Diagnosis. Treatment. 375 



animal any more, on account of the gangrene of the intestinal 

 mucosa which has occurred. 



Diagnosis. Constipation in spite of fruitless efforts, com- 

 bined with the detection of desiccated fecal masses in the rec- 

 tum or colon, point to the correct diagnosis. If the animal has 

 previously been well and if the accumulation of feces can be 

 explained from the character of removed fecal masses, one may 

 assume primary obstipation. Otherwise a careful examination 

 of the organs is necessary in order to determine whether we 

 are not dealing with a case of secondary obstipation. Chronic 

 diseases of the spinal cord (including its membranes) have to 

 be considered particularly, because these often first attract our 

 attention through an obstinate obstipation. Diseases of the re- 

 gion of the anus and of the pelvic organs can be recognized 

 easily on the basis of the history and as the result of palpation 

 (sometimes to be carried out during narcosis). After long con- 

 tinued starvation or preceding diarrhea, defecation may be in- 

 frequent, but in such cases there is no accumulation of feces. 



Treatment. If obstipation has not lasted long and if the 

 lumps of feces which can be felt from the rectum are not very 

 hard, the local treatment may be confined to the introduction of 

 large masses of water into the rectum; this softens the lumps 

 of feces, makes them slippery and stimulates the rectum to 

 contract. One may use pure lukewarm water, better soap suds 

 or water with oil, or pure oil. Thin fluids are allowed to run 

 into the rectum from an irrigator or a funnel provided with a 

 rubber tube ; low pressure must be used. The softening of the 

 feces may be hastened by cautious pressing and kneading. This 

 simple procedure, which must eventually be repeated, usually 

 suffices to remove the morbid condition. In mild cases glycerin 

 enemata are sometimes sufficient. 



When the obstipation has lasted for a considerable time, 

 and when mortar-like masses or fragments of bone are present 

 in the rectum, they should be removed with the finger or with a 

 pair of forceps ; then the more anteriorly situated, usually less 

 hard masses, can be softened and removed with lukewarm water 

 irrigations; in such advanced cases massage is not indicated. 

 The artificial removal of fecal masses and rectal irrigations 

 sometimes have to be repeated for several days, until it has 

 finally been possible to remove piece-meal a fecal cylinder which 

 may have been 20-30 cm. long. 



Laxatives should be used only in recent cases or after the 

 mechanical removal of the fecal masses near the anus, because 

 if used in old cases by themselves alone, they may make the 

 condition worse. The prescriptions to be employed are : Castor 

 oil (1-3 tablespoonsful in an emulsion with 1-3 to 1-4 part gummi 

 arabicum and 5 parts of water, or in gelatine capsules 3-5 gm. 

 each), calomel (dogs 0.20-0.30 gm., cats 0.1-0.15 gm.), aqua laxa- 



