Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-08-06
Lecture on Acute Diarrhea, ChrOn.
ic Diarrhea, and Cholera
Infantum.
A New and Infallible Cure for These
Common and Dangerous
Ailments.
A Treatment That ia of Vital Interest to all
Glasses and Ages.

ratus are more frequent during the
months of July and August than any
other season of the year. brief out
line of the digestive tract [alimentary
canal) is necessary in order to explain
the different diseases to which it is
liable. The upper portion of the aIimen-
tarY canal consists of the stom sch and
duodenum. Emptying into the duode-
mum (Which is just below the stomach)
is the duct which conveys the bile from
the liver to this organ. Below the duo
denum and continuous with 1t is the
small intestine (bowels) coiled up into
many folds, which abruptly becomes ex-
banded into what is known as the large
intestine, terminating below in the
reotum. All of these organs have for
their lining mucous membrane, which is
continuous throughout their entire
length. The diffe enee in the symptoms
produced by the inf1amed states of the
mucous membrane in different portions
of the alimentary canal is explained by
the fact that each portion OF the canal
has function different from all other
portions of it, which function is sus-
pended when diseased, and the symp-
function of the various parts differ.
lntiamed or congested state of this
mucous membrane is what gives rise to
the various diseases OF the digestive
tract. The diversity of names given to
the diseases of the alimentary canal do
not indicate Gas is commonly thought)
different diseases really, but only the
same disease located at different places
in some part of it. If the infiamed mucous
mem brane happens to be in the stomach,
the disease is called gastritis; if the mu-
cous membranes of the duodenum and
liver be the ones infiamed, 1t is called
cholera morbus; if il be the lining men,
branes of the intestines, large and small
it produces what is called diarrhea in
adults, in children cholera infantum;
but if the inflammation be confined to the
lower part of the large intestine 1t is
called dysentery. II is easy TO see,
therefore, that all these ailments are of
similar nature, the principal difference
being the place of their location rather
than any essential difference In their
causation.
shall not in this lecture attempt to
describe all of the acute diseases of the
alimentary canal, but will confine my
remarks to one, namely, diarrhea. This
common disease is the result of an in
famed state of the mucous lining of
the small and large intestines.
CAUSES.
Irritation of the intestines by an i'm
proper amount or quality of food, impure
drinking water, cathGrtic medicines and
poisons, billiousness and indigestion, are
all capable of causing diarrhea. Again,
changes of temperature, excessive cold
or heat, checking of the perspiration
suddenly, foul air of crowded rooms,
bad hygyienic conditions of auy sort, ex-
cessive fatigue and malarial civilizations,
have each been the frequent cause of
diarrhes, especially during the summer
mouths. Cases that are due to other
diseases, viz, typhoid fever, consump-
ton, cancer, etc., cannot be properly
classed among ordinary diarrheas, and
only palliative treatment for them Is
possible. With some who are especially
liable to this affection certain articles of
food are sure to cause looseness of the
bowels, which is more or less apt to end
in diarrhea.
Infants are much more liable to have
diarrhes than older children or adults.
This is partly due to the improper guam
tity aud quality of food they too COM
monty receive. The disease Is much
more severe in small children, its
fatality exceeding any other disease in
the first two years of infantile life.
The extreme fatality and some other
peculiarities of diarrhea in infants has
led TO its being generally called cholera
infantum, but there is no essential diff
ference between the diarrhea of adults
and cholera infan UNI. In either case
the lining mucous membrane OF the
40 u he
in diarrhea as in cholera infantum, ex-
cept that the latter Is more severe and
dangerous ami more often complicated
with dysentery.
Cholera infantum Summer compIaint)
rarely becomes chronic, as II either de-
stroys life or ceases in q few weeks; but
the dIarrhea of adults, unless properly
treated, is liable to bepome chronic, in
which case it becomes a very difficult
disease TO cure, especially under the or
binary treatment. Soldiers who are sub
iected to the many exposures incident to
camp life, are the most frequent victims
of chronic diarrhea. Thousands of the |
survivors of the late war OF the rebellion
are still afflicted with chrome diarrhea,
which was acquired>during the war.
1 have thus described together the or
binary acute diarrhea eff summer, the |
cholera infantum or summer complaint |
of infants, and chronic diarrhea, be- |
cause for all practical purposes they are |
identical and require for their cure the !
same treatment, with only such varia- |
tions as is indicated by the age OF the |
patient or the severity Of the disease.
The diarrhea of small children which Is |
caused by tsething is also to be included |
among the ordinary cases of 1t, as the |
management of them is the same.
PREvENTIvEs. |
Much eau be done TO prevent the oc- |
currencs of this very common silment. |
The diet during the hot months should |
be plain and simple; avoid unripe fruit, |
half-cooked vegetables, overheating the |
body, too sudden cooling OF the body, |
ice water or iced drinks of any kind, |
excessive exhaustion, mental excitement |
and impure drinking water. For infants |
breast milk is the best food in existence, |
and the very best preventive of bowel /
difficulties in infants Is plenty of milk of |
6 healthy woman. That is, indeed, |
fortunate child who has for the first year
and a half vigorous mother who is
able and willing to nourish il entirely on |
breast milk. In cases where this Il i'm
possible great care should be taken in |
the selection of fresh milk from healthy |