-CHRONIC RHINITIS CHRONIC DISCHARGE FROM THE
NOSE

Some children have a nasal discharge during all of their childhood. It
is usually worse during the winter months. It may be a thin, watery
discharge or a thick, nasty, yellow discharge.

It is a condition that is very frequently neglected even by the family
physician. This is unfortunate because it may lead to serious disease,
permanent damage sometimes being done to the hearing, the speech, the
smell, and to the lungs of the child.

It may be caused by adenoids; disease of the bones or tissues in the
nose; foreign bodies in the nose; or it may occur in children whose
nutrition is bad. It may result from frequent acute attacks of "cold in
the head." It also occurs in other less important conditions. The
foreign bodies which usually cause a chronic nasal discharge
are,--buttons, peas, beans, beads, paper balls, flies and bugs,
cherry-stones, small pieces of coal, or stone, cork or other material. A
child gets hold of a shoe-button for example and pushes it into its
nostrils. In the effort to get it out the child pushes it
further in. It may or may not cause pain at the time, and it may be
overlooked, but shortly the mother will notice a discharge from one
nostril. This discharge becomes thick and foul and when an investigation
is made the button is found embedded firmly in the nose. It is sometimes
quite difficult to get the button out and this should always be done by
a physician.

Treatment.--Remove the cause first then treat the catarrh. If it is a
product of a constitutional disease that causes general poor health,
such as tuberculosis, syphilis, or scrofula, the child will need
"building up" and a decided change of climate. Foreign bodies must be
removed, adenoids taken out, large tonsils excised, and malformations of
the nasal bones operated upon. The catarrh will in many cases be cured
by removing its cause; if, however, it should persist it must be treated
for some time with appropriate solutions. These solutions and the
directions as to the method of giving them must be given by a physician,
because there is great danger of carrying the disease to deeper
structures if given wrongly.

SUMMARY:--

1st.--A chronic discharge from the nose is a sign that something is
wrong and should be carefully and thoroughly investigated.

2nd.--The cause can usually be found out and the proper treatment will
cure it.

3rd.--If the condition is neglected it may ruin t