142 THE- COMMON COLICS OF THE HORSE 



tives, the case is of a somewhat lengthy nature, and may 

 not near its conclusion until the third or fourth day. 



Diag^nosis. — In some cases this is remarkably simple ; 

 in others just as difficult. After all is said and done, 

 there can be but one absolutely diagnostic symptom, and 

 that is the detecting, by manipulative measures in the 

 rectum, of the offending portion of bowel. 



It will be seen, however, that I have carefully refrained 

 from giving symptoms which might be truthfully de- 

 scribed as general, from which I wish the reader to infer 

 that such few as I have related I wish to be regarded as 

 reasonably diagnostic. That being so, I will conclude 

 this paragraph by simply summing them up again in 

 brief. 



The continuousness of the pain, as evidenced by the 

 state of the pulse, without definite concomitant symptoms 

 pointing to a more grave condition, as, for example, 

 enteritis, twist, or rupture ; the tendency to stand in a 

 stretched-out posture, with ejected penis and quivering 

 tail ; the gradual increase in the severity of the pains if 

 not soon relieved ; the violent straining attempts at de- 

 fsecation, and the clinging, clutch-like grasp of the rectum 

 on the operator's arm ; the violently expulsive action of 

 the rectum on anything introduced per anuni, and the 

 presence in the pelvis of distended or flaccid coils of in- 

 testine — all these are symptoms requiring careful con- 

 sideration when summing up for a diagnosis. 



Without rashly venturing the opinion that these mani- 

 festations may be relied upon to furnish a correct verdict 

 in every case, I am, nevertheless, fully decided that many 

 of these attacks will thus be absolutely differentiated 

 from other forms of colic, and a corresponding improve- 

 ment in the treatment be the happy result. In course of 

 time this should lead to the report of further cases by 



