338 ES'MRITIS. 



Enteritis ; before, however, detailing all that I consider neces- 

 sary with reference to its medical aid, it is incumbent upon me 

 to direct attention to other matters of great importance not 

 only to the patient, but to the professional reputation of the 

 veterinarian also. 



I. — The patient should have plenty of room : a roomy 

 box is indispensable to animals affected with Enteritis. 



II. — The box should be well provided with straw ; other- 

 wise the animal, by its violence, may irreparably injure itself. 



III. — The practitioner should have plenty of material in 

 readiness ; and by this I mean woollen clothing, consisting of 

 sheets ; also an abundance of hot water. The medicines 

 should also be ready at hand. 



IV. — Prior to the administration of medicine the practi- 

 tioner should very carefully examine every part of the abdomen 

 and the scrotum of the patient for rupture or strangulation 

 of the bowels. It is useless to give medicine with the expec- 

 tation of it affording relief to the animal if any portion of the 

 bowels are strangulated. Some horses have at all times a 

 protrusion of intestine either at the scrotum or at the navel, — 

 a protrusion which may be so small as to escape the notice of 

 ordinary observers ; but which, if present, would be unpar- 

 donable if not discovered by the veterinary surgeon. 



The symptoms by which strangulated bowel is known, and 

 which, in fact, are pathognomonic of it, are prominence and 

 unnatural heat of the sMn at the part ; the elastic, hut yet firm 

 and hard state of the swelling ; and its tenderness upon pressure. 



