Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-17
FACTS ABOUT Hay FEVER.
Nature Of the DIsease-Its Causes and
Cure-PeOPIe Who are Subteet 10 IL.

Nature Of the Disease-Its Causes and
Cure-PeOPIe Who are Subject 20 It.
DR.. Beard read a paper last week before
the American Public Health Association
on the subject of hay fever. The following
is an interesting synopsis of information
obtained by addressing competent persons
in all sections of the country:
Hay fever is a complex and not simple
disease, as has been generally supposed.
The first element of the disease is nerYo-
bilious temperament, or, at least, temper
ament in which the nervous element pre-
dominates. Hay fever patients are the
class of patients subject TO ether nervous
diseases. The second factor in this dis
ease is heat following cold. The heat of
hot climates does not seem to act as a
cause, but the heat of temperate climates
following the cold weather. The disease
is found only in that belt where there are
extremes Of temperature. Third-NaTiOus
exciting causes, over twenty or more in
number, such as perfume of flowers, dust,
in door and out door, fresh hay, old hay,
bright sunlight, gaslight, close confined
air, smoke, einders, hulling Of corn, Roman
NORWOOD, SneeZe weed, over exertiOn, etc.
In order to get up a case of hay fever, two
of these three factors, certainly the trst
two, are necessary. The exciting causes
are named under the third head, and have
been regarded as the disease, hence the
name hay fever, peach cold, rose cold, etc.
One might as well call a sick headache
sausage headache, because it may be at
times caused by eating sauSages.
The majority Of the patients afflicted
with hay fever who are reported TO me are
of American birth. DR.. Jacob Of New
York, whose experience and practice
among the better class of Germans are
very large, tells me that he has never
known a case of hay fever among Germans
in this country. l suspect that among the
foreign population not born in this coun-
try hay fever is comparatively rare; just as
among the same classes nervous diseases of
all kinds are comparatively rare. After a
person has once been attacked he seems to
be for all his life liable to be again attacked.
Now and then one may go over year
without the disease, but this is rare.
Sometimes the disease increases in severity
with years, and sometimes diminishes. A
majority Of my patients have tried the
local application Of the solution of quinine,
| as recommended by HelmhOltz, and they
report that it does little or no good.
Among the regions which hay-fever pa
| tients visit with benefit, L may mention the
/ White Mountains and the ocean every
where, at least in cold climes; for those
who take sea VOYAGES almost never suffer
| while at sea, but may be attacked as soon
as they land. A trip to Europe, the Adj
rondack region, and the island of Macki-
nav is very highly recommended by some.
| DR.. DeaniSon. Of Denver, Col, sends me q
pamphlet which reports that some cases of
| hay fever have been cured by a residence
| in that locality. Like other nervous dis
eases. it is powerfully under the influence
| of the mind. The striking periOdicity OF
| the disease coming on as il does, in a Ger
| tain case. at precisely the same day OF
| hour. is probably the result in part of eX-
pectation of the patient that it will come
! then.
The plan Of treatment that would sug-
| gest for hay fever, is as follows: First, Il
| prevent the disease. As early as March OF
| April the patient should begin to take I
| course Of nerve tonic treatment. / would
recommend it to be arsenic, phosphorus III
its various forms, cod liver oils iodoform
and electricity, especially the methods o
general galvanization and general faridiza
ton. When the disease appears the grea
! dependence must be on local treatment
combined with general tonic treatment. N,
friend, DR.. W. F. Hutchinson, of Provi
dence, had a case this year which he broke
up by central galvinizatiOn. | relieved de
cidedly one case and somewhat relieve
another by local galvanization externally
The remedies should be used thoroughly
The great trouble with those who galvan
ize themselves is that they do not com
pletely and thoroughly bring the remedie:
To act upon all the sinuOuS and tortuou:
lining membrane of the nasal passages.