Constipation from Intestinal Atony. 323 



complications, sequelae. Treatment, solipeds— exercise, pasturage, cold 

 water before morning feed, regular regimen, bran, flaxseed, carrots, turnips, 

 ensilage, common salt, Glauber salts, nux, cold injection, glycerine, barium 

 chloride, purgative, enemata ; dog :— mechanical unloading of the rectum 

 and colon, injections, exercise, water, regular habits, laxative food, eserine, 

 oil, calomel, jalap, podophyllin, colocynth, belladonna, nux vomica, ab- 

 dominal massage, electricity. 



Definition. Constipation consists in dryness, hardness, and 

 undue retention of the faeces. It has of course many grades and 

 may lay claim to many different causes, so that it might, like its 

 antithesis diarrhoea, be held as merely a symptom of another dis- 

 ease. It has however such a definite character, that it is con- 

 venient to retain the name to designate those cases in which the 

 torpor or atony is the most prominent and dominating feature, while 

 other forms of obstruction will be treated under different heads. 



Causes. Defecation is immediately due to the active peristaltic 

 movements of the rectum overcoming the resistance of the 

 sphincter. There is also the concurrent closure of the glottis 

 and contraction of the diaphragm and abdominal walls, and it is 

 usually the voluntary operation of these forces that rouses the 

 rectum to effective peristalsis. The excitability of the rectum 

 depends greatly on habit, hence the habitual retention of faeces, 

 gradually dulls that organ and renders it less and less disposed 

 to respond. In horses this is seen largely in connection with 

 abundant dry feeding and lack of exercise. In house dogs and 

 cats on the other hand, inculcated habits of cleanliness, compels 

 the suppression of the natural instinct, and the habitually over- 

 loaded bowel becomes less and less responsive. The retained ex- 

 crements meanwhile give up more and more of their liquids until 

 they become so dry, and incompressible as well as massive that 

 they can be expelled only by violent efforts. Inflammation of 

 the mucosa naturally follows the retention and this in its turn 

 adds to the weakness and torpor. 



Acting in a similar way the partial obstruction, by accumula- 

 tions of bones and other undigested matters in the colon, and by 

 calculi, tends to continued accessions of new material and to 

 gradually increasing intestinal paresis. So with the other forms 

 of obstruction which will not be further referred to here. 



In all animals dry feeding and a lack of water are potent causes 

 of inspissation of the ingesta and torpor of the bowels. 



