SUBACUTE OBSTRUCTION OF THE CMCUM 229 



Stomach which will effectually prevent the animal from 

 taking further food ; for cases of impaction of the colon 

 sufficiently serious to thus ' dam back ' the food are of 

 nearly everyday occurrence. With the removal of the 

 impaction in the colon, then, we simply get a resumption 

 of the action of the ileum again pouring in food, the 

 caecum all this time having been left entirely out of the 

 equation. 



This it appears on the face of it is a quite reasonable 

 explanation of what occurs in the ordinary case of im- 

 paction of the colon, and accounts for the comparative 

 rarity of caecal impaction. 



To then account for such cases of csecal impaction as 

 do occur we should have to fall back on the not unreason- 

 able assumption that, under the paralyzing influences 

 exerted on the intestinal tract generally, owing to a large 

 portion of it — the colon, to wit — being seriously impacted, 

 the nervous mechanism controlling the apposition of the 

 nozzle of the ileum with the funnel-shaped opening of 

 the colon is totally inhibited. In such a case it would be 

 easily conceivable that for a time it might blindly pour 

 the food entering from the stomach into an entirely un- 

 wonted direction — namely, into the csecum. 



In what way might the system of watering interfere 

 with the normal functions of the caecum ? Take Pro- 

 fessor Gofton's cases. Here the animals were allowed 

 one long drink when coming off work in the evening. 

 Nothing more until next morning. Would the caecum 

 once filled in this manner hold sufficient water for the 

 needs of digestion, etc. ? We might answer, ' Most likely 

 not.' In that case such water as is necessary for diges- 

 tion would, long before the next supply was allowed, be 

 directed as required to the colon, even to the entire 

 emptying of the caecum. 



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