64 DISEASES OF TEE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



doses, before meals twice daily. The quality of the food requires 

 special attention. In order to counteract the loss of strength give 

 small quantities of rare or raw meat finely chopped, and also the 

 various peptone preparations. In young puppies the various in- 

 fant-foods so largely used in children's practice are used as substi- 

 tutes for milk. Any complication of the stomach will have to be 

 treated by the method advised under Catarrh of the Stomach. 



The toxic and mycotic inflammations of the stomach will be 

 described separately. 



Toxic Inflammation of the Stomach and Intestines. Gas- 

 tro-enteritis is caused by the absorption of various acid or irri- 

 tating substances and also by the excessive use of drastic purga- 

 tives, such as aloes, calomel, croton oil. 



The intensity of the disease depends on the amount of the drug 

 taken and on the effect it has had on the mucous membranes. 

 The only result may be an attack of acute catarrh, with some loss 

 of the epithelium of the mucous membrane, or there may also be 

 a gangrenous destruction of the walls of the stomach. It is seldom 

 that irritating agents get any further than that organ, wasting 

 their strength there and changing the wall of the stomach into a 

 blackened or tinder-like mass, and all the surrounding tissues are 

 swollen and reddened by hypersemia or hemorrhages. 



We may safely conclude that we have a toxic gastro-enteritis 

 when the symptoms of a serious gastric catarrh appear suddenly, 

 especially after eating, and if the grave symptoms increase rapidly 

 and are accompanied by severe pains taiiing the nature of colic, 

 and on pressure on the abdomen it is painful, the vomited matter 

 and the passages from the intestines being filled with mucus and 

 blood. (For further details, see chapter on Poisoning.) 



The treatment consists, first, in giving an emetic, and after that 

 has had its effect give a laxative — an oleaginous one (olive or lin- 

 seed oil) is the best; and if the poison can be discovered, use the 

 proper antidotes, which are given in the chapter on Poisoning. 



Mycotic Inflammation of the Stomach and Intestines. 

 This is a variety of toxic inflammation of the stomach and intes- 

 tines. It is due to decayed meat poisoning. This is seen after 

 the animal has eaten decomposed meat, offal, or from drinking 

 brine (Leisering). The active agent in decomposed meat is not 

 definitely known, but it certainly has a toxic agent present in it. 



