Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-13
A SORE THROAT.
Simple Precautions and Remedies for q
Simple Disease.

1sCAAACnaOO
Simple Disease.
| From the Boston Globe.
+ TALK TO YOU TODAY on tonsilitis There
l. are several forms Of sore throat but tonsilitis
| is the most troublesome of them ell, and the
most common. There are ''clergyman's sore
throat" caused by overstraining the muscles of
the throat; liberated sore throat" due to a
diseased system; diphtheria, constitutional
disease and manifesting itself in the throat and
| "quinsy sore throat
The last form is the severest type Of sore
| throat, and Signifies from its derivation, q
choking sore throat. If you will hold mirror
in front Of your face, open your mouth wide
and say ali, you will notice far back, at the base
of the tongue, and on either side Of the throat,
two little round bodies. These bodies are the
tonsils. They aid in the act of swallowing, and
we are unconscious Of their presence except
when they are infamed. The tonsils are glands.
There are many glands distributed throughout
| the body and they form a very interesting sub.
ject for study. To aid in swallowing the tonsils
constantly discharge fluid (mucous). and when
healthy are always moist. If they become in
famed they are hot. swollen and their surface
Is dry; any attempt to swallow is difficult and
painful. There are three cardinal elements of
inf1ammation-heat swelling and pain.
MILD FORM OF ToNsu1r1s ..,
is an acute inflammation of these glands before
pus is formed. 1t can generally be treated
successfully and cured in two or three DAYS.
When our bodies are well covered and pro-
tected against the changes of the weather the
blood circulates freely and evenly through our
whole system. If through any cause the system
is debilitated and a portion of the surface that
Is habitually covered Is exposed the circulation
at that locality is checked. This quantity of
hrsv 1on ~ hot
where and will find the weakest place in the
system. 1t may be here, it may be there If
the tOnsils are weak we get an attack of ton
silitis.
This increased quantity Of blood in the ton
sils causes heat, swelling and pain-infamma-
ton. We may have an extremely annoying
cOryza. our head may ache to bursting, our
eyes smart, we may have q troublesome
bronchitis, but pity him who has an attack of
quinsy sore throat. Sometimes the tonsils swell
to such an extent that they completely close
the passage to the fauces. II anything solid is
swallowed the patient is thrown into cOnvul-
slons. 1t is almost impossible to swallow the
saliva that collects in the mouth and it seems
as II there is occasion to swallow every half
minute. There is always considerable fever
present with tonsilitis and it il an important
symptom to treat.
EVERY FAMILY SHOULD HAVE
clinical thermometer and know how to use it,
This thermometer can be obtained at any sur
gical instrument store, and is well worth the
price paid for it. 1t has the degrees marked
upon 1t from 80 to liz. The normal or natural
temperature of the human system is SO de-
grees. A rise In temperature of one degree or
one and a half degrees is not of much import
ance. but If the thermometer indicates rise Of
lOl to lO2 degrees be sure to take some treat
ment that will reduce the temperature to 80 or
80 degrees To Use the clinical thermometer
give 1t two or three sharp shakes, as you do a
fountain pen, to get the mercury below the nor
NAL point; place the bulb end into the mouth
and under the tongue. Hold the thermometer in
place with the lips, but do not shut the teeth on
1t, as 1T is liable to break. Retain the ther-
mometer five minutes, then withdraw it and
note carefully the degree to which the mercury
has extended. In the case of small children
loosen their clothes and place the bulb under
the arm close up in the axilla.
mild form of sore throat is what is called
by physicians acute sore throat" 1t is tenn
porary inflammation of the mucous membrane
of the lower part of the throat and adjacent
parts. 1t Is usually limited to two or three
days duration. This affection is often mis-
taken for diphtheria by ignorant physicians,
and being so designated by them they get the
reputation OF effecting great cures Of diphtheria
Dlphtherla IL a constitutional disease: it is in
the blood, but it many times manifests itself
locally in the throat. 1t often causes white
spots to appear on the tonsils and even on other
parts of the throat. But these white spots, or
the membrane Of which the spots only are visi-
bic to the eye are far different from the appear
ance in tonsilitis Many persons are frightened
as soon as they see white spots on the tOnsils:
but if there is no epidemic of diphtheria in the
nelghborhood do not. as general thing, fear
that the trouble is diphtheria. Nine cases out
OF ten it is tOnsilitis.
DANGEROUS SYMPTOM
IN this case, however, is bad sore throat with
out fever at the outset / have seen the most
fatal cases of diphtheria start in this way and
dread such cases most Of all. troublesome
sore throat before the fever comes on il sus-
picious and needs physician promptly A
fever. accompanied generally with coryza, but
not always, followed by sore throat, is probably
tonsllltis, and can be treated according to d.
rections given here, at home generally. We
may get white spots in both cases. The white
spots differ widely in the two diseases In tom
silitls the white spots merely dead cells
mat are broken down, disintegrated and are
forced to the surface. They can be brushed
away as they appear. They may appear as fast
as brushed away, but they are "a trifiing thing
as compared with the spots in diphtheria.
Without going deeply into the subject of
dlphtherla at this time. shall simply say that
the spots In this disease are the appearance at
the surface of the tonsils of a tenacious MEM
brane. This membrane dips down into the
substance of the tonsils and if removed leaves
a bleeding, ugly track behind it, which is later
Hiieu Will announcer membrane Just as tena-
ciOus.
Children and young people are liable to have
their tonSils permanently enlarged. Assesses
form III the tonslls and are exceedingly painful
Such cases are much improved by removing
the tonsils by cutting them out. This opera
ton Is often performed. In some cases the re-
m0vai OF the tonsils is imperatively necessary
These enlarged glands may interfere with the
hearing, with proper articulation and with the
general nutrition on account of the difficulty
they cause in swallowing.
FEW IMPORTANT HINTS -.
Always breathe through the nose. The air
going through the mouth reaches the throat
cooler. dryer and contaminated with more i'm
purities than if it went through the nose. Do
not bundle the neck too much It sbould he
hardened to a certain extent. and not be kent
too warm and covered. Enough clothing should
be worn to keep the temperature of the BODY
at % degrees.
Air should not be breathed that is laden with
such Irritating dust vapors or gases as may
prove prejudicial to the good health status of
the parts under discussion. Where such ex-
posures are necessary the wearing of some pro-
lection over the month is essential
The use OF an open-grate fire is beneficial to
those whose thrOats sensitive Keen the
system in good tone by sponge baths, tones
and physical exercise. The use of alcohol az a
beverage is injurious.
Keep your sleeping rooms at 80 degrees to co
degrees in winter. ,Ghe ordinary mild acute
attack OF sore throat has a tendency to get well
itself and usually lasts only two or three DAYS
Kemaln indoors. rccline on a sofa i'm a moder-
ately warm apartment. eat mild. unstimulat-
ing diet. and keep the bowels freely open. Ice
m he i'm tha III