Researches on the pathology of the intestinal canal. Part III. On the diseases of the mucous membrane / by John Abercrombie.
- Date:
- [1820]
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: Researches on the pathology of the intestinal canal. Part III. On the diseases of the mucous membrane / by John Abercrombie. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. The original may be consulted at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.
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![from the fear of inducing the diarrhoea. The disease resisted all the remedies that were used, and, without any particular change in the symptoms, was fatal in six weeks. On dissection, there were found marks of peritonaeal inflammation ; the de- scending colon and rectum were found much thickened; and, “ at several places, the internal membrane of the intestines was partially, and at others entirely removed, marking the intestines as sma]l-pox does the skin. In the cavity of the abdomen, about lb. vj. of a light yellow serum, with flakes of a similar co- lour.” * A young man, mentioned by Morgagni, f was seized with tormina, with frequent bloody stools, which, after 15 days, was changed into a yellow diarrhoea, without tormina. This was soon followed by tertian fever, which terminated in a month. The diarrhoea still continuing, he was then seized with acute fever, which was fatal, with stupor, in 14 days. The termina- tion of the ileum, and the commencement of the colon, were, for a considerable space, eroded, ulcerated, and in some places gangrenous on the inner surface. In many places, the intes- tine was perforated by the ulcers. § II.—Examples of the Disease in Infants. Case VIII An infant, aged 6months, (13th May 1817,) had been affected for about a week with looseness of the bowels, and occa- sional vomiting. The complaint was considered as the common bowel complaint of dentition; but the stools were scanty, offensive, and dark-coloured, and though they were not very frequent, there was frequently observed a considerable tendency to sinking, with paleness and coldness of the body. After several days, the stools became na- tural, the vomiting ceased^ tho appetite returned, and the loosoness was extremely moderate. Ihese favourable appearances, however, were of short continuance. On the evening of the 18th, the loose- ness suddenly increased ; it was excited by every thing that was taken into the stomach, and the articles taken seemed quickly to pass through. On the morning of the 19th, I found her pale and ex- hausted ; and though the looseness was checked by opiate injections, every attempt to support her was in vain. She died in the afternoon, having lain through the day in a state of oppression resembling Dissection. The bowels were externally healthy, except some spots of superficial redness. On the inner surface of the small intes- tines there were, in many places, irregular patches of inflammation ; and, in other places, there were spots of limited extent covered with Clinical Reports, p. 133. f De Causis et Sedibus, Ep. XXXI. § 2^](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b21972333_0018.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
