The People's Common Sense Medical Adviser in Plain English Part 150

PERITONITIS.

The _peritoneum_, or serous membrane which lines the abdominal cavity and invests the intestines, is liable to become inflamed. When this occurs, the affection is termed peritonitis, and may be divided into the _acute_ and _chronic_ forms.

ACUTE PERITONITIS. This form may be circ.u.mscribed; that is, confined to one spot, or it may extend over the entire surface of the peritoneum, when it is known as _general_.

SYMPTOMS. There is headache, quick pulse, tongue coated white, countenance pallid, features pinched, respiration difficult, nausea and vomiting, severe pain in the abdomen, which is extremely sensitive to pressure and becomes very much distended. There is also pain in the limbs, the bowels are constipated, and, in exceptional cases, diarrhea is a prominent symptom. The urine is deficient in quant.i.ty, and there is sleeplessness, chilliness, and great general prostration. Vomiting and coughing or sneezing increase the pain. An erect position occasions intense suffering. The patient is compelled to a.s.sume a rec.u.mbent posture and is inclined to lie on the back, for in that position the sufferer experiences the least pressure of the vital organs against the peritoneum. There is also an inclination to draw up the lower limbs and retain them in a flexed position.

CAUSES. Prominent among these are injuries which have been inflicted upon the intestines, compression of the colon, or r.e.c.t.u.m, perforation of the stomach or bowels, either by violence or some pre-existing disease, thus allowing the discharge of blood, urine, bile, or fecal matter into the abdominal cavity; also abortion, over-exertion, and exposure to wet or cold. As acute peritonitis is always a grave disease, involving more or less danger to life, it is the wisest course to employ a physician and trust the case to his management. The same remark is equally applicable to the chronic form of the disease.

CHRONIC PERITONITIS. Like the acute, it may be either _circ.u.mscribed_ or _general_. This form is sometimes, though rarely, a sequel of the acute.

When it appears independently of the acute, it is generally a.s.sociated with some cutaneous affection pertaining to the abdominal cavity, and the inflammation is induced by the tumor. If chronic peritonitis be connected with the _tubercular_ diathesis, tubercles may be discovered upon the surface of the stomach and alimentary ca.n.a.l, and may also be found in the lungs and brain.

When the affection is not tubercular there will appear in the abdominal cavity an effusion of serous fluid of greater or less quant.i.ty, mingled with blood and pus. When such an effusion takes place, the abdomen gradually increases in size, or becomes smaller than is natural. There is pain, attended by soreness upon pressure, and the patient becomes emaciated.

Inflammation of the peritoneum is frequently an accompaniment of _puerperal fever_, which is a disease peculiar to childbirth, and which may arise from cold, or be communicated from one parturient patient to another by midwives.

TREATMENT. In the remedial management of acute peritonitis, it is obviously necessary to use some agent which will at once influence and change the congested state and inflammatory condition. One of the best agents employed to make a decided impression upon the vascular system, subdue inflammation, and modify its action, is the fluid extract of veratrum viride, administered in full doses, and repeated until the system shows its effects in a decided manner. Warm fomentations applied to the abdomen are sometimes very serviceable, and are objectionable only because of their liability to dampen the bed-clothes. When the abdomen will bear a thick, warm poultice, apply it, and then cover the entire surface with oiled silk. The tincture of opium, in doses sufficient to relieve pain and quiet the peristaltic action of the intestines, is generally necessary.

EPIDEMIC CHOLERA.

This is an epidemic disease, supposed to be due to an impalpable specific poison, but as to the exact nature of this poisonous matter nothing definite is known.

This plague first made its appearance on our continent in 1834. Owing to its great fatality, it is a disease much to be dreaded.

SYMPTOMS. These are well defined. It is characterized in its earlier stages by pain in the stomach and bowels, especially in the umbilical region, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; later, the purging is excessive, and the matter dejected resembles rice-water, and contains white, solid, curd-like matter. The patient loses strength, and sinks rapidly. The secretory organs fail to perform their functions normally, the skin is sometimes moist, but oftener cold and dry; but little if any bile is found in the excretions, and the urine voided is very scanty. There is general nervous derangement, as indicated by the spasmodic contraction or cramping of the muscles. This first attacks the extremities, but soon affects the entire body, and gives rise to excruciating pains. The head is affected by singing, roaring, disagreeable noises in the ears, the pulse is feeble, but quick, the nails are of a bluish color, the tongue is coated white, the eyes are sunken, and the patient has a corpse-like appearance; the temperature of the body rapidly falls, the surface becomes deathly cold, and, unless the disease is promptly arrested in its course, speedy dissolution follows. The disease is rarely prolonged beyond twenty-four hours, and sometimes terminates within three or four hours after its first attack.

TREATMENT. The kind of medicine required depends upon the severity of the attack and stage of the disease. In all cholera epidemics, there are premonitory symptoms, such, as an uneasy sensation at the pit of the stomach, and a rumbling of the bowels. This is apt to be followed by a painless diarrhea, which occasions no alarm, and the patient pays but little attention to it. Herein is the great and dangerous mistake. The patient is already in the stage of _invasion_, which must be promptly arrested, or he will suddenly be precipitated into the stage of _collapse_. The patient should lie down, and have placed about him bottles filled with hot water, thereby exciting warmth upon the surface of the body. At the same time, administer two teaspoonfuls of the Extract of Smart-weed. If the symptoms are urgent, repeat the dose every fifteen minutes. Brandy, thickened with sugar, may also be given. In either the stage of _invasion_ or _collapse_, the leading indication is to establish _reaction_ by promoting perspiration. Bathe the feet in water as hot as can be borne, give the Extract of Swart-weed freely, and thus endeavor to excite profuse diaph.o.r.esis. No time should be lost, for delays are dangerous. When the reaction is established, the patient should remain quiet, and not attempt to exert himself.

After reaction has taken place, the sweating should be maintained for twelve hours, and the patient should drink slippery-elm tea and toast-water, and partake sparingly of soft toasted bread and chicken broth. The food should be fluid and nutritious, but taken in small quant.i.ties. Do not disturb the bowels with laxatives until the third day after the patient begins to improve, and then they may be moved by an injection of warm water. Great care should be taken that the patient does not indulge too soon or too freely in the use of food. When a skillful physician can be had, no time should be lost in securing his services, but since in epidemics of this nature, medical men are generally overworked, and not always easily and promptly to be had, we have been quite explicit in giving full directions for treatment.

CHOLERA MORBUS, also known as _sporadic cholera_ and _simple cholera_, usually occurs during the summer months. The attack may be sudden, although it is usually preceded by a sensation of uneasiness and colicky pains in the stomach.

SYMPTOMS. Nausea, vomiting and purging are the most prominent symptoms.

The discharge from the bowels is at first of a thin, yellow appearance, but finally it becomes almost colorless. Sometimes, after the contents proper of the bowels have been evacuated, the dejections have a bilious appearance. Severe cramps and pain accompany the vomiting. The vomiting and purging usually occur in paroxysms, but finally become less frequent, a reaction takes place, the extremities grow warm, and the patient gradually recovers. It may be accompanied by intense thirst and a quick pulse, yet the surface may be cool.

CAUSES. Cholera morbus is most prevalent in warm climates, and especially in malarial districts. It is generally the result of eating indigestible articles of food, such as unripe fruit or uncooked vegetables. Stimulating drinks, or those articles which furnish the elements for fermentation, also favor the production of this disease.

TREATMENT. If the attack be superinduced by eating unripe or stale fruit, it may be proper to give an emetic or a cathartic, but ordinarily first give a full dose of the Extract of Smart-weed, and, if the vomited matter is very sour, give the patient a weak, alkaline drink, which may be made by dropping a few live, hard-wood coals into a tumbler of water.

This will not only a.s.sist in neutralizing the acidity of the stomach, but will help to allay the thirst and accompanying fever. If the patient throw up the first dose of the Extract of Smart-weed, a second should be given. Do not allow the patient to drink cold water, and give only tablespoonful doses of the alkaline solution every thirty minutes. If the thirst is great, occasionally give a tablespoonful of a tea made from scorched Indian meal, which not only allays the desire to drink, but also the irritation of the stomach. If to be obtained, give a tea of the leaves or bark of the peach tree. The patient should be well covered in bed and kept warm. Laudanum by the stomach, or by enema, may he necessary in severe cases to relieve the pain and check the purging. Hot fomentations applied to the bowels are very valuable. A mustard plaster applied over the abdomen will a.s.sist materially in relieving the nausea and vomiting. It should not be left on sufficiently long to blister.

When the affection is promptly treated as we have suggested, the patient generally quickly recovers. If, however, it does not yield to these measures, the family physician should be called in.

ACCIDENTS AND EMERGENCIES.

Accidents and emergencies which require immediate attention frequently occur. Professional aid cannot always be quickly obtained and hence fatal results often follow. It is, therefore, important that all persons should not only know how to proceed under such circ.u.mstances, but that they should be able to exercise that deliberation and self-control so necessary in emergencies of all kinds. Most persons are more or less affected by the sight of blood or severe wounds, and it requires an effort to maintain self-possession. One should act resolutely; otherwise he will find himself overcome and unable to render any a.s.sistance.

WOUNDS.

Wounds may be cla.s.sified as _incised, punctured, contused, lacerated_, or _poisoned_.

_Incised_ wounds are those which are made with a sharp, cutting instrument, and are characterized by their extent of surface.

_Punctured_ wounds are made with a pointed instrument, and distinguished for their depth rather than breadth.

_Contused_ wounds are those produced by bruises.

_Lacerated_ wounds are those in which the flesh is torn and mangled.

_Poisoned_ wounds are made with a poisoned instrument, or by some poisonous reptile or insect or rabid animal.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 1.

The field Tourniquet as applied. ]

In all cases of wounds, the immediate danger is in the _shock_ produced upon the nervous system, and in the liability to _hemorrhage_.

SHOCK. If severe, the shock is attended with symptoms of extreme prostration, such as a feeble pulse, shivering, partial unconsciousness, fainting, hiccough, vomiting, and involuntary discharges of the urine and feces.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 2.

Mode of employing flexion for the arrest of hemorrhage from a wound located below the elbow. ]

TREATMENT OF SHOCK. The clothing should be loosened immediately after the accident, so that the blood may have free circulation, and the patient should be kept in a rec.u.mbent position. He should have plenty of fresh air. Camphor or ammonia may be inhaled. If he can swallow, stimulants may be given, as whiskey or brandy, but with care that they do not run into the trachea, or windpipe. If he be unable to swallow, they may be administered as injections, but should gradually be discontinued as reaction takes place. A warm pillow placed at the back and the use of electricity may be beneficial.

HEMORRHAGE, or bleeding, may generally be controlled by a _compress, tourniquet, flexion of the joint_, or _styptics._ A _compress_ consists of several folds of cloth laid upon a wound, the edges of which have been brought together, and made secure by a moderately tight bandage.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 3.

Mode of employing flexion for the arrest of hemorrhage from a wound below the knee.]

_A tourniquet_ may be extemporized by rolling a handkerchief into a cord and tying it around the limb, over a compress, between the wound and the heart. A stick should then be thrust between the handkerchief and skin and twisted around several times, until the pressure is sufficiently great to arrest the circulation of the blood in the wounded part. A representation of this operation may be seen in Fig. 1.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Mode of employing flexion for the arrest of hemorrhage from a wound located between the thigh and knee.]

_Flexion of the joint_, as represented in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, is adapted to many cases of hemorrhage. As water cannot flow through a rubber tube bent at a sharp angle, so the acute flexion of a limb prevents the free flow of blood through the arterial tubes.

In some cases, _styptics_ may be directly applied to the wounded tissues. Cold acts as a powerful styptic, and may generally be made available for arresting hemorrhage.

POISONED WOUNDS. The treatment of these should chiefly consist in the prevention of the spread of the poison. This may be done by tightly applying bandages above the wound and scarifying or sucking the parts.

Nitrate of silver may then be used and the ligatures removed. Alcohol, in any form, is an antidote to snake poison. For the stings of insects, apply aqua ammonia, fresh earth, raw onion, plantain, or spirits of turpentine.

FRACTURES AND DISLOCATIONS.