The national Republican., 1862-03-13
Dr. Repsgs rnsafsr aa ths- -Treatpsnt os
lINTRoDuCTORY.l
10 a. Halao,s q 0e NaAe,al R.p,.t1ioqA: {

To Ms Editors Of Ue Edtional Rphlioan:
GENTLEMEN As this is the season of danger
20 those suffering from affections Of the throat
And lungs, propose, with your permission 10
contribute IL your columns q series Of plain.
practical letters on The nature causes, and
treatment Of catarrh, bronchitis asthma, and
consumption. In laboring as bsva done for
the past ten years to effect a reform in the
treatment Of these affections, have received
great assistance from the press in all parta Of
the United States. and have reasGu TO believe
my tfforts have been not only approved by the
public, but by all the rhianlhropic aud liberal
members Of my own profession
Whep. In 1851, first introduced the direct
treatment of lung diseases by the inhalation Of
warm medicated vapors. II was the universal
practice to pour medicines into The stomach
and to torture the external walls Of the chest
by setons, issues and tartar emetic and croton
of pustulations II this cruel practice had
even ia limited degree proved beneficial,
there would have been some reason for Its con.
tinuauce, hut what was the fact Why, bron.
cbitis and asthma were among the opprObrii
,ncdicorura, and the universal verdict Of man.
kind had pronounced consumption inc,uable
II Il not strange, then, that any can be so weak
as still TO hope for cure from treatment The
universal failure Of which produced this very
scep,icism az to the possibility Of curing thes.
diseases by any means? Yet 20 II is and we
daily witness even intelligent patients treadiDg
tho came io,cn,r1rd roud to M inevitable
grave, apparently hoping for benefit to the
Last.
Now, IN a!l chronic diseases Of the lungs.
medicines given by the stomach must fail for
the simple reason that they do not reach the
seat Of the malady. In the earliest stnges Of
consumption, and In all cases Of bronchitis and
asthma, the disease Is purely local. being con.
iued to the air.tubes and dirctils No solid
or liquid medicine Gun reach The affected parts,
/ and all experience proves that. unless they are
| reached, cure is impossible. Aud in this res.
pect diseases Of the lungs are not different from
| those Of other parts, We could not cure even
a simple chronic opthslmia without nakicg di.
rect applications.
The advantage, then, which claim for iuha.
!aton Ia that it enables me 10 tho most simple
and direct manner to apply any medicine
wish to use directly 10 the diseased parts. II
has q double merit because medicines inhaled
act not only on the lining membrane Of the
air tubes and cells within the lungs, but also
more powerfully upon the blood than the came
medicines would II given by the stomach. I,
combines all the advantages Of local and q
constitutional treatment, aud sums up all that
science has yet discovered for the relief Of the
pulmonary invalid. Indeed, /; in not possible
for me TO conceive that the art Of medicine can
ever add To the efficiency Of this treatment he.
yond the discovery OF new medicines to be I'd
ministered in the same manner.
The wide publicity which The lberality Of the
press enabled me 10 give TO these views, al last
opened tho eyes Of the public TO the fatal error
Of practice which had go long prevailed, aud
they began 10 see that il was not the disease
which was incurable, uut the treatment which
wa, false, This effect was to cut off pretty gen
orally the Wholesale use Of hOstrums by the
stomach, and turn The attention Of both pbyai
clans and patients TO Inhalation az tho only ra.
tional method Of treatment. What was the
consequence Why, sir. within three year,
from my Introduction Of this syttem aud my
exposure the old failacies the mortality from
consumption In the city Of New York had di
minished thirty per cent, being u salvation o.
more than one thousand iues q year. Tn 70,
facts are on record 10 the City Inspectors Office
where they are made up weekly from the 70
turns Of physicians.
! now desire 10 see this practice not only
universally acknowledged aud adopted by my
professional brethren, but its benefits exteudet
to the poor by the establishment of hospital
for the exclusive treatment Of pulmonary NAL
aides in oil the large cities Of this country
Until this is accomplished, il is my purpose Il
90 on in the great work have commenced
that Of enlightening the public mind and pre-
pairing 1t for the establishment Of inhalation
upon solid and enduring basis, as oDe Of th
greatest discoveries of medical science.
Ny next letter will be on Chronic G,t,lrrh
which regard "a the first liak in the chain O
causes which inevitably ends In consumption
Y0ur obedient servant,
ROBERT HUNTER. II. D.,
Physician for Pulmonary Diseases.
203, Pa. av, Washintton, March II, 1862,
, NorE,-Dr. Hunter is now on briei pro'e'
uionai visit to Washington, aud can be seen b.
all who desire to consult him at lis rouns, o.
Pennsylvania avenue, opposite Willards' llote
See bis card 10 another column.