462 THE F^CES IN DISEASE. [BOOK II. 



The following analyses exhibit the general composition of human 

 meconium (Zweifel). 



(1) (2) (3) 



Water in 100 parts 79'78 80'45 



Solid matters 20'22 19'55 



Cholesterin 0'797 



Fats 0-772 



Mineral matters 0'978 0'87 1-238 



In the mineral matters, Zweifel found much sulphuric acid, in 

 combination with calcium and with sodium. He found in the ashes 

 between 1-7 and 3'4 p.c. of FePO 4 . 



SECT. 6. THE FJECES IN DISEASE. 



Faeces in VVe have already referred to the fact that when bile 



jaundice. - g cut Q ff f rom the intestine, the faeces assume a clay 



colour, are devoid of derivatives of bilirubin (hydrobilirubin), exhale 

 an exceedingly foetid putrefactive odour, and contain a large quantity 

 of fat. 



Faeces in When the pancreatic duct is occluded, as by cancer 



disease Q f ^ ne nea( } o f the pancreas, the stools also contain a 



large quantity of fat. Cases in which the bile-duct is 

 not at the same time pressed upon are rare, so that the opportunity 

 of studying the effects of an uncomplicated occlusion of the pancrea- 

 tic duct seldom occurs. 



The faeces Many purgative medicines appear to act merely by 



increasing intestinal peristalsis. If the rate of passage 

 of the intestinal contents be increased, it is evident 

 that the absorption of water, and other constituents capable of 

 being absorbed, will be diminished and that the faeces will assume a 

 much less solid character than is normal. On the other hand, the 

 saline and so-called hydragogue purgatives appear to act both by 

 increasing peristaltic action and by augmenting the intestinal secre- 

 tion (Moreau, Vulpian, Brunton, Matthew Hay); the saline purgatives 

 also act by impeding the absorption of water from the alimentary 

 canal (M. Hay, Rohmann 1 ). 



In the case of many purgative substances it would appear that, as 

 in diarrhoaa due to specific poisons, the intestinal mucous membrane 

 is irritated, an excessive amount of epithelium is thrown off and 

 a pathological transudation from the blood-vessels occurs, as evi- 

 denced by the albumin which the liquid dejecta hold in solution. 



1 For systematic information on this subject, which does not strictly come within 

 the scope of the present work, consult Harnack, Lehrbuch der Arzneimittellehre und 

 Arzneivorordnungslehre, Hamburg und Leipzig, Verlag von Leop. Vois, 1883, see pp. 42 

 45, and Brunton's Pharmacology, Therapeutics and Materia Medica. The following 

 papers should be referred to on this subject. Eadziejewski, 'Zur physiologischen 

 Wirkung der Abfiihrmittel,' Archiv f. Anat. u. Phys., 1870, p. 1. Lauder Brunton, 

 'On the action of purgative medicines,' The Practitioner, 1874. Dr Matthew Hay, 

 Journal of Anatomy and Physiology, Vol. xvi., pp. 243 and 391. 





