Observations on poisons; and on the use of mercury in the cure of obstinate dysenteries / by Thomas Houlston.

Date:
1784
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Observations on poisons; and on the use of mercury in the cure of obstinate dysenteries / by Thomas Houlston. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

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    Inducements to perfevere in the ufe of the re- medy, ’till they are compleatly removed. That this will be the confequenqe of fuch perfever- ance, even where no other medicine is exhi- bited, experience will evince. I very rarely indeed have had occafion to recur to the bark for the cure of agues, though I fometimes give it after the complaint is removed, with a view to ftrengthen the habit. Indeed, we receive into our Infirmary numbers of the poor Irifh, returning home from the fens after harveft, labouring a long time under agues, having begged their way, half-ftarved, and greatly debilitated. In fuch, a cure is not to bedooked for ’till they are a little recruited, by enjoying, for fome time, the neccfifar-ies and conveniences of life, to which they have long been ftrangers. It is eafy to obferve the gradual good effects produced in them by better living only. To perfons in this fitnation, I fometimes give, with advantage a glhfs ot fpirits a little before the paroxyfm'. I remember, many years ago, fee- ing a German foon cure himfelf of an obftinate ague, by drinking every morning a glafs of brandy, in which a fmall quantity of myrrh, aloes and faffron was infilled, and it proved equally fuccefsful, in feme cafes of long Hand- ing?