GENERAL EXCITING CAUSES 45 



and faecal obstructions are : large quantities of omental 

 fat, pressure of tumours, and repeated pregnancies, dis- 

 tending and weakening the abdominal parietes. For my 

 own part, I am quite satisfied that the mere presence of 

 the foetus, in the later stages of gestation, is mechani- 

 cally accountable for many of our cases of colic, par- 

 ticularly obstructive. Occupying, as it does, a large 

 proportion of the abdominal cavity, it must interfere 

 considerably with the actions and movements of the 

 intestines ; that is leaving out of the question entirely 

 the fact that a large portion of the blood-current of the 

 mother is necessary for its development. 



In these days, too, the rapid strides of bacteriology 

 must not be forgotten. I should not be surprised at any 

 moment to pick up one or other of our veterinary journals 

 and read that some eminent scientist had discovered a 

 specific germ for such of our cases of colic as run 

 the rapid and fatal course of from twelve to twenty-four 

 hours only. One would imagine that in cases of twist, 

 for example, the pain, however agonizing, would not of 

 itself be sufficient to kill the patient. To my mind there 

 is only one solution that fairly fits the case — bacterial 

 infection of the blood-stream commencing from the 

 intestines. More especially do these remarks apply to 

 what is known among veterinarians as ' enteritis.' That, 

 however, I will deal with in the chapter reserved for its 

 discussion. 



In this chapter I think I have now indicated sufficient 

 to direct the veterinarian's attention to the errors he 

 sees daily perpetrated around him. Customs vary in 

 different counties, and it is sometimes only necessary to 

 step across an imaginary boundary to see manners and 

 usages totally unlike those to which one has been accus- 

 tomed. It is, therefore, quite impossible that I can dis- 



