The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-09-27
DIR. JAS. HUNTER Of NEWYORK.
cHRoNI; cATARRH.
LETTER NO. ONE.
rn tha rditor. of iha Cle1alInnd Lr.p,n.

the press, by my professional brethreni
and by doing SO many of them will
undoubtedly accuse me of having de-
parted from what is termed "pFofes-
sionsl etiquette" In defence, can only
plead the humanity of my intentions
-and the Importance of the subject. With
these remarks, shall proceed to consider
enc of the most prevalent ard dangerous
diseases of our clirnate-viz: Chronic
Catsrrh. ~ 49,. s.-s -..-
By cstauh, commonly called q cold in
the head, mean an infismmatory affection
of the mucous membrane that lines the
nose. This membrane extends downwards,
lining also the throat larynx, wind pipe
snd bronchial tubes. We breathe through
the nose, hence that psrt of the mucous
membrane which lines the nasal passages,
first receive injury from sudden changes OF
temperature in the air, or from any irrlts-
ting matter it may contain.
There are two kinds Of catsrrh, acute
and chronic, but shall confne myself In
| Il
Chronic catarrh follows the ''scute," and
is generally the direct consequence of leav'
ing simple cold" to cure ITSELF 1t is met
with in several forms. In the "trss," we
have merely discharge of yellow or straw
eolored mucous which accumulstes in the
posterior mares, or above and behind the
soft palate, and is hswked and cleared out
from time to time during the day. In the
second" there are sores formed on the in
side of the nose, and the secretions become
dry and hard, requiring almost constant
attention to keep the nose Tree. In the
'third," false membrane is secreted from
the diseased lining, which the patient re
moves from time to time. In the "fourth,'
the secretion from the Hhesd" drops down
into the throat, and the patient is frequent
Iy observed to "snuff up" and "hswk."
Often the mucous membrane becomes ulcer
aEed, and the discharge is then thin, yellow,
and like pus." In this form, toe, there is
often loss of smell, aud the discharge has
IN offensive ocor-especially is this the
sase when the liberation cuts through the
membrane to the bone. 1 have several
such cases now under treatment, and among
them little girl only six years of age.
Generally, during the summer months, the
active symptoms of chronic eatsrrh become
mild, but regularly return in an aggravated
form on the approach of winter. Those
suffering from chronic catsrrh are very
subject to take cold, and will have one or
more attacks every winter.
Consumption has several stages. 1t has
a first, or forming stage; S middle or
confirmed" stage; and last or ''ulcera-
ted" stage. The lungs do not become i'm
rnediately stuffed with tubercles, or cor
roded by foul ulcers. It is only after
months, and often years of irritatiOn-or
slow, insiduous progress-from the slight
''catarrh" to the seated "bronchitis," from
"bronehitis" to the first deposition of lit
tie speck of ''tuberculous matter in sim
gle globule; from the first depositions of
lubercle to the filing up of whole lobe
or whole lung, with this matter, and its
| fostering aud burrowing among the deli
| cate air cells, until the whole of the lung
| diseased becomes reduced to mass Of
| hopeless disorganiz stien, that this dreaded
malsdy reaches its last and final stage.
The error is too wide spread among The
| people, and too general even among ply
| sicians to renarI 90 mann ntian- q aisAAsa-
marked not only by ''coug b" but by the
expectoration of ''pus," by "hectic fever"
anigAt sWests, and wasting of flesh and
strength. In other words, to apply the
name of consumption only to the last
stages of the disease. Were this other
/ wise we should not have to listen with feel
i0gs of pity and sorrow to such express
sions as "it's only catsrrh," ''the disease
is sll in the throat" or, it is only "a slight
bronchial affection" Alas there are few
who suffer from these affections trifng and
unimportsnt ss they msy seem, that do
| not, sooner or later, fill cOnsumpliYe
! grave.
TREATMENT-Chronic Catsrrh, like
Asthma and Consumption, has hitherto
had no remedy. 1t remains q stain and
reprosch on the page of medicine. Nor
| has failure resulted from the Wsnt Of
MEANS of relief within our reach, or from
the SEAT of the disease, or the MALIGNITY
of its nature; for we can reach the dis.
essed parts by all the forces of the Msteris
Medica-solids, fluids and gasses-And the
disease itself is only simple chrome in--
| 1smmAtion- Physicians have failed be-
cause they have not striven TO succeed
earnestly and nationally. They have gen.
orally been satisfied with squirting q little
WARM water up the nose, and prescribing
AN aalterative" for tie stomach, which, of
course does no good. Catarrh is rarely
found disease of the nose alone, but is gen4
e-ally accompanied by moresor less hoarse-
ness, showing that the irritation which exists
| in the greatest intensity in the nasal mem
brsne, also involves the lsrynx and lining
of the windpipe. l cannot, therefore, hope
to remove il by applications to the nose
only. The course have pulsued with al
most invsrisble success is as follows:
A mild sstriDgent vspor is directed to
be inhaled twoor three times daily from
the inhaling instrument described in our
Trestise-the patient being careful to ex.
hale through the nostrils. ID addition to
the use of the Inhalation, daily shower
the nostrils with solution adapted to the
condition Of the membrane by q silver
showering syringe which had constructed
for the purpose.
The extremity of the syringe is passed |
into the throat and the curved part turned |
up behind the curtain OF the palate, and |
jet of the solution thrown against every |
part of the posterior mares at the same in
stant. There is neither pain nor lnemve.
nience in making these applications. Even
little children submit to them from day
to day, and get up from the chair laugh
ing. By this simple treatment we are
usually able to break up the most invete-
rate cstsrrh in from three to ten weeks. So
generally successful has it been, that we
doubt if it viii fail IN one case out of a
hundred, when properly and faith
fully employed. unfortunately, catarrh is
too generally treated with equal neglect by
both physicians and patients, until it be-
comes lost sight Of in the disastrous conse-
quenees to which it gives rise. 1 know
tnat it exists in greater or less degree in
all forms of pulmonary disease and it usu-
ally exists before any symptoms of disease
in the lungs have been manifested, and
that it is the direct consequence of those
'Icolds in the head" which become prscti.
cally known to most OF us two or three
times every year. l regard catarrh as
that great feeder of pulmonary irritation,
and do not believe l can by any means so
guard the lungs from disease ss
By cutting # the cstarrh affection.
rt rf Your obedient servant, ,
JAMES HUNTER, NJ. D.