592 DISEASES OF THE alime:ntary teact, stomach, etc. 



that where a correct dietary, with work duly apportioned to 

 age, capabiHties, and other conditions, is carefully carried out, 

 comparatively few diseases of these organs occur ; and that 

 where the dietetic conditions and arrangements respecting 

 work are bad, they are most prevalent and most likely to 

 terminate fatally. 



Clinical Characters. — In nearly all disorders of the digestive 

 organs general symptoms, when such are present, are less 

 attractive and less diagnostic than the local and objective. 

 ' In one group of disturbances of these organs, both symp- 

 toms and lesions, if connected with what are more properly the 

 digestive organs, are also largely and often more distinctively 

 attached to other, to distant and to different organs ; that 

 although truly, as respects their origin, dietetic affections, they 

 may with equal correctness, having respect to their symptom- 

 atology, be spoken of as diseases of other systems, depending 

 upon the prominence of particular phenomena appearing 

 during their course and development. 



Very commonly it is found in acute disturbances of the 

 digestive organs, and where both symptoms and lesions are 

 chiefly confined to these, that resulting from the sudden in- 

 terruption of the digestive process, with the bulky character 

 of the contained food prone to rapid chemical changes, very 

 serious inconvenience is experienced, and shoAvn by unmistak- 

 able symptoms from flatulent distension of difterent portions of 

 the canal. 



In all, the inclination for food and water is more or less 

 altered ; while, when the disturbance is chiefly gastric, eructa- 

 tion and regurgitation, with, more rarely, expulsive efforts at 

 discharge of ingesta, attract attention. 



The disturbance in the true intestinal portion is ordinarily 

 more marked with restlessness and pain, while irregularity of 

 action, exhibiting itself in the direction of constipation or 

 diarrhoea, is frequently a prominent symptom. As enabling us 

 to arrive at a satisfactory diagnosis, an inquiry into these condi- 

 tions, with an examination of the discharges, and manipulation 

 carried out externally and internally, are absolutely needful. 



