METABOLISM IN THE STOMACH AND INTESTINES 635 



Hernias may by incarceration cause ileus and strangulation, when 

 their effect on the metabolism of the body is secondary, due to the ob- 

 struction which they produce. 



Enteroptosis. Enteroptosis is not strictly speaking a disease, but a 

 symptom group, associated with. a dropping of the abdominal viscera. 

 It may exist in the body for an indefinite time, without causing any 

 symptoms, until the individual undergoes some physical or nervous strain. 

 The component parts in the clinical picture vary in accordance .with 

 which of the viscera are ptosed, from the normal position. The effects 

 associated with drooping of the intestines concern us chiefly. These are 

 briefly : 



(1) Constipation, resulting from sagging and kinking of the colon, 

 with loss of tone of the intestinal wall. Severe grades of intestinal stasis 

 may result, with the symptoms discussed under constipation. 



(2) Spasticity of the colon with various grades of mucus colitis, caus- 

 ing spastic constipation. The congenital type of enteroptosis, which is 

 the more important one, is generally associated with neurasthenia of 

 varying grades. Furthermore, there is often in these individuals a lack 

 of balance in the antonomic innervations, due to the occurrence of a sym- 

 pathicotonic or a vagotonic state. The result of these abnormalities 

 is that stasis in the intestinal tract causes more serious symptoms than 

 it would in normally balanced individuals. 



When the visceroptosis is extreme and the normal evacuation processes 

 of the intestines are interfered with by either the occurrence of atonic 

 or spastic states in the intestines, the effects on the body metabolism may 

 be quite striking. A considerable loss of weight and strength can occur, 

 causing the victims to reach the condition of deplorable invalids, poorly 

 nourished and nervously bankrupt. 



Ptosis of the other abdominal viscera may modify the clinical pic- 

 ture. The kidney may be displaced so greatly as to become subject to 

 attacks of Dietl's crisis and intermittent hydronephrosis. Again the 

 liver and spleen may drop to a considerable degree, causing secondary 

 pressure effects or disturbances in their functions which it is not within 

 our province to discuss. 



In general the metabolic complications of enteroptosis are those caused 

 by intestinal stasis, modified by the secondary effects due to an abnormally 

 balanced nervous system. The subject has been sufficiently discussed 

 under the head of constipation. 



The Parasitic Enteropathies 



(a.) Teniasis. 



(6) Uncinariasis and anchylostomiasis. 



(c) Strongyloidosis. 



