Perforation of the stomach occurs in at least 8 per cent, of all cases, but its effects vary under different conditions. If no adhesions exist around the base of the disease, the gastric contents become diffused throughout the abdominal cavity and excite acute general peritonitis; but if the leakage is only slight, or is strictly limited by pre-existing adhesions, the chief result of the accident is the formation of a localised intraperitoneal abscess.