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Dysentery.Symptoms. - As it occurs in scattered or " sporadic " cases, dysentery is ordinarily preceded for one or more days by an ordi nary diarrhea ; there may also be some nausea and vomiting, though these do not differ necessarily from the symptoms of diarrhea. After a time the stools begin to contain an unusual amount of ropy mucus ; the desire to go to stool is frequent, and accompanied by severe griping pains ; the act itself causes a burn- ing sensation and even sharp pain in the bowels. Meanwhile, there is apt to be considerable constitutional disturbance, general pros tration, some fever, perhaps repeated chilly sensations. After a few hours or days, blood appears in the stools, at first in small quantity, but afterwards increasing so that the entire stool seems to consist of almost pure blood. One of the most distressing symp toms- one quite characteristic of this disease-is the irresistible desire to strain, even after the bowel has been completely evacu ated. In mild cases, these symptoms persist from five to ten days, after which the bowel gradually returns to its natural condition, or at least the more acute symptoms subside, leaving the bowel in an irritated condition, which constitutes chronic dysentery. Sporadic cases of dysentery usually terminate in recovery under proper treatment ; but occasional cases are observed in which the symptoms occur with much greater intensity ; there is constant and severe pain in the abdomen, the stools are very fre quent and painful, and the patient's general condition indicates extreme prostration. These fatal cases are, however, more apt to occur during an epidemic of dysentery than at other times. Cause.- Acute dysentery usually occurs during the late summer and early fall, especially during particularly hot seasons. In this regard the disease resembles several of those which are known to be induced by the entrance into the body of agents from without. However, we have no knowledge as to the existence of any specific agent in the production of this disease ; whatever may be its cause, it is certainly favored by exposure to cold, by sudden changes in temperature, by excesses in eating and drinking, by indulgence in unripe fruits, etc. Treatment.-The first requisite in the treatment of dysentery is rest; the patient should be kept perfectly quiet on his back, then a single dose of some laxative should be administered ; for this purpose a teaspoonful of castor oil with twenty drops of laudanum used to be generally employed. This will answer if administered early in the course of the disease, otherwise some citrate of mag nesia may be given. After this, the plan usually adopted in India, may be followed : thirty drops of laudanum are given, and half an hour later twenty grains of ipecac - the latter administered in a little syrup of orange peel, to conceal the taste. For three hours afterward the patient should abstain from all liquids and remain per- fectly quiet; in this way nausea and vomiting can be usually avoided. Eight hours after the first dose of ipecac a second of fifteen grains may be given, followed, as before, by perfect rest on the part of the patient. The English physicians in India report exceedingly good results from this plan of treatment. In this country such treatment is always supplemented by injec tions into the rectum. The tendency to strain and the pain at stool can be much diminished by injecting into the rectum two ounces of starch, with forty or fifty drops of laudanum - to be repeated in three hours if necessary. If the difficulty is not im proved, the rectum may be filled with a pint of hot water, which can usually be retained, and is found to be very soothing to the patient. If the ipecac in the above description be not well borne, that is, if vomiting occur after it is taken, there should be administered one of the following prescriptions : Camphor, - - - Twenty-four grains. Ipecac, ----- Twenty grains. Opium, ----- Ten grains. Mix, and make twenty-four powders. Take one every hour. Blue mass, - Ten grains. Camphor, - Fifteen grains. Opium, - - Ten grains. Make twenty pills, and take one every hour. This will be found more useful than the foregoing if there be much tendency to vomit ing. If the patient be much exhausted, his strength should be supported by the administration of a tablespoonful of whisky or brandy, mixed with a little milk, every houror two, and if necessary, two giains of quinine may be given with the brandy every two hours until six doses have been taken. During the attack of dysentery, and the convalescence which follows it, the diet should be restricted to liquid food, though no attempt should be made to starve the patient, since the object is merely to relieve the intestine so far as possible, and not to reduce the patient's strength. But first, if you want to come back to this web site again, just add it to your bookmarks or favorites now! Then you'll find it easy! Also, please consider sharing our helpful website with your online friends.
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