Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-05
DIR. JAS. HUNTER, OF NEW YORK,
ON
CHRONIC cATARRH.
LETTER NO. ONE.


| ONOA Ni9Suo1tu through llie COluulLs OI the
press, b. my professional brethren; and in
doing so many of them will undoubtedly
accuse me of having departed from what
is termed professional etiquette In de-
fence, l can only plead the humanity Of
my intentions-and the importance Of the
subject. With these remarks, l shall pro-
ceed to consider one of the most prevalent
and dangerous diseases of our climate
viz: Chronic Catarrh.
By catarrh, commonly called Il cold in
the head, l mean an infammatory affection
ofthe mucous membrane that lines the
nose. This membrane extends downwards,
lining also the throat, larynx, wind pipes,
and bronchial tubes. We breathe through
the nose, hence that part of the mucous
membrane which lines the nasal passages
first receives injury from sudden changes Of
temperature in the air, or from any irrita-
ting matter it may contain.
There are two kinds Of catarrh, acute
and chronic, but 1 shall confne myself in
this letter to the latter
Chronic catarrh follows the acute, and
is generally the direct ectconsequence of leuv-
ing simple cold to cure itself 1t is
met with in several forms. III the "irst,
we have merely discharge of yellow or
straw-colored mucous which dccumulates
in the posterior mares, or above and behind
the soft palate, and is hawlled and cleared
out from time to time during the day. In
the second there are sores formed on
the inside of the nose, and the seerctions
become dry and hard, requiring almost
constant attention to keep the nose free.
| In the third, false membrane is secre-
ted from the diseased lining, which the
patient removes from time to time. In
the ..feurth, the secretion from the head
drops down into the throat, and the pa-
tient is frequently observed to 'snuir up
and "hawk' Often the mucous menu
brane becomes liberated, and the discharge
is then thin, yellow, and like "pus.' In
this FORM too, there is often loss of smell,
and the discharge has an offensive odor-
especially is this the case when the ulcera-
ton cuts through the membrane to the
bone. have several such cases now I'M
der treatment, and among Them little
girl only six years of age. Generally,
during the summer months, the active
symptoms of chronic catarrh become mild,
but regularly return in AN aggravated
form on the approach Of winter. Those
suffering from chronic catarrh are very
subject to take cold, and viii have one or
more attacks every winter.
Consumption has several stages. 1t has
first or forming stage; a middle or
confirmed" stage; and last or "uleera-
ted stage. The lungs do not Immediate
ly become stuffed with tubercles, or cor
roded by foul ulcers. 1t is only after
months, and often years, of irritation-of
slow, insidious progress-from the slight
''catarrh' to the seated ''bronehitis,' from
bronchitis" to the first deposition Of Il lit
tie speck Of "tubcrculous matter in Il sin |
gle globule; from the first depositions of |
tubercle to the filling up of a whole lobe
or whole lung, with this matter, and Its
fostering and burrowing among the deli
cate air cells, until the whole of the lung
diseased becomes reduced to mass of |
hopeless disorganization, that this dreaded
malady reaches its last and final stage.
The error is too wide spread among the
people, and too general even among ply
sicians, to regard consumption as a disease
marked not only by cough but by the
Of ''pus,' by "hectic fever
might sweats," and wasting of flesh and
strength. In other word, 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
ings of pity and sorrow to such expires
sions as 1T only a eatarTh," the disease Is
all in the throat, or, it Is only "a slight
bronchial affection" AIs-L +Ls.p.,- -s.F.,- few
who suffer from these affections, trlflinS
and O,IIiIIIpu Gsslrt- ss-tlIey may seem, that
do not, sooner or later, fill consu1nps
tive grave.
Chronic Catarrh,, like
Asthma and Consumption, has hitherto
had no remedy. 1t remains Il stain and
Il reproach on the page OF medicine. Nor
has failure resulted from the want 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
aased parts by all the forces Of the Materia
fluids and gases-and the
disease itself is only Il simple chronic in
Physicians have failed be-
cause they have not striven to succeed
earnestly and nationally. They have gen
srally been satisfied with squirting little '
warm water up the nose, and prescribing '
IN "alterative3 for the stomach, which of
course, does no good. Catarrh is rarely /,
ound disease of the nose alone, but Is gen
rally accompanied by more or less hoarse-
less, showing that the irritationwhich exists
n the greatest intensity in the nasal men,
)rane, also involves the larynx and lining
If the windpipt. cannot, therefore, hope
o remove it by applications to the nose
,nly. The course 1 have pursued with al
most invariable success is as follows; d
\ mild astrinSent vapOr Is ,dircctcd TO ,
'e inhaled two or three times daily from
he inhalihg instrument described in our
Dreatise-the patient being careful to eX-
lale through the nostrii5. In addition to q
he use of the inhalation, l daily shower ,
he nostrils with solution adapted TO the "
ondition of the membrane 10y a silver p
towering syringe which hadcOnsrUcted
or the purpose.
The extremity of the syringe is passed
nto the throat and the curved. part turned
p behind the curtain Of the palate, and I
Il of the solution thrown against every
art of the posterior mares at the same in
Iant. There is neither pain nor inconveni-
nee in making these applications. Even &
tile children submit to them from day TO
ny, and get up from their chair laughing.
'y this simple treatment we are usually
bic to break up the most inveterate ca l.
irrh in from three to ten weeks So gen
rally successful has it been, that we doubt
it will fail in one case out Of hundred
hen properly and faithfully employed ~
Unfortunately, catarrh is too generally
'eated with equal neglect by both physi-
ans and patients, until it becomes lost
ght of in the disastrous consequences
which it gives rise. l know
lat it exists in greater or less degree in -
Il forms of pulmonary disease, and it
sually exists before any symptoms Of dis Z
use in the lungs have been manifested,and
nat it is the direct consequence Of those Tt
colds in the head" which become practi- as
I Il. I