The Wilmingtonian. (Wilmington, Del.) 1882-188?, 1884-09-20
HEALTH HINTS.
DISEASES OF THE CHEST.
For THE w1LMINeToNrAN.

d lldtu VI SoushH "hh SplN'S ''pNNi'h' |
among per Ions of delicate constitution aud
who have not properly estimated the neces-
sty of accommodating clothing and house
hold habits TO the changes of the seasons.
The human frame is SO constituted that it
can endure with impunity considerable
intensity of heat or cold, but sudden shift
in either direction in liable to cause serious
illness, unless proper precautions are taken.
In the season ON which we are now enter
ing the organs of respiration are those
chiefly liable to be affected, and, in hope that
few plain hints on the physiology of res
piration and the symptoms of chest-diseases
may be of service, we here give few points,
shorn of all technical terms and mysteries
as far as possible, SC that intelligent and
thoughtful readers may be able to help |
rather than hinder the medical attendant
when emergency arises.
| People have wonderfully erroneous notions
about the position and functions of the
organs in the chest They will put their
hands to the stomach or low down in the
sides and say they have paih in the chest
or in their heart. As a simple matter of
fact these flying troubles are dyspeptic in
their nature. The truth is the lungs are
high up between the shoulders, and the
heart is between the lungs, not low down on
the left side as is commonly imagined. In
health the right lung may be roughly said
to occupy a space of three inches above and
below the right nipple, which is just over
the centre of the organ, The left nipple
| wit
regard to the left lung. The heart is just
below and to the left of the lower part of
the breast-bone, being in great measure
protected by the bone itself The shoulder
blades cover and protect the lungs from
s injury at the back; the upper ribs perform
A the same office in front.
e The engine which keeps the machinery of
! respiration going is called the diaphragm.
e 1t is sort oil partition, very strong and
: elastic, separating the lungs from tie stom-
{ ach and intestines. When we take a full
breath the diaphragm sinks, the ribs move
} outwards and the air rushes into the vacuum
d thus formed. The next moment the ribs
e close in, the diaphragm rises aud the air is
! expelled, having done its work of oxygenat-
VI luS IlG UlOOi, dHtl CARRY iS WIN IL ia q
j. gaseous form the waste matter of the
# circulation. The process goes on contin-
J. ually while life lasts, and cannot be arrested
), many moments without certain peril to life
e To understand the important part played
by the diaphragm in respiration we have
y only to look at the effect Of a sudden SHARP
s. blow in what is known as the ''pit of the
II, ..1,+ hn1N
is the bottom of the breast-bone. Such blow
r may prove fatal to life, and in any cast
N causes the greatest agony for several MN
20 utes till respiration is re-establshed. Th'
k reason is that not only is the muscula
Id action of the diaphragm momentarily par
$, alyzed by the shock, but the bulk Of TIN
n air is driven forcibly out Of the lungs, 81
that the next few inspirations cause sharl
cutting pain. There is always a certain
amount of air in the chest after a full expiI
alton, the office of which is to serve as
sort of cushion or check to prevent the mex
thrush of air entering the chest too rapidly
The uncomfortable feeling of tightness Q
u breath which gluttonous eaters and dyspel
d, tics experience is owing to the upwar
til stomach on the diaphragm.
70 1t is very common and q roneouS impre
a sion that the broadcast part of the lungs
in at the top whereas the reverse is the cas-,
~ Each lung is divided into flaps or lohes: Il
,es right has three; the left only two. lii col
gh sumption the seat of the disease is near
of always in the upper lobes; in pneumun
.lp mi " thn Whnn
el, ''sac''or bag i'll which the lungs are enclose
ng is the seat of Inflammation, we have the di
ease called Pleurisy. If the lining of Il
I | air tubes leading into the lungs is inflame
nd the maady is called Bronchitis. The la
ery named, in Elild form, is the commone
an form of what is called cold in the chest.
IT. There is great deal Of unnecessary my
as terry in the public mind about the metho
lge adopted by physicians for locating and dia
my nosing affections of the chest. In the got
ing old days of dog-latm, when physicians wo
no powder and carried gold-headed canes, the
at calling was dgnifled as "the art and my
hat terry of an apothecary." OF course it is IL
is the object of these essays to start eve
she householder on a course of percussion III
ue- auscultation, or to add single member
of the already formidable list Of unqralif
YER practitioners who tamper with the heal
a and life of their fellow man with mo
his assurance and less concern than they won
can bestow on cleaning out the tlue of the sto
the in the kitchen. Our sole object is to she
ink our readers how the mysteries of tappii
eur the chest and listening to its sounds with
ght stethoscope are simple applications of t
res common sense principles of acoustics
ZEN. Let us look at the Stethoseope Tor eXamp
ted Many experienced physicians never use t
/, instrument at al but the newl fledged pr
ttioner, the medical student and the qua
4 are never without one--evidently regaldi
nc it as the emblem of mysterious power a
will uhtolu lore, ahu as sucu ca'cuiated 70 pl
IL duce profound impression on the pat'en
mind. This it does, in the large majority
rita instances beyond doubt.
,os- Here, then, is the stethnscope; SIM
ere. little tube of TOod six or eight inches 10
md. perforated with hole in the direction of
ally length. One end is broad and flat so as
.ets afford rest fol- the ear and to exclude
ade other sounds except those which COZ
through the tube. The other end
49,, expanded into an hour glass shape SO as
- collect all the SOUNDS rlom the regi
,o,,, beneath it,
let's,
be