Revision as of 15:00, 12 May 2016

Senna

A Compendium of Domestic Medicine, 1865

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

Classified as a Aperient and Purgative (411/390)

Senna is used primarily as a purgative, “there being scarcely any disease in which it cannot be administered.” Its taste is disagreeable, and requires masking, especially when being administered to children. Black draught (a celebrated remedy” is made by combining an infusion of senna, a tincture of senna, and Epsom salts (Savory’s recipe includes cinnamon water. Presumably to mask the taste). (154/133)

Senna can be used when treat lead poisoning (199/178)

Remedies Containing or to be used with Senna

• Baume de Vie (51/30): combined with tincture senna to increase purgative qualities
• Calomel (56/35): can be combined with senna, or senna can be used following the administration of calomel. Both a tincture of senna and a tincture of senna are included in a draught to be taken in the morning after, after a pill of calomel had been taken at night
• Essence of Senna, Concentrated (79/58): used to make “the black dose” when diluted and combined with Epsom salts
• India Pink (105/84): combined with senna (the leaves) to expel worms after they had been killed with earlier treatments
• Infusions, Concentrated (105/84) of cloves, calumbo, cascarilla, chamomile, gentian, orange peel, quassia, rhubarb, roses, and senna: used often in medicine chests as they can be diluted to form infusions. This allows for large doses to be provided in smaller amounts.
• Jalap (109/88): can be combined with senna or “other remedies of the same class” (purgatives). Infusion of senna and a tincture of senna are included in a draught used to evacuate “the bowels of school-boys who have over-indulged themselves in eating.” Senna (confection of) is also included in an electuary used in treating dropsy.
• Manna (122/101): commonly combined with senna and other purgatives, an infusion of senna is used in a mild purgative mixture.
• Senna Leaves (154/133): see def Used in “Senna Mixtture” (infusion of senna), and “Black Draught”
• Senna Powder, Compound (155/124): not commonly used as it is “bulky and inconvenient,” but when used acts as a cathartic and hydragouge
• Soluble Tartar (158/237): infusion of senna is used in an aperient mixture primarily given to children, and infusion of senna and tincture of senna are included in “An Aperient Draught” (159/138)
• Sulphur, Sublimed (168/147): confection of senna is included in “An Electuary for Piles” and a recipe for another electary
• Syrup of Senna Cordial (171/150): used for the same purposes as senna, just in a more concentrated form. Can be diluted to form an “active and pleasant aperient” for adults.
• Tamarinds (172/151): usually combined with senna, rhubarb, or another type of neutral salt. They form a weak laxative.
• Tincture of Jalap (181/160): taken with an infusion of senna to increase its activity
• Tincture of Senna (183/162): used as a carminative and an aperient
• Tincture of Senna, Compound (184/163): similar to Daffy’s Elixir, and is used to treat flatulence and colics

Diseases Treated with Senna

General Diseases

• Cholera Morbus (242/221): senna-tea in the morning is used in treatment and according to Savory “will most probably effect a cure”
• Gout (255/234): an infusion of senna is included in a mixture recommended by Dr. Copland. Infusion of senna and a tincture of senna are also included in a draught that is to be taken in the morning, following a course of treatment the night before.
• Menstruation (268/247) Suppression of the Menses: an infusion of senna and gentian is combined with myrrh, and used as a purgative
• Piles, or Haemorrhoids (269/248): confection of senna is to be taken in a mixture of milk of sulphur, confection of cassia, and simple syrup.

Medical Articles Containing Senna

• Infusion of Senna, or Senna-Tea (312/291): senna leaves
• Decoction of Senna with Tamarinds (314/293): senna leaves
• Abernethy’s Aperient Mixture (322/301): infusion of senna, tincture of senna

Prescriptions Containing Senna

Aperients and Cathartics

• Aperient Mixture (332/311): Infusion of senna, “this mixture may be given to children whose bowels are costive from some error of diet, or other accidental circumstance.”
• Aperient Mixture (Another) (332/311): Infusion of senna, “a very efficient and general purgative”
• Aperient Mixture (Another) (332/311): Infusion of senna, purgative used in febrile complaints
• Aperient Mixture (Another) (332/311): Senna leaves
• Aperient Draught (333/312): infusion of senna, taken when experiencing colic from lead
• The Common Black Draught (333/312): infusion of senna, tincture of senna (flavoured with compound spirit of lavender)
• Cathartic Electuary (335/314): confection of senna
• Cathartic Draught (335/314): infusion of senna, tincture of senna, syrup of senna, used to treat dyspeptic costiveness
• Manna Draught (336/315): infusion of senna

Salines

• Saline Aperient (354/333): syrup of senna

Imported from

• Egypt
• India Singapore and Ceylone
• Germany
• Italy
• Malta
• Holland
• Italy
• East India Company Territories and Ceylon
• British West Indies
• United States of America
• Turkey
• Cape Verd Islands
• British Possessions in South Africa
• Bombay and Scinde
• British India Madras
• British India Bengal and Pegu

Description