Report on the Royal Lunatic Asylum of Montrose for 1868 : instituted 1782.

Royal Lunatic Asylum of Montrose.

Date:: 1868

Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report on the Royal Lunatic Asylum of Montrose for 1868 : instituted 1782. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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without some force being used. The colon contained a milky white fluid, and the mucous membrane was quite white. There was no trace of inflammation throughout the course of the alimentary canal, nor did there appear to be any organic structural change, beyond the contraction and adhesions on the peritoneal surface. Spleen and kidneys normal. Carcinoma—Communication between Stomach and Large Intestine. M G., admitted 10th July 1868- Maniacal on admission, passed into a state of dementia, and con¬ tinued for years; of filthy habits, and was incessantly spitting. She would never sit in a seat, but crouched in a corner on the floor. For more than a year before her death she was in the habit of writhing her body, and making extraordinary grimaces, as if in pain, but she could give no intelligent explanation of her feelings. In February 1867 she began to fall off her food, and had a slight cough. In the middle of June she was seized with vomiting, and was confined to bed for weeks. She also had a severe attack of diarrhoea, which continued a few days, and after this she could take nothing but a little milk, suffering up to the time of her death from frequent and severe attacks of vomiting. Died 1st August 1867* Sectio 26 hours after death. Temp. 60°. Body emaciated. Rigor mortis slight. Head —The arachnoid sac and meshes of pia mater contained a large quantity of fluid. The brain-substance was pale and sedematous. Thorax.—Heart normal. Lungs : The costal and pulmonary pleurae were adherent on both sides, A few hard miliary deposits in the upper lobes of both lungs. Abdomen.—Liver, spleen, and kidneys normal. The cardiac and pyloric orifices of the stomach were each surrounded by a hard cartilaginous ring about an inch in thickness. The cardiac extremity and great cul-de-sac were converted into a large fungoid mass, in which was found an opening capable of admitting a walnut, and com¬ municating directly with the upper extremity of the descending colon. The left portion of transverse and upper part of the descend¬ ing colon were likewise converted into a fungoid mass, The stomach contained a quantity of offensive feculent matter. The duodenum and jejunum were quite contracted and empty, their mucous membrane being unusually dry. The ileum was also con¬ tracted, and contained a peculiar white pasty substance not unlike putty. The caput caecum and ascending colon appeared small. The lower part of the colon contained some pale feculent matter. JAMES C. HOWDEN.