Diseases > Domestic medicine

DOMESTIC MEDICINE* VI
quantity of a tea-cupful three or four times a day.
In a former edition of this book I recommended, for
an obstinate tickling cough, an oily emulsion, made
with the paregoric elixir of the Edinburgh Dispensa¬
tory, instead of the common alkaline spirit. I have
since been told by several practitioners, that they
found it to be an excellent medicine in this disorder,
and every way deserving of the character which I had
given it. Where this elixir is not kept, its place
may be supplied by adding to the common oily
emulsion, an adequate proportion of the Thebaic
tincture, or liquid laudanum.
When a cough is occasioned by acrid humours
tickling the throat and fauces, the patient should
keep some soft pectoral lozenges almost constantly
in his mouth; as the Pontefract liquorice cakes,
barley-sugar, the common balsamic lozenges, Spanish
juice, &c. These blunt the acrimony of the humours,
and by taking off their stimulating quality, help to
appease the cough.
In obstinate coughs, proceeding from a flux of
humours upon the lungs, it will often be necessary,
besides expectorating medicines, to have recourse to
issues, setons, or some other drain. In this case I
have often observed the most happy effects from a
Burgundy pitch plaster, applied between the shoulders.
I have ordered this simple remedy in the most
obstinate coughs, in a great number of cases, and in
many different constitutions, without ever knowing
it fail to give relief, unless where there were evident
signs of an ulcer in the lungs.
About the bulk of a nutmeg of Burgundy-pitch
may be spread thin upon a piece of soft leather,
about the size of the hand, and laid between the
shoulder-blades. It may be taken off and wiped
every three or four days, and ought to be renewed