acid or alkali, the local action may be great enough to destroy the
part; the inflammation following will be of the contiguous structure
outside of the killing range of the cause, and it will be a
simple--non-toxic--inflammation unless the secretions thrown out in
excess of the reparative need are retained by dressings or prevented
in some other way from draining away. If these secretions are kept
bound on the raw surface by dressings until they decompose--yes,
until the fermentation causes germs--the wound will become infected,
and to what extent will depend upon the amount of
malpractice--carelessness or ignorance--to which the case is
subjected.

If the inflammation is caused by decomposition or a toxic agent, the
extent of the process will depend upon the integrity of the part
infected and the state of the general health, also upon the local
environment--such as pressure interfering with the circulation of
the blood.

In this fatal case there was the constitutional derangement and the
toxic state of the alimentary canal; then there was the exciting
cause, sufficient to create a local infection the symptoms of which
were given at the beginning of this description, and which lasted
for a few days; during which time the patient, no doubt, was eating
and possibly taking home remedies to move the bowels, etc. These
preliminary symptoms were followed by a severe pain in the right
lower abdominal region, followed with chills, fever, nausea,
vomiting and later by painful movements from the bowels, small in
character, and soon after this distention of the bowels from gas.

During the few days of preliminary symptoms nature was going through