Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-10
THEORY OF nEBICATED INHALATION.
DRS. HUNTER s. RAMSAY
on THE
symptoms or Chronic Bronchifls.

the most common form Of pulmonary dis
ease. Chronic bronchitis is q local inham-
nation of the mucous membrane lining the
air tubes, and is simply a cgtQrrh Of the
lungs. It does not differ from caiarrh Of the
nose in the effect it produces upon the MT
coHg membrane.
T~hickening and enlargement Of the ma
cous ~follieles and liberation take place in
the air tubes of the lungs the same as in
the air passages Of the nose. but the effect
upon the health IS very different in The two
cases. In bronchitis, thickeuing Of the mu-
eous m-HeAs11s dT<ainishes the size of the
air tubes and shorteuS the breath. When
the nose is Obstructed by unhealthy secre-
tons. or so charged BY disease as 10 make
it difficult for US to breathe through the
~nOstrils, We can breath through the mouth
nut when the bronchial tubes in the lungs
are obstrueted or diminished in size. we
find relief only by the cure of the bronehia!
disease.
BrorcEtis. then, is a disease Of the lining
Of the bronchial tubes, ramifying the sub
stance of the lungs. This lining, or mem
hrane, is very sonsitive to every external
influence, and Is hence liable TO become irri-
tated by sudden changes of weather, hy
impure air, and The fne particles Of matter
which fill the atmosphere Of workshops, or
HAT up0n the winds in toe dusty streets.
and by the hundred irritating causes which
meet US in almost every place. The most
common cause. however, is cold, showing
itself first "a a cqta~gh Of TIE nose, X af-
feeling the throat and lcrytr, and lastly in
vOlving the bronchial tubes, when the
disease is known as q seated " cold IN tbs
chCst." or Br0Hcaitis.
The acute symptoms usually sub5ide after
a short time. aud unless the patient IS prop
erly.tfeatei. he does not return 20 his for
mer good health. lie discovers a slight
warmth in his hands toward evening, and
cannot take the same exercise as usual
without discovering that ne is SHORT OF
BREATH" Sill he is pretty well, and if the
season be summer he may go on until fall
without eXpectoration but as winter ap-
| proaches he begins 10 cough and the cX-
pectOration is found 10 be yellow. Tie may
also find the fever increased 10 a decided
hectic, with night swea;s and rapid loss of
1esh, in which case he viii probably die
before spring, with all the symptoms OF
consumption. Sill this is not consumption
a. ell, il is simply q chronic catarrh of the
lungs.
LIS very common for Chronic Bronchitis
TO assume q milder form, when il is spoken
| Of as a winter Cough" 1t comes on each
winter, and as regularly subsidies during
the summer, but at every succeeding recur-
renee 1t menifests itself in greater severity,
I ana ltae recovery III the 10 low ing SuIhIi1I
is not so complete. This form Of Bronchitis,
if neglected, viii as surely destroy life. and
if treated in the usual manner is as incur
able as consumption Itself. The mucous
membrane sooner or later becomes altered
in structure, and pours forth q mater which
has all the qualities Of "pGs.' Hectic fever
superveucs, and the disease tends slowly.
but surely, TO a fatal termination.
Another form Of Bronchitis il peculiar to
middle life and old age. It is distinguished
by the quantity and character Of the matter
expeetora5ed. Usually there are W fits Of
| coughing in the day-une on awakening III
the morning, and the other in the evening.
There is considerable difficulty in breathing
while the parOXisms OF coughing last, but II
passes oia as soon as thelung are freed from
the yiscid secretion. The patient IS feeble
| he NAV, however. live aud attend TO light
duties for years. Bat the countenaneo grad
uaily assumes a pale blush tint, the body
wastes, the blood becomes thIa, end death
ensucs, apparently from the constant drain
kept up by the discharge from the lungs
Some patients die from exhaustion in five or
xix months, but others live for as many
years.
There Is still another form of this disease,
called "Dry Bronchitis" the essential char
actcr of which consists Of chronic infam-
nation, attended by a thickenjng OF the
Mucous membrane, by which the air tsjes
are diminished in size, aud also III the secre-
lion Of a dense geiliin5Hs kind Of matter, OF
p ~gbesaisb or BLUSH color, By which they are
stIll further obs,ructed. The smaller bron-
ehial tubes are often entirely closed, and
occasionally q tube of very considerable
size becomes sealed up by this matter
The symptoms Of Dry Bronchitis are not
marked by severity. It is the most insid-
iaus Of pulmonary complaints. The subject
Of it is conscious only of being short-breathed
when ascending an elevation or attempting
20 run. When a large portion Of the lung
Is involved, a sense OF oppression Is Xpe-
rienced after meals, and On every slight
-xertion. By some this oppression Is re-
erred to the opposite side Of The chest to
that on which the disease IS situated, Or to
a remote part ofthe same side, or even the
region Of the stomach.
After a time, d iiculty Of breathing comes
on, and continues several days. the patient
complaining ofiightncss il the chest, which
IS relieved by cough sad eXpeetorat0n of a
tough, je!ly-like substance. Ths cough by
which this matter is raised ie a mere risp-
ing effort 10 clear the throat, and may
probably not occur more than once OF twice
daily, and almost uncOnsciously to patients
themselves. On inquiring if they have a
cough, they will, almost without exception,
Aa7 -" w. wv NAA tA5 NNA IN HtA1tNAtAiF
they viii, perhaps, hack, and raise a little
jeliy-like mucous half g dozen times. At
intervals, the cough is more severe, aud
comes on in p~arGxysms, when 1t Is too COM
monty regarded as simply nervous" If
The stomach be at all dcranged, 1t is fash
ionable TO regard it as mere stomach
cough" or as being caused by a "Ilver
disease" while, IN fact, the arrangements OF
the stomach, liver, kidneys, and Of the utter
me function, which exists, are but so many
consequences of this very condition of the
lungs. There is something so gratifying in
being assured by the family physician shat
there is no danger of consumption !" that
this cough is " merely a tritie. and will
speedily pass away if left TO itself" that IL
Is not surprising he ha;tered patient en-
tirely Overlooks the important fact that NJ
careful examination of the lungs has been
made TO determine the health or disease OF
this organ that this gratifying opinion,
therefore. is founded on nothing reliable,
and, reduced 10 its intrinsic merits, is
simply tampering with human life.
Most coughs oflong standing" unattend-
ed by free expectOration, are caused either
by this condition OF the bronchial tubes, or
by incipient tubercles in the lungs. "The
neglected cold" which SO often proves the
herald of consumption, is but another va
riety ofthis disease.
The frequency of this form Of bronchitis
its slow, lnsidious and treacherous pro-
gress, and the disastrous consequences to
which it often Ieads-should awaken from
their lethargy all who are nursiHg DRY
coughs Of long standing in the vain hope OF
growing ont of them. However slight and
apparently ~unimportant, such coughs may !
seemingly lead on by sure gradatioas 70 a
premature grave. In such cases medicines
taken in the stomach simply aLGy the more
prominent symptoms, but do not remove the
disease By medicated inhalation alone, in
which the remedial agents are brought in
direct contact with the diseased parts, can
we hope to effect Il radical cTre.
NoTE.-The writers of the above have es-
tablished a permanent Office in this city, at
Euclid Place, Euclid Avenue, where they
may be consulted either personally or 10y
letter upon all affections Of the pulmonary
organs.
New YoRK PAPEEs.-We are under fire. |
quent obligations to Starr for New York pa
pers in advance of the mails. His news