Important: Safety Warning
This page recommends preparations containing opium, laudanum, morphine, or similar narcotics — in some cases for children. These substances are dangerously addictive, easily fatal in overdose, and strictly controlled by law today.
In addition, this page presents medical treatment from an era before modern medicine. The remedies described are ineffective against the conditions named, and some of the ingredients or doses are harmful. Do not use them to treat any illness; consult a qualified medical professional.
This information has been left in for historical purposes but should not be acted upon.
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Expectorants
Medicines that 5590. Τo Relieve a Cough. The promote the secretion of the tracheal and bronchial mucus. According to Dr. Good, true expectorants are those medicines which rather promote the separation of the viscid phlegm with which the bronchiæ are loaded, than simply soften and dilute it; though these are also treated as expectorants by many writers. Numerous articles of of the materia medica have been denominated expectotroublesome cough caused by an accumulation of phlegm in the throat, especially in the morning, experienced mostly by persons affected with chronic catarrh, can be relieved instantly by taking a tea-spoonful of the following mixture, which has also the advantage of being harmless to the stomach, rather improving the appetite. Put into an 8-ounce phial, ounce muriate of ammonia and rants, of which the following are the princiounce pulverized gum-liquorice; fill the phial nearly full with hot water, and shake thoroughly, to prevent the liquorice from becoming solid; shake also before using. pal: Tartarized antimony, ipecacuanha, squills, garlic, assafoetida, ammoniacum, the oily resins, the balsams of tolu and Peru, benzoin, styrax, benzoic acid, the fumes of vinegar, tar, and of many of the volatile oils, exceedingly valuable in deep-seated coughs and the smoke of tobacco and stramonium. and all diseases of the chest.
Chlorine and ammoniacal gases have also been 5599. To Cure a Troublesome Cough. called expectorants.
Medicines of this class 2 or 3 table-spoonfuls of linseed, a small are commonly employed in pulmonary com- bunch of horehound; boil to a jelly, and plaints and affections of the air-tubes, at- strain. Add pound sugar candy, + pound tended by a vitiated state of the mucus, or honey, pound loaf sugar. First boil the an imperfect performance of the natural func- horehound in 1 quart water, then add the tions of the secretory vessels. (Cooley.) Of strained linseed and the other articles. Sim all classes of the materia medica, none are mer for 2 hours. When cold, add of chloromore uncertain in their action than expecto- dyne, 3 table-spoonfuls. Bottle it and cork rants. (Pereira.) The act of ejecting matter tight. A small quantity of spirits of wine or from the chest is called expectoration. brandy to keep it. When the cough is trou-