TORSION OF THE DOUBLE COLON 287 



what has been said, I append the following case from 

 tny own practice. 



' On June 8, 1890, I was called to see a heavy cart- 

 horse which had been suffering from colic for twenty 

 hours. There was moderate but continued restlessness ; 

 the animal lay down frequently, but soon rose again, 

 moved about in various directions, and showed all the 

 Symptoms of obstruction of the bowel. The pulse was 

 65 per minute, small and weak ; the mucous membrane 

 dirty red ; respirations thirty, and shallow ; the flank 

 moderately distended with gas ; peristalsis occasionally 

 slightly audible at the right side ; general perspiration. 

 Defaecation had been in abeyance for twenty hours, 

 only three hard portions of dung having been passed, 

 the appetite had decreased during the same period, 

 and drink was only taken in small quantities. Exam- 

 ination per anum discovered the pelvic flexure of the 

 colon greatly distended with gas, which caused it to 

 be pressed towards the posterior wall of the pelvis. On 

 the outer surface of the colon a tense cord could be 

 felt, which passed from above downwards and inwards, 

 from behind upwards and outwards. A similar cord 

 passing in the same direction could be detected on the 

 inner surface of the colon ; the urinary bladder was only 

 partially filled. 



' The hand introduced into the rectum was laid in the 

 above-described manner against the outer cord, and 

 after several attempts it was found possible, by very 

 considerable exertion, to move the bands of the colon 

 towards the middle line of the abdomen. Active peris- 

 talsis and passage of gas at once followed, after which 

 firm excreta were passed. The restlessness decreased, and 

 after a short time entirely disappeared, whilst the pulse 

 recovered its normal condition, and the mucous mem- 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



