The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-12-19

ties Of
L III Il E Y e,
Requiring Medical or Sur
gical Aid.
DR.LIGHTHILL
ON CATARRH.
| Among civilized communities there is no dis
ease more prevalent, more universally offensive,
| more productive OF ulScOmlOll, OF HlOlc IdoIc
TO give rise to n variety of distressing and dan
| perous complications than Catarrh. In its pro.
| Trsssive stages of development, the senses oil
| smell and taste are frequently lost, hearing and
sight often suffer severe injury. Throat Anec'
| lions. Asthma and bronchial Complaints are
successfully introduced, and Consumption IS
almost its inevitable result.
Catarrh usually manifcsts itself ut first in the
cavity of the nose, but spreading beyond Its
primary seat, it soon penetrates iato every COL,
CroviCe and cavity of the head wlth whlch the
nasal passages communicate, aud at length be-
comes ditTused over the entire extent OF the
mucO-pulmOnary tract.
| The earliest, most prominent and character
istic features of Catarrh is discharge from the
head consisting sometimes of clear acrid iiuld,
! but Oftencr of thick purulent yellow oil green
ish yellow matter, which is usually secreted in
excessive abundance, and assumes very ietid
odor This purulent substance is discharged
"a a thick offensive fluid, OF in hard fakes
through the nostrils or throat, and frequently
| by both channels.
In many instances the discharge is of very
tenacious or gummy character, adhering to the
diseased membrane with glue.ike tenacity, and
is removable only with great difficulty This
| fact is more particularly noticed on Using In
! the morning, because during sleep the purulent
| facility.
| The efforts to relieve the head at those times
by hawking or blowing the nose, are, therefore
| frequently most distressing TO the one affected
and most disagrecable TO those around him.
Often they have to be so violent and persistent
that the lungs and chest become strained and
| sore nausea, retChng, and even vomiting en-
sues, and severe headache or dizziness not unu.
sually follows and augments tho general dis.
| tress. In some cases even the most powerful
efforts may fail 10 clear the head, until some
| food or stimulant is swallowed, and after which
the viscid secretion becomes somewhat sOftened,
and is then discharged more readily.
Again. the offensive matter concerts into dry,
| hard masses or Crusts, which obstruct breath.
| ing and are very difficult to dotaCh, their dis
| Judgment often requiring the most dOlent
efforts. Sometimes these inCrustatiOns come
away in small hard Jumps or fragments of a
deep green tint, but occasionally broad and fiat
! casts of notable size are expelled, on which
| traces of blood may at times be Observed This
condition is very liable to run OH TO serious
liberation, involving a loss of the bony struC.
ture of the nose, and subsequent tlattening OF
| that organ.
In cases where the discharge is oopOus, and
| of loose and fluid character, it frequently dis.
turbs the sufferers rest by the necessity OF fire.
quent eXpectOratiGn, because the purulcnt fluid
! il naturally more apt TO run into the throat
when as during sleep, the head is thrown back.
Should expectOration be neglected, as may occa.
sionally happen during heavy sleep, the invalid
| ia startled from his rest by a sensation Of chok
ing caused by the filing up Of the throat with
the accumulated secretion from the head.
| The nasal membrane is usually very much
thickened and congested, causing the nose to be
stopped up sometimes on one side, and some
times on the other, and often on both, giving
rise to a disagreeable stufFy sensation in the
| bead, and occasionally TO violent parOxysms Of
sneezIng.
The thickened condition OF the mucous mem.
! brane and the collection of the purulcnt matter
| in the nasal canals interfores with respiration
! through the nose, and oblge persons so affected
/ to breathe through the open mouth a practice
very deletel iOus at all times but more particu.
| larly so during sleep, which under such Circum.
stances, is always restless and accompanied by
| heavy snoring sound.
4 feeling of fnllnSss heat, irritation, soreness
or pain il generally experienced in the nOstrils
near the root of the nose as well a. in the upper
part of the throat, above and behind the soft
palate and headache Is rarely altogether absent
| A distressing sensation of heavy weight OF com
preston Is usually complained OF over the fore.
head and especially in the IT gion Immediately
above and between the eyes. Sometimes pain
is ebstinately fixed in some particular part, a.
in the temple, on the top OF the head, at the
| back of the neck or bcLind the orbits and OcCa
sonally pain manfests itself in the face Of so
severe character that it is frequently mistaken
| for neuralgia.
The voice is generally affected and becomes
hoarSe, unified, weak or uneven, and assumes a
nasal character or al unpleasant smiling quail
! ity Cough Of variable severity is not unfre
quently one Of the symptoms and results Of
Catarrh.
The breath is usually tainted and assumes
at times, an exceedingly fetid and sickening
odor. In some cases il becomes 20 revoltingly
offensive n TO render the sufferer an object OF
disgust to HIN sell =. well a. TO Others.
The sense of smell j. usually bluu.ed o. er.
! trrly lost in Catarrh, and a similar effect on
taste may be occasionally observed. The eyes
are apt 10 become irritable and disposed
to water excessively on exposure to the cold or
wind. and q sense Of WEAKNESS OF sight is usu.
ally experienced after slight exertions. Hear.
| ing not uniroIuently becomes more or less i'm.
paired, and noises in the head very often add
| materially TO the existing distress.
The stomach generally suffers more or less,
and becomes weak and irritable; the appetite
is eapricious and is nearly always bad in the
morning
The patients generally complain Of lassitade
and fatigue an ineIpacIty for either physical or
mental e1ertious feeling Of weight and dis
comfort in the region Of the stomach and a
constant disposition to drowsiRess and sleep.
The mental faculties are also sometimes slightly
affected loss Of memory being mere OF less
present.
Catarrh may prove fatal. either By de silitating
the system and wearing ont the patient or BY
travelling downward, and producing oOnsump.
ten. This fact has been so repeatedly noticed
that all experienced practitioners now look upon
tant causes Of this complaint. out according 70
eur extensive observation, il should always be
regarded a. premonition. and one Of the very
earliest manifestations Of Consumption.
A systematic, judicious and well directed
course OF treatment, such as we have for years
employed IN our practice is sure to be followed