CONSUMPTION-DR. LONG.
DR. JOHNSON TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE SPECTATOR-LETTER 11.
SIR-Before I advert to the real or pretended cures of consumption by Mr. Long, it may not be amiss to say a few words on the nature of the disease itself ; which will enable the public to judge how far Mr. Long, a man necessarily unacquainted with the structure of the human frame or its morbid conditions, can possibly be qualified to adapt the remedies to the diseases. Pulmonary Consumption is, in nineteen cases out of twenty, the consequence of TUBERCLES in the lungs. These tubercles are round white bodes, or morbid growths, of various sizes, from that of a pin's head (and even much smaller) to that of an almond, or still larger. Unfortunately for mankind, these tubercles are sometimes found in the lungs at the very moment of our mrto-grow with our growth-ripen into what may be called abscessesdischarge their contents into the air-passages (forming the purulent expectoration)-and;destroy life by hectic fever and progressive emaciation. While these tubercles are neither large nor numerous, they may occasion very little inconvenience ; and it is only when they are excited into activity by repkeated colds, by inflammations, by bad diet and clothing, or by a strong nereditary disposition, that they become dangerous by softening down, and forming ulcers or excavations in the lungs, attended with cough, expectoration, fever, emaciation, and the too well-known symptoms of Pulmonary l',onsumption. These tubercles are hardly ever single. They vary in number as well as in size, from a few to many hundreds ; occupying corresponditm. proportions of one or both lungs. Now, they never advance simultaneously. One or more turbercles will be dormant or quiescent ; others will be changing front a hard to a soft state; while others, advanced to the last stage, will be discharging matter into the air-cell, producing purulent expectoration. Yet these different states and stages require different, nay, diametrically opposite modes of treatment. Those in the early stages are almost always attended with an inflammatory condition of the neighbouring sound parts of lungs, requiring local or general bleeding, &c.; while those tubercles that are broken down and wasting the constitution by fever and expectoration, require cautious nutriment and support. But, in almost every case of consumption, there are tubercles in both the above conditions ; a fact totally unknown to the ignorant empiric. Be, directing his attention to the effects of the advanced tubercles, gives animal food and every kind of nutriment, by which their condition may be bettered for the moment ; whilst he unconsciously and undesignedly augments the growth of the latent or unripe tubercles, and thus lays the foundation for extensive and irremediable disorganization of the lungs! This is the true key to the supposed cures of consumption by Alr. Long. Totally unacquainted with the nature, the progress, the coexistence of different tubercles in the lungs, he has one routine treatment for all. He may, perhaps, in some cases, arrest the effects of sonic of the more advanced tubercles, by enormous meals of animal food ; while by such regimen, he must infallibly accelerate the progress of those tubercles which are quiescent, and which, by a more judicious management, might remain so.
The real cure of consumption is a process with which Mr. Low't' is as little acquainted as he is with the inhabitants of the Georgium Sidus. It has been revealed by careful dissection of those who, having had consumption, got well, and ultimately died of other diseases. It is a process of Naturelittle assisted by Art, but very frequently prevented by the rude interference of the ignorant prescriber. Where a tubercle, or congeries of tubercles, has broken down and formed an ulcer, or excavation in the lungs-where there are not a great number of other tubercles advancing in the same pathwhere the hereditary disposition to consumption is not very strong-where Vie individual is in circumstances to attend tti au (Zeta and MI= conifertsen and where Dr. Long, or any other doctor, does not rudely attempt to heal up the existing ulceration by outrageous stimulation, nourishment, and improper medicines, Nature occasionally sets a boundary to the disease-lines the excavation with a smooth membrane-converts the purulent expectoration gradually into a mucous secretion-and restores the phthisical invalid to health. This is the real cure of consumption*. It may be assisted by mild and judicious means-it is far more frequently prevented by empiricism and
ignorant interference. • I shall defer the further consideration of this subject till my next letter.
Sufiblk-place, Pall Mall, 2d October, 1828. JAMES JOHNSON, XI) P. S. In that letter I shall pay my respects to the Editor of the Literary Gazette. I am perfectly aware of the line of defence which the literary and pictorial doctors (par nubile fratrum !) will set up. I left it purposely open for them ; because they will plunge themselves deeper in the mire at every step.
* An instance was recently afforded of this kind of cure in the person of the late Dr. Cox. He (lied of disease of the heart, within these two months. He was examined by Dr. Hodgkin, Mr. Morrah, and myself. We found a tubercular excavation completely healed. His family was consumptive, and he himself must have aboured under the disease several years ago.-J. J.
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