OCR Text |
Show 642 COWHAGE. COWHAGE, before breakfast; and though little or no previous medicine is mach and intestines, which is the guard provided by nature to protect the villous coat of these viscera from injury, will be very sufficient to defend those parts fromthe irritation of the sete.—~ A daughter of my own, when about five years old, contrived necessary, yet it is generally found to operate moreeffectually where a gentle emetic (provided nothing forbids it) has been premised. The cowhage, after being begun upon, is to be continued for three or four days, after which, some brisk purgative, such, as jalap, orinfusion of senna, or in short whatever purging medicing is known to agree best with the patient, is to be taken ; which will in general bring away the worms, if there be any. After- wards the cowhage is to be continued as long as there may seem occasion, repeating the purgative at intervals of three or four days. For the tape worm, long experience has taught me, that the cowhage dbes not prove so effectual as against the ote worms, unless the quantity of seta be doubled. In very obstinate cases I sometimes find it necessary to increase the quantity of sete even to a threefold proportion ; for they will not easily be made to let go their hold, which they are as tenacious of as they are oflife. Every one that knows what cowhage or cowitchis, mum be sensible, that if the least particle of it comes in contact weiie skin, it causes a most intolerant itching, and sometimes, ets delicate skins, no small degree of inflammation whereit mi A single bristle of it, so small as to be invisible to the nake eye, is sufficient to cause this inconvenience for a time, but it soon goes off. Microscopic observations show us that the are hollow, and conical, gradually lessening from the i untl they terminate in the finest point that can possibly be niga Here, then, the question may very naturally be asked, thesefinely-pointed spicula, when applied externally to any part of the surface ofthe skin, occasion such tormenting and intolerable itching, sometimes almost even to madness, may there not be danger of injury to the coats of the stomach and ane from so manysharp swords, as it were, received into the " mentary canal??? ‘To this I answer, not the smallest dope danger is to be apprehended. The many thousands who al ps taken it without anyill effect, show its perfect safety. ten the defend to sufficient found be treacle, or little honey, nervous papilla of the lips, fauces, and oesophagus, A "s troublesome effects of the sete, certainly the mucus ofthes 643 to lay hold of a gallypot that contained between three and four ounces of the common preparationof it ; and, secreting herself in a corner, made one meal of it—but without any other in» convenience than a smart diarrhoea, which did her more good than harm. I can with truth aver, that I have never met with, in my ownpractice, any ill effects resulting even from the most liberal use of the cowhagein any form. Weare not to Suppose, that after worms have been expelle d from the system, the patient is never again to be troubled with them. The same causes existing, which proved favoura ble to their multiplication in the first instance, will favour their regen neration. Weare not therefore to sit do wn, content with having got rid of our enemies for the present, and with them a great number of bad symptoms which they occasioned, but so to invigorate the constitution as to prevent, if possible, their future attacks, In cases where they have greatly debilit ated the system, much attention is required, to enable the patient to recover Strength, But, as no practioner whatever can be ignorant of what is necessary to be done on such occasi ons, to enter into any long discussion, onthis part of the subjec t, would be sue perfluous. As far as medicineis concerned, the tonic plan will be proceeded on; the Peruvian b ark, quassia, and preparations of steel. The following are amongst the testimonials produced in favour of this remedy. Letter from Dr. Tuornton, Lecturer on Medical Botany at Guy’s Hospital. To Mr. Cuamueriarne. Sir, I perceive by an advertisement, that you propose, in the course of next month, to give the world a newedition of your Mirable work, on the Stizolo bium or cowhage, the Dolichos prue Tens of Linneus. Regularly educate d as [ have beento physic, and to tl le science of botany, I could not fail to notice effects said, by so respectable an authority, to have arisen from the use of an exotic plant; and 7 not to particula rize cases, I must beg 9m Oo 27 2 r |