Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-27
DRS. HUNTER & RAMSAY


CONSU
However interesting medical theories III
regard to consumption may be to physicians
themselves, the only matter Of n real IN
terest or Importance to the public IS IN
volved in the question, Is Consumption
cara6le9 fnot, l0hy not? There must be
some good and sufficient reason why THIS
malady should form an exception to all
other diseases. If it be durable. then By
lohat means cat a cure be d~cconEPhshedF 1t
seems to us this is what the public desire to
know, and-what the physician should en-
deayor to explain. If we entertained the
oninion general in our profession, and al
most universal AMONG the people, that con-
sumption is beyond the skill OF man to up
root the task Of explaining its treatment
would indeed be easily accomplished 1t
| would consist in a mere enumeration Of the
different remedies which nave been found
most e~fectual in PdliatiHg the distressing
| symptoms which characterize it-cough,
| pain, fever, perspirations, &c, for 1t may be
| truly said of most physicians that they
have striven to devise means TO Hds6 the
disease aud make the patient comfortable,
but tie rery tgorst to eject ats recovery. But,
believing as we do, that consumption is
cu-abLe, it becomes necessary to point out
with accuracy what we mean by the term
consumption.
The term Consumption" was originally
applied TO many diseases situated in differ
ent organs, and having no symptoms in
common except the wasting or emaeiation
of the body. They were called consumption
because the body consumed away. This use
of the term led to great confusion among
writers, and it was soon found necessary to
designate the kind of consumption meant
by prefxing the name of the affected organ.
Laeuec, the great discoverer of the Stetho-
seope. in the course of his extensive re-
searches into the pathology OF the lungs,
found that small granular bodies always ex-
list in the lungs in genuine consumption
These bodies are called tU6ercies and, since
the DAYS of Laenec, the term consumption
has been restricted, and understood TO apply
to a disease of the lungs characterized by
their presence. When, therefore, we speak
of consumption, we mean not only a disease
f of the lungs, but ta5ercular disease. We are
particular that this should be understood (;
for the changes which these tubercles I'M
! dereo produce the destruction OF the lungs,
and ali that melancholy train Of symptoms
which mark the progress OF consumPtlon,
while their seat-the air tubes and cells OF
/. the lungs-indicates the treatment neces-
r sary for their removal.
The tubercles regulate the stage of the
: disease by the changes which they undergo.
We say consumption is in the Frst stage
/ when the tubercles are small specks or
I points of a grayish color-half transparent
i In this condition they resemble millet seed
o aud hence are called B~sitittery t~Uberctcs. This
tuberculer matter is secreted from the blood
t II ia not enly poured out into the air cells
and one the free surface of the mucous lin
ing of the air tubes, but deposited in the
e delicate structures which go to make up the
e lungs. Whatever interferes with decGr60R-
ization of the blood will produce turbercles
THev arc aItoays the pro1cct Of defective per,
S Torrance of the functions Of the lungs. Ca
tarrh produces them by inducing and feed
ing irritation in the larynx and windpiPe
: Irritation in the larynx and windpipe ii
n ALWAYS followed by bronchitis. Bronchitis
d is aIisaQs attended by the secretion of a Visci.
mUcus of phlegm, which blocks up the al
d tubes, and prevents the admission of air
n The moment the air is hut off from a clus
& ter of air cells, those cells become the cauS
of imperfect Decentralization, and sooner 0
y later will become tUberculouS. Here, then
YOU see a chain OF irritation beginning in
4, simple eatarrh, and ending in consumption
E, 1t is not the irritation hat in any Othe
Al organ than the lungs would not be tollowe'
lie by their development-but 1t is the obStruc
to ton which the viscid mucus causes in the al
S. tubes. The hacking up Of the sticky kind Q
A. nucus may be the only symptom Of coHSantP
5. tioa IN the first stage. From this you WI
understand what a fatal mistake those max
al who wait for more serious symptoms
al arise.
Of In the second stage of consumption tn
tubercles becomes much increased in SIG
al In the first they were of the size of millet
Mt seed they have now become of sizes vary
er ing from a small pea to a flbert. The
I'd have also undergone a change in color
ne from pearl gray to yellow. When take
from the lungs of persons who have dice
OF and pressed between the fingers. they brea
IT; down Just like Jumps of old cheese. Thes
it cheesY tubercles, from their size increase
the obstruction to the lungs, causing short
n ness Of breath, and generally, a considers
BILE addition to the cough and expectors
" ton.
The lust stage of consumption is caused b
these cheesy tubercles becoming softene
tn down into pus, and by their producin
on ! liberation OF the substance OF the lung
IN. When the process of liberation
we have all the worst symptoms inaugurate
tn hectic feyer-night s-weats-severe cough
expectorations of yellow matter-spittir
mr. bl0od-loss of flesh and Strengthen
adj pleuratic pains. These by slow degree
to wear out the powers of life, and the patiel
to sinks.
Here, then, YOU have an outline Of tn
nd disease to which we apply the term of"COl
ge SUMPTION"
no Nor-Drs. Hunter & Ramsay can be col
NJ suited either personally or by letter,
~ Euclid Place, 81 Euclid Avenue, upon q
go affections of the Throat, Lungs and Throa
De- DTSwIt