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Syphilis
Published in Scott M. Jackson, Skin Disease and the History of Dermatology, 2023
The earliest explanations attributed the disease to a punishment sent from God for sins and transgressions. In his posthumous publication De luis venereae curatione perfectissima liber, “A book concerning on the most effective treatment of venereal disease” (1579), the renowned Jean Fernel (see Chapter 8) was the first to apply a rational perspective to understanding the disease and is thereby the single most important voice of his generation on the subject. Fernel was convinced that the disease was new to Europe and imported from the New World. In both the etiology and the natural history of the disease, he shrewdly compared it to rabies and noted the skin as the only protection against the disease: No: it does not come from the stars, nor from the soil, nor from water, nor from wine. Like the mad dog's phlegm, it is a contagion; that is, it spreads by contact; and it has this further resemblance to the dog's virus that it requires a broken surface in order to establish itself in the body. The sound skin is proof against it; but the least sore place—a scratch, an abrasion, the tiniest crack—and through that it can enter. As with arrow-poison, the sound skin has to be pierced to let it pass. And, like the mad dog's virus, having entered it lies dormant for a while; then, in its own due time, to travel to the uttermost ends of the body, working its mischief as it goes.43
Pre-modern madness
Published in Vivienne Lo, Michael Stanley-Baker, Dolly Yang, Routledge Handbook of Chinese Medicine, 2022
Some physicians at that time even conceptualised phlegm-fire as a cause of madness. The physicians who are nowadays commonly called ‘the Four Masters’ made great contributions to these issues (Chapter 9 in this volume). Of them, Zhu Zhenheng 朱震亨 (aka Zhu Danxi 朱丹溪, 1282–1358) is the most renowned. Zhu elaborated Liu Wansu’s 劉完素 (1110–1200) theory of fire and heat and proposed phlegm as a pathology in his medical treatises on various disorders. For example, he explained that the symptoms of ‘depletion disorders’ and ‘phlegm disorders’ look similar and are often mistaken as ‘demonic afflictions’. In these cases, they should be treated by replenishing depletion, clearing heat and dispelling phlegm with herbal recipes (Gezhi yulun in Danxi yiji, 23; Simonis 2014a: 632–3).
Eucalyptus spp. (Eucalypts) and Ficus religiosa (Sacred Fig)
Published in Azamal Husen, Herbs, Shrubs, and Trees of Potential Medicinal Benefits, 2022
Surendra Pratap Singh, Bhoomika Yadav, Kumar Anupam
F. religiosa leaves may be a great option for cough (Ballabh and Chaurasia, 2007). Therapeutic elements are found in F. religiosa leaf. Using which can get relief in phlegm. Using F. religiosa leaves in the form of juice can get rid of the problem of phlegm. Use of F. religiosa leaf is beneficial in eye disease. The white latex that comes out from F. religiosa leaves is applied to the eye, and it gives relief from pain in the eyes(Cagno et al., 2015).
Integration of network pharmacology and intestinal flora to investigate the mechanism of action of Chinese herbal Cichorium intybus formula in attenuating adenine and ethambutol hydrochloride-induced hyperuricemic nephropathy in rats
Published in Pharmaceutical Biology, 2022
Na Li, Mukaram Amatjan, Pengke He, Boheng Zhang, Xianyan Mai, Qianle Jiang, Haochen Xie, Xiaoni Shao
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory, the term ‘HUA’ did not exist. According to the symptoms and characteristics of complicated gout, HUA disease belongs to the category of ‘blockage syndrome’, ‘Lijie’ and gout in TCM, and the kidney diseases induced by HUA are referred to as ‘edoema’, ‘low back pain’, ‘asthenia’, etc. With the continuous advancement in the understanding of HUA in Chinese medicine, it has been acknowledged that phlegm dampness is the fundamental pathogenesis of HUA. Phlegm is generally divided into two types: one is tangible phlegm, which refers to the visible and accessible phlegm; The other is invisible phlegm, which mostly refers to the phlegm flowing in various viscera, meridians, skin, and other parts. Dampness is hydration, diffuse, without obvious form and quality. Phlegm and dampness are synonymous and similar, both due to abnormalities in water metabolism. Generally, it is considered that dampness condenses into phlegm, which is often referred to as phlegm dampness. Therefore, the treatment should emphasize tonification and purgation in combination, and adhere to the essential treatment of resolving phlegm and dehumidification. To attack the evil, we must give the devil a way out, the approach to dispel phlegm and dampness is to expel it through sweat, urine and stool. To tonifying deficiency, it is vital to regulate and tonify the lung, spleen, and kidney, enhance the energy of transportation and gasification, and block the source of phlegm and dampness, thus reducing the endogenous pathological products.
Exploring the clinical relevance of cough hypersensitivity syndrome
Published in Expert Review of Respiratory Medicine, 2020
Chronic bronchitis is clinically defined by the presence of cough with expectoration persisting for more than 3 months per year. An earlier study in adults reported that common etiologies of chronic bronchitis were similar to those of chronic cough [89]; however, it may be a distinct entity from chronic dry cough, as the presence and nature of airway inflammation may have different clinical implications. A clinical issue is that there is no objective definition of sputum production, such as the amount or characteristics; phlegm sometimes results from excessive coughing. In children, chronic bronchitis in the absence of signs of another cause is likely to indicate protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB), which usually responds to 2 weeks of administration of an appropriate oral antibiotic [90]. Repeated episodes of PBB are associated with the risk of developing bronchiectasis during childhood [91]. Meanwhile, the clinical relevance of chronic bronchitis remains controversial in adults. Recent studies have suggested the clinical benefits of azithromycin against cough in adult patients with chronic bronchitis [81,92], but it is unknown what mechanisms underlie the therapeutic responses.
Family medicine physician teachers and residents’ intentions to prescribe and interpret spirometry: a descriptive cross-sectional study
Published in Journal of Asthma, 2020
Audrey Desjardins, Marie-Ève Boulay, Myriam Gagné, Mathieu Simon, Louis-Philippe Boulet
According to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), spirometry is the gold standard for the diagnosis and management of COPD, even if clinical history, physical examination and symptoms suggest such diagnosis [1]. From a forced expiratory maneuver, spirometry can assess the forced vital capacity (FVC), the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), and their ratio, a measure of airway obstruction [1]. Not only does it allow to demonstrate airflow limitation and to assess the severity of chronic respiratory diseases, but it can also help evaluate the efficacy of treatments [1,6]. As stated by the Canadian Thoracic Society (CTS), “patients who are older than 40 years of age and who are current or ex-smokers should undertake spirometry if they answer yes to any one of the following questions: 1. Do you cough regularly? 2. Do you cough up phlegm regularly? 3. Do even simple chores make you short of breath? 4. Do you wheeze when you exert yourself, or at night? 5. Do you get frequent colds that persist longer than those of other people you know? [7]. Similarly, the American College of Physicians (ACP), the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), the American Thoracic Society (ATS) and the European Respiratory Society (ERS) recommend the use of spirometry for the assessment of airway obstruction in patients with respiratory symptoms [8].