TREATMENT OF RESPIRATORY DISORDERS. 487 



essentially intended to counteract the irritant, as well as to 

 carry it off and repair the damage it may have wrought. 



The third natural provision against a morbid influence is 

 the removal of its effects, whether the influence itself have been 

 removed or antagonised, or not. Thus excessive secretions or 

 other products of disease, which may in turn cause fresh obstruc- 

 tion of the passages, are removed by cough, expectoration, and 

 vomiting ; and the venosity of the blood which they cause is 

 dispelled by hyperpnoea. Even spasm of the bronchi probably 

 never causes death, because removed by the carbonic acid which 

 accumulates in the blood in the second stage of asphyxia. 

 Haemorrhage from the lungs or nose frequently comes to the 

 relief of over-distended veins, and removes the most urgent 

 symptoms. 



Vicarious action is yet another method of natural relief, 

 of which abundant advantage is taken in respiratory disease ; 

 extraordinary muscles being called into play in hyperpnoea, the 

 healthy parts of the pulmonary substance taking on increased 

 function, and the skin and kidneys doubtless becoming more 

 active as excretory organs. 



In these several ways nature will frequently afford relief of 

 respiratory disorders and diseases, whilst the cause of them is 

 still at work, by removing or counteracting it and its effects. 

 If she fail, 'and disease is established, recovery may still follow 

 artificial treatment, the proper province of which is thus to assist, 

 not to compel, much less to thwart nature. Even if organic 

 changes have occurred, recovery may be effected by repair, as 

 we see in inflammation of the lungs and pleura. 



V. KATIONAL TREATMENT. 



The treatment of respiratory disorders if it is to be thoroughly 

 rational, must be founded upon the considerations given in the 

 four preceding sections. The student will understand that the 

 treatment of the disease on which these disorders depend must 

 be conducted at the same time ; and that we are here concerned 

 only with symptoms. 



Dyspnoea. The phenomena of dyspnoea strongly indicate 

 the necessity of providing, by every possible means, for 

 increased freedom and force of respiration of assisting hyper- 

 pnoea by admitting as much air as possible into the chest. 

 The air must be pure and mild, that is, abundant, fresh, warm, 

 and moist. The muscles of respiration must be free to act upon 

 the chest, and every available muscle of extraordinary respiration 

 must be relieved from other employment and ready to be called 

 into use : the shoulders must be raised, the chest freed from 

 restraint aud weight, in front, behind, and especially below (by 



