2i8 Veterhiajy Medicine. 



becomes general, the surface cold and the limbs especially so. 

 Faeces may be passed at first, a few dr^- balls at a time from the 

 floating colon or rectum, but soon they are suppressed entirely. 

 Some patients strain frequently to micturate but pass little at a 

 time. 



In some instances the acute pain seems to suddenly cease, but 

 there is no general improvement, the patient stands with head 

 depressed, eyes sunken and expressionless, ears lopped, cold per- 

 spiration, chilly limbs, unsteady gait and imperceptible pulse. 

 It implies merely a paralysis of the affected bowels in connection 

 with the extensive congestion and extravasation. 



Course. Duration. The more acute cases reach their acme 

 with great rapidity, death may occur after two hours illness, and 

 in other cases it may be delayed ten or even twenty-four hours. 

 It may be caused by indigestion and tympany, by volvulus or in- 

 vagination, by excessive hemorrhage, or by poisoning with toxic 

 matters. 



Recovery occurs when the vessel blocked is an unimportant 

 one as a branch of the left bundle so that circulation may be re- 

 established from collateral trunks ; or when a more important 

 trunk has been but partially blocked, and after a time it either 

 clears itself, or collateral circulation comes in with sufficient com- 

 pensation. There is a more or less rapid disappearance of the 

 colics and other .symptoms, a free passage of urine, the rejection 

 of faeces, it may be in a liquid, semi-liquid or .sanguineous condi- 

 tion, yet enough to indicate the restoration of intestinal tone. 

 The patient begins to pick morsels of food and soon acquires his 

 former appetite. 



In some instances, liowever, the recovery is not complete. 

 Trasbot has noted a case of laminitis occurring within fifteen 

 hours after the improvement, and in other cases there remain 

 chronic debility and catarrh of the intestines. The appetite re- 

 mains poor, there are occasional colics, the bowels are irregular, 

 loose or costive, and the faeces are dry, glos.sy and covered with 

 mucus. The back is arched, the belh^ tucked up, strength and 

 vigor are both lacking, and the patient spends much time in the 

 recumbent position. 



Complications of various kinds may follow as in other diseases 

 of the intestines. After even the best recoveries, a relapse is 



