Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-02-23
DR.. lIGHTHlLL
On the Symptoms of Catafrh.

/ On the Symptoms of Catafrh.
! The first sensation is usually feeling OF
| dryness and heat in the nose, and frequent
inclination to sneezing. There is an inability
to breathe freely, as the nose becomes stopped
up, sometimes on one side, sometimes on the
other.
Soon clear watery, acrid discharge makes
Its appearance, excoriating the nostrils, and
edges OF the lips, which becomes red and some
what swollen. After few days the discharge
becomes thick, yellowish, extremely frequent,
and continues to be a marked feature OF ne dis
ease, and a source of much danger and the
greatest annoy ance. After more or less time,
it becomes puruleDt, highly offensive, and as
sumes an extremely fstld odor. 1t is usually
go prcfuse as 10 require, when confined to the
nose, the frequent application of the handksr-
chief, or if it drops into the throat, which is
more particularly the case while the body is in
a horizontal position, constant expectoration,
and sometimes both.
Sleep is frequently disturbed by sensation
of choking, caused by the presence OF the dis
charge in the throat. Owing TO the heat in the
head, the watery portion of the discharge often
evaporates, and assuming a condition OF solid
ity, is deposited upon the membrane of the
nose and upper part OF the throat, in the shape
of crusts or hardened Jumps. The accumula-
discomfort, and narrows the nasal passages so
as TO embarrass respiration. Therefore, fire.
quent efforts have to be made to remove them,
either by forcibly blowing the nose, or by per-
sistent hawking-a practice as disagreeabIe 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 ex-
plains the force required for its dIslodgment
During sleep these incrustaions accumulate
more rapidly, and the feeling is therefore mos
uncom Portable in the morning. Sometimes all
efforts to clear the throat futile until. after
breakfast or after something warm is swai-
lowed Some patients state that they are not
successful until they have swallowed some
whisky or brandy.
The discharge, which is at first withoutsmell
assumes IN the progress of the complaint an
excessively fetd color, the breath participates
i'll this, and becomes occasionally SO revolving
ly offensive rs TO render the patient an object
OF disgust to himself as well as to others. VI
ration OF the mucous membrane Of the nose
takes place frequently, sometimes even attack
ing the homes, when small particles of that
Substance will Occasi onally be found mixed
with the discharge The accumulation of the
discharge, together with the thicSened condi-
ticn of tie mucous membrane, renders respira-
tion through the nasal passages very difficult,
ard oftentimes impossible, necessitating res
piraticn principally through the mouth-a
msthcd very delPterious to the general health.
butmore particularly SO to the lungs, as will
re shown hereafter. The unpleasant noise
produced during sleep, known snoring
originates fIom the same cause. The voice
loses its musical quality, aud assumes dis
oordant, harsh and nasal character; the sense
Gil bzna a
lost and the same effect, though less frequent
is produced on the sense of taste. Occasionally,
while blowing the nose. cracking or bu billing
sound viii be heard in the ear, aud hearing
viii be found quite thick and stopped up, but
returns suddenly with something like a snap
ping sound.
This phenomenon is usually repeated 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 dis ress
OF the suEe'er, and hearing may be lost so
gradually that a considerable degree of deaf
ness may exist before the person is really
aware of the fact. The eyes are apt to become
weak, irritable, and disposed to water on ex-
posure to cold and wind, or after the slightest
exertion. A pain, more or less acute or dis
| tressing feeling of pressure, is experienced
of the head, and also pain in the face, closely
resembling neuralgia, for which it is very often
mistaken. The distress in the head weakens
the memory and produces irritability and
moroseusss CT disposition. The stomach gen.
orally suffers more or less, is weak and rri-
! table; the appetite is capricious and is nearly
| always bad in the morning In severe cases
the system becomes feeble and Frustrated, and
there is an aversion or inability to either phys
| zeal or mental exertCn. Not untrequeELiy
| catarTh proves fatal, either by debiitatIng the
| system and wearing out the patien., or by
| travelling downward and producing throat
| affections, bronchitis, and finally consumption
| 1t may be safely asserted that after hereditary
| predispositon, catarrh is the mot frequent
| ard important cause Of this fatal complaint.
DR.. LIGHTHILL can be consulted at the
| EBBITT HOUSE, Washington, from Monday
morning, February 80. until Saturday evening
! March 5, on Catarrh, Deafness, and all diseases
of the Ear, Throat, and Air passages. fe Is EOS "
LOST AND F0TND.