how fascinating! have you been doing genealogy or something? in general i would have to say it is not possible to rupture the bowel due simply to excessive gas. however if your great-grandfather died many years ago before medical science was very advanced doctors may have thought bowel gases could cause a rupture (or as we would say today a "perforation"). i'm thinking you're reading an old death certificate because flatulence technically is the act of passing gas not retaining it. so the quaint phrasing of this particular cause of death makes me think the death certificate is rather old. rest assured in any normal person bowel gases will pass right out with no problem. i can almost guarantee you will not die from the inability to fart. hope this helps!
my g-grandfather's death certificate lists cause of death as "ruptured bowel due to flatulence". is this even possible?