Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1893-02-26
CATARRH.
BY WIN, W. HIBBARD, MIDI

Can you cure catarrh? In answer to
this Inquiry another question might ap-
proprately be asked OF the patient:
Do you understand what catarrh is?
In nIne cases out OF ten if an honest re-
ply be given the statement will be made
that it is not understood. Sufferers
from Catarrh are very numerous and
are to be found throughout the world.
They try first this and then that rem
edy and keep on trying. The news
papers are filled with advertisements
both OF patent medicines and so-Called
specialists claiming loudly and contin-
uously OF ability to cure this disease.
There is no ailment more indlscrimi-
nately and blindly treated than catarrh.
Some body suggests snutfing this or
that up the nose, another says use a
nasal douche and SO on until the suf-
ferer becomes wearied by the sugges-
gestions given and crys out in despair,
there is no cure and for the rest of my
life in the spirit OF resignation will
give it up. 1t is not strange that such
a conclusion is arrived at after so many
discouragements have been experienced.
Nevertheless we feel confident that such
conclusions will not be arrived at il the
ailment be treated aright-for certainly
much good can be accomplished and
not inirequently cures be effected il a
proper treatment be had. What is
catarrh and how does it develop? A
person has an attack of what Is COM
monty known rs a cold in the head.
| lie gives it little attention and thinks
in few days it will get well OF itself.
IL is seemingly TO small a matter that
he neglects is. He does not keep the
house for single day and goes about
his business as usual. Ii he be quite
robust he may fully recover from il,
but in many cases after some slight
improvement an additional COryZa is
added. With this second attack and
perhaps a third one there is kept up
greater or less irritation Ut the parts
for considerable time. II may be all
winter. The part affected lies mainly
back Of the nose here is what might be
called nasal chamber which is
quite extensive. This space in
part is behind the soft palate
II is not easy to reach by domestic
methods. The dOuChe method has its
advantages, but it far from reaching all
the parts involved. There are many
openings, little canals rs it were, which
lead into the nasal chant Der. in fact the
bones Of the head, back OF the nose are
permeated as in a sponge, so that the
openings are very numerous. The air
we breathe does not enter all these
canas, but goes in the main directly
through the wind pipe or trachea TO
the lungs. The right way to breathe
il through the nose with the mouth
h. ,Ivy.
efficiently when the nasal passage is
open and free. The passages that have
been referred to, are lined with mu.
cous membrane which is very tender
ana sensitive. Sometimes one or both
nOslrils become wholly or partially
closed, there are many causes for this
condition, careful Inquiry into each
case will generally determine the cause.
1t is strongly claimed that improper
breathing is one OF the principal causes,
AS Tor Instance, breathing through the
mouth. One thing is certain that every
child who has formed this injurious
habit should at once be broken Of the
same, vhe child can be readily taught
to breathe right and SO keep the parts
healthy and the passage open.
Later on in lite this injurious habit,
like all others, is hard To reform, hit
even at such time much car be done
by determined will. II catarrhal
condition be neglected or improperly
treated. After time certain changes
occur which result IN an indolent.
chronic inflammation OF the membrane
referred to, ometlmes very extensively
evolving the nasal chant Der. This in
Illumination may ultimately bring about
II very serious condition IN which there
is degeneration or wasting of the parts
attacked. Even the bones that make
up the frame work of the nasal cham
bers are sometimes thus involved.
Chronic inflammation of the parts pro-
duces thickenning OF the mucous
membrane. Such condition is more
liable to occur in those engaged in sed-
entory employments than in those who
are active. When the mem brane has
become inflamed it is red and swollen,
and by reason Of the congested state,
bleeding readily occurs, the email blood
vessels or CAPT laries being surcharged.
Catarrhal discharges vary somewhat in
their consistency, at times being quite
thick and again thin. When
there is an admixture of blood there Is
the upper part OF the throat called the
pharnyx is dry and irritable. Catarrh
or tendency to it is, as has been said,
very common. There seems to be an
inherited tendency to it in certain fam
lilies. The Old testament statement as
regards the sins of the father being
visited upon the children unto the third
and fourth generation is no truer than
the inheritance of catarrh from parent
to the child. Parents have more to
answer for the health OF their children
than they are aware of. Our RESPONSE
bility in regard to our bodies is great.
| This we cannot fail to forcibly recog.
nize when we fully consider the effects
OF this disorder, for besides it's direct
annoyances the loss OF the sense of
smell may be involved, also impairment
OF hearing through extension to the mid
die ear, injurious modification OF the
voice, and the disadvantage of being
Obliged to breathe through the mouth.
From the last named necessity irrita-
tation and chronic troubles may result
in the throat and lungs.
AZ u T.k.