INTESTINAL CATARRH. 



571 



Finally, if the acute catarrh be confined to the rectum, there is 

 also a constant desire to go to stool ; the passages are mucous, or 

 bloody mucus without any faeces ; but there are none of the char- 

 acteristic pains in the belly that precede the stools in catarrhal dys- 

 entery. 



In adults, chronic intestinal catarrh rarely leads to extensive serou 

 transudations into the bowels ; in most cases the secretion from the 

 mucous membrane is scanty and mucous. Hence, in adults, this dis- 

 ease is rarely or only temporarily accompanied by diarrhoea ; on the 

 contrary, the patients are usually constipated. The tough mucous 

 coating over the wall of the intestine hinders resorption, and inter- 

 feres with the nutrition ; patients become debilitated and emaciated, 

 and their complexion assumes a pale or dirty-gray color. Moreover, 

 the mucus in the intestines acts as a ferment on the other contents, in- 

 ducing decomposition, thus setting free quantities of gas, which inflate 

 the bowels, and cause great annoyance ; the belly becomes tense, the 

 diaphragm is pressed upward, the respiration impaired ; compression 

 of the arteries causes congestion of other organs, particularly of the 

 brain. Under such circumstances the passage of flatus is a great event 

 for the patient, and it affords him much gratification. Besides the 

 habitual constipation, the disturbance of the nutrition, and the flatu- 

 lence with its results, there is almost always great mental disturbance, 

 like that which we have already described among the symptoms of 

 chronic gastric catarrh. The patients either occupy themselves entire- 

 ly with their physical state, and have no brains or time for any thing 

 else, or they are subject to a total indifference and despair. In this 

 connection it is well worth attention, that, on autopsy of lunatics and 

 suicides, we often find flexions and abnormal positions of the intestines, 

 which are the most frequent causes of chronic intestinal catarah. Oc- 

 casionally the habitual constipation is temporarily interrupted by 

 severe colicky pain and a diarrhoea, by which quantities of mucus and 

 badly-smelling faeces are evacuated. As this interlude often occurs 

 without perceptible cause, it appears as if the decomposition of the 

 contents of the intestines occasionally formed products which were 

 particularly injurious and irritating to the mucous membrane of the 

 bowels, and increased the chronic to an acute catarrh. Chronic ca- 

 tarrhs, running the above course, are among the most frequent, trouble- 

 some, and obstinate of diseases. From the inefficacy of the remedies 

 prescribed, many patients despair of medical aid, and fall into the 

 hands of charlatans, or use Morrisons pills, L'eroVs herbs, StrahPs 

 pills, or other domestic remedies. We shall hereafter show that these 

 remedies, being laxative, undoubtedly have a favorable influence on the 

 difficulties that accompany chronic intestinal catarrh, and that they 



