[Q AFFECTIONS OF THE LARYNX. 



"When chilling of the skin, feet, or throat is the cause of catarrh, 

 diaphoresis is indicated. The best and simplest of diaphoretics are hot 

 elderbloom-tea, and warmth in bed, warm foot-baths, wrapping the 

 throat in a woollen stocking, sinapisms repeated from time to time, 01 

 hot poultices, the chilling of which must be carefully prevented. En- 

 velopment of the entire body in cloths wrung out in cold water, the 

 use of brief cold foot-baths, the application of a cold, stimulating com- 

 press to the throat, have a similar action to that of the above-mentioned 

 procedures, and are to be regarded as local excitants, or cutaneous 

 stimulants. The merits of such measures are overrated by the hydro- 

 pathists. They are, nevertheless, quite useful in the hands of persons 

 skilled in then* employment, and who are generally enthusiastic in their 

 favor. 



In cases where the catarrh has extended from the fauces into the 

 larynx, the causal indications are for astringent gargles, and for pencilling 

 the throat with a solution of nitrate of silver or alum. 



The indication, from the disease itself, in acute laryngeal catarrh, 

 uncomplicated by cedema glottidis, never requires either local or general 

 bloodletting, for, although the books give detailed direction for their 

 use in most cases, it is quite sufficient to produce a determination to the 

 skin, by moans of cutaneous stimulants, and thus to reduce the mucous 

 hyperaemia. In fact, the case usually does well without any treatment 

 whatever, or even when mismanaged. Tincture of pimpinella, which 

 has the reputation of a specific, may be tried, but is not much to be 

 relied upon. For a drink, we may give seltzer-water, either pure or 

 mixed with equal parts of hot milk. 



Quite empirically, it has been found that greasy materials are hurtful, 

 while strongly salted ones act beneficially upon acute laryngeal catarrh. 

 An unsoaked herring is a well-known popular remedy, and may, per- 

 haps, set up a derivative action upon the mucous membrane quite as 

 powerful as that produced by a sinapism upon the skin of the throat. 



For chronic laryngeal catarrh, Plummer's pill (calomel, with sulphuret 

 of antimony), combined with belladonna, or hyoscyamus, used to have 

 the name of a specific. The latter ingredients might be of use in moder- 

 ating the coughing fits. Whether they are more effectual than opiates 

 may be doubted. The sulphuret of antimony is superfluous ; the calomel, 

 in catarrhal inflammation, objectionable. Instead of the more moderate 

 irritants, as sinapisms, and the like, in chronic laryngitis, we employ 

 stronger derivatives. The commonest is croton-oil, either alone or 

 with five parts of oil of turpentine, rubbed over the skin of the larynx 

 for several successive days, until vesicles and pustules appear. Ac- 

 cording to Tobold) the establishment of small blisters upon either side 

 of the arytenoid cartilages is more efficacious and less severe. 



The use of the alkaline muriatic mineral waters (SSuerlinge, Halloid 



