In early times the mortality of inguinal colostomy was about five per cent, but has been gradually reduced until Konig reports 20 cases with only one death from peritonitis, and Cripps 26 cases with only one death.

This will always retain its place in operative surgery as a palliative and life-saving operation for carcinomatous stenosis of the lower part of the colon, and in cases of carcinoma of the rectum in which operation is not feasible.
Intestinal anastomosis, whereby two portions of a severed or resected bowel can be intimately joined, excluding from fecal circulation the portion of bowel which has become obstructed, was originally suggested by Maisonneuve, and was studied experimentally by von Hacken.

Billroth resorted to it, and Senn modified it by substituting decalcified bone-plates for sutures.

Since that time, Abbe, Matas, Davis, Brokaw, Robinson, Stamm, Baracz, and Dawburn, have modified the material of the plates used, substituting catgut rings, untanned leather, cartilage, raw turnips, potatoes, etc.

Recently Murphy of Chicago has invented a button, which has been extensively used all over the world, in place of sutures and rings, as a means of anastomosis.