Sec. 9. The true spasmodic asthma, a rare disease--is not relieved by
Digitalis.
Sec. 10. In the greater part of what are called asthmatical cases, the
real disease is anasarca of the lungs, and is generally to be cured by
diuretics. (See Sec. 1.) This is almost always combined with some
swelling of the legs.
Sec. 11. There is another kind of asthma, in which change of posture does
not much affect the patient. I believe it to be caused by an
infarction of the lungs. It is incurable by diuretics; but it is often
accompanied with a degree of anasarca, and so far it admits of relief.
Is not this disease similar to that in the limbs at (Sec.3,) and also to
that of the abdominal viscera at (Sec.2.)?
ASTHMA and ANASARCA.
Sec. 12. If the asthma be of the kind mentioned at (Sec.Sec. 9 and 11,)
diuretics can only remove the accompanying anasarca. But if the
affection of the breath depends also upon cellular effusion, as it
mostly does, the patient may be taught to expect a recovery.
ASTHMA and ASCITES.
Sec. 13. A rare combination, but not incurable if the abdominal viscera
are sound. The asthma is here most probably of the anasarcous kind (Sec.
10;) and this being seldom confined to the lungs only, the disease
generally appears in the following form.
ASTHMA, ASCITES, and ANASARCA.
Sec. 14. The curability of this combination will depend upon the
circumstances mentioned in the preceding section, taking also into the
account the strength or weakness of the patient.