252 DISEASES OP PHE PARENCHYMA OF THE LUNG. 



malt, prepared by Trommer. This preparation of Trommer is not 

 a strong beer, containing a large amount of alcohol and carbonic acid, 

 like the Hoff^s malt extract so greatly extolled, but is a genuine 

 extract resembling other officinal extracts, and consists of the soluble 

 constituents of the malt, and of the bitter extractive matter of the 

 hops, and can be prepared by every apothecary. One hundred parts 

 of it contain about seventy-six parts of grape sugar, or malt sugar, dex- 

 trin, bitter of hops, resin of hops, and tannin, seven parts of albuminous 

 or protein substance, eighty-two hundredths of a part of phosphate of 

 lime and magnesia, eighteen hundredths of alkaline salts, and sixteen 

 parts of water. The patients almost always enjoy two or three table- 

 spoonsful of it daily, and it usually agrees well with them. It may be 

 diluted in spring-water, mineral water, or warm milk or other liquid. 



Broth, made of coarsely-broken rye-meal, which contains a good 

 deal of gluten, besides the amylum, is a good food for consumptives, 

 and has long enjoyed such a reputation. Soup of lentils and bean- 

 meal (revalenta arabica), as well as the various preparations of choco- 

 late, mixed with cacao-meal, and sold under various names, is also 

 appropriate. 



Jellies of animal or vegetable substance are much less desirable, 

 such as the snail-soup, and the jelly from the Iceland moss. 



With respect to the symptomatic treatment of the cough and ex- 

 pectoration, we simply refer to what has already been said regarding 

 the treatment of bronchial catarrh. An indiscriminate use, one after 

 another, of the so-called expectorants is as absurd in the treatment of 

 the chronic bronchial catarrh which accompanies phthisis as it is in any 

 other form of catarrh. The sweet, mucilaginous, " soothing," demul- 

 cent articles are least serviceable of all. Precisely according to the 

 conditions laid down above, the alkaline chlorides may be required at 

 one tune, at another senega, squills, or other stimulants may be indi- 

 cated, and at still another the articles which diminish secretion. As we 

 have already expressed our preference for the balsams and resins for the 

 latter purpose, I must again say a word or two in favor of the saccha- 

 rum myrrhae, and of Griffith's mixture, adding, however, that acetate 

 of lead is held hi great esteem by many authorities as a remedy for the 

 condition in question. (In almost every case where acetate of lead is 

 used it is given in combination with opium, to which some of the effect 

 attributed to the lead is certainly due.) 



The narcotics are to be employed in order to allay the cough, and 

 are quite indispensable in consumption. As we have said already, it 

 is not the soothing, soporific action of the first few doses of the opium 

 or morphine which gratifies the patients, but it is because they find 

 that they cough less and more easily, "that their cough is looser;" 



