The Republican journal., 1898-01-27
Chronic Bronchitis.
From DIR. Hunters Lectures on the Progress
of Medical Science in Lung Diseases.

From DR.. Hunters Lectures on the Progress
of Medical Science in Lung Diseases.
Chronic Inflammation of the mucous men,
brane lining the air tubes and cells of the
lungs is a very common and very serious
disease. 1t generally results from neglected
colds, but is sometimes caused by breathing
dust in workshops and irritating gases and
vapors in factories.
Particles of dust being inhaled irritate the
mucous lining of the lungs and make them
sore, just as dust and small particles getting
into the eyes make them red, angry and
sore.
Bronchitis is always a lung disease, be-
cause the bronchial tubes are the chief parts
of the lungs and ducts through which we
breathe To say that person has bronchi-
tbs and yet that his lungs are sound is alb
surd and untrue, since these tubes are the
seat of every known lung disease. All that
can truthfully be said is that bronchitis is
not consumption, although it is very liable
to end in that disease.
The most constant symptoms of chronic
bronchitis are cough, shortness of breath
and mucous expectoration. Its slight or
serious character is shown by the kind of
matter raised and the presence or absence of
loss of flesh, hectic fever and night sweats.
These latter symptoms, when present, show
the deep hold it has on the lungs and how
greatly it has already weakened and under
mined the general health.
n
with in people advanced in life. 1t begins
with cold in the fall, which lasts all win
ter They cough and eXpectorate quantities
of gray and jelly-llke mucus, but on the APP
proach of warm weather the cough grows
better, and the eXpectoration almost ceases,
only to return with increased severity on
the advent of cold again. Unless arrested
this form OF senile bronchitis cuts short the
thread of life. Most Old people die of 1t
years before there is any necessity for dy-
ing. for want of proper treatment.
In many cases chronic bronchitis is as
dangerous as consumption itself, and even
more so than some forms of that disease. So
long as no organic change has taken place
in the air tubes and cells, bronchitis is al
ways perfectly durable by local treatment of
the diseased tubes. But L cannot conceive
OF the possibility of any form of bronchial
disease being cured by stomach medication
or the treatment commonly employed. No
local inhammatory disease Of any other or
gan has ever been cured without local tt eat
ment, and without local treatment L con-
slider bronchitis as fatal as consumption.
The bronchial membrane in time becomes
altered in structure and pours forth mat
ter which has all the qualities of pus hectic
fever and night sWeatS Supervene, and the
case tends slowly but surely to death.
There is form of bronchitis especially
remarkable on account of the great abund-
ance OF the bronchial secretion. The pa
tlents expectorate pint more OF frothy
fluid day, resembling gum water. They
are pale, like persons blanched by hemor-
rhage; generally free from fever-nether
quickness of pulse nor heat of skin existing,
but the wasting away of the body and gem
eral weakness is extreme. Examined after
death no alterations or tubercles are found
nor anything resembling consumption in
the state of the lungs. They die of exhaus-
ton through the excessive drain made upon
the fluids of the body. Such cases are al
ways durable if timely treated by astrin-
directly TO the relaxed and weakened mem
brane within the lungs
(To be continued.)
(Signed) ROBERT HUNTER, NJ. D.
III West 45th St.
New York.
NOTE-Readers of The Republican Jour