92 
REPORTS OF CASES. 
Cases have also come under my notice very frequently of 
serious trouble and death from strongylus tetracanthum, but 
as that is well treated in an article in the January Review I 
will say nothing in regard to them at this time. 
CONSTRICTION OF THE RECTUM. v 
(Reported to the Maryland Veterinary Medical Association, by W. H. 
Martenet, D.V.S., Philadelphia, Pa.) 
The subject was an aged bay horse which I was called to 
see on the 18th of January, 1893. I found him presenting the 
ordinary symptoms of constipation, constant stretching, an¬ 
orexia, dullness and visible evidence of the passage of but 
little or no fasces. 
Treatment was recommended and given in the adminis¬ 
tration of a liberal dose of linseed oil, followed by mild doses 
of tincture of nux vomica. Clysters of warm water, twice 
daily, were ordered with the admonition to exercise care in 
introducing the nozzle of the syringe into the rectum. 
I saw the patient on January 23d, and was told that he 
had done better for a day or two after 1 had first seen him, 
but was now straining worse than before, and, according to 
the owner’s statement, passed very small quantities of urine 
at frequent intervals. Noticing this condition myself, he was 
put on diuretic treatment. The owner visited me in a day 
or two, and informed me that no improvement was notice¬ 
able in the animal. 
I visited him again on the 28th, and found him weaker 
than before, from having taken but little nourishment, and 
constantly stretching and straining at ineffectual efforts to 
void faeces. 
Having determined to make a rectal examination, on in¬ 
troducing the hand into the rectum found it could be passed 
but about six inches from the anus. The obstruction con¬ 
sisted of a fibrous constriction occluding the rectum to such 
an extent that only two fingers could be passed through it, 
and then but with much difficulty. The constriction was 
very firm, but the mucous membrane toward the anus was 
