nightshade. Both the leaves and berries of 
tins plant, and also its root, are narcotic. It 
is seldom used in medicine. 
Aconitmn nupellus, aconite, monk’s-hood, 
herba. Europe, America. 
Aconite has been employed in obstinate 
chronic rheumatism, in schimis, & c. Its 
dose is from one to two grains of the powder- 
ed leaves; of the inspissated juice half a 
grain. 
Conium maculatum, cicuta, hemlock, fo- 
lia, semen, indigenous. This is a powerful 
narcotic. Like the aconite, it lias been used 
in schirrous and scrophulous affections, as well 
as in rheumatisms. Dose two or three grains 
of the powdered leaves ; one or two of the 
inspissated juice. 
Digitalis purpurea, foxglove, folia, in- 
digenous. Of all the narcotics, digitalis 
most speedily and certainly diminishes the 
actions of the system, especially of the arte- 
ries. It acts at the same time as a stimulant 
on the absorbent system ; hence its abuiv 
dant utility in dropsy. Lately it has been 
extensively employed in phthisis, and in the 
early stages of this disorder with remarkable 
success. Dose one grain of the powdered 
leaves, and ten drops of the tincture of the 
Edinburgh pharmacopoeia, gradually in- 
_ creased. 
Nicotiana tabacum, tobacco, folia. Ame- 
rica. This is a powerful narcotic. Its ex- 
treme activity prevents it from being much 
used in medicine. 
' Lactuca verosa, strong-scented lettuce, 
folia, indigenous. 
From live to ten grains of the inspissated 
juice, gradually increased, have been given 
as a narcotic, diuretic, and antispasmodic. 
Datura stramonium , thorn-apple, herba, 
indigenous. 
r l his has been used in mania, epilepsy, and 
convulsive diseases. Dose from one to three 
grains of the inspissated juice. 
Arnica Montana, leopard’s-bane, flores, 
radix. Germany. 
The flowers have been used in the dose of 
five grains in palsy, convulsions, &e. Its 
root lias been employed as a substitute for 
Peruvian bark. 
Rhododendrum chrysanthupi, yellow-flow- 
ered rhodadendron, folia, Siberia,. 
This has been given in chronic rheuma- 
tism and gout. 
Rhus toxicondsndron, poison-oak, folia. 
N. America. The dried leaves have been 
used in palsy. Dose half a grain twice or 
thrice a day. 
Strychnos mix vomica, vomica nut. East 
Indies. It has been employed in mania, hys- 
teria, &c. Dose five grains twice a day. 
Primus lauro-cerasus, cherry-tree laurel, 
folia, Europe. 
This has scarcely been employed in medi- 
cine. 
OF ANTISPASMODICS. 
Antispasmodics form a kind of intermedi- 
ate class between narcotics and tomes. 
Spasm sometimes, arises from local irritation 
in states of general irritability, and is some- 
times occasioned by pure, debility. Both 
narcotics therefore and tonics are used as an- 
tispasmodics; but there are certain substances 
which in some measure appear to possess a 
specific antispasmodic power ; these we are 
now to enumerate. 
MATERIA MEDICA. 
Moschus , musk, mosclius moschiferus. 
South of Asia. Musk is a peculiar sub- 
stance found, in a small sac, situated in the 
umbilicus in the male of the above animal. 
Its antispasmodic powers are considerable. 
Dose from six to twenty grains in the form 
ot bolus: it is useful in much smaller quan- 
tities in tiie convulsions of infants from den- 
tition. 
Castor, urn, castor, castor fiber. This is n 
deposition collected in cells near the extre- 
mity of the rectum in the beaver. It is 
much used in hysteria. Dose from ten to 
twenty grains. 
Oleum animate cmpi/reumaticum, empv- 
reumatic animal oil. This is nearly ciis-' 
carded from practice. 
Petroleum, a bitumen of a red colour. 
I his was formerly, but is not now, much 
employed. 
Ammonia. 1 his, when employed alone 
as an antispasmodic, is given in the form of 
carbonate. 
Ferula assufoctidu, assafoetida, Persia. 
I his is a concrete juice, obtained by incision 
from the roots of certain plants. Its dose, as 
an antispasmodic, is from fiveto tw enty grains. 
Sagapemim, gummi-resina, Persia; vir- 
tues the same as assafuetida, but inferior in 
power. 
Bubon galbarmm, gummi-resina, Africa. 
Dose ten grains. 
Paler iana, officinalis, wild valerian: ra- 
dix, indigenous. T his is one of the princi- 
pal antispasmodics. Dose from one scruple 
to one drachm, three or four times a day. 
Crocus salivas, saffron, indigenous. This 
substance is composed of the stigmata which 
crown the pistil of the flower, u has scarce- 
ly any virtue. 
Mclaleucha leucadendron, cajeput oil, In- 
dia. This is scarcely in use, except as a lo- 
cal application in tooth-ache. 
OF TONICS. 
1 his term ought not perhaps to be retained. 
1 he agency of tonics is not that of increasing 
tension or tone, but they are permanent sti- 
mulants to the living fibre. Tonics, then, 
are properly regarded as slow and durable, 
in opposition to the more diffusible and tran- 
sient stimuli. They are chosen from the mi- 
neral and vegetable kingdom ; the former 
are less speedy and sensible in their action 
than the latter. 
From the mineral Kingdom. 
Hydrargjjrus, argentum vivum, mercury. 
Ferrum, iron. ZAncum, zinc. Cuprum, 
copper. Arsenicum, arsenic. For the va- 
rious preparations and medicinal virtues of 
the above important minerals, consult the 
articles Pharmacy and Medicine. 
Barytes, terra ponderosa, heavy earth. 
This has only been used in medicine combin- 
ed with muriatic acid. Dr. Crawford intro- 
duced the saturated solution into practice as 
a remedy for scrophula. Dose from five to 
twenty or more drops. 
Calx, lime. This earth exists in nature as 
a carbonate : like barytes, it has been used as 
a tonic in combination with muriatic acid. 
Acidum nitricum, nitric acid. This add 
has been used as a tonic to support the sys- 
tem under a mercurial course. It has like- 
wise been tried, but not with decided and in- 
variable success, as a specific in the cuie of 
lues venerea. 
- Oxymurias potassce, oxymuriate of pot- 
111 
lash. This may be classed as a remedy with 
the former article. Its dose is, ten grains in- 
creased to twenty or twenty-five.' 
Tonics from ike vegetable Kingdom. 
The tonic faculty in vegetables is intimate- 
ly united w ith certain sensible qualities, with 
bitterness, astringency, and aroma. The 
aromatic principle is more active, but less 
permanent in its stimulating operation. The 
purest bitters independantly possess a tonic 
power. Astringency, when it exists exclu- 
sively, or as the most predominant principle 
in vegetables, constitutes a distinct class; the 
remaining tonics may be arranged according 
as bitterness or aroma is predominant. 
Cinchona officinuiis, cortex Peruvianas, 
Peruvian bark, Peru. Three kinds of this 
bark are in use, the pale, red, and yellow. 
'1 he last is now principally employed, as it 
gives out more bitterness and astringency to 
water, alcohol, and other media. Peruvian 
bark was first employed in intermittent fe- 
ver. In this disease it is given in the dose 
of a scruple or half a drachm every third 
hour, during the interval of the paroxysm. 
In continued fever it is principally employed 
during the latter stages, when debility is 
urgent. In rheumatism, erysipelas, gan- 
grene, lneinorrhage, and almost all. asthenic 
disorders, it lias been administered as a tonic. 
Cinchona Caribcea, Caribeean bark, Ca- 
ribee islands. Angusturci, Spanish West In- 
dies. These barks have* both been used as 
substitutes for the Peruvian. 
Aristolochia serpentaria, Virginian snake- 
root. This is a stimulating aromatic tonic. 
It is generally given in the form of tincture. 
Dors tenia contrayerva , contrayerva, Pe- 
ru, West Indies. This is scarcely possessed 
of any virtue. 
Croton eleuthcria, cascarilla cortex, N. 
America. This is another substitute for Pe- 
ruvian bark. Dose a scruple or half a 
drachm. 
Colombo, radix, Ceylon, a very useful to- 
nic bitter. Dose half a drachm. 
Quassia excelsa, lignum. West Indies, 
This is likew>> ayi^excellent tonic. Dose, in 
substance, from v,cn to thirty grains. 
Quassia simarouba, simarouba, cortex. 
South America. This has been extolled as a 
remedy in dysentery, and chronic diarrhoea. 
Dose a scruple. 
Svdetenia febrifuga, Swietenia, cortex. 
East Indies. Swietenia maJuigani, maho- 
gany. Two other proposed substitutes for 
the Peruvian bark. 
Gcntiana lutea, gentian, Switzerland, Ger- 
many. r l his is a common and useful reme- 
dy in dyspepsia; its virtues are extracted 
both by water and spirit. Dose in substance 
half a drachm. 
Anthernis nobilis, chamomile, flores, in- 
digenous ; a powerful and well-known bitter. 
N. 8. The following plants are now not used 
in medicine: artemisia absinthium, worm- 
wood; ckironia centaurum, centaurv; mar- 
rubium vulgare, horehound ; nienyunthes 
irifolialu, trefoil; centaura bene diet a, bless-- 
ed thistle. 
aromatics. 
Citrus aurantium,. orange, cortex fiavus. 
I he rind of the orange is principally employ- - 
edas an addition to combinations* of bitters 
used in dyspepsia. It is given in the form of 
tincture, conserve, and syrup. 
Citrus medico , lemon, . cortex fructus, . 
11 
