310 
REPORTS OF CASES. 
normal in quantity and appearance, but nothing- had passed 
since that. Examination per rectum proved this to be empty, 
while the colon was filled with alimentary matter. Diagnosis 
impaction. Eserine sulph. gr. i, followed in one half hour by 
pilocarpine muriate grs. ii, was administered and caused vio 
lent expulsive efforts, but no foeces followed. Injections 
thrown into the bowels would be expelled immediately, ac¬ 
companied by more or less flatus. Gave aloes 3 vi and left. 
On Thursday, two small pellets, enveloped in mucous, 
came away. I now began to mistrust some serious obstruc¬ 
tion and ordered flaxseed tea, to which was added a little fl. 
ext. hydrastis and cascara sagrada, to be given every four 
hours and to be supplemented by clysters. 
hriday," condition about the same. Temperature normal, 
pulse 38. 
Saturday. No change. Took a few mouthfuls of bran- 
mush. 
Sunday. Lying quietly ; no foeces. 
Monday and Tuesday. No change. 1 pint linseed oil, to 
which was added gtt 15 croton oil. In afternoon one grain 
eserine sulph. Straining, no foeces. 
Wednesday. Pulse rose to 60. No other change. 
Thursday. Pulse 65. No foeces. 
Thursday night. Uneasy. Broke out through the barn 
door and trotted around the yajrd. Slushing sound in the 
bowels; for the first time tympanitic ; drank a quantity of 
water at the well; went back in the barn and died, apparently 
from asphyxia. 
At the autopsy, the stomach, small intestines and the first 
two divisions of the great colon, were found to be nearly 
empty. The last two divisions were filled, and in the floating 
colon, about eight or ten inches from its origin was found a 
ball, weighing one and one half pound, completely blocking 
the passage. Behind this two small, hard pellets. On sec¬ 
tion the ball was found to consist of an outside layer, about 
one inch thick, inside of which was another small ball, the 
nucleus of which consisted of a gravel, the size of a small 
hazel nut. That part of the floating colon, between the ob- 
