BROmODOPOBM. 



BRONCHITIS. 



BROMIODOFORM (C-HBr,!). This compound is obtained by 

 treaUng iodoform with bromine. It is a colourless liquid, which 

 solidifies at 82* to a white mass like camphor. It posesses a pene- 

 trating odour, and a saccharine taste. 

 BROUOBENZOIC ACID. [Buuoic ACID.] 

 BROXOBItrciNE. [Nfx VOICA, ALKALOIDS or.] 

 BBOMOCINCHON INK. [CiscHOHA, ALKALOIDS or ; Cwcnoxixt] 

 BROMOFORK (C.HBr,). This compound is obtained by distilling 

 a mixture of bromide of lime with alcohol and water. It U a heavy 

 liquid, its specific gravity being 2'10. It is volatile. By potash it is 

 converted into bromide of potassium and formate of potash. 

 BROMOSAl.K Yl.ir ACID. [SAHCTUC ACID.] 

 BRONAPHTA8E (C M H,Br) is one of the numerous compounds 

 obtained from naphthaline. It is formed by the direct action of bromine 

 on naphthaline, care being taken not to add the bromine in excess, 

 which would produce bnmaplUat. Bronaphtase is a colourless oil, de- 

 composed by chlorine and bromine. 



BROXAPHTESE (C^^LBrJ is formed by the action of bromine on 

 MpMK.Hiw. or on brimajJitatf. It is a crystallisable solid, and forms 

 ssveral compounds with bromine.] 



BBONAPHTISE (C^H.Br,) is obtained by heating the bromide of 



BROXAPHTOSE (C w H.BrJ, a compound with this formula, bos 

 been obtained in two forms, both cryetallisable. 



BRONCHITIS, inflammation of the bronchi, that is, the tubes 

 which convey air to the lungs. The respiratory organs consist of the 

 windpipe, or the air-tube ; of clusters of minute bags called air-cells, 

 which constitute the proper substance of the lungs, and of a delicate 

 but firm membrane which encloses the lungs, as in a sheath, termed 

 the pleura. Each of these component parts of the respiratory apparatus 

 is subject to its own peculiar diseases. Hence the diseases of the 

 respiratory organs are arranged into three classes: first, into those 

 which affect the air-tube ; secondly, into those which affect the proper 

 substance of the lung [PNEUMONIA] ; and, thirdly, into those which 

 affect its investing membrane, the pleura. [PLEURITIS.] 



The air-tube or windpipe is divided into several portions. Each of 

 these portions possesses a peculiar structure, and performs a specific 

 function. Of these divisions the first U termed the larynx, which 

 constitutes the principal organ of the voice, and is situated at the 

 upper part of the neck. Immediately continuous with the larynx is a 

 large tube called the trachea, situated at the fore part of the neck. 

 Opposite the third vertebra of the back the trachea divides into two 

 great branches, named the bronchi, one branch for each lung; the 

 right bronchus going to the right lung, and left bronchus to the left 

 lung. 



Each of the bronchi at the place where it enters the lung, subdivides 

 into several branches which penetrate the substance of the lung, where 

 they again divide, subdivide, and spread out after the manner of the 

 branching of a tree. Successively diminishing in size as they sub- 

 divide, the bronchi at length form an infinite number of minute tubes, 

 which at their ultimate terminations dilate into the little bags termed 

 the air-cells of the lungs. The larynx, the trachea, the bronchi and 

 their ramifications, together with the cavities of the nose, the mouth, 

 and the pharynx, are all classed together under the common name of 

 the air-passages. All these part* are lined by a membrane, which from 

 the nature of its secretion is termed mucous membrane. In every 

 part of the body the mucous membrane possesses the same essential 

 structure, and is subject to analogous diseases. Accordingly, although 

 the structure of the mucous membrane of the air-passages is somewhat 

 modified in the nose, in the fauces, in the larynx, in the trachea, in 

 the bronchi, and in the air-cells, according to the different functions 

 which it has to perform in these different organs, yet as it possesses in 

 H* whole extent the same essential organic characters, so the diseases 

 to which it is subject are perfectly similar. All these diseases may 

 be included under congestion, inflammation, haemorrhage (effusion of 

 blood from its surface), emphysema (the dilation of the tubes), and 

 polypi (concretions growing from its surface, which obstruct and some- 

 times nearly obliterate the tubes). 



Of these itisnsses inflammation U by far the most common and the 

 most important. Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the air- 

 passages, is divided into species, according to the nature of the secretion 

 in which the inflammatory action terminates. Thus the inflammation 

 may terminate in a secretion which does not concrete after its forma- 

 tion ; this U termed ratarrhal inflammation. It may terminate hi a 

 secretion which instantly concretes as it is formed ; this is called 

 pUttit Inflammation or croup : or it may terminate in the destruction 

 of UM mucoos membrane and the formation of ulcers ; this is termed 



Catarrhs! inflammation, or that in which the inflammatory action 

 produces a secretion which does not concrete, is again subdivided 

 principally according to the colour and consistence of the matter 

 secreted. If UM secretion be of a yellow colour, and not tenacious, 

 the disease is called murrmi ratarrh ; if the secretion be transparent 

 sad viscous, the iiiisn is termed pituiimu ratarrh. When the inflam- 

 mation is confined, as it often is. to that portion of the membrane which 

 Hoes UM noes, it constitutes UM dlssssn commonly known under the 

 asms of taU or ealarrk, the technical name of which is coryta. \\li.-n 

 UM inflammation extends to the mucous membrane which lines the 



fauces, tonsils, and pharynx, the disnisn is called cynaiuAe 

 and fkaryoffea. When the inflammation is seated in that portion of 

 the mucous membrane which lines the larynx, the disease is called 

 lariitiijitit ; and when it affects the mucous membrane of the bronchial 

 tubes and their ramifications, it constitutes the dismsn termed brottfJiitit. 



While a common function is performed by the air-passage from its 

 commencement at the mouth and nostrils to its termination in the 

 air-cells, namely, the transmission of air to and from the lungs, addi- 

 tional and very different functions are performed by the several portions 

 of thin extended tube. Accordingly inflammation of the membrane 

 that lines it produces widely different effects, according to the portion 

 of the membrane in which the disease is seated ; giving rise to the 

 distinct forms of disease just enumerated. The description of these 

 several diseases is given under their respective names; the disease 

 named bronchitis is that at present to be treated of. 



Medical writers distinguish between what they term the state of 

 congestion and that of inflammation. In congestion the blood-vessels 

 are merely loaded with a preternatural quantity of blood ; in inflam- 

 mation the blood-vessels, besides being loaded with a preternatural 

 quantity of blood, are in a state of diseased action, which, without any 

 precise knowledge having been acquired of the nature of that action. H 

 termed inflammatory. Simple congestion of the mucous membrane of 

 the bronchi is a frequent affection, which may be induced by any cause 

 that impedes the return of the blood to the left side of the heart. If 

 suddenly and intensely produced, which sometimes though rarely hap- 

 pens, it may prove fatal with all the symptoms of asphyxia [ASPHYXIA]. 

 Several cases are on record in which persons were seized suddenly, 

 without any apparent cause, with extreme difficulty of breathing, 

 which progressively increased until it terminated in death ; and on the 

 examination of the body, no morbid appearance could be detected, 

 excepting a general congestion of blood in the capillary vessels of the 

 mucous membrane, of the bronchi and its ramifications. In a slighter 

 form, congestion of the mucous membrane of the bronchi is a constant 

 attendant on various dinnasen, more especially fever of every type, 

 whether common continued fever, or typhus, or scarlet fever, or 

 measles, or small-pox. In the state of congestion the mucous mem- 

 brane is preternaturally red, the tinge of colour varying according to 

 the intensity of the affection from a pale to a brownish or purplish 

 red. 



When the mucous membrane of the bronchi is in a state of active 

 inflammation, it is of a bright red or crimson colour. This inflamma- 

 tory redness may be partial or general ; but it more commonly affects 

 particular parts of the membrane than its entire surface. Sometimes 

 the redness is confined to the larger bronchial tubes, or it may be 

 limited to the smaller. Sometimes it exists in the bronchus of one 

 side only ; at other times it equally affects both bronchi. 



Two consequences result from the congestion and inflammation of 

 the membrane : first, the swelling and thickening of the membrane, in 

 proportion to which must of course be an obstruction to the passage 

 of the air ; and, secondly, an increase in the quantity of its mucous 

 secretion. This increase and change in the secretion ore chiefly the 

 result of inflammation, in some cases of which affection the secretion 

 becomes so excessive as completely to fill up the bronchial tubes, and 

 thereby to occasion suffocation. 



The trachea and the bronchial tubes being mere conduits of air, the 

 disturbance of function produced by the inflammation of this portion 

 of the air-passage must of course relate chiefly to impeded transmission 

 of the air. Accordingly difficulty of breathing is the most prominent 

 symptom of inflammation seated in this portion of the air-tube. This 

 difficulty of breathing U proportionate to the obstruction to the passage 

 of the air, which is proportionate to the degree of the swelling of the 

 membrane, and to the extent of membrane involved in the inflamma- 

 tory Election. If the inflammation be limited to a portion only of a 

 single tube, the difficulty of breathing will not be great ; if it affect 

 the whole tubes of one side, the difficulty of breathing will be con- 

 siderable ; if it affect all the tubes of both lungs, the difficulty of 

 breathing may be so great as to prove fatal. Together with impeded 

 respiration, there is a feeling of tightness and oppression across the 

 chest, accompanied with a sense of heat, sometimes amounting to a 

 burning sensation, often referred by the patient to the sternum. Cough 

 is always present. The cough at first is dry, because the membrane 

 is dry ; but the secretion soon becomes more abundant than natural. 

 The matter first secreted is acrid ; and this acridness diminishes as 

 the quantity of the secretion increases ; and when the matter secreted 

 assumes a yellow colour, it is always quite bland ; and then the cough 

 is loose and the expectoration free. 



When the inflammation is seated in the mucous membrane that lines 

 the cavities of the nose and pharynx, the morbid changes which the 

 membrane undergoes during this process are in some degree manifest to 

 the eye. It is obvious that the part affected becomes redder than natural ; 

 that Its blood-vessels appear larger, more numerous, and more turgid 

 with blood ; at the same time the membrane swells and becomes thicker 

 and firmer than natural. At first it is perfectly dry ; for the first effect 

 of the state of inflammation is the suppression of secretion : but soon 

 a transparent thin and acrid fluid is poured out by the inflamed vessels, 

 v In. li irritates and even excoriates all the parts with which it comes in 

 contact. After flowing for a certain time, varying from a few hours to 

 two or three days, according to the intensity of the disease, this morbid 



