Ourselves, our food, and our physic / [Benjamin Ridge].

  • Ridge, Benjamin
Date:
1884
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ourselves, our food, and our physic / [Benjamin Ridge]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    261/332 (page 241)
    eines for direct acid or congestive actions of the system, including that stage of them where thirst indicates a slight feverish tendency requiring the addition of the bitters, such as gentian, &c., to correct and arrest it ; as well also as to give the system a certain tonicity. Then, again, we have medicines of a simple alkaline character—such as Nos. 5 and 6—for nervous depression, &c.; and lastly emetics. Few and simple as these prescriptions are, they relieve and prevent many forms of dyspepsia or indigestion, neutralize elements of disease, act upon the exhaling and absorbent systems, and produce perspiration, remove the pains of flatulence, by causing absorption of the free gases in the bowels, assist the chemical laboratories of the body to render inert the deeper-seated morbid elements collecting within glands, which would ultimately lead to functional disturbances of those organs. Thus is disease checked in its bud. No restrictive dieting is called for, the patients being allowed to live according to their usual habits, Nature soon sets all things to rights. It next becomes necessary to take another view of those actions and conditions of the body which produce con¬ gestive states of the lungs attended by coughs. These should be encouraged by giving stimulating expectorants, and such medicines as will loosen and dissolve the phlegm so collected, causing it to be all the more easily dislodged and got rid of. For this the following prescriptions will be found beneficial. 10. Take— Compound tragacanth powder . 2 drachms. Nitrate of potass (nitre) . 30 grains. Sweet spirits of nitre . I drachm. Antimonial wine . 1 Tincture of balsam of tolu . 15 drops. Simple syrup . 4 drachms. Water, to make up .. 6 ounces. Mix. Take a dessert-spoonful frequently, or when the cough is troublesome. R