CHAPTER II.

ON THE ACTION OF ESSENTIAL OILS, &C.

In October, 1835, a paper of mine appeared in the _London Medical and Surgical Journal_, stating the beneficial action of a concentrated tincture of capsicum for diseases of the eye, by rubbing it for a few minutes daily over the forehead and temples with a sponge.

Soon after this I was induced to try what effect essential oils, possessing powerful stimulating properties, might possess in removing amaurosis and diseases generally of the eye. The formulæ which I use are--

EMBRO. CARYOPH. CO.

℞--Ol. Caryoph. -- Lavand _āā_ Ʒiv. -- Cinnamom. Ʒss. Sp. Vin. Rect. ℥iij. M. Ft. Embro.

EMBRO. PIMENT. CO.

℞--Ol. Piment. -- Rosmar. _āā_ ℥ss. -- Cinnamom. Ʒss. Sp. Vin. R. ℥iij. M. Ft. Embro.

Finding great utility to arise from the use of the cloves and pimento, it appeared by no means undesirable or hopeless to administer them internally for the same complaints. In order to shield the pungency of these oils I united them with calcined magnesia, which, by its very strong affinity with these essential oils, forms a body nearly solid, and thereby removes all pungency, warmth, and even smell; for, in this state, it requires to be held in the mouth for a considerable time before it produces any warmth or pungency. They are thus rendered easily taken, in sufficient quantity, without heat or uneasiness.

Some children are the subjects of many diseases of the eye, producing blindness from opacities, &c. I ordered the same to be made into a powder, in which form it can be taken easily in any vehicle, without exciting disagreeable warmth. The formulæ are--

PIL. CARYOPH. C.

℞--Ol. Caryoph. Magnes. Cal. _āā_ Ʒi. Ol. Cinnamom. qtt. vi. M. Ft. Pil. xxiv.

PIL. PIMENT. CO.

℞--Ol. Piment. Magnes. Cal. _āā_ Ʒi. Ol. Cinnamom. qtt. vi. M. Ft. Pil. xxiv.

The dose of these pills is one or two thrice a day.

Expedition is required in the making of these pills, otherwise it becomes a solid mass, and unable to be formed into pills.

I have found an alcoholic extract of cloves and pimento, made into pills with magnesia, equally efficacious.

PULV. CARYOPH. C.

℞--Ol. Caryoph. Magnes. Calc. _āā_ ℥i. Ol. Cinnamom. Ʒi. M. Ft. Pulv.

PULV. PIMENT. CO.

℞--Ol. Piment. Magnes. Calc. _āā_ ℥i Ol. Cinnamom. Ʒi M. Ft. Pulv.

The dose of these powders is from four to eight grains thrice a day.

In the making of these powders, the oil and the magnesia ought to be well mixed and allowed to remain for half-an-hour, then reduce the mass to fine powder, and keep it in glass bottles with stoppers.

These medicines, by their local application, increase the circulation, and give a greater supply of blood to the deficient organs, and thereby produce natural tone and power. They are equally useful in removing chronic diseases, where thickening and opacity have taken place, by rousing into activity the absorbent and nervous influence by their stimulating power. Among many others possessing the same power, is a concentrated tincture of pepper nigrum, ginger, &c.

The internal administration has been found much more serviceable in chronic diseases of the eye, such as opacities, &c., than in amaurosis.

The manner of using the embrocations is, by rubbing the forehead and temples with a sponge saturated with the liquid. This plan alone, kept up daily, is beneficial; but the efficacy is more than doubled if another sponge, with warm or cold water, is rubbed upon the forehead for a minute afterwards. By this the energy of the medicines in inducing a free circulation is greatly augmented, and greater warmth is rapidly developed. The rationale, in my opinion, is, that the large quantity of carbon in some of the essential oils, and its solubility in alcohol, permits it, by the friction, to pass through the cuticle and unite with the oxygen. As the oils are very insoluble in water, and as the alcohol has a strong affinity for the water, the carbon is more readily disengaged, and forms a union with the oxygen in the vessels, and thereby produces heat and great activity of circulation. I have no doubt that that is the reason why many bodies are so pungent, when put into the mouth. I have only given two cases--viz., John Plunkett and William Dale--as illustrative of the action of the essential oils.

It will be seen in the following extract from Tyrrell on the Eye, "Functional amaurosis arises from a deficient supply of red blood." He says--

"In these cases there always exists, I believe, a want of general power and vigour of circulation at first; but in some instances of long-continued affection of this kind, the local circulation never regains its proper force and fulness; and the supply of blood is inadequate to support the functions of the part, although the general system recovers its natural tone and power."

I think this statement very correct, and therefore the embrocations producing so much additional circulation, point out at once the essential oils, along with the water, as its proper remedy. I here quote Magendie, who corroborates the plan which I adopt--viz., the medicines being most useful when applied to the forehead and temples in amaurosis:--

EXTRACTS.

"Lectures on the Physiology of the Nervous System, delivered in 1836, in the College of France, by Majendie."--_Lancet, April 29th, 1837, page 186._

"The integrity of both the optic and the fifth nerves, then, is indispensably necessary for the exercise of vision, which is lost whenever either of these nerves is separately destroyed."

_Lancet, May 20th, 1837, page 279._

"Nervous pains of long duration and the greatest intensity have been quickly removed by topical applications to the temporal region."

_Lancet, page 280._

"Amaurosis cannot be considered as a simple affection of the optic nerve; at least, in the actual state of the science, it is generally impossible to say that the fifth nerve has no connexion with the loss of sight, and in many cases the connexity is evident. Hence a rule which I invariably follow of addressing my remedies, in the first instance, to some of the branches of the frontal nerve; and I have frequently had the satisfaction of observing some of these cases of incomplete amaurosis improve sensibly under the influence of therapeutic agents applied to the fifth pair. I would go even further and say, whenever you have a case of incipient amaurosis, commence by acting on this nerve, for it is at once the most expeditious and efficient method. I cannot, however, quit this point without assuring you that no physician is capable of treating diseases of the eye unless fully in possession of the facts I have just had the honour of explaining to you. These facts are daily becoming more numerous and more convincing, and already a considerable number of our younger practitioners, who devote themselves to the study of diseases of the eye, are fully aware of the immense influence of the fifth pair of nerves over the exercise of vision."

_Lancet, page 281._

"To resume, then, what I have said concerning the sense of vision and our several experiments, allow me once more to impress you with the idea that sight can never be exercised in a complete and perfect manner without a certain influence of the fifth pair of nerves; destroy that influence, and you destroy vision. This is all we know upon the matter; for up to the present moment we have been unable to determine how far this influence extends, or in what manner it is communicated."

_Case of Amaurosis._

JOHN PLUNKETT, Mermaid Gardens, Hackney, formerly an attorney's clerk, visited me in May, 1837, and stated that he had been blind and obliged to be led about by his children for the last four years. For five years previously his sight had been gradually diminishing. He further stated that he was much troubled with floating images before his right eye, as well as with clouds resembling animals, strange goblins, and sometimes with flashes of lightning, vivid red, changing into light blue. One great peculiarity of this miserable man's case was, that when he threw back his head there appeared a stream of blood flowing from the top of the right eye to the centre, where it formed into a circular pool about the size of a split pea, but ultimately it became as large as a shilling. It often remained a considerable time, and then diminished gradually in red streaks. This was a matter of great alarm to him. He had been at several Ophthalmic Institutions for nine years previously to his visiting me. He has had electricity, tartarate of antimony, blisters, issues, stramonium, mercury (until it produced dysentery), and almost every kind of treatment that could be suggested, tried, but to no purpose.

When I saw him the pupil was immoveable, and the eye dull in the anterior, and very obscure. The left eye was destroyed. He could not discern, in a bright light, the shadow of white paper when it was moved between him and the light.

The compound embrocation of oil of cloves was used by rubbing it upon the forehead and temples daily, and in the space of twelve days he was able to discern objects and could touch them. In two months he could put his finger through a ring when held by another person. He continued occasionally under my care for about a year, during which time the embrocation was regularly used. He could walk alone, and the eye was generally useful, but he was not able to read with it. He could see objects at the distance of thirty feet.

The last month he has visited me once or twice a week, for the purpose of having the prussic acid vapour applied to his eye, to ascertain if the sight could be restored sufficiently to enable him to follow his occupation as a clerk. In this case an advantage has been gained. The patient is now able to read a little, which, previously to the use of the prussic acid vapour, he was unable to do.

_Amaurosis._

WILLIAM DALE, boot-maker, of 14, Clarence Gardens, Regent's Park, visited me in July, 1837. He stated, that with his right eye, for the last year, he could only discern light from darkness; and that for several months before he was much troubled by clouds and spots floating before his eyes. The evening gaslight produced a continued flashing of light from his eye. The light looked as if surrounded by all the colours of the rainbow.

He first went to an Ophthalmic Hospital, where he was blistered on the temple and salivated. Nux vomica produced such an effect upon him that all his limbs were involuntarily twitched, so as to alarm them exceedingly. He then left, and went to another institution for three months; and at length was told that the optic nerve was injured, so as to render a restoration of vision impossible. The left eye, when looked into, had a dark green, muddy hue, and the pupil was exceedingly dilated and immoveable. He was unable to distinguish an object placed before his eyes; yet he states that he could distinguish light from darkness.

When he applied to me I had the compound embrocation of pimento applied occasionally to the forehead and temples, by means of a friction sponge. During the first month he was able to discern objects and colours. The pupil acted under the impression of light almost equal to the good eye. It was not until this application had been used for a year that the patient was enabled to read with the eye.

I saw the patient this day (the 25th of Jan. 1843). The eye, upon examination, appeared to be in a healthy state. The sight was not so good as when he left me, and after he left off the applications, but this he attributes to the circumstance of his general health not being good, owing to his having suffered from intermittent fever.

* * * * *

In January, 1834, I published the first edition of my work upon Veratria, and gave an account of two cases of amaurosis, combined with tic-douloureaux, cured by the external application of veratria. I there suggested that it was probable that amaurosis, uncombined with tic-douloureaux, might be removed by applications of a stimulating nature to the branches of the fifth pair of nerves. No notice of this suggestion having been taken by medical men, I determined to put the plan into execution, and employed a surgeon to carry it into effect in St. Giles's Workhouse, where blind cases were given me for that purpose. I here extract the case of Eleanor M'Cartney, for the purpose of showing the power of capsicum when rubbed upon the forehead and temples. I select this case of amaurosis for several reasons; she was the first patient on whom I tried the efficacy of capsicum. She had had, seven years previously, a stroke of palsy, which removed all power of the right side. The only power recovered was that of the right arm. The hearing was perfectly gone; and she had not had the least perception of sight for seven years. It is now nearly eight years since her recovery; and, at the present date (27th of Jan. 1843), she can read perfectly well; and has never had another application since the three first days. It will also satisfy the minds of many that a recovery by stimulating applications of this description, is not of a temporary nature.

I here quote the case as given in my work on "Painful and Nervous Diseases," page 131.

"ELEANOR M'CARTNEY, aged 40, an inmate of St Giles's Workhouse, was attacked, seven years ago, with palsy of the right side, when perception of light and sound, in the right eye and ear, was extinguished. There was a constant and profuse flow of tears, and the pupil was immoveable.

"The treatment commenced on the 19th of October, 1835, and was continued for three days only. On the first day after the commencement of the treatment there was a great abatement of the flow of tears, and she could perceive light and light-coloured objects. On the second day she could see a watch, and direct her hand to it, and distinguish the palm from the back of the hand. On the third day she could distinguish objects with great facility. There was no further application of the remedy after the third day. On the fifth day she could read a duodecimo prayer-book with ease. On the seventh day the flow of tears ceased, the pupil moved readily, and her sight and hearing were perfect. She is still an inmate of the workhouse, and may be seen on application to the matron, Mrs. Bailey."

The next case which I select from the same work is that of ALEXANDER CRUIKSHANKS, Esq., of Strathcathro Castle, Forfarshire. When this case came under my care he was undergoing the necessary preparation for an operation for cataract. The peculiar difference in the removal of cataract without operation is, that the person afterwards needs no cataract glasses, as will be seen from the extracts of two of Mr. Cruikshank's letters to the author. It is now seven years since his recovery, and he is at the present date perfectly well.

"March 8th, 1836.--My right eye was affected with dimness, or defect of vision, so long ago as the year 1810, and commenced by the deceptious effect of seeing two objects distinctly where there really was but one. This deception of double vision gradually disappeared as the vision of the eye became imperfect. The other eye was not affected until about four or five years ago. The affection of this, like the other, commenced and continued, with the double vision, until Dr. Turnbull's remedy was continued six weeks, when it totally disappeared. The right eye, by this time, was restored to such a healthy state, that I could read 'Blackwood's Magazine,' or the leading article of a newspaper, without glasses, and the smallest print with them. By the way, it may be proper to mention that it was not till July last, 1835, that I ascertained, beyond question, the nature of the complaint with which I was affected. In that month I applied to an eminent oculist, who, after two examinations, informed me the complaint was cataract."

* * * * *

"May the 10th, 1836.--I am favoured with your letter of the 3rd instant, intimating that you had heard it reported that the benefit I had derived from your treatment of my eyes had disappeared. The only person with whom I have had any communication on the subject is my friend, Mr.----, whom I informed that the remedy was applied to my forehead and temples, by friction only, without your having prescribed or administered one grain of medicine, or having confined me to the house, or directed the slightest change in my former habits of living, either as to drink or diet; and that my sight was good enough to read, write, fish, shoot, and to see a pin on the floor at the most distant corner of an ordinary-sized room. What more can, or ought, a man of 67 years of age wish for in this respect? But if any are sceptical as to your mode of treatment, let them produce a testimony like this of a superior method.

"My dear Sir,

"Yours very faithfully,

"ALEXANDER CRUIKSHANKS."

"A. Turnbull, Esq., M.D."

The only other case which I intend to quote, in order to show that the recoveries are lasting when the essential oils have been employed, is the case of Dr. Kent. This gentleman continues perfectly well. It is now nearly seven years since his recovery. He had, alternate days, rubbed upon his forehead and temples, with the friction sponge, the compound clove and pimento embrocation, quoted from page 136, on "Painful and Nervous Diseases."

The following case was communicated to me, by letter, from the patient, DR. KENT, who was for several years a physician in extensive practice at Walsall, in Staffordshire, now residing in Harley Street, Cavendish Square.

"39, Duke Street, St. James's, "April 19th, 1836.

"MY DEAR SIR,--Thinking that an outline of the principal features in my case might be perused with advantage by many who take an interest in the success of your efforts, I have subjoined it in as concise a form as justice to the subject would admit. Upon my return from a very cold ride in a violent storm of snow and sleet, on the evening of the 29th of January, 1836, I discovered that the sight of my right eye was gone. In a few hours violent inflammation supervened, and continued several weeks, in spite of the most vigorous and energetic treatment, its principal seat being the optic nerve, and subsequently the iris. The inflammation was at length overcome, but vision was not restored; and the irritability in both eyes was so great as to render it absolutely necessary not only to avoid all attempts to use them, but also to exclude them from the light. The sight of the right eye was entirely, and, as I feared, irrecoverably gone; its pupil contracted almost to the size of a pin's point, and immoveable. I removed to the country, by the advice of the professional friends who had attended me, in the hope that, as my general health improved, the irritability would subside, although they gave me no reason to expect that the organ, originally diseased, would ever again prove of much use to me. In this opinion a medical gentleman of high celebrity, in Oxford, coincided; but he strongly recommended me to consult some of the most eminent oculists in the Metropolis. A much esteemed friend having mentioned your success in the treatment of many obstinate and almost inveterate cases, I placed myself under your care on the 2nd of April, and had the satisfaction to find, that after the lapse of three or four days, a very considerable alteration was observable in the appearance of the right eye, and that my perception of light, and afterwards of objects, became more distinct. The improvement has been regularly progressing, and I am now (the 19th of April) able to read with ease with that eye which, only three weeks ago, could scarce distinguish light from darkness. I may also add, that the irritability which so long annoyed me, ceased almost immediately after your first application, and I have not since been troubled with it.

"I am, my dear Sir,

"Yours, very sincerely, and much indebted,

"BENJAMIN ARCHER KENT, M.D."

"A. Turnbull, Esq., M.D., &c. &c."

THE END.

CITY PRESS, LONG LANE: D. A. DOUDNEY.

FRICTION SPONGE.

See Plate, page 66.

_Preparing for Publication_,

In One Vol.

SUGGESTIONS

FOR AN

IMPROVED TREATMENT OF THE DISEASES OF THE HEART AND LUNGS, &c.

BY A. TURNBULL, M.D., EDIN.

WORKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR.

Price 6s. boards.

ON THE MEDICAL PROPERTIES OF THE NATURAL ORDER RANUNCULACEÆ; AND MORE PARTICULARLY ON THE ALKALOIDS, VERATRIA, SABADILLINE, DELPHINIA, AND ACONITINE.

"In our last number we expressed a hope that the experience of others might confirm that of the author, promising at the same time that we should communicate the result of our own trials. It is unnecessary to assure our readers that on this, as on every other subject of professional inquiry, our minds have not been biased either by prejudice or partiality. Truth and justice are ever the only guides of our conduct.

"We are satisfied that the medicine exerts a very peculiar effect as a counter-irritant; it seems to differ from all others in this respect, that its operation is confined solely to the nerves of the part, the blood-vessels being scarcely affected.

"It is therefore our decided opinion that Veratria is a useful and very potent medicine in certain nervous affections, and that it deserves to be, and no doubt will become, an established member of the Materia Medica."--_Editorial Remarks on Veratria, Dr. Johnson's Medico-Chirurgical Review, July, 1834._

"I have often cured most successfully cases of Tic-Douloureux of the face, by sprinkling small blisters, made in the course of the affected nerves, with one or two grains of Veratria, and repeating it every three or four days. I use the same means, and with equal advantage, in cases of paralysis. I need not add, that in these cases the application should be made in the course of the facial nerve."--_Majendie's Formulary, 8th edition, 1835._

"I have now made a very considerable trial of the Veratria ointment as an external application in gout, and with such share of satisfaction in its effects, that I acknowledge myself much indebted to the work of Dr. Turnbull for the possession of a very useful remedy.

"My conclusive opinion of the action of the Veratria ointment in gout is, that we may consider it to be entirely a local remedy. I have not detected any constitutional effects to be produced by it in any case of gout in which I have prescribed it. Probably the absorbents of a part affected with gout are in a torpid state. It is no small praise of the application, that it does not produce any inconvenient effects, and the patient is pleased with its mode of operation."--_Sir C. Scudamore's Principles of the Treatment of Gout, 1835._

"Veratria has, since the last year, become so important a medicine, having been recommended first by Dr. Turnbull; and now fairly ranking among the most salutary ingredients in Materia Medica, it must naturally be of great interest to the pharmaceutical and medical world to obtain so valuable a substance in its purity."--_Silliman's American Journal, April, 1836._

Price 3s. 6d. boards.

ON THE PREPARATION AND MEDICINAL EMPLOYMENT OF ACONITUM NAPELLUS AND ITS ALCALOID ACONITINA.

"Aconitine will cure a local pain where every description of depletive and counter-irritant has failed."--_London Medical Gazette, Nov. 5, 1836._

"Dr. Turnbull's work will be read with great interest by persons afflicted with neuralgia and other painful diseases. The profession is certainly indebted to him for drawing the attention of the public to an important, very potent, and much-neglected class of substances."--_London Medical Gazette, April 1st, 1837._

"As a topical remedy, aconitine is most valuable for the relief of neuralgic and rheumatic pains. In neuralgia no remedy, I believe, will be found equal to it. One application of the tincture produces some amelioration, and after a few times use it frequently happens that the patient is cured. In some cases the benefit seems almost magical.--_Pereira's Elements of Materia Medica, vol. II., page 1808._

"Of the great efficacy of aconitina in neuralgic and rheumatic affections, no one can entertain any doubt who has submitted the remedy to trial."--_Pereira's Elements of Materia Medica, vol. II., page 1812._

_Aconitine, discovered by Geiger and Hesse, in Aconitum Napellus and A. Ferox._--Our knowledge of this base is very limited. There is reason to think, from the experiments of Dr. Turnbull, either that the plant contains two bases, or that the aconitine of Geiger and Hesse is an _altered product_.

"Dr. Turnbull has succeeded in producing, but with difficulty and in small quantity, an aconitine possessing in perfection all the active properties of the plant. It produces _numbness_ of the _tongue_ when applied to it, and is said to _contract the pupil_, whereas Geiger's aconitine _dilates_ it. In obtaining the aconitine of Turnbull, much appears to depend on the freshness of the plant; and the alkaloid itself is easily decomposed, especially by alkalies.

"As a remedy in neuralgia and similar painful and obscure diseases, the aconitine of Turnbull possesses most valuable powers. Could it be obtained at a reasonable price, it would be extensively employed. At present, however, only one manufacturer has been able to obtain it, and that in small quantity. The aconitine of Geiger and Hesse does not appear to possess the same action on the system.--_Turner, Leibeg, and Gregory's Elements of Chemistry, 1842, page 1167._

CORRIGENDA.

In part of the impression the following errors occur:--

Page 37, line 14, _for_ "28" _read_ 8. Page 38, line 15, _for_ "months" _read_ weeks.

* * * * *

Transcriber's Notes

Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected, other variations in spelling and punctuation remain as in the original.

The original began with an unidentified illustration. This appears to be the Friction Sponge referred to at the end of the book. The illustration has been placed on page 86 where its use is described and a caption has been added.

In the heading of CASE 4, "Two cases of ---- Ophthalmia, ending in Opacity of the Cornea." ---- represents a word crossed out in all available copies of the book.

The first of the corrigenda has been implemented, the second had already been corrected in the original.