Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1922-01-13
'The Danger of Diseased Tonsils.
And Benefits Derived tie
Child Through Ther
Removal.
By c. w. Canaan, M. D., Orkney
Springs, Va.

By c. w. Canaan, M. D., Orkney
Springs, Va.
In rural districts especially, there are
many parents who do not believe in
the removal of hypertrophied and dis.
eased tonsils. The clinics held in all
parts of the country through the un-
firing efforts of the school boards and
the State Board of Health and in
Shenandoah county with the assistance
OF the Red Cross, for the removal of
tonsls and adenoids, have to a certain
degree broken down the aversion of
parents in reference to this operation,
but there are still hundreds of children
In the rural districts who should have
their tonsils removed and in many
cases, the demand on account of the
patients health, the operation is i'm
perative.
Parents do not understand the far
reaching sequence of diseased tonsils,
or the great amount of good that will
accrue to the child from their removal.
1t may be of interest to the reader
to know more about this subject, as
seen from medical standpoint.
1t is generally believed by the laity
that a child must have repeated at
lacks of tonsilitis or quinsy before it
can have diseased tonsils. While this
is true occasionally, it is very far from
the whole truth. The writer has re-
peatedly seen enlarged tonsils that had
never been inflamed, and diseased
tonsils where past history gave no
clew to the infection. A tonsil is con-
sidered abnormally large when it ex-
tends beyond the pillars Of the
fauces. In looking into a child's
mouth with the tongue depressed,
these chronic hypertrophied tonsils
can be seen protruding far beyond the
pillars; in fact in many cases they ex-
tend nearly over to the noula (palate)
leaving only small opening, through
which you can see the pharyngeal
wall, These chronic enlarged tonsils
are always associated with development
of adenoid tissue in the post nasal re-
gion and produce mouth breathing,
faulty articulation, catarrh of the
eustachian tubes; ear ache and some
times ASSESSES Of the middle ear
We also want to call attention to a
condition of the tonsil, which is not
enlarged or hypertrophied but at the
same time is a great menace to the
health of the child. The very small
diseased tonsil and the deeply buried
tonsil largely covered by the pillars of
the fauces; both are great sources of
danger In the crypts or pockets of
such tonsils whether large or smalD
are harbored myriads of germs, or
deadly bacteria; capable of being
absorbed and producing repeated at
lacks Of acute inflammation.
Cultures make from such tonsils,
demonstrate the existence of strepto-
coccus, Staphylococcus, colon bacillus,
pneuyococcus, tubercle baciylus, Klebs-
Loffler bacillus, (Diptheria germs,
and many other less virile.
The child who has such tonsils may
have his or her life put in jeopardy at
any time by absorption OF one or more
Of these baciIIi or their toxins. These
tonsils often produce diseased con-
ditions, in remote parts Of the body.
They often supply the infective agent
in endocarditis, pericarditis, nephritis,
anemia, adenitis, tuberculosis and
various toxemias broadly classified as
a rheumatic diathesis The operation
for diseased tonsils and adenoids not
only removes the possibility OF infec
ton from this source, but it does more
than this; il cures mouth
facial deformity, CORE cts bad pro-
nunciation, prevents attacks of tonsi
litis or quinsy and adenitis. Still other
benefits are derived by the child from
the operation. The writer has treated
many children for defective growth,
secondary anemla, or who were other
wise delicate and has seen remarkable
Improvements follow the removal of
diseased tonsils and adenoids. All
physicians have observed with what
ease children i'll with scarlet fever and
diptheria pass through the ordeal, who
have normal resistant threats; as COM
pared with those who have chronic
hypertrophied and diseased tonsils
Still other advantages are gained by
the child from operation Statistics
show that children who suffer from
these conditions are dull in learning;
are behind with their grades when
compared with their classmates, of the
same age and same advantage. Opera
ton removes this handicap and places
the child on an equal footing with his
neighbor in securing an education.