Randomised clinical trials.

persistent cough following radiotherapy. An inhalation of lignocaine relieved the cough within two hours and the effect continued for a week when a further inhalation was given. Since that time there has been no recurrence of the severe coughing fits. Each of these patients obtained relief with lignocaine 400 mg in saline administered via a Bird Micronebulizer. Salbutamol 2-5 mg was given by wet inhalation immediately before each treatment. It is our impression that mucus clearance was not impaired in these three patients. From this very limited experience we would not withhold lignocaine aerosol treatment in any patient who had distressing and otherwise uncontrollable cough and was suffering a fatal illness. We would agree with you that further evaluation of this technique is necessary in other types of illness giving rise to severe cough, particularly until the possible effects on mucus clearance is better understood. C J STEWART T J CoADY