338 ENTERITIS. 



Enteritis ; before, however, detailing all that I consider necessary 

 with reference to its medical aid, it is incumbent upon me to 

 direct attention to other matters of great importance not only 

 to the patient, but to the professional reputation of the veteri- 

 narian also. 



I. — The patient should have plenty of room : a roomy 

 box is indispensable to animals affected with Enteritis. 



II. — The box shoidd be well provided with straw ; other- 

 wise the animal, by its violence, may irreparably injure itself. 



III. — The practitioner should have plenty of material in 

 readiness ; and by this I mean woollen clothing, consisting of 

 sheets ; also au abundance of hot water. The medicines 

 should also be ready at hand. 



ly. — Prior to the administration of medicine the practi- 

 tioner should very carefully examine every part of the abdomen 

 and the scrotum of the patient for rupture or strangulation 

 of the bowels. It is useless to give medicine with the expec- 

 tation of it aff"ording relief to the animal if any portion of the 

 bowels are strangulated. Some horses have at all times a 

 protrusion of intestine either at the scrotum or at the navel, — 

 a protrusion which may be so small as to escape the notice of 

 ordinary observers ; but which, if present, would be unpar- 

 donable if not discovered by the veterinary surgeon. 



The symptoms by which strangulated bowel is known, and 

 which, in fact, are pathognomonic of it, are prominence and 

 unnatural heat of tlie skin at tlie part ; the elastic, hut yet firm 

 and hard state of the swelling ; and its tenderness upon pressure. 



