Foreign Bodies in the Stomach. 189 



on into the intestines, where they may directly wound the walls, 

 form nuclei for the deposition of earthy salts in the form of cal- 

 culi, or in case of fibrous materials (cords) roll into firm balls. 



In dogs the foreign bodies may cause gastric catarrh, or punc- 

 ture or abrasion of the mucosa, and they may be rejected by 

 vomiting. The more rounded, smooth bodies may lie for a 

 length of time in the stomach without doing any manifest injury, 

 as in the case mentioned by Nichoux in which a dog carried in 

 its stomach for twelve years a four franc piece and a large sou. 

 Sometimes the objects block the pylorus. Then the subject is 

 dull, depressed, inclined to lie on the right side but continually 

 changing his position, gives a stifled yelp when he lies down or 

 occasionally when he stops walking. He carries the back 

 arched, and the abdomen tucked up, and drags his hind limbs. 

 Vomiting is frequent and accompanied by violent and painful 

 retching. The vomited matters may be mixed with blood. The 

 epigastrium is tender to pressure. Death may en.sue in twenty- 

 four hours or not until after weeks or even months. 



In other cases there is gastro-enteritis with vomiting, colic, 

 anorexia, trembling, hyperthermia, constipation or diarrhoea, 

 and finally the passage of the offending agent per anum, when re- 

 covery ensues. 



In other cases sharp pointed bodies perforate the walls of the 

 stomach, and determine the formation of abscess or fistula open- 

 ing at any point around the abdominal cavity. This may be 

 followed by recovery, by gastric or intestinal fistula, or by chronic 

 disease of some important .organ like the liver. 



In dogs, diagnosis is often possible by manipulation of the 

 stomach through the walls of the abdomen. If the belly is very 

 lax it may be compressed between finger and thumb, or between 

 the two hands ; if more tense, pressure with both hands just be- 

 hind the sternum may detect the resistance of a solid body. 



Treatment. In the horse this is hopeless. 



In the dog much may be expected from the use of emetics, 

 (ipecacuan, tartar emetic, apomorphine, tepid water, tickling the 

 fauces). In some cases of sharp pointed bodies an exclusive and 

 abundant diet of well boiled potatoes proves successful. The 

 object is to pass much of the starchy matter through the small 

 intestines undigested, so that it may envelop the sharp body and 



