Ileal stasis / by Lewis Gregory Cole, M.D. New York.

  • Lewis Gregory Cole
Date:
[1914?]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Ileal stasis / by Lewis Gregory Cole, M.D. New York. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Reprinted from The Canadian Medical Association Journal, November, 1914 ILEAL STASIS By Lewis Gregory Cole, M<D. New York YME are indebted to Sir Arbuthnot Lane and Dr. Jordan for the • * interest which has been elicited in this country and abroad in the question of intestinal stasis. It cannot be denied that such a condition exists and is the cause of a certain group of symptoms; and it is also true that in many instances practitioners and sur¬ geons have failed to recognize it as such. The extreme theories of Mr. Lane and some of his disciples have served their purpose in exciting the antagonism of conservative observers, and have re¬ sulted indirectly in the discussion of this subject at the present meeting. While I may have a very definite opinion as to whether or not intestinal stasis is a cause or the cause of a large group of ills to which humanity is subject, such as cancer, tuberculosis, nephritis, senility, insanity, lack of sexual desire, etc., my discussion must be limited to a consideration of the subject from the roentgenologic standpoint. The whole subject of intestinal stasis centres around the roentgenologic findings. If it were not for this method of examination intestinal stasis would still be discussed under the term constipation. Therefore it is essential that the roentgeno¬ logic foundation be sound, solid, and scientific or the whole super¬ structure will fall. The indirect or continental method of examination, based on the detection of symptom complices, is as the name suggests, simply the observation of various groups of symptoms by an un¬ usual method and not direct evidence of the lesion itself. Each roentgenologist complies his groups of symptom complices, cor¬ responding to the different diseases he has to diagnose, with the result that they are as varied as the observers who describe them. The direct method, on the other hand, is based on the detection of morphologic changes in the wall of the gut, or direct evidence of spasms of functional origin, by means of roentgenograms or serial roentgenograms. Roentgenology may become a two-edged sword. The damage and danger of its use cannot be overestimated, when roentgeno- ■' ■ _;_ r Contributed to the discussion before the combined sections of the Canadian Medical Association, St. John, N.B., July, 1914.
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