3IO THE COMMON COLICS OF THE HORSE 



I took to be the pelvic flexure of the colon in its normal 

 position. 



Diagnosis. — This I gave as twist of the double colon, 

 perhaps only partial, and probably at the suprasternal 

 and diaphragmatic flexures. My diagnosis I arrived at 

 in this way. I knew that the fatal signs of twist were all 

 of them present. I thought I discovered the pelvic 

 flexure in its normal position, and, therefore, excluded 

 that. 1 knew that it was not complete twist of the 

 bowel that had occurred for the reason that (although 

 grave) the symptoms were insufficiently rapid to point to 

 it. I further deducted ' incomplete ' twist from the com- 

 parative absence of tympany. Fixing the point at the 

 suprasternal and diaphragmatic flexures was in some 

 measure trusting to the law of chance, for, in my experi- 

 ence, twist of the head of the colon does not occur so 

 frequently as in other positions. 



Just how far this diagnosis was right will appear when 

 we describe the autopsy. 



Treatment. — This was wholly expectant. No seda- 

 tives were given, for I hoped the partial twist I had 

 diagnosed might yet, in a manner which I shall discuss 

 in the following chapter, effect a spontaneous reduction 

 under a stimulant treatment. This included eserine and 

 pilocarpine. 



12.30 /.w. — I was told by the attendant that the mare 

 had been much easier and quieter. He held the opinion 

 that she was improving. It was plain to see, however, 

 that nothing but a fatal prognosis could be given. Pain 

 was still continuous. The pulse, taken every now and 

 again, at intervals of a few minutes only, varied from as 

 low as 80 to as high as 120 beats per minute — was, in 

 fact, still ' troubled.' The respirations, 28 per minute, 

 were still sobbing, and the expression still was haggard 



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