Digestive disorder

“ It is entirely probable that a robust man (a frail one would succumb to the exposure, with or without food) exposed for days together, and for the entire twenty-four119 hours, to the extreme cold of winter, exercising vigorously meantime, could eat three full meals a day and escape digestive disorder. The habit of approximating as nearly as possible to this diet, in a temperate climate, or while the bodily warmth is maintained by artificial heat, originates the greater proportion of our ailments ”

“ Occupations which involve deprivation of fresh air and sunlight, and all trades which enfeeble the individual, make him liable to all digestive disorders. A feeble constitution, debility from disease, from over-fatigue, or from loss of sleep, or any perturbing influence, puts the body in a state favorable to indigestion and diarrhoea. ”

“ The more common digestive disorders are stomatitis and glossitis, gastric disturbances and diarrhea. Neurological symptoms observed include hyperesthesia, paresthesia, anesthesia, tremors, paralyses, muscular pains, increased reflexes and occasional convulsions. ”

“ Strenuous exercise after meals is often the cause of digestive disorders. Starting on exercise after a hearty meal may suspend the gastric digestion, and so prevent the assimilation of protein as to produce a sensation of exhaustion. If, however, rest is taken, the digestive organs proceed with their work, and after a short time recuperation follows, and the exercise can be continued. It is unwise to allow such a suspension of digestion because of the danger of setting up fermentation, or putrefaction, in the food mass awaiting digestion, for this may result in various disorders. ”

“ Millions on millions of these glands, lacteals and follicles in the stomach and small intestines, are destroyed like the rootlets of a plant or tree in unwholesome soil. The active circulation of the digestive fluids ceases, and the sufferer is said to be costive or to have chronic diarrhea. Both symptoms are the outgrowth of many years of intestinal foulness, and indicate the degree and character of intestinal irritability and semi-starvation of the body, as a consequence of either the absorption of poisons or the excessive elimination of the vital substance of the body through diarrhea. ”

“ Probably in some degree its form is maintained by the constantly recurring accumulation of liquid in the [p. 741] gastro-intestinal cavity. In protracted cases, however, the abdomen becomes sunken and hollowed. At all stages of the disease it is somewhat sore under pressure, especially at the epigastrium, and it generally has a doughy feel. As to the functions of the digestive organs, they are completely suspended during a typical attack of the disease. Not only are these organs incompetent to digest food, but they cannot even retain it. ”

“ In consequence of debility, over-exertion, anxiety, or chronic inflammation of the stomach, there is not a proper secretion, in quantity or quality, of digestive solvents, and it matters not whether it be a deficiency of the fluids of the stomach, or of the intestines, or of the pancreas and liver, the result is indigestion. The question of what important agent is lacking, naturally presents itself to the physician. ”

“ Drinking at meals should be avoided as much as possible, and whenever any digestive trouble is present, not only should no liquids accompany the meal, but nothing in the form of fluids should be partaken of within half an hour preceding or following a meal, The philosophy of this is apparent, when we reflect that all digestive disturbances are accompanied by imperfect secretion of the gastric juices, and to dilute them with an excess of fluid is to weaken its power of action on the food. ”

“ If the eliminating power of the intestinal canal is normally active, the fortunate individual may eat abundantly, or really in excess of the requirements of the system, and still escape any ill effects, such as indigestion, biliousness, acid in the urine, etc. The hearty consumer of food whose bowels eliminate properly may suffer a loss of appetite, but it will not be accompanied with foulness of the digestive apparatus.
When all the organs of the body perform their functions in a normal manner, no part of the structure is in immediate need of repair. ”

“ A physician, who understands what he is about, knows very well, when a case of this nature comes before him, that it may proceed from a variety of causes; that it may arise in the stomach from a want of digestive power, from the small intestines by a partial failure in the process of chymification; that it may depend upon the morbid action of the large intestines, or exist merely [Pg 245] as a symptom of an affection in other organs. Sedentary habits, or irregularities of diet, are causes which may be supposed to act locally on the digestive organs themselves ”

“ Not only that the progress of digestion is thus interrupted, not only that the body derives no strength from the inert mass of ingesta, but that mass, by undergoing a putrid instead of peptic decomposition, vitiates the humors of the system it was intended to nourish, irritates the sensitive membranes of the stomach, and gradually impairs the vigor of the whole digestive apparatus. ”

“ When food is not thoroughly masticated, it is not properly mixed with saliva of the glands of the mouth, and is not prepared for digestion by the acids of the stomach.
Whatever diminishes the general strength, impairs the health, or encroaches upon the functions of life, also hinders the perfect solution of food and disturbs in a measure the function of digestion. Whatever diminishes the normal amount of the digestive secretions or perverts their quality, deteriorating their solvent properties, is a cause of dyspepsia. This should be borne in mind in selecting remedies. ”

“ When we reflect that the object of digestion is, to furnish materials for the growth of the body, and to supply the waste which the system is constantly undergoing, it must appear self-evident that, if the digestive powers be impaired by disease, by improper quantity or quality of food, or by any other cause, the result must necessarily be the formation of an imperfect chyle, and, consequently, 219of imperfect blood. ”

“ A few of the many primary symptoms of proctitis and colitis are con­sti­pa­tion, diarrhea, indigestion, biliousness, flatulency, putre­fac­tion, and gaseous and bacterial poisons—a foul gastro-intestinal canal, through which there are daily absorbed from the bowels two-thirds to three-fourths of the excrementitious matter into the system. With these facts before us we need not be astonished at the statement that nine-tenths of human ills have their origin in the digestive apparatus. ”

“ In this dyspepsia of exhaustion the solvent power of the stomach is so diminished that if food is forced upon the patient it is apt to be followed by flatulence, headache, uneasy or painful sensations in the stomach, and sometimes by nausea and diarrhoea. It is best treated by improving in every possible way the general system of nutrition, and by adapting the food, both in quantity and quality, to the enfeebled condition of the digestive powers. ”

“ The digestive organs are usually disturbed and the tongue is coated. Vomiting may occur from time to time, arising either from pressure on the stomach by the swollen liver or as an expression of gastric catarrh ; appetite, as a rule, is poor; flatulence may be troublesome; the bowels are confined or irregular, or there may be diarrhœa or dysentery. In the case of concurrent dysentery, it may be noted sometimes that the hepatic and dysenteric symptoms alternate in severity.
The area of hepatic percussion dullness is usually extended upwards and downwards, and sometimes horizontally. ”

“ Vickers, given above, rarely does any creature ever begin to have consumption with a sound stomach, liver, and intestines. Nor can the digestive organs become diseased, ordinarily, so long as the diet and general regimen are even approximately correct. If we thought more of what would “tickle” the stomach and intestines than the palate, simply, we would banish most of our disorders; pure air, active exercise, a clear conscience, and the cultivation of a spirit of cheerfulness, kindliness, and contentment, would send the balance a-flying. ”

“ Most of the organs” he goes on to say, “taking part in the digestion and assimilation of food seem to strike work when the bilious attack comes on. [It would seem more accurate to say that the ‘strike,’ resulting from overtaxation—excessive and unwholesome alimentation—constitutes the ‘attack’] . If food be taken, the suffering becomes greater. The fact seems to be, that the digestive organs require rest for a time, and if, when an attack comes on, this rest is given, the bilious state passes off, and the patient then feels extremely well, perhaps for a considerable153 time. ”

“ When the pain and chill come on, disturbances of the digestive organs ensue. When a large vein of the portal system is occluded, the remaining veins must be over-distended, and congestion of a part or of all of the digestive tract will be a result. An acute gastric catarrh is set up. The appetite is lost, the stomach becomes irritable, and vomiting is a usual incident. ”

“ On the other hand, there is every reason for supposing that any kind of predigestion which is at all effective will in the end prove injurious to healthy digestive organs by depriving them of a part of their normal functions and thus tending to bring them to a condition of feebleness which may result in the omission, in part, of the normal functions of the vital organs. ”

“ There is no appetite juice, no “igniting juice,” or, at most, very little. The secretory activity comes slowly into play; the food remains much longer in the digestive canal than is necessary, or passes, for want of sufficient digestive juices, into a state of decomposition which irritates the mucous membrane of the alimentary canal and brings it into a condition of disease. No medicinal treatment can help such a patient while he remains surrounded by his old conditions. The fundamental cause of his illness still continues in progress. There is only one course to pursue ”

“ If food is taken irregularly, rhythm is disturbed, the digestive fluids are not ready and cannot act efficiently. If food is taken while undigested food remains in the stomach, the work of digestion must begin over again, as the fluids secreted in the early stage of digestion are different from those in the last stages. Thus the food previously taken is kept in the stomach too long; it ferments, too much acid is produced, sour stomach results, the stomach is irritated, the glands are overworked and become exhausted, and the consequence is poor digestion. ”

“ When you tell such patients that their trouble is indigestion, they are often mildly indignant, and loudly protest that they can eat anything with impunity; that they never have heart-burn, feelings of heaviness after eating, pains in the abdomen, or other symptoms referable to the stomach and intestines. We are rather disposed to be proud of our digestive powers, just as we are of our bodily strength, and nothing is more common than for chronic dyspeptics to maintain that they have never had indigestion in their lives, [Pg 146] and to resent any insinuation to the contrary. ”

“ Acute catarrh of the stomach is associated with intense hyperaemia of its lining coats, with visible engorgement and swelling of the mucous membrane, and an excessive secretion of mucus. The formation of active gastric juice is arrested, digestion ceases, peristaltic movements are sluggish or absent, unless so over-stimulated that they act in a direction the reverse of the normal, and induce expulsion of the gastric contents by vomiting. ”

“ The excess of food is not properly acted upon by the digestive juices, and is liable to undergo fermentation, and thus to become a source of irritation to the stomach and the intestines. If too much and too rich food be persistently indulged in, the complexion is apt to become muddy, the skin, especially of the face, pale and sallow, and more or less covered with blotches and pimples; the breath has an unpleasant odor, and the general appearance of the body is unwholesome. ”

“ The stomach, more especially after long years of57 abusive treatment, is one of the least sensitive organs. “If it had nerves as sensitive as our finger-tips, our attention would be so much taken up with the ordinary digestion of food that we could not properly attend to our work or studies.” At first, in infancy, it is more sensitive, and any excess of food is thrown off, but ere many months the disorder grows worse and deeper-seated, and in the course of years stomachs become so diseased as to give no sign, except when unusually outraged. ”

“ The digestive system gives up to the body as much as it possibly can, not only of the food materials to be consumed, but of its own substance. Thus it weakens its own vitality, with a lessening of appetite and of digestive power. Hence, a vicious circle of change is instituted, the consequences of which are easy to see. After a time the patient is taking only the blandest foods, constipation has become an important element in the case, and the mind is constantly occupied with solicitude over the digestion and the choice of materials at meals. ”