The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-12-30
BRoNcHIAL CONSUMPTION.
From DIR. Hunters Lectures on the Progress
of Medical Science in the Treat
ment of Lung Diseases.

|
OF the many forms OF bronchitis, tht
one most alarming of all is that in which
| the symptoms closely resemble those o
/ consumption, and hence called conSum
| tive bronchitis, or bronchial consumption
| You must not, however, understand from
/ its name that it is really tuberculous in
| character, or produced by the bacilh which
| cause true consumption
| In all lung cases, ] require portion o
the expectorated matter coughed up by
| the patient to be brought to me, or sent
| in a small bottle by express, before giving
definite opinion of the disease. If, on
| examination, | find the tubercle bacill
present, the case Is consumption and ii
no bacilli-Bronchitis. A large percent
age OF those who die of lung disease,
supposed to be consumption, are really
deaths by chronic bronchitis resembling
Cons sumption
A remarkable instance i'm verification OF
this recently occurred A lady was brought
to me i'll what appeared the last stage of
consumption. Her physicians had told her
husband that she could not live Il week.
She had Il bad cough, puriform expectera-
ton, night sweatS, and was wasted almost
to skin and bone. Judging by her symp
toms and appearance, 1T WAS impossible
not to fear that she had come too late. On
sounding her chest, however i was sur
prised 10 find no soIidifacation by tubercles,
and on examining her Sputum a total alb
iSence OF the bacilH The history, too, OF
her sickness revealed that it had followed
an attack OF whooping cough and grippe.
30, although her pulse was 120 minute,
and so feeble as to be hardly perceptible,
and the wasting OF her body so extreme
that she could not stand without support
did not hesitate to pronounce the disease
bronchial and give 1t as my opinion that,
if we could sustain her strength long
enough for remedies to act, she would
be saved She was immediately placed
under medicated air treatment, with tonics
to lmpart appetite and digeStives to help
the enfeebled stomach to transform nour
iShIDent into Cftyie and blood. Within
week she showed signs OF amendment.
Her progress was necessarily slow, as the
healing powers of the body were nearly ex-
hausted before the first inhalation was
given, but she gradually acquired more
and more strength, and within six weeks
was able TO take short walks in the open
air. She recovered perfectly in about six
months, and is alive and well to-day.
This case shows the impor anoe of a
correct diagnosis and proper adaptation Of
the treatment of the conditions to be
remedied. Had the true nature ~Df her
disease not been discovered just when it
was she wetlld have lost her life through
wrong treatment, and been recorded as
another death by consumption.
in these bronchial cases we sometimes
have q false membrane form on the inside
OF the tubes, Just as false membranes are
formed in the throat in diphtheria, and in
the larnyx and windpipe in Group. / have
recently had case in which the patient,
while recovering, coughed up a hollow
cast OF the right bronchus, with casts of
several smaller bronchial tubes attached.
1t came up out Of the lungs looking like
the branch as Of a tree.
Every form Of bronchitis is durable by
local antiseptic and healing remedies ap
piled directly to the lungs by medicated
air limitations, but none Of them by
treatment. The stomach is not
the cart affected. The air tubes and cells
of the lungs are the seat of every bronchial
and unless remedies capable Of
changing their bad secretions and healing
the inflamed tubes are applied to them,
cure is impossible. To treat bronchial
and other lung diseases through the
stomach and hold out hope of cure by
that treatment is malpractice, and ought
to be punished as crime against the sick.
(Stgned) RnBrRT HUTreR VI. d.,
III West 45th Street,
New York.
Dec 81.
NOTE.-Readers OF THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE interested in DR.. Hunters re-
searches and treatment of lung maladies
can obtain his book free by writing to him