Vehicle Health Dictionary

Blood consists of cellular components suspended in plasma. It circulates through the blood vessels, carrying oxygen and nutrients to the organs and removing carbon dioxide and other waste products for excretion. In addition, it is the vehicle by which hormones and other humoral transmitters reach their sites of action.

Composition The cellular components are red cells or corpuscles (ERYTHROCYTES), white cells (LEUCOCYTES and lymphocytes – see LYMPHOCYTE), and platelets.

The red cells are biconcave discs with a diameter of 7.5µm. They contain haemoglobin

– an iron-containing porphyrin compound, which takes up oxygen in the lungs and releases it to the tissue.

The white cells are of various types, named according to their appearance. They can leave the circulation to wander through the tissues. They are involved in combating infection, wound healing, and rejection of foreign bodies. Pus consists of the bodies of dead white cells.

Platelets are the smallest cellular components and play an important role in blood clotting (see COAGULATION).

Erythrocytes are produced by the bone marrow in adults and have a life span of about 120 days. White cells are produced by the bone

marrow and lymphoid tissue. Plasma consists of water, ELECTROLYTES and plasma proteins; it comprises 48–58 per cent of blood volume. Plasma proteins are produced mainly by the liver and by certain types of white cells. Blood volume and electrolyte composition are closely regulated by complex mechanisms involving the KIDNEYS, ADRENAL GLANDS and HYPOTHALAMUS.... blood

A broad science involving the application of psychological and physiological principles to the study of human beings in relation to their work and working surroundings. It includes the design of buildings, machinery, vehicles, and anything else with which people have contact in the course of their work.... ergonomics

A sweetened alcoholic extract for internal use. To active ingredients, flavours, sorbitol or syrup may be added to mask unpleasant taste or make the medicament more acceptable. The use of elixirs is discouraged by the modern herbalist who seeks to avoid sugar in favour of honey. Example: Weleda’s Cough Expectorant Elixir. An elixir serves as a vehicle for Wormwood, Rhubarb, Senna, etc. ... elixir

In 2000, more than 12,000 people died in or as a result of accidents in the UK, nearly half occurring at home and around a third in motor vehicle incidents. Many of these deaths would have been preventable, had appropriate safety measures been taken. A high proportion of deaths from accidents occur in males between ?ve and 34 years of age; alcohol is a signi?cant factor. Since the introduction of compulsory use of car seatbelts in the UK in the 1980s, the incidence of deaths from driving has fallen. With employers more aware of the risks of injury and death in the work place – with legislation reinforcing education – the number of such incidents has fallen over the past 50 years or more: this group now accounts for less than 2 per cent of all accidental deaths. Accidental deaths in the elderly are mainly caused by falls, mostly at home. In infants, choking is a signi?cant cause of accidental death, with food and small objects presenting the main hazards. Poisoning (often from drug overdose) and drowning are notable causes between the mid-20s and mid-40s.

See www.rospa.com... accidental death

The general constituents of air are:

Besides these, there are always ozone, minerals and organic matter present in small and variable amounts, and more or less water vapour according to the weather. In the air of towns, sulphurous acid and sulphuretted hydrogen are important impurities derived from combustion. After air has been respired once, the oxygen falls by about 4 per cent and the carbonic acid rises to about 4 per cent, while organic matter and water vapour are greatly increased and the air rises in temperature. The cause of the discomfort felt in badly ventilated rooms and crowded halls is associated with the increase in the temperature and moisture of the air, but a high percentage of carbon dioxide may be present without causing any noticeable discomfort or appreciable quickening of the respiration. A combination of hot weather and emissions from vehicles and fossil-fuel combustion produces pollutants linked to a rise in the incidence of ASTHMA and other cardiorespiratory conditions. Falling levels of ozone in the upper atmosphere are also believed to contribute to global warming because ozone screens the earth from most of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation.... air

The natural pacemaker is the sinuatrial node, found at the base of the heart. The heart normally controls its rate and rhythm; heart block occurs when impulses cannot reach all parts of the heart. This may lead to ARRHYTHMIA, or even cause the heart to stop (see HEART, DISEASES OF). Arti?cial pacemakers may then be used; in the United Kingdom these are required for around one person in every 2,000 of the population. Usually powered by mercury or lithium batteries, and lasting up to 15 years, they are either ?xed to the outside of the chest or implanted in the armpit, and connected by a wire passing through a vein in the neck to the heart. Normally adjusted to deliver 65–75 impulses a minute, they also ensure a regular cardiac rhythm. Patients with pacemakers may be given a driving licence provided that their vehicle is not likely to be a source of danger to the public, and that they are receiving adequate and regular medical supervision from a cardiologist.

Although there are numerous possible sources of electrical interference with pacemakers, the overall risks are slight. Potential sources include anti-theft devices, airport weapon detectors, surgical diathermy, ultrasound, and short-wave heat treatment. Nevertheless, many pacemaker patients lead active and ful?lling lives.... cardiac pacemaker

The protein which gives MUSCLE its red colour. It has the property of combining loosely and reversibly with OXYGEN; this means that it is the vehicle whereby muscle extracts oxygen from the HAEMOGLOBIN in the blood circulating through it, and then releases the oxygen for use in muscle METABOLISM.... myoglobin

Semi-solid, greasy substances used as EMOLLIENTS, protectants and as vehicles for topical drug delivery, ointments may be hydrophilic or hydrophobic. The former dissolve in water and usually contain polyethylene glycols. Hydrophobic ointments do not combine with water and are para?n-based. Mixing hard and soft para?ns allows sti?ness and greasiness to be modi?ed. Pastes are ointments containing a high proportion of inert powder such as starch or zinc oxide which confers sti?ness. Pastes are protective and allow precise aplication of drugs to the skin.... ointments

(Ultra-low-volume) Application of concentrated insecticidal solutions sprayed sparsely over a large area in a vehicle or aeroplane at dosage rates of 740 ml to 1 litre per hectare for mosquito control. This technique produces very large droplets forming a fog or aerosol of concentrated insecticide.... ulv

Cause-of-death ranking for adults is based on the List of 72 Selected Causes of Death, HIV Infection, and Alzheimer’s Disease. The List was adapted from one of the special lists for mortality tabulations recommended for use with the International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision. Two group titles – “Major cardiovascular diseases” and “Symptoms, signs, and ill-defined conditions” – are not ranked based on the list of 72 selected causes. In addition, category titles that begin with the words “other” and “all other” are not ranked. The remaining category titles are ranked according to number of deaths to determine the leading causes of death. When one of the titles that represents a subtotal is ranked (for example, unintentional injuries), its component parts are not ranked (in this case, motor vehicle crashes and all other unintentional injuries).... cause-of-death ranking

The inability to carry out a social, occupational or other activity that could normally be done by a person without such a handicap. The handicap may be partial or complete, physical or mental, and may result from disease, injury or inherited disorder. The extent of the handicap is measured against the normal function of those in a peer group. The impairment may be functionally rather than physically based, in which case the affected person may not always be aware of it until revealed by a clinical examination. Considerable government and voluntary community e?orts have been made to lessen the day-to-day diffculties of living faced by disabled people. Increasingly, public buildings, houses and vehicles are being modi?ed to ensure that these are user-friendly to such individuals. The health and social-work professions also contribute to reducing the impact of handicaps on the affected individuals.... handicap

Any injury to the head, whether associated with a skull fracture (see BONE, DISORDERS OF – Bone fractures) or not. Patients with head injuries should be assessed for signs of neurological damage, which may not develop at once. Patients who after a head injury are or have been UNCONSCIOUS or who are drowsy, vomiting, confused or have any focal neurological signs – for example, blurred vision or a motor or sensory malfunction – should be seen by a doctor. Particular care should be taken with individuals who have consumed alcohol and sustained a head injury in a ?ght, fall or vehicle accident. Symptoms indicative of a severe head injury may be attributed (wrongly) to the effects of alcohol, and crucial time thus lost in treating the injury.

In hospital the possible need for urgent action is monitored by use of the GLASGOW COMA SCALE.

People suffering the results of such injuries and their relatives can obtain help and advice from Headway – the brain injury association.... head injury

Linn.

Family: Gramineae; Poaceae.

Habitat: Cultivated all over India as a food crop.

English: Rice.

Ayurvedic: Shaali, Vrihidhaanya, Tandula, Nivara.

Unani: Biranj Saathi.

Action: Rice-water (a water decoction of rice)—demulcent and refrigerant in febrile and inflammatory diseases and in dysuria. Also used as a vehicle for compound preparations used for gynaecological disorders. It is regarded as cooling in haematemesis and epistaxis, and as diuretic.

The green clum or stalks—recommended in biliousness. Ash of the straw—used in the treatment of wounds and discharges. Lixiviated ash of straw is used as anthelmintic and in nausea.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends the dried root in dy- suria and lactic disorders.

The pigments occurring in coloured types of rice are a mixture of monogly- cosides of cyanidin and delphinidin. The dark Puttu Rice of India contains a diglycosidic anthocyanin.

Dosage: Root—50 g for decoction. (API, Vol. II.)... oryza sativa

Amygdala dulcis (sweet almonds). A fixed oil expressed from Prunus amygdalus without the aid of heat. Contains 45 per cent fixed oil and about 20 per cent protein and an enzyme, emulsin. Demulcent. Nutritive. Emulsifying agent. Used internally as a laxative, or externally as a massage oil. A nourishing skin cream is made by whisking Almond oil 2; Beeswax 1; and Aloe Vera 1; in a mixer. “Oil of Almonds makes smooth the hands and face of delicate persons, and cleanses the skin from spots and pimples” (John Gerard)

Oil is injected into the meatus for softening ear wax prior to removal. A good vehicle for Vitamins A, D and E in cosmetic lotions. Excellent base for ointments, together with Agar-Agar.

Sweet almonds have been used as food since ancient times, being a source of fats, iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, copper and zinc. Used widely in Aromatherapy. ... almond oil

Accumulation of pus in a cavity, especially bacterial infection of the lung or in pleural space.

Treatment. May be necessary for practitioner to draw away pus through a tube. Treat underlying cause. Herbal antibiotics.

Liquid extracts. Formula. Echinacea 2; Goldenseal 1; Thuja half. Dose: 30-60 drops.

Tinctures: same formula, double dose. In water thrice daily.

Australian practice. Tea Tree oil: 2-5 drops in honey or other vehicle, thrice daily. If too strong may be diluted many times.

Treatment by or in liaison with registered medical practitioner. ... empyema

A vehicle for transporting sick or injured people that is staffed by trained personnel who can provide emergency treatment during the journey.... ambulance

A greasy preparation used as a vehicle to apply drugs in dry skin conditions such as eczema or to protect or lubricate the skin.... ointment

(See also FIT; SEIZURE.) Epilepsy is the name given to any condition in which a person suffers repeated ?ts or seizures. It is present in one in 200 (0·5 per cent) of the population and up to 5 per cent of all children will have had a ?t by the age of 12, although most of these are harmless accompaniments of an acute feverish illness.

It is a recurrent and paroxysmal disorder starting suddenly and ceasing spontaneously due to occasional sudden excessive rapid and local discharge of the nerve cells in the grey matter (cortex) of the BRAIN. Epilepsy always arises in this way from the brain, but its origin is often of microscopic size. It is diagnosed by the clinical symptoms based on the observations of witnesses. Its cause can sometimes be established by laboratory tests, and brain scanning. Fits can be the ?rst sign of a tumour, or follow a stroke, brain injury or infection, but in the large majority no underlying cause is found – so-called idiopathic epilepsy.

A single epileptic ?t is not epilepsy. Of those people who have a single seizure, a signi?cant minority (20 per cent) have no further attacks.

Major (generalised) seizures have a sudden, often unprovoked onset; the patient emits a cry, then falls to the ground, rigid, blue, and then twitching or jerking both sides of the body: the tonic-clonic convulsion. Drowsiness and confusion may last for some hours after recovering consciousness. Some experience a momentary warning (AURA): a smell, or sensation in the head or abdomen, vision, or déjà vu.

Partial seizures: focal motor (Jacksonian) begin with twitching of the angle of the mouth, the thumb, or the big toe. If the seizure discharge then spreads, the twitching or jerking spreads gradually through the limbs. Consciousness is preserved unless the seizure spreads to produce a secondary generalised ?t. In some attacks the eyes and head may turn, the arm may rise, and the body may turn, while some patients feel tingling in the limbs.

Complex partial seizures (temporal lobe epilepsy) The patient usually appears blank, vacant and may be unable to talk, or may mumble or chatter – though later they often have no memory of this period. They may be able to carry out complex tasks, taking o? gloves or clothes, and may smack their lips or rub repeatedly on one limb (automatisms). A sense of strangeness supervenes: unreality, or a feeling of having experienced it all before (déja vu). There may be a sense of panic. Strange unpleasant smells and tastes are olfactory and gustatory hallucinations. The visual hallucinations evoke complex scenes. An initial rising sense of warmth or discomfort in the stomach, or ‘speeding-up’ of thoughts are common psychomotor symptoms. All these strange symptoms are brief, disappearing within a few seconds or up to 3–4 minutes.

Minor seizures (petit mal) Attacks start in childhood. They last a few seconds. The child ceases what he or she is doing, stares, looks a little pale, and may ?utter the eyelids. The head may drop forwards. Attacks are commonly provoked by overbreathing. The child and parents may be unaware of the attacks

– ‘just daydreaming’. Major ?ts develop in one-third of subjects. By contrast with other types of epilepsy, the ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM (EEG) is diagnostic.

Precautions Children with epilepsy should take normal school exercises and games, and can swim under supervision. Adults must avoid working at heights, with exposed dangerous machinery, and driving vehicles on public roads. Current legislation allows driving after two years of complete freedom from attacks during waking hours; those who for more than three years have had a history of attacks only while asleep may also drive.

Treatment identi?es, and avoids where possible, any factors (such as shortage of sleep or excessive ?uids) which aggravate or trigger attacks. If ?ts are very infrequent, treatment may not be recommended. However, frequent ?ts may be embarassing, may cause injury or may cause long-term brain damage so treatment is advisable. Anti-epileptic drugs are usually necessary for several years under medical supervision. Carbamazepine and sodium valproate are the most frequently prescribed. The dose is governed by the degree of control of ?ts and sometimes drug levels can be monitored by blood tests to check on dosage. Strict adherence to the drug schedule gives a reasonable chance of total suppression of ?ts, especially in younger patients whose ?ts have started recently. The table summarises anticonvulsant drugs in use. Interactions can occur between anti-epileptics and, if drug treatment is changed, the patient needs careful monitoring. In particular, abrupt withdrawal of a drug should be avoided as this may precipitate severe rebound seizures.

Indications First-choice drugs: Ethosuximide PM, JME Phenobarbitone M, P Phenytoin M, P, CP Carbamazepine M, P, CP Valproate M, PM, JME Second-line drugs: Primidone M, P, CP Clobazam M, CP Vigabatrin M, P, CP Lamotrigine M, P, CP Gabapentin M, P, CP Topirimate P

M = major generalised tonic-clonic; P = partial or focal; CP = complex partial (temporal lobe); PM = petit mal; JME = juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

Anticonvulsant drugs

As all anticonvulsant drugs have an e?ect on the brain, it is not surprising that there may be side-effects, especially inolving alertness or behaviour. In each case careful assessment is necessary for doctor and patient to agree on the best compromise between stopping ?ts and avoiding ill-effects of medication.

Patients who have an epileptic seizure should not be restrained or have a gag or anything else placed in their mouths; nor should they be moved unless in danger of further injury. Any tight clothing around the neck should be loosened and, when the seizure has passed, the person should be placed in the recovery position to facilitate a return to consciousness (see APPENDIX 1: BASIC FIRST AID).

Patients with epilepsy and their relatives can obtain further advice and information from the British Epilepsy Association or Epilepsy Action Scotland.... epilepsy

thoracic injuries that arise from violent contact with a restraining seat belt in motor vehicle accidents occurring at high speeds.... seat-belt syndrome

(TIL) a lymphoid cell that can infiltrate solid tumours. Such cells can be cultured in vitro, in the presence of *interleukin 2, and have been used as vehicles for *tumour necrosis factor in gene therapy trials for cancer.... tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte

a soft-tissue injury of the neck resulting from a sudden jerking back (hyperextension) of the head and neck, usually following a rear-end motor vehicle collision. It is associated with muscle, tendon, and ligament tears and inflammation in the front of the neck, which causes pain and stiffness. The possibility of fractures and other serious spinal injuries should be excluded by X-ray or MRI. Treatment includes analgesics, NSAIDs, a soft surgical collar, and physiotherapy. Symptoms occasionally last for many months or years.... whiplash injury

Any mechanism by which a susceptible human host is exposed to an infectious or parasitic agent. These mechanism are:- 1. Direct transmission Direct and essentially immediate transfer of infectious agents (other than from an arthropod in which the organism has undergone essential multiplication or development) to a receptive portal of entry by which infection of humans may take place. This may be by touching, as in kissing, sexual intercourse or biting (direct contact); or by the direct projection of droplet spray onto the conjunctivae, or onto the mucous membranes of the nose or mouth during sneezing, coughing, spitting or talking (usually not possible over a distance greater than 3 ft) (droplet spread); or, as in the systemic mycoses, by direct exposure of susceptible tissue to soil, compost or decaying vegetable matter that contains the agent and where it normally leads a saprophytic existence. 2. Indirect transmission (a) Vehicle-borne Contaminated materials or inanimate objects such as toys, handkerchiefs, soiled clothes, bedding (fomites), surgical instruments or dressing (indirect contact); water, food, milk, biological products including serum and plasma, or anysubstance serving as an intermediate means by which an infectious agent is transported and introduced into a susceptible host through a suitable portal of entry. The agent may or may not have multiplied or developed in or on the vehicle before being introduced into man. (2) Vector-borne (i) Mechanical:- Includes simple mechanical carriage by a crawling or flying insect through soiling of its feet or proboscis, or by passage of organisms through its gastrointestinal tract. This does not require multiplication or development of the organism. (ii) Biological:- Propagation (multiplication), cyclic development, or a combination of them (cyclopropagation) is required before the arthropod can transmit the infective form of the agent to man. An incubation period (extrinsic) is required following infection before the arthropod becomes infective. Transmission may be by saliva during biting, or by regurgitation or deposition on the skin of agents capable of penetrating subsequently through the bite wound or through an area of trauma following scratching or biting. This is transmitted by an infected invertebrate host and must be differentiated for epidemiological purposes from simple mechanical carriage by a vector in the role of a vehicle. An arthropod in either role is termed a vector. (c) Air-borne The dissemination of microbial aerosols with carriage to suitable portal of entry, usually the respiratorytract. Microbial aerosols are suspensions in air of particles consisting partially or wholly of microorganisms. Particles in the 1 to 5 micron range are quite easily drawn into the lungs and retained there. They may remain suspended in the air for long periods of time, some retaining and others losing infectivity of virulence. Not considering as airborne are droplets and other large particles, which promptlysettle out; the following are airborne, their mode of transmission indirect: (i) Droplet nuclei: Usually the small residues which result from evaporation of droplets emitted by an infected host. Droplet nuclei also may be created purposely by a variety of atomising devices, or accidentally, in microbiology laboratories or in abattoirs, rendering plants, autopsy rooms, etc. They usuallyremain suspended in the air for long periods of time. (ii) Dust: The small particles of widely varying size which may arise from contaminated floors, clothes, beddings, other articles; or from soil (usually fungus spores separated from dry soil by wind or mechanical stirring). Note: Air conditioning and similar air circulating systems may play a significant role in air-borne transmission (e.g. Legionnaire’s disease).... transmission

Poplar buds. Populus gileadensis. French: Baumier. German: Mekkabalsambaum. Spanish: Bilsamo. Italian: Balsamo della Mecca. Indian: Gungal. Leaf buds.

Action. Mild analgesic (forerunner of aspirin), Febrifuge, Anti-inflammatory, Stimulating diuretic (resin), Antiseptic, Circulatory stimulant, Expectorant. Contains salicylates.

Uses: Laryngitis. Chronic bronchitis. Safe for children’s chest troubles. Traditional: for coughs, colds and sore throats. Buds used by North American Indians for muscular and circulatory aches and pains (Dr A. Clapp, 1852).

Side effects. None known.

Preparations: Tea. 2-3 buds to each cup boiling water; infuse 15 minutes. Half-1 cup 3-hourly, acute cases; thrice daily, chronic.

Tincture, BHC (vol 1). 1:5 45 per cent Ethanol, 4-8ml.

Balm of Gilead Cough Mixture (Potter’s). Each 10ml contains Acet. Scill. BP 0.339ml; Acetic acid (5.5 per cent) extractive from Lobelia (1-12.5) 0.148ml; Ipecac Liquid extract BP 0.004ml; 30 per cent alcoholic extractive (1:1) from each of 100mg Balm of Gilead buds and 200mg Lungwort lichen in a sweetened flavoured vehicle. ... balm of gilead

Mineral. Combines with protein to give structural solidarity to bones and flesh. Given with benefit for all bone problems, delayed union after injury, brittleness in the elderly, delayed dentition and weakness in rapidly growing children. Cataracts. Rickets in children; osteomalacia in adults.

Other deficiencies. Muscle cramps, spasms, tremors, nervousness, insomnia, joint pains.

Body effects. Healthy teeth and bones, blood clotting, nerve and muscle resilience.

Calcium helps reduce risk of fracture particularly in menopausal women who may increase intake to 1500mg daily. Calcium citrate malate is regarded as more effective than calcium carbonate. Calcium and Magnesium are essentials.

Sources. Dairy products, fish, sardines, salmon, watercress, hard drinking water, spinach. Dried skimmed milk may supply up to 60 per cent of the recommended daily amount.

Herbs. Chamomile, Clivers, Dandelion, Horsetail, Coltsfoot, Meadowsweet, Mistletoe, Plantain, Scarlet Pimpernel, Silverweed, Shepherd’s Purse, Toadflax. Taken as teas, powders, tablets or capsules.

Herbal combination to increase intake. Comfrey 3, Horsetail 6, Kelp 1, Lobelia 1, Marshmallow root 2, Oats 4, Parsley root 1. Tea: 1 heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 15 minutes; 1 cup morning and evening.

Calcium tablet supplements should first be pulverised before ingestion and taken in honey, bread bolus, or other suitable vehicle. Vitamin D assists absorption – 400-800 international units daily. ... calcium

See: CAYENNE.

CAPSULES. A convenient vehicle for administration of powders, seeds, oils, balsams, Castor oil, Garlic, Rose Hip, etc, having the advantage to mask nasty tasting or smelly medicines. Ideal for regulating dosage for children. Swallowed, they soon reach the stomach where their contents are slowly released. Gelatin capsules are of animal origin but cellulose non-animal materials are available. Their use extends also to gynaecological and rectal problems, inserted into the vagina or anus.

Standard sizes range from size 5 to 000. Size 00 is most popular in European pharmacy. See: POWDERS.

To fill empty capsules, take apart the two sections, ‘dab’ open end into powder on a flat surface; fill to capacity and affix unfilled half-shell. Manufacturers use a special filling machine for this purpose.

Patients should remain standing for at least 90 seconds after taking capsules, and followed up with sips of water. Swallowing failure is possible when capsules are taken in the recumbent position when they may adhere to the oesophageal membrane delaying disintegration time.

Equipment suppliers: capsules and capsule-making machines – Dav-Caps, PO Box 11, Monmouth, Gwent NP5 3NX. Also: The Herbal Apothecary, 120 High Street, Syston, Leicester 1E7 8GC. ... capsicum

Palma Christi. Ricinus communis L. Part used: oil expressed cold drawn from the seeds without the aid of heat. Versatile agent for skin diseases. “Biochemical precursor of prostaglandins . . . a trigger mechanism to immune system T-cells in the skin causing them to activate a local immune system reaction through the lymphatics.” (Harvey Grady, Edgar Cayce Foundation, Virginia Beach, Va., USA)

Action: anti-allergenic, galactagogue. Canary Island nursing mothers bind leaves to the breast to increase secretion of milk. Vitality of cells is upgraded by contact with the oil. Oral contraceptive. (V.J. Brondegaard, Plants Med. 23, 167, 1973) A traditional purgative.

Uses: Internal. Rarely used, except for varied forms of allergy (penicillin, hay fever, etc): 5 drops oil in honey, 3-4 times daily. Mouth ulcers, smear with oil. Large doses avoided.

Topical. Anti-fungal, emollient, anodyne.

Application to warts, corns, bunions, skin disorders, psoriasis, eczema, nail infection, bedsores, pigmented mole, ringworm, itch, ear-infection in children (drops), leg ulcers – dab with smear for pain relief, rodent ulcers made bearable, gangrene (with tincture Myrrh drops). Oil massaged into scalp for 20 minutes daily for falling hair. Eyelids, to soothe and heal. Age spots: brown patches on face, arms or hands have been known to disappear when persevering with a smear of each – Castor oil and Bicarbonate of Soda.

Preparations: Internal use: oil – 5 to 20ml, as prescribed.

External use: Zinc and Castor oil cream, or ointment. Or, Castor oil only.

Castor oil pack, to stimulate the immune system: apply soft pad of material saturated with Castor oil; hold in position with elastic bandage for skin diseases, pains of arthritis or rheumatism; lacerated and well-sutured wounds that refuse to heal. Renew oil when pad becomes dry. Oil may be used as a vehicle for eye drops. ... castor oil plant

Source of minerals for maintenance of nervous and muscle tissue. From deep-mined limestone. A supplement of magnesium and calcium for dietary deficiency. The two minerals work together to maintain normal growth of bone, healthy teeth, efficient heart function and sound collagen structures. Women have a special need of both.

Typical combination. Magnesium carbonate 200mg; Calcium carbonate 240mg. Uses. Mineral deficiencies, osteoporosis, to maintain healthy teeth.

Note: Not used by the elderly or those with digestive weakness.

Dolomite supplements should first be pulverised before ingestion, taken in honey, a bread bolus or other suitable vehicle. ... dolomite

Various aspects of first aid are described under the following: ABRASIONS, BLEEDING, CUTS, SHOCK, EYES, FAINTING, FRACTURES, INJURIES, POISONING, WOUNDS, WITCH HAZEL.

Avoid overstocking; some herbs lose their potency on the shelf in time, especially if exposed. Do not keep on a high shelf out of the way. Experts suggest a large box with a lid to protect its contents, kept in a cool dry place away from foods and other household items. Store mixtures containing Camphor separately elsewhere. Camphor is well-known as a strong antidote to medicinal substances. Keep all home-made ointments in a refrigerator. However harmless, keep all remedies out of reach of children. Be sure that all tablet containers have child-resistant tops.

Keep a separate box, with duplicates, permanently in the car. Check periodically. Replace all tablets when crumbled, medicines with changed colour or consistency. Always carry a large plastic bottle of water in the car for cleansing dirty wounds and to form a vehicle to Witch Hazel and other remedies. Label all containers clearly.

Health care items: Adhesive bandages of all sizes, sterile gauze, absorbant cotton wool, adhesive tape, elastic bandage, stitch scissors, forceps (boiled before use), clinical thermometer, assorted safety pins, eye-bath for use as a douche for eye troubles, medicine glass for correct dosage.

Herbal and other items: Comfrey or Chickweed ointment (or cream) for sprains and bruises. Marshmallow and Slippery Elm (drawing) ointment for boils, abscesses, etc. Calendula (Marigold) ointment or lotion for bleeding wounds where the skin is broken. An alternative is Calendula tincture (30 drops) to cupful of boiled water allowed to cool; use externally, as a mouth rinse after dental extractions, and sipped for shock. Arnica tincture: for bathing bruises and swellings where the skin is unbroken (30 drops in a cup of boiled water allowed to cool). Honey for burns and scalds. Lobelia tablets for irritating cough and respiratory distress. Powdered Ginger for adding to hot water for indigestion, vomiting, etc. Tincture Myrrh, 5-10 drops in a glass of water for sore throats, tonsillitis, mouth ulcers and externally, for cleansing infected or dirty wounds. Tincture Capsicum (3-10 drops) in a cup of tea for shock, or in eggcup Olive oil for use as a liniment for pains of rheumatism. Cider vinegar (or bicarbonate of Soda) for insect bites. Oil Citronella, insect repellent. Vitamin E capsules for burns; pierce capsule and wipe contents over burnt area. Friar’s balsam to inhale for congestion of nose and throat. Oil of Cloves for toothache. Olbas oil for general purposes. Castor oil to assist removal of foreign bodies from the eye. Slippery Elm powder as a gruel for looseness of bowels. Potter’s Composition Essence for weakness or collapse. Antispasmodic drops for pain.

Distilled extract of Witch Hazel deserves special mention for bleeding wounds, sunburn, animal bites, stings, or swabbed over the forehead to freshen and revive during an exhausting journey. See: WITCH HAZEL.

Stings of nettles or other plants are usually rendered painless by a dock leaf. Oils of Tea Tree, Jojoba and Evening Primrose are also excellent for first aid to allay infection. For punctured wounds, as a shoemaker piercing his thumb with an awl or injury from brass tacks, or for shooting pains radiating from the seat of injury, tincture or oil of St John’s Wort (Hypericum) is the remedy. ... first aid and medicine chest

Concerns chemical changes and physical processes whereby (1) energy is created for the body’s vital activities and (2) old cells are replaced by new ones. Metabolism is dependent upon a chemical interaction promoted by enzymes. A wide range of illness may follow metabolic disturbance, from debility to hyperactivity. Requires attention to the liver, digestive organs, and endocrine glands.

To stimulate: Boldo, Barberry, Dandelion, Devil’s Claw, Artichoke, Knotgrass, Garlic, Gentian, Bee pollen, Ginseng, Kelp, Oats, Peppermint, Prickly Ash, Wild Yam.

Tea: combine equal parts: Agrimony, Dandelion root, Betony. 1 heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 15 minutes. Thrice daily.

Formula. Dandelion 1; Devil’s Claw half; Ginseng half; Liquorice 1. Powders: quarter of a teaspoon. Liquid extracts: 30-60 drops. Tinctures: 1-2 teaspoons. In water, honey or suitable vehicle, thrice daily. Diet. See: DIET – GENERAL. Watercress.

Vitamins: B-complex, B6, B12. Folic acid. C. D.

Minerals: Iron, Manganese, Zinc. ... metabolism

An enabling Act allowing subsequent definitive statutory instruments to be issued at the discretion of the Medicines Control Agency. The Act controls all aspects of the sale of medicines in the United Kingdom; with no exceptions.

Medicines fall into three categories: POM (Prescription Only Medicines), P (Pharmacy Only), and OTC (Over The Counter). POM and P medicines must be prescribed by a registered medical practitioner and dispensed by a pharmacist. P medicines can be sold only by a registered pharmacist. Health stores are concerned with the OTC products, the sale of which is governed by S.I. Medicines General Sales List, Order 1980, No 1922.

All medicines and substances used as medicine bearing a medicinal claim on label or advertising material must be licenced. Without a licence it is not lawful for any person, in his business, to manufacture, sell, supply, export, or import into the United Kingdom any medicinal products unless some exemption is provided in the Act or subsequent regulations. The prefix ML, followed by the Manufacturer’s number must appear on the label together with the product licence number prefixed by the capitals PL. For example, if any person other than a pharmacist sells a medicinal product which claims to relieve indigestion or headache, but the label of which bears no licence number, that shopkeeper (and the manufacturer) will be breaking the law.

All foods are exempt from licencing provided no claims are made of medicinal benefits.

A special licence (manufacturer’s) is required by any person who manufactures or assembles a medicinal product. (Section 8) He must hold a Product Licence for every product he manufactures unless some special exemption is provided by the Act. He may of course act to the order of the product licence holder. (Section 23)

“Manufacture” means any process carried on in the course of making a product but does not include dissolving or dispersing the product in, or diluting or mixing it with some other substance used as a vehicle for the purpose of administering it. It includes the mixture of two or more medicinal products.

“Assembly” means enclosing a medicinal product in a container which is labelled before the product is sold or supplied, or, where the product is already enclosed in a container in which it is supplied, labelling the container before the product is sold or supplied in it. (Section 132)

From the practitioner’s point of view, herbal medicines are exempt from the Act and no licence is required.

The consulting herbalist in private practice who compounds his own preparations from medicinal substances may apply to the Medicines Control Agency, 1 Nine Elms Lane, London SW8 5NQ for a manufacturer’s licence to authorise mixture and assembly, for administration to their patients after he has been requested in their presence to use his own judgement as to treatment required. Products thus sold, will be without any written recommendation and not advertised in any way.

The “assembly” aspect of his licence refers to his ability to buy in bulk, repackage and label. Where he uses prepackaged products and does not open the packet, or relabel, a licence is not required. He will not be able to use terms, “Stomach mixture”, “Nerve mixture”, etc, implying cure of a specific condition.

It is necessary for the practitioner to have a personal consultation with his patient before making his prescription. Subsequent treatment may be supplied by a third person or by post at the discretion of the practitioner.

A licence is required where one or more non-herbal ingredients (such as potassium iodide, sodium citrate, etc) are included. Dispensing non-herbal remedies constitutes “manufacture” for which a licence is required. (MAL 24 (3))

The main thing the licensing authority looks for before granting a licence is evidence of safety. The manufacturers’ premises must be licenced. A wholesaler or distributor, also, must have a licence.

Where a product is covered by a Product Licence certain medicinal claims may be made. Where claims are made, the Act requires a warning to appear on the label worded: “If you think you have the disease to which this product refers, consult a registered medical practitioner before taking this product. If you are already receiving medical treatment, tell your doctor you are also taking this product.” (SI 41, s.5)

Labels of all medicines, tablets, etc, must carry the words: “Keep out of the reach of children”.

Under the Act it is illegal for medicines to be offered for sale for cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, glaucoma, kidney disease, locomotor ataxy, paralysis, sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis; these diseases to be treated by a registered medical practitioner only.

Definition of a herbal remedy. A “herbal remedy” is a medicinal product consisting of a substance produced by subjecting a plant or plants to drying, crushing or any other process, or of a mixture whose sole ingredients are two or more substances so produced, or of a mixture whose sole ingredients are one or more substances so produced and water or some other inert substances. (Section 132)

No licence is required for the sale, supply, manufacture or assembly of any such herbal remedy in the course of a business in which the person carrying on the business sells or supplies the remedy for administration to a particular person after being requested by or on behalf of that person, and in that person’s presence, to use his own judgement as to the treatment required. The person carrying on the business must be the occupier of the premises where the manufacture or assembly takes place and must be able to close them so as to exclude the public. (Section 12 (1))

No licence is required for the sale, supply, manufacture or assembly of those herbal remedies where the process to which the plant or plants are subjected consists only of drying, crushing or comminuting and the remedy is sold or supplied under a designation which only specifies the plant or plants and the process and does not apply any other name to the remedy; and without any written recommendation (whether by means of a labelled container or package or a leaflet or in any other way) as to the use of the remedy. (Section 12 (2)) This exemption does not apply to imported products. Except where a herbal product is supplied for a medicinal use, legally it is not even a medicinal product.

The 1968 Act has been a great step forward in the history of herbal medicine, The British Herbal Medicine Association and the National Institute of Medical Herbalists fought and won many special concessions. In years following the Act standards rose sharply. Practitioners enjoy a measure of recognition, with power to manufacture and dispense their own medicines and issue official certificates for incapacitation for work.

See: BRITISH HERBAL MEDICINE ASSOCIATION. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL HERBALISTS. ... medicine’s act, 1968. 

A lung disease in which there is intermittent narrowing of the bronchi (airways), causing shortness of breath, wheezing, and cough. The illness often starts in childhood but can develop at any age. At least 1 child in 7 suffers from asthma, and the number affected has increased dramatically in recent years. Childhood asthma may be outgrown in about half of all cases.

During an asthma attack, the muscle in the walls of the airways contracts, causing narrowing. The linings of the airways also become swollen and inflamed, producing excess mucus that can block the smaller airways.

In some people, an allergic response triggers the airway changes. This allergic type of asthma tends to occur in

childhood and may develop in association with eczema or certain other allergic conditions such as hay fever (see rhinitis, allergic). Susceptibility to these conditions frequently runs in families and may be inherited.

Some substances, called allergens, are known to trigger attacks of allergic asthma. They include pollen, house-dust mites, mould, and dander and saliva from furry animals such as cats and dogs. Rarely, certain foods, such as milk, eggs, nuts, and wheat, provoke an allergic asthmatic reaction. Some people with asthma are sensitive to aspirin, and taking it may trigger an attack.

When asthma starts in adulthood, there are usually no identifiable allergic triggers. The 1st attack is sometimes brought on by a respiratory infection.

Factors that can provoke attacks in a person with asthma include cold air, exercise, smoke, and occasionally emotional factors such as stress and anxiety. Although industrial pollution and exhaust emission from motor vehicles do not normally cause asthma, they do appear to worsen symptoms in people who already have the disorder. Pollution in the atmosphere may also trigger asthma in susceptible people.

In some cases, a substance that is inhaled regularly in the work environment can cause a previously healthy person to develop asthma. This type is called occupation asthma and is one of the few occupational lung diseases that is still increasing in incidence.

There are currently about 200 substances used in the workplace that are known to trigger symptoms of asthma, including glues, resins, latex, and some chemicals, especially isocyanate chemicals used in spray painting. However, occupational asthma can be difficult to diagnose because a person may be regularly exposed to a particular trigger substance for weeks, months, or even years before the symptoms of asthma begin to appear.

Asthmatic attacks can vary in severity from mild breathlessness to respiratory failure. The main symptoms are wheezing, breathlessness, dry cough, and tightness in the chest. In a severe attack, breathing becomes increasingly difficult, resulting in a low level of oxygen in the blood. This causes cyanosis (bluish discoloration) of the face, particularly the lips. Untreated, such attacks may be fatal.

There is no cure for asthma, but attacks can be prevented to a large extent if a particular allergen can be identified.

Treatment involves inhaled bronchodilator drugs (sometimes known as relievers) to relieve symptoms. When symptoms occur frequently, or are severe, inhaled corticosteroids are also prescribed. These drugs are used continuously to prevent attacks by reducing inflammation in the airways and are also known as preventers.

Other drug treatments include sodium cromoglicate and nedocromil sodium, which are useful in preventing exerciseinduced asthma.

A new group of drugs called leukotriene receptor antagonists may reduce the dose of corticosteroid needed to control the condition.

Theophylline or the inhaled anticholinergic drug ipratropium may also be used as bronchodilators.

An asthma attack that has not responded to treatment with a bronchodilator needs immediate assessment and treatment in hospital.... asthma

n. a microscopic spherical membrane-enclosed vesicle or sac (20–30 nm in diameter) made artificially in the laboratory by the addition of an aqueous solution to a phospholipid gel. The membrane resembles a cell membrane and the whole vesicle is similar to a cell organelle. Liposomes can be incorporated into living cells and may be used to transport relatively toxic drugs into cancer cells, where they can exert their maximum effects. The cancerous organ is at a higher temperature than normal body temperature, so that when the liposome passes through its blood vessels the membrane melts and the drug (e.g. *doxorubicin) is released. Liposomes are also undergoing clinical trials as vehicles in *gene therapy for cystic fibrosis.... liposome

Pimenta dioica

FAMILY: Myrtaceae

SYNONYMS: P. officinalis, pimento, pimenta, Jamaica pepper.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: An evergreen tree which reaches about 10 metres high and begins to produce fruit in its third year. Each fruit contains two kidney-shaped green seeds which turn glossy black upon ripening.

DISTRIBUTION: Indigenous to the West Indies and South America, it is cultivated extensively in Jamaica, Cuba and, to a lesser degree, in Central America. Imported berries are distilled in Europe and America.

OTHER SPECIES: Four other varieties of pimento are found in Venezuela, Guyana and the West Indies which are used locally as spices.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: Used for flatulent indigestion and externally for neuralgic or rheumatic pain. Pimento water is used as a vehicle for medicines which ease dyspepsia and constipation since it helps prevent griping pains. It is used extensively as a domestic spice – allspice is so called because it tastes like a combination of cloves, juniper berries, cinnamon and pepper.

ACTIONS: Anaesthetic, analgesic, anti-oxidant, antiseptic, carminative, muscle relaxant, rubefacient, stimulant, tonic.

EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation from 1. the leaves, and 2. the fruit. The green unripe berries contain more oil than the ripe berries, but the largest percentage of oil is contained in the shell of the fruit. An oleoresin from the berries is also produced in small quantities.

CHARACTERISTICS: 1. Pimenta leaf oil is a yellowish-red or brownish liquid with a powerful sweet-spicy scent, similar to cloves. 2. Pimenta berry oil is a pale yellow liquid with a sweet warm balsamic-spicy bodynote (middle note) and fresh, clean top note. It blends well with ginger, geranium, lavender, opopanax, labdanum, ylang ylang, patchouli, neroli, oriental and spicy bases.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Mainly eugenol, less in the fruit (60–80 per cent) than in the leaves (up to 96 per cent), also methyl eugenol, cineol, phellandrene and cryophyllene among others.

SAFETY DATA: Eugenol irritates the mucous membranes, and has been found to cause dermal irritation. Pimenta leaf and berry oil should therefore be used with care in low dilutions only.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE:

Circulation, muscles and joints: Arthritis, fatigue, muscle cramp, rheumatism, stiffness etc. ‘Used in tiny amounts … in a massage oil for chest infections, for severe muscle spasm to restore mobility quickly, or where extreme cold is experienced.’1

Respiratory System: Chills, congested coughs, bronchitis.

Digestive System: Cramp, flatulence, indigestion, nausea.

Nervous System: Depression, nervous exhaustion, neuralgia, tension and stress.

OTHER USES: Used in aromatic carminative medicines; as a fragrance component in cosmetics and perfumes, especially soaps, aftershaves, spicy and oriental fragrances. Both leaf and berry oil are used extensively for flavouring foods, especially savoury and frozen foods, as well as alcoholic and soft drinks.... allspice