SUBACUTE OBSTRUCTION OF THE DOUBLE COLON 115 



wind and rain. When they return to the stable they 

 have a similar large feed to the morning one — if anything, 

 a little more — without any water until after they have 

 finished. They are then turned out to the trough, and 

 we can imagine the quantity they drink after eating such 

 a large meal and w^orking all day. In a few cases nose- 

 bags are provided for them at noon, and on those farms 

 "colic" cases are not so frequent. 



' The exciting causes, then, may be said to be the long 

 intervals between feeding and the large amount of in- 

 digestible food given them at each meal. 



' The symptoms of a subacute case are those which do 



not give rise to any alarm on the part of the owner or 



attendants. The animal looks dull, refuses food, lies 



down in the natural position, and remains quiet for some 



little time, with the exception, perhaps, of looking round 



to his flanks. He will then get up and pick afewmouth- 



fuls of straw. After standing for some little time, pawing 



occasionally, he will gradually make up his mind to lie 



down again. There may be little or no tympany, the 



pulse, temperature, and respirations practically normal ; 



examination per rectum will reveal that bowel to be 



almost empty, w^hile other portions of the intestines will 



be found to be full of a mass of dough-like faeces. There 



will be an entire absence of abdominal sounds. If relief 



be not afforded, the symptoms will soon become more 



alarming. The animal will be up and down constantly, 



and, when down, rolling ; in fact, not still a moment. 



The tympany becomes much greater, and he breaks out 



in patches of sweat ; pulse and respirations accelerated. 



Oftentimes we are too late to watch the subacute 



symptoms, but on our arrival the patient is in a desperate 



condition, perspiration literally pouring from him, great 



tympany, pulse nearly 100, respirations much accelerated, 



8—2 



