The Treatment of Acute Intestinal Obstruction

ment which I successfully adopted in five; such cases that came under my care between 1927 and 1930, only one of which had to be operated on. Case 1.?The condition was of 30 hours' duration. The relatives were warned that there was imminent necessity for an operation the next morning, when, to the surprise of myself and the relatives, the patient had a large, loose evacuation at 3 a.m., and was immediately relieved. Cases 2 and 3.?These were of from 12 to 21 hours' duration, and in both the treatment was successful. Case 4.?This was a weakly old man of 05, with obstruction of at least 3 days' duration, and a very feeble and thready pulse. He was in a semi-comatose condition, with a clammy skin. Eleven hours after the institution of treatment he had a spontaneous evacuation, and promptly recovered. Treatment.?In all these cases I gave 1 c.c. pituitrin and l/100th gr. of atropine sulphate hypodermically at once. Turpentine and soap and water enemata were given from time to time, and turpentine stupes to the tumid abdomen frequently. I also gave orally