TORSION OF THE DOUBLE COLON 269 



twisted and tightened rectal mesentery, and, grasped 

 through the rectal walls, it feels for all the world like a 

 piece of tautened wire. Pressure on it causes pain. 



These two symptoms, the presence close to the pelvic 

 opening of the tympanitic flexure, and the occurrence of 

 the tightened mesenteric band, may be taken as almost 

 positive signs that twist has taken place. 



Connected with this, however, is a point to which I 

 should like to draw the reader's attention. In displace- 

 ment of the pelvic flexure alone, that is uncomplicated by 

 torsion at the suprasternal or diaphragmatic flexures — a 

 <;ondition which I shall discuss in Chapter XXI. — there 

 is also to be felt in the pelvis a similar gas-distended coil 

 of bowel. This time, however, it is a coil of the small 

 ■intestines, and not the pelvic flexure, for the latter in this 

 case is displaced downwards and out of reach. It is a 

 matter which complicates the making of a correct diag- 

 nosis, and I shall discuss it later under that section. For 

 the time being, however, we may leave it out of the 

 equation, and at this stage simply say that a gas-distended 

 coil of bowel in the pelvis, no matter what portion of the 

 intestine it may be, is a sign of serious displacement, if 

 not of actual torsion, and always a symptom of the 

 utmost gravity. 



Recognizing its serious nature, the veterinarian at this 

 point may halt in its examination and enquire more 

 closely into the history of his case. The information he 

 gains thereby is significant, and, although I have already 

 dealt with it under the section devoted to Causes, it is 

 of sufficient importance to mention again. He learns 

 that there has been heavy and exhausting work on the 

 day previous. He hears that the animal afterwards 

 came in and partook of his usual feed with all, if not more 

 than, his usual avidity. He learns, too, that the oncome 



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