COUGH. 205 



but it may occur as :i symptom of some far more serious disease. Thus, cough is 

 ni''t with in consumption, in pleurisy, pneumonia, and many other chest affect 

 It m:iy depend, too, upon an elongated uvula, or it may be a stomach cough, or it 

 may le the result of nervousness, or even of more habit. 



Usually the treatment has to be directed to the general constitutional condition, 

 and not to any one symptom. Nevertheless, it is very useful and even necessary 

 to know what medicines are to be used in different kinds of cough. We have selected 

 likely to be of service. 



Aconite is useful quite at the commencement of a cough, when accompanied by 



The indications for its employment are a dry, hard, recent cough, with 



>sness, flushed face, headache, thirst, dryness of the throat, scanty urine, and 



confined bowels. It is not likely to do good unless the temperature of the body 



is distinctly elevated. Directions for its employment and mode of administration 



were given when speaking of COLD (p. 182). 



Alum is often used in the form of spray for chronic coughs accompanied by 

 hoarseness. The strength of the solution should be ten grains of the alum to an 

 ounce of water. 



Assafoetida does good in old chronic catarrhs, especially when accompanied by 

 spasmodic cough and by occasional difficulty of breathing. A five-grain compound 

 assafffitida pill may be taken three times a day. 



Belladonna is useful in some kinds of cough, but it is difficult to say exactly 

 what are the indications for its employment. It is thought to do most good when 

 the cough is dry and accompanied by a sensation of tickling in the throat. A 

 drachm of tincture of belladonna is to be added to an eight-ounce bottle of water, 

 and of this a tea-spoonful may be taken every two hours, with an additional dose 

 when the cough is very troublesome. 



Chamomile oil is a valuable remedy for cough occurring in hysterical women. 

 The dose is from four to six drops on sugar. The preparation must be of good 

 quality, and should present its original green or blue tint. 



Chloroform, used as an inhalation, is useful in many kinds of spasmodic cough. 

 Ten drops should be dropped into the palm of the hand, and the vapour quietly 

 inhaled. 



Coltsfoot is a popular remedy for coughs of all kinds. It often does good, but 

 we do not know what are to be regarded as indications for its employment. 



Drosera has been highly recommended for dry spasmodic cough resulting in 

 vomiting. By many it is used for cases of whooping-cough uncomplicated by 

 bronchitis or other chest affections. The tincture is the best preparation, and 

 only small doses must be used. 



Gelseminum may be given when the cough is dry and irritating. It does best in 

 exactly the same class of cases in which the morphia linctus proves useful. The full 

 dose of the tincture is ten minims in water every three hours. It must be given 

 frequently, as its effect is very evanescent. Giddiness, dimness of sight, double 

 vision, and other similar symptoms, are to be regarded as indications for lessening 

 the dose or decreasing the frequency of administration. Some people are much more 

 susceptible to the action of this drug than are others. 



