In East India and other oriental countries, ipecac has been regarded for a century or more as the great remedy for dysentery. In Europe and America, treatment by ipecac had fallen into disuse until quite recent times, on account, first, of its emetic action, second, of the deterioration and adulteration of the drug, and third, of improper methods of administration. The revival within the past decade of the use of this drug as a remedy for dysentery was largely due to Patrick Manson, whose extensive experience in the tropics thoroughly convinced him that it was an efficient remedy.
Besides Manson, a number of other authorities attest the value of ipecac. Notably among these are Woodhull, Major Rhoades, Simon, Dock, Freund, Barker and others. Woodhull1 refers to it as the one remedy which, if properly used, is as conspicuous in dysentery as quinin is in the malarial fevers, and urges