Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1842-03-24
"A d d r e Ss,

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ro A d d = e SIS.
To the comm unity, on The subject Of Con-
sumption, or Phihisic Puimonaiis.
There is but little necessity at the
present time, OF stating the ravogrs OF
this disease, for they are sprdsen, To
every observing person the desirnc-
iion of, human life by this disease is very
greet iAr this climate indeed so much
so, that il is called the scourge of New
Eng as il has long been of Old
England. Various statistical returns
show that from one fourth TO one fifth OI
all the deaths in both the above places,
are caused ny this disease.
ii is IA subject greatly 10 be lamcnted d
that so little attention is bestowed on
the preservation of health, and rs little
progress has been made in the treatment
or method OF arrestins the force Of the
disease, and conducting il to II snlulary
termination, this may be imputed part
ly TO the insidions character Of the dis
ease partly to the neglect Of those at
tackled by II, and partly again, TO the
wrong views and treatment OF physicians.
1t may be proper to bestow little atlen'
lion more particularly on each Of these
subjects.
An first ; the approach oF the disease
is usually very slow, and OF IN obscure
aud insidious character. The patient
has contracted slight change in the
ply sioloyical condition of The system,
from the variable state of the atmosphere
in which we exist. The sudden changes
'of heat, cold, moisture, Sc, have in
duced contracted and rigid condition
of many tissues composing our systems,
but especially Of the skin. The func-
lions Of these tissues, with their cap'lla-
ry vessrIs, are not performed in natu-
raj, easy, and agreeable manner as in
health, but there Is II short remove from
health, yet not attended with much un-
easiness or pain, so as to arrest parilcu-
lar attention. The symptoms or tokens
of disc ase, al first, are not so prOmine nj
DIS 10 appear in the form of wha, is called
fever, whilst yet there exists smo'hercd
state of disease, or what may well be
caIltu mOfOtu huOu.
Huwever extraordinary il may appear,
) ct i, is II fact that such state of derange-
mcn' may exist for many months, and
even whilst the subject is attending To
ordinary business, but not so pleasantly
by far as in health. The affection is
now general throughout the system, but
as all general diseased states sooner or
later concentrate Oh some particular or
gan, so the disease under consideration,
from various circumstances in this cl-
mate, conceptrairsr TO the lungs. The
subject has been altered in features Tor
some time, has looked pale, has felt the
cold air more than in health, has had an
increased frequency Of pulse, has been
weak and very commonly little short
IN breathing, Sc, but now as the disease
beg ms 10 concentrate more to the lungs,
the shortness OF breath increases, and
there begius to he a slight cough scarce
Iy noticed at first by the patient, but
oitener by the associates. This cough
ought 10 be the signal Of alarm, if no
alarm had been excited before. This is
the period in which tubercles begin to
he formed, circumstance which rem
ders the disease SO difficult of cure by
even the most proper treatment.
1t is not because consumption is in It's
nature incurable, that so many are de-
siroyed by it but, It Is on account OF its
true character moi being rightly under
stood by the subject, in its incipieni
stage, so that he makes use of proper
measures before fatal secondary changes
take place in the lungs; or, it is because
the medical adviser does not understa and
lis true character and uisapplies his
treatment For instance, il his mind
should be imbued with the fashionable
theory of the day, in believing the dis
ease 10 arise from local irritation merely
in the lungs, and thence sympa:hetically
affecting the system, whilst he does not
look for, or cannot discover a primary
his remedies will be misapplied and inn
proper
There is always conflict in the mind
OF every person, attacked with disease,
before he comes To the final decision that
he is sick, and must make use Of reine-
dies the circumstance is so revolving
that the determination is procrastinaled
from time To time, when not impelled by
the urgency of distress. So the unlor-
'unate subject is cheated out of the most
precious time or opportunity Of obtaining
relief - And, again, many have the be-
lief, that consumption is never cured by
medical treatment, aud that it is certain
death 10 enter upon such treatment All
hose, and nnny other circumstances
usually existing in families, serve 10 pro-
juce procrastInaiion aud fatal DELAY.
That the general treatment OF this dis
ease has been, for the most part, radical
ly wrong cannot be denied, for the com
mon events sufficiently prove this. The
will continue To be wrong un-
lll physicians can discover something
more in the character of the disease than
general debility ,snd local irritation mere
" in the lungs. The practice Of expos
ing patients To exercise IN the atmosphere
IN the incipient stage OF the disease is
extremely preposicroms and improper.
Warmth, rest, promoilng the secreiions
and excreiions, together with various