Sacculated mucosa, muco-cutaneous sacs, submucous channels, etc., having their source in the rectum and anus, are all of a similar origin, the result of serous exudation. These symptoms of proctitis vary in development and number according to the nature and progress of the disease. In those cases that are quite exempt from sacculated mucosa (piles) you may expect to find submucous channels largely developed, and vice versa.
Too much stress cannot be placed upon the serious results of auto-intoxication by the absorption of mucus from channels and cavities that will hold from three to eight or more ounces of fluid at one time. They are no doubt rapidly emptied by the process of absorption into the system.
I have not referred to the fatalities of the hypodermic treatment of sacculated mucosa (piles or hemorrhoids) because of the fact that none have ever occurred within my knowledge among those using either this or a similar method of treatment.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Abscess and Fistula Involving Anus, Rectum, and Neighboring Regions.
Hippocrates, the father of medicine, Celsus, Galen, and other writers in the early times, described fistula as a disease; and, naturally enough, through the influence of heredity, contagion, imitation, and auto-suggestion, every author on the subject to the present day has chimed in most complaisantly with his “Ditto! ditto! ditto!” “Me too! me too! me too!” I am sure that the rank and file of my medical brethren will agree with me that modern authors are hardly justified in this servility to the ideas of the fathers of medicine in this recreance to their duties toward suffering humanity. Is it that they do not know better, or that they are naturally servile and thus too lazy to do their own thinking?
Let me in connection with this point call your attention to a practice that many of us have been suspicious of for a long time, a suspicion that has been confirmed for me by one who speaks from positive knowledge; otherwise I should not refer to it here. The practice I am about to describe will make it plain why we have so many “Ditto and Me-too” authors on proctology and other medical subjects.
An eminent surgeon who mentally is as large as the human race, and has room for all that is good in medicine and surgery, narrated the following incident of his career to a learned doctor from Georgia and myself recently. Snatching occasionally a few moments from a busy practice, he has prepared sufficient material to make a book, and desired some competent person to edit it before publication. So he consulted an ethical co-worker concerning such a person. In a few days a gentleman called at the doctor’s house to inquire about the contemplated publication. The caller asked the title and size of the book, and when told volunteered the startling information that he could have the work ready in a few weeks’ time, but that in the meantime he would like to hear the doctor lecture once or twice that he might catch a few peculiar expressions to use in the work, so that the doctor’s friends, when reading the book, would say, “That sounds just like the doctor; that is his style of talking.” The would-be scribe never asked for the author’s manuscript, so accustomed was he to rely upon the medical literature to be found in the libraries of the city for all the information needed. It is hardly necessary to add that the professional bookmaker was summarily dismissed. The doctor’s manuscript is still unpublished.