SURGICAL TREATMENT OF COLICS 73 



damaged by the stretching or not, while here I am re- 

 stricting its meaning to the more or less permanent dam- 

 age done by the stretching. That is, dilatation of the 

 stomach is that state in which the muscularis does not 

 contract back to a normal state when the bloat is re- 

 lieved. 



Symptoms. — The effects of dilatation vary from a de- 

 layed return of the patient's health after an attack of 

 colic lasting several days, in mild cases, to the gravest 

 symptoms of fatal shock in severe cases. A bad case of 

 dilatation of the stomach following a severe stomach colic 

 presents all of the symptoms of a rupture of the stomach. 

 There may be free vomition and the peripheral coldness, 

 cold perspiration, running down pulse rate, empty arteries, 

 labored breathing, and tremors about the shoulders and 

 flanks combine to bring about a clinical picture that all 

 practitioners recognize as signs of approaching death. 



Treatment. — The prevention of dilatations is found 

 in the prompt relief of gastric colics by catheterization. 

 It is also important to avoid a too sudden evacuation of 

 colonic bloat when the stomach is overwhelmed. This is 

 a fine point in the treatment of colics I would like to im- 

 press upon the reader. And lastly the stomach after hav- 

 ing- been relieved of its harmful contents should be re- 

 filled with hot water. These recommendations are par- 

 ticularly essential in stomach colics of old horses and in 

 those of some hours' duration. 



Weak solutions of aromatic spirits of ammonia in- 

 stilled into the stomach as a parting treatment is beneficial 

 to the weakened circulation, strychnine subdermally is 

 helpful and warm clothing, body frictions and sinapisms 

 cannot be overdone. 



