the pains, which attend these constitutions,
with more certainty than the secernentia; but if given in large doses, a
debility and return of the hysteric symptoms occurs, when the effect of the
opium or alcohol ceases. Opiates and foetids joined seem best to answer the
purpose of alleviating the present symptoms; and the sorbentia, by
stimulating the lymphatics and lacteals into continued action, prevent a
relapse of their inversion, as Peruvian bark, and rust of iron. See Class
I. 3. 1. 10.
II. Vomiting consists in the inverted order of the motions of the stomach,
and oesophagus; and is also attended with the inverted motions of a part of
the duodenum, when bile is ejected; and of the lymphatics of the stomach
and fauces, when nausea attends, and when much lymph is evacuated.
Permanent vomiting is for a time relieved by the incitantia, as opium or
alcohol; but is liable to return, when their action ceases. A blister on
the back, or on the stomach, is more efficacious for restraining vomiting
by their stimulating into action the external skin, and by sympathy
affecting the membranes of the stomach. In some fevers attended with
incessant vomiting Sydenham advised the patient to put his head under the
bed-clothes, till a sweat appeared on the skin, as explained in Class IV.
1. 1. 2.
In chronical vomiting I have observed crude mercury of good effect in the
dose of half an ounce twice a day. The vomitings, or vain efforts to vomit,
which sometimes attend hysteric or epileptic patients, are frequently
instantly relieved for a time by applying flour of mustard-seed and water
to the small of the leg; and removing it, as soon as the pain becomes
considerable. If sinapisms lie on too long, especially in paralytic cases,
they are liable to produce troublesome ulcers. A plaster or cataplasm, with
opium and camphor on the region of the stomach, will sometimes revert its
retrograde motions.
III. Violent catharsis, as in diarrhoea or dysentery, is attended with
inverted motions of the lymphatics of the intestines, and is generally
owing to some stimulating material. This is counteracted by plenty of
mucilaginous liquids, as solutions of gum arabic, or small chicken broth,
to wash away or dilute the stimulating material, which causes the disease.
And then by the use of the intestinal sorbentia, Art. IV. 2. 5. as rhubarb,
decoction of logwood, calcined hartshorn, Armenian bole; and lastly, by the
incitantia, as opium.
IV. The
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