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ASTHMA.

impedes the circulation of the blood through the lungs, orprevents their being duly expanded by the air.

Symptoms. — An asthma is known by a quick laboriousbreathing, which is generally performed with a kind of wheez-ing noise. Sometimes the difficulty of breathing is so greatthat the patient is obliged to keep in an erect posture, other-wise he is in danger of being suffocated. A fit or paroxysmof the asthma generally happens after a person has been ex-posed to cold easterly winds, or has been abroad in thick foggyweather, or has got wet, or continued long in a damp placeunder ground, or the like.

The paroxysm is commonly ushered in with listlessness,want of sleep, hoarseness, a cough, belching of wind, a senseof heaviness about the breast, and difficulty of breathing. Tothese succeed heat, fever, pain of the head, sickness and nau-sea, great oppression of the breast, palpitation of the heart, aweak and sometimes intermitting pulse, an involuntary flowof tears, bilious vomitings, &c. All the symptoms grow worsetowards night ; the patient is easier when up than in bed, andis very desirous of cool air.

Regimen. — -The food ought to be light, and of easy diges-tion. Boiled meats are to be preferred to roasted, and theflesh of young animals to that of old. All windy food, andwhatever is apt to swell in the stomach, is to be avoided.Light puddings, white broths, and ripe fruits baked, boiled orroasted, are proper. Strong liquor of all kinds, especiallymalt liquor, is hurtful. The patient should eat a very lightsupper, or rather none at all. His clothing should be warm,especially in the winter season. As all disorders of the breastare much relieved by keeping the feet warm and promotingthe perspiration, a flannel shirt or waistcoat and thick shoeswill be of singular service.

But nothing is of so great importance in the asthma as pureand moderately warm air. Asthmatic people can seldom beareither the close heavy air of a large town, or the sharp, keenatmosphere of a bleak hilly country; a medium between theseis therefore to be chosen. The air near a large town is oTtenbetter than at a distance, provided the patient be removed sofar as not to be affected by the smoke. Some asthmatic pa-tients indeed breathe easier in town than in the country ; butthis is seldom the case, especially in towns where much coal isburnt. Asthmatic persons who are obliged to be in town allday, ought, at least, to sleep out of it. Even this will often