, 1863-08-27
Communicated
Dr. James Hunter on Colds. Catarrh,
aud GZcnH.
LETTER NO. TWO.

Ufs u amc8 Huntef on Colds CAtnrfh, =,
and GZcnn.
LETTER NO. TWO.
TO the Editor Of the Chicago Tribune:
Sm: In considering the Causes which gradually
undermine the strength Of the lungs and prodace
consumption, ehal1 begin with the colds, as these
arc. Of all causes, the most important. When we
are exposed to wet feet, to drafts Of air. to Sleep
ing in damp sheets, or to insufficient clothing, a
sense OF chilncsa is experienced. followed by op-
preston Of eomc Of the organs Of the body. This
is cold. It may be slight and soon pass of, or
severe and end In fatal inflammation. Much de-
pcnds On tho importance Of the part on which II
lls for cold always 1nanifcsta itself in tue op-
precision Of some ono organ, and any organ In the
body may be it's seat.
Wcdistinguish colds by the part affected. Hence,
We have cold In the head, or Inluenza-a COLL
in the nose, ,or Catasrh-a cold In the throat, or
Quiusy-acold in the cheat. or Bronchitis.
BY Cata1h is meaut congeste1 and iodan,cd
condition Of the mucous membrane lining the
nos.rils. generally produced by colds, but often
caused By dust and other Irritating matters In the
air. We breathe through the nose, hence It's mu.
Gus membrane fs more liable than any other part
to injury from sudden changes In the Temperature
ofthe air, and from Irritating and noxions impu-
rifles floating In it. In nine cases out OF every
ten, the fret indication Of our having taken cold
Ia = .eense Of atuf1ing in the nose. The mucous
membrane swells until It completely closes the
passage. II We now examine the lining OF the
nostris VIC find 1t red, pued up aud very Irritable
Attempt to force the air Though the nose and tho
effort excites encezfng. This ia Acute Catarrh,
OF all affections the most common and the least re-
ga1ded. Most persons have two or three euch ut.
:" Hfd' r eat thn necessary
Chronic catatEh follows the acute form. and ia
I'll r. m se oiIsst Of leayng sim
Or shorter time, the liability 10 attackz Of acat:
catar1h become fncreasel. and the patient flnla
that after 1t has pnssed Oh there st rematns dis.
On looking; into the nose We now flnd the mem.
braue thicSencd, redder than In hcalth, and often
liberated. Chronic cataEIh occurs fu several forms
In the simplest form VIC havc merely an aecumula-
tfon OF yellow or straw colored mucus In the po5-
terror rarcs ahoyc and behind tho palatc, which
the patient hawks out from time to time duriug
the uay. 1n the second. small sores form in the
most constant picking Of it to keep it free N the
third. T. talec membrane forms in the nosssil!s,
which tue patient removes from time to time, Not
rntfe4ucnlly the mclnbrane is bloody where It has
been tom from points Of liberation within the
nose. In the fourth, the secretion is thin, and
drops down into the throat whenever tie patient
WheE the ulcc1ations arc considerable, tic secse-
ton becomes puruleut. There is, too, often loss
Of smell. anu, when tho, liberation has eaten
through the membrane to the bone, the discharge
Catanh occurs at all arcs, being found in young
children aud in old ags. Those suifariug fsom Il
posurc. 1t is much worsc in the Autumn aud
Winter tllan during the warm months OF Summer.
The best season ior It's aucceaaful treatment is
1apee from taking fresh colds.
h4auenza is catarTh Of tho frontal sinnses.
There arc two considerable cavities In the frontal
place your hand over tho forehead, between aud
slightly above the eyebrows, you Will feel the ele
vation IN the eonc over these cavities. They are
xii Sr III With iii thsy Vii eontain oafa
IN ounce Of ftid The frontal sInt1scs ase lined
by uucous membrane, the sarne a. tho nosc, and
Sen III n ths nasnl CAVITY S sh9rt
dist are 10 liable to extend along tfs duct to the
frontal siDns. producing headache, and that dis
tIess over the region Of tho forehead Is known as
GsxESA is only another name for very bad form
Of chronic catarra Of the nose, occurring in an m
healthy constitution. When the health ie injured
local diseases a.e lbc to taEc a aggravated cha
racter. Not unfre9cently mzena is pfo1uced bya
giuated ttc OF the blood, caused BY dissip p1tiou.
affection for II 1t BE- not arrested it viii assuredy
60 on to the destruction OF the bones OF tho nose
and may end fatally BY extension to the brain:
nose md flontal sinuscs. until very recent pc
ROD. had no remedy. They remained like con
sumption and asthma, @ stain and scproach on the
she disease itscIf. il va exeept a:sena, + Only
simple ch1onlc Inflammation Of tho mucous mem
brune andcan easy ba .cached by all tho forces Of
the Ma1erln Me6ica-solfde, fluids and gases. Ply
sic!a,B tailed because they never earnestly aud
rnttoI ally stsove to succeed. They Werc satisfied
With sqni1ttng little warm water into the nostrils
ton Of an Alternative 81 lie stomach. which, 81
course, did 20 good. Some years since. finding It
impossible TO effect the cure Of these affections BY
prc y 1hish was ale to ssa aEs 1anss irsst appis
ton OF any medcatel wash to the whole internal
cavity Of The n9strils At the same instant.
ard streas stheaiDs It BY astrinsent Applications,
soon found that cataHh was among our most cuia-
bic affections. II the mora aggravated cases Of
eszena ss and 3D. chronic inaueaza, sometimes found
Nhich could not be applied equally ns well az
wash, and to meet this requirement I eontrived a
sms1l copper eand: bath, to be used with spirit
larp. The medicines ntc placed upon q glass
c1yeta', and eraporated by heat Tho patient folds
Ls head orer the bath. and receives the yapots as
they come of, into his nostsils. There is neither
Even little children submit to Them from day to
day, without complaint. By this, the OILY simple,
direct and rational treatment ever prescribed for
rp tteRe troublesome and dangerous affections
where every other 1nea aus had failed. When prop
er]y applied, The shoWeziDg eyringc and rap0r
bath will not fall in one case in q thousand.
LnfoEtunately, theec affections arc too generally
treated With neEiett, and in consequence are coon
lost Eight ef in the disastrous disease to which they
give rise. Catarrh is the first step toward cousump.
tton: goes OF until it involves the throat in gran
uatoDe. causes the voice to become husky in read
ing alond. and ends IN thicscniug. Of the mucous
membrane lining the bronchial tubs. After this
latter charge has taken place re haye tie deposi-
ton Of the tubercles, liberation Of the lungs and
the full development Of consumption rs an almost
tncrlt4ble consequence. Even were tho danger
to the 1ungs lees, the public do not require to be
told TINT catarrh is the most common sourcc Of
deafness. from causing the closure of the Eusta-
elain tubss, and that 1t frequently extends
Itself. down tho gu]let to tho stomach caus-
ing the most inveterate form of dyspepsia.
Chronic 1rritations Of the mucoua membrane al
ways commence above and extend themselves
downward They arc mild and easily cured in the
commencement, but become grave aud dangerous
when neglected. regard catatrh as the great
feeder OF pulmonary irritation, aud by no other
means eau we 80 efectual1y guard the lungs from
disease as byrem0v1ng the catarrhal affection.
My next letter will be Oh Affections OF the
Throat.
Your obedient servant, ~
] AAEs HuSTEn,
Physician for Pulmonary Diseases.
.-.- 1e4 Cla:k street, Chicago.
CHICAGO, sGth August 1868.
CAUTION.
Dra. r. s. j. Hunter, of New York, won!d re-
spectful1y caution their patients and the public
generally, against the sppppsftion that they haze
any connection with parties advertising under the
same name. d.. Jsmes Hunter finds on his arriy-