Remarks on the siruba, or, Native oil of laurel, its production, uses, &c. / by J. Hancock.

Date:
1830
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Remarks on the siruba, or, Native oil of laurel, its production, uses, &c. / by J. Hancock. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    of olive oil) rubbed on the chest.* The patient should wear warm clothing- and flannel next the skin, use a bland diet, especially milk and barley, and diluting drinks; but above all, in those cases, to guard the breast, or rather whole chest, with flannels ; a double or treble vest of this sort will be found of vast advantage in coughs and pectoral complaints, and most necessary to promoting the effects of the native oil as a diaphoretic resolvent. Such bronchial and pulmonary affections, or incipient consumption,attended with cough and hectic emaciation, have been cured by taking about four, six, or ten drops twice a day, with the simple decoction of Sarsaparilla^ and liquorice, and very small doses, as half a grain, of the grey oxide of mercury, with about one grain of opium, and two of ipecacuanha, repeated once or twice a day. If referable to its subtle searching power I know not, but I have observed, that its vapour inhaled into the lungs will expel wind from the stomach,—a person troubled with flatus need only breathe the vapour from the mouth of a vial, for a few moments, and the air or gas will presently * In this way, it appears to abate internal inflammation—its penetrating power is such, that, even by its outward application, a peculiar odour is soon communicated to the urine and other secretions. Early application and perseverance is recommended in these cases. t For further advertences on this neglected and forlorn disease, I beg to refer the reader to some “ Observations on Pulmonary Consumption, &c.” published in the Lancet of the 8th May, 1830, p. 204, or the same re- published in the Leicester Herald of the 9th June last j and I take this opportunity to make ray acknowledgments to the (to me unknown) editor of that independent journal, for the very liberal and handsome manner in which he has been pleased to introduce my observations. J This I regard as the most necessary article in these affections, and it should, if possible, be that of the Rio Negro, as vastly preferable to all other species. I have lately met with this kind, apparently, at the London Docks. On this important remedy, I beg leave to direct the reader’s attention to some remarks of mine, on the Sarsa of the Rio Negro, in the Trans, of the Med. Bot. Soc. for July, 1829, and the same reviewed and extracted in the Lancet of the 3d and 24th October, in the same year.