562 THE DISEASES OF THE HORSE 



not surprising that much difference of opinion exists as to the proper treat- 

 ment. Captain Hayes thus summarizes the "principles of treatment." — " 1. 

 Give to the inflamed part rest, wliich is best accompHshed by opium, as that 

 drug has a special action in arresting the motion of the intestines. 2. 

 Administer a strong sedative to allay the pain which threatens the life of 

 the animal, and allow him to tide over the attack, for which purpose opium 

 is also suitable. 3. Check the action of disease germs, or, at least, of 

 decomposing food in the bowels, as may be done by Jeyes' Fluid or 

 carbolic acid." 



Half-ounce doses of powdered opium in the form of extract, or like doses 

 of extract of cannabis indica may be given. Jeyes' Fluid may be ad- 

 ministered in half- or three-quarter-ounce doses in a pint of linseed oil or 

 other bland fluid, as mucilage of acacia, starch, or linseed tea. Hot foment- 

 ations to the abdomen, and the injection of warm water per rectum have 

 a soothing effect, and are now very generally adopted by veterinary surgeons 

 in the treatment of this fatal complaint, from which but a small number of 

 recoveries take place. 



TWISTED GUT 



This accident is as a rule a sequel to some other disease, as colic, spasmodic 

 or flatulent, and is generally believed to result from struggling on the ground 

 (see Colic). Captain Hayes, whose experience as a breaker as well as 

 a veterinary surgeon, is perhaps unequalled, is "strongly ol opinion that 

 these violent movements never induced twist of the bowel, unless, possibly, 

 the relative positions of its parts are altered from their normal condition by 

 some unusual cause, such as distension." 



The Symptoms dux'ing life are those of colic with some variations, but there 

 is practically no diagnostic one by which we can say with certainty that a 

 twist will be found after death. The pain is more continuous than in 

 ordinary colic, and before the animal dies a quiescent peinod is usual. There 

 is a flickering pulse which finally becomes imperceptible, sighing, trembling, 

 and deadly cold extremities, the animal generally trying to keep on his feet 

 till the last. 



Treatment for tivist, intussusception, and other accidental displacements 

 of the bowels is " expectant " — that is to say, all we can do is to treat the 

 spasm and pain in the hope that relaxation of the parts affected may follow. 

 If displacement of a portion of the small intestine could be diagnosed with 

 certainty before any great amount of inflammation had arisen it would be 

 possible under the influence of chloroform to cut through the abdominal 

 parietes and reduce it, indeed it has been done, but the ditficulties are great 

 and the prospects of recovery very small, as the predisposition of the horse 

 to peritonitis even under the most favourable aseptic conditions is almost a 

 fatal objection. 



PERITONITIS 



Inflammation op the lining membrane of the abdomen which also invests 

 the viscera is an extremely dangerous disease, and may be excited by com- 



