154 THE TREATMENT OF DISEASES. 



dropsy, but occasionally not a sign of effusion can be discovered. Speaking generally, 

 then, we should say the symptoms of chronic Bright's disease were debility, general 

 impairment of the health, pallor of the face, pain in the loins, a frequent desire to 

 pass water (particularly at night), albuminous urine, and dropsy. It should be 

 distinctly understood that the presence of one or two of these symptoms would 

 not justify us in assuming that the patient was suffering from Bright's. It is 

 necessary for the establishment of the diagnosis that all, or at all events a large 

 majority of them, should be present, the most important being dropsy and the 

 existence of albumen in the urine. Delirium, convulsions, or coma, may sometimes 

 occur in the course of Bright's disease, and these symptoms are of the very gravest 

 importance, and require energetic treatment, the exact nature of which must depend 

 on the condition of the patient. 



The tenure of life of a person suffering from Bright's disease is undoubtedly 

 somewhat precarious ; but still, under favourable conditions and by the use of 

 appropriate remedies, it may be prolonged for several years, the patient enjoying 

 the pleasures and fulfilling the duties of existence very much as other people do. 

 He will have to take the very greatest care of himself, and should always remember 

 that any imprudent indulgence or exposure may quickly reduce him to a condition 

 of the most imminent peril. As a matter of precaution against cold, he should 

 be habitually clothed in flannel, and the activity of the skin should be encouraged 

 by moderate walking or carriage exercise, and the occasional use of warm baths, 

 with friction to the surface. The bowels should be opened once daily, and the diet 

 should be light and nutritious. Milk nearly always agrees well, and should be 

 taken habitually as an article of food. Two or three glasses of claret or hock daily, 

 or a glass of beer, may be taken; but port and sherry and all kinds of spirits usually 

 do harm, and should be strictly avoided. Iron in all forms proves beneficial, and 

 should be taken at intervals. The tincture of steel, and the iron mixtures (Prs. 1 

 and 2), are excellent preparations; but the less astringent forms, such as Prs. 3, 4, 

 and 6, may be resorted to occasionally by way of change. The best methods of 

 dealing with dropsy will be subsequently discussed. (See DROPSY.) 



BRONCHITIS. 



Bronchitis may occur either as an acute or as a chronic disease. In the former 

 case there is a sharp attack lasting a few days, or at the outside a week or two, whilst 

 in the latter the complaint comes on year after year, and may last the best part of the 

 winter. We will first consider the former variety. 



Acute Bronchitis. It may occur at any age, but is most commonly met with afc 

 the extremes of life. It is a frequent complaint amongst children, especially when 

 they are cutting their first set of teeth, and old people are also very prone to suffer 

 from it. It occurs both in men and women, the former, from their frequent exposures 

 to wet and cold, being more subject to it than the latter. Any constitutional weak- 

 ness or debility, arising from over-work, under-feeding, or neglect of the natural laws 

 of health, greatly increases the liability to it. It frequently attacks those who are 

 suffering from some chronic illness, such as gout, or diabetes, or Bright's disease. It is 



