Magnesia Carbonas.

Dose.—Of Carbonate of Magnesia as an aperient, ʒss. to ʒij.; as an antacid or antilithic, from grs. x. to grs. xxx.

Therapeutic Action.—Carbonate of Magnesia is laxative and antacid, but more properly the latter, since its laxative effect does not follow unless there be acid in the stomach. To secure its laxative effect it is necessary to follow it with acids, as lemonade, etc. Some objection arises to the use of this agent from the flatulence which it sometimes produces; for this reason the calcined magnesia is preferred in cardialgia, or where an antidote is required to the mineral acids. It is frequently employed in acidity of the stomach and bowels, as in diarrhea and dysentery, cardialgia, sick headache arising from the presence of acid in the stomach, in heartburn, and in the nausea and vomiting attendant on pregnancy. It is also prescribed as an antilithic in cases where a redundancy of lithic acid is secreted.

The American Eclectic Materia Medica and Therapeutics, 1898, was written by John M. Scudder, M.D.