Observations.—— There are three kinds or varieties of agues:——1st, When the attack takes place every twenty four hours. 2nd, When it occurs every second day. 3d, When it occurs every fourth day. Every ague is divided into three stages——the cold, the hot, and sweating stage. Ague cake (as it is named) is an enlargement of tho spleen which lies on the left side.
ASTHMA (Difficult Breathing).
Causes.——Exposure to cold, contracted chest, indigestible food, ropelled eruptions, certain odours, &c.
Symptoms.——When the fit is on, breathing is difficult and convulsive, with a sense of suffocation and constriction at the pit of stomach, harrassing cough with or without expectoration.
Treatment.——Warm dry atmosphere, flannel clothing next the skin, animal food, strong coffee, teaspoonful of syrup of squills with 15 drops of laudanum taken occasionally, turpentine injections; if bowels are constipated, a tablespoonful of castor oil, with 10 and 20 drops spirit of turpentine at bed times, &c. Smokers may try stramonium mixed with the tobacco, particularly when it is a dry asthma.
Observations.——Persons who live much on potatoes are found very liable to asthma, particularly if their employment be sedentary ; also, persons exposed to sudden changes in the temperature, such as out of warm to a cold, or cold to a warm atmosphere. Persons who live mostly on vegetables such as potatoes, ought to substitute animal food. Persons liable to difficult breathing cannot be too careful to have their feet comfortably clad, avoid night air and all irregularities; they ought to keep their bowels open with castor oil repeating the dose frequently. A Burgundy pitch plaster between the shoulders is often of much benefit.
BILE IN THE STOMACH.
Causes.——Indigestible food, costive bowels, obstruction in the liver or gall ducts that convey the bile to
