Asthma

Papers on Health
by John Kirk

(Page 6 of 14)

Whatever thus makes living substance is nourishment; whatever fails to do so is not. If food be taken, and even digested, without being thus assimilated, it becomes an injury to a patient instead of a help. In cases of fever, inflammatory disease, or wasting sores, much rich food feeds the fire. It is like laying rafters on the roof of a burning house for purposes of repair. In such a case small quantities of milk, or milk and hot water (see Digestion), represent the total food which can be effectively used in the body. We write on this subject that in treatment our friends may watch not to injure by making the blood too rich in elements which the system cannot usefully assimilate. Such foods as oatmeal jelly and wheaten porridge will often furnish more real nourishment than pounds of bread, beef, and potatoes. A little careful thought will guide to correct treatment in this matter. An easily assimilated diet is found in Saltcoats biscuits and hot water; many inveterate stomach troubles have yielded to this, when taken as sole diet for some weeks (see Biscuits and Water).

Treatment may also be given for lack of assimilative power. The back, especially on either side of the spine, is rubbed with gentle pressure and hot olive oil. This pressure is so applied that a genial heat arises along the whole spinal column. This done twice a day, for half-an-hour at a time, and continued for several weeks, will markedly restore assimilative power. Cases which have been perfectly helpless for eight and even ten years are cured by this simple method, sufficiently and carefully followed.

We had a patient who was stout, but weak and weary, with the muscles slack and showing loss of power. The effect of back rubbing, accompanied by easily assimilated food in small quantities and often, was to lessen his weight by a considerable amount. But the muscular power at once began to increase, and the man was soon like one made anew. Digestion had not been impaired in this case, but the blood formed by it was not converted into good living substance. Sight and hearing have even been restored by these means when the failure in eye or ear has been due to waste material accumulating, as frequently is the case.

In connection with many troubles, what may be called local assimilation has to be considered. A foot, say, with a bad abscess or diseased bone (see Pain, Severe) is cured by hot bathing and pressure. From a shrunken and feeble limb, the leg grows to a healthy and strong one. This occurs because the heat and pressure have so stimulated its vitality that the material supplied by the blood can be utilized in the leg for purposes of healthy growth. So with any other part of the body. Such diet as we have indicated supplies easily assimilated substance. The local heating, pressure, and bathing enable this substance to be utilized where it is needed. A little careful thought on this line will guide to proper treatment of almost any case where assimilation has failed, either locally or generally, and will lead the way to a method of cure.

Asthma exists in various forms, having equally various causes. One of these causes, giving rise to a comparatively simple form of the disease, is cramp of the ring-muscle of the windpipe, so contracting the windpipe that breathing is rendered difficult. A "wheeze" is heard in breathing, though there is no bronchitis or lung trouble present. The cause of this cramp is an irritation of the ring-muscle's nerve. It can be relieved by pressing cold cloths gently along the spine, from the back of the head to between the shoulders, taking care that the patient remains generally warm during the treatment, and attending to the feet and skin as directed below in this article. Sometimes the cause seems to lie in the air of the place where the sufferer resides. A change either to high ground or the seaside will often entirely remove asthma, especially in the young. In any such case a trial should be made of several places, if that be at all possible, and that place fixed upon where the asthma is least felt. At Seamill sanatorium many asthmatic persons have found complete freedom from their trouble from the day of their arrival, and the treatment given has made this cure permanent.

Another cause of asthma is lack of power in the breathing muscles. In such a case the patient clings to a particular attitude, in which alone he can breathe. This is in most cases due to a lack of vitality in the root nerve which supply the breathing muscles.

An attack of this may often be relieved by rubbing, with the points of the fingers chiefly, gently yet firmly up and down each side of the spine, close to the bone. Even rubbing above the clothing will frequently relieve. The roots of the nerves supplying power to the breathing muscles lie just on each side of the spine, and this kind of rubbing stimulates these roots. It is not rubbing of the skin or backbone which is wanted, but such gentle treatment of the nerve roots on either side of the bone as makes them glow with genial warmth. This rubbing is of course better done on the surface of the skin. See that the patient is warm, then dip the fingers in cold water, and rub as directed. When the water makes the patient feel chilly or he tires of it, use fresh olive oil, warmed if necessary. Avoid all alcoholic drinks, which simply rob the nerves of the very power needed for cure. Temporary relief may be given by such drinks, but it is at the expense of lowered life and reduced chances of recovery.

A tablespoonful of hot water every five minutes is the best curative drink. It may be given for several hours if required. To give this rubbing treatment and drinking hot water fair play, however, attention must be paid most carefully to the feet and skin of the patient. The feet frequently are cold, and in bad cases swell, the skin at and above the swelling being pale and soft. In minor cases this state of the feet may be treated by rubbing with hot olive oil. In serious cases rubbing is to be alternated with bathing the feet in hot water, until the feet and limbs glow with heat. This may be done two or three times a day, for half an hour, or even an hour. It increases very greatly the vital power for breathing.

Again, the skin in bad cases of asthma becomes dry, hard, and a light brown substance forms on its surface. If the skin thus fails, severe work is thrown on the already overloaded lungs, and the breathing is much worse. Give the patient a night's pack in the soapy blanket. If there is not strength to stand the entire treatment, keep in the blanket pack for a shorter time - one, two, or three hours. Not more than two nights of this treatment should be needed at a time. The soapy blanket greatly stimulates the skin, and opens all the closed pores, immensely relieving the lungs. If feet, skin, and back be treated as we have advised, even a very obstinate case of asthma should be cured. See Appendix; Bathing the Feet; Rubbing; Soap; Soapy Blanket.

Printed by Hurst Bros., Shaw Heath, Stockport. 1904.