New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-04
Communicated
DR.. Hunter on CoIds. Catnrrh, and dzenn.

lCommunicsedl
DIR. Hunter on COlds, Catnrrh, and uizena.
LETTER NO. TWO.
To ns Editor Of Tie ~ j. Tribune
Sir: la considering the causes which gradually
undermine the strength Of The lungs and produce
consumption, shall begin with eo'ds rs these are,
Of ell causes, the most important When we are
exposed to net tee TO drafts Of air. to sleeping in
damp sheets, or to insufficient clothing sense OF
ciWTsss 10 experienced, followed by oppression of
some Of the organs of the body. This is " cold"
|, may be slight and pas off, severe and end
in fatal Inflammation. Much depends on the i'm
porsnce of the part on which il falls for cold al
ways manfess itself in the oppression Of some one
organ, and any organ in the body may be its seat
We distinguish colds by the part affected. Hence,
we have " cold IN the hsdd," or Infiuenza-a
"ooid in he no,e," or Caiarh-a "coid IN The
throat or Qninsy-a " enid IN he chest" or Brop-
cLiiis.
BY a Cdtdrrl is meant congested end Unnamed
condition Of the mucous membrane lining the nos-
trilr generally produced by colds but often caused
by dus, and other irritating matters in the air. We
breathe through the nore, hence its mucous MEN,
brane is more liable than apy other part to injury
from sudden changes in the temperature OF the air.
and from irritating and noXioas impurities hoating IN
il. In nne out Of every ten the first indication
q! our having taken cold IL s,nSe ot stgDsng IN me
nose. The mucous membrane swells until 1t COM
petely closes the passage. IL we now examine the
lining Of the Bostrils we find IL red pulled up, and
very irritable. Attempt 10 force the air through The
noso and the effort exci.es sneehDg. This il Acnie
CatGrrA 81 oil affections the most common and tie
least regarded Mort persons have two or three such
attacks every year. but rarely think II necessary TO
do anything for iit removal.
CLronic catsTrh follows the acute form, and IL
generally the direct consequence OF leaving HBl-
nj, cold 4. The tear to cure itself After longer
or shorter time, the liability 10 attacks OF acute
caiarrh become increased and the patient finds that
after /. has passed oil there still remains discharge
OF .yoi'0r iaaens. This is CIRQUE ea'arrh. On
looking into the nose We now find the membrane
tbjckened rodder than ia health and often liberated
Chronic csiarrh occurs in several forms. In the
simplesi form have merely An accumulation Of
tsior or ftraw-co0y,d mucus IN the posieior mares
above and behind the palate, which the patient
lacks" on, from time 10 time during the day. Ia
the second email form in the nosc, and the Sc
rre,iou becomes drv recurring almost constant
" picking at IT. to keep II free. In tho Mird,
fafe membrane forms in The nosirls, which the pa
tient removes from tine TO time. Not unfrequently
the mhpbrane IL bloody where il has been torn from
points of liberation within tue In the fourth,
he secretion il thin and drops down into the throat
whenever the patient throws back the head forci
Div "s snuff, up the air. When the ulseratons are
considerable tie secretion becomes paTH!ent. There
il. too ofteu loss Of smell, and when the liberation
has eaten through tho membrane 10 the bone, the
discrarge has an oRcRsre odor.
Catarrh occurs ut all ages, being found IN young
children and IN old age Jhose suffering from IL ere
much more liable To take cold on slight exposure.
|, /. much wore in the Autumn and Winter than
during the warm months Of Summer. Ihe best sea-
ron for its successful treatment If the summer, be-
cause there Is less liability TO relapse irom taxing
fresh colds.
IsrLUESzA is catarrh of the frontal s,ausc. There
are two considerable cavities IN the frontal bone us'
above the roof Of the nose. If You place your
band over the forehead between and slightly above
the eyebrowe you will feel the elevation in the bone
over these cavities. They are very large in some
persons and have in my Office skull Tor illusrd-
lion in which they will contain an ounce oil tluid.
The frontal sinuses are lined by mucous membrane,
the PANE az the nose and are connected with the
nasal cavity by a short duet. Wnen the patent
buffers from catarrh the disease Is liable TO extend
along this duet 10 the frontal sins, producing hcad-
0che and that distress over the region OK the lore
head which il known "a igfgen-d.
EzTsA ia only another name Tor very bad form OF
chronic ctarrh Of the nose occurring III an unhealthy
Ieop.ttu,ion. When the health is injured and the
vitality of the system broken down, all local diseases
are liable TO take an aggravated character. Not I'M
frequently ozeDa ~ produced by yitiated state OF
I'd. blood, caused by dissipation. From wbntever
cause il arises u 10 most serious affection, Tor II II
be not arres,ed will assredly 80 on 10 the deiruc
ton the bones of the nose anu may end fatally D.!
extension 10 the brain.
Observation-Disclosures catarrhal affections of the
more and frontal sipgses, until very recent period,
had no remedy. They remained like consumption
ana asthma, a stain and reproach on the page OF
medicine And vet, strange rs IL may seem, the
ds1a.e Itself, ii we except Wzena, II only simple
chronic inflammation OF the membrane, and
can easily be- reached by al tie forces of the Aatera
Medlca--sodr, 4 Iids and gases. Phyficians failed
Decal-e they earnestly and nationally stroye 10
succeed. They were satisfied with squirting little
vu, water into the nostriis from straight syringe,
aud perhaps ibe prescription OF an dtcr0trt by The
stomach which, of course, did no good. Some years
jnce finding il impossible TO effect the cure OF these
affections by such means, L contrived curved
showering syringe by which was able to make u
direct application OF any indicated was1 TO the
whole internal cavity Of the nosrils az the same
instant. by daily cleansing the infamed membrane,
and Strengthening il by astringent Applications soon
found that carrh among our most durable alice
tions. In the more aggrava'ed cases OF Gzena ana
chronic influenza sometimes found tho cure hait-
ened by snuiing up certain vapois which could mol
be- applied equally IN well AZ II wash, aud To meet
this requirement contIved Q ANAL copper sand
bath. TO be used with spiritlamp. The medicines
are placed upon glass crystal, and evaporatcd By
heat The patient holds his head over the bath, and
receives the vapors, as they como oil into hls nos-
tris. There ID neither pain no; Inconvenience III
using these remedies. Even little children submit to
them from day to day, without complaint. by this,
the only simple direct, and rational treatment ever
prescribed for catarrh, have been able with GER
a,nty to break up these troublesome and dangerous
affections where every other means hadiailed When
properly applied, the showering syringe and vapor
bath will not fail in one case in a thousand.
Unfortunately, these affections are too generally
! treated with neglect, and in consequence nre soon
lost sight of in the disastrous diseases to which they
rive rise Catarrl 10 the first step toward consunp-
ZION. II goes on gSil 1t Involves the throat IN grsa'