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This page prescribes plants as medicine according to pre-modern medical theory. Several of the plants named are toxic, correct identification is difficult, and the doses given have no scientific basis. Do not ingest or apply any preparation described here.
In addition, this page presents medical treatment from an era before modern medicine. The remedies described are ineffective against the conditions named, and some of the ingredients or doses are harmful. Do not use them to treat any illness; consult a qualified medical professional.
In addition, this page promotes a medical device or treatment with no therapeutic value, of a kind now recognized as quackery. Relying on such treatments delays real medical care, and some — such as radium products — were actively harmful.
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Home › Medical Receipts › Treatment of Nervousness
Treatment of Nervousness
The cure of nervousness is best effected by should be kept closely corked, in a cool place, and should be well shaken before use. Dose, 1 tea-spoonful in a glassful of cold water or wine, as required.
5577. Hypochondriasis, or Low Spirits. Hypochondriasis, low spirits, or restoring the healthy action of the stomach blues," is a peculiar state of the mind, acand bowels, and by the use of proper exercise, companied with indigestion. The principal especially in the open air. The stomach objects of treatment are, to remove the indishould not be overloaded with indigestible gestion, to strengthen the body, and to enfood, and the bowels should be occasionally liven the spirits; and one of the best plans relieved by the use of some mild aperient. with which we are acquainted for this is Abernethy's injunction to a nervous and dys- constant exercise and change of place, with a peptic lady, "Dismiss your servants, madam, warm bath about thrice a week; early hours, and make your own beds," should be recollect- regular meals, and pleasant conversation; the ed by all as a proof of the importance that bowels being at the same time carefully regeminent surgeon attached to exercise. Va-ulated by the occasional use of a mild pill, lerian is a medicine of great use in nervous and the stomach strengthened by some approdisorders, hysteria, lowness of spirits, restless- priate tonic medicine. ness, and diseases of the bladder, &c. The 5578. To Dissolve Quinine. Sulphate common dose is from a scruple to a drachm, of quinine (sometimes called simply quinine) in powder; and in infusion from 1 to 2 when forming a part of a fluid mixture, must drachms. Its unpleasant flavor may be neu- be dissolved in sulphuric acid before comtralized by the addition of mace. Assafœtida pounding with the other ingredients. In is also recommended. Take assafœtida, 1½ most of the fluid receipts which contain quidrachms; water, 6 fluid ounces. Dose, 1 to nine, a small quantity of the acid is prescribed 3 table-spoonfuls thrice or oftener, daily. But there is no remedy for nervous disorders of every kind, comparable to the proper and constant use of magnetic electricity. solely for this purpose; it should be added to the quinine drop by drop, and only sufficient used to make a perfect solution.