Telegram-herald., 1890-08-06
DIR. HARTMAN'S
Lecture on Acurs Dlarrhaa
Chronic Diarrhea, ana
Cholera Infantum.
A New and Infslible Cure For
These Common and Danger
Gus Ailments.
a Treatment That i Of vital Ist~rost a.
All Glasses saagAgss.

Acute diseases of the digestive appa
ratus are more frequent during the
months OF July sud August than an,
other season OF the year. A brief out
hQe OF the digestive tract f2linlentar,
canal = necessary IA order 10 explain
the dlneFent diseases 10 which Il 4.
liable. The upper portion OF the ali.
nlentary canal consists OF the stomach
and duodenum. Emptyine into the
duodenum which i just below the
stomach IS the duet which CONVEYS the
bic from the liver 70 this organ Below
the duCdenum and continuous with II
ls the small intestine bowels. co. led up
INTO many folds, which abruptly De-
comes expanded into what l. known a.
the large intestine. terminating below
IA the rectun. All of these organs
nave Tor Their lining mucous mem
brane, which Is continuous throughout
Their entire length. The difference I'M
the symptoms produced by the III
uamed states OF the mucous membrane
ln different portions of the allmentaty
canal IS explained 10y tie fact that each
/ portion OF the canal mas a function dif-
ferent from all other portions Of II.
which function - suspended when dis
eased. and the symptoms differ in the
same degree as the function OF the var
ious parts differ.
Inilamod or congested states Of this
mucous membrane is what gives rise TO
/ the various diseases OF the digestive
tract. The diversity OF names given 10
/ the diseases Of the alimentary canal do
I not indicate as is commonly thought
different diseases really, but only the
same disease located at different places
IN some part of It. Ii the Inilamed mu-
cous membrane happens 10 be in the
stomach the disease IS called gastrItls: if
/ the mucous membranes of the duOden-
um and liver be the ones lnilamed il ls
called cholera morbus; If it he the lin
ing membranes OF the intestines, large
and small, II produces what is called
dlarrhea IN adults, IN children cholera
Intantum; but ii the inflammation be
confined to the lower part Of the large
intestine it Is called dysentery. It's
easy to see, therefore, that all of these
ailments are of similar nature, the
principal difference being the place of
their location rather than any essen
tial difference IN their causation.
| shall not in this lecture attempt to
describe all of tho acute diseases OF the
ahmentary canal, but will confine nv
remarks to one, namely, diarrhea.
This common disease is the result of an
infiamed state of the mucous lining of
the small and large intestines.
CAUSES.
Irritation of the intestlncs by an i'm
proper amount or quality Of food, i'm
pure drlnklngwateI ,cathartc medicines
and pOlsons, billiousness and indlges-
ton, are all capable of causing diar-
rhea. Again, changes of temperature,
excessive cold or heat, checking Of the |
prespration suddenly, foul air or
crowded rooms, bad hygienc condi- |
tons of any sort, excessive fatigue and |
malarial exhaustion, have each been |
the frequent cause OF dIarrhea, espec- |
lally during the summer months. Cases |
that are due to other diseases, VIZ, ty- |
pnold fever, consumption, cancer, etc,
cannot he properly classed among ordi- |
nary dlarrheas, and only palliative |
treatment for them is possible. With |
some who are especially liable to this
aiIectlon certain articles of food are
sure to cause looseness of the bowels.
which IS more or less apt to end in
Infants are much more liable to have
dlarrhea than older children or adults.
THIS Is partlydue to the improper ouan-
tIty and quality of food they too COM
monty receive. The disease IS much
more severe in small children. its fatal.
ity exceeding any other disease I'm the
flrst two years of infantlle life. The
extreme fatality and some other peculi-
lrltles of dlarrhea in infants has led to
It's being generally called cholera in
fantum, but there IS no essential differ
ence between the diarrhee of adults and
cholera lnfantum, In either case the
lining mucous membrane of the bowels
are ntiamed, which rs the same in
iarrhea as in cholera infantum except
hat the latter IS more severe and dan
,erous and more often complicated with |
iysentery.
Cholera lnfantum fsummer COM |
)laint) rarely becomes chronic. "a il
'lther destroys hfe or ceases IN n few
weeks; but the dlarrhea of adults. un-
ess properly treated, is liable TO be- |
ome chronic, IN which case il becomes |
very difficult disease to cure, especial
y under the ordinary treatment Sol
Iers who are subjected to the many ex-
'osures incident TO camp life are the
most frequent victims of chronic diar-
hea. Thousands Of the survivors Of
he late war Of tho rebellion are still :
flicted by chronic dlarrhea, which
.as acquired during the war.
| have thus described together the I
ldinaTy acute diarThea of summer I 5
he cholera lnfantum or summer com ,
lalnt OF infants, and chronic djarrbea.
ecause for all practical purposes thev
re Identical and require for their cure 7
he same treatment, with only such D
AZ is indicated bv the ace Of e
bee patient orthe severity OF tao disease. z
he darThca OF small children which is {
aused by teething IS also to be includod / r
mOug the ordinary cases Of .t. as the
Management Of them is the same. {
PREVF WIVES
Much can be done 70 prevent the Or