Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-02-04
THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION OF
Catarrh, by DI. Lighthill, viii be read with
SYMPTOMS OF CATARRH

great interests:
SYMPTOMS OF CATARRH.
The first sensation is usually feeling of dryness
and heat in the nose, and frequent incliuation to
sneezing There is an inability to breathe freely,
as the nose becomes stopped up sometim on one
side. sometimes on the other.
Soon clear watery discharge makes its appear
ance excoriating the nostrls and eds Of the lips
which become red and somewhat swollen. After
few days the discharge becomes thick, yellowish,
extremely frequent, and continues to be marked
feature of the disease, and source Of much dan
ger and the greatest annoyance. After or less
time it becomes purulent. highly offensive, aud as
sumes an extremely fetid Odor. 1t is usually so
prOfuse to require when confined to the nose. the
frequent application of the handkerchief or, if it
drops into the throat, which is more particularly the
ease, while the body is in horizontal position,
during sleep, constant expectoratiOn, and some
times both. .-.
Sleep is frequently disturbed by a sensation of
choking caused by the presence Of the discharge in
the throat Owing to the heat in the head, the wa
terry portion Of the secretion often vaporaes and
assuming condition OF sodity is deposited on the
membrane of the nose anil the upper part of the
throat in the shape of crustt, bnd hardened Jumps.
The accumulation of these incruststions produces
feeling Of discomfort. and narrows the usual pas
sage so rs to embarrass respiration. There ore,
frequent efforts have to be made to remove them,
either by forcibly blowing the nose, or by persist
ent hawking-a practice as disagreeable TO the one
affected as il is to those around him. After there
nova that side of theincrustation which sdheres
to the mucrus membrane will sometimes be found
bloody. a fact which explains the force re-
qured for itsdislodgement. During sleep these in
crustations accumulate rapidly, and the feel
ing is therefore most uncomfortable in the morn
ing. Sometimes all efforts to clear the throat are
futile until after breakfast, or something warm Is
swallowed. Some patients state that they are not
successful until they have swallowed some whisky
or brandy. The discharge which is first without
smell, assumes in the progress Of the complaint an
excessively fetid odor. the breath participates in
ttis, and becomes occasionally so revoltingly Of
fensiye to render the patient object Of disgust
tohimself as well as TO others. liberation of the
mucous membrane ofthe nose takes place frequent
ly, sometimes even attacking the bones, when small
particles Of that substance will occasionally be
found mixed with tho discharge. The accumula-
tibn Of the discharge. together with the thickened
condition Of the mucous membrane, renders res
pratiou through the nasal passage very difficult,
an oitentimes impossiblei necessitating respira-
tion through the mouth "a method very deleterious
TO the general health. but more particularly so to
the lungs as will be shown hereafter. The unpleas-
ant noise produced during Sleep known as snoring,
originates from the same cause. The voice loses
its musical quality. and assumes discordant, harsh
and nasal character; the sense of smell becomes
much impaired or entirely lost and the same effect,
though less frequent is produced on the sense of
TASTE Occasionally while blowing tho nose a crack
ing or bubblng sound viii be heard in the ear and
bearing will be found quite thick and stopped up,
but return suddenly with something like q snap
ping sound. This phenomena is usually repeated
until, at one time. hearing does not return and re-
mains permanently injured.
Noises in the head, Of every conceivable descrip-
tion, make their appearance and add to the distress
of the sufferer. and hearing may be lost gradual
ly that considerable degree Of deafness may exist
before the person is really aware Of the fact. The
eyes become weak irritable and disposed to water
on exposure to the cold air or wind, or after the
slightest exerti0n. pain. more or less acute, or
distressing feeling of pressure is experienced over
the eyes, and sometimes on the top or back of the
head and also pain in the face, closely resembling
Neuralsa, for which it very often mistaken. The
distress in the head weakens the memory and pro-
duces irritability and moroseness Of disposition.
The stomach suffers generally more or less, and is
weak and irritable the appetite is capricous, and
is nearly always bad in the morning. In severe
cases the system becomes feeble Frustrated and
there is an aversion or inability to either physical
or mental exertion. Not unfrequently Catarrh
proves fatal, other debilitating the system and
wearing out the patient, or by travelling downward
and producing throat affections, bronchitis, and
finally consump ption. Itinay be safely asserted that