Mother, Nurse and Infant / A Manual Especially Adapted for the Guidance of Mothers and Monthly Nurses, Comprising Full Instruction in Regard To Pregnancy, Preparation for Child-birth, and the Care of Mother and Child, and Designed to Impart so Much Knowledge of Anatomy, Physiology, Midwifery, and the Proper Use of Medicines as Will Serve Intelligently to Direct the Wife, Mother and Nurse in All Emergencies.

by S. P. Sackett

Antacids neutralize acids existing in the alimentary canal, or circulating with the blood; ANTISEPTICS counteract putrefaction; ANTISPASMODICS relax spasm and calm nervous irritation; ASTRINGENTS cause vital contraction of the organic textures; ANTHELMINTICS destroy worms, or expel them from the bowels; CATHARTICS act on the bowels, producing a purgative effect; CAUSTICS destroy the life of the part upon which they act; DIAPHORETICS increase the cutaneous discharge; DIURETICS produce an increased flow of urine; EMETICS produce vomiting; EXPECTORANTS augment the secretion from the pulmonary mucous membrane; ENEMATA cause evacuations from the rectum, &c.; EMMENAGOGUES excite the menstrual secretion; NARCOTICS affect the cerebral functions; TONICS exalt the energies of the whole system. I shall give examples of remedies which are designed to produce these several effects, besides some belonging to other classes.

Where the word teaspoon is used it signifies one holding about 55 drops of water = ʒ j. (one drachm); 1 table spoon about half an ounce, and this is written ℥ ss; one wineglass equals two ounces, written ℥ ij; one teacup equals four ounces, written ℥ jv.; one coffee cup equals eight ounces, and is written ℥ viij.

The gramme of the French metric system equals about 15 grains, and this is the unit of weights. The system is of the decimal character and the latin prefixes deci, centi, milli, &c., are used to indicate its subdivisions, and the Greek deca, hecto, kilo, myria, &c., are its multiples, always on the scale of ten.

	.001	gramme	= 1 milligramme.
	.01	gramme	= 1 centigramme.
	.1	gramme	= 1 decigramme.
1		gramme
10		gramme	= 1 decagramme.
100		gramme	= 1 hectogramme.
1000		gramme	= 1 kilogramme.

Physicians, many of them, prefer to employ latin names to designate the ingredients of their prescriptions, and to write the directions to the druggist in latin. I will first give a few latin prescriptions with the translation.

CHAPTER VI.
MEDICAL FORMULARY.

Formula 61. FIAT HAUSTUS.

(Let a draught be made.)

℞	Magnesiæ sulphatis	drachmas duas.
	Infusi sennæ	fluidunciam.
	Syrupi rhei	fluidrachmam.

Misce et fiat haustus, in jusculo calido, partítis vicibus sumendus.