The Somerset reporter., 1898-02-10
BRONCHIAL CONSUMPTION.
From DIR. Hunters Lectures on the Pro
gress OF Medical Science In the Treat
ment of Lung Diseases.

ment of I,unK Diseases.
OF the many forms of bronchitis the one
most alarming of all is that in which the
symptoms closely resemble those of consump-
ton, and hence called consumptive bronchitis.
or bronchial consumption. You must not,
however, understand from its name that it is
really tuberculosis in character, or produced
| by the bacilli which cause true consumption.
| In all lung cases | require portion OF the
expectorated matter coughed up by the pa
tent to be brought to me, or sent in small
bottle by express, before giving definite
opinion of the disease. II, on elimination, |
find the tubercle bacilli present, the case is
consumption; and il no bacill- Bronchitis.
A large percentage of those who die of a
lung disease, supposed to be consumption,
are really deaths by chronic bronchitis re-
sembling consumption.
A remarkable instance in veritcation OF
this recently occurred y lady was brought
to me in what appeared the last stage OF con-
sumption Her physicians had told her hus-
band that she could not live week. She
had bad cough, purform eXpectoratlon,
night sweats, and was wasted almost to skin
and bone Judging by her symptoms and APP
pearance, it was impossible not to fear that
she had come too late. On sounding her
chest, however, | was surprised to ind no
| solidihcation by tubercles, and on examining
her spitum a total absence OF the bacllli.
| The history too of her sickness revealed that
| it had followed an attack of whooping cough
and grippe So, although her pulse was 40
a minute, and SO feeble as to be hardly per-
ceptible, and the wasting of her body so ex-
treme that she could not stand without sup
port, did not hesitate to pronounce the dis
ease bronchial, and give It as my opinion that
if we could sustain her strength long enough
| for the remedies to act she would be saved.
She was Immediately placed under medicated
air treatment, with tonics to impart appetite
and digestves to help the enfeebled stomach
to transform nourishment into chyle and
blood Within a week she showed signs OF
amendment. Her progress was necessarily
| slow, as the healing powers OF the body were
nearly exhausted 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. and
is alive and well today.
| This case shows the Importance of correct
diagnosis and proper adaptation of the treat
ment of the conditions to be remedied. Had
the true nature of her disease not been dis
covered lust when it was she would have lost
| her life through wrong treatment, and been
recorded as another death by consumption.
| In these bronchial cases we sometimes have
false membrane form on the inside of the
tubes, just as false membranes are formed in
the throat in diphtheria. and in the larynx
and windpipe in Group. have recently had
case in which the patient, while recovering,
coughed up hollow cast of the right
bronchus, with casts of several smaller bron-
chial tubes attached. 1t came up out of the
lungs looking like the branches of tree.
Every form of bronchitis is durable by local
antseptic and healing remedies applied di-
recty to the lungs by medicated air inhala-
tons, but none of them by stomach treatment.
The stomach is not the part affected. The
air tubes and cells of the lungs are the seat of
every bronchial disease, and unless remedies
capable of changing their bad secretions and
healing the inhamed 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 treat
ment is malpractice, and ought to be punish
ed as a crime against the sick.
(Signed) ROBERT HUNTER, M. D.,
III West As Street,
New York.