Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-08-13
Daily giennrbet yourual.
SIMMER COMPLAINTS.

Not summer passes, during which 2
large number of individuals do not fall
victims to certain disorders of the digest
i've apparatus. Yesterday a person may
have been seen perfectly well, and today
we hear of his death died last night, OF
so and SO. The very large number OF
children which the summer furnishes to
fill our cemeteries throughout the country,
is really APPALLING. But when we ask from
what, or whence arise these sad phenom-
ena, we meet with difficulties at the very
threshold. The causes are too numerous,
and the reasons so varied, that we cannot
enter into detail but, in general, they
NAV be all comprehended and included IN
three words ignorance, IndWerence,
Careless,sess This, however, is very
much easier said or written than the evils
remedied which they comprise; and the
same is also true of all those affections
which can be styled by the wholesale de-
signation-summer complaints.
The greater mass of intelligent ignora-
muses., as matter of course, not only
know a certain sure cure for so and SO,
but can explain with the greatest ease the
most ineomprehensble phenomena. Ig-
norance is bliss in many instances. There
is scarcely an old woman who cannot
cure summer complaint; there is not
dry goods clerk, railroad conductor, or
letter carrier, ETC., who did not know that
hot brandy punch, ginger-tea, OF elixer OF
so and so, or of eating so and so. had
cured so and SO, in such particular case OF
so and so. Consequently summer COM
plant is the easiest durable thing in the
world especially if you yourself have not
Just now got it. In this latter case 1t is
often little difficult, and occasionally
disaereeable, even sometimes funeral in
viting. But how does it happen, that in
spite of all the most sure and untailing
remedies, the death reports remain the
same? Notwithstanding the fact that al
most everybody has seen or heard OF diff
ferent seemingly dangerous complaints
being readily cured by a household, or
patent remedy, punch, ginger-tea, etc, the
disorders comprised under the heading
summer complaints furnish to scientific
men field of difficult study in order that
each case may be unfailingly comprehend
ed and correctly managed. 1t sometimes
occurs that the seemingly most dangerous
complaints are nothing more than II tenn
porary spasm of the nerves, which would
yield to almost any kind of treatment ;
while other cases,-seemngly simple di-
arrhea, or a slight occasional pain in the
abdomen,-are followed by death.
The various causes of such difficulties
are not really understood by any of those
who have them. One knows that Gu
cumbers are sure death, but dies in con-
sequence of ice-water: another eats no
fruits whatever to avoid diarrh9a, and
dies of inflammation of his bowels; another
protects his children from almost every
thing to lose them, nevertheless, OF chol-
era infantum or Scarlet fever; in short,
when we come to the point, every one
knows all about it but no one is certain
whether he may be sick tomorrow him
self.
II we look into books for medical prac-
tice, we find numerous affections relating
to the intestines well arranged and CLASH
fed We have delineation of the symp-
toms, etc., of gastric complaints, of liver
complaints, of diarrhea, of dysentery, Of
cholera infantilm, of collie, of constipation,
of enteritis, of typhus. OF typhoid, etc,
etc., etc. We alse find a large number of
manipulations, remedies, etc., well rec
commended for each particular affection
and its symptoms. Suppose we should
take up all that has been written about
the above well-defined disorders, know all
the symptoms. and all the remedies that
have ever been invented we might well
afford to treat any of them; but if we
should be asked, What is cholera? what
is typhus what is diarrh9a? that would
be very different matter. Our answer
might be-eholera, or so and so, is a COM
plant which has such a history, and such
and such symptoms, and such post-mor-
tenn appearances, and such and such rem
edies; and it is quite possible to answer
such questions so well as to be able to
pass an ordinary medical board of exam
liners, and yet to know nothing about it.
When a person, or even a physician, tells
us that so and so has the cholera, or diar-
rh9a, or typhoid fever, we cannot know
exactly what he means, although we have
read Il good deal, and have heard still
more about it; and we will tell you a Sc
cret, which you can keep or not, Just as
please. No one else knows much about
it any way, save that they are words in
vented by necessity. "What ails him,
Doctor ?" asks the wife "a case of tv-
phoid with undecided symptoms, mad
ann" Madam is satisfied, but knows no
more about it than she would had the an
swer been in Chinese nor do we suppose
that the doctor knows just what he means
only that it will be quite satisfactory to
madam. Any number of physicians may
agree in every particular in reference to a
case of typhoid, and not know what they
themselves really mean. Such is the po-
sition of the general practice all over the
globe.
The books for medical practice, with all
their learned definitions and nice distinc-
tions in their delineations of summer com
plant, we find altogether unsatisfactory,
and throw them overheard. In the light
of Anatomy. with its necessary appen-
dices of Physiology, Chemistry, etc, and
with the aid of a little common sense, let
us look at this subject from another stand
point. In place of names, books, author
tiles, wonderful medicines, or newly rec
commended modes of treatment, we will
place before us a canal Qhe intestinaD OF
from p to "a feet in length. This canal
we find, on examination, to be construct
ed with large glands attached to it all
along, connected with different nerves,
blood-yessels, membranes, fat-cushions,
etc., in the most peculiar manner. We
are astonished about the complications of
this wonderful machine. but find that not