RELAXANTS

Are those substances that have the power of relaxing muscular fibre, and alleviating spasm.

LOBELIA INFLATA.

Is the most powerful, certain, and harmless relaxant known." The true therapeutic action of Lobelia," says Dr. Curtis, "I think is not generally understood. Most persons are under the impression that it is the principal agent in producing the action which we call vomiting. But this must certainly be incorrect. All practitioners, regular and irregular, who habitually use it, agree that its effect is anti-spasmodic, as it instantly relieves cramp, spasms, fits, lockjaw, &c., and relaxes contracted sinews. It is also agreed that vomiting is produced by muscular contraction, either of the chest, abdomen, or stomach, or all combined. If this were the effect of the irritation produced by Lobelia that article would not be, as it certainly is, a sovereign remedy for spasms. Where there is no disease - that is, debility of the organs - the Lobelia has not the power to relax the system much, and hence there is no room for any remarkable degree of reaction, and, of course, there is little or no vomiting. ‘But,’ says one, ‘are you sure that Lobelia possesses no other control over the living body than simply to relax its several organs?’ I answer: Not quite sure; but am perfectly convinced that, if it has fifty other influences, this one of relaxation so far predominates over them all as to throw them entirely into the shade. But is not Lobelia a sudorific? Yes; but its mode of producing this effect is by relaxing, through nervous action, the contracted mouths of the emunctories, or pores of the skin, and letting of the portion of the blood called perspiration. It also promotes the secretion of the bile and urine, by relaxing vessels whose unnatural constriction is the cause of the retention of those fluids. Lobelia is to be considered at all times, and under all circumstances, and wherever applied, not only a pure relaxant, but the most powerful and innocent yet known. This fact puts to flight from obstetrics the use of instruments, and even manual force, in every case except the few patients whose pelves are known to be remarkably deformed by rickets, or some other unfortunate circumstance."

Some have been led to suppose, in consequence of what appeared to them the alarming effects of Lobelia, in cases where there is little vitality, or where it is improperly administered, that it is a poison, the administration of which is very dangerous. But nothing can be further from the truth.

In proof that Lobelia is not poisonous, we shall adduce the testimony of some of the most enlightened practitioners.

Says Professor Tully, of Yale College, New Haven, in a letter to Dr. Lee: "I have been in the habit of employing Lobelia inflata for twenty-seven years, and of witnessing its employment by others for the same length of time, and in large quantities, without the least trace of narcotic effect. I have used the best officinal tincture in the quantity of three fluid ounces in twenty-four hours, and for seven days in succession, and I have likewise given three large tablespoonfuls of it within half an hour, without the least indication of any narcotic operation. I have likewise given it in substance, and other forms, and still without any degree of this operation. I am confident - the old women’s tales to the contrary, notwithstanding - that Lobelia inflata is a valuable, a safe, and a sufficiently gentle article of medicine." Here is the testimony of a celebrated Professor of Yale College, who had ample opportunity of judging from experience and observation, whether Lobelia was a poison or not.

Says Professor Waterhouse, of Harvard University, Cambridge: "The efficacy and safety of Lobelia inflata I have had ample and repeated proofs of in a number of cases, and on my own person, and have reason to value it equally with any article in our Materia Medica."

Says Dr. Thomas Hersey, surgeon in the United States Army during the last war, and practising physician and surgeon at Columbus, Ohio: "The Lobelia inflata has been denounced as a deadly poison. The imposition intended to be practised by such an assertion is too notorious to merit a serious reply. I have administered Lobelia successfully to the child of thirty minutes and to the hoary adult of eighty years of age, and never knew any danger result from its use."

We could bring forward the testimony of thousands of others who have used Lobelia for five, ten, twenty, and, some, forty years, in proof that it is perfectly innocent, acting in harmony with the laws of life and motion. Those who have asserted that Lobelia is poison have, in nine cases out of ten, without any doubt been such persons as never used it, or saw it used, and therefore their testimony is not to be depended on.

"But Lobelia," says Dr. Peckham, "is sometimes given when the vitality of the system is so nearly extinguished by disease that little or no effect is obtained from it. Nature is exhausted, though the spark of life be not quite extinct. Death will take place, and the Lobelia may be retained, and a like result would have followed if so much warm water had been taken. If nature be wanting, the best remedial process will be exhibited in vain. She may be assisted to a certain extent to save life; but she has her bounds, and she declares, ‘thus far shalt thou come and no further, and here shall thy remedial waves be stayed.’ But because Lobelia cannot go beyond these bounds, and save life where nature, in her omnipotence, has declared that life shall no longer be, such deaths are laid at the door of this herb, and it is made answerable for a wrongly-imputed sin."

CRAWLEY ROOT.

Dr. Smith, of New York, says of this herb: "It is a powerful febrifuge, and an agreeable anodyne. I have found it a sure and quick medicine to excite perspiration, without increasing the heat of the body. This root is effectual in all remittent, typhus, nervous, and inflammatory fevers, and will relieve cramps, constrictions, and all pains by colds,- &c. It produces a general relaxation of the system, equalises the circulation, and brings a moisture on the surface. It is an excellent medicine in pleurisy, inflammation of the chest and brain, and is a sure remedy in erysipelatous inflammation.

Dose: A small teaspoonful of the powder every twenty minutes, in a little pennyroyal tea, till perspiration appears on the surface of the body.

BONESET.

Is a most useful herb. It is relaxant, sudorific, antiseptic, stimulant, diuretic, and tonic. The warm infusion, in large doses, operates as an emetic; when used cold it is both laxative and tome, acting as a gentle laxative, without irritating the bowels. As an emetic, take a cupful of the decoction warm every fifteen minutes, until it operates. For sweating take the same in small doses. For a laxative and tonic drink a cupful of the decoction cold every two hours.

YARROW

Is given in the form of infusion. It is an excellent diaphoretic; also useful externally in all kinds of sores and ulcers. It gives great relief in lung diseases, dysentery, fevers of all kinds flatulent colic, involuntary flow of urine, and all kinds of coughs and colds, in which case it should be drunk plentifully, on going to bed, hot, with a little composition in it, and sweetened.