278 THE COMMON COLICS OF THE HORSE 



trict of Spalding occur. Manipulation in animals so 

 large is exceedingly difficult. As, therefore, I have no 

 directions of my own to advance, I shall quote here the 

 instructions given by the two authors I have mentioned. 



Moller says : ' The longitudinal bands can be distinctly 

 felt, and show, not only that we have to deal with the 

 colon, but also in what direction torsion has occurred. 

 When the bowel is in its proper position, they run nearly 

 parallel with the long axis of the body ; but in twists, a 

 change in their course is distinctly appreciable. In tor- 

 sion towards the right they run backwards and inwards : 

 in torsion towards the left, backwards and outwards. 

 According to Jelkmann, the rectal mesentery, whose fixed 

 border can be felt far below the lumbar vertebrse, appears 

 greatly stretched, and in right rotation does not pass per- 

 pendicularly downwards, but towards the left, and pressure 

 on it causes the animal pain. . . . Careful examination 

 of the bands of the colon seems to me of more importance 

 in diagnosis, and no doubt can exist as to the presence or 

 direction of the torsion if they can be discovered ; but the 

 posterior bands of the caecum, which can be distinctly 

 felt when the latter is distended with food, must not be 

 mistaken for those of the colon. Such an error is avoided 

 by remembering that the csecum runs from the outer 

 angle of the right ileum in a bow directed backwards, and 

 ends near the left stifle.' 



Cadeac says : ' Failing functional diagnostic signs, a 

 rectal exploration enables one to determine the direction 

 in which torsion has occurred when the second and third 

 portions of the double colon have made a half turn only. 

 In this matter one prompts oneself by ascertaining the 

 position occupied by the muscular bands, the vessels, and 

 the glands. These together form a kind of guide-line by 

 which we may recognize not only the fact that torsion 



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