_On the requisite Medicines to be used at Sea_
As my greatest ambition in this life tends only in becoming useful, I
shall studiously avoid that false pride of appearing learned.
There is perhaps not a medicine in the modern _materia medica_, but what
I have examined into, and opportunely experienced the virtue of; but so
often have I been deceived in my expectations, that out of the many
hundreds, with which I am acquainted, there are not above a score, or at
farthest two, which in any case whatever I should expect any benefit
from. Yet I mean not to throw out prejudices, for every physical man has
his favourite medicine, and we are all apt to praise the bridge that
carries us well over.
The little assortment of medicines however, which I here offer, I know
from experience to be good, and as such I recommend them. I have plowed
the ocean myself, visited most climates in the known world, and in my
practice on that precarious element, drawn such observations, as makes
me happy to think, that they may prove useful to a class of men, who
daily experience the uncertainty of human life.
In the first place I shall draw the plan of a sea medicine box, as may
suit a ship that carries no surgeon; in which I shall endeavour to be so
plain as I hope will prevent any mistake.
The MEDICINE CHEST.
+——————————————+—————————+————————+————————+——————————+————————————+
|{Lancets|A.|B.|C.|D.|11 Camomile|
|{Scissars|Spt. of Wine|Liniment of|Sweet Oil.|Sweet Spirit|12 Balm|
|1 {Probe|and Camphor.|Soap.||of Nitre.|13 Sage|
|{Spatula +—————————+————+———+——+—————+——————————+ 14 Sassafrass|
|{Teeth Instruments|E.|N.|O.|P.|G.|15 Oatmeal|
|2 Syringes|Honey.|Calom.|Fine Prec.|Me. Oi.|Elixir
of|________________________|
|3 Clyster Pipes & Bladder| +————+——————+—————+ Vitriol.||
|4 Scales and
Weights|___________________|Q.|R.|S.|____________________|16
cinamon, &c.|
|____________________________||Rhub.|Jalap.|Ipecac.||17 Allum|
||F. +————+——————+—————+ H.|18 Chalk|
|5 Splints|Yellow Basilicon.|T.|U.|W.|Elixir Proprietat.|19 Salts|
|6 Bandages||Liq. L.|E. O. Pep.|T’s. Ba.||________________________|
|7 Rags|___________________|_________|____________|__________+——————————+|
|8 Tow||||||
|9 Lint|I.|K.|L.|M.|20 Diachylon Plaister|
|10 Tapes, Thread, Needles|Linitive|Turner’s|Fever Powder.|Stomach|21
Mercurial Plaister|
|and Pins|Electuary.|Cerate.||Powder.|22 Blistering Plaister|
+——————————————+—————————+————————+————————+——————————+————————————+
_Of the Utensils._
First then, I shall speak of the utensils and the instruments which must
necessarily belong to a medicine box, be it ever so small.
_In the box_, No. 1.
_Lancets_: There ought to be three or four, and they should always be
kept clean and bright in a case, free, as much as may best from the
dampness of the sea air. The best method for this is, to wipe them often
with a dry clean linen cloth, warmed by the fire, (taking care in the
wiping of them, that the blade of the lancet lays upon one of the
handles, by which the point is preserved) and when properly cleaned,
wrap the whole case up in a large piece of dry paper. Let it be a
constant rule, to clean them well every time they are made use of.
And here I must remark once for all, that all iron or steel instruments
are ever best preserved clean and bright, by rubbing them clean with a
warm dry cloth, and then wrapping them up in clean dry paper; by which
method I have preserved my capital instruments with the same brightness,
as they came out of the workman’s hands throughout my voyages,
notwithstanding they have been made use of, and frequently too.
The notion of oiling or greasing instruments is very erroneous, and so
far from preserving them, that it will never fail of making them more
rusty. The wiping them quite clean and dry, and wrapping them up in warm
dry paper, is certainly the best secret for keeping all iron or steel
bright at sea, and deserves strictly to be attended to.
_Scissars_: There ought at least to be two pair, one for common use, and
the other for particular purposes; and if the last mentioned are
crooked, they are certainly much the better, being very handy on many
occasions. The best pair should be carefully preserved as already
directed.
_Probe_: A probe is very requisite for searching of wounds, &c. It
should be of good silver, and the smaller it is in thickness, even like
a small wire, the better for use, as it will bend and twist agreeable to
the place it is to search. At one end it should have a neat smooth
button, and at the other, be triangularly pointed, like a sail needle,
in order to wrap lint round it to clean sores with; its length should be
six or eight inches.
_Spatula_: ’Tis not much matter what the spatula is made of, whether
silver or iron, be it what it will, (provided it is neither brass nor
copper) one end should be flexible, so as to be handy in spreading
salves upon lint, or for other the like purposes; whilst the other
should be more stiff, being very useful for pressing the tongue down, in
looking and examining the throat. It should be about six or eight inches
long, and an inch broad.
_Bistouries_ and _Incision Lancets_: A bistoury, or neat sharp cutting
knife, is very useful indeed in many cases. And a large incision lancet,
in the form of a common lancet, except that the point inclines more one
way, is very necessary for opening aposthumes, and where a collection of
matter has been formed.
_Teeth Instruments_: Of the whole tribe there is certainly none more
universal than the key; this ought to have three different hooks, and so
that they may shift and unshift, according as the operation requires.
The gum lancet I have no notion of, I never saw any occasion for it, and
am apt to think it rather an hindrance to the operation. The instrument
should be kept clean in the same manner as I have said before.
2. _Syringe_: Each box ought at least to have two. Ivory is the best
substance they can be made of; they ought to be pretty thick and stout,
as they are liable to warp. A small one with a neat pipe, slender, and a
button to it, will be very useful for the clap, or other cases, where
injections are requisite. A larger one for the ulcerated sore throat, or
other the like cases, where quantities are required to be injected.
3. _Clyster Pipes_ and _Bladders_: There ought to be sundry. I would
have them previously mounted; and to prevent the bladder from being
decayed, or eaten up by vermin, or moths, fill them up with wormwood; a
method I have found very effectual.
When they are to be made use of, they are easily softened by a little
lukewarm water.
The general method of mounting the bladder on the pipe, is, by the
assistance of a cork in the pipe, which is to be drawn by a string, when
the clyster is injected; for my part, I found it always a hindrance; and
therefore instead of the cork, I always chose to secure the whole with a
string, tied with a slip knot, which when the pipe is introduced, is
much more easily undrawn.
_A clyster syringe_ of pewter, that holds at least a pint, or a pint and
an half, is far more preferable at sea, and might easily be made with an
additional pipe, by which a man may be the operator himself.
4. _Scales_ and _Weights_: This is a requisite article, in order to
proportion the doses of medicines. The scales need scarce any
description, as they require no more than their being of an equal
length, and the whole in equilibrio.
The _Apothecaries weights_ come in the following order, and signified by
these characters:
1℔—A Pound is 12 Ounces.—℥xii.
℥i.—An Ounce is 8 Drachms.—ʒviii.
ʒi.—A Drachm is 3 Scruples.—℈iii.
℈i.—A Scruple is 20 Grains.—gr.xx.
These marks are generally stampt upon the pieces. As a pound and ounce
are not generally used in the proportioning of doses, they are omitted
in the common little boxes prepared for that purpose. The rest, drachms,
scruples, and grains, are marked upon the requisite pieces; and which at
the first inspection may easily be understood.