of the Stomaclu 557 



the stomach alone, would not, I suppose, have produ- 

 ced so greiit an effect, without the aid of other causes. 

 The other causes, surely, would not have produced them, 

 without the acidity. The acidity was the causa sine qua 



71077. 



11. Wind in the Stomach and Intestines. — ■ 

 This evil is produced by a fermentation of the alimenta- 

 ry matter. In healthy stomachs such a fermentation usu- 

 ally exists, in a very small degree only ; but on some 

 occasions from over-eating, or from a Ytry free use of acid 

 fruits, or from fatigue, or from such an exposure to cold 

 and wet as to induce torpor in the extremities, or over 

 the surface of the body generally, aided by the other 

 causes, it is excited in a considerable degree even in 

 them, for a short time ; but in such instances the excess 

 of acid which ever accompanies it, usually occasions a 

 free diarrhea, and the patient in a few days enjoys his 

 customary state of health. In dyspeptics, on the contra- 

 ry, the fermentation is occasioned by a very slow and im- 

 perfect digestion, which is owing to the morbid state of 

 the gastric liquor, and to the debility of the muscular coat 

 of the stomach. This debility of the muscular coat will 

 occasion on the one hand, a relaxation of the plaits or folds 

 about the pylorus ; and thus a protrusion of some parts 

 of the alim.entary matter into the intestines will take place, 

 before it has undergone any considerable change; and on 

 the other hand, the muscular contractions will be so fee- 

 ble as not to force all the alimentary matter through, in 

 due time. The heat and morbid juices of the stomach, and 

 the liquids which were taken in with the food^ will occa- 

 sion it in m.any instances, to undergo a very rapid fer- 

 mentation. The quantity of wind extricated will some- 

 times be enormously great. I knew a person, who, from 

 eating moderately of various kinds of food which to 

 healthy people are ahvays mild and inoffensive, was on 

 some occasions afflicted with this evil to such a degree, 

 that eructations of wind were induced, which continued 

 iortsv'o hours, with scarce a moment's intermission. 



Th e m o r e I d e f f e c t 5 which wind produces, are, dis- 

 tension and sjiasms in the intestines, borborygmi, cholic. 



