The Portland daily press., 1864-10-15
DIR. Morse ON Consumption.
uisui4anr Continued eqfl
Consumption IN Children.
LETTER NO. Xxx.
LETTER NO. Xxx,

To the Editor Of The Maine State Press
SIR:-I hayo described in preceding letters the
most common kinds of consumption met 18th in
adults. Before proceeding to speak Of consumption
iS children. will briefly explain why these differ.
ences exist 1t must appear strange to the nonpro-
fessional reader that tuberces In the lungs (which
characterize all forms of consumption do not pro-
duce precisely the same symptoms in all casos and
they naturally ask 'why is this The organ dissas-
ed aud the nature of the disease are tainly tho
same in all cases. but there is wide difference In the
consti utonal pecuharities OF the patients 1hese
differences we cal temperaments. Let Us suppose
person of high nervous temperament to be attacked
with tubercles In the lungs, the amount of suffering
experienced BY the patisnt.would be much greater
than that experienced by person OF lyDphatio
temperament laboring under the same disease. In
one case there would probably be pain in the side or
chest while the other be entirely free from it.
Again. a patient of sanguins temperament is far
more liable to splitting OF blood or hsmorrhae from
the ungs than one OF bilious temperament; but tho
latter Is liable than either OF the others to de-
rangemsnts ofthe stomach and DO wells
TAe differences In the 81 mptoms, then, Is caused BY
the difference in the Compartments of the patents
and not By any real difference in the disease itsei
Beside ,empsrAment, We have other pecul,aritie..
whiOn stii 1nrtner compheate ana mask oisease
ia lndvlduAi cases. an1 TOO otten Lead fatal miS-
takesin aias nosis and treatment.
hen says. therefore, tnaE comparatively few
physcIans able 10 pronounce a sale opinion on
tne health of the lungs, mean simply thas msGical
men engaged m general pIavLee eHnIot acquire the
great experience which Is necessary enable them
70 detect disease IN obscure cases and in the eAr
stages. l..tiin llal .9W ri N9gm e.rn'-l0F
the last stage-butA medical examination, 70 be Of
any value to the patient, must discover the presence
Of tuDe ces h they exist, before the lungs are ser-
ousiy injured, and winnie cure ls yet pOssib O..
CONSUMPTION in children. IL Is the general opin-
ion ofmankind that consumption is most common
between the ages Of twenty and thirty years Il we
speak OF this disease only IN the adult this may IL
true but it Vill occasion surprise when saw
tnat there iano period In human HE during which
consumption Is so prevalent fatal as DstWten
the ages OF three and fifteen, ~ ~ ff.H8
Hassyou never been struck, in looking over the
weekly balls Of mortality, with the large proportion
! of chiidrens Now, clearly children IL properly nm.
tured anu cieth BY their parents, ought ~ b. far
less liable TO dissase than adults and waen they DO
Ia sick their ought be far moro ourable
| tor their vitality is more active.
The truth Is fubercie are seldom sought for in the
lungs OF children, and as Q consequence they Zine
away and die without the parents sue pectine the
cause. When the physician who attended the case
is called upon lurIisn burial certificates he Il
compel Cd to assign some name to lhe Oisea.e and
hslcs lakes the most prominent syn ptom a. aisr.
rhea or marasmus, BY which it was ch.racseriaed.
a.is very Seldom mat o. childreR
sol wn ~ tasercies OF the irng4 and II Is cor
tain tnat large poportipp lsI .. errflee 20 this
snsI, ha "a; 1o .nis pc true Of the dagnosis wat
pe SAID 81 the treatment these poor little snfr
ers receive Can We suppose they aie propsriv -
ed when the nature eftbs disease Is not even isco
erea-or docs 4 make no danei ence in the r.snIt
whether cnilq ee ueated for diarrhea or enn.n,a
non npnler a. IHerscnt. ply stefan OF verv o..
experience attached 70 the AospsI for ~ snt,Is
,t ~ alis an Institution which recef, es no
tuneFelts are found IN two,thirds 81 All he chIS
who de In tina Hospital. - 80 ehnuI'h
The ooseryationp ot ID. N. Lombard ana p.n.
yoine 70 10 prove the same TACT DR. Afiison 81 "a
inourgn places the mortality from consumpt,Sn Al
more tnen one.tnird the gross mol tahty occurrins
amoag children in that city. r. - : : 49,
IFss-r9J - 10 be continually
Your OpedIent Servant, aa-9iI
CHAS. MORSE, ID. D., 1l..
20 Physician for Diseases Of the Throat and Iupg.
Once Nc. smith street, Portland. mo.
.ssd9f Be- afeeI eNf IS dQctle& WV.