Opposing or treating catarrh, an inflammation of mucous membranes that causes excess mucus and congestion.
From anti- (against) + catarrhal (relating to catarrh, from Greek katarrhein meaning to flow down). Describes treatments that combat the excess mucus and inflammation of catarrhal conditions.
Before modern medicine, 'anticatarrhal' remedies were huge—historical doctors sold all kinds of substances claiming to stop the 'flowing down' of bad humors, showing how our ancestors understood congestion even without understanding germs!
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