ASTHMA.

295

In the moist asthma, such things as promote expectoration orspitting-, ought to be used; as the syrup of squills,* gum-ammoni-ac, and such like. A common spoonful of the syrup or oxymel ofsquills, mixed with an equal quantity of cinnamon-water, may betaken three or four times through the day, and four or five pillsmade of equal parts of assafœtida and gum-ammoniac at bed time.t

A combination of foxglove and opium has proved highly advan-tageous in spasmodic asthma, when given in the dose of half agrain of each every four or five hours. In the petuitous asthma,squill and foxglove might be more advisable.t Ou the authorityof a modern writer, galvanism was found most efficacious in reliev-ing habitual aslhma.§

For the convulsive or nervous asthma, antispasmodics and tonics are the most proper medicines. The patient may take a tea-spoonful of the paregoric elixir twice a-day. The Peruvian barkis sometimes found to be of use in this case ; it may be taken insubstance or infused in wine. Bitter infusions, chalybeate waters,and preparations of iron, particularly the subcarbonate and sul-phate, in short, every thing that braces the nerves or takes offspasm, may be of use in a nervous asthma. It is often relieved bythe use of asses' milk: I have likewise known cows' milk drankwarm in the morning have a very good effect in this case.

In addition to other tonics, exercise either in swinging, sailing,riding in a carriage, or on horseback, but particularly the latter,together with a change of air, will be beneficial to asthmatics :they should try different situations to live in, where the disease isrendered less distressing, or is entirely removed. Their clothingthould be warm.

In the arthritic asthma, arising from the retrocession of gout,there are usually intermissions and other irregularities of the pulse,£ reat anxiety of countenance, with a bluish tinge thereon. Largedoses of opium, etVier, camphor, and ammonia F.re the medicinesmost likely to afford relief. Sometimes it is necessary to bleedthe patient, and often to apply a blister to the chest, assisted withplacing the feet in warm water, «fee.

In every species of asthma setons and issues have a good effect;they may either be set in the back or side, and should never be al-

# Take Mixture of Ammoniacum, 4 oz.Oxymel of Squills, 3 drs.

Solution of Antimony Wine, 40 drps.Distilled Vinegar, 4 oz -

Make a mixture ; of which two table-spoonsful are to be taken often, or wheneither the cough or shortness of breathis troublesome.

Take Mixture of Ammoniacum, 1 oz.Solution of Acetated Ammonia, % drs.

----------- Tartarized Antimony,

15 drops.Syrup of Tolu, 1 d.achro.

Make a draught, to be taken every sixhours.

t After copious evacuations, large doses of ether have been found very efficacious iuremoving a fit of the asthma. I have likewise known the following mixture producevery happy effects •. To four or five ounces of the solution or milk of gum ammoniacadd two ounces of simple cinnamon water, the same quantity of balsamic svrup, andhalf an ounce of paregoric elixir. Of this two table-spoonsful may be taken everythree hours.

tTake Foxglove in Powder, fi grains.

Compound Squill Pill, 2 scruples.

§ See Experimental Inquiry into the La«on Philip, M. D. 0.329.

Syrup of Tolu, enough to make the massinto 12 pills, one to be taken three orfour times a-day.¡s of the Vital Functions, &c. by A. P. VViJ.