COUNTER-IRRITATION IN WHOOPING COUGH

Scientific American Supplement, No. 711, August 17, 1889, by Various, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here. COUNTER-IRRITATION IN WHOOPING COUGH.

COUNTER-IRRITATION IN WHOOPING COUGH.

By G.F. Inglott, M.D.

To combat this often distressing disease I have tried the administration of several medicines, namely, bromide of potassium, asafœtida, valerian, morphine, belladonna, etc., and I have very closely watched their effects, but none of them proved of much use. Having observed, however, that during the late cholera epidemic some of the patients admitted into the hospital under my medical charge slept well, had their anxiety improved, and some of them ultimately recovered, after the application of a strong counter-irritation of the pneumogastric nerves in the neck, namely, between the mastoid process and the angle of the lower jaw, I tried the same treatment on whooping patients, and I have no hesitation in stating that the result was very satisfactory. I may quote one single case of the many I have had under treatment.

A boy, aged twelve years, of weak constitution, was suffering from frequent and intense attacks of whooping cough. At a time the fits were so vehement that blood came out of his eyes and mouth. The case was a severe one, and I thought it would very likely end fatally. I prescribed several medicines, and even subcutaneous injections of morphine, but without any avail. I then tried for the first time the counter-irritation on both sides of the neck, and this means acted like magic. In four or five days the patient recovered, and was able to go to school. Since that time I have been applying the same treatment, either on the right side only or on both, with the greatest benefit.—Br. Med. Jour.

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