A monograph upon aconite : its therapeutic and physiological effects together with its uses, and accurate statements derived from the various sources of medical literature / translated from the German of Dr. Reil, by Henry B. Millard ; prize essay.

  • Reil, Dr. (Wilhelm), 1820-1880.
Date:
1860
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A monograph upon aconite : its therapeutic and physiological effects together with its uses, and accurate statements derived from the various sources of medical literature / translated from the German of Dr. Reil, by Henry B. Millard ; prize essay. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    ties mentioned by Dioscoeides, as well as to several kinds of plants entirely different, but called species of Aconite, the same qualities: Aconitum-pardalianches putrefaciendi facultatem obtinet et le- thale est, itaque in cibo potuque fugiendum; attain en ad putrefacien- dum externas corporis partes aut circa sedem idoneum est. Herbae vero radix ad baec utilis est. Quod autem Lycoctonon vocatur, similem alteri facultatem babet, sed peculiariter lupos sicut illud pardos interficere consu-evit. Aconitum-pardaliancbes possesses the property of putrefying, and is a deadly poison, and therefore to be avoided in food and drink ; it is proper, also, for corroding the parts outside of the mouth and anus. The root is the part of the plant to be employed for this purpose. The variety known as Lycoctonon also possesses properties similar to the other, but is particularly poisonous to wolves, as the other is to panthers. Pllnt speaks of Aconite as a plant whose poisonous qualities are generally known. He alludes, however, to its employment in diseases of the eyes, as follows : Sed majores oculorum quoque medicamentis Aconitum misceri saluberrime promulgarere, aperta professione malum quidem nullum esse sine aliquo bono. But the ancients asserted that Aconite might be mixed, with the best results, with medicines for the eyes ; openly professing their belief that there was no evil that had not some good in it. We find, in Avicenna, (Lib. Canonis II., Tract. II., Cap. 371,) in the following words, under the heading De infectore canis, (Ac.-lycocton.) the first account of the manner of the poisonous action of Aconite: Facit accidere fluxum sanguinis narium et sputum sanguinis; in- tcrficit canes velociter. It causes haemorrhage from the nose and bloody expectoration, and speedily proves fatal to dogs. Farther on (Cap. 684): And is administered neither inter- nally nor externally. But, more in detail, (Lib. IV., Fen. VI., Tr. 1, Cap. 1,) under Summa secunda venenorum e plantis : Napellus est deterioribus. Et accidit potati ipsum ut aposte- mentur labia ipsius et lingua ejus et egrediuntur oculi ejus et fre- quens hunt super ipsum vertigo et syncopis et non exercere sou.