CHAPTER LX. 



SPORADIC DISEASES— continued. 



LOCAL DISEASES— continued. 



(0.) DISEASES OF THE BO^YELS—coJ^t^nued. 



intussusceptio:n^ and volvulus. 



Intussusception (from i7itus, within, and suscipio, to receive), 

 and volvulus (from volvo, to roll up), a twisted bowel. Under 

 these names various forms of entanglement of the intestines, 

 giving rise to abdominal pain, enteritis, and death, have been 

 described. 



INTUSSUSCEPTION. 



By intussusception is meant the prolapse or slipping of a 

 portion of intestine into the cavity of that immediately pos- 

 terior to it. In consequence of this the natural course of the 

 intestines is interrupted by a kind of knot, consisting of three 

 successive portions of bowel ; the immediate effect of which is 

 obstruction to the passage of the intestinal contents, and to the 

 return of blood from the imprisoned portions of intestine in- 

 volved, along with which some portion of the mesentery must 

 be included. 



Both the small and large intestines are subject to it in all the 

 domesticated animals. When, as is generally the case, it occurs 

 in the large intestine, the caecum caput coli is that usually in- 

 volved, and instances have occurred, both in horses and cattle, of 

 recovery after sloughing of the invaginated caecum. "Within my 

 own experience, a cow treated by me, after seven days of obstinate 

 obstruction of the bowels, expelled tlie gangrenous portion, 

 measuring several inches in diameter, and the animal recovered. 



