Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1859-08-02
DAIIY8 EMPIRE.
urom the cinoihnau Ehquiferj
Or. Wolfe on Consumption and Medica-
ted Inhalation.

w Woho on VOnSOmptlon ana Meolon-
ted Inhalation.
i LETTER II.
] There is, perhaps, no part Of the practice
OF medicine, about which the masss Of even
educatei physicians know 90 little, or enter
tain such vague and erroneous Impressions
as they do in regatd 10 the action and efliuaoy
OF medioated inhalation. This, however, II
not strange, when we reflect how little has
been written upon the subject and that, too,
Of 80 vague, indefinite and unsatisfactory u
character
The basis upon which this mode Of prac-
tice mainly rests, may be explained in few
words. Tho air we breathe is more imme-
diately concerned In the production OF dis
ease than any other influence to which we
are exposed Il is subject to change in is
temperature, its density, in its electrical
condition, and in the amount Of impurities
il contains, all Of which directly affect our
feelings and our health. Every change is
thus impressed locally on the internal sur.
face OF the lungs, through which, by absorp-
tion. il acts upon the blood, and through
the blood on every organ, muscle, nerve and
tissue Of the body. 10 this way we contract
continued lever, the PLACE, yellow fever,
cholera, aAne, influenza and many other NAL.
aides, Inscribed to some radical change OF
the air itself or to the poisonous gasses, va
pOrs or particles floating therein. Through
the same medium, the virus of small pOx,
scarlet fever, and other common eruptive die.
eases is spread from house to house and
from town to town, until nations become at
hicted. SpasmOdio asthma has unquestiUn-
ably an atmospheric origin, and whooping
cough we know 70 be transmitted from one
child to another by the breath.
Now, in these diseases the exciting cause
is inhaled into the lungs, and from thence
absorbed in the blood, which is thus vitmted
and carried from organ 10 organ depressing
their vitality, until chain Of morbid dis
turbance is established, involving the entire
system, Here we have the true source OF
the so,called "idiopsthic diseases" There
are other affections than those enumerated,
which spring directly from the action of the
air upon the mucus membrane lining the air
passages, such as oatarrh, quinsy, laryngi,
tis, bronchitis and pnuemonla, OF which !
will speak eeriatlm in my future letters. -
For the present, will consider as briefly as
| possible the subject of Catarrh,P or cold
in the head, as a very common disease in
all countries where the climate is subject to
many and sudden viciseitudes Of tempera-
ture From its great prevalency in this
latitude, It is esteemed OF little Importance,
and hence liable to neglect. A more fatal
and melancholy mistake seldom occurs, as il
frequently masks the commencement OF that
other malady, Consumption" whose very
name awakens echoes of grief in million
hearts, and whose victims are more numer-
GUS than those Of all the men 'slayInS con-
J quernrs Of earth The pathology ofCatarrh
, an inhammatOry action OF the muGus mem-
brane lining the nose, which membrane ex-
tending downward, also lines tho throat, lar
ynx, windppe and bronchial tubes. This
is to be noted particularly, because II is a
] law of Inflammation, that its tendency is tO
extend along the membrane affected, and
hence it is easily explained how chronic
: catarrh may end in consumption.
When acute catarrh begins to invade the
system, sense Of heat and stuling the
nose is experienced, with much difficulty to
draw air through the nostris. At such
times, exposure to sunlight or breatlng cold
. air will excite violent snsezing. Ii the irri-
tation extends as lar as the frontal sinus, il
Z will be known by violent pain in abe fore
head IL may also extend through the laoh-
e rymal canal, which convey the tears from
the eyes to the nose ii 80, the tears will
flow Gown the face, and being acrid, will ex
curiate the skin A thin ichor begins to dis.
+ tll from the nose, which gradually becomes
bland yellow mucus, and in IL lew days the
complaint has subsided or lost its acut,
, character aud II lett to cure ITSELF it fre-
quently terminates in chronic catarrh -
|, sometimes simple cold in the head vii
proceed along The eustachian tu. es aDc
, cause deafness. his is especially the cas-,
= with those of scrofulous constitutions.
4 Chronic catarrh is met with in severa
: forms, and may consist in hawking, OF
J., cleaning the throat frequently through tn,
n day, OF yellow or straw'colored mucus
D which aceumulates behind the soft palate
J, ana OH examining the throat, may be seer
! hanging down in iestoons from the posterio
d mares Again, small ulcers form in the most
and also scabs, which the patient cannot re
train picking. In other cases, false mem-
. branes exude, which the patient removes
n from time to time; or the secretion MAJ
g be purulent. and dripping into the throat
Il diseases that part creating disposition Il
. snuff or hawk TO remove the offending
y y matter. Sometimes ulcers penetrate thu
bone, causing its death, when thin, yel'
low faetid discharge ensues, and the sens
of smell is impaired or quiIe Destroyed
- Chronic cata, rh however, derives its ll1por
tance from its tendency to descend to th
- tuEUht1 uiuhb tho PuNo"6Soi NA'
lie reaching the air cells, lay the foundation o
70 consumption, of which it is the usual pre-
~ cursor.
: Common sense will teach us, that rene
: dies administered through the stomach, can
not reach the seat of this disease, AM
40 hence, until the introduction OF locul appli
tb cations, it bai1ed the skill and science OF th
profession TO cure. Its formadibility, how
- y er, has been overcome by the combined us
" of medicsted air, and the showering syi
inges, and without these appliances as loci
remedies, constitutional means alone mul
tail N. b. WOLFE, Nj, ID.
Pbysician for diseases Of the Lungs an
;, Throat, No SO, Ninth street, Cincinnati o.
r.. PSI have prepared Circular for th
M use of those who may wish TO consult m
90 respecting my method OF treating disease
Of the lungs, who reside at a distance frol
- the city, or who cannot visit me personall
G. The circular contains list Of questions II
lating to the symptoms, by which oonsuml
ton and its different varieties are know
; and by answering which correctly, porsoI
% from abroad are enabled to send me a co
sp rect statement OF their condition for adyi'
ms and treatment In this manner, am ems
bled TO put persons under treatment by me
iciited inhalation at their own homes, ia q
parts of the county where express lacillti
5s are afforded, by sending them medicines, i
L. ell l.s.