Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-05-09
EAR AND THROAT.
DR.. LIGHTHILL ON THE SYMPTOMS
OF CATARRH.

The frat sensation is usually feeling
of dryness and heat in the nose, and free
inclination to snsezing. There is an ina
bility to breathe freely, as the nose be-
comes stopped up, sometimes on one side,
sometimes on the other.
Soon a clear, vstery, scrid discharge
makes its appearance, exCoristing the
nOstrils and edges of the lips, which be-
come red snd somewhat swollen. After
few days the discharge becomes thick, yel-
lowish, extremely frequent, snd continues
to be marked feature Of the disease, and
a source Of much danger and the greatest
annoyance. After moro or less time, it
becomes purulent, highly offensive, and
assumes an extremely fetid odcr. 1t is
usually SO profuse as to require, when
confined to the nose, the frequentapplicatiOn
of the handkerchief, or if it drops into the
throat, which is more particularly the case
while the body is in horizontal position,
constant expeetoratiOn, and sometimes
both.
Sleep is frequently disturbed by a 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 evsporstes, and as
suming a condition Of solidity, is deposited
upon the membrane Of the nose and upper
part Of the throat, in the shape of crusis
or hardened Jumps. The accumulation of
these ineruststions produces feeling of
discomfort, and narrows the nasal psssa-
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 hawking
practice IS dissgreoable to the one affect
ep as it is to those around him. After the
removal, that side Of the incruststion
hnicn NJ Annerad To the mucous membrane
VIII sometimes be found bloody, a fact
which explains the force required for It's
dislodgment. During sleep, these inerus-
tatiOns 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 Istients 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 as to render the patient an object
of disgust to himself ss well as to others.
liberation Of the mucus membrane Of the
nose takes place frequently, sometimes
even attacking the bones, when small par
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-
oOuF membrane, respndersiratiO G.
through the nasal passages very dificul
and often times impossible, necessitsting
respiration principally through the mouth,
a method very deleterious to the general
health, but more particularly SO to the
lungs, ss 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 discordant, harsh, and nasal
the sense of smell becomes
much impaired or entirely lost, and the
same effect, though less frequent, is pro-
duced on the sense OF taste. Occasionally,
while blowing the nose, cracking or
UuuDiiug 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 addto 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 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
lace, closely resembling neuralgia, for
which it is very often mistaken. The dis
tress in the head weakens the memory
Ind produces irritability and morOseness
'f disposition. The stomach generally
suffers more or less; is weak and irritable;
he appetite is weak and capricious, and is
nearly always bad in the morning. In
severe cases the system becomes feeble
and prostrated, and there is an aversion
'r inability to either physical or mental
sxertion.
Not unfrequently cstsFrh proves fatal,
sither by debilitsting the system and wesr-
ing out the patient or by travelling down.
ward and producing throat affections,
bronchitis, and, finally, consumption. 1t
may be safely asserted that after heredi-
tsry predispOsitiOn, cstarrh is the most
frequent and important cause Of this COM
plaint sp26R2 !