t S47 ] 



XLI. Sixteenth Communication from Dr. Thornton, 

 relative to Pneumatic Medicine* 



To Mr. Tilloch. 



June 1 5, r8&4. 

 *^ SII *> No. 1, H ; nd-srreet, Manchester-square. 



JL here is a very prevailing notion that the aerial practice is 

 excellently suited for the cure of asthma, as the medicated 

 airs go to the part supposed to be affected, and the common 

 air in different places and times has a most extraordinary 

 and undoubted operation on persons labouring under this 

 cruel disorder. 



Case of Asthma, 



William Exail, aet. 44, formerly a coachmaker in Wel- 

 beck-^street, residing at Headley, near Farnham, Surry* 

 was afflicted with a most distressing asthma, as the parox- 

 ysms which came upon first going to bed would continue 

 the whole of the night, and it was towards morning before 

 any expectoration arose, when an hour or two of sleep might 

 be obtained : his breathing was excessively laborious ; nor 

 did the wheezing completely go off during the following 

 day, being more or less perceptible, and very much so upon 

 drawing in a deep inspiration. This disease increasing in 

 violence made Mr. Exall come up to London to be under 

 my care; and as different asthmas require different airs, 

 but from no very accurate criterion that I have hitherto ob- 

 tained, I wished him to inhale the hydro-azotic gas equally 

 diluted with atmospheric air, and to take some of the usual 

 tonic. medicines. From this plan the asthma was relieved 

 in less than four days, and disappeared totally in the course 

 of a fortnight. Upon making a deep inspiration no wheez- 

 ing was perceptible; and having returned home, six months 

 after, he again called upon me in London, and says Ci he 

 has had no return of asthma, and enjoys now a better state 

 of health than he remembers for many years past.*' 



Observations on this Case by Dr. Thornton* 



1. Some cases of asthma arise, I suppose, from a morbid 

 irritability of the membrane which coats the lungs and 

 adjoining parts ; hence the commencement of some asthmas. 

 is shown by a continual sneezing. 



2. Where this is the case, to lessen the quantity of oxy- 

 gen in the air, and take off the morbid irritability of the 

 system by tonic medicine, as bark and bitters, is the philo- 



S 2 sophic 



