The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-21
TALKS WITH DOCTORS.
Prevalent Throat TroubIes--Lighting up a
Reporters Interior Department.

A Journal reporter had hurried conversa-
said the doctor, in answer to the reporters
inquiry, there has been a great deal of sore
throat particularly among children this win
ter-more than usual during the past four
weeks. Sore throat turning to diphtheria. The
sore throat troubles have been severe, but
diphtheria has been for the most part extremely
light There has been severe type of scarlet
fever"
''What would be good domestic treatment for
sore throatp
A gargle of saturated solution of chlorate of
potash, with teaspoonful doses internally. Ex-
ternally, flannel about the throat, well dampened
with port Wine or flannel saturated with
camphorated oil, that is, sweet-oil and camphor.
In scarlet fever, the first thing is to rub the
entire body with glycerine, in which few drops
of carbole acid have been thoroughly incorpo-
rated"
''Then send for doctor7"
Certainly; send for doctor"
The reporter next dropped in upon DR.. John
NJ Dunlap. 1.-THE throat" said the doctor as the
reporter urged him on, lis the gateway of life.
Air and food, the two prime necessities, have to
travel that road and it is a matter of the great
est consequence that it be kept in thorough re-
pair. The nose is an intimate part of this sys-
ty-five years ago catarrh was scarcely known in
this part of the country There was an occas-
ional case only. Now it is exceedingly preva-
lent. From what cause2 From some zymotic
cause. There are many theories but little exact
knowledge. 1t is by some attributed to the pol
len of plants, the rag weed being singled out as
one. Others say infusora. To my mind it is
not precisely known. 1t is some poison or other,
but difficult to tell exactly what. There arc sew
eral recognized forms of the disease-the hyper
trophic which is a thickening of the membranes
the atrophic which is thinning of the mem
brane the ozenic, which is a very disagreeable
form, accompanied by great stencil"
'The late George Harding" said listener,
''wrote up the ozenic form once. One of Andrew
Wallace's boys was discovered to have terrible
case of catarrh 1t was so offensive that no one
could stay in the room with him, and he had to
take his meals in the stable. One day, in going
through the youths jacket his mother found
about quarter of yound ofan exceedingly NAL
odorous substance, and the youngster immedi-
ately called to mind that about two months be-
fore he had gone fishing and for convenience
had put his angle-worms in his pocket, and there
they WERE His catarrh disappeared without
further treatment"
''The nasal douche," continued the Doctor,
''has, by its il!-advised use, done much harm. In
the last few years physicians have come to use
it with great caution. The tendency is, after an
application with the douche is made to discharge
or blow out the excess of fluid. In that
case the danger is that the liquid may
the effort of blowing be forced into the tympanal
cavity of the ear, and there get up furious in
hammation. A case or two has been reported
where death resulted. Not to exaggerate, think
nearly a third of the people here have catarrh in
a greater or less degree. The finish of catarrh
is usually to invade the pharynx, producing a dry
throat condition, or, where there is a scrofulous
diathesis to invade the larynx and produce
laryngitis
II understand" said the listener, 'that
Brooklyn photographer has managed to do what
has never been successfully done before, to pho
tograph the human larynx while in notion;
that the vocal cords have been photographed
while producing falsetto notes This was done
with the pistol camera by which he took all
kinds of throats, swapping impressions of deep
inspirations, as well as expirations of contralto,
soprano and all kinds of deep and high notes"
Would you Ike to take alook at your throat"
inquired the doctor pleasantly of the reporter
Certainly" said the investigator. He was
placed in chair before a laryngoscope, an in
strument consisting of two mirrors, by one Of
which a light is thrown into the mouth, where,
by the other introduced into the pharynx, it is
reflected into the larynX, revealing to the eye
the part thus illuminated
TT iichted I'D the cavern, and the reporter
razed dowa the long red vista in mingled awe
"Say a." said The doctor, giving the letter the
sharp Western sound, land if you look closely
you can see two small white bands, the vocal
cords, in motion"
The reporter did his best, but the fiat British
was the best he could do. But the vocal cords
were quivering like the hind legs of an expiring
frog.
'SBy the way" said the Doctor, ''does your
throat ever trouble you} You cough some, don't
youl"
''Oh, a little; but that's from smoking, pre-
sumo"
'cNot at ALL Look at the end of the uvula
Don't you see pendant piece Of flesh there,
curling off to one side, three eighths of an inch
long. That's an abnormal growth. l have
rarely seen just such thing. I'll snip it of.
Snip it off he did, and the reporter left, proud
that he had been able to mako his little 'tcons