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diff --git a/12522-0.txt b/12522-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a6eb99f --- /dev/null +++ b/12522-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,513 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12522 *** + +Transcribed by David Ross <davidross@despammed.com> from an undated +edition, c. 1761. + + + + + + +Project Gutenberg E-Text of +An Account of the Extraordinary Medicinal Fluid, called Aether. +By Matthew Turner (d. 1788?) + + + + + + + + AN + ACCOUNT + OF THE EXTRAORDINARY + MEDICINAL FLUID, + CALLED AETHER. + + + By M. TURNER, SURGEON, + IN + _LIVERPOOL._ + + + LONDON: + Printed by J. WILKIE, at the Bible in St. Paul's Church-yard. + + + + + +The Publisher of the following short Account of the AETHER having +prepared, and successfully made Use of it in his private Practice, +for several Years, has at length determin'd to endeavour to extend +it's Utility, by thus making it public; as he knows of no one who +has ever published it's _medicinal virtues_; or offered it to Sale +in it's _Perfection_; or given the Criteria by which they who are +unacquainted with it might distinguish the _Genuine_ from the +_Spurious_: And he doubts not but every candid Person who examines +it, will agree with him, That it carries with it the strongest +Marks of a valuable Addition to the _Materia Medica_, and +therefore ought to lie no longer in Obscurity. + + + + + +AN ACCOUNT OF THE AETHER, _&c._ + + +This truly extraordinary Chemical Preparation is not a new +Discovery, having been known and esteemed, as a valuable +Curiosity, by many of the greatest Chemists and Philosophers, both +Ancient and Modern; particularly by Sir _Isaac Newton_ [Footnote: +Quere 31st, at the End of his Optics.], and the Honourable +Mr. _Boyle_ [Footnote: Treatise on the Producibleness of Chemical +Principles.], who both mention it in their Works, tho' not by this +Name: And therefore before any Thing is said of it's Virtues as a +Medicine, it may not be improper to explain the Nature of it, and +enumerate a few of it's remarkable Properties, considered as a +Curiosity in Chemistry, in which Light chiefly it has hitherto +been view'd by those who have been acquainted with it. + +It is a kind of ETHEREAL OIL, produced by the Decomposition of the +Vinous Spirit by Means of the Vitriolic Acid, and differs +essentially both from Vinous Spirits and Essential Oils in several +Respects, tho' it agrees with them in some, as will appear +hereafter: But as the Vinous Spirit may be decomposed by means of +all the three Mineral Acids, _viz._ the _Vitriolic_, the _Nitrous_ +and the _Marine_, and as these all act differently on the Spirit, +they will, of Course, produce three different Kinds of AETHER, +which, from the Name, of the Acid employ'd in making them, are +term'd _Marine, Nitrous_, or _Vitriolic_: the last only is the +Kind here understood, it's Properties being more singular and +extraordinary, and, as an AETHER, more perfect than either of the +others; the Reason of which seems to be, that the _Vitriolic Acid_ +is a much stronger Agent on the Spirit, and more perfectly +decomposes it, than either the _Nitrous_ or _Marine_. + +It is the most light, most volatile, and most inflammable, of all +known Liquids: It swims upon the highest rectified Spirit of Wine +as Oil does upon Water, and flies away so quickly as hardly to wet +a Hand it is dropped upon; from which Properties it probably has +obtained it's Name. It is so readily inflammable, as to take Fire +at the approach of a Candle, before the Flame touches it. Any +Electrified Body will also produce the same Effect. + +It is one of the most powerful Solvents known in Chemistry: It is +neither _acid_ nor _alcaline_, and therefore is perfectly free +from that saline Acrimony with which all the common Volatile +Spirits abound: It has a greater Affinity with Gold than _Aqua +Regia_ has, altho' it will not dissolve it in the Mass, or whilst +in it's Metallic Form; but if you add AETHER to a solution of Gold +in Aqua Regia, it presently takes all the Gold from it's former +Solvent, keeping it perfectly dissolved and suspended, without the +least Precipitation; and becomes of a yellow Colour: The AETHER, +thus saturated with the Gold, does not mix with the Aqua Regia, +but may readily be separated from it by simple Decantation, and +thus a true and safe _Aurum potabile_ is readily prepared for +those who want such a Medicine. The Union of these two Substances +is very remarkable, one being the heaviest solid Body we know, the +other the lightest Liquid. + +The AETHER is remarkably cold, when dropped upon the Hand, and it +affects the thermometer in an extraordinary Manner; for if the +Ball of either a Mercurial or Spirituous Thermometer be immersed +in it, the Spirit or Mercury immediately sinks considerably, tho' +both the AETHER and the Thermometer have stood a sufficient Time +together to be brought to the temperature of the Room, before the +Experiment was made. The Thermometers dipt into Water, or Spirit +of Wine, in the same Manner, suffer not the least Alteration. + +They who chuse to see a further Account of the singular Effects +which this curious Fluid produces, may peruse what Doctor +_Frobenius_, a _German_ Chemist, has published concerning it, in +the Philosophic Transactions for the Years 1733 and 1741. + +But the most valuable Qualities of the AETHER are it's _medicinal_ +ones; it having been found by repeated Experience to be an +excellent Remedy in most _nervous Diseases_; particularly in FITS +of all sorts, whether _Epileptic, Convulsive, Hysteric, +Hypochondriac, or Paralytic_: In habitual HEAD-ACHES, GOUT, +RHEUMATISM, PAINS IN THE, STOMACH, WINDY DISORDERS OF THE STOMACH +AND INTESTINES, HOOPING COUGH, ASTHMA, PLEURITIC PAINS, and +DEAFNESS, all which Diseases have, in a singular Manner, been +removed by it; and that the Publisher may contribute all the +Assistance he can in extending the use of this Medicine, the +following Methods of applying, it are given, which have been +attended with Success. + + + + +_Particular Directions for using the_ AETHER. + + +In the HEAD-ACH. + +A fit of the Head-ach is almost instantly removed by applying the +AETHER externally to the Forehead, by means of a bit of Linen Rag, +in the Manner hereafter directed for it's external Application. Or +it may be applied to any other Part of the Head where the Pain +lies, being first shaved, if necessary. If the Pain is violent, a +Dose of it should be also taken inwardly. In stubborn Cases it +will likewise be serviceable to snuff a little of the AETHER up +the Nostrils, either alone or mixed with equal Parts of Lavender +Water, _Hungary_ Water, or Brandy; or it may be more convenient to +apply a bit of Linen Rag, wetted with AETHER, up the Nostrils. Any +of these Means, or all of them, must be repeated if the Pain is so +urgent as to require it. To cure this Disorder radically, when it +is of long standing, and to prevent it's Return, the Medicine must +be taken inwardly for a considerable Time every Night at Bed-time, +or in violent Cases, every Night and Morning in a small Draught of +cold Water, according to the General Direction for taking it +inwardly, given p. 11. In some particular Cases, Vomits are very +serviceable. + + + +A VERTIGO. + +A Vertigo, Giddiness, or Swimming in the Head, will generally be +removed by proceeding in the same Manner as for the Head-ach. + + + +The EPILEPSY. + +No Disease is more difficult to cure than the Epilepsy or Falling- +Sickness; yet several Instances have occurred where the most +violent Degrees of it, have been cured, even in grown Persons, by +taking a Dose of this Medicine regularly every Night and Morning +for a considerable Time. The Dose must be regulated according to +the Age of the Patient, as mentioned in the General Direction, +Page 11. If a Pain is felt in any Part of the Head, the AETHER +must be applied to that Part occasionally, and it must be +previously shaved, if necessary. It will be proper to give a small +Dose of _Tinctura Sacra_, or of the _Pill. Rufi_, at proper +Intervals, as once a Week or Fortnight. It will also, in most +Cases, be necessary to give now and then a Vomit. If it be +suspected that the Patient has Worms, proper Medicines to destroy +them ought also to be given. + + + +In CONVULSIONS. + +In Convulsions, or Convulsive Disorders, give the AETHER inwardly, +a Dose two three Times a Day, or oftener, according to the +exigence of the Case; and it should also be applied externally to +the Forehead, or any other Part of the Head, during the Fit. If +the Patient is full of blood, bleeding is necessary, and if +Costive, a Dose of _Manna, Senna,_ or any gentle Laxative, or a +Clyster, should be given. + + + +Hysteric and Hypochondriac DISORDERS. + +This Medicine has excellent Effect in _Hysteric Fits_, and in all +that Train of Symptoms which Hysteric and Hypochondriac Persons +are subject to; such as Risings in the Throat threatning +Suffocation, difficult Breathing, Flutterings and Palpitations of +the Heart, frequent Fainting, Lowness of Spirits, violent Pains in +the Head, Languor of the whole Body, Dullness of the Mind and +Senses, with constant Anxieties and Inquietude, &c. The Dose must +be repeated according to the urgency of the Symptoms; and the +Medicine must be continued some Time after the Complaints +disappear, to prevent a Relapse. It will be serviceable during the +Use of the AETHER, especially in Case of Costiveness, to take at +proper Intervals a gentle Purge, such as _Tinctura Sacra, Pill +Rufi, Rhubarb,_ or _Glauber's Salts_. Bodily Exercise of all sorts +contributes greatly to the Cure of these Complaints, especially +Riding on Horseback. + + + +PALSY. + +In _Palsies_, and all Paralytic Complaints, the Patient, if a +grown Person, must take the quantity of a Tea Spoonful of the +AETHER every Night and Morning. The Dose must be lessened in young +People, according to their Age. It will also be proper to snuff a +little of it up the Nostrils once or twice a Day, or apply a bit +of Rag wetted with it up the Nostrils. The AETHER must also be +applied externally to the Part affected, at least once every Day. +It should likewise be applied now and then to the Forehead, or any +other part of the Head, especially if the Tongue, Eyes, or any +part of the Face or Head be affected. If the Arms or Hands are +Paralytic, the Application should be made to the lower and back +Part of the Neck, as well as to the Part affected. If the Disease +has seiz'd the Thighs, Legs, or Feet, the Application must not +only be made to them, but likewise to the Back Bone, at the Loins. +As this Medicine cannot, on account of it's Volatility and +Pungency, be properly applied to the Whole, of a Paralytic Limb at +once, but only to a small Part of it, the Application therefore +may be made sometimes to one Part, and sometimes to another, as +shall be thought proper. + +This Disease will require a longer or shorter Continuance of these +Means, according to the Degree of it, and the Time it has +continued. A Vomit should be given, and repeated now and then as +the Patient can bear it; but if Vomits seem too fatiguing, a Dose +of _Tinctura Sacra_ may be given in their room. Paralytic Patients +should use as much Bodily Exercise as possible, and the Head, +Neck, and the whole Spine, as well as the Parts affected, should +be frequently rubbed with a hot and dry Cloth till they appear +red. + + + +GOUT. + +This Medicine is of singular Service in the _Gout_, not only while +it continues in the Limbs, but particularly when it flies inwards, +and attacks the Head, Stomach, or any of the internal Parts; in +which Cases a few Doses will not fail to give present Relief. It +should be taken in the Quantity of a Tea Spoonful, two or three +Times every Day, or oftener, if the Case be violent, during the +Gouty Fit. It carries off the Gouty Matter, by Urine, which it +renders very thick and turbid. At any Time when there is a +Necessity to abate the excessive Pain in the Part affected, the +AETHER may be applied to it externally, according to the Method +given p. 12. It will be proper to continue taking the AETHER once +or twice a Day for some Time after the Fit is gone, and to begin +taking it again about the Time of it's expected Return; by which +Means, tho' it may not prevent the Return of the Fit, which in +many Cases perhaps ought not to be desired, yet it will shorten, +it's Continuance, and moderate the Pain of it. + + + +RHEUMATISM. + +In Rheumatic Complaints the Patient must take a Dose of this +Medicine every Night and Morning, or oftener, if the Pains are +violent; and it must be continued till the Disease is removed, or +longer, to prevent a Relapse. If the Pain is fixed in any +particular Part, the AETHER must be applied to it twice a Day, as +directed hereafter. It must be observed, that Bleeding very much +conduces to the Cure of obstinate Chronic Rheumatisms, must be +repeated at proper intervals if necessary; the Blood in this +Disease being generally very sizy. + + + +_Disorders of the_ Stomach _and_ Intestines. + +This Medicine presently cures Flatulent Cholics, removes all +Windy Disorders of the Stomach and Intestines, and corrects +Acidities lodged there. It is also found to have excellent Effect +in correcting that Weakness, or bad Habit of the Stomach and +Intestines, which studious Persons, and such as lead sedentary +Lives, are particularly subject to, and is attended with sour +Belchings, Heart-Burn, Windy Distensions, Pain and Uneasiness in +the Stomach and Bowels. It must be taken every Night and Morning, +according to the General Direction below. Care should be taken to +prevent Costiveness in these Cases, which, is best removed by +chewing _Rhubarb_, or taking it any other way, or by a Dose of +_Manna_, or _Glauber's Salts_, taken occasionally. + +The AETHER is an extraordinary Diuretic in DROPSIES: It is an +excellent Medicine in an ASTHMA, and the HICCUP; and may be looked +upon as a Specific in that Disease of Children called the HOOPING- +COUGH, or CHIN-COUGH; in all which Cases it must be taken +inwardly, according to the General Direction below, and the +repetition of the Dose must be regulated by the violence of the +Disease. + +A Dose of it taken at going to Bed after Drinking too freely, has +been found to prevent the Head-Ach, Sickness, &c, which usually +follow next Morning. + +It has removed DEAFNESS, and Hardness of Hearing, by Moistening a +little Cotton with a few Drops of it, putting it into the Ear, and +holding the Finger for a few Minutes over it, at the same time +snuffing a few Drops of it, mixed with Spirit of Lavender, up the +Nostrils, or putting a bit of Rag wet with the AETHER, up the Nostrils. + +It has frequently removed a temporary DIMNESS OF SIGHT, attended +with a Swimming or Uneasiness in the Head, by external Application +to the Forehead; and is a promising Medicine in that Sort of +Blindness called a GUTTA SERENA, and in Beginning CATARACTS, in +which Cases it should be taken inwardly, as well as applied to the +Forehead, and up the Nostrils. + +It is likewise found to, be of great service in removing PLEURITIC +PAINS, and STITCHES in the Side, by applying it to the affected +Part, in the Manner directed for external Application. + + + +_The Method of taking the AETHER Inwardly._ + +The General Dose for a grown Person is a common Tea Spoonful; and +the best Vehicle to take it in is a Draught of Cold Water. If it +be only stirred, in the Water with the Spoon, and the Mixture +drank immediately it strikes the Nostrils by it's Volatility, but +may be thought by some as agreeable when so taken as when the two +Liquors, are more intimately mixed, by shaking them in a Phial, +and from thence pouring them into a Glass to be drank; for tho' it +has but little Smell in this Manner, it is more warm to the Palate +than in the other. The Patient may use, the Way of Mixing he likes +best, and if he has any Objection to Water, may take it in any +other agreeable cold Liquor. Children in the Month may take two or +three Drops for a Dose; those of a Year old may take seven or +eight Drops; those of five or six Years old may take from twenty +to twenty-five Drops, and so encreasing according to their Years: +Or it may perhaps be better, in giving it to Children, to mix a +Tea Spoonful of AETHER, with a convenient Quantity of Water, and, +shaking it well, give at a Dose about one twentieth Part of this +Mixture to a Child a Month old; about one eighth Part to a Child +twelve or fourteen Months old; to those about five Years old one +third Part of the Mixture; half of the Mixture to those about +seven Years old, and two thirds of it to those about fourteen +Years old. + + + +_The Method of applying the AETHER Externally._ + +To apply it Externally, you must procure a Bit of Linen Rag, of +such a Dimension as to be conveniently covered by the Palm of the +Hand; moisten this Rag with a little of the AETHER as it lies upon +your Palm, and instantly apply it to the Part affected, pressing +it very close, so as to prevent the Escape of it's Fumes, for two +or three Minutes, in which Time the Rag will be found dry, and may +be taken away. It will be more convenient, on some Occasions, (as +in applying it to Paralytic Parts, Rheumatic Pains, and the Gout,) +to place the Rag upon a Piece of a soft, thin Bladder and, when +moisten'd with the AETHER, to bind it gently upon the Part. A +slight Redness usually appears upon the Part after the Application, +but it quickly vanishes; but it may sometimes happen, where the +Skin is very tender and too much AETHER has been applied to the +Forehead, or within the Ears, that it may affect the Skin more +than the Patient chooses; which is avoided by applying a less +Quantity for the future. This is the Secret of a present famous +Practitioner, who having a Method sometimes of concealing his +Application, is said to, cure the Head-ach, fixed Rheumatic Pains, +&c. by the Touch of his Hand. + +It is very easy to conceive, from the extreme Subtlety of this +Medicine, that it must produce many excellent Effects in such +Diseases as those above mentioned, as it is converted into Vapour +by a much less Heat than the common Animal One; so that being +swallowed, it can hardly subsist in any Part of the human Body +under any Form but that of an extremely penetrating volatiliz'd +Vapour; and it is perceptible by it's Smell, as it passes thro' +the Pores of the Skin, several Hours, after taking; so that it's +stay in the Body is longer, and, it's Effects there more durable, +than might be expected from such a subtle Substance. + +Notwithstanding the extreme Subtlety of the AETHER, it is +perfectly innocent and safe to take, as it contains nothing that +is acrimonious or corrosive; so that it may be given even to the +youngest Children without Hesitation. It neither purges nor +vomits; nor does it encrease any of the sensible Evacuations, +except that of Urine, and sometimes that of Sweat, if taken when +in Bed; but as it is so distinctly perceived by the smell passing +thro' the cutaneous Pores of those who take it, it is probable +that it encreases insensible Perspiration. Another observable +Property in this Medicine is, that it does not coagulate or +thicken the Serum of the Blood, but thins it; and therefore has +direct contrary Effects to all the common Spirituous Compositions, +when either taken inwardly, or externally applied, and is +essentially different from the most subtiliz'd Vinous Spirits; for +tho' Spirit of Wine is used in making it, yet it is so far +decomposed by the Process, that it's Nature is entirely changed. +In consequence of this Quality in the AETHER, the Publisher has +successfully dissolved some particular obstinate Tumours, by +applying it to them, when other Means have failed.----This Hint He +hopes will not pass unnoticed by the Gentlemen of the Faculty, as +it is evident no Application whatever can equal it in Subtlety and +Dissolving Power. + +The Medicine so much celebrated in _Germany_, and so frequently +commended and used in Practice by the late famous Professor +_Hoffman_, under the Title of his _Liquor Mineralis Anodynus_, was +nearly of the same Nature with the AETHER, but not so powerful, +nor so highly subtilized. + +Repeated Experience has confirmed the Efficacy of this Medicine in +all the Diseases before mentioned; and from the Consideration of +it's uncommon Qualities, it may be presumed to be an excellent +Remedy in many others, if judiciously given: Hence it seems +surprising that so valuable an Addition, to the _Materia Medica_ +as the AETHER doubtless is, should have been so much neglected, or +so little known; but the Reasons are, that the Process whereby it +was made was kept secret by some who rated the Preparation at a +very extravagant Price, and not sufficiently attended to by +others, who consider'd it only as a Chemical Curiosity, not as a +Medicine. The chief Merit the Publisher of this Account pretends +to, is, _the ascertaining the Medicinal Virtues of this curious +Preparation_, by several Years Experience, and making them more +publickly known; _the reducing it's Price_, which has hitherto +been so extravagant that had it's Virtues and Properties been +known, only a small number of the afflicted could have enjoy'd the +Benefit of it; and, _the bringing it to a greater Degree of +Perfection than any hitherto sold_; what he offers being a +perfectly rectified Vitriolic AETHER. + +It may not be improper to give the Marks by which good AETHER may +be known. It is perfectly colourless, except it has receiv'd some +accidental Tinge from the Cork of the Phial in which it has been +kept; and so volatile as to strike the Nose very powerfully. It's +Smell is more or less sulphureous, according to the management of +some Part of the Process. Wetting the Finger with it, or dropping +a little upon the Hand, it vanishes instantly, and leaves no +Moisture behind; so that the Part scarcely seems to have been wet. +Half a Dozen Drops, dropped together upon a Table will disappear +in a few Seconds of a Minute, and leave only the Appearance of a +large oily Ring behind; but if it leaves the least Watery or +Spirituous Moisture, or does not evaporate in much less than a +Minute, it is not good. The best AETHER will dissolve in, or mix +with, a certain Quantity of Water; and that is the best which +requires the largest Quantity of Water to dissolve it: If, +therefore, to fix Tea Spoonsful of Water in a small Phial, you add +one of the AETHER to be examined, cork up the Phial, and shake +them very well together, and upon standing a little while some +part of the AETHER appears at Top, in form of Oil, sufficient to +cover the surface of the Mixture, it may be pronounced good +(provided it also answers, in the other Methods of Trial) and the +more appears the better is the AETHER; but if none appears, or not +enough to cover the surface of the Mixture, it was either +adulterated, or not well rectified. If to this Mixture of AETHER +and Water you add a little _Salt of Tartar_, and any Fermentation +ensues, the AETHER was not well rectified. Upon shaking briskly a +Phial containing AETHER, if the Bubbles, or Proof as they are +usually called, do not disappear in less Time, and in larger +Bubbles, than any other Liquor, (the Vinous Alcohol perhaps +excepted) 'tis not Genuine. + +It is the more necessary to observe these Rules of proving the +Quality of the AETHER, as the imperfect Sorts have been found to +disagree with the Stomach, and produce other bad Effects, besides +disappointing the Patient's Expectation. The AETHER that has the +foremention'd Properties, (for there are Preparations sold by the +same name, which are very imperfect Imitations of it) is made and +sold by M. TURNER, Surgeon, in _Liverpool_. The Ounce Phial _two +Shillings_; the Half Ounce _one Shilling_. The Phials are square; +the Word AETHER, inscribed on one Side, and M. TURNER on the +opposite, and sealed with a Lion gardant, &c. Proper Abatement +will be made to Druggists, Apothecaries, or the Gentlemen of the +Faculty who use any considerable Quantity. To prevent it's escape +and loss, a small Quantity of Water is put into each Phial, which +should be kept with the Cork downwards, by which Means the AETHER +is prevented, by the interposition of the Water, from evaporating. + + + +The Publisher has also appointed it to be sold by Mr. _R. Board_, +Chemist and Druggist, in _Grace-church-street_; and Mr. _J. Wilkie_, +Bookseller, at the Bible in St. _Paul's_ Churchyard, LONDON: +and Mr. _Peter Wilson_, Bookseller, in _Dame-street_, DUBLIN. + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of An Account of the Extraordinary +Medicinal Fluid, called Aether, by Matthew Turner + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12522 *** |