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Peppermint

A Compendium of Domestic Medicine, 1865

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

Classified as an Antispasmodic (Remedies Which Remove Spasms of Colic)(410/389), an Emmenagogue (Remedies Which Promote the Flow of the Menses)(414/393), Stimulants (Remedies Which Speedily Increase the Frequency of the Pulse and the Heat of the Body)(415/394), and as a Stomachic and Cordial (416/395)

“The essence of peppermint has uniformly been held in the highest estimation, both by the profession and the public, as a powerful carminative, cordial, exhilarant, and anti-spasmodic; its chief recommendation to unprofessional person is, that it is always safe and effectual medicine for relieving spasms in the stomach, pain in the bowels, flatulence, and restoring warmth to the body.” (77-78/56-57)

“The medical virtues of the herb peppermint, in all complaints of the stomach and bowels, being so well known, this preparation requires no other recommendation than that, by a careful process of distillation, it retains all the carminative and antispasmodic qualities of the herb, at the same time it is so peculiarly agreeable to the palate, as to render it applicable to all domestic purposes, whether taken alone or as a vehicle for other medicines, such as castor oil, Gregory’s powder, and especially saline aperients, with in persons of a cold habit of body are always desirable.” (189/168)

Remedies Containing or to be used with Peppermint

• Ammonia, Sesquicarbonate of (37/16): can be combined with peppermint water during “gouty acidities of the stomach.” Pepper-mint water is included in “Antacid Draught”(38/17), and in a draught used to combat spasms. (39/18)
• Aromatic Confection (42/21): peppermint water is included in “Aromatic Draught,” and “Aromatic Powder of Chalk” (Pulvis Cretoe Aromaticus)
• Balsam, Copiva (46/25): peppermint or cinnamon water is part of an emulsion of copiva balsam
• Camphor (58/37): peppermint water (or dillseed water) is part of a mixture used to promote sleep and increase sweating during a fever
• Castor Oil (64/43): peppermint water is used in “Castor Oil Draught”
• Essence of Peppermint (77/56): see def
• Ether, Compound Spirit of (Hoffman’s Ether) (81/60): Peppermint water included in a mixture given during instances of flatulent colic.
• Gum Scammony (98/67): often combined with other purgatives, such as oil of peppermint
• Magnesia, Calcined (120/99): mixed with peppermint water to form “a very useful medicine for persons of gouty habits.” Peppermint water is included in a mixture used as an aperient (121/100)
• Oil of Peppermint (130/109): “It is a powerful and useful stimulant. In spasmodic and flatulent pains of the stomach and bowels, in cramp, faintness, and nausea, it is a useful remedy, a drop or two being taken upon a lump of sugar, or triturated with a little powdered sugar.”
• Tincture of Rhubarb (183/162): can be mixed with peppermint water
• Water, Cordial Peppermint (189/168): dee def

Diseases Treated with Peppermint

General Diseases

• Ague, or Intermittent Fever (227/206): Peppermint water is part of the recommended mixture provided by Mr. Sankey in treating intermittent fever (caused by marsh miasma?)
• Boils (230/209): a draught containing rhubarb, magnesia, and peppermint water (or cinnamon water) can be used to alleviate boils when used in combination with a “generous diet”
• Typhus Fever (280/259): magnesia in peppermint water is given to patients who experience vomiting or diarrhoea
• Water-brash (282/261): peppermint water can be used in treating this disease, however, Savory indicates that Dr Jenner’s Absorbent Lozenged are best suited for the disease.

Medical Articles Containing Peppermint

• Abernethy’s Aperient Mixture (322/301): peppermint water

Prescriptions Containing Peppermint

Antacids

• Antacid Draught (327/306): peppermint water
• Antacid Draught (Another) (327/306): peppermint water
• Antacid and Carminative Mixture (328/307): peppermint water
• Aromatic Magnesia Mixture (330/309): peppermint water

Aperients and Cathartics

• Aperient mixture (332/311): peppermint water
• Aperient draught (333/312): peppermint water

Antispasmodics

• Anti-Asthmatic Draught (337/316): peppermint water
• Antispasmodic Draughts for Spasm of the Stomach arising from Flatulence (338/317): peppermint water

Astringents

• Astringent Draught (339/318): peppermint water

Carminatives

• Stomach Mixture (342/321): peppermint water

Emetics

• An Emetic Draught, in case of Poison being taken into the Stomach (Another) (351/330): peppermint water

Stimulants

• Stimulant Mixture (354/323): Peppermint water
• Stimulant Mixture (Another) (354/323): Peppermint water
• Stimulant Mixture (Another) (354/323): Peppermint water