TUBERCULAR PERITONITIS
Categories:
Digestive Organs
This may occur as a primary trouble or secondary
to tuberculosis of the bowels, lungs, and Fallopian tube. It is most
frequent in males between twenty and forty.
Symptoms. These are variable. It may occur like acute peritonitis with
sudden onset of high fever, pain, tenderness, bloating, vomiting and
constipation; these symptoms passing into those of chronic peritonitis.
Often there a
e gradual loss of strength and flesh, low and irregular
fever; frequently the temperature goes below normal with a little ascites
tympanites, constipation, diarrhea and masses in the abdomen which consist
of the omentum (apron covering the bowels) rolled up and matted into a
sausage-shaped tumor in the upper part of the abdomen, or of thickened or
adherent coils of the bowel, enlarged mesentric lymph nodes, etc.
Spontaneous recovery may occur, or the course of the disease may resemble
that of a malignant tumor.
Treatment. If there is effusion and few adhesions, cutting in and
removing the fluid may help. In other cases good nourishing diet with cod
liver oil is best.