SUBACUTE OBSTRUCTION OF THE CMCUM 221 



Scottish Metropolitan Veterinary Association, on May 4, 

 igi2, and published in the Veterinary Record of May 11, 

 he deals quite fully with the condition, and in a manner 

 which leaves no doubt at all that we have now added to 

 the subacute obstructions of the intestines of the horse 

 a further affection which calls for our serious considera- 

 tion, particularly in those cases which run an extremely 

 protracted course. 



With all modesty the author of that paper says : ' It 

 is not suggested that the condition described is new.' 

 Nevertheless, I would like here to assure Professor 

 Gofton that, so far as English-reading veterinarians are 

 concerned, it is not only new, but illuminating, by reason 

 of the minuteness with which he describes it, and the 

 means of differential diagnosis his particularly clear 

 account seems to now render possible. 



Speaking for myself, I should like to say I should 

 hardly have recognized this condition without the valu- 

 able pointers furnished by Professor Gofton's paper. 

 They are far clearer than any others that I have been 

 able to refer to ; and, in adding a little to what he has 

 written, I hope that this further beating of the subject 

 may lead others also to recognize a case when they meet 

 with it, and then to add their experiences. 



Causes. — At present these are obscure, but there is 

 every possibility of further recognition of these cases 

 clearing matters up somewhat. Professor Gofton has 

 been good enough to furnish me with his views relating 

 to the causative factors as applying to his own four cases. 



He says : ' I attributed my cases of caecal impaction 

 to one of two causes, but I am not able to assess the 

 relative importance of each, nor to say how far they 

 acted jointly. Colic cases were of great frequency in 

 this particular stable, and they all ceased suddenly, their 



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