Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-08-28
YOU HAVE A DEATH TRAP.
WHEN 1T GOES WRONG 1T RE-
SUITS IN CERTAIN DEATH.
A Relic of Hudimentary Life-Part Or
the system Whose Use Puzzles
Physicians-Its Abuse 10 Sup
posed TO he Deadly.

For the doctors have dissected people
in whom there was no trace of YER
inform appendix. This. however, is
rare ana most of the human beings
who read this article, which is from
the New York sun. may have the
proud assurance that it tells of some
thing in which they have part.
Those who hold to the evolution
theory have no difficulty in accounting
for the vermiform appendix. They
say that il belongs TO II class of rudi-
mentary structures left in the bodies
of all organized things by the process
Of evolution. Ttcrc are certain mus
cles in the human body which have no
use at all but simply stand rs rem
nants OF muscles which are developed
and are useful in the bodies OF some
animals of the lower orders. The
human animal has developed into an
environment in which these muscles
are no longer useful. In the course
OF ages they viii disappear. Now
they are still represented in IA shrivel-
ed and innocuous state.
So it is with the vermiform appen-
dix, according TO the evolution scient-
lists. There was time when it was
developed and had an important place
in the economy of life. IT still exists
in some of the lower animals in its
complete form. In the human animal
it is shriveled and is no longer useful.
On this last point all are agreed. 1t
does no good, 1t does much harm.
In fact it never does anything unless
it does harm. That is why some
pathologist few years ago, gave it
tho name Of death trap" And
death trap it is now called when the
doctors descend from the mist-en-
shrouded heights of Latin and Greek
medical terms to the ordinary Ian
guage of laymcn
The death trap" is a small worm
shaped tube, the opening of which is
about the diameter of gcpse quill.
1t is OF variable length in different hui
man beings. Sometimes it is six
inches long and sometimes it is but
three inches long. 1t extends from
the cHcum, which is the technical
name for the upper end of the large
intestine. 1t leaves the cHcum at a
point near the valve through which
the contents of the small intestine are
discharged into the large intestine.
Over its mouth there is sometimes a
valve and sometimes not. Generally
the valve is imperfect, and only adds to
the danger OF the death trap"
1t is found in most men and ami
q, L
the wombat Sometimes it curves di-
rectly back of the cecum. Again it
winds around the ilium, and again it
extends along the colon.
TO grasp fully the danger OF this
useless tube, which is blunt at the
other end, some explanation about
the cPcum is necessary. The c;ecum
is sort of expansion of the upper
end of the large intestine. 1t is about
two inches in diameter and receives
the discharge of the small intestine.
Therefore all the indigestible matter
that enters the stomach lodges i'm the
c9cum on its way out Of the system.
As the opening OF the cul-de-sac, known
as the "d0ath-trap, is just there,
some of this undigested matter may
enter the death trap" and may re-
main there.
On account Of its smallness and OF
the half-closed position of its entrance
under ordinary circumstances the
death trap" is not the terrible danger
that it might be. But this article may
show that it is a far greater menace to
the lives of human beings than is gen
orally supposed.
When the indigestible remnant of
the food has entered the cpcum from
The small intestnes it stops there for
little while and then passes on. But
the c9cum is sort of stagnant reser-
voir. Now, the digestive apparatus
Of "A healthy person may be strong
enough to push from the stomach and
from the small intestine not only all
indigestible matter, but also all germs
Of disease all dangerous microbes
which may have entered at the mouth
with the food. But here in the csecum
they stop for a moment.
The mouth of the death trap is open,
and through unusual pressure or
through an accidentally favorable posi-
ton OF the vermiform appendix, these
germs or a part of this indigestible
matter may enter the vermiform APP
pendix.
The vermiform appendix is lined
with Mucous membrane but it diff
fers from the rest of the intestinal
canal in having only few very
feeble muscles. 1t is, therefore, un-
able to eject anything that may enter
il.
The mortality from typhlitis-and
this includes typhlitis from foreign
subtances in any part of the intestines
is 20 per cent for children and so
per cent for adults. 1t attacks boys
between 10 and 20 years of age, as
has been said. and they seem to have
| little power of resisting it.
There has been much discussion
among medical men as to when an
operation should take place. whether
| nj an early stare of the disease or