224 THE COMMON COLICS OF THE HORSE 



it possible that the openings of the ileum and colon might be 

 brought together so that material may pass directly from one 

 into the other ? Nothing is returned into the ileum from the 

 CEecum. There must be, in consequence, a sphincter keeping 

 the ileum closed, for when the c:ecum contracts, material 

 must cross the opening of the ileum in order to reach the 

 colon (Fig. i8). This sphincter is furnished by the thickened 

 condition of the wall of the ileum. We see no difliculty in 



Fig, 17. — Schematic Arrangement of the Longitudinal 

 Muscular Bands of the C^cum. 



Bands i and 2 are one, and form a complete sling for the bowel ; 

 band 4 runs from the cascum to the pelvic flexure of the colon. 

 It is a remarkable band, and doubtless intimately connected 

 with the mechanism which brings about the passage of material 

 from CKCum to colon. (Smith's ' Veterinary Physiology.') 



beheving that the rigid end of this tube may pass its contents 

 practically direct into the colon, and the slightly funnel- 

 shaped arrangement of the latter would readily admit the rigid 

 nozzle of the ileum. 



'The contents of the czecum arc always fluid, sometimes 

 quite watery, occasionally of the colour and consistence of 

 pea-soup, in which condition they are full of gas-bubbles. 

 When watery, the fluid is generally brownish in colour, with 

 particles of ingesta floating about in it. The reaction of the 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



