Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-08-14

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If il natural color. Now in all these instances
YOU have witnessed what the fhysician calls al
sorption and It'll precisely this process that
strive 10 set mp IN the absorbents OF The lungs 10
carry away the tubcrcle on which all the danger
10 the patient hangs. The medicines winch we
nhalr for the purpose are called AHerdtifc fHha.
ftnfs. Again. the treatment Of Consumption be-
fore the tuberces have softened and cavities are
formed. differs entrel from that which Is neees
sary after the change has tnken place. we, after
saffpning. wish 90 hasten the discharge of the
matter from the lungs, that we may heal the cavi-
ty formed Just as we heal boHS and abscesses, by
making them FIRST discharge the matter they con
tain
liberation by which cavities nre formed in the
lungs. l., tie last change which can take place
before death closes the sufferings of the patient
When, therefore, ! say person has one or more
cavities, meun that they are in the last stage OF
confirmed Consumption; and when say that
these cavities are not only durable, hat nrc very
often cured by inhalation, you viii understand
that consider Consumption durable by lnhala,
ton in every stage OF It's regfess. But tisnot
durable in the same proportion ut cases, nor can
we employ the same remedies IN the last stage
that are 81 beneficial in the first. OF 100 eases
treated before cavities formed, about 30 will
recover: while after cavities, not more than 80
or So ont Of 100 regain health. Medicines which
cause absorption, and which employ in the early
stage. dry up the secretions of the lungs, and
, gradually diminish the quantity of matter dis
charged while those which are necessary after
the lungs have liberated cause profuse discharge.
and act by cleansing and expelling the pus and
phiegm and mucous from the air tubes. You
see therefore, how important it is that the ply
stefan should know the stage of the disease be-
fore he prescrbes medicines to cure it; and how
ignorant, cruel and mercenary is the system OF
quackery which consists in the sale of "Patent
Medicines to cure Consumption Alas thou
sands throw away their lives every year by pur-
chasing nostrums at the drug store
You may asa, can Consumption by these means
be cured, where both lungs are extensively in
volved in disease? This is a question which cam
not be answered without some explanation
There is point beyond which recovery is not
possible; and yet the patient may hnger on for
several months There are no means within hui
man power to rebuild and replace air-tubes and
air-cells once destroyed. When a part of the
lung is broken down, it is like leg or an arm
that is cut off, may heal the part, but
! not remakeit it. We cannot live without consid-
cradle part of the lungs remain sound and
where the destruction has gone beyond that point,
! the disease must prove fatal, in defiance Of all
earthly remedies. The patient dies for want Of
air, Just he would die for want of food if his
stomach was unable to receive sufficient to sus-
tain life.
The means by which inhalation is employed
are two fold-by an air inhang instrument and
! by indicating the air of the room in which the
patient sleeps. The Inhaler is made of glass,
and holds about pint of water. The entrance in
TO it is closed by cork having IA metallic cap,
through which pass two tubes. One of these is
glass, and passes through the top of the cork down
below the fluid, to within a quarter of an inch of
the bottom. The other tube passes through the
cork and rises above it is elastic, about fifteen
inches long, and furnished with glass mouth
piece. The principle Of its construction is very
-. Al
stream of fresh air ruShes down the glass tnhe
and breaks up in bubbles through the liquid. This
Auid being medieated d, thoroughly impregnates
tho air with its properties; and in this manner,
by simply varying the medicines put into the fluid.
the vapor is rendered "expectorant, soothing"
"stmulating," "alterative," "astringent," at
pleasure.
Each patient is supplied with an inhaler and
such medicines as adapted to his case. He
first half llls the inhaler with warm water then
adds the medicine, and inhales or inspires it for
five, ten, or fifteen minutes. The first inspira-
ton fills the lungs with the indicated air, and he
feels an instantaneous conviction that he has at
last found remedy for his malady.
Each inhalation bears the same relation to the
Lungs that dose of medicine by the stomach,
or the application of dressing to diseased sur
| face. bears to other parts Of the body Usually
three or foar limitations are taken in the day
! shall not dwell on the medicines used for in
haation, since yon will understand from what
| have said ON the classes or kinds of inhafqnts
TINT they very humorous. But there is one
| point TO which | will briefly allude and that is
the temperature or warmth of the vapors inhaled.
AS the medicines used differ greatly in their VIOLA.
tility, they cannot all be inhaled in the same man
ner. The best and greatest number of medicines
employed by inhalation are vegetable nfusions,
and require to be inhaled from water of such
temperature as to produce vapor of the warmth
| OF the breath, which. of all Others. the most
grateful and natural TO the lungs la acute at
lacks of Bronchitis, Clumsy, Geld in the Head,
and in all cases where the lungs are inflalned, the
limitations should be taken as warm as they can
| be borne. Most vegetable extracts. gums, resins
and balsams can only be rendered volatile by
dry heat, and hence are eyaporatod in the room
in which the patient sleeps. This class of inha-
lants is very valuable in all forms of Bronchial
disease. but requires to be carefully adapted to
the condition of the case.
Thus, you see, it is necessary to way the
warmth of the vapor, and the manner of prepar-
ing the medicines forinhaaton, according to the
! kind OF medicine used and the state of the lungs
| at the time of its use.
There are few substances, such as Aicohol,
Prussic Acid, Tarpeatiae and Ether, that are
volatile at the ordinary temperature of the air,
and that can be Inhaled ''cold'' but these are not
only irritating to the lungs, but possess no cura-
tive virtue.
should not have been thus explicit on these
points, which are entirely secondary to the grand
principle upon which they rest, had not the impo-
sitons of Empires, and the heartess specula-
tons of drug vendors, rendered it an almost i'm.
perotive duty to explain fully, tor the informa-
ton OF the public, what is meant by inhalation
In my opinion, there is no greater antidote to
quackery than sound information given TO the
people The medical advertisements of the ,lav
TEEN with fabulous pretenSioaS and unbushinp
fHl nnlS II at,i,,rr A.