National Republican., 1883-03-08
ADDISON'S DISEASE.
An Interesting Talk About an Obscure but
Fatal Malady.
Some Interesting Facts as to Pulmonary
Diseases I'm tilis District.

"Addison's disease, ," said prominent physi-
clan last night to a REPUBLICAN reporter" Is
an affection Of the supmrcnnl capsules. II is
50 called from DR.. Thomas Addison, Of Guys
hospital London, who in 1855 first discovered
it,"
what are the suprarenal capsules, doctor? ="
asked the reporter.
THE suprarenal capsules arc two small
ilatcncd gOndular bodies, Of n yellowish
color situated at the back part Of tho abdo-
men, behind the peritoneum (thc membrane
investing the surface of the abdomenl, and
immediately in front Of the upper kidney;
hence the name. They arc classified under
the head Of ductless glands as they have no
eXcrctory duct"
What is the origin Of the disease?"
f"IhaI in the present state OF medical
knowledge, is unknown"
" lt Is n very rare disease, isn't it?'
"lt is not common, but is of frequent occur
rcnce-more So In fact than is generally
recognized, for many cases escape at tention,
or are diagnosed as different disorders"
i don't think ever heard of the disease
until | saw yesterday the announcement that
n young son of a prominent citizen had died
| Of 'Addison's disease What are its symp-
tons, doctorY
"A form of annmia characterized by dingy
VI udllN ulSCOlOIbIlOu Ol luO bkll. lb OCCuTS
without any discovcrablc cause whatever,
presents in every case the same general char.
acter pursucS similar course, and with
scarcely an exception, is followed. after avari-
able period, with the same fatal result"
What age or sex does it specially afiect"
at occurs in both sexes. Generally, though
not exclusively, it attacks persons of middle
agc.'
Can you give me popular description
of it?p
"That has already been done graphically
| by DIR. Addison. lie SAYS II makes its ap-
pearance in so slow and insidious u manner
that the patient can hardly fix the date of his
earliest feeling of laneuor which shortly be-
comes so extrome. The countenance gets
| pale, the whites of the eye grow peatly, the
/ general frame flabby rather than wasted tho
! pulse becomes perhaps large, but remarkably
soft and compressible, occasionally with q
slight jerk, especially under the slightest ex-
| ctement. There is I'M indsposition to exor-
! tion, with an uncomfortable feeling of faint
ness or breathlessness on attempting
any eXertion. The heart readily palpitates
and the whole surface of the body
presents u smooth, blanched and waxy ap-
! pearancc. Tho lips gums and tongue seem
| blOodless and the appetite fails Extreme
langour and fantness supervene, breathless-
ness and palpitations being produced by the
| slightest CNertion or emotion. Some slight
casionally the mind wanders. The patient
cannot get out of bed, but the bulkiness of
| the frame is in singular contrast to the eX-
haustion observable in every other respect"
How about the discoloration of skim"
| "That pervades tho whole surface of the
body, but is most strongly manifested on the
| face neck, and superior eXtremities 1t pre-
sents dingy or smoky appearance, or various
tnts or shades of deep amber or chestnut
brown. Sometimes the skin become as dark
as a mulatto's"
"What appearance do these bodies show
after dcath?"
"In certain cases of Addison's disease there
is observed in the suprarenal capsules the
presence Of n scottish, gray, translucent matter,
sometimes becoming liquiiod to u cream-like
consistency, and sometimes solidifed into
| n Cretaceous mass. The deposit replaces the
tissue Of the organ, and, if extensive, in
wolves their disOrganization. Examination
after death, however, fails to reveal LESSONS OF
important organs adequate to explain symp-
toms and death"
Docs the discoloration of skin always ac.
company diseases Of the suprarenal cap
| sulcs?"
by no means invariably. And this dis,
coloration may occur without renal disease
II is however, so frequent an accompaniment
that DR.. Addison dwclls particularly on it,
"And the cure, doctor ?"
"There is no cure for Addison's disease
known to the profession" n
l 80 when you find a patient has supra
renal disease it is the same as reading hi!
death warrant, eh?"
1.-THE man who is afflicted with Addison,
disease ought to put his house in order"
PULMONARY DISEASES.
"Now, doctor, another question. The NOR.
tality statistics Of this district for January
| show about $50 deaths, of which II were from
consumption and 20 from other pulmonary
diseases-that is to say, Ill deaths out of somt
$50 occurred from affections of the respiratory
organs. Washington is said to be particularly
noted for consumption of the lungs, and thi
showing would seem to corroborate the state
ment Docs your professional experience jus
tify that conclusion W
BY no means" was the assuring reply
Washington, on the contrary,i very beneficial
TO cases Of pulmonary disease. have patient
from all parts of the world affected with lunl
disease who find residence in Washington
very beneficial to them. There is large mum
ber of deaths from consumption in Washing
ton, but it is the life led by the consumptiyes
and not the place, that produces the diseas,
and prevents cure. Most Of the persons wht
die from consumption in Washington arr
government clerks, coming from some othe
place, many of them with the seeds of the dis
ease already sown in their systems, and benz
over their desks seven hours each day, breath
ing poisoned air Why, the wonder is tina
tine death rate from consumption is no
double what il is in Washington
, The ventilation of the government depart
ments is horribly imperfect, the heating ap
, paratus defective, in many bureaus tho clerk
are collected in great numbers in small rooms
, where they breathe tho vitatod air over an
, over, till of course any tendency TO tuberce
is developed into certainty. Then again YER
many Of the government clerks are weakl
, men, unable to successfully compete in tn
: fierce struggle OF life with more vigorous, pei
fectly healthy competitors, and they 20
government clerkships, whore no physic,
labor is required. Under these circun
stances it is sperlectly plain why the death rat
! from consumption in this city is large, yc
the city itself be beneficial for pulmonar
disc ases"
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