During Sept. 1900, I was called to a lady 50 years of age, suffering from paroxysmal asthma. She had been suffering for over a month, at times very severely, but this paroxysm was worst of all.
The dyspnoea was very great; had to sit propped up in bed; chest rattling and wheezing; filled with mucus, which she could not raise; face and hands purple from unoxygenated blood.
Ipecac., Arsenic and Antimonium tart. were of no benefit.
One evening after their failure I dropped seven drops of the tincture of Senega into one-half glass water, with directions to give teaspoonful once an hour until relieved, then at longer intervals.
The next morning as soon as she saw me exclaimed, ” Oh, Doctor, I wish you could just realize how I slept.”
“In one-half hour after the first dose I went right to sleep, and I have had a beautiful night.”
I mentioned this case to impress the value of Senega upon the reader.
I have used it many years in obstinate coughs with dyspnoea and difficult expectoration of mucus which seemed to fill the bronchial tubes.