322

OF THE HEAD-ACH.

within or without the skull, with a dull, heavy, con-tinual pain, which will neither yield to bleeding norgentle laxatives, then more powerful purgatives arenecessary, as pills made of aloes, resin of jalap, or thelike. It will also be necessary in this case to blister thewhole head, and to keep the back part of the neckopen for a considerable time by a perpetual blister.

When the head-ach is occasioned by the stoppage ofa running at the nose, the patient must frequentlysmell to a bottle of volatile salts; he may likewise takesnuff, or any thing that will irritate the nose, so as topromote a discharge from it; as the herb mastich,ground ivy, &c.

A hemicrania, especially a periodical one, is gene-rally owing to a foulness in the stomach,.for whichgentle vomits must be administered, as also the purgesof rhubarb; after the bowels have been sufficientlycleared, chalybeate waters, and such bitters asstrengthen the stomach will be necessary.

When the head-ach arises from a vitiated state ofthe humours, as in the scurvy and venereal disease,the patient, after proper evacuations, must drink freelyof the decoction of woods, or the decoction of sarsa-parilla with raisins and liquorice.* These, if dulypersisted in, will produce very happy effects. Whena collection of matter is felt under the slun, it mustbe discharged by an incision, otherwise it will renderthe bone carious.

When the head-ach is so intolerable as to endangerthe patient's life, or is attended with continual watch-ing and delirium, recourse must be had to opiates.These, after proper evacuations by clysters, or mildpurgatives, may be applied both externally and inter-nally. The affected part may be rubbed with Bate'sanodyne balsam, or a cloth dipped in it may be appliedto the part. The patient may at the same time taketwenty drops of laudanum, in a cup of valerian orpenny-royal tea, twice or thrice a day. This is only

* See Appendix, Decoction of Saraaparilla.