The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-10
Medical Notes.

! Medical Notes. !
Ao.~~~-~-~o.>~~~~~~
Cough strictly speaking, is not
disease, but a symptom of a disease, al
though it is in itself abnormal nor is it
of slight Importance. Aside from being
disagreeable to the person and those
around him, a cough may cause chronic
throat troubles and may even cause a
rupture or burst a blood vessel by the
violence OF the explosive and expulsive
action.
To speak of cough without qualifying
terms is to give a very vague description
of the symptom The physician for ex-
ample, designates certain types of cough
as dry and tight, indicative of incipient
bronchitis; or soft deep and looseS signif-
icant of advanced bronchitis; deep and
distressing, symptomatic of advanced
consumption; short and sharp, as in
pneumonia; hOarse and barking in the
early stages of Group, and whistling, in
more advanced stages; spasmodic and
whooping in whooping cough, and dry
and hollow when due to no specific
disease of other organs or parts.
The mechanism of a cough is simple.
1t may be the result of breathing an ir-
ritating vapor or dust, or due TO me-
chanical irritation; then the muscles of
the throat are irritated and spasmodi-
cally contract to eXpel and prevent fur
Their access Of the irritating agent. More
often it is due to the accumulation of
some morbid, over-abundant secretion
in the throat or lungs, and is then an
action tending toward the expulsion of
such morbid material to prevent accum-
ulatiOn and possible SuffOcation. PhySio-
logically considered a cough is due to a
primary irritation of the air passages by
a current Of cold air or some similar
agent which acts on the smaller blood
vessels (capillaries) so that they become
distended with blood and as they be-
come thickened Gndurated) and swollen,
decrease the normal aperture for the
passage of air to and from the lungs
thus causing a feeling of oppression and
more rapid breathing Then the mucus
is increased in quantity owing to the
extra pressure on the blood vessels
which causes an emulation of serum
through their walls, and this mucus be-
comes abnormal in character, thus still
further increasing the irritation. At
this stage coughing begins as one of
natures curative methods, and the ir-
ritating matter is expelled, while at. the
same time it stimulates the local cir
culation at the infiamed parts and thus
tends to diminish the overdistension of
the capillaries.
To check cough without acting upon
the disturbances which cause it would
therefore be most unwise. If not homi-
cidal, for, If the secretions remain, OBJ
structing the air passages or flooding
the lungs suffocation ensues slow though
1t may be just as surely as if the victim
should be choked to death or drowned
The first treatment in cough is there
fore to give medicines which, while they
alleviate the cough, do so by acting ben
efcially and curatively upon the in
fammation which causes the cough.
Cough remedies are without number.
some timetried and proved and some
that have still to be tested by expert
ence. Dilute prussic acid, for example,
is good for irritable coughs, especially
in consumption and in reflex cough due
to irritation of the stomach. This is. in
fact, common ingredient of cough
medicines, under the form of syrup of
wild cherry bark, which owes its calma
tive power to prussic acid contained in
it. This acid being found in cherry
leaves, bark and stones, as well as in
peach stones, in such quantities in the
latter that children have been killed bv
eatlns the pits. In throat cough tine
ture of aconite is useful aTaying fever
and also eXerting local anaesthetic ac-
ton allaying irritation and the tickling
sensation which induces the cough
Aconlte however, should be used eau
tlously for any purpose, as it is a power
fuI and violent poison and may render
the condition worse. Alcohol in the
form of whisky or brandy, is often Of
value, a common form being the well
known rock and rye, composed of a
pound of rock candy to a quart bottle of
WHISKY. Glycerine may also be added
to rock and rye, or it may be used in
combination with lemon juice. the Civ
cerlne so to speak, greasing the throat
ana Unnamed membranes, and thus re-
heving the dryness which causes the
cough
Camphor Is well known popular rem
edy either taken internally on a lump of
sugar inhaled or applied to the skin over
the painful parts In sore throat. causing
the cough Chloroform will often re-
Heve a spasmodic cough either by inhala-
ton or taken internally in the form Of
spirit of chloroform in sweetened water,
or 1t may be painted over the throat. but
the use Of chloroform is not advisable
owing to the danger of forming a habit
OF using it when it is not needed Cod liver
oil Is one of the best remedies in chronic
cough, out II takes time for it's effects to
be manifested; it not only checks the
cough, but repairs the waste and ex-
haustion due to the disease causing the
cough. as in consumption. Grindelia is
good remedy for habitual or spasmodic
cough, such as occurs in chronic bron-
chitis or after the grippe but q much
better remedy in a lingering cough is a
drop of chemically pure fusel oil (amylic
alcohoD taken on a lump of sugar. This
is. In fact, a concentrated form of rock
and rye, convenient to carry and always
ready, drachm or two of the oil being
Put in homeopathic phial and carried
In the pocket with a few Jumps of cut
leaf sugar. It is q pleasant remedy and
Will often check a persistent cough when
all others fail In tickling cough or night
cough. where there is a low type of in
fammation belladonna Is often of use or
hyoscyamus may be given but If there
is any amount Of Inflammation remain
ing 1t should be combined with so called
eXpectorants such as ipecac or lobelia in
small doses. Apomorphine is also given
for this purpose and sometimes an emetic
is necessary as in cases of Group to aid
the cough in expelling the accumulated
secretion and morbid material and thus
cause the cough to ceaN temporarily at
least because there will be no occasion
for coughing.
In certain cases cough IS not a symptom
Of an accumulation of mucus or other
matter in the throat or lungs but IS