1891
Home
Community & Civic Life
Culture & Entertainment
Education
Health Care
Home Life
Law & Order
Social Conditions
Transport
Work
Index
E-mail
|
Health Care
Pages from the Prescription Book of W W Johnson, Llandrindod
Wells: Page Three

Powys County Archives |
Master A Gibbs
Rx |
Camphor spirit ½ drachm
Lemon syrup ½ oz
Acacia powder 5 grains
Water to 3 ounces
2 tbsp every 4 hours |
|
Camphor spirit - "It is a popular remedy, either
taken by the mouth or used as a snuff, for the relief of colds." (BPC)
Lemon syrup - "Used as a flavouring agent in acid
mixtures." (BPC)
Acacia powder - "Gum acacia . . . is a variety of
gum arabic obtained from certain species of Acacia . . ." (BPC)
- used to make syrupy mixtures
|

Powys County Archives |
Mrs Hopkins
Rx |
Mercuric nitrate ointment
10 grains
Vaseline 1 drachm
Whale oil ointment 2 drachm
Make an ointment. The eye salve to be applied to the
margin of the lids every night. |
Rx |
Wine of opium ½ drachm
Aluminium 12 gr
Glycerin 1 ½ drachms
Distilled Rose water to 4 oz.
The eye lotion to be applied twice daily |
Mrs Williams, Brighton Place
Rx |
Zinc sulphate 12 grains
Dilute phosphoric acid 3 drachms
Liquor of strychnine 40 minims
Syrup of Mori 1 oz
Water to 6 oz.
1 tbsp. twice a day |
|
Mrs Hopkins
Unguentum Hydrargyri Nitratis, or Citrine Ointment,
was used for skin complaints e.g. psoriasis, acne.
Vaseline - "an excellent basis for ointments" (Potter)
Whale oil - "Spermaceti is a constant component of
domestic cerates and cold creams, as represented by Unguentum Cetacei.
. ." (BPC). A cerate is "an unctuous preparation for external application,
of a consistence intermediate between that of an ointment and a plaster,
so that it can be spread upon cloth without the use of heat, but does
not melt when applied to the skin." (Datasegment.com)
Vinum Opii, Wine of Opium (Sydenham's Laudanum)" was
used for "pain from any cause" (Potter) - in this case probably conjunctivitis
Aluminium - poss. Alum, used as an astringent
Glycerine & rosewater - emollient, used in skin lotions
Mrs Williams
Zinc sulphate - "The Sulphate is a specific emetic,
acting promptly. . ." (Potter)
Phosphoric acid - "The agent is an excellent remedy
for the so-called nervous dyspepsia. It adds tone to the nervous structure
of the stomach, digestive and assimilative organs, materially aiding these
functions." (Ellingwood). Also, "Phosphorus is used in . . . Chronic Nervous
Exhaustion, when the nerve centres are implicated." (Potter)
Liquor of strychnine - used as nerve stimulant and stomachic
tonic
Syr Mori - Syrup of mulberries - used to flavour and
colour medicines
|

Powys County Archives |
Miss Bebb
Rx |
Potassium bicarbonate 2 drachms
Dilute hydrocyanic acid 15 minims
Tincture of ginger 15 minims
Compound of Gentian tincture 1 ½ drachm
Add water to make 8 ounces
|
Rx |
Citric acid powder 10 grains
Make into powders send 8
Two tablespoonfuls to be taken every 3 hours with
one of the powders as directed
|
|
Potassium bicarbonate - "used in -- Acidity and Atonic
Dyspepsia, the Bicarbonate, or Liquor Potassae with a bitter, in small
doses before meals. If given after meals larger doses are required for
temporary alleviation by neutralizing the food acids." (Potter)
Ac Hydrocyan dil - Acidum hydrocyanicum dilutum, also
known as prussic acid - "Taken internally its action exerted on the stomach
is especially useful in gastrodynia [pain in the stomach], the vomiting
of pregnancy, and other forms of vomiting."(BPC). "Hydrocyanic Acid is
a very useful and pleasant remedy. It is well employed in . . . Gastralgia,
. . . it is one of the most efficient remedies, also in Headache and Vertigo
due to stomachal derangement; and in Nervous Vomiting."(Potter)
Tincture of ginger - Tinctura zingiberis - used to
"promote the secretion and flow of saliva" (Potter) - and as carminative
& stimulant to "aid in the expulsion of gas from the stomach and intestines,
by increasing peristalsis, stimulating the circulation, etc. They are
also diffusible stimulants." (Potter)
Tr. Gent. Co. - Tinctura gentianae composita, or compound
tincture of gentian, was made from rhizomes & roots of Gentiana lutea
(Gentian) - "Compound tincture of gentian is used as an aromatic bitter
and flavouring agent" (BPC). A bitter was used to increase appetite.
Pulv. Ac citric - Acidum citricum - "It is commonly
administered in effervescing mixtures, in which the citric acid is directed
to be added in the form of a powder, or solution, to an alkaline mixture."
(BPC). Also used to neutralise the mixture, to keep it from being too
alkaline, and as an antacid.
|
|