Mucilage

“ The mucilage of carrageen, like many similar bodies, obstinately retains inorganic matter; after it had three times been dissolved in water, and as many times precipitated with alcohol, we found it still to yield the same quantity of ash as the raw drug itself, that is to say, more than 15 per cent. The mucilage, perfectly dried, is a tough horny substance, of a greyish colour; it quickly swells up in water, forming a jelly which is precipitable by neutral acetate of lead. ”

“ A drop or two of carbolic acid or other germicide should be added to prevent decomposition. This mucilage should be prepared in advance. To the glaze batch from which the water has been removed a tablespoonful of the mucilage is added. If more of the glaze than the single batch has been weighed out then more mucilage will be necessary. ”

“ Grows (where) .—In United States, in open elevated situations in rich firm soil.
Prepared (how) .—Infusion of two ounces to pint of water. Mucilage made by using six parts of the dried bark to one hundred of water and allow to steep.
Diseases, Dose, etc.—The infusion and mucilage may be taken freely. The infusion can be injected for dysentery, diarrhea, gonorrhea, gleet and leucorrhea. Mucilage is taken after poisoning to allay inflammation of the membranes, etc. Eat bark or take prepared tablets for constipation. ”

“ Chemical Composition. Fecula, mucilage, an acrid volatile oil on which their virtues depend, and which on standing deposits a quantity of sulphur, a bland fixed oil, which considerably obtunds the acrimony of the former constituent; [635] and an ammoniacal salt. Solubility. Unbruised mustard seeds, when macerated in boiling water, yield only an insipid mucilage, which like that of linseed, resides in the skin; but when bruised, water takes up all the active matter, although it is scarcely imparted to alcohol. Medicinal Uses. It is a beneficial stimulant in dyspepsia ”

“ The colors can simply not be drawn on the surface, because this very viscous mucilage is drawn along by the stylus instead of being cut by it. [24]
In investigating the different varieties of size I have noticed a very surprising action of the extremely viscous mucilage, which nearly confused me for the moment. I have scalded with boiling water plantago-psyllium (flea-bane) and have beaten it with wicker-rods tied together so as to produce in a better manner, the mucilage found on the outside of the seed. ”

“ The apical region, which has a single initial cell, is protected by mucilage secreted by the mucilage slits, which are small pit-like depressions between superficial cells of the lower surface. Mucilage is also often formed in intercellular spaces within the thallus. Colonies of Nostoc are constantly found living in some of the mucilage slits which then become enlarged. ”

“ Ptisan, then, appears to me to be justly preferred before all the other preparations from grain in these diseases, and I commend those who made this choice, for the mucilage of it is smooth, consistent, pleasant, lubricant, moderately diluent, quenches thirst if this be required, and has no astringency; gives no trouble nor swells up in the bowels, for in the boiling it swells up as much as it naturally can. ”

“ We have shewed before how the Mass of the Blood becomes impregnated with a saline Acrimony, more or less Acid, from a sharp and indigested Chyle, and the Powers of Digestion weakned and impaired; whence is easily explained how the Lymph and acrid Serum is communicated to the mucilaginous Glands, and the smallest Branches of the Arteries, so as to infect and coagulate the Mucilage, in Proportion to the Quantity of Salts they contain. ”

“ In chronic inflammation of the rectum and colon there is more or less discharge of mucous, and in some cases of membranous, desquamation, with yellow or bloody mucus. The shreds, cords or complete tubular casts are discharged constantly or at varying intervals. The quantity and character often alarm the sufferer. The discharge is nothing less than a thick, tenacious mucus that had formed a thin coating on the inflamed mucous membrane, and become exfoliated in casts or thin shreds—the result of many years of morbid intestinal exaggerated action. ”

“ The mucous membrane in the chronic state of the disease presents a rather dry, indolent and bluish appearance, except that here and there the tissues show more activity of the disease, more especially so over the anal region, due to harsher disturbance during the act of stooling. In the subacute or acute stage of the inflammatory process there is more general redness and puffiness of the mucous membrane, or a swollen condition with increased discharge of mucus and perhaps some blood. ”

“ Microscopical examination of the desquamated intestinal membrane and mucus from a man forty years of age, revealed the following products: crystals, mostly complete; incomplete phosphates, very numerous; mucous shreds in abundance; fat globules and granules, numerous; anal epithelia; red blood globules, few; connective tissue, scanty; pus corpuscles, very few; margaric acid and detritus (substances resulting from the destruction or wearing away of the part) ; undigested material, mostly cellulose; leptothrix threads, micrococci; and the bacillus coli communis. ”

“ All mechanical obstructions to the free transit of blood through the heart, lungs, or liver are followed by the same results. A free secretion of mucus into the stomach is one of the most commonly recognized. It is often vomited in large quantities. This alkaline mucus, while it dilutes the digestive juices of the stomach, furnishes favorable conditions for the development of low micro-organisms, which contribute to the fermentative process. We may not duly estimate the effects of these organisms on a mucous membrane softened by long-continued passive hyperæmia. ”

“ Such feelings are at their height during an acute mucus storm, which is an indication of increased inflammation in all the inflamed tissues, causing secretion of a great quantity of mucus or membranous casts. No doubt much of the inflammatory exudate from the mucous membrane, from the muscular structure of the organs, and the connective tissue surrounding and supporting the organs, passes into the sigmoidal and rectal canals, while a portion is absorbed into the system. ”

“ Mucous membranes lining the mouth and other cavities of the body would prove favorable sites for the growth of bacteria if the mucus secreted by them were not frequently removed. The mouth of a healthy person may contain bacteria of many kinds, but the saliva has a slight disinfectant power and serves as a constant wash to the membranes. The normal gastric (stomach) juice is decidedly unfavorable to the growth of bacteria, [13] although it does not always kill them; they often pass through the stomach and are found in large numbers in the intestines. ”

“ The colon is subject to three main forms of inflammation. In simple colitis the mucous membrane of the colon is intensely injected, bright red in colour, and secreting a thick mucus, but there is no accompanying ulceration. It is often found in association with some constitutional disease, as Bright’s disease, and also with cancer of the bowel. But when it has no association with other trouble it is probably bacterial in origin, the Bacillus enteritidis spirogenes having been isolated in many cases. The motions always contain large quantities of mucus and more or less blood. ”

“ Muco-serous exudations under one or more layers of the recto-anal mucous membrane finds its way down to the integument around the anus, and being of a very irritating character, greatly increases the inflammatory process in the tissues it comes in contact with. Thus the increased inflammation and blood stasis and the augmented serum unite in hurrying the development of skinny tabs and the more or less capacious muco-cutaneous rugæ and sacs. ”

“ The intestinal contents consist usually of tenacious, slimy mucus intermingled with thick green fecal matter; fæcal matter may be absent, and merely blood-stained mucus resembling frog's spawn, or, on the other hand, solid fæces, may be found. Intestinal adhesions may occur, but perforation is extremely rare. The microscopic pathology varies with the severity of the lesions. In the gangrenous form the epithelial cells of the mucous layer can no longer be distinguished, the whole of the mucous membrane undergoing coagulation necrosis with destruction of the glandular elements. ”

“ When an inflammation has lasted for such a length of time that it has become chronic, a new tissue will sooner or later be produced in varying amount; and this newly formed fibrous connective tissue may entirely replace previous normal structures. Through the exudation and consequent changes in the normal tissue a large amount of mucus is at first secreted, but this secretion becomes less and less marked the more the inflammation causes a desquamation of the epithelia. ”

“ Another occasion of microbian invasion is the congestion which attends on exposure to cold.
Lesions. Hyperæmia of the cystic mucosa, with dilation and tortuous deviations of the larger vessels, thickening of the membrane, and distension and clouding of the epithelial cells, with a thick covering of tenacious mucus containing epithelial, pus, or white blood cells. As the disease advances epithelium is desquamated abundantly, and degenerates with production of free nuclei and pus. Along with these are microbes, usually the bacillus coli communis, and various cocci. ”

“ The acute type has an abrupt onset; pain is felt in the lower part of the abdomen, and the motions, rarely exceeding thirty daily, are accompanied by much griping and straining. Blood and mucus are present in the motions, and occasionally greyish material, consisting of leucocytes, mucus, Charcot-Leyden crystals, amœbæ, and bacteria, sometimes with particles of tissue. Nausea and vomiting may occur. Digestion is usually deranged. The abdomen is sunken, the liver and spleen are normal, but tenderness is felt along the course of the large intestine. The urine may be diminished in quantity. ”

“ Postmortem digestion of the mucosa, often leading to perforations, postmortem hypostasis, imbibition of bile, pseudomelanosis, and contractions of portions of the bowel must not be mistaken for pathologic conditions. Redness of a portion of the intestine does not in itself mean inflammation; the latter condition is shown by excess of mucus, swelling of the mucosa, hyperplasia of the follicles, hæmorrhage, etc. The contents of the small intestine are usually gruel-like in consistence, thinner in the upper part, thicker toward the ileocæcal valve. ”

“ Pathology of bacillary dysentery.— The large intestine is the seat of the affection; in some cases the last few feet of the ileum also may be attacked. In early cases the gut wall is thickened and infiltrated, the mucous membrane œdematous and of a cherry-red colour showing small yellow superficial ulcers along the exposed borders and folds. In severe cases, or cases in which the disease has lasted for some time, the mucous membrane may be entirely gangrenous, of a bright-green colour, and forming what appears to be a false membrane on the surface of the bowel. ”

“ Bacteria gain admission to the living tissues under natural conditions, by penetrating any of the mucous membranes which they can reach, or by entering open wounds. It may be said in general that an intact epidermis is almost a complete protection against infection, and that an intact mucous membrane is a good protection. ”

“ Think of it: your body may be bored with channels or holes of varying diameters and lengths, while you yourself may be ignorant of what is occurring! The mucous membrane may be lifted from the connective tissue for the whole length of the rectum, and the skin about the anus may also be in this condition. You know that your health is not good, but you are ignorant of the cause. The formation of pus at some period of the channel’s inroads, or of an abscess, would seem a kindly act of Nature, for the presence of so serious a disturber to health would thus become known. ”

“ An unclean mouth is not only very unpleasant and often painful to the patient, but is a source of infection. The accumulation of food and mucus is a fertile field for the lodgement of bacteria. If this infected material is allowed to remain, it can easily spread to the middle ear and the mastoid cells, and cause abscesses or be carried by the food to the already overburdened alimentary tract to add to its infection. When the accumulation of sordes is profuse and persistent the patient’s mouth ought to be cleansed after every feeding. ”

“ When we observe such destructive changes by the invasion of serous exudation under the mucous membrane, we have every reason to expect peri­proc­titis and peri­sig­moid­itis, with the possibility of the formation of pus occurring with the usual consequences. So remarkable and serious are the excursions of the mucous currents into healthy neighboring tissue that we find a symptom of a disease vastly more annoying and serious than the disease itself. ”

“ Of this many die, who have drank much vinous spirit, and some of them recover by voiding a quantity of white mucus, like chalk and water; and others by voiding a great quantity of sand, or small calculi. This hardened mucus frequently becomes the nucleus of a stone in the bladder. The salts of the urine, called microcosmic salt, are often mistaken for gravel, but are distinguishable both by their angles of crystallization, their adhesion to the sides or bottom of the pot, and by their not being formed till the urine cools. ”