The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-21

an insignificant phenomenon, which has a
perverse way of turning up during silent
prayer and pianissimo passages of music
and in the midst of mans explanation
of his coming home at O'Clock in She
morning. IL is, they think, inconvenient,
but not dangerous-save in Jersey, whore
serious cases occur annually. But if ev-
cry one knew the possibilities and the de-
vious ways of willy singultus, no one could
have even a mild attack with cheerful Sc
renity. Even a baby wouldn't be allowed
TO enjoy his after-dinner hiccough in
peace.
In the first place, hiccough is a symp-
tom rather than a disease. That compli-
Gates matters. If it were a disease. one
who had it would at least have the sat
lsfaction of knowing his ailment; but since
1t is a symptom, 1t may mean any one
of a host of things, and the sufferer may
figure on anything from oVereating to
Bri2hts disease or epileptic fits. Sin
gultus, like all Gaul, is divided into three
parts. All hiccoughs may look alike to
the uninitiated, but to the learned they
group themselves under the heads of
irritatlve, specific. and neutrotic. They
all come from disturbance of the nerves
of the diaphragm, but that must be re-
ferred to some primary cause.
Initiative hiccoughs may be caused by
swallowing very hot substances or by any
gastric or intestinal disorder. The A
o'clock in the morning hiccoughs are an
instance of the effects of hot stuff, and
hiccoughs following eating can be classed
as Initiative and set down to digestive
derangement. Specific cases are the re-
suit of some constitutional disorder, such
TD,.sfrl 20 4 nd
neurotic hiccoughs have their primary
causes in the nerve system. often accom-
panying a nerve shock, hysteria, or epllep-
sy. OF the three varieties the initiative
hiccough yields most readily to treat
ment, and the neutrotic is the most OBJ
stinate. Almost all cases of persistent
hiccoughs are neurotic, and nervous hic-
cough has ever been known TO become
epidemic The latter fact opens up vlstas
of awful possibility, Epidemic hysteria
is a boarding school speciality, and is one
of the most exasperatng problems with
which the teacher has to deal.
One invertebrate girl with letter from
home can bowl over a whole school, If the
girl happen TO be in receptive mood; and
nothing but Spartan treatment will restore
reason and order Now, if the hysteria
were accompanied by epidemic hiccough
which medical authorities assure us
would be quite possible-there would be
nothing to do but follow the example Of
a famous German boarding school, when,
when a hysteria epidemic broke out among
its stolid German madchen, collapsed In
justification and despair and closed its
DOORS The periodic Jersey cases of hic-
cough which excite the medical and jour
nalistic worlds are usually neurouc-a
fact that seems natural and easily ex-
planned on the theory that life in Jersey
must be a nerve-wearing experience.
The number OF remedies for hiccoughs
is legion, and the medical profession hash t
a monopoly of them. An obstlnAte case of
hiccoughs in the family must be nearly as
exciting as a fire, for, as soon as the dis
ease assumes a serious character tire
newspapers notice IL, and comments upon
il go out through the country Then le,-
ters and kilograms begin to pour in upon
the victim. In every out-of-the-W9y
corner of the country is some one who has
a sure cure for hiccoughs and is charita-
bic enough to want to relieve the sufferer.
During a recent serious case of hiccoughs
near New York hundreds of suggestions
were received from unknown people, and
the list of prescriptions was intensely fun
n.y. though the family was too anxious to
appreciate the humor. However, the REM
edy that was most often recommended
even by those outside the medical world,
was annyl nitrate which Is one of the hic-
cough medicines most valued by physi-
clans
Medical science recognizes various classes
Of treatment for hiccoughs and doctors
talk profoundly Of antl-spasmodic, empir-
ical and physiological methods but IN
an obstinate case all three classes OF
remedies are tried with beautiful impair.
e
tons Of old ladies are not scorned. Anti
spasmodic remedies include choral, amy
nitrate. cocaine and morphine. In case Of
Inflammation local bleeding, leeches anG
ice applications are tried; and VI the trou.
BILE is due to gastrids, bismuth, magnesia
and cocaine are valuable. If the hccoughs
are Of the initiative variety the necessity
Is to remove the cause Of irritation. That
is not always so easy as II sounds, but
IL is a safe thing to give a dose Of castor
oil on faith.
Valeran and asafetida are given
but one Of the most common
methods OF treatment Is to raise
the patients arms above his head
and then bring strong pressure to bear or
the phrenic nerve, which is located need
the collar bone II Is frequently the case
that where all deeply scientific treatment
falls some one of the simpler empirical
remedies viii effect a cure; and one Of
these remedies has had long and honor
able career. for one finds mention Of II
as far back as the time of Plato. HE
coughs are no respecters of persons, and
evidently did not hesitate to attack ever
the noble Athenlans; for in Plato's sympo
SUM one reads that the physician EryAi.
machus recommended to Aristophanes
who had hiccoughs. that he should hold
his breath or gargie with cold water, an(
II the hiccoughs would not yield to thai
treatment ne must tickle his nose unit