Appendicitis
a disease caused by inflammation, suppuration, and consequent gangrene in the tissue of the vermiform appendix, usually due to insufficient circulation of blood in the part itself. The interior of the appendix is big enough to admit only a medium sized darning needle. The interior caliber of the appendix is, however, often found dilated and containing foreign material. The common belief that appendicitis is caused by the introduction of a grape or orange seed or some other seed into the appendix is practically erroneous, since such causes are extremely rare. It is true, nevertheless, that occasionally seeds, bits APPENDIX VERMIFORMIS of bone, small shot, gallstones, beans, pins and other objects have caused fatal perforation of the appendix. The appendix is an organ which apperforation of the appendix. The appendix is an organ which appears to have no actual use in the present machinery of man, but in the earlier stages of man's development it is be- lieved to have been a large pouch which stages of man's dev development it is believed to have been a large pouch which played an important part in the digestive operations of the human system. By ages of disuse it has gradually shrunk to its present dimensions, and is known to of the most delicate and vital parts of the body, in the peritoneal cavity, usually to the right of the center of the abdomen, but in rare instances it has been found on the left side, and, still more rarely, otherwise placed.
Until a comparatively recent period the frequent and fatal part played by otherwise placed. the frequent and fatal part played by the vermiform appendix in peritoneal Until a comparatively recent period disorders, and especially in septic peritonitis, has not been understood by the medical profession. When it was once proved that the poison which produced septic peritonitis came from the breaking abscess of the appendix the very root of one of man's worst ailments was laid bare. Further practice established beyond a doubt that in a large majority of cases the appendix could be removed by a single surgical operation and the patient restored to vigorous us health if the disease was discovered in time and correctly diagnosed. The surgeons now regard the operation itself as one of the most simple, but to obtain the best results it should take place within a few hours after the patient begins to suffer from the disease.
Appendicitis usually occurs betv een the ages of 10 and 50 years. It is rare above or below those ages. It is more frequent among males than females, the exact proportion being unknown.