A study of doses / by William Sharp.

  • Sharp, William, 1805-1896.
Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A study of doses / by William Sharp. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    may be classified in groups in the same manner as those of Opium have been. There is a group of small doses whose action is astrin- gent upon the bowels causing constipation of a very decided character, both in health and in sickness. This group includes doses from the x^o^th of a drop to five drops. (Mr. Seabroke, Mr. Richards, and a Student, Dr. Rams- botham, and Dr. Applebe). Four of these also took five- drop doses; with three the dose had no effect; one (Dr. Applebe) was constipated by it. A second group has no perceptible effect. This group includes doses from five drops to half a teaspoonful. (Mr. Seabroke, Dr. Ramsbotham, and Mr. Richards). Some will immediately exercise their ingenuity upon this apparent neutrality, and will put forward sundry bright but imaginary explanations. With a respectful bow I decline to listen to any of them. A third group has an action contrary to that of the first group. It acts as an aperient. The doses range from ten drops to a teaspoonful. (Dr. Ramsbotham and Mr. Seabroke). A fourth group acts as the first^ and again constipates. The dose in one experiment was a dessert spoonful. (Mr. Seabroke). A fifth group again purges. The dose taken was eight ounces. (Dr. Ramsbotham's case). It is probable that there are groups of doses having different actions, between the fourth and fifth. The therapeutic use of Castor oil in the small doses, as a remedy for diarrhoea is sufficiently established. (Dr. Sharp, Dr. Ramsbotham, and Dr. Applebe). The taking of the larger doses as a purgative is a very disagreeable process, and may be entirely discontinued. As was remarked of constipation, so it may be said of diarrhoea, that it has many causes, and differs much in kind, so that there can be no one remedy for all cases. The kind for which Castor oil seems to be adapted has been explained; other kinds may be cured by other drugs; such as that arising from a more severe degree of irritation of the mucous membrane by Arsenic; that caused by exposure to cold, by the favourite purgative of Hippocrates—White Hellebore {Veratrum album); that from summer heat by Cinchona; that by indigestion by