A friendly letter of counsel and advice to consumptives and other invalids : also, prescriptions, with special directions for the cure of chills and fever / by S.S. Fitch.

  • Fitch, Samuel Sheldon, 1801-1876.
Date:
1857
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A friendly letter of counsel and advice to consumptives and other invalids : also, prescriptions, with special directions for the cure of chills and fever / by S.S. Fitch. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    CAUSES OF CONSUMPTION. Recollect that tubercles come from the waste matter that is not, as it should be, cast out of the system by the emunctories. Now, it is clear that whatever tends to weaken the power of the lungs, to vitalize the blood, or to lessen the activity of the organs for carrying off the waste matter, tends to consumption. A DISPOSITION TO CONSUMPTION MAY BE INHERITED. Everybody knows that the children of consumptive parents are more likely to have consumption than the children of healthy parents. They inherit some peculiarity of constitution—some corruption of the blood—some defective con- formation of the structure of the lungs, or other vital organs, or a natural feebleness of the vital forces, from which there is a tendency to the manufacture in the system of tuberculous matter; that is, there is a greater liability than in strong and robust constitutions that the aliment will fail to be completely vital- ized, and that the emunctories will fail to completely carry off the waste matter. A NATURAL PREDISPOSITION TO CONSUMPTION MAY BE COUNTERACTED. Consumptive parents do not transmit a disease to their offspring, but only a tendency or predisposition to disease. By proper measures this predisposition may be overcome, and sound, robust health established and preserved. [See my Six Lectures.,] SMALL LUNGS. One of the most direct means of bringing on consumption is permitting the lungs to become small, so that little air is used. The habit of stooping, per- mitting the shoulders to fall forward on to the chest; of breathing with short breaths; of sitting much in confined postures; of bending forward and cramp- ing the chest over a low desk, table, or counter, or in sewing, if practised much, will almost certainly lead to consumption, in those at all disposed to it. The lungs are placed in a framework of bones and muscles, so made that it may be compressed or enlarged at pleasure. (See the figure on page 10.) The lungs occupy the cavity of the chest. The ribs, tied behind and before by elastic cartilages, may be easily forced inward, so as to compress the lungs, or outwards, so as to inflate and enlarge them. The bones of the shoulders may be held back in their natural position, leaving the ribs free to rise and fall in breathing; or they may be thrown forward, and their weight made to rest on the chest, flatten- ing and compressing it. We may have an erect, handsome figure, with a full, broad, round chest, and large, powerful lungs, if we please; and if we do, we cannot well have consumption. So long as the lungs are fully inflated, and every cell and tube filled at each breath with pure air, the whole blood, with all the aliment we take, will be always completely vitalized, the system will be vigorous and the waste completely removed, and no tuberculous matter formed. THE GREAT OFFICE OF THE LUNGS is to supply force or vitality to the system ; and our force or strength is always in proportion to the size and perfection of our lungs. With small lungs, there-