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Show COWHAGE. COWHAGE., number of long spicule, needle-shaped, hollow, transparent, and armedwith points exquisitely sharp and fine. The idea that their action is merely mechanical, is supported by the observations of several very judicious inquirers, who have madetrial of the cowhage, whoall agree in the opinion that it acts in the same manneras hair cut fine, and given with the same intention; but much more effectually, because of its inflexibility, and the exquisite and almost inconceivable sharp. ness of its points. Curious to knowhowfar the application of the sete to the ex. ternal coats of worms bred in the human bodywouldaffect those animals whenexpelled from the body, I waited not long before I had an opportunity of making the experiment. A calabash full of very large ones, of the teres kind, in full vigour, voided by a poor emaciated patient, was brought to me. Among these I sprinkled some of the sete. For a minute or two no visible effect was produced; but in a little time they began to writhe and twist themselves in an unusual manner, and exhibited evident signs of extreme torture, I took one ofthe worms, and, viewing it through a magnifying glass, perceived that several of the seta had pierced very deep, and others were sticking loosely in various parts of its body, but that none of the spicule which had once entered into the skin dropped of. Convinced in a short time, both from what I hadheard, and from my ownexperiments on the internal exhibition of cowitch, of the safety andefficacy of this incomparable medicine, I laid aside the cabbage tree bark, and for several years have used no other vermifuge than this. Myusual wayof preparing and administering the cowhage is in the form of an electuary, with honey, molasses, or syrup of a thick consistence. Formerly I was not in the habit of ob serving any exact proportion of the quantity of the sete; but as, since the publication of the former editions of this Treatise, the demandfor it has increased beyond myexpectations, I have foundit necessary to adopt certain formule for ascertaining the proportions ; which proportions, although I find them in general to answer very well, I nevertheless, in some particular casey find it necessary to vary, for there never yet existed any general rule to which some exception or exceptions could not be found. of five-20¢After repeated trials and experiments, in the course twenty years, (during which period I have been in the constaat 64] constant habit of exhibiting the cowhage as an anthelmintic, ) made with a view of finding out the best vehicle for this sub- stance, I cannot say that I have found anyless exceptionable than the good old vehicle, commontreacle, such as is to be had at every grocer’s. I have tried conserves, but children cannot be prevailed on so readily to take them. Honey would not be an incommodious vehicle, but it is not with every stomach honey will agree; for it is well known that in some constitutions vio- Jent colicky complaints are brought on bythe smallest quantity of honey, or even by drinking any kind of vinous liquor into which honey enters as an ingredient: and there are these advantages in treacle: first, that every body knows what it is: secondly, there are few children who donot like it: thirdly, it is not apt to be spoiled, or to ferment, unless kept in too warm place: and lastly, it is gently aperient, and, in that view, an auxiliary to the principal ingredient. But if, from adislike of treacle, some other vehicle would be preferred, raspberry jam or currant jelly will prove very good substitutes. At the request of some indulgent parents, in order to cheat into compliance such of their children as could not be prevailed on to take any thing that has the appearance of a medicine, I was induced to turn in my mind how to exhibit the cowhage in the form of a lozenge ; and after some trials succeeded in fixing on a formula that answers pretty well. portion of things extremely simple, It consists of a due pro- sugar, Indian arrow-root, eehae tragacanth ; but no eflicient article, except the cowhage. sut though I have had many communications of the goodeffects of the lozenges, I cannot say I place so much dependence on them, or recommend them in my own practice, (unless where I meet with refractory and spoiled children, that are masters and mistresses over their mammas,) as I find the simple electuary, made with nothing but cowhage and treacle, answer every purpose, OfF this this. sufficient a omicient slhakiace- a tea-spoonful is esin general electuary, found to be vay ; 5 , f dose Gose for children from infancy to the age of six or ; from thence to fourteen, a dessert-spoonful is found to auswer well, and for all above that age, a table-spoonful. For- - uty: I thought it might be sufficient if taken once a day, but “Xperience has shown me that it answers better when taken viz. at night, going to bed, andin the morning, an hour Q7 S CRESSyawe 640 |