In a comprehensive monograph, this eminent South American Pediatrician discusses in detail the gastro-intestinal infections so prevalent in parts of South America and playing such an important rôle in the mortality figures of some of the large cities, notably Santiago.
In Chile, infectious intestinal disorders (ex infectione) are far more common than those due to purely food factors (ex alimentatione).
Among the different organisms which can cause these intestinal infections are mentioned ameba, dysentery bacilli, various coli bacilli, and other organisms producing diarrhea. Various clinical pictures may be produced, for example, septicemias without pronounced local phenomena or manifestation of enterocolitis or rectosigmoiditis. The symptoms of a pronounced toxicosis may predominate and eventually lead to the picture of athrepsia or decomposition. Again the picture may be that of an acidosis or of recurring intestinal infection.
The author points out that certain geographical and social conditions are big factors in the cause