The _lac ammoniacum_, or milk of gum-ammoniac, as it is called, is likewise a proper medicine in this stage of the disease. It may be used as directed in the pleurisy. A mixture made of equal parts of lemon-juice, fine honey, and syrup of poppies, may likewise be used. Four ounces of each of these may be simmered together in a sauce-pan, over a gentle fire, and a table-spoonful of it taken at any time when the cough is troublesome. It is common in this stage of the disease to load the patient’s stomach with oily and balsamic medicines. These, instead of removing the cause of the disease, tend rather to increase it, by heating the blood, while they pall the appetite, relax the solids, and prove every way hurtful to the patient. Whatever is used for removing the cough, besides riding and other proper regimen, ought to be medicines of a sharp and cleaning nature; as oxymel, syrup of lemon, &c. Acids seem to have peculiarly good effects in this disease; they both tend to quench the patient’s thirst and to cool the blood. The vegetable acids, as apples, oranges, lemons, &c. appear to be the most proper. I have known patients suck the juice of several lemons every day with manifest advantage, and would for this reason recommend acid vegetables to be taken in as great quantity as the stomach will bear them. For the patient’s drink, we would recommend infusions of the bitter plants, as ground-ivy, the lesser centaury, camomile flowers, or water-trefoil. These infusions may be drank at pleasure. They strengthen the stomach, promote digestion, rectify the blood, and at the same time answer all the purposes of dilution, and quench thirst much better than things that are luscious or sweet. But if the patient spits blood, he ought to use, for his ordinary drink, infusions or decoctions of the vulnerary roots, plants, &c.[76] There are many other mucilaginous plants and seeds, of a healing and agglutinating nature, from which decoctions or infusions may be prepared with the same intention; as the orches, the quince-seed, coltsfoot, linseed, sasaparilla, &c. It is not necessary to mention the different ways in which these may be prepared. Simple infusion or boiling is all that is necessary, and the dose may be at discretion. The conserve of roses is here peculiarly proper. It may either be put into the decoction above prescribed, or eaten by itself. No benefit is to be expected from trifling doses of this medicine. I never knew it of any service, unless where three or four ounces at least were used daily for a considerable time. In this way I have seen it produce very happy effects, and would recommend it wherever there is a discharge of blood from the lungs.