Cooley's Cyclopaedia of Practical Receipts Volume I Part 158

2. (St. B. Hosp.) Precipitated sulphur, 1 oz.; cream of tartar, 2 dr.; honey or treacle, 2 oz. As the last.

3. (B. P.) Sublimed sulphur, 4 oz.; cream of tartar, 1 oz.; syrup of orange peel, 4 fl. oz.--_Dose_, 1 to 2 dr.; as a laxative, in piles, gonorrha, &c.

=Confection of Tin.= _Syn._ CONFEC'TIO STAN'NI, L. _Prep._ (Hosp. Form.) Powdered tin, 1 oz.; confection of roses, 2 oz.; mix.--_Dose_, 2 to 4 dr., every morning; in worms.

=Confection of Turpentine.= _Syn._ CONFEC'TIO TEREBINTH'INae, L. _Prep._ (B. P.) Oil of turpentine, 1 fl. oz.; liquorice powder, 1 oz.; triturate together, then add clarified honey, 2 oz.--_Dose_ and _use_, as the last.

=Confection of Worm-seed.= _Syn._ CONFEC'TIO CIN'ae, C. S. CINae. L. _Prep._ 1. (Ph. Slesvico-Holsat. 1831, and Ph. Suec. 1845.) Worm-seed, 2 oz.; heat it in a pan over a gentle fire, add white sugar, boiled to a low candy height, 4 oz.; and stir together until they become dry; then pick out those seeds which are covered with sugar, and repeat the process with the others.

2. Powdered worm-seed and syrup of orange peel, equal parts.--_Dose_, 1 to 2 dr., night and morning, followed by a brisk purge; in worms.

=CONFEC'TIONERY.= See CANDIES, DROPS, LOZENGES, SUGAR, &c.

=CONGELA'TION.= The conversion of a substance from the fluid to the solid state by the abstraction of heat. See ICE and REFRIGERATION.

=CONGESTION.= "A common condition of disease in an undue flow of blood into any part, or acc.u.mulation within it. The vessels seem to lose the power of emptying themselves, which they possess in health. Congestion, although an effect of both visitation and inflammation, may exist irrespective of either. Two forms of it are distinguished, active and pa.s.sive. The first is when some excitement causes the blood to pa.s.s more rapidly into a part than its vessels can transmit out of it; the second when from some inherent debility the vessels cannot get rid of the fluid ordinarily thrown into them. Congestion of organs disturb their functions, and through them the general health."

=CONGLU'TINUM (Bracy Clarke's).= Sulphate of zinc (white vitriol), 4 oz.; dissolved in water, 1 pint. Used as an astringent lotion in veterinary practice, and much diluted with water (a dessert-spoonful to 1/4 pint or more of water), as a collyrium in chronic inflammation of the eyes.

=CO'NIA.= C_{8}H_{15}O. _Syn._ CO'NINE, CON'ICINE. An alkaloid, discovered by Gieseke in hemlock. It exists in every part of the plant, but is present in the largest quant.i.ty in the seed.

_Prep._ (Gieger.) The seeds of hemlock, or their alcoholic extracts, is distilled with water and pota.s.sa. The conia pa.s.ses over into the receiver, and floats on the top of the water, which also contains a little conine in solution. It is purified in the way directed for the volatile bases. (See ALKALOID.) When the alcoholic extract is employed, about half its weight of pota.s.sa should be used.

_Prop., &c._ Pure conia is an oily-looking liquid, smelling intensely of hemlock, or rather of a combination of the odours of tobacco and mice; volatile at common temperatures; reddens turmeric; boils at about 340 Fahr., but readily distils over with water at 212; sp. gr. 89; with the acids it forms salts, some of which are crystallisable. Six lbs. of fresh and 9 lbs. of dried seeds yielded 1 oz. of conia. (Gieger.) Forty lbs. of the ripe but green seeds yielded 2-1/2 oz. of hydrated conia.

(Christison.)

Conia is remarkably poisonous. 1 drop, placed in the eye of a rabbit, killed it in 9 minutes; 5 drops, poured into the throat of a dog, killed it in less than a minute. It has been employed in some convulsive and spasmodic diseases, but is now seldom used medicinally. "The patient cries, the contortions, and the rigidity of the limbs, which have always preceded death (caused by conia), leave no doubt as to the cruel pains which this kind of poisoning brings on." (Boutron-Chalard and Henry.) The treatment may be that recommended under ACONITE and HEMLOCK.

=CONSERVATEUR FUR HAARBLEINDE.= A preventive of hair diseases (Edm.

Buhligen, Leipzig). Consists of 10 grammes tinct. arnica, 5 grammes glycerine, 10 grammes spirit, and 60 grammes water. (Schadler.)

=CON'SERVE.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA, L. Recent vegetable matter, as flowers, herbs, roots, fruit, and seed, beaten with powdered sugar to the consistence of a stiff paste, so as to preserve them as nearly as possible in their natural freshness. Conserves are made both by the confectioner and the druggist; by the first as SWEETMEATS; by the other chiefly as vehicles for more active medicines. The London College of Physicians now includes both conserves and electuaries under the general head of CONFECTIONS. The term appears, however, in some cases, scarcely appropriate. The word confection has a more general application, and implies any sweetmeat or composition in which sugar is the princ.i.p.al ingredient. See CONFECTION and ELECTUARY.

=Conserve of Ac'etate of Potas'sa.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA POTAS'Sae ACETA'TIS, L. _Prep._ (Bories.) Acetate of pota.s.sa, 1/2 oz.; sulphate of soda, 1 dr.; juices of scurvy gra.s.s, fumitory, and dandelion, of each 2 oz. (reduced to one half by gentle evaporation?; sugar, q. s. to make a conserve. A teaspoonful 2 or 3 times daily, as a diuretic aperient; in obstruction of the bowels, &c.

=Conserve of Al'monds.= See CONFECTIONS.

=Conserve of Angel'ica.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA ANGEL'ICae, L. _Prep._ (Giordano.) Fresh angelica root, 2 parts; water, 16 parts; macerate for a few hours, clarify the liquor, add sugar, 3 parts; cook the root in the syrup, and preserve it in this state (confection), or dry it (to a candy).

Used as an agreeable tonic, stomachic, and carminative.

=Conserve, Antis...o...b..'tic.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA ANTIs...o...b..'TICA, L. _Prep._ (Selle.) Horse-radish, water-cress, and water-trefoil, orange-juice, and radish-juice, equal parts; powdered white sugar, q. s. to make a conserve.

In scurvy, &c.

=Conserve of A"rum.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA A"RI, C. A. MACULA'TI, L. _Prep._ From fresh arum tubers (cuckow-pint or wake-robin), 1/2 lb.; sugar, 2-1/2 lbs. As a diuretic and attenuant in dropsy, or as an expectorant in chronic coughs.--_Dose_, 1/2 teaspoonful, gradually increased.

=Conserve of Broom.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA SCOPA"RII, L. _Prep._ (Van Mons.) Broom flowers, 1 part; sugar, 2 parts.--_Dose_, 1/2 to 2 teaspoonfuls, 2 or 3 times a day; in dropsy, gout, rheumatism, &c.

=Conserve of Hips.= See CONFECTION.

=Conserve of Lavender.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA LAVENDU'Lae, L. Lavender flowers, 1 part; powdered lump sugar, 3 parts; beaten together to a smooth paste.

Used to sweeten the breath. In a similar way conserves are made from various other leaves and flowers; but mostly with only twice their weight of sugar, when they are not very odorous or active.

=Conserve of Lem'on Peel.= _Syn._ CONSERVA LIMO'NIS, C. L. CORT'ICIS, L.

As CONFECTION OF ORANGE PEEL.

=Conserve of Mal'lows.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA MAL'Vae, L. From the flowers, as CONSERVE OF LAVENDER.

=Conserve of Or'ange Peel.= See CONFECTION.

=Conserve of Pep'permint.= See CONFECTION.

=Conserve of Rose'mary.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA ROSMARI'NI, L. As CONSERVE OF LAVENDER.

=Conserve of Roses.= 1. See CONFECTION.

2. (ACIDULA'TED CONSERVE OF ROSES CONSER'VA RO'Sae AC'IDA, L.) _Prep._ (Hosp. F.) Confection of roses and powdered gum, of each 1 oz.; sulphuric acid, 1 dr. to 1-1/2 dr.; (diluted with) water, 2 dr. An excellent subst.i.tute for tamarinds.

=Conserve of Sav'in.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA SABI'Nae, L. _Prep._ (Ph. Han.) Fresh savin, 1 part; sugar, 2 parts. As an emmenagogue, in amenorrha, &c.

Three parts of sugar make a better conserve.

=Conserve of Scurvy Gra.s.s.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA COCHLEA"RIae, C. C.

HORTEN'SIS, L. _Prep._ (Ph. Aust. 1836.) Fresh scurvy gra.s.s, 1 lb.; sugar, 3 lbs. Stimulant and antis...o...b..tic.

=Conserve of Sea Worm'wood.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA ABSINTH'II MARITI'MI, L.

_Prep._ (Ph. L. 1788.) From sea wormwood, as the last. As a stomachic bitter and vermifuge; in dyspepsia, &c.

=Conserve of Sloes.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA PRU'NI SYLVES'TRI, L. _Prep._ (Ph.

L. 1788.) From the pulp of the fruit, 1 part; sugar, 3 parts. Astringent.

Useful in simple diarrha, &c.; either alone or combined with chalk.

=Conserve of Squills.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA SCIL'Lae, L. _Prep._ (Ph. L. 1788.) Fresh squills, 1 oz.; sugar, 5 oz. Diuretic, attenuant, and expectorant; in dropsy, chronic coughs, &c.--_Dose_, 10 to 20 gr.

=Conserve of Tam'arinds.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA TAMARIND'ORUM, L. _Prep._ (P.

Cod.) Tamarind pulp, 2 oz.; white sugar, 3 oz.; evaporate by the heat of a water bath to the consistence of honey.

=Conserve of Vi'olets.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA VIO'Lae, C. V. ODORA'Tae, L.

_Prep._ (Soubeiran.) Flowers, 1 part; sugar, 3 parts; beat to a paste.

Demulcent and laxative; used as a purge for infants, and by ladies to perfume the breath.

=Conserve of Wa'ter-cress.= _Syn._ CONSER'VA NASTUR"TII, L. _Prep._ (Ph.

Graeca, 1837.) From fresh water-cresses, as the last. In scurvy; taken _ad libitum_.

=Conserve of Worm'wood.= See CONSERVE OF SEA WORMWOOD.

=CONSTIPA'TION.= _Syn._ CONSTIPA'TIO, OBSTIPA'TIO, L. Surgeons distinguish between costiveness and constipation. The first applies to that condition of the body in which the bowels act tardily, and in which the faeces are abnormally and inconveniently indurated; the last implies the absence of the proper alvine evacuations. The one rapidly undermines the health; the other destroys life in a period varying from a few days to three or four weeks. In popular language, however, the words are frequently used synonymously. The use of bread containing alum, and water containing much lime (very hard water), and especially the want of sufficient exercise, are common causes of constipation.

_Treatment._ When the affection is merely accidental or occasional, a dose of some aperient or cathartic is the only treatment necessary; but when it is habitual it calls for further attention. Great benefit may generally be secured by adopting a diet free from astringents, and consisting of a large portion of green vegetables and ripe fruit; particularly avoiding the use of over-cooked, salted, or dried animal food. Brown bread may be eaten, as it acts as a gentle laxative, from the bran it contains. The occasional use of aperient and emollient enemata may be had recourse to; but their habitual administration, as well as that of purgative medicines generally, by the mouth, is not to be recommended. The bowels, accustomed to the continual use of stimulants, act but languidly or scarcely at all without their application. In females, especially of the higher cla.s.ses, the want of proper exercise is commonly the chief cause of this affection.

With such persons a short walk, two or three times daily, will often do wonders, particularly if a little ripe fruit, a few raisins or tamarinds, or, still better, 2 or 3 drum figs, be occasionally eaten. In some cases of obstinate constipation a cold-water dressing, placed over the pit of the stomach or the abdomen, will cause the bowels to act in the course of an hour or two. When the inactivity of the bowels arises from a deficiency of bile (one of the most common causes), no remedy is more natural, or more effective, than insp.i.s.sated ox-gall. In cases complicated with nervous, hypochondriacal, or hysterical affections, in chlorosis, dyspepsia, depraved appet.i.te, and numerous other ailments, this remedy frequently succeeds, after the most active articles of the materia medica have been tried in vain.