STIMULANTS, 105 
STIMULANTS. 
The collection includes several well-known and highly 
valued spices closely related to carminatives, yet not included 
under that head. They may be called the whip and spur to 
jaded nature, very good when required, but hurtful if long 
continued or taken when the system needs the opposite 
treatment. They are useful in certain kinds of dyspepsia, 
sore throats, debility, low fevers, &c. 
Leading in this class is 
CAYENNE PEPPER (Capsicum), 
There are several kinds in the market; the large and 
iong pods are grown in temperate climates, and while hardly 
ripe are used in pickles, to which they give an improved value ; 
the smaller kinds are grown in hot countries. Of all the 
varieties the African Bird pepper, as it is called, is the best, 
and the one used by herbalists. Being an important medicine 
we will give an illustration of it. Samuel Thompson was the 
first to use and make known cayenne pepper as a medicine. 
He gave it freely, along with other remedies, to equalise 
the circulation, and thus remove obstruction, which is 
the first thing that ought to be attended to in 
treating the generality of troubles. Thompson, like most men, 
was not perfect. In his theory of fevers he affirms that the 
superabundant heat is only on the outside of the body (the 
clinical thermometer, as far as we know, was not invented 
in his early days, if even in his latter), so he gave cayenne to 
raise up the internal heat and reduce the outer. Although he 
was somewhat in error in his theory, yet he was most successful 
in his practice. At his time the regulars acted on the absurd 
adage (common then), viz.: ‘‘feed a cold and starve a fever ;”’ 
he nearly reversed the treatment of both, especially the latter. 
The usual time in fevers was then 21 days, till what is called 
the crisis came, then another month recovering. Thompson 
generally brought the patients out of bed in a couple of days, 
