Acute Local Peritonitis.

The inflammatory condition may be confined to a portion covering a single organ or part, and is then known as local peritonitis. Thus we have pelvic peritonitis, due usually to diseases of the female genital organs, such as of the uterus, ovaries, or tubes. The causes leading up to this condition may be tubercular, gonorrheal or puerperal.

The symptoms are more of a local character, though there is necessarily some systemic disturbance. Thus the pain is local, and there is functional disturbance of the organ involved; at the same time the appetite is impaired, the tongue is furred, there is a slight elevation of temperature, though the fever is irregular and hectic in character.

Peritonitis, due to appendicitis, has been considered under the head of inflammation of the appendix.

Subphrenic peritonitis, the term applied when the disease is located near the diaphragm, is due to gastric ulceration, diseases of the liver, duodenum, or spleen.

The location of the pain directs the attention to the part or parts involved, and makes the diagnosis comparatively easy.

The treatment is not unlike that for general peritonitis, libradol or turpentine stupes, as local measures, while internally the individual remedy will be used. Should there be pus present, surgical measures are to be resorted to.

The Eclectic Practice of Medicine, 1907, was written by Rolla L. Thomas, M. S., M. D.