it leaves the bowels in a favorable state, after & removing the offensive matter from them. It is also an excellent purge for grown persons, laboring under this complaint. In small doses, say from two to six grains, it is excellent for the stomach when laboring under indigestion, generally called dyspepsia; and must be given in such small doses as not to purge, but to act as a tonic, or strengthening medicine. There are various ways of giving rhubarb; such as giving it in tincture, which means steeping it in any kind of spirits: but the best and most certain method of giving this medicine, and obtaining the virtues of it fully, is to give it in fine powder. A dose for a grown person is, from about a scruple, or twenty grains, to half a drachm, mixed with honey, molasses, or any kind of syrup. The root chewed as tobacco, swallow- ing the saliva, or spittle, is an innocent and efficient way of taking it, for keeping the bowels gently open, particularly with those persons who are subject to habitual costiveness, indigestion, and those long trains of nervous diseases which afflict men and women who are subject to derangements of their systems from cos- tiveness. In such cases, if they will chew the root of the rhubarb, it will act as a moderate purge, and gently open the bowels; at the same time, it will act as a tonic, or strengthening medicine to the stomach, by which they will always obtain relief. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 565 INDIAN PHYSIC. This plant is a native of the United States; and as its name imports, was a great favorite among the Indian nations. It is almost every where found in the western country, inhabiting shady woods, and the rich sides of hills and mountains, from the lakes of Canada to the Floridas. The number of stems proceeding from the root of this plant varies considerably; sometimes there is but a single one, and occasional there are many. The stems are branched above, say about two or three feet from the ground; they are round, and commonly of a reddish color. The leaves are of a deep green, long and pointed, and the flower nearly white. The root of this plant, which is all that is used in medicine, is perennial: that is to say, it is not destroyed by the frosts of winter. It is composed of several long, brown slender shoots, which run out from the bottom of the stem, to some distance under the ground. This root possesses many of the virtues of the ipecacuanha, and is much used by the country people, as an emetic or puke. Given in the dose of thirty or thirty-five grains in the powder, for a grown person, it is an easy, safe, and certain emetic; and if you give it in what are called broken doses, of six or seven grains about every two hours, it will act as a sudorific; in other words, it will produce sweating. If you give it in infusion, or weak tea, a handful to a pint of boiling water, of which you may take a small tea-cupful every fifteen or twenty minutes, it will produce vomiting. The active power of this root, seems to reside exclusively in its bark, which, in addition to its emetic qualities, probably pos- sesses considerable tonic powers. 566 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. AMERICAN IPECACUANHA. This singular, and very useful plant, is exclusively a native of the United States, and may be found in great plenty in the middle, southern, and western states. It nearly always grows in loose, moist, and sandy soils, and is very often found flourishing in beds of almost pure sand. The leaves of this plant vary so much in shape and color—and in fact, the whole plant itself varies so much in its different states, that it is often mis- taken by those unacquainted with its habits, for several distinct species of plants. The stems are numerous; they are nearly white below the surface of the earth or sand, and of a reddish color, or a pale green or yellow- ish hue above it The leaves are opposite to each other, and generally of an oval form; I say generally, because they are sometimes of a long oval, sometimes pointed, and unfrequently, linear. In the month of May, while the plant is in flower, the leaves are very small; but as it advances in age, they become greatly increased in size. The seeds of the flower are only three in number, enclosed in a triangular, or three square capsule, ot case. I mention these things par- ticularly, because they afford the best possible means of knowing the plant The root is perennial; in other words, it is not killed by the frosts of winter. It is from three to seven feet in height, and from half an inch to an inch and a half in diameter, or across, and of a yellowish color; sending off towards its upper part, many smaller roots, about the size of small quills. I believe, and am sustained in the opinion by sever- al high authorities, that the American ipecacuanha, the plant just described to you, is superior in its medicinal properties to any other species known. The root of this plant alone is to be used; if the stems and leaves GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 567 possess any medicinal virtues, they are yet to be dis- covered by experiment It is a powerful emetic, both safe and certain in its operation, and is applicable to nearly all cases in which emetics are required. In small doses of from five to ten or fifteen grains, it is an excellent emetic or puke; but if given in doses of twen- ty grains, it operates downwards, as an active purge. Larger doses produce, in addition to the above effects, heat, vertigo, (which means swimming in the head,) and great prostration or loss of strength. Dr. Barton gives us the following experiments on the American ipecacuanha, which I transcribe for the contemplation of the reader. "A portion of the dried root was finely pulverized, [powdered] and administer- ed with caution to several patients. I at first commen- ced with small doses, of three, four and five grains. In these quantities, the powder produced nausea, [sick- ness of the stomach,] and determination to the skin, {sweating,] as small doses of ipecacuanha do. On increasing the number of grains to ten, vomiting was produced, with occasionally an operation on the bow- els. Fifteen grains I found sufficient to produce full vomiting in most cases; and in a single instance, hav- ing given the powder to an extent of twenty-five grains, I had reason to be alarmed at the cathartic [purgative] effect which ensued, and continued for four- teen hours, attended with distressing sickness at the stomach. I have tried the American root in various combinations, and can confidently assert, that in all the instances it has proved equal if not superior to the im- ported ipecacuanha. It has some advantages which the foreign article does not possess. Its occasional purgative effect is no more than what follows the for- eign medicine. This view of the subject derives 568 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. peculiar importance from the well known fact, that the imported ipecacuanha, is rarely if ever good, and perhaps seldom genuine." In this plant, or rather root, for that alone is to be used, we see another instance of the bounty of Provi- dence, in furnishing us with an article possessed of great medicinal virtue, the production of our own soil. And here again I repeat, that we have only to develope the resources of our own country, to become complete- ly independent of foreign lands for our useful medical drugs. Even opium, as I shall shew you in the proper place, can be made here, in sufficient quantities for our own consumption. We are in fact, paying enormous sums annually, for what nature and our own exertions would furnish us. Foreign ipecacuanha, adulterated, and inferior to our own, is costing us three dollars the pound, while we can have our own for nothing. BUTTERFLY WEED, OR PLEURISY ROOT. The butterfly weed, or pleurisy root, called by the learned, asclepias turberosa, is a native of every state in the American Union, and abounds particularly, in the southern and western states. It flourishes best, and grows to the greatest perfection in light, sandy soils, and is frequently found under fences, and near old stumps in grain fields. From twenty to thirty stalks, the size of a pipe stem frequently rise from the same root, and stand in almost every direction. These stalks are round and woolly, and of a reddish brown color on the sun side. The leaves are placed very irregularly, and are spear or tongue shaped, and cover- ed with a fine down on the lower side. The stalks GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 569 rise from one to two feet in height, and spread to a considerable extent; and at the extremities of the branches are found clusters of small shoots, on which are found the flowers, when in bloom—which is about the month of July or August The clusters of shoots from the ends of the branches, as also the flowers, resemble those of the common silk weed, for which this plant is sometimes mistaken. There is however, this difference between them, and it ought to be partic- ularly noticed: the flowers of the silk weed are of a pale purple hue, while those of the butterfly weed are of a beautiful bright orange color, and are succeeded by long slender pods, which contain the seeds. The seeds have a delicate kind of down or silk attached to them. The root of the butterfly weed is spindle or carrot shaped, of a light brown color on the outside, and white and coarse within. It has long been celebrated in the southern Atlantic states, and particularly in Vir- ginia and the Carolinas, not only as a powerful remedy in pleurisy, but in pneumonic diseases generally; by which I mean diseases of the lungs. This root possesses one remarkable power: given in proper quantities, it affects the skin, and produces copious perspiration or sweating, without heating the body. Given in the simple form of a decoction or tea, it often produces sweating, when all other remedies have failed in their effects. The powdered root sometimes acts as a mild purgative on the bowels; but it is more particularly and inestimably valuable in producing expectoration, or the throwing off of mucus from the throat and lungs; in causing perspiration or sweating, when other remedies fail, and finally, in reducing obstinate feverish affections. Its efficiency and power in fevers have been attested by 72 570 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. many of the best physicians in the United States. In feverish affections, proceeding from an inflammation of the lungs, in colds recently taken, and in diseases of the chest generally, this root is an excellent remedy. It is to be given in a strong infusion or tea; say a small tea-cupful every two or three hours. Many families have long resorted to this root as a domestic medicine, to relieve pains in the stomach, indigestion, colic, and so on, and for these reasons, call it wind root Doctors Chapman and Bigelow, whose testimonials alone in its favor would be sufficient to establish its reputation, for the virtues I have ascribed to it, speak in very high terms of the medicinal powers of this root. "As a diaphoretic," [or medicine which sweats,] says Dr. Chapman, "I think this root is distinguished by great certainty and permanency of operation, and has this inestimable property, that it produces its effects— sweating, without much increasing the force of the cir- culation, raising the heat of the surface, or creating inquietude or restlessness. On these accounts, it is well suited to excite perspiration in the forming stages of most of the inflammatory diseases of winter, and is not less useful in the same cases, at more advanced periods, after the reduction of the feverish action by bleeding. The common notion of its having a peculiar efficacy in pleurisy, I am inclined to believe is not without foundation; for certain it is, that it very much relieves the oppression of the chest in recent catarrhi cold in the head and throat, and promotes perspiration in protracted inflammations of the lungs." GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 571 JALAP. This plant was originally found native in Mexico, near the celebrated city of Xalapa, from whence it derived its present name, jalapa. It has since been discovered growing plentifully near Vera Cruz^and in our own countries of Florida. And on the authority of Dr. W. P. C. Barton, I take upon myself to assert, that it is also certainly a native of the state of Georgia. The root of this plant alone is used for medicinal pur- poses ; and when of good quality, comes to us in slices which are solid and heavy, and of a dark grey color, having little smell, and scarcely any taste. When swallowed however, it affects the throat with a warm and pungent sensation. This root is a powerful laxative medicine or purge; its activity resides principally, if not wholly in the resinous part, which even when taken in small doses and alone, will sometimes gripe severely. The great activity of jalap as a purge, causes it to be much used in the onset or commencement of bilious fevers. Com- bined with calomel, in the proportions of ten grains each, was the purge generally given in yellow fever, by the great Dr. Rush, of Philadelphia, and which caused his students to give him the ludicrous nick name of "old Ten in Ten." Used as what physicians call a hydra- gogue, by which they mean any medicine which will expel water from the cavities of the body, the jalap root is entitled to all the praise that has ever been bestowed on it by the medical profession; yet I am induced to believe, from actual experience, and the practice of other physicians, that it produces a better effect in all dropsical cases, when combined w ith cremor tartar. Ten grains of jalap with one drachm of cremor tartar> constitute probably, one of the best medical prescript 572 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. tions ever known, where long continued purging is required in the cure of a complaint. The dose of jalap, when combined with any other medicine, is from twenty to thirty, and even up to forty grains. Our common may apple root, has sometimes been called the jalap of the United States. But I am of the opin- ion noticed above; that the genuine jalap of Mexico is a native of the state of Georgia, and probably, of all the southern states. Perhaps this woiild be an inquiry worthy the attention of the lately established Medical Board of Tennessee, especially if they intend to re- munerate the country for the privileges granted to them by the legislature. PRICKLY ASH OR TOOTH ACHE TREE. The prickly ash is a native of the United States, and also of the West India Islands, where it sometimes grows to the height of sixteen feet. There are two kinds of the prickly ash in the United States, which I believe possess the same medicinal powers: one is call- ed the ash-leaved zanthroxylum, which grows in the northern states, and particularly in the states of Penn- sylvania and Maryland, and the other is known by the name of the prickly yellow wood, growing abundantly to the south and south-west of the states I have men- tioned. The fresh juice obtained from the root of the prickly ash, is an excellent remedy in that pa%iful com- plaint called dry belly ache. This discovery, like most others of importance, was the result of accident: it was made by watching a female slave in one of the West India Islands, who collected the root in the woods, and gave two spoonsful of its juice every two hours, to a / GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 573 negro suffering severely under this colic. The medi- cine caused a profound and composed sleep, for twelve hours, when all sense of pain, and other distressing symptoms had vanished. The cure was rendered final by giving an infusion of the juice as a diet drink. The most important discovery, however, relating to the prickly ash, or yellow wood, is the following:—The juice of the root preserved in spirits of any kind, given in doses of about a wine glassful, has repeatedly re- moved the most obstinate epileptic fits, I do not know precisely the manner in which this preparation ought to be managed, but would give it in the dose of a wine glassful morning and evening. The leaves and rind of the prickly ash, or yellow wood, in their taste and smell resemble those of the lemon, and possess a simi- lar volatile oil. The bark has a separate acrid, or hot and biting principle, which it will communicate either to water or spirits of any kind; this acrid or biting principle, however, is not perceived when the bark or liquid is first taken into the mouth; it gradually makes itself known, by a burning sensation on the tongue and fauces, sometimes called the palatine arch, or cavity at the root of the tongue. Chewing a small quantity of the bark, produces a great flow of saliva, or spittle, and is very often used in this way to cure the tooth ache. The bark of the prickly ash has also acquired a con- siderable name as a remedy in chronic rheumatism, by which I mean rheumatism of long standing. Taken in full doses, it produces a sense of heat in the stom- ach, and a strong tendency to perspiration, or sweating, and consequently much relief in rheumatism. The dose is twenty grains of the pounded bark, to be taken three times a day; or you may boil an ounce of the 574 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. bark in a quart of water, and take this tea, or defioctioii in the course of the twenty-four hours. In the West India Islands this strong decoction of the bark is used with great success, as a wash for old and foul ulcers? which it always greatly cleanses, and disposes them to heal up. The West India people also mix the pounded bark with what are called dressings of such old sores. The value of this remedy for old ulcers, is attested by numerous instances of its success, to be found in the London Medical and Physical Journal. INDIAN TURNIP. The Indian turnip is a native of every part of the United States; it grows in low rich meadows and woodlands, to the height of from two to three feet, and is too well known to require a very particular descrip- tion. The leaves are but three in number, of a round- ish or oval form; the stalk is of a purple color, and the berries of a bright and beautiful scarlet. In its recent state, that is, when first dug up, the root is exceedingly hot, sharp, and biting to the tongue; and on being swallowed, a sharp acrimony is sensibly felt about the fauces, or cavity at the root of the tongue. Of all the American roots, the Indian turnip has the highest reputation in country practice, as a remedy in pulmonary or consumptive complaints: it is also given with considerable success in asthma, and in coughs of long standing. My own experience has convinced me, that it is among the most valuable of our expectorants, or medicines which cause a dislodgment of mucus from the throat and lungs, and that it is a good remedy in croup and hooping cough. The green or recent root, GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 575 boiled in hog's lard to the consistence of an ointment, has been found very useful in tinea capitis, or scald head, in which I would always recommend its use- When given in consumptive complaints, the fresh root should be boiled in sweet milk. When the dried root is to be given, it must be finely grated in the sweet milk—one root in half a pint of milk, and well boiled before it is taken. Some acrimony or sharpness should be perceptible to the throat and tongue, or the root has probably lost its powers. The ointment I have men- tioned above, is valuable also in some diseases of the ■skin: such as ring worm, tetter worm, and so on. WILD CHERRY TREE. This tree is so very common as to require no de- scription. The bark of this tree, or the bark of the root, which is still better, combined with the bark of the dogwood, when employed in the cure of ague and fever, bilious fever, and other diseases where tonic or strengthening medicines are proper, is^by no means in- ferior to the best Peruvian bark. Combined with Virginia snake root, in the proportion of one part of snake root to four parts of this bark, it is an excellent remedy in intermittent fevers of an obstinate character, and long standing. You may either give it in powder, in the same dose that you would Peruvian bark,—see table of doses; or you may give it as a tea, or decoc- tion. It has also been found very useful in dyspepsia, or indigestion, and in consumption of the lungs. Infused plentifully in strong sound cider, it will in most cases remove jaundice, especially if preceded by a dose or (wo of calomel: and a strong decoction of the bark is 576 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. an excellent wash for old and ill-conditioned ulcers. It is a singular fact, that the leaves of the wild cherry tree will poison cattle: nor is it less singular than true, that the distilled water of the leaves is a powerful poison to most animals. This effect seems to be independent i, on the presence of the same poisonous principle which exists in peach kernels, and other substances of a similar kind, lately shown to be prussic acid, the strongest poison known to us. AMERICAN CENTAURY. This is a very elegant little plant, a native of the United States; and is no less valued for its medicinal virtues, than admired for its simple beauty. The root, consisting of a few thick yellowish fibres, generally sends up but a single stem, which grows from a foot to eighteen inches high: this stem is smooth and four- sided, and where the branches shoot off, it has gener- ally two leaves, which grow opposite to each other: indeed, the leaves of every part of the plant grow op- posite to each other, and are oval and sharp at the points. The flowers are very numerous, growing at the points of the branches, from two to five in number, and are generally of a beautiful pale rose color. This plant is in full flower in the month of July. Every part of this little plant is a pure strong bitter, and parts with its medicinal qualities to both water and spirits—it has no astringent powers. On stomachs that are weak, it exerts a strengthening influence, and is considerably used in the southern states in intermittent fevers. In fact, by the best practitioners in the Union? it is generally administered in fevers: Dr. Barton says, GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 577 "it was often employed with much benefit in the city of Philadelphia, in 1793, in certain stages of the yellow fever." On the whole, centaury may be confidently recommended for its pure bitter, tonic and strengthening virtues. It ought to be taken as a decoction or tea, and always taken cold: it may be given in powder, in doses of from ten to twenty grains, but I think not with the same advantage. In relaxations of the stomach, and general debility of the system, mixed with cala- mus or angelica root, it forms an excellent and strength- ening bitter. This root is called by the country people centry. HORSE MINT. Horse mint grows very abundantly in all parts of the United States, and is so extremely common as to require no description. A tea made either of the green or dried leaves, will stop vomiting, or puking— especially in bilious fevers. It will also act, in simple cases, as a valuable remedy for promoting, or bringing on the menses, or courses of women, when they are obstructed. In this instance, it may be placed on a footing with rosemary, pennyroyal, and many other simple herbs. All this, however is well known to every old lady in the country. 73 578 GUNN'S DOMESTIC medicine. PEPPERMINT. Peppermint is originally a native of Europe, but it is now cultivated in almost every garden of the United States. The roots of the peppermint should be trans- planted every three years, otherwise the plant is apt to degenerate into the flavor of the spearmint. This plant is certainly so common, that a description would be entirely unnecessary. From this plant the oil is distilled, which, when mixed with alcohol or proof spirits, makes the essence of peppermint sold in the shops. Peppermint is a warm stimulant to the stomach, and through that medium to the rest of the body, holding a first rank in the list of medicines called carminatives: which means those medicines which dispel, or scatter the wind from the stomach and bowels. It is also beneficial in allaying spasmodic affections of the stom- ach and bowels; removing sickness of the stomach; dispelling flatulence, or wind, and in removing all colicy pains. It is very often beneficial when cramp takes place during the operation of an emetic, or puke. The green leaves stewed in spirits, or hot water, and appli- ed to the pit of the stomach as warm as they can be borne, will often stop puking when some of the best remedies fail. GINGER, Ginger is a perennial plant, originally found in the East Indies, but at present cultivated in all the West India Islands. I think it highly probably, that the gin- ger would grow well in all the southern and western states, particularly in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 579 and South Carolina. In the West India Islands, it is cultivated very much in the manner that we cultivate potatoes in this country, and is fit for digging once in every year. There are two sorts of ginger, the black and the white. The black ginger consists of thick and knotty roots, of a yellowish grey color on the outside, and an orange or brown color in the inside. The white ginger is not so thick and knotty as the black, and is internally of a whitish grey or bright yellow color. The white is firm and resinous, more pungent or sharp in its taste than the black, and consequently a higher price. Pieces which are worm eaten, soft, light, and easily broken, you are always to reject. Ginger has a fragrant smell, and a hot, biting, aro- matic taste, and is very useful in flatulent or windy colics, and in all cases of looseness and weakness of the bowels or intestines; it does not heat the system so much as the different kinds of pepper, but is much more durable in its effects. Some time since, the pow- der of ginger, taken in very large doses in sweet milk, was considered a very valuable remedy in gout. I have never tried it myself, and therefore cannot say as to its correctness, but the experiment would be an inno- cent one, and is very easily tried. I think it unneces- sary to say any thing more on the subject of this root; every old lady in the country is acquainted with its general character and medicinal virtues. OPIUM. Without this valuable and essential medicine, it would be next to impossible for a physician to practice his profession, with any considerable degree of success: it may not improperly be called, the monarch of medj- 580 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. cinal powers, the soothing angel of moral and physical pain. "Charmed with this potent drug, the exalted mind, All sense of woe delivers to the wind: It clears the cloudy front of wrinkled care, And soothes the wounded bosom of despair!" There are two kinds of this drug known in com- merce, distinguished by the names of the Turkish and East Indian opium. The Turkish opium is the best: it is considerably solid and compact, possesses some degree of tenacity or stickiness, and when broken leaves a shining fracture. It is of a dark brown color; and when first taken into the mouth, produces a nauseous bitter taste, which soon becomes acrid, with some de- gree of warmth. The best kind of Turkish opium is in flat pieces, and generally covered with leaves used in packing it, and has nearly double the strength of that brought from the East Indies, The East Indian opium is not so solid as the Turkish, being sometimes not much thicker than tar, its color much darker, and its taste more nauseous and less bit- ter. By these distinctions, which are obvious to even tolerable judges, you will easily know the Turkish opium from that of the East Indies. Opium is combined, or in other words mixed, with more medicines for the cure of diseases, than any other drug known to, or used by medical men. In every patent medicine sold in the shops, especially for the relief of pain in diseases, opium forms the principal portion. Bateman's drops and Godfrey's cordial, both of which have sustained their characters for near a century, have opium for their bases or principal parts, and they are certainly valuable medicines. Were I to trace back the use of opium as a medicine among man- kind, it would probably be found among the Greeks; but the limits of my book will not permit me to go GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 581 minutely into its history: suffice it to say, that this valu- able, singular, and astonishing drug, seems capable of changing our very nature to a more exalted state of being, at the same time that it holds in due and proper subjection, without impairing it, the rationality of the mind. Opium is made from the white poppy, which is or can be cultivated in all our gardens; it is probably a native of the warmer parts of Asia. Some attempts have been made to cultivate it extensively in England, but the climate of that country seems to present an in- superable obstacle to its being cultivated as a produc- tive object of commerce. The United States, however, and particularly the more southern and western por^ tions of the Union, on the score of climate and soil, present no difficulties in the cultivation of opium, in amply sufficient abundance for the consumption of all our citizens. This is another proof, among several others which I have adduced, evincive of the indepen- dence of our country in the production of important medical drugs, if we will only employ industry and enterprize; the fact is, that enormous sums of money are yearly expended for opium, which go into the pockets of foreigners, that we could very easily produce from our own soil. The leaves, stalks, and capsules of the poppy, which capsules mean the cases containing the seeds, abound with a milky juice, which must be gathered when the seeds are nearly ripe, The manner of collecting this juice is as follows: After the sun has gone down, or about the twilight of evening, make several incisions or cuts, lengthways, on the surface of the capsules or poppy pods. As I have just told you, this is to be done when they are not quite ripe; and is best performed with a knife made for the 582 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. purpose, having four or five blades. The milky juice which flows out from these cuts during the night, must be collected the following day, after a sufficient time has been allowed for the milky fluid to become inspis- sated or thickened by the heat of the sun. It is now to be collected by a thin iron scraper, made for the pur- pose, and put into an earthern vessel. This is the whole secret of opium making, a secret which every man in this country ought to know and profit by, and the ignorance of which has already cost our citizens millions of money; the price of foreign opium in our eastern cities, much of which is of an inferior quality, is about four dollars the pound. The operation of cutting or scarifying the poppy pods, in the manner I have mentioned, may be repeated every evening, or as long as the pods will furnish the milky juice. When a considerable quantity of this juice is collected, you have nothing to do but to work it with a wooden knife or spoon, until it becomes of a proper consistency or thickness, and to enclose it in the leaves of the plant itself, or in tobacco leaves. "A paper has lately been read, in the Harrisburgh Medical Society," says the Medical Recorder, "on the cultivation of the poppy, and the manufacture of opi- um. The author, who is Doctor Webster Lewis, of Lewisburg, York county, Pennsylvania, has transmitted a specimen of his manufacture of opium, equal to the best foreign opium of the shops. After many unsuc- cessful experiments, he has fallen on a mode of culti- vation and preparation, both easy and profitable. The plan will be put into operation in the ensuing season, by several other members of the society, to whom he has presented some of his best seed." And, with re- gard to the cultivation of opium in the United States, GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 583 flic following extract of a letter from a gentleman in England, to a citizen of the United States, will throw much light on the subject. "Let me intreat you to make an experiment on the cultivation of opium. I caused a great increase of this article at Patna; it used to sell 225 rupees the cake, of 160 pounds: and has been sold for 300 lately. The company sells to the amount," annually I presume, "of fifteen millions of rupees, two and sixpence sterling, amounting to one million eight hundred and seventy-five thousand pounds sterling. I know it can easily be produced in Ameri- ca, and is the best article of commerce that can be sent to China." If these representations be correct, of which there can be no doubt, the cultivation of the white poppy, and the manufacture of opium, are not only easily practicable in the United States, but would afford an immense revenue to the citizens, as an arti- cle of commercial exportation: and the fact is, if the real state of the case were truly known, that we yet remain in comparative ignorance of the multiplied and inexhaustible resources of our own country. There is a considerable difference between the effects produced by wine or spirituous liquors, and those produced on the system by opium. The excitement of pleasurable sensations, produced by wine or spirits, is acute and powerful, while these sensations last; but they are of extremely short duration. The one is a flame which soon subsides, and leaves nothing but the ashes of self reprehension and bitter reflection behind it: while the other affords a steady, agreeable and permanent glow of pleasure, physical and intellectual, which lasts from ten to twelve hours. But the princi- pal distinction between these stimulants of the human svstem, lies in this: that wines or spirits disorder and 584 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. confuse the intellectual faculties, while opium in all its forms, if taken in proper quantities, introduces order, harmony and pleasurable serenity among them. Wines or spirits, unsettle and cloud the judgment, and deprive us of our intellectual self possession; while opium on the contrary, produces a just equipoise between our intellectual strength and sensibilities; arouses all our dormant faculties; and disposes them to harmonious and pleasurable activity; and with regard to the tem- per, moral energies and physical sensations in general, opium produces that sort of simple and vital animation, that cordial warmth of feeling and sensibility which we would almost suppose to have accompanied man in his primeval and unfallen state. Wine or spirits, if taken to any excess, always lead men to the brink of absur- dity and extravagance; and beyond a certain point, invariably produce a distraction of the mental facul- ties; while opium, on the contrary, soothes our irrita- tions of feeling, concentrates our intellectual energies, and robs pain and misfortune of their stings. This, however, is but one side of the picture. Opium, as I have already told you, although a very valuable medi- cine in many diseases, and also always producing those agreeable sensations I have attempted to describe, when used to any considerable excess, especially if persisted in, has many advantages and miseries attending it. It is used by the Turks to great excess, because all wines and spirituous liquors are prohibited by the Mahomme- dan creed. Opium if habitually taken, or in other words, when it is made use of as a stimulant or luxu- ry, and not as a medicine, affects the physical system in a terrible manner, and produces the same sufferings as those which arise from intoxicating liquors. When the pleasurable effects I have before described begin to GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 585 cease, or the effects of the opium begin to die in the system, the feelings are as agonizing and dreadful as can possibly be conceived; the mind becomes Weak, irresolute, heavy, dull and languid; and the body averse to activity or motion of any kind, is not only disposed to sleep, but seems little affected by objects of pursuit which usually put it in motion. If the dose of opium has been very considerable, all these symptoms continue to increase, until tremors, convulsions, vertigo, stupor, insensibility and total deprivation of muscular strength succeed—when death usually closes the scene. All these symptoms appear singly or combined, in pro- portion to the comparative moderation or excess of the dose, and the peculiarities of the constitution of the person. Therefore use not this drug, but as intended by the Great Father of the universe, the universal parent of mankind; because used as a medicine alone* it is an invaluable blessing, in the relief of pain and suffering, and in soothing and tranquilizing the system with balmy and refreshing slumber. Having under the head of each disease, mentioned particularly, when it was necessary to make use of opium, or laudanum which is nothing more than opium dissolved or steeped in any kind of spirits,—for which look under the head laudanum. I shall now close these remarks. Opium and laudanum which are the same things in substance and effect, are always efficient in mitigating or subduing pain, and in overcoming spasm or cramp; in fact, they are the chief means em- ployed by physicians in these cases. I have now, as fully as the limits of my book will allow, described to you this great and effective medicine, which is valuable, powerful, and if properly used, innocent. In a small dose, it acts as a stimulant; in a moderate dose, it eases 71 586 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. pain and procures sleep, and in an over dose, when the person is not in the habit of using it, the consequences will always be fatal. It is therefore evident, that this medicine should be used with great judgment and dis- cretion. The average dose of opium is about one grain: and the dose of laudanum for a grown person, about from twenty-five to thirty-five drops, in a little cold water. For a child about the period of birth, the dose of laudanum is half a drop; but the table of medicines, to which you will please to refer, will ex- plain the doses of both opium and laudanum, for all ages. CASTOR OIL—AND HOW TO MAKE IT. This oil, which is essential to the preservation of health in every family, is made from the seed of a plant called palma christi, which is a native of most countries lying within the tropics, and will grow and flourish in all temperate latitudes. In the process of manufacturing this oil, the outer coat or covering of the seed or bean, must first be taken off; in the next place, you must bruise them in considerable quantities, and afterwards subject what may be called the pumice, to a pressure sufficient to throw out the oil. The oil thus extracted, is called cold expressed oil, and is by far the best. That extracted by boiling the bruised seeds in water—another process of preparing it—is more nauseous, of a much darker color, more easily becoming rancid or stinking, much more disagreeable to take, and much more active in its operation on the system. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 587 The palma christi will grow in any climate or soil in the United States; it rises to about ten or twelve feet in height, and is usually about the size of a common corn stalk, having very large and beautiful spreading leaves. Whether you extract the oil cold, or employ boiling water in the process, you must first collect the branches having the ripe seed on them, and expose them to the sun until perfectly dry. Then lay them on a scaffold or floor, and beat then} with a light flail, to separate the hull or shell from the seed—after which, to dislodge every particle of shell, you may pound them gently in a wooden mortar. Take care that you get all the cov- ering off the seeds, because there is an acrid skin, which if intermixed with the oil, sometimes makes it operate as a puke, and always as a drastic or griping purge. It is not improbable that the oil obtained by boiling, is saturated or filled with the properties of this | skin, which forms another of my objections to boiling the seed. If you prefer however, to extract the oil by boiling, you must put the seed, divested of their cover- ing, in a vessel of boiling water: in about twenty min- utes, a dirty scum will rise, which must be taken entire- ly off. The dear oil will then rise, which must be put into a vessel without water, kept warm by a slovy fire—. taking care that it does not arrive at a boiling heat As soon as it becomes clear and transparent from taking off the scum which arises, and which will make an inferior kind of oil, you must put the clear oil, when cold, into clean bottles, and cork them well. The kind of palma christi which produces the finest oil, is the species of which the stalk is of a pink color. I neg- lected to mention in the proper place, that the quantity of water in the first vessel used, should be three measures to one of seed, which should be frequently 588 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. stirred, to prevent any portion from sticking to the sides and bottom of the vessel, which would give the oil a burnt taste-—you must also be careful that it does not boil over. The dose for a grown person is two table spoonsful, and for an infant a tea-spoonful, even at birth. DIRECTIONS FOR PRESERVING ROOTS, HERBS, FLOWERS AND BARKS. Roots which are annual, or grow and die yearly, should be collected before they shoot on their stalks or flowers: roots which are biennial, or which live and grow two years, should be collected in the harvest of the first year, or in the spring of the second year: parennial roots, or those which survive the frosts of winter, should be gathered before the sap has begun to mount, or after it has returned to the root.—When a root is worm eaten, or otherwise decayed, you are al- ways to reject or refuse it; the medicinal virtues of such a root are destroyed. You are now, with a brush and some cold water, to cleanse the roots newly dug up, and to let them remain in the water as short a time as possible; after which you are to cut the small and useless fibres or strings from them, if there be any, and carefully to dry them in a moderate heat. Roots which consist wholly of fibres or strings, of which there are several kinds, the black or Virginia snake root lor instance, are to be dried as soon as possible, by a regular and moderate heat But should the root be aromatic, which means spicy and fragrant, like ginger for instance, you are to dry it in a cool, airy, dry situation, turning it frequently? GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 589 in order that you may retain its virtues and fragrance. If roots that you obtain are thick and strong, you are to split them in thin pieces, and string them on a cord or twine, so as to admit the air freely to them in dry- ing; if they are covered, which is sometimes the case, with a thick tough bark, peel them while fresh and dry them. Some roots are apt to lose their virtues by dry- ing ; when this is the case, you have nothing to do but to keep them buried in dry sand, which will preserve them in such a manner that they will always be fit for use. Herbs and flowers are always to be gathered in dry weather, and not until the dew is off. They are then to be dried in as short a time as possible, by the gentle heat of a stove or fire; for by this speedy method of drying, the herbs and flowers retain their virtues, which are usually destroyed by the common method of drying them in the open air, and in the shade. When herbs and flowers retain their virtues, they generally also retain much of their natural color. Barks and woods, for medicinal uses, are to be gath- ered in spring or in autumn, and from the youngest and most vigorous trees, because their most active and pow- erful virtues are at those periods residing in them. If they are of the resinous kind, by which I mean rosin- ous merely, they are to be gathered in the spring; but if they are of a gummy nature, you must always gather them in the fall, or autumn:—You are to recollect dis- tinctly, that all decayed and injured parts of any of the articles I have mentioned, are to be entirely rejected. Persons are very frequently disappointed in the medicin- al effects of roots, herbs, barks, &c: this is generally owing to the want of clue care in obtaining and prepar- 590 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. ing such vegetable substances in due time, and in a proper manner. SULPHUROUS FUMIGATION, OR SULPHUR BATH. I have repeatedly mentioned in the course of the preceding pages, that this bath was a most invaluable remedy in which this head is referred to: I shall now? therefore, endeavor to give as minute and plain a de- scription of it as possible, and in as common and plain language as I can find. The fumes of sulphur were employed as a bath, and a remedy against many diseases as early as the time of the celebrated Hippocrates. After falling into disuse for a very long period, this bath has of late become a matter of general interest—especially since the experi- ments made by Dr. Gales in 1812—and since his publi- cations on the efficacy of sulphurous fumigations in the cure of many obstinate diseases. Dr. Gales made his first trials of this remedy, by placing a small basin of sulphur and nitre under the bed clothing of the patient, who was stripped naked, and exposed to the fumes of the contents of the basin: at the same time that these fumes were confined to the body by the bed clothes, and prevented from reaching the mouth and nostrils of the patient, by wrapping his neck and shoulders very closely with the clothing of the bed. This method was found, on fair experiments, to be imperfect and unsatis- factory; and he afterwards adopted in place of it, what he very properly called his fumigatory box, which I shall now describe:— GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 591 This box is merely a wooden case, something resem- hling a pulpit, in which the patient can sit upright in a chair, with his head above the top of the box, and his shoulders immediately below it. Underneath this box, and connected with it, are the parts which are necessa- ry for producing the fumigations to be applied to the naked body. The lowest story is the ash-pit: the mid- dle one contains the fire, and the uppermost one is the hearth for the sulphur. The floor of the box itself, is immediately above the hearth for the sulphur, and is bored, or perforated full of holes, in order that the fumes of the sulphur, when heated by the fire below, may ascend through the bottom of the box, and com- pletely surround, touch, and envelope the naked body of the patient. The top of the box is so constructed, that the whole, or opening in the middle of it, closely embraces the neck, and effectually prevents the fumes of the sulphur in the box from reaching the mouth, nose, and eyes of the patient This description, reader, is the whole secret of the sulphur bath, so much talked of, so little known, and so rarely used in the United States. When the seat of the disease to be removed, is on the face or any part of the head, the vapor, or fumes of the sulphur from the box, may be applied to the part affected by means of a flexible pipe—by which I mean one that can be moved in different directions, like the leader of a fire engine, reaching from the box to any part of the face or head. This sulphur bath must be taken from fifteen minutes to an hour, accord- ing to the state of the patient, and the stubbornness of the disease to be removed. Immediately after taking it, the patient ought to retire to bed for an hour or two. 592 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. I have mentioned in another page of this book—that when the remedies there noticed for rheumatism have failed, recourse must always be had to sulphurous fumi- gation, which I have now accurately and plainly described to you. The truth is, it is an active and powerful remedy in very many diseases besides rheu- matism. It is an excellent remedy in psoriasis palma- ria, which is a very obstinate species of tetter, confined to the palm of the hand; also, in psoriasis scrotalis, in which the skin of the scrotum, or bag containing the testicles, is afflicted with heat, itching, tension, or tight- ness, and appears of a red color. In cases where the skin of the scrotum, or bag is thus affected, the above symptoms are succeeded by a hard, thickened, brittle texture of the skin, and by painful chaps, cracks, and excoriations, or scalings off of the skin, not easily to be healed by any other means than sulphuric fumiga- tions. This remedy is also valuable in what physicians call psoriasis inveterata: which is known by universal scalings of the skin of the whole body, which becomes harsh, dry, and much thickened. This disease com- mences with a few irregular, though distinct patches on the extremities; these patches next appear on different parts of the body; and lastly, they become what is called confluent, and spread over the whole surface of the body. The skin is then red, deeply furrowed, and so stiff, or rigid as to impede the movements of the joints: and so quick is the formation or exfoliation of the scales from the body, that the bed is frequently found covered with them. I have now occupied more space under this head than I at first intended; but considering the vast impor- tance of the sulphur bath, and its most valuable GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 593 qualities in cases where the human system has been charged with mercury, which requires remo- val, I think the space well and profitably occupied. For a further description of this bath, see pages 145, and 550, 3d volume of the Medical Recorder: the limits of my book preventing my giving a minute detail of their valuable remedy. BLOOD LETTING. Every person should not only know how to open a vein with a lancet, but should also be acquainted with the cautions that are necessary to be known for avoid- ing danger; because many cases may, and do occur, where medical assistance cannot be had in time, and where actual loss of life occurs for want of bleeding. To bleed in the arm, you are to apply a ribband, or other broad ligature, an inch or two above the elbow joint, and to draw it so tight as to compress the veins of the arm immediately under the bandage, and to fill and swell them immediately below it. As soon as the vein rises in which you intend to bleed, place the thumb of your left hand about an inch below the place you intend to pierce, or open with the lancet; and then with your right hand, holding the lancet firmly between your thumb and fore finger, making the incision ob- liquely, or slanting in the vein, without changing the direction of the lancet; because, by raising the handle, the point of the lancet would be so much lowered as to cut the under part of the vein, and perhaps dangerous- ly wound an artery. When you have drawn the quantity of blood intend- ed, untie the ligature, or bandage, and close the orifice, 594 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. or hole. To do this properly, you must place your thumb on the orifice, and press with a moderate force, so as to bring its sides, or edges together. The flow- ing of the blood will now be stopped, and you must next apply a compress, made by twice doubling a piece of linen, about two inches square, and placing it between the thumb and the orifice: over this, you are to place another compress, or thick folding of linen, about four inches square, so as to fill up the hollow, or bend of the arm. When this is done, you are to confine the folds of the linen, by passing over them, crosswise, both above and below the elbow joint, a ribband or broad tape, in the form of the figure eight, and to finish with making a knot over the linen. If the bleeding should continue, the bandages are to be taken off for a few moments, and while the thumb of the operator is press- ed firmly on the orifice, or hole, so as to bring its sides, or edges together; the coldest water is to be poured on the arm, or the orifice, or hole itself washed with sharp vinegar. If it is convenient, a piece of adhesive, or sticking plaster, placed over the orifice, will generally stop the flow of blood. To bleed in the foot, a moderately tight bandage must be placed above the ancle joint: after which, you are to open the fullest and largest vein with a lancet, observing the same conduct I have laid down for you in bleeding in the arm. If the blood does not flow sufficiently, you will easily remove the difficulty by placing the foot in warm water. On removing the bandage above the ancle, the blood will cease to flow; and if it should not, the bandage I have described for the arm, a piece of court, or any other sticking plaster will generally stop it GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 595 TOPICAL BLEEDING. To bleed topically: that is to say, to bleed from some particular part of the surface of the body, you are to proceed in the following manner, if you employ leeches:—The part is to be scarified, or slightly cut in shallow gashes with the point of a sharp lancet, or by a scarificator, which is an instrument with a number of lancets, acted on by a spring. The leeches are to be previously prepared, by allowing them to creep over a dry cloth, or by drying them. In order to attract them, the scarified part should be moistened with a little cream or sugar; and if the blood about the surface should not induce them to fix themselves, you are to confine them to the place by applying a wine glass over them—they will then soon take hold. If you bleed topically, by cupping, you are to pro- ceed in the following manner:—You are, in the first instance, to scarify the part in the way I have just told you, with the point of a sharp lancet, or with a scarifi- cator, such as I have described it to you. When this is done, you must take a cup, and exhaust it of the at- mospheric air it contains. This is done, by burning in and over it, some soft paper, dipt in spirits of wine, or any other kind of proof spirits. When the flame is nearly, or quite exhausted, and the air in the cup conse- quently destroyed, you are to place the mouth of the cup over the scarified part. As the cup cools, it will stick fast, and as it were, suck the little scarifications, or gashes, and fill itself with the blood, in place of the air, which cannot get in. When the cup is full, it will easily be removed by raising one side of it. Burning the air, as I have told you, and applying the cup as I have described, may be repeated as often as you may think necessary; or dipping the cup in hot water and. 596 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. immediately applying it over the scarified part, will cause it to take hold or draw. This is the whole secret of cupping—about which so much has been said by medical men, and so little understood by the general community. After bleeding in the arm, or wherever else a vein is opened, there is sometimes a swelling of the part, called by physicians ecchymosis. Whenever this takes place, you must shift the position of the limb frequently, so as to produce a free discharge of blood from the tumor, or rising. If this will not do, you are to double pieces of linen, dip them in brandy or other spirits, and compress them on the tumor by bandages. If neither of these measures will answer, the tumor, or swelling must be opened with a lancet, the coagulated blood let out, and the sore treated as a common wound. There is another effect which sometimes follows blood letting: which is an acute pain, felt on the first introduction of the lancet, and immediately communi- cated to the extremity of the hand or foot. Here you must apply cloths wrung out of sugar of lead-water to the whole limb, and renew them frequently. You must also resort to bleeding, cooling purges, and very simple food, for the purpose of preventing inflammation. If these measures do not answer, you are to give lauda- num in considerable doses: and if laudanum also fails in producing good effects, you must divide, or cut the nerve, or tendon which was pricked by the lancet. Sometimes an artery is wounded in bleeding. You will know this, by the tremulous, or pulsatory motion with which the blood flows, and by the blood being of a lighter and richer color than that which flows from the veins: and besides you will be unable to stop the blood by the usual pressure. The cure may be attempt- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 597 ed, however, in the early stage, by compressions and bandages in the usual way, and by living on very low diet: but should these fail, a surgical operation must be performed, by taking up the ends of the artery, and securing them with ligatures, or ties until they re-unite, or grow together again, or until the circulation of the blood can be again restored. CLYSTERS OR GLYSTERS. Language almost fails to express the great value of this innocent and powerful remedy, in very many diseases to which mankind are daily and even hourly subject; and I most sincerely regret to say, that it is a remedy not only too little known, but too seldom used in the western country, both by physicians and in fam- ilies. This disregard for the great virtues of clystering, must either arise from the supposition that the opera- tion is too troublesome, or from a false and foolish deli- cacy, which forbids the use of an instrument, by which thousands of lives have been preserved in extremely critical circumstances, and with which every mistress of a family should be perfectly acquainted, so as to be able to administer a clyster when required in sickness. And I do here most positively assert, and that too from my own experience, that hundreds to whom I have been called in cases of colic, must have died, had it not been for the immediate relief given by glysters: I will mention one strong instance, to prove the correct- ness of my assertion, to which many others might be added, if the limits of my work would permit While practicing in the state of Virginia, I was called on at midnight to attend a stranger, who had arrived but a 598 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. few moments before in the mail stage. The gentleman was one of the judges of the supreme court, in the state of New York. He stated to me that the colic had been coming on him, for a considerable time before the stage stopped. By the time I arrived, his misery was so extreme, that he repeatedly exclaimed—"I must die, unless immediate relief be given me." After ad- ministering all the usual remedies, which are enumera- ted under the head colic, without giving him much relief, I commenced administering glysters of water pleasantly warm; and on the first being thrown up the bowels, he received more relief than had been produ- ced by all other remedies I had tried. He felt an immediate exemption from pain, and after two or three more had been given, a copious discharge by the stool followed, and he was entirely restored. Glysters principally act, by exciting the lower por- tion of the intestinal tube, and sometimes from the effects of sympathy. In the latter cases, the discharges are generally copious, or in other words of large quan- tity ; and to produce these full discharges by stool, you are frequently to repeat the clyster of warm water, so tempered as to be pleasant to the feelings of the patient, and in such quantities as the bowels will bear. I have continued to give these injections of warm water for an hour or more in many instances, before I could overcome or subdue spasm or colic; and in cases of great constipation, which means that the bowels are so bound up that the patient cannot have a stool, the wa- ter is to be thrown up as far as possible, and the edges of the fundament pressed together as you draw out the pipe of the instrument, so that the clyster may be pre- vented from returning until it has produced the intend- ed effect. When I have had cases of the kind I have GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 599 mentioned, after throwing the warm water up the bowels as far as possible, I have always closed the fundament on drawing out the pipe, because without this necessary precaution, in very many instances, the water would return with as much rapidity as it was thrown up with:—You will, therefore, see the necessity of following my example, and the directions I have just laid down; and you are in all cases of danger, to repeat the clysters of pleasantly warm water, as often and in such quantities as the bowels will admit. The best method of administering glysters in extreme cases, is first to give purgative medicines in the usual manner, and as directed under the different complaints mentioned in this work; and when it becomes necessary to use glysters, to give them so as to assist the medi- cines taken into the stomach in their operation. For instance, when you give a purge in the usual way, you know that it will require some time to operate: now, if you wish to hasten the operation of this medicine, give a glyster or two of warm water, especially in spasm, croup, or costiveness, and you will find yourself speedily relieved of the spasm or colic; because the water will soften the hardened excrements in the bow- els, and assist in bringing off any undigested food which may have remained in them. Whenever a purgative medicine has been given, and you in proper time ad- minister a glyster to assist its operation, the alimentary canal is soon completely evacuated or cleared of its contents. I have somewhere before told you, that there are hard lumps of excrement in the lower bow- els, which require to be removed by the finger of the physician, or by an instrument calculated for the pur- pose: now, your own good sense will always teach you, that these clysters will always soften the concre- 600 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. tions or lumps of excrement alluded to, and give you relief by a stool. In fevers and inflammations, any man of common judgment must know, that glysters made of slippery elm bark, which I have frequently directed and admin- istered, must and will tend to cool the whole system, allay the heat and irritation of the bowels, and gently assist the medicine which had been given to operate. They will also produce a determination to the skin* which means a gentle moisture or sweat. I have told you that tepid or warm water always opens the bowels; but the very reverse of this practice is sometimes re- sorted to, in desperate circumstances, and with great advantages, by some of the most distinguished physi- cians. In some cases of very obstinate constipation, the meaning of which has been sufficiently explained, relief has frequently been obtained, when all other remedies had failed, by a glyster of the coldest water, even of iced water. In such extreme cases, however* when all other means have failed, and the constipated state of the bowels is likely to prove fatal, the last resort is, and you are only to adopt it in such cases, to dissolve from twenty to sixty grains of the emetic tartar in water, and give it as a glyster: ipecacuanha may be used in place of emetic tartar, and is sometimes prefer* red for safety. In the numerous cases of constipation and colic, to which I have been called, and some of them very dangerous ones, I have never been compelled to use more than twenty grains of emetic tartar in the clyster I have mentioned: and even when this quantity is to be used, it ought to be administered under the direction of a physician, and never but in extreme cases, and as the last alternative. I shall here mention a remedy for the colic, which has lately been discovered, GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 601 and which is said to give immediate relief. Give by the mouth, fifteen grains of calomel and two grains of tartar emetic, which you are to mix in honey, molasses, or any kind of syrup. In common cases of constipation, when the bowels are not easily moved so as to produce a stool: or in colic, arising from indigestion* or from having taken some improper food into the stomach, or from having gone some time without a passage, if you wish to has- ten the operation of a purge, or if the stomach is too weak to bear one, all that is required is a simple laxa- tive glyster, made of two table-spoonsful of castor oil, or sweet oil, mixed with the same quantity of molasses, and put into about a pint of pleasantly warm water, to which you may add a table-spoonful of common salt, if you wish the clyster somewhat stimulating. This is a simple and innocent clyster, requiring nothing for its administration but the instrument for injecting it into the bowels, which will hereafter be described, with the method of making clysters, either simple or more active as the complaint may require. Glysters are frequently used in dysentery or flux, to soothe and quiet the bowels, relieve the pain, and re- strain the too great frequency of the stools. In these cases, the clysters are to be mixed with some laudanum, and some mucilage, such as slippery elm tea. I have mentioned these things under their proper heads, and in such complaints, as require their use:—see colic, page 200—cholera morbus, page 203—and dysentery, page 256, together with many other cases in which glvsters are recommended. There are many persons, both men and women, who are constitutionally subject to costiveness: by which I mean, being bound in their bowels so that they cannot 76 602 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. have their regular stools. This costiveness arises from a variety of causes; such as diseased liver, indigestion, torpor of the bowels, and from improper food being taken into the stomach and bowels, and always produce spasms or colic pains; for remember this, that whenev- er your stomach and bowels are disordered, you will become costive, your head will be confused and other- wise distressed, your spirits will become low and deject- ed, and the whole train of hypochondriacal feelings and sensations will haunt you. All these last symp- toms can easily be relieved by a simple glyster, made of equal quantities of milk and water, and thrown up the bowels; for by this your bowels will be relieved of their load, which always produces irritation, and your mind and feelings soon experience an agreeable change- You, who are always taking medicines to keep your bowels open, and whose stomachs are becoming ex- hausted and worn out by medical drugs, let me advise and entreat you as a friend and physician, who has witnessed throughout France, the great and surprising benefits arising from this simple operation, to abandon the idea of constantly taking medicines. Your good sense must teach you, if you will give yourselves time for reflection, that they must and will eventually destroy the coats of the stomach, and vitally impair its powers; and that when you do really require medicines to sub- due the disease, your systems will have become so habituated to them as to require tremendous doses; or so completely worn down by their constant use, as to produce no effect. In France, there is scarcely a fami- ly unprovided with an instrument for rglystering, which is always used when there is the slightest obstruction or costiveness of the bowels. These people mostly use a simple clyster of milk and water, and sometimes GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 603 water alone; in summer they use cold water, and in winter, water pleasantly warm. It is to the warm bath, and to the common use of clysters, that are to be attri- buted in a great degree, the cheerful dispositions, the uniform health, and the practical philosophy with which these people bear the hardships and misfortunes of life: in fact, if you take from a French physician the warm bath, and the glyster pipe, he cannot practice medicine with any kind of success.—The importance of glysters, both in the hands of physicians and families, has be- come so well known, and is now so highly valued, as to call forth the commendations of the most eminent physicians of both Europe and America. The old plan of administering clysters, was by an assistant; it was both inconvenient and indelicate, and has been measurably superseded, except in cases of infancy and extreme weakness, by a new and valuable invention, called a self pipe. The common method of using the old glyster pipe, is as follows:—You are to take a beef or hog's bladder, which has been blown up and suffered to get dry; and after inserting and fasten- ing a short hollow reed or quill in it, cut off at both ends of the barrel, you are to put the glyster itself into the bladder. The end of the reed or quill, or of the glyster pipe of the shops, if you use one, is now to be covered with some oil or lard, and gently put up the fundament about an inch, by an assistant, and the sides of the bladder squeezed together gradually, so as to throw its contents as far as possible up the bowels, but a full description of the particular mode of glystering in this way, will be given the sequel, or conclusion. The new invention consists of a pewter syringe or pipe, called a self pipe; the meaning of which is, a pipe that can be used without an assistant. It is so 604 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. constructed as to be used by yourself, or by an assis- tant, if you are so weak as to require one. The pew- ter syringe holds nearly a quart, and by a screw a long pipe is connected to the syringe, wrhich holds the glyster itself. All that is required, is to put the small tube into the fundament, and gradually to bear on the han- dle of the syringe, which, as you bear down steadily, throws the glyster up the bowels. The force with which the glyster is thrown up the bowels, depends on the pressure of the handle of the pipe. You are to recollect that the Torce, unless it be very gentle and steady, is never to be used; all you have to do, is to press gradually on the handle of the syringe, by which you will feel the distension of the bowels as the glyster is thrown up. When a glyster is to be thrown up by an assistant, the long pipe or tube is to be unscrewed, and a shorter one, made for the purpose, screwed on, which is to be used as a common squirt, on which principle it acts. One of these pipes may be purchased at any drug shop, for about two dollars; and I trust from the great advantages to be derived from this val- uable instrument, which in very many instances has even saved life, that no family in this country will long be without one. I shall now state the manner of ad- ministering a glyster, in such a way that it may be understood by any person possessed of the least judg- ment In giving a glyster by an assistant, the patient is to be laid on the edge of the bed, with the bottom a little over the edge, and the knees drawn up near the belly. The clyster pipe is then to be taken, the finger placed before it to keep in the contents, and applied to the fundament. On pushing in the pipe, the finger is to be taken away. The pipe is to be pushed up very gently. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 605 the operator's hand near the thighs, a little backwards, towards the backbone, and then the contents are to be forced out, by gently pushing the handle of the syringe with one hand, while with the other the syringe is firm- ly held; or if a bladder and pipe are used there is nothing to do but to introduce the pipe into the funda- ment as just described, and to gradually and gently squeeze the bladder, so as to empty the contents into the bowels. Glystering is one of the most powerful, innocent, mild and beneficial remedies known in the science and practice of medicine. FRICTION. Friction, in medicine, means the act of rubbing a diseased part with a soft brush, a coarse linen cloth, or with flannel, or by rubbing in the body or diseased parts, oils, unguents, and other matters, in order to ease, relieve and cure them. This exercise or rubbing, con- tributes remarkably to the health, particularly of seden- tary persons; for it excites and kindles the natural warmth, diverts defluctions, promotes perspiration, opens the pores, and tends to dissipate stagnant humors: This operation is also particularly beneficial to the nervous, debilitated and studious—being a useful sub- stitute for other exercises. Hence I recommend to such individuals to spend half an hour every morning and evening in rubbing their whole bodies, especially their limbs, with the brush or flannel. It ought, however, to be observed, that this practice will be of the greatest service when the stomach and bowels are empty. Lastly, I venture to assert, that the most important purposes to which friction may be rendered subservient 606 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. in the animal economy, have hitherto been almost entirely neglected: I am convinced from experience, that medicated frictions, or the introduction of the most active medicines into the human system, by rubbing them in properly on the surface of the body, is attended with the most happy effects, especially in all chronic diseases. Common sense appears to have long since pointed out this excellent method of administering medicines, even to the Indian savages, though it is little practiced in the United States, where the stomach is doomed to be the field of battle, for deciding commo- tions and irregularities in our complicated frames. But who is hardy enough to maintain, that the digestive organ was by nature destined to become the exclusive vehicle of drugs, and to serve as their common labo- ratory? ISSUES. Issues are small ulcers or sores, formed by artificial means, in various parts of the body, for the purpose of procuring discharges of matter, considered beneficial in many diseases. They were formerly considered merely as drains, to carry off noxious or foul humors from the blood, and were therefore opened as near the affected part as practicable. But, as it is now well known that they produce benefit, as well by sympathy as by acting as a drain, they are usually placed where they will be the least dangerous and inconvenient. The most prop- er parts to place them in, are between the ribs, on either side of the back bone, in the hollow above the inner side of the knee, in the outer and fore part of the shoulder, in the nape of the neck; in fact, wherever GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 607 there is cellular substance enough for the entire protec- tion of the parts underneath. They must never be placed near any blood vessel of a large size, nor over a tendon, or thinly covered bone, nor over what is called the belly of a muscle. There are three kinds of them; the seton or cord, the pea or pepper issue, and the blister issue. When you take off a blister, and wish to convert the sore into an issue, a discharge of matter can easily be kept up for any length of time, by dressing the part once a day with any ointment mixed with a little powdered Spanish flies. If the discharge is too small, put a little more of the Spanish flies into it; and if too large, put a little less into the ointment, or desist from using the ointment for a few days, until the discharge be sufficiently diminished. This is called the blister issue. When you want what is called the pea or pepper issue, you must make an incision, or cut with a lancet, large enough to admit one or more peas or grains of pepper, or any thing else that will keep the sore run- ning. When this opening is made with a lancet, or any other sharp instrument, the skin must be pressed or pinched up together, and the cut made of sufficient size to admit the substance to be put into it The em- ployment of caustic, however, is the best mode of open- ing an issue: this caustic is the lapis infernalis of the drug shops. The caustic must be made into a kind of paste, with a little soft soap or water. You are then to put on an adhesive or sticking plaster, with a hole in the middle of it; and in this hole, on the skin, you arc to spread the caustic paste, and cover it with another slicking plaster, to keep the paste from spreading. In four days the place will become sore, and separate so 508 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. as to admit whatever you may choose to place in it, for the purpose of keeping it running. The seton, or cord issue, is always made when a large quantity of matter is required to be discharged; it is frequently put in the back of the neck, for diseases of the head and eyes, and between the ribs for com- plaints of the breast. The cord which is to be intro- duced, ought to be of cotton and silk threads, either not twisted together, or very loosely twisted. A part of the cord must then be besmeared and smoothed with some kind of ointment, and passed through the skin and part of the flesh, leaving a few inches of the cord hanging out on each side, to be moved backward every day, for the purpose of keeping it running. DISPENSATORY, OR CLASSIFICATION OF MEDICINES. The medicines required for common and useful purposes, are very few in number, compared with the hundreds you see displayed in doctor's shops for mere show, or because they possess some simple and innocent virtues. I assert it without fear of contradiction, that more than one-half of the medicines now in use, could be very easily dispensed with, and not the least incon- venience be felt for the want of them. When you see an extensive drug store, filled with drugs, tinctures, essences, &c. &c. &c. it always ought to remind you of a dinner table, covered with many unnecessary dishes, where two of the substantial ones, properly cooked, would answer the same purpose. This hint will be sufficient to apprise you, that there are many different medicines which produce the same effects on the human system, and consequently that there are a great many which are absolutely useless: and the choice of which, even by physicians, depends not so much on the characteristics or nature of the diseases* as on the particular caprice or partiality of the physi- cian himself Under the head of each disease, I have mentioned the principal medicines now in use to effect the cure, and also those which are held in the highest estimation by the most distinguished medical men. But, as the classification of several that may be useful to those who have but a limited range of selection, I shall proceed to classify and describe them as minutely as my limits will admit 77 610 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. You will recollect that when you are in the habit of taking medicine often, or any particular medicine fre- quently, your system will become so habituated to the effects, that larger and more increased doses will be required to produce the usual effects. This doctrine is proved to you, by those who have long been accustom- ed to the use of opium, spirits, or even tobacco. Man is the creature of habit, and can easily bring his system to bear, by slow degrees, medical drugs which would in the first instance produce death. By this rule, you are to remember, that in giving medicine, you are to vary it in larger or smaller doses, according to the strength or weakness of the patient, as your good sense and discretion may dictate. What would at times act only as a good purge, would in other cases, and where the patient is weakly and delicate, be productive of fatal consequences. Therefore, always take the consti- tution, the state or condition of the person, and the particular character of the disease into consideration, -before you administer medicines. EMETICS OR PUKES. These are medicines which, on being received into the stomach, produce vomiting or puking. They are called emetics by physicians, and are given in a great variety of cases, which you will see enumerated in the body of this work. Their operation will always be increased, and rendered much easier by drinking milk or blood warm water in considerable quantities, after the first operation. Ipecacuanha.—This is the mildest of pukes; the dose for a grown person is from fifteen to twenty grains, GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 611 dissolved in warm water; say, five or six spoonsful; give one spoonful every ten minutes until it operates. Tartar Emetic.—This is my favorate puke. You will always find it of superior efficacy in bilious fevers* It is the most generally used by physicians in producing full and copious vomiting or puking. A dose for a grown person is from five to six grains, which you are to dissolve in five or six table-spoonsful of warm water, and one table-spoonful of which you are to take every ten minutes, until it operates. Antimonial Wine.—This is nothing more than tar- tar emetic dissolved in wine. This dose is two or three tea-spoonsful, given every ten or fifteen minutes, until it operates. Antimonial wine is made as follows:—just dissolve forty grains of emetic tartar, into a large wine glass of warm water, which is about two ounces of water. After the emetic tartar is dissolved, add to this water about half a pint of Teneriffe wine: after stand- ing a few hours it will be fit for use. In cases where an emetic or puke is necessary for children, antimonial wine is nearly always given to them, and that too at a very early age. I have never hesitated, when necessary, to give it to children when first born, to relieve difficult respiration or breathing, where there was an accumulation of phlegm. The dose in such cases, ought not to be more than one or two drops; this medicine, however, is much oftener given to children of more advanced age. At any peri- od under one year of age, and over four months, the dose when intended to produce vomiting, is from five to ten drops, according to the necessities of the case, which is to be repeated at short intervals of time, until the effect is produced. But, in the dangerous disease called croup, and I wish you particularly to recollect 612 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. this, a larger quantity of the antimonial wine should be given, because there is in this disease a great insen- sibility to the operation of emetics. In an attack of croup, therefore, you need not be afraid to give a child six months old, from twenty-five to thirty drops, every fifteen minutes. White vitrol.—Of all the emetics, or pukes known in medicine, this is the quickest in its operation, and ought always to be given in cases which require an immediate evacuation of the stomach: these cases are generally those in which poisons have been swallowed. The dose is from twenty to thirty grains, in a cup of warm water: this medicine is called by physicians sul- phate of zinc. The connexion of the stomach with every part of the body, and the great power it exercises over all por- tions of the system, and particularly over the brain, have been fully explained to you: the fact is, as I have before stated, that I consider the brain as the father, and the stomach as the mother of the system. In con- sequence of the very close connexion between the stomach and head, emetics or pukes act as powerful and valuable remedies, in all diseases connected with the brain and its dependencies. They not only relieve the stomach, by discharging its acrid, vitiated, and sometimes oppressive contents; but they, at the same time, promote the secretion and evacuation of bile. They also, and that powerfully, promote a determina- tion to the surface, by which I mean perspiration or sweating: the fact is, that a moisture can be produced on the skin, either by vomiting or puking, or by the mere nausea or sickness of the stomach, arising from emetics given in proper doses. I have not space here, to enumerate all the advantages arising from emetics; GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 613 they will be found under the different heads of diseases, as treated in this work. I will now give you some directions, as to the admin- istration of emetics, in particular cases and states of the system. If the person to whom you wish to give a puke, is of a full and fat habit of body, with a short neck, a great determination of blood to the head, you should draw some blood from the arm before giving the puke. By doing this, you will render the puking easy and copious, and prevent all danger of apoplexy from too great a determination of blood to the head of the patient Doctor Chapman, one of the professors of the Medical School of Philadelphia, states explicitly, and in strong terms, that many lives have been endan- gered, and some actually sacrificed, for want of this necessary precaution of bleeding. In all cases where the necessity for a puke is urgent, and especially where poisons have been swallowed, give a full dose of emetic medicine at once; but in common cases, you may give an emetic in broken doses, as I have directed: this will prevent too great violence in the operation. You should, if convenient, always give an emetic on an empty stomach, and in the morning; because at this time, it will always act with greater certainty and effect, and with much less distress to the patient. When you find that an emetic acts too severely, and you wish to check the operation, give from twenty to thirty drops of laudanum in a little toddy, and apply cloths wrung out of warm water to the pit of the stomach: or you may apply stewed garden mint to the stomach; or drink thin chicken soup, with some salt in it, so as to turn the oper- ation downward. If these measures fail, give a glyster, in which you are to put double the quantity of lauda- num usually given by the mouth; and if this also fails 614 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. put a large blister over the pit of the stomach, and poultices to the feet, made of pounded mustard seed, corn meal, and vinegar. The quantity of laudanum I have mentioned, has reference to grown persons, and not to children. In all cases considt the table of med- icines. ACTIVE PURGATIVES. These are such medicines as purge freely. When you use them with the intention that they shall act mildly on the bowels, and only keep them gently open, they are called laxatives by physicians: these medicines are usually mixed with honey, molasses, or any kind of syrup that is convenient; their operation is always pro- moted by mild drinks, such as thin gruel pleasantly warm, or any kind of warm tea. If at any time you take a purgative medicine, such as calomel, for in- stance, and it should not operate in due time, it will always be proper to assist the operation by some one of the laxative medicines. Calomel--A purgative; the dose for a grown person is from fifteen to twenty grains—and I now again, for the last time, tell you, that small doses of this medicine act more unkindly than large ones. In a reasonable dose, calomel will work off without assistance, while in a small dose, it is liable to remain in the system, if not removed by the assistance of laxative medicines. I am now speaking of the calomel when given with the intention of purging. Calomel and jalap: purgative; ten grains of each, mixed with honey, molasses, or any kind of syrup, is a dose for a grown person. This valuable preparation. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 615 "vvas a favorite with the celebrated Doctor Rush; he generally gave it in fevers—it both purges and sweats freely. Twenty grains of each, mixed as above, is a dose for a grown person. Calomel and gamboge: purgative; ten grains of calomel, and three grains of gamboge, mixed with honey, molasses, or any kind of syrup, is a dose for a grown person: it is a valuable and active purge, given in bilious fevers. Lee's anti-bilious pills: purgative; they are made of five grains of calomel, ten grains of jalap, two grains of gamboge, and half a grain of tartar emetic. This is a valuable preparation, and very easily made; and the information I have given, will enable you to prepare these pills yourself, and always to have them fresh for use. Those obtained from the stores are generally old, hard and dry, and do not operate as if fresh and newly made. Cook's pills: a valuable purge, particularly when the liver is diseased, and in female complaints, where obstructions and irregularities take place in the month- ly discharges. These pills are made with equal quan- tities of rhubarb, aloes and calomel, ground fine*' well mixed together, and made into pills of a common size, with a little honey or syrup. A dose of these pills for a grown person consists of three or four of them, which operates freely as a purge. These pills may be frequently taken, until the desired effect is produced. Salts, senna, and manna: purgative; take of each of these articles half an ounce, and put them into a pint of hot water: after which you are to cover the vessel in which you make the preparation. For a grown person, take of this a tea-cupful every hour until it operates freely. 616 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. Salts and tartar emetic: purgative; to a common dose of salts, add one grain of emetic tartar—this is a very valuable purge to remove bile. May apple, jalap, rhubarb: purgatives:—the roots of these plants act in doses* from thirty to fifty grains each, taken separately, as an effective purge. If either of these roots are given with calomel, the dose should be from five to ten, or fifteen grains of calomel, mixed with about twenty grains of the May apple, jalap, or rhubarb root well pounded. LAXATIVES, These are medicines which gently open the bowels; Castor oil, an innocent and valuable medicine; the dose for a grown person, is from two to three table- spoonsful. The most agreeable way of taking this laxative oil, is in coffee, or a little spirits of any kind. Sweet oil—generally called olive oil. It acts on the bowels the same as castor oil. The dose for a grown person is from two to three table-spoonsful: like castor oil, you may take it in a little spirits or coffee. Charcoal in powder.—This is one of the most val- uable and innocent medicines we possess, particularly for persons laboring under dyspepsia or indigestion. To persons of a costive habit of body, the use of pounded charcoal is invaluable, from its always keep- ing the bowels open and regular. The dose for a grown person is one table-spoonful, mixed with honey, milk, or cold water. The preparation of charcoal as a medicine is very simple. It consists in merely burn- ing the charcoal used by smiths, over again: to do which,you are to place it in an iron vessel, and expose GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 617 it to a hot fire until it becomes of a red heat; then suffer it to cool, pound it very fine, and put it in a dry bottle, which is to be tightly corked. This is the whole secret of preparing charcoal for medical purposes, It is an excellent medicine in all depraved conditions of the stomach, and it will also check the violent vomitings or pukings which accompany bilious and yellow fevers; and I will now disclose to you a secret respecting the use of charcoal, which is probably unknown to the physicians of the United States. Whilst I was at Ha^ vanna, a city in the island of Cuba, I discovered the secret, by which the Spanish physicians check and re- lieve the approaching symptoms of black vomit in yellow fever: the medicinal preparation is charcoal and oil of turpentine mixed; but I could never ascertain the quan- tity of each. This matter, however, can easily be as* certained by experiment Magnesia, calcined.—Two tea-spoonsful of this medicine is a dose for a grown person; it must be taken in half a tumbler of cold water. If you take uncalcined magnesia, a table-spoonful will be required as a dose* This medicine corrects acidity of the stomach, and gently opens the bowels. It is also well adapted to women in a family way, and to persons afflicted with dyspepsia or indigestion. A dose taken at bed time, will generally afford to dyspeptic persons a pleasant night's rest, by aiding the digestive powers. Cream of Tartar.—This is a cooling and innocent laxative medicine, and is remarkably well adapted to the w arm season. It may be taken in cold water sweet- ened w ith sugar. The dose for a grown person, is a table-spoonful, in a tumbler of water. Manna.—This is the most innocent laxative medicine made use of in the practice of physic. On account of 78 618 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. its extreme mildness in operating, it is better adapted to infants than any purgative known. Used as a laxative, it is seldom given to grown persons alone, but generally combined or mixed with senna: the compound is called senna and manna. If the manna be given alone, the dose for a grown person is from one to two ounces, dis* solved in hot water. If you give it combined with senna, half an ounce of manna, with the same quantity of senna made into a tea, with about a pint of boiling water, is the dose for a grown person. [See the heads senna and manna, in the index.] Flour of Sulphur.—This is nothing but brimstone purified and powdered very fine. From one tea-spoon- ful to ten, or about the same quantity given in broken doses, three times a day, will moderately purge a grown person. Whenever any of the above purgative or laxative medicines purge too much, and the patient is becoming weak, if you wish to check the operation, you are to give a dose of laudanum, from twenty to thirty drops; or you may give a glyster, in which you are to put double the quantity of laudanum taken by the mouth, and at the same time apply hot cloths, wrung out of boiling water, as warm as they can be borne, to the stomach of the patient: either of these measures will stop the operation of the medicines. In some cases, from the bowels being torpid, medi- cines of a purgative nature will not produce a passage. In such cases, you are to wait a reasonable time for their operation; if they do not operate, you are to give glysters. [For instructions, see head glysters, in index.] If these means fail, as they sometimes do, instead of giving heavy doses of medicine by the mouth, give .glysters of warm water, and at the same time pour the GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 619 coldest water over the belly of the patient. Sailors, when at sea, and when they have no medicine on board, frequently relieve themselves from costiveness of the bowels, by merely lying with their bellies over the but of a cannon, the coldness of which seldom fails to pro- duce a strong disposition to stool. In severe constipa- tion of the bowels, when the common remedies fail to procure a passage or stool, give a mixture of castor oil and oil of turpentine, of each half an ounce at one dose—and if it does not operate in due time you are to repeat the same. This powerful and valuable dis- covery has been lately used with great success in the city of New York. STIMULANTS. Stimulants are medicines which excite the whole system into action; the best of which are, our common spirituous liquors, intended by Divine Providence as medicines, but which we abuse in their employment as luxuries of daily use, by which they are converted into poisons, pregnant with deadly mischief; destroying the reasoning faculties, and entailing upon the unfortunate devotee, a train of corporeal afflictions which infallibly eventuate in his premature dissolution. They are, therefore, to be regarded, rather than a blessing, as a curse upon posterity and a nation. It is a fact certainly known to those who are in the habit of constantly using stimulants, that they require to be frequently adminis- tered, or else they lose their power: that when the system has, for any length of time, been accustomed to those stimulants, it is necessary gradually to increase the quantity, to produce the same action upon the sys- 620 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. tern which was excited by their early or first use. The stimulants generally considered medicinal, or used in medicine, are as follows: Sulphuric Ether.—This is a valuable stimulant in cases of great debility or weakness, in hysterical cases, in cramp of the stomach, in checking vomiting or puking, in allaying sea-sickness, and discharging wind from the stomach. Externally applied to the head, it will greatly assist in relieving head ache. Ether is to be kept well corked, or it will lose its strength; and when it is taken, it must be drank as quick as possible after it is mixed with water, or it will lose the power or effect it is intended to produce.—Dose, from one to three tea-spoonsful, mixed in a stem or wine glass of cold water. Spirits of Hartshorn.—This is a strong and active stimulant; it is generally used in hysterical complaints, and nervous head ache, and is also a valuable remedy in dyspepsia. See page 133. By the alkaline proper- ty which it possesses, it neutralizes acids in the stomach, at the same time communicating strength to that organ. In all extreme cases of debility of the stomach, attend- ed with vomiting and spasms, as is frequently the case with habitual drunkards, hartshorn will be found a most valuable remedy.—It will relieve the sting of the bee, wasp, and other insects, by keeping the wounded part wet with it.—Dose from one to two tea-spoonsful. Opium, and the preparation made from opium call- ed laudanum, when given in small doses, act as stimu- lants—when given in larger doses, produce sleep and relieve pain. For a full description of both these articles, see heads in index, and for doses, see table of Medicines. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 621 Spirit or Oil of Turpentine, when taken internally, is one of the most active and diffusable stimulants, per- vading the whole extent of the system, but with greater force to certain parts; and in cases where the bowels are obstinately constipated or bound; in puerperal, or child- bed fever, and in epileptic fits, particularly where these complaints are brought on by worms, it also acts as an evacuant or purge. The dose is from three to four tea- spoonsful alone, or with a small portion of water. Spirit of Lavender.—This is a mild and pleasant stimulant, and is generally administered to females in hysterical affections. When mixed with sulphuric ether in equal quantities, it is valuable in debility, or weakness of the system. The dose of lavender alone is three tea-spoonsful. There is nothing more difficult in the practice of medicine, than to determine when it is proper to pre- scribe stimulants: nor is it possible for me here to point out to you the exact time, or to give further light on the subject, than in advising you to be guided by the state of the system; and avoid their application during fever, as they invariably increase it; and never pre- scribe them in any case, until proper evacuations have been made. It is only in the protracted and feeble stage of diseases, that they can be resorted to with any hope of advantage.—By watching their operation, you can readily perceive by the absence or presence of the following symptoms, whether their administration is proper or not: pain in the head; delirious wanderings, or in other words, the patient talks wildly; great watch- fulness ; stricture, or tightness of the breast; restless- ness and anxiety, with a hot, dry skin, parched tongue, and a quick, small, and corded pulse. Upon the 622 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. appearance of any, or all of the above symptoms, you are immediately to desist in the use of stimulants. ANODYNES. Anodynes are those medicines which ease pain andf procure sleep. Opium, in doses of from two to five grains. See table of medicines; and also for a full description of opium, see that head. Laudanum, made by dissolving an ounce of opium in a pint of good spirits of any kind—it is generally fit for use in five or six days. Fifty drops of laudanum are equal to two grains of opium. For doses of this, or any other medicine, refer to the table of medicines. Paregoric, made by adding half a drachm of opium —or one ounce of laudanum to a pint of spirit of any kind, and mixing with them half a drachm of flowers of benzoin, the same quantity of the oil of anise-seed, and one scruple of camphor. The dose is three or four tea-spoonsful. For the different ages, refer to the table of medicines. ANTISPASMODICS. Antispasmodics, are medicines which are given to remove spasm or cramp, and generally used by physi- cians for this purpose. Opium or Laudanum, in doses depending on the extreme urgency or danger of the case. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 623 Hot Toddy, made with spirits, hot water, and sweetened with sugar. Sulphuric Ether, dose from two tea-spoonsful to a table-spoonful, in half a cup of cold water. Asafaetida, a lump weighing from eight to ten, or even twenty grains; or if you use the tincture, which is nothing more than asafcetida steeped in whiskey as follows: Take of asafcetida, two ounces, and put it in a pint of old whiskey, or good spirits of any kind; let it stand for ten days, and the tincture is ready for use. Dose from one tea-spoonful to four, mixed in a little cold water. Essence of Peppermint, given in a large dose, mixed with hot toddy. The best means for removing spasm, are the warm bath,—see page 156, bleeding freely, and applying e gentle and continued friction 640 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. on the body, for some vital spark may yet linger, and be warmed into animation—Providence may bless your kind efforts, and what heart-felt gratification will it afford you to be the humble instrument of restoring the life of a fellow creature, who, perhaps, in an unex- pected and unprepared slate, has been thus situated, with the last glimmering hope sinking fast into eternity. If I had space—and I regret I have not—I could give you several interesting cases that have fallen under my care, and many I have witnessed, particularly in the cases of drowning, in which the most happy effects have been produced by perseverance. But on this highly important subject, let me refer you to the head? Suspended Animation. In all cases, where the patient is unable from severe injury to walk, it is necessary immediately to prepare a conveyance—and for this purpose, take two boards sufficiently long and broad, and then nail two cross pieces with the ends projecting about a foot for handles —or make, if the plank is not convenient, a litter form- ed of the branches of trees. On either of these, con- vey your patient to the nearest house. If the person should be bleeding, you must stop the blood before moving him or her. In removing him on and from this litter to the bed, be extremely careful, as many serious accidents occur by being in too great a hurry and alarm; frequently there is considerable pain inflict- ed unnecessarily, by awkwardly stripping off the coat or pantaloons; therefore rip up the seams, by which you prevent very often, much unnecessary pain: recol- lect never to use the least force. When the patient is stripped, and the room cleared of all unnecessary lookers on, which is generally the case, much to the annoyance of the patient and his physician, particularly Gl NN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 641 if a female, then proceed to ascertain the injury, if a male, with calmness and firmness—if a female, with tenderness and delicacy, yet with certainty, as to the nature of the injury. I would here remark in plain lan- guage, as I have always done in all my advice and writings, that false delicacy has in many instances, de- stroyed the lives of many females, that might have otherwise been easily preserved. With these remarks and directions, I shall in as few words as possible, and in plain language, proceed to give such directions in surgery, as may be easily performed by the most hum- ble person who will but attend to the directions. Injuries may be simple or compound; that is, it may be a contusion or bruise, a wound, fracture, or dislocation, or it may be two or all of them united, in one or several parts. A Contusion is of course the consequence of every blow, and is known by the swelling and the skin being bruised and discolored—wounds require of course no explanation. Fractures, in other words broken bones, are known by the sudden and severe pain, and by the appearance of the limb being out of shape—sometimes, by its being shortened, and by the person being unable to move it without great pain. But the most certain way to as- certain it, is to grasp the limb above and below the spot supposed to be fractured, and by moving it gently different ways, you hear a grating noise, occasioned by the broken ends of the bone rubbing against each other. Very often, however, before you can arrive to render assistance, the limb becomes much swollen. In such a case, always reduce first the swelling, as by twisting the limb or other experiments, it will give the most excruciating pain to the afflicted person. 81 642 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. Dislocations, or in other words, bones being out of joint, are easily perceived by the deformity of the joint which you can compare with its fellow, and plainly ob- serve the difference, and from the person being in great pain, and unable to move the limb, and by its being longer or shorter than common, and from the impossi- bility of moving it in any direction, without great misery. CONTUSION OR BLOW. If slight, you must bathe the part frequently with cold applications, such as vinegar and water, ice water, or cold spring water, this will reduce or keep down in- flammation or fever; this must be occasionally used for five or eight hours; but if fever should come on, then bleed, and purge well with salts, and diet the person on the lightest food and cool drinks. If the fever should still continue, you must repeat the bleeding and purging; perhaps a good active dose of calomel, followed by a dose of salts, in this event, would cut short the fever- Be particular as to the patient's passing his water, as it frequently happens from a blow, that the nerves of the bladder become palsied, and the patient feels no desire 1o make, although the bladder is full. In this case, it is highly important to attend to drawing off the water by a catheter, an instrument for this purpose; for direc- tions how it is used, see under the head directions for passing Catheter. The most serious effects, however, resulting from contusion, is when the blow is on the head, producing either concussion or compression of the brain. Se^ those heads. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 643 SPRAINS. Sprains are to be treated with the coldest applica- tions; and for this purpose, Nature's remedy is by far the best; cold water. Plunge the sprained part into cold water, and hold it there as long as you can bear it; after which, dry it with a coarse towel, and rub on it spirits of camphor; by which I mean, spirits that cam- phor has been dissolved in; rub this well in, and bind it with flannel, and every morning and evening, pour cold water on it from the spout of a tea kettle, held up at a considerable height. This simple remedy will relieve you in a short time, and to a weak joint of any kind, this is an invaluable prescription. I have removed the weakness of an ankle of long standing by it, when all other applications failed. CONCUSSION OF THE BRAIN. SvmptOxMs. The person stunned—the breathing is slow—great drowsiness and stupidity—the pupil of the eye rather contracted, or drawn up—frequent vomiting or puking. After a time he recovers. Remedies. Apply cloths dipped in cold vinegar and water, to the head; and if you have ice, its application will be greatly beneficial. So soon as the stupor is off bleed, and open the bowels with epsom salts, or any cooling purge; by all means, confine him to the bed, and the lowest and most cooling diet and drinks—the room kept dark but cool, and no noise whatever. In this quiet situation, you are to endeavor to prevent in- flammation of the brain, which, if it comes on, must be met by free and copious bleeding, blisters and purg- ing. 644 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. COMPRESSION OF THE BRAIN. Symptoms. Loss of sense and motion—slow, noisy, and difficult breathing—the pulse is quite slow and irregular—the muscles relaxed, as in a person just dead—the pupil of the eye enlarged, and will not con- tract, even for a strong light—the person cannot be roused, and bears a resemblance to one afflicted with an apoplectic fit Remedies. Bleed freely, and shave the head, and apply cool applications to it until you can procure a good surgeon, and this must be done immediately or it will be too late, as there is nothing but an operation in this case, that will save life. WOUNDS. Wounds are of three kinds: first, incised wound, which means a clean cut; second, a punctured wound which means a wound produced by sharp pointed instruments, as needles, awls, nails, &c.; third, a con- tused wound, which means a wound occasioned by round or blunt bodies, as musket balls, clubs, stones, and all gun shot wounds, are included in this last men- tioned term. Remedies. In all wounds, the first thing to be done is to endeavor to stop the flow of blood; should this be but trifling, draw the edges of the wound together with your hand, and hold them in that position for some time, when the blood will frequently stop. If it still continue, and the quantity large, or of a. bright red color, flow- ing in spirts, or with a sudden jerk, then clap your finger on the spot it springs from, and press it with firmness, while you request some other person to pass a handker- chief round the limb, (supposing the wound to be in one,) above the cut, and to tie its two ends together in a hard knot, A stick of any kind, must now be passed under the knot, (between the upper surface of the limb and the handkerchief,) and turned round and round until the stick is brought down to the thigh, so as to make the handkerchief encircle it with considerable tightness; you may then take off your finger; if the blood still flows, tighten the handkerchief by a turn or two of the stick, until the blood ceases. The patient may now be removed (taking great care to secure the 646 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. stick in its position) without running any risk of bleed- ing to death by the way. As this apparatus must not be left on for any length of time without destroying the life of the parts, endeavor as quick as you conveniently can, to secure the bleeding vessels; for I shall give you such ample and plain directions, that any person of common sense may take them up and secure them in a proper manner, and perfectly safe. In the first place, wax together three or four threads of a sufficient length, cut it into as many pieces as you think there are vessels to be taken up, each piece being about a foot long- Now wash the parts with warm water, and then with a sharp hook, similar to a crooked awl, or a slender pair of pincers in your hand, fix your eye steadfastly upon the wound, and direct the handkerchief to be gently loosed by a turn or two of the stick; you will now see the mouth of the artery from which the blood springs; seize it with your hook or pincers, draw it a little out, while the person who assists you passes the waxed thread (called by medical men, a ligature) round the artery or bleeding vessel; now tie it up tight, with a double knot In this way take up, one after the other, each bleeding vessel you can see or get hold of Should the wound be too high up in a limb to apply the handkerchief, don't be alarmed, for the bleeding can still be commanded. If it is the thigh, press firmly in the groin, or if in the arm, with the hand-end or ring of a common door key, make pressure above the collar bone, and about its middle, against the first rib which lies under it. The pressure is to be continued until you can obtain assistance, and then tie up the bleeding vessels as before directed. If the wound, is on the head, you must press your finger firmly on it until a compress (which means several folds of linen) is fur- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 647 "lushed; this is to be bound firmly over the artery by a bandage. If the wound is in the face, or so situated that pressure cannot be effectually made, or you cannot get hold of the vessel, and the blood flows fast, put a piece of ice, or a cloth wet with tanner's ooze, or flour, and let it remain on until the blood coagulates; you can then remove it, and apply a compress or bandage. It is important that this simple method I have described, should be practised so as to enable any one to compress the great arteries in these situations, thereby preserving many a man who would, for the want of this simple assistance, bleed to death before a surgeon or medical aid could be procured. INCISED WOUNDS. The meaning of an incised wound, is a clean or fresh cut. Wash away all the dirt that may be in the wound, with a sponge or linen rag and warm water; when the blood is stopped, draw the sides of the wound nicely together, then confine it in this situation by narrow strips of sticking plaster, placed at short distances apart, and directly across the wound. Now a fold (or soft compress of old linen or lint,) is to be laid over and confined by a bandage. In many cases, you will find inflammation follow. If this should be the case, then remove the strips, and bleed and purge the patient, and keep him on very low diet, and as quiet and cool as possible; in other or more plain language, endeavor to keep down fever— and now recollect that matter must form before the wound will heal; therefore it is best to encourage it by applying a soft poultice of any kind, until the 648 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. matter is produced; after which, you may use any simple ointment in this place. The usual or common method of narrow strips of linen, spread with sticking plaster, called by physicians adhesive plaster, form the best means of keeping the sides of a wound together when they can be applied: yet if the wound is in the ear, nose, tongue, lips, bag, by which I mean the pri- vates, or the eye-lids, then use stitches, which are made in the following manner: Thread a common needle with a double waxed thread, pass the point of it through the skin, at a little distance from the edge of the cut, and bring it out of the opposite one at the same distance. Should the wound be large, so as to require more than one stich, cut off the needle, thread it again, and proceed on to take as many stitches as necessary; leave all the threads loose until all the stitches are pass- ed, when the ends of each thread must be tied in a hard double knot, drawing the thread in such a way that it bears a little on the side of the cut. When the edges of the wound are partly united by inflammation, cut then the knots, and draw out carefully all the threads. From the plain matter in which I have writ- ten and explained to you, you will easily perceive, that in all wounds, after stopping the flow of blood, and cleansing the parts, the important point is to bring the sides of the wound even, and together, so that it may grow together as quick as possible, without producing any matter; this is called by physicians healing by the first intention. Now to produce this desirable effect, in addition to what I have already mentioned, you must recollect two things necessary to be attended to; first, the position of the patient; and secondly, the applica- tion of the bandage. Let the position be such as will relax as much as possible, the skin and muscles of the GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 649 part wounded; by attending to this strictly, you will prevent, or in a great measure lessen the tendency to separate or open. My method in such cases, is as fol- lows: take a common bandage of proper width and length, and pass it over the compresses moderately tight, so as to keep them in their proper place, and by its pressure, the wound will heal immediately, and keep it from separating or opening. In many cases, the wound is so large and severely painful that the limb or body of the patient cannot be raised or moved, for the purpose of applying or removing it; then spread the ends of one or two strips of linen or leather with sticking plaster, which may be applied in place of the bandage, in the following way: stick one end of the strip to the sound skin, at a short distance from the edge of the compress, over which it is to be drawn with moderate firmness, and secured in the same man- ner on the opposite side; if you see that it is necessary to secure it more fully, apply a second or third, or until properly secured. As I have before told you, if vio- lent inflammation come on, in all wounds the proper practice is to reduce it by bleeding, purging, &c. but if you see any symptoms of approaching locked-jaw, give your patient wine, brandy, opium, porter, &c. in other words, stimulate him freely, and give a generous diet. PUNCTURED WOUNDS. These wounds, called by physicians punctured wounds, are produced by any sharp pointed instru- ments, as nails, awls, needles, &c. Treatment. First stop the bleeding, then with- draw the needle, splinters, glass, or any thing that may 82 650 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. be in a wound of this nature, provided it can be done easily; and if enlarging the wound a little, will enable you to get any foreign body out, it is best to do so. Though it is not always necessary to enlarge wounds of this nature; yet when the weather is very warm, I advise you not to neglect doing so; because it is a pre- caution against locked-jaw, which occurs frequently in wounds of this description. I recollect a case in 1816, that occurred at Savannah, Georgia. A Miss D---- L----, a most amiable and accomplished lady, in making preparation for a ball, by accident, stuck a needle slightly in her heel. The puncture being slight, she attended the ball. On the following day, symptoms of locked-jaw commenced; and the second day, not- withstanding the skill afforded her by several eminent professional gentlemen, she died. So soon as you en- large a wound of this description as directed, pour a little turpentine into the wound, or touch it with caustic, and then cover it with a poultice, moistened with lauda- num; the object of the poultice is to form matter. When this is done, you must then treat it as a common sore, with mild ointment of any kind. Frequently in such cases, there is a great deal of pain; if so, give laudanum in large doses,—you need not fear giving laudanum in broken doses, until the patient gets ease; for I have often given it as high as two hundred drops, say thirty at each dose, before partial ease could be afforded. In warm weather, inflammation often occurs; in such a case bleed in moderation, and purge freely— recollect here to use the lancet with care and discretion. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 651 CONTUSED WOUNDS. Wounds of this description are made by round or blunt bodies, as musket balls, clubs, stones, &c. In such wounds you may have little to fear of loss of blood, as they are attended generally by little bleeding; if any, it must be stopped. If the wound is produced by a ball, and the ball can be felt, or easily got at, it is proper to extract,—it is proper to do so, or any piece of the wad or cloth, or clothing should be withdrawn— for instance, if the ball can be plainly felt immediately under the skin, then make an incision across it and take it out. But remember well, this salutary council —never allow any poking in the wound to search for a ball or any articles differently situated from what I have plainly described, for many deaths occur, which if properly managed, or in other words, so much unne- cessary science dispensed with, would have been en- tirely cured. The best extracter in such cases is a soft bread and milk poultice. In fact, by long experience and reflection, I should say that gun-shot wounds, that have formed a lodgment must not be opened either lightly or wantonly; nor under the idea of hunting for extraneous substances; for the parts themselves will bring these to the surface, and such as cannot be thus extracted, give little trouble, nor do they prevent the healing of a wound. It is particularly vain to hunt balls, because they take a wayward course, and often find a lodgment where the surgeon or physician would be least inclined to look for them. Even if the ball can be felt, and yet the skin is sound, some eminent sur- geons think it will not be prudent to extract it before the original wound is healed, because, where it rests it can do no harm, and it is better to have only one wound at a time than two. When a ball has wounded 652 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. a cavity, as for example, the abdomen, which means the belly; if the ball has passed with little velocity, the parts will heal by the first intention: [You will recol- lect I explained plainly to you the meaning of healing by the first intention.] If, however^ it has passed with such velocity or quickness, as to procure a slough, meaning an inward huse, the adhesive inflammation will take place on the peritonaeum, meaning the skin which lines the belly, and covers the abdominal viscera, or in other words, the bowels, and the organs in the belly and chest The adhesive inflammation, as re- marked, will take place on this peritonaeum all around the wound, which will prevent the general cavity from taking part in the inflammation, although the ball shall have not only penetrated, but wounded, those parts not immediately essential to life, in its passage through the body; for whatever solid viscus has been pierced, the surfaces in contact, surrounding every orifice, will unite by the adhesive inflammation, so as to form one contin- ued canal, with which the general cavity has no com- munication. If any extraneous or outward body has been carried in by the ball, it will be included in these adhesions, and with the slough, will be conducted by one of the orifices to the outward surface. If the ball has wounded the liver or the surface, these may soon acquire the healing disposition; if the stom- ach, intestines, kidneys, ureters, or bladder, such inju- ries are generally mortal; for their contents escape into the cavity of the abdomen or belly, and universal inflammation of the peritonaeum takes place, attended by great pain and tension or swelling, which terminates in death. But if the wound is small and the bowels are not full, adhesions may take place all round the wound, which will confine the matter, and make it go pn in its GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 653 right channel. When a ball has not penetrated any of the viscera of the abdomen, but only by contusion pro- duced death in a part, whenever the slough comes away, the matter contained in that viscus will escape, but as the adhesive inflammation takes place between the sur- faces in contact, the new channel will be preserved entire, and cut off the communication between the ex- ternal air and the cavity of the abdomen. This chan- nel may however, in time be closed, and the contents may pass by their accustomed course. A young gen- tleman was shot through the body, the balls, three in number, entered on the left side of the navel, and came out behind just above the superior vertebra of the loins. The first water he made was bloody—in less than a fortnight, John Hunter, the most eminent sur- geon of London, pronounced him out of danger, being persuaded, that whatever cavities the balls had entered, were united by the adhesive inflammation, so as to form one complete canal, and that neither the extraneous matters, carried in with the balls, nor any slough, which might separate from the sides of the canal, nor matter formed in it, could get into the cavity of the ab- domen, but must be conducted to the external surface of the body, cither through the wounds or from an abscess forming for itself, which would work its own exit somewhere. Soon after this conclusion, some faeces, (meaning that which should pass from the fun- dament,) coming through the wound, confirmed him in his opinion respecting the efforts of nature, which arc great on such occasions to secure the cavity of the abdomen: yet he feared this wound might in future perform the functions of the fundament. He saw clearly, that an intestine had received a bruise sufficient to kill the part, and that till the separation of slouch 654 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. had taken place, both the intestine and canal were still complete, and therefore did not communicate with each other, but that when the slough was thrown off, the two were laid into one at this part, and that there- fore the contents of the intestine got into this wound. This symptom, however, gradually decreased by the contraction of this opening, till an entire stop to the passage of the faeces by it took place, and the wounds were healed, and the gentleman entirely restored to health. Having fully described to you the effects of gun shot wounds, and their general effects, I shall conclude, by directing you in such cases, should the inflammation be great, bleed and purge. If your patient labors under great pain, give laudanum, and if the parts assume a dark look, threatening a mortification, cover them with a blister. Where the wound is much torn, wash the parts very nicely with warm water, and then, (having secured every bleeding vessel,) lay them all down in as natural a position as possible, drawing their edges gent- ly together, or as much so as possible, by strips of stick- ing plaster, or stitches, if necessary. Now apply a soft bread and milk poultice over the wrhole. WOUNDS OF THE EAR, NOSE, &c. Treatment. Wash the parts well, so as to cleanse them from all dirt, &c. and then draw the edges of the wound together by as many stitches as are necessary. If the part is even completely separated, and has been trodden under foot, by washing it in warm water, and placing it even, and accurately, in its proper place, by the same means it may still adhere or grow on. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE, 655 WOUNDS OF THE SCALP. Treatment. In wounds of the scalp, it is necessary to shave off the hair. After this operation is perform- ed, wash the parts well, and draw the edges of the wTound together with sticking plaster. If it has been torn up in several places, wash and lay them all down on the skull again, drawing their edges together as nearly as possible, by sticking plaster, or, if necessary, by stitches. Then cover the whole with a soft fold or bandage, smeared with some simple ointment of any kind. WOUNDS OF THE THROAT. Treatment. Seize and tie up every bleeding vessel you can get hold of. If the windpipe is cut only partly through, secure it with sticking plaster. If it is com- pletely divided, bring its edges together by stitches, taking care to pass the needle through the loose mem- brane that covers the windpipe, and not through the windpipe itself The head should be bent on the breast during this operation, and secured by bolsters and band- ages in that position, to favor the approximation of the wound. WOUNDS OF THE CHEST. If the wound in the chest is a simple incised wound, draw the edges of it together by sticking plaster, cover it by a fold or compress of linen, and pass a bandage round the chest. The patient is to be confined to his bed, kept on ver\ low diet, and bled and purged, in order to prevent inflammation. If, however, inflamma- 656 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. tion should come on, you must reduce it by copious and frequent bleedings. Should the wound be occasioned by a bullet, extract it, and any pieces of cloth, &>c. that may be lodged in it, if possible, and cover the wound with a piece of linen smeared with some simple oint- ment, taking great care that it is not drawn into the chest. If a portion of the lung protrudes or projects out, return it to its place immediately, but be as gentle and cautious as possible. WOUNDS OF THE BELLY. In wounds of the belly, close it by strips of sticking plaster, and stitches passed through the skin, about half an inch from the edge of the wound, and cover the whole with a soft compress of linen, secured by a band- age. Any inflammation that may arise, is to be reduced by bleeding, purging, and a blister over the whole belly. Should any part of the bowels come out at the wound, if clean and uninjured, return it as quickly as possible: if covered with dirt, clots of blood, &c. wash it carefully in warm water previous to returning it If the gut is wounded, and only cut partly through, draw the two edges of it together by a stitch, and return it; if com- pletely divided, you must connect the edges by four stitches at equal distances, and replace it in the belly, always leaving the end of the ligature or thread project from the external wound, which, must be closed by sticking plaster. In five or six days, if the threads are loose, withdraw them very gently and carefully. CI NX'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 657 WOUNDS OF JOINTS. In wounds of this description, you are to bring the edges of the wound together by sticking plaster, with- out any delay; keep the part perfectly at rest, bleed, purge and live very low, so as to prevent inflammation But should it come on, it must be met at its first approach by bleeding to as great an extent as the con- dition of the patient will warrant, and by a blister covering the whole joint. If the joint seems like it would be a stiff one, keep the limb in that position which will prove most useful; that is, the leg should be extended, and the arm bent at the elbow. Wounds of the joints are always highly dangerous, and frequently terminate fatally. WOUNDS OF TENDONS. Tendons or sinews are frequently wounded and ruptured. They are to be treated precisely like any other wound, by keeping their divided parts together. The tendon which connects the great muscle forming the calf of the leg with the heel, called the tendon of Achilles, is frequently cut with the adze, and ruptured in jumping from heights. This accident is to be rem- edied by drawing up the heel, extending the foot, and placing a splint on the fore part of the leg, extending from the knee to beyond the toes, which being secured in that position by a bandage, keep the foot in the position just mentioned. The hollows under the splint must be filled with tow or cotton. If the skin falls into the space between the ends of the tendon, apply a 83 658 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. piece of sticking plaster, so as to draw it out of the way. It usually takes five or six weeks to unite, but no weight should be laid on the limb for several months. OF FRACTURES. As I have before plainly pointed out to you how fractures may be known, it will be unnecessary to dwell on this subject It will however, be advisable, for you to recollect this general rule. In cases, where, from the accompanying circumstances, and symptoms, a strong suspicion exists, that the bone is fractured, it will be proper for you to act as though it were positive- ly ascertained to be so. FRACTURES OF THE BONE OF THE NOSE. Treatment. From the exposed situation of the bones of the nose, they are frequently forced in. When this is the case, any smooth article that will pass into the nostril should be immediately introduced with one hand, so as to raise the depressed portions to the pro- per level, while the other is employed in moulding them into the required shape. If violent inflammation fol- lows, bleed, purge, and live on the lowest kind of diet. FRACTURES OF THE LOWER JAW. Treatment. There is no difficulty in discovering this accident by looking into the mouth; and it is to be relieved by keeping the lower jaw firmly pressed against the upper one, by means of a bandage passed under 660 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. the chin and over the head. If it is broken near the angle, or that part nearest the ear, place a cushion or roll of linen behind it, over which the bandage must pass, so as to make it push that part of the bone for- ward. The parts are then to be confined in this way for twenty or twenty-five days; during which time, all the nourishment that is taken by the patient, should be sucked between the teeth. If, in consequence of the blow, a tooth is loosened, do not meddle with it, for if let alone, it will grow fast again. FRACTURE OF THE COLLAR BONE A fracture of the collar bone is of very common occurrence, and is known at once, by passing the finger along it, and by the swelling, &c. Treatment. To reduce it, seat your patient in a chair, with his shirt off, and place a stout compress of linen, made in the shape of a wedge, under his arm; the thick end of which, should press against the arm- pit. His arm bent to a right angle at the elbow, is now to be brought down to his side, and secured in that position by a long bandage, which passes over the arm of the affected side, and round the body. The fore arm, (meaning that which reaches from the elbow to the wrist,) is to be supported across the breast by a sling. It then takes from four to five weeks to re-unite. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 661 FRACTURES OF THE ARM. Treatment. Seat your patient on a chair, or the side of a bed, let some one assist you to hold the sound arm, while another person grasps the wrist of the broken one, and steadily extends it in an opposite direc- tion, bending the fore arm a little, to serve as a lever. You must now place the bones in their proper situation. Two splints, made of shingle or stout pasteboard, long enough to reach from below the shoulder to near the elbow, must then be well covered with tow or cotton, and laid along each side of the arm, and kept in that position by a bandage. The fore arm is to be support- ed in a sling. Two smaller splints, may, for better security, be laid between the first ones; that is, one on top, and the other underneath the arm, to be secured by the bandage, in the same way as the others. FRACTURES OF THE BONES OF THE FORE-ARM. As I have before, and I again tell you, it is that part which reaches from the elbow to the wrist, that is desig- nated or called the fore-arm. When this is fractured, they are to be reduced precisely in the same way, with the exception of the mode of keeping the upper por- tion of it steady; which is done by grasping the arm above the elbow. When the splints and bandage which I have directed you how to make, are applied, support it in a sling. 662 GUNN'S iiaailSTIC MEDICINE. FRACTURES OF THE WRIST. Fractures of the wrist very seldom take place. When this accident does happen, the injury is generally so great as to require amputation or taking it off. If it is possible to save the hand, lay it on a splint, well covered with tow or cotton. This is to extend beyond the fingers—place then another splint opposite to it, lined with the same soft materials, and secure them by a bandage. The hand is then to be carried in a sling. The bones of the hand are frequently broken. In such a case, fill the palm of the hand with soft com- press or folds of linen or domestic cloth, or tow or cot- ton, and then lay a splint on it long enough to extend from the elbow to beyond the ends of the fingers, and then to be secured by a bandage. If the finger is broken, extend the end of it until it becomes straight. Place the fractured or broken bone in its place, and apply two small paste-board splints, one below and the other above, which you must secure by a narrow ban- dage. The upper splint ought to extend from the end of the finger over the back of the hand. It may some- times be proper to add two additional splints for the sides of the finger. FRACTURES OF THE RIBS. When after a fall or blow, the patient complains of a pricking pain in his side, we may suspect a rib is broken. The way to discover it, is by placing the ends of two or three of your fingers on the spot where the pain is, and desiring the patient to cough, when the grating sensation will be felt. All that is necessary, is to pass a broad bandage round the chest, so tight as to GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 663 prevent the motion of the ribs in breathing, and to live on a light diet FRACTURES OF THE THIGH. The thigh is perhaps the most difficult fracture to manage; and to the ingenuity of one amongst the best men who ever lived, (Doctor Hartshorn of the city of Philadelphia,) the world is indebted for an apparatus which does away the greatest impediments that have been found to exist in treating it so as to leave a straight limb, without lameness or deformity; nor is it the least of its merits, that any man of common sense, can apply it nearly as well as a surgeon or physician. It consists of two splints, made of half or three quarter inch well seasoned stuff, from eight to ten inches wide, one of which should reach from a little above the hip, to fifteen or sixteen inches beyond the foot, while the other extends the same length from the groin. The upper end of the inner splint, is followed out and well padded or stuffed. Their lower ends are held together by a cross piece, having two tenons, which enter two vertical mortices, one in each splint, and secured there by pins. In the center of this cross piece, (which should be very solid) is a female screw. Immediately above the vertical mortices, are two hori- zontal ones, of considerable length, in which, slide the tenons of a second cross piece, to the upper side of which, is fastened a foot block, shaped like the sole of a shoe, while in the other, is a round hole, for the re- ception of the head of the male screw, which passes through the female one just monticncd. On the top of this cross piece, to which the foot block is attached, arc 664 GUNN>S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. two pins which fall into the grooves at the head of the screw; thereby firmly connecting them. The foot block, as before observed, is shaped like the sole of a shoe. Near the toe, is a slit through which passes a strap and buckle. Near the heel, are a couple of straps with two rings, arranged precisely like those of a skate; of which, in fact, the whole foot block is an exact resemblance. A long male screw, of wood, or other material, completes the apparatus. To apply it, put a slipper on the foot of the broken limb, and lay the apparatus over the leg. By turning the screw, the foot block will be forced up to the foot in the slipper, which is to be firmly strapped to it, as boys fasten their skates. By turning the screw the contrary way, the padded extremity of the inner splint, presses against the groin, and the foot is gradually drawn down until the broken limb becomes of its natural length and appear- ance; when any projection or little inequality that remains, can be felt and reduced by a gentle pressure of the hand. The great advantages of this invaluable apparatus I again tell you, are the ease with which it is applied, and the certainty with which it acts. The foot once secured to the block, in a way that any man of com- mon sense understands, nothing more is required than to turn the screw until the broken limb is found to be of the same length as the sound one. It is proper to remark that this should not be effected at once, it being better to turn the screw a little every day until the limb is extended. As this apparatus may not always be at hand, it is proper to mention the next best plan of treating the accident. It is found in the splints of Desault, improved by Dr. Physic of the city of Phila- delphia, consisting of four pieces. The first has a GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 665 crutch head, and extends from the arm pit to six or eight inches beyond the foot. A little below the crutch^ are two holes; and near the lower end on the inside, there is a block, below which there is also a hole. The second reaches from the groin, the same length with the first, being about three inches wide above and two below. Two pieces of stout paste board, as many handkerchiefs or bands of muslin, with some tow and a few pieces of tape, form the catalogue of the appa- ratus—which is to be applied as follows: Four or five pieces of tape are to be laid across the bed, at equal distances from each other. Over the upper two is placed one of the short paste board splints, well covered with tow. Then the patient is to be care- fully and very gently placed on his back, so that his thigh may rest on the splints. One of the handker- chiefs or strong, soft band, is to be passed between the testicle and thigh of the affected side, and its ends held by some person standing near the head of the bed. The second handkerchief is to be passed round the ankle, crossed on the instep and tied under the sole of the foot. By steadily pulling these two handkerchiefs, the limb is to be extended, while with the hand, the broken bones are replaced in their natural form. Then the long splint is to be placed by the side of the pa- tient, the crutch in the arm pit, (which must be defend- ed by tow or cotton) while the short one is laid along inside of the thigh or leg. The ends of the first hand- kerchief being passed through the upper holes, are to be drawn tight and secured by a knot, while the ends of the second one pass over the block beforementioned, to be fastened in like manner at the lower one. All that remains is the short paste board splint, which be- ing well covered with tow, is to be laid on top of the 666 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. thigh. The tapes being tied so as to keep the four splints together, completes the operation. Cotton or tow is to be every where stuffed between the splints and the limb, and a large handful of it placed in the groin, to prevent irritation from the upper or counter extend- ing band. You must be careful while tying the two handkerchiefs, that they are not relaxed, so that if the operation is properly performed, the two limbs will be nearly of an equal length. The superior advantages of Hartshorn's apparatus over this, as well as all others, must be evident to every one acquainted with the difficulty of keeping up that constant extension which is so absolutely necessary to avoid deformity and lameness, and which is so com- pletely effected by the screw. Next to that, however, stands Dr. Physic's, which can be made by any car- penter in a few minutes, and which, if carefully appli- ed, will be found to answer a good purpose. Fractured thighs and legs generally re-unite in from six to eight weeks, depending, however, much on the age of the patient. Old persons frequently require three or four months. You must recollect in such cases a straw bed is best for your patient, or a mattrass, or any bed that will not yield, so as to keep the limb in its proper position. FRACTURES OF THE BONES OF THE FOOT. This accident seldom occurs—the bone of the heel is sometimes, though rarely, broken. It is known by a crack at the moment of the accident, a difficulty in standing, by the quick swelling, and the grating noise GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 667 on moving the heel. To reduce it, take a long bandage, lay the end of it on the top of the foot, convey it over the toes under the sole of the foot, and then by several turns secure it in that position. The foot being extend- ed as much as possible, carry the bandage along back of the leg above the knee, where it is to be secured by several turns, and then brought down on the front of the leg, to which it is secured by circular turns. In this manner the broken pieces will be kept in contact, and in the course of a month or six weeks will be united. AH fractures of the foot, toes, &c. are to be treated like those of the hand and fingers. OF DISLOCATIONS. The signs by which a dislocation may be known? have been already explained to you. But remember that the sooner the attempt is made to place it in its proper place, the easier it will be done. The strength of one man, properly applied at the moment of the accident, will often succeed in restoring the head of a bone to its place, which in a few days and even hours would have required the combined efforts of men and pullies. After you have made several trials with the best apparatus that can be obtained, and you find you cannot succeed, make the patient stand up, having all things in readiness, and bleed him in that position until he faints; the moment this occurs the muscles will re- lax, and a slight force will often be sufficient, where more powerful ones have been used without effect Also recollect to vary the direction of the extending force. A slight pull in one way, will often effect what has been in vain attempted by great force in another. DISLOCATION OF THE LOWER JAW. Dislocation of the lower jaw is produced by blows, or yawning, usually called gaping. It is known by an inability to shut the mouth, and the projection of the chin. To reduce it is quite simple: Seat the patient in a Chair, with his head snpported by the breast of an assistant, who must stand behind him. Your thumbs being covered with leather (or a glove) are then to be pushed between the jaws, as far back as possible, while GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 669 with the fingers outside, you grasp the bone, which must be pressed downwards, at the same time that the chin is raised. If this is properly done, the bone will be found moving, when the chin is to be pushed back- wards, and the thumbs slipped between the jaws and the cheeks. If this is not done, they will be bitten by the sudden snap of the teeth as they come together. The jaws should be kept closed by a bandage for a few days and the patient live upon soup. DISLOCATION OF THE SHOULDER. This accident is quite common, (and the most so of all the dislocations mentioned.) You can easily dis- cover it, by the deformity of the joint, and the head of the bone being found in some unnatural position. To reduce it to its proper place, seat your patient in a chair, place one hand on the prominent part of the shoulder blade, just above the spot where the head of the bone should be, while with the other you grasp the arm above the elbow and then pull it outwards. Sometimes this will not succeed; if so, then lay the patient on the ground, place your heel in his arm pit, and then steadily and forcibly extend the arm by grasp- ing it at the wrist. DISLOCATION OF THE COLLAR BONE. The Collar Bone is seldom dislocated; but should it take place, the treatment is, to apply the bandages. &c. as you have been already directed for a fracture of the same part. 670 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. DISLOCATION OF THE ELBOW. If this dislocation has occurred by falling on the hands, which is most common, or holds his arm bent at the elbow, and every endeavor to straighten it gives him great pain, it is dislocated backwards. Seat the patient in a chair, let some one grasp the arm near the shoulder, and another the wrist, and forcibly extend it, while you interlock the fingers of both hands just above the elbow, and pull it backwards, remembering that under those circumstances, whatever degree of force is required, should be applied in this direction. The elbow is sometimes dislocated sideways or later- ally. To reduce it, make extension by pulling at the wrist, while some one secures the arm above; then push the bone into its place, either inwards or out- wards, as may be required. After the reduction of a dislocated elbow, keep the joint at perfect rest for five or six days, and then move it gently. If inflammation should come on, treat it as I have before told you in all inflammations—bleed freely, purge, &c. DISLOCATION OF THE WRIST, FIN- GERS, &c. Dislocations of this nature are common, and easily- known, by the least examination; they are all to be reduced by forcibly extending the lower extremity of the part, and pushing tho bones into their place. If necessary small bands may be secured to the fingers by a narrow bandage, to assist the extension. These accidents should be attended to without delay; for if they arc neglected for a little time, they become irreme- diable or incurable. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 671 DISLOCATION OF THE THIGH. Notwithstanding the hip joint is the strongest one in the whole body, it is sometimes dislocated. The meth- od of ascertaining this accident is by a careful exam- ination of the part. Comparing the length and appear- ance of the limb with its fellow, &c, sufficiently mark the nature of the accident. I will proceed to state the remedy: Place the patient on his back, upon a table covered with a blanket. Two sheets, folded like cravats, are then to be passed between the thigh and the testicle of each side, and their ends (one half of each sheet pass- ing obliquely over the belly to the opposite shoulder, while the other half passes under the back in the same direction) given to several assistants, or what is much better, tied very firmly to a hook, staple, post or some immoveable body. A large and very strong towel, folded as beforementioned, like a cravat, is now to be laid along the top of the thigh, so that its middle will be just above the knee, where it is to be well secured by many turns of a bandage. The two ends are then to be knotted. If you have no pullies, a twisted sheet or rope may be passed through the loop formed by the towels. If you can obtain the former, it is better. Cast the loop over the hook of the lower block, and secure the upper one to the wall, directly opposite to the hooks or men that hold the sheets which pass be- tween the thighs. A steadily increasing and forcible extension of the thigh, is then to be made by the men who are stationed at the pullies or sheet, while you are turning and twisting the limb to assist in dis- lodging it from its unnatural situation. By these means, properly applied, the head of the bone will frequently slip into the socket with considerable noise. 672 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. Should you be unable to succeed, change the direc- tion of the extending force, recollecting always, that it is not by sudden or violent jerks that it can be put in place, but by a steady, increasing and continued pull. Should all your efforts prove unavailing (I would not advise you to lose much time before you resort to it) make your patient, as before directed, submit in such cases to loss of blood, by which means in those diffi- cult cases you are to succeed. DISLOCATION OF THE KNEE PAN. If this small bone is dislocated, you will perceive it at once by the slightest glance. Now to reduce it, lay your patient on his back, straighten the leg, lift it up to a right angle with his body, and in that position push the bone back to its proper place. Then keep the knee at perfect rest on a pillow for a few days. DISLOCATION OF THE LEG. Accidents of this kind cannot happen without tearing and lacerating the soft parts, but little force is required to place the bones in their proper situation. Should the parts be so much torn that the bones slip again out of place, you had better apply Hartshorn's or Desault's apparatus, which I fully described to you for fractured thigh. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 673 DISLOCATION OF THE FOOT. Dislocation of the foot seldom takes place. It how- ever may occur; therefore I will give you the treat- ment. Let one secure the leg, and another draw tho foot, while you push the bone in the contrary way to that in which it was forced out Then you are to cover it with folds of linen dipped in water in which sugar of lead has been dissolved, and apply a splint on each side of the leg, so that it reaches below the foot. An accident of this nature is highly dangerous, requiring the immediate assistance of a skilful physician; as, (even then,) all that can be done to remedy them is in the speedy reduction of the bone, keeping the parts on a pillow at rest, and subduing inflammation by bleed- ing, low diet, and all such directions as already given to subdue fever. OF COMPOUND ACCIDENTS. I have fully, and as plainly as I could, before told you how to treat accidents of this kind, and what plan you are to pursue when single; it now remains for me to state to you what is to be done when they are united. For instance, an accident happens by which a man is thrown from a height. On examination, a wound is found in his thigh—it is bleeding profusely, his ankle on examination is out of joint, with a wound commu- nicating with the cavity, and his leg broken. In the first place stop the bleeding from the wound, then re- duce the dislocation next, then draw the edges of the wound together with sticking plaster, and lastly apply to the fracture Hartshorn's or Desault's apparatus, which I have so fully explained before that any car- penter can construct it for you. 85 AMPUTATION. This means the cutting off a limb, or other part of the body. How often do those accidents happen where there is no physician or regular surgical assistance, (often at sea, or at a distance in the country,) and the limb requiring immediate amputation, or cutting off. The only difficulty, I confess to you, is to know when this operation ought to be performed; for it is sometimes the case, that the most skilful surgeon is mistaken, or at a stand whether he shall operate or not. I do know several cases that have been preserved by the obstinacy of the patient, refusing to have the operation performed. But this was running a great hazard of life, and should be in all such cases ventured upon with due caution— and the operation ought not to be performed unless under the most careful and sound judgment. Now, to perform this operation, requires nothing but firmness and common dexterity, for any man, and that too, to perform it well. Although, as I have told you, there are many doubts whether an amputation should take place or not, yet in others, all difficulty vanishes; as for instance, when a ball has carried away an arm; or during a storm, a tree happens to fall and mash the knee, the leg or ankle, so that those parts are greatly lacerated or torn, and the blood vessels are severely lacerated, also nerves and tendons; or the crushing or splintering of the bones, almost necessarily resulting from such accidents, render immediate amputation an unavoidable and imperious duty. Now, you will ask, GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 675 what shall I do for instruments with which to perform this operation? If it is difficult to obtain surgical in- struments, whieh is often the case in the country or at sea, it is of no consequence. The instruments for this purpose are few, and easily obtained, which, in all cases will answer as a valuable substitute. First, get a large carving knife, with a straight blade—have the knife as sharp and smooth as possible—a pen-knife—a carpen- ter's tenon, or mitre saw—a slip of leather or linen, three inches wide, and twenty inches long, slit up the middle to the half of its length—a dozen or more of ligatures, each about a foot long, made of waxed thread or fine twine—a hook with a sharp pointr (or a shoe- maker's crooked awl will answer,)—a pair of slender pincers—several narrow strips of sticking plaster, called by physicians or surgeons adhesive plaster, or adhesive strip—some dry lint—a piece of old linen, large enough to cover the end of the stump, spread with simple oint- ment or lard—a bandage three or four yards long, about the width of your hand—a piece of sponge, and some warm water. You are now prepared fully to perform amputation; which I will so plainly explain,. that any man, unless he is an idiot or an absolute fool* can perform this operation. AMPUTATION OF THE ARM. How to perform the operation. Give the pa- tient, about half an hour before you intend operating, sixty drops of laudanum; now having all things in readiness, seat him on a narrow and firm table or chest, of a convenient height; he is now to be supported by an assistant, by clasping him round the body. If the 676 GUNN'S domestic medicine. handkerchief and stick have not been previously ap- plied, place it as high up on the arm as possible, (the stick being very short,) and so that the knot may pass on the inner side of it. Your instruments having been placed regularly on a table, and within reach of your hand, while some one supports the lower end of the arm, and at the same time draws down the skin, take the large knife and make one straight cut all round the limb through the skin and fat only; then with the pen- knife separate as much of the skin from the flesh above the cut, and all round it, as will form a flap to cover the face or end of the stump; when you think there is enough separated, turn it back, where it must be held by an assistant, while with the large knife you make a second straight incision round the arm and down to the bone, as close as you can to the doubled edge of the flap, but taking great care not to cut it. The bone is now to be passed through the slit in the piece of linen beforementioned, and pressed by its ends against the upper surface of the wound by the person who holds the flap, while you saw through the bone as near to it as you can. With the hook or pincers you then seize and tie up every vessel that bleeds, the largest the first and the smaller ones next, until they are all secured. When this is done relax the stick a little—if any artery spirts blood, tie it as before directed. The wound is now to be gently and very carefully cleansed with a sponge and warm water, and the stick to be relaxed. If it is evident that the arteries are all tied, bring the flap over tho end of the stump, draw then the edges together with strips of sticking plaster, leaving the ligatures hanging out at the angles. Lay the piece of linen, spread with simple ointment or hog's lard, over the straps, and a fold or pledget of GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 677 lint over that, and secure the whole by the bandage. Then put your patient to bed and rest the stump on a pillow. The handkerchief and stick are to be left loosely round the limb, so that if any bleeding happens to come on, it may be tightened at once by the person who watches by the patient. If this accident should take place, by which I mean the bleeding, the dress- ings are to be taken off, the flap raised, and the bleed- ing vessel sought for and tied up; after which, every thing is to be placed as before. I have mentioned a handkerchief and a stick; these are substitutes for the instrument used by surgeons called a tourniquet. Remember, in sawing through the bone, a long and free stroke should be used to prevent any hitching; as an additional security against which, the teeth of the saw should be well sharpened and set wide. It is of the greatest importance to attend to this cir- cumstance. The ends of divided arteries cannot at the time of operation be got hold of; or being in a diseased state, their coats give way under the hook; so that it is impossible to draw them out, and not unfre- quently they are found ossified, which means turned into bone. In all such cases, having threaded a needle with a ligature well waxed, pass it through the flesh round the artery, so that when tied, there will be a portion of it included in the ligature along with the artery. The needle used by surgeons for this purpose is a curved or crooked one; but a straight one will an- swer. When the ligature has been made to encircle the artery, cut off the needle and tie it firmly in the ordinary way. \ The dressings should not be removed for several days, say from five to seven, if the weather is cool; but if warm weather, it should be removed in three days. 678 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. But this you must do with great care, after soaking 11 well with warm water, so that you can take it away without its sticking to the stump, bleeding or otherwise producing pain. Then apply a clean plaster of lint, over which put a bandage as before directed;—which dressing is to be removed and a fresh one applied every two days. In about fourteen or sixteen days the liga- tures will generally come away; and in from three to five weeks, (if all goes on as might be expected, without any accident,) the wound is well. AMPUTATION OF THE THIGH. Amputation of the thigh is to be performed in the same manner as that of the arm, with one exception; it being proper to put a piece of lint between the edges of the flap, to prevent them from uniting until the sur- face of the stump has adhered to it AMPUTATION OF THE LEG. There are two bones in the leg, which have a thin muscle between. In such a case, you must have an additional knife to those I have before mentioned, to divide it. The knife required for this purpose must jjjiave a long narrow blade, with a double cutting edge, *and a sharp point You can grind down a carving or case knife to answer every purpose, the blade however must be reduced to less than half an inch in width- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 679 The linen or leather strip should also have two slits in it instead of one. Having all your preparations in or- der near you, your patient is to be laid on his back, on a table covered with a blanket, or on a hard bed, with as many persons as may be necessary to hold him. The handkerchief and stick are then to be applied on the upper part of the thigh. One person holds the knee, and another the foot and leg as firmly as possi- ble, while with the large knife the operator makes an oblique incision round the limb, through the skin, and beginning at five or six inches below the knee pan, and carrying it regularly round in such a manner that the cut will be lower down on the calf than in front of the leg. As much of the skin is then to be separated by the pen knife as will cover the stump. (It is here im- portant for you to take the principal part of the flap from the hinder part of the leg; for the cut being made as directed, it should require only one inch of skin to be raised in front, and of course you must take enough from behind to meet it.) When this is turned back, a second cut is to be made all round the limb and down to the bones; when with the narrow bladed knife be- fore mentioned, the flesh between them is to be divided. The middle piece of the leather strip is now to be pulled through between the bones, the whole being held back by the assistant who supports the flap while the bones are sawed—which should be so managed that the smaller one is cut through by the time the other is only half off. The arteries are then to be taken up, the flap brought down, and secured by adhe- sive plaster with bandages as I have before plainly fe explained to you. 680 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. AMPUTATION OF THE FORE-ARM. The fore-arm has two bones in it; therefore you require in this operation the narrow bladed knife, and the strip of linen with three tails. Let the incision be made straight round the part, as in the arm; with this exception, complete it as I give you directions in the case before this. AMPUTATION OF THE FINGERS AND TOES. When amputations of this kind are made, you must draw the skin back, and make an incision round the finger a little below the joint it is intended to remove; turn back a little flap to cover the stump, then cut down to the joint, bleeding it so that you can cut through the ligaments that connect the two bones—the under one first, then that on the side. The head of the bone is to be turned out, while you cut through the remaining soft parts. Should you see an artery spurt out the blood, immediately tie it up; if not, bring down the flap, and secure it by a strip of sticking plaster. And then put a narrow bandage over the whole. CONCLUDING REMARKS ON AMPUTA- TION. It often happens in cases of amputation that the wound is apt to bleed, after you have dressed it—there- by giving you considerable trouble. (This is called by surgeons secondary bleeding.) Therefore to prevent * GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 681 this, if necessary, before the strips of plaster are appli- ed to the edges of the flap, give a little wine water or a little spirit and water, and wait a few moments to see whether the increased force it gives to the circulation, will occasion a flow of blood; if it does, secure the vessel it comes from. But should there be a consider- able flow of blood from the hollow of the bone, make use of a small plug of cedar; and if violent spasms of the stump take place, hold it carefully by your assist- ants, and immediately administer large doses of lauda- num; it may be understood as a general rule, that after every operation of the kind laudanum must and ought to be given according to the sufferings of the patient MORTIFICATION, In the general treatment of wounds and in surgery, remember always to stop excessive inflammation; which if allowed to go to a certain point* frequently produces mortification, or the death of the parts. Therefore always be on your guard against fever— which you may easily know, by heat, pain, redness and swelling. Now I again repeat that you must bleed and purge as much as you think your patient may be able to bear, from his situation, constitution, Sec. Sec. These matters are to be entirely regulated by the ap- pearances at the time. If the fever and pain should suddenly cease, and the part which before was red, swrollen and hard, becomes of a purple color and soft, you are to stop at once all reducing measures, put a large blister over all the parts, and give good wine, porter, barks and wine or quinine, or other generous 86 682 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. stimulants, so as to support the sinking condition of the patient, for mortification has or is about to com- mence; and should you find the blisters should fail to put a stop to the disease, and the parts look dead and become offensive, cover them with charcoal, or fer- menting poultices, until nature separates the dead parts from the living; during which time give a free, gener- ous and strengthening diet and good wine. In mortification of the fore-arm, it frequently be- comes necessary to amputate. This ought never to be done until after blisters have been fairly tried to the sound parts (above the mortified;) as they often sepa- rate, you should be careful to examine strictly the parts, so as to discover, in time, that which may be necessary. DIRECTIONS FOR CATHETER. A Catheter is a small surgical instrument made use of for drawing the water from the bladder. There are two kinds, male and female. The difference between them is very little; the male has but one hole in the end that enters the bladder; the female has several; •this is the only difference in the instrument. By this simple operation, which any person of common sense can perform, the lives of thousands have been preserv- ed—and this is one among the many reasons I could advance for having explained the outward parts of female generation so plainly. Now many fools say that I ought to have left out an explanation of these parts. And why do they say so? Because they do not read the book, so as to see the necessity of writing so plain. Are we ashamed of the parts which the diseases of our nature require to be explained, so as to GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 683 obtain relief in case of disease? I am writing a book not for the learned but the unlearned, not for amuse- ment, but to explain, in plain language, the diseases to which we are subjected, and the method to obtain relief from pain and sickness. With these remarks I shall proceed. THE METHOD OF USING THE CATHETER. Holding the private member near its head, between the finger and thumb of the left hand; (standing at his side,) now with your right hand you introduce the point of the instrument into the passage (out of which flows the urine,) the convex side of the catheter to- wards the patient's knees; then gently, by no means using force, push the instrument down the urethra, at the same time endeavor to draw up the penis on it When you first introduce the catheter, the handle will of course be near the belly of the patient; and as it goes down the canal it will be thrown farther from it, until it enters the bladder, which you will know by the water immediately flowing through the tube into the basin or pot. It sometimes occurs that you cannot succeed while the patient is on his back; if this is the case, make him stand up, or you may place him with his shoulders and back on the ground, while his thighs and legs are held up by assistants. In difficult cases I have been compelled to place the patient on his back, and when the catheter was as far down as it would go, I introduced the fore finger, wall oiled, into the funda- ment, and endeavored to push the point upwards while still pressing forwards with my other hand; by which means I have often succeeded, when all other methods 684 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. failed. You must recollect, force is never, on any account, to be used. Vary the position of the instru- ment as often as you think proper, even permit the patient himself to try, but by all means use no force or violence; but humor the instrument, take your time, and be cautious, and you will at last succeed. I will state to you a case. During my practice in Virginia, in Botetourt county, near the town of Salem, a Mr. T. a young man in the prime of life, was engaged in raising a large barn, when a part of the building gave way, and he was dreadfully mashed, with a fall of thirty feet. I was immediately called in to his case; it was sucb as to leave but little if any hope of his re- covery, One of the logs having fallen across his privates, placed him in such a situation as to be entirely helpless. In this critical and I may add wretched situation, he continued five days without passing a drop of water.. I had made daily unsuccessful efforts to introduce the catheter, but without success, his fever and thirst very great. I had bled him very copiously every day, and endeavored by all means to reduce in- flammation. His misery was excruciating from being unable to pass his water. All my efforts to pass the instrument, from the bruised state of the parts, were unsuccessful, I then determined, previous to an oper- ation, to make the last trial; when I introduced my finger, as before described, into the rectum. Feeling distinctly the point of the instrument, I passed it gently into the neck of the bladder, when immediately the water flowed. So great and instantaneous was the felief afforded him, that he exclaimed, "I thank thee, merciful God!" By this operation upwards of a gal- lon of water was drawn off. From this time his recovery gradually commenced. The instrument GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 685 which I learned him how to introduce is continued, I am informed, until this time, being unable to pass his water without it. He is still living in Virginia, but, poor fellow, entirely deprived of the use of his lower extremities. I will now relate to you a second case— with which I shall close my remarks on the subject of this small but valuable instrument. Two years since I was called upon at night to visit a young lady of the most respectable family residing about ten miles from Knoxville, said by the messenger to be dying. On my arrival, I found her in great misery. She desired the room might be cleared of all save her sister, when she with the greatest delicacy declared her misery was from being unable to pass her water. In this horrible situation she had been for four days; during which time, the whole catalogue of teas had been prescribed from water melon tea to the full extent of twenty differ- ent kinds. All had been poured down the throat of this poor innocent girl, until she declared she had rather die than drink another draught. On examina- tion I found I had forgotten my catheter, but as I have often done before, I made a temporary instrument I took a common goose quill, cut it off at both ends, made one of the ends perfectly smooth, passed it into the small hole which I have so plainly described in the outward parts of female generation, and in less than five minutes this amiable and innocent girl was entirely relieved, by an operation which any old wo- man might have performed, saved me a disagreeable ride of a very cold night, and the family an expense of ten dollars. This lady is now married, and the mother of a fine family. I have often since laughed with her, about the quality and quantity of the teas administered. 686 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. I have mentioned this last case to show you the actual importance and indeed the necessity of explaining these parts, which otherwise I should have veiled in different language or omitted them altogether. SCARLET FEVER. This complaint is now raging violently through Vir- ginia; and within a short time, has made its appear- ance throughout the western states, with considerable severity in its symptoms, and requiring active and prompt treatment—otherwise it generally proves fatal. I have no doubt, by early attention to those symptoms and remedies which follow, you will at once cut short and easily control this contagion, (for it certainly is a contagious disease) similar to the measles—distinguish- ed or known from them, by the spots making their appearance on the second day of the fever; when, in measles, they usually make their appearance on the fourth day. The spots in scarlet fever being of a light flaming red, while those of measles are of a dark red color. From this plain and different appearance, you can certainly distinguish at once the difference in the diseases; thereby enabling you to take at once, such prompt steps as to arrest this disorder; which if suffer- ed to proceed, generally, and I may almost add always, ends fatally. Symptoms. Cold and sudden chills stealing gradu- ally over the whole body—with flushes of heat, great thirst, the head aches, the skin is covered with large red or scarlet patches, which after a short time unite or come together; then in a few days they disappear or go off in a kind of scurf, like bran, and the throat be- comes quite hoarse or sore. 688 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. Remedies. As you value the life of your patient, depend on emetics, or pukes, of ipecacuanha; which are to be given on the first appearance of the disease, to be followed by a dose of salts or eight grains of calomel and eight of rhubarb; and half of this dose for children. If the pulse is full and strong, and the head aches, it will be proper to draw blood, and dash cold water over the body very freely and frequently. (Do not be alarmed at this last remedy, for it will be the certain one in this complaint to relieve your patient, for I have often used it with great success.) There is no disease in which the advantages of cold water have been more successful than in scarlet fever; but to receive the full benefit of it, it must be often used and that freely. That is, as often as the heat, Sec. seem to require the use of it, which perhaps may be the case eight or nine times in the twenty-four hours. A fine remedy in this disorder is the Saline Mixture made as follows: Salt of tartar one drachm, water seven ounces, essence of peppermint five drops. When the salt of tartar is dissolved, add very gradually lemon juice, or vinegar, until the effervescence ceases. This mixture to be taken every hour—and to children, such quantities of it as you can conveniently get them to take. It is a cooling mixture, produces gentle moisture on the skin, and keeps down inflammation, Sec. When there is a sore throat, use any innocent gargle, such as sage and honey, with a little alum or borax in it, so as to wash or cleanse the throat frequently; and apply a mustard poultice to the throat. In scarlet fever in the latter stage, it will be prudent for you to guard against putrescency, which symptoms I will plainly describe to you, so that you may know them; having fully the marks of typhus fever—difficulty GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 689 in swallowing—breathing hurried—breath hot—skin dry, and burning to the touch—a quick, weak and irregular pulse—scarlet patches break out about the lips; and the inside of the mouth and throat are of a fiery red color. About the third day, blotches of a dark red color make their appearance about the face and neck, which soon extend over the whole body. If you will examine the throat, you will find a number of specks, between an ash, and a dark brown color, par- ticularly on the palate, Sec.—a brown fur covers the tongue—the lips are covered with little pimples con- taining acrid matter, which burst and produce ulcera- tion wherever they touch. If the case is a bad one, the inside of the mouth and throat become black, and are covered with running sores, called ulcers. When these symptoms take place, it is a well marked case of putrid fever, and contagious. Be therefore careful, but not afraid. We cannot die in a better cause than in discharging a duty which we owe to God and our fellow creature—the last and most solemn injunction of our blessed Redeemer, "Love ye one another," and the beautiful inculcation of Divine Revelation, "Do unto all mankind as you woidd they should do unto you." For the treatment of these last symptoms, read un- der the head, remedies for putrid sore throat. 87 EPIDEMIC CHOLERA, FROM ITS FIRST APPEARANCE IN INDIA, IN 1817, DOWN TO THE PRESENT TIME, IN PLAIN LANGUAGE. EPIDEMIC CHOLERA. This pestilence has swept from life one hundred and forty millions of the human race according to the most authentic reports of interments since August, 1817. Sharers of the same nature, warmed with the same hopes, and as fondly attached to life as ourselves, all have been prematurely swept into eternity in quick succession, overwhelming the heart with sorrow for some affectionate parent, some tender companion, or some dear and near friend; and how many thousands, no doubt, unprepared for so sudden a change from life to the presence of the Supreme Judge of the Universe! It is impossible to commence writing on this awful and important subject without reflecting on the rapid extinc- tion of human life, the excruciating miseries so many human beings must have suffered, without shuddering at the great sum of human misery inflicted by this com- plaint; nor can we but be sensible of the insufficiency of human efforts, against the decrees of an overruling Providence. Now are we not warned by this sad and affecting scene, in language not to be mistaken, 11 Be ye also ready." This destroying angel whom the Eternal has em- ployed to sacrifice so great a portion of the human family, has since August, 1817, been advancing over the whole field of Europe; nor have oceans, mountains, climates or distance, preserved us from its ravages. Mysterious and uncertain in its course, having no reg- ulated or physical agents by which its location could 694 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. be certainly determined, save that of its selection of the vicious, the uncleanly and intemperate. Nothing in my opinion can change the condition of the atmos- phere which is essentially connected with this com- plaint. In other words the disease is in the atmos- phere; and although no preventive can be taken against this complaint, yet much may be done towards staying its progress, and towards alleviating the force of the attack. The two best preventives for cholera from experience are temperance and great cleanliness; for experience, throughout this disease, proves clearly and without any doubt, that cholera spreads itself with the most deadly effects amongst those, who are negli- gent of personal cleanliness, and dissipated in their habits. But notwithstanding the cholera in a great measure was supposed at first to limit its ravages prin- cipally to this unfortunate part of the community and such as were greatly exposed, yet time and daily expe- rience prove, that many thousands have died of our most respectable citizens who were certainly of the opposite character to those I have mentioned. Yet the fact is that all who are within the atmosphere of chole- ra are liable more or less to suffer from this complaint; but what are the real and physical causes that produce cholera is as yet very uncertain, even to those medical men who have had great experience in it All that can be said is that it is in the atmosphere; nor can any thing change the condition of the atmosphere which is so essentially connected with this disorder. The per- sons most liable to this affection, says the French Royal Academy of Medicine, in their report, are those physically and morally debilitated; those weakened by excesses of whatever kind they may be; gluttons, drunkards and gamesters, and women of imprudent GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 095 habits, and all persons suffering under the pernicious effects of uncleanliness. To this testimony may be added that of all physicians and others who have watched this complaint, and the progress of the disease in India, England, France, Canada and our own coun- try. In all these countries the intemperate, the vicious and the lewd, when attacked, have universally fallen victims—and are the first to fall prostrate before the cholera and most difficult to cure; and as an able physician expressed himself, generally beyond the reach of medicine. The unhappy inmates of the houses of ill fame and those of immoral uncleanliness in Paris have been universally the first to be conveyed to the cholera hospitals. I shall now proceed to give you a full and perfect account of the cholera—its commencement and march throughout Europe and the U. States—the physical agents Sec. connected with the disease—its locations, and the causes by which it was more or less increased or diminished in virulence, and if it is not in some degree attenuated in its dreadful effects, either by the power of the climate, or by that of the social organiza- tion of the people—and whether the cholera is pesti- lential or not, by which I mean catching—or how far the assistance of medicine or art may go to counteract the agents of this epidemic—together with a gen- eral and comprehensive treatment of the disorder, with the conflicting opinions of the most distinguished physicians, and their treatment of cholera, and such useful information as is derived from the most able writers on this subject—with such plain directions and in such language as may be adapted to the people. 696 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. The Cholera commenced in India, at Jessore, in August, 1817, of which disorder ten thousand persons died in the first two months. In Mymensing, a district watered by the Bourrampooter, the Cholera prevailed in two successive years—the deaths here were ten thousand seven hundred and fourteen persons. In 1817, the complaint was mostly confined to the lower classes; but in 1818 the disease became general and no rank was spared, and a tenth of the inhabitants fell. A precise document is preserved at the city of Dacca, a district between and near the confluence of the Ganges and Bourrampooter. In sixteen months, from August, 1817, to January, 1819, of 6354 sick with the disease, 3757 perished—more than one-half. In the town of Sylhat, in three thousand three hundred and sixteen houses, containing eighteen thousand eight hundred and ninety six inhabitants, there were ten thousand individuals attacked in five months; of whom died one thousand one hundred and ninety six, or about equal to one in nine. In the district of Nuddea, traversed by that branch of the Ganges called Hoogly, of a population of one million three hundred thousand, the cholera destroyed sixteen thousand five hundred; there were attacked twenty-five thousand, of whom two-thirds died. Of four thousand seven hundred and eighty who received medical assistance, only one-thou- sand sixty-six died, or less than one fourth. (Here is an evidence of the advantages of medicine.) At Nul- tore between the Ganges and Bourrampooter the mala- dy was much less severe—the deaths not exceeding one in a hundred, in consequence of ""being better acquaint- ed with the treatment of this malady. In the country places, however, the fourth of the sick died, and in the GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 697 same district, only a short distance at Bargulpore the cholera destroyed 15,571 in ninety days. Not one in a hundred in this district that were attacked who escaped death. This may and is no doubt the cause of the great mortality; the country being, low, marshy, and filled with stagnant pools. In Benzares, fifteen thousand people died; Calcutta has been visited severe- ly four times since 1817. From Bengal I have not been able to procure complete documents, or from the city of Calcutta, which is the seat of government of British India. It appears, however, from the best evi- dence procured on the first eruption, that in 1817, in the three months and a half previous to the 31 st De- cember, thirty-five thousand seven hundred and thirty- six inhabitants of the city and suburbs were attacked by the cholera; of these, two thousand three hundred died, or one in fifteen; but from the severe manner of attack, the distance, the great aversion of the Hindoos against European medicine, and the superstitious desire to await the termination of the malady, they generally resorted to some sacred place, or near an idol or wooden God, and there waited until death terminated their dreadful sufferings. Thousands and thousands have thus perished without seeking assistance, and consequently their deaths not recorded. At Calcutta, the proportion of men to women was as four to one. Of three families, great or small, there was always one or two of them who experienced a loss of from one to two, or three individuals, and in some cases five or six* In the English army in India, where the cholera was opposed by all the power of medical science, the mor- tality though still considerable, was less dreadful. The division of the centre lost two hundred and thirty European.- cut of a corps of three thousand five 698 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. hundred; and five hundred and thirty four natives, out of about eight thousand. The deaths varied according to time, and were some times one in eight, and some- times one in three and a half In the division of Hansi, there were only two hundred and sixty cases of Cholera; the loss was from one to five or six of the sick. In the division of the left, of eight thousand men, one hundred were attacked; and forty-nine died, or more than one third. In fine, in the division of Nagpore, of four thousand men, thirteen Europeans and two hundred and eleven individuals of the coun- try were attacked with the cholera. Six of the for- mer died; and amongst the natives the loss was about one in seven. Considering the eruption of 1817 and 1818, separately from those which followed, the English physicians of Bengal have asserted, that the mortality, though immense, was nevertheless exaggerated or in- creased by fear; and that thousands have been destroy- ed, by the alarm or terror of this disorder is certain, from authentic information from all medical sources. Fear is one of the exciting causes of this disease. We have estimated, say the English physicians, the ravages as proportional to the extent and density of the respec- tive populations it struck. The loss was more consider- able at the commencement and middle, than towards the end of every eruption. When it was opposed by medical assistance, the deaths amongst the troops rare- ly amounted to the third of the sick, and was bounded frequently by the fifth. When the sick were abandoned to themselves, the half of those attacked generally perished, and sometimes even two thirds. In the island of Bombay, inhabited by near two hundred thousand people, it is fully established, that in seven months there were fifteen thousand nine hundred and GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 699 forty five cases of cholera. Thus the twelfth part of the population was infected; of whom two thousand four hundred and thirty two perished, or one in six. In the Madras army in five years there were fifteen thousand eight hundred cases, of which three thousand seven hundred and thirty perished. Of the native military, of seventy-one thousand men, there perished fifteen thousand eight hundred and thirty—or one in four. The entire loss among the native troops was nearly a fourth. The population of the British posses- sions of India, amount to forty millions, without com- prising recently conquered country. The enumeration may be considered correct—therefore yielding in Indos- ton, an annual mortality, produced by the cholera, of two and a half millions of people. If we reduce the preceding estimate one-half, allowing for intermittances of the malady, yet the ravages of the scourge over the five regions of India during the fourteen last years, will form a loss of eighteen millions of persons. What must then have been the extent of its murderous effects, when we comprise its destructive course over so many other regions of insular and continental Asia, from which it is impossible to draw correct information. During the prevalence of the cholera in Russia in 1830, the progress of infection amongst the inhabitants, and the proportion of deaths to the sick, have differed according to time and place. The southern regions were those where the malady spread the most widely and with the greatest rapidity; those towns where the disease entered at the end of autumn suffered but slightly. The province of Caucasus in Russia, there almost every where perished the half of those infected with this complaint, whilst the mortality amongst the nomadic tribes of the great steeps east and northeast 700 GUNN'S IWJMESTIC MEDICINE. from the Caspian, amounted to only a fifth of those attacked. The longest period in which tho disorder prevailed was 114 days; and the shortest twenty days: tho former beginning in summer and the latter in au- tumn. The province of Caucasus had the greatest number of deaths; out of sixteen thousand attacked, ten thousand perished. From the official lists which I have been able to collect on the prevalence of cholera in Russia, being united in one summary, yield the following—which is far below the reality. From the middle of June to the 15th of November, 1830, the public documents establish the fact, that there were in Russia fifty-four thousand three hundred and sixty- seven persons attacked with the cholera, of whom thirty-one thousand two hundred and fifty-six sunk un- der its violence. If I divide the aggregate numbers of the sick, and of the dead by 1071,1 find that during a period equivalent to three years, fifty-one individuals were attacked every twenty-four hours, by this disorder —and that out of these, thirty, or three-fifths died. The numbers given by the official reports are certainly below the truth, since, on one hand, a great number of cases have escaped notice, and on the other, a large number have, from different motives, been concealed. I, therefore, from documents on which you may rely as correct, estimate without exaggeration, that during the prevalence of the cholera in Russia in 1830, the infected amounted to one hundred thousand, and the deaths to sixty thousand persons. At the same time the complaint had not then extended over more than one half of the Russian Empire. The Consuls of France, by their reports, have lat- terly enabled me to collect from their official docu- ments some few details of the cholera in Western Asia. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDfCINE. 701 and even in Arabia. The Iman or Sovereign inform- ed them that ten thousand of his subjects hacrfallen by this disorder, and that in consequence^ of the people having exhausted their means- of burying the dead. provision was made fo|m the imperial treasury; hun- dreds of dea<} bodies being frequently exposed for weeks for want of the means of burial, and owing to the fear of the contagious nature of the disease, thou- sands and * thousands have died in the most wretched state, who have been permitted from fear and igno- rance to linger out the most excruciating torture, with- out a single friend to soothe, or wipe from their brow the cold and clammy sweat of death. It would be totally unnecessary for me to trace minutely, in a work of this kind, the various ravages in towns, districts, Sec. committed by this dreadful scourge. I have, how- ever, so far as I deemed necessary, communicated to you the principal and first locations of the disease, together with such official reports as I deemed inter- esting as to the principal places of mortality in Eu- rope. ^ It may be necessary here for me to state, before I proceed further on this important subject, the atmos- pheric and other phenomena, anterior to and contem- poraneous with the disease in the sections of country mentioned. The physicians and surgeons of India, who have strictly noticed, and have reported faithfully, such appearances, describe frequent and great devia- tions from the usual order of the seasons, before and during the existence of cholera; and they speak of unusually violent thunder storms, violent squalls, and storms of wind and rain. Earthquakes were also felt in various parts of Hindoston. At the time when the grand army under the Marquis of Hastings suffered so 702 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. V* dreadfully from the disease, the thermometer ranged from 90 to 100—the heat was moist and suffocating, and the atmosphere a dead calm. At the time this complaint raged in Calcutta, the disease was attributed. to the extreme heat and drougftt of the season, follow- ed by heavy rains, and the use of unvvholesome food. In the island of Java the weather was very dry and hot at the time the cholera broke out in the month of April. * When this,complaint broke out in Bombay the falls of rain were unusually great in August; and at Ma- dras, the weather was much the same. It has been universally observed by those acquainted with this dis- ease, that it has generally been accompanied by a cloudy, overcast state of the sky&idden showers, com- posed of large drops of rain, resembling those of a thunderstorm, and a thick, heavy state of the air, giv- ing it a whitish appearance; and whenever the weath- er cleared up, the disease gradually disappeared. Throughout India similar notices were made of the connexion between the disturbed stint, of the weather and the appearance of the diseasejBlti all instances southerly and easterly winds seemea to give vigor and force to the cholera. Its greatest ravages have been during the heats of summer, subsiding most generally at the beginning of winter. During the prevalence of the disease, the atmosphere is in a rarified state; and exhibits a great tendency to part with its moisture, forming thick clouds, heavy rains, or haziness, and to become agitated by storms. The same influence of season on the appearance of cholera in Persia and Turkey is thought to be as evident as in India, for it raged with great virulence for three years at various places from the shores of the Persian gulf to the GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 703 Mediterranean, in one direction, and to the borders of Russia in Europe in the other, it prevailed only in summer. The weather before the appearance of this complaint in Mecca, (in 1831) was remarkable for the excessive heat—the thermometer being steadily as high as 102 F., and afterwards heavy rains, with the wind from south to south-east. Before the cholera appeared in Suez, a very hot south wind prevailed. At Cairo, on the approach of the disease, the wind was from the north-east, and the heat during the day was very oppressive, with cold nights. At Nishmi Novogored in Russia, there sud- denly succeeded to a warm and dry state of the atmos- phere, in the month of August, 1830, a continuance of cold and wet. At this time the cholera began—pre- vailing winds south-east The cholera appeared at Riga at the commencement of uncommonly hot and sultry weather. In Poland the cholera increased as the weather in March and April became cooler and more damp. With warmth and dryness of the air the complaint rapidly abated* When, however, in August and Sep- tember the days became very hot, and the nights cold, it again raged to an alarming extent. The prevalence of the disease at Moscow is stated to have been in pro- portion to the humidity or dampness of the atmosphere. At Vienna the cholera broke out on the 13th of Sep- tember after a hurricane and much cold rain. At Dantzic, so irregular and unfavorable to health had been the weather of the spring, that pestilential dis- eases were expected from the irregularity of the season. The prevalent winds, in most places in which the chor lera committed its ravages, have been easterly, from north-east to south-east Such winds the late Dr. 704 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. Rush of Philadelphia, if you recollect, informed us, almost invariably preceded and accompanied some of the worst pestilences, and various fevers—such as plagues, yellow fever, and violent bilious and intermit- tent fevers. Among the phenomena worthy of record connected with the history of cholera, is the sickness and mortal- ity of animals antecedent to and at the time of the ravages of the disease, in many parts of the world where it prevailed. On the most careful examination of all the reports on cholera by the most able physi- cians, it is conclusive that the complaint is not trans- missible either by persons or goods, and fifteen years experience proves that the disease arises in the atmos- phere, and that all attempts to keep off this complaint by restrictive measures have utterly failed. More than five hundred instances I could here give you, of the cholera having suddenly appeared in a district, or country, in which not the least communication or in- tercourse had taken place with those affected with it And we learn from the most scientific physicians, and those too who have n ac1^ the most atten:lve and dili- gent research, that the cholera is not contagious, but arises from predisposing causes within the range of atmospheric influence—and how many facts have we before us by different writers on the East India cholera^ that in the very centre of extensive districts ravaged by the cholera, there are certain narrow strips or patches of country, in which there existed no natural obstacles to the extension of the disease, but into which it never penetrated, although all around was one scene of deso- lation. This part of the subject cannot be placed in a clearer light than by simply observing that the instances of immunity from the disease where unlanited inter- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 705 bourse had been allowed, are in ten fold greater number than where restrictions had been imposed and no in- tercourse had been enforced. On the contrary it is believed that these quarantines or cordons (in other words guards to prevent persons who come from a quarter in which the disorder is known to exist) do not even give an opportunity of escape. Their tendency and effect are the other .way. As another proof of this disease not being contagious, except in filthy, close and ill ventilated places, by which I mean filthy rooms and other dirty places, that the smell is sufficient to occasion sickness at any time-—I say as another proof, the full and constant intercourse of physicians, nurses, attendants and friends, almost constantly with the sick of cholera, and the number of the former who have been attacked with the disease. If cholera were thus communicable, or catching, a larger majority of the persons designated, ought to have had the complaint— whereas, in truth, a large majority of them entirely escaped. Those who were attacked were not in greater proportion than would have suffered from any prevalent disease whatever. At Moscow, five hundred and eighty-seven patients affected with cholera, and eight hundred and sixty laboring under other diseases, were admitted into the hospital of Ordinka. This hospital consists of a single building, three stories high communicating by stairs placed within the boards. The same attendants had charge of all the patients j the different articles of furniture were distributed with- out distinction to the patients, and all their clothes were washed together by the same persons. Of the eight hundred and sixty patients above alluded to, not a sin- gle one became affected with cholera; and of one hundred and twenty-three hospital attendants, two only 89 706 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. were affected, a man and a woman, both of whom were disposed to the disease from very irregular con- duct, and frequent admonitions had been given them of their danger, but to no effect, when they suddenly died. Hundreds, nay, thousands of instances, might be addu- ced of entire immunity or escape, after constant inter- course with the sick both in India, Europe and the United States. The women who washed the clothes of the patients in the hospitals, were entirely exempt from the disease. All the attendants who helped the patients in and out of the bath, rubbed their bodies, dressed blisters Sec, all escaped the complaint. This with few exceptions has been the case in all the cholera hospitals, with which I have corresponded. The phy- sician general to the town hospital of Dantzic, says that there were five waiters always near the patients; eight men were employed in rubbing and bathing; nine medical men visited the patients, of whom one was always in the room in the day time, and two watching every night—no one of these twenty-two persons fell ill. I have visited, says Dr. White, the Gateshead hospital, during the time I had the honor of being phy- sician to that institution, under all circumstances of physical depression. I have breathed the atmosphere of its apartments for hours together; yet I, the atten- dants, nurses, all equally exposed, have equally escaped. Not a single individual in the profession has sustained to my knowledge an attack since the disorder has pre- vailed. It is not reasonable to suppose, that physicians and nurses should be entirely free from attacks of cholera. We ought on the contrary to be surprised at the proportion being so small, when we consider how the extreme fatigue and loss of rest which they under- go, must peculiarly predispose them to the disease GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 707 Very different, however, would be the result, if physi- cians, friends and attendants, were obliged to render their services in the close and confined quarters of a city or town, and in the damp, filthy and ill ventilated houses of those who are in the great number victims to the disease. Hence it becomes the duty of all gov- ernments, and the corporations of cities and public authorities to make timely and suitable provision for the reception of the poor and needy, and placing them in the earliest stage of the disease in comfortable hos- pitals, and also of cleansing dirty, filthy places, and houses, cellars, privies, Sec. From a full and impartial review of all the reports on the subject of cholera, with the rise and progress of the disease, it proves it to be an epidemic, depending upon some peculiar morbid change in the constitution of the atmosphere, which to speak the truth, and in plain language, is unknown to all medical men. And all that can be said on this subject is this, that it is owing to some unknown peculiarity of the atmosphere, some- thing similar to that which gives rise to the ordinary fever, and other complaints of the season of the sum- mer and autumnal months. That its severity or miti- gation greatly depends upon the predisposing causes at the time of the location of the disease, there can be certainly no doubt: for instance, such as intemperance of every species—exposure to the dews of night— sudden changes in the heat and dryness of the atmos- phere—excessive fatigue, and the system laboring un- der general debility—a want of cleanliness, food of a bad quality, Sec. All articles which irritate the stom- ach and bowels prove exciting causes of the complaint Any sudden or considerable debility of the nervous system is to be greatly dreaded, as of itself laying the 708 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. body open to an attack of cholera. On this account, anxiety, fear, and the depressing passions in general, should not be allowed to harass the mind. Hundreds, I may almost say thousands, have been destroyed by fear alone. In your manner of living be regular, and do not suddenly change your habits, but maintain regu- lar hours of sleep, regularity of meals, and the accus- tomed daily exercise, strictly avoiding exposure to the sun, great fatigue, night air or dews, getting wet, care- fully avoiding situations in which the air is foul, stag- nant, and loaded with moisture, and every thing which has a tendency to reduce the energies of the system either by over excitement or direct debility, and to im- pede the functions of the skin, or to induce disturbance of the digestive canal. To avoid cholera, preserve habits of strict temperance—no excess of any kind— no experiments to be made with medicine, by which I mean the preventives of the disease advertised by quacks and imposters in every city. Remember one important rule—strict cleanliness of person, clothes and habitation. Keep your feet warm and dry, wear warm clothing, so as to guard against sudden changes of weather, and particularly from sudden, damp, cold moisture. Avoid late hours, crowded assemblies, long continual mental exertion, sleep not in damp beds, or in low, damp, ill ventilated apartments, and shun, as you wish to avoid the cholera, at the time it is raging, all swampy or marshy districts. As many have been for years in the habit of taking spirituous liquors, I should advise such persons to drink on sparingly in proper moderation; for we are truly creatures of habit, and I have always believed that any sudden change, either in diet, drink or clothing, is highly injurious, par- ticularly at a time when cholera is prevailing in that GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 709 section of country in which you reside; and under any circumstances our habits become second nature, and if necessary, which is often the case, it is prudent to gradually desist, or change them. As I have before told you, no medicine ought to be taken as a preventive in cholera, for all medicines of this nature are amongst the most effectual means of inducing an attack of the disease. During the prevalence of the late epidemic at Montreal, the authorities very judiciously forbade apothecaries making up and vending without permis- sion, the medicines and quack nostrums eagerly sought after, with a hope of preventing or arresting the com- plaint. Time and attention to the early symptoms of this disease are of great importance. But urgent as may be the demand for assistance, it ought never to be given from fear or as a preventive, (which has no doubt been often the case,) for hundreds have died from fear, as reported by many distinguished observers of this malady. Suffer me to remind you of one im- portant preventive, in this epidemic—at all limes and under all circumstances, to place a reliance upon Almighty God. That man must adhere with inviolable constancy to whatever is good or great in life, who is animated with the hope of divine approbation, and who relies with assured confidence on the friendship, protection and assistance, of the great ruler of all things. No difficulties, no dangers, no sickness can terrify him who has that great Being on his side, the sole, the sovereign disposer of all events. After all my diligent research and attention, I find the preventive against cholera may be summed up in a few words—pure air, good substantial living, temper- ance and regularity of life in all things, strict cleanli- ness and a tranquil mind. 710 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. Symptoms of Cholera. I shall commence by giving you what is termed the Premonitory Symptoms of Cholera—by which is meant symptoms of the first or forming stage of the disease—and on your paying strict attention to these symptoms, will greatly depend the favorable issue of the case, and if you do not, in nine cases in twelve the person will die. The person attacked with cholera complains of weakness, as if he had undergone fatigue; he feels frequently for a few moments, uneasiness in the region of the stomach—but not so severe as to create alarm. Frequent evacuations or stools from the bowels, being obliged to go to stool from two to a dozen times a day —and not much griped in passing them. The coun- tenance or features look unusually sharp, sometimes a little sick at the stomach, but this last symptom is not very common. This early evidence of the approach of the cholera is not often attended to, and seldom no- ticed but by those experienced in the complaints. The symptoms I have just mentioned may continue, varying, sometimes better and then worse from one to ten days, before the second stage of the disorder commences. The stools at the first are generally of a dark brown or blackish color. As the looseness continues, they grad- ually become less and less of a natural appearance, until they look like dirty water. Some headache, cramp of the fingers, toes and belly, and almost always a swimming of the head and a ringing of the ears, ac- company these symptoms. Very frequently the bowels, for two or three days, are costive or bound, and then looseness will again come on, and in a few hours collapse supervenes, and in general sickness at the stomach and vomiting or puking. Now remember that on an early attention to this looseness of the GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 711 bowels will greatly depend the cure, by timely applica- tion of such means as I shall advise; or if it is con- venient, and you fear to trust your own judgment, make on the first appearance of these symptoms early appli- cation to a physician. Dr. Kirk, a distinguished medi- cal gentleman, says it was found, from regular records of upwards of four thousand patients, that this loose- ness of the bowels prevailed in every case. Symptoms of Marked Cholera. Having atten- tively perused all the numerous accounts which have been published, of the various symptoms by which the epidemic cholera is accompanied, I have thought it only necessary to give you all the general and well marked symptoms of the complaint, without noticing every trifling deviation from the ordinary course of the disease. All you wish to be informed of is, when you are about to take it, and lastly when it has certain- ly attacked. I have therefore selected for you the description of the Madras Report, founded on exten- sive experience in the country in which I enumerated to you its awful ravages. This complaint generally takes place in the night or towards morning. You are taken sick at the stomach and vomit, or puke—the bowels are at once evacuated, that is in other words, you go to stool, and you seem to discharge or empty all their solid contents, and feel, after you have done, great exhaustion, sinking and emptiness—after a short time you feel faintness, your skin becomes cold and very often giddiness or swim- ming in the head, and ringing in the ears; the power of moving your limbs seems impossible—twitchings of the muscles of the fingers and toes are felt, and these affections gradually extend along the limbs to the 712 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. trunk of the body. The pulse from the first is small, weak, quick, and after a certain interval, but particular- ly on the commencement of spasms or of severe puking, it sinks suddenly, so as to be quickly lost in all the external parts. The skin, which from the com- mencement of the disease is below the natural heat, becomes colder and colder; it is seldom dry—general- ly covered with a profuse cold sweat, or with a clammy moisture. In Europeans the skin often assumes a livid hue; the whole surface becomes collapsed; the lips become blue—the nails present a similar appearance, and the skin of the feet and hands becomes much cor- rugated and exhibits a sodden appearance; in this state the skin is insensible, even to the action of the strongest medicines, such as warm spirits, or spirits in which camphor has been dissolved, or in fact even the action of the most powerful stimulants; yet the patient generally complains of oppressive heat on the surface, and wishes to throw off the bed clothes. The eyes- sink in their orbits, and are surrounded with a livid or dark circle; the eye becomes heavy and frequently the whites of the eye diffused with blood, or in other words blood shot The features of the face look sharp and dead, and indeed the whole countenance assumes a cadaverous aspect, and its appearance so uncommon that it is easily observed by all to be strangely and peculiarly unnatural. There is almost always urgent thirst, and a desire for cold drink, although the mouth be not usually parched. The tongue is moist, whitish and cold; a distressing sense of pain, and a burning heat at the epigastrium or pit of the stomach, are very common in this disease. Very little water is passed, bile, or saliva or spittle, is secreted; the voice becomes GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 713 quite feeble and hollow, having an unnatural sound j the breathing is oppressed and generally slow, and the breath of the patient is quite cold or deficient in heat. While these symptoms are going on, the stomach and bowels arc very much affected in different ways. After the first vomiting and stool, however severe these symptoms may be, the matter passed by stool is always of a wcitcry nature; and in some cases it is entirely destitute of color. The stools often resemble muddy water; and in others it is of a yellowish or greenish color. A very common appearance is that which is called in the East Indies "congee stools," resembling water in which rice had been washed, or having the appearance of numerous little slimy flakes, floating in the colorless water. The discharge from the stomach by puking, and those from the bowels by stool, do not appear to differ much, except that the former, or that which is puked up, has mixed with it portions of food which may have been eaten and not digested. Neith- er the vomiting nor purging are symptoms of long continuance; they are either stopped by medicine, or the body becomes unable from weakness to puke or purge any longer; and they, together with the spasms^ suddenly disappear a considerable time before deaths If blood be drawn, it looks of a dark or black color^ ropy, and flows slowly and with difficulty. Toward the close of the scene, great restlessness comes on, and constant anxiety and distress; and death takes place often in ten or twelve hours, and generally within seventeen or twenty hours from the commencement of the attack. During all this mortal struggle and com- motion in the body, the mind remains clear, and its functions undisturbed, almost to the last moment of existence. The patient, though, sunk and overwhelmed, 90 714 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. and almost lifeless, dislikes to speak, and is greatly distressed if the least disturbed—still, however, retain- ing the power of thinking, and of expressing his thoughts, as long as his organs are obedient to his will; such symptoms are the most common of the epidemic cholera, where its tendency to death is not checked by medicine. Cholera, however, like other diseases, has presented considerable variety in its symptoms; thus, it may on one occasion be distinguished throughout by the absence of vomiting, and by the prevalence of purging; on another, by the excess of vomiting; and, though more rarely, by the absence of purging. Spasm may be generally present in one instance; in another, it may not be observed. Of all, the most difficult is, that which is marked by a very slight com- motion in the system—in which there is no vomiting, hardly any purging; perhaps one or two loose stools, no perceptible spasm, no pain of any kind, a marble cold- ness, with arrest or stoppage of circulation which comes on from the beginning, and the patient dies without a struggle. Vomiting or puking, (as I have before told you) if entirely absent, or if it has taken place for a time, it soon stops, from the stomach being paralyzed, or in other words, as if it were really dead or without any feeling or sensibility. Purging is a more constant symptom than vomiting in this disease, and in all cases of cholera, or most generally, it is, as I have before said, the first symptom in the disorder. Purging has been very rarely absent altogether—and when it is absent, is quite a bad symptom, for it denotes or shows plainly that the attack is very dangerous. There is seldom much griping or tenesmus, which means a great and constant desire to go to stool, without doing GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 715 much, and sometimes these desires are so sudden as to be irresistible. They also frequently take place at the same time, both puking and purging with spasm, and the pulse stops for a time at the wrist; as if these symptoms originated at the instant, from one common cause. In advanced stages of the disease, purging generally ceases, but in many cases a discharge of watery fluid takes place on every change of postura The matters evacuated after the first emptying of the bowels have been occasionally observed to be greenish or of a yellowish appearance, turbid, of a frothy ap- pearance, like yeast, and quite frequently bloody; but by far the most common appearance is, that of pure scrum (which means the appearance of whey,) so thin and colorless as not to leave a stain on the patient's linen. The next in order of frequency is the congee- like fluid; (I have before explained to you what the congee stools meant;) the mucus is at times so tho- roughly mixed, however, with the scrum, as to give the whole the appearance of milk. The quantity of the clear watery fluid which is sometimes discharged, is very great, and were these discharges to continue con- stantly, it would afford a perfect knowledge of the cause of the debility or weakness, thirst, thickness of the blood and other symptoms; but it is reduced to a positive certainty, that the most fatal and rapid cases, are by no means those which are distinguished by ex- cessive discharges. Death, on the contrary, has ensued in innumerable instances after one or two watery stools, without the development of any other symptom affect- in<* the natural functions. Collapse has even come on before any evacuation by stool had taken place. The peculiarly calm and undisturbed state of the mind in this disorder, has been the subject of great 716 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. surprise; instances are known of patients being able to walk, and to perform many of their usual avocations in business, even after the circulation has been so much arrested, that the, pulse has not been discerned at the wrist; the cases I allude to, are those chiefly in which it has begun by an insidious watery purging; and ma- ny lives have been lost in consequence of the patients, under these false appearances, not having taken early alarm, and applied for medical aid. In other cases again, the animal functions appear to have been early impaired, and the prostration of strength to have pre- ceded most of the symptoms. The voice, in general, sounds very weak, partaking of the debility prevailing in the other functions; it is commonly noticed as being remarkably feeble, often almost unable to be heard. Deafness has also been remarked in some instances to have been completely established. Coma does occa- sionally occur, especially towards the termination of the case, when it is fatal; but delirium has seldom been observed in this complaint Spasm has been held as one of the most essential features or certain accompaniments of the epidemic cholera, and owing to which circumstance it has re- ceived this specific name; so far however as relates to the muscles of voluntary motion, and it is that descrip- tion of spasm only to which I now refer, no symptom is more frequently wanting. Spasms of the muscles chiefly accompany those cases in which there is a sen- sible and violent commotion of the system; hence they are more frequently found in cases where Europeans are the subjects of the disease, than when it attacks the natives of India, and in robust patients, more frequently than in the weakly. In the low or more dangerous form of cholera, whether in the European or Indian, GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 717 spasm is generally wanting, or is present in a very slight degree. The muscles most commonly affected are those of the toes and feet, and of the calves of the legs; next to these the corresponding muscles of the superior extremities, then those of the thighs and arms —and lastly, those of the trunk—producing the most distressing feelings to the afflicted person. It is deserv- ing of remark, says Doctor Graigie in his account of the disease, that in several instances, the first indica- tions of cholera were the twitching of the fingers and toes; and a great many persons who resisted all the other symptoms of the disease were attacked by this twitching. Of all the symptoms of cholera, none are so universally present, nor indeed so important and fatal, as the immediate sinking of the circulation. It must nevertheless be admitted, that where instant remedial medicines have been successfully practiced, this symptom may not have developed itself, and that there are even cases where an excited vascular action has been observed to accompany the first perturbation of the system in cholera. Some intelligent medical gentlemen have entertained doubts whether Such cases belong indeed to this disease: it is, however, to be re- membered, that these are precisely the cases which yield most certainly and readily to appropriate reme- dies, and it consequently follows that the physician can seldom have an opportunity of observing whether or not this form of cholera will pass into a more aggrava- ted stage. Cases, however, have occurred, in which such degeneration has taken place, and it has been followed by death. The symptoms of excitement have likewise principally occurred among soldiers, in whom an effect upon the circulation may have been produced by the quantity of ardent spirits they are in the habit of 718 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. drinking daily. The period at which a marked dimin- ution of vascular action takes place, is somewhat vari- ous. The pulse sometimes keeps up tolerably for some hours, though very rarely; it more generally be- comes small and accelerated at an early stage, and on the accession of spasm or vomiting, suddenly ceases to be distinguishable in the extremities. The length of time during which a patient will sometimes live in a pulseless state, is extraordinary. That remarkable shrinking of the features of the face, which has acquired the emphatic term of the "true cholera countenance," appears in every case, un- less quickly stopped in the forming stage, by medicine. This expression of countenance, which conveys so truly, that of death itself, cannot be mistaken; and by an attentive observer, it will be perceived, that a similar shrinking takes place throughout the limbs, and all the projecting parts of the body. No symptoms of cholera are so uniform in their appearance and progress, as those connected with the blood and its circulation. It is fully established, that the blood of patients attacked with cholera, is of an unnaturally dark color, and of a very thick consistence. In a great majority of the re- ports of the physicians of India, it is stated unequivo- cally, or without doubt, that after a certain quantity of dark and thick blood has been drawn, it is common for its color to change—becoming much lighter. When this was the case, it was considered favorable as to the termination of the case. In India, when medical aid was early administered, and the constitution of the patient otherwise healthy, the recovery from an attack of the cholera was generally very quick, owing to the peculiar constitutions of these people, in whom there is ordinarily very little tendency to inflammation or fever. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 719 But in Europeans, in whom there is much greater tendency to inflammation or fever, and a determina- tion to some of the internal organs; consequently, the recovery from the disease by them is not so sudden or perfect. When cholera, however, is of long continu- ance, and when the congestions appear to have been thoroughly established, few, either Europeans or na- tives, who outlive the attack, are restored to health without considerable difficulty. I have now described to you as fully and as minutely as the space allotted to me in this work would permit; giving you the general symptoms of cholera, as it pre- sented itself in the different districts of India, and they agree in every respect with those observed in the disease during its prevalence in Russia, Poland, North of Eu- rope, the Canadas, Sec. Sec. This is proved by the history of the disease, by the most able and distinguish- ed physicians throughout Europe and India; particular- ly the able report made by Dr. Keir, of Moscow, to the British Government, and in the accounts transmitted from Montreal and Quebec. And all the reports made on this fatal disease agree as to the principal symptoms; that in the generality of cases, there were the same ex- cessive or constant evacuations by puking and purging of a watery, turbid fluid—the same collapse of the skin __coldness of the surface—sinking of the pulse—failure of the strength—lividity of the face, or purple cast- shrinking of the features—spasm of the muscles, Sec. all of which symptoms usually take place more or less, with some few variations, (perhaps very few,) owing to the peculiarity of the constitution, or the state of the system at the time of taking the disease. For cholera, in its severity and duration, by which I mean the length of time it exists, depends much upon the local or pre- 720 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. disposing causes. Therefore, if any decided difference has been observed between the character of cholera, as it prevailed in India, and after its extension into Europe, the Canadas, and the United States, it consists merely in the gradual amelioration of the complaint; by which I mean, that it sometimes gradually loses its severity; owing, as I have before told you, to the pecu- liarity of the climate, the predisposing causes, inviting, more or less, the disease, wherever the disorder, which is in the air. may locate or settle itself. And this is the reason why the cholera rages more violently at one place than it does at another; because the predisposing causes are greater. Therefore, let cleanliness and temperance in all things, be the watchword; for experience has taught the people of the United States, that by due caution, and early attention to the proper remedies, which are simple and easily understood, this pestilence may be, and has been perfectly within the control of medicine—and that this disease is the same as the European cholera, is fully established by the evidence of various physicians of eminence, who have witnessed the cholera both in India and Europe; and (as I have before stated to you) its virulence or mitigation entirely depending upon local causes, or the constitution and the predisposition to an attack of this complaint TREATMENT. The Cholera has not been found to be less under the control of proper treatment, than any other disease equally rapid in its course. When remedies of a proper kind have been administered in the early stage of the complaint, and judiciously managed, a favorable termi- nation has, in the majority of cases, been the result., The difficulty is, to induce patients, or those attacked GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 721 with this disorder, to apply sufficiently early for medical assistance. With the loss of a very few hours, the chances of recovery are greatly diminished. "If the disease,'' says Dr. Annesley, whose experience in the treatment of epidemic cholera, during its prevalence in India, was considerable, "be taken at its commence- ment, or within an hour after the disorder attacks you, it is as manageable as any other acute disease; but the rapidity with which it runs through its course, requires the most active exertions before it can be checked, and the loss of an hour may cause the loss of life." The remedies most successfully used in India, and throughout Europe generally, will be noticed. The variety of different means used, and the peculiar opin- ions of different medical writers, many of which have proved unsuccessful, I do not think it necessary to mention in a book of this kind. My object in writing so fully on this subject, has been to give you a perfect and general knowledge of the complaint, as to its vio- lence and progress in India, and the principal remedies which prove to be the most successful in the cure of cholera; selecting from the experience of the most dis- tinguished physicians, such remedies as may be relied on°in this epidemic; after which. I subjoin the opinion and advice by letter, of the distinguished medical gen- tleman of our own country, simplified in plain language, adapted to the people—closing this important subject with my remarks and advice to my countrymen. The remedv. the good effects of which, in the treat- ment of cholera, appears to have been most generally acknowledged, and the early employment of which is most insisted upon, is blood-letting. Bleeding from the arm in the first stage, when the pulse is fuH, and the temperature not reduced, is often 722 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. sufficient to cut short the disease. The patient always feels immediate relief, particularly, where the head has been affected. The bleeding should be performed in a horizontal position; or in other words, the patient should lie on the bed while bleeding him. After the bleeding, he must remain quiet in bed for some time. Doctor Drysen, who has had great experience in this complaint, directs to increase the flow of the blood from the arm, by frictions or rubbing to the surface of the body, with flannel cloths wrung out of hot water, or by bleeding while the patient is in the warm bath. To see how to prepare and use the warm bath, read under that head. According to Mr. Bell, "in no case in which it has been possible to persevere in blood-letting, until the blood flows freely from the veins, and its color is re- covered, and the oppressed chest is relieved, will the patient die from that attack of the disease." He directs that when the blood has once begun to flow, it ought to be allowed to bleed until these changes are observed. It is the opinion of Doctor Kenedy, that in ninety-nine instances out of a hundred, where patients are said to have died "despite of blood-letting, it will be found on examination, either that no blood flowed from the incision or opening made by the lancet, or that it came away in drops, or in a small broken stream, rarely exceeding a few ounces in quantity. "On the contrary," he adds, "where blood was freely obtain- ed to the extent of twenty or thirty ounces, and where the depletion was followed by proper auxiliaries, or other assisting remedies, the patients have usually re- covered." The testimony of the German, Russian, and Polish physicians, has all been given in favor of the beneficial GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 723 effects of blood-letting, when early resorted to in chol- era. The absence of the pulse is no reason why you should not use the lancet, unless it be accompanied by other symptoms of great debility and the system has been exhausted by previous evacuations or purging, and the surface is covered with a cold, clammy sweat. Even under such circumstances, many attest the advantages of blood-letting, especially when preceded by sinapisms, or in other words stimulating plasters of mustard to the belly, feet, ancles, Sec.—the applications of dry heat and frictions to the surface, by which is meant bags of hot sand, bags of hot mush, bags of hot oats, bottles of hot water rolled in blankets, Sec.—(this is dry heat,)— frictions or rubbing, as before explained, and diffusible stimulants internally—either, spirits of hartshorn, bran- dy, wine, and liquors of all kinds, given inwardly, so as to excite or rouse the circulation of the blood. In some cases of cholera, says that able and expe- rienced physician, Dr. Lefevre, the pulse ceases to beat very early, but upon opening a vein the blood flows slowly at first, gradually the current becomes fuller and stronger, the pulse beats very sensibly, and the heart thus relieved, is enabled to continue its circulation. The only cases in which bleeding would appear of doubtful propriety, during the first stage, are those occurring in old debilitated or weak persons, and in constitutions completely broken down by intemperance. When blood cannot be drawn from the arm, and the spasms continue—when severe pain and burning heat are felt at the epigastrium—when the skin is cold, and deluged with a cold clammy sweat, and when there is oppression at the chest and difficulty of breathing, excessive pain and confusion of the head, with great 724 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE* intolerance or dislike of light, no pulse, or a very indis- tinct one, and a cadaverous or offensive smell from the body, cupping is advised over the region of the belly, with frictions of turpentine externally or outwardly, and calomel given internally. In the advanced stage of the disease an opportunity is sometimes afforded for the drawing of blood. This, according to Dr. Annesly, is marked by a struggle or effort of the circulation to overcome some resisting power, and is a most auspi- cious or favorable symptom, which should never be overlooked. As soon as it occurs, bleeding, directed with great judgment, should be resorted to. The patient, after bleeding should be warmly cover- ed with bed clothes, and allowed to remain perfectly still for a short period. Sinapisms and rubefacients, or in other words, in plBin English, meaning mustard poultices, mixed with strong vinegar and applied to the calves of the legs, inside the ancles, soles of the feet, Sec, to act as a stimulant employed in low states of fevers, and other diseases; and in cholera the object is to rouse the cir- culation of the blood, and to supersede the use of blisters, which are in this disorder too slow. Rubefa* cients mean that substance which, when applied to the body or skin a certain time, makes a redness with- out blistering. Sinapisms and rubefacients are among the most efficacious or best means adapted to the cure of cholera. "It may be said of them, that they are indispensable, and there is hardly any stage of the disease in which they may not be employed with ad- vantage—so long as the disease endures, so long will their use be proper, and they should be repeated con- tinually." The pain in the bowels, and even the sickness, are often instantaneously relieved by the GIN'.VS DOMESTIC MEiJlCI-NE. 7l>3 application of a large mustard poultice mixed with vinegar and applied over the region of the belly, and much pain is saved the patient if it be applied early. In violent cases of the disease the application of the mustard poultice mixed with strong vinegar as before directed, and applied to the ancles, wrists, calves of the legs, inside of the arms and thighs, and along the spine, is recommended in the strongest terms in various treatises by the best informed physicians of India and Europe, on the cholera; and from the beneficial effects which we have seen result from the practice through- out this complaint, that it is one which should never be neglected; it would be as well probably to defer, how- ever, the sinapisms or poultices until tho full effects of dry frictions have been tested. When the skin has been excoriated or inflamed by the use of sinapisms, anodyne fomentations, or in other words laudanum or opium steam, applied to the body, or even pulverised opium sprinkled over the tender surface, will be often useful in relieving pain and sickness at the stomach. Dry frictions are recommended as remedies of great importance and efficacy in all cases of cholera. By dry friction is meant rubbing well the whole body with your hands; hence, it can only be recommended in those cases where there are plenty of attendants to wait upon the sick. Dry frictions are best adapted to, and have been found most beneficial in the early period of the attack. "The object of friction is twofold. 1st. To restore the circulation in the part, and the heat that is dependent upon it. 2d. To introduce remedies into the system by absorption."* The first may be effected by mere rubbing with the hand, or a warm flannel, or the flesh brush; and if persisted in, will often restore the circulation to the extremities, which were previously 726 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. cold and senseless; but it requires great perseverance and long continuance; for it is necessary to keep up the circulation after it is restored; and as I have before told you, requires considerable assistance or attendants to wait upon the sick. Various liniments have been proposed to assist the effects of friction; but they may be superseded by steady rubbing with the hand, which should be sprinkled occasionally with a little powdered starch, or a little camphorated oil. Where proper and effectual rubbing cannot be maintained, stimulating liniments should be employed; because little rubbing will suffice, and the effect will be more permanent. The liniment composed of camphorated spirit and am- monia, (meaning hartshorn,) will answer every purpose- When the spasms are severe, the spirits of turpentine are best for rubbing with. Rubbing the body with spi- rits is improper, as their rapid evaporation will have a tendency to increase the coldness of the surface. Medicines may be introduced into the circulation by frictions, and thus certain indications fulfilled, when the stomach is in too irritable a condition to retain the proper remedies. Especially may local pain and spasm be alleviated by frictions with opium, hyosciamus, and other narcotics, in the form of liniments or ointments. Dry Heat. This remedy is strongly recommended by many of the practitioners who have witnessed the cholera in the north of Europe. Mr. Kennedy, a dis- tinguished physician, recommends it in the first stage of the disease, after bleeding, the warm bath, and the other remedies which are immediately demanded. He remarks—"as soon as the cramps are subdued, or have received a decided check, the patient should be removed from the bath with all possible expedition, and be placed between dry heated blankets. Dry warmth should be GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 727 further afforded by surrounding his body and limbs with bags of heated sand." Here dry heat, be it re- membered, is the remedy, and not the sand which con- tains it. On this principle, bottles of hot water, rolled in flannel, have been employed; and also hot ashes, bran, oat meal, hot mush, &,c. To prevent loss of time, however, always take the first or most convenient of the above articles that may come to hand, so as to pro- duce any heat as early as possible. You will recollect the warm bath is always preferable in the first stage of the disease, from its great power; "caution is necessa- ry," says Mr. Kennedy, "to prevent its being too long continued." The following are the directions of Dr. Harnett, one of the British Medical Commission, at Dantzic, for the use of the warm bath. "It has been found necessary to guard against the indiscriminate use of the hot water and vapor baths, (or steam) (generally used by a pipe under the bed clothes.) In hot weather, after perspira- tion has broken out, and above all, in the clammy stage of the disease; and after marked venous congestion has taken place, when it seems to increase the latter, which is particularly observable in the brain and heart The bath should be used either in the critical moment in the beginning of the disease, or, at farthest, instantly after, if admissible even then. To obviate the deter- mination of blood to the head, cold applications ought to be occasionally applied to it, while the patient is in the bath. The patient should be most gently and otherwise ju- diciously placed in the bath, with respect to the gradu- ally inclined position of his body, and due support of the head, neck and shoulders; and the immersion or subjection should be short, merely long enough for the 728 GUNN'S DOMESTIC .MEDICINE. positive communication of heat and its effects, when he ought to be as gently and judiciously taken out, well wrapped up in hot blankets, promptly laid in a bed, and gentry rabbed with warm, dry, coarse thread towels, all over, a: id wiped dry as last as the clammy sweat oozes out. There is much handy and careful personal management requisite, in this essential part of the treat- ment Calo3iel. This medicine has been greatly used in cholera, !>y a majority of aiglish surgeons in India, and it is spoken highly of by such of them as have witnessed the disease in the north of Ian-ope. In ma- ny instances the use of this powerful medicine has been carried or given to an enormous orient—doses of a scruple to half a drachm being considered the smallest dose adapted to the disease; others, however, have condemned the use of the remedy to this great extent, and recommend it to be given in smaller doses frequently repeated, and in general combined with opium. The evidence which is advanced in favor of the beneficial effects of calomel, under both modes of administration, might at first view appear perfectly con- clusive; but in making up an opinion on this subject, it is necessary to recollect that in almost all the cases which are adduced where the practice is supposed to have been eminently successful, other important reme- dies have at the- same time bean employed—especially bleeding, frictions, and stimulating applications to the surface—and very commonly the warm bath. Upon the early and judicious employment of the last men- tioned medicines, nearly all the writers agree that the cure of the disease mainly depends; by many they are of themselves supposed fully sufficient—and that the various internal remedies that have been resorted to GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 729 are either useless or absolutely pernicious. Among the physicians of Russia, Poland and Germany, there are but few who recommend the use of calomel at all, and the majority denounce, in very decided terms, its employment in the early stages of cholera, or to the extent to which it was carried by the practitioners of India. In Warsaw, the result of experience showed, according to Dr. Hille, that whether in larger doses, or in smaller ones frequently repeated, the calomel did more harm than good; and hence its use was either entirely abandoned, or it was given in a single dose of a few grains combined with opium. Dr. Gibbs, writing from St Petersburg, says expressly, that scruple and half scruple doses of calomel would not do there; Dr. Lefevre very properly remarks, that small doses com- bined with opium can be of no use in the first stage. In slight cases, he adds, where the quantity of opium is sufficient to allay the spasmodic actionT while time is allowed for the calomel to aet gradually, the combina- tion however may be of service; but it must share the same fate as all the vaunted nostrums which when ad- ministered indiscriminately, lose even the merit to which they are really entitled. In Dunaburg, no calomel was administered, and of seven hundred and forty-five cases, many of which were in the last stages of the disease when first seen by the physician, only seventy-five terminated fatally. Opium. No remedy has been proposed in the treat- ment of cholera, which has so great a mass of testi- mony in its favor as opium. Nearly all the physicians, whatever may be their opinions as to the nature of the disease, have administered it. By some it is recom- mended in the largest possible doses; by others, how- ever, when given in smaller doses, it is considered 730 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. much more efficacious, and less liable to produce injurious consequences. Mr. Orton, an eminent prac- titioner, considers it "probable that a single dose of opium alone, given at the very commencement of the disease, would be found in a great majority of instan- ces to put an effectual check to its progress." The Polish, and a few of the German physicians object, however, to the administering of opium in cholera. Internal Stimulants. The exhibition of ether, brandy, ammonia, (or hartshorn,) and other stimulants, I find to be very generally recommended, especially in the advanced stage of the disease. They are directed to be used or continued until reaction is fairly estab- lished, after which they are to be gradually relinquished* In the early stage of the disease, there is less evidence of their good effects than during that period in which the clammy sweat, icy coldness of the surface, scarcely perceptible pulse, and sunken countenance, indicate a state of collapse, which if not speedily removed, the loss of the patient is inevitable. Many persons have employed the most powerful stimulants even from the commencement of the attack, and with no sparing hand. This practice is highly improper, and certainly by experience known to end in fatal consequences. Stimulants require at all times, much judgment and great caution in their employment, or they will most assuredly produce far more harm than good; and should be given under no other circumstances than those I have described, and even then, it is questionable whether they do not produce more evil than benefit. Purgatives. Though considered by many physi- cians as indispensable remedies in the treatment of cholera, they do not appear, with the exception of cal- omel, to have been very generally employed until after GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 731 the more pressing and violent symptoms of the disease have been subdued. At this particular juncture it is very generally admitted that they have been productive of the host effects. They are proper so long as the bowels do not perform their functions regularly, and the stools have an unusual appearance; nor is there any danger of reproducing the disease by their con- tinuance, so long as we take these marks for our guide. It is much more likely to recur or return from neglect- ing to administer them; for purging by calomel is ne- cessary, for you will find the quantity of unhealthy matter which is often evacuated by stool, remains for a long time after the complaint has been subdued. Such is the experience of Doctor Lefevre, in regard to the use of purgatives. He says, they are found indispen- sable, by producing copious discharges of vitiated bile. "A full dose of calomel," remarks the Doctor, "is often useful in the beginning of the convalescence, as it acts upon all the secretions. But the simple purging, which is so requisite after this disorder, is best effected by small and repeated doses of castor oil." The virtues of this last medicine, have indeed been extolled in a very positive manner, by the physicians both of India and Europe. "The success under its use was very considerable, and there seems," says Mr. Scott, "to be sufficient evidence to warrant a more extensive trial." It is admitted by all, that purgatives which produce frequent watery stools, with griping, are improper in this disease—are very prejudicial, and ought and must not be given. Enemata, which means glysters. When the stomach is so irritable that it will not retain anything, or constant puking, by which the exhibition of remedies by the mouth cannot be given, glysters, (called enemas,) will 732 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. be proper, not only in the first attack of the complaint, but in the latter stages of the disease also; especially in such cases as have been attended with much spasm, and the bowels continue sore for a long time after, and every motion on the stool is productive of pain. In this case, an enema or glyster of half a pint of flaxseed tea, and ten drops of laudanum, produces immediate relief—administered in this manner, the Opium is less liable to produce injurious consequences than when given by the mouth. Injections, or glysters in plain English, given of hot water above blood heat, have been highly spoken of in cases of great collapse or sinking and general coldness of the skin. After draw- ing up the water wtth a syringe, (or squirt,) and letting this warm water remain up awhile, the water may be withdrawn by the syringe, and a fresh supply of warm water introduced. Mr. Fife speaks favorably of injec- tions of mustard—they have, he says, promptly brought on a discharge of urine, after it had been entirely sup- pressed. Muriate of Soda—(Nothing in English but our common salt.)—This has been spoken of by a few of the continental physicians, as a powerful remedy in cholera, and is recommended by the eminent Mr. Searl, as an emetic in the commencement of the case. I cannot say that the evidence in its favor is very strong. It is true, we are told by Dr. Barry, that at St. Peters- bugh, two German physicians declared in his presence, at the medical council, "that during the preceding eleven days, they had treated at the custom-house hospital, thirty cholera patients, of whom they lost none. They gave two table-spoonsful of common salt in six ounces of hot water at once, and one spoonful of the same cold every hour afterwards." But let it be recollected, GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 733 that these gentlemen, as well as the others who have recommended this remedy, always premised bleeding, (that is, first bled, and then used the salt and warm water,) and also used other valuable remedies, upon the importance and good effects of which in cholera, there is but little difference of opinion. It is thus that many remedies in this, and other diseases, acquire a fictitious reputation from being conjoined or mixed with others of acknowledged power—when, had they been omitted, the case would, in all probability, have proceeded as rapidly, or perhaps even more so, to a favorable termina- tion. Drinks. A strange diversity of opinion exists among the writers upon cholera, as to the proper drinks to be allowed the patient. By some, dilutents of every kind were entirely prohibited, in consequence of a supposition that they increased the vomiting. The great desire of the patient is for cold water—he appears to labor under the most distressing thirst, the calls of which, it must be evident, cannot be disregarded, without materially in- creasing his suffering, and, eventually, the disease under which he suffers. Mr. Scott, in common with nearly all the best practitioners, admits the propriety of allowing some bland dilutent, but maintains that it should be given of tepid warmth. He conceives that cold drinks are always dangerous, and generally fatal. This was the opinion very generally of the surgeons of India. Mr. Annesley, however, gave cold water, with a slight impregnation of nitric acid—in other words, made pleasantly sour. This was the general drink at the hospital under his care, and was found to relieve the most distressing symptom of the disease, the burning sensation at the stomach. From the experience of the European physicians, it would appear very fully settled, 734 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. that cold drinks are not more prejudicial than warm, and when desired by the patient, should be freely given. According to Lefevre, iced lemonade has often been taken with advantage. The diluted nitric acid, he states, may be added with great benefit to the common drink. Fifty drops of the diluted acid, added to a pint of water, sweetened to the taste, is a grateful beverage. Dr. Drysen, of Riga, says that when the thirst is great, warm, or even hot drinks are the best, and are often retained and even desired by 4he patient. He directs infusions of various mild aromatic herbs, or when these are unpleasant to the patient, of common tea. But when the patient desires earnestly cold drinks, they may be given in slight portions at a time, without fear of any bad consequences. Fresh milk, moderately cool, he states, has been found very beneficial; and when the diarrhoea is considerable, a decoction of rice or barley, or thin tapioca, Sec, may be given, and when there is entire absence of pain or tenderness of the abdomen or belly—a little port wine may be added. A cup of strong coffee, he has found very readily to stop the vomiting or puking in this disease—he advises the pa- tient, in case of the drinks being rejected by the stomach, to be allowed to swallow small portions of ice some- what rounded into the shape of a pill by being rolled between the fingers—a practice also recommended by Brussais. The strongest testimony in favor of warm water, is that given by Dr. Strum, a surgeon in the Polish Army: writing from the encampment near Karmienka, "The treatment which we now pursue is probably already known to you, as Dr. Helbig has been ordered, to publish an account of it by the government. It con- sists in nothing else than giving to the patient as much GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 735 warm, nearly hot water, as he is able to drink, in the quantity of a glassful every fifteen or thirty minutes. By the time he has taken fourteen glasses the cure is complete, with the exception of a slight diarrhcea, which it is not proper suddenly to suspend. The effects of this plan of treatment are so quick and effectual, that in two hours, or often sooner, the patient is well— particularly when it is commenced with sufficiently early. Treatment of the secondary stage of Chol- era. After the more violent symptoms of the disease have been removed, that is after the vomiting and purging have been suspended, the regular action of the heart established, and the circulation and heat of the surface permanently restored, the attention of the phy- sician must be directed to guard against or remedy local congestions, to prevent inordinate reaction, and to produce a healthy action of the bowels. Congestion is most liable to take place after the first stage or that of collapse is over, in the liver and lungs, and sometimes in the head also. For this, moderate blood-letting, local or general according to circumstances, is the most certain remedy. When febrile symptoms with determination to the brain, present themselves, topical bleeding, (such as cupping, Sec.) near the temples, will be found very successfully to relieve it. The judicious employment of blisters, and of cold applications to the head, will also be of advan&ge. When the healthy condition of the bowels has not been produced by the remedies administered in the first stage, moderate doses of calomel, followed by castor oil, or other mild purgatives, will be necessary. As soon as the dischar- ges have become healthy or well tinged with bile, (that is that you have fully roused the liver into action,) the 736 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. patient may be considered out of danger, and the pur- gatives discontinued; but not until then. Tenderness or fixed pain in the region of the stomach, or any part of the abdomen or belly, call for the immediate appli- cation of leeches or cupping. I have now fully, and as minutely as I conceived it necessary in a work of this kind, given you the various remedies which have been proposed, and strongly recommended, in the treatment of cholera by different writers—together with the practice of the most dis- tinguished physicians in India and Europe. You will after reading attentively this subject see plainly that no decided or positive or certain method is laid down for the treatment of this dreadful scourge of the human race. In plain language, it has commenced in the United States, and the physicians of this country have been compelled to establish a practice founded on their own experience, and to adopt or use such remedies according to the symptoms, or the effect of the disease, at the time of its location, upon the habits, constitutions, Sec, and the effects of climate, together with such pre- disposing causes as may exist at the time this disorder is prevalent. I have subjoined for your satisfaction and informa- tion, several letters of the most enlightened and distin- guished physicians of our country, and, when it becomes necessary, reduced their technical or medical terms into plain language, so that you might easily understand them. Their valuable information, and the distinguish- ed standing of their authors, deserve the confidence and gratitude of the American people. Permit me, in cases of emergency, to recommend to your particular attention the letters of Drs. Drake and Pattison. GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 737 LETTER OF DR. DRAKE. Prevented entirely by indisposition, from laying be- fore the readers of the Chronicle, last week, an account of the progress of the epidemic; and not yet capable of much effort of the pen, I shall scarcely fulfil my en- gagement to furnish them with a history of the disease. Twenty-seven days have now elapsed since the onset of the pestilence, during which period the whole number of deaths, as far as it has been ascertained, is three hundred and fifty-one. Dividing the period into three equal parts of nine days each, the first would average about two daily, the second seventeen, and the third twenty-one. The greatest number of deaths was from noon on the nineteenth to noon on the twentieth, and amounted to forty-two, or one out of every six hundred inhabitants actually in.the city at the time. Since that day mortality has slowly diminished, and at present there is a general impression that the epidemic is de- clining. No age, sex, complexion or condition, has been ex- empted from the impress of the poison, but its mortal effects have been very different, in different classes of the community. Among the colored it has gone on to develop a fatal disease, far oftener in proportion than among the whites, while among the latter, the laboring classes have much more frequently fallen victims than those who lived in ease and affluence. Many drunk- ards have been its victims, but the majority of this class have as yet escaped. More men have sunk than wo- men, but the names of the victims show that a great number of mothers in the middle and lower ranks of society, have died. The great secret, I apprehend, of these diversities, and of the comparative exemption of the reading and affluent classes, is simply their earlier W8 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. knowledge and fuller appreciation of the signs and' means of arresting the disease in its forming stage. Whenever, either in white or black, rich or poor, male or female, old or young, it has been suffered to establish itself in violent vomitings, coldness, cramps and pros- tration, it has proved fatal or been cured in so small a number that they constituted but exceptions to the rule. Could every man, woman, and child, in the city, have been taught what were the first symptoms, convinced of the necessity of attending to them, and furnished with the means of adopting the requisite treatment, I do not hesitate to say, the mortality would have been far less than has taken place. For the information of distant readers where this disease may unhappily break out, I shall briefly state the simple course, which in my own practice, and that of a great number of my medical friends, has proved effectual for this purpose. On the very first occurrence of any complaint in the stomach or bowels, the patient must instantly go to bed in a warm room, and continue there untill all disease has left him. This is the greatest point in the treatment, and if neglected, nothing else will be of any avail. His bed- covering should be warm and close, and he should be enjoined to lie still. In this situation, two objects are to be kept steadily in view—first, to excite the skin into perspiration, and secondly to excite the liver into a co- pious secretion of bile, which being brought about and properly maintained, the patient is insured. To accom- plish these ends, he must be made to drink freely of a weak tea of bairn, sage, thoroughwort, sassafras, or snake-root At the same time, he must take a powder of ten grains of calomel and one of opium, which may be repeated two or three times, with or without the opium, according to the judgment of the physician. In GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 739 most cases bags of mush or bitter herbs may be laid over the abdomen, and are much preferable to sina- pisms, except where the vomiting is severe. If the patient should be of a full habit or have fever, blood- letting would be required. In twelve or twenty-four hours after the commencement of this course, it will often be necessary to administer a little rhubarb, castor oil, or senna. Such are the small and simple means by which this great pestilence may be arrested, if at- tacked in its forming stage. Should they, as too often happens, be omitted until spasms and prostration of the vital powers come on, they are still the most valuable, but will oftener fail than succeed. They who can be made practically sensible of these facts, will be saved. They who cannot, are liable to perish. RELAPSE. AH who have had cholera, in any degree, are peculi- arly liable to relapses, and many of our citizens have already perished in this way. The causes of these re- lapses are chiefly two. First, rising too soon from bed, and going into the open air, by which the perspiration is checked. In no other disease is this so dangerous. I speak according to the experience^ of other places, and my own observations in this. Secondly, indul- gence in diet. Those who are recovering from cholera, whether slight or violent, will relapse and die, if they indulge in hearty meals of solid food. All they eat should be liquid and mild, such as gruel, soup, mush and milk, rice, chocolate, and other articles of a light kind. Everything beyond this bill of fare is pernicious. I hope my fellow-citizens will scrupulously observe -what I stated; and I beg of all editors to co-operate in disseminating a knowledge of these most important cautions. 740 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. NEGLECT OF THE FIRST STAGE. It is lamentable to see how many continue to fall vic- tims to the epidemic from neglecting the first stage. I repeat the opinion, and would reiterate it with every possible solemnity, that few or none would die of the epidemic, if the first stages were attended to. When- ever I have been able to get the history of a fatal case, I have found the patient had one, two, three, or more days' indisposition, chiefly ef the stomach and bowels, before the spasms and coldness came on. Now, in that forming stage, the malady is easily arrested; when it is neglected the patient generally dies. Could every one who becomes indisposed be induced to take instantly to his bed, and send for a physician, the epidemic would be forthwith deprived of all its hor- rors. The Roman maxim, "resist the beginning," is not more applicable to any other evil which afflicts mankind, than to epidemic cholera. CHOLERA AND THE STEAM DOCTORS. I am told that a great many persons affected with cholera apply to the steam doctors. Many of these are no doubt cured; but others must be lost, who under a different method might have been saved. I have often said to my friends, that some parts of the Thomp- sonian practice would be well adapted to cholera, especially in its advanced stages; but it is a fatal error to suppose, that this method is proper in all cases. I hope the steam doctors, many of whom I believe are benevolent men, will candidly consider what I am about to say. A weak infusion of lobelia, with con- finement to bed and external heat, is extremely proper in the forming stages of the disease; but many cases at the same time require blood-letting, and all that require this latter remedy, would be injured by the use GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 741 of "No. 6" and other powerful stimulants. The liver, moreover, is torpid and does not secrete bile; it is necessary, therefore to administer calomel liberally in the early stages of the disease. Opium likewise is a valuable remedy in this stage, and contributes greatly to palliate the sufferings of patients. Thus it is, indiscriminate omission of blood-letting, calomel and opium, cause many to die who might have been saved. One grain of opium, to ten of calomel, form a pro- per dose which may be given once, twice or three times, and will seldom fail to excite a flow of bile, after which the patient is generally safe. In the stage of collapse, "No. 6," and every other stimulating arti- cle in the Thompsonian plan, may be admitted; though treated in this manner or any other the patient will generally die. In concluding, I must again solemnly and affection- ately warn the community that no reliance is to be placed on any plan of treatment that is not entered upon at the very beginning of the disease, and that taking to bed in a warm room at the onset of the complaint and continuing in that situation for several days is indispensable to safety. DANIEL DRAKE, M. D. Cincinnati, Friday, October 26, 1832. LETTER OF DR. PATTISON. We have been compelled to give only an abridge- ment of the letter of this distinguished individual, to his friend, Dr. Carmichael of Fredericksburg, Va. Dr. Pattison is Professor of Anatomy in the city of Balti- 742 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. more, is one of the most distinguished medical men now living; as a surgeon, there is not his superior. Having long toiled in the steep and rugged road of science, he has reached the summit and now stands unrivalled in his profession. As a philanthropist, his generous heart is ever ready to soothe and to relieve the afflictions of mankind. Dr. Pattison, substantially, says:— When the epidemic exists in any particular district, the state of the bowels must be attended to with the utmost solicitude, and the most trifling irregularity at once remedied. I have before been at some pains to press on your attention the fact, that in almost every instance, the malignant form of the disease is preceded by diarrhoea; and I would now state, that in this stage, the complaint may, with certainty, be remedied. The diarrhoea indicates mere functional derangement; re- move this, and restore the healthy secretions of the liver, stomach, and the other viscera which minister to the functions of digestion and assimilation, and you save your patient. The treatment is very simple. Im- mediately on ascertaining the existence of the diarrhoea, direct your patient to take one of the following pow- ders: Powdered Rhubarb, 80 grains, Calomel, 20 grains, Salts of Opium, 1 grain, And divide into four equal powders. Should there be much pain and oppression in the epigastrium; and more especially, should the pain be increased by pressure, apply from fifteen to twenty cups over this part, and if the patient be of a plethoric habit, take blood from the general system. Six hours after the powder has been taken, give from six drachms to GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 743 an ounce of castor oil. The dejections will be found unnatural in their appearance, and should they con- tinue so,' let the powder be repeated twelve hours after the operation of the first one has ceased, and follow it up as in the former case, with a dose of oil. Continue this treatment until the excretions become natural. Let the patient keep his bed, and take the lightest and most digestible food, and in the course of a few days, his health will be perfectly re-established. I have never yet, in the whole course of my experience, had an opportunity of treating a patient during the pre- monitory stage, in which I have not succeeded in arresting the progress of the disease. This is a most consolatory truth, and one which cannot be too exten- sively proclaimed. It disarms the pestilence in a great measure of its terrors, and it should have the effect of calming the minds of the timid, and inspiring them with confidence. Fear is, of all the exciting causes, the most powerful; the publication of these facts, prove there is no ground for it By attention to diet, and im- mediately applying for medical aid, should the premon- itory symptoms arise, every individual may feel himself secure from danger. Should your patient not have applied to you for advice, until the first stage is verging on the second, the most energetic system of treatment will be required, to afford him any chance of recovery. So soon as the dejections lose their feculent charac- ter, and assume the appearance of rice water, then the disease may be said to be entering on its second, and most alarming stage. The effect on the system, when these dejections commence, is immediate. The strength is prostrated; the countenance becomes contracted and ghastly; the spasms become more fre- 744 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. quent and more severe, and in general, the distressing sensation in the epigastrium is increased. If the case is now left to itself, collapse very speedily takes place; and indeed, very often, in spite of the best directed treatment, this comes on. It would require me to fill a ream of paper, were I to attempt to speak of all the plans of treatment which have been recommended; I shall refrain from doing so, and shall confine my re- marks to the indications which guide my own practice, and the measures I pursue in carrying them into effect. Before I do so, I beg leave to remind you, that I put in no claim to originality, either in my views as to the nature of the disease, or as to the mode of treating it- My mode of treating Cholera Asphyxia, is, in fact, the one which has been so successfully adopted by the British physicians in India. Believing, as I have already stated, that the disease depends on functional derangement of certain viscera, particularly those which fulfil the operations of diges- tion and assimilation; in every stage of the disease, my indication is, to restore the healthful performance of those functions. Now, of all the medicines which can be employed for this purpose, calomel is decidedly the most powerful, and to it I look as the sheet-anchor of hope. Let all your remedial measures, therefore, be so directed as to promote the operation of mercury on the system. If your patient complains of much pain in the epigastrium, let cupping-glasses be applied; and if the pulse will bear it, bleed from the general system. In the employment of general blood-letting, considera- ble judgment is required, and in determining the quan- tity, the pulse must be our guide. Even should the pulsation at the wrist be scarcely perceptible, still, if other symptoms should indicate the propriety of bleed- GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 745 mg, be not deterred from employing it; you will fre- quently find that as the blood flows, the pulse becomes more and more distinct If so, continue the bleeding until the pulse begins to feel it. The instant it sinks, apply the finger to the wound, in the vein, and prevent the flow of another drop. General blood-letting is calculated either to do much good or to be attended with much danger. I will therefore be excused in repeating that it should not be prescribed without the most deliberate consideration of the circumstances of each particular case. Emetics may in most cases be employed with much advantage. Whenever there is much feeling of oppression and sense of weight in the region of the stomach, they may be prescribed with safety. Dr. James Johnson, the distinguished editor of the Medico Chirurgical Review, a gentleman whom I consider as one of the very first physicians of the present age, and whose learning of the science of his profession is only equalled by the acuteness and accu- racy of his judgment, has strongly recommended emetics of mustard and water in cholera with the view of moving the congestion which he believes exists in the viscera. I prefer the salt and water emetic to any other which has been recommended. Its operation is immediate, and so soon as it has produced free vomiting, its nau- seating effect goes off. You will frequently be much struck with the matter dejected by vomiting; substan- ces which may have been taken into the stomach days before, will occasionally be thrown up unchanged, a sufficient evidence of the impaired condition of the digestive functions. Should you, when called to a case, be of opinion that vomiting may be required, you will of course, employ it immediately, as until its operation 94 746 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. is over, you need not commence the ealomel. So soon as the vomiting from the emetic has ceased, begin with this most important remedy. Some practitioners recommend the calomel to be used in large doses. From my experience, I would prefer giving it in small quantities, repeating the dose frequently; of course, the quantity and the frequency of giving it must be regulated by the circumstances of each particular case. One of the following pills, I would begin with, by giving every half hour. The pills ought to be freshly prepared. If they have been made fbr some days, they have become hard, and remain some time in the stomach before they are dissolved, and every moment is of value, in treating this disease. Take of Calomel, 12 grains, Powder of Cayenne or red pepper, 12 grains, Salts of Opium, 2 grains, Mix the mass thoroughly with a little gum arabic and divide into ten equal pills. It will be observed that each of these pills contains the fifth of a grain of the sulphate of morphia. This I consider a most valuable remedy in quieting the stomach and relieving the spasms. But it is one which must be employed with judgment. The indica- tions for its employment are the vomiting and spasms; and so soon as it relieves these symptoms it should be discontinued. It is probable, after three or four of the pills have been taken, they will disappear; or at all events, become much mitigated. Should this be the case, pills containing merely calomel, should be substi- tuted for those with the morphia. You had better direct your patient to take the calomel pills every half hour, until about thirty grains have been taken; after this quantity has been swallowed, diminish the dose, GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. 747 and let him take only three grains every half hour. The medicine may be continued in this quantity, and taken at these intervals, until from a scruple to half a drachm more of calomel is taken, after which you had better allow the patient a short respite. Should the calomel not of itself produce feculent dejections, after it has remained in the system for some time, it will be useful to give a powder containing twelve grains of calomel and one scruple of rhubarb, and the operation of this may be promoted by giving some hours after- wards a dose of castor oil. The great object I would recommend you to have in view, is to introduce into the stomach a considerable quantity of calomel in divi- ded doses, and then to endeavor to obtain feculent dejections. When the rice-colored dejections are changed into feculent ones, the danger is in a great measure at an end, but persevere in the use of calomel until the healthy secretions are fully re-established. When the stools become natural, and when the secre- tion of urine, which had been completely stopped, is restored, your patient is cured. All that is farther re- quired is rest in bed for some days, and care to avoid taking any but the lightest and most digestible articles of food. 748 GUNN'S DOMESTIC MEDICINE. It is thought advisable to add to my remarks on epi- demic cholera, the following Glossary, in which the most obscure medical phrases employed under this head are rendered into plain language: Collapse—Shrinking. Discrepant—Opposing. Diarrhcea—Looseness of the bowels. Recumbent—Lying on the bed. Reaction-^F^ovahle change. Pseudo-ch^leric-r-Tlesemhling Cholera, but really Ejected—Discharged. [not the disease. Revulsion—Withdrawal. Cups—See cupping page 595. Abdomen—Belly, Moribund—Hopeless. Epigastrium—Pit of the stomach, Effervescent—Boiling, Spinage—Green thread-like. Gastric—Of or belonging to the stomach, [bowels. Ducts—Vessels through which the bile runs to the Portal Veins—Veins that supply the liver with blood. Secrete—To make or create. Officinal—Such medicines as physicians use. Morbid—Diseased. Hepatic Veins—Those that secrete bile. Functional—Natural, Intestinal tube-—Stomach and bowels. Vis vitm-^Power of life, [in the nerves, Deficiency of nervous energy—Want of strength Proximate cause—The disease itself Venous congestion—Collection of blood. Torpid—Inactive. Sporadic—A single case. Alvine—Bowel. Sulpt. quinine—Salt of barks. Synopsis—General view. •f Table of Medicines, with their noses and Qualities Annexed. Medicines. Adults. From 20 to 15. From 15 to 10. From 10 to 6. i * Qualities. From. To. From . To. From . To. From . To. Arsenical Solution. 5 12 drops. 5 10 drops. 4 8 drops. 3 6 drops. Tonic. Antimonial Wine. 2 4 drachms. 2 34 drms. 2 3 drachms. 14 24 drams. Emetic. Aloes. 5 20 grains. 4 18 grs. 3 15 grs. 3 12 grs. Cathartic. Balsam Capaiva. 20 80 drops. 20 60 drops. 15 40 drops. 10 30 drops. Corroborant. Balsam Turlington. 20 80 do. 20 60 do. 15 40 do. do. do. Do. Bark peruvian. 4 2 drachms. 4 14 drms. 25gr. li drms. 20 60 grs. Tonic. Calomel. 10 60 grains. 10 40 grs. 10 30 grs. 5 20 grs. Cathartic. Camphor. 6 20 grains. 5 15 grains. 3 10 grs. 2 8 grs. Stimulant Cream of Tartar. 4 2 ounces. 4 14 ounces. 3 10 drams. 2 8 arms. Aperient. Caustic vol. allc. liq. 4 2 drachms. 4 14 drms. , 4 1 drm. 23 30 drops. Stimulant. Columbo. 10 60 grs. 10 30 grs. 10 40 grs. 8 30 grs. Tonic. Chalk prep'd. 20 50 grs. 20 40 grs. 15 35 grs. 15 30 grs. Absorbent- Castor Oil. i 3 ounces. \ 24 ounces. 4 2 ounces. 3 8 drms. Purgative. Ess. Peppermint. 10 60 drops. 10 50 drops. 8 35 drops. 6 20 drops. Carminative. Elix Vitriol. 10 40 drops. 10 30 drops. 8 25 drops. 0 20 drops. Tonic. JEther Vitriolic. 4 2 drachms. 4 14 drms. 30ds 1 drm. 20 60 drops. Stimula't& anti-spa Ginger. 5 23 grs. 5 20 grs. 4 18 grs. 3 15 grs. Aromatic. Gamboge. 5 15 grs. 5 10 grs. 4 10 grs. 3 15 r. 1'" v • rj i'X-'V ^ «v. \ r^kdafe. ,.KV* A ■'"' 'a' ... W '' '<*"* ^>T*<,' /&? :&*> '«f ■>^;"~r *?;< 3fc if '■m ( hX\ v*4>*»r ,;.;4v;';';i irV