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Show COWMAGE, COWHAGE. leave publicly to declare, that the remedy you have introduced into this part of the world, bids, as far as my experience reaches, the most fair for success, of any, in all cases of worms, Conscious that the vitality of this tribe of beings may differ widely from our own, I have tried, among other remedies, even destroy ; and proves in consequence a very safe and desirable remedy, and one extremely worthy the attention of the faculty and the public in general.—I remain, Sir, With muchrespect and esteem, Yourfaithful obedient servant, Rozert Joun Tuornton, M. D. O44 what others might not have ventured on, even had they sup- posed good could have arisen. In one case I even ventured uponarsenic to destroy the lumbrici: but the case was that of insanity. In another, to destroy the ascarides, I injected dis. 645 No.1, Hind-street, Manchester-square, October 24th, 1804, Dr. Seurre. solved ice into the rectum: but here the individual had a cancer I have, in my own practice, seen many instances of the happy the intensity of cold, or the most powerful mineral poison, pro- effects of your cowhage, and have the satisfaction to report, that many more have been communicated to me by correspon- with this other disease; and life was insupportable. But neither duced the cure. In both these cases, other applications failing, I afterwards tried your Stizolobium with advantage. Rough pewter filings have done much good, andare in truth a very rough remedy: but yourStizolobiumacts also mechanically, yet not injuriously. The stomach andintestines are sufficiently coated with mucus to be secure of their spicule : but the worms which may come into contact with these weapons of offense, are sure to become pierced thereby ; and thus wounded, are carried by the peristaltic motion throughout the intestinal tube, and ejected. There are certain juices offensive to different animals. Thus, the expressed juice of the ranunculus, (the common butter cup,) sprinkled over the ground, will bring up all the worms in that spot; and the smell of asafcetida will drive away wild fowl; yet it is a doubt howfar any hitherto discovered remedyacts as a destroyer of worms. The fern-root may be eaten in pounds, and therefore, as far as regards uS, is inactive, and probably is such with respect to one species of worm, the tenia; but the drastic purge afterwards employed, sometimes removes the enemy. Not so your Stizolobium ;—mechanical action we all understand ;—and were I sure that we had as he arrived at the real poison of these reptiles, one not at all detrimental to ourselves, as parsley kills a parrot, and other such facts known to botanists, that I should rather recommend what succeeds action, sud virtute than what destroys only by mechanical In this state of our science, however, I am happy' ; whatever bear testimonyin favour of your West Indian plant the mucus by ed undefend with, contact worms it comes into upon and seize to sure is it these of the bowels or its folds, dents, to whom I have recommended it, as a safe and powerful anthelmintick. The case of my nephew, as communicated to you by the Rev. P. Brodie, of Winterslow, is a very striking one. That young gentleman was supposed to be subject to epileptic fits, the symptoms of that disorder and of worms being in many instances equivocal. I advised a trial of the cowhage, which I procured from youseveral times, and sent to Salisbury, That trial was attended with the happiest effects. To the best of my recollection, more than 150 large teretes were dislodged, and the patient recovered. I consider the cowhage, as a vermifuge, a most valuable remedy, acting mechanically ; by which operation it must be less prejudicial to the constitution than the exhibition of drastic purges. Ely-place, Holborn. Copy of a Letter from the Rev. P. B. Brovie, Rector of Winterslow, near Salisbury. To Mr. CHAmMBerRLAIneE. Sir, A young gentlemanin the county of Wilts, at the age of 10 years, had manifest and violent symptoms of worms. We tried several remedies, but had the misfortune to seehis body debilitated, his sight very muchinjured, and thevital functions in general much impaired. His case was communicated to Dr. Squire, who prescribed, and was kind enough to take the trouble of sending to us your medicine; we administered it ac. cording to your directions, with a previous emetic. After some days, he evacuated one wormabout three inches |