Inflammatory Diseases of the Upper Air Passages—Their Treatment. (Continued.)

Otago Witness, Issue 2651, 4 January 1905, Page 68

Inflammatory Diseases of the Upper Air Passages— Their Treatment. (Continued.)

Should the. disease tend to become chronic . — that is, last for a considerable time, the ; word being derived from the Greek "chronos," meaning "time" — it may be ne- : cesaary to use further means. One of > these is chloride of zinc solution applied . to the parts in the shape of smoke from . an "atomiser," or by the d ; rect applica- ', tion to toe part by means of cotton wool, ' Soaked in the loiion, in the first instance - fixed to a, wire bent at the point. The - wire should be bent to nearly a right angle > about half an inch from its point ; the cot- ■ ton wool should be teased out so that it s forms a thm layer, and, after moistening > the wire, it should) be twisted into the i wool, so that the wool projects beyond the

f wire, and forms a mop, while the portion 1 j fastened round tho bent part of the wire j should be twisted firmly. The mop at the end of the wire takes up a considerable amount of lotion, and it forms a cushion, protecting the tender tissues from injury by the point of the wire. After j it is soaked, it should be passed to the back of tlie throat with the- point upwards; the j point should then be passed behind tho middle of the soft palate — the little tongue in the middle of the soft palate called the j "uvula' — amd passing it up as high as you can, it should be gently, pressed first to one side and then to the other, or a separate application can ba made for each side. The parts more directly in view may b& "painted" over similarly, but it is not often \ery necessary when the former method is adopted, since the solution falls by gravitation from the higher level to 'which it has been put, and this is applied to the whole of the throat. A solution suitable for this method may be made as follows: — R- — Zinc ohloridi lOgr, glycerini 2dr, aquae ad loz. Mix, and shake the bottle each time before using it, as the salt does not dissolve readily. This samt method of application may be used instead of the "atomiser" method advised last week, or it may be used to supplement that. The latter method is more effective in some --«ases ; it is much less expensive, and,' provided J it is done thoroughly, is very satisfactory. When swelling of the inflamed parts of \ the air passages is striking in degree, it may involve more active methods of removal, since it is essential to health that breaithing should be freely possible through the nose. „ This -blocking is most common in childhood, from overgrowth of a tonsillike tissue which is normally ' present at the vault of the pharynx, and is apt to form a 7a 7 thick.. velvety pad behind the nose and .even down to th* level of the mouth. This -tissue is soft, and easily removed by scraping, and, failing being checked by the means we "Have advised above, this should he done. It may also be necessary to cle"stroy some part of the swollen mucous membrane covering the nasal bones, if this prevents free breathing. — Liverpool Mer-