ENTERITIS. 73 



to avoid a deep inspiration. By an examination of the anus it will in many- 

 cases be found that the parts are reddened, hot, and dry. 



In cases running a fatal course the strength suffers severely. The breath- 

 ing grows more hurried, the pulse more feeble ; the body emits a sickening 

 odor; the signs of complete exhaustion follow rapidly; the skin becomes 

 cold and clammy ; convulsions occur and the animal dies. 



diagnosis. — This should not be difficult. The disease is to be discrimi- 

 nated from inflammation of the stomach, colic, and dysentery. Vomiting 

 may suggest gastritis, but the symptoms of that disease are in the earlier 

 stages of a much graver character than those of enteritis, and point clearly 

 to the stomach. The two diseases may be combined, as is the case of irri- 

 tant poisoning. 



Colic is a functional trouble in which the pain is intense, without fever 

 or other inflammatory signs, and with it constipation is more often asso- 

 ciated than diarrhoea. The absence of the characteristic dysenteric 

 discharges and the accompanying straining, should readily exclude dys- 

 entery. The only room for doubt is when an inflammation of the large 

 intestine is superadded to enteritis. 



^Prognosis.— In inflammation of the intestines the prognosis varies 

 much, according to the severity of the disease, the cause which produces 

 or maintains it, the general strength of the animal, etc. If not associated 

 with any other affection, recovery olten takes place. The disease is how- 

 ever a grave one and danger invariably attends. 



Treatment. —Like the prognosis, the treatment also is determined by 

 the exciting cause of the attack. Naturally the first step if the animal 

 suffers great pain, is to control it with opiates. One of the most important 

 measures next to be employed is the removal of the intestinal contents. 

 This precaution should never be neglected, even when diarrhoea is pres- 

 ent. The writer is well aware that authors consider the employment of 

 purgatives in this disease contra-indicated, and one strenuously protests 

 against their use " as almost sinful." Why such a radical theory cannot 

 be accepted may be better understood after considering certain facts. 



The important end in the treatment of all inflammations is quietude of 

 the inflamed part; this cannot be secured in inflammations of the intes- 

 tines until the contents are effectually removed, thereby preventing their 

 continued passage over the inflamed surface. Again when the contents of 

 the intestines are indigestible and irritating, nature's own prompting and 

 remedy is a diarrhoea. Can we do better than imitate nature? When the 

 beginning of the large intestine is the seat of the disease, the use of cathar- 

 tics is attended with some risk, but that portion is rarely seriously 

 Involved and little or no danger exists from them at the onset of the 

 inflammation. After an enteritis has been present for a time and the tis- 



