The Science of Therapeutics - Classical Homeopathy Online

Full text of "The Science of Therapeutics: According to the Principles of Homeopath...Page 267 of 653the definition of asthma entertained by former pathologists.If we omit the various conditions that develop asthmatic phenomena which have not generally the peculiar characteristics ofnervous paroxysms, the etiology of asthma can be reduced to thefollowing points : in the first place the affection is purely idideveloping neither any special pathological alterations, nor tracto any particular exciting causes. The patients are attacked atindefinite, much less frequently at regular periods. Asthma islikewise met with as a partial manifestation of other neryous afftions, especially of hysteria and hypochondria, in which case itlikewise to be regarded as a primary affection occurring in peculcircumstances. Finally asthma may be caused by topical impressions; we see asthma result with comparative frequency afterexposure to Copper, Arsenic, Iodine, Lead, and to the dust ofIpecacuanha. The most heterogeneous circumstances are assignedas the exciting causes of this disease ; whether rightly or wrongis difficult to decide in view of the utter absence of regularity812 Diseases of the Lungs.the occurrence of the paroxysms. It is certainly a supposable casthat the attacks can be excited by the" direct action of irritantupon the lungs, more especially by vapors and dust ; but it is stthat this irritation does not seem controlled by any law. Intenseemotions are undoubtedly one of the most frequent causes of asthmOf undeniable influence is the condition of the atmosphere in athermometrical as well as barometrical point of view ; the attackare most easily excited during a high state of the thermometer ana low state of the barometer. Electricity likewise plays animportant part in regard to asthma, ior the attacks are very aptbe excited previous to severe thunder-storms. Regarding a predisposition to asthma, it is certain that the male sex is most liablit, and that most cases of asthma occur between the age of pubescence and the age of fifty. Constitutional influences seem almostnull, thin as well as corpulent, feeble as well as robust individbeing attacked. In many cases we have undeniable evidence ofthe hereditary character of the disease.Syjnptotna and Courne* Asthma consists of a series of paroxysms separated from each other by intervals which at first areabsolutely free from all symptoms of the disease. Hence, we haveto consider first the paroxysm itself, and subsequently its efiec• upon the general organism.The attack either sets in with distinct precursory symptoms,among which great exhaustion and an increasing oppression ofbreathing are the most common ; or else, the attack sets in at onwith great violence. It is renoiarkable, although it cannot beaccounted for upon physiological principles, that the attack geneally sets in at night, most frequently in the evening, scarcely ein the day-time. This feature is, however, peculiar to all purelynervous affections, the cause of which may be the circumstancethat the activity of the nervous system is constantly increasingtowards night. Very often the patients are roused trom sleep whenthe attack, sets in like an attack of night-mare. They experiencea constrictive sensation on the chest, with inability to draw a lbreath ; this sensation increases in proportion as the patient mahttp://www.archive.org/stream/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog_djvu.txt