The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-13
ABOUT APPENDICITIS.
Or. walsh says ~ Has Not Become
More Frequent.

More Frequent.
Or J J. Walsh. in New York Journal
Ten years ago the word appendicitis"
was practically unknown even 10 the ma
iority OF physicians. when the first sheets
OF the Century Dictionary were issued
about fifteen years ESQ a reward was Of
fered to any one who woud point out
word that had been omitted. The wofd
appendicitis was not In the original
sheets. yet no one claimed the reward.
And no wonder. FOR 81 was not until 1855
that Dr. Regiphld Fitz Of Boston, applied
the name appendicitis" TO a series Of con-
dltions that had often been noted before
! but had never been properly understood.
Now appendicitis" is one Of the most
familiar OF household words. II seems
paudoxical. then. 10 say that appendicitis
Is not more frequent than il used 20 be.
yet this Is absolutely true A new and
more exact name has come into vogue. bat
not a new disease. Twenty years ago two
causes Of death were very prevalent that
are scarcely heard Of now They were In
Illumination of the bowels ana perltonits
We heard OF a friends indiscreton IN diet
being followed 10y collie. then Inflammation
% the bowels s,t in aud death eusucd. or
an acquaintance travelling al distance
from surgical ali was stricken With peri
tonitls and. before relief could be affofd-
"a. was dead.
Il e. surprising that the discovery that
these serious abdominal affections pac-
tically always BEGIN ia the appendix
should have been left to an American
medical man Of our dny. Al over Eu-
rope hundreds Of autopEies wero made
every year in which the role Of the APP
pendix a. the primary cause IT Tine fatal
illness Is now manifest The key 20 the
mystery OF most OF the serious abdominal
affections lay FOR years right under the
eyes OF every maker Of manV autopsies.
Il was contained Ia an organ. however.
that was thought 20 be unimportant
Needless 90 say II was missed when
American surgeons first insisted that prac-
tically an intestinal collie was due 10 in
Illumination OF the appendix and that most
% the fatal peritonius originated in the
obscure little organ. they were scoffcd at
by men who said ironic things about the
lack Of judicial conservatism la their en-
tcrprisinE American colleague Now tho
Importance Of appendicitis IS fully rccog-
nizcd though due credit Is not given 10
American inventive acumcn for the dis
covcry.
II Is the custom to think that appendi-
Gifts b. due 10 some cause Immediately
preceding the development Of the symp-
toms. Nothing could well be less true
The condition which caused the appendix
10 become acutely indamed usually dates
back for many years What Is constantly
found In diseased appendices after their
removal Is stricturo--that Is. a narrowing
OF the canal Of the appendix. When the
canal OF the small, lead-pcucii like tube
OF the appc mix becomes very narrow az
some point - takes but little TO shut II Up
entirely. some disturbance OF digestion.
or a cold. OF q blow sends more blood than
usual to the intcstincs This causes the
mucous membranes Of the Intestine and
Of the appendix. which Is par, 81 the IN
testinc. 10 swell This swelling CLOSES en-
tircy the narrowed canal OF the appen-
dix. and then the trouble begins Bacteria
are always present IN the appendix be-
cause OF its connection with the intestine
whore they swarm. As long as tho exit
Is free these germs are not dangerous As
soon as they are confined their rapid mu-
tlplication without chance Of escape
makes them deadly. They rupture thr
appendix. aud ~ they DO not Ind some
way ont Of the body death D. inevitable.
The structures of the appendix thai are
tho prime cause OF the trouble ore NOT
congeuial-that g. are not present at
birth. bur are acquired. Most Of them re-
childhood. some OF them follow typhoid
fever. OF dysentory or influenza Of the In
testiuca. The most important factor e.
undoubtedly the coitis OF chilihood-that
is the Inflammation OF the large intes-
tines 30 frequent In the early years OF
NE
Appendicitis has been always with us. II
can be unmistlkohly traced through hi--
tori, Many a supposed case Of poisouiug
u. "a Fatffft
dlcius Chapters Of history will have 10
be rewritten with this % MIND. our gen
Grafton will not escape its share Ia tho
dangers OF appendicial evolution. We can
Individually lessen our chances Of suffer.
Ina by avoiding all forms Of intestinal IT.
ritation. Especially does the chronic con-
gestion that accompanies constipation
seem 20 predispose appendicitis. Consti-
patton precedes an acute appendicitis 200
% per cent. Of the cases. Not the
modic catharsis Of drugs but the regular
action Of nature s. the surcss safeguard
against appendicitis.