154 
PATHOLOGY. 
GemisVII. Coprof afis, [from xoWgftC, dung, and oretait;, 
ftagnation.] Retention of the Faeces. This genus has 
only two fpecies. 
1. Coprodnfis coafta, (Obftipatio, Cull) Coftivenefs. 
This is a complaint to which fedentary perfons and bon- 
vivants are much expofed, and which has long and juftly 
been considered a frequent caufe of the numerous dy ft¬ 
p-optic cafes we daily witnefs. Its obvious cure is the ufe 
of cathartics ; and for thefe medicines formulae abound 
in every family. The frequent recourfe which is had to 
purgatives tends, however, to impair the functions of the 
intellines, by rendering the periftaltic powers inaflive 
except under the influence of ftimulus; and further, 
even this ftimulus, as is well known, gradually lofes its 
effedt by repetition. On this account our therapeutical 
indications fliould embrace a wider field of remedial 
agency. As the mufcular fibres are the agents of the pe- 
mftaltic motioit, we Should endeavour to Strengthen the 
tone of the mufcular iYltem generally, fince one part is 
feldom weak without all participating in the fame debi¬ 
lity. This purpofe is peculiarly to be effedled by exer- 
cife to fuch a degree as to Strengthen mufcular contraction 
without producing fatigue; by the cold bath, and by 
medicines which are laid to give tone to the mufcles. 
Mr. Howfhip, in his work on the inteftines, fays, that 
bark internally administered for l'ome continuance will 
bring on the healthy aCtion of the trowels to fuch a degree 
that purgatives become unnecelTary. The belt method 
of ufiog it feems to be to unite it with a moderate dofe 
of cathartic medicine, and then gradually diminifli the 
dofe of the latter, and increafe that of the former. 
If coftivenefs continues, however, a clyfter of warm 
water will produce the alvine difeharge, and without, of 
ciourfe, Stimulating in any inordinate degree the entire 
Secretion, fince this meafure does nothing more than dift 
folve the faeces. The life of clyfters is becoming more 
fashionable in this country, and there is every reafon to 
believe, that, if we ufed them oftener, and applied draft 
tic purges lefs frequently, the digeltive apparatus of molt 
perlons would be found in a better condition. It has 
been recommended by foir.e lo endeavour to inllitute re¬ 
gular ftools by voluntary endeavours at regular periods ; 
but we believe this will feldom do good, except when an 
indolent habit of neglecting the calls of nature has been 
the caufe of the complaint; and, even then, draining 
Should not be long perfifled in. 
Codivenefs feldom occurs in young infants. When it 
does, it always arifes from badnefs or deficiency of the 
juirie*s milk, or from the food. If one copious evacu¬ 
ation take place every twenty-four hours, and the in¬ 
fant be thriving, there is no occafion for interference ; 
but, if there be any greater torpor of the bowels than 
this, fuitable remedies are to be employed. For this pur¬ 
pose, a brifk laxative may be given every day, for four or 
five times fucceflively. The bed laxatives for infants are 
manna, calcined magnefia, and cold drawn cador-oil. 
Where thefe means fail, and there is reafon to attribute 
the coftivenefs to the nurfe’s milk, we mud regulate the 
diet, and open freely the how-els, of the latter. Rut, if it 
be found that the milk dill pod’eO'es that injurious quality, 
the nurfe diould, if poflible, be changed. Where this 
cannot be done, four or five drops ol antimonial wine 
may be given to the infant every night at bed-time. 
2. Coprodafis addricla. In this fpecies the fame ge¬ 
neral treatment fliould be regarded. Purgatives of a 
gentle kind, and gradually leflened as they are found ef¬ 
fectual, are the fird agents. Diet fliould be ufed of a re¬ 
laxing kipd, we mean fuch a# is principally compofed of 
green vegetables. The fympathy which exids between 
the (kin, the mucous lining on one part of the alimentary 
canai and another, render medicines applied to the Sto¬ 
mach and (kin of efteCt on the bowels ; fo the warm 
bath, naufeating doles of calomel and antimony, will, 
if perfevered in, fometimes effect a cure. Constipation 
often occurs without producing much inconvenience. 
Some perfons are accudomed to have their bowels moved 
not oftener than twice a-week; and, to fuch, a week’s 
codivenefs is attended with no particular inconvenience. 
Chaptal mentions the cafe of a female patient, who, for 
four months, had no difeharge either from the bowels or 
kidneys, and as little evacuation by fweat, notwithdand- 
ing that her diet was confined to milk-whey and broths. 
And the writer of this article is acquainted with a lady 
who often pades a week or a fortnight, and on one occa¬ 
fion pafled a month, without a faecal evacuation : her 
urinary difeharge is copious, but clear; and no extraor¬ 
dinary degree of perfpiration is manifed on her (kin. 
But this is nothing to cafes related in old books, as in 
the early volumes of the Phil. Tranf. and of the Journal 
des Scavans : from thefe and fuch like authorities, Dr. 
Mafon Good has quoted cafes of fasces retained for fix 
months—two years—three years—feven years ! Credut 
J a dans (ipellu ! 
Genus VIII. JDyfenteria, [from bad, and ttTcgor, 
bowel.] Dyfentery. Griping and tenefmus; frequent 
mucous and bloody digedions, the fasces feldom dis¬ 
charged, and in (mall quantities. Bloody flux. 
The word chfenteiy, as ufed by the ancients, had no 
very precife fignification. Originally its import was “ an 
aft’e&ion of the* bojvels” in general; and we find Hippo¬ 
crates ufing it, not only to Signify all ulcerations, but all 
haemorrhages, of the intedines (even thofe which are 
critical and falutary), and likewise every kind of dux, 
with or without blood. (Prorrh. 2. et Epidem. lib. ii.) 
It would feem, however, that, after his time, foir.e of the 
other Greek authors, whofe works are Jod, were fenfible 
of this want of precifion, and therefore redrifted the 
meaning of the word to an ulceration of the bowels, at¬ 
tended with gripes and tenefmus, (or draining,) and with 
imicousand bloody (tools. For a dileafe with thefe fymp- 
toms CelSus calls tormina, and fays it is the dyfcntcria of 
the Greeks ; and Ccelius Aurelianus, retaining theGreek 
name, deferibes the dyfentery much in the lame manner 
with Celfus. (See Celf. de Med. lib. iv. cap. xv. Cod. 
Aurel. de Morb. Chron. lib. iv. cap. vi.) Yet Galen re¬ 
turns to the looler acceptation of the word, fometimes 
defining a dyfentery “an ulceration of the bowels,” at 
other times mentioning four fpecies of that didemper, all 
with bloody dools ; but of which only one agrees with the 
tormina of Celfus, or the dylentery of the moderns. Are- 
tseus confines the term to an ulceration of the bowels ; 
and this notion of theconflaiit ulceration of the bowels, 
in conjunction with dyfenteric fymptoms, prevailed in all 
medical writings until the time of Sydenham and Willis. 
Dr. Good mentions two fpecies of this difeafe: 
1. Dyfenteriu (implex; unaccompanied with fever: the 
faeces, when difeharged, evacuated without confiderable 
pain, of a natural quality, and adording eafe. 
2. Dyfenteria pyreCtica, accompanied with fever, great 
lofs of Strength, and deprefiion of fpirits: the faeces, when 
discharged, of various colours and confidence; highly 
fetid, and mixed with putrid fanies, Sebaceous matter, or 
membranous films. 
Of the fird Species of dyfentery it is unnecedary to 
fay much ; its cure is effected by milder means than 
the fecond, though according to the fame indica¬ 
tions. Nor, important and dire as the fecond form is, 
will it require a long difeudion, fince its nature has been 
fo clolely dudied, and its method of cure (o well efta- 
blifhed of late by our colonial furgeons, that we have the 
fatisfaCtion of prefen ting more general principles as guides 
on this fubjeCt than we are enabled to do with regard to 
mod other difeafes. 
In (peculating on the nature of dyfentery, the fird 
thing that requires our condderation is the increafed 
difeharge from the bowels. Of the caufe of this pheno¬ 
menon one explanation alone p<refents itfelf; viz. a more 
rapid pafiage of the fecreted fluids through their veifels ; 
1 or. 
