glycerine; cold water with a little lemon juice or orange juice; very slow, full breaths, holding the breath, and many other such devices. Many of the widely advertised cough remedies, either in tablet or liquid form, may have a deleterious effect on the stomach and should not be taken without medical advice. This is true also of the glycerine tablets mentioned on the preceding page.

In

Patients with tuberculosis cough most frequently in the morning either before or just after rising. This cough is usually caused by some secretion which has to be gotten rid of. The cough which is productive, in other words which is accomplished by expectoration, is to be separated in its treatment from a dry, hacking, unproductive cough. The mucus which accumulates in the lungs during the day and especially during the night has to be gotten rid of as was stated at first, and the cough is the best means of freeing the air passages of the accumulated mucus. a few patients the mucus can be expectorated without coughing. Such are indeed fortunate. When, however, a patient has great difficulty in rising in the morning and is troubled with severe coughing a cup of hot milk, a cup of coffee, or of café-au-lait or a glass of hot water with a few drops of aromatic spirit of ammonia (10 to 15) or with lemon juice very often gives relief. This should be taken, if possible, before the patient rises. Coughing is then made much easier. This, too, is an excellent means of pre

venting that dry hacking obstinate cough which is often followed by vomiting.

When a patient coughs after meals an excellent thing is to take a glass of very hot water, as was just suggested, half an hour before meals, endeavoring from that time to the beginning of the meal to cough as much as possible. If change of position does not bring on coughing it may be well for these patients to lie down immediately after meals for an hour or more. This, of course, should be done out of doors. A further point of considerable benefit to patients who cough until they vomit after meals is to take all of their fluids an hour before meals and none with the meal. This will frequently stop the vomiting. A tight cough at night is often helped by a cold pack on the chest and neck. However, before attempting this, one should get full details from his physician, how to apply it and whether or not it should be used in his case. It is usually applied as follows: Strips of cotton cloth of three or four thicknesses and four or five inches wide should be placed over each shoulder and a wide binder about the chest from the arm pits to the lower part of the chest. This should then be covered with oiled silk or muslin and a broad flannel bandage applied closely over the chest. In the morning on rising a cold sponge at least to the waist should be taken at

once.

Some coughs are undoubtedly due to pleurisy,

and in these cases counter irritation by application of some liniment may prove of benefit.

It is needless to say that coughing is exceedingly disagreeable to everyone, including the cougher, and for this reason as well as others it should be controlled whenever possible. Furthermore, no one has any more right to cough without covering the mouth than he has to expectorate without taking care of the sputum.

Before taking any cough tablets or remedies other than the very simple ones mentioned above, anyone troubled with a cough should consult a physician. The doctor may be able to help him with some simple remedy that may prove superior to anything referred to in this chapter. In any event a patient should never take any remedy without notifying his physician.

XV

ON THE BODY WEIGHT

"Success lies not in achieving what you aim at but in aiming at what you ought to achieve."

THE weight of the body varies with sex, age, and height. Some divide all persons into three classes. The first is the normal type, which the painter and sculptor delight in portraying and the anatomist in describing. The other types are common; one is tall, thin, lithe, like the panther, quick of action but of very low weight for his height; the other, short, stocky, beefy like the ox, slow of action but steady of purpose and inclines to weigh more than his weight and age would indicate. While any of these three types may fall ill of tuberculosis, it selects most often the thin type. The writer's experience leads him to believe that the usual weight of persons who develop tuberculosis is on an average ten pounds below the normal weight for their height, age, and sex. It is readily seen that individuals belonging to this class should lead carefully regulated lives.

The loss of weight which occurs in some patients has given to the later stages of pulmonary tuberculosis the name phthisis (Greek) or consumption (Latin). The cause of this loss of weight is most often failure to follow some of

the suggestions set forth in previous chapters. The patient may, e. g., continue to exercise notwithstanding high fever and lack of appetite. The engine runs at high speed and must have fuel.

WEIGHT TABLE (MALES)

Showing Average Weight for Each Height and Age
(Constructed from "Nylic Graphic Table." Correct to one Pound)

Inches

Age

Inches

57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 20 104 108 111 114 117 121 125 128 132 136 140 144 149 153 158 163 167 21 105 108 111 115 118 122 125 129 133 137 141 145 150 154 159 164 168 22 106 109 112 116 119 123 126 130 134 138 142 146 151 155 160 165 169 23 106 109 113 116 119 123 127 130 135 138 143 147 152 156 161 166 170 24 107 110 114 117 120 124 128 131 136 139 144 148 153 157 162 167 171 25 108 111 114 118 121 125 128 132 136 140 144 149 154 158 163 168 172 26 108 111 115 118 122 126 129 133 137 141 145 150 154 159 164 169 173 27,109 112 116 119 122 127 130 134 138 142 146 150 155 160 165 170 174 28 109 112 116 120 123 127 130 134 138 142 147 151 156 161 166 170 175 29 110 113 117 120 124 127 131 135 139 143 148 152 157 162 167 171 176 30 110 114 117 121 124 128 132 136 140 144 148 152 157 162 167 172 177 31 111 114 118 121 125 129 132 136 140 145 149 153 158 163 168 173 178 32 111 115 118 122 125 129 133 137 141 145 150 154 159 164 169 173 179 33 112 115 119 122 126 130 133 138 142 146 150 155 159 164 170 174 179 34 112 116 119 123 126 130 134 138 142 147 151 155 160 165 170 175 180 35 112 116 120 123 127 131 134 139 143 147 152 156 161 166 171 175 181 36 113 117 120 124 127 131 135 139 143 148 152 156 161 166 172 176.181 37 113 117 120 124 128 131 135 140 144 148 153 157 162 167 172 177|182 38 113 117 121 124 128 132 136 140 144 149 153 158 162 167 173 177 183 39 114 118 121 125 129 132 136 141 145 149 154 158 163 168 173 178 183 40 114 118 122 125 129 133 136 141 145 149 154 158 163 168 173 178 184 41 114 118 122 125 129 133 137 141 146 150 154 159 164 168 174 179 184 42 115 118 122 126 130 133 137 142 146 150 155 159 164 169 174 179 185 43 115 119 123 126 130 134 138 142 146 151 155 160 165 170 175 180 185 44 115 119 123 126 130 134 138 143 147 151 155 160 165 170 175 180 186 45 116 119 123 126 131 134 138 143 147 151 156 161 165 170 176 181 186 46 116 119 123 127 131 135 139 143 147 152 156 161 166 170 176 181 186 47 116 120 124 127 131 135 139 144 148 152 157 161 166 171 176 181 187 48 116 120 124 127 131 135 139 144 148 152 157 161 166 171 177 182 187 49 117 120 124 127 131 135 139 144 148 153 157 162 167 171 177 182 187 50 117 120 124 127 132 136 140 144 148 153 157 162 167 172 177 182 188 51 117 120 124 128 132 136 140 145 149 153 158 162 167 172 178 182 188 52 117 121 125 128 132 136 140 145 149 153 158 162 167 172 178 183 188 53 117 121 125 128 132 136 140 145 149 154 158 163 168 172 178 183 188 54 118 121 125 128 132 136 140 145 149 154 158 163 168 173 178 183 188 55 118 121 125 128 132 136 140 145 149 154 158 163 168 173 178 183 188 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73

The study of the weight in pulmonary tuberculosis is of much interest and importance. The weights should be accurately taken. They