DISEASES OF THE PARENCHYMA OF THE LUNG. 



or mother. Caution and method are not uncommonly rewarded by sur- 

 prising success. 



The treatment of acquired atelectasis is the same as has been recom* 

 mended for capillary bronchitis, when the latter disease has led to the 

 obstruction of the finer bronchial twigs. In most cases, if we succeed 

 in overcoming the obstruction, air will reenter the collapsed vesicles. 



Compression of the lung requires mainly a judicious treatment of 

 the principal disease, and symptomatic treatment of the more threaten- 

 ing derangement of the circulation. 



CHAPTER V. <>... 



HYPER^EMIA OF THE LUNG PULMONARY HYPOSTASIS (EDEMA OF 



THE LUNG. 



ETIOLOGY. Hyperaemia of the lung must be regarded as of two 

 kinds active and passive. For the first, Virchow has proposed the 

 name of "fluxion" "rush of blood" (Wallung), while he calls the 

 passive form stagnation of the blood (Blutstockung). These names 

 are the more desirable, since the words active and passive do not quite 

 correspond to the physiological processes which give rise to the two 

 forms of disease. Fluxion, indeed, depends more upon an increased, 

 accelerated afflux ; stagnation upon an impeded, retarded efflux from the 

 capillaries, in whose contents we are especially interested, as it is upon 

 the latter that both function and nutrition of organs depend. 



I. Fluxion, or determination of blood to the lungs, is observed 

 1. When the action of the heart is increased. We often see 

 young persons at the period of puberty, particularly narrow-chested, 

 overgrown subjects, in whom the most trifling causes, as the moderate 

 use of stimulants, slight bodily efforts, and the like, produce palpitation 

 of the heart, with considerable increase in the force of its impulse, 

 accompanied by symptoms of pulmonary hyperaemia. But even with- 

 out cardiac erythism, and where there is no special predisposition, over- 

 violent bodily efforts, immoderate use of spirits, great mental excite- 

 ment, rage, etc., may give rise to dangerous hyperaemia of the lung, 

 together with increased and accelerated action of the heart. There are 

 cases, unfortunately, as scandalous as they are of frequent recurrence, in 

 which delirious persons, or patients with delirium tremens, having been 

 brutally strapped to their bed, and intrusted to a rude nurse, are found 

 iead the next morning, with bloody foam upon their lips. Such a case 

 reveals, upon autopsy, an intense hypersemia of the lung and pulmonary 

 oedema, as the sole cause of death. Fhe symptoms are difficult of ex- 

 planation. In most of the organs in the greater or systemic circulation 



