Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1859-09-24
DAILY EMPIRE.
tFrom the Cincinnati Enquirer)
Dr. Wolfe on Consumption and Medioa-
~ ted Inhalation.
L IirTER VIII
TfrArnnsr or BaoNcniTla,

TKrArnrST or BRoEcHiris,
The reader who has olusely followed me
. in the progress Of these letters need not to
be told how Inadequate al treatment must
be, which does not penetrate the lungs where
/ the disease itself exists; and how utterly in,
eihcient--nay, mischieyous, all applications
to the throat must be-, while the fountain of
evil lies.beneath untouched
Tho application Of nitrate of silver TO tho
lnuces rs "a remedy in treating bronchitis,
has doubtless had its origin in the errone-
GUS idea that bronchitis was a disease Of the
throat This opinion is as untruthful as the
practice is unphilosophoal and dininrious. As
~ name implies, bronchitis is simply a die,
ease of the bronchial tubes, which every body
should know, are not in the throat, but IN
the lungs. Hence, when they become dis
eesed, the lungs must also be more or less
affected. H
The pathological condition of the bron,
chal tubes, when inllamed, is frequently
found to consistin an alteration ofthest
ure, by thickoning of the mucous mem
brane lining them until a part or tho whole
OF the smniler air tubes become completely
closed or blocked up. This prevents the
transmission OF mir to the rarenchyinieal
lstructure Of the lungs and a5 sequence
AAnN ffHl ottp AAis Aht NIlltht llIu IN NHNhl~
ology understands that if sufIicient fresh air
is not received into the lungs to arterializo
or oxydize tho blood, that tho circulation
will moi contain an excess of carbon, than
which nothing can be more fruitful of dis,
case and death. Upon this prinoipie Dr.
\ Oullon founds his carbon theory Of The for,
nation OF the tubercles in tho lungs This
condition of The blood frequently exists with 3,
out giving any warning other than tho usual
lbronchitie symptoms, Of the fearful change
which IS taking place in the system, until
tho details Of consumption are made pain,
: fully manifest
have said that the treatment Of bron,
chitis hitherto has been proftless Of good,
and often fraught with mischief The diff.
! ficulty has been in getting remedies to act
upon the parts affected by direct and local
application. Now, how can you get into
the lungs with remedies 2 Certainly not by
swallowing medicine into the stomach, for
these never, only in qualified sense, reach
the lungs and are more frequently product
i've of evil than good Let us look to nature
IN this dilemma, as we must in other cases
fora solution Of the difficulty, and the neth'
cd is at once Indicated IL is to inhale or
draw, in the medicine with the air we
breathe, into the lungs 1e
Inhalation simply means the act Of inspi-
, , ring or drawing breath, but when applied
toa mode Of administering medicines it
means to breathe them. Thus | say, 81 in
hale medicine, instead Of 81 take medi
icine," the only differences being that enc is
inhaled into the lungs and the other is
swallowed into the stomach. With this ex.
PLANTATION it is made plain that remedies
mus. vary when administered by inhalation
mrph oa IL thau ,varo etpo oltoNUad I ,y;f1
= illustrate this proposition still further. 1t
is well known that in spasmodic asthma in.
halng the smoke of "jimson weed (Jatura
stramonium) will relax the spasm and re-
lieve the patient; but this remedy will not
check the discharge in humUral asthma, nor
make any impression whatever upon sysl
tens having idiosyncracy of habit or consti.
tuiional peculiarties Now, what has been
said Of asthma is equally true of bronchitis
4, and consumption, and only make this OK.
: PLANTATION because, that many who write to
me respecting treatment, have got tho erro.
neous idea that inhalation, instead of being
a mode of practice, is some specific nostrum
: for the cure of consumption. To make il
= such is to degrade il to the level Of quackery
7 or stamp it with the pernicious character Of
e the rouiinst
! ! The late Vice President Of the United
: States. VIM. r. King undoubtedly had his
. death expedited by the Ignorance ard i'm,
prudence OF his medical advertisers,who ad'
vised him to use the sugar house cure, by
!, lnhaling the yapor of sugar. AT the time
+, this advice was given, the Vice President
had extensive cavities in his lungs, which
secresing q copious and enicebling expecto-
rotIons. by inhaling tho sugar vapors, this
secretion was increased, and after spending
.knw To-, -. A.. 4. 4
; ba, he returned to Alabama, barely in time
10 meet his friends before be died Now
g sugar vapors are highly useful ia treating
, some forms of consumption, but it is equally
% injurious in others. Had the medical ad-
o vertisers of William r. King known how tC
% distinguish the various forms Of consump.
g ton, and prescribe accordingly, it is only
fair to say that the pineries Of Carolina OF
the balsam groves OF Canada would have
been selected as recruiting grounds for tht
Vice President, il it was at all necessary Il
n 60 so far, to breath balsam or gum exhala.
p tions.
In treating bronchitis, the first object is t.
ID cleanse the air tubes Of the lungs, by the
use of expectorant inhalants, after which, the
irritation must be allayed upon which the
secretion depended, by soothing and heah
/! ing the inAamed surface When come {,
!, speak Of the treatment Of consumption,
v viii write more ia detail upon this subject
Having now considered briefly some Of the
B more prominent diseases of the throat anC
n air passages, and pointed ont that Medica
ted Inhalation is the only efficient mode o
treating them, ] will next proceed in like
manner, To consider the more serious mala.
, dies of the lungs, direct.
$ N. b. WOLFE, NJ. d.
Physician for diseases of the Lungs auG
&c Throat No, SO, Ninth street, Cincinnati O.
Psi have prepared "Oireular" for the
use Of those who may wish to consult me
respecting my method of treating diseases
Of the lungs, who reside at distance from
} the city, or who cannot visit mo persona lly
: The circular contains list oil Questions re,
latng to the symptoms by which consump
z ton and It's different varieties are known
: and by answering which correctly, persons
: from abroad are enabled to send me n cor
r rect statement OF their condition for advice
y and treatment In this manner, am ena-
Ii abled to put peTsopsunder treatment by med
icated inhalation at their own homes, in al
parts of the county where express facilitie:
are afforded, by sending them medicines, in
- haler, and full directions for their use -
.s,If 1. l.