Descriptive catalogue of the specimens illustrating medical pathology, in the Museum of University College, London / Charles Stonham.

  • Stonham, Charles, 1858-1916.
Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Descriptive catalogue of the specimens illustrating medical pathology, in the Museum of University College, London / Charles Stonham. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Leeds Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Leeds Library.

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    DISEASES OP THE ALIMENTARY TRACT. sebies xxxvni.—diseases oe the peeitoneum. ACTTTE PeEITONITIS. The peritoneum usually follows the pathological destiny of the viscera it invests. Acute inflammation of the peritoneum may be, though rarely is, a primary aifection. It is usually secondary to some disease or injury of the Intestines (No. 3000) or abdo- minal viscera, or it may complicate some general condition, c. g. Pyaemia, Chronic Nephritis. The amoimt and nature of the eiiusion varies, being chiefly dependent upon the cause. Thus there may be very little effusion, forming a thin pellicle of lymph matting the coils of gut to one another (No. 3000) aud ultimately becoming organized and forming adhesions (Nos. 3001, 3002). The lymph thrown out is pale yellowish or straw-coloured, and is most abundant where the coils of gut come in contact. At first it can be easily peeled off, and the surface underneath is found to be sruooth, shiny, and apparently unaltered. At some subsequent period the adhesions thus formed inay produce internal strangulation of the gut (;vide ' Surgical Catalogue,' Part I. p. 235), or, if very extensive, may materially hamper the peristaltic movements of the intestines (No. 3001). This variety is known as Dry or Adhesive Peritonitis. In other cases the main feature m the process is a large effusion of serous or sero- fibrinous fluid. This may be in such quantities as to seriously hamper the movements of the diaphragm. The fluid is fre([uently turbid and contains flakes of lymph floating in it. In some cases it very closely resembles the fluid met with in simple ascites, but differs from it in containing (in common with all inflammatory effusions) a very large quantity of albumen. Again, the fluid may present any variety of a])pearauce from that now described to pure pus. Purulent peritonitis is most usually localized and is due, in many cases, to perforation of the gut. The abscess thus formed may burst into tlie general cavity of the peritoneum or into the gut. In some cases blood is mixed with the effusion, especially in thos(i patients who are the subjects of Ha)mophilia, Scurvy, or Purpura. lu rare cases the fluid possesses a colloid consistence. PAET m. ,,