, 1863-09-07
Communicated
Dr. JonneA Hunter on Chronic I'm.
ryn:itis, and " C1er9yInan's Sore
Thr0at.ss
LETTER NO. ".

Editors Chicago Tribune:
Iconmenced this neries Of letters with the con.
alteration Of Catar1h, Ezena, aud Granular Snrc
Throat, because theee affections ere but tho fore
runners Of more serious diseases within tho chest
Let us now pass from affections OF the Throat to
The consideration OF thoEe Of the Wiudpipe. The
windpipc In that tube through which the air or
breath passes from the throat to the luncs It
commences Just below the root OF the tongue, and
extends down to the chest, where It divides into
two branches, one of which entcss the right lung,
and the other the, left lung. These branches, as
foon as they have entered the lungs. agein divIde
md subalsiae into smaller branches
stance, ard finally terminate In little clusters Of
cavities, which form around their extremites ilke
snbs ance u Of the lungs aro cslled antoneb1a1 ,h9
tubes" and the little cavities in which thcT end
are called .aiI cells:n There are no bronchial
bs e sait Ttoa R Ind anss Sss %
an particular in pointing this ont, bceause many
ph1s,eians hays igroraptlJ applied ths term Bron'
to speak Of true Bronchitis It will be seen that it
is disease Of the lungs, which, In many respects
yery slote]y resembles & consumption, and is often
The windp'pe, before described, il divided By
anatomists into tvo parts: The upper part Ia tha
organ Of voice, and is called the 1a1ynx, and the
responds to that remarkable prominence On tie
front Of the neck Of man, known IS the Apple
Of ADAM (potnum .43ansD, and was 20 named BY
the ancient 2uatomlets from the fsnetf1l idea that
INIT stuck in ths throat of our primeTal ancestor
Tnclarynx il lined By mucous membrane, and
plctelY under the control Of the win By the hsr.
monious action Of these chords, the M:yux Is 4
perfect musical Instrument, and the vocalist and
which condnces SO much to human enjoyment.
The 1arynx is an air passage into which ne1thet
food drink, nor solid or hud medicine ever cnters,
blancestliQuId as tea OF water, when accidentally
drawn into the la1Jnz produce irritation hours
aiterward. 1mention these facts to show the dan
eaases arc stn pectta ito tie * s1fH ea1t7 mi
coarac whalebone and sponge, charged with bum
Ing nitrate, forced through It, regardless OF the
too many Instances followed, Indeed, those phY.
eicians who for the eake OF gain, still pursue this
ignorant Ard unnatural practice, eec1a to take
endurance o7 Tic invalid, aad see how nearly ha.
man being can be brought to suiocatiou, and yet
The entrance into the 1arynx is closed By little
ralre- the cplglottis,'' which rises up from the
roof Of The tongne. On the approach Of food Or
opening, and compels the nutriment to piss into
the gullet. or paasase to the stomach
The la+yn7 is often the seat Of warty growths,
vocal chords, attended By moro or less complete
loss Of voice, bnt By far tho most common form Of
MGyIEedl QlEcAeE 15 L1f0nlC l1t90R1IS. This.
Ike affections Of the throat and Mares, usually BE-.
gins with scycre cold, and Ia always attended, By
hoaEaeneas It is more frequently i mere cxten-
sion Of Cataf1h or Eore throat than original dis
ease. There may be pain, but it ismore common
to aId only sense Of tickling which provokes
cough. Many complain Of sensation as Of ''somc-
thing sticking there. to get rid Of which they keep
mp rafping effort to elear the windpipe. The
voice Is always affected being rough in the early
stage but more feeble aftef the disease ts fully es
tablished. The effort to clear the voice occupies
considc1able part Of every conversaHon with
friend. In Chronic Laryngitis, the mucous mem
branc ts tnfaMed. and becomes after time. thick
cned, ard often ulcers form between and aboTe
the vocal chords.
The causee which produce larynsltis arc various.
It arises In elcrEymen and public speakers from
too violent use Of the voice. The vocal chords
become exhauEtcd, and lose their tone from strain
ing And oveI-use- Dust and all Irritating matters
in the air Liable to be drawn into the tndpipe,
and to produce It. 1t Is more often mere sequel
to FORE throat, the Inflammation extending down
into the ErJpI BY reaso1 Of tho continuity Of the
1uucoua membrane. Eveay breath the patient
draws pasaes from the inhamed throat directly to
the larypI-
From whatever Cause 1t arises, chronic larynsttls
ia always eeriuus 1ualady, for It threatens the
complete destruction Of the voice, and, when left
to iteelf rarely ends until It has involved the
lungs In disease. It will ont Of its own &C
cord. for every hlight cold-evety change In the
weather-eseiy flight Of dust feeds the Irritation,
and increases the invttetacJ of Its hold. In al