A text-book on hygiene and pediatrics from a chiropractic standpoint

by J. H. Craven

ACUTE INTESTINAL INDIGESTION

This is quite a common incoördination and is very much more prevalent in hot weather. It is found often in very young infants, but more often in children during their second summer. There are many forms and degrees of acute intestinal indigestion among infants and small children. The attacks come on usually very abruptly and may be severe from the beginning. The most outstanding feature of the incoördination is the characteristic diarrhea. In the mild form the symptoms develop suddenly with marked gastric disturbances. At the beginning there is colicky pain and tympanites. There is great restlessness and typical symptoms of colic. The diarrhea appears in a very short time. The color of the stool is at first yellow, then it becomes a yellowish green and finally a grass green. It will usually contain undigested foods. The odor is very foul, grass green, and very much thinner than normal. This mild form may develop into the more severe type or the more severe form may develop suddenly from the very beginning. The temperature rises rapidly. The skin is hot and dry. At the beginning the child is very restless and cries a great deal, but later he lies in a stupor, the eyes are sunken, pulse is weak and there is all the appearance of an attack of serious illness. There may be anorexia. There is usually great thirst and nausea and vomiting. In a few hours there is marked diarrhea. The stools are yellow and of a thin consistency with a very offensive odor. There is usually much gas expelled. There may be as many as four or five stools an hour. This incoördination is responsible for a great many deaths among children. They respond, however, very quickly to chiropractic adjustments.

Major Adjustment

The subluxation responsible for intestinal indigestion will be found in the lumbar region, usually upper lumbar. It may be necessary to include kidney place for the elimination of the products of the indigestion. This condition is in the fever family overlapping the poison family.

CHOLERA INFANTUM

When the severe type of intestinal indigestion is accompanied with gastric disturbances and severe vomiting, it is known as cholera infantum. In this form the temperature rises rapidly and the symptoms develop quickly and become very severe in a remarkably short time. The vomiting is very severe and usually appears simultaneously with the diarrhea. After the stomach has been emptied of food the vomitus becomes serum and mucous. The contents of the small intestines may regurgitate into the stomach and be vomited up. Vomiting may be induced by taking water into the stomach. The stools are frequent, are of a pale green, yellow or brownish color at the beginning, but later become almost entirely serous. In the severe cases the bowels may be evacuated every few minutes. This type differs from that previously described in that the stools are practically odorless. In rare cases, however, they may be exceedingly offensive. There is probably no other incoördination during childhood in which there is such a rapid loss of weight. The picture which the patient presents is characteristic. There is great weakness and prostration from the very beginning. The fontanel is depressed and in some cases there may even be an overlapping of the cranial bones. The features become sharp, the eyes are deeply sunken and the angle of the mouth is drawn down. The nose is pinched, the skin over the forehead is tense and dry, the temples are sunken. There is pallor, stupor, marked relaxation of the lips and there will be convulsions and collapse. Statistics show that under medical treatment fully three-fourths of the cases die.

Major Adjustment

Most excellent results are obtained in these cases under chiropractic adjustments. In the severe attacks it will be found necessary to adjust the child as often as once every six hours. The subluxations will be found at stomach place and kidney place and middle lumbar. Some very severe cases have come under our personal observation and in the cases that we have handled personally the results have been 100%. Such cases must be analyzed very carefully, and must have the very best care in every way.

CHRONIC INTESTINAL INDIGESTION

Chronic intestinal indigestion is a very common incoördination affecting children. It is more likely to be found among children who are artificially fed. Intestinal indigestion is responsible for a great variety of symptoms that are sometimes considered separate dis-eases.