CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 157 



marked relief. Occasional lavements are said to be good, by sparing 

 the stomach the excitement of medicines. 



Sedatives constitute an important class of remedies in affections of 

 the mucous membrane of the stomach, because the parts then have 

 their sensibility in a state of exaltation. It is from a knowledge of 

 this circumstance, that Mr. P. never prescribes an aperient or other 

 medicine, in gastric diseases, without combining it with muriate of 

 morphia, hydrocyanic acid, or extract of henbane. When applied 

 externally to the epigastric region, sedatives are often found of great 

 service in promoting a cure, and in mitigating the pain of incurable 

 cases. Mr. P. recommends, for this purpose, a piece of flannel soaked 

 in a strong solution of opium and worn over the stomach : or, as 

 more efficacious, a solution of three drachms of the extract of bella- 

 donna in seven ounces of water to be used as a tepid fomentation : or, 

 a poultice of the leaves of this plant, or of henbane, hop or poppy. 

 These applications prove highly serviceable in all diseases of the sto- 

 mach attended with pain. 



During digestion, the gastric juice contains free hydrochloric and 

 acetic acids, in proportion to the stimulating qualities of the food. 

 Many disorders of the stomach are accompanied with an excess of 

 acid, in its secretions ; and, in some instances, intense acidity forms 

 one of the most prominent and distressing features of the complaint. 

 In such cases, it becomes necessasy to administer remedies to neutra- 

 lize this excess of acid, as well as to adopt others for preventing the 

 disposition to its recurrence. Mr. Parker specifies the chalk-mixture, 

 with large doses of hydroyanic acid, as being here particularly bene- 

 ficial, especially when there also is intestinal irritation. At other 

 times, he employs magnesia or soda combined with morphia, or the 

 subnitrate of bismuth. When excessive acidity is connected with 

 great bodily weakness and debility of the constitution, he exhibits the 

 carbonate of iron with myrrh and rhubarb, as the most efficacious re- 

 medies. 



Tonics require to be administered with discernment and caution in 

 disturbances of the digestive organs ; but, at the same time, medicines 

 of this kind do much good in very many stomach affections. Mr. 

 Parker divides these into four classes. One, the primitive morbid 

 states of the stomach, resembling inflammation, which are aggra- 

 vated by a lowering treatment, or by aperients. Two, the states of 

 disease, succeeding to inflammation, which have been benefited by a 

 lowering treatment at the commencement, but where this no longer 

 affords relief, or adds severity to the symptoms. Three, the various 

 morbid degrees of the sensibility of the stomach : these are occasion- 

 ally accompanied by intermittent neuralgic affections in other parts of 

 the body. Four, the states of general debility, and many local symp- 

 toms, as pain, sickness and vomiting, which attend confirmed organic 

 diseases of the stomach. At the period when the complaint ceases to 

 be inflammatory and passes into one of debility or of excessive sensi- 



