Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-21

Extract from DR.. LighthilI's work on Catarrh
and Kindred Diseases of the Mucous Mem
brane
The earliest, most prominent and char |
acteristic features of Catarrh is discharge
from the head, consisting sometimes of
clear, acrid fluid, but oftener of thick,
fetid, purulent, yellow or greenish, yellow
matter, which is usually secreted in excess
sive abundance. and discharged through
the nostrils or throat, and frequently by
both channels.
The nature of this discharge varies 10
different cases, and even in the same indi-
vidual, at different times. In some it lie
eopious and of loose or fluid character,
whilst in others il 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 accumnlates 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
lump7, 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
fsttening 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
disagreeable stuffy sensation in the head,
and occasionally violent paroxysms of
sneeziBg.
A feeling of fullness, heat irritation,
soreness or pain is generally experienced
10 the nostrils, near the root of the nose,
az 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-
diately above and between the eyes. Some
times the pain Is obstinstely 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 maniftsts itself in the face, of 80 Sc
we're a character that it is frequently mis-
taken for neuralgia.
The voice is generally affected, and be-
comes boarse, mufled, 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 Catsrrh.
The breath is tainted, and assumes, at |
times, an exceedingly fetid and siekening |
odor. In some cases it becomes so revolt |
ingly offensive as TO render the sufferer an !
OOjeCt Vi ttissusL ~ hAuiSSil as well as 70 /
others.
The sense of smell is generally blunted
or entirely lost 10 Catarrh, and a similar |
effect on taste may be occasionally OBJ |
served. The eyes are apt TO become irrits-
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 eKertions. Hearing be- |
comes frequently more or less impaired,
and noises in the head very often add ma
terislly 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 incspscity for either
physical or mental exertions, and con
slant disposition TO drowsiness and sleep
The mental faculties are also sometimes
slightly affected, loss Of memory being not
unfrequeutly experienced.
Catarrh may prove fatal either by debil
itating the system and wearing out the
patient, or by trayelin: downward and
producing consumption The fact has
been so repeatedly noticed that all expe-
rienced practitioners now look upon
Catarrh as one Of the most frequent and I'M
portant causes Of this complaint, but ac-
cording to our extensive observation, it
should always be regarded as a Fremont
lion and one Of the very earliest msnifes-
lions of Consumption.