The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-05-12

CalOiluI State central committee nave agreed
to call convention of the Democratic party
in Columbia, on Wednesday, the Both of May
DR.. HUNTER ON CHRONIC CoNsUMPrIoN-To tn
Editor 81 the Richmond Dispatch-Sir: TIL:
common form of Consumption generally beg I'M
suency Of cough. preceding the disease. that lie,
the arcents to believe that cough was the canS
may continue for several months or years withou
any other symptom 1t ~ scarcely a. cough, bn
father q .,hask" Now, the csuse Of this sigh
If The patient were to die suddenly of any othel
disease or from an injury. we should find the ungl
on examination after death, to find the lungs OF
persons dying of fevers and Inflammation stuffet
with tubercles, and this, too. when in health the
existence Of Consumption had not even been sus
pected. Many of those friends with whom we are
In daily Intercourse, and whom we regard as really
healthy, are thus carry about in their lungs the
eemen ts of their own destruction.
:, This form OF Consumption begins differently in
health, has an attack of catdrrh or sore throat and
when this subsidies Il leaves the dry hacking cough
ttood is tine first symptom; this may be only sl,ght
streGk IN TIE mucons,ori may be rable land
ton sets in after @ma and shese
occur almost with the regularity OF dgws In others
we have sense OF neat in the palms Of the hands
feet and hands are also frequent. Many persons
mistake the fever and chiliIness which occur in the
early stage OF Consumption for intermittent fever
AS the disease progresses, perspiratioHs occur
generally towards morning, and are often so pro-
fuse as to drench the sheets, and even the bed
The stomach is not much disturbed in the early
stages OF Chronic Consumption. 1t is by no means
uncommon for the appetite to continue unusually
good until after Dfa,rhaa sets in, when it gener
ally becomes capricious and poor. In females. af-
ter fever occurs, the monthly sickness is almost
and Disease IN The Lungs to lie dScri1ed to this
r!eyu1artty, while in reality it only the result
disease. After the fever and perspiration have
become established, the wasting Of the flesh ard
ts1 .sd On sPay ta bod;
pear larger than nat ura. from the wasting of the
neshy parts, the chest becomes contracted, the
features sharPened, and the eyes attain peculiar
witness and brilliancy.
The matter expectorated changes with the pro-
gress OF the disease. In the commencement the
cough is dry. but after time ,catery or elis htly
JrO;hy secretion follows. AS the disease ap-
proaches the second stage, this gradually changes
to sticky, jelly like, or gluey substance often
dark in color, but more commonly incilning to a
ersen'Sh, with now and then streaks of a yello1c
When tubercles soften, the expectoration be-
comes still more yet!ow and puske. The matter
or yeoly surface. The celebrated Prof Forbes
httte balls OF cotton or ,cooI' At times. the mat
ger e expelled "a very offensive but more commonly
s,ssetish, at others saltish taats. '' ~ "''' CT
frequently the patient complains of pain, and
sometimes can place his hand over the very seat OF
ms disease; but more frequently there is no pam
beyond sense of oppreS sion, or an occasional
Sttfch IN the SIDE, and it is by no means uncommon
Tor the patient to point out the seat of his dis
ease the most healthy part of his lungs
IN TINS form OF Consumption the patient is al
ways "sstt.ng letter" and yet as steadily growing
wOrse-that is, he appears To improve for while,
and then relapses into a worse condition than be,
fore, each succeeding attack leaving him more fee
Die than the previous one. He spts pus for a time,
has Jerer, alsht SUeats, loses appetite, HeSh and
Strsngth,coughs ncessantly, and can scarcely sleep
toratiOn becomes less and nearly disappears the
lever and sweats vanish, and he imagines himself
weight. and his ply stefan points to it as an evi
dence OF Improvement from his treatment, or from
Cod LIVER IN: BUT soon all the old symptoms re-
turn-the hectic fever and night sweats-the
cough and expectoraton of pus-lncreased fire.
G ; ct pulse and loss of the newly recovered
Now, you wOuid ash, why is this The reason is
easily Observation-Disclosures is caused by tu-
bercles; these are produced by Cafarrh or Scr.
Throat, or Bronehitts-by impure AR or dnst. or
irritation OF some kind In the ATTITUDES of the
bese ubsrs Er,s sn is KEPT up for long time
later, fresh cold or some greater irritation than
usual, causes their RAPID deposition. Soon the
tulercles cease to form. Those formed, however
remain. and gradually develop themselves After
manner to irritation, when further de post Of tu
peIs e' taxes place IN another part of the lungs
tnie they do not all Sten at the same period, but
IN successive crops, as they were formed. When
they have soitened down INTO ..mnttsr,'' and are
being expelled. the patient has fever and perspira
tiOE; his appetite becomes poor, and he loses flesh
anu strength. But as soon as the first crop is
thrown oil, all these symptoms vanish, and he con-
tin0es to Improve until the second crop is ready for
expulsion, when he again reiapses. Now, at every
down into Il carity; hence, as the Iungs became
gradually destroyed. the body becomes gradually
was t attack leaving the poor invalid weak,
er than the one which preceded it. During these
periodical improvements. noStrHqS, and villain
GUS compounds of every description, obtain credit
IN reality. they but interfere with the proper ac
ton of nature: The poor patient is, by such means
belns ',cxrsd from the day he becomes an Invalid
tn the day he is land in his grave''
lcannot refrain from making one practical oh
servatlon on the njudcousness OF the usual course
recommended by most physicians. 1t is no nm
usual thing for intelligent men to advise tha con
sumptive to "take good care Of himself," to "srer-
csry tte asaeine Now what DOES Goe TO t ~
mean, but to advise that he shall wait for the tn
him. instead Of striving earnestly, determinediy.
perseverlngly, to prevent that change from taking
PLACE. aei Ito to na5Sre alone death is the almost
should be to cause the s0rptt0n Of the tubercle.
IN other words, to make the system take them up
the skin. 1t is by absorption that Scrotulous
s!ands are remOved-that smelling and funors
his the chief aim and object Of treatment, we are
,ale, through the lnstrumentality Of inhalation, to
effect the cure Of Consumption, by arresting the
sion of those already located 1t is far easier To
ave the lungs from destructive liberation than to
heal ulcers alter they are formed.
X. HUNTER, M. D.
POwHATAN HOUSE. Richmond, May u, 1850
N0TE.--Dr. ROB'r HUNTER, of New York, the
writer Of the above letter. and of those which
n SATURDAY evening. 10Th inst. up to which i
late he will continue to receive patients at his
Ooms In the POwhatan House.
/ VIRGINIA STATE ARMoRY.-Gcv. Letcher
las returned from the North, in company
With Mr.. Ames, of Springfield, agent Of Eng
ish manufacturers Of machinery for an ar
nory. Mr.. Ames goes to Richmond to SUPER
intend the location Of State Armory, and
ontracts are closed for the machinery at
|l27, OOO.-BdA. Amer.
THK BEST AND CHEAPEST PHOTOGRAPHS
hsEs Mammoth Gallery, rs Main st., near