SUBACUTE OBSTRUCTION OF THE SINGLE COLON 143 



Other veterinarians, and an increase of information on this 

 particular subject should be engendered by the working 

 upon it of more than one set of brains. 



Prognosis. — In a former chapter of this book I have 

 definitely stated that any case of colic is to be regarded 

 as serious if distended coils of intestine are to be found in 

 the pelvis. A consideration of such cases of obstruction 

 of the single colon as have fallen to my share leads, me 

 in no great degree to deviate from that earlier- formed 

 conclusion. I therefore feel myself justified in advising 

 the veterinarian to offer his client a cautious and guarded 

 explanation of the state of affairs. Should the day 

 fortunately arise when operative interference with the 

 horse's abdomen becomes a more frequent occurrence, 

 then this particular form of colic will be the first to 

 benefit thereby, and so yield a prognosis of a more 

 favourable type. If the case is one of rectal paralysis, 

 pure and simple, then the prognosis must be even more 

 guarded still. These cases are generally insidious in 

 their onset, and usually unaffected by therapeutic 

 measures. 



Treatment.' — Taking the case of total paralysis of the 

 rectal walls first, we may dispose of it very briefly by 

 saying that a trial should be given to a long course of 

 nervine tonics — e.g., strychnia, which tonic is well accom- 

 panied by potassium iodide as a resorbent. The applica- 

 tion of a smart blister to the lumbar region should be 

 advised, and the patient's daily comfort should be insured 

 by removing from the rectum several times per diem 

 the accumulated faecal matters. 



Concerning the impaction of the colon, I would, as for the 

 other forms of subacute obstruction, advocate the 

 adoption of purely stimulative measures ; in which case 

 the balls of ammonium carbonate and nux vomica may 



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