645 
Communications and Cases. 
OBSTINATE CONSTIPATION OF THE BOWELS 
FROM IMPACTED INGESTA. 
By J. Tombs, M.R.C.V.S., Stratford-on-Avon. 
January 18th, 1856. — An aged gray mare, while hauling 
bricks was taken ill. At 10 a.m. she swerved about, but by 
dint of w hipping the wagoner kept her at work until 2 p.m. 
She was then removed to the stable, when she lay down 
immediately, and looked back anxiously towards her flanks. 
They gave her some Ol. Terebinth., and at 4 p.m. I saw her. 
She was still lying down, and groaning from pain, and when 
made to get up became very restless, and pawed the litter. Pulse 
60, and hard; but no tension of the abdomen was present. I was 
informed that she had voided faeces several times during the 
day, in small quantities at a time. I bled her, and administered 
an antispasmodic draught, followed by enemata; and also 
directed hot water to be continuously applied to the abdomen. 
At 8 p.m. the symptoms were much the same. The bowels 
had not acted, and the visible mucous membranes were highly 
injected. Upon examination per rectum , I could clearly 
ascertain that there was a large accumulation of hardened 
faecal matter in the colon. I again took blood, had the 
epigastric region stimulated, and gave repeated doses of 
purgative medicines, with injections. 
19th. — 8 a.m. The animal is evidently worse; there is 
great tension of the abdomen, and she has not yet voided 
any faeces ; she looks anxious, and is in great pain ; lies 
down and attempts to roll ; perspires very much ; pulse 70, 
and weak; and w 7 ill neither eat nor drink. The purgatives 
and enemas w 7 ere continued, but without any avail; the pulse 
increased in frequency, the abdomen became more distended, 
and the pain more acute, until 7 p.m., when she died, without 
having had any action of the bowels from the time I first saw 
her. 
Sectio cadaveris . — Stomach full of fluids and the medicines 
given. Small intestines highly inflamed in patches ; omentum 
thickened and scirrhous in one place, showing an old disease; 
colon inflamed, and distended generally with hard faecal 
matter, but in one part it was more stretched and diseased 
