Mother's Remedies, Thomas Jefferson Ritter [reading well .TXT] 📗

syphilis and scrofula. (Eclectics esteem this a great remedy). Part used.—Root, small round ball.

Gather.—While the plant is in flower.

Flowers (when).—In March.

Grows (where).—In rich soils, on hills and mountains, etc.

Prepared (how).—Tincture. Infusion, four teaspoonfuls of the powdered bulb to one pint of boiling water and let steep.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of the infusion, one to three ounces three or four times daily. Tincture, half to one teaspoonful. Tincture can be bought at a drug store.

TURNIP, INDIAN. Jack-in-the pulpit. Wild Turnip. Dragon Root. Arum
Triphyllum.

Internally, used for.—Expectorant and sweating purposes in chest troubles. Also good for sore mouth and sore throat if given in honey or syrup.

Part used.—Root.

Gather.—In autumn.

Flowers (when).—From May to July.

Grows (where).—Common in South America in all moist and damp places.

Prepared (how).—Dry the root and powder it and give in honey or make into a syrup or given in powder.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—For sweating use powder in hot water, ten grains three times a day or smaller dose oftener. For bronchitis, etc., use in syrup or in honey, three or four times a day, five to ten grains at a dose. Same way for sore mouth and throat.

TRUE UNICORN ROOT. Star Grass. Colic Root. Ague Root. Crow Corn. Aletris
Farinosa.

Internally, used for.—Its tonic influence upon the womb to prevent a tendency to miscarriage, for amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, falling, also for chlorosis.

Part used.—The root.

Gather.—In autumn.

Flowers (when).—June and July.

Grows (where).—Most parts of United States, usually in dry sandy soils and barrens.

[HERB DEPARTMENT 445]

Prepared (how).—Powdered root. Tincture. Fluid extract.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Powdered root, five to ten grains three times a day. Saturated tincture, two to five drops, three times a day. Fluid extract, five to ten drops. Tincture and fluid extract can be bought at any drug store. For the above diseases it should be taken regularly four times a day. The fluid extract is the best form in which to take it and is often given by doctors.

WAHOO. Indian Arrow Wood. Burning-Bush. Spindle Tree. Enonymus
Atropurpureus.

Internally, used for.—Dyspepsia, torpid liver, laxative, tonic.

Part used.—The bark of the root.

Gather.—Autumn.

Flowers (when).—In June.

Grows (where).—In woods and thickets.

Prepared (how).—Powder. Tincture.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of powder, ten to twenty grains; saturated tincture, one to two teaspoonfuls; extract, one to five grains. This is a good remedy; smaller doses can be given every two hours for dyspepsia and liver complaint. It is often combined with remedies, like dandelion, yellow dock, burdock.

WILD CHERRY. Prunus Virginianus.

Internally, used for.—Tonic, dyspepsia, scrofula.

Part used.—The bark of the root.

Gather.—In autumn.

Flowers (when).—In May.

Prepared (how).—Powdered bark or infusion. One ounce of bark to one pint of cold water to make infusion, allow it to stand for a few hours.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Take of infusion one to three ounces four or five times a day. Dose of powdered bark, one to two teaspoonfuls in hot water. For tonic action and for dyspepsia it should be taken oftener and in half the given doses.

WILD YAM. Colic Root. Dioscorea Villosa.

Internally, used for.—Bilious colic.

Part used.—Root.

Gather.—In autumn.

Flowers (when).—June and July.

Grows (where).—United States and in Canada, twining over bushes and fences, thickets and hedges.

Prepared (how).—Decoction of the root. Pour a pint of boiling water on two ounces of the bruised root, let steep slowly for half hour, strain.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Give half cupful of decoction every twenty minutes for bilious colic. Some have given half a pint at once in a severe case.

[446 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

WORMWOOD. Artemisia Absinthium.

Internally, used for.—Worms, jaundice, dyspepsia, amenorrhea and leucorrhea.

Externally, used for.—Bruises, local inflammations.

Part used.—Tops and leaves.

Flowers (when).—In July and August.

Grows (where).—United States.

Prepared (how).—Fomentations. An infusion is made by adding thirteen of the herbs to a pint of cold water.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Dose of infusion one to four teaspoonfuls. Use fomentations for bruises and local inflammation.

WORMSEED. Goose Foot. Stinking Weed. Chenopodium Anthelminticum.

Internally, used for.—Worms, round worms.

Part used.—Seeds and herb.

Gather.—In late autumn.

Flowers (when).—July to September.

Grows (where).—United States, in waste places.

Prepared (how).—Oil.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—Four to eight drops of oil to be given night and morning, for four or five days, and then followed by a purgative. Combination: Oil of wormseed one ounce, oil of tansy one ounce, spirits of turpentine one and one-half ounce, castor oil one pint. Dose for a child, a teaspoonful every hour until it operates; for an adult one tablespoonful. Powdered herb: Dose, half to one teaspoonful.

YARROW. Milfoil. Thousand Leaf. Achillea Millefolium.

Internally, used for.—Bleeding from the lungs, kidneys, piles, dysentery, menorrhagia.

Part used.—The herb.

Flowers (when).—Nearly whole summer.

Grows (where).—Europe and America in fields, woods, pastures.

Prepared (how).—Decoction, half ounce of plant to six ounces of water and boil down to three ounces. Juice of the herb is also used.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—In menorrhagia either can be used, as well as in other diseases. Tablespoonful of decoction every hour. The expressed juice in two or three tablespoonful doses may be taken three times a day.

[HERB DEPARTMENT 447]

YELLOW DOCK. Rumex Crispus.

Internally, used for.—Skin disease, scrofula, syphilis, scurvy.

Externally, used for.—Fresh root bruised in cream is good applied to ulcers, tumors and itch.

Part used.—The root.

Gather.—Early autumn.

Flowers (when).—June and July.

Grows (where).—In pastures, dry fields, etc.

Prepared (how).—One ounce root to a pint of boiling water. Let steep.

Diseases, Dose, etc.—One or two ounces, three times a day; or half ounce every three hours. This is a good remedy. Some people should commence with smaller doses.

[448 MOTHERS' REMEDIES] HOMEOPATHY THE TREATMENT OF ABOUT ONE HUNDRED TWENTY DISEASES ACCORDING TO HOMEOPATHY

In cities and in most towns Homeopathic medicine will be found in drug stores in their special preparations. Some drug stores handle Homeopathic medicines exclusively.

MEDICINES.—Homeopathic medicines should be kept in a dry cool place. Do not leave them standing open among odors or exposed to bright lights. The following are among those common for home use:

List of Remedies.

      Aconitum Colocynthis Phosphorus
      Antimonium crudum Cuprum metallicum Pulsatilla
      Antimonium tartaricum Gelsemium Rhus toxicodendron
      Apis Hepar Sulphuricum Sanguinaria
      Arnica radix Hyoscyamus Sepia
      Arsenicum Ipecacuanha Silicea
      Belladonna Lycopodium Spigelia
      Bryonia Mercurius Spongia
      Chamomilla Natrum muriaticum Sulphur
      China Nux Vomica Veratrum album
      Cina Opium
      Cinchona (see China) Phosphoric acid

Fluid for External Use.

Arnica. Calendula.

Care of Medicine in the Sick Room.—Use a clean tumbler and when not using cover the tumbler with a small saucer or piece of cardboard. Set it in a cool place and where it is free from odors, as liquid medicines exposed are likely to take up such impurities.

[HOMEOPATHY 449] DIRECTIONS FOR USING HOMEOPATHIC MEDICINES.

They are prepared in two forms, Dilutions and Triturations (powdered form). From the triturations tablets are made. When we write "3X dil." that means 3X dilution; when we write "3X trit." that means 3X trituration. The 3X means or indicates the strength of the medicine. We have different dilutions and triturations, as IX, 2X, 3X, 4X, etc., according to the strength of the medicine used and we say dil. or trit., for dilution or trituration, depending upon the form to be used. Tablets are handier to use than the triturations or powder. In this book when I write trituration I shall always expect you to use it in the form of tablets. Instead of giving directions in every disease how to prepare the medicine, I will give it here.

When you use the medicine in the dilution (liquid) form, you put ten to fifteen drops of the dilution (say the 2X or any one) in a glass half full of water and give one to two teaspoonsful everyone-half to one to two or three hours, as the case may be, according to the age of the patient, etc. This is for acute cases.

For chronic cases.—You give medicine three or four times a day, one to two teaspoonfuls at a time. When you use it in trituration (tablet) form, you give one to two tablets at a dose every one-half to one, two or three hours, etc. In chronic cases three or four times a day, one or two tablets.

For the beginning of a common cold.—Aconite 2X dil. Put ten drops in a glass half full of water and take two teaspoonsful every one-half hour for three doses, then every three hours for twelve hours. Tincture of camphor in drop doses is also good.

If throat feels raw and sore.—I give three tablets of Mercurius bin. 2X trit. (tablet form) in alternation with the Aconite for three doses. Then stop it.

LA GRIPPE.—Gelsemium IX dil. Put ten drops in a glass half full of water and give one to two teaspoonfuls everyone-half to two hours. Feels sick, achy and bad all over; generally good at the beginning.

Belladonna 3X dil. if throat is raw and sore, throbbing, beating arteries, tickling annoying hard cough.

Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form). When throat is sore with much saliva, sticky sweat which does not relieve.

Bryonia 2X dil. Grip with cold on chest, hurts to cough.

Phosphorus 3X dil. In bronchial tubes under breast bones.

Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form) stopped nose, watery burning discharge; feverish, thirsty and restless; chills and fever.

STOMATITIS.—Meaning a simple inflammation of the mouth.

Mercurius sol. 3X trit. (tablet form). Give one to two every one to three hours, according to the case.

[450 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

APHTHAE (Thrush) in Children.—l Mercurius sol. 3X trit. (tablet form). Indicated when it extends downward and produces diarrhea. Give one tablet every four hours for a few days.

2. Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form). Give one tablet every two to four hours, when the parts look bluish and livid, with great weakness, much thirst and restlessness, with burning watery diarrhea.

In Adults.—Arsenicum 3X trit. (tablet form). Give about two tablets every three hours when the edge of the tongue is ulcerated and whitish with violent burning pains.

Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form). Give two tablets every three hours, when the ulcerated gums discharge a fetid matter; loose teeth or teeth feel long, much sticky saliva in mouth.

GLOSSITIS. Inflammation of the tongue.

Aconite 2X dil. if there is much fever, fast pulse, dry skin. Prepare:—Put ten drops in a glass half full of water and give one to two teaspoonfuls everyone to three hours.

Mercurius 3X trit. (tablet form) indicated in most cases. Take two tablets every two to four hours.

DISEASES OF THE TEETH.—Chamomilla 1X dil. Put ten drops in one-half glass full of water and give one to two teaspoonfuls everyone to three hours. This is especially good in cross, nervous, teething babies.

Aconite 2X dil. Prepared and given as above stated. When there is much fever, dullness and stupor.

Mercurius sol. 3X trit. (tablet form). When the teeth are sore and feel too long; one to two tablets everyone to three hours.

DISEASES OF THE GUMS.—Hepar sulph. 3X trit. (tablet form) is