Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1928-08-16
Appendicitis
On Increase
Check Shows

st. Paul, August 15.-Appendicitis
that modern disease of civilization
lis on the increase. Signs of it are
so varied that it should be suspected
in every case of stomach upset. The
most dangerous procedure is to use g
cathartic. 1t may stir latent factors
of disease and make the case severe
In these sentences the educational
committee of the Minnesota State
Medical association summarizes some
of the causes for the increase of ap,
pendicitis in this country.
Appendicitis is among the most
dangerous of our common diseases
and at the same time is one of the
most responsive to proper treatment
declares the bulletin. I'm spite of the
present widespread popular know
ledge of signs and symptoms of this
disease, the death rate is slowly in
creasing. 1t appears to be disease
of modern civilization and is far more
prevalent in this country than else
where.
"TOnS1iS OF Abdomen"
The appendix is a small, tubular
wormlike structure about the size OF
a lead pencil arising from the cecum
or first part of the large bowel which
lies in the lower right quadrant of the
abdomen. Its opening is continuous
with that of the large bowel and it
is lined with the same type of mu-
cous membrane. The appendix is
sometimes called the tonsil of the alb
domen because of the large amount of
adenoid tissue found in its wall. 1t
has no demonstrable function and is
generally regarded as a useless organ.
AS in other useless structures the
blood supply is poor.
Since the appendix opens into the
large bowel, it is constantly exposed
to bacterial infection. Any accident,
therefore, which might lower its re-
sistance, as obstruction through lack
of bowel movement and foreign bodies
kinking by adhesions, or impairment
of the blood supply, will give rise to
appendicitis. The offending organ
isms are usually colon bacilli and pus
cocci. AS soon as infection takes
place, swelling of the tissues occurs,
and with the swelling, the blood sup
ply is slowly cut off, resulting fire.
quently in gangrene. The appendix,
if not removed, will then rupture and
infection of the abdominal walls
(peritonitis) will result. 1t is this
complication that makes acute APP
pendicitis a dangerous and often fatal
disease.
Less In Infants.
Appendicitis is less common in in
fants, but may occur at any age. The
vast majority of intestinal disturb
ances popularity known as indigestion
are due to appendicitis. If a care
full examination is made, definite
tenderness of the appendix will be
found. Ordinarily we wait for the
classical symptoms to appear before
the true nature of the illness is SUI
spected-nausea, vomiting, diffuse alb
dominal pains, either colicky or con-
slant localizing in the right lower
quadrant with muscle spasm and ap-
pendiceal tenderness. Unfortunately,
however, some of the most dangerous
types of the disease may manifest
themselves with nothing more than
slight nausea, loss of appetite, general
stomach and intestinal uneasiness
and weakness. AS matter of fact
the signs of appendicitis are so var
led that this disease should be SUI
spected in every stomach and intest-
inal upset.
at is common practice for many to
thoroughly purge the bowels for re-
lief of any stomach and intestinal
disturbance. Since cathartics will set
up active wavelike movements of the
bowel, the practice is an exceedingly
dangerous one. Time and again an
already gangrenous appendix is rup-
tured by this procedure and the
liberated lIs and bacteria spread
widely among the coils of intestines,
producing generalized peritonitis.
The seriousness of taking cathartics
in suspected appendicitis cannot be
too strongly emphasized"