The herald., 1897-03-03
NO DANGER IN GRAPE SEEDS
The Dreaded Appendicitis Is Not Caused In
Tint Way

That Way f.t
There is a popular and false notion
that appendicitis Is caused by grape
seed, an orange seed or some other for
eign substance getting into the vermi-
form appendix The true cause Is the
setting up of Inflammation and conse-
uuent gangrene in the tissue of the ap-
psndix usually due to insufficient cir
culation OF the blood in the part itself.
In thousands Of operations which have
taken place-many in time to save the
life of the patient, and many too late
there Is not one authenticated case of a
foreign substance. such as SEED being
found In the appendix. This will be more
fully realized when one has In mind that
the interior of the appendix Is only big
enough to admit medium sized darning
needle. Its great liability to disease is
due entirely to it's low order of vital re-
sistance. That is. 1t is an organ which
appears to have no actual use in the
present machinery of man, but In the
earlier stages of mans development 1t
is believed to have been large pouch
that played an important part in the
digestive operations of the human sys-
TEN. BY ages of disease II has gradually
shrunk to its present dimensions. and 10
known to science as a vestigial organ,
one WnlCn is only "a remnant Oh It's lOIIH-
er self, and possessing but vestige OF
its original functions.
This becomes more clear II some other
parts of the body which now seem to
have no use are considered. The tonsils
are in this class, and also the wisdom
teeth. and both are peculiarly subject to
disease.
The wisdom teeth decay early in the
average man. and the tonsils are con-
stant source of trouble in some persons.
These disorders are due to the low vital
resistance of the parts. They are atro-
phied from disuse. and therefore unable
to throw off their enemies. as do the
stomach and lungs and other vital or
gans. which are In constant and active
| working order.
The tonsils and the appendix are COM
posed of what Is called limphoid tissue.
which is lowest in the scale of material
in the body. The tonsils are so situated
that they can be treated or removed
without serious difficulty. But the ap-
pendix is in one of the mcet delicate and
vital parts of the body. usually to the
right of the center OF the abdomen.
| But in rare instances II has been found
on the left side. and still more rarely
otherwise displaced. The discovery.
made very recently, has caused the sur
geons to be extremely careful TO locate
the trouble before ueing the knife.
The surgeons now regard the opera
| tion itself as one of the most simple. but
| to obtain the best results II should take
| place within a few hours after the pa
| tient begins to suffer from the disease.
| The symptoms are so plain and un-
mistakable to the surgeon OF today that
| any sufferer may know them himself.
First. the attack Is always sudden. 1t
comes on when the person Is, apparently
in the best of health, and without the
slightest warning. Second. sharp pain
| is felt in the very center of the abdomen.
| This is always the case, whether the
| appendix be in its correE place on the
| right side, or displaced to the left. Third,
| sore and tender spot. very painful to
| the touch. is located exactly where the
| incision must be made to find the ap-
pendix.
These are the three symptoms which
| have been found in thousands Of cases
with carcely variation.
| Thus II is that many sudden deaths
occur TO persons In robust health. They
| are thought to have collie, or a vertigo,
when the truth is. that miserable and
useless little organ. the appendix. has
met with some kind Of an accident and
clogs the whole machine.
| While all this is as familiar as A b G
| to the medical profession, little or moth
! ing has been done to popularize this
knowledge.
Appendicitis usually occurs between
the ages of 10 and 30 years. 1t Is ex-
tremely rare above or below those ages.
| 1t is much more frequent among males
than females. the proportion in all coun-
| tries being 20 per cent females to so per
| cent males.-New York Journal