OIL OF TURPENTINE.

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rioi ^ a ? ee (ditto, vol. xxiv. p. 307), and others. I have seen it act inju-^ S ln this disease, while blood-letting has seemed to relieve,in tV P. wer P era l Fever. —The use of the oil of turpentine as a specificp u ls disease was introduced by Dr. Brenan of Dublin ( Thoughts ona nd ^ era ^ Fever, and its Cure by Spirits of Turpentine : Lond. 1814);J 1 j„v? ron g testimonies were subsequently borne to its efficacy by severallire res P ec table practitioners. Vide Bayle’s {Bibl. Therap. t. iv.) Dr.}io gave one or two table-spoonfuls of the oil, every three or four(} )e r ?’ 111 c °ld water, sweetened; and applied flannel soaked in the oil, totine bf 0 ! nen - But the apparent improbability of a stimulant like turpen-pj a . CUr ing an inflammatory disease, has prevented many practitionersln g any faith in it, or even giving it a trial. In other instances thetiu ( ]° r !; iUerable avers i 011 which patients have manifested to it, has pre-^ost ' tS re P e Bti o n. Lastly, it has failed, in the hands of some of ouraccurate observers, to produce the good effects which Dr. Brenan^ners have ascribed to it, and in some instances has appeared toe >ni)i aVate tbe malady. These reasons have been conclusive against itsl" r o °', Irie nt, at least in the way advised by Dr. Brenan. But there areit a mable uses which may be made of turpentine, in puerperal fever :of th^ be given in the form of clyster, to relieve a tympanitic conditionit - e ln testines, and for this purpose no remedy perhaps is superior todotn econ dly, flannel soaked in the hot oil may be applied to the ab-rn(, t)t n > t° cause mbefaction, as a substitute for a blister, to the employ-i- which several objections exist.

feve' r . ® r dinary Fever. —As a powerful stimulant in some forms of lowJij Ur ’ 0J 1 of turpentine has been well spoken of by Dr. Holst {Hufeland ’sp, Bd. 20, St. 2, S. 146), Dr. Chapman, ( Elem. of Therap. vol. ii.CentiBli ed.), Dr. Douglas (Buhl. Hosp. Rep. vol. iii.), and more re-\V], ^ b y Dr. Wood ( North Amer. Med. and Surg. Journ. April 1826).H leui p tbe s kin is dry, the bowels flatulent, and ulceration of the mucousq . raile suspected, it often proves most serviceable.b een n Rheumatism. —In chronic rheumatism oil of turpentine has longdi at) ,| Ce iobr ate d. Its beneficial influence depends on its stimulant and0re tic operation, and is more likely to be evinced in old and debili-Sr„ a ]j P ers °ns. I have found medium doses occasionally succeed when*sii Cc 0lles had failed. But for the most part I have not met with thats with it in chronic rheumatism, to induce me to place much con-7 C 3 m it. In the form of liniment it has often proved serviceable.

Pr 0 n Sciatica and other Neuralgic affections. —Oil of turpentine was• as a remedy for sciatica by Drs. Pitcairn and G. Cheyne. Itswas subsequently confirmed by Dr. Home {Clin. Experiments).ip p rec ently it has been extensively employed, and with great success,laae 5 in sciatica as well as in various other neuralgias (Martinet,lii lt jj fed. and Phys. Journ. March 1829 ; Bayle, Bibl. Therap. t. iv.)ipj t :

t >«h, s

les.

proved more successful in those which affect the lower extre-. lt % own experience does not lead me to speak very favourablyj s - lri a disease the pathology of which is so imperfectly understood°i neuralgia, it is in vain to attempt any explanation of thetUr Penp me dendi of an occasional remedy for it. I have known oil of1116 now and then act most beneficially in sciatica, without givingany remarkable evacuation by the bowels, skin, or kidneys, so