Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-11-28
USUAL
ON OAFARRH-DEANEss
And sll the various diseases of the Ear,
Throat and Air Passages.
SYMPTOMS OF CATAKRH.

EIAfIOhb VI GAIAAhHs
The first sensation ls usually q feeling
of dryness and heat in the nose, and fire.
quent inclination to sueezing There is an
inability to breathe freely, as the nose be-
comes stopped up, sometimes on one side
sometimes on the other.
Soon a clear, Wstery, acrid discharge
makes its appearance exeoriating the nos
trils, and edges of the lips, which become
red and somewhat swollen. After a few
days the discharge becomes thick, yellow
ish, extremely frequent, and continues to
be marked feature of the disease; and q
source of much danger and the greatest
annoyance. After more or less time, it
becomes purulent, highly offensive and as
sumes an extremely fetid odOr. 1t is
usually 80 profuse as to require, when con-
fined to the nose, the frequent application
of the handkerchief, OF, if it drops into
the throat, which is more particularly the
case while the body is in horizontal po-
sition, constant expectoratisn, and some
times both.
Sleep is frequently disturbed by sensa-
ton Of choking caused by the presence Of
the discharge in the throat. Owing to the
heat in the head, the wstery part of the
secretion often evaporates, and3 assuming
a condition of solidity is deposited upon
the membrane of the nose and upper part
Of the throat, in the shape of crusts or
| hardened Jumps. The accumulation of
| these incrustations produces feeling Of
discomfort, and narrows the nasal passages
so as TO embarrsss respiration. Therefore
frequent efforts have 10 be made 10 remove
them, either by forcibly blowing the nose,
or by persistent hawking-a practice as
dissgreeablo to the one affected as it is to
those around him. After the removal,
| that side q the incruststion which adhered
/ to the mucous membrane will sometimes
be found bloody, fact which explains the
force required for its dklodgment During
sleeep these incrustations accumulate more
| rapidly, and the feeling is therefore most
uncomfortable in the morning. Sometimes
| all efforts to clear the throat are futile un-
! til after breakfast or after something warm
ia swallowed. Some patients state that
they are not successful until they have
! swallowed some whisky or brandy. The
discharge, which is at first without smell,
assumes, in the progress of the complaint
an excessively fetid odOr, the breath par
ticipstes in this, and becomes occasionally
30 revoltingly offensive as to render the
patient an object of disgust to himself as
| well as to Others. liberation of the mu-
cous membrane of the nose takes place fre-
| ouently, sometimes even attacking the
bones, when small particles of that sub
stance will occasionally be found mixed
with the discharge. The accumulation Of
( the discharge, together with the thickened
condition of the mucous membrsne,
renders respiration through the nasal pas
sages very difficult, and oftentimes impos-
sible, necessitsting respiration principally
[ through the mouth, q method very delete
rious TO the general health, but more par
| ticularly so to the lungs, as will be shown
hereafter. The unpleasant noise produced
during sleep, known as snoring, originates
\ from the same cause. The voice lOoses its
musical quality, and assumes q discordant
harsh, and nasal character; the sense OF
| smell becomes much impaired or entirely
| lost, and the same effect, though less fre-
| quent, is produced on the sense of taste.
Occasionally, while blowing the nose, a
| cracking or bubbling sound will be heard
| in the ear, snd hearing will be found
quite thick and stopped up, but return sud-
denly with something hike swapping
sound. This phenomenon is usually re-
peated until, st ma time, hearing does not
| return, and rel De permanently injured.
Noises in the head of every conceivable
! description will make their appearance
and add to the distress Of the sufferer, and
hearing may be lost so gradually that 6
| considerable degree Of deafness may exist
before the person is really aware of the
! fact. The eyes are apt to become weak,
| irritable, and disposed to water on expos
ure to cold and Eiud, or after the slightest
! exertion. A pain, more or less acute, or 8
distressing feeling of pressure, Is expert
! enced over the eyes, and sometimes on the
! top or back of tina head, and also pain in
the face, closely resembling neuralgia, for
/ which it is very often mistaken. The dis
tress in the head weakens the memory and
7 produces irritability and meroseness of
I disposition. The stomach generally suffers
more or less, is weak and irritable; the ap-
/ petite is cspricious, and Is nearly always
/ bad in the morning. In severe cases the
/ system becomes feeble and prostrated, and
here is an aversion or inability to either
! physical or mental exertion. Not unfre-
( queDtly catsrrh proves fatal, either by de-
bilitsting the system and wearing out the
patient or by travelling downward and
producing throat affections, bronchitis, and
/ finally consumption. It may be safely
asserted that after hereditary predisposi-
tion, eatarrh is the most frequent and in
portsnt cause of this fatal complaint.
Cstsrrh has been considered an incurs-
bic disease, and on the strength of that
supposition has been neglected by both
the profession and the public. As it is the
exciting cause in full half the cases Of
Deafness, Drs. Lighthill have for years
past made its proper treatment their
special study, and have by their success
fully established the durability Of this of
fensive complaint.
DR.. LIeHTHILL will remain at RusselPs
Forest City House, Cleveland, from Mon