290 THE COMMON COLICS OF THE HORSE 



patient save a gradual increase in the gravity of the 

 symptoms, grew anxious also. The gas-distended flexure 

 and the band-like tightening of the rectal mesentery 

 could still be felt — their position not altered in the 

 slightest. In addition, the increasing tympany of the 

 abdomen was growing alarming. Plainly enough I saw 

 that unless something more was done the case could only 

 have one end, and that a fatal one. * 



Giving some intimation of what I was about to 

 attempt, but holding out no hope of recovery, I inserted 

 my right arm into the rectum as far as I could possibly 

 reach. I was unable to detect the muscular bands of the 

 bowel, but discovered that the inflated flexure could be 

 pushed forward, only, however, to immediately follow 

 the withdrawn arm until it regained its former abnormal 

 position pressed right up close to the pelvic opening. 



Unable to ascertain the direction of the twist, but deter- 

 mined to try something, I made up my mind to thrust 

 back the pelvic flexure, and at the same time to push it 

 upwards and then over — first over to the right, and then, 

 if unsuccessful, over to the left, hoping that pushing 

 further in the direction of twist, should I unfortunately 

 do so, would not make matters worse, and trusting that 

 when force was exerted in the opposite direction (namely, 

 in the direction that would reduce the torsion) the bowel 

 by the contraction of its muscular bands would help 

 somewhat, and that a favourable change in its position 

 would ensue. This latter happened, and I can best 

 describe the sensation given to the inserted arm by 

 likening it to the feeling one experiences when on 

 replacing an everted uterus, the latter finally ' swims 

 out ' to take up its normal position. That something had 

 been accomplished for the benefit of the patient was 

 almost immediately apparent. Before I had had time 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



