Senna - Cassia Acutifolia
Cassia Acutifolia
Senna
Senna is a medicine that has been in use over a thousand year. It is a safe, harmless, and efficient remedy, and no physician should be without it in his office and practice. It does good when properly given, and never does harm. It is found in Oriental or European countries, and is highly valued by all who have used it, and given it a fair test in reference to the therapeutical properties that are ascribed to it by classical men who have made this branch of therapeutics a study.
Some authors claim that to many it is a very unpleasant cathartic; but I have used it in over a thousand cases, and found it a cathartic that gave general satisfaction, and it was appreciated by all who used it above any cathartic they ever took. I have used it a number of times in cases of constipation in ladies with good results. I pronounce it a mild and efficient cathartic, cleansing the stomach and intestinal tract, and acting gently on the liver, thus harmlessly answering the place of stronger medicines, that often leave injurious effects behind.
The dose is a teaspoon level full of the powdered senna every three hours until an action is produced on the bowels. For a child 5 or 6 years old the dose should not be larger than the size of a pea or bean every two or three hours until an action is produced.
Whenever a person's tongue becomes coated the remedy should be immediately taken. Do as I tell you in this work and you will avoid many a spell of sickness.
It is my full intention, in this work, to state facts plainly with few words, so that my readers will not be wearied with many words to get at facts. The finest oratory that ever fell from man's lips was from an Indian called Logan. Every schoolboy at the age of fourteen is familiar with Logan's speech. It consisted of actual facts stated in few words. So, in this work, I will simply state useful facts in few words, so they will be plain and easy for all to obtain.
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[Linda's Note: These days (2010) senna is a common ingredient in teas formulated to relieve constipation.]
