The Science of Therapeutics - Classical Homeopathy Online

Full text of "The Science of Therapeutics: According to the Principles of Homeopath...Page 185 of 653Dyspnoea is likewise occasioned by bronchiectasia and by the anomalous conditions of the heart excited by chronic catarrh. Theworst is that the morbid conditions occasioned by the disease, intheir turn feed and aggravate the exciting cause.In unimportant cases the physical diagnosis does not reveal anyabnormal changes. The percussion remains normal as long as thecatarrh has not given rise to any material changes such as atelectasia, emphysema, etc. In a violent attack, auscultation alwaysyields abnormal results. If the secretion is scanty and auscultatis instituted immediately after, or during a paroxysm of cough, aloud inspiratory murmur is heard over the whole thorax and aprolonged and loud expiration with wheezing ; rSLes are very seldom heard, or, if they are heard, the bullse are fine; between thparoxysms, the respiratory murmur may be normal over the largerportion of the thorax ; crepitation or a fine wheezing is only hein detached spots. If the secretion is copious, coarse as well asrales, with sibilant and buzzing sounds, are heard all the time,most loudly previous to a paroxysm of cough.In the beginning the general organism is not affected by thecomplaint ; even tolerably severe forms of this disease are bornea long time without any perceptible detriment. Very seldom, andonly if the secretion is very profuse, emaciation gradually supervenes> in spite of which the patients may live, however, for manyyears. The greatest danger is occasioned by the influence exertedBronchitis Chronica. 213by the impeded respiration over the circulation. ' The functionsthe heart become abnormal; the deficiency of blood in the lungsand its imperfect aeration either cause passive hj'persemias of tliver and a corresponding chronic intestinal catarrh, or disturbain the functions of the spleen or kidneys, or passive hypersemiathe brain with its inherent dangers, so that it is not without rethat a raised thorax and short neck are designated as an apoplecthabit.If the catarrh has become an inveterate disease, it is apt to lasto the end of life; but that such a noble organ as the lungs shoube capable of bearing for so long a time even a severe degree ofapparently dangerous disease, is indeed remarkable. It is notmarasmus the patient need dread, but the constant succession ofacute attacks which indeed are rarely immediately fatal, but mayeasily superinduce oedema of the luiigs ; most patients die of thdisease amid symptoms of general dropsy. If an acute attack assumes the form of capillary bronchitis or pneumonia, the lives ofsuch patients are indeed in extreme peril.In recent cases the prognosis is not altogether unfavorable so faas a cure is concerned ; life is very seldom endangered by such adisease. The chances of course depend upon what structuralchanges have taken place, and to what extent. The worst omen isheart-disease, which almost always terminates in dropsy in a veryshort time.Treatment. Even under homoeopathic treatment inveteratepulmonary catarrhs are very seldom cured ; nor will this treatmenhttp://www.archive.org/stream/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog/sciencetherapeu00kafkgoog_djvu.txt