Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-11-12
MEDICAL.
NJ. Hilton Williams, M. D., M.C.P.S

dent to females. successfully
treated by
Hilton Williams, M.D.,M.C.P.
No. s15 North Main street,
Next to Diamond House. Los Angeles, Cal
Graduate of Victoria College, Toronto
Canada, Licentiate Physician in and for the
State of Michigan. Also member of the
College of Physicians and Surgeons of On
tario; for three years associate physician ol
Lung Institute: for fifteen years. and still
proprietor of the Detroit Throat and Lung
Institute: and for several years proprietor
of the Ontario Pulmonary Institute and
Health Resort at Toronto, Ontario. Over
$4,000 cases treated by us during the past
nineteen years.
ON ASTHMA.
1t is a common error to suppose every
disease which is attended by oppressed
breathing to be Asthma or Phthisic. We
have shurtness of breath in Consumption
Bronchitis and Pneumonia, just as we doll
Asthma, only that in these diseases 1t is al
ways present, whereas in Asthma it occurs
in paroxysms.
Asthma is a spasmodic disease of the
lungs, which manifests itself in periodic at
tacks or fits 1t comes on suddenly aud
is attended with great difficulty of breath
ing while it lasts. but when the attack is
over the patient breaths almost as well IS in
health.
The Asthmatic fit may come on at any
time. day or night, but most commonly oc
ours after midnight and before morning.
The patient is suddenly awakened by diff
ficulty OF breathing, feeling of weight OF
construction of the chest. 1t feels as though
it were bound. He sits up in bed. pants or
gasps for breath, and in bad cases, calls for
the doors and windows to be thrown open.
Precipitation stands out in large drops on
the forehead, the face looks haggard, the
lips are livid, the extremities cold, and the
heart beating violently.
Persons badly afflicted with the disease
are, during the fit, insensible to everything
save the desire for air. have known them
to rush to the open window and hang over
the sill for hours in mid-winter, utterly re
gardless of the cold. The feeling is pre-.
cisely that of pending suffocation, and the
poor sufferer endures tor time all the ag
0ny OF drowning or slow strangulation.
But happily for the patieLt his confidence
never deserts him. He teels that 1t Will
soon be over, and then he will get RELIEF I.
Alter longer or a shorter period, accord
| irg 10 the severity OF the case-generally O
few bours-the ,ightness al the bottom oi
the chest relaxes, the breathing becomes
deeper, the patient tan speak end cough
without difficulty. and begins to expectoraie
| freely. AT length, worn out by the intens-
| ity of his sufferings, he falls to sleep and
| the attack is at an end.
| Nervous, Humid and Dry Asthma are
names given to different forms of this
disease. Emphysema is another and more
inveterate kind of Asthma, while Hay
/ Fever or Rose Cold Is a peculiar variety of
Asthma which occurs ut a certain season OF
the year. Each of these forms of disease
differs somewhat from the others in symp-
toms, but practically these distinctions are
of very little value. It does not matter to
| the patient which form of Asthma he has
| 81 c % q
one case the expectOration becomes yellow,
and we call 1t bronchial. In another il is
| light and we call it dry. When he coughs
up clear water, with white froth on the
surface, we say he has HumOral Asthma.
In Nervous Asthma there is very little ex-
pectoration of any kind. Hay Fever always
begins as crying cold in the head or influ-
enza, and C ear water runs from the nose
and the eyes before the Asthma fit comes
oil. In Emphysema the expectOration is
terval between the fits. while the shortness
of breath is increased Oh the slightest ex-
ertion.
There is no rule which can be said to be
uniform in AS hma. In one person the
disease will entirely pass off after single
attack. and remain well for weeks. In an
other there will be several fits in succession,
with only short intervals between them,
and then the patient escapes for longer
period. In some fits occur regularly at
4
in the city, while others cannot pass night
in town without suffering an attack. One
| prefers low land as place of residence,
and another can only sleep on high ground
A particular exposure of room will often
make difference, and / have known peo
pie who could sleep on one side of the
street and not on the opposite. The smell
of hay, roses, and even of the stable
with many is sufficient to bring ON arox
ysm. Some cannot drive behind horses, OF
endure cat in the same room.
All this must seem strange and almost
absurd to those who know nothing of the
disease by experience, but those who are
afflicted wit, it understand the matter. Sc
sensitive are some people that they cannoi
enter a drug store where ipecacuanha IL
kept without experiencing All oppression in
breathing.
| Asthma depends more on atmospheric
causes than other lung diseases. The mu
| Gus membrane is morbidly sensitive tt
any change in the air. in the excess or def
cheney of its zone-in the presence of fsmOke
or dust; on the temperature, humidity, oil
even impregnan with the delicate irag
rance of flowers and plants. Few people
have any idea of the powerful influence ex
erted for good or i'll by what we inhale. The
air is the great source from whence we con
| tract most diseases and 1t is only by employ
ing it as the carrier OF remedies that many
| of them can be cured. This Is peculiarly
thee Sc with all diseases of the air passage,
anu IuuSS, OI none uOTt 50 tudu hstuluE.
1t Is foolish conceit of many people tC
believe that If they have Asthma they can
not get Consumption. The truth is the
very opposite. they are more liable tC
fall into Consumption because they have
Asthma. Another idea is, that Asthma It,
self is not dangerous disease, and yet the
published bills of mortality for this city
prove to all who read them that great mum.
bers lose their lives every year.
without courage and perseverance moth.
ing is durable. But with these, aided by
proper and skilful treatment, Asthma can
be cured even after the lungs ale extensive
ly diseased.
The asthmatic sufferer, therefore, should
lose no time in having this tearible disease
erad:cated from the system before it Ii
forever "too late"
Our Eastern friends should not depen |
upon climatic influences alone, for herein
lies the fatal mistake. Nearly every case
requires positive medical aid. so as to be-
come rid of the offending matter-the con
solidated portions of the lungs-so as to give
nature an opportunity to heal them.
CONSULTATION FREE.
Those who desire to consult me in regard
to their cases had better call at my office for
consultation and examination, but II impo
sfble to visit the office personally, may
write for "List of Questions" and circular
both of which will be sent free of charge.
Address,
m. HILTON WILLIAMS, M. D.,
275 North Main street, Los Angeles, Cal.
ONCE hours from $50 A. M. to 4P.M.