Myrrh

Imported from

• Germany
• Holland
• Italy
• Turkey and Levant
• East Indies and China

Description

Myrrh

A Compendium of Domestic Medicine, 1865

All page numbers are recorded as (PDF #/SOURCE #)

Listed by Savory as an Astringent (Remedies Which Check Bleeding or Excessive Secretion) (413/391) and as an Emmenagogue (Remedies Which Promote the Flow of the Menses) (414/393)

Used as a tonic and expectorant, often relied on to stimulate the stomach, increase appetite and encouraging digestion in smaller dosages. Larger doses of myrrh can be used to increase the pulse, and to increase the overall temperature of the body. Myrrh is used to treat cases of asthma, catarrhs, and during stages of consumption characterised by inflammation and fever. “As a tonic, it often proves beneficial in green sickness, and defective excretion of the menstrual discharge, particularly in pale, leucophlegmatic, languid girls.” (97/76)

Remedies Containing or to be used with Myrrh

• Aloes, Socotrines (33-34/12-13): aloes are often combined with myrrh as an emmenagogue. Powdered myrrh is included in “The Aloetic Pills”, which are used “in leucophlegmatic and strumous habits, when the alvine excretion is irregular.”
• Bark, Peruvian (49/28): tincture of myrrh included in “Bark Gargle”
• Borax (54/33): tincture of myrrh included in a gargle, and borax combined with myrrh was strongly recommended by Mr. Saunders “particularly when the gums are spongy”
• Calomel (57/36): Rufus’s pill (Pil. aloes c. myrrh) included in “Purgative”
• Gum Myrrh (97-98/78-76-77): powdered myrrh included in pills used to treat chronic catarrh, and in pills used to open the bowels “in a suppression of the menses”
• Pil. Rufi. (fr. Pilules d’Aloes et Myrrhe) (138/117): “This pill is a good stomachic and purgative, and well calculated for delicate females, especially where there is uterine obstruction”
• Rhubarb, Turkey (147/126): powdered myrrh included in “Dyspeptic Pill”
• Salt of Steel (151/130): salt of steel is combined with myrrh when administered.
• Tincture of Aloes and Myrrh (174/153): primarily used as a laxative, tonic, and emmenagouge “in green sickness and other disordered states of health in females, connected with retained, supressed, or deficient menstruation, and with constipated bowels”
• Tincture of Myrrh (181/160): mainly used to stimulate ulcers, but also can be used as a mouth wash “when the gums are spongy.” Can be combined with bark infusions, rose infusions, and acids to form a gargle that is effective in treating putrid sore throats, and in the final stage of thrush.
• Tincture of Myrrh and Borax (182/161): Highly recommened by Mr. Saunders and “many of the most eminent dentists throughout the United Kingdown” to treat issues arising from spongy gums, or when the gums are receding. When used as a mouthwash it can freshen the breath and if used daily, will keep the gums healthy and prevent toothache.

Diseases Treated with Myrrh

General Diseases

• Burns and Scalds (231/210): powdered myrrh used in an ointment to be applied if earlier liniments produce too much pus
• Menstruation (267/246): (Retention of the Menses, and Chlorosis—Green Sickness) a tonic including myrrh may be used to assist in treatment. (Suppression of the Menses) “the infusion of gentian and senna, combined with myrrh, is the best purgative in the treatment of this disease” (268/247)
• Putrid Sore Throat (270/249): the steam produced from hot water than contains myrrh (or other remedies) is part of the treatment recommended by Savory. Tincture of myrrh is included in two gargles to be administered (271/250)

Medical Articles Containing Myrrh

• Inflammatory Sore Throat (Gargles) (315/294): tincture of myrrh

Prescriptions Containing Myrrh

Astringents

• Cayenne Gargle (339/318): tincture of myrrh

Emmenagogues

• Compound Pills of Iron (349/328): powdered myrrh