File:Geriatrics - the diseases of old age and their treatment, including physiological old age, home and institutional care, and medico-legal relations (1914) (14592165199).jpg

Identifier: geriatricsdiasc (find matches)
Title: Geriatrics : the diseases of old age and their treatment, including physiological old age, home and institutional care, and medico-legal relations
Year: 1914 (1910s)
Authors: Nascher, I. L. (Ignatz Leo), 1863- Jacobi, A
Subjects: Geriatrics
Publisher: Philadelphia : P. Blakiston's son & Co.
Contributing Library: West Virginia University Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: LYRASIS Members and Sloan Foundation

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is slowed and imperfectly performed. While thedilatation of the stomach and the waste of the muscular coatwith the atrophy of the glands lessen the activity of the organand food remains longer in the stomach than in maturity,weakening and waste of the muscular structure of the pyloruspermits food particles to pass into the duodenum unchangedand such particles may pass through the intestines undigested.The rate of digestion in the stomach in old age is much slowerthan the rate of digestion in maturity. The most pronounced functional changes in the intestinesare constipation, occasional diarrhea, and an excessive accumu-lation of feces in the colonic pouch. The first of these changesis due to the weakening and waste of muscle fibers wherebyperistaltic activity is diminished. This is frequently accompa-nied by neglect of the aged to attend the call for evacuation ofthe bowel, and this last is the main cause of the dilatation of thecolon and rectum, whereby pouches are formed. Here we see
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Ossification of subscapalaris tendon. M. D. Waste of bursa.New York.) (Courtesy of S. Epstein, PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES IN OLD AGE 35 one of the many vicious circles which are formed in old age.The diminished elasticity of muscle fibers permits dilatation ofthe gut which consequently becomes filled with fecal matterdistending the bowel, this distention further stretching thefibers and impairing their elasticity. Senile diarrhea, whiledue to the intestinal changes, is really caused in most cases byimproper feeding, the food being taken in too short intervals,in excessive amount, or by entering the intestines unchanged itacts as an irritant. Functional changes in the brain and nervous system are oftenthe most marked of all the changes that occur in the organismand in many cases there is no corresponding anatomical change.Lessened coordination, slowed afferent and efferent impulses,weakened and often perverted sensibility, impaired activity ofthe regulating centers and various forms of ment

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