694 SPOEADIC DISEASES. 



Treatment of Flatulent Colic. — In addition to the administra- 

 tion of an aperient for the removal of the cause, it becomes 

 essentially necessary that the symptoms of urgency be promptly 

 relieved. Carbolic acid or the hyposulphite of soda to some 

 extent averts fermentation and the further formation of gases, 

 and thus prove very useful. If, however, the tympanites be 

 severe, or seem to increase under the prescribed treatment, the 

 colon should be immediately punctured with a Toop trochar and 

 cannula, to enable the gases to escape, and thus give im- 

 mediate and permanent relief. The method of procedure is as 

 follows : — Select the most prominent part of the swelling, which 

 is generally about midway between the last rib and anterior 

 spine of the ilium, upon the off — right — side ; asepticise the 

 spot, then make an incision with a small bistoury, and 

 introduce the point of the trochar rather obliquely upwards, 

 in order to allow the escape by drainage of any fluid which may 

 be afterwards exuded, and thus prevent the formation of an 

 abscess ; when the bowel is punctured, the stilette is withdrawn, 

 when the gas will be freely expelled ; and in order to prevent 

 further fermentation it will be necessary to inject, by means of 

 a Toop syringe, througli the cannula, about three-quarters of an 

 ounce of pure carbolic acid, dissolved in twenty ounces of warm 

 water, into the intestine. I feel confident that we have saved 

 many horses in the College practice since adopting this treatment. 



If the tympany is not entirely removed by tlie escape of the 

 gases, the operation may be performed on the opposite flank with 

 great benefit. There is no danger in the operation : in one case 

 it was performed thirteen times, giving relief of several hours' 

 duration after each puncture, in a case of tympany associated 

 with a large calculus in the colon. The liorse lived several 

 days, and on making an examination of the seats of puncture 

 only three or four small reddish spots were seen, with no sur- 

 rounding inflammation. 



IMPACTION OF THE COLON, 



As already stated, animals over-abundantly fed, or kept upon 

 food containing much woody fibre, are liable to suffer from the 

 accumulation of such matters in the colon and caecum. The 

 diagnostic characters of this, in addition to symptoms of general 

 abdominal pain, are a tendency to push backwards, to press the 



