The national Republican., 1862-03-20
Or. Ms.' e. ID oArsnis Oonsunpsssn.
LErrgp No. l. 81 g

LxrrxI No. 4. ,4'
To ths Editors s5 The MtAisn4l Republioan.
MsssRs. EplfpRs: Chfonio, or the common
form Of Consumption, ssnSsally bseins with
slisht, dry ooueh. H was probably the fre.
quercy OF cough precsdihe this disease that
rsSsr S.n 1 ss os o m
The cough may continue for several months or
years without any other sympton. II q soaros-
iy n cough, but rather back" Now, the
cause q this slight cough 1: .hs presence Of Of
70 die suddenly Of any other dissase. or from an
injury, We should and the lungs studded or nlled
With small tubsrolss. II 10 common, on exam.
ination aftsr death, to md the lungs Of persons
dying Of fevers and inn smation stu9ed with
tubsTcles, and this, too, whom In health the e1
istsnce Of Consumption had not even been sus
peoted. Many Of those friends with whom We
are In daily intercourse, and whom We regard
a. really healthy. are thus carrying about IN
ton. ,...
This form of Consumption begins differently
In different cases. A man. apparently In per.
feet health, has an attack OF catarrh or sore
hacking cough before alluded TO. Not unfre.
quently, n splitting of blood is the hrst symptom.
This may be only slight streak 10 the mucous,
or II may be considerable, and Of bright red
after cbilis % and fsvsr,S and these occur almost
with the regularity Of ague. In others. we have
sense Of heat in the palms Of the hands and
soles Of the feet, or flush on the cheek; cold
feet and hands are also frequently observed.
Many persons mistake the fever and chilliness
which occur In the early stage Of Consumption
for intermittent fever. As the disease pro.
crosses, perspiration occurs, generally towards
morning; and are often 30 profuss a. 10 drench
the sheets, and even the bed.
The stomach is not much disturbed In the
early stages Of chronic consumption. II 10 By
no means uncommon for the appetite 10 con.
tinue unusually good until after diHrrhca sets
in, when II generally becomes capricious' aud
poor. In females, after fever occurs, the
monthly sickness is almost always suppressed,
and II is common for the cough and disease In
the lungs TO be ascribed to this irregulsrily
while in reality II is only the result depending
by tho disease. After the fever and perspirs
tons have become established, the wasting of
the flesh and strength goes on SO rapidly that
The body may truly be said to consume away.
the wasting OF the hsshy parts, the chest be
comes contracted, the features sharpeued, and
he "yes attain peculiar wildness and bril-
lianoy.
Tns matter enpectorated changes with tho
progress Of the disease. In the commencement
the cough is dry, but after \ time a watery or
slightly frothy secretion follows. As the disease
approaches The second stage this gradually
changes tc.a sticky, Jelly like. or gluey sub.
stance, often dark in color but more commonly
streHks Of \ yellow color.
When tubercles soften the expectOraton be-
comes still more yellow and pus-like. The
matter expectora ed from cavity in the lungs
IA peculiar. II Ia Of \ whiteish yellow celor,
with = rAgset or wooly surface. The Cele.
brated Professor Forbes used 10 describe this
sputs. Ms looking almost like little balls Of
cotton or WOOL" Al times the matter expelled
Is very offensive, but more commonly II IA
without the least smell. Sometimes /, has a
awe Dh At others u saltish taste,
Frequently the patient complains of pain,
and sometimes Can place his hand over the
vary seat Of his disease; but more frequently
there is no pain beyond sense Of OPPRESSION,
or an occasional stitch in the side. and II Is BY
no means uncommon for \ patient TO point out
as the scat Of his disease the most healthy part
Of his lungs.
In thi. lorm of consumption, the patient is
growing worse.-that Is, he apears TO improve
| for awhile and then relapses into 4 worse con
| 'iition Than before. each succeeding attack
/ leaving him more feeble than the preceding
swsats, loss Of appetite. flesh. and strength, /,
coughs incessantIy, and can scarcely sleep at
aight. Gradually the cough sbates. the expect.
| GRAFTON becomes less and nearly disappears,
himself rapidly getting. well. He gains several
pounds in weight. and his physician points 10
IL NJ an evidence OF Improvement from the
treatment. or from Cod Liver OIL. But soon
all the old symptoms return-- the hectic fever
and night sweats, the cough and expectoration
Of pus increased frequency of the pulse, and
loss OF the newly recovered flesh and strength.
Now, you would ask, why is this The res
son Ia easily Observation-Disclosures il caus.
cd By tuhsrcles; those are p, 0 iucsd by ca
tarrb, or sore throat, or bronGbitss, by impure
air or dust, or irritation Of scme kind In tho
| Air.tubes Of the luugs. The irritation 10 kept
up for long time before tubercles begin to
form; but. sooner or later, a fresh cold, or
ta.t.a Al
rapid deposi,i lon. Soon the cold disappears, or
the irritation Ia Withdrawn, and tubercles cease
TO form. Those formed, however, remain, and
gradually develop themselves. After few
months, the lungs are again exposed, in some
manner TO irritation. whom \ further deposlte
of tubercles take place, and in another part OF
| the lungs.
As ali the tu6srGles are not deposited at the
same time, they do not all soften At the same
period, but in successive crops, As they were
matter" and are being expelled, the patient
has fever and perspiration; his appetite be
comes POOR and be loses flesh and strength.
But rs secn as the frst crop Is thrown of all
improve until tho second crop 10 ready for ex.
puision, when he again reIapses. Now at evary
softentrg OF tubercles, u part Of the lung 10
brOkeJ down intO.a cavity; hence, As the lungs
gradually wasted each attack leaving ths poor
Invalid weaker than the one which preceded
Il. During these periodic improvements, NOS
trums, and villainOus compounds OF every do
soription, obtain credit f,r efso'ng the change
which takes place. while. In reality. they but
interfere With The proper action OF nature.
The poor patient is, by such means, being
"cured" from the day he becomes an invalid
To Tho day he Is laid In his grave.
| Ny next letter will be on Lttsnt Cunsump.
ion.
/ Your ubedent ssrv ant,
RoBkRr HuETGE, NJ. d.,
Physician for Pulmonary Diseases.
'2U3 Penn'a Ave-, Washington.
| March lNh, ls62.