Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-19
COUGHS AND COLDS.
Valuable Hints That May Prove
Beneficial to the Afflicted.
POPULAR ERRORS POINTED OUT.
The Sudden StOppage of Cough Some
times Very Dangerous.
THE ONE REMEDY FOR INFANTS

toms which is most often neglected or but
indiferently selftreated. Possibly the rea-
son is that of the actual causes and signif-
canoe of cough, comparatively little is
known to the non-professional Hence, it is
assumed that something of interest may be
said on the subject, particularly now, when
pneumonia is filling many graves. 1t really
ought not to be necessary to emphasize the
fact that a cough is never disease by itself,
bat is merely a symptom, and salutary
one In large proportion of cases. Many
people forget this, and in attempting to
treat themselves simply aim to stop the
cough, ignoring the fact that the actual
trouble is something beyond, which must be
overcome before that mere manifestation
can be made to disappear.
With only an occasional exception, where
cough exists it is sent as a means of re-
Heving some disturbance of the air passages
or the lungs. In the later stages of all irri-
tations of the mucous membrane which lines
those parts there is an excess of the natural
secretion-mucus, for it is by greater activity
of the glands producing it that repair is ac-
compliShed. In a cold in the head, for
instance. when it first comes on there is a
dryness, or. what is called stufiness of the
nose, which is exceedingly disagreeable.
The lining membrane is then infamed,
swollen and dry; there is very little, if any,
secretion. In a day or two, however, the
membrane begins to recover itself, and soon
secretes much greater quantity of mucus
than when in normal state. By this ex-
cessive flow the Inflammation is, as it were
washed away. These same changes go on in
the deeper air passages after they have been
irritated, and the cough is sent as a means
OF expelling the secretion, which without its
service would rapidly accumulate and in
some situations threaten life.
COUGH CHARACTERISTIC.
Coughs have certain characteristics which
suggest the nature and seat of the disturb
ance which gives rise to them. Thus a
cough, dry, tight. painful, and often hoarse
appears in the early stage of acute bron-
chitis; while after the disease has advanced,
the cough is much less annoying, and is
soft, deep and loose. A short hacking cough,
scarcely noticeable to the patient at first,
appears early in consumption. In the last
stages of that much dreaded malady the
cough is deep and distressing In Group
the cough is at first hoarse and barking; if
the disease is of the membraneous form, then
the cough becomes whistling. In pneumo-
mia it is short and sharp, something like
that in the first stages of consumption.
Whooping cough is so peculiar there is
no mistaking it. What is termed by ply
sicians sympathetic or nervous cough, is
dry and hollow; this form is comparatively
rare. The matters raised in coughing also
have characteristics which point to the seat
OF the disease. In sore throat and in early
bronchitis the sputa is white, thin and
mucuus; in the latter, when advanced it is
somewhat greenish in color. In pneumonia
there is form of sputa which is an unmis-
taxable symptom of that disease; it is called
the rusty sputa, on account of its redish
tint, like that of iron rust. Thick, yellow
ish sputa is observed in consumption.
The most prevalent affection accompanied
by cough, here in the North in winter. is
bronchitis That is generally preceded bya
cold in the head. The Inflammation travels
down, affecting the throat more or less, and
enters the bronchial tubes. When those are
reached there are added to the symptoms of
cold a sense of tightness, and OF soreness or
rawness in the chest. These painful sensa-
tions are especially aggravated by hecough,
which is often incessant. When such an at
tack as this comes on patients who treat
themselves, as a rule, direct their efforts
entirely to stopping the cough, without
giving much thought to the disorder which
excites it.
POPULAR ERRORS.
The remedies which they usually take
while bringing, perhaps, some relief. vet
more often do more harm than good, and,
really, in the first stage of acute bronchitis,
there is seldom great need of what passes
under the head of cough medicines. While
there is soreness or rawness in the chest the
patient should be confined to his bed and
kept on a light diet. Mustard poultices
should be applied morning and night, and
left on until the pain from them is intoler-
able. After they are removed, a towel
wrung out of warm water should be applied,
and over that dry one laid, and then sew
eral folds of flannel. In the meantime, un-
less the cough is incessaut, there will
scarcely be any need to give medicines for it
and certainly if any are used they should be
wisely selected. Flaxseed tea is an excellent
drink, having soothing effect in such cases.
st should be prepared in this way: Place
one ounce of bruised faxseed and two
drachms of bruised Iicorice root in lug,
and pour over them one pint of boiling
water. Lightly cover, and allow it to stand
for three or four hours near a fire. Strain
through linen, and, if desirable add yery
little sugar or lemon Juice. This should be
taken often, and in considerable quantities
each day. If :he patient is not under the
care of a physician, and will not consult
one, Notwithstanding his cough is very
troublesome, keeps him awake, etc., he
might have put up at the druggists a mix
ture of sweet spirits Of nitre, paragorlc and
ipecac, of each one-haf an ounce. OF this
mixture the dose for an adult is one tea
spoonful, and it NAV be taken every two or
three hours, in wine glass of water. A
popular remedy with many people for the
cough in early bronchitis is "rock and rye. %
a pleasant preparation, but altogether too
stimulating in such an inhamed condition of
tnObronchial tubes.
TO CURE BRONCHITIS.
After two or three daysthe cough In acute
bronchitis usually becomes soft and loose.
and the soreness and rawness in the chest
disappears Then, instead of the medicine
advised, the syrup of wild cherry bark
should be taken in teaspoonful doses everv
three or four hours. If there is much to
raise considerable expectoration), it will
be well to take, also, of the syrup of squill
one-half a teaspoonful three or four times a
day. IF one guards against exposure, the
affection is likely to subside quite rapidly:
less and less is raised, until finally the
amount of secretion is near that in health,
and the cough disappears. But as a
rule persons who are suffering from bron-
chitis will not conSne themselves long
enough to their rooms for cure to be effect
ed, but will insist upon going out, and they
generally suffer some In consequence
Where the bronchial tubes are yet lnflamed,
or have recently been so, cold air is some
what Irritating and excites coughing. There
iore, not unfrequently, as the result of the
lndlscretion, bronchial attack persists for
three or four weeks, or even longer. In such
cases the following mixture is often service
aOie, especially when the cough is inclined
Oe tlght and but little is raised: Muriate