BRONCHITIS, bron-ki'Us (from Gk. ,3p6y xoc, bronchos, trachea, windpipe, dp6yxta, bron chia, the bronchial tubes). A disease of the bronchial tubes. It includes: (1) an acute catarrhal process involving the larger bronchi oles: (2) an acute catarrhal process involving the smaller and capillary tubes; (3) a chronic catarrhal process involving both larger and small er tubes; (4) an acute fibrinous process: and (5) a chronic fibrinous process. It is caused by exposure to cold or wets irritants such as dust, coal, etc.; congestion dependent upon kid ney-disease, gout, or rheumatism, and even con stipation, as well as heart-disease. The symp toms of bronchitis are pain in the chest, fever at the outset or continuing, cough generally with expectoration of mucus, at first scanty, later, perhaps, profuse and sometimes containing pus, shortness of breath on exertion, and occasionally, in the fibrinous varieties, the coughing out of casts of the tubes, resembling branches, of mucoid material. Various physical signs are found in the chest; but examination by a com petent person alone will determine whether the attack be one of pleurisy, tuberculosis, pneu monia, or bronchitis. (See AUSCULTATION.) The acute form, when of the smaller tubes, may result in death. Many patients suffer with the disease every winter, and emphysema (q.v.) re
sults in these eases. In young infants lobular pneumonia (q.v.) regularly accompanies capil lary bronchitis, which is also a frequent occur rence in eases of epidemic influenza (la grippe). There are hereditary tendencies and individual predispositions which operate in some eases. On t-he approach of an attack the patient should take a hot bath, go to bed, take a purgative, and enter upon a milk diet till the physician arrives. In halation of hot-water vapor, through the small end of a funnel inverted over a vessel containing very hot water, relieves the irritation which causes coughing. Twenty drops of compound tincture of benzoin added to a pint of hot water will aid in making the inhalations soothing. Preparations of opium taken unadvisedly may do much harm. The daily cold sponge bath is an efficient preventive of bronchitis; it is best taken when the skin is warm and relaxed, immediately after rising from the bed in the morning. Ven tilation and the avoidance of overheating rooms in winter, the avoidance of wetting the shoes— either soles or uppers—and abstinence from over loading heart and kidneys with alcoholic bever ages. Will do much to prevent acute bronchitis. See iNFLI'ENZA. Consult Osler, Principles and Practice of Medicine (New York, 1901).