Diseases of the upper respiratory tract : the nose, pharynx and larynx / by P. Watson Williams.

  • Williams, P. Watson (Patrick Watson), 1863-1938.
Date:
1901
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Diseases of the upper respiratory tract : the nose, pharynx and larynx / by P. Watson Williams. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    (3,) Chronic infectious diseases, tuberculosis, and syphilis. Pus in the antrum has been known to be caused b)^ the presence of a malignant growth. (4,) The invasion of a sinus by insects, larvje, etc., has several times caused a frontal sinusitis. Dochmeins found anchylosto- mum duodenale in one patient's frontal sinus. Harke has found particles of tobacco in the antra of snuff-takers. (5,) Occlusion of the ostium by mucous polypi. We must bear in mind that polypi and a polypoid condition of the mucous membrane around the apertures is usually the result rather than the cause of empyema. Two cases of empyema of the maxillary sinus following plugging of the nasal foss?e for epistaxis are reported b}^ Saint-Hilaire. (6,) Pus descending from one sinus and entering or infecting another. Thus in a large percentage of cases antral emp3^ema is the direct result of pus descending from the frontal sinus passing into the antrum ; and some cases of obscure origin are jorobably due to simple catarrhal secretion in excess gaining entrance into the antrum and there undergoing decomposition. (7,) Injuries. Naturally it is the frontal and ethmoidal cells and antrum of Highmore which most often become affected, being most liable to injury from blows on the face and nose. Two cases of antral empyema following section of the infra- orbital nerve are reported b}' Langenbeck. (8,) Mercurial ptyalism and lead poisoning may cause antral empyema. Wagner records a case due to chronic lead poisoning in which the mucous membrane of the antrum showed a peculiar blueish-gray hypertrophy, scrapings of which gave a character- istic reaction with sulphide of sodium. Phosphorus workers are liable to inflammatory disease and necrosis in the antrum and ethmoid cells. (9,) Some cases of antral empyema are undoubtedly secondary to caries of the teeth, the sockets of which project into the floor of the antral cavit}-, but it is very difficult to determine exactly what proportion must be attributed to dental caries inasmuch as there are relatively few cases in which carious teeth are not ]jresent, which from their position could have had no causal influence, and there is little reason to doubt that chronic antral empyema is often itself a cause of caries of the teeth corres- ponding to the affected cavity.