Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 1.djvu/122

 coma, from which it was difficult to rouse her. There was, at the same time, excessive emaciation of the entire body, produced partly by a protracted diarrhœa, and previous inadequate nutrition, so that it was considered by all who saw it, as a hopeless case; and yet this child gradually recovered by the occasional use of carbonate of soda and calomel, in powders, with the aid of chalybeate drops; and under this treatment we were able to extricate the little patient from the state of stupor which wore so menacing an aspect. The diarrhœa gradually gave way, and along with an improved state of the digestive functions, the appetite and strength increased, and nothing has since occurred to retard a complete return to health. From the chyliferous appearance of the stools, in the early stage of this case, I was induced, at first, to refer its origin to disease of the mesenteric glands, but, from a review of all the symptoms, I had reason to consider it rather as one of those cases of chylous diarrhœa, arising from functional disease of the liver, and a deficient secretion of bile; as the existence of a certain proportion of bile is necessary to make the lacteals act. It is not surprising that, in cases of hepatic hypertrophy, the chyle, which ought to be absorbed by the lacteals, should be expelled by the rectum. Still less is it to be wondered at, that a state of atrophy should succeed, since the nourishment, which ought to supply the hourly waste of the body, escapes with the dejections; and that this occurs oftener than is generally supposed, seems probable from the frequent relief of such instances being more rapid than would be the case, were the disease seated in the mesenteric