ASTHMA.
PHTHISIC.
One of the most distressing ailments with which the human family is afflicted is asthma. Its symptoms are not to be mistaken. Suddenly and without apparent provocation the patient experiences the greatest difficulty in breathing. When warning is given, there is usually a sense of fullness in the stomach, flatulence, languor, and general nervous irritability. The countenance is a picture of anxiety and horror. The difficulty of breathing increases and the struggle for air commences. Windows and doors are thrown open, fans used, and, utterly regardless of consequences, the sufferer passes the whole night in exposure and torture, even though the temperature be below zero. Fearing suffocation, the patient dare not lie down; he rushes to the window for air, rests his head upon a table or chair, or upon his hands, with the elbows upon the knees, jumps up suddenly and gasps and struggles for air. The eyes are prominent and the veins of the forehead distended with blood; sometimes the bowels are relaxed. The urine is colorless and is passed in copious quantities. This symptom indicates great excitement of the nervous system. The voice is hoarse, articulation difficult, breathing limited, noisy and wheezy. The wheezing is pathognomonic of the disease. It can only be confounded with croup, and then only in the young. In croup there is pain and difficulty in swallowing, fever and cough, which are usually absent in asthma. A severe paroxysm of asthma is very distressing to witness, and one unused to it might well suppose the sufferer to be in his last agonies. No definite limit can be assigned to the duration of the attack or of the disease. It may last but a few minutes, may endure for hours, or with slight remission continue for days. The condition of the patient may be for years as changeable as the pointings of the weather-vane. In fact, the atmosphere has much to do with the disease. With every approaching storm, with every cloud of dust, even the dust from sweeping a room, with every foul odor, and, in some more sensitive organizations, with even the perfume of flowers, a paroxysm is provoked. Truly he is a "child of circumstances," a veritable football upon the toes of every atmospheric disturbance.
UNPARALLELED SUCCESS.
Persons affected with asthma or phthisic are numerous. With such an amount of suffering in our midst is it not a marvel, if not a disgrace, that the medical profession of to-day endorse the opinions of a half century ago and pronounce it incurable, rather than make stupendous and laudable efforts to discover plans of medication that will result in certain and permanent cure? Almost single handed we undertook this field of investigation, and we take pleasure in reporting that our labors have been crowned with success. The large experience furnished us has led to the discovery of remedies for this distressing malady of more than ordinary efficacy. Through the agency of these means we have been enabled to cure hundreds, who had suffered untold tortures for twelve, fifteen, or twenty-five years. Some whom we have been successful in curing had suffered from childhood to middle and even old age. The treatment of asthma, or phthisic, still continues to be a prominent specialty at the Invalids' Hotel and Surgical Institute.
NATURE OF THE DISEASE.
As to the exact pathological condition in this malady, opinions differ. Some physicians consider it a disease of the nervous system, others, of the blood, others, of the bronchial tubes, while not a few believe it to be dependent upon some disease of the stomach, heart, liver, kidneys, or due to urinary affections, or "female weakness." Respecting all these diseases of special organs, it is evident that any complication, and particularly one that is debilitating or causes irritation of the nervous system will increase its severity. This important fact we keep constantly in view in our treatment, and prescribe remedies to remove all complications.
In heart disease there is often dyspnoea, or difficult breathing, but this is not of the nature of asthma, or phthisic. The condition of the lungs is readily understood. There being an obstruction to the free passage of the blood through the heart, any excessive muscular exertion, or anything, in fact, which increases the action of the heart, is very apt to produce congestion of the lungs, and then the blood becomes surcharged with carbonic acid, which causes increased efforts to take more air into the lungs.
A Nervous Disease. A sudden fright, unfavorable news, grief, loss of property, etc., circumstances which affect the mind and nervous system, almost invariably throw the phthisical into a paroxysm. Nervines are demanded, particularly if the case be a chronic one, and we see that they are carefully and properly prepared and supplied, and in such a form as to be exactly fitted to the temperament and constitution.
POPULAR REMEDIES USED FOR SELF-TREATMENT OF ASTHMA.
There are numerous remedies that may be used to relieve paroxysms of asthma. Among them we will notice a few that are most frequently employed by the profession. They can be easily and inexpensively prepared by any patient or druggist:
1. Equal parts of the tinctures of lobalis capsicum and skunk cabbage root. Dose.—Take a half teaspoonful in a little water every ten or fifteen minutes until relieved.
NOTE.—This is an antispasmodic and relaxant. In considerable quantities it will produce sickness at the stomach and perhaps vomiting. It should not be used when there is disease of the heart.
2. Chloroform. Dose.—A small quantity (say thirty drops), may be poured upon a handkerchief or napkin, held about one inch from the nostrils and the vapor inhaled. It is quite unnecessary to use this until insensibility follows; in fact, such an effect would be hazardous to life in the hands of the inexperienced.
3. Sulphuric ether. Dose.—The same as No. 2, and with the same precaution. Either of them should be used promptly upon the beginning of the paroxysm.
4. Take four ounces of stramonium leaves and strip from the stems, rubbing between the hands to partly pulverize. To this add one ounce of saltpetre, finely powdered. Dose.—Place a half teaspoonful upon a very hot shovel. Inhale the rising smoke. If the first few inspirations cause coughing, the smoke should not be evaded as the coughing incites deeper inspiration.
5. Stramonium and saltpetre as in No. 4. Dampen with water and make into balls or cones. These are more easily handled and are fired in the same way as the powder and used in the same way.
6. Take of sunflower leaves, stramonium leaves, mullein leaves, one ounce each; of lobelia leaves, half an ounce; of powdered nitre, one ounce; and benzoic acid, two drams. Mix thoroughly. Dose.—A pipeful, to be smoked the same as tobacco.
7. A cup of hot coffee or several of hot water. This is especially effective in cases arising from checked perspiration, from rheumatism, etc.
These recipes are given to the public as being the principal agents employed by the medical profession throughout the world. It must be distinctly understood that they are not curative but merely palliative, and used to relieve paroxysms. We object to them wholly and unqualifiedly because they contain NARCOTICS. It is a fundamental principle in our treatment not to use this class of remedies. They stupefy the brain, debilitate the nervous system, and have, in not a few instances, formed an unfortunate appetite and habit, most difficult to overcome. We are of the opinion that one of the chief reasons why this malady has been considered incurable is the fact that physicians have almost universally relied upon narcotic drugs. With such medication a cure is the exception. A cure can only be effected under such circumstances when the powers of nature are sufficient to overcome both the NARCOTIC and the DISEASE. That they will relieve we do not deny, but they will never cure. It reminds us of an old country doctor who advised a lady to smoke tobacco to cure acid dyspepsia. She followed the prescription for over thirty years and at last accounts was not cured yet. In all seriousness we ask would any other remedy except a narcotic or stimulant be used with such persistency for anything like this length of time? Is it not apparent that such agents form a habit which is often worse than the disease, and yet fail to effect a cure? We appreciate the necessity for relief, and do not blame sufferers for availing themselves of any means for this purpose. But they should not be satisfied with relief only, but should look about for such a system of medication as will rid them of the disease completely and permanently. If a week's or a month's exemption is a "foretaste of heaven," how incomparable are the comforts and happiness to be derived from a life-time immunity?
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
are annually spent upon the advice of physicians, in traveling expenses, and hotel bills, by sufferers from asthma, or phthisic, in seeking a change of climate that will be advantageous. It is the last expedient of the doctor who is annoyed by the continued complaint of his unrelieved patient, and can only be made available by the wealthy. In some instances the change is beneficial, but to be effectually so a permanent change of residence is required. Most patients are unable or unwilling to do this. In some cases change only affords temporary relief, the attacks returning after a few months. Even the wealthy dislike to take such chances. The less opulent cannot think of such methods, and hence are compelled to bear their sufferings as best they can. In the majority of instances the "change of climate" is only an illusion, or only temporarily beneficial at best. We can tell them a better way, and if they are wise they will follow it.
HAY ASTHMA, OR HAY FEVER.
This affection, known also as Hay Catarrh, Hay Fever, or Rose Cold differs but little in its manifestations, from coryza, or cold in the head, save in its inciting cause, and in its element of periodicity. In this latitude there are persons who, during summer or early fall, are invariably attacked with acute congestion or inflammation of the upper air-passages, giving rise to sneezing, watery discharges from the nose and eyes, difficult respiration, fever, and general prostration. These symptoms are supposed to be induced by the inhalation of pollen or odors from grasses or flowers, which at that time are supposed to give off certain exhalations of an Irritating character. Unless arrested by medical treatment, the disease lasts until cool weather, or the occurrence of a hard frost rids the atmosphere of the exciting influence.
Some feather beds give off an odor which excites all the aggravated symptoms of this disease. Thus it appears that certain emanations have the power of inciting these inflammatory conditions in certain sensitive constitutions. In all individuals suffering from this disease there is an over sensitiveness of the nervous system which admits of the appearance of such sudden and severe manifestations. Many cases suffering only mild symptoms for the first few seasons, annually become aggravated until severe spasmodic asthma is a regular, and sometimes continuous complication. A case or two are on record in which the odor from the body of a horse so induced these symptoms that the individual could never ride or drive him.
Treatment. In mild cases, or when the attack first appears, the daily use of Dr. Sage's Catarrh Remedy fluid will neutralize and wash away the poisonous particles which have found lodgment in the nasal passages. The Remedy is best applied with Dr. Pierce's Nasal Douche. When the disease has existed the previous season it is necessary that the patient begin both constitutional and local treatment four or six weeks prior to an expected return of the disease. The nervous system should be strengthened, and the resistance of the patient to the irritating influence of these pollens and odors so increased, that even though he may be exposed, no severe symptoms will follow.
Dr. Pierce's Golden Medical Discovery will be found invaluable as an alterative, blood purifier, and nerve tonic, and should be taken regularly while Dr. Sage's Catarrh Remedy is being used locally for its antiseptic and curative properties. The action of the "Discovery" is especially desired in cases that are so far advanced as to be attended with asthmatic symptoms, such as difficult breathing, headache, and a feeling of lassitude and prostration.
In very obstinate or distressing cases our specialists have been able to prescribe and send, by mail or express, special courses of treatment which have proven so effective as to cure the disease permanently, so that it has not reappeared the following season. The treatment seems to have produced such an impression upon the system as to have fortified the individual against a return of the disease.
In rare cases morbid growths in the upper air-passages are of such a nature as in themselves to be a source of sufficient excitement to unbalance the nervous equilibrium so that the individual is thus rendered more susceptible to this disease. In such, or exceedingly obstinate cases a personal examination by our specialist is desirable, and often results in the use of such measures as give permanent relief.