Rupture of the Intestines in Ruminants. 335 



tonitis and anto-intoxication. Exceptions may exist incase of 

 adhesion of the diseased intestine to the walls of the abdomen 

 and the formation of a fistula without implication of the peri- 

 toneum. 



RUPTURE OF THE INTESTINES IN RUMINANTS. 



From blows of horns, tusks, etc., from rectal abscess. Symptoms : colic, 

 resulting in septic peritonitis and sinking. Treatment. 



Lesions of this kind u.sually come from blows with the horns 

 of others. They may lead to artificial anus as in a case reported 

 by Rey, or the formation of a connecting sac as in that of Wal- 

 ley. In a case seen by the author a large abscess formed 

 above the rectum, from injuries sustained in parturition. This 

 ruptured into the gut leaving an immense empty cavity in which 

 the hand could be moved about freely, but which gradually con- 

 tracted so that the cow made a good recovery. 



Andre furnishes an extraordinary record of rupture of the 

 colon, blocked by a potato. It seems incredible that a potato 

 could have traversed the stomachs and intestine without 

 digestion. 



The symptoms are those of violent colic suddenly appearing 

 in connection with .some manifest cause of injury, and going on 

 to septic peritonitis and gradual sinking. 



Treatment is manifestly useless excepting in the case of some 

 such fortunate condition as in the case of abscess of the rectum 

 in which the free use of injections and the antisepsis of the ab- 

 scess cavity proved successful. 



LACERATION OF THE INTESTINE IN SWINE. 



This is rare and appears to have been observed only in con- 

 nection with scrotal and ventral hernias, with adhesion. It may 

 lead to an artificial anus which in its turn may cicatrise and close, 

 or to the discharge of faeces into the peritoneal cavity with fatal 

 effect. If seen early enough, laparotomy with suture of the 

 bowel and careful antisepsis will be indicated. 



