Title: On the medical properties of the natural order Ranunculaceae :and more particularly on the uses of sabadilla seeds, Delphinium straphisagria and Aconitum napellus, and their alcaloids, veratrai, sabadiline, delphinia, and aconitine /by A. Turnbull.
Abstract:TuE greater part of the contents of the following pages has been already laid before the profession , and the object the author has in view at present, is to give a connected account of the new medica...TuE greater part of the contents of the following pages has been already laid before the profession , and the object the author has in view at present, is to give a connected account of the new medical properties , which he conceives to reside in many of the plants belonging to the natural order Ranuncula cee, and more particular ly as they are found in Sabadilla seeds, in the seeds of the Delphiniu m Staphisag ria, and in the root of several species of the genus Aconitum .The properties alluded to, are those possessed by preparati ons of the plants above mentioned , when administere d internally , of exciting sensations of heat and tingling on the surface of the body, and of producing similar effects locally when rubbed upon the skin, without, in most instances, giving rise to irritation of the vascular system; _and when exhibited in either way in certain painful diseases, as Neuralgia , Rheumati sm, and Gout, of alleviatin g or removing the pain, apparentl y by exerting a peculiar effect upon the nervous system, unattende d by any narcotic influence.|These effects are more certain and exist in a higher degree of energy in the active principles obtained from the plants, and on this account the author has bestowed more attention on them, and, in most cases, would give them the preference as medicinal agents.He has also dwelt more fully upon the effects produced by them when applied to the surface, than when exhibited internally, because experience has shown, that by the former method, a quan-A .PR EF AC E.ti ty su ff ic ie nt to re mo ve di se as e ma y be in tr od uc ed in to th e sy st em , wh il st at th e sa me ti me , in to pi ca l af fe ct io ns th e re me dy ma y in th is ma nn er be ap pl ie d ov er th e se at of th e di se as e; bu t wh en th e af fe ct io n is mo re ge ne ra l 1m its ch ar ac te r, th e in te rn al us e, or bo th me th od s co mb in ed , wi ll be fo un d mo st ad va nt ag eo us .:Th e au th or wo ul d ca ut io n th e pr of es si on ag ai ns t ex pe ctin g too mu ch fr om the em pl oy me nt of the se re me di es .In so me cas es th ey ha ve gi ve n on ly a te mp or ar y rel ief , wh il st in oth ers th ey ha ve ha d no eff ect : bu t ge ne ra ll y sp ea ki ng he ha s fo un d th em of mu ch mo re ad va nt ag e in the tre atme nt of a ve ry dis tre ssi ng cla ss of aff ect ion s, th an an y me an s hit her to di sc ov er ed , an d on thi s ac co un t he wo ul d re co mme nd the ir use .Read More