New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-10-22
DR.. Robert Hunter on the Treatment OF Con.
aumptlOn.
LETTER No. xxi

LETTER No xxi
To The ESit5r 0 rhs " u DsR. TriiHH.
SIN: A. explained in my las, letter. orysen or
"riai ar " Is our sheet anchor in the treatment Of
Con SUMPTION In every the blood is earboHac,ous
in this disease and only be restored TO purity by
this agent. II there be any oihos element IN nature
which possesses the power Of removing carbon from
the blood il Is "a yet among lie hidden mysteries,
and we have no night 70 s,sumo lie existence We
kHoir that the God Of Nature gave oxygen rs the
food If he Ipng,, and we DO not know that he gave
US M, thing elsc which can be employed as sub
s,iiuie for y. Tie air breathe is con, osej Of
oxygen And nitrogen in the proportions Of q parts Of
the former 70 "a Of the latter. When tie lungs
OF average - "a and the aiT-tubes free from 0bstrue
ton We obtain by ordinary respiration sufficient
oxygen from the air 10 keep the blood purc. blL
this is not tie when tho airiub.s arc obfrurfcf
by yseid mucus or diHiHisied ~ az, 10y thickenng
OF the mucus membrane which lues them, for the
quantity Of oxygen taken into the lDngs NJ each
breath II then grea finWf,hcf while the quantity
Of carbon 10 be removed remains the same. And
rircc we get no more Oxygen from the greater
yo ume OF air respired in health thnn i sufficient to
rnaiuiuin tie pu,y Of the blood, II follows tina, we
must always get less than sufficient irom the smaller
volume reslircd when the lunsr ate discussed Thle
is truth which cannot 10 denied. 10 de.y II would
be Il, assert that DISTRACTED tubes and cells will re-
ceiye NJ much mir as the Tubes and cells when
free from obstruction, which is AN impossible ab-
surdity. How, then, 10 II possible for The puty OF
the blood 10 he restored 10 consumption II the phyt-
can does not come TO tbe Iehef IL nature, and, by
Increasing the quantity OF oxygen IN given volume
Of air make the purifying power Of the smaller
voule Inhaled IL diselss quail TO the greater volume
Inhaled IN health Nature herself points out the
want II oxygen and makes effort TO supply II by
increasing the number OF respiraion' Ter minute.
Tins II the reason why cousumptiyes breathe quicker
than persous IN health. In health we take about 10
rc.piraiOns IN minute, whereas IN consumption The
number increases with the progress OF tie disease to
20 j 30 ana on, until al length the patient dice,
actually gasying for 0ir-takiDs from tOrty 10 MY
bTeaihe III n minute.
Now, can medicine Justly claim to be a science,
or even an art worthy the respect OF mankind, so
long as Ito practitioners continue 10 contemplate
these suiIcfings Of the poor inyalid-ihcse urgent
demands for vital air-ihesc obvious sgus Of want
by struggling nature and yet compelled TO con-
fess themselves unable either to supply that element
which nature Graves or to remove from the lungs TIE
local obstIuctons by which the want was Inst cree
ated God forbid that should raise the hopes OF
the invalid only to disapp0lni his expectations.
There il d poiat from which even feed will not
save us from starrafon, and there IN also point
beyond which we cannot bring back tho coiisump-
tive TO health even though we supply the very eie
ment for the want OF which he IL dying, Tor 10 ac
complish cure there must be stlll remaining In the
system sufficient rfaiity to make use Of that when
is given. But though we may not hope 10 save all,
we can. BY iudiclously acting upon the blood aud
| the lungs, do that which means hitherto en-
ployed oy ply sicans have ACCOMPLISHMENTS the
majority from their impending fate.
| Oxygen is nofurc's remedy, not the physicians.
II is Tie province Of the physician to AID nature not
10 direct herto remove hindrances out OF her way,
not 10 prescribe neu rays for her TO follow. Food
ia not more necessary to the stomach than oxygen 10
the lungs In diseases Of the stomach 1t Is often the
case that tho usual quantity OF food cannot be re-
tanned How does tie Intelligent physician meet
this difficulty lie gives highly concentrated iood
that the greatest pOrsbe nutrition may DO derived
from the smallest possible bulk. The same principle
applies TO the Lungs. In consumption the patient
cannot nhale the usual quantity of air; hence Tue
pbyrcan must increase irs richness by the addition
of Oxygen, that the smaller volume may do the work
| OF the greater. .,, A. .
/ The strength Of its administration varie, with the
objects 10 be fulfilled. Where the lungs are
greatly obssructed, and as a consequence the blood
very impure the proportion must be greater thah III
! mider cases These are matters personal 10 'he
physcian and must be regulated by his Judgment III
each case No rule can be laid down when shnii DC
| generally applicable TO consunptiye caees
| But II will be asked, do you bive nothing eA,oP'
1e arbonizng iuhalatoDs III consumption les, 40
a great deal more and 1 will III my next i01!ef tel
YOU tchat and why and hon DO IT,
i'O' ''''' RoBEIT HUNTER ~, D..
| Physician OR Pulmonary Diseases, NO. "! broai"T
| kep.Y ork. Oct. ~, 1907 -. I'll ~;
| Nofe.-Dr. X. Hunter, in association WITH DIS
brother Dr. James Hunter, dovotes tiis exclusive
attention 10 the treatment OF bronchial ana pun
/ monary diseases They can be copsu'cu le'sVn'
ally or by letter at No. Si2 Broadway, De.weoh .ne
IN ~ =. . a. u Ind : y. ~. AA.Ay.