DIGESTIVE SYSTEM 93 



acid gastric juice causes a coagulation of the blood and converts it 

 into a brown color which forms in masses about the size of grains 

 of coffee, and may be observed in the feces. The coffee-grain coagula 

 in the feces are characteristic of gastric hemorrhage. 



Treatment. — The treatment for gastric hemorrhage depends upon 

 the cause of the condition. In cases in which vomition is a prominent 

 symptom, antemetics should be administered. Lime water, one-half 

 dram doSes of milk of magnesia, insoluble bismuth salts in one-half- 

 dram doses or chloral hydrate in dram doses, administered in cap- 

 sules are useful in overcoming nausea and vomition. If the hemate- 

 m,esis is the result of perforation or laceration of the gastric walls, the 

 administration of bismuth subnitrate in half-dram doses serves the 

 double purpose of an antemetic and hemostatic. 



PEPTIC ULCERS 



■Peptic ulcers are rarely observed in swine, but when they occur 

 are usually near the pyloric end of the stomach. 



Etiology. — The cause of peptic ulcer is thought by some to be 

 due to thrombotic formation; it may be due to the action of gastric 

 juice upon anemic areas of the stomach. 



Lesions. — Peptic ulcers are characteristic in their appearance. 

 They m.ay involve the mucous membrance only or they may extend 

 through the submucosa and involve the muscular coat of the stomach, 

 and even perforate the serous membrane. In size they vary from 

 that of the cross-section of a lead pencil to the area of a silver dollar. 

 They appear as though made by means of a punch, and if they in- 

 volve more than the mucous membrance they usually have a terraced 

 margin; their walls being clean-cut and non-inflammatory. 



Symptoms. — The evidences of peptic ulcer vary, but usually there 

 is indigestion and occasionally hemorrhages. Sometimes it results 

 in perforation of the stomach, followed by peritonitis and death. 



Treatmeni.-^The treatment of peptic ulcers, if the diagnosis should 

 be made, is not satisfactory. The administration of one-half -dram 

 doses of 1 per cent solution of silver nitrate has been advised but has 

 been attended with little success when administered to cases known 

 to be affected with ulcers of the stomach. In many instances gas- 

 tric hemorrhage is the result of peptic ulcers, and such cases are 

 frequently relieved, at least temporarily, by the administration of 

 bismuth subnitrate once daily. The feed should be carefully regu- 

 lated in these cases. Special precautions should be taken to pre- 



