Bronchitis. It is an inflammation of the membranelining
the bronchial tubes. It may be acute or chronic, and affect
the larger or smaller tubes, or both; or one or both lungs
throughout, or only a portion of them. The causes are
usually cold, damp, wet, exposure to vicissitudes of weather,
inhalation of irritants, etc. Acute bronchitis may be dan-
gerous in old persons and young children; seldom fatal in
vigorous middle life. Chronic bronchitis is not often fatal,
even by exhaustion, but it may last an indefinite time, even
many months. Abortive treatment of a " cold on the
chest" may sometimes be effected within the first twenty-
four hours by taking at bedtime, a glass of hot lemonade,
six grains of quinine, or ten grains of dover powder, after a
warm mustard footbath. Should this treatment fail, and
there be a dry imperspirable skin, a febrile state, cough and
difficulty in breathing, and breast sore, frequent draughts of
The Family Doctor 293
flaxseed tea should be taken, also a brisk saline purgative of
epsom salt or Rochelle salts, or citrate of magnesia. A large
mustard plaster should be applied to the chest, or frictions
made with oil of turpentine. The following prescriptions
will also give prompt relief : Take of tartar emetic, one grain;
morphine sulphate, one grain; syrup of wild cherry two
ounces; mix, take a teaspoonful every two or three hours.
Syrup of ipecac ^ or ^ teaspoonful doses every two or three
hours, will also act well, and it should be continued until the
cough softens, and the breathing becomes easier. When the
expectoration is free, use the following cough mixture: Take
of muriate of ammonia, 2 drachms; Brown's mixture, 4
DUiices; mix; take a teaspoonful four times a day. Or any
of the following cough mixtures: Take of syrup of squills,
5 ounces; paregoric, one ounce; mix; take a teaspoonful
three or four times a day. Or the following domestic mix-
ture: Take of molasses, ^ pint; rum, ^ pint; vinegar of
squills, ^ gill; laudanum, 40 drops. Mix and take a des-
sertspoonful three times a day, half hour before meal. Or,
carbonate of ammonia, 60 grains; spirits of chloroform 2
drachms; syrup of snakeroot, 2 ounces; water enough to
make 6 ounces; mix, take a tablespoonful four times a day.
If there be a history of gout or rheumatism, iodide of potas-
sium and balsamic remedies should be taken. If there be
debility and impoverishment of the blood, iron will assist the
cure. In many cases, change to a warm climate may be
distinctly indicated, as cold air is found to keep up and ag-
gravate the lingering mischief. When bronchitis remains in
a chronic form from sheer debility in the patient, the cod
liver oil, syrup hypophosphites compound, and good food,
are the measures which will be found most satisfactory.
Bruises. A bruise or contusion is an injury caused by a
fall, a wrench, or a blow from a blunt instrument, without
rupture of the skin. It is to be treated by keeping the part
at rest, and cold or iced water, or a bladder containing ice
294 The Family Doctor
Page 163
Presented as published in 1894. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
Bronchitis. It is an inflammation of the membranelining the bronchial tubes. It may be acute or chronic, and affect the larger or smaller tubes, or both; or one or both lungs throughout, or only a portion of them. The causes are usually cold, damp, wet, exposure to vicissitudes of weather, inhalation of irritants, etc. Acute bronchitis may be dangerous in old persons and young children; seldom fatal in vigorous middle life. Chronic bronchitis is not often fatal, even by exhaustion, but it may last an indefinite time, even many months. Abortive treatment of a " cold on the chest" may sometimes be effected within the first twentyfour hours by taking at bedtime, a glass of hot lemonade, six grains of quinine, or ten grains of dover powder, after a warm mustard footbath. Should this treatment fail, and there be a dry imperspirable skin, a febrile state, cough and difficulty in breathing, and breast sore, frequent draughts of
The Family Doctor 293
flaxseed tea should be taken, also a brisk saline purgative of epsom salt or Rochelle salts, or citrate of magnesia. A large mustard plaster should be applied to the chest, or frictions made with oil of turpentine. The following prescriptions will also give prompt relief : Take of tartar emetic, one grain; morphine sulphate, one grain; syrup of wild cherry two ounces; mix, take a teaspoonful every two or three hours. Syrup of ipecac ^ or ^ teaspoonful doses every two or three hours, will also act well, and it should be continued until the cough softens, and the breathing becomes easier. When the expectoration is free, use the following cough mixture: Take of muriate of ammonia, 2 drachms; Brown's mixture, 4 ounces; mix; take a teaspoonful four times a day. Or any of the following cough mixtures: Take of syrup of squills, 5 ounces; paregoric, one ounce; mix; take a teaspoonful three or four times a day. Or the following domestic mixture: Take of molasses, ^ pint; rum, ^ pint; vinegar of squills, ^ gill; laudanum, 40 drops. Mix and take a dessertspoonful three times a day, half hour before meal. Or, carbonate of ammonia, 60 grains; spirits of chloroform 2 drachms; syrup of snakeroot, 2 ounces; water enough to make 6 ounces; mix, take a tablespoonful four times a day. If there be a history of gout or rheumatism, iodide of potassium and balsamic remedies should be taken. If there be debility and impoverishment of the blood, iron will assist the cure. In many cases, change to a warm climate may be distinctly indicated, as cold air is found to keep up and aggravate the lingering mischief. When bronchitis remains in a chronic form from sheer debility in the patient, the cod liver oil, syrup hypophosphites compound, and good food, are the measures which will be found most satisfactory.
Bruises. A bruise or contusion is an injury caused by a fall, a wrench, or a blow from a blunt instrument, without rupture of the skin. It is to be treated by keeping the part at rest, and cold or iced water, or a bladder containing ice
294 The Family Doctor