The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1882-03-02
For the Bulletin.
DIR. WOLFE's COMMON SENSE.
LETTER NO. III. <


Diseases Of the organs Of respiration are
so common in this country that almost
every person Of adult age has had more
or less experience with some Of them. ]
propose to indicate in as brief manner
as possible, the symptoms and treatment
Of this class Of maladics.
BY Nasal Catarrh," commonly called
"cod in the head" is meant an inhama-
tory affection Of the mucus membrane that
lines the cavity Of the nose. This mem
brane covers the throat, larynx, windpipe,
bronchial tubes, and the cells. Nasal Ca
tarrh is distinguished as acute and chronic.
The symptoms Of acute nasal catarrh are,
first, sense Of heat and difficulty in breath
ing through the nose. The passages seem
to be stuffed or obstruc:ed, and yet at the
beginning there is no secretion to cause this
feeling. The membrane is dry, red, in
creased 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 into 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 pulse increased 10 fire.
quency, and feeling Of chiliness is felt
over the whole body. After a time the
nose begins to run clear hot water, and the
discharge is so proluse as 10 keep the
handkerchief in almost constant demand.
Gradually this becomes thicker, more yell
low, and less irritating. As this change
takes place the nostrls become free, the
secretion diminishes till the comfort of
the patient is seemingly restored This is
the usual course and termination OF an at
| tack of acute nasal catarrh. But il NAV
possibly extend to the throat, involving the
tonsils and uvuIa. When it does this the
disease is called "Quinsy,' 4 sharp cold
in the head may also proceed along the
custodian tubes Of the ear, causing either
partial or absolute Deafness but the most
common course Of catarrh is to in
wade the lungs, when it is known
as "cold in the chest and professionally
by the name of "Bronchitis.n
Chronic Catauh' follows the "acutc"
form, and is generally the consequence of
leaving "a bad cold" TO cure itself. 1t is
met with in several forms In the first we
have merely a discharge C straw colored
mucus, which accumulates behind the soft
palate and is hawked out from time to
are small sores formed on the inside of the
nose. and the secretions become dry and
hard, requiring great deal of attention TO
keep the passages free from scabs or hard
ened mucus that form upon the membrane.
In the third the secretions have purulent
character, and drip "from the head" into
the throat, and may be seen hanging down
in festoons from the posterior mares. In
this latter form the sense Of smell becomes
impaired ana sometimes entirely destroyed.
and when the disease eats through the
membrane to The bone the smell of the
breath becomes unpleasant, both 10 the pa
tient and friends. Sometimes this matter
will induce retcbiug and vomiting before il
can be discharged, especially in the morn.
ing when the secretions which accumulate
during the night, and which sensibly OBJ
struct respiration are to be removed.
Generally during the summer months the
symptoms of chronic catarrh are mild, but
return gradually in an aggravated form rs
Winter approaches.
Chronic Catarrh, like asthma and con-
sumption, has hitherto had no remedy
This fact remains a reproach upon the page
OF medicine. Nor has failure resulted from
the want OF means within our reach, OF
from the seat of the disease, or the malig.
nifty of its nature, for we can reach the dis.
eased parts by all the forces of the Matera
Medica solids, fluids and gases-and the
disease itself is only a simple inflammation
Physicians have failed because they have
not adopted more rational treatment
Common sense teaches Us that remedies ad-
ministcred through the stomach cannot
reach any disease in the nose. Ifthey have
attempted any local treatment, they have
generally been satisfied with recommending
irritating snuff or squirting little salt
water up the nostris. which of course does
no good.
Catarrh is rarely found as disease of
the nose only, but is accompanied by more
or less hoarseness, showing that the mem.
brane lining the throat larynX, and wind
pipe is also involved. We cannot, there
fore. hope to remove catarrh of such char.
acter by using irritating snuff; or by simply