Veratria, and gave an account of two cases of amaurosis, combined with
tic-douloureaux, cured by the external application of veratria. I
there suggested that it was probable that amaurosis, uncombined with
tic-douloureaux, might be removed by applications of a stimulating
nature to the branches of the fifth pair of nerves. No notice of this
suggestion having been taken by medical men, I determined to put the
plan into execution, and employed a surgeon to carry it into effect
in St. Giles's Workhouse, where blind cases were given me for that
purpose. I here extract the case of Eleanor M'Cartney, for the purpose
of showing the power of capsicum when rubbed upon the forehead and
temples. I select this case of amaurosis for several reasons; she was
the first patient on whom I tried the efficacy of capsicum. She had
had, seven years previously, a stroke of palsy, which removed all power
of the right side. The only power recovered was that of the right
arm. The hearing was perfectly gone; and she had not had the least
perception of sight for seven years. It is now nearly eight years
since her recovery; and, at the present date (27th of Jan. 1843), she
can read perfectly well; and has never had another application since
the three first days. It will also satisfy the minds of many that a
recovery by stimulating applications of this description, is not of a
temporary nature.
I here quote the case as given in my work on "Painful and Nervous
Diseases," page 131.
"ELEANOR M'CARTNEY, aged 40, an inmate of St Giles's Workhouse,
was attacked, seven years ago, with palsy of the right side, when
perception of light and sound, in the right eye and ear, was
extinguished. There was a constant and profuse flow of tears, and the
pupil was immoveable.
"The treatment commenced on the 19th of October, 1835, and was
continued for three days only. On the first day after the commencement
of the treatment there was a great abatement of the flow of tears, and
she could perceive light and light-coloured objects. On the second day
she could see a watch, and direct her hand to it, and distinguish the
palm from the back of the hand. On the third day she could distinguish
objects with great facility. There was no further application of the
remedy after the third day. On the fifth day she could read a duodecimo
prayer-book with ease. On the seventh day the flow of tears ceased, the
pupil moved readily, and her sight and hearing were perfect. She is
still an inmate of the workhouse, and may be seen on application to the
matron, Mrs. Bailey."
The next case which I select from the same work is that of ALEXANDER
CRUIKSHANKS, Esq., of Strathcathro Castle, Forfarshire. When this
case came under my care he was undergoing the necessary preparation
for an operation for cataract. The peculiar difference in the removal
of cataract without operation is, that the person afterwards needs
no cataract glasses, as will be seen from the extracts of two of Mr.
Cruikshank's letters to the author. It is now seven years since his
recovery, and he is at the present date perfectly well.
"March 8th, 1836.--My right eye was affected with dimness, or defect of
vision, so long ago as the year 1810, and commenced by the deceptious
effect of seeing two objects distinctly where there really was but one.
This deception of double vision gradually disappeared as the vision
of the eye became imperfect. The other eye was not affected until
about four or five years ago. The affection of this, like the other,
commenced and continued, with the double vision, until Dr. Turnbull's
remedy was continued six weeks, when it totally disappeared. The right
eye, by this time, was restored to such a healthy state, that I could
read 'Blackwood's Magazine,' or the leading article of a newspaper,
without glasses, and the smallest print with them. By the way, it may
be proper to mention that it was not till July last, 1835, that I
ascertained, beyond question, the nature of the complaint with which I
was affected. In that month I applied to an eminent oculist, who, after
two examinations, informed me the complaint was cataract."
* * * * *
"May the 10th, 1836.--I am favoured with your letter of the 3rd
instant, intimating that you had heard it reported that the benefit I
had derived from your treatment of my eyes had disappeared. The only
person with whom I have had any communication on the subject is my
friend, Mr.----, whom I informed that the remedy was applied to my
forehead and temples, by friction only, without your having prescribed
or administered one grain of medicine, or having confined me to the
house, or directed the slightest change in my former habits of living,
either as to drink or diet; and that my sight was good enough to read,
write, fish, shoot, and to see a pin on the floor at the most distant
corner of an ordinary-sized room. What more can, or ought, a man of 67
years of age wish for in this respect? But if any are sceptical as to
your mode of treatment, let them produce a testimony like this of a
superior method.
"My dear Sir,
"Yours very faithfully,
"ALEXANDER CRUIKSHANKS."
"A. Turnbull, Esq., M.D."
The only other case which I intend to quote, in order to show that the
recoveries are lasting when the essential oils have been employed,
is the case of Dr. Kent. This gentleman continues perfectly well.
It is now nearly seven years since his recovery. He had, alternate
days, rubbed upon his forehead and temples, with the friction sponge,
the compound clove and pimento embrocation, quoted from page 136, on
"Painful and Nervous Diseases."
[Illustration: Friction Sponge]
The following case was communicated to me, by letter, from the patient,
DR. KENT, who was for several years a physician in extensive practice
at Walsall, in Staffordshire, now residing in Harley Street, Cavendish
Square.
"39, Duke Street, St. James's,
"April 19th, 1836.
"MY DEAR SIR,--Thinking that an outline of the principal features in
my case might be perused with advantage by many who take an interest
in the success of your efforts, I have subjoined it in as concise
a form as justice to the subject would admit. Upon my return from a
very cold ride in a violent storm of snow and sleet, on the evening
of the 29th of January, 1836, I discovered that the sight of my right
eye was gone. In a few hours violent inflammation supervened, and
continued several weeks, in spite of the most vigorous and energetic
treatment, its principal seat being the optic nerve, and subsequently
the iris. The inflammation was at length overcome, but vision was
not restored; and the irritability in both eyes was so great as to
render it absolutely necessary not only to avoid all attempts to use
them, but also to exclude them from the light. The sight of the right
eye was entirely, and, as I feared, irrecoverably gone; its pupil
contracted almost to the size of a pin's point, and immoveable. I
removed to the country, by the advice of the professional friends who
had attended me, in the hope that, as my general health improved, the
irritability would subside, although they gave me no reason to expect
that the organ, originally diseased, would ever again prove of much
use to me. In this opinion a medical gentleman of high celebrity, in
Oxford, coincided; but he strongly recommended me to consult some of
the most eminent oculists in the Metropolis. A much esteemed friend
having mentioned your success in the treatment of many obstinate and
almost inveterate cases, I placed myself under your care on the 2nd
of April, and had the satisfaction to find, that after the lapse of
three or four days, a very considerable alteration was observable in
the appearance of the right eye, and that my perception of light, and
afterwards of objects, became more distinct. The improvement has been
regularly progressing, and I am now (the 19th of April) able to read
with ease with that eye which, only three weeks ago, could scarce
distinguish light from darkness. I may also add, that the irritability
which so long annoyed me, ceased almost immediately after your first
application, and I have not since been troubled with it.
"I am, my dear Sir,
"Yours, very sincerely, and much indebted,
"BENJAMIN ARCHER KENT, M.D."
"A. Turnbull, Esq., M.D., &c. &c."
THE END.
CITY PRESS, LONG LANE: D. A. DOUDNEY.
FRICTION SPONGE.
See Plate, page 66.
_Preparing for Publication_,
In One Vol.
SUGGESTIONS
FOR AN
IMPROVED TREATMENT OF THE
DISEASES OF THE HEART
AND LUNGS, &c.
BY A. TURNBULL, M.D., EDIN.
WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
Price 6s. boards.
ON THE MEDICAL PROPERTIES OF THE NATURAL ORDER RANUNCULACEÆ; AND MORE
PARTICULARLY ON THE ALKALOIDS, VERATRIA, SABADILLINE, DELPHINIA, AND
ACONITINE.
"In our last number we expressed a hope that the experience of others
might confirm that of the author, promising at the same time that we
should communicate the result of our own trials. It is unnecessary
to assure our readers that on this, as on every other subject of
professional inquiry, our minds have not been biased either by
prejudice or partiality. Truth and justice are ever the only guides of
our conduct.
"We are satisfied that the medicine exerts a very peculiar effect as a
counter-irritant; it seems to differ from all others in this respect,
that its operation is confined solely to the nerves of the part, the
blood-vessels being scarcely affected.
"It is therefore our decided opinion that Veratria is a useful and
very potent medicine in certain nervous affections, and that it
deserves to be, and no doubt will become, an established member of
the Materia Medica."--_Editorial Remarks on Veratria, Dr. Johnson's
Medico-Chirurgical Review, July, 1834._
"I have often cured most successfully cases of Tic-Douloureux of the
face, by sprinkling small blisters, made in the course of the affected
nerves, with one or two grains of Veratria, and repeating it every
three or four days. I use the same means, and with equal advantage, in
cases of paralysis. I need not add, that in these cases the application
should be made in the course of the facial nerve."--_Majendie's
Formulary, 8th edition, 1835._
"I have now made a very considerable trial of the Veratria ointment as
an external application in gout, and with such share of satisfaction
in its effects, that I acknowledge myself much indebted to the work of
Dr. Turnbull for the possession of a very useful remedy.
"My conclusive opinion of the action of the Veratria ointment in gout
is, that we may consider it to be entirely a local remedy. I have not
detected any constitutional effects to be produced by it in any case of
gout in which I have prescribed it. Probably the absorbents of a part
affected with gout are in a torpid state. It is no small praise of the
application, that it does not produce any inconvenient effects, and the
patient is pleased with its mode of operation."--_Sir C. Scudamore's
Principles of the Treatment of Gout, 1835._
"Veratria has, since the last year, become so important a medicine,
having been recommended first by Dr. Turnbull; and now fairly ranking
among the most salutary ingredients in Materia Medica, it must
naturally be of great interest to the pharmaceutical and medical world
to obtain so valuable a substance in its purity."--_Silliman's American
Journal, April, 1836._
Price 3s. 6d. boards.
ON THE PREPARATION AND MEDICINAL EMPLOYMENT OF ACONITUM NAPELLUS AND
ITS ALCALOID ACONITINA.
"Aconitine will cure a local pain where every description of depletive
and counter-irritant has failed."--_London Medical Gazette, Nov. 5,
1836._
"Dr. Turnbull's work will be read with great interest by persons
afflicted with neuralgia and other painful diseases. The profession
is certainly indebted to him for drawing the attention of the
public to an important, very potent, and much-neglected class of
substances."--_London Medical Gazette, April 1st, 1837._
"As a topical remedy, aconitine is most valuable for the relief of
neuralgic and rheumatic pains. In neuralgia no remedy, I believe,
will be found equal to it. One application of the tincture produces
some amelioration, and after a few times use it frequently happens
that the patient is cured. In some cases the benefit seems almost
magical.--_Pereira's Elements of Materia Medica, vol. II., page 1808._
"Of the great efficacy of aconitina in neuralgic and rheumatic
affections, no one can entertain any doubt who has submitted the remedy
to trial."--_Pereira's Elements of Materia Medica, vol. II., page 1812._
_Aconitine, discovered by Geiger and Hesse, in Aconitum Napellus and A.
Ferox._--Our knowledge of this base is very limited. There is reason
to think, from the experiments of Dr. Turnbull, either that the plant
contains two bases, or that the aconitine of Geiger and Hesse is an
_altered product_.
"Dr. Turnbull has succeeded in producing, but with difficulty and in
small quantity, an aconitine possessing in perfection all the active
properties of the plant. It produces _numbness_ of the _tongue_ when
applied to it, and is said to _contract the pupil_, whereas Geiger's
aconitine _dilates_ it. In obtaining the aconitine of Turnbull, much
appears to depend on the freshness of the plant; and the alkaloid
itself is easily decomposed, especially by alkalies.
"As a remedy in neuralgia and similar painful and obscure diseases,
the aconitine of Turnbull possesses most valuable powers. Could it be
obtained at a reasonable price, it would be extensively employed. At
present, however, only one manufacturer has been able to obtain it,
and that in small quantity. The aconitine of Geiger and Hesse does not
appear to possess the same action on the system.--_Turner, Leibeg, and
Gregory's Elements of Chemistry, 1842, page 1167._
CORRIGENDA.
In part of the impression the following errors occur:--
Page 37, line 14, _for_ "28" _read_ 8.
Page 38, line 15, _for_ "months" _read_ weeks.
* * * * *
Transcriber's Notes
Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected, other
variations in spelling and punctuation remain as in the original.
The original began with an unidentified illustration. This appears
to be the Friction Sponge referred to at the end of the book. The
illustration has been placed on page 86 where its use is described and
a caption has been added.
In the heading of CASE 4, "Two cases of ---- Ophthalmia, ending in
Opacity of the Cornea." ---- represents a word crossed out in all
available copies of the book.
The first of the corrigenda has been implemented, the second had
already been corrected in the original.