Examination of the prejudices commonly entertained against mercury : as beneficially applicable to the greater number of liver complaints, and to various other forms of disease, as well as to syphilis / by James Curry.

  • Curry, James, -1819.
Date:
1810
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Examination of the prejudices commonly entertained against mercury : as beneficially applicable to the greater number of liver complaints, and to various other forms of disease, as well as to syphilis / by James Curry. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    began to think with Celsus, that even a doubtful remedy (z. e. one, the mode of operation and the was awake. These steps were punctually attended to; and upon calling next afternoon, I found that the second pill of Opium had completely removed all pain and griping before bed-time ; that she then began with the bolus, of which she had taken three. There had been no stool, nor any tenesmus since the second pill; her skin was now comfortably warm, pulse soft and less frequent, and her whole appearance con- firming her own declaration, that she felt scarcely any thing beyond languor and drowsiness. Having thus, as I believed, procured a complete relaxation of the hepatic ducts, I wished to avail myself of the effect, by emptying them as quickly as possible; and for that purpose ordered a little Castor Oil to be taken in Peppermint Water. The medicine soon operated, and in the course of the evening procured several evacuations, the first of which was composed of small hardened lumps, and the subsequent ones of extremely viscid, dark-coloured bile. These last were attended with sharp pain and heat of the bowels, especially at the moment of passing off; but were succeeded by a gentle perspiration, by a quiet and refreshing sleep, and, in short, by such complete relief, that it was with difficulty I could persuade her any more medicine was ne- cessary. One grain of opium, however, was taken at bed- time again; the same bolus was repeated three times the next day, together with a mixture containing a little Magnesia and Aromatic Confection, in Cinnamon Water. On the third day, the evacuations became faeculent, duly impregnated with bile, and well digested; the Opiate pill and the bolus were then omitted, and only the mixture continued for a day or two longer ; at the end of which her appetite, spirits, and complexion, were restored, and she has remained free from any complaint of the kind ever since. A short retrospect of the