Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-11-04

the Chicago aud Cincinnati Throat and
Lung Institutes for fifteen years, and still
proprietor of the Detroit Throat aud 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 doin
Asthma. only that in these diseases it is al
ways present, whereas in Asthma it occurs
in paroxysms.
Asthma is q spasmodic disease of the
lungs, which manifests itself in periodic az.
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 we'll as 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 awake ned by diff
ficulty OF breathing, feeling of weight or
construction OF the chest. Ii 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.
Perspiration stands out in large drops on
the forehead, the face looks haegard, the
lliis Hft AiNtu, tHt cAbttliitits Cotti, anu tHS
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-
ony OF drowning or slow strangulation.
But happily for the patient his confidence
H.. .,N. hst., tAD1e hot xrfl
soon be over, and then be will get relief.
After longer or shorter period, accord
ing 10 the severity of the case-generally a
few bours-the iightDess at the bottom OF
the chest relaxes, the breathing becomes
deeper the patient can speak aud cough
without difficulty, and begins TO expectorate
freely. At length, worn out by the intens.
ity of his suflerings, he falls TO sleep and
the attack is at an end.
Nervous, Humid aud Dry Asthma are
names given to different forms of this
disease. Emphysema is another and more
inyeterate kind of Asthma, while Hay
Fever or Rose Cold Is peculiar variety OF
Asthma which occurs at a certain season OF
the year. Each of these forms of disease
differs somewhat from the others in symp-
OF very little value. 1t does not matter to
the patiens which form of Asthma he has
since his sufferings are the same in all. In
one case the expectoration becomes yellow,
ana We call IL Dfoncnial. IA dnotner 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 a ear water runs from the nose
and the eyes before the Asthma fit comes
on. In Emphysema the expectoration is
generally thick, and continues so in the in
terval between the fits. while the shortness
OF breath is increased on the slightest ex.
ertion.
There is no rule which can be said to be
uniform in Asthma. In one person the
disease will entirely pass OIL 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 al
stated times. Some athmatics breathe best
in the city, while others cannot pass night
in town without suffering an attack. One
prefers a low land as place OF residence,
and another can only sleep on high ground.
A particular exposure of a room will often
make difference, and l have known peo-
pie who could sleep on one side OF the
street and not ON the opposite. The smell
with many is sufficient to bring ON rarox-
ysm. Some cannot drive behind horses, or
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 witt IL understand the matter. So
sensitive are some people that they cannot
enter drug store where ipecacuanha Is
kept without experiencing an oppression in
breathing.
Asthma depends more on atmospheric
causes than other lung diseases. The mu-
Gus membrane is morbidly sensitive to
any change in the air, in the excess or def
cheney OF its zone-in the presence Of smoke
or dust; on the temperature, humidity, OF
even impregnance with the delicate frag-
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 it is only by employ.
ing 1t as the carrier of remedies that many
of them can be cured. This is peculiarly
the c Sc with all diseases of the air passages
and lungs, OF none more SO than asthma.
II is foolish conceit of many people to
believe that If they have Asthma they can
not get Consumption. The truth is the
very. opposite. They are more liable to
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 num-
bers lose their lives every year.
Without courage and perseverance, moth
Ing is curable. But with these, aided by
proper and skilful treatment, Asthma can
be cured even after the lungs are extensive
ly diseased.
The asthmatic sufferer. therefore, should
lose no time in having this tearible disease
eradicated from the system before 1t is
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 40 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.