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Show SCAMMONY BINDWEED. SCAMMONY BINDWEED. HISTORY. This scammony convolvulus is a climbing perennial plant, SS, ey GRE which grows in Syria, Mysia, and Cappadocia. The which are very long and thick, when fresh contain a jnice. This is obtained by removing the earth from the part of the roots, and cutting off the tops obliquely. The roots, milky upper milky juice which flows out is collected in a small vessel sunk in the earth at the lower end of the cut. Each root furnishes only a few drachms; but the produce of several parts is added together, and dried in the sun. This is the true and unadulterated scammony. It is light, of a dark gray colour, but becomes of a whitish yellow when touched with the wet finger, is shining in its fracture, has a peculiar nauscous smell andbitter acrid taste, and forms with water a greenish milky fluid, without anyremarkable sediment. In this state of purity it seldom reachesus, but is commonly mixed with the expressed juice of the root, aud even of the stalks and leaves, and often with flour, sand, or earth. The best to be met with in the shops comes from Aleppo, in light spongy masses, having a heavy disagreeable smell, friable, and easily powdered, of a shining ash colour’ verging to black ; when powdered, of light gray or whitish colour. An inferior sort is brought from Smyrnain more compact ponderous pieces, with less smell, not so friable, andless easily powdered, of a darker colour, not so resinous, and full of sand and other impurities. A resin is the principal constituent of scammony. Sixteen ounces of good Aleppo scammony give eleven ounces of resin and three and a halfof watery extract. MEDICAL USE, Scammony is anefficacious and strong purgative. Some have condemnedit as unsafe and uncertain, a full dose proving sometimes ineffectual, whilst at others a much small er one occasions dangerous inflammation and gripes. This difference, howeve r, is owing entirely to the different circumstances of the patient , and not to any ill qualityorirregularity of operation of the medicine: where the intestines are lined with an excessive load of mucus, the scammonypasses through without acting upon them; but where the natural mucus is deficient, a small dose of this or any other resinous cathartic irritates and inflames, Manyhave en- 107 deavoured to diminish the activity of this drug, and to correct its imaginary virulence, by exposing it to the fumes of sulphur, dissolving it in acids, and the like; but these only destroy a part of the medicine, without making anyalteration in the rest. Scammony in substance, judiciously managed, stands not in need of any corrector: if triturated with sugar, or with almonds, it becomes sufficiently safe and mild in its operation. It may likewise be conveniently dissolved, bytrituration, in a strong decoction of liquorice, aud the solution then poured off from the feces. ‘The commondose of scammony is from three to twelve grains. The action of cathartics have been variously considered by medical men. Some have entertained that this arises by small spicule irritating the sensible coats of the bowels; andthese resinous cathartics are the more powerful on this account; andit certainlyis a curious fact, the mild operationthat sea ONG, pro. duces, with someother cathartics, when triturated with sugar, or blunted with the almond. It is generally given in cold phlegmatic habits, and forms the chief ingredient of those family draughts and pills so commonlyused to obviate habitual costiveness. Take of scammony, in powder, grains 10, blanched almonds —— cinnamon water — syrup of ginger - - drachm 1, - ounce drachm J], 1: Rnb down the scammony with the almonds first, then add the syrup and cinnamon water gradually. For a purging draught, to be taken early in the morning. Take of scammony, in powder — socotrine aloes ————- Spanish soap - = - - grains = - scruple drachm 10, 1, 1}, ———— essential oil of cloves —edrdpstS3 — syrup of ginger - a sufficient quantity: Makethirty pills. ‘Take three going to bed. It forms also a chief ingredient in the famous basilic-powder, as it is called, so serviceable for removing what is commonly termed pot-belly in children. Take of scammony, in powder, ——— calomel, ———— antimonial powder, equal parts, grains 2, ——— cream of tartar - = grains 10: To be taken in currant jelly an hourafter breakfast every other |