What are the symptoms of chronic

bronchitis?

The major symptom is a cough Bwhich is usually worse in the mornings, when the bronchi have not drained overnight. The patient produces clear, mucous sputum. The sputum becomes thicker and / yellow if any additional infection occurs.

The constant, vigorous coughing may break the fine tissues of the lungs and produce a condition called emphysema. A patient with emphysema tires quickly and be­comes breathless after exercise. Heart failure may occur. See also

Emphysema; heart failure.

Asthma, obesity, and smoking all complicate and worsen chronic bronchitis. When these conditions are treated as well, the bronchitis usually also improves. Q: Can chronic bronchitis be treated A: A close watch is kept on any colas or respiratory infections. The phy sician usually prfcscilnes antibiot­ics at the first sign of a bronchitic attack to prevent the possibility of secondary bacterial infection and further damage to the bronchi and lungs. Breathing exercises, and sometimes postural drainage, can help to keep the bronchi clear. The physician will also recommend stopping smoking and, if possible, a change of working conditions. See also postural drainage. Bronchogram (brong'ko gram) is an X-

^гаУ picture that shows the structure of the lungs. It is taken after a dye, which ^ls opaque to X rays, has been intro­ duced into the lining of the windpipe (trachea), from where it spreads down-

Bronchioles become in­flamed as they clog with pus and mu­cus, resulting in one or more of the fol­lowing symptoms: coughing, chest pains, fever, blood-streaked sputum, chills, distended abdomen, and diffi­culty in breathing.

Treatment is with antibiotic drugs and bed rest. Hospitalization for diag­nostic tests may be necessary for some patients.

See also pneumonia. Bronchoscopy (brong kos'kd pej is an examination of the trachea (windpipe) and the lungs. The trachea is examined prior to the removal of objects that have been accidentally inhaled, such as peanuts, or before a tracheal specimen is taken for a culture or biopsy.

A bronchoscope is the instrument used in a bronchoscopy. There are two types of bronchoscopes in use today. The first type consists of a long, inflexi­ble tube with a light at one end; the second and newer type utilizes fiberop­tic technology.

See alsofiberoptics. Bronchus (brong'kas) is either of two tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. The bronchi branch out from the lower end of the windpipe (trachea) and separate, with one going to each lung. They are kept permanently open by rings of cartilage and are lined with special hair-like cells that sweep dust and mucus upward toward the throat. The bronchi themselves divide further into narrower branches and finally into the extremely narrow bronchioles.

See alsobronchiole. Brucellosis (brii sa lo'sis) is an infec­tious disease, principally of cattle, goats, pigs, dogs, and occasionally of humans. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella, which are found in the milk of infected animals. Human beings contract the disease by consum­ing infected milk or meat, especially from cattle, or by handling diseased an­imals. In humans, brucellosis is more commonly known as undulant fever or

Pneumonia (nu тбп'уэ) is infla tion of the lungs, usually caused^ bacterial, viral, or fungal infecti0 from inhaled matter. If infection * °Г spreads down the bronchioles, it i known as bronchopneumonia. If QS, one lung is inflamed, it is called lob? pneumonia. See also BR0NCH0PNEUf.ar nia.

Before the development of antibiot drugs in the 1940's, pneumonia killed

about one-third of its victims. Today with proper medical treatment, over 95 percent of all patients recover. But pneumonia still ranks as a leading cause of death in the United States. Q: How does a pneumonia inflamma.

tion develop? A: In most cases, a person gets pneu­monia by inhaling small droplets that contain harmful viruses or bacteria. These droplets are sprayed into the air when an in­fected person coughs or sneezes. Many cases of pneumonia result when bacteria normally present in the mouth, nose, and throat invade the lungs. The body's defense mechanisms ordinarily prevent these bacteria from reaching the lungs, but if the defenses weaken enough, severe pneumonia may de­velop. Such infections occur most often among patients hospitalized for some other serious illness. Con­ditions that increase the risk of pneumonia include emphysema, heart disease, alcoholism, and

diseases that weaken the ° dv'^s resistance to infection. Chil­ li⁰ n and the elderly also have a grater chance of getting pneu-

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