REMARKS ON THE FINAL CESSATION OF THE MENSES,

AND ON A REMEDY and METHOD of TREATMENT,

ADAPTED TO PREVENT OR REMOVE THE EVIL CONSEQUENCES ATTENDING THAT PERIOD:

TOGETHER WITH SOME STRICTURES ON SECRET AND AD­VERTISED MEDICINES IN GENERAL.

LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, AND SOLD BY JOHN DONALDSON, BOOKSELLER, AT THE CORNER OF ARUNDEL STREET IN THE STRAND.

MDCCLXXV.

REMARKS, &c.

THE very name of a Nostrum, or Patent Medicine generally conveys the idea of imposture; nor is it matter of surprise. Almost every shop is furnished with secret me­dicines, and hand-bills and news-papers, in swarms, incessantly cry up their infallible vir­tues, and boldly promise a certain cure for every disease, whether within or beyond the reach of art. This sort of medicine never abounded more than in the present age. Seldom a month elap­ses, but something new is intruded as a specific. And yet, it may be said with truth, every spe­cies of disease is as frequent as ever; and some kinds, particularly the putrid, the scorbutic, and those called nervous, are known to gain ground. But it would be well for the credulous, if the use of most of the advertised medicines, only thinned their pockets, or disappointed their ex­pectation of undoubted recovery. It is every where well known that many valetudinarians have suffered and daily do suffer by the use of those me­dicines, their complaints being sometimes increa­sed, [Page 2]or vitiated humours translated to a more no­ble and therefore more dangerous part; at other times new disorders are formed, and, not unfre­quently, the most alarming symptoms come on, and death at length closes the scene.

It may seem from the futility, or mischievous effects of many nostrums, that any medicine, whatever be its real excellence, if offered to the public under the veil of secresy, lies under a great disadvantage, and must meet, more or less, with censure and contempt. Many undoubtedly who are fond of invective, and wish to make a show of superior judgment, will indiscriminately con­demn every medicine of the sort, and pretend to behold nothing but interested artifice on the part of the proprietor, and mischief, or, at least, in­significancy on the part of the medicine. But this dogmatical method of condemning is evi­dently erroneous, and must expose them that adopt it to ridicule and deserved censure; it being in fact as absurd as, on the other hand, it would be, to believe implicity all the virtues ascribed to every nostrum, or to every simple, &c. either in an antient, or a modern Materia Medica. As no rank of persons, so no class of things univer­sally deserves either panegyric or invective. The merits or demerits of each must be singly consi­dered, and when weighed in the balance of im­partial [Page 3]criticism, receive praise or censure, ac­cording to its respective degree of worth or vile­ness. As common sense forbids to inveigh a­gainst all sovereigns, because some are tyrants: to censure all the professors of the law, because many of them are obnoxious to it; to condemn all physicians, because some are illiterate; or, with the medical Quixot, to declaim against the use of bread, because it is often ill made: so like­wise it will restrain the impartial and discerning from crying down every secret medicine, notwith­standing many of them are the brats of mere quackery and imposture. Should a physician discover, for instance, a more efficacious prepa­ration of the Peruvian bark than is yet known, keep the preparation secret, and advertise and disperse it after the usual manner of nostrums; the bark would not, for this reason, be less use­ful; nor deserve the censure of the public, be­cause veiled from its eye. Even the great Hoff­man, and other first rate physicians, as well as quacks and medicasters, have had their Nos­trums. It is not therefore the mere secresy of a medicine, or the manner in which it is exhibited to the world; 'tis its being trifling or dangerous that must draw upon it the contempt and abhor­rence, which are due to the major part of adver­tised medicines. [Page 4]

From the premises it appears, notwithstand­ing the usual and commonly just outcry against nostrums, that a medicine may with proprie­ty be recommended, and with service intro­duced to general use, although its composition be not declared. There may be honour and skill on the part of the inventor or proprietor, and efficacy in the medicine.

On this foundation a remedy is now offered, the want of which has hitherto been, and still is fatal to a great part of them, who by their sex are liable to a greater number of diseases than men, and by their characteristic qualifications claim the strictest attention, &c. I need not say that I mean the fair sex. There is a period of their lives, when the menses or monthly evacua­tions begin to be irregular, and then finally cease. This period admits of great latitude and many exceptions, but generally happens between the age of forty and fifty, and is the most criti­cal time of women's lives; the final irregularity and cessation of the menses being the origin of most, perhaps, of all the diseases which attack them either at that or any other succeeding time. Many, who till this period had enjoyed the in­valuable blessing of health, are then seized with one or other of the various complaints that af­flict the human frame. Some are speedily snatch­ed [Page 5]away by an acute disease: others fall a prey to a chronic distemper, and become invalids for life. Many indeed, by a peculiar happiness of constitution, pass over this period without any remarkable inconvenience: yet, their num­ber is much the larger, who are then troubled with ailments, and in these cases it is the com­mon practice to prescribe a few doses of physic: but as these seldom remove, or even touch the cause, so they rarely effect a cure. The event of which is, that the ailments increase, and a dis­order is at length formed, either of the acute or chronic kind, which, still gaining ground from the presence or continuation of the primary cause, baffles the usual methods of cure, and the medioines, which otherwise might have an­swered every intention, here, at most, only pal­liate the symptoms.

But it may be queried: How can any medi­cine be supposed to possess such extensive effica­cy, as to subdue the variety of diseases to which Females are exposed at the aforesaid period? This query shall be fairly considered. Its elucidation will clearly point out what judgment is to be formed both of the medicine here recommended, and in general of others that are advertised.

In variety of instances, it is demonstrable, that the same disease may proceed from very different [Page 6]canses; and it is equally certain, that according to the diversity of the cause, the method of cure must also be varied. It is, again, a certainty, that the same disease must often be treated in a different manner, by reason of the difference of constitution, age, sex; and of the different ap­pearance, degree, inveteracy of the disease itself; and moreover, by reason of its combination with some other distemper. It is thus in the headach, toothach, quinsies, coughs; in consumptions or decays; in the apoplexy, palsy, deafness; in colics; in convulsive disorders, the epilepsy, tre­mours; in the hypochondriac or nervous disease. The same may be said of the rheumatism, the scurvy, cachexies, the vertigo, pleurisies, me­lancholy, madness, &c. &c. and was the whole catalogue of diseases to be ran through, and the principles of rational or judicious practice consi­dered, it would be found that the above variety of causes, constitution, age, &c. require to be so accurately distinguished and attended to, that otherwise the best general method would fre­quently prove fruitless or noxious; and conse­quently that more or less difference in prescrib­ing medicines, or a method of treatment, will often be requisite for the recovery of sive patients out of six labouring under the same disorder. With what shadow of probability then can the [Page 7]same drug, or composition, be fondly imagined a never-failing cure for all afflicted with the scurvy, or for all epileptics, all that are con­sumptive, or, in short, for all patients troubled with the same disease, notwithstanding the insu­perable impediments arising from the diversity of causes creating the disease; from its changes, its complication with others; from the difference of age, sex, temperament, seasons, &c? Can the same medicine brace the fibres of youth and delicacy, and relax those of age? or warm the chills of the lymphatic constitution, and cool the heats of the sanguine? or break down the visci­dity of the blood, and conquer its putrefactive diathesis? or act as a restorative in diseases from inanition, and perform the office of evacuants in the same, when brought on by a plethora? or remove those cholics, &c. in which warm medi­cines are essential, and the cool destructive; and those too vice versâ, where the warm destroy, and the cooling save? Nevertheless, some of these, or other such opposite indications, are commonly met with in the same disease, and proceed either from the varying symptoms which attend its different stages and progress, or, as was said before, from the diversity of its cause, of the patient's consti­tution, &c. But as rationally might we believe the promised feats of a bottle-conjurer, or ex­pect [Page 8]adventurers to inhabit the bottom of the sea, and revisit its surface at pleasure, as fan­cy that any medicine can possess qualities dia­metrically opposite, and correspond with the widely differing intentions and methods of cure, which are so often requisite in order to treat the same disease with success. Hence is evinced, not only the small dependence that can be had on the generality of advertised medicines, but also the danger that must attend their use: and in fact, where they chance to suit the constitution of one invalid, accord with every symptom and indica­tion of his disease, and thus luckily perform a cure; perhaps ten others, afflicted with the same disease, find no relief; and as many more reap nothing from their trial but the aggravation of their complaints.

If any medicines in the world can establish a well grounded confidence of their safety and ef­ficacy, it must be those which are usually term­ed specifics. But how small is their number? and how very frequently do they fail of success? how often is their trial attended even with disad­vantage, with an increase of the disease they were intended to cure? or with the introduction of some other? And whence all this, but because they are often administered without discernment: the remperament of the patient, the cause of the dis­ease, [Page 9]or some concomitant symptoms, are not ta­ken into consideration? Again, they may be ex­hibited at an improper time, too soon, or too late; or without a cautious preparation; or are given in an incongruous form or quantity; or are not qualified with the addition of other suit­able ingredients, which, by restraining or increas­ing some of their properties, should promote their efficacy. Such is too often the fate of the Peruvian bark in intermittents, of opium in spasms, of tin for worms, of steel for the chlo­rosis, of cerated glass of antimony for the dysen­tery and sanguineous fluxes. Such likewise the fate attending the injudicious use of Dr. James' celebrated powder, which, though a medicine of sovereign efficacy, when given under his in­spection, or precisely according to his directions, has nevertheless been productive of many bad consequences, and has sometimes proved almost suddenly fatal: and why? because given with­out necessary precautions, or in cases, in which that ingenious Physician, as best knowing its composition and strength, would have judged it improper, perhaps perilous.

The difficulties and danger which accompany the use of most nostrums, or the unskilful exhi­bition [Page 10]of other medicines, and which arise, in part, from their not being suited to the causes and complication of diseases, to the difference of age, sex. &c. have no place in the present sub­ject of enquiry, viz. a method of treatment to prevent or remove the complaints which attend or follow the cessation of the menses. Here one sex only is concerned: age is nearly the same: the diseases or complications of disease, which frequently seize the fair at or after the said period, are indeed various, yet the cause is but one. Such the difference between this and other medicines proposed as general cures for any malady. Al­most every disease may have various, and some­times opposite causes: the remedies therefore must be subject to the same variations, and to more still, when constitution, age, sex, &c. are taken into the account. But respecting the Re­medy now offered to the fair, every thing wears the pleasing aspect of certainty and safety. It is adapted to them, to the critical period of their lives, to the radical cause which at that time in­volves so many of them in almost all the evils of pain and disease The varieties that may occur in their use of this remedy, arise chiefly from the kind of morbid quality that may chance to affect [Page 11]the fluids, and from the difference of constitu­tion, whether sanguine, lymphatic, &c. or from their being of a robust and healthy, or a delicate and infirm habit. These variations are duly con­sidered; and directions adapted to each, together with cautions and methods to be observed in the cases that usually happen at this period, are laid down clearly and explicity, and will be presented with the medicine.

But to proceed. As it may be acceptable to many to be informed of the complaints, diseases, danger, which frequently accompany or follow the final cessation of the menses, and to know what grounds there are to expect requisite assist­ance at that period from the use of the Remedy and method of treatment here recommended, I shall enter more minutely into these particulars.

One grand point in the medical art is to disco­ver and distinguish the real causes of disease: a­nother, to choose that method of cure, which, all things considered, is specifically proper, safe, and essectual.

Most diseases owe their formation either to some fault in the quantity, or to the morbid qualities, of the blood and other fluids.—The principal cause of the diseases which afflict fe­males [Page 12]at the period in question is manifest, viz. a general or partial plethora brought on by the cessation of the menses.—When a long accustom­ed evacuation ceases, a redundancy of blood, &c. must ensue, and this excess now confined in the body, receiving fresh additions, and its won­ted drain being checked, must either disorder the whole frame, by bringing on a general disease, or, collect in particular parts, and generate the disorders to which those parts are respectively subject. This is evident in the cessation of the haemorrhoids, of the haemorrhage of the nose, or of other usual sanguine evacuations: the con­sequence being many, and sometimes fatal disea­ses: but daily observation demonstrates, that those which follow the final cessation of the menses are more in number, and attended with greater peril.—Secondly, any morbid quality of the blood, &c, whether acrimonious, viscid, dissol­vent, &c. that existed in the habit before the cessation, after it, becomes more predominant: and these morbid qualities of the blood also give birth to a variety of disorders.

From one or other of these causes singly, or, from their complication, proceed the various dis­eases with which females are affected at the turn [Page 13]of life, viz. headachs, spasmodic pains, the ver­tigo, large haemorrhages of the nose. In the throat a quinsy sometimes succeeds. The parts contained within the breast have their share of vexatious symptoms: a palpitation of the heart, an unea­siness in the praecordia, with difficult breathing, violent and lasting coughs, the convulsive or dry asthma, pleuritic pains; not rarely a spitting of blood, which returns at the usual time of the menses.—Variety of pains and ailments attack the stomach, flatulencies, distentions, the cardialgia, the heart-burning, loss of appetite, &c.—Colics often torment the bowels. Nauseas and reach­ings to vomit are not unfrequent: even a vomit­ing of blood now and then alarms the patient.—The loins have their uneasy sensations, and an inflammation of the kidneys has often followed. It is easy to conceive that the womb particularly, when the menses cease to flow, becomes a seat of disease. A sensation of weight and distention are here common, and pains are sometimes felt which nearly equal those of labour. Of profuse, frequent, and sometimes fatal haemorrhages, of dropsies, inflammations, ulcers, scirrhous tu­mours, cancers of this part, instances are frequent. Sometimes a tumour or hard substance is there [Page 14]formed of considerable size. Its weight, the fre­quent and violent returns of pain, the attendant fever, and other symptoms, are similar to those which accompany a mole. At other times the whole abdomen or belly grows big and turgid, and in size and appearance resembles that of a pregnant woman. This turgescency, when mis­taken for pregancy, or neglected, has continued in some one or two, in others ten years, and has sometimes lasted with life.

To these evils, which seize particular parts, may be added those that distemper the whole ha­bit. A cacochymy or depravation of the hu­mours, and hence generally a cachexy or relaxed state of the solids.—Weight and weariness of the limbs, particularly after exercise. A corpulent or rather bloated habit. Oedematous swellings of the feet, &c. Dropsies. Gouty and rheu­matic pains, wandering or fixed. Slow or ner­vous, hectic, inflammatory fevers. A distem­perature of the nerves and their subtle fluid, which manifests itself by the frequent assault of hypochondriac, hysteric, convulsive, or paraly­tic symptoms, some of which are most trouble­some at the changes of the moon, and at the pe­riods when the menses usually came on. Even [Page 15]madness has been a consequence of the cessation, and was happily removed. When the humours abound with scorbutic salts, or other foulnesses, the itch both of the dry and moist kind, variety of other eruptions, blotches, &c. disfigure and torment the patient. Obstinate ulcers and spread­ing sores, especially on the legs, are very fre­quent, and the more so as age advances.

Besides these complaints, one or more of which, in a greater or less degree, too often succeed, and are occasioned by, the cessation of the menses, many other disorders, either acute or chronical, some of which are sometimes obscure and com­plicated, and perhaps not easily reducible to a­ny class of disease, also arise from the same cause.—And here it may be observed, that, although at the cessation no present inconvenience be perceived, nevertheless it often happens, that in the course of some months or years after it, some disorder or other begins to appear, and becomes exceedingly stubborn; but might have been pre­vented, had proper care been taken when the fi­nal irregularities and cessation of the menses first came on.

Having now indicated, in part, the various complaints, to which the cessation of the menses [Page 16]subjects the fair, it remains to show, that the the medicine and method of cure recommended to their use, are adapted to the cause of the said complaints, and possessed of the properties requi­site to remove them.

It was observed above, that the causes of the inconveniencies and diseases which frequently ac­company or succeed the final cessation of the menses, are chiefly a redundancy, and sometimes a vitiated state of the blood and other fluids. The intentions of cure are therefore to lessen their quantity, correct their vitiated qualities, and remove the morbid symptoms, viz. obstruc­tions, relaxation, &c. which they may have ge­nerated in the solids.—In order to answer these intentions, the medicine under consideration is calculated to act on the blood, lymph, &c. it enters even the smallest vessels, causes a free cir­culation of their contained fluids, and promotes every secretion and excretion. It likewise clean­ses the primae viae, and keeps the body open. By these means obstructions are removed from the uterine and other vessels, from the viscera, &c. redundancies are carried off, and the variety of complaints, which the cessation of the menses might produce in the stomach and bowels, are [Page 17]obviated or subdued. It moreover contains a balsamic quality most friendly to the blood, which preserves or restores the natural balsam of that fluid; and, being at the same time mildly attenuating, prevents a glutinous or viscid state, which is alone productive of many disorders. The salutary effects of this medicine on the so­lids, that is, on the vessels and organs of the bo­dy, merit also to be noticed: it imparts to them a just degree of elasticity and strength to protrude their contained fluids, and perform their several functions regularly and with ease. Thus, by the peculiar qualities of this medi­cine, assisted, when necessary, by other means which will be specified in the directions, and which relate to the different state of the humours, to constitution, &c. the following indications are fully answered, viz. redundancies are evacu­ated and thrown off by the different emunctories, the faults of the fluids are obviated or corrected, the solids are strengthened, and the whole habit invigorated.

Here it may be remarked, that this medicine is of equal service to females on many other oc­casions. It frequently happens, that the first e­ruption of the menses is slow, difficult, &c. or [Page 18]that afterwards they are irregular, or deficient, or otherwise deviate from their usual and healthy appearance; or that they are checked for many months successively; or in fine, perhaps entirely cease long before the usual time of their cessa­tion. I have known several instances of their ceasing entirely and finally at the ages of thirty, twenty-seven, twenty-six, once at twenty-five. When the above complaints occur, the strong emmenagogues or forcing medicines, such as steel, hellebore, savin, &c. are too often advis­ed, but for the greater part are highly improper, and very frequently are attended with pernicious consequences, particularly if the patient be of a cachectic or relaxed habit; or if the vessels, or the viscera be obstructed in consequence of checked perspiration, or a cold, or of glutinous sluggish humours; or if the irregularity or de­fect was brought on by the excessive use of a­stringents; or, in fine, if any other species of e­vacuation has spontaneously, or otherwise, suc­ceeded the said irregularity, defect or suppres­sion. In these cases the above medicine, as will be more particularly declared in the directions, will, without danger, answer every desirable in­tention. [Page 19]

This sketch of the virtues of the Remedy and method of treatment here recommended to the sex, is not merely theoretical, or merely descrip­tive of the good effects which are to be wished for when the menses are irregular, deficient, or finally cease; but is in fact, a concise and can­did relation of the efficacy and success with which their use has been accompanied in almost an infinite number of instances. The above as­sertions being therefore established on experience, which is above all authorities—any other pane­gyric would be useless.

The cases attending or following the irregu­larities and cessation of the menses, which have been brought to an happy issue by the method here recommended, are so very numerous and various, that a descriptive collection of them would swell to a moderate volume, and proba­bly would prove both satisfactory and service­able. Almost every female patient might disco­ver therein a case similar to her own, and with pleasure observe it had been treated with safety and success. Perhaps too the professors of the healing art might not deem it an useless attempt, particularly if the writer of these lines should, in the said collection of cases, fully communicate [Page 20]his observations on the cessation of the menses, which though a fertile and fatal source of dis­ease, has hitherto been little noticed, and gene­rally improperly treated. But other avocations permit me not to sit down to any thing of the kind. Moreover, the fair sex only being here concerned, the subject might to some appear ra­ther too delicate to admit an historical detail and explication of cases.

It should therefore seem sufficient, that every female may know, and have it in her power to obtain, a remedy and directions, which will an­swer her most sanguine wishes, when arrived at the critical period of life, or when, before that period, the free and healthy emanation of the menses is any way disturbed. And this is the motive why the said remedy is thus offered to the sex, as it will, by this publication, and by advertisements, be far more speedily and uni­versally known than by any other means. But, it may be said, is not the author's own emolu­ment also a motive? I answer, be that as it may, the efficacy of the remedy is not for that reason the less. Again, why should not the author reap some advantage from his endeavours to re­lieve and save multitudes? But, in truth, the [Page 21]advantage will be in favour of the public. First, the medicine will be made with the best ingre­dients, and nicest accuracy. These are condi­tions, without which medicines, the most judi­ciously prescribed, would often prove, not fruit­less only, but noxious: and, was the composi­tion of this medine declared, who would answer, that as many as made it up would strictly ob­serve the above conditions? Hurry, negligence, bad drugs, any presumptuous alteration, or the substituting one ingredient for another, (faults which are too common and inexcusable) would frustrate every hope, every wished for effect. These uncertainties, and the dangerous conse­quences of neglect, &c. are cut off by entrust­ing the composition of this medicine to a person whose integrity and indefatigable attention are not to be called in question. Secondly, the price of the medicine will be reduced to the lowest, to the end that, the inferior ranks, as well as the opulent, may purchase it with case, and, for a triflle, receive that benefit, which an expensive variety of drugs, and repeated fees, seldom procure at the period, &c. in question.

Let it be finally observed, that hitherto this remedy has been made up in almost every form, [Page 22]according to the inclination of different patients; some preferring liquid, others solid forms. But now, that it is intended for more general use, it will be made into pills. This form is less liable to accidents than any other, may be carried from place to place without difficulty or injury, and be taken by patients without trouble, when on a journey, visit, &c.

FINIS.

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