﻿364 The Philippine Journal of Science i9i4 



The mesenteric and mesocolic glands usually show no change. 



The brain. — The brain usually shows no change other than 

 injection of the meningeal vessels. In about one-third of the 

 brains examined, the note is made that the meninges are dry, 

 while in two cases associated with arteriosclerosis there was pial 

 oedema. 



The intestine. — The intestine is the organ about which the 

 greatest interest is centered, but sometimes the findings here 

 are scarcely sufficient to justify a diagnosis without taking the 

 other features into consideration. The condition of the serosa 

 has already been described. The contents of the intestine vary 

 somewhat in character and amount according to the stage of the 

 disease and the amount of fluid which has been administered 

 in treatment. Practically never is any solid or formed faecal 

 matter present. The usual finding is a smaller or larger amount 

 of fluid, usually pale, with an abundant admixture of mucus and 

 some epithelial flakes^ This is sometimes streaked with blood, 

 sometimes deeply bile stained, and sometimes brown in color. 

 In children it may be green. The amount varies from 2 to 3 

 liters down to a very small amount of mucus without fluid. 



The lesion of the intestine itself is essentially an acute ca- 

 tarrhal enteritis. The mucosa, especially of the lower portion of 

 the ileum, appears pale, smooth, glistening, and almost trans- 

 lucent; the lymphoid tissue appears prominent, especially that 

 of the solitary follicles. This same appearance may be present 

 in the colon and stomach. Sometimes the mucosa, especially 

 over and around the lymphoid tissue, appears very red, and 

 occasionally there are actual haemorrhages in these areas. In 

 2 cases of the series an actual pseudomembranous enteritis and 

 colitis existed. Without having made definite percentages, I 

 should say that animal parasites were no less frequent than in 

 our usual routine autopsies. The conditions described above 

 may not be very marked, but when taken into account with the 

 findings in other organs usually suffice for a diagnosis. The 

 lack of formed faecal matter is extremely constant. The difficulty 

 is enhanced when other intestinal diseases are present in the 

 ileum, as for example tuberculosis and status lymphaticus. Even 

 where these coexist, attention to the above features will at least 

 arouse suspicion if not make diagnosis possible. 



To recapitulate, it may be said that, while probably no one 

 anatomical feature is constant, the following features are the 

 ones on which a diagnosis is chiefiy based : 



Acute catarrhal enteritis associated with (1) cyanotic finger 

 nails, (2) dry tissues, (3) oligaemia, (4) dry and sticky peri- 



