Hartshorn, Burnt. Syn. Cornu ustum (Ph. L.), Cornu cervi ustum, L. Prep. (Ph. L. 1836.) Burn pieces of harts’ horns until perfectly white, then grind and prepare them in the same way as directed for prepared chalk.
Obs. Finely powdered bone-ash is usually sold for burnt hartshorn, and possesses exactly the same properties.—Dose, 10 to 30 gr., or more 2 or 3 times a day, in rickets, &c
Hartshorn Shavings. Syn. Hartshorn raspings; Rarura cornu cervi, Ramenta c. c., L. Obtained from the turners. Boiled in water, it yields a nutritive jelly. Used by straw-plait workers to stiffen bonnets, &c.
HATCH′ING. See Incubation.
HATS. Those should be chosen possessing a short, smooth, fine nap, and a good black colour; and sufficiently elastic to resist ordinary wear and tear, without breaking or giving way. The HAT BRUSH for daily use should be made of soft hairs, but a stiffer one should be employed occasionally, to lay the nap smooth and close. Grease may be removed by means of porous brown paper, and pressure with a hot iron.
HAY-FEVER. Syn. Hay-asthma, Catarrhus æstivas. Dr Aitken defines this affection as “a variety of asthma or catarrh, occurring generally during the summer months, especially during the inflorescence of the hay crop, or during the drying or conversion of the newly-mown grass into hay, in May and June.” The disease is distinguished by extreme irritation of the eyes, nose, and the whole of the air-passages, these symptoms giving rise in succession to troublesome itching of the eyes and nose, frequent paroxysms of sneezing, with copious discharge from the nostrils, pricking sensation in the throat, cough, tightness of the chest and difficulty of breathing, accompanied sometimes with, and sometimes without, great mucous expectoration. The inhalation of the powder of ipecacuanha sets up similar symptoms with some persons.
Dr Aitken’s definition of hay-fever seems to point to what is pretty generally accepted as its cause, viz. the inhalation of minute and impalpable emanations from certain grasses given off during the period of their flowering and subsequent conversion into hay. This supposition as to the origin of this disease derives support from the circumstance, that it always takes place during the hay season, and at no other; and also that it may be cured by the avoidance of hay-fields and hay-stacks. “Hence going to the sea-coast, and especially to those parts of the coast that are barren of grass, offers a means of protection; and when this cannot be done, such persons obtain refuge in some measure from the cause of irritation, by remaining within doors and shutting out as much as possible the external air during the hay-crop.”[345]
[345] Sir Thomas Watson.
Furthermore, those whom the disease attacks are not particularly subject to catarrh at other times.
Treatment.—Numerous remedies have been proposed and employed for hay-asthma. Dr Elliotson suggests the mild fumigation of the patient’s apartment by means of the solutions of the chlorides of lime or soda; and further advised the sufferers using a smelling bottle containing one or the other of the chlorides. He also employed with success the sulphate of quinine and iron. Mr Gordon recommends the tincture of Lobelia inflata, with the use of the cold shower-bath. Tincture of nux vomica is also said to have been used with good results, as also has Fowler’s solution of arsenic, with very decided advantage, by Dr Mackenzie.