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ELEMENTS OF MATERIA MEDICA.

Kapp (Hufeland's Journ. Bd. xix. St. 1, S. 176.) first employed it internally. Heregards it as a permanent stimulant, and says it promotes the appetite and diges-tion. Vogt (Pharmgcodynamik.) places it among the tonics, and considers it tobe intermediate between iron and lead, but his views are altogether theoretica),as he does not seem to have employed it. Dr. Coupar (Brit. Ann. of Med. Jan.13, 1837, p. 41.) has described several cases of disease which took place amongthe men engaged in grinding it at the chemical works of Messrs. Tennant andCo., in Glasgow: from these it appears that, when slowly introduced into the Sys-tem, it produces paralysis of the motor nerves. The disease commences withSymptoms of paraplegia. It differs from the paralysis of lead in not causing colicapictonum or constipation, and from mercury in first affecting the lower extremities,and in not exciting tremors of the affected park C. G. Gmelin {Versuche, ü d.Wirkungen, &c.) tried the effect of the sulphate of the protoxide of manganese onanimals, and found that it caused vomiting, paralysis, without convulsions, andinflammation of the stomach, small intestines, liver, spieen, and heart. Gmelinobserves, as remarkable, " the extraordinary secretion of bile produced by it, andwhich was so considerable that nearly all the intestines were coloured yellow byit, and the large intestines had a wax-yellow colour communicated to them."(Op. eil. 90.) It deserves notice, in connexion with this effect, that the sei deso-pikmt of Rouviere, used as a quack remedy to evacuate bile, contains chloride ofmanganese. (Journ, de Chim. Med. v. 534.)

Dr. Thomson has seen an ounce of the sulphate swallowed without any effect,except the free action of the bowels. (Coupar, op. cit.) Hünefeld (Horn'sArchiv, f. Med. Erf. 1830, quoted by Wibmer, Wirk. d. Arzn.) gave to a rabbitnearly two drachms of manganesic aeid, in three days, in doses of ten or fifteengrains. The only obvious effect was increased secretion of urine. The animalbeing killed, the Peritoneum and external coat of the colon was found of a green-ish colour [protoxide of manganese is green,] the muscles were readily lace-rated and pale, the liver was inflamed, the bile increased. Wibmer (Op. cit.) gavesix grains daily of the carbonate of the protoxide of manganese to a rabbit duringmany weeks. No disturbance of fimetion was observed. The animal was killed,but neither in the blood nor the muscles could the least trace of manganese bedetected.

Uses. —It is rarely employed in medicine. Kapp (Op. cit.) administered it, aswell as the salts of manganese, internally as well as externally in the various formsof syphilis. In herpes, Scabies, and the scorbutic diathesis, he used it with benefit.Brera (Harless, Neues Journ. d. Ausl. Med. Lit. Bd. viii. St. 2, S. 57.) used it inchlorosis, scorbutus, hypochondriasis, hysteria, &c. Otto (Proriep's Notizen, Bd.xii. No. 22, S. 347.) administered it in cachectic complaints with favourable results.Odier (Handb. d. pr. Jrrzneiwiss. quoted by Richter.) employed it in cardialgia.It has been applied as an absorbent in the treatment of old ulcers, as a depilatory,and as a remedy for skin diseases, especially itch and porrigo. (Rayer, Treat.on Skin Diseases, by Willis, p. 58.)

Administration. —Internally it has been given in the form ofpills, in doses vary-ing from three grains to a scruple, three or four times in the day. As a localagent it has been used in the form of gargle, composed of two or three drachmsof the oxide diffused through five or six ounces of bariey water. An ointment,consisting of one or two drachms of oxide to an ounce of lard, has also beenused.

In chemistry and pharmaey it is employed in the manufacture of oxygen, chlo-rine, and iodine. In the arts it is used by the bleacher for the produetion of chlo-rine ; by the glass-maker to destroy the brown colour communicated to glass byiron; and to give an amethystine tint to plate-glass; and by the potter for colour-ing earthenware,

END OF VOL. i.