Asthma is an affliction that has been with us since man began to pay attention to aches, pains and what ever ails him(her). From Dr. Chase's book, we have the following remedies: "Elecampane, angelica, comfrey, and spikenard roots, with hoarhound tops, of each 1 oz; bruise and steep in honey. 1 pt. Dose - A table-spoon, taken hot every few minutes, until relief is obtained, then several times daily until a cure is effected." It cured an old lady and instead of "letting her die in peace", let her live in peace. Or ---
"Oil of tar 1 dr.; tincture of Veratrum viride 2 drs.; simple syrup 2 drs.; mix. Dose - For adults 15 drops 3 or 4 times daily. I have very great confidence in this prescription." Or ---
A cure for Asthma, is a tea made from the leaves of common chestnut, which having fallen from the tree in the fall are boiled and sweetened. Continue to use for two or three months. (Alas, we can't try this palliative as the Chestnut tree is no longer with us.) Or ---
Lobelia is considered by some as a specific for Asthma. Potassium Iodide has cured bad cases of Asthma. And finally, "Bayberry bark, hemlock bark, ginger root, cayenne pepper, and cloves; finely pulverized and well mixed. Make a hot tea of the above and used at the first stages and in less violent case of the disease."
And from Dr. Gunn's Family Physician we have the following. The good doctor preferred the use of Lobelia as one of the best treatments. This vomit-inducing drug was to be used in all cases with the exception of those who are subject to a tendency of blood to the head. He has numerous, draught, pills, teas and other treatments but I will leave with you with his most incisive analysis, to whit, "The disturbance of the passions and feelings, ... produces it".
What is particularly distressing is that Asthma incidence has increase most recently. Why? Are we more prone to sickness than before? Are we abandoning healthful practices of good nutrition, exercise, rest and relaxation?
Perhaps the data dredgers should look at correlations between those things that have changed in the environment in the past 30 years. Let's see, we have banned lead paint and lead in gasoline - maybe, just maybe, lead is a counteractant to asthma? Or, we are very concerned about fat in our diet. Could it be that fat and cholesterol protect us from asthma? And now that cigarettes are banned in the work place (I don't smoke) the irritant effects of all that tar and nicotine in second-hand smoke now are lessened so the body now goes on a rampage when it encounters other airborne contaminants?
Do we really know, or want to know? One thing for sure, the environment in which we live has changed. Let us look at the irritants (allergens) around us that have increased in the past 30 years. Our houses (and apartments) are now weather proof (i.e., so tight that we have the privilege of rebreathing our own stale breath.), Office buildings are known as sick buildings, although we can't find the cause of the "sickness", which is probably just a case of bad air circulation. Legionnaires disease would never have occurred in times past. And something as simple as changing your bed linens. With the advent of polyester, the sheets need not be ironed (or changed frequently). So now you have the opportunity to culture your very own tribe of bed mites that living off your (and your bed partner's) shedded skin, produce faeces (there are other words for this) that is known to be an irritant.
What to do, what to do??? Why take medicine of course, our good doctors and the drug companies, working hand in hand with the Food and Drug Administration have just the cure for what ails you!
We are bombarded with medical advice, from the pharmaceutical companies and asked to make decisions based on inadequate information. As a case in point, try to translate the fine print that accompanies advertisements for any allergy drug. After you read the contra-indications, ask yourself if you would take this medicine or give it to a member of your family.
Make no mistake, I have a great deal of sympathy for those who suffer from asthma and other respiratory diseases. But, I do believe that we rely far too much on the medicine cabinet. Sometimes perhaps not taking two aspirins and not calling the doctor in the morning is the best solution.
Maybe Drs. Chase and Gunn were on the right track. Maybe disturbing the passions and feelings causes asthma! Is it in the mind? Why else would taking something that causes you to vomit be a treatment for asthma?
As we move into the twenty-first century, the word is "intolerance". People are intolerant. Of course you knew that but exactly are they intolerant of? Seems that exposure to a large dose of something in the environment, or a lot of low-level exposures cause some individuals to react with the following symptoms: skin disorders, memory and concentration difficulties, depression, debilitating fatigue, arrhythmais, headaches, asthma, and digestive problems(1). Before dismissing this as something that affects someone else, it is good to be reminded that upwards of six percent of the United States population is affected, or somewhere between three and six percent. That's about one in twenty people; look about when your are at work, shopping, at school, etc. In twenty people, one of them is said to be suffering from "chemical intolerance". And, it could be you. Have you been exposed to tobacco, pesticides, and all the socially non-permissible compounds? How about alcohol, a bit of marijuana, other drugs, my-lady's perfume, or the aroma from fast-food kitchens? All of these may be the underlying cause of an affliction. And, there is no cure. As the population ages, you can expect only more of the same and pretty soon, the numbers will probably be more like one in ten. There's a lot of sickness out there.
***
(1)Chemical and Engineering News, October 10, 2005, pp 24, article by Bette Hileman.
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