Volume 1
A textbook of practical medicine : with particular reference to physiology and pathological anatomy / by Felix von Niemeyer ; translated from the 8th German edition ... by George H. Humphreys and Charles E. Hackley.
- Felix von Niemeyer
- Date:
- 1871
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: A textbook of practical medicine : with particular reference to physiology and pathological anatomy / by Felix von Niemeyer ; translated from the 8th German edition ... by George H. Humphreys and Charles E. Hackley. Source: Wellcome Collection.
150/760 page 126
![sake, called asthma. In order to allay the persistent oppression of the chest, it is very desirable to send the patient for the summer to the pine- wood region, and particularly to places where there is a heavy fall of dew. The benefit which they derive in this highly-oxygenated atmos- phere is always warmly extolled by them. From experiments made with apparatus for inhalation of compressed air, the effect of this unfor- tunately somewhat costly remedy, both upon the avidity for air and the general health of emphysematous patients, is excellent, although only palliative. Many of the patients feel like new men while in the machine. The explanation of the improvement is easy. We have already stated our views of the main element in the benefit derived from inspiration of compressed air. To avert the asthmatic attacks, the patients must observe, a strict diet, avoid food likely to induce flatulence, eat little before going to bed, and keep the bowels open daily. For the latter purpose, the pulvis liquoritiEe compos, is a mild and efficient cathartic. During the attack, beware of mistaking the blunted sensibility and other head-symptoms for the effects of venous engorgement of the brain, and thus bleeding the patient. The symptoms of carbonic-acid poisoning would only be promoted by depletion. The narcotics, too, especially opium, must be used with caution in these attacks of emphysematous asthma, unless called for by bronchial spasm. The more suitable remedies (besides the emetics, which are very appropriate) are the stimulants, camphor, musk, benzoin, and the large doses of port wine proposed by Waters ( § j— 3 iss every three hours), and when these fail, the use of turpentine ( 3 i to % ss every three hours) in an aromatic water. For the dropsy, as has already been stated, whenever it depends upon a capillary bronchitis, I have repeatedly produced excellent results by means of vigorous diaphoresis. Later in the disease, when dropsy arises from failure of the heart to compensate for the circulatory de- rangement of the lungs, it may be relieved for a time by the use of digitalis (an infusion 3ss—3] to water § vj), just as in dropsy from valvular disease of the heart. Where digitalis fails, squills sometimes does excellent, though merely transitory, service. (Acet. sillse. 3 j; pot. carb. q. s. ad. saturationem. Aquae destillat. § vj. TU. S. a tablespoonful every two hours.) 0 k AP TEE, IV. DIMINISHED CAPACITY OF THE AIR-CELLS—APNEUMATOSIS—ATELECTA- SIS—COLLAPSE—COMPRESSION OF THE LUNGS. Etiology.—There are conditions under which the capacity of the air-vesicles decreases and their walls finally come into contact. This](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b20419466_001_0150.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
