The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-05
APPENDICITIS AND ITS CURE.
THREE REASONS WHY IIORE rs
HEARD OF THE DISEASE.

Disease Called Inexact and Hazardous
Appendicitis is a disease which the genera
public has come 10 look upon as an invention
Of the dootors-as q mere Pigment OF the
professional imagtnation-but tn truth Il
isA very real and serious disorder.
Three factors have combined to increase
Iis apparent occurrence. In the first place,
Hsdtotas has made great advances in exc
AStness during the last twenty years and
many disorders formerly described vaguely
a. colo and bowel trouble are now
placed under the head Of appendicitis. In
the second there's reason to believe that the
6tseaee Is actually more prevalent than it
used to be and that the spread Of influenza
IL IN some way to blame for this.
In the third place, the widespread interest
In appendicitis has caused a great many
persons to produce it's symptoms or simula-
tions of It's symptoms in themselves by
efforts Of the imagination. Some Of the
persons who thus fancy that they have the
malady without really having II are actually
inspired by nothing more than a desire TO be
In the fashion; others are victims OF hysteria,
a strange disorder which usually masquer-
AIDES as other disorders; others suffer from
ailments approximating more or less the
characteristics of true appendicitis.
As every one knows, appendicitis Is an
Inflammation Of the queer little sac called
the vermifor1n appendix. This sac, which
iG about the size and shape of q glove finger,
has no apparent use. and most ANTAGONISTS
agree that it is nothing but a surviving
stump or root OF some forgotten organ
that man at some early period OF his de-
vslopment found useful. It. makes oil
from a part OF the intestlnes. and lies on the
right side.
So long as IL remains empty and healthy
Il 10 unobtrusiye and harmless. But so
soon as it fills up with poisons, germs,
grape reeds and other things Of that sort
and begins to swell and tester it becomes
q source Of danger and a possible cause OF
death.
Appendicitis is a germ disease, but unlike
d~iphtheria, typhoid fever and measles it
has no specific germ OF its own. Almost
any malignant microbe, in fact, may cause
1t. When a man has rheumatic fever, for
example, some Of the stray germs OF that
dlsease may wander into his appendix, set
up an Inflammation and kill him. Again
The saIne thing may be done by the germs
Of typhoid fever, common boils or influenza,
The last named disease has been shown to
be a precursor OF appendicitis, and there Is
good reason to believe, as has been stated.
the recent epidemios Of Influenza have
caused the parallel epidemios OF trouble
In tn lvermiform appendix.
Very often the disturbance that these
invading germs cause in the appendix is
very slight. In such cases nothing serious
happens and the patient commonly gets
well again without knowing that he was
iii. But at other times the disturbance is
and lasts longer inc the result
10 appendicitis In u Of Its more familiar
Even when the number Of germs in the
appendix is and the resultant
and ~suppuration have gone
very far the germ killing leucocytes OF the
blood keep up a terrific battle with the
invaders. In an otherwise healthy man
this battle is apt to be successful. but there
always the chance that the ~leucocytes
may lose and that the germs will spread
from the appendix to the abdominal cavity
Ia general and thereby aus death by
peritonitis.
Therefore Il is the custom Of physicians
N soon az they are sure that a patient
has appendicitis to hand him over
10 q surgeon to have his germ ridden ap-
pendix out out. When 1t Is cut out the
germs in 1t go with 1t. and IL the wound
heals pro~peFly-as 10 does In the vast ma
lorty OF oases-the patient RECEIVERS.
This fact explains the general tendency
% operate In appendicitis 1t 10 always
that the patient will recover with
,ut an operation. but II the latter is per-
in time his chances are enormously |
increased. II we put his risk OF dying
rom the disease itself at q hundred We may
put his risk Of dying from the operation at
II is thus plain that In. the long run
{ is wisest TO operate.
The symptoms of appendicitis are pretty
we'll known to every n Tn disease
makes itself manifest quite sud-
ienly and the first sign Is commonly a
severe and sharp pain in the abdomen.
somewhere to the right Of the centre line. A
fever accompanies this and other
light symptoms, such as a coated tongue,
oss OF appetite and vomiting, follow. The
muscles Of the abdomen srs drawn taut and
PRESSURE over the appendix causes excru-
pain.
This is the general picture. In addition
here are a hundred and one other indica-
ions, apparent only to q physician. But
hose given suffice for presumptive diagno-
lie. They may appear and yet there may
,e no appendicitis, but this is decidedly
unusual in persons otherwise healthy.
Therefore, IL you are seized by a sudden
nd violent pain in the right side, somewhere
a the vicinity OF the belt, and this is fol-
by a slight fever, the customary
ymptoms of a sick stomach, it is best to
end for a doctor at once. And II, when
his doctor comes, he advises you to 60 to
hospital for an operation, do 30 imme-
without senseless protest or delay.
a appendicitis, says DR.. Osler, "the surgeon
} often called too late, but never too soon.s
i've minutes delay may decide the issue
'etween life and death.
Twenty years ago the general public
hospitals in horror and operating
In a~bomination, but OF late surgery
become 30 exact that this old feeling
dying out. Going to a hospital to have
mes appendix removed Is by no means
thing that should cause one to break into
he cold perspiration Of terror. No prepara-
on Is required, the time lost 10 but a few
'eake and the risk of dying is very small
smaller indeed than the risk
un by the man who insists upon keeping
lie infIamed appendix,
H~nrnrtnaaa Ia thu oua thine daainad nhoya