Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-05-27
EAR AND THROAT.
DR.. LIGHTHILL ON THE SYMPTOMS
OF CATARRH.

OF CATARRH.
The first sensation is usually q feeling
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, Watery, scrid discharge
makes its appearance, excOristing the
nostrils and edges Of the lips, which be-
! come red and somewhat svvonan- After 3
rev days the discharge becomes thick, yell
lowish, extremely frequent, and continues
to be q 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
assumes an extremely fetid odor. 1t 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 expeOtoration, and sometimes
both.
Sleep is frequently disturbed by SEN
sstiOn of choking, caused by the presence
Of the discharge in the throat. Owing to
the heat in the head, the watery portion
of the discharge often evsporatss s, 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 incruststiOns produces feeling of
discomfort, and nsrrOws the nasal passa-
ges SO as to embarsss respiration. There
Tore, frequent Efforts nave TO be mEu1 rU
remove them, either by foroibly blowing
the nose, or by persistent hawking
practice ss dissgreosble to the one affect
ep 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, a fact
which explains the force required for its
dislOdgment. During sleep, these insrus-
tatiOns accumulate more rapidly, and the
feeling is therefore more uncomfortable in
the morning. Sometimes all efforts to
clear the throat are futile nntil affair
hraaLe------ ar5er something warm is
swallowed.
Some stT ienTs state that they are not
successful until they have swallowed some
whisky or brandy. The discharge, which
is az FIRST without smell, assumes in the
progress Of the complaint, an excessively
fetid color, the breath participates in this,
and becomes occasionally so revOltiugly
offensive SIS 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 psr-
ticles OF that substance VIII occasionally |
be found mixed with the discharge. The |
accumulation Of the discharge, together
with the thickened condition Of the mu-
cous membrane, res2ndersirstio en-
through the nasal passages very difficult,
and often times impossible, neoessitating
respiration principally through the mouth,
a method very deleterious to the general
health, but more particularly so to the
lungs, as will be shown hereafter. The
UNPLEASANT noise produced during sleer,
known as snoring, originates from the
same cause.
The voice loses its musical quality and
assumes a discordsnt harsh, and nasal
character; the sense of smell becomes
much impaired or entirely lost and the
same effect though less frequent, is pro-
luced on the sense taste. OCCASIONALLY
while blowing the nose, q cracking or
oubbling sound will be heard in the ear
md the ring will be found quite thick and
stopped up, but returns suddenly with
IOmething like a swapping sound. This
phenomenon is usually repeated until, at
me time, hearing does not return, and re-
Mains permanently injured. Noises in the
lesd Of every conceivable description will
make their appearance and add to the dis.
-sss ~ tha sufEs-o-, a-.d L.A-;ss zAAr Ls
ost so gradually that q considerable de-
,ree Of deafness may exist before the
'erson is really aware of the fact. The
yes are apt to become weak, irritsted, and
disposed to water on exposure to cold and
7ind, and after the slightest ezertion.
A pain more or less acute, or Distress !
ng feeling of pressure, is experienced
yer the eyes, and sometimes on the ton
hack Of the head, and also pain in the
aoe, closely resembling neuralgia, for
'hich it is very often mistaken. The dis
ress in the head Heakens the memory !
nd produces irritsbility and moroseness \
disposition. The stomach generally 4
1fers more or less; is weak and irritable; Z
lie appetite is weak and capricious, and is g
early always bad in the morning. In
we're cases the system becomes feeble
nd Frustrated, and there is an aversion :
inability to either physical or mental (
Iertion.
Not unfrequently catsrrh proves fatal, =
ther By debilitsting the system and wear.
6 out the patient or by travelling down.
ard and producing throat affections, ~
Onohitis, and, finally, Consumption. It z.
~ be safely asserted that after heredi. q.
~ predisposition. oatarrb ;s the r,o,4 9