DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE OEGANS. 43 



the spermatic cord. If the imprisoned portion of gut is freed, which 

 may be ascertained by the disappearance of the swelling, the usual 

 sounds produced by the bowels moving in the abdomen will be heard, 

 and in a few hours the feces and urine will be passed as usual. If the 

 means mentioned fail to release the imprisoned portion of the gut, 

 then an incision about 4 inches long must be made in the right flank 

 in a downward direction, the hand introduced into the abdomen, the 

 situation and condition of swelling exactly ascertained, and then a 

 probe-pointed Imife inserted between the imprisoned bowel and band 

 compressing it, and turned outward against the band, the latter 

 being then cautiously divided and the imprisoned gut allowed to 

 escape, or, if necessar}^, the bowel should be drawn gently from its 

 position into the abdomen. The wound in the flank must be brought 

 together in the same way as in the case of the wound made in operat- 

 ing for impaction of the rumen. 



WOUNDS OF THE ABDOMEN. 



A wound of the abdomen may merely penetrate the skin; but as 

 such cases are not attended with much danger, nor their treatment 

 with much difficulty, we will consider here merely those wounds 

 which penetrate the entire thickness of the abdominal walls and 

 expose to a greater or less extent the organs contained in that cavity. 



Causes. — Such accidents may be occasioned by falling on fragments 

 of broken glass or other sharp objects. A blow from the horn of 

 another animal ma}^ penetrate the abdomen. Exposure and pro- 

 trusion of some of the abdominal organs may also be occasioned by 

 the incautious use of caustics in the treatment of umbilical or ventral 

 hernia. The parts which generally escape through an abdominal 

 wound are the small intestine and floating colon. 



Symptoms. — When the abdominal w^ound is small, the bowel ex- 

 posed presents the appearance of a small round tumor, but in a few 

 moments a loop of intestine may emerge from the opening. The ani- 

 mal then shows symptoms of severe pain by pawing with his feet, 

 which has the effect of accelerating the passage of new loops of in- 

 testine through the wound, so that the mass which they form may 

 even touch the ground. The pain becomes so great that the ox now 

 not only paws but lies down and rolls, thus tearing and crushing his 

 bowels. In such cases it is best to slaughter the animal at once ; but 

 in the case of a valuable animal in Avhich tearing and crushing of the 

 bowels has not taken place the bowels should be washed with freshly 

 boiled water reduced to the temperature of the body and returned 

 and the wounds in the muscle and skin brought together in a manner 

 somewhat similar to that described in speaking of ventral hernia. 



