Daily camera. [volume] (Boulder, Colo.) 1891-1928, 1899-10-06
ABOUT APPENDICITIS
A Boston Physician Tells What to
Do If You Have It
Not All CAses Result Seriously, Bat
When the Symptoms Are BAD
linn date Surgery -
NecessAry.

Some useful facts about appendicitis,
what it is, what causes il, and what to
do if you think you have it, were given
in an address recently in Boston by DIR.
F NJ Elliot
DR.. Elliot emphasized the Importance
of sending for the doctor without de
lay" if there is reason to suspect the
presence of the disease. If it should be
found necessary to use a knife to cut
out the diseased vermiform appendix
DIR. Elliot said that every minute gained
for the doctor was equally in favor of
the patients recovery.
Most people do not know where the
vermiform appendix is located. II n
line be drawn from the right front point
of the hip bone, or lilac crest, to the
navel, the appendix is usually under the
middle of the line. With general pain
in the abdomen and tenderness to pres
sure over this spot, Tears of appendicitis
are well warranted. and a physician
should be called
The appendix was described as a
short, wormlike tube from three to six
inches long, usually the shorter length.
and abundantly supplied with lymphoid
tissue. The tonsils in the mouth are the
most familiar examples of lymphoid Ills
sue, one of the characteristics of which
is readiness to become inflamed when
poisoned by bacteria. As in tonsilitis.
the inflammation of the appendix will
burn itself out, except that in the latter
case there is danger of the tube becom-
ing perforated by its alterations and
the intlamed contents leaking into the
intersutial tissue of the abdomen
VI hen the latter HAPPEN. II is n Ease of
cutting the thing out uuickl; or calling
in the undertaken.
Not all the cases reach this serious
stage, and physicians have come to be-
lieve that if no symptoms of perforation
rpear-cEtreme fever, increased pain.
much higher temperature, etc.-for
three days. there are strong hopes of
cure without the aid of the surgeon.
The adverse symptoms come on very
suddenly, however, and demand unhesi-
tating surgery.
DR.. Elliot pointed out that appen-
dicitis was not due to stray grape
stones or other small objects getting
caught in the tube. BY far the greatest
number of cases are traced to the poi
soning OF the lymphoid tissue by the es-
cape into the appendix of the contents
of the colon, the large intestine. Even
at that the chances of having trouble
depend mainly on the general tone of
the system.
The organs of the body. in perfect. or
even in fairly good health. are able TO
kill off bacteria that may invade them,
the familiar dependence of tonsilitis on
run down" condition of the health
being exactly in line with the danger
of having appendicitis. The prevention
Of the disease thus depends more on
getting all the fresh air, sunshine and
rutritive food that is possible than on
the avoidance of grapes, cherries and
the like, that are popularity credited
with appendicital danger.
\ curious relation has been noted be-
tween the disease and movements call
ing for sustained bending of the body
forward on the hips. Bicycling, playing
rush on football eleven. seruhbing
floor while standing on the feet instead
of being on hands and knees, are the
positions which appear to predisPose to
appendicitis. This was thought to he
due TO the irritation of the appendix,
which in those movements is caused to
rub to and fro over the tense edge of the
long tailor muscle of the leg, 1t had
been noted that the disease was rather
prevalent among people who were for
long periods in such positions, the re
mark being suggested by 4 question as
To the benefits to women OF bicycling.
The wheel was pronounced great
benefit, indeed. but the "scorchcr's" po-
sition was an invitation to appendicitis.
The moral was. of course, TO sit rp
straiCht.-N. y. World.