1871. 



NEW ENGLAND FARISIER. 



559 



It is a chronic affection, is unaccompanied by fever I good food; and if she does not improve before 



and in a majority of cases it is gradual in its devel- 

 opment. The most prominent symptoms of this 

 atftction are labored breathing {di/sp/taa), in which 

 the act of inspiration is shortened, and tliat of ex- 

 piration prolonged — a hard spasmodic cough, with 

 more or less expectoration ; and a congested or 

 livid appearance to the skin, especially to that of 

 the face. In severe cases the dt/sprnva or labored 

 breathing is habitual, and the patient is unable to 

 take active exercise without suffering for want of 

 breath ; but in milder cases, the respiration is dis- 

 turbed only by exercise ; dyspncca is not habitual. 

 The cough occurs in paroxysms, and these are 

 accompanied by much congestion or fullness of 

 the face and enlargement of the veins of the '. 

 neck. As this affection is often caused by bron- 

 chitis, and is generally associated with it in some- 

 way, the treatment should be the same as for that 

 disease ; and in proportion as the bronchial inflam- 

 mation is subdued, the patient will be relieved ; 

 but pulmonary emphysema itself, is incurable. 



Asthma, properlj', consists in a spasmodic af- 

 fection of the muscular coat of the smaller bron- 

 chial tubes ; but the term is frequently, though er- 

 roneously, applied to that form of dyspnoea which 

 attends certain obstructions in the heart. 



The symptoms of asthma resemble those of Em- 

 physema of the Lungs, except that they occur in 

 paroxisms, and the paroxisms are not commonly 

 brought on by exercise. Indeed, asthma is of so 

 common occurrence that its symptoms need not be 

 particularly described, although those of pulmo- 

 nary emphysema and valvular disease of the 

 heart are often confounded with them. 



So many things have been employed for the cure 

 of asthma, or for the mitigation of its paroxisms, 

 that we shall mention but a few of them. In a 

 certain proportion of cases Indian tobacco {lobelia 

 inflata), and common tobacco are especially effica- 

 cious. Tliey need not be carried to the extent 

 of producing vomiting, for if not effectual when 

 nausea is induced, it will be useless to push them 

 further. The inhalation of the vapor of chloro- 

 form or ether is a measure of great value in many 

 cases of this disease ; but such remedies should be 

 employed only under the supervision of a physi- 

 cian or some other competent person. 



The disease called Heaves, which is so common 

 among horses, and which may occur in other ani- 

 mals, is very generally supposed to be identical 

 with asthma in the human subject ; and, doubtless 

 it is so in many cases ; but we believe that many 

 times it is caused either by emphysema of the 

 lungs, or by a disease of the heart. 



We suppose our correspondent's heifer labors 

 under either j^ulmonary emjj/ii/sema, or that par- 

 ticular form of asthma which results from a dila- 

 tation of the heart and obstructed circulation, 

 caused by a diseased state of some of the valves, 

 and called cardiac asthma, — probalily the latter. 



We would advise that the heifer be kept as still 

 as possible, and fed flax-seed tea, with plenty of 



long, we advise our friend to make beef of her, 

 for neither of the affections, last mentioned, will 

 inipah- the quality of the flesh — that is, if the dis- 

 ease has not progressed so far that she will not 

 fiitten. J. H. s. 



West Brattleboro, Vt., Sept., 1871. 



SUMAC. 



I see that American Sumac is quoted at .^75 per 

 ton. Now how is it prepared ? What is saved ? 

 Where is there a market ? h. e. t. 



West Cormvall, I't., Aug., 1S71. 



Remarks. — Sumac is prepared in different ways. 

 Only the leaves are valuable. No stems nor other 

 parts of the plant must be mixed with the leaves. 

 They are gathered after attaining full growth and 

 before frost or before they fade or turn red. A 

 correspondent of the Country Gentleman says, cut 

 the stalks of the present years' growth and cure 

 them as you would hay, taking care to preserve it 

 from rain and dew, as both injure it same as they 

 injure hay. Put it in the barn and examine it often, 

 for a time, for it will heat and sp)il ver}- soon if 

 not properly cured. Let it lie until the weather is 

 very cold ; then thresh it. This may be done by 

 throwing it on the barn floor three or four feet deep 

 and put on a span of horses. They will soon tread 

 the leaves from the stalks. Rake off the sticks and 

 put on another flooring. When the leaves and 

 small branches that do not rake out have become a 

 foot or more deep on the floor, put the horses on to 

 that, and tread and stir it until it is quite fine; ih3n 

 sift it with a large coarse sieve — about half-inch 

 mesh — and it is ready for sacking. Before using, it 

 is ground in a mill somewhat similar to an old- 

 fashioned bark mill. These mills are made in Vir- 

 ginia, and we suppose it is usually sold after being 

 ground and bolted. Sometimes it is spread on 

 lattice work for curing, as it is gathered. In Sicily 

 the roots are planted and cultivated. It is used for 

 tanning moi'occo and for dying and printing calico, 

 and could probably be sold where morocco is made 

 or calico is printed, and in cities where these man- 

 ufacturers obtain their supplies, but we have no 

 positive information on this point. Richmond, Va., 

 is quit^ a market for it. 



From two to five hundred thousand dollars are 

 paid yearly for imported sumac, and until recently 

 it was supposed that the American shrub was 

 worthless. But it is now demonstrated that the 

 sumac grown in Virginia is equal to that imported. 

 The Washington Agricultural Report for 1869 

 has an article on the subject, with analyses show- 

 ing the amount of tannin, &c., it contains, with a 

 promise of further information in the Report for 

 1870, which may be obtained when published ! 

 We thmk we have seen a statement to the effect 

 that the sumac gi'own at the north was less valua- 

 ble than that gro^\ai in Virginia and other Southern 

 States, but are not al)le to refer to it now. 



We hope these remarks will call out a more in- 

 telligible reply to the questions of our correspon- 



