Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-05-07
Theory of Msdicated Inhalation.
DR.. RAMSAY
Chronic CONSERVATION,

O4Acb III al Cdeco.
The most common form of this disease,
is known by the name Chronic Gonsump-
tton, and generally begins with q slight
dry cough. 1t is called chronic because of
its slow progress. The old physicians
used to regard cough as the cause, because
it usually precedes consumption, but we
now know that it is but the effect.
1t would be quite as sensible to say
that pain caused decay in the teeth,
as that cough produced disease Of
the lungs. Cough is but a symptom of
irritation in the lungs, and for along time
is scarcely more than q dry hacking. Its
cause, is the presence of tH6ereies, intheir
first stage development, and if the patient
were to die suddenly, Of any injury or an
acute disease, we should find them stud
ding the upper part CT one, or both lungs,
and looking precisely like DlilIst seed. 1t
Is very common TO find the lungs, Of those
dying of fevers and inHammations, filed
with fine tubercles, and that, too, where
the health Of the lungs had never been
suspected. Indeed, many of those friends,
with whom we are in daily intercourse,
and who regard themselves as perfectly
healthy, are thus carrying about, the seeds
of their own destruction, deposited in the
lungs, during some recent cold, and only
awaiting some future exposure, 10 render
them active, and develop the disease Of
which they are the germs.
Chronic consumption begins differently
in different eases. A person apparently
in perfect health, has an attack Of catarTh
or sore throat, and when this subsidies, it
leaves the dry hacking cough before al
luded to. Or the first symptom may be a
splitting of blood, which may be consider
able, and of q bright red coler, or only a
slight streak in the mucus. In many cases
the FIRST sign is a chilly sensation in the
back, followed by more or less heat in the
palm of the hands, or an afternoon flush
on the cheeks. Then again, in many cases,
we find the hands and feet colder than
natural. At this season the patient prob
ably does not feal this, but those in health,
when shaking hands, Immediately detect
the difference. Should the flushing of the
cheeks, or the feverishness of the hands,
be followed by persPiration at night, the
patient is often Thought 10 be suffering
from masked Ggue.
The stomach in Chronic Consumption,
is not usually much disturbed, until the
disease is firmly established. 1t is by no
means uncommon, for the appetite to re-
main good until disrrhea sets in, when it
becomes capricious and poor. Infemales,
monthly irregslarity, is common from an
early period of the disease, and arises,
from the debility, produced by the bad
state of the lungs. After hsbtic fevsr and
siceGts are fully established, the loss
of flesh and strength takes place rapidly,
and the body may truly be said to consume
away. In q severe case, the joints soon
:ho Y the loss of flesh, by appearing larger
Than natural, the chest becomes contract
ID, the features sharpened, and the eyes
attain more than their wOntSd clearness
and b~rilliancy.
The matter expsctorAted, charges with
the different stages OF the disease. In the
commencement, there is no expect grafton,
for the cough is dry; but after a time, the
coughs up q Jrothy mucous. Ihls
is usually clear, but now and then, Con
tains a little point of yeLto0 or strGa0 COZ
pred matter. Still later, the sputa be-
comes yetIosU or of a greeHish yellow
the deposit of tubercles follows dry
the mucus is like starch, glue,
Or bEaish Jelly. After the tubercles soften
the sputa is always ysLLotc, and parts of it
NAV sink in water. Sometimes the mat
ter expectorzsed has a ssoestish, and in
others a saEtisH taste. There is a little
pain. often none ct all in the part affected.
There is, however, commonly some OPP
in breathing, and perhaps an &C
stitch in the side.
T. AL., forra Af ooncrTp1 nf10n- nQtl61ltE
are aLpGys "getting better" If we credit
their statements; but, unfortunately, to
he eye of the physician, they ere steadily
growing WORSE. That they do apparently
improve, from time to time, cannot be DE-
aied, bnt it is only in appearance, and tOs
: little while, and is alwaye followed bJ
during which they sinkto a worse
condition than before. If we takethe case
Of a patient, with softeaed tubercles, he
spits PA for q time, has feUer and night
with loss of appetite, flesh, and
strength, coughs necessarily, and can
scarcely sleep at night. Then the cough
gradually abates, the expectorAtion be-
comes less, and of q better color, the fe-
yer and perspiration vanish, and he
very naturally, imagines himself rap
ldly getting well. Should he gain
several pounds in weight, which is
freuqently the case his physician propably
confirms the error into which he he's fall
by pointing to it, as an evidence Of
Improvement, under treatment. Follow
,uch a case, for a few months, and all the
Did symptoms return-heetic fever; 'Ight
cough and Parwtent ~erpectorGtton,
md with them rapidly disappear, the
1eSly recovered flesh and strength. "A
temporary Improvement in symptoms, is
therefore,, no evidence of improved health,
II be accompanied by such changes
n the lungs, ~ show that the tubercles are
icing absorbed. These changes for the
letter take place in most cases of Chronic
Consumption, bat they are always fol-
owed, by corresponding changes for the |
worse, and at the close of each succeeding |
me, the eye of the physician, readily de- |
eets, that the constitution Of the patient
s, step by step, giving way.
Now It will be asked, why Is this2 The
'eason is easily explained. Consumption, |
S l have already said, is caused by tu6er-
les in the lungs, and tubercles by irritQ-
ion in the air tubes, consequent upon
leglected colds, catarrh, sore throat, bron-
hits, &c. This irritation may occur
many times, and exist for q long time, be- |
ore tubercles are deposited, bat sooner or
alter 3 more severe attack than usual, is
ollowed by the rapid deposit of military
ubercles. The cold disappears before
many weeks, the irritation is withdrawn
nd the tubercles- cease to form. Bear in
mind, however, that those already de-
Iosited remain. Months may now pass ]
way, before a nSw cold revives the irri-
alton, and causes s further deposit Thus
.bercles are deposited in successive
and at different times. Those first
are the first to soften. As
DON as they are expelled, the patient i'm
Iroves, until the second crop begins
0 soften, when he again relapses. Now,
t each softening of tuberc'es, . part OF
be lungs breaks down; hence as the !
ungs are destroyed, piece by piece, the
Nody wastes away, by successive relapses.
these periodic improvements, nos
runs and villaineous compounds, of every
description, obtain the credit, of affecting
be amendment which takes place, when,
a reality, they do harm, instead of good,
y interfering with the proper aetionlof
ature. By such means, most patients are
eng cured, from the day they become
lvalids to the day they are laid in their
raves. Cure is only to be effected, by
adapting the treatment to the
age of the disease, and applying the
to the affected part-but this 1
lall explain when 1 come to speak of
,eatment- er~I
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