TORSION OF THE DOUBLE COLON 265 



Smith here, in addition to disordered muscular action, 

 discusses work as a cause. In a former article of my 

 own ' I have before laid emphasis on the intimate manner 

 in which are connected these two things — namely, twist 

 of the double colon, and work. There I remarked : ' The 

 veterinarian will learn that there is a history of a previous 

 day's heavy labour, and that the oncome of the symptoms 

 dates from the early morning following that labour. This 

 is of grave significance, for we may take it that displace- 

 ment of the bowel either took place during some violent 

 muscular efTort of the day before, or that, soon after the 

 ravenous feeding at the conclusion of the day's work, 

 tympanitic conditions of the bowel and consequent undue 

 spasmodic movements of its walls have brought about 

 a fatal change in its position.' 



Stress was laid on this by the late Professor Walley 

 when he said:^ 'The attendant symptoms may not be 

 developed or observed for several hours after the occur- 

 rence of the accident which has given rise to them. I 

 am satisfied that in many cases a horse receives displace- 

 ment or partial torsion of the colon when at work, and 

 does not evidence any decided symptom, not even colic, 

 for hours ; in fact, not until the congestion of the intes- 

 tines becomes pronounced, and the small intestines and 

 stomach become tympanitic' 



With both Smith and Walley I agree. Torsion of the 

 colon may occur during heavy labour. I think, however, 

 this last statement needs qualifying. It does not neces- 

 sarily imply that heavy or even exhausting work, if of a 

 regular nature, is alone sufficient to cause mischief. There 

 must be something more than that. For instance, in 



1 Journal of Comparative Pathology and Therapeutics, vol. xxiv., 



p. 306. 



2 Vetfrinary Journal, vol. ix., p. 396. 



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