ead into the system (see
LEAD-POISONING). This disease had been observed and described long
before its cause was discovered. Its occurrence in an epidemic form
among the inhabitants of Poitou was recorded by Francois Citois
(1572-1652) in 1617, under the title of _Novus et popularis apud
Pictones dolor colicus biliosus_. The disease was thereafter termed
_colica Pictonum_. It was supposed to be due to the acidity of the
native wines, but it was afterwards found to depend on lead contained in
them. A similar epidemic broke out in certain parts of Germany in the
end of the 17th century, and was at the time believed by various
physicians to be caused by the admixture of acid wines with litharge to
sweeten them.

About the middle of the 18th century this disease, which had long been
known to prevail in Devonshire, was carefully investigated by Sir George
Baker (1722-1809), who succeeded in tracing it unmistakably to the
contamination of the native beverage, cider, with lead, either
accidentally from the leadwork of the vats and other apparatus for
preparing the liquor, or from its being sweetened with litharge.

In Germany a similar colic resulting from the absorption of copper
occurs, but it is almost unknown in England.

The simplest form of colic is that arising from habitual constipation,
the muscular wall of the intestines contracting painfully to overcome
the resistance of hardened scybalous masses of faeces, which cause more
or less obstruction to the onward passage of the intestinal contents.
Another equally common cause is that due to irritating or indigestible
food such as apples, pears or nuts, heavy pastry, meat pies and
puddings, &c. It may then be associated with either constipation or
diarrhoea, though the latter is the more common. It may result from any
form of enteritis as simple, mucous and ulcerative colitis, or an
intestinal malignant growth. The presence of _ascaris lumbricoides_
may, by reflex action, set up a very painful nervous spasm; and certain
forms of influenza (q.v.) are ushered in by colic of a very pronounced
type. Many physicians describe a rheumatic colic due to cold and damp,
and among women disease of the pelvic organs may give rise to an exactly
similar pain. There are also those forms of colic which must be classed
as functional or neuralgic, though this view of the case must never be
accepted until every other possible cause is found to be untenable. From
this short account of a fe