Ulcerative Colitis: Clinical Aspects

Ulcerative colitis was described by Hale-White in 1888 and Allchin in 1885, and discovered at necropsy by Samuel Wilks in 1875. It seems to have been known to Sydenham, who in 1669 described the bloody flux. Although the disease has definite clinical and anatomical features, there is still controversy about the symptoms and treatment, and the cause has remained particularly obscure. It was the purpose of the present investigation to see, by studying the clinical aspects of a fairly large series of cases of ulcerative colitis, whether fresh light could be thrown on any of these points. The material consisted of forty unselected cases of idiopathic ulcerative colitis. One additional case in which the illness had started with dysentery many years previously was excluded for reasons which will be explained later. The clinical examination included a carefully dated life history. The appearances of the colon were studied with the sigmoidoscope. The stools and blood were examined. Whenever possible, radiographs were taken both by barium meal and by barium enema, and test meals were made.