The improved American family physician, or, Sick man's guide to health : containing a complete theory of the botanic practice of medicine, on the Thomsonian and hygeian system, with alterations and improvements : to which is appended a concise formula for compounding medicines for the cure of every complaint incident to human nature : also, a complete digest of midwifery, so that the old proverb may be verified, that every man may be his own physician.

  • Day, L. Meeker.
Date:
1833
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The improved American family physician, or, Sick man's guide to health : containing a complete theory of the botanic practice of medicine, on the Thomsonian and hygeian system, with alterations and improvements : to which is appended a concise formula for compounding medicines for the cure of every complaint incident to human nature : also, a complete digest of midwifery, so that the old proverb may be verified, that every man may be his own physician. 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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    give more hot medicine inside, and as soon as an equili- brium takes place, the pain will cease. In all cases of this kind, the difficulty cannot be removed without ap- plying heat to the body, and is more natural by steam than by any other means that can be made use of. In cases of long standing, where the patients have been run down with mercury, and left in a cold and obstructed state, liable to rheumatism and other similar complaints, they cannot be cured with medicine without applying heat by steam, as nothing will remove mercury but heat. 11 When a patient is carried through a course of my medicine and steamed, who has been long under mercurial treatment; and while under the operation of the steam, when the heat is at the highest, the face will swell, in consequence of the poisonous vapour being con- densed by the air, the face being open to it. To relieve this, put him in bed, and take a hot stone wrapped in several thicknesses of cloth wet with water, pouring on a little vinegar, and making a lively steam ; put it in the bed and cover the head with the clothes, and let him breathe the steam as hot as can be borne, until the swea)> covers the swelled part. This will in about fifteen or twenty minutes throw out* the poison and the swelling will abate. This method also is of great service in agues and teethache caused by cold; and many other cases of obstruction from the same cause, especially young children stuffed on the lungs. To steam small children, the best way is to let them sit in the lap of a person, covering both with afblanket and set over the steam, pouring a little vinegar on the stone: or it may be done in bed with a hot stone, wrap- ped in cloths wet with water, putting on a little vinegar: and covering them with the bed clothes laid loosely over them; but in this way you cannot exercise so good judgement in tempering the steam, as when you are steamed with them. If the child appears languid and faint, the outward heat is high enough ; put a little cold water on the face or breast, which will restore th« strength, then rub them in a cloth wet with vinegar, spirit or cold water, put on clean clothes, and put it in bed, or let it sit up as its [strength will permit, 3*