Page:Tropical Diseases.djvu/589

Rh crushing tender stalks of grass. When this occurs the patients refuse all food, but the thirst is still intense. The affected animal remains standing in one place, with drooping head, as if overcome by fever and weakness. For a day or so it continues like this, until at last, unwilling to move, eat, or even drink, it suddenly dies in convulsions. Sometimes, however, this stage is not fatal, but is followed by prolapsus of the rectum, which is in a very inflamed state and ulcerated; rapidly gangrene sets in and is quickly fatal. The Venezuelan peasants state that this disease arises in children from chewing the green tender stalks of unripe maize, of which they are very fond on account of its sweetness. In children prolapsus of the rectum is very frequent; in bad cases they may die, like the animals, in convulsions, though in children convulsions are not necessarily a fatal symptom. The treatment employed by the natives for animals consists in an enema of strong lemon-juice, mixed with a weak dilution of white rum and water (aguardiente), two or three times a day; at the same time the anus is freely dusted with wood ashes, some of which are also introduced into the rectum. A purgative of oil is generally administered also. In some cases I have known this treatment prove very successful. On the other hand, when the disease is far advanced, or when the ulceration of the bowel appears at an early date, it seems to be of little or no avail. Another treatment employed, especially for children, consists in an enema of the juice obtained by crushing the stalks and leaves of Spigelia anthelmintica (pasote). A decoction of the same herb is also given by the mouth three or four times a day. This decoction is very frequently administered by the peasants as an anthelmintic. In cases of children suffering from 'bicho,' one of the quarters of a lemon is roasted and introduced into the rectum as a suppository once or twice a day, and I have heard that it gives very satisfactory results."