On the medical properties of the natural order Ranunculaceae : and more particularly on the uses of sabadilla seeds, Delphinium staphisagria, and Aconitum napellus, and their alcaloids, verateria, sabadilline, delphinia, and aconitine / by A. Turnbull.

  • Turnbull, Alexander, 1794 or 1795-1881.
Date:
1838
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the medical properties of the natural order Ranunculaceae : and more particularly on the uses of sabadilla seeds, Delphinium staphisagria, and Aconitum napellus, and their alcaloids, verateria, sabadilline, delphinia, and aconitine / by A. Turnbull. 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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    External Application of Veratria in Rheumatism. From what has been said in the foregoing chapter on the subject of the external employment of Veratria in neuralgia, it will not be requisite to introduce here any further remarks, except such as are exclusively applicable to the effect produced by it upon rheumatism in its various forms. In the acute form of the disease, the Veratria ought not to be employed, if there be active inflammation going on in the affected parts ; as it is much better to treat the acute symptoms in the usual manner ; but when these are on the decline, the ointment may be had recourse to with advantage. From the extent of surface affected in acute rheumatism, and from the quantity of ointment which is on that account required for the friction, the proportion of Veratria ordered in the prescrip- tion should not be so great as in the diseases already treated of; for in this, as in other affections, the strength of the ointment should always bear a certain relation to the space over which it is to be applied. In cases where the rheumatism is general, or where it is seated in several joints at the same time, ten grains of Veratria to an ounce of lard will make an ointment sufficiently powerful for every pur- pose ;* but where it is confined to one or two joints, or where it has assumed the chronic form, the quantity employed may be varied according to circumstances, from ten to twenty or more grains, and the friction may be continued in either case as long as the patient can bear it ; or if it be requisite to specify a fixed portion of time—as a general rule, it may be stated, that in the earlier stages of the disease fifteen minutes, and in long standing examples twenty, will be enough to remove the existing pain. When the case to be treated is decidedly chronic in its nature, much perseverance is requisite, particularly if extensive organic changes in the parts have taken place ; the best directions are, to rub the affected joints every night for the time specified, until the pain has disappeared ; and at any future period, when from change of weather, or other cause, it again returns. In slight acute affec- tions, arising from cold, one or two applications, continued until the heat and tingling manifest themselves, often effect a cure. The directions which have now been given will, in most cases, prove sufficient to enable the practitioner to make use of the Veratria ointment in the more topical forms of rheumatism, as well as in those already pointed out: and little more appears requisite than simply to enumerate such as it may be applied in with the most evident advantage. In lumbago, sciatica, rheumatic affections of the muscles over the * In this form of the disease, it will be found advantageous to administer some one of the preparations of Veratria, already recommended, at the same time that the frictions arc used. 4*