A treatise on therapeutics : comprising materia medica and toxicology, with especial reference to the application of the physiological action of drugs to clinical medicine / by H.C. Wood, jr.

  • Wood, H. C., Jr. (Horatio C.), 1841-1920.
Date:
1874
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A treatise on therapeutics : comprising materia medica and toxicology, with especial reference to the application of the physiological action of drugs to clinical medicine / by H.C. Wood, jr. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    line of its axis and of the propulsion of the spray coincident with that of the mouth. 6. When the pharynx, or even the larynx only, is to be reached, the opera- tion IS very simple, and respiration should be natural; but when it is desired to make applications to the ultimate bronchi, the respirations should be reg- ular, slow, and as deep and full as possible, the lungs being well emptied at expiration. 7. Do not protract the sitting until the patient is fatigued. Five minutes is generally long enough to commence with. In hsemoptysis, this rule may sometimes be departed from with advantage. 8. Let the patient give his whole attention to the matter in hand. 9. In chronic disease, one, two, or three inhalations a day are usually sufB- cient. In acute disease, they may be required much more often, as every hour in diphtheria. 10. Never use atomization for the purpose of general medication : it is simply a method of applying substances locally to the respiratory organs. The substances used by atomization may be conveniently arranged as follows: Diluents.—The only diluent of any value is warm water. In acutely inflamed conditions of the mucous membrane, the very frequent application of water at about the temperature of 90° F. will often afford marked relief, especially in laryngitis. Astringents.—These are employed to arrest excessive secretion or hem- orrhage. In their use, it must always be remembered that they are more or less irritant, and that whilst some persons bear them very well, in others they produce very harmful irritation; also, that the idiosyncrasies of patients vary, so that whilst one person will best bear a certain one of the astringents, a second may be less irritated by another drug. The rule is to try carefully until the pulmonary idiosyncrasies are known. In cases of excessive bron- chial secretion, any irritation sufficiently severe to give origin to tightness in the chest, or to much coughing, calls for the withdrawal of the medicine. In hsemoptysis, a greater risk can be judiciously assumed. The astringent substances employed in this way are : First, tannic acid, one to twenty grains to the fluidounce of water. I have not used this; but it is said to be well adapted to cases of free secretion. Second, alum, varying in strength from a solution of five grains to the ounce to a saturated solution. This I have used with great satisfiiction. In hsemoptysis, only the strongest preparation ia of avail; in bronchorrhcea, a weak solution should be employed at first, and the strength increased pro re nata. One advantage this drug has over tannic acid is its compatibility with the sulphate of morphia, which should always be added to its solution when any tendency to irritation exists. In chronic hronchifis, with excessive expectoration, I have seen alum produce most grat- ifying results. Third, preparations of iron: of these the solution of the