American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy

throat. It may be combined with other washes or gargles or it will act
promptly alone.
It will quickly cure the beginning of syphilitic ulcerations in the throat
and mouth. In the spongy gums and aphthous sore mouth of children, in
stomatitis materni if combined with an alterative and tonic astringent it
will assist in the cure of the very worst cases without taking the child
from the breast. An infusion made of white oak bark, yellow dock root and
myrrh, to which may be added a mild antiseptic, as baptisia, echinacea, or
boric acid, will cure the most intractable cases of this latter named
disease. Myrrh is excellent in the sore mouth and extreme ulceration of
mercurial ptyalism.
In its influence upon the digestive apparatus Myrrh is direct in its
action. It quickly increases the power of the digestive function,
stimulating the peptic glands to extreme action. It increases the appetite
and promotes the absorption and assimilation of nutrition. It is given in
atonic dyspepsia in the absence of inflammatory action, especially if
there is excessive mucous discharge from the bowels.
It is exceedingly useful in the apepsia and extreme inactivity of the
stomach in alcoholics, either alone or combined with capsicum.
While it is expectorant, and stimulates the secretion from the mucous
membranes when inactive, it influences to a satisfactory extent the
restoration of the functions of those membranes when the secretion is
excessive, as in catarrhal conditions. In deficient or excessive action it
restores the normal conditions.
In debilitating expectoration of phthisis pulmonalis it suppresses
secretion and increases the patient's power to throw it off. In excessive
mucous secretion from any organ it has a direct influence. In atonic
catarrhal diarrheas of a subacute or chronic character its influence is
specific and satisfactory.
In some cases of catarrh of the bladder it is used internally, and in the
irrigation fluid also. It is valuable in prostrating leucorrhea.
It is an old popular remedy in amenorrhea given in combination with
aloes and iron, especially in chlorotic and anemic patients. It has long
been in use in the old school for this purpose. It may be combined also
with macrotin to a good advantage.
Ellingwood’s American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy - Page 147