The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-02-14
pR. JAMES HUNTER.
(LATE or NEW YORK CITY,
On Splitting of Blood and HIemOr-
rhage from fIae Lungs.
10 The Editors Of Jackson Clarion !.

IL HO lutOio W 0uVhoVH OtUtUH
SIRs: OF all the symptoms which indicate
the approach of consumption, there is none
of such fearful significance as the occurrence
of streaks Of blood in the mucus expectorated.
If this symptom does not tell us that tuber-
Giles are now actually deposited, it does tell
us that the lungs are DISTRACTED and congested
and in very precarious condition The
quantity of blood brought up from the lungs
may vary from q few streaks to one or more
pints of pure blood, but the quantity does
not increase the danger Of the patient. The
danger lies in the tabercles, which this system
tells us are now, or about to be deposited in
the delicate air-tubles and cells of the lungs
and o few streaks of blood in the sputa are
as strong proof of this as pint would be.
1t is very rare, indeed, that life is shortened
by reason of the loss of blood from the lungs
The alarm which patients feel at the first
sight of blood is natural enough, for they
cannot know, what is the fact, that those
who spit blood from time to time, live long.
er and have a better chance of cure, than
those who do not lose drop.
Splitting of blood is sometimes the first
symptom of consumption apparent to the pa
tient. More commonly it does not occur
until the disease is fully established. Many
consumptives never spit blood at all, Baron
Louis found it in fifty-seyen cases out Of
o1UlIy-SBVGHj AHuIdl III uN6 CftoCo OhO Va
eyeE six; DIR. Walshe, of the london Con-
eveStion Hospital, in eighty-one cases out of
as rule, that .ho that we may set It down
from the lungs occurs, nrln9grso o. less Dl9oa "a
the disease, in about four cases out or ,uu y,
five. = IVORY
What is the canse of splitting of blood2 It
is caused by whatever Obstructs the free
passage of the blood through the pulmonary
capillaries Every pulsation of the heart
pumps into the lungs TO be distributed over
the air-cells, certain quantity of blood.
AS the heart never ceases in action, and
could not, without stopping the whole ma
chinery of life, it will be understood that a
steady stream of blood is flowing from the
heart to the lungs Now, if the lungs are
healthy, this blood becomes purified and
ritalised by exhaling its carbon into the air
cells and absorbing orygeR from the air we
breath, and is then returned again to the
heart, from whence il goes to nourish and
sustain the system. But let us suppose the
lungs obstructed by the presence of tubeoles,
or by what is quite as preJudicial, viz /:
sticky, tenacious mucas in the ATTITUDES In
the first case, the vessels through which the
blood must pass are DISTRACTED; and in
the second, the tubes through which the air
passes. The consequences is, that the i'm
pure blood flows with difficulty, and often |
stagnates in the delicate vessels of the OBJ |
,tructed part. We physicians say the lung |
is ''congested," by which we mean that the |
vessels are full almost to bursting, like the
vessels of the eye when it is "bLOOdshot."
The condition continues for o longer or
horter period, and then the vessels relax
md allow the blood to ooze through their
oats as fluids do through filter, and the
'atient coughs it up. If the congestion was
the quantity of blood will be
afar Int mr. hnx MN oh L.. |
title, it indicates that the lungs are in an
condition in word, that they
re obstructed. 1t is the business and the
uty Of the physician to discover the nature
fthe obstruction by careful examination
( the chest, and then to prescribe proper
leans for its removal,
IL is common belief that the blood comes
rom the breaking of a blOod-vessel, and this
lea is entertained by many physicians
his is no more true than it would be to say I
nat bleeding from the nose comes from the
reaking Of a blood-vessel The blood mere
: oozes through the coats of the relaxed
essels in medical phrase, we say it is ex- {
aled. Should a vessel of any size actually
reak, and such cases have occurred, though
ttremely rare, the patient necessarily
leeds to death, because neither medicine
)r surgery affords us any means by which a
6 can apply either a stgpHc, tOrtioH, or the y
nature. But as this misfortune has never Il
CURED to me in the treatment of many g
ousands Of cases Of consumptive disease, 81
, danger Is not worth considering.
From what have said it will be under
pod that splitting Of blood IL an alarming
mptom, as showing the progress of a
and most fatal disease within
9 lungs Either tHbercles are already de-
sited when it occurs, or from this time
g deposition will commence. The stop
lg of the blood gives no assurance of safe 4
for it seldom continues more than a few Y
Us, nor does its recurrence indicate any
'reased danger to the patient Its cause
5 deeply within the chest, and no remedy
Itch does not go to the root of the evil
4 remove the distinctions within the
lgs, is Of the least value. q
'ir James Clark, in speaking of the fire. "
mt occurrence and great importance Of
5 symptom, observes: ',As diagnostic
upton, hemoptysis is very important
have already stated the very large pro- III
ton Of cases in which it has been found
Indicate tnberculoas disease. Its occur. w
ce, therefore, before, or soon after the
lmeneement Of the cough, renders the FL
sence Of tubercles highly probable ~
hysicians too often cheer their patients NJ
The assurance that the blood Aoaly comes Ad
. he throat" Let us warn the Invalid =
inst'being deceived. The throat seldom OK
'ds-never unless IL be struck by some
1 substance, and wounded. If blood Is
yhed up, however small the Quantity. II N.
rs from the lungs. and delay is death. III
tunately, il generally occurs before the
ase Is far advanced, and IL proper treat ~
toe employed, no danger need be appre- NJ
led The great error committed By -
slcians, Is in treating the symptom itself,
. the cause which produces il il left in ,
sturbed possession Of the lungs.
will be asked II hemorrhage never oc-
where the lungs are not diseased Yes. r
e are three causes which may produce IL: wifi
! injury 70 the lungs, as from a violent and
/; second, organic disease Of the heart. deli
fhir6, in females il may occur every four "
=, instead Of the usual periodic ercre-
But II person Epits blood. IN whom
Of the causes exist. set ID down a. a Y
sign that the luuos are uueuund pe.r -. !.