PATHOLOGY. In acute catarrhal gastritis, the mucous membrane of the stomach is swollen and red, and coated with an increased amount of mucus, although the secretion of gastric juice is less than normal. The cells of the mucous membrane, both mucous and peptic, are swollen and granular, and there may be considerable infil tration of the intertubular tissue with serum and leucocytes. In the acute gastritis due to the taking of irritant poisons such as strong acids, caustic alkalies, corrosive sublimate, etc., the changes in the stomach are directly proportioned to the quantity and strength of the poison taken. Thus, strong acid in large quantities may not only destroy the entire mucous membrane of the stomach, but may cause extensive destruction of the deeper coats, even causing perforation. Smaller quantities destroy portions of the mu cous membrane and underlying tissue, with con sequent sloughing and cieatrization. In chronic
gastritis the stomach may be of normal size, small, or enlarged. The mucous membrane may be thickened, or thinner than normal, and is usually coated with thick tenacious mucus. It may be red and congested, or of a dull gray color. There are atrophy of the gastric tubules and an increase in the tubular connective. tissue. The stomach walls are sometimes greatly thickened from the formation of new fibrous tissue, and the capacity of the organ is thus greatly diminished. A form of gastritis characterized by the forma tion of a false membrane is known ns croupous, membranous, or diphtheritic gastritis. In con nection with suppurative processes in other parts of the body, there may be suppuration with ab scess 'formation in the walls of the stomach, this condition constituting what is known as suppura tive or purulent gastritis.