Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1886-09-17
CATARRA

The term Catarrh Is applied to peculiar
disorder Of the nostrils and adjacent parts,
which prevails 10 au alarming extent, and
Is productive Of very serious Consequences
The most prominent and characteristic
feature Is morbid discharge from the
head, varying In Its nature at different
times.
In some there is an almost constant fiow
OF clear, acrid fluid, but oftener an offensive
purulent or muco purulent, greenish yell
low matter is secreted, which accumulates
| in the nostrils -or drops into the throat,
necessitatiug Its frequent removal by blow
both processes. Sometimes patients feel as
though their whole head was in STATE OF
rottenness, so great IL the amount of matter
discharged and so fetid is its odor. The
patient is greatly. annoyed by the constant
dropping into the throat Of the morbid
matter from the mead, and as recumbent
position naturally favors the flow down
ward, his rest is frequently disturbed from
this csnse. Many sufferers are obliged TO
lie with the head verv much elevated In
order to sleep with some degree Of comfort.
In others. tough, viscid and offensive
phlegm collects behind and above the soft
palate, in the passage between the throat and
head. adhering TO the parts with gluish
ton and creates sensation Of irritation and
uneasiness In the affected locality, which
gives rise to constant and almost irresisti.
BILE desire to reiive the discomfort By draw
II BY the mouth. Thss practice, popularity
known as hawking" Is characteristic Of
catarrh. and proves as embarrassing to the
one affected as II is disagreeble 10 those
Again the offensive matter bardens and
deposits itself on the membrane In the
shape of dry hard concretions, which are
discharged by way OF the nostrils or throat
In Jumps or fragments of deep green tint.
In some cases these incrustations sccumu-
late to such an extent as to form regular
plug in the nose which obstructs breathing
and produces serious discomfort. So
firmly do these incrustations adhere to the
point OF attachment that their re n0val
usually requires the most violent efforts;
net unfreqnently they have to be torn from
the membrane. Occasionally solid cast
Of notable size is expelled. on which there
are generally traces of blood, but In some
cases the cast presents a tubular appear
ance, being of exact shape of the nasal
cavity. This condition fs indicative of ulc-
Grafton, which, in time may destroy the
bony structure Of the nose and produce
Cases are occasionally met with In which
q thick, viscid, Shiny secretion coats the
membrane of the nasal cavities and then
putredes, giving rise to q stencil which is
really overpowering. and sufficiently fetid
TO poison the atmosphere of a whole room,
ami there are otheas tn which all the secre-
lions of the membrane are suspended,
causing an unpleasant feeling Of dryness,
"a condition popularity known as DRY
The disease speedily extends to the air
cavities of the bones OF the forehead aud
face, giving rise to distressing sensation
of heavy weight or compression over the
forehead especially Ia The region above
and between the eyes, and to q feeling OF
fullness. heat. irritation. soreness or pain
in the noetrils near the root Of the nose, as
above and behind the soft palate. Some,
times there Is pain obstinately fixed In some
particular part, as in the temples on the
top OF the head, at the back OF the neck. or
behind the or6ids, and occasionally. pain
character that ills frequently mistaken for
neuralgia.
The breath is al ways tainted and at times
assumes an exceeding fetid and sickening
ingly offensive as to render the sufferer an
object of disgust to himself as well as to
otherA
The nasal membrane is thiokened and
es6ses,e0 causing the noss 70 .,d be stop
times on the other, and often on
both, giving rise to q disagreeable stuffy
sensation in the head, aud oecasioning to
violent and prolonged paroxysms OF sneez-
The voice IL weak, indistinct and husky,
or of nasal character, displaying sort OF
smiling duality. 0ftentimes there is a con-
tinuous hoarsenessa and discordance. There
Is also q sense OF irritation In the throat,
and frequent attempts to clear the parts OF
phlegm. prod uciug the sound hem" more
or less for IDLY. In some cases patients
complain of an uncomfortable feeling of
fulness, or choky sensation In the throat
constant dryness, for the temporary relief
of which they have to swallow frequently.
Others, again, speak OF constant bad or
nauseous taste in the mouth or throat
Tl.o zfr.. oh No Fr4nr s.r
less and become weak and irritable; the ap-
petite Is capricious and nearly always bad
In the morning. The patient is languid.
unable to perform mental or physical labor
with the usual facility, Is nervous, de-
pressed In spirits, at times fearful, timid,
agtated and inclined to drowsiness and
sleep; the memory weakened and perma-
nent impairment seriously threatened.
The mucous membrane soon becomes
sensitive to unfavorable infiu-
ences. and in spite of the utmost care be-
comes affected from the slightest causes, SO
that at last breath Of wind upon helining
of the nose or throat becomes productive OF
q cold. and gives rise to serious disturb
ances Of the respiratory organs. Thus the
patient is subject to frequent and repeated
colds, each attack aggravating the disease
by giving II a new impulse and involving
In this manner the difiicul,y spreads from
organ to organ, invading the throat lar
ynx. trachea and bronchial tubes I'M
til, encroaching further and further, 1t
reaches the finer manifestations Of the
when but a slight impulse is re-
CURED to send II to toe lungs Catarrh may,
and often does, affect other organs in the
body, especially those containing mucous
membrane, such as the stomach, bowels.
Thus catarrh becomes the starting point
Of consumptive development, the disease
being eventually transmitted 10 the lungs.
both by nervous connection and continuity