Book Description

Excerpt from New York Medical Journal, Vol. 109: Incorporating the Philadelphia Medical Journal and the Medical News; January to June, 1919, Inclusive It has been pertinently said that in the evolution of man from a quadruped to a biped Nature has not always accomplished all We require in assuming the upright posture. This applies particularly to the supports of the organs in the abdominal and pelvic cavities - especially the large intestines, the kidney, and the pelvic organs in woman. In quad rupeds the large intestines hang by long mesenteric attachments and swing freely in the abdominal ca vity maintaining their relative positions through the horizontal posture of the animal's body. What the condition is in the transition stage as repre sented by the anthropoid ape I have been unable to learn. In the human, however, we find the liga ments insufficient to maintain the organs securely in their prescribed positions in a large proportion of cases, and the individual suffers from inefficiency in the proper performance of their normal func tions. In a certain proportion of these the support is insufficient ab initio - the congenital class. In others, the ligaments, While possibly sufficient for support in early life are not able to withstand the excessive strain put upon them by the wear and tear of life which diminishes intraabdominal press ure through relaxation of the abdominal walls, the absorption of fat, and the loss of perineal support due to laceration - the acquired class. Undoubtedly the latter are the more amenable to treatment, espe cially surgical treatment, for originally the supports were efficient and afforded a foundation upon which to build. In the congenital class the particular con dition of ptosis is associated, as a rule, with such general structural malformations that, While the organs immediately under consideration may be permanently restored to normal position and func tion and the patient thereby benefited, general health is not necessarily secured. But in cases of multiple congenital defects even in all degrees of severity, the relief of ptosis and its attendant toxemia frequently is sufficient to start the patient in a new career of physical wellbeing. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.