Zoonomia; Or, the Laws of Organic Life, Vol. II

by Erasmus Darwin

[7]. Colica flatulenta. The flatulent colic arises from the too great distention of the bowel by air, and consequent pain. The cause of this disease is the inactivity or want of sufficiently powerful contraction of the coats of the bowel, to carry forwards the gas given up by the fermenting aliment. It is without fever, and generally attended with cold extremities.

It is distinguished, first, from the pain occasioned by the passage of a gall-stone, as that is felt at the pit of the stomach, and this nearer the navel. Secondly, it is distinguished from the colica saturnina, or colic from lead, as that arising from the torpor of the liver, or of some other viscus, is attended with greater coldness, and with an aching pain; whereas the flatulent cholic being owing to distention of the muscles of the bowel, the pain is more acute, and the coldness less. Thirdly, it is distinguished from inflammation of the bowels, or ileus, as perpetual vomiting and fever attend this. Fourthly, it is distinguished from cholera, because that is accompanied with both vomiting and diarrhœa. And lastly, from the colica epileptica, or hysteric colic, as that is liable to alternate with convulsion, and sometimes with insanity; and returns by periods.

M. M. Spirit of wine and warm water, one spoonful of each. Opium one grain. Spice. Volatile alcali. Warm fomentation externally. Rhubarb.

[8]. Colica saturnina. Colic from lead. The pain is felt about the navel, is rather of an aching than acute kind at first, which increases after meals, and gradually becomes more permanent and more acute. It terminates in paralysis, frequently of the muscles of the arm, so that the hand hangs down, when the arm is extended horizontally. It is not attended with fever, or increase of heat. The seat of the disease is not well ascertained, it probably affects some part of the liver, as a pale bluish countenance and deficiency of bile sometimes attends or succeeds it, with consequent anasarca; but it seems to be caused immediately by a torpor of the intestine, whether this be a primary or secondary affection, as appears from the constipation of the bowels, which attends it; and is always produced in consequence of the great stimulus of lead previously used either internally for a length of time, or externally on a large surface.

A delicate young girl, daughter of a dairy farmer, who kept his milk in leaden cisterns, used to wipe off the cream from the edges of the lead with her finger; and frequently, as she was fond of cream, licked it from her finger. She was seized with the saturnine colic, and semi-paralytic wrists, and sunk from general debility.

A feeble woman about 40 years of age sprained her ancle, and bruised her leg and thigh; and applied by ill advice a solution of lead over the whole limb, as a fomentation and poultice for about a fortnight. She was then seized with the colica saturnina, lost the use of her wrists, and gradually sunk under a general debility.

M. M. First opium one or two grains, then a cathartic of senna, jalap, and oil, as soon as the pain is relieved. Oleum ricini. Alum. Oil of almonds. A blister on the navel. Warm bath. The stimulus of the opium, by restoring to the bowel its natural irritability in this case of painful torpor, assists the action of the cathartic.

[9]. Tympanitis. Tympany consists in an elastic tumor of the abdomen, which sounds on being struck. It is generally attended with costiveness and emaciation. In one kind the air is said to exist in the bowels, in which case the tumor is less equal, and becomes less tense and painful on the evacuation of air. In the other kind the air exists in the cavity of the abdomen, and sometimes is in a few days exchanged for water, and the tympany becomes an ascites.

Air may be distinguished in the stomach of many people by the sound on striking it with the fingers, and comparing the sound with that of a similar percussion on other parts of the bowels; but towards the end of fevers, and especially in the puerperal fever, a distention of the abdomen by air is generally a fatal symptom, though the ease, and often cheerfulness, of the patient vainly flatters the attendants.

M. M. In the former case a clyster-pipe unarmed may be introduced, and left some time in the rectum, to take off the resistance of the sphincter, and thus discharge the air, as it is produced from the fermenting or putrefying aliment. For this purpose, in a disease somewhat similar in horses, a perforation is made into the rectum on one side of the sphincter; through which fistula the air, which is produced in such great excess from the quantity of vegetable food which they take, when their digestions are impaired, is perpetually evacuated. In both cases also, balsams, essential oil, spice, bandage on the abdomen, and, to prevent the fermentation of the aliment, acid of vitriol, saliva. See Class [I. 2. 4. 5].