Symptoms.—­In incipient consumption of the lungs, bleeding develops suddenly as a rule, a warm salty taste, lasting but a few moments, generally preceded by the spitting up of blood.  The blood is coughed up and the bleeding may last only a few minutes or it may continue for days, the sputum being apt to remain blood-stained for a longer time.  The immediate effect of the bleeding is to alarm the patient and family, no matter how slight it may be, inducing heart palpitation and other nervous symptoms.  A small bleeding is not attended with any bad result, but large ones give rise to the symptoms of shock (sometimes immediate death) combined with anemia following the loss of blood.  When the bleeding is large, blood by the mouthful may be ejected with each cough, and in these instances of such profuse bleeding is shown by dizziness, faintness, cold extremities, excessive pallor, sweating and rapid, small feeble pulse.  This is followed, if the attack does not prove speedily fatal, by restlessness, and later by mild delirium and some fever.  In few cases does the patient have a single bleeding; more frequently there are several at shorter or longer intervals.  Large or small bleedings may precede by weeks, months, or even years any rational symptoms of consumption.

[Respiratory diseases 39]

Quantity.—­This varies greatly.  There may be less than an ounce or it might amount to a pint or more before the bleeding stops.  In advanced cases, in which large cavities have formed, large blood vessels may be eaten through and this followed by copious and alarming bleeding.

Mothers’ remedies.—­1.  Bleeding from the Lungs.  Salt Water for.—­“Give the patient half a teaspoonful of common salt every hour or two until hemorrhage abates.”

2.  Bleeding from the Lungs.  Herb Tea for.—­“Two ounces each of bistory root, tormentil root, oak bark, and comfrey root, boil in three quarts of water down to one pint, strain and add one tablespoonful of ground ginger.  Give a wine glass full every half hour until relieved.  Place the feet in hot mustard water, keep the bowels open with a little senna and ginger tea and if necessary give a vapor bath,”

3.  Bleeding from the Lungs, Effective Remedy for.—­

“Powdered Sugar       3 ounces
Powdered Rosin        3 ounces

Mix.  Dose one teaspoonful three times a day.”

4.  Bleeding from the Lungs, Tannin and Sugar for.-

“Tannin             30 grains
Powdered Sugar       1 dram

Mix.  Make ten powders and give one every ten minutes until relieved.”

Either one of the above remedies is excellent for this trouble, as the tannin and rosin contract the arteries and acts as an astringent.

Physicians’ treatment for Bleeding of the Wind-pipe and Lungs.—­In many cases the bleeding is slight and no more need be done than to keep the patient quiet and absolute rest.  If the bleeding is free, the patient should be placed in bed, not allowed to speak above a whisper nor to change his position.