Diseases of the Uesplratory Organs. 95 



of exercise. A change of food or temperature, a smart 

 walk or run or indeed any exercise will bring it on. 



Symptoms. Corpulence is a constant condition at the 

 outset though the subject may be emaciated and worn out 

 in the advanced stages. A slight cough becomes fi'equent, 

 hard and sonorous, with habitually labored breathing ag- 

 gravated at intervals so as to threaten suffocation. Then 

 the patient stands with open mouth, pendent tongue and 

 staring eyeballs panting for breath and having his condi- 

 tion rendered still more threatening by every change of 

 position or cause of excitement. The frequency and se- 

 verity of the attacks serve as a means of estimating the 

 danger of the patient. In the intervals between these 

 paroxysms may be noticed signs of indigestion, in a varia- 

 ble appetite, perhaps vomiting, a tumid tympanitic (bloated) 

 abdomen, constipation and piles. The skin is dry, harsh 

 and bald in patches, the teeth covered with tartar and the 

 breath foetid. 



Treatment. 1. During a paroxysm. Cause to inhale 

 ether, chloroform, the fumes of burning stramonium or 

 of burning paper which has been steeped in a strong so- 

 lution of nitre ; or one or two teaspoonfuls of laudanum 

 with 2 oz. casfcor-oil may be thrown into the gut as an in- 

 jection. Or if there is reason to suspect overloading of 

 the stomach shake a grain of tartar emetic on the tongue. 



2. In tJie intervals betiveen tlie paroxysms. Check any ex- 

 isting bronchitis or pneumonia as advised in the earlier 

 pages of the book, and restrict to a v«ry moderate diet of 

 oat meal or corn meal mush, with skim-milk or buttermilk. 

 Exercise well but in no case for three hours after feeding. 

 Give a laxative of castor-oH twice a week. Wash fre- 

 quently with soap, drying afterward by rubbing, and brush 

 dady. A daily sedative (stramonium, tartar emetic,) is 

 beneficial, but ia advanced stages and weak conditions, 

 vegetable tonics (quioia, gentian,) will be demanded. 



