Bacteriological and clinical studies of the diarrheal diseases of infancy : with reference to the bacillus dysenteriæ (shiga) from the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research / edited by Simon Flexner and L. Emmett Holt.

Date:
1904
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Bacteriological and clinical studies of the diarrheal diseases of infancy : with reference to the bacillus dysenteriæ (shiga) from the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research / edited by Simon Flexner and L. Emmett Holt. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    twenty-four hours. There was a history of vomiting as well as diar- rhea in 12 cases. In I case there was no history in regard to character and number of stools previous to admission and in i case the stools were stated to be normal. Fifteen children were admitted with normal stools, and did not show any abnormal intestinal condition for from one week to two months after entrance. These children were brought to the hospital for other than intestinal ailments. No definite information in any case could be obtained from the parents in regard to previous fever, prostration and other symptoms of interest. Of those admitted with abnormal stools, there had been intestinal symptoms for: 3 days or less in 7 cases. 5-7 6 tt 2-3 weeks 8 4-5 3 ti Always ' 1 K Not stated 5 Food During Attack.—While in the hospital, the food in 37 cases was never changed from the usual modified milk suited to the age and general condition of the child, as there did not seem to be enough symp- toms of intestinal trouble to render a change of food necessary. The digestion of the upper bowel and the assimilation of food in many cases did not seem greatly impaired. The fact that two-thirds of these cases recovered may have been due in part to the fact that the digestion was not upset by change of food, and in this way the nutrition of the body lowered. In 8 cases the food was changed to broth, egg albumen or gruel in most instances because the intestinal symptoms were very seA'-ere. It seems from our experience that while a fluid diet was always indicated, that properly modified milk was contra-indicated chiefly in cases where there was gastritis or symptoms of involvement of the upper bowel. Temperature.-—In 21 cases of the series there was no rise of tem- perature over ioo°; in 12 cases (all fatal) the fever ran from 100 to 1060; in 2 other cases , also fatal, there was pneumonia present which accounted for the temperature. In the 10 remaining .cases there was a slight irregular rise in temperature, which in 6 cases was attributed to other diseases.