Doron medicum, or, A supplement to the new London dispensatory in III books : containing a supplement I. to the materia medica, II. to the internal compound medicaments, III. to the external compound medicaments : compleated with the art of compounding medicines ... / by William Salmon ...

Of EMETICKS.

21. Emetica are such Me∣dicines as purge or work up∣wards, and by Vomit. These work more violently, and afflict the Body more than Cathar∣ticks.

22. The Humors ejected by Emeticks proceed from Cho∣ler, Flegm, and Melancholy, but those especially which reside in the Capacity of the Belly or Stomach, or are contained in the Spleen, Hol∣low side of the Liver, or the Pancreas: as also such which of their own accord, tend upwards, known by bitter Belchings, Pain, Biting, and Heaviness of the Midriff. Therefore,

23. Let Emeticks be given; first, in all the aforenamed cases; secondly, in a Cachec∣tick, Scorbutick, and Caco∣chymick Disposition of the whole Body; for that they draw from all parts.

24. Emetick Medicaments procure vomiting, either be∣cause they have an Inclinati∣on upwards: or, because they do, as it were, float upon the Stomach, and oppress the same: or, because they loo∣sen the upper Orifice of the Stomach.

25. They ought not to be gi∣ven to Women with Child: nor to Women subject to Fits: or, to Persons in a Consumption, or that have an Ulcers in the Lungs: or, that have a Suffusion: or, have a Weakness of Sight: or, to very old People: or, to such as are hard to vomit.

26. But to persons of a Lean habit, such as are accu∣stomed to, and easily vomit, have a firm head, large Breast, nor spit Blood, they may safely be given.

27. Let Emeticks be given in Summer, because, then the Humors are carried upwards, before meat, in thin and cho∣lerick persons; after meat, in flegmatick people.

28. If you vomit with Hel∣lebor, be sure the body be free from a Fever, (lest it cause a Convulsion) and let it be after long vomiting; let it be given in a large dose (ad ℈ij. in powder, and ad ℈j. in Extract) And if the Hic∣cup come after taking of it, stop it, by giving Muld Sack, boyled with Rue.

29. Let the Vomit be so much lighter, by how much the Disease is the more vehe∣ment: and so much the stron∣ger, by how much the part to be cleansed, is far scituate in the body.

30. Let no Oyl be used as a Vomit in Fevers, because of the Relaxation of the Stomach, whose Strength (in those Diseases,) ought es∣pecially to be preserved.

31. Lastly, observe, that in giving Hellebor, a lesser dose than is fit, agitates the Juy∣ces, and disturbs nature to no purpose, for which rea∣son, the larger dose is so much the better, provided, that the Sick had used other gentle vomiting for ten or twelve days before hand.