Erasmus Darwin

“ A gentleman about 65 years of age had for about ten years been subject to an intermittent pulse, and to frequent palpitations of his heart. Lately the palpitations seemed to observe irregular periods, but the intermission of every third or fourth pulsation was almost perpetual. On giving him four drops of a saturated solution of arsenic from a two-ounce phial about every four hours for one day, not only the palpitation did not return, but the intermission ceased entirely, and did not return so long as he took the medicine, which was three or four days. ”

“ Now as when the stomach has its action much weakened by an over-dose of digitalis, the pulse is liable to intermit, this evinces a direct sympathy between these parts of the system, and as I have repeatedly observed, that when the pulse begins to intermit in elderly people, that an eructation from the stomach, voluntarily produced, will prevent the threatened stop of the heart ”

“ Now as opium is an universal stimulant, as explained in the article on Incitantia, it must stimulate into increased action both the secretory system, and the absorbent one; but after repeated evacuation by venesection, and cathartics, the absorbent system is already inclined to act more powerfully; as the blood-vessels being less distended, there is less resistance to the progress of the absorbed fluids into them. Hence after evacuations opium promotes absorption, if given in small doses, much more than it promotes secretion ”

“ Nothing so much facilitates the cure of ulcers in the legs, as covering the whole limb from the toes to the knee with such a plaster-bandage; which increases the power of absorption in the surface of the sore. ”

“ Absorption from the liver, stomach, and other viscera. When inflammations of the liver are subdued to a certain degree by venesection, with calomel and other gentle purges, so that the arterial energy becomes weakened, four or eight grains of iron-filings, or of salt of steel, with the Peruvian bark, have wonderful effect in curing the cough, and restoring the liver to its usual size and sanity; which it seems to effect by increasing the absorption of this viscus. ”

“ Another method of increasing absorption from the cellular membrane is by warm air, or by warm steam. If the swelled legs of a dropsical patient are inclosed in a box, the air of which is made warm by a lamp or two, copious sweats are soon produced by the increased action of the capillary glands, which are seen to stand on the skin, as it cannot readily exhale in so small a quantity of air, which is only changed so fast as may be necessary to permit the lamps to burn. ”

“ The austere acids, as of vitriol, lemon-juice, juice of crabs and sloes, strengthen digestion, and prevent that propensity to sweat so usual to weak convalescents, and diminish the colliquative sweats in hectic fevers; all which are owing to their increasing the action of the external and internal cutaneous absorption. Hence vitriolic acid is given in the small-pox to prevent the too hasty or too copious eruption, which it effects, by increasing the cutaneous absorption. ”

“ A saturated solution of arsenic in water is preferable I think to the above operose preparation of it; as no error can happen in weighing the ingredients, and it more certainly therefore possesses an uniform strength. Put much more white arsenic reduced to powder into a given quantity of distilled water, than can be dissolved in it. ”

“ Whence the secretion of perspirable matter is not decreased, but its appearance on the skin is prevented by its more facile absorption.
3. There is one kind of itch, which seldom appears between the fingers, is the least infectious, and most difficult to eradicate, and which has its cure much facilitated by the internal use of acid of vitriol. This disease consists of small ulcers in the skin, which are healed by whatever increases the cutaneous absorption. The external application of sulphur, mercury, and acrid vegetables, acts on the same principle ”

“ Externally slight solutions of blue vitriol, as two or three grains to an ounce of water, applied to ulcers of the mouth, or to chancres on the glans penis, more powerfully induces them to heal than any other material.
Where the lungs or urethra are inflamed to a considerable degree, and the absorption is so great, that the mucus is already too thick, and adheres to the membrane from its viscidity, opiates and bitter vegetable and austere acids are improper; and mucilaginous diluents should be used in their stead with venesection and torpentia. ”

“ Pains are sometimes left in the fleshy parts of the thighs or arms, after the inflammation is gone, in the acute rheumatism, or after the patient is too weak for further evacuation; in this case after internal absorbent medicines, as the bark, and opiates, have been used in vain, I have successfully applied a plaster-bandage, as above described, so as to compress the pained part. ”

“ Absorption from the mucous membrane is increased by opium, and Peruvian bark, internally; and by blue vitriol externally. Hence the expectoration in coughs, and the mucous discharge from the urethra, are thickened and lessened.
3. Absorption from the cellular membrane is promoted by bitter vegetables, and by emetics, and cathartics. Hence matter is thickened and lessened in ulcers by opium and Peruvian bark; and serum is absorbed in anasarca by the operation of emetics and cathartics. ”

“ The hop may perhaps in some degree contribute to the production of gravel in the kidnies, as our intemperate wine-drinkers are more subject to the gout, and ale-drinkers to the gravel; in the formation of both which diseases, there can be no doubt, but that the alcohol is the principal, if not the only agent. ”

“ Where the cold paroxysm of an ague originates in the absorbents of the liver, spleen, or other internal viscus, the addition of steel to vegetable bitters, and especially after the use of one dose of calomel, much advances the cure. ”

“ After the eruptions or ulcers are healed a solution of corrosive sublimate of one grain to an ounce of water applied for some weeks behind the ear, and amongst the roots of the hair on one side of the head, where the mouths of the lymphatics of the neck open themselves, frequently removes these tumours. ”

“ It seems paradoxical, that the same treatment with chalybeates, bitters, and opiates, which produces menstruation in chlorotic patients, should repress the too great or permanent menstruation, which occurs in weak constitutions at the time of life when it should cease. ”