Domestic medicine : $b or, a treatise on the prevention and cure of diseases by regimen and simple medicines. With an appendix, containing a dispensatory for the use of private practitionersBuchan, William
Science
Domestic medicine : $b or, a treatise on the prevention and cure of diseases by regimen and simple medicines. With an appendix, containing a dispensatory for the use of private practitioners
Buchan, William
Medicine, Popular -- Early works to 1800
The flatulent colic may either affect the stomach or intestines. It is
attended with a painful stretching of the affected part. The patient
feels a rumbling in his guts, and is generally relieved by a discharge
of wind, either upwards or downwards. The pain is seldom confined to any
particular part, as the vapour wanders from one division of the bowels
to another till it finds a vent.
When the disease proceeds from windy liquor, green fruit, sour herbs, or
the like, the best medicine on the first appearance of the symptoms is a
dram of brandy, gin, or any good spirits. The patient should likewise
sit with his feet upon a warm hearth-stone, or apply warm bricks to
them; and warm cloths may be applied to his stomach and bowels.
This is the only colic wherein ardent spirits, spiceries, or any thing
of a hot nature, may be ventured upon. Nor indeed are they to be used
here unless at the very beginning, before any symptoms of inflammation
appear. We have reason to believe, that a colic occasioned by wind or
flatulent food might always be cured by spirits and warm liquors, if
they were taken immediately upon perceiving the first uneasiness; but
when the pain has continued for a considerable time, and there is reason
to fear an inflammation of the bowels is already begun, all hot things
are to be avoided as poison, and the patient is to be treated in the
same manner as for the inflammation of the intestines.
Several kinds of food, as honey, eggs, &c. occasion colics in some
particular constitutions. I have generally found the best method of cure
for these was to drink plentifully of small diluting liquors, as
water-gruel, small posset, water with toasted bread soaked in it, &c.
Colics which proceed from excess and indigestion generally cure
themselves by occasioning vomiting or purging. These discharges are by
no means to be stopped, but promoted by drinking plentifully of warm
water, or weak posset. When their violence is over, the patient may take
a dose of rhubarb, or any other gentle purge, to carry off the dregs of
his debauch.
Colics which are occasioned by wet feet, or catching cold, may generally
be removed at the beginning, by bathing the feet and legs in warm water,
and drinking such warm diluting liquors as will promote the
perspiration, as weak wine-whey, or water-gruel, with a small quantity
of spirits in it.
Those flatulent colics, which prevail so much among country people,
might generally be prevented were they careful to change their clothes
when they get wet. They ought likewise to take a dram, or to drink some
warm liquor after eating any kind of green trash. We do not mean to
recommend the practice of dram-drinking, but in this case ardent spirits
prove a real medicine, and indeed the best that can be administered. A
glass of good peppermint water will have nearly the same effect as a
glass of brandy, and in some cases is rather to be preferred.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account