A treatise of the asthma divided into four parts : in the first is given a history of the fits, and the symptoms preceding them : in the second, the cacochymia which disposes to the fit, and the rarefaction of the spirits which produces it, are described : in the third, the accident causes of the fit, and the symptomatic asthmas are observed : in the fourth, the cure of the asthmas fit, and the method of preventing it is proposed : to which is annext a digression about the several species of acids distinguish'd by their tastes, and 'tis observ'd how far they were thought convenient or injurious in general practice by the old writers, and most particularly in relation to the care of the asthma.

THE PREFACE TO THE TREATISE OF THE ASTHMA.

SINCE the Cure of the Asthma is observed by all Physicians, who have attempted the Eradi∣cating of that Chronical Distem∣per, to be very difficult, and frequent∣ly unsuccessful; I may thence inferr, That either the true Nature of that Dis∣ease is not thoroughly understood by them, or they have not yet found out the Medicines by which the Cure may be effected.

It is my Design in this Treatise, to Enquire more particularly into the Nature of this Disease; and, according to that Notion I can give of it, to pro∣pose those Methods and Medicines which appear to me most likely to ef∣fect its Cure, or, at least, to palliate it.

I have suffered under the Tyranny of the Asthma at least Thirty Years, and therefore think my self to be fully informed in the History of that Dis∣ease: And since I have Practised Phy∣sick, I have made many trials for the Relieving and Preventing of the Fits, and out of Compassion to those Mise∣rable Patients, I design to relate what I have found useful both to my self and others.

The Method I shall take in this Dis∣course, is, First to describe the Symp∣toms preceding the Fit, and those which attend it, and the different Intervals of the Periodic Fit: And that this Hi∣story of the Asthma may be more ex∣act▪ I will give the History of my own Asthma, which I shall, for distinction sake, name the True Flatulent Asthma, and hereafter give my Reason for cal∣calling

it so. I have for many Years kept a Diary of that Disease, out of which I can give a more true Account, than if I had now Recollected what has long since passed.

I will afterwards give the History of the Asthma, which is commonly called Hysterical, from the Observations of an Ingenious Lady, who has suffered un∣der that Disease Twenty Years, and gave me that Account, in Writing an Answer to many Queries I sent her a∣about it.

The Asthma is a long Disease, and it requires a long Observation to give a true Account of its Symptoms, Changes, and various Causes, which common Patients cannot nicely observe; and therefore I thought it very necessary in the First Chapter of this Treatise, to give a full History of the Asthmatic Fits.

In the next Chapter I will describe the Viscous and Flatulent Cacochymia of the Chyle, Chylous Lympha, Serum, and that Rarefaction of the Animal Spi∣rits which give the chief Disposition to the Fits of the true Asthma.

In the Third Chapter I will describe the Accidental Fits of the Asthma's de∣pending on the Air; and its Changes; and shew that they are real Fits of an Ephemera Fever, such as a slimy flatu∣lent Blood, and windy Spirits, are capable of. And I will enumerate all the other evident Causes, as Diet, Ex∣ercise, Passions, &c. And I will there observe the several Diseases on which the Asthma depends, as a Symptom, and give some Remarks for distinguish∣ing the true Asthma from other Species of the Dyspnea.

In the Fourth Chapter I will pro∣pose the several Indications necessary for the Cure of the Fits, and those which are to be persued for the prevent∣ing their Returns; I will observe what I have found injurious to that Disease, and describe those Medicines I have found most Beneficial.

I have frequently compared my Ob∣servations of my Asthma, with those of my Patients, and found them much alike: But some variety of Symptoms have appeared in all I have Discoursed. I have put my Notion of the Disease

to some very intelligent Asthmatics; and they agree with me that there is a slight Fever, and windy Rarefaction of Humours in the Fit, which I call an Effervescence; and this will be con∣firmed by the Medicines I use, which are of that Taste, which Experience has observed to succeed well in the Cure of the Flatulency of our Humours, and their Rarefactions, by an Effervescence.