Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-19
THEORY OF MEpICArEp INHALATION.
DRS. HUNTER s RAMSAY
on THE
Treatment of Chronic bronchitis.

Having in one of our previous letters de-
scribcd the symptoms of Chronic Bronchitis,
we will now pass TO the consideration Of
treatment.
If you have carefully aead what we have
said on the seat of Bronchitis, namely, that
it is withia the lungs. you will readily un-
how inadequate for its cure must
be any remedy which does not penetrate the
lungs as deeply as the disease itself.
Applications of nitrate Of silver to the
throat are utterly useless, since they do not
reach the fountain of the evil. Here you
see the consequence Of misealling a disease.
Your physician informs you that your alice
ton is bronchitis, and straightway you sub
init to the cruel torture of having caustic
applied every second or third day to your
throat. If the unnecessary suffering you
thus undergo were the only consequence
which sprung from it, it would be OF less
Importance; out the disease within yeui
lungs is all the time gaining a hrmer hold
the mucous membrane is becoming thick
ened, and the smaller bronchial tubes closed
VI. These distractions go on increasing, un-
til sufficient air cannOt be drawn through
the air-tubes to produce the change in the
blood from venous to arterial. 1t IS the OBJ
iecto of respiration to change the blood from
a dark to a bright red color. This change
is produced in the blood by the air we breathe
and cannot occur unless it is received IN
sufficient quantity. When considerable OBJ
~structions exist in the bronchial tubes, the
carbon which constitutes the impurity oil
the blood is not wholly removed but n part
is retained and sent through thesystem, i'm
peding the circulation, irritating the brain
and ngryaua gvgtaun andrdpTHnplnH 0TEAS-
ton. Under this condition Of the blood, tnber-
c2es are DEPOSITED ia tie lungs. There is no
warning given of the fearful change which
is taking place. Without pain, without
cough, without expectoration, the seed oil
this most insidiOus and mortal disease is
sown, and soon brings forth its fruits in
melancholy changes which mark the pro-
gress Of Consumption. Thus Consumption
arises as a consequence OF neglecting
or maltreating Bronchitis, BY plac-
ing reliance on applications TO the throat,
or pailiatives through the stomach II Is a
grand desideratum in the treatment of all
diseases, to get the remedy direct to the
organ or part affected. We use washes, in
jections, and so forth, on this principle. In
pulmonary diseases the same rule holds
good but how are we to apply it! We
cannot use solids or fluids, for this is an air
cavity. Ne, but by inhalation WI can
reach, Thoroughly and naturally, all diseases
situated within the air-tubes and cells OF
The lungs.
What, then, SPECIALIZATION The word
itself merely means the act of inspiring, or
drawing in breath. In medical parlance, it
means a mode Of administering medicines
by breathing them. Thus we say, Il inhale
a medicine" or II take a medicine" the
difference being that one is inhaled or
breathed, while the other is swallowed.
We are thus explicit, in order to show that
all medicines inhaled into the lungs are
not alike, more than all medicine taken into
the stomach: and hence. that the benefits
to be deprived from Limitations must depend
upon the experience and skill of the physi-
cIan who prescribes them. We should
have deemed this explanation unnecessary,
but for the fact that many who write TO us
regarding the treatment appear to have got
the erroneous idea that ." inhalation" in
stead of simply being a mode of practice, or
administration of remedies, is some SPECIFIC
remedy, alike applicable to the most oppo-
site forms of pulmonary disease. To make
it such is to degrade it to the base level OF
ouackery. 1t can never be honestly en-
ployed without a full knowledge of all the
symptoms and peeuliarities of each case
and the adaptation of the remedies accord
ingly.
Tine first object of treatment is to cleanse
the air tubes of the lungs by expectorant
inhalations. Having obtained this OBJ
ject, we next seek to delay the ir-
ritation on which the secretion depends
to scothe and heal the inaamed surface.
The name of administering medicines
by inhalation in Bronchitis is rs follows =
The inhaler, which is made of glass, and
holds about a pint of fluid, is half filled
with cold, hot or warm water, according to
the nature of the case. The medicine pre-
pared for a dose is then added. and the pa
tient directed to inhale gently, but deeply
into the lungs. being careful to expand the
chest well without strainiDg or violence. The
fluid being medicated, thoroughly impreg-
mates the air with lis properties. Each in
balAAon is continued TOR five, ten or fifteen
mikstes, as may be necessary, and taken
three times a day before meals, or twice Il
dayybn rising or retiring.
IRRhis manner, eUery effect that can be pro-
ducea By medicines is obtained IN the Lungs.
wstk a degree Of certainty unclaimed By any
other method OF treatment.
NorE.-Drs. Hunter & Ramsay, of New
York and Philadelphia, nave opened a