Quadrant disease is a very old term used to refer to childhood digestive diseases associated with an abnormally hard stomach.
It exists very little knowledge about tile disease. This term would be used to designate several childhood pathologies which are characterized by an abnormally hard stomach. Contacted, the Reference Center for Rare Digestive Diseases told us that it would be a “old term to designate possibly tuberculous peritonitis“. Peritonitis being an inflammation of the peritoneum, the membrane which lines the stomach. Tuberculous peritonitis would refer to a “primary peritonitis, found during medical illnesses“ according to a scientific study published on Cairn.
Origins dating back to the 18th century
However, it is impossible to be certain that tile disease refers to this type of peritonitis. This term is no longer used and has probably been for several centuries. The only trace of this name dates back to a dissertation entitled “Describing the Disease of the Mesentery, Specific to Children, Which We Vulgarly Call Carreau” dated of 1787. In this memoir, it is written that “we commonly understand by “tile, one disease specific to children, which has its seat in the mesentery and that makes the lower abdomen more or less hard and swollen with indolence. The mesentery corresponds to the fold that unites the small intestine and the posterior wall of the abdomen.
Digestive symptoms
Cell disease would reflect an infection of the lymph nodes of the mesentery. In most cases, the lymph node tissue and intestinal lining swell and turn red. The main symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite. According to the 18th century memoir, it would also be associated with:
- a pale forehead;
- a loaded language;
- thick saliva;
- strong breath.
According to this report, the children most exposed to tile are “those who are very fat and bloated, those who are greedy and raised without diet and carethose who have a stunted disposition, finally those whose growth occurs in a short time and in a rapid manner.
The cause is a lack of hygiene
Still according to the document, the lack of hygiene was the main cause of the tile. “It is well known that children who are raised without care and in revolting uncleanliness are the most subject to the curse.” we can read there. The standard treatment was medication.