ASTHMA.

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prove of great service. Those who can afford it ought to tra-vel into a warmer climate. Many asthmatic persons who can-not live in Britain, enjoy very good health in the south ofFrance, Portugal, Spain, or Italy.

Exercise is likewise of very great importance in the asthma,as it promotes the digestion, circulation of the blood, &c. Theblood of asthmatic persons is seldom duly prepared, owing tothe proper action of the lungs being impeded. For this rea-son such people ought daily to take as much exercise, eitheron foot, horseback, or in a carriage, as they can bear.

Medicine. — Almost all that can be done by medicine inthis disease is to relieve the patient when seized with a vio-lent fit. This indeed requires the greatest expedition, as thedisease often proVes suddenly fatal. In the paroxysm or fitthe body is generally bound ; a clysteT ought therefore to beadministered, and if there be occasion it may be repeated twoor three times. The patient's feet and legs ought to be im-mersed in warm water, and afterwards rubbed with a warmhand or dry cloth. If there be a violent spasm about thebreast or stomach, warm fomentations, or bladders filled withwarm milk and water, may be applied to the part affected,and warm cataplasms to the soles of the feet. The patientmust drink freely of diluting liquors, and may take a tea-spoonful of the tincture of castor and saffron mixed together,in a cup of valerian tea, twice or thrice a day. Sometimes avomit has a very good effect, and snatches the patient, as itwere, from the jaws of death. This however will be moresafe after other evacuations have been premised.

In the moist asthma, such things as promote expectorationor spitting ought to be used, as the syrup of squills, gum am-moniac, and such like. A common spoonful of the syrup oroxymel of squills, mixed with an equal quantity of cinnamonwater, may be taken three or four times a day ; and four orfive pills, made of equal parts of assafœtida and gum ammo-niac, may be taken every night at bedtime.

For the convulsive or nervous asthma, antispasmodics andbracers are the most proper medicines. The patient.may takea tea-spoonful of the paregoric elixir twice a day. The Pe-ruvian bark is likewise proper in this case. It may be taken'in substance or infused in wine. In short, every thing thatbraces the nerves or takes off the spasm may be of use in anervous asthma. It is often relieved by the use of ass's milk.26