Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-18

Extract from DR.. Lighthill's work on Catarrh
and Kindred Diseases Of the Mucous Mem
brane.l
The earliest, most prominent and char
acteristic features of Catarrh is discharge
from the head, consisting sometimes of
clear, acrid fluid, but ohener of thick,
fetid, purulent, yellow or greenish, yellow
matter, which is usually secreted in Excess
sive abundance. and discharged through
the nosirils 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 is
copious and of loose or fluid character,
whilst in others it is very viscid or gummy,
adheriDg 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,
bat 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 loss of the bony
structure of the nose, and a subsequent
fattening CT that organ.
The nasal membrane ia 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 sIufy sensation in the head,
and occasionally violent paroxysms Of
sneeZing.
A feeling of fullness, heat, irritation,
soreness or pain is generally experienced
in the nostri!s, near the root of the nose,
as well az 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 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 a character that it is frequently mis-.
taken for neuralgia.
The voice is generally affected, and be-
comes hoarse, mnffled, 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 siekening
odor. In some cases it becomes so revolt
iDgly offensive as TO 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 lassiiude
and fatigue, and incapacity 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
unfrequently experienced.
Catarrh may prove fatal either by debil
itating the system and wearing out the
patient, or by trayeling downward and
producing consumption The fact has
been go repeatedly noticed that all expe-
rienced practitioners now look upon
Catarrh as one of the most frequent and inn
portant causes of this complaint, but ac-
cording TO our extensive observation, il
should always be regarded as premoni-
ton and one of the very earliest nantes
tons Of Consumption.