Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-20

Extract from DR.. Lighthill's work on Catarrh
and Kindred Diseases of the Mucous Mem
brane.I
The earliest, most prominent and char
acteristic features of Catarrh is discharge
from the head, consisting sometimes of a
clear, acrid fluid, but oftener of thick,
fetid, purulent, yellow or greenish, yellow
matter, which is usually secreted in exces-
sive abundance, and discharged through
the nostrils or throat, and frequently by
both channels.
The nature of this discharge varies in
different cases, and even in the same indi-
vidual, at different times. In some il is
copious and of loose or fluid character,
whilst in others it is very viscid or gummy,
adhering to the diseased membrane with
glue-like tenacity, and removable only
with great difficulty condition more
particularly noticed on rising in the morn
ing, because, during sleep, the purulent
secretion hardens and accumulates with
greater facility.
Again, the offensive matter concretes
into dry, hard masses or crusts, which
obstruct breathing, and are very difficult to
detach, their dislodgment often requiring
most violent efforts. Sometimes these in
crustations come away in small whitish
Jumps, or fragments of deep green tint,
but occasionally, broad and fat casts of
notable size are expelled, on which traces
of blood may at times be observed. This
condition is very liable to run on to serious
liberation, involving a loss of the bony
structure of the nose, and a subsequent
fattening Of that organ.
The nasal membrane is thickened and
congested, causing the nose to be stopped
up, sometimes on one side, sometimes on
the other, and often on both, giving rise to
a disagreeable stuffy sensation in the head,
and occasionally violent paroxysms of
sneezing.
A feeling of fullness, heat, irritation,
soreness or pain is generally experienced
in the nostrils, near the root of the nose,
as we'll as the upper part Of the throat,
above and below the soft palate. A dis
tressing sensation Of heavy weight or COM
preston is usually complained of over the
forehead, especially in the region imme-
distely above and between the eyes. Some
times the pain is obstinately fixed in some
particular part, as in the temples, on the
top Of the head, at the back of the neck,
or behind the orbits; and, occasionally,
pain manifests itself in the face, of so Sc
we're character that it is frequently mis-
taken for neuralgia.
The voice is generally affected, aud be-
comes hoarse, muffled, weak and uneven,
assuming a nasal character; or an I'M
pleasant, shifting quality. Cough, Of
variable severity, is not unfrequently one |
of the symptoms and results of Catarrh.
The breath is tainted, and assumes, at
times, an exceedingly fetid and sickening
odor In some cases it becomes so revolt
ingy offensive as 10 render the sufferer an
object Of disgust to himself as well as to
others.
The sense Of smell is generally blunted
or entirely lost in Catarrh, and a similar
effect on taste may be occasionally OBJ
served. The eyes are apt to become irrita-
bic, and disposed to water excessively on
exposure to the cold or wind, and sense
of WEAKNESS of sight is usually expert
enced after slight exertions. Hearing be-
comes frequently more or less impaired,
and noises in the head very often add ma
terially to the existing distress.
The stomach generally suffers more or
less, and becomes weak and irritable the
appetite is capricious, and nearly always
bad in the morning.
The patients often complain of lassitude
and fatigue, and incapacity for either
physical or mental exertions, and a con
slant disposition to drowsiness and sleep
The mental faculties are also sometimes
slightly affected, loss of memory being not
experienced.
Catarrh may prove fatal either by debil
tating the system and wearing out the
patient, or by travelling downward and
producing consumption The fact has
been go repeatedly noticed that all expe-
fenced practitioners now look upon
Jatarrh as one of the most frequent and inn
,ortant causes of this complaint, but sc-
,ording to our extensive observation, it
houId always be regarded as Fremont
ion and one of the very earliest msnifes-
ions of Consumption.