674 ENTERITIS. 



nor any attempt at organization of unnatural or adventitious 

 products. The whole phenomena appear to partake purely of 

 obstructive or congestive character, a disturbance of the normal 

 equilibrium which ought to subsist amongst the various con- 

 stituent elements of the blood, or an alteration in the conducting 

 powers of the blood and lymph conduits. The very large amount 

 of gelatiniform material effused would seem to point to distinc- 

 tive changes in the amount and character of the colloid elements 

 of the blood, while the largely blood-stained effusion and ingesta 

 would lead us to suspect rupture of minute bloodvessels. No 

 doubt we may vicAV these abnormal conditions in somewhat of 

 another light, and account for both the extent and character 

 of the exudation from the speciality of structure and function 

 of the bowel as well as from the nature of the action itself In 

 this part of the system we have to recollect the considerable 

 extent of both lymph and bloodvessels, and the activity of 

 absorption naturally existing in health. 



In other forms of disturbed intestinal activity recognised as 

 inflammatory the clinical features may be somewhat similar, 

 more prolonged if somewhat less intense ; the tissue- changes 

 are, however, more in keeping with our ordinary ideas of the 

 results of inflammation, as these ideas are formed by the nature 

 of the resulting changes in other situations. In these we have 

 effusion less extensive in every respect, but better developed 

 as to its textural characters ; and however blood-stained or 

 coloured it may be, it never presents such resemblances to 

 anthracoid effusions and congestive states as the former mani- 

 festations do. 



h. Causation. — The causes which operate in the induction 

 of inflammatory action in any part of the alimentary canal are 

 very similar, if not identical in character with those adverse in- 

 fluences to which have been attributed the occurrence of the 

 lesser evils, simple disturbance in the functional activities of 

 the bowel. 



Indigestion, or arrest of those changes which ought naturally 

 to proceed in the bowel, indicated by expressions of abdominal 

 pain — colic so-called — may result from influences or agents 

 precisely similar in character to those which operate in induc- 

 ing the more serious and destructive inflammatory process. 

 There seems every reason for believing that repeated attacks of 



