Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-06-14
The FAMILY DOCTOR.
QUISSY.

1t is wonderful how the inflammation
of some small organ or gland can give
rise to considerable constitutional dis
turbance. The tOnsils, for example,
are only two small almond-shaped
glands, whose function is to lubricate
the fool before it passes into the gull
let, and yet when they become in
famed, the individual has usually to
pass through all the symptoms of a
high fever.
mo tonsils generally participate in
any Inflammation of that congery of
organs which Is pOpularly known as the
Throat" Even a cold in the head
claims sympathy from these two unfor
tunate glands, and they are also in
volved III such constitutional diseases
as scsrlatina, diphtheri', etc. The
tonsils, however, being highly vascu
lar in structure, l. e., provided with
close network of bIood-vessels, are able
to throw off any Inflammation of
their substance as easily as they appear
to acquire it, and on this account any
distur bance of these glands is not
looked upon as very grave.
The most serious of the troubles to
which the tonsils are subject is Tonsil-
tits, or Quinsy. It is most commonly
met with in young people, chiefly dur o
ing the damp weather of spring 5r
autumn. Unlike the generality of
these febrile affections, one attack of
tonsilitis predisposes TO another; this
fact strongly supports the view held by
many that the sufferer has a constitu-
! tional tendency to the disease, especi-
ally since mere exposure 10 damp and
cold is sufficient TO bring on an attack.
Another argument in support of this
view is, that those who suffer from en-
larged tonsIls usually inherit the ten
dency from one or both parents.
The symptoms of acute tonsilitis are
usually those of a high fever. The
sufferer complains of headache, be-
comes very irritable, drowsy, and feels
generally weary; as the night ap-
proaches delirium may come on, es-
peclally if the patient be young. The
temperature usually rises to 102 deg.
or 1O3 deg, though in some acute cases
it may rise 70 104 deg. or l05 deg. The
tongue is coated with thick, yellow
ish iur, and the usual symptoms of a
cold are present, while salvation to an
uncomfortable degree is always no.
ticed.
Not only does swallowing food be.
come difficult, bat the mouth can
hardly be opened owing to the swell
Ing of the TISSUES about the jaw. The
| breathing is not much interfered with,
but the patient snores soundly during
sleep, and even when awake the res
piration is noisy. Sometimes the suf-
| ferer becomes deaf, and this means
that the Inflammation has spread to the
ear; but this seldom occurs to any
great extent, so that there need be no
! anxiety lest that organ be impaired.
Locally, the tonsils first feel dry, and
the curious prickling sensation so com
mon to all affections of the throat
makes itself manifest. After this un.
comfortable sensation has existed for
some time-generally from about
twelve to twenty-four hours-the
tonsIls begin to feel raw and sore, and
dull, throbbing pain shoots up to-
wards the ear. Although both tonsils
usually participate in the Inflammation,
one gland only will be found to be
greatly swollen and red, while patches
of yellow secretion are to be noticed
dotted over the gland The other parts
of the throat are also affected, and the
uvula, or ''little tongue" likewise
partakes of the Inflammation to q con-
siderable extent.
These conditions continue for about
four or FIVE days, after which they
gradually subside, and in from ten to
fourteen days the patient is able to re-
sumo his occupation. Frequently,
however, the Inflammation of the
tonsil terminates in an abscess, in
which case all the symptoms become
aggravated and the patient is laid up
for a considerable period. The sbscess
is usually opened by the physician in
attendance, but it often bursts of its
own accord,
Sometimes an attack OF quinsy may
be stopped if seen early, but this is
not easily done. An emetIc should be
given, or aconite in drop doses admin
istered every hour, while the gland
should be touched with solution of the
nitrate of silver. All these measures,
however, can only be taken under the
guidance of skilled person. Quinsy
is not an Affection which should be