The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-08-28
Hay Fever.

mencing from the 10th to the Goth If
August and ending with the appear
ance of cool weather. Like the yell
low fever. it is killed by The first
sharp frost. | have thought few
suggestions from sufferer might
possibly lie of some interest to Il p0r
ton of your readers, at least.
Whether the maIady he an old or
new one, the physicians with all
their learning do not appear to be
able to comprehend or control it,. AS
yet they have not given us any spe.
cific remedy, and not much in the
way Of palliative. So person who
has grappled with ten or more an
nual attacks from the disease can tell
and understand more about ii than
any othe. person with such experts
enCe.
Why it is called hay fever is diff.
cult to understand. The name does
not designate its nature or traits. 1t
is not attended with any fever of a
general character, but there is con-
siderable irritation and even inffa.
nation with the party affected by it.
Catarrh is more appropriate and de-
scribes the i'll fairly. Daniel Web.
ster, who was afflicted with it for
many years and who died at the
close of the season in 1852, mot from
is effects, however, called it by this
name. He lived in great dread of its
yearly attacks,an his published pri.
vate correspondence contains many
gloomy letters about his old enemy,
as he called it. His description is
better than any other [ have yet
seen, not excepting Beecher's. He
always, whether at Marshfield or
Washington, flew to his native
mountains in New Hamp hire and
there, to use his own language, bat
tied with it till its retreat. He said
once the Businesses of Virginia were
tried, but he was badly worsted. At
any rate, after reading his descrip-
ton, [ know what was the matter at
the first attack in 1871. Since then
it has made its appearance on the Goth
OF August with AS much certainty as
tax bill. This year it stole half
day because / yentured out the pre-
vious afternoon in weedy field, in
the hot sun.
There are MANY theories as to the
cause and origin of the disease, but
none that can be considered authen-
tic. The one most favored is, that it
is caused by the pollen of ripened
vegetation, which pervades the at
moSphere at this season OF the year.
But as it is breathed by all alike,
with this impurity in it, why is it
that all are not afflicted in the same
way? Only about one IN thousand
appears to be a victim. However, it
is to be supposed, only those suscep.
tible take it. II il to be noted that it
does not select for victims exclusively
those of frail constitutions. There
are persons of both sexes with other
wise good constitutions, who take
the hay fever. When it runs its
course and is subdued by liking
Frost" you feel no more of its ills
till the next season. | saw a doctor
several years ago with it, who told
me when it passed off he was "as
hearty AS dog" However, as to
myself in the off season | am occa-
sionally liable to fits of sneezing and
weeping at the eyes, which does not
give much Inconvenience.
The symptoms and traits Of the
hay fever are severe fits of sneeZing,
profuse weeping at the nose and
eyes-the latter very sore and in
flamed. Imagine some tiend to dash
a handful of sand in your eyes, and
the results therefrom then you will
have a bad case, so far as that feature
OF it is concerned. In two of my at.
tacks, for about ten days, l could not
read line of print or write a sen
tence, so painful. and inflamed were
those organs. My only relief was to
lie down and cover them up with a
cloth saturated with cold water. The
eyes are the greatest sufferers. This
little article is written with half
, dozen reliefs, though the disease at
present is more bearable than at
other times. In very bad cases, in
their worst stages, the patient is
taken with asthma, racking cough
and an affection Of the whole gland
uar system system in fine. with all
the indications of far gone case Of
consumption. Rest and sleep are out
Of the question. L have seen persOns