RUPTURE OF THE STOMACH 79 



diagnostic of rupture. It is only fair to add, however, 

 that it is so frequently an accompaniment of that lesion 

 as to render it of great value when summing up our case. 

 Even when vomiting is present in alarming degree, it is 

 the veterinary surgeon's duty to persist in treating his 

 case for gastric engorgement, gastric tympany, or 

 whatever he may have decided it is, reserving all his 

 statements by saying ' that it is just possible rupture 

 may occur,' and declining to advise his client of the 

 advent of rupture until all or most of its absolutely fatal 

 signs are present. Taken singly, there are no diagnostic 

 symptoms of ruptured stomach. Collectively, however, 

 the evidence obtained from the patient should, in most 

 cases, allow of a prognosis being given. Needless to 

 say, it is a fatal one. 



Treatment. — Beyond prophylaxis, the treatment of 

 ruptured stomach is out of all question. Means for its 

 prevention, however, may be discussed with advantage. 

 Nevertheless, it is not my intention to enlarge on them 

 here. They are so largely dependent on common-sense 

 reasoning, deduced from the causes of other stomach 

 troubles, that it would be but tedious repetition on my 

 part to mention them in detail again. 



We may take it that the reader of this volume will 

 gather sufficient information from the chapters on The 

 Predisposing Causes of Colic, Gastric Impaction, and 

 Gastric Tympany to enable him to appropriately point 

 out the suitable preventive measures likely to guard 

 against the occurrence of this most distressing and fatal 

 lesion. 



