Case 1.
—Miss A., aged 28, entered the hospital with a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. The abdomen was opened and an apparently normal appendix was removed. The wound was sealed. Till the tenth day the patient did well, but had very little appetite and was constipated; temperature normal.
Postoperative History.
—On the eleventh day following the operation the patient felt some distress in the epigastrium, vomited copiously and was much relieved. Later in the day, I was notified that she was pulseless. A few minutes later, I counted the pulse in the carotid and found it 200. The patient was breathing a little hard and complained of slight abdominal pain. I looked at the wound and found it in excellent condition. The abdomen, however, was considerably distended and generally tympanitic. Stimulants were given hypodermically and warmth was applied to the cold extremities. While I was at the bedside, the patient