GOEGED STOMACH. — TYMPANY. 319 



en'oneoiis idea, the gas in question is thrown off by the mucous 

 membrane. 



Complications. — Gorged Stomach, or the presence of 

 improper food within the organ, does not at all times give rise 

 to Tympany. It occasionally induces Inflammation of the Feet 

 (Laminitis) ; and also a general state of acute fever, which, in 

 fact, is a true form of Gastric Fever ; or a state of spasm or 

 cramp of the voluntary muscles generally may supervene ; or 

 the stomach or the diaphragm may be ruptured, or rupture may 

 happen to both these organs. In other cases again. Tympany 

 may first appear, then subside, and Laminitis or Gastric Fever, 

 or Fever without Laminitis supervene. Cases of this nature are 

 not common, but nevertheless they do occur, of which I have 

 had experience on more occasions than one. 



In examining patients which have died from the efiects of 

 Tympany, I have rarely found evidence of inflammation within 

 any of the structures constituting either the stomach or the 

 intestines ; while on the contrary, in cases of Gastric Fever, 

 and in Gastric Laminitis, the mucous membrane of these organs 

 is always inflamed to a greater or less extent. 



Etjptitee op the Stomach. — A frequent consequence of 

 gorged stomach, and one indeed very likely to occur, is Eupture 

 of the organ. The stomach being gorged with food, and the 

 bowels being inflated with gas, the production of v*hich is going 

 on every moment, renders the former extremely liable to this 

 as a consequence of the force with which the patient comes in 

 contact with the ground, during those severe paroxysms of pain 

 already described. 



"When the stomach is ruptured, it is important to determine 

 the matter. " There exists," says Mr. Percival, " two cogent rea- 

 sons for being able to determine the fact when it occurs : the 



