The therapeutical powers and properties of veratrum viride / by Wesley C. Norwood.

  • Norwood, Wesley C., 1806-1884.
Date:
1858
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The therapeutical powers and properties of veratrum viride / by Wesley C. Norwood. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    beats in the minute in ten or twelve hours, without either nausea or any other unpleasant symptom being produced.^ Upon adults it acts power- fully, and its effects are as speedily produced, and the pulse may be reduced to thirty-five without either distress or danger. SCALD HEAD. Take equal parts, by weight, of best pulverized Ilhubarb and iodide of Potassium Pulvis, mix well, and add two drachms to one ounce of Lard; wash the head well with fine soap and water, and annoint night and morn- ing. We occasionally add three drachms of the ingredients to the ounce of lard. Should the scabs or scurf be hard or dry, we wash with Alcohol. By sufficient use of the above, success may be relied on as sure. ACUTE RHEUMATISM. Take six ounces fresh Colchicum Seeds, add to one pint of Alcohol, let stand two weeks. Give this Tincture four times in the day. To an Adult, begin with fifteen drops at a dose, and increase the quantity two drops every portion given, till you obtain the specific effects of colchicum, which may be known by the production of whitish, frothy operations which indi- cates the reduction of the dose if relieved, and its discontinuance if no relief is obtained. If the peculiar frothy operations are not produced in thirty-six hours, the dose may be more rapidly increased, say from three, to five drops every portion given. If the above fails, the vascular action should at once be reduced by Veratrum Viride, and the pain will soon yield. PUERPERAL CONVULSIONS. To attempt the explanation of the above disease would be vanity in us. In many cases delivery is essential to relief, and we can but modify the violence till delivery is effected by natural or artificial means. Take six ounces of the ripe and fresh seed of Stramonium, (Datura) to which add one pint of Alcohol; let stand two weeks. Of this Tincture give thirty drops every thirty minutes till the symptoms are relieved, or the system is brought under the full operative effect of the Stramonium, which may be ascertained by watching its effects on the pupil of the eyes. If contracted, they become dilated by full doses. If dilated, they contract. We have seen no case that was not essentially relieved or fully cured by the con- tinuance of this remedy, in efficient doses, after the birth of the child. We have known the convulsions return in from twelve to twenty-four hours by a too early suspension of the remedy. We are fully persuaded from long experience that the above are reliable and efficient remedies, and will not disappoint if given energetically, and of sufficient strength and purity. We remark in regard to the above, as well as in reference to Veratrum Viride, that we have spoken of their powers and effects, and uses individu- ally, and as basic remedies in the diseases in which we have recommended them. Bleeding, opium, cathartics, and blistering may be necessary as adjuncts. The great difficulty in regard to the use of remedies, is their want of purity and strength, and Colchicum and Veratrum Viride fail on this account more than any other agents of the materia medica. The putting up of our Tincture of Veratrum Viride: The first lot of Tincture we put up in plain round four ounce bottles, labeled simply Norwood's Tincture of Veratrum Viride. There was such call for directions from physicians, and complaint of want of neatness from druggists, that we put it up in the present style- The direction first given on the bottle was to commence with eight drops of the Tincture. In the last lot we reduced the dose one-half or more, to give in combination with