A herb to induce vomiting. Given to expel poisons. Physiomedical doctors of the 1880s employed emetics at the onset of a feverish condition, setting much store on emptying and cleansing the stomach, relaxing the skin, regulating the bowels, claiming that a fever could often be aborted or cut short in its early stages.
While emetic therapy is no longer popular, it has a tradition of use for dropsy, dysentery, jaundice, bilious attacks and acidity – even swollen testicles!
Important agents: Balm, Boneset, Catmint, Elderflowers, Elecampane (mild), Holy Thistle (mild), Poke root, Senega, Squill, Queen’s Delight, Grape bark (Guarea). Mustard: 1 tablespoon to 8oz warm water. Simple emetic: 1 teaspoon Lobelia herb to cup boiling water.
To restore stomach-tone after use of emetics give bitters: Centuary, Gentian, Angostura, Chamomile, Bogbean, Poplar bark, White Horehound, Vermuth.
A substance that causes vomiting, used to treat some types of poisoning and drug overdose. The most widely used emetic is ipecacuanha.
n. an agent that causes vomiting. Substances such as common salt, which irritate the stomach nerves if taken in sufficient quantities, cause vomiting. Some emetics, e.g. *ipecacuanha, are used as *expectorants at low doses.
An emetic is a substance which induces VOMITING (emesis). Emetics were previously used for gut decontamination in the treatment of poisoning but are now considered obsolete. This is because the e?cacy of emesis as a means of gut decontamination is unproved; there is a delay between administration and actual emesis, during which time continued absorption of the poison may occur; and some emetics have effects other than vomiting which may mask the clinical features of the ingested poison. The most commonly used emetic was syrup of ipecacuanha (ipecac). Salt (sodium chloride) water emetics were also used but there are many cases of fatal HYPERNATRAEMIA resulting from such use and salt water emetics should never be given. The most common method of gut decontamination currently used is the administration of activated CHARCOAL.... emetics
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