282 THE COMMON COLICS OF THE HORSE 



rapidly filling pulse at the submaxillary, and the quite 

 early exhibition of the sardonic cast of the features. 

 They all serve to render sure even more sure. 



But after all is said, the great point is the progress of 

 the case. Even to the veriest beginner the rapidity with 

 which it hurries along allows no time for doubt. The 

 whole thing comes on so suddenly, and so suddenly posts 

 on to the end, that the symptoms are as it were thrown 

 at one in their entirety. There is no mistaking their 

 import. 



Does he wish to differentiate it from enteritis, then 

 there is one point to which he may be referred, and-that 

 point is the fact that in enteritis proper, such an enteritis 

 as we have described in Chapter XVI., there is a history 

 of the attack having been ushered in with rigors or a 

 ' shivering fit.' ■ This is not the case in twist. 



Prognosis.— When we are deahng with the slowly 

 progressive symptoms of incomplete torsion, then our 

 prognosis must of necessity be guarded. For this need 

 for caution there are two reasons. In the first place the 

 slow way in which the diagnosis has to be built up leaves 

 room for error the while it is being done. Secondly, 

 even when we feel quite clear that twist has occurred, 

 even when we certainly recognize one or more of its 

 usually fatal indications, we still cannot be sure that 

 some sudden turn in the case— a turn we cannot possibly 

 foresee — is not going to quickly change its whole aspect. 

 I refer to the possibility of spontaneous reduction (see 

 Chapter XXII.). Prognosis, then, must still be guarded. 

 In such a case the owner should certainly be warned, 

 and warned seriously. His animal is more than likely to 

 die. At the same time it is wise to explain to him what 

 we ourselves know of this possibility of reduction, not so 

 much with the idea of holding out hope, but-that we may 



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