The herald., 1896-01-19
GASIROL|GN|I|S
A New DiSe0Se Found 10 EK-
isl IN Los Angeles.
AFTER A YEAR OF CAREFUL STUDY
And Investigation a Prominent
' Local Physician Names it
"GastrOlignitis'
The REPORTER HAS AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW
With an Eminent PathoIogist, Whose
Recent Investigations Must
Prove
A BOON TO THOUSANDS OF OUR CITIZENS
And Add Another Bright Page to Progressive
Medcine-The New Disease and Its
Victims, with a History OF
Its Causation and
Effects
A BOON TO THOUSANDS OF OUR CITIZENS

Effects
The reporter overhearing a warm discussion
among some prominent local physicians man.
ages to collect q few facts that are Deci dedly
New.
In response to the reporters modest queries,
the leading pathologist of Los Angeles details
the clinical history Of "Gastrolignitis."
"Yes it is new disease, and Los Angeles is
entitled to all the glory of its discovery.
About year ago | began investigating pc.
culiar form OF gastric or stomach disease that
had none of the characteristics OF our tabu.
lated disorders. 1t did not conform to agree
in its subjective features to any picture or
group OF symp toms to be found in ancient or
modern medical textbooks.
have made a series OF scientific investiga-
tions, both chemical and microscopical, and
can now present you with perfect picture OF
"Gastrolignitis,' or The Toothpick Chewers
Disease"
am not surprised at your mental groping.,
for have lust given the same picture to q
number ef prominent physicians, who were
equally bewildered, but soon reached state
of serious conviction.
We are race of tooth pick chewels, q fact
easily proven, II you but observe the people
along our streets at meal hours.
The toothpick has even invaded the side
board, ii not the table OF our cultured people,
and today is as essential TO dinner as the
knife and fork with which we apprehend our
food
Lord Chesterfield would have held up his
hands in horror at this great American habit.
Bat we are concerned ouly with the medical
aspect OF this question, SO let us return % our
mutton" The various woods OF which tooth
picks are composed determines to a large de.
gree the progress and extent OF the disease.
Soft toothpicks become quickly split up into
| fine filaments or slivers, and are unconscious
| ly swallowed with the saliva. The harder
wooden toothpicks resist the process OF chew
ing and are more slowly disintegrated. What
is the result of this insidious accumulation OF
fine wooden slivers in the stomach? You
must remember that wood of all kinds is in
iected by germs or parasites. Read Wickson
of our State University on the diseases OF fruit
trees and you will readily appreciate this con-
dition.
have found lignious germs in a majority OF
these cases OF "Gastrolignitis." When these
little toothpick filaments reach the stomach
some of them become admiXed with the food
mass and thus carried off, but many OF
them lodge in the mucous covering the walls OF
the stomach. Some even enter and plug the
mouths OF the gastric follicles. But gradually
there is a complete network of these tlaments,
ono entangling others, till quite portion OF
the stomach wall is involved. Then you have
the first symptoms of "Gastrolignitis. Here
is specimen washed from the stomach OF a
prominent business man who has been in the
haait OF chewing toothpicks every day for the
past ten years. You can note the perfect en-.
twining of these little filaments and the ad
mixture of mucous and blood. This disease
once established may be mistaken for ulcer of
the stomach or gastritis, But the clinical pic.
ture is ''sui generis." and a careful eXamina-
ton by CON petent medical observer ought to
reveal its true condition. How may q person
surmise the presence of this disease? Well,
firstly, you have the history of the ha bit; and
secondly, you have group of symptoms that
do not ii t any recognized disease OF the stom-
ach.
Here is the group Uneasiness or distress
between meals; sometimes sharp pains in the
region OF the stomach; inordnate appetite at
times; great thirst edges of tongue ligh tly
coated aciditv of stomach and bitter eructa-
| tions; gaseous distention of stomach; hea rt-
burn; palpitaton OF heart; sinking feeling at
pit of stomach; headaches in the morning,
with a peculiar pallor and sallowness of the
face, typical case OF this disease can now
be seen in one OF the leading restaurants OF
this city.
Many of the symptoms are common to the
ordinary gastric disorders, but this distress be-
tween meals, peculiar pains, sal owness OF
face cratic hunger and morning symptoms
form an unique group, peculiar to the disease.
These symptoms are so suspicious that an eX-
animation of the contents OF the stomach is all
that is required to confirm the diagnosis.
You know that we are using Lavage, or
stomach washing, to aid us in our diagnosis
and treatment, thus affording our patients ex-
act knowledge as to the nature OF their
trouble.
Go into any medical college museum and
YOU will find hundreds OF specimens of Hair
Tumors, taken from the stomachs OF women
who were in the habit OF holding their hair in
their mouths while comblng and arranging ii.
Little by little they swallowed fine hairs and
these hairs, accumulating in the stomach,
were rolled into n bail by the moulding ac-
ton of that organ till they became tumors,
often as large us an adult fist. Hence my dis
covery regarding "Gastrowoodtes, while a
bit novel, is not contrary to established surgi-
cal facts. And let me tell You that have been
Investigating pathological subjects for the
past fifteen years and was professor OF the
subject in large eastern medical school.
What is your opinion, doctor, OF the results
OF this new disease?
am free to say that many diseases are so
masked that the ordinary practitioner finds it
u serious matter to honestly determine the eX =
act nature ol tHe ulseusc. II ny tHiS iSScA'
discovery can shed little light along the
dim pathway OF medical research and poin t
the way relief from disease hthe rto but
Little understood, will deem my past year S
iuves tigation a pleasant task.
Pathology is IN interesting study, doctor,
and the microscope seems to be mlghtler than
the scalpel today.
Yes you are correct in that assertion, for our
microscope is the great searchlight of exact
medical knowledge, ana he who travels with
ont it must find the way pretty dark ut times.
In diseases OF the lunfs kidneys, blood, in.
testines. etc. the microscope is our great
al chor to hod us fast to the truth.
The reporter took hurried look at th,; col
| lection of irs truments and appliances in the
In 1oratory aud roors Of the English b and Ger
| man Exncrt specia lists. in the Byrne Build
| ing and departed with IN Ut food Tor rciiec-
| lion. Office hours-S m. TO . pm; ev hing
| : to 8; ST ndays, o TO IL am.