the usual preparation of fixing the parts. The muscles were becoming
rigid, which is one of nature's plans for protecting an inflamed
part; the infection was striking deeper and arousing all the
defenses. Possibly there had been a local inflammation of long
standing, gradually degenerating into a fecal ulcer, which means
that there was a spot of ulceration deep enough for fecal
accumulation and the accumulation created fresh infection, which
lighted up an active inflammation setting all the parts into
defensive activity. The muscles of the abdomen--the bowels and all
involved and contiguous parts--became set or fixed; and when this
rigid state became established, the bowels below the cecum refused
to receive the contents of the small intestine; hence when the
peristaltic movement started at the head of the small intestine it
found that an embargo had been laid on the cecum and lower bowels so
that nothing could pass. This embargo took effect "about midday; he
was seized with very severe pain." What was this pain? What is the
pain that always attends obstruction of any kind? It is the desire
for the bowels to move when they are unable, on account of the
stoppage, to do so. Is there a reader who can't conceive of the
terrible suffering that must come from such a state of the bowels,
The pain is not from the spot inflamation, or ulceration, or the
forming abscess, whichever is the exciting cause of all this
trouble; for, if it wore, the pain would not stop in three days, or
after the patient has been fasted long enough for the peristaltic
movements to subside side. No, the local inflammation is not
sufficient within itself to cause any more pain than this patient
had the few days before he went to bed; it takes obstruction to
bring suffering, and even obstruction will not cause pain _per se,
_for this is proven in all cases rightly treated. As soon as the
stomach and upper bowels are rested from food and drugs, all pain is