Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1859-12-10
DAILY EMPIRE.
tFrom me Cincinnati Rnqoiror)
DR. Wolfe on Consumption and Medioa-
a ted Inhalation.
FTpEp Wv



II has been desideratum with the medi,
cal profession since the days of Hinpocrat tss
TO discover some efiectual mode Of apnivino
remedies directly to the diseased surfaces u
the lungs, for il has always been received ~
an accepted fact, that where attainabla. local
applications should always be emnioved
along with the constitutional rem medies which
latter are olton rendered unnecessary when
the former can be used. Accordingly we
find in the writings of Hippoorates. and tho
chain Of medical writers from his time down
TO the present. traces Of efforts TO apply this
method to the diseases Of the lungs, but ali
OF the crudest kind, resolving themselves In
70 inhaling iumigations arising from burn,
ing gums, resins and herbs, the fume of
heated oinnabar realgar and other substan,
COS volatilizable by heat These were re-,
oeived into the throat by holding tho nose
and mouth over the ascending vapors. and
drawing them into the lungs in inspiration
Any one curious in such matters will find
description ofthis method in Boerhav's Com,
mentaries, article "Consumptionp This
was the condition Of the therapeutics of In,
halation for 2500 years. / think that DIR
Nudge, of London, is Justly entitled TO the
merit OF having taken tho first practical step
towards the modern mode of inhalation al,
though he was not aware of the full extent
OF the reformation in treatment of the lungs
that be had iniated The philosophy of tbe
treatment of chest diseases is anparent whom
we consider that the lungs and air passages
are the parts affected, and that if we intro
duce air impregnated with medicated van
ors, we thereby bring the remedial agent
as directly in contact with the diseased sur,
faces us wash to sore on the leg. But
it may be objected that we have no proof
that medicines can act thus certainly on tho
lungs, or on the system through the lungs.
To developing this portion of the subject
shall devote my letter to day. Inhalation of
chlorine will produce a temporary arrest of
the recretion Of the bronchial tubes. or in
other words, dryness of the surface. The
use OF expectorant and emolient vapors will
produce the directly opposite effect, and in
the first stage of acute bronchitis, when the
tubes are dry and tumid no remedy by the
stomach will produce the resolution of this
state, with anything approaching the speed
with which such inhalants act Is the pa,
tient sitting up at two in the morning ohokr
ing in all the agonies of the worst flt of asth,
ma, an anti-spasmodic inhalant will procure
perfect relief for the night in three or four
minutes. ls the case one of chronic bron-
chltls, where the secretion is profuse and
semi purulent the use of balsamic and as
tringeut inhalants will soon diminish the
quantity and improve the quality of the OK,
peetoration. These are facts patent to the
observation of every medical man, who will
take the trouble to make the trial But il
will serve to make the power of inhaled
remedies over the general system more ev-
ident 1t few examples be given. The
power OF chlorine and 10 line over consump
ton ls proved by the exemption of work. |
men from this disease who work in factories
where the vapors are floating about in the
air, and by cures being effected upon the
tuberculized by resorting to such establish.
ments for work
Piorry gained his fame for curing con,
sumption, by pouring in iodine in every
way, by inhalation and otherwise But he |
often lett his patients, as Dr. Kingston said
the victim Of lodism, scarcely less deplor
able state than the Victims of mercuriaiism.
This unhappy result is avoided by combin~
ing the use of various vegetable discutients.
that aid the effects of iodine, and procure
salutary effects of their own A drachm of
chioroform will produce little or no effect.
when taken into the stomach, but the same
quantity inhaled into the lungs will cause
profound intoxication, with total loss Of
sense and motion, and even death, A grain
oi arsenurretted hydrogen swallowed has
little effect, but the hundreth part of grain.
inhaled into the lungs, will cause death, with
an the symptoms Of arsenioal poisoning
Inc late professor of chemistry in Calcutta
College, was exhibiting Marshes test to his
class, and an accidental draught blew the
tunes toward him, and he inhaled perhaps
not the thousandth of a grain certainly not
the fiye hundrelh; he was seized with vios
ent arsenical poisoning, and his life was
lespalred OF for some time. Gen. Gates
who introduced the use of stramonium
leaves when smoked, for the relief of asth,
ma, tell victim TO an overdose, and vet the
quantity OF empyreumatic oil introduced
INTO the lungs must have been very min
lte. The preceding remarks have been
'hrown together, to prove that medicines
inhaled into the lungs produce not only di-
'ect local effects, butare capable of acting
IN the system at large, as alternatives, mar
'oucs, dlscutients, etc, and these in very
much smaller doses than by the stomach
lhey are adduoed as specimens ofthe proofs
lpon which the practitioners of inhalation
ely LOT the maintenance of their assertions
md these proofs might be accumulated ad
ntinltum. With this preamble my readers
will be able to understand the rationale of
he process by which cure is effected in
through inhalation, which will
orm the subject Of my next letter
N. b. WOLFE, NJ. d.
Physician for diseases of the Lungs and
Throat, No SO, Ninth street, Cincinnati o.
p ST. have prepared "Cirouar" for the
lse Of those who may wish to consult me
especting my method of treating diseases
II the lungs, who reside at distance from
he city, or who cannot visit me personally.
Phe circular contains list Of questions re,
ating to the symptoms by which consump,
ion and its different varieties are known,
md by answering which correctly, persons
rom abroad are enabled to send me cor,
ect statement OF their condition for advice
md treatment In this manner, am ena-
'bled to put persopsunder treatment by medI
Gated Inhalation at their own homes, in all
'arts OF the county where express facilities
re afforded, by sending them medicines in.
laler, and full directions for their use -
dany have thus been restored to health, who
o all human seeming were hurrying into
he consumptiye's grave.
Application for the circular must be ac,
ompanied with postage stamp to pay re-
urn postage,