RECTAL EXPLORATIONS AND MANIPULATIONS. 
527 
the mare, to the vagina and uterus ; laterally with the walls of 
the pelvic cavity. Besides these, the parts that may be recog¬ 
nized from the rectum are : Floating colon, great colon, caecum- 
spleen, kidneys in small horses, small intestines, internal ingui, 
nal ring, rumen in cow, ovaries in mare. 
The rectum is a great aid in diagnosing many diseases, and 
a proper diagnosis will be of great help in treatment. Con¬ 
ditions that may be recognized are : Twist or rotation of the 
colon, enlargement of the spleen and kidneys, abdominal and 
inter-abdominal tumors, distension of the large intestines with 
gas, as in flatulent colic ; volvulus and intussusception. 
In Holler’s “ Surgery” are two chapters relating to these im¬ 
portant conditions, and he lays great stress on rectal explor¬ 
ations ; intestinal concretions, various conditions in a pregnant 
animal, dropsy of the uterus, fracture of the back part of the 
spinal column and of any of the bones of the os innominati, 
scrotal and inguinal hernise, lameness resulting from thrombi in 
the iliac arteries due to action of the parasite, strongylus arma- 
tus. 
As an aid in performing surgical operations the rectum will 
be of service in such operations as cryptorchidism, where it is 
an aid in locating the testicles, in reducing scrotal and inguinal 
hernia, reducing fractures of the sacrum, ilium, pubis and 
ischium, reducing twist or rotation of the colon. Of this condi¬ 
tion Moller says (“Moller’s Surgery,” page 286): “Thesymptoms 
are not characteristic, but a rectal examination generally re¬ 
moves any doubt. When colic, at first sight, is accompanied 
by continued pain, and becomes worse hour by hour, the bowel 
sounds weaker, the pulse smaller and more frequent, and some 
form of stoppage of the bowel seems certain, a rectal examin¬ 
ation will generally clear up the point. Close in front of the 
anus one feels the distended colon, which may for the moment 
be mistaken for the overfilled urinary bladder, but careful 
examination reveals its real nature. The longitudinal mus¬ 
cular bands can be distinctly felt, and show, not only that we 
have to deal with the colon, but also in what direction torsion has 
