COLICS THROUGH INTESTINAL OCCLUSION. 171 



they are complicated by progressive necrotic destruction of the 

 muscular wall and end in perforation of the intestine. 



Among the accidents of intestinal obstruction must be pointed 

 out rupture of the stomach and intestine. The arrest of feca] 

 matter in the csecum is followed by fatal lacerations of this organ, 

 and when this takes place treatment is entirely useless. Euptures 

 of the colon and rectum are relatively frequent. Obstruction of 

 the terminal portion of the small intestine is followed in half the 

 cases by tearing of the stomach ; the anti-peristaltic movements 

 cause accumulation of the intestinal contents in the stomach, pro- 

 ducing its rupture, except when vomiting relieves the overdistended 

 condition of the organ. The neighborhood of the ileo-c8ecal valve 

 is the most frequent seat of intestinal obstruction. 



Duration. In general, the duration of these colics is quite 

 long ; it varies from a few days to two, three, six, and seven weeks 

 (chronic colics) ; the remissions, properly so called, that are ob- 

 served in thrombo-embolic colics are missing in this form of colic. 

 When rupture of the stomach occurs, it induces the whole symp- 

 tomatic ensemble which has been described in the article on Rup- 

 ture of the Stomach. 



Treatment. Evacuants, laxatives, eserine, clysters, and tobacco- 

 smoke ; massage of the abdomen, cold compresses, rectal injection 

 of large quantities of cold water, moderate exercise, and a rigid 

 diet — such are the means to be employed against colics due to intes- 

 tinal obstruction. 



2. COLICS PROVOKED BY CALCULI OR BY FOREIGN BODIES RE- 

 MAINING IN THE INTESTINAL CANAL. 



Nature. The bibliography of this variety of colic is relatively 

 rich. This is explained if we consider that any calculous affection 

 detected at the autopsy strikes the observer, and decides him to 

 record it. Nevertheless, calculous colics are in reality relatively 

 rare. They are usually observed in millers' or bakers' horses, 

 which consume a large quantity of bran and meal. Gurlt states 

 that bran contains 1 to 2.5 per cent, of phosphate of magnesia, 

 which constitutes the principal element of calculi. Dusts coming 

 from the millstone, and which are mixed with the bran, have only 

 a secondary influence in the formation of calculi. 



The " sand colics" happening after ingestion of sand and gravel, 

 when the animals drink in small rivulets, or when they are fed on 



