A text-book of diseases of the nose and throat / by D. Braden Kyle ; with 175 illustrations, 23 of them in colors.

  • Kyle, D. Braden (David Braden), 1863-1916.
Date:
1900
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A text-book of diseases of the nose and throat / by D. Braden Kyle ; with 175 illustrations, 23 of them in colors. 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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    CHAPTER III. GENERAL CONSIDERATION AND PATHOLOGICAL ALTERATION OF MUCOUS MEMBRANES. The term catarrh as generally used implies much; liter- ally it means to flow downward. It is popularly used in desig- nating all varieties of mucous-membrane inflammation of the nares, whether acute or chronic, hypertrophic or atrophic. Ap- plied to any of these conditions the term is a misnomer, as the catarrh is merely a symptom. I therefore shall not use the word catarrh, but. in its stead, a term which will describe the exist- ing pathological condition. It is proper, however, to speak of a catarrhal inflammation, meaning that special condition in which secretion and elaboration of mucus are increased. In many constitutional diseases there is an increased exudate from the mucous membrane. This is brought about by inter- ference with the circulation, by vasomotor phenomena, and by alteration in the blood. It is also due to changes in internal organs whereby elimination is interfered with—as, for example, in dis- eases of the kidneys, when the skin and mucous membrane vicari- ously aid as eliminators. Congestion, acute or cyanotic, of internal viscera causes marked alteration in the mucous membrane, even of the larynx and pharynx. Intestinal irritation and chronic constipation may cause the pharyngeal and laryngeal mucous membranes to become thickened and congested, and even the veins to present a varicose condition. Diseases of the liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs, pleurae, heart— in tact, almost any serious inflammatory lesion—will be manifested in the mucous membrane of the upper air-passages by some altera- tion in its function due to circulatory changes, which, if continued, may produce structural alteration.-. These systemic conditions illustrate the importance of urinary examination on the part of the specialist as well as the general practitioner. Primary lesions of the accessory sinuses may give rise to true or apparent nasal lesions. The nasal discharge coming direct from the sinuses will produce secondary irritation of the nasal mucous membrane. It is a well-known fact that in anemia there is edema, leakage of serum from the kidneys, and in some instances intestinal changes, as watery diarrhea. In these cases the respiratory mem- brane will also show a thin, slightly albuminous, watery exudate, This is especially true in children, and is due in a large number