Volume 1

Medical botany : containing systematic and general descriptions, with plates, of all the medicinal plants, indigenous and exotic, comprehended in the catalogues of the Materia Medica, as published by the Royal Colleges of Physicians of London and Edinburgh: accompanied with circumstantial detail of their medicinal effects, and of the diseases in which they have been most successfully employed / by William Woodville, M.D. of the Royal College of Physicians, London.

  • Woodville, William, 1752-1805.
Date:
1790-1793
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Medical botany : containing systematic and general descriptions, with plates, of all the medicinal plants, indigenous and exotic, comprehended in the catalogues of the Materia Medica, as published by the Royal Colleges of Physicians of London and Edinburgh: accompanied with circumstantial detail of their medicinal effects, and of the diseases in which they have been most successfully employed / by William Woodville, M.D. of the Royal College of Physicians, London. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    coition to that by expreffion ; he attributes its greater mildnefs to the action of the fire, obferving that the expreffed oil, as well as the mixed juices of the feeds, are far more aftive and violent in their operations.5 Dr. Cullen obferves, that “ this oil, when the ftomach can be recon- M ciled to it, is one of the molt agreeable purgatives we can employ. u It has this particular advantage, that it operates fooner after its “ exhibition than any other purgative I know of, as it commonly “ operates in two or three hours. It feldom gives any griping, and “ its operation is generally moderate, to one, two, or three ftools only. “ It is particularly fuited to cafes of coftivenefs, and even to cafes of “ fpafmodic cholic. In the Weft Indies it is found to be one of the “ moft certain remedies in the dry-belly ach, or colica pi£tonum.k “ I have never found it heating or irritating to the redlum, and there- “ fore have found it fufficiently well fuited to hsemorrhoidal perfons. “ The only inconvenience attending the ufe of this medicine is, that u as an oil it is naufeous to fome perfons; and that, when the dofe is “ large, it occafions ftcknefs at the ftomach for fome time after it is “ taken. To obviate thefe inconveniences, feveral means have been “ tried ; but I fhall not detail thefe here, as I can afiert, that the moft “ effectual means is the addition of a little ardent fpirit. For this in “ the Weft Indies they employ rum; but that I might not withdraw “ any part of the purgative, I employ the timftura fennse compofita. “ This, added in the proportion of one to three parts of the oil, and “ very intimately mixed by their being fhaken together in a phial, “ both makes the oil lefs naufeous to the tafte, and makes it fit more “ eafy on the ftomach. The common dofe of this oil is a table- “ fpoonful, or half an ounce; but many perfons require a double u quantity.’’1 s L. c. But this is better explained under note f h We may add, that it has been experienced to be an ufeful medicine in various febrile complaints, and in bilious cholics, nephritic cafes, worms, efpecially the tape-worm. 5 M. M. vol 2. p. 563, Dr. Cullen remarks, “ It is particularly to be obferved of this medicine, that if it be frequently repeated, the dofe of it may be gradually, more and more diminished. And I know inftances of perfons who, formerly of a cofcive habit, at firft required half an ounce or more for a dofe; but after being frequently repeated, they now find that two drams are enough, at leaft to keep the belly regular.” CLEMATIS RECTA.