Croup (angina membranacea):

-JAHR Georg Heinrich Gottlieb
Pointers to the Common Remedies of Colds, Influenza, Sore Throats, Coughs, Croup, Acute Chests, Asthma

Windpipe inflammation

Description of Disease. -A violent and peculiar inflammation of the membrane lining the windpipe, and especially the bronchi, producing a peculiar secretion which concretes almost immediately, forming a false membrane which lines the affected parts. It generally commences like a cold, with hoarseness and sneezing; to which succeeds fever, anxiety, short and difficult breathing; with wheezing, whistling, or rattling respiration; and a rough, crowing, barking or ringing cough, as if the sounds were sent through a brazen tube. Croup is distinguished from Asthma of Millar principally by the symptoms being always present (whereas the paroxysms of the asthma are periodical), by fever, and by the urine being red and inflammatory.

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Croup rarely occurs after the age of seven years, but is one of the most dangerous diseases of children. The cold and croupy cough may sometimes exist for a day or two before a paroxysm or fit occurs; or a child may go to bed apparently well, and have an attack of the complaint in its worst form. Medical aid should be obtained. Cold and damp atmospheres, sudden changes of temperature, wet feet, insufficient clothing, low and moist localities, are the exciting causes of croup, and one attack generally predisposes the patient to subsequent ones.
For the incipient stage

Medicinal treatment :
Hepar sulphur
Is an excellent remedy, to be used before the acute symptoms are present, when there is a hoarse, hollow cough with wheezing.
Dose. -Two grains every three or four hours, on the tongue, followed by a mouthful of water.
For the acute stage
Medicinal treatment
Aconitum napellus
During the inflammatory period, when there is fever, with short dry cough, and hurried breathing.
Dose. -One drop in a dessertspoonful of water to be taken every hour, or alternated with one drop of Spongia in the same quantity of water every half hour, or even ten to fifteen minutes apart in severe cases.
Hepar sulphur
If the cough symptoms are attended with rattling of mucus, or the cough is more of a loose and moist character, or if there are symptoms of suffocation when lying down.
Dose. -Two grains, repeated or alternated with Spongia as under Aconitum.
Spongia tosta
In the decided croup symptoms, and in the worst cases, where there is hoarse, hollow, barking, and crowing cough, or slow loud wheezing and sawing breathing, or fits of choking.
Dose. -See under Aconitum.

Accessory treatment:
A hot bath should be given, or the child's feet immersed in hot water till quite warm, then wiped and wrapped in flannel so as to promote perspiration, or flannels dipped in hot water may be applied to the throat, or the child allowed to inhale steam freely. The patient must be kept from all draughts of air, and the diet during the attack should be as in fever. To prevent a recurrence of croup and to ward it off, take plenty of fresh air and active exercise daily, cold bathing and sponging, simple nutritious diet, and guard against catching cold.