Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-11
DIR. JAS. HUNTER, OF NEW YORK.
UN IdL
SYMPTOMS OF CONSUMPTION.
# NO. FOUR.

mon varieties of Bronchitis, l now come
to speak of the symptoms which indicate
that the lungs have become AFFECTED
that is to say, that tlberctes are deposited,
1t is no unusual thing to hear designated
as a 1mere cold" or slight bronchial af-
fiction" SYMPTOMS which should excite the
greatest anxiety as indicating the COM
mencement of tu6ercuIar deposition. When
the physician prescribes anything by the
stomach to allay such symptoms, he only
masks the danger and gives temporary re-
lief, while the disease itself progresses in
the lungs and become more and more
firmly seated. Thousands are in this way
misled by false opinions, from step to step,
until the ravages made by the disease rem
der deception no longer possible. Instead
of the promised return to health, the poor
invalid finds all his symptoms. growing
steadily worse, and grows importunate for
relief. He finds that the least exertion in
creases his shOrtness of breath, and that he
is slowly but surely losing flesh. To quiet
his fears, he is now advised ITO visit the
country" to atake a sea voyage or "to go
W II WIFI CIiilluIt lOI u StdSbii. II ~ NC
in Spring, he is told he will get well so
Don as he can enjoy 'the pure bracing air
of the country and if it be Winter that
he must be patient and wait for the "ensu-
ing Spring"
But alas for those whoput faith those
delusiye promises. Too many learn when
too late that 'the country referred to 'lies
beyond the grave" and that the Spring"
is a season which 'cometh not until life's
ftful fever is over"
Permit me then, by a~lfaitful narrative of
the signs by which consumption may be
known in its early stages, to warn them of
their danger while there is yet strength
enough in the system to throw off the dis
case, and under proper treatment to re
store them 10 health. IF the invalid waits
for "purulent eXpectorations, 'hectic fe-
yer, and "night sweats, be waits for the
arrival of the third stage, and Ineed not
tell him that when the disease is so far adj
yanced, cure is always difficult and the re-
suit uncertain. If, on the other hand, he
is treated in the early stage, while the sys-
TEN is yet strong and the lungs not broken
down, we can look forward to his cure, I'M
der the treatment of inhalation, almost
with certainty.
Cough and Experimentation of the
earliest signs of consumption is cough. For
q considerable time this is so slight AS to
be entirely overlooked by the patient, and
may scarcely be noticed by his nearest
relatives, it being in reality little more
than m occasional dry hack. 1t is most
commonly observed in the morning. on
first getting out of bed, but it may also oc-
cur during the day-after meals and after
walking or conVersing. Some weeks or
months later, varying with the progress of
the disease, the morning cough is attended
by the eXpectoratiOn of a clear fluid like
saliva, and generally frothy. After a time
little points of pale yellow or grayish vel
low make their appearance in the frothy
mucus, and as the disease advances, this
increases until it almost takes the place Of
the clear mucus.
There is no uniformity in the amount
expectorated in this disease. Occasionally
the quantity is very small, even where
there is extensive disease of the LUNGS.
while, on the otner hand, it NAV be pro
fuse, steadily increasing from the COM
mencement, until it reaches, in the last
stage, half a pint or more in twentv-four
49, - iNAth1 W dltEu cases the SDlId
look like little balls of cotton or wool, and
N Others 1t Is ola greenish yellow color.
Now, when a dry hacking cough steals
upon a person in apparent health, and
without the occurrence of a cold, il should
always excite apprehension, and lead to an
immediate examination of the lungs. 1t
may possibly prove unimportant, for dry
cough does not always end in consump-
ton; hut it is suspicious, and no man who
values health will disregard its warning.
When consumption follows chronic bron-
chitis, the expectoration is, in the early
stage, blush celored, sticky mucus. or
phlegm, mixed with more OF less of frothy
saliva.
Shorbacss Of Breath is often n of the
earliest symptoms of tu~bercular disease.
1t Is first noticed by the patient on run
nlRg quickly up a flight of stairs, or walk
ing Up a hill. In the early stage this is
very slight, for the amoant of obstruction
IN the lungs is small; but it keeps pace
with the progress of the disease. In some,
it is less a shortness Of breath than a sense
OF tlghtness and oppression in the chest on
any active exertion. Many persons, when
questioned in regard to this symptom will
draw a deep breath and forcibly strike the
chest with the fist, remarking, "There's
nothing the matter there" But, unfor-
tunately this is no test of the strength of
the lungs,
Persons who have small lungs expert
ence the sense of shOrtness of breath more
than those who have naturally Large limos.
because the latter can bear with the loss Of
capacity. The term "shortness of breath
is used in the same n as shurried or
rapid breathing" or want of air. and is
often indicated by 8igHing. All pereons
have their breathing hurried by ex ertion
but It is easy for the patient to distinguish
between the amount of exertir,n he is now
able to undergo, and that he could undergo
when Ia perfect health. The number of
respirations in health varies from sixteen
TO seventeen in a rninute Whom a nor
son supposed 20 be healthy is found to
breathe more frequently than this when
4ulet ane net aware that the number of
.le=Plf&nons is being counted, set it down
y d sure sign that he has more or less
shoftness Of breath. The blood requires
lor Its publication that we should take into
thelungs a certain quantity of air in a given
period oftime. The union between the one
gen OF tho air and the carbon. Of the blood
a chemical union, and can only take
place in definite proportion. That is to
say, We require sufficient air to cause the
removal of the carbonaceous impurities of
blood, and, if owing to distractions in
lungs, we do not respire in from fiftec n
to seventeen respirations a minute the re-
CURED quantity, we must make IN the
deficiency by breathing more often and if
We increase the number Of brea' he toEan
ia a minute we necessarily ~s'oorten the
of each breath. This, then, is what
is Iaeant by "shOrtness of bT cath"
The pulse.-Each additic nal rasnirotion
as a rule, increases the pulse about five
beats. Hence the pulls e keeps pace with
the shOrtness of breatj 4. If a person is
found to take twent Y respirations in a
minute his pulse vi ii be about eighty or
eighty-ive. If tho number of respfrations
be increased to Twenty-Five, the pulse Will
range from Il hundred and five to n
lunpIed and ten This is not invariably
he ease, but6 the exceptions are rare. In
health the. pulse should range from sixty
% sixty ~-eight-the average being about
.l~Xty-tJur beats in a minute. If, there
lore, ,you have a hacking cough, and slight
of breath on exertion, accom-
by an increase in the frequency of
ne pulse of len or fifteen beats per min
ute, you cannot doubt the existence of
mischief in the lungs, and should instant
ly see about its removal.
In young females, monthly ~iyreguIari-
-