History.
—A druggist, aged 41, a patient of Dr. W. H. Burmeister, was admitted to St. Joseph's Hospital, Feb. 12, 1922, complaining of diarrhea, rectal tenesmus, weakness, abdominal pain and insomia. He was a native of the United States and had never lived in tropical or other foreign countries. In 1912, he developed a mild diarrhea with from three to five soft stools daily, which persisted in attacks of a mild form for many years with little or no discomfort. In 1917, attacks of severe diarrhea became frequent the stools became more watery, and numbered from ten to fifteen daily, and occasionally the patient had abdominal cramps. The diarrhea slowly and progressively became worse until, six months before entering the hospital, he was too weak to work. In November, 1921, there was about one-half ounce of blood on the top of the stool, and, after this, blood was noticed frequently.