We must endeavour to remove a cough in fevers, more especially in such as
come on with rigors, for it exasperates the fever when it is subsiding.
We must give lozenges from boiled honey to hold below the tongue, for
these melt and remove the substances which obstruct respiration. The time
for using them is at the acme of the paroxysm, and a short time before
the attack. Well-boiled hydromel must likewise be given. When there is no
suspicion of the nerves being affected, in process of time you may give
oxymel with confidence, or if not it, the decoction of hyssop, which is
a remedy also for rigors. If the fever is not of the ardent kind, you
may give castor, which is also of use to the nervous system. Electuaries
may be used, made of the kernels of the common and wild pine, iris,
linseed, bitter almonds, and nettle-seed. But the most of these may be
mixed with the food. Turpentine-rosin should be given in an egg. To the
chest and the parts about the trachea, apply a sulphurated woollen cloth,
and oil of rue, or of iris, or of dill. Tight ligatures long applied are
excellent for stopping cough, I mean to the middle and extremities. Nor
will it be unsuitable to use for the cough stavesacre dried, which may
be chewed with dried grapes or mastich. The extremities may be rubbed,
chafed, and bound with ligatures, and afterwards the retracted parts
unbound. But if the cough annoys, owing to the acrid nature of the
fever, we must use a gargle of tepid water. Cold water also is often
useful; and, in like manner, gargles of oxycrate, or of the decoctions of
dates, roses, or liquorice. Moderately cooling things are also to be laid
over the bowels and heart.
* * * * *
COMMENTARY. Galen gives some ingenious remarks on the causes of coughing.
He states that when any substance becomes fixed in the trachea, as it
is a cartilaginous and hard tube, and incapable of contraction, nature
brings on coughing, by which a violent expiration of air is induced.
A cough, then, is nothing but a violent expiration by which nature
endeavours to expel any body that obstructs the air-passages; and, when
she cannot accomplish this at the first effort, she repeats it once and
again until she effect her purpose. He goes on to state, that such fluids
as are very watery, instead of being brought up, are merely divided or
cut asunder by the current of air, while such as are thick and viscid,
adhere so closely to the sides of the windpipe that they cannot be
removed, and hence violent efforts are necessary to effect the discharge
of them. (De Causis Sympt. ii, 4.) He treats fully of compositions for
coughs in his work ‘De Comp. Med. sec. Loc.’ (vii.) See the 28th Section
of the Third Book.
Avicenna recommends cough pills and lohocks made with poppies, the cold
medulla of fruit, starch, and the like. (iv, i, 2.)
The prescriptions of Serapion contain liquorice, sweet almonds,
tragacanth, and the like. (De Antidotis, vii, 17.) Those of Haly Abbas
are very similar. (Pract. iii, 22.)
A receipt is given by Rhases for cough pills, the principal ingredients
of which are tragacanth, sweet almonds, poppy seed, gum Arabic, and
Armenian bole. (Divis. i, 52.) Many such receipts are given by Myrepsus.