DISEASES OF THE STOMACH AND BOWELS. 311 



not less than fifty persons, and, to gratify the general de- 

 sire, the author consented to make an examination. The 

 carcass was removed to a suitable place; and when, in a 

 few minutes, the viscera was fairly laid open, the cause of 

 death was visible to all. The stomach was literally torn 

 into shreds, and its contents were scattered\ throughout the 

 entire abdominal cavity. So great had been the concus- 

 sion, that the diaphragm was ruptured, and fragmentary 

 debris from the stomach, was found in the region of the 

 heart and lungs. ITo special indications of inflammation 

 were discoverable in its coatings, although the organ was 

 nearly destroyed by disease. The mucous membrane was 

 entirely gone, and the cuticle was so much decomposed that 

 in appearance it resembled gauze, or fine net-work, falling 

 out as if it were an extraneous substance when the stomach 

 was detached from its connection. The muscular coating 

 was also much decomposed, and had become a soft mass, 

 so that it could be torn almost like a piece of wet paper. 

 A spectator described its condition by the blunt remark, 

 *' The thing is all rotten." The pylorus was still closed, 

 its fearful stricture, whence had proceeded all the mischief, 

 remaining as before death. 



In the small intestines traces of inflammation were abun- 

 dant. Ten feet or more of these, immediately next .the stomach, 

 presented a blood-red appearance, and similar patches were 

 found along the entire line of the bowels. From the stomach 

 to the anus there was not a particle of alimentary substance. 

 This empty condition invariably characterizes cases of this 

 kind, all the contents of the bowels below the stricture being 

 speedily voided. 



Inflammation had undoubtedly existed throughout the 

 digestive organs in a high degree, but fuel had been added 

 to the flames by drenching the poor animal with almost 

 incredible quantities of so-called medicines. The stomach 

 must have contained at least two gallons of these nostrums: 

 sweet oil, castor oil, turpentine, epsom salts, sweet milk, 

 molasses, sage tea, and several others. In all probability 



