Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-05-07
RzEstezd71oNs
THE OIL CURE FOR APPENDICITIS.
Is the Knife Used In Many Cases Where 1t
Is Unnecessary and Dangerous?

Now the doctors have discovered that ap-
pendicitis no more needs the knife than collie
does. DIR. NJ. o. Terry, a man Of the highest
rank in his profession, of Utica, n. Y, said in
Chicago that he had treated Is cases with oil,
and all successfully. So one more fad comes
down to the average scale of medical cases.
st. Louis Globe Democrat.
A reporter interviewed DR.. Terry re-
garding his treatment for appendicitis.
The latter said:
my treatment is in line with my the
ory of the cause of pain, Inflammation,
fever and the final suppuration which
ensues if the appendicitis is left to itself.
If the patient can take castor oil, it is to
be preferred. OF course the dose should
vary in accordance with the age and Pc
culiarity of the individual-from 2 to 4
drains every three hours If this could
not be retained and the case were urgent,
l should give from to 10 grains of cal
omel, with 20 to 80 grains of bicarbo-
nate of soda in glass of water, repeat
ing in three TO six hours if necessary. l
should not hesitate to give 80 grains in
this manner, although have never been
obliged to give over 20. l have seen no
case of salvation, the bicarbonate of
soda seeming to prevent such a condi-
tion. Cases of less urgency may be re-
lieved of constipation or fecal impaction
by the use of some of the mineral wa
ters.
''It matters not whether you have a
case of absolute obstruction, strangulat-
ed or incarcerated hernia or. appendi-
citis, the treatment holds good. Please
bear in mind that in all of these condi-
tions the mucous membrane and muscu-
lar coats of the intestines are in a state
of irritation or Inflammation and are
contracted or paralyzed from the abnor-
NAL pressure due to impaction and
strangulation. l should give in this
stage from one-haf to 2 ounces of sweet
oil every three to six hours until the
temperature became normal. In all of
these conditions-I mean whether you
have case Of appendicitis, obstruction
or strangulated or incarcerated hernia
which has not reached the stage of gan
CREME or suppuration--you may expect
the same favorable results within "a
hours-a reduction of the temperature,
a relaxation of the muscular coats of the
intestines, and consequently a subsi-
dence of the Inflammation. AS an auxil-
iary treatment keep constantly applied
to the abdomen a hot faxseed poultice
over which has been poured hot sweet
oil.
"Unquestionably the knife can save
cases in the suppurative stage of appen-
dicitis when you are called in late, and
it is here that the skill Of the surgeon
can in the majority of cases save life.
The press in America and in Europe for
the last few months has printed inter-
views held with various distinguished
surgeons, in which the majority Of opin-
ions has been that the surgeons knife
has been too frequently used. DR.. Bull
of New York, in his laparotomies, has
taken particular pains to note the con-
dition of the vermiform process and has
found that fully five-sixths of them have
undergone pathological changes. Now,
although it is true that the vermiform
appendix is subject to Inflammation
from mechanical obstruction, from such
causes as grape seeds, cherry stones, ETC.,
the truth is that most of the cases Of ap-
pendicitis result from an infammatory
action due to various forms of catarrhal
difficulties incident to fecal concretions,
drastic purgatives, colds, etc. In all such
cases the lumen Of the appendix on the
cecal side is contracted by infiamma-
tory products. Such being the case, the
relaxing effect Of the sweet oil brings
about alternative changes Of the mucous
membrane, restoring it to its normal
tone.
81 have yet to lose case Of appendi-
citis, although have had 20, and the
cases where have been called in con-
sultation have all lived. The treatment
is appropriate for foreign bodies, such
az goosebeIIy seeds, beans, etc, in the
appendix as well as in catarrhal condi-
tions 1t seems to me the profession has
forgotten the peristaltic action Of all
tubular structures. Unless arrested by
opiates, they are ever in motion. Then
why should not the circular and longi-
tudinal fibers of the appendix rid the
lumen of foreign agents when they hap
pen to get there, especially if irritation
and contraction are prevented by sweet
oil, and relaxation and good fabrication
are substitutedY' Herald