EDITORIAL. 



DYSENTERIC ABSCESS OF THE LIVER. 



The passing of abscess of the liver among Americans in the Philip- 

 pines is so apparent from recent available statistics, that this most 

 dreaded and most serious complication of intestinal amcebiasis should 

 soon to a great extent lose its terrors, at least for Americans. During 

 the interval from 1901 to 1905 the writer operated on about 100 cases 

 of this form of abscess in both military and private practice, and 95 

 per cent at least of the patients were Americans; the percentage of 

 recoveries was about 90 per cent. Exact data are not now available. 

 The following operations were performed in St. Paul's Hospital, Manila. 



Operations for amoebic abscess of the liver, St. Paul's Hospital, Manila. 



Year. 



Cases. 



Ameri- 

 cans. 



Euro- 

 peans. 



Japa- 

 nese. 



Ne- 

 groes. 



Filipi- 

 nos. 









2 



3 

 1 



1 

 1 



2 



4 





8 1 2 

 7 1 3 







1 



1 













3 



5 



2 



6 









The admission to the hospital of all classes of cases during this period 

 was over 7,00^). 



A number of cases of liver abscess have been treated in the military 

 and other hospitals of Manila during these years and a marked recent 

 decrease of the disease among Americans is shown by the records of 

 these institutions as far as could be learned. These figures prove in a 

 most striking manner the efficacy of rational treatment of amosbic disease 

 of the colon. But a short time ago, the discovery of amoeba? in their 

 stools came as such a shock to sensitive patients that the overcoming 

 of the dread and depression following the discovery of the parasites was 

 no small part of the treatment. 



73846 6 349 



