Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-12-17

This is 9 chronic affection Il the mueus mem.
0rsns of the aestiis or the throat originating in
or less discharge. 1t is of the most common,
most Disgusting. and, fnalty. most destructive OF
diseases i.cident to the variable climste of our
northern latitude.
In its early stages Catsrrh often fais to attract
the psssents attention, so insidious is its ap-
presch- This is an unfortunate circumstance,
because the most favorable period for tretament
ID thus uEinproved. and because Of the peculiar
disposition of this disease to extend upward to the
frontal sir uses, backward through the Eustachian
Tubes to the middle ears and downward through
the larynx trachia, and bronc his to the air cells
Of the Ianss.
The discharge from the affected partis at frst a
clear fluid, which may escape observation, unless
tt chance to be of q more than usually acrid char
aotsr. As time sots on, this gives place to . fluid
that is thicker, and Of ayellow or yeTowish green
color and still later this may be succeeded By thik
fakes or scales.
In all the more advanced stages the discharges
generally Of an offensive odor, c csusins great
annoysLce to ones friends snd to the patient
himself while his sense of smell remains. This
ammo, sncs from the odor becomes almost beyond
endurance, when, as sometimes happens, the deli
cate bones Of the nose become diseased.
Some cases early assume the character Of Dry
CatarTh. There is then q feeling of uneasiuess,
heat, and stiffness in the nostris, which are often
zone or both of thenl closed by thicsening Of t,e
mucous membrane, and thus c difficulty of breath
ing becomes prominent gym ptom.
On examining the nostrils in chronic Catarrh,
with instruments specially sdarted to that rur-
pese, we ind its lining membrane thickered and of
a deeper color than in health. There are seen
little psints IF liberation, upon which the secre-
tion becomes hardened and forms crusts When
these are picked off, the diseased surface is irri-
tafed, and often bleeds profussly.
In each case of Catarrah the prominent symp-
toms determined BY the direction in which the
disease EXTENDS If this he upward there may be
pain over and between the eyes obstruction Of the
lachrymal ducts csusing the tears to flow over the
checks, and, possibly, ophthslmiA. If backward,
there will be thickening of the walls Of the Eus-
tachian tube. and consequent tendency to their
obstruction, Inflammation of the middle ear, buz.
zipg sounds in TIRE head, and impairment Of hear
ing. when the extension is downward the voice
becomes hosrse or whispering and unmsnsgabls;
cough Genes on, with expectorssien AMI emscia.
tion. to b followed too often, by Consumption and
death
In cases where the bones Of the nose become
diseased, not only is the ofensiveness of the
breath increased but there 10 iistiity to serious
personal deformities, among which is fattening of
the nose.
The swallowing % catarrhal secretions deranges
the functions Of the stomach, causicg Indigestion
and less Of appetite. Debility, paleness Iassitude,
headache, and disturbance Of mind sosn follow.
In some instances the mental affection is one Of
irritability, the patient being unduIy annoy cd By
all the little perplexities Of life. In others the
prominent feeling is that of melancholy or depres
sion Of spirits, when the invalid can see no hope
for himself, and none for his affairs.
ADusen has been made to the extension Of Ca
tarrh by continpiy Of surface along the natural
sir passages TO the substance OF the lungs, thus
causing Consumption and death. In this con.
nection Ii should also Be renembered that the air
which enters the luAss OF. catarrhal patient is,
even breath Of It, poisoned by exhaiatiens from
the foul secretisns Of the diseased surface. By
such air the blood cannot be properly purified
and made ft to impart healthy visor in its un
ending ercuit to all and every part Of the animal
mechanism. One would suppose that this con
sidsratien alone would Do SUN cisnt to induce
every person thus afflicted to make early spplics
tion for relief.
The treatment Of CatarrA is in part constitu-
ronA, Whereby the energies of the whole system
are called to aid in e1pellins its destructive en-
envy. 1t 10 in part local. whereby the discharge Is
made less offensive, diminished, and finally arrest
ed Whereby the liberated surface 10 healed and
restored TO its normal condition.