“Where headache arises from a disordered condition of the digestive organs there will generally be an inactive, or irritable, state of the stomach or bowels, which will frequently be accompanied by giddiness, imperfect vision, or by specks floating a short distance from the eyes, by loss of appetite, sickness, acidity of the contents of the stomach, and by flatulence.
“If the stomach be loaded with undigested, or irritating food, it is to be relieved by a gentle emetic. Having drunk a pint of warm chamomile tea, or common tea from one ounce to one ounce and a half of ipecacuanha wine should be taken, after which vomiting will ensue almost immediately, and without any straining, or painful effort. If ipecacuanha wine is not at hand, two or three teaspoonfuls of powdered mustard, mixed in a little water, may be used in its stead.
“In almost every case, it will be found necessary to administer mild aperients every four or five hours, till the bowels are emptied. The aperients may be, rhubarb and Castile soap, of each one drachm, oil of cloves six drops, mixed with a simple syrup, and divided into thirty pills, of which from three to six are to be taken every four or five hours, till the bowels act. Where no disposition to pills exists, from one to two table spoonfuls of compound decoction of aloes may be taken every four or five hours, till the bowels are relieved freely. Where much acidity in the stomach is present, from fifteen to twenty grains of magnesia, combined with six grains of powdered rhubarb, and the same quantity of ginger, may be substituted for the above aperients, and repeated in a similar manner.
“If the pain in the head continues to be severe, after an emetic has operated, or before the aperients begin to act, it will be often greatly mitigated by taking a moderate dose of some opiate; this, however, should not be employed where attacks are frequent, as a habit of taking opiates is productive of much injury.
“There are persons who do not experience relief from opiates, but on the contrary, have the pain aggravated by their use. Strong green tea, or hop tea, will occasionally give relief in mild attacks, or where decided opiates are not productive of benefit.
“Where a feeble, or disturbed state of the nervous system gives rise to headache, aperients are to be taken as recommended above; and stimulants are to be employed, as camphor, ammonia, compound tincture of valerian, æther, &c.
“Four grains of carbonate of ammonia, or fifteen or twenty drops of spirit of hartshorn, are to be mixed in a wineglassful of camphor julep.
“One or two teaspoonfuls of compound tincture of valerian are to be added to a wineglassful of water, or camphor julep.
“From twenty to forty drops of æther are to be mixed in a wineglassful of water or camphor julep.
“Any of the foregoing forms may be taken several times during every twenty-four hours, if necessary.