The treatment of diseases of the digestive system / by Robert Saundby.

  • Robert Saundby
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The treatment of diseases of the digestive system / by Robert Saundby. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    91/222 (page 77)
    presence of obstruction, but may be the result of gastritis. The prognosis of primary dilatation depends upon its duration, or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say, upon the duration and curability of the condition on which it depends. Treatment of Primary or Atonic Dilatation.—-As this condition depends, as a rule, upon serious derangement of the general health, it is of far more importance to use means to improve this than to apply any local measures to the digestive organs. Where it is complicated by gastritis this must be treated as already described (vide supra, p. 62). In general, we should aim at giving relief from work and worry with good and abundant food and change of air to a bracing place. It should be borne in mind that sea air is not always bracing ; this is especially true of the south and west coasts of England during the summer and autumn months ; these patients may do better at inland stations like Buxton. In many cases it is necessary to give pro¬ longed rest in bed by a course of Weir-Mitchell treatment with massage and faradism, and it is desirable not to hold out any prospect of a permanent cure being effected in less than three months. Galvanism and high frequency currents are recommended as aids to this method, but I have not been impressed by their results ; in cases where benefit has resulted, it was not more than I have seen where no such means were used, while, in cases in which the usual plan had not been successful, the addition of galvanism and high frequency currents did not produce any better effect. The diet may need to be modified where there is gastritis, but not on account of the dilatation ; if the patient is going about, and, as is commonly the case, there is complaint of pain or oppression after food, she