Infusion of Wood Soot. Syn. Soot tea; Infusum fuliginis ligni, L. Antacid and stimulant. A similar preparation is also made from coal-soot, which is reputed antispasmodic and vermifuge.
Infusion of Worm′wood. Syn. Wormwood tea, Infusum absinthii, L. From the fresh tops of the plant, or from only half the quantity of the dried herb. In loss of appetite, dyspepsia, amenorrhœa, leucorrhœa, gout, worms, &c. See Bitters.
INHALA′TION. Syn. Inhalatio, L. In medicine, the drawing in or inspiring of vapour with the breath. Inhalations (INHALATIONES) are vapours or gases imbibed for the purpose of medicating the mucous membrane of the air-passages. The substances that are to furnish the vapours or fumes are put into a vessel called an ‘inhaler’ (see Inhaler), which may be simply a small covered pot or mug of metal or glass, furnished with a short flexible tube, terminating in a small mouth-piece. In many cases even this simple apparatus may be dispensed with, and the fumes inhaled by holding the head over a vessel containing a little of the substance furnishing them; or, as with chloroform, a little may be dropped on a handkerchief or napkin, which is then held to the nose.
The following are the principal substances that are employed for inhalations at the present day:—
1. Carbonic acid gas and nitrous oxide; occasionally used in phthisis, by means of a bladder and mouth-piece.
2. Chlorine gas; exhibited by adding 5 or 6 drops of aqueous chlorine to the water (tepid) of the inhaler, which should be, in this case, of glass; employed in France for phthisis, but seldom used in England.
3. Chloroform; as an anæsthetic.
4. Vapour of iodine, administered in the same way as chlorine; occasionally used in phthisis.
5. Oxygen and hydrogen gases, either alone or diluted with air; employed in asthma and phthisis, by means of a bladder and mouth-piece.
6. Tar vapour, obtained by heating tar, mixed with a little carbonate of potash, over a spirit lamp, occasionally employed in bronchitis, and recommended by Sir A. Crighton in phthisis, but appears of little value in the latter.