Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-03-16
For the Democratic Northwest
DIR. W0LFE'S
c ON IN on Sense.
LETTER Ill.

AL CATARRH, ETC, ETC.
Diseases Of the organs of respiration
are so common in this country that al
most every person of adult age has had
more or less experience with some of
them. propose to indicate, in as brief
a manner as possible. the symptoms and
treatment of this class of maladies.
By Nasal Catarrh," commonly called
"cold in the head" is meant as inflama.
tory affection of the mucous membrane
that lines the cavity of the nose. This
membrane covers the throat. larynx,
windpipe, bronchial tubes, and air-cells.
Nasal Catarrh is distinguished as "acute"
and "chronic."
|. The SYMPTOMS of "acute nasal catarrh"
are, first, a sense of heat and difficulty
in breathing through the nose. The pass.
age seem to be stuffed or obstructed, and
yet at the beginning there is no secretion
to cause this feeling. The membrane is
dry, red, increased in thickness, and very
irritable. Cold air excites ''sneezing."
The irritation may extend from the
nose to the frontal sinus, producing pain
in the forehead. 1t may also extend in
to the lachrymal ducts, closing them as
it has the nose, when the eyes weep, and
their lids become red and swollen. The
skin becomes hot, the rulse increased in
frequency, and feeling of chilliness is
felt over the whole body. After time
the nose begins to run "clear hot water"
ar d the discharge is so profuse as to keep
the handkerchief in constant demand.
Gradually this becomes thicker, more
yellow, and less irritating. Asthis change
takes place the nostrils become free. the
secretion diminlshes till the comfort of
the patient is seemingly restored. This
is the usual course and Termination of an
attack OF acute nasal catarrh. But it
may possibly extend to the throat, in
volving the tonsils and uvula When it
does this the disease is called "Quinsy."
A sharp cold in the head may also pro-
coed along the eustachian tubes of the
ear, causing either partial or absolute
deafness; but the most common course
of catarrh is to invade the lungs, when it
is known as "cold in the chest" and
professionally by the name of "Bron-
chittis."
Chronic Catarrh" follows the acute
form, and is generally the consequence of
leaving "a bad cold" to cure itself. It is
met with in several forms. In the first
we have merely discharge of straw
SOlOlCu IuuCuS, WHlCll U6e
hind the soft palate, and is "hawked" out
from time to time during the day. In
the second, there are small sores formed
on the inside of the nose. and the secre-
tions become dry and hard, requiring a
good deal of attention to keep the passages
free from scabs or hardened mucus that
form upon the membrane. In the
third, the secretions have a purulent
oI,o ~ l.;r .,,&o
the throat, and may be seen hanging
down in festooDs from the posterior mares.
In this latter form the sense of smell be.
comes impaired and sometimes entirely
destroyed; and when the disease eats
through the membrane to the bone, the
smell of the breath becomes unpleasant
both to the patient and friends. Some
times this matter will induce retching
and vomiting beforeit can be discharged,
especially in the morning when the Sc
cretions which accumulate during the
night. and which sensibly obstruct re-
spiration are to be removed.
Generally, during the summer months
the syn p oms Of chronic catarrh are mild,
but return regularly in an aggravated
form as Winter approaches.
Chronic catarrh, like asthma and con.
sumption, has hitherto had no remedy.
: This fact remains reproach upon the
page of medicine. Nor has failure re-
suited from the want of means within
our reach. or from the seat of disease, or
its nature, for We can reach the diseased
parts by all the forces of the Materia
Medica-solids. fluids. and gasses-and
the disease itself is only a simple inham.
+ alton. Physicians have failed bacause
they have not adopted more rational
treatment. Common sense' teaches us
that remedies administered through the
l. stomach can not reach any disease in the
nose. If they have attempted any loca
treatment, they have generally been salts
fed with recommending irritating snuff o.
squirting little salt water up the nos
trils, which, of course, does no good.
Catarrh is rarely found as disease O
tho nose only, but is accompanied b,
e. more or less hoarseness, showing that tn
l. membrane lining the throat, larynx. ant
windpipe is also involved. We can not
l. therefore, hope to remove catarrh o
such character by using irritating snuff
,f or by simply washing the membran
,e lining the nose and throat with medi
Gated washes. The healing infuenc
a must be extended to the iarynx an,
,e trachea, and this can only be done by tn
inhalationsof medicated air. When medi
10 cines are inhaled in vapof condition
r. their healing influence is exerted, no
a only in the nose, but also in every par
of the bronchial structure. There
he neither pain nor convenience in this mod
rs of treatment. have been able to brea
up the most inveterate chronic catarr
4; in from four to ten weeks and so su(
d. cessful has it been, that we doubt if i
will fail one time in hundred, if proI
W, erly and faithfully employed. A "cold
RI. of recent occurrence can be broken up et
he fectually, by the use of the inhaler, in
week; a catarrh of only a few months
m standing, in four or five weeks; but
ut ''chronic" or seated catarrh, of year
n, more, will require longer time to SUI
eo due. But every case is durable whe
treated in this manner. Colds contracte
in the Fall become seated catarrh in tt
Spring. A year later it has extende
he over the throat. and become bronchiti
ok and from this the step is short, and tt
progress sure, to consumption. WI
would not expend a few dollars in gettir
III rid of troublesome cold rather tina
rs. take the risks of its fearful conseuuenc
all with cough syrups" and quackish cor
II. pounds, such as are offered by evel
a apothecary's clerk? There is no Athletic
~ that SO feeds and nurtures consumptit
as as "catarrh" or "cold in the head;" ar
no treatment will uproot catarrh
ill speedily and effectually as the use of tt
We "inhaler," and medicated washes
Very respectfully,