(1) Typical colica mucosa occurs almost exclusively in subjects who have been suffering for a long time from constipation (usually so-called ob stipatio spastica) or in subjects who still suffer from this affection.

(2) Chronic constipation alone, however, never produces colica mucosa. There must be in addition excessive irritability and over-activity of the glands of the large intestine that produce mucus. This over-activity of the glands is not due to anatomic changes in the mucosa (inflammation), but is due to certain nervous influences. It occurs almost exclusively in persons who have a neurasthenic or an hysteric predisposition.

(3) In addition to the typical symptom-complex of colica mucosa there are certain abortive forms that have been described and explained in the text.

(4) The cure of colica mucosa presupposes a cure of the constipation. Any method of treatment that causes a complete and permanent disappearance of constipation will also cause disappearance of colica mucosa. The method that we have proposed is the best one for the treatment of the combination of colica mucosa and constipation that exists. We call it a dietetic exercise-treatment of the intestine in contradistinction to the protective treatment that is usually employed.

(5) The general nervous state of the patients calls for particular attention if for no other reason than that a continuance of the nervous disturbances exercises a deleterious effect on the functions of the bowels, and derangement of the bowel-action can precipitate a new attack of colica mucosa. Ap propriate treatment of the nervous system should be combined with the dietetic treatment or should follow it - it should not precede it. This is the correct plan, for frequently a cure of the digestive disturbances (constipation, the passage of mucus, pain) and an improvement of the general nutrition lead to an amelioration or a complete cure of the nervous system without any other treatment.