The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-06-20
How Consumptives May Cure
Themselves.

The May and June numbers of the
PopHiIr ScieHce W0athhy contain inter-
estlng papers frOm the pen of DR. Felix
Oswald on the remedies of nature for
consumption, which he thinks is
more easily cured than any other chronic
oil seaSe. When h ravages OF this ter
rlble foe to human life are considered
any suggestions which may tend to lessen
the number of Its victims are of special
Importance. Statistics prove that in the
United States, without counting acute
pneumonia and other fatal lung diseases,
tuberculosis claims one life in every 40
or 4l5, an estimated aggregate of 81
900. In Great Britain and Ireland the
proportions Is greater, being about one
III every 800 inhabitants. For the last
fifty years It's rayagcs have steadily in
creased, but DIR. Oswald cheerily declares
the excess or the evil has finally reveal
ed the means of deliverance. and the
worst scourge of the human race has one
redeeming feature that its cause, and
consequently its cure. have al last been
determined with absolute certainty
The population living at an elevation
of 1000 feet above the sea level have been
shown to be quite free from consumption.
VIVA. the doctor calls indigestion OF
respiration is bred by humid climates
and Stagnant All. Consumption being
recognized as 3 zymotic disease, it fol-
lows as Il natural sequence that 1t must
be aggravated by fifth and rapidly de-
veloped by an impure atmosphere. DR..
Oswald believes in the theory of the
German Dir. Koch that parasites are a
phase of the disease, but maintains that
,bair 4. ~ ~ moo docs No ny,o,nt
death sentence. Cease TO feed the
lungs with azotic gases, he says. land
Dir. koch's animalcula will starve and
disappear" Or. Oswald claims that all
except the last stages of consumption
can be subdued by out door exercise. He
condemns the night air super>titions.
and recommends mountain excursions.
even to the extent Of a three months
tour under the disadvantages of insult
ticient clothing and protracted fasts, as
certain to effect a cure in a majority of
cases. He points out malnutrition of
the lungs as one OF the primary causes of
consumption, and suggests fatty sub
stances and sweet cream as the best lung
food. A vocal etfort, he says, does not
iniure the respiratory organs on the
contrary, 1t strengthens them, and he
thinks that consumptives should envy
cattle drivers, whose business gives them
a plausible pretext for yelling" Too
many clothes he considers harmful.
whereby the perspiration is forced back
upon the body. and the lungs have to do
double work. Lying down flat on the
back after a heavy hemorrhage he thinks
is almost sure to bring on a relapse.
For the first three or four hours walk
slowly mp and down. try to keep up q
deep and calm respiration, and, if pos
Sible, take the tirsi nap in a sitting pos
tur e-Tropped ~ with cushions and pill
lows" For stubborn eases of want of
breath he offers a heroic remedy. He
! SAYS: Read or write as long as that will
keep you awake after midnight walk up
and down the room for fear Of falling
asleep in the chair, and toward morning.
when drowsiness becomes irresistible. 20
to led faf a few hours, and that obey
will be PASSED in peaceful sleep can gen
orally be inferred from the circumstance
that by that time the dyspn9e has dis
appeared. After the second nights
vigils the trouble is not apt to recur for
a month or so. But, unless the distress
is utterly unbearable, or the necessity for
prompt recuperation very urgent, it is on
the whole better 10 eschew palliatvcs and
rely on the only permanent asthma-cuTe
the gradual but normal nvigoration of
the whole system" Night sweats he
cures by day sweats, brought about by
warmly covering the body anl INDUCING
in violent open air exercise.