Diseases of the nose and its accessory cavities.

  • Watson, W. Spencer (William Spencer), 1836-1906.
Date:
1875
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Diseases of the nose and its accessory cavities. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    the constitutional dyscrasia was favourable to its development. Scrofula, and the furuncular cachexia, are the most common forms of constitutional debility in which purulent inflammation of the antrum is likely to occur. Syphilis does not appear to be commonly associated with it, but the abuse of mercury is thought to have a predisposing influence, though the evidence on this ])oi]it is -.cry insufiicient. Abscess of the antrum has been caused in a newly-born infant from injuries received during parturition, the face having presented itself under the pubes (Druitt's Surgeon's Vade Mecum, p. 431; and Medical Times and Gazette, ^.S., vol. iv, p. 860). I have myself seen two cases of abscess of the antrum in very young children, in whom I had reason to suppose the mischief was connected with injuries received during parturition. Symptoms.—The physical signs of suppuration in this cavity will necessarily differ according to the exciting cause, and when there is a means of exit for the discharge, either through the natural opening into the nasal fossse, or through a socket of a tooth, or a fistulous opening elsewhere, there will not be the pain, swelling and distension which are usually the accompaniments of a confined abscess. In some cases the only indication of suppuration going on in the antrum, is the ozsenic stench and the occasional discharge of pus. Trousseau relates that he was consulted, on account of ozeena, by a gentleman of forty years of age, who was in good health, except for this source of discomfort. When told to close his mouth and breathe through his nose. Trousseau could detect no bad odour. This gentleman then said that he could produce the stench at will; he sat down, with his head inclined very much downwards, and discharged into his pocket-handkerchief a large quantity of horribly stinking pus. There was probably some necrosed bone in the antrum with suppuration, but with- out occlusion of the antral orifice into the nasal fossae. This case may be taken as typical of the class, there being no pain nor distension, and no external objective signs whatever of the presence of pus in the antral cavity ; occasional or constant