234 THE COMMON COLICS OF THE HORSE 



And then, quite suddenly, the end comes. Without 

 warning the alarming symptoms associated with rupture 

 of the intestines supervene. The pulse commences to 

 run down, the respirations become hurried and gasping, 

 and muscular tremors, with partial cold sweats, make 

 their appearance. At the same time the countenance 

 takes on that drawn, anxious expression known as 

 ' sardonic,' the patient the while growing weaker and 

 weaker, and the sobbing respirations becoming more 

 and more 'catchy,' until the animal drops and dies in 

 convulsions. 



It is not a pleasant ending, this ; a sudden and unex- 

 pectedly fatal one to a case the veterinarian at the outset 

 deems simple. It is an advance in our knowledge, how- 

 ever, thanks to Professor Gofton, that these cases may 

 be recognized. With recognition may later happily come 

 suggestion for improvement in treatment. 



Diag'nosis- — The diagnosis of these cases, even if 

 possible at all at the outset, is not going to be easy. It 

 will, as has already been intimated, be only too easy to 

 confound them with cases of impaction of the colon — 

 cases which are comparatively simple. 



It appears, however, from what we now know, that as 

 these cases run their course, and even before fatal symp- 

 toms present themselves, diagnosis is going to be 

 possible. In fact, a careful consideration of the symp- 

 toms as just described will indicate in what way that 

 diagnosis is to be arrived at. 



The first point of importance is the initial purge. 

 This alone, if ever we come into contact with many of 

 these cases, will be a ' leader ' of no mean significance. 

 It will become of even greater significance when we see 

 that this purge is followed, not by recovery, but by a 

 continuation of the dull pains which have preceded the 



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