Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-01-27
CHhoNIC
From DIR. Hunters Lectures on the
Progress of Medical Science In
Lung Diseases.

lung itlscdstSs
Chronic inflammation of the nm.
cous mem brane lining the air tube.
and cells of the lungs is a very com.
mon and very serious disease. 1t gen.
orally results from neglected colds, bur
is sometimes caused by breathing dust
i'm workshops and irritating gases and
vapors in factories.
Particles Of inhaled dust irritate the
mucous lining of the lungs and make
them sore, Just as dust and small par.
ticles getting into the eyes make them
red, angry and sore.
bronchitis is always a lung disease.
because the bronchial tubes are the
chief part of the lungs and duets
through which we breathe. To saw
that a person has bronchitis and vet
that his lungs are sound is absurd and
untrue, since these tubes are the seat
of every known lung disease. All that
can truthfully be said is that bron.
chitis is not consumption, although il
is very liable TO end in that disease.
The most constant symptoms OF
chronic bronchitis are cough, short.
ness OF breath and mucous expectora.
ton. 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 sweqts.
These latter symptoms, when present,
show the deep hold it has on the lungs
and how greatly it has already weak
ened and undermined the general
health.
A great many bronchial cases are
met with in people advanced in life.
Ii begins with a cold in the fall, which
lasts all winter. They cough and ex-
pectorate quantities OF gray and jelly
like mucus, but on the approach of
warm weather the cough grows bet
ter, 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 it years before
there is any necessity for dying, for
want OF proper treatment.
In many cases chronic bronchitis is
az 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 air cells, bronchitis is always per.
fectly durable by local treatment Of
the diseased tubes. But | cannot con-
ceive Of the possibility of any form of
bronchial disease being cured by stom-
ach medication or the treatment eom-
monty employed. No local inflam-
matory disease of any other organ has
ever been cured without local treat
ment, and without local treatment |
consider bronchitis as fatal as con-
sumption. The bronchial membrane
and pours forth a matter which has
all the qualities of pus; hectic fever
and night sweats superyene and the
case tends slowly but surely TO death.
There is a form of bronchitis e-
pecially remarkable on account Of the
great abundance Of the bronchial te-
erection. The patients expectorate a
pint or more of frothy fluid a day, re-
sembling gum water. They are pale,
like persons blanched by hemorrhage'
generally free from iever-neither
quickness of pulse nor heat of skin
existing, but the wasting away of the
body and general weakness is extreme.
Examined after death no decorations
or tubercles are found, nor anything
resembling consumption in the state
of the lungs. They die of exhaustion
through the excessive drain made up
on the fluids of the body. Suclf cases
are always durable if timely treated
by astringents and antiseptics applied
inhalation directly to the relaxed
and weakened membrane within the
lungs.
ITO be continued.)
(Signed) ROBERT HUNTER, Md,
Specialist in Lung Cases,
III West 45th ST.,
New York.
Note.-Readers of this paper who
interested in DR.. Hunters work
will receive his books free by address
ing him as above.