3o8 THE COMMON COLICS OF THE HORSE 



was made to relieve the pain by administering a heavy 

 dose of morphia and atropine. 



Prognosis. — Early death from displacement of the 

 intestines, in all probability the large colon. ^ 



At 2 p.m. all grave symptoms markedly more pro- 

 nounced. The pulse was wiry and evidently running 

 down. The patchy sweats were now cold, and the pains 

 were still continuous. Patient decidedly weaker. 



At 6 p.m. death occurred with no period of ease 

 before it. 



Autopsy. — This revealed a remarkable twist of the 

 double colon. As the abdornen was slowly opened the 

 first noticeable abnormality was that the caecum failed to 

 protrude. Even with the opening completed, and flaps 

 of the abdominal wall deflected, the csecum was not to 

 be seen. The first portion, and about two-thirds of the 

 second portion of the double colon were lying in their 

 normal positions next the floor of the abdomen. The 

 end of the second portion and the commencement of the 

 third (that is to say, the whole of the pelvic flexure) 

 were turned over from right to left and downward and 

 forward (the carcass in the dorsal position) so that the 

 point of the pelvic flexure was hidden from sight, a dis- 

 tended part of portion number two (the middle third of it) 



1 It should be noted that this case is recorded just as it stands in 

 my notebook, without addition or alteration of any kind. This 

 was in 1908, before I felt quite so certain as I do now that twist of 

 the pelvic flexure could be diagnosed. Even then, no doubt the 

 absence of the pelvic flexure from its normal position ought to have 

 led me to a correct decision. 



It will perhaps be interesting to the reader to hear, too, that the 

 prognosis, fixing upon the large colon as the seat of the trouble, 

 was given, as a proof of what a careful examination would do 

 for one, to an assistant of mine who accompanied me, and who 

 afterwards with me verified the diagnosis at post-mortem. 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



