Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 1, 1802).djvu/487

453&#93; CAT cate the severity of the cold, the In- haler, without the opiate, should be repeated the next morning. 2. If the use of this apparatus, See. be delayed till die second night, it will be always proper to repeat the process the follow- ing morning, without the opiate, except where the attack has been violent. 3. Should the cough be neglect- ed for some days, it will always be necessary to employ both parts of the process at night, and die suc- ceeding morning, as the first sim- ple inflammatory mischief is now most probably aggravated by an additional disease, of a chronic na- ture. But, if this should be omit- ted, and the cough continue to harass the patient, it is of the utmost consequence, particularly in delicate and tender individuals, to attempt the removal of it as soon as possible, before any float- ing acrimony in the constitution (from die perpetual irritation; re- ceives an habitual determination to an organ so essential to life as the lungs. If the patient, with case and freedom, expectorates a thick, and well digested, inoffensive phlegm, there is generally but little doubt of his dirowing off die disorder, widi common care, in a few d and till that be accomplished, a proper dose of paregoric elixir, for a few successive nights, will be found very useful, in suppressing tht; fatiguing irritation, and ineifec- tual cough, occasioned by a matter which, in the early stage of the disease, flows into the bronchise, during die night, and is generally too thin to be discharged by those convulsive efforts. But, should the cough still continue, notwidistand- ing a free and copious cxpt clora- C AT [453 tion, and the discharge, instead of removing the complaint, become a disease greater than die constitu- tion can support, it is possible that a tender patient, possessed of weak and relaxed lungs, may do himself irreparable injury, without the least appearance of purulence, or any suspicion of suppuration. In those cases, besides increasing the general perspiration, by die salu- tary friction of a flannel waist- coat, change of situation, espe- cially long journeys on horseback, conducted as much as possible, through a tiiin, sharp, dry air, will seldom fad to remove the com- plaint. On the contrary, if die cough should continue dry, husky, without expectoration, andfatiguing to die breast, provided diere be no apprehension of tubercles, either forming, or already formed, there is not, perhaps, a more efficacious remedy for it than half a dram of gum ammoniac, with eighteen, or twenty drops of liquid laudanum, made into pills, taken at bed-time, and occasionally repeated. This exceUent remedy was recommend- ed by Sir John Piungle, and Dr. Mudge observes, diat he has, in many instances, found it to be very successful, and generally expedi- tious ; for it almost uniformly pro- duced an expectoration, and abat- ed the distressing fatijrue of the cough. The latter practitioner has, likewise, in many instances, know a .a salutary revulsion made from the lungs, by die simple application of a large plaster, about five or six inches in diameter, of burgundy pitch between the shoulders ; as the perspirable matter, which ispent up under it, becomes so sharp and acrid, diat it generally produces, in a few days, a very considerable itching, some little tendency to in- G g J flammation,