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Show 108 SCAMMONY BINDWEED. day. It will often not only purge but vomit, which. last effect will produce no harm. The great Boerhaave says that this plant is an excell ent remedy against the dropsy, provided theviscera are good: ** Est planta Jaudatissima contra hydropem, modo visce ra sint bona.” He gave the flowers: ‘ Flores recentes ad uncia m dimidiam comesti cumoleo et acetofortissimo sursum deorsumque purgant.”? Manyphysicians have entertained great fears respecting this remedy. Boerhaavesays, it quick ly, if too freely given, converts the blood into water: ‘ Si succus ex radice exprimatur, tum habetursuccus scammonii, hic succus sangu inem in aquam cito convertit, et hinc venenatus est, si magna copia assumatur.”? But in moderate doses it is good against the bile, and as a hy- drogogue to remove water: “Sed si caute adhibeatur, tum optime convenit, ubi purgandum, aqua ducendaet bilis.”? He re- commends it in asthma: ‘ Conducit in asthmate.” Hoffmann also had dreadful apprehensions respec ting this remedy. He says he never employed it, nor ever will; resolving always to abstain from, colliquative poisons: * Ego nunquam in praxi mea in usu habui, nec in posterum habebo; me semper abistius- modi venenis colliquativis abstinens.” Nevertheless, as a drastic purgative, in cold habits, it is very usefully employed. PREPARATIONS. The Royal London College order the following preparations : Execruaryor Scammony, SCAMMONY BINDWEED, The Edinburgh College thus direct : Take of scammony, ——— Ssuper-tartrate of potass, equal parts : tub them togetherto a very fine powder, In the first of these compositions the scammonyis combined with another purgative more active than itself, and in the other with one much less so; which difference must be attended to in prescription, The doseis fromfive to ten grains. . mee Comrounn Powper or ScaAmmMo ny witn Aross. Scammonii compositus cum Aloe. L.) 2 "4 (Pulvis Take of scammony, six drachms ; hard extract of jalap, —— socotrinealoes, of each an ounce and a half ; — ginger, half an ounce: Powder them separately, and mix them. Here we have a combinationof three powerful purgatives of the same kind’; but what advantage these compositions have over the ingredients taken separately is not very apparent. Of the present, from five to ten grains is a sufficient dose for a costive habit. Powprer or Scammony wrrn Catomet. (Pulvis Scammonii cum Calomelane. L.) (Electuarium Scammonii. L.) Take of Scammony, in powder, one ounce and a half; cloves, ginger, of each, six drachm s; The ginger is an useful addition, and will render it less apt to gripe. Take of scammony, half an ounce; calomel, = Mix the spices, powdered toge ther, with the Syrup; then add the scammony, and lastly the oil of caraway. This electuary is a warm bri sk purgative. A drachm and a double refined sugar, of each two drachms: Powder them separately, and then mix them. In this case the calomel may often be found to be an useful addition to the scammony, as its mode ofactionis different, although it coincides with it in the general effect. The dose is from five to ten grains, used in costive habits, and to remove positus. L.) Exrracr or Cotocynrir (Extractum Colocynthidi s composi- essential oi] of Caraway, half a drachm; syrup of roses, as muc h as is sufficient : half contain fifteen grains of scammony, Comrounp Powper oF ScAmmony. (Pulvis Sca mmonii com- Take of scammony, hard extract of Jalap, of each two ounces ; ——— ginger, half an ounce: y 7 - e.s Powder them separately, and mix them. filthy sordes from the bowels. It also properly enters into the composition of the Compounp tum, L.); Compounp Pownrer or SENNA (Pulvis Senne compositus, L.); Pirus or ALors AND ConocyNntH (Pilul e Aloes cum Colocynthide). |