Intestinal Fermentation.
—Here we have the fermenting gases in the intestines and the colons. The pressure of the gases will bear upon the stomach and there may or may not be purging from the mouth depending upon the fact of presence or non presence of material in the stomach. The abdomen though will be greatly distended, and when palpated will give a drummy note.
Treatment.—(a) Insert the trocar through the umbilicus, and direct the point downward into the right inguinal region so as to relieve the gases from the caecum, then inject a small quantity of fluid; then direct the point of the trocar upward into the left inguinal region so as to relieve gases from the sigmoid flexure, and inject a small quantity of fluid; then direct the point of the trocar upward into the right hypogastric region so as to relieve gases from the hepatic flexure, and inject a small quantity of fluid; then direct the point of the trocar upward into the left hypogastric region so as to remove gases from the splenic flexure, and inject a small quantity of fluid; and if at this time it is thought that the stomach contains gas, relieve it, and inject therein a small quantity of fluid; now place some fluid directly into the abdomen around the small intestine and with this treatment you are assured that your intestinal fermentation is taken care of.
(b) Intestinal fermentation may also be treated by the direct incision, as described on [page 257].
CHAPTER XIII. DISCOLORATIONS.
Discolorations.
—Discolorations should be treated as a separate and independent subject because they are causes of great annoyance and embarrassment to the operator, and their treatment is of utmost importance. Just think of the possibility of having a body properly injected, and the preservation complete, and something along the line of a discoloration coming to the front and ruin the results of the work. If there is any condition possible in the dead body that can cause more trouble to the embalmer than discolorations in general, it has not as yet been discovered. You have only to realize what the appearance of a body would be in the casket, if any discolorations were present on an exposed surface, to know that too much can not be said on the subject.
Discolorations may not occur in conjunction with tissue changes, so when they do occur we should look for the cause of the same before deciding just what the name of the discoloration is, or what treatment should be given to eradicate it.
For convenience in study, and for the proper classification of the various conditions, the subject has been divided into those discolorations occurring before death, and those discolorations which may occur in the body after death.