Aprosexia, convulsions and adenitis : dependent on pathological changes in the faucial, lingual, and pharyngeal tonsils / by Walker Downie.

  • Downie, J. Walker, (James Walker), 1855-1921.
Date:
1896
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Aprosexia, convulsions and adenitis : dependent on pathological changes in the faucial, lingual, and pharyngeal tonsils / by Walker Downie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    Adenitis. And, lastly, I desire to draw your attention to-night to the association of enlarged glands in the neck with pathological changes in the gland tissue in the buccal and pharyngeal cavities. As a result of my own experience, I would assert that hypertrophy of the faucial, lingual, and pharyngeal tonsils may exist, and may be so pronounced as to give rise to those symptoms dependent on obstruction in the upper respiratory tract, without any neighbouring glands being affected. But, on the other hand, where there is enlargement of the sub- maxillary and cervical glands in children and in young adults, distinct swelling of the tonsillar tissue in the naso-pharynx and at the base of the tongue will be found in the majority. From the former of these statements we may reason that hypertrophy per se does not necessarily cause swelling of the associated lymphatic glands. But hypertrophy predisposes to conditions which lead up to inflammation of the lymphatic glands communicating with these regions. The surface of the hypertrophied tissue is rough and irregular, presenting pits and prominences, and these surface irregularities favour the retention of particles of food and buccal and nasal secretions, along with foreign substances and numerous micro-organisms, in the neighbourhood of highty absorbent tissue by which these deleterious materials are readily taken up and passed on to the nearest lymphatic glands. From the description I gave of the isolated position of the faucial tonsils, you will readily believe me when I say that we rarely, if ever, have enlargement of the neighbouring lymphatic glands dependent on affections of those tonsils. The faucial tonsils maybe highly inflamed, they may have been inoculated with septic material, or they may be the site of malignant disease (primary) for a considerable time with- out there being any affection of the cervical or submaxillary glands as a consequence. Absorption from the base of the tongue, on the other hand, takes place most readily ; and if the material absorbed is contaminated with irritants or pathogenic micro-organisms, their absorption is manifested by enlargement of the glands near the bifurcation of the carotid. Inflammation of the dorsum of the tongue, such as may follow on the prick of a fish bone, or which may result from the presence of irritating or decomposing materials lodged in the hollows on the dorsum, is quickly followed by inflammation of those glands; and the
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