Researches on phthisis, anatomical, pathological and therapeutical.
- Pierre Charles Alexandre Louis
- Date:
- 1844
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Researches on phthisis, anatomical, pathological and therapeutical. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.
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![tion. The mucous membrane was white, semi-transparent, sometimes grayish or brownish red coloured; it was extremely soft, to such a degree that, far from unfrequently, its con- sistence had decreased nearly to that of moderately viscid mucus. In respect of thickness it resembled more or less closely the mucous membrane of the small intestine, and was sometimes even altogether destroyed over a certain extent of surface. In several cases in the close neighbourhood of, or beside parts equally softened and attenuated, appeared others much more remarkable for thinness than softness, and vice versa. An incision carried from the softened and attenuated mucous mem- brane to that which either retained its natural properties or had not undergone the same species of change, showed how very considerable the difference of thickness in question was. Instead of being spread over a continuous surface, this lesion sometimes exhibited itself in the form of bands, when its pecu- liar characters were generally less strongly marked. These bands were from three to four and a half lines [6 to 9 milli- meters] long, by two and a half to four lines [5 to 8 millimeters] broad, and sometimes more, were seated more or less near each other, whde the intervening mucous membrane presented the natural amount of thickness. The cellular tissue underneath the softened and attenuated mucous membrane was, generally speaking, healthy. In four cases only it had lost all firmness, and gave way under the slightest traction; the muscular and peritoneal coats had under- gone the same change in the corresponding points. I have thus several times found the stomach perforated, although the greatest care had been used by myself in separating it from the neighbouring parts, and although the absence of peritoneal effusion indicated that the perforation had not existed during life. (Cases vu, lv.) In the majority of cases the part of the mucous membrane continuous with that just described, was mammillated, and of red or grayish colour over a surface of considerable extent, (Cases i, iv, xl;) sometimes even more or less thickened or ulcerated; or (this was, it is true, of much rarer occurrence) the attenuated and softened part was continuous with another por- tion of the membrane not less attenuated, but of a bright red colour, and gradually increasing in thickness. (Case xxx.)](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21015235_0099.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
