THE SYMPATHETIC SYSTEM 341 



the solar ganglia, sclerosis and pigmentation of the nerve 

 cells. (Laignel-Lavastine) . 



2. ACUTE AND HEMORRHAGIC PANCREATITIS. The 

 acute symptoms of paralysis are observed at the beginning 

 of this condition. 



3. CHRONIC PANCREATITIS, particularly cancer of the 

 body of the pancreas (Chauffard) with or without peri- 

 pancreatitis, the diabetic pancreatitis (Loeper) constitute 

 the most important causes of neuritis of the solar plexus 

 as well as: 



4. GASTRIC AND PERIGASTRIC LESIONS OF THE 

 LESSER CURVATURE AND THE POSTERIOR SURFACE OF 

 THE STOMACH. (A. Mathieu) : ulcer, ulcerated cancer 

 or cancer. 



The solar plexus during the course of the affections just 

 mentioned is irritated and compressed either by adhesions 

 in the neighborhood of the ulcer (perigastric), or by inflam- 

 matory or neoplastic adenopathy secondary to gastric 

 or pancreatic lesions. 



5. INTESTINAL CANCER (of the small intestines and 

 propagation in the mesentery or the colon) give rise to two 

 kinds of nerve lesions: Some inflammatory, when the 

 tumor is ulcerated or infected* characterized by a lympho- 

 cytic infiltration, a proliferation of the capsule of the nerve 

 ganglia; some cancerous lesions, a real carcinomatous 

 involvement of the intra intestinal nervous system by 

 propagation from a ganglion or a lymphatic in the neigh- 

 borhood of the neoplasm or by direct propagation of the 

 cancer by means of the nerve according to a mechanism 

 studied recently by Loeper and comparable to the ascend- 

 ing radiculo neuritis of tabes and other infections. 



6. INTESTINAL AFFECTIONS. Typhoid fever, dysen- 

 tery, certain severe colitis produce certain inflammatory 

 lesions of the intestinal nervous system (entero neuritis. 



