Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-05-13
EAR AND THROAT.
DR.. LIGHTHILL ON THE SYMPTOMS
OF CATARRH.


Of dryness and heat in the nose, and free
inclination to sneezing. There is an ina
bility to breathe freely, as the nose be-
comes stopped up, sometimes on one side,
sometimes on the other.
Soon clear, wstery, acrid discharge
makes its appearance, excOristing the
nOstrils and edges Of the lips, which be-
come red and somewhat swollen. After 3
few days the discharge becomes thick, yell
lOwish, extremely frequent, and continues
to be a marked feature Of the disease, and
a source Of much danger and the greatest
annoyance. After more or less time, it
becomes purulent, highly offensive, and
assumes an extremely fetid odor. II is
usually SO prOfuse as to require, when
confined to the nose, the frequentapplicstion
of the handkerchief, or If it drops into the
throat which is more particularly The case
while the body is in horizontal position,
constant expectoration, and sometimes
both.
Sleep is frequently disturbed by SEN
sation of choking, caused by the presence
Of the discharge in the throat. Owing to
the heat in the head, the waiery portion
of the discharge often evaporatts, and as
suming 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 inoruststions produces feeling Of
discomfort and nsrrows the nasal passs-
ges so as to embarsss respiration. There
fore, frequent efforts have to be made to
remove them, either by forcibly blowing
the nose, or by persistent hawking
practice as dissgreoable to the one effect
ep as it is to those around him. After the
removal, that side of the inorustation
which adhered to the mucous membrane
will sometimes be found bloody, q fact
which arplAi--s tus force required for its
dislodgment. During sleep, these inerus-
tatiOns accumulate more rapidly, and the
feeling is therefore more uncomfortable in
the morning. Sometimes all efforts to
clear the throat are futile until after
breakfast or after something warm is
swallowed.
Some atients 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 color, the breath participates in this,
and becomes occasionally 80 revOltingly
offensive as to render the patient an object
of disgust to himself as well as to others
liberation Of the mucus membrane Of the
nose takes place frequently, sometimes
even attacking the bones, when small par
tioles Of that substance Will occasionally
be found mixed with the discharge. The
accumulation Of the discharge, together
with the thickened condition Of the mu-
cous membrane, respndersirstio en-
through the nasal passages very difficult,
and often times impossible, neeessitsting
respiration principally through the mouth,
method very deleterious to the general
health, but more particularly 50 to the
lungs, as will be shown hereafter. The
nnIleasant noise produced during sleeps
known as snoring, originates from the
same cause.
The voice loses its musical quality and
assumes diseordant, harsh, and nasal
the sense of smell becomes
much impaired or entirely lost, and the
Isme effect, though less frequent, is pro
luced on the sense OF taste. Occasionally,
while blowing the nose, g cracking or @
sound will be heard in the ear,
md the ring will be found quite thick and
stopped up, but returns suddenly with
like a swapping sound. This
phenomenon is usually repeated until, at l
me lime, hearing does not return, and re- .
Mains permanently injured. Noises in the
lead of every conceivable description will
make their appearance and add to the dis.
ress of the sufferer, and hearing may be
ost SO gradually that considerable de-
rec Of deafness may exist before the
erson is really aware of the fact The v
yes are apt TO become weak, irritated, and b,
isposed to water on exposure to cold and =
7ind, and after the slightest e1ertion.
A pain more or less acute, or distress
az feeling of pressure, is experienced :.
yer the eyes, and sometimes on the top
r hack of the head, and also pain in the 81
see, closely resembling neuralgia, for @
-bich it is very often mistaken. The dis
TESS in the head weakens the memory
nd produces irritsbiiity and moroseness
7 disposition. The stomach generally
1ffers more or less is weak andirritsble; II
lie appetite is weak and capricious, and is
early slwsys bad in the morning. In
we're cases the system becomes feeble
nd prostrated, and there is an aversion
, inability to either physical or mental tE
Iertion. !
Not unfrequently cstsrrh proves fatal, i
therby debilitating the system and wear
g out the patient or BY travelling down.
ard and producing throat affections,
and, finally, consumption. It
sy be safely asserted that sfter heredi- =
ry predispositiOn, cstarrh is the most (
equeD.t and important cause Of this COM lin