THE MEDICINES OF NATURE 47
been affected with dyspepsia, are very liable to experience severe pains under the operation of an emetic, and complain of feeling worse about the time the disease is taking a favorable turn.
Affections of the head in general proceed from derangement of the stomach, so that not only in sick-headache are emetics indicated, but also in the most violent neuralgic pains in the head, accompanied with extreme tenderness of the scalp, will be relieved promptly by an emetic which acts freely in emptying the stomach. Even genuine tic-douloureux, the neuralgia of some writers, has been cured by the same practice, and with such facility as to place it decidedly above all other modes of treating this most painful, and hitherto nearly unmanageable affection.
The operation of emetics in conjunction with the vapor or pack baths are applicable to cases of dropsy. Besides cleansing the stomach and placing the system under the relaxing influence of Lobelia they promote the action of the absorbent vessels, and consequently the use of the remedy is particularly well adapted to such conditions.
Emetics form an important part of the treatment in the cure of jaundice as it is of the utmost importance to free the stomach of all morbid matter, thoroughly cleansing and toning it. Many cases of this disease are quickly cured by the administration of Lobelia and followed by stimulating compositions. Cases that are deeply seated will require, as do other forms of settled (chronic) disease, a repetition of the course of medicine, together with the indicated intermediate treatment.
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