A manual of diseases of the throat and nose : including the pharynx, larynx, trachea, œsophagus, nose and naso-pharynx / by Morell Mackenzie.

  • Mackenzie, Morell, 1837-1892.
Date:
1884
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A manual of diseases of the throat and nose : including the pharynx, larynx, trachea, œsophagus, nose and naso-pharynx / by Morell Mackenzie. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    41/610 (page 29)
    almost always experiences great thirst, and being nnable to get relief by drinking, he is much tormented by this distressing symptom. The earlier writers lay great stress on hiccough as an nnfading accompaniment of this malady, but it has not been pi-esent in any of the cases that have come under my notice, ’^^^len the inflammation is slight, it may give rise to spasm of the oesophagus, a condition which will l)e hereafter considered. If the mischief extend to the ary-epiglottic folds, dyspnoea may supervene. In adults the constant expnition of frothy or glairy mucus is very charac- teristic. In all my five cases this symptom was present. The general symptoms are those of irritative fever, but not of a high degree ; in no case that I have met with has the temperatnre been above 102° F., and the pulse has not exceeded 130. Occasionally, however, there is some delirium. Ifleuland ^ himself sutt’ered from this complication, and it was present in one of my cases. It is probable that in some instances tin; inflammation lie- comes really pumlent in character, but this has not occurnal in my own experience, and I have not met with a single recorded example of idiopathic origin in Avhich it was ob- served. Should the inflammation, however, result in the formation of an abscess, rigors occur, and the local symptoms generally become intensified for the time. When the abscess biimts, blood and pus are exjiectorated, and a ra[)id recovery usually takes place. When the disease is confined to a par- ticular portion of the gullet, its situation cun be ascertained by auscultation, the (esophageal sound abruptly terminating immediately below the point of inflammation. ^^’^len once a favtairable change lias set in, convales- cence is gemwally pretty rajiid, although Mondiere asserts that he was obliged to take his food cold for many months afbir recovery from the acute sym]itoms. If, as is usually the ca.se, the inflammation gra(lually subsides, the difficulty of swallowing and other synijitoms pa.ss off; but if ulceration should bake place, the .syniiitoms pcrsi.st in full force, the pain becoming more severii and more con.stant. If the expectoration is freijuently tinged with lilood, ulceration may be suspected. —It is probable that in acute re.so])hagitis the usual phenomena of catarrhal inflammation of mucous mem- brane are present—that is to .say, then! is great redness of the membrane, tog(!ther with sncculeuce of the epithelium and > Log. cit.