The asthma of old age, however, must be treated very differently: here, instead of debilitating, it becomes necessary to support and stimulate the patient under the exhaustion of the paroxysms. For this purpose, warmth should be early applied to the body and extremities, by the hot bath or bottles of hot water. The chest and pit of the stomach should be rubbed for a few minutes with hartshorn and oil; hot coffee, or small doses of brandy-and-water, administered occasionally; and the following mixture, according to the age and sex, given in doses of one or two table-spoonfuls every two or four hours, as the state of the patient may demand:—Carbonate of ammonia, one scruple; Dover’s powder, half a drachm; peppermint water, six ounces; mix, and add tincture of squills, spirits of lavender, and sulphuric ether, of each one drachm. When asthma has been induced by a derangement of the digestive organs, it will be necessary to give a dose of castor oil or an alterative pill; while for the shortness of breath and difficulty of breathing that often precedes and follows the full paroxysm, a poultice, composed of equal parts of mustard and flour, and applied warm to the chest for ten or fifteen minutes, will yield considerable relief. As an aperient, two compound assafœtida pills will be found of the utmost benefit, especially to those advanced in life. BRONCHITIS. Is now much milder in its attacks, and seldomer met with than formerly, though it still remains a disease of both severity and danger. _Acute bronchitis_ is characterised by general fever, heat of the skin, difficulty of breathing, with hurried and sometimes laborious respiration; a peculiar sense of fulness and roughness of the windpipe, followed by hoarseness, oppression, or pain over the region of the heart, accompanied by a short dry cough. After from six to twelve hours, a secretion of mucus takes place in the trachea and bronchial tubes, producing a wheezing rattling noise as the patient respires; and in consequence of the blood not being freely exposed to oxygen in its passage through the lungs, the lips and cheeks assume an ashy or dusky hue. The pulse at the first is quick and hard, but after a time, becomes full and what is called, soft; but so compressible, that a little extra pressure of the finger will apparently extinguish it. There is at the same time great prostration of strength, considerable anxiety and alarm, with pain in the head, giddiness, and when the symptoms are severe, even delirium. Bronchitis arises in general from exposure to cold and humid atmosphere; taking cold after violent exertion, or from any of the ordinary causes of cold or sore throat. The hoarseness and dry full sense, experienced in the nose and windpipe, is often felt extending far down the chest, attended with considerable sneezing; and the efforts of a dry hard cough, causing pain both in the chest and shoulders.