INFLAMMATION OF THE INTESTINES.
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as the inflammation of ihe stomach; to which may be added cos-tiveness, worms, eating unripe fruit or great quantities of nuts,drinking hard windy malt liquors, as stale bottled beer or ale, sourwine, cyder, &c. It may likewise be occasioned by a rupture, byschirrous tumors of the intestines, or by their opposite sidesgrowing together.
The inflammation of the intestines is denominated Iliac passionEnteritis, c\c. according to the name of the parts affected. Thetreatment however is nearly the same, whatever part of the intestinalcanal be the seat of the disease; we shall therefore omit these dis-tinctions, lesl they should perplex the reader.
The symptoms here are nearly the same as in the foregoing dis-ease; only the pain if possible is more acute, and is situatedlower. The vomiting is likewise wore violent, and sometimeseven the excrements, together with the clysters, are dischargedby the mouth. The patient is continually belching up wind, andhas often an obstruction of his urine, tension of the belly, andobstinate costiveness.
While the pain shifts, and the vomiting only returns at certainintervals, and while the clysters pass downwards, there is groundfor hope; but when the clysters and faces are vomited, and thepatient is exceeding weak, with a low fluttering pulse, a pale countenaace, and a disagreeable or stinking breath, there is great reasonto fear that the consequences will prove fatal. Clammy sweats,black foetid stools, with a small intermitting pulse, and a totalcessation of pain, are signs of a mortification already begun, and ofapproaching death.
REGIMEN.------The regimen in this disease is in general the
same as in an inflammation of the stomach. The patient mustbe kept quiet, avoiding cold, and all violent passions of the mind.His food ought to be very light, and given in small quantities;his drink weak and diluting; as clear whey, barley-water, andsuch like.
MEDICINE.------Bleeding in this, as well as in the inflamma-tion of the stomach, is of the greatest importance. It should beperformed as soon as the symptoms appear, and must be repeatedaccording to the strength of the patient, and the violence of thedisease.
A blistering-plaster is here likewise to be applied immediatelyover the part where the most violent pain is. This not only re-lieves the pain of the bowels, but even clysters and purgativemedicines, which before had no effect, will operate when the blisterbegins to rise.
Fomentations and laxative clysters are by no means to be omit-ted. The patient's feet and legs should frequently be bathed inwarm water, and cloths dipt in it applied to his belly. Bladdersfilled with warm water may likewise be applied to the region olthe navel, and v arm bricks, or bottles filled with warm water, tothe soles of the feet. The clysters may be made of barley-water,>r thin gruel with salt, and softened with s\\ eet oil or fresh butter
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