SURGICAL TREATMENT OF COLICS 63 



taxis, but as this is never a serious hemorrhage, and can 

 be prevented by practicing more gentle manipulations as 

 the hose is passing through the turbines, but little ob- 

 jection can be raised for this reason. The chief ad- 

 vantage of the nasal route is the facility v^ith which the 

 tube can be passed without ceremony into the stomach 

 and without any preparatory step like adjusting a specu- 

 lum or nose strap. In short, it is a wide open, ever-ready 

 channel through which a hose can always be passed with- 

 out formidable opposition from the patient. 



Modus Operandi of Stomach Lavage 



The modus operandi as practiced in our establishment 

 is as follows : Ten to twenty gallons of hot water are 

 usually needed and as hot water in such quantities is not 

 always available the first step is to plan to have this mat- 

 ter provided for while the other appurtenances and the 

 patient are being prepared. There should be a vessel to 

 catch the reflux and one to hold the hot water. It is not 

 good practice to allow the reflux to flow upon the floor 

 since it is rather important to keep some account of the 

 relations between the amount of water pumped into the 

 stomach and the material that flows out of it. 



The stylet is well lubricated with vaseline and pushed 

 into the hose until its end reaches to a point one inch 

 from the end of the tube. If the end of the stylet is too 

 near the end of the tube it may be pushed out in passing 

 downward and thus inflict damage, and if more than one 

 inch from the end of the tube the latter may fold upon 

 itself and block the channel. 



The intensive lubrication of the stylet to facilitate its 



