APPENDICITIS
This complaint was formerly known as inflammation of the bowels, and
may be caused by injury. It was generally believed to be due to the
presence of foreign substances, such as grape seeds, etc., in the
vermiform appendix, but this idea is exploded.
It is an inflamed condition of the appendix, but the inflammation may have extended from
the colon or from the peritoneum. The most frequent cause is the
caecum (the lower pouch of the colon) getting filled with hardened
faecal matter, in which case the ileo caecal valve is obstructed, and
the natural passages of the bowels stopped. With a clean colon
appendicitis is practically an impossibility.
The accepted medical practice is to remove the appendix by operation,
regardless of conditions; but the mortality in such cases is high.
Others put the patient to sleep with tincture of opium, or veratrum
viride, and let Nature right herself, if possible. If Nature can
maintain herself against the doctor and his drugs from seven to nine
days, the patient may get round, but not well.
|
