Symptoms

This is a small ulcer. When located in the first portion of the duodenum, or in the pyloric extremity of the stomach, it creates very few symptoms. The patient may complain of indigestion at times, but often not more than people in very good health will suffer from occasionally. I have known quite a good many cases where there was no particular warning until perforation came. Again, there are other victims of this disease who will have frequent attacks of indigestion.

Treatment

It is said that post-mortems have shown that a very large number of ulcers heal. My experience has been that the chances of recovery are very good. In the first place, there will be no erosions or ulcers unless the patient has been living in such a manner as to favor the development of these diseases. All the cases I have been called to treat have shown a decreased alkalinity, caused by eating foods that are potentially acid. Indeed, these erosions are only one form of scurvy or acidosis; hence it is obvious that the proper treatment for all such diseases is to restore the blood to its normal alkalinity. When disease has been suspected, or if suspected and not properly treated until hemorrhage has taken place, the patient must be kept quiet in bed, without any food, for at least forty-eight hours after the hemorrhage ceases. Then the eating must be confined to fluid foods for at least two weeks--buttermilk and orange juice, or the juice of the grapefruit. If in the berry season, blackberries may be run through a colander--one with meshes small enough to exclude the seeds. After the first week a combination salad may be finely chopped or run through a vegetable-mill, dressed with salt and olive oil, and given for one meal. The other two meals may be a breakfast of orange juice, and in the evening either buttermilk or lamb or chicken broth,

Beginning with the third week, mastication must positively be thorough. Fruit may be taken for breakfast--any kind desired; and for the noon meal, thoroughly cooked rice dressed with a little salt. This must be eaten very carefully. Insalivation must be perfect, because starch is hard to digest unless it is thoroughly mixed with saliva. Those who value quick recovery, without relapses, should certainly do their part in mouthing their food. The evening meal may be stewed meat, with the juice of a grapefruit. In the course of one or two weeks after this the eating may be of almost any foods desired, but they must be properly combined: fruit in the morning, starch at noon, and in the evening meat, combination salad, and a couple of cooked, non-starchy vegetables.