ENTERITIS. 403 



glassy and amaurotic in appearance, the patient seems to be 

 in a semi-unconscious condition, and wanders about liis 

 box taking no notice whatever of his surroundings. Soon 

 there comes a period of quietude, which may be called the 

 critical period of the disease. If the pulse at this time 

 begins to recover its tone, it may be regarded as a sign of 

 recovery, but if the pulse is weak and running down, the 

 body and extremities cold, the mucous membranes blanched, 

 the mouth cold and clammy, the case may be regarded 

 as hopeless, the symptoms enumerated indicating that 

 gangrene has attacked the bowels, which in consequence 

 have become insensible to pain, hence it is that the 

 patient stands quietly. At this time the attendants should 

 be very careful as to how they approach the animal, 

 as he may at any moment, without the slightest warning, 

 fall as though struck by lightning, and, unless care is exer- 

 cised, may fall upon and severely injure someone. The 

 bowels are usually constipated throughout the attack, a few 

 hard pellets of frecal matter covered with mucus, and some- 

 times blood in addition to the mucus, may be passed in the 

 early stages of the disease. Frequent attempts to urinate 

 should not mislead the practitioner as to the true character 

 of the malady. The urine when passed is scant in quantity 

 and of a heisfhtened colour. All the mucous membranes 

 are injected and reddened during the height of the inflam- 

 mation, but gradually resume their normal appearance in 

 cases which terminate favourably, and become leaden in 

 appearance in cases which terminate fatally. It is possible 

 for an animal to live for eight or nine hours after gangrene 

 has set it, but usually death occurs in an hour or so. "When 

 diarrhoea is present, as a symptom, the practitioner may 

 know that he has the worst form of enteritis to deal with, 

 and the chances of a fatal termination are very great as 

 compared with those of recovery. 



•26—2 



