Diseases of the Digestive Organs. 261 



IMPEKFOEATE ANUS. 



This is not uncommon in young animals and may be 

 relieved by a free incision as soon as the accumulation of 

 dimg in the end of the rectum famishes a firm pad on 

 which to cut. The incision must be made in the centre 

 of the firm muscular ring that should have encircled the 

 opening, and which may be easUy felt. In mares sponta- 

 neous relief is often obtained by a rupture into the vagina. 

 K the gut as weU as the opening is wanting, there is no 

 remedy. 



PERITONITIS. INFLAMMATION OF THE LINING MEMBEANE OF 

 THE ABDOMEN. 



This occurs in all domestic animals and may be limited 

 to a particular part or may be general. It is mostly 

 caused by mechanical injuries, as wounds of the abdom- 

 inal walls — surgical or otherwise, or by rupture of an ab- 

 scess, of the stomach, intestiae, bladder or womb. It 

 may also result from sudden changes of weather, chills 

 from exposure to excessive cold, to frigid showers or dews 

 or to a wet bed after perspiration and fatigue. This is of 

 course most frequent ia horses and oxen. Similar expos- 

 ure to cold is a common cause of peritonitis after wounds 

 of the abdomen, as in castration. 



Symptoms. If very circumscribed there may be simply 

 shght colic, worse at one time than another, with acute 

 pain when the affected part is pressed. Wlien more gen- 

 oral there is shivering followed by a hot stage, cohc, stiff- 

 ness of the hind Hmbs, especially in the smaller animals, 

 swelling, tension and great tenderness of the abdomen, 

 constipation, or in rare cases, watery or even bloody diar- 

 rhoea, complete loss of appetite, vomiting in animals capa- 

 ble of this act, quick, catching breathing and rapid hard 

 pulse, becoming softer, weaker and smaller whea serous 

 effusion takes place. Effusion is further attended by a 

 relief from the colics and tenderness, a more sunken eye, 

 pallid mucous membranes, deeper breathing, and a more 



