The Practice of Medicine Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 edition. Excerpt: ...well, in the form of a mouth-wash--a few drops of iodine being mixed with a glass of water for that purpose. Permanganate of potash solution, peroxide of hydrogen, and listerine, may also prove valuable. For the salivation of pregnancy the old school recommend atropine, which we believe to be nearly valueless even as a palliative, notwithstanding its physiological antagonism to ptyalism. 'Other remedies do not offer much better prospects in the severe cases. When there are marked nausea and vomiting, the bismuth preparations are of some avail. Jaborandi helps some cases. Helonias is indicated and of value occasionally. The literature bearing on the subject is meagre, and individual experience is limited, making it impossible to speak authoritatively. In a very chronic, obstinate case, occurring in an elderly woman without apparent cause, Dr. W. D. Bayley effected a prompt cure with subnitrate of bismuth lx. Slight returns have been promptly checked by the same treatment. Some of the best results I have witnessed have resulted from cuprum sulph. in the lower triturations. Consult also euphorbium, nitric acid, pulsatilla and sulphur. As a palliative, gum-chewing will prove a great comfort to some patients, probably by improving the quality of the saliva through stimulation of the salivary glands and thereby enabling it to be swallowed. XEROSTOMIA. Synonyms.--Dry mouth; ptyalism. This condition is very rare, but few cases having been recorded in literature. Its causes are entirely unknown, all suggestions relating to its etiology being largely conjectural. The symptom is dry mouth, which gives rise to difficulty in mastication and deglutition. In a case treated by Dr. Bartlett, Steno's ducts had all but closed. They were accordingly opened freely...