, 1863-01-19
tCommunicated:l
Dr. Hunter gf New York on Chronic
Consumption.

44lA A4AAs 4SV. 441s
SHERMAN HOUSE,, CHICAGO, Jan. II, 1868.
Editors Chicago Tribune:
Having pointed ont the usual symptoms which oc-
cur in Consumption, purpose next to explain, In
this and subsequent letters the soEcra kinds Of this
disease, for it must not be supposed that in ali
cases the same symptoms exist.
The most common form Of this disease is known
to physicians BY the name Of " Chronic Co1sump-
sion,'' md generally begins with q slight dry
cough. 1t is called chronic because Of its slow
progress. The old physiclansu used to regard cough
as the cause, because it usually precedcs consunp
tion, but VIC row Know that tits but the ssc1. 1t
wonld be quito as sensible to saT that pain caused
decay In the teeth, that cough produced disease
Of the lungs. Cough is buta symptom Of irritation
in the lungs, and for long time is scarcely more
than ssdry haeking'' It's eauee fe the presence Of
tub<reet in their first stfge ofderelopment aud If
tho patient were to die suddenly, Of injury, OF
an acute disease, We should lind them studdingthe
uEper part Of one or both lungs, and looking pre-
cise1y like zQtt seed. It Ia very common to find
the lungs Of thoeo dying Of fevers and inHanma-
tions l1ed with dnc tuberc1ee, and that too, where
the health of the lungs had never been suspected.
Indeed, many Of those friends with whom NC arc
in daily intercourse and who regard themselves as
perfectly healthy, arc thus carrying about the
seeds Of their own destruction, deposited In the
lunes aatins some recent eoio' ana on's a"a'''ng
some 'utase exposure 70 ienoef 'aem aeiase anu
oese'op sne uasca'c u "lnsa 'aey arc inc germs
en1oalc Consumption oeglns ouetcntly ID amer
ent caees. person apparently N per1ees hcai'h
nae an a'.aeA " eot@'F" VI cure "uat' anu "nea
thls eaossaes II ieases 'ne dfy "dekahg cough oe'
1osc aAaaco 10. Vt, tne hfs1 symptom may pe
*fdAsHg q osooa, "hich may &c eons.aefanle, anu
OF o1sat fea color, or on1 f9t2as ftfedS IN INC
mneas. IN many cases NE atat s'sn Is a eaaaV
sensauon ~ tne oesS. Aono"eo " taola ~ less
neas ~ uae pun. VI nc Aanoe, VI an anesnoon
."ue" " .He eneeAs' thsn' asaln, ~ many ,nses.
NeAou LEE uaans aau 4ees soloes l'1aa aasufsa. Al
.als scson tae patient ptooao,s ooes nos
ous @oo1s - ae"4s.. "Ae" 7o.eAi1s 4nanas' nnoeo'.
atet5 ae.cet no oll'e1encc' onouia the Hosning ol
INC eEeeks OF the ot he hands DC 1ol-
lowed pE preparations At night, the patient Is
1neonsnt 10 DC suffering from masked 4gue.
The st6msSs IN Chronic Consumption Is not
usually much disturbed until after the discaxe IS
armty established. Il IL bv no means uncommon
for the appctite to remain good until da1shca ects
In. when it becomes capricious and poor, In f.
rna1es .aoataly ffrfoxloruv ia common, from an
car,1 er,o ri tho diacsse and nriscs fro1o the d.
b,f,,nro5nca, hv .bo had s.,+c oy.,c 1nnra. Aftnr
7<cy;c 6.r.r md n1ohi s,c.n,. ,r fn1v established
thn ,oss ~ frsh and strength takes n5.rn r.n,1y.
sna thc 1,o3v Ynav trulv be sa,7 In ooosu,a. away
Tn n eeyere ea.e the .o1nts soon show the loss Of
flesh by appearing larccr than natural, the chest
becomes contracted, the features sharpercd. and
the ewes attain more than their Boutcd clcarucss