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DISEASES OF THE ORGANS OF DIGESTION. 387
means, and a little judgment in applying them, we may
save every curable case. It is particularly necessary to
open the pores of the skin.
Colic is of two kinds, nervous or spasmodic, and wind
colic. The former is limited to some portion of the
bowels, and comes on in more decided paroxysms than
the other, in which gases, secreted a by morbid state
of the intestines, or arising from the fermentation of
indigestible food, are the cause of pain.
Thorough cleansing of the bowels by injections is
generally an effectual remedy. The nervous, and more
purely spasmodic kind, however, is more obstinate, and
requires absolute diet, the half-bath, or thorough pack
ing. Hot fomentations give relief, but rather favor
future attacks, and should be used sparingly. Intense
cold overcomes spasm, as well as heat, without being
weakening.
Where there is stoppage of the bowels from me
chanical or any other cause, give injections to any ex
tent, to the amount, of two or three quarts even, if
needed ;
susception, or the stoppage of one of the small intestines
by a fold of another part of the tube, every grain of
but no cathartic medicine. If there is intus
cathartic medicine increases the difficulty and hastens
the fatal result. The best, treatment, like that of her
nia, is to find the place of difficulty, as nearly
as can be,
and apply ice-water or ice, so as to thoroughly chill the
parts.
Some persons are subject to terrible attacks of pain
from the passage
of gall stones, and from gravel in the
ureters. I have found so nothing effectual in these
cases, as to cool the parts as thoroughly as possible.