after the abscess discharged. From the end of the first week of her
sickness until the abscess broke she expressed herself freely that
she did not believe there was anything the matter, and that going
without food when one felt well was foolish; however, she obeyed and
had no suffering.

A son of the woman whose case I have reported above was taken down
the same way one year after. I explained the situation and told the
young man that he must keep quiet and go without food just as his
mother did the year before. I did not think it necessary to visit
him very often, for he knew how his mother was treated, besides she
was with him to advise.

Within three days he was comfortable, and remained so until about
the seventh or eighth day, when he decided he would take a glass of
milk and not say anything to me about it. He took the milk and was
writhing in pain within two hours. I was sent for, and of course
asked what he had eaten, whereupon he told me that he had taken
milk. Within twenty-four hours he was easy and cured of his desire
to eat until ready for it. This case terminated by rupture of the
abscess on the fifteenth day.

Neither of these cases had any tympanites worth mentioning. All
cases that I have ever seen with great bowel distention are those
coming into my care after being subjected to the usual feeding and
medicating.

Now we will go over Dr. Vierordt's case in connection with mine and
see if his case of diffuse peritonitis is not about as near like my
case as it is possible to have two cases.