Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-12-10
USUAL
ON DEAFNESS DISCHARGES FROM
THE EAR, AND CATARRH.
And all the various diseases og the Ear
Throat and Air Passages.
SYMPTOMS OF CATAERH

The first sensation is usually 8 feeling
of dryness and heat in the nose, and fFe-
quent inclination TO sueeziDg. There is an
inability to breathe freely, as the nose be-
comes stopped up, sometimes on one side,
sometimes on the other.
Soon clear, watery, scrid discharge
makes its appearance, excoriating the nos
trils, and edges Of the lips, which become
red and somewhat swollen. After s few
days the discharge becomes thick, yellow
| ish, extremely frequent, and continues TO
be 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 as
sumes an extremely fetid odor. 1t is
usually 60 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 expectorstian, and some
times both.
Sleep is frequently disturbed by 8 senss-
ton of choking caused by the presence Of
the discharge in the throat. Owing 10 the
heat in the head, the wGtery part of the
Olbbh 0NdDOIdbDSY sl4Al4 ao1Al4L44llE
q 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 embaTrass respiration. Therefore
frequent efforts have 10 be made to remove
them, either by forcibly blowing the nose,
or by persistent hswking-s practice as
disagreeable to the one affected as it is TO
those around him. After the removal,
that side of the incrustation which adhered
to the mucous membrane will sometimes
be found bloody, fact which explains the
force required for its dislodgment. 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
is 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 psr-
ticipates in this, and becomes occasionally
SO revoltingly offensive as to render the
patient an object of disgust to himself as
well IS to others. liberation of the mu-
cous membrane of the nose takes place fre-
quently, 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 membrane,
renders respiration through the nasal pas
sages very difficult and oftentimes impos-
sible, necessitating respiration principally
through the mouth, method very delete
rious TO the general health, but more par
ticulsrly so to the lungs as will be shown
hereafter. The unpleasant noise produced
during sleep, known as snoring, originates
from the came csuse. The voice loOses its
musical quality, and assumes discordant
harsh, and nesRl character; the sonse of
smell becomes much impaired or entirely
lost, and tho same effect, though less fre-
quent, is produced on the sense of taste.
Occasionally, while blowing the nose,
cracking or bubbling sound viii be heard
In the ear, and hearing viii be found
quite thick and stopped up, but return sud-
denly with something like swapping
sound This phenomenon is usually re-
pested until, at one time, hearing does not
return, and remains permanently injured.
Noises in the head of every conceivable
description will make their appearance
and add to the distress of tho sufferer, 8nd
hearing may be lost so gradually thst q
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 snd wind, or after the slightest
exertion. A pain, more or less acute, or q
distressing feeling Of pressure, is expert
enced over the eyes, and sometimes on the
top or back of the head, and also pain in
the face, closely resembling neuralgia, for
which it is very often mistaken. The dis
tress in the head weskens the memory and
produces rritsbility and moroseness Of
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 prostrsted, and
here is an aversion OF inability to either
physical or mentE e1ertion. Not unfre-
/ quently cstarrh proves fatal, either by de-
| bilitating the system and wearing out the
patient, or by travelling downward and
| producing throat affections, bronchitis, snd
finally consumption. Il may be safely
asserted that after hereditary predisposi-
| ton, catsrrh ia the most frequent and I'M
portant cause Of this fatal complaint.
Oataarh has been considered an incura-
bic disease, and on the strength of that
sapposition hiss 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 year.
past made its proper treatment then
special study, and have by their success
fully established the durability Of this Of
fensive complaint.
Dr.. IIGRTHILI Is row at I:ussel's For
est City House. Cleveland, wnefe he w
remain until Saturday, December 10th