45 



upon some elevation. Dnrini^ the fatal attack the symptoms are sim- 

 ply those of obstruction, followed by those of inflammation and gan- 

 grene, and are not diagnostic. There is, of course, no freatment that 

 will prove effective. AVe can simpl j' give remedies to move the bowels, 

 to relieve pain, and to combat inflammation. 



Intestinal concretions, calculi {stones) in tlie intestines. — These con- 

 cretions are found mostly in the large bowels, though they are occa- 

 sionally met with in the small intestines. They are of various sizes, 

 weighing from 1 ounce to 25 pounds; they may be single or multiple, 

 and differ in composition and appearance, some being soft (composed 

 mostly of animal or vegetable matter), while others are porous or 

 honey-combed (consisting of animal and mineral matter), and others 

 again that are entirely hard and stone-like. The hair-balls, so com- 

 mon to the stomach and intestines of cattle, are very rare in the horse. 

 Intestinal calculi form around some foreign body as a rule, mostly a 

 nail, piece of wood, or something of this description, whose shape they 

 assume to a certain extent. Layers are arranged concentrically around 

 such nucleus until the sizes above spoken of are formed. These stones 

 are also often found in millers' horses, as Avell also as horses in lime- 

 stone districts where the water is hard. When the calculi attain a 

 sufficient size and become lodged or blocked in some part of the intes- 

 tines, they cause obstruction, inflammation of the bowels, colicky 

 symi)toms, and death. Some veterinarians pretend to diagnose the 

 presence of these bodies during life, but I know of no certain signs or 

 symptoms that reveal tiiem. Recurring colics and character of food 

 and water may enable us to make a good guess at times, but nothing 

 more. 



The symptoms will be those of obstruction of the bowels. Upon 

 lyost-mortem examinations we will discover these stones, mostly in the 

 large bowels; the intestines will be inflamed or gangrenous about 

 the point of obstruction. Sometimes calculi have been expelled by the 

 action of a physic, or they may be removed by tlie hand when found 

 to occux^y the last gut. 



Treatment. — As in concretions of the stomach, thei-e can be but 

 little done more than to overcome spasm (if any exists), and to give 

 physics with the hope of dislodging the stone or stones and carrying 

 them on and outward. 



Intussusception or Invagination is the slipping of a portion of the 

 intestine into another portion immediately adjoining, like a jjartially 

 turned glove finger. This may occur at anj' i)art of the bowels, but is 

 most frequent in the small guts. The invaginated portion may be 

 slight — 2 or 3 inches only — or extensive, measuring as many feet. 

 Treves, who has written a most valuable work on intestinal obstruc- 

 tion in man, maybe quoted in substance, to some extent. He cautions 

 us not to confound what he classes as ' ' obstructive intussusception " 

 with intussusception of the djdng. This latter is often seen upon 



