Part 3

Regard for brevity justifies quotation under Kelsey, 1893.

1840, ANDREW PAUL, A.B., M.B. Trin. Coll., L.R.C.S., in Diseases of the Rectum; John Churchill, 16 Princes Street, Soho, London:

Omits mention of the rectal valve.

1844, WILSON, The Dissector, page 52; P. B. Goddard, M.D., Philadelphia:

“In the cecum and colon the mucous membrane is smooth, but in the rectum it forms three valvular folds, one of which is situated near the commencement of the intestine; the second, extending from the side of the tube, is placed opposite the middle of the sacrum; and the third, proceeding from the front of the cylinder, is situated opposite the prostate gland.”

1845, NELATON:

Regard for brevity justifies quotation under Kelsey, 1893.

1846, JAMES SYME, F.R.S.E., in Diseases of the Rectum, Second Edition; Adam & Charles Black, Edinburgh; Longman, Brown, Green & Longmans, London:

Omits mention of the rectal valve.

1848, E. D. SILVER, M.D., Reg. Coll., in Diseases of the Rectum and Anus; Simpkin, Marshall & Co, London:

Omits mention of the rectal valve.

1851, HORNER, Special Anatomy and Histology, Vol. II, p. 47; Philadelphia:

“At a corresponding part on each side of the gut, in its interior, exists a transverse doubling of the mucous membrane, forming the valvula conniventes alluded to. The result of this arrangement is a semicircular valve on each side, one above the other, the margins and diameters of which pass each other in the empty and contracted state of the rectum, but touching at the same time, and they present an additional barrier to the involuntary evacuation of feces.”

1853, HYRTL, Topographic Anatomy:

Regard for brevity justifies quotation under Chadwick, 1878.

1855, RICHARD QUAIN, F.R.S., in Diseases of the Rectum; Walton & Maberly, London:

Omits mention of the rectal valve.

1860, T. J. ASHTON, in Rectum and Anus; Blanchard & Lea, Philadelphia:

Omits mention of the rectal valve.

1865, HENRY SMITH, F.R.C.S., in Surgery of the Rectum, Fourth and Fifth Editions; J. & A. Churchill, New Burlington Street, London:

Omits mention of the rectal valve.

1866, HENRY LEE, F.R.C.S., in Affections of the Rectum; John Churchill & Sons, New Burlington Street, London:

Omits mention of the rectal valve.

1870, WM. BODENHAMER, Physical Exploration of the Rectum; William Wood & Company, New York:

“The idea of calling these small folds valves, and then of their becoming relaxed and prolonged, except in a diseased state, so as to form a barrier or an obstruction to the passage of the feces, is, to say the least of it, hypothetic. If ever such cases occur, they must be rare indeed.

“The first anatomist, however, who called especial attention to a valvular arrangement of the rectum, was Mr. John Houston, of Dublin, Curator of the Museum, and one of the administrators in the School of the College of Surgery in Ireland. This he did in a very able practical paper entitled, Observations on the Mucous Membrane of the Rectum, inserted in the fifth volume (1830) of the Dublin Hospital Reports.”

After quoting from Houston the passages already quoted by me, Bodenhamer continues:

“I have quoted quite sufficient from this ingenious author to present him fairly, and I hesitate not to say at once that, in my opinion, he has entirely failed to establish the verity of his statements, that the folds or projections of the rectum are genuine valves; that they are sufficiently strong to bear the whole weight of the fecal mass, and to retard its downward movement and cause it to take a winding direction; and that they exert great opposition to the introduction of the finger, the bougie, or any other instrument not in the shape of a corkscrew.