Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-04-27
Theory of Medicated Inhalation
DIR. RAMSAY
LATENT -CaNsustprIoN.

When a patient has all the symptoms of
consumption, strongly marked, it requires
very little skill on the part of the physician,
to detect the nature of his disease. No re-
spectacle nurse, who had once seen such a
case could mistake it. But there are GER
tain obscure cases, arising from tubercles
in the lungs, yet marked by no outward
signs, by which their nature may be known,
which test to the utmost, the diagnostic
ability of the practitioner. The books de-
scribe these cases under the name "LGfat
Consumption" because the tubercles are in
a latent or quiesceRt state, producing neither
cough, expectoration, nor tpittiHg Of blood.
There are in this form Of consumption, no
symptoms which directly point to the
lungs. The praeticed eye Of q physician
Of experience, in the treatment of pulmo-
nary diseases, would probably detect in the
couHtenGncs, what would lead him to care
fully examine the chest; but the gen
eral practitioner, having only a linz
tied experience in the Physiognomy of
~coRsRnptiUe cases, would see moth
ing, beyond the fact, that the patient was
slowly decling in energy and bodily vigor.
AS there is no cough, no pain in the chest,
no expectoration, the lungs would probably
be overlooked altogether, until some one Of
these symptoms arose, and that, in Latent
Consumption, means until the last stage sets
in, and the end is near ut hand. A gentle
man came to consult me the other day,
whose disease was Of this character, and yet
it had never been suspected, by either his
physicians or friends. Had he not acciden-
tally taken cold, and suffered from q slight
pain in his side, he would not have even
thought it POssibls his lungs could be diseas-
ed. On examining his chest, l found the
superior lobe of the left lung, filed with
tubereles in alatent state. This gentleman
had been in poor health several months,
but nobody could tell him sly be did not get
well. He had consulted ~half-a-score of doe
tors, and got almost as many different opin-
ions. Some treated his case very lightly,
and promised a speedy cure by a course of
tonics; others advised " change of air and
patience" One told him it was BI "stonl-
Gch," while another assured him that his
d" liVsr" was out Of order. He tried one
after another, but obtained no ben
eft from any. Those who knew the least
about his disease, promised the most, but
accomplished nothing, while, if any sus-
pected the lungs as the cause of his bad
they did not enlighten him. I,,would
not, from this case argue that the majority
Of physicians are ignorant of the
means of diagnosis, but that their ex-
is limited, and their time SO occu-
pied, and minds distracted by attendance on
diseases, that they are extremely apt to
'rerlook and maltredt chronic affections Of this
Had the stethoscope been applied
10 the chest, it is probable, some of them
have detected the presence of tuber-
,les; but this was not done, and but for the
accident of taking cold, it is almost certain 1
The disease would have gone on to disor-
yanization of the lungs, and the sacrifice of
he patients life.
have said that in Latent CONSUMPTION
here are no symptoms which indicate dis
Ease of the lungs; often no symptoms Of any
Kind, sufficient to account for the declin-
ng health of the patient. But this is
lot always the case. In very many instances
he patient suffers severely from indigestion,
n fGtuLeNce, and irregular action Of the
'oscels, or from pain over the region of the
Where such is the case, there is
ome excuse for mistaking, for a time, the
nature of the disease; but I cannot too strong
y impress upon the minds Of general prac-
the great importance of frequent
Examinations of the chest, in all obscure
asses of disease.
Let it not be supposed that Latent Con-
umption is rare. Laennae, the great au-
hority on this disease, says: eve ntay in
eed say that tie greater number Of cases Of
consumption ere latent, since nothing Is more
than to find tubercles IN the Lunqs of
srsonS dying Of Uhat Scas supposed to be some
disease; they neuer hGving Sholon daring
te any symptom Of consumption It has fire.
HeHtiy appeared to me, from carefully com
the history of my patients, tsith the ap-
eaTGncss on dissection, that the great number
T FIRST ATTACKS are MISTAKEN FOR COLDS"
md Sir James Clark, in speaking of
he lahllTtU to unTctaHa1 xE IL h
cter, says: al hare knoun more Aqn
ne example Of extensive trbercular disease Of
le lungs discovered 5yG Post-mortem eramina-
on. '0here during lVe, the disease soas looked
'r IN the STOMACH, LIVER or BOWELS"
From these facts you will understand
hat a mistake those persons make, who
after themselves that they are in no dan
sr of consumption, because they have
ever had q cough, pain in the chest, or
zpeetoratior. Thousands who have never =
ad these symptoms, are to-day carving
bout in their lungs the sseds of their own
estruction. Whoever finds himself less J
and capable of exertion than for :
Ierly; and, indeed, all persons who are in
I'd health, without knowing lgky, should {
the lungs, as the cause, and never !
st satisfied until they have submitted '
lem to careful examination. l know of
which should more strongly ex- h
te their fears, than being told their lirer
diseased Experience has prsved, that =
e great majority Of such cases, turn out
the end, TO be mere cases of masked or /
1teHt Consumption. c
This kind of consumption, if detected in G
ne, and properly treated, is one Of the Il
ost durable, since it is the strength and s
still remaining in the system, which
IsEs its character and rctgrds its progress.
NoTE.-Dr. Ramsay, who has for some A
ne past been associated with Drs. R. 81.
inter, of New York, has now opened a
rmanent Office in this city, at No. "a u
onument Square, where he can be con- G.
tel either personally or by letter upon :
ections of the Throat and Lungs. Send :
the work published by this firm, upon
seases of the Pulmonary Organs. Price
r post, 81 cts.
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