On diseases of the throat and windpipe : as reflected by the laryngoscope; a complete manual upon their diagnosis and treatment.

  • Gibb, G. Duncan (George Duncan), Sir, 1821-1876.
Date:
1864
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On diseases of the throat and windpipe : as reflected by the laryngoscope; a complete manual upon their diagnosis and treatment. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    brought on by cold and exposure, and the voice becomes naturally harsh and hoarse. The laryngoscopy appearances vary considerably, but the chief are ulceration of the superior or false vocal cords, especially on the borders of the ventricles, and frequently extending to them. The true cords are likewise similarly affected, but infrequently so as compared with the false. The sub-glottic portion of the larynx is occasionally the seat of one or more ulcers, and these often penetrate to the cricoid cartilages at the posterior part, and extend down the trachea. The tissues generally in many parts of the larynx are thickened and indurated from sub-mucous and interstitial deposits of lymph or albumen (of serum in acute laryngitis), the former more particularly below the cord?e vocales. Some- tunes there is total loss of action of the vocal cords, which remain permanently separated with incurable organic aphonia; the membrane covering them is of a deep-red colour, and the arytenoid cartilages are immovable. The changes that occur in old cases of chronic laryngitis are sometimes most re- markable, and when extensive ulceration has been healed the general cavity of the larynx is contracted and irregular, and the natural appearance of the vocal cords is quite destroyed. Fortunate is it if the patient has had his voice left to him. Pathological observations made throughout a series of vears, from post-mortem inspection, have been over and over again confirmed in the living with the laryngoscope. Several cases introduced into other sections to illustrate special lesions, especially those on the epiglottis, aphonia, and growths, might with propriety have been introduced here, for they were truly examples of chronic disease of the larynx. The annexed drawings are from cases of old standing disease that came under my notice, in which the ulceration was chronic, and had existed for many years. In fig. 5 deep ragged ulcers had involved the false cords to the margins of the ventricles, and also the lingual surface of the epiglottis; the larynx is