A new and comprehensive system of materia medica and therapeutics, arranged upon a physiologico-pathological basis: for the use of practitioners and students of medicine (Volume 2).

  • Hempel, Charles J. (Charles Julius), 1811-1879.
Date:
1864-1865
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A new and comprehensive system of materia medica and therapeutics, arranged upon a physiologico-pathological basis: for the use of practitioners and students of medicine (Volume 2). 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.)

    23/766
    water, caused violent burning and constriction in the fauces, rum- bling in the abdomen, pressure at the stomach, eructations, retching, and, four minutes after taking the drug, several attacks of vomiting of a clear fluid containing pieces of a white, coagulated substance. The whole day he was affected with nausea, eructations and lassi- tude. Ten drops of this mixture occasioned the same symptoms, except the vomiting. These symptoms may be the result of a purely chemical action of the acid upon the mucous membrane of the oesophagus and stomach. To some extent they delineate the physiological action of the acid upon the organism, and may indicate its use in Chronic Gastritis, where similar symptoms occur. Extensive provings with the middle and higher potencies of this agent have been instituted under the direction of Dr. Constantine Hiring, and published in the first volume of the Transactions of the American Institute of Homoeopathy. These provings are not suf- ficiently definite to afford reliable therapeutic indications. The Fluoride of Calcium may prove useful in organic affections of the teeth, such as softening of the enamel and dentine. ACIDUM GALLICUM, {Gallic acid.) Gallic and tannic acids constitute the active soluble ingredients of nut-galls, which are caused by a small insect that deposits its egg in the tender shoots of the tree. Gallic acid may be obtained by exposing a watery infusion of nut-galls to the air for some six weeks. The sediment which is an impure gallic arid, is purified by boiling it in distilled water; it is afterwards decolorized by animal charcoal and crystallized. Gallic acid is considered by many Old-School practitioners as the best internal styptic, superior even to tannin. Christison desig- nates gallic acid as an internal astringent which may be advan- tageously used for the relief of mucous discharges from the bowels or urinary bladder. He has seen Menorrhagia very promptly sub- side under its use. Dr. Todd writes in the London Medical Gazette, .Jan. 19th, 1849, that in all cases of haemorrhage, whether haemop- tysis, luematemesis, haematuria, or any other form dependent on haemorrhagio tendency, he considers it to be the best styptic we sss. The styptic character of the acid has caused it to be tried in albu- min una, in ten-grain doses, every three, four or six hours. The excessive expectorations of phthisis and bronchitis are much lessened by gallic acid. Dr. Marcy informs us in the first number of the North-American Journal of Homoeopathy, that in the cure of a young lady who had a cavity in the left lung, with copious expectoration of pus, night-sweats, frequent haemorrhages from the lungs and bowels, evening-fever, and pulse one hundred and thirty