BRONCHITIS (Gk. bronchia, the bron chial tubes + itis, a suffix denoting inflamma• tion), inflammation and catarrh of the bron chi. It occurs in various forms in each of which the bronchitis may be acute or chronic. It may also as acute or chronic be a primary condition, known as non-specific, or second ary specific. The former results from ex posure to chemical or mechanical irritation, sudden change to lower temperature, inhala tion of dust, particularly dust containing vegetable organisms and probably bacterial agents ; the latter is due to the micro-organisms of other specific infectious diseases as measles, diphtheria, etc. It may also occur in other severe disease forms from the chemical of organic irritants deposited in the mouth and pharynx from which they find their way into the bronchi. Lessened resistance power in other diseases also predisposes to bronchitis. Acute bronchitis is frequently an exacerbation of the chronic condition, while again chronic bronchitis may develop from an acute attack.
The disease is particularly common in young children and in the aged with both of whom it assumes a serious form and often proves fatal. It is more common with men than with women since it is frequently due to occupa tional exposure.
The acute attack may be very slight, lasting only a day or two, but the usual duration is one or two weeks. Complete return to health may be long delayed. In a protracted course there may be frequent remissions and exacerbations depending upon the season and other external factors. Pneumonia may develop following an attack of bronchitis or the chronic form may lead to chronic symptoms in the respiratory organs or the heart. The symptoms of an at
tack are cough and mucopurulent expectoration. The cough may be dry for a day or two but this is followed by an abundant secretion or a scanty and viscid expectoration. Dyspncea is also present in the severer forms. In the milder forms the inflammation is limited to the larger bronchi. In other cases the symptoms are more marked and there is fever for several days or for one or two weeks. Capillary bronchitis or bronchitis of the finest bronchi is found usually as a primary condition only in children, espe cially in weak and ill-nourished children. In adults it may develop, however, as a secondary bronchitis in connection with other severe dis ease. There may be also a putrid or fetid bronchitis distinguished by the foul putrid char acter of the expectoration due to a decomposi tion of the mucous membrane. A rare form is a croupous bronchitis in which there is a for mation of extensive fibrinous patches in the bronchi which give rise to membranous casts in the expectoration. Aside from the treatment of the fever in the acute condition and the use of expectorants the treatment consists largely of warmth, light diet, warm diluent drinks, diaphoretic baths and inhalations. Prophylactic treatment for those subject to exacerbations of the chronic condition consists of seasonal change of climate and avoidance of external irritating conditions, with a moderate diet. Consult All butt's 'System of Medicine' ; Osler's (Prin ciples and Practice of Medicine' ; and Strum pell's (Textbook of Medicine.'