The People's Common Sense Medical Adviser in Plain English Part 27

ASTRINGENTS.

Astringents are medicines which condense and coagulate the tissues, thereby arresting discharges. When taken into the mouth, they produce the sensation known as puckering. They are used internally and locally.

The term _styptic_ is used as a synonym of astringent, but is generally employed to designate those astringents which arrest hemorrhage, or bleeding.

LOGWOOD (_Haematoxylon Campechianum_). Logwood is a mild astringent, well adapted to remedy the relaxed condition of the bowels after cholera infantum. _Dose_--Of powdered extract, five to ten grains; of the decoction, one ounce; of the fluid extract, fifteen to thirty drops.

BLACKBERRY ROOT (_Rubus Villosus_). This astringent is a favorite, domestic remedy in affections of the bowels. _Dose_--Of the infusion (bruised root), one-half to one ounce, sweetened.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 121.

Witch-hazel. ]

WITCH-HAZEL (_Hamamelis Virginica_). The parts used are the leaves and bark. This is a most valuable astringent and exerts a specific action upon the nervous system. It arrests many forms of uterine hemorrhage with great promptness, is a valuable agent in the treatment of piles, and is useful in many forms of chronic throat and bronchial affections.

_Dose_-Of the infusion, one-fourth to one-half ounce; of the fluid extract, eight to fifteen grains; of the concentrated principle, Hamamelin, one fourth to one grain.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 122.

Cranesbill. ]

CRANESBILL (_Geranium Maculatum_). The root is used. This plant is also known as Crow-foot, and Spotted Geranium. It is a pleasant, but powerful astringent. _Dose_--Of the fluid extract, ten to thirty drops; of the concentrated principle, Geranin, one to two grains.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 123.

Bugle-weed. ]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 124.

Hardhack. ]

HARDHACK (_Spirea Tomentosa_), Spirea, or Meadow Sweet. The stem and leaves are used. It is a tonic and an astringent, and is used in diarrhea and cholera-infantum. _Dose_--Of the infusion, one-half to one ounce; of the fluid extract, three to six drops.

BUGLE-WEED (_Lycopus Virginicus_). This is variously known as Water-h.o.a.rhound and Water-bugle. It is sedative and tonic, as well as astringent, and is employed in hemorrhages and in incipient phthisis.

_Dose_--Of the infusion, one to two ounces; of the fluid extract, fifteen to twenty-five drops; of the concentrated principle, Lycopin, one-half to one grain.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 125.

Canada Fleabane. ]

CANADA FLEABANE (_Erigeron Canadense_). The leaves and flowers are used.

This plant, sometimes known as Colt's-tail, Pride-weed, or b.u.t.ter-weed, is astringent, and has been efficiently employed in uterine hemorrhages.

_Dose_--Of the infusion (two ounces of the herb to one pint of water), one to two ounces; of the oil, five to ten drops on sugar, repeated at intervals of from one to four hours.

CATECHU (_Acacia Catechu_). A tincture of this plant is a pure, powerful astringent, and is especially useful in chronic diarrhea, chronic catarrh, and chronic dysentery. _Dose_--Of the powder, five to twenty grains; of the tincture, one-half to two teaspoonfuls.

TANNIN (_Acidum, Tannic.u.m_). This acid has a wide range of application.

It is used as an astringent. _Dose_--One to five grains.

GALLIC ACID (_Acidum Gallic.u.m_). This remedy is used chiefly in hemorrhages. _Dose_--Three to five grains. In severe hemorrhages, this quant.i.ty should be administered every half hour, until the bleeding is checked.

CARMINATIVES.

Carminatives are medicines which allay intestinal pain, arrest or prevent griping caused by cathartics and exert a general soothing effect. They are aromatic, and to a certain extent, stimulant.

ANISE-SEED (_Pimpinella Anisum_). Anise is a pleasant, aromatic carminative, and is used in flatulent colic. _Dose_--Of the powdered seed, ten to fifteen grains; of the infusion (a teaspoonful of seed to a gill of water), sweetened, may be given freely; of the oil, five to ten drops on sugar.

FENNEL-SEED (_Anethum Foeniculum_). This is one of our most grateful aromatics, and is sometimes employed to modify the action of senna and rhubarb. _Dose_--Same as that of anise-seed.

GINGER (_Zingiber Officinale_). The root is the part used. This is a grateful stimulant and carminative. _Dose_--Of the powder, ten to twenty grains; of the infusion, one teaspoonful in a gill of water; of the tincture, twenty to thirty drops; of the essence, ten to fifteen drops; of the syrup, one teaspoonful.

WINTERGREEN (_Gaultheria Proc.u.mbens_). The leaves are used. This plant possesses stimulant, aromatic, and astringent properties. The essence of Wintergreen is carminative, and is used in colics. _Dose_--Of the essence, one-half to one teaspoonful in sweetened water; of the oil, three to five drops on sugar.

PEPPERMINT (_Mentha Piperita_). Peppermint is a powerful stimulant, carminative, and antispasmodic. It is used in the treatment of spasms, colic, and hysteria. _Dose_--The infusion may be used freely. The essence may be taken in doses of fifteen to thirty drops in sweetened warm water; of the oil, one to five drops on sugar.

SPEARMINT (_Mentha Viridis_). The carminative properties of spearmint are inferior to those of peppermint, and its chief employment is for its diuretic and febrifuge virtues. _Dose_--Same as that of peppermint.

COMPOUND EXTRACT OF SMART-WEED. Dr. Pierce's Extract of Smart-weed is a valuable carminative and aromatic stimulant, and has been employed with marked success in all diseases in which this cla.s.s of remedies is required.

CATHARTICS.

_Cathartics_, or _Purgatives_ are medicines which act upon the bowels and increase the secretions and evacuations. In many parts of the country, these agents are known as purges, or physics. They have been variously divided and subdivided, usually with reference to the energy of their operations or the character of the evacuations produced.

_Laxatives_, or _Aperients_, are mild cathartics. Purgatives act with more energy and produce several discharges which are of a more liquid character and more copious than the former.

_Drastics_ are those cathartics which produce numerous evacuations accompanied by more or less intestinal irritation.

_Hydragogues_ are those purgatives which produce copious, watery discharges.

_Cholagogues_ are those purgatives which act upon the liver, stimulating its functions. Cathartics const.i.tute a cla.s.s of remedies which are almost universally employed by families and physicians.

JALAP (_Ipomoea Jalapa_). The root is used. It is a drastic and a hydragogue cathartic. Formerly it was combined with equal parts of calomel. From this fact it received the name of "ten and ten."

_Dose_--Of the powder, five to twenty grains; of the fluid extract, ten to fifteen drops; of the solid extract, two to four grains; of the concentrated principle, Jalapin, one-half to two grains.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 126.

Culver's-root. ]

GAMBOGE (_Gambogia_). The gum is used. Gamboge is a powerful drastic, hydragogue cathartic, which is apt to produce nausea and vomiting. It is employed in dropsy. It should never be given alone, but combined with milder cathartics. It accelerates their action while they moderate its violence. _Dose_--Of the powder, one-half to two grains. This substance combined with aloes and sometimes with scammony, const.i.tutes the basis of the numerous varieties of large, cathartic pills found in the market.

CULVER'S-ROOT. (_Leptandra Virginica_). The root is used. This plant, known under the various names of Culver's Physic, Black-root, Tall Speedwell, and Indian Physic, is a certain cholagogue, laxative, and cathartic. _Dose_--Of decoction, one to two fluid ounces; of fluid extract, ten to twenty drops; of tincture, twenty to thirty drops; of the concentrated, active principle, Leptandrin, which is but feebly cathartic, as a laxative, two to five grains.

RHUBARB (_Rheum Palmatum_). This is much used as a domestic remedy, and by the profession, for its laxative, tonic, and astringent effects. It is employed in bowel complaints. _Dose_--Of the powder, ten to thirty grains; of the tincture, one-half to two teaspoonfuls; of the fluid extract, ten to thirty drops; of the solid extract, three to five grains; of the syrup, and aromatic syrup, an excellent remedy for children, one-half to one teaspoonful.

CASCARA SAGRADA (_Rhamnus Purs.h.i.+ana_), is a very efficient remedy in chronic constipation. _Dose_--Of the fluid extract, from ten to twenty drops taken in a tablespoonful of water. The unpleasant taste may be disguised with the extract of liquorice.

CASTOR OIL (_Oleum Ricini_). _Dose_--From one to four teaspoonfuls. It may be disguised by rubbing it with an equal quant.i.ty of glycerine and adding one or two drops of oil of anise, cinnamon, or wintergreen.

b.u.t.tERNUT (_Juglans Cinerea_). The bark is the part used. b.u.t.ternut is a mild cathartic, which resembles rhubarb in its property of evacuating the bowels without irritating the alimentary ca.n.a.l. _Dose_--Of the extract, as a cathartic, five to ten grains; of the fluid extract, one-half to one teaspoonful; of the concentrated principle, Juglandin, one to three grains. As a laxative, one-half of these quant.i.ties is sufficient.

ALOES (_Aloe_) The gum is used. This cathartic acts upon the lower part of the bowels and sometimes causes piles; though some late authors claim that in small doses it is a valuable remedy for piles. _Dose_--In powder or pill, three to ten grains; as a laxative, one to three grains.