"In certain persons there is a state of mind distinguished by a concurrence of the following circumstances: a languor, a listlessness, or want of resolution and activity with respect to all undertakings; a disposition to seriousness, sadness and timidity as to all future events; an apprehension of the worst or most unhappy state of them; and therefore, often upon slight grounds, an apprehension of great evil. Such persons are particularly attentive to the state of their own health, to every smallest change of feeling in their bodies; and from any unusual feeling, perhaps of the slightest kind, they apprehend great danger and even death itself. In respect to all these feelings and apprehensions, there is commonly the most obstinate belief and persuasion." (Quoted in Leared, _On Imperfect Digestion_, p. 106.) CHAPTER VII. HOW AUTO-INFECTION AFFECTS INTESTINAL DIGESTION, AND VICE VERSA. Intestinal indigestion is a more common form of functional disturbance than is gastric indigestion. It is a well established fact that the greater portion of the digestive work is done beyond the stomach, in the duodenum, by the hepatic and pancreatic fluids. The duodenum--very properly called the _second stomach_--has none of the peculiar characteristics of a receptacle that receives crude substances--the office of the stomach. Much greater sensitiveness characterizes the digestive canal than the stomach; which is accounted for by the fact that a network of nerves, forming the sympathetic system, surrounds the bowels. The symptoms of intestinal indigestion are not always clearly defined and distinguishable from gastric indigestion, especially as the two are frequently associated. The cecum, more than any other portion of the digestive canal, resembles the stomach, and it secretes an acid, albuminous fluid having considerable solvent properties. It is to be observed that as the cecum is only three inches in length and two and a half in diameter, and as its contents are necessarily propelled in opposition to gravity, a slight casualty will hinder or obstruct the upward movement of the pultaceous mass of the effete ingesta. The turning point in the ascending colon affords another ready hindrance to the upward and onward movement of this mass; and the gases and ancient feces beyond the turn conduce to further sluggish peristalsis, bringing about more or less obstruction and reflex irritation of the remaining length of intestinal canal. Undue retention of the contents of the cecum, and the disturbance and obstruction of the duodenum by the pressure incident to the distention of the colon with feces and gases, lead to congestion, inflammation and occasionally to ulceration of the mucous membrane in various parts of the intestinal tube.