286 PERITONITIS. 



usually results in the course of four or five days. The ox 

 and sheep are the least susceptible to it, and the pig and 

 dog can also be exposed to the risk of abdominal opera- 

 tions more freely than the horse. As an idiopathic affection 

 it is found in an acute and a chronic form. The peritoneum 

 is involved in inflammation when any of the abdominal 

 organs are affected with this disease, and sometimes inde- 

 pendently. 



Symptoms. Tremors occasionally confined to the hind 

 legs; appetite lost, though thirst sometimes great; pulse 

 very frequent, hard, and wiry; respiration laboured and 

 thoracic ; nostrils dilated, with anxious expression of 

 countenance; the animal looks round to its flank, and 

 evinces colicky pains by pawing, crouching, &c. There is 

 usually constipation, scanty discharge of urine. In most 

 cases of traumatic peritonitis, the animal lies down about 

 the third day, looks anxiously round to its flank, and dies 

 usually within forty- eight hours from the time it first 

 stretched itself on its side. I have seen these symptoms with 

 abscess of the cord, in a colt after castration, and when I had 

 amputated the cord above the seat of the abscess, the colt 

 rose and appeared relieved, but sank a few hours after, the 

 whole peritoneum being involved in inflammation. 



Results. Adhesion and sometimes effusion; more com- 

 monly death occurs when false membranes are found coating 

 and fixing the intestine. . 



Treatment. Purgatives, hot fomentations to the belly; 

 Percival suggests a blister to the belly. Nitre may be given 

 in the water the animal is allowed to drink. Injections 

 should be perseveringly employed. Calomel and opium, 

 aconite and other reputed antiphlogistics, have their advo- 

 cates. 



