156 CLINICAL DIAGNOSTICS. 



Another object of palpation is to ascertain painful condi- 

 tions or abnormal sensitiveness. Even healthy horses are 

 often extremely sensitive to pressure exerted on the abdomen 

 and become restless when subjected to such an examination. 

 Care must therefore be observed not to mistake these symp- 

 toms for something more serious. In cattle it is different, be- 

 cause abnormal sensitiveness in these animals always points to 

 the existence of important lesions. 



Sensitiveness to pressure between the 6th and 8th ribs 

 (opposite the reticulum) points to the possibility of an injury 

 to the diaphragm from a foreign body that penetrated the 

 reticulum. In acute affections of the true stomach cattle 

 evince symptoms of pain on palpation of the hypochondriac 

 region. Palpation of the right flank in cattle, when intussus- 

 ception of the small intestine exists, is also attended with 

 symptoms of pain. Foreign bodies in the intestines of dogs 

 produce symptoms of pain when pressure is exerted. 



In cattle the peristaltic movements of the paunch are an 

 important consideration. Normally these can be felt in the 

 hollow of the left flank at the rate of about two per minute. 

 The food masses are moved from below upward and toward 

 the right side. Every contraction of the paunch is attended 

 by a slight rise in the hollow of the flank followed by a some- 

 what more sudden drop or depression. Imperfect or slowed 

 movements of the paunch point to the existence of some patho- 

 logical condition (overfeeding, tympanitis, paresis of the 

 paunch, peritonitis, adhesions of the paunch with the abdomi- 

 nal wall). 



Palpation of the bowels per rectum. This is possible 

 only in the comparatively large rectum and roomy pelvis of the 

 horse and ox, but on the other hand the proportions are so 

 large here that only a part of the abdominal region can be thus 

 explored. In the region within our reach we can determine 

 position and contents of the abdominal organs, also the pres- 

 ence of foreign bodies and tumors. 



