Intestinal Ills

Alcinous Burton JamisonProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

1.8

Word count: 267K words
Chapters: 27

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Intestinal Ills by Alcinous B. JamisonAuthor: Jamison, Alcinous B. (Alcinous Burton), 1851-,Language: English, Class: RC: Medicine: Internal medicine, Release Date: Aug 19, 2008

Editor's review

This is an old medical work by an American physician of the late nineteenth to early twentieth century, focusing on intestinal disease and digestive health. As a public-domain ebook, its value lies not in offering contemporary clinical guidance but in presenting how one era understood intestinal pathology, its terminology, and its diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. The book likely contains then-current etiological hypotheses, dietary regimen ideas, and case observations, giving it documentary significance for the study of medical history and the evolution of gastroenterological concepts. It should be read as a historical document rather than a practical manual: one can appreciate the meticulousness and assurance of early medical writing while clearly seeing its historical limitations. It suits readers interested in medical humanities, old editions, or nineteenth-century American medical writing, to be read slowly and cross-referenced with modern gastroenterology materials for a more solid gain.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers in medical and scientific history examining early concepts of intestinal disease
Readers in humanities interested in late nineteenth-century American medical writing
Collectors of public-domain ebooks seeking to add old medical literature
Enthusiasts with sufficient English reading ability willing to do comparative reading

Not a good fit for

Patients or family members seeking modern advice on diagnosing and treating intestinal disease
General readers hoping for accessible health-preservation methods
Readers who struggle with English and need a Chinese translation

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and preface to grasp the book's structure and the author's core claims, then read selected chapters closely.
Prepare an introductory modern gastroenterology text for comparison and note differences in terminology and concepts.
Excerpt case descriptions separately and analyze their narrative style as samples of medical-history writing.
Limit each reading session to half an hour; skip unfamiliar terms at first and look them up after finishing.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Can this book guide the treatment of intestinal disease today?

Not recommended. This is a medical work of the late nineteenth to early twentieth century; its explanations of causes and its therapies are largely outdated and it can only be read as material for medical history. Any health concern should be discussed with a licensed contemporary physician, and the book should be treated as a historical document rather than a basis for diagnosis or treatment.

Can someone without a medical background understand this book?

It can be read, but it requires patience. The terminology and writing style bear the marks of their era; it is advisable to read the preface and concluding chapters first, then consult a modern medical dictionary or introductory text for comparison, focusing on understanding the author's reasoning rather than memorizing specific conclusions.

Why is it recommended to read it as a medical-history document?

Because its value lies in recording how one era understood intestinal disease: the classifications, hypotheses, and regimen ideas of the time are all evidence of how concepts evolved. Reading it against modern understanding makes clearer how medical knowledge has been revised, which is more meaningful than simply adopting what the book says.

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About the author

Alcinous Burton Jamison Author · American · 1851

Alcinous Burton Jamison (born 1851) was an American physician known for medical writing aimed at general readers. Two of his works are held here, including Intestinal Ills and Intestinal Irrigation: Why, How and When to Flush the Colon. Both books deal with practical knowledge about intestinal health and colon irrigation, reflecting his approach of turning specialized medical subjects into readable material for a lay audience. Public information about his life is limited: reliable records of his education, medical practice, and social or professional positions are lacking, so a complete biographical picture cannot be drawn. What is available mainly shows him as a physician engaged in popular medical writing, with works focused on digestive health and written in accessible language for ordinary readers concerned about their health rather than for fellow specialists. Such writings reflect one aspect of American popular medical publishing in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and offer some reference value for understanding how ideas about intestinal health circulated at the time.