The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-09-13

NhiANNli iS u ulScNSe OF the mucous MeIll-
Drane OF the nasal passages and those cayi-
ties Of the head communicating with them.
Insignificant as it appearsin its first stages,
u Is apt In its progress to become instru-
mental In causing the loss or impairment
of smell. taste, hearing, and sight, and I'm
creating serious constitutional derange-
ments not unfrcquently terminating in
consumption.
AT the commencement of the malady, the
symptoms are those of an ordinary cold. A
loeNng OF irritation, sensitiveness, heat or
pau! pa.m ~ experienced IN the nose, the edges
w W Millon VIZ, are red and swollen. and which Is
ftsvppou tt,p, Up sometimes on one side, some
sl,,ies ilaS Oh the other, aud occasionally on
1us,l, ,. iSrespiration through Il either
difficult or impossible. This condition
Is accohlpahied ps frequent desire to
sneeze, aud dischatre NJ at f,rst eieor
acrid water, afterwards Of n profi,se thicls
ycllowish and extremely oaenslye ,natter
rms secretion becomes pnrplent and in
creased In qhantity IA the cotnnIaint nro-
gresses, assumes an exceedingly fetid ndor
and forms 0ne,of the most oharReteristic
features OF the disease, and source o. the
greatest annoyance and danger. 1t escapes
not only by the nose, but passes into the
throat producing by its lodgment local
irritation, and requires frequent expectora-
tion, hawking, or scraping for its removal.
facilitated bya horizontal position of the
body, sleep Is frequently disturbed by a
sensation of choking in consequence, and
many are obliged to lie in n semi-recum-
bent position to obtain necessary fepose.
Owing to the inflammation and heat in the
head. the watery portion of the discharge
often evaporates, and the rest assuming a
condition of solidity, Is deposited upon the
membrane of the nose and upper part of
I the throat in the shape of crusts or hard
ened Jumps, The accumulation of these in
crustations produces feeling of discom-
fort, and narrows the nasal passages so as
to embarrnss respiration, therefore, fire.
quent efforts are required to remove them.
either by forcibly blowing the nose or by
persistent hawking, a practice as Disagree
able to the one affected rs IL Is to those
around him. That side of the incrIistation
which adhered to the mucous membrane.
will, after its removal, sometimes be found
bloody, fact which explains the force re-
quired for its dislodgment. During sleep
these incrustations accumulate more rap
idly, and the feeling is therefore most un-
comfortable in the morning. Sometimes
all efforts to clear the throat are futile un-
til after breakfast or after some stimulant
has been swallowed. liberation of the
mucous membrane of the nose takes place
frequently, sometimes attacking the bone,
when small particles of this substance will
occasionally be found mixed with the dis
charge.
The breath assuming an excessively fetid
and sickening odOr, and becomes OCCASION
ally so offensive as to render the patient an
object of disgust TO himself ms well as to
others.
The accumulation Of the discharge, to-
rnf kuif hinE nA -
mucous membrane, renders respiration
through the nasal passages very difficult
and Oftentimes impossible, necesstating
respiration principally through the mouth
IA method very deleterious to the general
health, but more particularly so TO the
lungs which become weak aud irritable
The voice loses its musical quality and as
sunes discordant, harsh, and nasal char
acter; the sense of smell becomes much
impaired or entirely lost, and the same cf-
feet, though less frequent, Is produced on
taste. Occasionally, while blowing the nose,
a cracking or bubbling sound is heard in
the ears, and hearing becomes quite thick
or stopped up, but returns suddenly, with
something like swapping sound. This
phenomenon may be repeated several times.
until hearing does not return, but remains
permanently injured. In other cases hear
ing is lost so gradually that considerable
degree of deafness may exist before the
person is really aware of the fact. Either
condition is often accompanied with noises
in the head of every conceivable descrip-
ton, materially increasing the distress Of
the sufferer.
Theeyes are apttO become weak, irritable,
and disposed to water on exposure to cold
and wind, or after the slightest exertiOn.
A pain, more or less acute, or distressing
feeling of pressure Is experienced over the
eyes, and sometimes on the top or back of
the head and also pain in the face, closely
resembling neuralgia, for which it Is very
often mistaken. The distress In the head
weakens the memory and produces irrita~
bility and morOseness of disposition. The
stomach generally suffers more or less, and
becomes weak and irritable; the appetite
is capricious and nearly always bad in the
morning. In severe cases the system
becomes feeble and prostTated This is
manifested by disposition to drowsiness
and sleep, aversion TO either physical or
mental exertion, and feeling of fatigue
and weakness.
Not mfrequently catarrh proves fatal,
either by debilitating the system and wear
ing out the patient, or by travelling down
ward and producing throat affections
bronchitis, and, finally, CONSUMPTION. Ii |
may be safely asserted that after beredita-
ry predispositiOn, catarrh Is the most
frequent and important cause of this fatal
complaint.
The symptoms of eatarrh vary consider
ably in different individuals, the degree of
their severity depending upon constitution |
al idi0syncrasies and various external in |