Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-04-17
DR.. Hunter on the Complications Of Goa
sunni tion.

DIR. Hunter on the complications OF Goa
sumption.
From the New York Medical Specialist
Though in the early stsge the destroying infiu-
ence OF consumption is wholly confined to the
lungs, The effects Of the ravages going on there
are soon seen la a disturbance Of the whole sys-
tenn There is no organ in the body which does
not deeply svmpathile with the impeded func-
ton q the lungs The function of the lungs is
topurify the blood Of Its carbon, without which
there can be no strength In the muscles har-
mony In the action Of other organs
Whatever interferes with the free admission Of
pure air to the lungs, tends to render the blood
impure and unfit to ncurish and sustain the tone
of the body. The circulation of impure blood
weakens its vitality, and produces an imperfect
performance of the function Of every part.
This disturbance I call sympathy. But II Is
something more than that nervous connection ef-
listing between diseased and healthy organ TO
piled. Ii Is a two-fold sympathy acting through
the blood and through the nerves. The failure
on the part of the lungs to parity the blood, LINKS
together the several parts Of the body in the
sequences The injury which began in the lungs,
thus becomes transmitted from organ to organ
until the LEGAL pulmonary malady is lost In Il e
wide range Of complications to which il has
given rise.
These complications often occur with much
greater violence in one organ than in others. In
one the stomach is the chief seat, and we find the
appetite caprcious; sometimes too good, at others
| miserably poor. We may have "pain in the
stomach 'fatulence,n "vorsiting;'' ''eructa-
Ions, duU TIE tIdln u ulSiIcSSeS WHICH
| confirmed dyspepsia. In another the bowels
manifest the symptoms Of confirmed "ohroHic dyS-
enttry, or ''ehronic didrrh4a.n If there are gran
ulatons or alterations in the fauces and larynT
the disease is mistaken for ga mere afection of the
fhrodt,' and, a consequence, the lungs are
! wholly neglected. Should there be much pain I'm
the chest, and especially should the pleura be- ONE
Unnamed and adhere to the walls OF the chest, as
Is very common in every form Of consumption, tie
disease is thought TO be only ''ehroaie pleurisy,n
or 'rhsHmattsna an the muscles Of The chest" or
These and many other affections are conse-
Quences OF the pulmonary disease, aud spring d.
reetly from it That they are frequently mistaken
for the chief disease, and wrongly treated, there
| can be no doubt. In fact, am almost daily made
aware Of the truth Of this observation by patients
| themselves But this is not to be wondered at
when consider all tie difficulties which lie in
the way Of the general practitioner acquiring that
experience which is necessary to detect pulmonary
disease in the early stage. The physician req ures
long and constant practice to become accurate in
diagnosis with the stethoscope. Without great
practical experience, the most profound book
kn)wledge will not save him from making many
grevious mistakes. And the difficulty 10 not alone
from the inexper ence of the physician. but also,
| and to great degree, from the unwillingness OF
patients to believe their lungs are diseased, or to
have their chests carefully examined. They
strive to persuade themselves that their lungs are
| sound. and though filled with apprehension, they
| go TO the physician for his opinion might almost
| say with deliberate intention to disguise mis-
| color their worst symptoms, that they may lead
| Let me warn the reader to be ever watchful of
the chest, and do not rest satisfied when you have
any fears in regard to Your lungs, until YOU have
obtained a careful examination and the best ad-
vice YOU can procure. An error may cost YOU
your life. IL have tubercles, and they are not
discovered until in their second stage, your case,
from being simple, becomes one Of extreme peril.
have thus briefly glanced at a few of the more
| common complications Of consumption In plain
practical manner, because know that there is no
point on which the public entertain such erroneous
cause and treatment Of which such calamltous re-
| suits spring.
Ii is common for poets and novelists to describe
ConSu npton disease of little suffering. They
| paint the victim of it as slowly fading away.
placid in mind, without pain Of body, and in the
fullest and keenest enjoyment Of every sense and
fAculty-like whitening flower gliding gently
| down to the grave, dffusing around her she
| ftdes an atmosphere of increasing sweetness But
al as Poetry not true TO life here There are few
| diseases more to be dreaded for the sufferings
t on is stealthy Ii comes on without any warning
| of its approach, aud is generally firmly seated
before 1t ia detected at all Thus far the descrip
| tons of fancy are correct but now comes train
of complicated miseries which tries the stronges,
| fortitude. The chills during the morning re
| followed by consuming fever in the afternoon
s sha rhis by
| o. efforts to expectorate. The breath becomes
| pent up" by pLenritie pains, and no sooner are
| toese subdued than diarrhoa seizes upon the
| bowels. Day by dav the oppression the chest
Increases The heart papitates and labors to force
the thick ard impure blood through the INSTRUCTED
| lungs The appetite becomes capricous. the limbs
wasted, and the whole body enfeebled But a
terror more formidable than all is the steadily in
creaslng and ever present sense of impending suf.
location As the air cells and tubes become filled
mp 10y the extension Of the disease, the space for
| the breath grows less and less until the moor
| sufferer dies gaspng for air,
And there is nothing to console the consumpti We
| in the usual treatment of this disease Re1ned y
| after remedy fails TO afford even relief Change
OF climate only increases his hardship and in too
many instances hastens the fatal issue The mast
presents bleak and dreary prospect, and the ex.
| perlence OF the present-if I except the brigh,
| promise OF inhalation-nO hope for the future
such is the stern reality Of this terrible disease
Invested of all fancy. 1t presents concentration
| OF bodily and mental suffering to which there is
scarce parallel in the sad catalogue to which
our flesh is heir