The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-05-21
NEW ADVERTISEMENTS.
LETTER NO. X.
Editor Of the Maiae state Press.

y
To the Editor Of the Maiae state Press.
SIR:-Consumption has bean truly and with great
reason, called the scourge ofNew England and there
are various reasons why 1t should be denominat-
ed The universally Of ts attacks the age and char
acter OF its victims and not least its incur.
alb lily BY any ofthe means hitherto empl. yed by
the medieal profession
1t is the most fatal disease in the long catalogue of
bodily Affections, ana hence app ala more strongly
than any other to the phys clan for help 1t causes
one death IA ererBJour, wh CHI result from diseas,
The deep interest ana great importance Of every
thing which promises TO mitigate the ravages this
scourge cannot therefore be estimated.
The weekly bills of Mortality point TO the start
ling fast that, ofthose who nave passed the age of
puberty. July one il every three persons meet in
the great thoroughares OF busiAess and pleafuTe
under the ban of this terrible disease and destined
70 a sacrifice to less saved thr ugh the prompt
aaopuon 81 more rational means Of prevention than
any usually employed. No man, however strong Of
constitution + proof against its silent and treaeh-
erous approaches.
Consumption g caused by taBeyctes in the Esn0s
For long time this term-con sumption--was appli-
ed indiscriminateIy TO ali diseases Of Obscure
attended by Dasfing or emacation OF the body
They were called consamptions before the body
slowly consumed away When the study of paihoi-
ogical anatomy that Is to say, the snaomy 81 the
organs in dsease-bteame more general, IL was
soon discovered thai disease Of the iungs was more
frequently the of wasting than all other ehron
c diseases combined, and hence from this time
sumption OF the lungs attracted more attention.
ana In course of time to limit the term TO pulmonary
disease alone. When therefore, use the tel m con-
sumption. wish the reader TO remember that /
mean not emily disease of the lungs but peculiar
kind Of disc ase characters ed by the deposition Of
tubercles in their substance.
Tubercles are Il tie granular bodies deposited from
the blood They are most frequently located be-
meath the mucous membrane Of the air tubes, but
surface of the mucous membrane. when they arc
formed on the mucous membrane of the tubes Il
is not uncommon for small particles 10 become de-
tached and experorated by the patient long before
any liberation has taken place In the lungs.
Tubercles are formed in three different stages. In
the first they are grsysh half transparent and feel
firm n m oh w fba I'm IA ura cd
them. They are In size from millet seed to a COM
mon psa and are known in medical parlanee by the
name of military tubereies. In this stage they cause
very little disurbznce Of the system All we ordi-
narily ind Ia that the breathngs slightly ehorten-
cd and perhaps there !. q Opposition to hack and
cations the patient has no warning Of what Is taking
place In the lungs.
Secoad Ssage.-The military tuberces increase in
size by the accretion OF fresh particles thrown on
from time to time by the bio d, aud also ergo
change in color. They a.e in the first stage half
transparent, they are now opaque. and becoming
yellow. FIVE cut throug portion Of the lung il,
which tuberces the second Stage exist we md ii
studded here and there with what looks precisely
like Jumps OF cheese. In the second age tnbercles
vary in size from that OF pea to hlberf and Of
ten they are formed Of mnch larger size. II there
are great many tubercles. there will be good
deal of shortness of breath secretion. and some
loss of assh. Tubercies cause shortness Of breath
lung in which they are situated There NAV also be
coug h'and mucous ex pertorntion arising from tns
irritation they produce.
chessy fubercte. the disease msy remain stationary
for weeks months aw aiting a sufficient excitirr
to carry IL on to the last change. Sooner or
later the pressure produced by the abercnlous mat
ter fresh cold, produces nhams ton in the sur-
rounding tissues, and the whole breaks down. FORM
ing ulcerous excavation or cavity IN the rart of
the lung diseased. The matter or pus formed by the
dustruc ion Of the ais of the air tubes and cells
and BY the scftened tuhernaeles poured out into
the bronchial tubes. eoughed up and expertorafed.
As soon the fret sof enipg OF tabernacle tales
place. we have the worst symptoms inangurated-
hectic fever, night swests increase OF cough pro-
fuse purulent expertorstion. loss Of fesh and
strength. Such Is brief outline of what takes
place IN the lungs IN me three Stages OF eonsump.
ton. Before death takes place. considerable por.
tion of o lung becomes destroyed anu usually the
Other affected Some times several distinct cavities
exist In the same lung, but II Is more common for
the intervening tissue, TO become obliferated and
the several small cavities to unite and form one
large excavation.
have said tina, consumption Is caased by tuburcles.
Now what is the OF uburcless IL Il necessary
that this question s,onld be answered before you
clearly understand how IL Is that other and sp-
psrently trhng diseases can produce this dreaded
malady. In former letters pointed out the danger
Of neglecting caarrh, sore taroaf and bronchitis.
and told you that these the cause Of tu-
burclss. and that tuburcles he fconsump-
ton. Tabereies are caused by imperfect decarboa-
IL 1n OF the blood whstes er vents he ree sd-
mission OF pure air to the air cells, will produce
them Softsned tubarcle Ia nothisg more than car-
boa united with the elements Of the tissues in which
u WAS deposited. Marx. now. che effect of catArrh
In les influence on the luegs Catarrh 10 a Chronic
iuhsmaiion of the mueus membrane lining the nose.
The secretion while forms 10 the pos terror
tails doyn into the throat and rapidly extends the
irr a'ie to the entrance oftho windriTe. On &c IL
has reached this point. every slight change In tho
weather every exposure to dust increasss the irrf-
taton and carries II down into the iarynx prodne-
ing slight hoareeness and into the bronchial ubes
causing the secretion n sticky. biueish-whi mu-
Gus. You then that estarrh produces the irri-
Ia ion which this maeus depends. The wind
pipe and bronchiai in hich II forms, the tubes
throus h which the lungs receive the air necessary
for the removal Of the carbon from the blood You
cannot obstruct those tubes without uimiDshinr the
air drawn through them At each inspir alton. This
sticky mucus net only obstructs them. but often
completely seals up tubes OF slider able sire and
by diminishing the air received into air cells you
cause PORTION Of carbon TO remain in the blood
The moment the air l. shut of from cluster OF air
cells the capiares Of those cells become gogsd with
imperfectly decaFbonzed blood and are liable to be-
come tuburculaus.
Kind nature is very indulgent, and may bear whh
us r long time, bat sooner or later deposit of
carbon take place in the obstructed parts and from
that momeat the disease has changed from = simple
catarrh bronchitis to the most ftal dis known
to IL Il the obstruction TO the air tn bes by
mucas. which causes the formation oftuburces; snd
hence IL Is that say. that until tuburcle- aetu-
ally formed the patient has waruirg Of his dam
ger beyond the evidence Of the presence ofthe sticky
mueus produced by hacking II M ON time to timo.
Persons at q distance can be treated BY letter.
Your Ob-dient servant.
CHAS. MORSE. NJ. D.,
Physician for Diseases ofthe Throat and Lungs.
Once No. . Smith street, Portland. Ne.
dmay2i& wlw.