68 PRACTICE OF PHYSIC. 



monia Notha, that these catarrhs prove fatal to elderly 

 persons. 



This disease attacks most commonly persons somewhat ad- 

 vanced in life, especially those of a full phlegmatic habit ; those 

 who have before been frequently liable to catarrhal affections ; 

 and those who have been much addicted to the large use of fer- 

 mented and spirituous liquors. 



The disease commonly comes on with the same symptoms as 

 other febrile diseases ; that is, with alternate chills and heats ; 

 and the symptoms of pyrexia are sometimes sufficiently evident ; 

 but in most cases these are very moderate, and in some hardly 

 at all appear. With the first attack of the disease, a cough 

 comes on, usually accompanied with some expectoration ; and in 

 many cases, there is a frequent throwing up of a considerable 

 quantity of a viscid opaque mucus. The cough often becomes 

 frequent and violent ; is sometimes accompanied with a rending 

 headach ; and as in other cases of cough, a vomiting is some- 

 times excited by it. The face is sometimes flushed ; and some 

 giddiness or drowsiness often attends the disease. A difficulty 

 of breathing, with a sense of oppression, or straitening in the 

 chest, with some obscure pains there, and a sense of lassitude 

 over the whole body, very constantly attend this disease. The 

 blood drawn in this disease shows a bufiy surface, as in other 

 inflammatory affections. 



The disease has often the appearance only of a more violent 

 catarrh, and after the employment of some remedies, is entirely 

 relieved by a free and copious expectoration. In other cases, 

 however, the feverish and catarrhal symptoms are at first very 

 moderate, and even slight ; but after a few days these symptoms 

 suddenly become considerable, and put an end to the patient's 

 life when the indications of danger were before very little evi- 

 dent. 



CCCLXXX. From the different circumstances in which this 

 disease appears, the pathology of it is difficult. It is certainly 

 often no other at first than a catarrhal affection, which, in elderly 

 persons, is frequently attended with a large afflux of mucus to 

 the lungs ; and it was on this footing that Sydenham considered 

 it as only differing in degree from his Febris hyemalis. A 

 catarrh, however, is strictly an affection of the mucous mem- 



