ABDOMINAL WOUNDS, WITH INJURIES TO CONTAINED ORGANS. 257 
passed through a rupture in the mesentery, and become strangulated. 
Kleinpaul saw a penetrating abdominal wound in the umbilical region of 
a mare, caused twelve hours previously by injury from the teeth of a 
harrow. A portion of the small intestine* as large as a man s fist, was 
prolapsed* cedematous, and swollen. This was replaced, an iodoform 
dressing applied, and food being withheld for four days, perfect healing 
resulted. Fourteen days later the mare gave birth to a foal and 
did well. 
In treatment of prolapsed bowel, uterus, or other abdominal viscus, 
the chief point is to prevent injury and soiling. For this purpose, if 
large animals have to be cast* a broad cloth soaked in disinfectant fluid 
is first passed round the body. The wound and its neighbourhood* 
together with the protruding portion, are then carefully cleansed with a 
lukewarm disinfecting fluid (carbolic, salicylic, or sublimate solution)* 
and endeavours made to replace the prolapse, which effected, the wound 
is once more cleansed, any foreign bodies carefully removed, and the 
parts stitched up. In some oases it may be necessary to enlarge the 
wound before reduction can be effected. The after-treatment is similaT 
to that described in penetrating wounds. Should the piotruded bowel 
have become necrotic recovery is rare, and the formation of an aitificial 
anus or resection, which is worth attempting, offei the only chances of 
saving life (compare “Foreign Bodies in the Bowel ). Small doses of 
opium check the action of the bowel and diminish danger of peritonitis. 
( d ) Abdominal Wounds with Injuries to Contained Organs* In heibi- 
vora the colon is most frequently injured, on account of its gieat aiea, its 
distension with hard food, and its fixed position. The more mobile small 
intestine being generally filled with fluid frequently evades the object 
producing the injury. In this way, as experiments have shown, pointed 
instruments, and even projectiles, may penetrate the abdomen deeply 
without injuring this intestine. The escape of the dog transfixed, as 
above described, is thus explained. Horses frequently recover from 
injuries of the colon and caecum, although their peritoneum is much 
more sensitive than that of the ox, dog, oi fowl. 
Guilhelm (Stockfleth) saw a horse with a wound 5J inches in front of the 
umbilicus, produced by a horn thrust, and through which the under portion of 
the double colon protruded in a mass as large as a man s head. A wound m 
the bowel, 3± inches in length, discharged food material. _ This was stitched, 
the bowel cleansed and replaced, the wound m the abdominal wall sewn, and 
a dressing applied over all. In spite of great swelling, recovery occurred m 
twenty-five days. . T ... 
In this connection, Herbet made experiments m pigs. In castrating a sow, 
he intentionally thrust his finger through the colon, drew the injured spot into 
the skin wound, and sewed it up with waxed thread. The animal leceivec no 
food for several days, and recovered. The extent of the recuperative powers 
is further illustrated by a case reported by Bichter. Whilst endeavouring to 
