The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1890-11-30
CA T Ar r II j!
Its Nature, Symptoms, Consequences,
Treatment, and Cure, By
DR.. A.P. .LICHTHILL,
SPECIALIST FOR CATARRH, DEAFNESS,
AND DISEASES OF THE THROAT AND
LUNGS.
No. I4II K Street N. W.,
Copyright. 1886, by DR.. Lighthill1
WASHINGTON, d. c.

(CoDYrlgnt, 1885, by DIR. LiRhthill.)
Catarrh manifests itself by discharge from
the head, varying in its nature in different cases
ana even in the same individual at different
times 1t may be thin, coloress, acrid fluid,
or a glairy. starch.like substance. Generaliy'
however, 1t Is thick, purulent, or muco-puru-
lent matter, either greenish-yelow or of a deep
green tint, occasionally streaked or fecked with
blood. SO copous and offensive is the discharge
in some cases that the whole head appears to be
in q state of corruption.
Much of the discharge drops into the throat,
or collects as a tough, viscid, tenacious phlegm
behind and above the soft palate, in the passage
between the throat and head, embarrassing res
plration and creating constant and almost ire
the broa TO tae
hawking, and characteristic of catarrh. So
tenacious is this phlegm in some cases, especially
IN the morning, that the efforts for its removal
frequently cause retching and vomiting, and
sometimes no relief is obtained until some food
or drink has been taken.
Often the offensive matter deposits itself in the
nasal cavities in the shape of dry incrustations,
often accompanied by foul, fetid, putrescent
discharge from tho head. and the expulsion from
the nostris and throat of large masses of often
yellow in color, purulent in character, and of an
lndescribably fetid and disgusting odor Ulcera-
tions are sometimes met with in such cases,
which, II unchecked, may attack and destroy the
bony structure of the nostrils, resulting in the
serious disagreement of the nose and face.
HAY FEVER-ROSE CATARRH.
In some cases of catarrh the nasal membrane
becomes so morbidly sensitive that draught of
air, a sudden change of the weather Or tempera-
ture the least exposure, or the inhalation of the
odor of certain flowers or grasses may suddenly
| provoke a variety of most distressing symptoms.
scadng discharge from the nostrils. associated
with feeling of irritation and tickling in the
nose and throat, accompanied by violent and
| painful paroxysms of sneezing. PAIN and sore
ness is also often felt at the root of the nose,
eyes, while violent spells of headache often in
| crease the existing misery. The chest feels sore
! and distressed, cough is not infrequent, the
! breathingis oppressed, and all the symptoms of
| asthma may manifest themselves and make life
| itself burden. Attacks of this nature often oc-
in thn1n ,ha,, tI,,,
when it is known as rose catarrh, or during hay
| ing time, when it is known as hay fever and so
great is the suffering and distress at such times
that the recurrence OF these seasons is constant
source of dread and anxiety TO the sufferer.
STOPPAGE OF THE HEAD.
In many cases of catarrh the mucous men,
| brane of the nasal cavities becomes permanently
! swollen and thickened. causing the nose to be
| stopped up, sometimes on one side sometimes on
the other. and occasionally on both, rendering
respiration through its cavities difficult lmpos-
sbe, and giving rise 10 a peculiar ''stutfy'' SEN
| sauon in the head, accom- mpanied by feeling OF
| heaviness, weight, compression, CT pain above
and between the eyes, and to violent paroXysms
| of sneezng. In all such cases great susceptible
| ity is experienced to sudden changes OF the
weather, damp air having special tendency to
aggravate the existing conditions, often to such
| an extent to bring difficult breathing and
regular attacks of bronchitis.
! In consequence of the obstructed condition of
| the nostrils the patient is obliged to breathe more
or less through the mouth, and sometimes entirely
| so, q practice fraught with very dangerous con-
| sequences, for a current of cold and impure air
| thus constantly traverses the air passages and
with all its irritating qualities is conveyed into
the delicate structure of the lungs, while disease
| germs of every kind may thereby readily find
their way directly into the blood and circulation.
The evil effects of this condition are intensified at
| night, when persons so affected are obliged to
| sleep with the mouth wide open. Sleep under
such circumstances is not only restless and broken
but unrefreshing, while at the same time the sys-
tenn is more defenseess and less able to resist the
unfavorable influences in operation. In children
| the consequences of mouth breathing is still more
| disastrous, for the lungs are not properly eX-
panded and developed, and in consequence there
| n 10
manifested to attacks of diphtheria, Group, qnin-
sy, and other dangerous throat diseases. as well
| as to earache and subsequent deafness. Such
| children also present quite characteristic ap-
pearance, the features pinched, the shoulders
| The countenance has dull, stupid expression,
| the upper teeth are usually irregular and liable
to early decay, and that detormity of the chest
known as pigeon breast is often the result of ma
sal distractions.
CATARRH OF THE THROAT.
In large number of cases of catarrh the throat
| is affected well as the nasal passages, and
when such is the case feeling of irritation full
| ness rawness tenderness or pain is felt in the
| throat, increased upon pressure or while swalo
| lowing, and occasionally a distressing sensation
Is complained of, as II hair or bristle or other
! foreign substance mad lodged in the throat The
mucous membrane is coated with tough viscd
! discharge, which proVokes an almost constant
at times dsagreeable sensation of dryness is
almost constantly present. In some cases the
| ability to swallows is sensibly impaired, so that
patients find it somewhat difficult to force down
the food. and are troubled occasionally with
! pdTOAySIlS Oh cHOhlnE. ASenSe OF 10LlguG or the
throat is also often complained of, especially
| after the persistent use OF the voice in speaking
or singing or after meal time.
The voice is always more less affected in
| such cases, becoming hoarse. weak, or cracked,
and occasionally it is so impaired that it degene-
rates into II mere whisper. Cough of variable
| severity is often present IN such cases, some
times OF n mere hacking character, but OCCASION
| ally of Il very severe and troublesome nature,
! accompanied by wandering pains and other un-
comfortable sensations in the chest, together
with great debility and progressive emacation.
| In tact, so alarming are these symptoms in some
cases that they are apt to be mistaken for those
OF tubercular disease, and many case of catarrh
that came under my observation had been pro-
| nounced consumption, even by experienced ply
sicans, and Vainly treated as such, while all the
| symptoms rapidly disappeared as soon as the
| treatment was directed to the eradication of
the catarrh.
OFFENSIVE BREATH.
In nearly every case OF catarrh the breath is
Yoltingly offensive as to render the sufferer an
OBJECT OF disgust to himself as well to others.
Again, cases are occasionally met with in which
| the stencil is really overpoWeTing and sufficiently
1etld 10 poison the atmosphere of Il whole room.
Thus person affected with Catarrl lives cOntin-
| uay in an impure atmosphere of his own crea-
tion, and inhales poisonous eiiiuYia with every
breath.
IMPAIRED SMELL AND TASTE.
frequent effect of catarrh is the impairment
or loss of smell In some cases the sense of SIN ell
is merely Dlunted; in Others only strong and de-
cided odors make an impression, and in others
sull IL s entirely destroyed. Cases are met with
occasionally in which smell is perverted, so that
some unpleasant imaginary OdOr is constantly
complained OF. One patient so affected was con-
| Stantly troubled by an offensive smell of burnt
| leather and the life of another was made miser-
able by the imaginary smell of rotten fish.
| When smell is materially impaired the sense OF
taste also suffers TO some extent losing its deli
cacy and acuteness. In some cases of catarrh
| IL even becomes affected indeDeudentlY of smell,