ENTEROTOMY AND ENTERECTOMY 401 



balls, calculi, clay, rags, wood and rubbish in general; in 

 equines, sand, clay and calculi. 



While these objects often sojourn for some time in the 

 stomach, and may even remain there, they usually escape 

 into the intestinal tract and then gradually work their way 

 toward the rectum, whence they are voided with the feces, 

 unless arrested at some point along the course. Although 

 they may be found at any point between the cardiac portion 

 of the stomach and the rectum, their course is generally un- 

 checked until they reach the sphincter ani. However, only 

 those which accidentally lodge between the stomach and the 

 rectum are herewith concerned; rectal obstruction requires 

 no intestinal incision. 



2. Coprostasis may occur at any part of the intestinal 

 tract, although the colon and rectum of carnivora and the 

 floating colon of solipeds is the most common seat of fecal 

 stasis. In dogs the desiccation of feces is a common occur- 

 rence, and generally the arrested mass is constituted of 

 bones, sticks, etc, agglutinated with dry fecal matter. A long 

 section of the tract may be thus affected. 



3. Intussusception and volvulus, common enough, are 

 seldom diagnosed in time for successful intervention. 



4. Intestinal strangulation coexists with hernia, es- 

 pecially oscheocele. It is recognized by serious colic and 

 local pain in the hernial sac. This indication demands prompt 

 intervention to forestall inevitable gangrene, and when upon 

 exposure the incarcerated bowel is found either gangrenous 

 or unviable, the only possible chance of recovery lies in en- 

 terectomy and approximation. Although there are no sub- 

 stantiating data 'to offer in defense of these recommenda- 

 tions, as far as they apply to the equine species, their con- 

 secration by usage seems unnecessary in view of the hope- 

 lessness of the situation under any other routine of treat- 

 ment. 



5. Dilatations and strictures are found in aged animals 

 and a suspicion of their existence is created by recurrent at- 

 tacks of obstinate colics. The exact nature of the lesion is de- 

 termined only at the operation. 



RESTRAINT. — Perfect recumbent restraint and pro- 

 found anaesthesia answers best for intestinal operations, al- 

 though now-a-days local anaesthesia is sometimes entirely 

 depended upon for such operations in human beings. The 

 intestihe,s are not sensitive organs, as was once supposed. 

 On the contrary they can be handled, cut and sutured with- 

 out inflicting any excruciating pain. By cocainizing the ab- 



