A practical and pathological inquiry into the sources and effects of derangements of the digestive organs, embracing dejection, and some other affections of the mind / by William Cooke.

  • Cooke, William, 1785-1873.
Date:
1828
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A practical and pathological inquiry into the sources and effects of derangements of the digestive organs, embracing dejection, and some other affections of the mind / by William Cooke. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    23/318 (page 7)
    even then will require to be given in the mildest forms and smallest doses. Persons who appeared to suffer from disease in the mucous glands of the intestines,, whose evacuations have been fre- quent and slimy, accompanied with slight uneasiness, most frequently felt about the termination of the ileum, have seemed to be most benefitted by country air, especially on the coast, sea bathing, bitter infusions, or decoction and tincture of bark, with mineral acids, and an alterative mercurial. When the bowels need opening medicine, the mildest should be employed, as rhubarb and magnesia, or castor oil. I have, however, found a combination of sulphate of magnesia, with myrrh and sulphate of iron, extremely useful in cases which I supposed to be of this nature; but the diagnosis, it must be owned, is difficult. Irritating purgatives should be avoided, as they tend to keep up the excitement in the muciparous texture. In ordinary cases of irritation in the mucous membrane, produced by heat or variableness of temperature, and occa- sioning diarrhoea, I find nothing answer better than the pulvis cretse conipositus with catechu, sometimes with opium, and at night a few grains of hydrargyrus cum creta, or pilula hydrargyri. A previous aperient is seldom needful, but it is necessary to guard against a subsequent tendency to con- stipation. In these cases I apprehend that the vessels of the mucous coat are in a state of extreme turgescence— hence the occasional appearance of blood in the evacuations ; and the slightly stimulant effect of this medicine on the mucous surface, regarding at the same time the state of the liver, has a most favorable effect. Where there is much tenderness the application of leeches is requisite. In one case of chronic diarrhoea, where there was reason to suppose the membrane was in the state adverted to, I used the sulphas cupri, as recommended by Dr. Elliotson, with great advantage. When the mucous membrane of the bowels becomes irri- tated, either from drastic purgatives or foreign substances, or the spontaneous development of congestion, or subacute