New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-11
lCommurca.sd.U
DR.. Il. Hunter on Sore Throat and Diphtheria.
n

cih' ln my last leUer pointer ont tne hhture oi
colds, catarrh, and eezens and explained how these
affections gradually ley the foundation Of consump.
tion. In the present letter let us pas from The
sideration Of affections Of the rose to those Of the
throat
Sore Throat" is familiar term used to desig-
nate all affections of the fares without discrimina
ton. fhe fauces throat is tba. cavity above aud
behind the root of the tongue which is seen on d.
rccting the patien. 10 open wide the mouth u com.
rrses the whole space from the pOs.eror mares down
to the entrance into the wndpipe. The parts liable
10 disease are, first, the mrcus membrone and the
focies or little glands which in health secrete the
ubricaing mucus Second, the ur0ia, Or pencuioIs
part which hangs down from tho curtain OF the
palate; and third, the tonSRs, which are liable 20
Inflammation liberation. and chronic enlargement.
The most common form Of throat affection IL what
is known ~ granular sore Mroof. IL IL ca!ed gTdh'
HigT because h.to points or gfanula!ions are seen
scattered over TIE surface Of the mucous membrane
These little elevations are caused by the craig-'
men and disease Of the mucous follioies Most per-
sons are liable TO frequent slight attacks o, slnpe
throat from taking cold. These occur perhaps,
two or three times year but appear % pass oil
without injury to health or interruption OF business
After time, however the patient becomes CONSCIOUS
OF "a yeXa, ious trftdatioH, producing desire 10
els1r the throat several times III the course oil each
gay, lie NAV even tot iHsr Jus ~ -
nevertheless observed by his friends. Some mont
later this disposition ia ioand to have increased and
to be attended with occasional oesire TO sua'io~,
the patient TO use his own phress' feeling "sone-
NiHe sticking "a the throat" On looking into tho
throat under these circumstances, the gTanulations
before mentioned will be found stnddns the mem
brane aud causing it to appear rough and uneven.
Sometimes they exist III irregular shaped patches,
hut most commonly ers regular IN snale, anu eacl
one is distinct. When allowed 70 progress, TIE
mucous focles within the i0ryHr soon become
affected and then we have added to the other sinp-
toms hnskinSss ot c ro'ce IN speaking or reading
alond with frequent efforts T. clear the Yindpire,
by which a thick, sticky, blush cclcred mCcus, l.
forced cir with considerable difficulty.
In the treatment, OF granular sore throat, tne sane
cour-e thouid be pursued as tnaI pre%npeu i''
cat.rrb. Granular sore throat il purely local
affection and can only becurec bg '0coi f~0fmc"i.
I us, The catarrb syringe once daily, snd the small
fumiga,ing bath described Ia my las; letter morning
ard evening. When the larynx Is also ailecied, the
.nbalng instruineDl aud warm astrngent lnhaAii'hs
are usec morning and evening, and tie 'rmigntlou'
only once day 1hes- means can all be used Oy
The patc1t AT his own house when II - incon. eienl
iOf him 60 Welt the Oitce.
The old practice Of bleeding pur8Gg aud doing
the .tonach in this disease only weakeas the syscl
ar a renders the maady morr invcterate Ia driince
of such means II proceeds slowly but surely toward
tleiulgr. uud tie Unfortunate Fhiiett ep"n lean.
low saOt'ft he step tom ~ tfFo IL e.iir Hei
c0HsHnp ,iOn.
so,ue wears ago il became fashionable TO treat this
Affection by aplly!ng 10 Tie oiseascd Parts strong
,t,, ol initiate ~ ailVer, or hvaGr cnustr, with
ntobarg .ud sponge. Those APPLICATIONS Occasion
great suffering n the patient. a. bum anc dlsor-
csuize tie uucuous membrane, wlthout acc0wplish-
ipg "A tenth part Of the good attained by miller
means. Where the larnyx has become Affected, /. 10
fth cruel and dan .srou- 20 force into the delicate
organ of the voice designed by nature only for the
reception OF ar, strong irritating gnia can'tles.
Fully Oue-AaI of tue consumpti'c ia''rHts Whose
case. hive come under NY care Dad been previously
,rated for disease Of the throat by THESE nitrate 81
silver anpli.ations and, ~ they assure ne. without
any uernianen, benefit. Indeed, man! Of hem 90
moi hrfiae 10 attribute tie disease OF iL,f lungs 10
this iractiCe OF tur.iHg hrT tr11s.
There is one rule which cNprr1eace hue tavtal me
IN observe in the treatment Of nhaned mucous meme
tr.nes and that j. never % apply ans remedy -
strong a. 10 prodtce irritation. All washes should
soothe aud Le followed by sense Of comfort, o!lsht
ded ps,i ia -ure proof that the wash Is too strong
md ough, 10 be reduced. strong eye-"ash ~
creases the Inflammation II IL ineau 10 cure, nLd ~
also do strong cals.c' applied 10 the throat, destroy
the integit, OF the mucous membrane ana aggraYAie
the local disease The more cases ihus lgnortntls
tortured the greater VIII be the annual mofthii'y
from consIIllllOn.
UiPurHEglA.-Th fatal affection " the throat,
which is now prevailing TO All alarming extent over
the whole CIVILIZED world 10 generally believed 10
be new dlsease yet from the earliest Times physi-
clans have described under the names man man,
sore throat - "putrid sore throat" violent and
very ,staI form CT liberation, closely esembling the
a, ease row known under the name OF diphtherla.
IL i,fr IA what ARE called cases OF s,gpe sore hToGI
that Ills malay rcruis lts fatal RANKS Inc essen
tin Characteristic Of dphtherla y the RAPID ard a.
st-ciiye ulceratou Of tie tours, sot palate, uyua,
and mucous lining Of the iauces " hlch takes place
II ets n A. an Ordinary throat but IN the short
.noce Of few hours, looking into the throat, ~e
3.cover one or more white poin,s OF liberation In
violent cases these points. which were scarcely per-
cep,lbe wren first discovered, II lew hours ia'er
VIII lie found 70 have Increased 10 the SIZE OF ten
cent piece, ana 10 nave SnNis'u =" '''0' W N'''
putrit brown. ,
When once contracted diphthera il communicable
through the breath and ar from the person aAeeisd
10 ,hoe Ia health. The specific poison on which Tue
i.cqse y6s Is osrried into The blood by ihe rec
r.ration 81 tue poisoned air. The slroug ana the
weak are eo1y exposed 10 1t, but II IN only those
b y, hose bodily vigor MS been reduced ~ previous
irritation q he threat, or other causes, tnat iati
prey 10 H.
Such being the origin and rhe cause OF diphthera.
il follows that the treatment mut be DOth local ana
constitutional TO elect its ctre. III must ne ~CW 10
90, upon the THREAT and stay the destructive uccra,
tion: aud consfifptoHGi 70 net upon the ofood ana
neG,r,izc tue poison II contains. Inc ONLY ah'iuo'e
vet discovered If protOxide o. nitrogen gan, ""ch
can ouy be administered by inhalation. La trealing
tb disea,c direct the patient 20 inhi THIS gas ior
tl,een minutes. After the lapse of AN hour, repeat
the protoxIde inhalation, and follow 1t by one OF
chlorine vapor Two or three applications are sum
Gent 10 arrest the disease and restore the blood 10 s
pnritv The protoxide depTves the blood Of IT. I'M
pnrity while the aiscpc properties OF the chlorine
arTest the soughing OF the mucous membrane NJ
tL. .ane time shower the throat every few hours
with a ptroug solution of chornsted soda. Treated
in this way, drhtheria which is dreaded ~ modern
seourge. is stripped OF al its terors, and becomes
barlnicss and tractaole disease.
liy next letter will be on Chrome BF0Rc"@'s.
Your obrdlent servant.
ROBERT HUNTER M. d.,
Physician for Pulmonary Diseases, NO dSl Broadway