Take of tobacco leaves from fifteen to twenty grains; to which add one pint of boiling water. Steep for an hour and strain. This injection is recommended in cases of strangulated hernia by many distinguished French and English physicians; and also for obstinate constipation, retention of urine, flooding after child-birth, &c. This injection should be used with the utmost caution, and never without the sanction, or, perhaps, even under the eye of a physician. _Lobelia_, which is sometimes substituted for tobacco, is liable to the same or more stringent objections, and should be used with the same care.
Take of flaxseed tea one gill, to which add from twelve to fifteen grains of quinine. Injected warm, this enema is found to have a powerful and immediate effect in intermittent fevers. It may be repeated every four or six hours, as the case may require.
Take of quinine five or six grains, and of sulphuric acid eight drops; to which add half a pint of water. This enema is sometimes used for expulsion of worms from the rectum, and is considered very effective by physicians generally.
Take of powdered camphor five grains, and one gill of gum arabic mucilage, or flaxseed tea. Mix well and administer warm. This is highly esteemed in cases of dysentery.
Take of ox gall flesh one ounce, to which add one pint of warm water. This has been strongly recommended by _Doctors Clay and Alnatt_, of England, for cases of obstinate constipation and hardened fæces. Cases are on record in England where numerous other injections had been used, all of which failed; upon which an injection of ox-gall was administered, and success was the instantaneous result.
In cases where nourishment cannot be taken by the mouth, injections of strong beef tea or broth may be thrown up the rectum, to the extent of from half a pint to a pint at a time. A case is cited where life was prolonged in this manner alone for ten weeks or more.
Take of starch or tapioca one drachm. Boil in half a pint of veal broth, without salt, and three yolks of eggs. Beat well together and strain. Administer tepid. This is an admirable support to nature where food is not easily borne upon the stomach.
Take of nitrate of silver half a grain, to which add half a pint of water; to be retained after injection several hours, if possible. The strength may be increased to three grains for each injection. _Dr. Trask_, in his "_Notes on Hospital Cases_," in his Journal of October, 1850, mentions a case of severe chronic diarrhœa, in which, after using several strong injections of sulph. zinc, sugar of lead, opium, tannin, etc., with no effect, he injected a solution of thirty grains of nitrate of silver, with a common glass syringe. It was not retained a moment, he says, and caused a good deal of tenesmus for some time. After this injection, another of starch and laudanum was immediately administered, and a very decided diminution in the number of discharges followed. The next day but one, an injection of fifteen grains of nitrate of silver was given, followed by the injection of starch and laudanum, and in eight days from the first injection of the caustic, the patient was able to walk about the house.