American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1863-05-08

AZ ne season ~ me year be- now pressn +.
when pneumonia p'eurisy, coughs and coos
ere prevailing. 10 has occurred 20 me ihal a
short article presenting tie botanic or reform
practice ~ medicine I'D these forms 81 dl'eas-
q might interest many o. the patrons Of Yonr
valuable paper There is an excellent article
on this sut Ieei-pneumouia--in the FHysi'
M'dicdl Rscorder. Published al Cinclhhali /.
Ohio. which. With few slight alterations. "
you can consistently admit into your paper
you will add another 10 the many obligations
under which you have placed your humble
servant by past iavors.
"Tbe sudden changes Of weather, common
from November to May, lead to many as
turbances in the system, among the most
serious OF which is pneumonia, or pressure OF
blood upon the lungs, accompanied Nv re-
sistinp infammatory action. The diihculty
USUALLY comes ahont upon exposure 10 damp.
chilly air for n length Of time, the degree Of
cold not being as injurious as the damphess
connected with it Such exposures contract
the skin and its blood vessels and force the
blood inwardly When the circulating mud
is thus driven from its regular channels
especially when no free exercise IL taken TO
ard the equalization Of the flow, its balance
becomes DESTROYED, and il sccumulates IN
such large quantities upon some OF the inter
nal organs a. 10 more or less seriously inter
fere with the proper performance Of their
functions. If. after such exposure, warm
and dry room he entered, the lungs will be
weakened, and the blood PUSHES TO them IN
excessive quantities This is the beginning
ofpneumona.
at first the patient feels chilly, and there
is an irresistible shiyerinR, not from actual
GOODNESS. but because il cant be helped !"
il is impossible for the patient to resist. Eli
such paroxysms are evidences Of natures
attempt to restore the blood to it's proper
channels, Of vital effort to return the flow
TO the surface Not succeeding IN its at
tempt, The heart and arteries will soon en-
gage earnestly in the struggle, adsh will
pass over the skin, the pulse will become
elevated and hard, and there may be some
thirst. The excessive quantity Of blood in the
lungs presses upon the nerves, and causes
constant pain. which il deeply seated aud
rather dull. yet very severe. The same IT.
ritation provOkes a short cough. which con
tnues almost without interruption, only
small quantity Of glairy mucns being raised
The breathing is rather short, aud there ia a
smolhered feeling about the chest, with an
inclination 10 sigh-which act, however, IL
prevented, because il increases the pain -
These last symptoms are he consequences Of
the pressure Of HE hlocd in the lungs,
"This is the favorable moment for tn" phv.
. ician for while the symptoms Rre thus light,
the equilibrium Of the blood can be much
more easily restored than when the lapse of
Srme hours or days has allowed it to hpcome
more largely accumulated upon the lungs.
I.et every haste be made, therefore to get the
flow returned fully aud permanently to the
surface Use freely Of n warm infusion Of
peunsv root (asc}epim tab'rosa) and ginger
10 cqdaI parts A tea cup two.thrds full Of
such tea may be drsuk every twenty min.
uteS till the skin becomes moist, applying at
Che came time warm bricks wrapped up in
damp cloths. or bottles or ugs Of warm
water TO the surface. to assist in producing
pers piration--and then give the tea and keep
UP the external applications Just so IA to keep
up gentle sweat To aid the Infusion.
small. strong, and cold enema Of Elm and
lobelia may be given, with a view of having
IT retained or, if the bowels have not been
Wnloaded within proper time. clysters of
warm lobela and ginger NAV first be given,
md then the cold elm and lobels used, and
nlained AZ long az possible. This should
he done IN the outset vapor bath being pre-
pared in the meantimer and the patient put
Iulo IT as soou as ready. Apply the bath
till free sweat is established all over the
body then wipe the patient dry put him to
linn. I'll, l,.,t al
quiet aud moderately warm and repeat the
elm and lohelia enema every second third,
ar fourth hour according as the pulse re.
mains hard or becomes softer The bowels
should be unloaded by stimulating enema
AZ least twice every day. II the tongue is
heavily coated aud the head aches the appe.
ute having been precarious for some DAYS
previous 10 the attack, an emetic of lobelia
should be used at the very commencement.
There is, positively, nothing equal to an
,metic Of lobelia under such circUms ances
and many are the cases IN which The whole
difficulty may he thereby ended in few
hours. A tea of plcurlsy root, ginger, and
htlle raspberry is very appropriate one to
use while giving the emetic and the lobelia
should be divided into three or more doses.
and given at intervals of from fifteen to TWEEN
~ inutcs.
after free vomiting. the above directed
treatment should be faithfully applied and
the cases that will not yield TO it in twenty
four hours are rare ones. But il the difficulty
has not been relieved thus early, the excess
OF blood In the lungs will act as a barrier to
impede the circulation through the organs.
and the accumulation will increase rapidly
The breathing will become very short and
hurried, often rising to twenty eight and
thirty respirations during the minute the
cough will be as constant as before, but short.
or and much more painful, and frothy spit
tie, of rusty color, will be raised This
color is owing to the presence of small ousn.
Titles of blood--the pressure in the lungs
having broken down the membrane walls
and the blood escaping aud becoming mixed