The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-09-06
SYMPTOMS OF CATARRA.
BIZ DOCTOR FOSTER,
- VOW rRAcrIcIso AZ rnn
PHILLIPS HOUSE, DAYTON.

CATARRH Is disease Of the mucous mem
brane OF the nasal PASSAGES and those cavl-
TIES OF the head communicating with them.
Insignificant as It appears in It's first stages
u Is apt IN its progress to become instru-
mental in causing the loss or impairment
OF smell, taste, hearing, and sight, aud in
creating serious constitutional derange-
consumption.
AT the commencement of the malady, the
symptoms are those of an ordinary cold. A
Keeling of irritation, constituencies, heat or
pain is experienced in the nose, the edges
OF which are red and swollen, aud which is
stopped up sometimes on one side, some
Times on the other, and occasionally on
both, rendering respiration through iteither
ldiihcult or impossible. This condition
Is accompanied by frequent desire to
sneeze, and n discharge of ut first clear,
acrid water, afterwards of proftise thick,
lyellowish and extremely offensive matter.
This secretion becomes purulent and in
lcreased In Quantity as the complaint pro-
grcsses, assumes an exceedingly fetid Odor
and forms one Of the most characteristic
features of the disease, and source of the
greatest annoyance and danger. 1t escapes
mot only by the nose, but passes into the
throat, producing by its lodgnent local
irritation. and requires frequent expectora-
tion, hawking, or seraping for its removal.
AS its passage into the throat is very much
facilitated by horizontal position Of the
body, sleep is frequently disturbed by
sensation of choking In consequence, and
many are obliged to lie in semiSrecum-
bent position to obtain necessary repose.
Owing to the Inflammation and heat in the
lhead, the Watery portion of the discharge
often evaporates, and the rest, assuming
Condition of solidity' is deposited upon the
membrane of the nose and upper part of
the throat in the shape OF crusts or hard
cned Jumps. The accumulation of these in
crustations produces feeling of disconl-
fort, and narrOws the nasal passages so IA
to embarrass respiration, therefore fire.
quent efforts are required to remove them,
either by forcibly blowing the nose or by
persistent hawking, practice as disagree
able to the one affected as II Is to those
around him. That side OF the incrustation
which adhered to the mucous membrane.
will, after its removal, sometimes be found
bloody, q fact which explains the force re-
quired for its dislodgment. During sleep
these incrustatiOns accumulate more rap
idly, and the feeling is therefore most nm
comtortable 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 as well as to
others.
The accumulation of the discharge, to-
gether with the thickened condition of the
mucous membrane, renders respiration
through the nasal passages very difficult,
and oftentimes impossible, necessitating
respiration principally through the mouth
la method very deleterious to the general
health, but more particularly so TO the
lungs which become weak and irritable.
The voice loses its musical quality, and as
sumes a discordant, harsh, and nasal char
acter; the sense OF smell becomes much
impaired or entirely lost and the same eff
1 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. III 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-
tion, materially increasing the distress of
inc S"noier' ts.E Fw
Theeyesare 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 |
and 0nmafimnc on fbn fnv - c
the head and also pain in the face. closely |
resembling neuralgia, for which II 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 eapricious and nearly always bad In the
morning, In severe cases the system
becomes feeble and prostrated This is
manifested by a disposition to drowsiness
and sleep, aversion to either physical or
mental exertion, and feeling of fatigue
and weakness.
Not unfrequently catarrh proves fatal,
either by debilitating the system and wear
ing ont the patient, or by travelling down
ward and producing throat affections.
bronchitis, and, finally, CONSUMPTION. IL
may be safely asserted that, after hercdita-
ry predisposition, catarrh is tho most
frequent and important cause of this fatal
complaint, r.,.s.. ...
The symptoms Of catarrh vary consider
ably in different individuals, the degree Of
their severity depending upon constitution
al idiosyncrasies and various external in
ilnences. With some the complaint con-
tinues for number of Years Ia mild form,
and without causing any Of the injurious
results above described, while with Others
all the worst effects are produced la a short
space Of time, and cases apparently most
harmless may, through impFudent expo
sure, additional cold, or nnfavorablel
changes of the weather, suddenly exhibit
all the violence and malignity which char
acterize the seyerest ones.
With some persons this disease becomes
periodical, attacking them regularly at GER
tain seasons each year, as IN the early part
of spring when the roses are In bloom, and
hence its name "rose catarrh ~ or in mid
summer during haying time, when II Ia
known as "hay-catarrh." Some claim 10
lac abla IN Dredicf fhe axaef dav anT go. G