AMCEBIC ABSCESS OF THE LIVER AMONG FILIPINOS 



By RuFiNO Abriol 



(From the Department of Surgery, College of Medicine and Surgery, 



University of the Philippines, and the Philippine General Hospital) 



OUTLINE 



L Introduction. 

 II. Etiology. 



1. Geographical distribution. 



2. Relation to intestinal 



amoebiasis. 



3. Predisposing factors. 



a. Race. 



b. Malaria. 



c. Vicissitudes of 



temperature. 



d. Seasonal preval- 



ence. 



e. Personal factors. 



III. Morbid Anatomy. 



1. Number of abscesses. 



2. Site. 



3. Size. 



4. Contents of the abscess. 



5. Adhesions. 



IV. Symptoms. 



1. General considerations. 



2. Fever. 



3. Pulse. 



4. Rigors. 



5. Sweating. 



6. Vomiting. 



7. Pain. 



8. Cough. 



9. Blood picture. 

 10. Physical signs. 



V. Diagnosis. 

 VI. Complications. 

 VII. Prognosis. 

 VIII. Treatment. 



1. Aspiration. 



2. Rogers's method. 



3. Open operation. 



a. Transpleural 



route. 



b. Abdominal route. 

 Postoperative treatment. 



IX. Conclusions. 



INTRODUCTION 



Much work has been done on amoebic abscess of the liver by 

 various observers in tropical countries as well as in subtropical 

 and temperate localities; however, as far as I am aware, there 

 is as yet no work presented to the medical world on amoebic 

 abscess of the liver as it exists among the Filipinos. This is 

 explained by the fact that, although the disease is tropical, the 

 majority of its victims are Europeans or other peoples of the 

 white race; hence observers on this disease are amply supplied 

 with material from foreign patients rather than from the 

 natives. The significance and the importance of this affection 

 in the foreign residents in the Philippines have been emphasized 

 by several observers, but as it exists among the Filipinos, little 

 importance is ascribed to it. 



' Submitted March, 1916, as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Tropical 

 Medicine. Received for publication April, 1917. 



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