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DISEASES OF THE STOMACH AND INTESTINES. 
until 5 o’clock the following morning, when death took 
place. The indications were those of spasm without inter¬ 
mission ; from the time the animal fell, until he expired, he 
did not cease to express by violent struggles the intensity of 
his pain ; the pulse was strong, full, and accelerated, as would 
inevitably be the case when extreme excitement was present, 
and there was an evident inability to stand, or an absolute 
disinclination to do so. The treatment included bleeding, 
narcotics, as opium, tobacco enemata, also mild laxatives and 
constant fomentations to the abdomen, followed by mustard 
poultices, all without the slightest effect upon the pain. 
After death a rigid examination of the internal organs was 
instituted in the presence of three professional men, who were 
equally impressed with the unsatisfactory nature of the 
evidence obtained. No indication of inflammation or any of its 
products was seen ; the membrane of the stomach was slightly 
irritated, but not more than might be expected from the 
exhibition of medicaments for any length of time; the colon 
was 111 led with ingesta presenting nothing peculiar; the small 
intestines and stomach contained only fluid, the animal 
not having taken any food for at least twenty hours before 
his death. 
That the fatal result arose from the prostration consequent 
upon unceasing pain, was evident enough, but the difficulty 
still remained to account for its continuance. Spasm of the 
muscular structure of the intestines is usually productive of 
much suffering, but the condition is an evanescent one, and 
is commonly modified by very simple treatment, or proceeds 
to terminate in strangulation or intussusception. In the case 
before us we had indications, during life, of spasm of the most 
violent character, continuing without being in the smallest 
degree alleviated by the most energetic treatment, and 
after death leaving nothing to explain the obstinate nature of 
the disease. 
Alone, the above instance would hardly deserve comment, 
happening as it did many years ago the impressions left by it 
may have in some degree faded ; some of the evidence may 
have escaped observation ; but since the occurrence of this 
case, numerous others have presented themselves identical 
in every characteristic particular. Sometimes an ordinary 
attack of cholic has preceded the more violent symptoms; the 
patient has alternately lain down and again risen several 
times before resuming the recumbent posture permanently. 
Once, and that lately, we had a singular instance of the 
disease shorn of its violent character, the pain being equally 
continuous but less acute, allowing the patient to stand in 
