Sigh.. if only its as simple as a gargle

Subject: Male, human
Complaint: chest deep, thick brown colored phlegm, bad Cough
Social Hx: Smoker
Med Hx: Used a red color gargle for the above problem

A gargle to clear the thick brown phlegm and cough?
What actually is he gargling his mouth with?

Mebe a gargle w antiseptic and local numbin agent can help to reduce the itchy throat that leads to the cough.. But phlegm??

Or mebe he is garglin w a mucolytic that he actually swallows.. Yucks...

And before he walk out, he insisted that everytime he has this problem, the gargle never fails to work..

Ahh.. if only every medical problem can be solved w a magical gargle..