412 DISEASES OF THE INTESTINES. 



In such a case as mentioned in ^The Veterinarian/ vol. xxv, 

 by Mr. J. Brown, V.S., London, wherein the horse "had 

 forced out nearly a foot of the rectum in struggHng violently 

 to release himself," while being cast. 



Treatment. — The formidable, and indeed awful aspect of 

 this disease, is apt to operate in the mind of the owner of 

 the animal favorably for the veterinary surgeon, inasmuch as 

 it gives rise to his being called to the case sooner than he 

 otherwise would have been. Should the summons be an 

 early one, at the time that the protrusion is recent and the 

 volume of the protrusion nothing alarming, judicious exercise 

 of the taxis, if employed at the moment, may succeed in the 

 return of the gut. Distributing the fingers of both hands, 

 over the rugose and turgid surface of the protrusion, steady, 

 firm, and forcible pressure ought to be maintained against it 

 for such length of time as appears to aff*ord any chance of 

 success, augmenting the force used whenever there is any 

 remission of straining. Should the first efforts of this 

 description fail, the protruded mass may have its bulk lessened 

 and constricted as much as possible by local application of 

 some sort, than which none oflPers a better chance of succeed- 

 ing than such as follows from sudden and intense cold, 

 though to a part so sensitive and vascular, the practice is not 

 devoid of danger. Ice may be powdered and enclosed in a 

 linen bag, so as to form a sort of bolster which may be held 

 or braced with firmness upon the tumefaction. The reverse 

 of such treatment as this, however, though the object be the 

 same, is generally preferred ; viz. fomentation, medicated or 

 not, and scarification of the exposed membrane; though 

 in other cases astringent applications are employed, with 

 a view of causing contraction and diminution of the mass, 

 such as lime water, decoction of oak bark, solution of 

 alum, &c.; and while such proceedings are going on, it is 

 advisable to have the hind parts raised : supposing we suc- 

 ceed in accomplishing the reduction, the chances are in 

 favour of a relapse of the prolapsus, and these chances seem 

 great in proportion to the facility with which the return of 

 the inverted gut has been effected : indeed, so constant and 



