Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-02-25
Dk..EIGHFHILL


On the Symptsms Of Catarrh.
The first sensation L. usually feeling OF
dryness and heat in the nose, and frequent
inclination to sneezing. There IL 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, e1coriating the nostrils, and
edges OF the lips, which becomes red and some
what swollen. After a few days the discharge
becomes thick, yeliowish, extremely frequent,
and continues to be q marked feature OF he dis
ease, and a source of much danger and the
greatest annoyance. After more or less time,
it becomes purulent, highly offensive, and as
sumea an extremely fetid odor. 1t is usually
so profuse as TO require, when confined 10 the
nose, the frequent application OF the handker-
chief, or If it drops into the throat, which is
more particularly the case while the body is in
horizontal position, constant expecioration,
and sometimes both.
Sleep is frequently disturbed by q 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
eyaporates, and assuming 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.
ton of these iacrnstations produces a feeling OF
discomfort, and narrows the nasal passages so
as to embaTrass respiration. Therefore, fire.
quent efforts have to be made to remove them,
either by forcibly blowing the nose, or by per-
sisten. hawking-a 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, a fact which ex-
plains thu force required for its dlslodgment
During sleep these incrustaticns accumulate
more rapidly, and the feeling is therefore most
uncomfortable in the morning. Sometimes all
efforts to clear the throat are futile until after
breakfast or after something warm Is swal-
lowed. 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 color. the breath participates
In this, and becomes occasionally SO revolving
ly offensive as TO render the patient an object
of disgust TO himself as well as to others. Ill
ceration Of the mucous membrane Of the nose
takes place frequently, sometimes even attack
ing the bones, when small particles OF that
substance will occasionally be found mixed
with the discharge The accumulation of the
discharge, together with the thickened cond-
ton Of the mucous membrane, renders respira-
ton through the nasal passages very difficult,
and oftentimes impossible, necessitating res
piration principally through the mouth-a
method very de1eterious to the general health,
but more particularly SO to the lungs, as will
be shown hereafter. The unpleasant noise
produced during sleep, known as snoring,
| originates from the same cause. The voice
| loses its musical quality, and assumes a dis
nd aoal ohar ontp no
| of smell becomes much impaired or entirely
lost, and the same effect, though less frequent,
| is produced on the sense OF taste Occasionally,
| while blowing the nose, a cracking or bubbling
| sound will be heard in the ear, and hearing
| will be found quite thick and stopped up, but
| returns suddenly with something like 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 distress
| of the sIffe yer, and hearing may be lost sc
| 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 OK.
| posture to cold and wind, or after the slightest
| exertion Il pain, more or less acute, or & dis.
| 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 distress in the head weakens
| the memory and produces irritabilty and
| moroseness of disposition. The stomach gen.
| orally suffers more or less, is weak and irri'
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
| ical or mental exertion. Not untrequent,y
catarrh proves fatal, either by facilitating tbs
| system and wearing out the patient, or by
| travelling downward and producing throat
| affections, bronchitis, and finally con eumption
| 1t may be safely asserted that after hereditary
predispositon, catarrh is the most frequent
| and important cause of this fatal complaint.
| DR.. LIGHTHILL can be consulted at the
! EBBITT HOUSE, Washington, from Monday
morning, February 90. until Saturday evening
| March S, on Catarrh, Deafness, and all disease:
Of the Ear, Throat, and Air pasSapes fe16 eo3 q