Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-05-26
DIR. LIGHTHILL ON THE SYMPTOMS
OF CATARRH.

The first sensation is usually 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, wstery, scrid discharge
makes its appearance, exoOriating the
nostriis and edges of the lips, which be-
come red and somewhat swollen. After q
few days the discharge becomes thick, yell
lowish, extremely frequent, and continues
to be a marked feature Of the disease, and
a 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 ss to require, when
confined to the nose, the frequentspplicstiOn
Of the handkerchief, or if it drops into the
throat, which is more particularly the case
while the body is in horizontal position,
constant expeCtOratiOn, 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 wstery portion
of the discharge often svspOratts, 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 incrustations produces feeling of
discomfort, and nsrrows the nasal passa-
ges so as to embarsss respiration. There
fore, frequent efforts have to be made to
remove them, either by fOrcibly blowing
the nose, or by persistent hswking-s
practice as dissgreoable 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, fact
which explains the force required for its
dislodgment. During sleep, these inerus-
tstions accumulate more rapidly, and the
feeling is therefore more uncomfortable in
the morning. Sometimes all efforts to
clear the throat are futile until after
breakfast or after something warm is
swallowed.
Some stI ienUs 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 revOltingly
offensive ss 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 par
tioles Of that substance Will occasionally
be found mixed with the discharge. The
accumulation Of the discharge, together
with the thickened condition Of the mu-
cous membrane, respndersirstio en-
through the nasal passages very difficult,
and often times impossible, necessitsting
respiration principally through the mouth,
method very deleteriOus to the general
health, but more particularly so to the
lungs, ss will be shown hereafter The
UNPLEASANT noise produoed during sleeps
known as snoring originates from the
same cause.
The voice loses its musical quality and
assumes q discordsnt, harsh, and nasal
character; the sense of smell becomes
much impaired or entirely lost, and the
same effect though less frequent, is pro-
duced on the sense o, taste. Occasionally,
while blowing the nose, a cracking or
bubbling sound will be heard in the ear,
and the ring will be found quite thick and
stopped up, but returns suddenly with
something like a swapping sound. This
phenomenon is usually repeated until, at
one time, hearing does not return, and re-
mains permanently injured. Noises in the
head Of every conceivable description will
make their appearance and add to the dis
tress Of the sufferer, and hearing may be
lost so gradually that a considerable de-
gree Of deafness may exist before the
person is really aware Of the fact. The
eyes are apt to become weak, irritsted, and
disposed to water on exposure to cold and
wind, and after the slightest exertion.
A pain more or less acute, or a Distress
ing feeling of pressure, is experienced
over the eyes, and sometimes on the,top
or hack of the head, and also pain in the
face, closely resembling neuralgia, for
which it is very often mistaken. The dis
tress in the head weakens the memory
and produces irritsbility and moroseness
of disposition. The stomach generally
suffers more or less; is weak and irritable;
the appetite is weak and cspriciOus, and is
nearly always bad in the morning. In
severe cases the system becomes feeble
and prostrated, and there is an aversion
or inability to either physical or mental
sxertiOn. ha
Not unfrequently Oatsrrh proves fatal,
either by debilitsting the system and wear
ing out the patient or BY travelling down.
ward and producing throat affections,
bronchitis, and, finally, eonsunPtiOs. It
may be safely asserted that after hsredi-
tary predispOsition, cstarrh is the most
frequent and important cause Of this CON.
plant, Ap26R2